What An Inheritance

Temple Baptist Church - 7-29-2009

Galatians 4:1-2, 7

Introduction:

A. We are now sons and not servants. We are sons who serve though!

B. The difference between rewards and inheritance.

1. Rewards based upon service - 1 Corinthians 3:12-14 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

a) Crowns to cast - Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (To be cast at His feet.)

Revelation 4:10-11 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

b) Cities to govern - Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Millennium)

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

2. Inheritance is based upon sonship - Psalms 31:19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

C. Rewards can be lost. 2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

D. Inheritance cannot be lost. 1 Peter 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

E. I want to look at our inheritance for a few minutes. I want to say at the ontset of this message that what I will preach on is infinitely beyond our ability to comprehend.

Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

F. Eternal things are beyond our realm of experience and we can only fully comprehend that which we have experienced. Sometimes in times of grief, we say to people, “I know how you feel.” You can only know how they feel if you have been there. I have not been to heaven!

G. I have chosen these verses to expound tonight in light of inheritance.

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1. Our Inheritance Is Solely Based Upon Sonship – “begotten us again”

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (Once saved we have eternal life. Born into God’s family for time and eternity. Every son has equal inheritance. I find no degrees of heaven found in the Bible. Degrees of reward to cast and degrees of cities to reign over in the Kingdom, but eternity has not degrees. Every son is a son and equally loved of the Father.)

2. Our Inheritance Is Incorruptible – “to an inheritance incorruptible” (Incorruptible means not to decay) Some people are born into wealthy families but, before they inherit, those fortunes are lost through bad business deals, etc. Our inheritance cannot either be lost nor diminish.)

a. It cannot be corrupted - Matthew 6:19-20 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (I understand that the interpretation is rewards earned but it also states that nothing can harm, change, or diminish eternal things. Thank God for the incorruptibility of our inheritance.)

b. I cannot be enjoyed by corrupt people - 1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

3. Our Inheritance Is Undefiled – “undefiled” (Eternity will be absolutely holy)

Revelation 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (A holy earth with the curse gone)

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (A holy heaven with the pollution gone)

Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. (A holy city)

Revelation 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Psalms 48:1-2 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. 2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

4. Our Inheritance Is Unfadable – “fadeth not away” (It will not diminish in glory)
Revelation 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (The smell of leather in a new car diminishes much quicker than the payment book! We buy new things and then the newness wears off and they are just things. The glory and joy of our eternal inheritance will never lose its glory or joy. It will be new and exciting forever!)

a. Glory that will never die.
b. Pleasure that will never end.
c. Excitement that will never go away.

5. Our Inheritance Is Reserved – “reserved in heaven for you” (It will be there when we get there.)

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (Our hope is a living one. Our lives are not in vain and heaven is “far better,” as the Apostle Paul put it. Our past is fleeting and our future is secure! Secured by Christ.)

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,