You Can Have an Inheritance

This title sounds like a scammer waiting to separate you from your money. I assure you, it’s anything but. Like most of you, I have dreamed of receiving a large inheritance. But for most of us, that’s only a pipe dream. From an eternal view you have the best inheritance anyone could receive. Before he went to the cross, Jesus provided our inheritance.

In John 14, Jesus’ death on the cross was imminent.  In the previous chapter, Jesus and the disciples had participated in The Lord’s Supper, He washed the feet of the disciples, He predicted His betrayal. At this point Judas left after Jesus told him “What you are doing, do quickly.” But the others were somewhat puzzled. Jesus was removing Judas, as what He was about to say would not apply to Judas.

John 14 has been called The Last Will and Testament of Jesus. Obviously, he had no earthly wealth, but He did bestow on them great riches. Before bestowing His gifts, He attempted to set their minds at ease, equating Himself with God.

The first three promises deal with their future in heaven. First, He assured the disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them. Secondly, He would come back for them. Doubting Thomas, likely speaking the thoughts of the other 10 exclaimed “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?” (v 5).  Jesus’ calm assurance was a third bequest  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” (vv.6-7). They would see and know the Father. Powerful words that likely fell on deaf ears at the time, but words that they would recall in the coming days. Words of assurance for us today.

Then Jesus moved on to life on earth for the disciples. After addressing Philip’s statement (v 8) “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us” Jesus assured them (after a slight reprimand) that He and the Father were one. Then he made an interesting statement that even if you don’t believe that statement then “otherwise believe because of the works themselves” (v 11). This brings to mind the statement in James 2:18 that our faith will be shown by our works.

But Jesus didn’t stop there. He told the disciples that they would do greater works than Jesus did on earth. He promised that “whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. (vv 13-14). This is not a blank check. Our requests must result in the glorification of the Son and the Father. Greater works is definitely a wonderful gift, but the disciples were probably asking themselves “How?” 

Which brings us to the fourth promise. The “How” is the Holy Spirit. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you” (vv. 16-17). It is noteworthy that the word translated “ask” is a synonym for prayer. In this case, we don’t have the usual prayer. When we pray to God, it is an inferior praying to a superior. In this case the word connotes one making a request of an equal. We don’t have to do it on our own, we have the Holy Spirit. Jesus isn’t leaving us, He is giving us an upgrade. It is noteworthy that the Holy Spirit comes only to His followers. The things of the Spirit cannot be comprehended or understood by the world.

Fifth, Jesus promised He will not leave us. The world will not see Him but Christians will because He lives in us.

Sixth, Jesus promised love (v 21). “The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” When you love someone, you will want to live with them. Jesus promised to live with us.

Seventh, He promised to teach us. (v 25-26) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.” He will teach us ALL things. The Spirit helps us remember everything Jesus told us.

Finally, Jesus promised peace.  Not the peace of the world, which is false peace, but the Peace of God, which passes all understanding. I discuss God’s peace in a recent blog https://liftupmyeyes.com/whose-peace/.

My grandmother was a spunky person who did not have much in terms of material possessions. She once told me that she received an inheritance. In her words, “My ship came in but it wasn’t carrying much cargo.” As Christians, our ship has come in and the cargo is priceless.

In the Old Testament a covenant was sealed by the blood of an animal sacrifice. Jesus was the mediator of a new covenant. This new covenant was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified for each of us. Jesus was the sacrifice for the new covenant.  Jesus has never broken a promise or a covenant. 

The promises that Jesus made in this discourse do not apply only to the eleven. This was addressed to all of his disciples. In the concluding portion of this discourse in Chapter 17, Jesus said (vv 15-16) “I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” Then He concluded, leaving no doubt that this was intended for ALL Christians (v 20-21) “I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” We are here because God still has a mission for us to complete. What is your current mission?

All scripture quoted is from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Picture credit for stairway to heaven and child praying Arnie Bragg on Pixabay.