The Wealth We Possess

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Wealth We Possess</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id348.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="More Christians"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id346.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Making A Difference Through Prayer"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Wealth We Possess, </B><A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+1:1-14" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U><B>Ephesians 1:1-14</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, January 5, 2003am</B></div> <bR> <div>      With the new year, it is common to review the past and assess our purpose, priorities, and plans for the future. Is your look backward and forward positive or negative? We must remember that there is more to life than finances, success, career, family, fun, comfort, and good health. Whether the review and outlook are positive or negative, we should pause, reflect, and give thanks for what we have because of who we are in Christ. </div> <div>      Many years ago, an heir to a British nobleman was living in poverty and barely eking out an existence on the West Coast. After the nobleman died, they began to look for his heir and when they found him, they told him about his inheritance. That day, he went to a clothing store and ordered the finest suit, and he went and bought a first-class airplane ticket so he could go to England in style and claim his inheritance. (J. Vernon McGee, <I>Through the Bible</I>, vol. 5, p. 212).</div> <div>      Ephesians 1:3 tells us that Christians are "blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms." Is your primary focus the earthly realm or heavenly realm? We live in both as Christians, but whichever realm is our focus will affect our choices and experience in the other realm. For example, many people are chronic complainers because their focus is on what is happening in the earthly realm. Yes, the circumstances are important, but we can always be thankful because of what is true in the heavenly realm.</div> <div>      Christians are "in Christ" in the heavenly realm. For us to make the most of our lives on earth and in the age to come, we must understand who we are in Christ, and what is true because of it. Here are three realities that we experience because of our relationship to Jesus Christ.</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. God chose us to belong to his family (vss. 3-6).</B></div> <div>      We have been adopted as sons. Think about an orphan child adopted into a royal family. And that orphan child is fully considered to be a part of the family, as much as the natural born children. That is what is means to adopted into God's family. We are not merely God's subjects, we are sons.</div> <div>      This is by God's choice. We do not have to appease him to make him be kind to us. Think of all the religions of the world, where the people have to appease the gods for things to go well with them. The God of the universe chose to be gracious and kind to us, when we did not deserve it.</div> <div>      Our character is to reflect our calling. We are "holy and blameless in his sight" (vs. 4), and through the power of God, we should live that way. We should conduct our lives with actions becoming of being a part of the family of God.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. God purchased our forgiveness and freedom through Christ (vss. 7-8).</B></div> <div>      Through Christ, we have freedom from the penalty of sin, which is death. Thus we are forgiven. He has also purchased our freedom from the power of sin. Thus we do not have to be a slave to sinful habits. Our forgiveness and freedom are realities because Jesus Christ paid our debt. </div> <div>      This was out of God's grace and kindness  (vss. 6, 7). Some people are facing a financial debt beyond their ability to pay. Jesus Christ paid a far greater spiritual debt that was only payable by our death; because he paid our debt, we go free. Consider the fact that none of us knows the future. Our earthly life could be over at any time. We may never live to see another New Year. Be prepared for eternity by having your sins forgiven through the gift of Jesus Christ. Don't take it for granted that you have "the rest of your life" to get things straight with God.</div> <bR> <div> <B>III. God guarantees our secure future with Christ (vss. 9-14).</B></div> <div>      For the Christian, our future is secure because we know Christ will one day rule the universe (vss. 9-10). We know who wins in the end, and we are on the winning side. We can be assured of the certainty of God's plan (vs. 11). His plan will ultimately be accomplished.</div> <div>      When a Christian is given the Holy Spirit at the time of his or her salvation, the Spirit' is God's mark of identification on us. We are God's possession. And the Spirit is our down payment, guaranteeing all the future benefits of our salvation (vss. 13-14)</div> <bR> <div>      Take time to be thankful for what is true because of God's kindness to you. We exist to bring praise and glory to God (vs. 12). Choose to worship God because of what is true in the heavenly realms. And pursue priorities this year that reflect who you are in Christ. If your purpose is to glorify and praise God, set your priorities and plans according to that. With each choice you make, you can either disappoint God or bring delight to his heart. Which will you choose? Choose to glorify and delight him, in his strength.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2003, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>