Sermon Central
-
The Birthright Of Saint Who Series
Contributed by Timothy Andrew Stephens on Jul 21, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: As Christ Follower there are certain right you are give when you are born again. Most Christians think they must earn these right but they are our inheritance in Christ Jesus. Christian freedom is found in living out of the resource Christ has given us
The Common Made Holy Series
“The Birthright of Saint Who”
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
➢ Every person who places their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Follows Him as Lord is Born Again Spiritually and has a Spiritual Birthright as a Saint of God.
World English Dictionary
birthright — n
1. the privileges or possessions that a person has or is entitled to as soon as he is born.
1. The REWARDS of a Saint’s Birthright.
o A Living Hope (not a just a dying one)
o An Inheritance kept in heaven for us
Peter tells the saints that they have a lasting inheritance which cannot fade or be destroyed. And that inheritance is protected by the power of God Himself.
If you have an investment fund or a retirement fund, you are concerned with how it is protected. You want to know can you trust that the money you invested will be there when you need it?
We recently went through a crises in the stock market that caused millions to loose a considerable portion of their investments. But this investment is protected by God Himself. He has set it aside on our behalf and holds it in reserve for us in heaven. What a promise. This promise should compel us to live for what lasts.
o God Guards us
, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
o You and your faith are precious to God
o Your life will be spiritually successful
7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ..
o Love for Christ
8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
o Joy inexpressible
o Eternal Salvation of your soul
9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
2. A Saint’s Birthright REVEALS who we are in Christ Jesus.
Knowing who you are changes how you live, and it gives you both security and satisfaction.
“What makes life, life?
What is it that determines how fully alive any person is?
What needs to happen during the span of our lives so that at the end of it all we can look back and say, “I have truly lived!” I believe there are two things people require (and not only people, but all creatures God has made): We must fulfill the destiny for which we were made while at the same time being true to who we are.”
Birthright by David Needham
This new identity however is CONDITIONAL – you must be born again.
Secondly this new identity must lead to transformation in us and in our behavior. Our behavior does not determine our identity BUT they must match. We are going to survey a great deal of scripture that talks about who a Saint is in Christ Jesus but with these proclamations there is the expressed expectation of a transformed life based upon this new identity.
This is consistent with all of life. When someone says, “Act your Age.” There is an expectation that your behavior should match who you are.
