(Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:00:01.30\00:00:07.17
Sermon #B720 - God's Children
00:00:07.20\00:00:20.42
Dr. Byrd: We're going to turn to
the book of Romans 8. We're
going to go to verses 14, 15,
00:00:20.45\00:00:30.19
16, and 17 - Roman 8:14-17.
Oftentimes, we go to Romans, we
always go to Romans 8:28
00:00:30.23\00:00:42.14
and we know that all things work
together for good to those who
00:00:42.17\00:00:46.07
love the Lord and now, they are
called according to His purpose.
We're not going to preach that
00:00:46.11\00:00:49.51
today, but we're going to preach
verses 14 through 17. The word
of God is clear. It says to us
00:00:49.54\00:00:55.35
today, "For as many as are led
by the Spirit of God, they are
00:00:55.38\00:01:02.46
the sons of God. For we have not
received the spirit of bondage
00:01:02.49\00:01:06.83
again to fear, but ye have
received the spirit of adoption
whereby we cry, 'Abba, Father.'
00:01:06.86\00:01:14.30
The Spirit Itself, beareth
witness with our spirit that we
are the children of God.
00:01:14.34\00:01:22.24
" Verse number 17, "...and if
children, then heirs - heirs of
God and joint heirs with Christ,
00:01:22.28\00:01:34.72
if so be that we suffer with
him, that we may also be
glorified together."
00:01:34.76\00:01:40.66
Again, "...children, then heirs
- heirs of God and joint heirs
00:01:40.70\00:01:44.80
with Christ, if so be that we
suffer with him, that we may be
also glorified together."
00:01:44.83\00:01:50.77
Today, I don't have a fancy
title. I'm just going to preach
on the subject God's children.
00:01:50.81\00:01:55.44
Let's pray. Lord,
we thank You right now.
00:01:55.48\00:01:57.45
We praise You for what You've
done already in this worship
00:01:57.48\00:02:00.98
experience, but now we need to
hear a word from You. Speak
Lord. Your servant's here and
00:02:01.02\00:02:07.16
hid me behind your cross. Beat
back the enemy right now, and
may Your word flow full and
00:02:07.19\00:02:11.63
free, that all who hear will
receive it and make it
applicable to our lives.
00:02:11.66\00:02:17.70
Thank You for this. Forgive me
of my sins and Lord, when we get
00:02:17.73\00:02:22.27
to the appeal, do what You do.
Move by Your power and sprinkle
00:02:22.30\00:02:27.98
out Your grace. In Jesus' name,
begging for forgiveness of sin.
00:02:28.01\00:02:35.92
Amen." Let me begin this way
today. I love my family. I love
00:02:35.95\00:02:45.59
my wife Danielle and I love our
three daughters, Christyn,
Caileigh, and Carissa. You know
00:02:45.63\00:02:54.37
what? They love me, too,
hallelujah. They love me back,
00:02:54.40\00:02:58.67
and I can't think of anything
more important than my family
other than being God's child.
00:02:58.71\00:03:08.65
For me, it's God first, then
family, and then everything
else. God first, then family,
00:03:08.68\00:03:21.60
and then everything else. The
good news friends is that when
we accept Jesus Christ as our
00:03:21.63\00:03:29.57
Lord and Savior, His father
becomes our father and we become
a part of the family of God.
00:03:29.60\00:03:37.85
Now, there are three ways that
you can become a part of a
family, three ways.
00:03:37.88\00:03:44.95
Number one, you can become a
part of a family by marriage.
When you are married,
00:03:44.99\00:03:51.86
you become a part of a family.
Number two, you can become a
part of a family by birth.
00:03:51.89\00:03:58.87
When you are born, you become
a part of a family. And then,
00:03:58.90\00:04:05.84
number three, you become a
part of a family by adoption.
00:04:05.87\00:04:09.71
You can become a part of a
family in three ways - either by
marriage, by birth, or by
00:04:09.74\00:04:18.89
adoption. What I love about the
Lord is God uses a spiritual
version of all three - marriage,
00:04:18.92\00:04:27.76
birth, and adoption - to make us
a part of His family. Are you
hearing what I'm saying?
00:04:27.76\00:04:32.80
Let's deal with number one. With
marriage, we can become a part
of the family by marriage.
00:04:32.83\00:04:39.14
The Bible teaches, and we know
that Jesus is the bridegroom and
God's church is the bride of
00:04:39.17\00:04:46.88
Christ. This is illustrated in
the parable of the virgins in
Matthew 25. Now, when we are
00:04:46.92\00:04:53.66
baptized, we're spiritually
uniting with Christ. Baptism,
then, is like a wedding
00:04:53.69\00:05:01.63
ceremony, because in a wedding
ceremony a man is uniting with a
woman and a woman is uniting
00:05:01.66\00:05:08.67
with a man. In baptism, you're
spiritually uniting with Christ.
Both a wedding ceremony
00:05:08.70\00:05:15.44
and baptism are
based on deep-seated love.
00:05:15.48\00:05:19.58
Baptism is as essential to the
Christian as a wedding is to the
00:05:19.61\00:05:25.72
marriage. We can become a part
of God's family by marriage,
which is through baptism.
00:05:25.75\00:05:32.89
We can also become a part
of God's family, number two, by
00:05:32.93\00:05:36.90
birth. Jesus talked about this
spiritual birth. This new
spiritual birth in John 3 when
00:05:36.93\00:05:44.31
he was talking to
Nicodemus, you will remember
00:05:44.34\00:05:46.31
it was Jesus who told Nicodemus,
"You must be born again." When
we believe in Jesus,
00:05:46.34\00:05:53.28
when we trust in Jesus, when we
receive Jesus, we are
spiritually born again.
00:05:53.31\00:06:00.56
I don't know about you, but I
have two birthdays. What are you
00:06:00.59\00:06:04.43
talking about, Pastor Byrd, you
have two birthdays?" I have the
birthday April the 11th, 1972
00:06:04.46\00:06:11.60
when I was born, but I also have
a birthday on August the 8th
1980 when I gave my life to
00:06:11.63\00:06:18.21
Jesus Christ and I was baptized
in God's church. I have two
00:06:18.24\00:06:22.78
birthdays. The day I was
physically born and the day I
was spiritually born again in
00:06:22.81\00:06:28.78
Christ. Somebody knows the
Apostle Paul says at best, "If
any man be in Christ, he is a
00:06:28.82\00:06:34.86
new creature. Old things are
passed away. Old things become
00:06:34.89\00:06:39.06
new." You see, you have two
birthdays. The first time you
00:06:39.09\00:06:43.83
were born, you were born into
the family of your surname, but
the second time you were born,
00:06:43.87\00:06:48.54
you were born into the family
of God. The first time you were
00:06:48.57\00:06:53.51
born, you became a citizen of
this nation, but the second time
00:06:53.54\00:06:58.35
you were born, you became a
citizen of God's kingdom. The
first time you were born,
00:06:58.38\00:07:03.35
you began eligible for social
security, but the second time
00:07:03.39\00:07:08.32
you were born, you became a
recipient of eternal security.
The first time you were born,
00:07:08.36\00:07:13.29
your name was written in the
United States census, but the
second time you were born,
00:07:13.33\00:07:18.40
angels wrote your name in the
lamb's book of life. The first
time you were born,
00:07:18.43\00:07:23.67
you were born a human being, but
the second time you were born,
you became a living soul.
00:07:23.71\00:07:29.48
The first time you were born,
you became an heir of your
family's inheritance,
00:07:29.51\00:07:34.75
but the second time you
were born, you became an heir of
00:07:34.78\00:07:38.75
salvation. Purchase of God, born
of God Spirit. You are washed in
00:07:38.79\00:07:44.39
his blood. Jesus said,
"You must be born again."
00:07:44.43\00:07:48.16
We also can become a part of
God's family, number three, by
00:07:48.20\00:07:53.84
adoption. That's what we're
talking about in this text
today. We become God's children
00:07:53.87\00:08:00.94
through adoption. Our text says
it. We read it. Let's read it
00:08:00.98\00:08:04.48
again, verse 14, "For as many as
are led by the spirit of God,
they are the sons of God."
00:08:04.51\00:08:11.35
Now, before we go any further,
and I'm not going to be too long
00:08:11.39\00:08:14.66
today, but before we go any
further, and so we're clear that
no one is taking male dominance
00:08:14.69\00:08:19.76
or misogyny against females.
Please understand that sons of
God in this context are not just
00:08:19.79\00:08:28.34
males in the family. The bible
uses sons and the reason it does
that is because in that culture,
00:08:28.37\00:08:35.94
it was only the males, back
in the day, who enjoyed that
00:08:35.98\00:08:41.85
honored position. That was back
in the day. This is today. Paul
makes it clear when you read
00:08:41.88\00:08:50.43
Galatians 3, that in God's
family, there is no male or
female. In God's family, there
00:08:50.46\00:08:59.73
is no big I and little you. In
God's family, there is no slave
master and no slave. It says in
00:08:59.77\00:09:08.04
Galatians 3:26, "For you are
all sons of God through faith in
00:09:08.08\00:09:12.51
Christ Jesus." This means all
believers enjoy the rights and
privileges of that honored
00:09:12.55\00:09:20.22
position. Quit thinking you're
better than somebody else.
You're not. All of us are saved
00:09:20.26\00:09:24.89
by grace. Do I have a witness
watching right now? Verse 14
again, "For as many as are led
00:09:24.93\00:09:30.87
by the spirit of God, they are
the sons of God." Verse 15, "For
ye have not received the spirit
00:09:30.90\00:09:38.01
of bondage again to fear, but ye
have received the spirit of
adoption whereby we cry, 'Abba,
00:09:38.04\00:09:45.78
Father.'" All right. Let's
unpack that. What Paul is really
saying is all who are led by the
00:09:45.81\00:09:52.02
spirit of God are sons and
daughters of God. We shouldn't
be like cringing, scared,
00:09:52.05\00:10:04.03
fearful slaves, but we should
behave like God's very own
children, adopted in his family,
00:10:04.07\00:10:11.11
and we have the rights and the
privilege to call him Father.
Are you hearing what I'm saying?
00:10:11.14\00:10:16.54
Now, to adopt means to legally
take another's child and bring
that child up as his or her own.
00:10:16.58\00:10:24.22
Adoption by God is a legal act
of God on our behalf in the same
way as justification,
00:10:24.25\00:10:33.36
God's imputed righteousness.
00:10:33.40\00:10:35.46
What am I talking about? We
stand before the judgment seat
00:10:35.50\00:10:41.17
of God, all of us. On 2
Corinthians 5:10, "All of us
must stand before the judgment
00:10:41.20\00:10:44.81
seat of God." We stand before
the judgment seat of God as
00:10:44.84\00:10:49.71
hopeless sinners, condemned to
death with nothing to offer for
our own redemption.
00:10:49.74\00:10:54.85
Jesus, who's seated at the right
hand of the Father, comes and
stands before the Father
00:10:54.88\00:11:01.49
and our judgment seat. Jesus
offers his perfect righteousness
00:11:01.52\00:11:07.66
for our sins. He offers His
perfect keeping of God's law as
00:11:07.73\00:11:12.17
our substitute, and then the
father declares us not guilty.
Not because we paid the penalty,
00:11:12.20\00:11:18.94
not because we have
righteousness or our own,
00:11:18.97\00:11:22.44
because our righteous in
the sight of God is brought as
00:11:22.48\00:11:25.71
filthy rags, but because of the
perfect and complete work,
Hallelujah, of Jesus Christ on
00:11:25.75\00:11:31.89
our behalf. Through Jesus, we
have been offered the gift of
salvation. When we accept that
00:11:31.92\00:11:39.53
gift, thank You, Jesus, we
become followers of God and were
given a new spirit and we're
00:11:39.56\00:11:46.57
forgiven of our sins and
we are made right before God.
00:11:46.60\00:11:50.71
What I love about God is this.
God doesn't start anything He
00:11:50.74\00:11:54.81
can't finish. I wish I had a
witness in this place. Not only
does he forgive us,
00:11:54.84\00:11:58.78
but the text lets us know
that he adopts us. We become His
00:11:58.81\00:12:04.49
children. You all ought to hear
what I'm saying. We become His
sons and daughters with all
00:12:04.52\00:12:09.59
rights and privileges. Help me,
Holy Ghost. You see, we are not
00:12:09.62\00:12:14.20
the hired help. We are not
friends or guests. We are not
colleagues or coworkers.
00:12:14.23\00:12:19.13
We are not associates or
acquaintances. We are not
subservient to other family
00:12:19.17\00:12:25.87
members, but we're full family
members, adopted by God. What I
love is we can call Our Father,
00:12:25.91\00:12:34.68
anytime, twenty-four hours a
day. In the morning, call His
name. In the noonday, call His
00:12:34.72\00:12:40.92
name. In the midnight hour, call
His name. We can ask for help
for Our Father anytime we need
00:12:40.96\00:12:48.36
it. Let me remind somebody today
that your security as one of
God's children is not dependent
00:12:48.40\00:12:53.57
upon anything, but God's
unconditional, everlasting,
00:12:53.60\00:12:57.21
arms wide open love that He has
for you as His child. God will
00:12:57.24\00:13:03.41
be there for you. I said God
will be there for you. You're
not imposing because God wants
00:13:03.45\00:13:09.68
to help you. You can never
intrude on God. God is your
father. I wish I had a witness
00:13:09.72\00:13:14.82
in this place. I like the way
the renowned author Max Lucado,
you read his books, I like the
00:13:14.86\00:13:19.79
way he puts it. I like the way
he describes adoption. He says,
if anybody understands God's
00:13:19.83\00:13:25.60
love for His children, it's
someone who has rescued an
orphan from despair because
00:13:25.63\00:13:32.94
that's what God has done for us.
God adopted us. God sought us.
God found us. God signed the
00:13:32.97\00:13:43.02
papers and God took us home. You
all ought to hear what I'm
saying. We're God's children
00:13:43.05\00:13:49.09
with full rights and privileges.
The love of a parent for an
adopted child is a special kind
00:13:49.12\00:13:57.10
of love. Let me say that again.
The love of a parent for an
adopted child is a special kind
00:13:57.13\00:14:04.01
of love. You see, birth children
are loved by their parents, but
adopted children should also
00:14:04.04\00:14:11.95
know that their adopted parents
love them. Why? They chose them?
You all ought to hear what I'm
00:14:11.98\00:14:17.82
saying. "We're adopted children
of God," the text says, which
means God chose us.
00:14:17.85\00:14:24.26
God chose you. God chose me.
We've been adopted by God the
Father, and God has chosen us.
00:14:24.29\00:14:33.10
He's Our Father and we are His
children with full rights and
privileges. If we are children
00:14:33.13\00:14:40.48
of God, let me say this right
here. If we are children of the
most high God and we enjoy his
00:14:40.51\00:14:45.01
full rights and privileges, then
there ought to be some distinct
characteristics that identify us
00:14:45.05\00:14:51.39
as his children.
Excuse the double negative.
00:14:51.42\00:14:53.39
We ought not walk around like
we're nobody. I am somebody. I
am somebody because my daddy is
00:14:53.42\00:15:01.56
my King, and because I'm a
King's kid, there are certain
00:15:01.60\00:15:05.53
privileges that I have in this
spirit that some other folks
don't have. You see?
00:15:05.57\00:15:09.84
I'm the head and not the tail.
I'm above and not beneath. I'm
on the top, not the bottom.
00:15:09.87\00:15:15.78
I'm blessed in the city. I'm
blessed in the field. I'm
blessed in my going out.
00:15:15.81\00:15:21.42
I'm blessed in my coming in. I
thank God my wife is blessed. I
thank God my children are
00:15:21.45\00:15:28.12
blessed. I thank God my church
is blessed. I thank God my
friends are blessed. My car is
00:15:28.16\00:15:34.56
blessed. My house is blessed. My
Ministry is blessed. My church
is blessed. He's my daddy, and
00:15:34.56\00:15:41.67
I'm blessed. I thank God I'm his
child. Quit walking around like
a pitiful Christian. Don't you
00:15:41.70\00:15:48.44
know who you are? You're
royalty. You are blessed. You're
a child of the most high God.
00:15:48.48\00:15:53.82
Do I have a witness watching
right now? But while we have
privileges as children of God,
00:15:53.85\00:15:58.02
let me remind you that
being a child of God requires
00:15:58.05\00:16:05.33
discipline. It requires
discipline to God's word.
00:16:05.36\00:16:09.26
It requires obedience to God's
word. I can't say that I'm a
child of God and I do whatever I
00:16:09.30\00:16:19.97
want. You can't say you're a
child of God and you drink
anything. Preach, Pastor Byrd.
00:16:20.01\00:16:30.45
You eat anything. You dress any
way. You sleep with anything. We
got a lot of people out there
00:16:30.49\00:16:37.73
now saying, "Well, God loves me.
God loves me. God understands
me." If you're going to be a
00:16:37.76\00:16:42.13
child of God, if you are going
to carry God's name, and being a
part of God's family requires
00:16:42.16\00:16:49.67
discipline and obedience. We
can't be unruly children. We
can't be disobedient children.
00:16:49.70\00:16:57.25
We can't be wild children,
because wherever we go, people
will associate us with Our
00:16:57.28\00:17:03.72
Father. Wherever you go, whether
it's on your job, whether it is
at school or at home,
00:17:03.75\00:17:08.56
people will identify us with Our
Father. The reason why, God's
children don't act like the
00:17:08.59\00:17:17.57
world. It's because we have an
authentic relationship with Our
00:17:17.60\00:17:20.94
Father. You see, my relationship
with God is deeper than my
00:17:20.97\00:17:25.34
profession. Your relationship
with God has to be deeper than
00:17:25.37\00:17:30.31
church membership. It's got to
be deeper than church position.
It's got to be deeper than
00:17:30.35\00:17:37.22
ritual or tradition. The way you
can tell the difference between
00:17:37.25\00:17:41.39
a child of God and somebody
else is to put us in a negative
00:17:41.42\00:17:45.76
situation and we will show you
that you can't break us because
he's Our Father and we are his
00:17:45.79\00:17:53.23
children. I feel my help coming.
You see, if you backstab us,
we'll pray for you. If you
00:17:53.27\00:18:00.04
betray us, we'll still love you.
If you put us in a storm, we'll
go to sleep. If you lie on us,
00:18:00.08\00:18:07.02
we'll still give God the glory.
If you fire us from a job,
00:18:07.05\00:18:11.02
we'll interpret it as a setup
for a greater job up the road.
If you walk out on us,
00:18:11.05\00:18:17.59
we'll say God bless you because
we know God has something better
for us. If we're sick,
00:18:17.63\00:18:23.73
we'll say by his stripes, we are
healed. If we're broke, we'll
say the Lord will make a way
00:18:23.77\00:18:30.64
somehow. If you put us in
prison, we'll have a praise
service at midnight
00:18:30.67\00:18:35.78
because weeping may endure for
a night, but joy comes in the
00:18:35.81\00:18:40.82
morning time. I'm so glad He's
my father. I'm so glad that He's
my daddy. I'm so glad that I'm
00:18:40.85\00:18:50.66
one of his children. I don't
know about you, but I want to
walk like Him. I want to talk
00:18:50.69\00:18:56.97
like Him. I want look like him.
I want to live like Him. I want
to be like Him. Behold, brother,
00:18:57.00\00:19:01.44
and behold. We are the children
of God and it does not yet
appear what we shall be,
00:19:01.47\00:19:06.41
but when He does appear in a
moment in a twinkling of an eye,
we shall see Him as He is
00:19:06.44\00:19:12.75
and we shall be just like Him.
00:19:12.78\00:19:17.19
The text isn't done. Verse 16,
"The Spirit Itself beareth
witness with our spirit that we
00:19:17.22\00:19:28.53
are the children of God." All
right, so because we're God's
children, we're in God's care.
00:19:28.56\00:19:37.84
Let me say that again. I said
because we are God's children,
we're in God's care.
00:19:37.87\00:19:46.68
Now, I told you not too long ago
that I love my family. I love my
wife. I love our three children.
00:19:46.72\00:19:51.29
As a father, especially to our
girls, I will do - and let me be
clear. Listen to me good.
00:19:51.32\00:19:59.59
If you are going to quote me,
quote me right. I love my wife
and I love our children.
00:19:59.63\00:20:06.47
I will do whatever is necessary
to protect and take care of my
00:20:06.50\00:20:14.41
children. Are you hearing what
I'm saying? You want to know
what makes a daddy mad?
00:20:14.44\00:20:18.38
Mess with his children. That's
why Satan don't realize he's
00:20:18.41\00:20:22.38
getting God mad because same
keep messing with God's
children. You all ought to hear
00:20:22.42\00:20:25.22
what I'm saying. That's the way
the Heavenly Father, our
Heavenly Father, feels about us.
00:20:25.25\00:20:29.16
He will do whatever is necessary
to protect His children and to
take care of His children,
00:20:29.19\00:20:36.77
which is why He sent His
only son Jesus to die for us.
00:20:36.80\00:20:41.34
For God so loved the world that
he gave His only Begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him,
00:20:41.37\00:20:46.84
should not perish but have
everlasting life. Let me remind
somebody right now in the name
00:20:46.88\00:20:51.65
of Jesus, that there is no
greater miracle that God has
worked than the redemption of
00:20:51.68\00:20:57.75
His children. Without Christ,
all of us had been sentenced to
hell, like an inmate.
00:20:57.79\00:21:03.76
locked behind bars that couldn't
be acquitted, but with Christ,
we've been rescued.
00:21:03.79\00:21:11.03
With Christ, we've been
delivered. With Christ, we've
been set free. With Christ,
00:21:11.07\00:21:19.31
we've been emancipated. With
Christ, we've been liberated.
With Christ, we've been saved.
00:21:19.34\00:21:27.52
He says, "You belong to me.
Anybody that belongs to me can't
be taken away from me."
00:21:27.55\00:21:36.16
That's good news, somebody.
Somebody, you ought to be
shouting in your house right
00:21:36.19\00:21:40.70
now. That's good news. That
means I don't care what you've
done. I don't care how bad
00:21:40.73\00:21:46.30
you've messed up. I don't care
how far you run from God. You're
00:21:46.33\00:21:50.64
still God's child. I'm just an
old man in a young body and
years ago in church, we used to
00:21:50.67\00:21:55.28
sing a hymn. I've wondered far
away from God, but now I'm
coming home. God is still your
00:21:55.31\00:22:03.35
father. You're still God's
child. Look what I love about
our faith is. Our faith is not
00:22:03.39\00:22:12.43
based on coming due, but our
faith is based on already done.
Satan is done. Satan is already
00:22:12.46\00:22:26.14
defeated. Satan is finished.
Nobody can undo what Jesus did
at Calvary. You can't undo what
00:22:26.17\00:22:37.02
God has already done. God had a
plan. His plan was to redeem man
before the foundation of the
00:22:37.05\00:22:44.43
world. It's done. That's why I
love to live for God. It's done.
That's why I love to praise.
00:22:44.46\00:22:50.30
God. It's done. That's why I
love to worship God. It's done.
That's why I love to lift God.
00:22:50.33\00:22:58.24
It's done because he who has
begun a good work in you will
even keep it completed until the
00:22:58.27\00:23:05.75
day of redemption. It's done.
00:23:05.78\00:23:08.65
God is still taking care of us
right now. God will take care of
00:23:08.68\00:23:14.52
us forever. Paul reminds us of
this in verse 17, I'm almost
done, where he says if we are
00:23:14.56\00:23:21.06
God's children, then we are
heirs of God, joint-heirs with
Christ, so that if we suffer
00:23:21.10\00:23:32.31
with Him, we may also feel like
preaching now. Be glorified
together as children of the most
00:23:32.34\00:23:41.22
high God. As children of
the king, we have an awesome
00:23:41.25\00:23:46.89
inheritance. It isn't an
inheritance in the sense of the
00:23:46.92\00:23:51.73
term we use it, because that
inheritance use to require
somebody to die and God can't
00:23:51.76\00:23:59.30
die. God is uncreated. God is
immortal. God can't die. It is
an inheritance that's ours
00:23:59.33\00:24:10.15
because of our privileged
position in God's family.
00:24:10.18\00:24:15.08
What am I talking about? You do
remember the story of the young
rich ruler who came up to Jesus
00:24:15.12\00:24:20.32
and said, "What shall I do to
inherit eternal life?" Now,
remember heirship is not a
00:24:20.36\00:24:29.70
matter of works. It's not
something we do. We are already
God's sons and daughters. It's
00:24:29.73\00:24:39.31
not something we do. It's
something that's a matter of
relationship. Now, the rich
00:24:39.34\00:24:48.78
young ruler was moral,
respectful and law-abiding, but
he had no eternal inheritance to
00:24:48.82\00:24:56.19
look forward to because he
wasn't in the family. He needed
to be born again by faith in
00:24:56.22\00:25:06.97
Jesus Christ. Then, he
could be assured of an eternal
00:25:07.00\00:25:11.44
inheritance. Verse 17, again,
says, "Heirs of God, joint-heirs
00:25:11.47\00:25:20.05
with Christ." Now, we all know
what joint-heirs are. If you
inherit your parents' estate,
00:25:20.08\00:25:29.66
you are an heir. But if you have
siblings, if you have brothers
00:25:29.69\00:25:33.46
and sisters who share in that
estate with you - you all don't
heat what I'm saying -
00:25:33.50\00:25:38.70
then you are joint heirs. The
Bible says we are joint-heirs
00:25:38.73\00:25:47.14
with Christ, which means all
that belongs to Him, by His
virtue of His eternal
00:25:47.18\00:25:55.68
relationship with Our Father, we
will share. Somebody else shout
00:25:55.72\00:25:59.49
right there. All the glory that
He has enjoyed in the Father's
presence from eternity past is
00:25:59.52\00:26:07.60
what we're going to participate
in when we get to heaven,
because we are joint heirs with
00:26:07.66\00:26:13.44
Christ. You all
don't hear what I'm saying.
00:26:13.47\00:26:14.90
I'm so glad to be a part of the
family of God, but according to
00:26:14.94\00:26:20.64
the text, that also means that
if I'm a joint heir with Christ,
00:26:20.68\00:26:25.01
I've got to be willing to suffer
for the sake of Christ when the
occasion requires it.
00:26:25.05\00:26:32.59
The good news is that when
you suffer with Christ and you
00:26:32.62\00:26:40.66
suffer for Christ, it doesn't
cast a doubt on your heirship.
In fact, it's just further
00:26:40.70\00:26:49.27
assurance of your future glory,
because if we suffer with him -
Thank You, Jesus. - one day,
00:26:49.30\00:26:54.11
we will also be glorified
together with him. If we suffer
now, we'll smile later.
00:26:54.14\00:27:02.12
If we grind now, we will grin
later. I'm so glad that because
we're God's children,
00:27:02.15\00:27:12.03
we have an everlasting
inheritance from His riches and
glory, which means we're
00:27:12.06\00:27:21.07
eternally rich. Jeff Bezos isn't
the only one that's rich.
Carlton Bird is rich.
00:27:21.10\00:27:28.18
I'm rich beyond my wildest
imagination. I'm not rich in
money, but I'm rich in the
00:27:28.21\00:27:36.69
Father. I'm rich in the Son. I'm
rich in the Holy Ghost. I'm rich
because I'm a part of God's
00:27:36.72\00:27:44.96
family. We're rich because God
is Our Father, and he has
promised us an eternal
00:27:44.99\00:27:51.37
inheritance. We had no claim on
this inheritance, but because of
00:27:51.40\00:27:57.01
Our Father's love and because
of the Cross of Christ, it's all
00:27:57.04\00:28:02.01
ours. Thank you very much for
tuning in to this week's Breath
00:28:02.04\00:28:06.11
of Life broadcast. We hope and
pray that you've been blessed by
Dr. Byrd's inspirational
00:28:06.15\00:28:10.85
message. If you would
like to hear this sermon in its
00:28:10.89\00:28:13.15
entirety, please feel free to
visit us at www.breathoflife.tv.
00:28:13.19\00:28:19.06
Or, call us at (256) 929-6460.
00:28:19.09\00:28:24.93
[END]
00:28:24.97\00:28:39.98