Pastor’s Corner: “Access to Jesus’ Riches”
Romans 8:17 (TLB) – 17 And since we are his children, we will share his treasures—for all God gives to his Son Jesus is now ours too.
A man booked passage on a ship with just enough money to buy a ticket, a block of cheese, and some crackers for the long voyage. The first few days at sea the crackers and cheese tasted good, but eventually they became stale. Each day the man watched the porters carry large steaks, lobsters, and many other delicious foods to the other guests. Soon, he became so hungry that he stopped one of the porters. “I’ll do anything to get one of those steaks,” he begged. “I’ll wash dishes, clean rooms, anything you want.” The porter replied, “You bought a ticket, didn’t you? The meals come with the ticket!” Tragically, many Christians today are content to be cheese-and-cracker Christians, even while all the resources of God are available to them.
WE HAVE ACCESS TO JESUS’ RICHES: Of course the riches of the Kingdom of Heaven are not temporary like the riches of the world and are much more valuable! As co-heirs with Christ, here’s a list of what we can have, if we so choose to invite Jesus in our hearts.
- His peace is my peace. “Peace I leave you; my peace I give to you.” (John 14:27 [NIV])
- His joy is my joy. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11 [NIV])
- His love is my love. …”Because God poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 5:5 [NIV]) – “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:23 [NIV])
- His Spirit is my spirit. “…And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38 [NIV])
“And you were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal. The promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–the praise of his glory.” (Eph. 1:13:14 [NIV]) - His glory is my glory. “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.” (John 17:22 [NIV]) – “And we, who with unveiled face reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:18 [NIV])
- His faith is my faith. “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (1 Cor. 4:2 [NIV]) – “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’” (Luke 17:5 [NIV]) – “But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold onto our courage and the hope of which we boast.” (Heb. 3:6 [NIV])
- His hope is my hope. “Find rest, o my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” (Ps. 62:5 [NIV])
- His rest is my rest. “Are you tired? Worn out?…Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me. Watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. (Matt. 11:28-30 [MSG])
- His freedom is my freedom. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Cor. 3:17 [NIV])
- His life is my life. “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28 [NIV]) – “That everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3:15 [NIV]) – “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”(John 10:28[NIV]) – “…But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23 [NIV])
- His wisdom is my wisdom. “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Rom. 11:33 [NIV]) – “I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s greatest mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we’ve been shown the mystery!” (Col. 2:2-3 [MSG]) – “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5 [NIV])
In the spring of 1979, the State of California advertised the names of more than 20,000 people who had abandoned property of value. That property was valued at $12.6 million! People had walked away from, or forgotten wealth that had been kept for them by banks and other agencies. Their resources were simply sitting, unused in abandoned accounts. So it is with the many Christians who do not claim by faith the spiritual resources that are available and free to us, but purchased by the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. We did nothing to deserve this gift, our inheritance, and yet God willingly gives it to us as co-heirs with Christ and keeps it fully funded! Are you accessing your Kingdom Inheritance?
We are “heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17, KJV). “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32, KJV).
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton