Yes! There is Good News! January 20, 2018

“That you may know … the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints;” this is where we ended our discussion of Paul’s prayer to the Ephesian church in our last article. Do you understand the riches that may be yours as one of God’s called out ones? First of all, God owns all things. Psalm 24 verse 1 tells us, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” That is a good start, but, in reality, God is creator over the entire universe – over all things visible and invisible and He owns it all!

In Matthew 25:31-36, Jesus tells us a parable concerning His kingdom. In it He separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep (on His right) have fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked and visited the sick. (I believe we are familiar with this parable.) The point of this is that the sheep are told, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” Let me state it this way, the riches of His glorious inheritance is the kingdom of God!! This is why, in Matthew 6:33, we are told, “seek first the kingdom and its righteousness and all things will be given to you.”
God is working with us today in order to prepare us for this inheritance. In another scripture, Jesus tells us that, “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father of mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29). Let me ask you something: how long is eternal life? And again, how big is God’s kingdom? What kind of work does God have for us to do?

In Isaiah 9:6-7, in speaking of our Savior, Isaiah says, “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given … and of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne … with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” In Luke 19:17 Jesus says, “Because you have been trustworthy in a small matter, take charge of ten cities.” This parable concerns us, His servants.

Friends, there is much more to say concerning our inheritance, but let us move on to the third petition of Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian church; “That you may know … His incomparably great power for us who believe.” At this, Paul goes on to describe this great power: “That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.” I don’t know about you but I am completely blown away when I consider that God can take a lifeless piece of flesh, the synapsis in the brain have ceased, the body has grown cold, no blood is flowing because the heart has stopped and yet by the word of His mouth, life enters the body and resurrection occurs. This is His incredibly great power for us who believe. A new body, one that is indestructible, that will inherit His kingdom, a kingdom that will exist forever; this is the hope to which He has called us and to which Paul desires that the eyes of our heart may be enlightened!

Good news indeed!!!