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You Are God's Heritage (Ephesians 1:11-14)

Scott Kercheville
08/30/15 - Sun AM

Series: Ephesians (Your Identity in Christ)

Ephesians 1:11–14 (NET), “¹¹ In Christ we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will ¹² so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, would be to the praise of his glory. ¹³ And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)–when you believed in Christ–you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴ who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.”

Paul has written about every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. When we build our lives on seeking satisfaction from our physical relationships, activities, and possessions, the shifts of life will reveal that our lives are built on sand. Lasting life is only found in a relationship with God. But as we study how God blesses us, how often do we pause to consider what God receives from this?

• Israel Was God's Heritage

  • Israel was God’s treasured possession among all people (Exodus 19:5).

  • God allotted lands for the nations, but Israel for himself (Deuteronomy 32:8-9).

  • God wanted a people devoted to worshipping him alone (Deuteronomy 4:19-20; Isaiah 43:21).

• ​You Are God's Heritage (Ephesians 1:11-14)

  • God predestined us to be his heritage according to his purpose (vs. 11).

  • We were set aside as a heritage when we heard the word of truth and believed in Christ (vs. 13; cf. Rom. 10:10-17).

  • We were sealed with the Spirit who is the guarantee of our inheritance until God redeems his possession (vs. 13-14).

  • We are God’s possession and heritage so we can praise his glory (vs. 12, 14; cf. 1 Peter 2:9-10).

After John sees heaven and earth pass away, God makes a beautiful declaration in Revelation 21:3–7. “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away… To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.’” One day God will redeem us so he can have his heritage and we can have ours. He will have us as sons and we will have him as our Father in eternal life. Build your faith in the word of truth so that - when fleshly pains and temptations war against you - you can see the Spirit’s fruit in your life and remember you have this identity and future. You are God’s heritage.