The Great Inheritance – Acts 20:32

Last Sunday morning I tried to make two specific points:

I wanted to prove to you that laying behind the words of Acts 28 is Paul’s faith in the DEITY OF CHRIST.

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

The church of God was purchased with the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore Jesus Christ must be that God.

Not only is the deity of Christ implied there in verse 28, but Paul teaches it in a dozen other scriptures.

And his theology is in perfect agreement with the statements of Jesus Himself and the faith of the other Apostles and New Testament Christians.

The second point that I tried to make was IT TAKES A DIVINE SAVIOUR TO REDEEM US.

Anything less than an perfect sacrifice would be unacceptable to the holiness and justice of God.

And the Lord Jesus was absolutely sinless and perfect, because He was and is the eternal Son of God. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold … But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

In much the same way that Paul referred to the deity of Christ in verse 28, here in verse 32 he referred to a part of the blessing and result of what Jesus died to accomplish.

“And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, AND TO GIVE YOU AN INHERITANCE among all them which are sanctified.”

As he talked to these fellow preachers, Paul didn’t go into a theological exposition of the inheritance.

It was just a passing comment, but it does open the door for our thoughts here this morning.

An inheritance means that there must be someone to make the bequest – such as a generous Father.

In this, the greatest of all inherited gifts, the bequest has been made by Jehovah – by God.

Whatever it includes, we are talking about is God’s inheritance to give.

But HOW is it to be given?

The Bible, and even common sense, tells us about some of the things which we should consider.

For example there is the will itself.

What is the document called which describes the giving of an inheritance?

Isn’t it usually called “The last will and TESTAMENT”?

My dictionary provides five definitions for the word “testament.”

First, a testament is something that serves as tangible proof or evidence.

For example, the UNITY of the Bible is a testament to the divine inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Second: a testament is a statement of belief.

Third, it’s a written document providing for the disposition of a person’s property after death; a will.

Fourth, a testament is either of the two main divisions of the Bible.

And fifth, the reason that the Bible is divided, is that a testament is a covenant between human beings and God.

I suppose that there is a sense in which all of these definitions can be blended into one.

Now please turn to Hebrews 9:11 –

“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

And for this cause he is the mediator of the NEW TESTAMENT, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

Consider a couple of very important statements here in Hebrews:

First, “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.”

Until the relatively recent arrival of the so-called “Living Will,” a man’s fortune was inherited by his heirs and friends only AFTER he had died.

“For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.”

In other words, the inheritance to which Paul referred here in Acts 20:32 can be received only because Christ died, making it available.

Whatever the Lord’s inheritance includes:

Dwelling in the house of the Lord forever; Heaven and eternal life –

Whatever that inheritance provides – it can be ours only because of the death of Christ.

The more that I learn about the sacrifice that was made on Calvary, the more like a diamond it appears to be.

And it has more brilliant facets and faces than even the Hope Diamond.

There is an aspect of the cross which directly affects Satan.

There is another aspect which deals with the law against sin.

There is a part of the crucifixion which relates to God the Father or to the God-head.

There is the impartation of the eternal life of Christ to those of us who were all dead in sin.

And among others there is the aspect of the death of a testator and the bequest that He has made to us.

Please turn to Ephesians 1:7 – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us–ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.”

In addition to the necessity of the DEATH of Christ,

I would like you to notice that both Hebrews and Ephesians emphasize the fact that death couldn’t hold our Saviour.

The law against sin says that all sinners must die:

“The wages of sin is death.”

“The soul of the sinner it shall die.”

The law says that all sinners must die, but it also left open the door for a substitution to be made

Anc Christ “was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.”

The law provided a for the possibility of a substitute to die in the sinner’s place.

But that substitute had to be good enough to get the job done.

In fact He had to be better than that.

And the only sacrifice qualified to take the place of the sinner, is that of the eternal Son of God.

By the fact that Jesus, was both the son of man and the Son of God,

And that He had no sin in himself for which He had to die;

It was logical, and to be expected, that after He made that substitution, death could not hold Him.

In these scriptures which talk about God’s inheritance and the death of the testator, there is also mention of Jesus’ resurrection.

He not only can dispense His inheritance, but He can enjoy our fellowship as we enjoy His beneficence.

Before I move on there is one more wonderful consideration which takes us back to last week.

“And now, brethren, I commend you to GOD, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

Notice that Paul commends his friends TO GOD.

He says that GOD is able to build them up and to give them that inheritance.

Whose inheritance is it to give? It belongs to God; to the Lord.

But it was Jesus of Nazareth who died as the testator of that inheritance.

Once again Paul makes an implied reference to the deity of Christ – He is that God.

God is the great benefactor of this inheritance.

And what is the VALUE of the inheritance of God?

Obviously, it cannot be estimated or valued by earthly standards.

I’m not sure that there is any human being on earth who understands the language of Heaven sufficiently to know all that this inheritance contains.

I’m not sure that there is any human being on earth, who is holy and selfless enough to be able to handle that kind of information.

In II Corinthians 12 Paul wrote:

“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

Why was it unlawful for that visitor to Heaven to repeat what he had witnessed there?

Was it a natural or supernatural law which made it impossible?

Was it like jumping off the roof this building – the only direction that he could go was down to earth?

Or was it unlawful to speak of the third heaven because the consequences of that knowledge would be disastrous to the poor people of this world?

Was it law simply because the Lord wanted it to be law.

Psalm 31 – “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!”

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

In that verse from I Corinthians 2 Paul paraphrases Isaiah 64:

“For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.”

Most greedy men measure earthly inheritances with the number dollar signs that are involved.

But God’s inheritance so far exceeds that – that gold will be so common that it will pave the streets and the gates of the place where we will spend eternity will be carved out of pearls.

The inheritance which the Lord provides makes the greatest earthly inheritance nothing but pebbles.

Many of the emotions with which we will enjoy that inheritance will be greatly enhanced, and some of our current earthly emotions will be completely eliminated.

That inheritance will be rooted & enjoyed in the person of the Lord who bequeathed it to us in first place.

He who died to give us this inheritance is alive to enjoy it with us.

The saints of God are joint-heirs with Christ.

The Lord has given us tiny glimpses of eternity, but as we look toward them it’s as through we are looking through a filthy piece of glass.

To paraphrase what Paul says in another place about a slightly different subject:

When comes to the things of eternity, we are but children and we speak like children, we understand as children and we think as children.

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

Oh, how some preachers wax eloquent when it comes to Heaven and the Lord’s inheritance.

I have heard some made it sound so wonderful and enticing that the poor sinners of earth begin salivating at the thoughts of fruit of the Tree of life.

But I’m not sure that that wasn’t what the Lord was forbidding there in II Corinthians 12.

Rather than focusing on the benefits of the inheritance, I believe that the Lord wants us to focus on the Lord himself.

And while we do that …

We need to consider the HEIRS to that inheritance.

The Word of God spends some time describing those who are God’s heirs.

For example there is Ephesians 5:1 – “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

If only those who are FOLLOWERS of God will receive of his inheritance, will YOU receive anything at all?

If only those who are God’s CHILDREN partake of this inheritance, will YOU receive anything?

How do you know that you are child of God?

If only those for whom Christ offered himself a sweetsmelling sacrifice will be recipients of this inheritance will YOU be among them?

If no covetous person or idolater shall inherit the kingdom of Christ, will YOU?

That list of sins, which bars a person from the Lord’s inheritance, brings us to a larger subject.

Our scripture here in Acts 20 says that only those who are SANCTIFIED will be given this inheritance.

And as Paul described his commission from the Lord, he put the Lord’s words this way:

” I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

What do Paul and the Lord Jesus mean when they talk about being sanctified?

The word “sanctification” has a double-fisted definition.

It’s most basic meaning refers to being “set apart.”

In this case it’s talking about being taken and claimed by God for his own – to be set apart to the Lord.

The second definition which I think developed out of the first is a synonym for “holiness.”

The inheritance of God is designed to be given to those who have been CHOSEN by God, TAKEN by God, CLEANED up and SAVED by God, and made SAINTS by God.

Listen to the words of I Peter 1:1-5: – “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Colossians 1:12-14 puts the same thing in a little different way:

“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

Generally speaking, what are THE REQUIREMENTS necessary to receive an inheritance?

Romans 8:16-17 gives us a brief outline:

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ.”

When it comes to the inheritance of God, there is NO INHERITANCE without SPIRITUAL SONSHIP.

There is a difference between receiving a gift and receiving an inheritance.

The Bible clearly teaches that the Lord bestows His BLESSINGS and GIFTS on the world generally every hour and every minute of every day.

But His INHERITANCE is only given to those who are his children.

There is no inheritance where there is no family relationship.

And you are not a part of the family of God unless you have been BORN INTO THAT FAMILY.

There are myriads of angels, which shall be blessed throughout eternity, but they shall have no part in the families’ inheritance.

“To which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

And how are we, who are the children of the Devil by nature, be born into the family God?

It is by the sovereign grace of Almighty God.

But humanly speaking we can say that “as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

We are not born into the family of God when we are baptized or when we join the Lord’s church.

Just as in an ordinary human, the baby doesn’t decide to be conceived or to be born.

Ah, but after that birth, those human babies make sure that everyone knows that they are there.

Their lives prove their birth.

Paul said in Galatians: “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

This is why when Paul came to Ephesus he testified “both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Everything about the bequest and passing on of this eternal inheritance is by the grace of God.

It is given to no one but those who are God’s spiritual children; those who have been born again.

And as far as you and I are concerned that means, you must receive the Lord Jesus Christ.

“As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Are you living in repentance toward God?

Is your hope and faith for deliverance from sin placed squarely in the Lord Jesus and His sacrifice?

THEN, and only then, according to the promise of the Word:

God “is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”