THINK TOGETHER
Do you know what an inheritance is? What do you want to inherit from your parents of grandparents?
READ TOGETHER
In the Bible days (and even today) an inheritance is a big deal. Parents would leave their land and wealth to their children when they died. All that was dad and mom’s became the children’s. Today that might mean a house, or cars, or money in the bank.
In the Bible days usually the oldest son would get the largest inheritance. And the other kids would get their share too. Do you remember the story of the Prodigal Son? The younger son took his inheritance and wasted it. Then when he came home to his father to live as a servant his father gave him a second inheritance from his older brother’s inheritance. And boy was his older brother mad. He felt like he was losing what was rightfully his for a brother that had been disobedient and sinful.
In Ephesians Paul wants us to know that Jesus is our awesome big brother that wants to share his inheritance with us. Even though we have all sinned and don’t deserve anything from God, Jesus wants to share all that is his with us. All of heaven. All of the universe. All creation. Listen to how Paul says it to the Ephesian Christians:
Ephesians 1:3;11;18. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places… 11 In him we have obtained an inheritance…18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
“In Jesus we have obtained an inheritance.”
The thing about an inheritance is that, especially in Bible days, you didn’t earn it. It was given to you simply because you were the child of the rich parent. No matter what you would get your inheritance if you were simply a son or daughter.
And that is true of us in Jesus too. Simply because we are connected to THE SON of God we too will share his inheritance. Why? Because Jesus is the better older brother who loves to give, and share, and bless us even when we’ve sinned and tried to run away from God our Father.
And guess what? Look at Ephesians 1:18 again. God gets an inheritance too – “the riches of HIS glorious inheritance in the saints.”
His inheritance?
Yep. God gets an inheritance at the end too. Jesus gets to inherit something in heaven just like we do. What is God’s inheritance? US! The saints. The people that have been saved. We are God’s eternal reward. You are what God will enjoy for all eternity. Every time he looks at you he will smile and be pleased. Every day he will enjoy you just as much as you enjoy him. That’s heaven. That’s eternal life.
Because of Jesus we are God’s inheritance that he will enjoy forever.
With Jesus we share in his inheritance forever too.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Talk more with your children about inheritance. Have you ever received something as an inheritance? Help your children see that God is offering us the inheritance of himself and his eternal love (along with everything else in the universe).
We’re back to Annie! Annie not only inherits Stack’s fortune, but also forms a relationship of love with him.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
I can’t wait to be with you and with God forever in heaven enjoying each other for all eternity. Thank you for sharing your inheritance and for making me God’s inheritance.
Amen.
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