Today, we are looking at Ephesians 1, and we're talking about the riches, the richesthat we have in Christ Jesus. I made the statement the other day that Isaac wasborn to wealth. Remember his father Abraham was called by God to leave Ur ofthe Chaldees and go to a land that God would show him. And God promised that Hewould bless him. He would make him a great nation. And in him all the nationsof the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3). And then God promised him a sonthrough whom this seed, this great nation would come. But it took a long time.And finally, Isaac was born. But by the time Isaac was born, Abraham, becauseof the blessings of God, was a wealthy, wealthy man. Isaac didn't do anything.If you read about him in the Old Testament, he was born to wealth.

Andmy friend, we've been born again to great riches in Christ Jesus. That's whatthe book of Ephesians is about. We see that especially in verses 2-6, becauseGod the Father, God the Father has chosen us. He has adopted us. He hasaccepted us in Christ. All these rich blessings are made possible with theFather in heaven. Before we were alienated from Him, but now we're reconciledto Him through Christ.

InEphesians 1:7-12, we see our riches we have from God the Son. In Him we havethe redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. And again, it'saccording to the “riches of His grace”. He has revealed to us His will.The mystery that's been hidden in the past ages but now revealed to us throughJesus Christ. And that is that He will bring everything together. That “inthe dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in oneall things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him”(v. 10).

Wehave something to look forward to. The world has nothing to look forward toexcept another day possibly. And they don't even know that they are guaranteedthat. They have no future. They're without hope. We'll read in Ephesians 2:12 .But we have hope. Hope in Christ. A future that's bright. A future that's sure,secure, anchored to Jesus Christ. What a rich blessing.

Todaywe see in verse 11, "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all thingsaccording to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christshould be to the praise of His glory." What is the will of God? Whathas God predestined us for? That we should be to the praise of His glory. Everyborn-again believer, every saint of God has been called to glorify God, toglorify the Lord Jesus Christ, be to the praise of His glory. And this willtake place one day. But even now, we are to live for His glory.

Notonly have we “obtained an inheritance”, but as some translations read, "inwhom also we were made an inheritance", we are His, Christ, inheritance!Both are true and the one includes the other. In Christ we have a wonderfulinheritance (read 1 Peter 1:1-4), and in Christ we are an inheritance. We arevaluable to Him. Think of the price God paid to purchase us and make us part ofHis inheritance! God the Son is the Father's love gift to us; and we are theFather's love gift to His Son. Read John 17 and note how many times Christcalls us "those whom Thou hast given Me." The church is Christ's body(Eph. 1:22-23), building (Eph. 2:19-22), and bride (Eph. 5:22-23); Christ'sfuture inheritance is wrapped up in His church.

Weare "joint-heirs with Christ", which means that He cannotclaim His inheritance apart from us! Romans 8:17 says: "And ifchildren, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed wesuffer with Him that we may also be glorified together with Him."  What a rich blessing that we have aninheritance and at the same time we are His inheritance.

Today,are you enjoying the inheritance you have in Christ?

Godbless!