Sermon: Good Things are Found in Christ Pt. 2

Read Part 1

A for Adoption (Ephesians 1:5-6)

That brings us to A for Adoption. In V5, God predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ. And in Christ, this adoption comes a glorious inheritance. 1 Peter 1:4 says that this “inheritance is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for us.” An inheritance that will never go away and can never be destroyed? I would love to have it! And yes, as adopted sons and daughters of God, we will surely have it!

A rich man walks into the orphanage. Every kid in the house is excited to see him. He is the richest guy in town and owns great possessions of gold and silver, of giant palaces with roads of precious stones. He is also the most generous man, willing to share his possessions with anyone he pleases and with anyone who loves him. The rich man walks into the orphanage and choose you for adoption. This is the day you’ve been waiting for. So he walks up to you and told you: “Today, you will be my son. Though you are adopted, you shall be treated as my own, because I love you. Everything I have will be yours. Now, I’m going to return home and prepare a room for you. I will throw a big party for you when you arrive and you will be known as my son! So wait here patiently, be the best kid around and be in your best dress. I will return again to bring you home. What would you do?

When God predestined us for adoption, we were destined to share in Christ’s Glory. We are no longer orphans abandoned to death, but will be brought into a family where we will have a personal, intimate relationship with our most loving Father. To be able to call God our Father is great honor. The Muslims have 99 names to refer to Allah, but none of the names is Father. In fact, calling God our Father as a mere human is preposterous to them. To call God our Father is to bring our relationships with God to a very intimate level.

This is our privilege in Christ. To have a special connection to God our Father, through Christ Jesus is simply amazing.

God is our Father now and He will soon return to bring us home and He has asked us to wait patiently and faithfully. What would you do? Will you hop around the house in joy and telling every kid in the house that you are adopted? Will you be constantly watching out and be in your best as you wait for His return?

G for Guaranteed Hope (Ephesians 1:13-14)

In financing and in loan and mortgages, sometimes a guarantor is required. The function of a guarantor is to make sure that the conditions of the contract is meet or that a loan will be paid.

In a Christian’s life, the Holy Spirit works in similar ways and even better. V13-14 says that our salvation and inheritance is sealed with the Holy Spirit. Like a red wax seal on a contract, He is the guarantee, not just a guarantor. The Holy Spirit is the GUARANTEE! In simpler words, it means “SURE CAN GET ONE!”

However, being the guarantee of God’s promised inheritance is no easy job. After all, like Peter, A Christian’s life is a constant challenge against Satan. Therefore, the Holy Spirit has a lot to do to keep us standing firm, to fulfill our end of the deal, in order to receive it. But again He said: “SURE CAN GET ONE!”

First, the Holy Spirit has to live in us. Wah, this is like the first time moving into my rented house. There must be lots of clutters and dust to clean and a lot of sweeping and mopping. (By the way, it took me 3 weeks to finally clean the house and another 2 weeks to set everything else in place.)

The Holy Spirit works in us and prepares us for His return. He also keeps us in the faith. Making sure that we can remain firm in faith till the end. By teaching us, guiding us and convicting us. He steers us on our path and pull us back when we go astray. And at the end when we claim our inheritance, he stands before us and say: “Yup, this guys is with us.”

So therefore, even though being faithful to him can be a difficult challenge, but God does not leave us alone. By believing in Christ, our Father gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can remain in Christ, guaranteeing our inheritance until we acquire possession of it. When we finally live an eternal life and behold the radiant glory of God with our very own eyes. This is our hope in Christ, a kingdom with no pain or suffering, no strife or hunger or thirst, and we are guaranteed to have it.

Conclusion

Good things are indeed found in Christ. In Christ we have the right to BRAG. *Ask audience to repeat them* Yes in Christ we have abundance, and he withhold nothing from us when we remain faithful.

Therefore today I would like to challenge all of you who believe in Christ, that you will reconsider your walk of faith and rededicate your life to be faithful to Him, because the reward is great for those who are in Christ. Will you rededicate your life in respond to His epic grace and love for us by loving Him and remain united in Christ, living out our theme "Love • Christ • Unity".

I would also like to invite you to share these good things that are found only in our Lord Jesus Christ. For those who believe in Him, in His death and resurrection, Christ said that they will not perish but have eternal life. If you would like to believe in Him and share these good things in Christ with us, I invite you to pray with me.

Pray.

Love • Christ • Unity