The Messiah's Secret - Our Inheritance in Jesus

      Sketch.  Fulfilling our commission to share the good news about Jesus

         

Parts:   Narrator –  Mrs Smith –  Mrs Jones 

Narrator.  Two neighbours Mrs Smith and Mrs Jones were going shopping and they met on the Street. 

Mrs Smith on the left Mrs Jones on the right

Mrs Smith. “Hello Mrs Jones have you got a minute, I’m really upset, it was our Fred’s birthday and they didn’t invite me, I only found out when I bumped into Sally and she let it slip. They couldn’t careless about me and they won’t talk to me since we fell out over Albert’s will.”

Mrs Jones. “I know someone who will listen and bring healing between you and your family.

Mrs Smith. “Who can do that? 

Mrs Jones “God, when we bring our concerns before him, we know he listens because Jesus his Son said, when you pray ask anything in my name you will receive.” 

Mrs Smith. “ What do I have to do?"                                                                                      

Mrs Jones. “Talk to God, say a prayer, We believe that God hears us because God sent his Son Jesus to remove the sin that separates us from God, he bore sin and the causes of it on a cross which led to his death. God raised Jesus from the dead. So through faith believing that our sin has been forgiven, we know that God will hear our prayer to him.”

Narrator. “What Mrs Jones was telling Mrs Smith is true. History records that Jesus lived and died and rose again, it is a fact. It is also true that God sent his Spirit into the world for us to receive and he reveals to us that Jesus is God manifested in the flesh and in his love for us he listens and takes care of us.

Mrs Jones. “Call on Jesus now and say sorry to God and ask Jesus to come into your life and you won’t regret it.” 

Mrs Smith (in tears). “Okay, I’ll have a word with Jesus.”

2 Samuel 23: 1-5.  Mark 16: 14 - 20

After taking that step of faith thirty years later Mrs Smith looked back to the time when she first heard about Jesus and praised God.

In our reading King David was looking back to when he heard a prophecy from the prophet Nathan verse 5.“ Yea, does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things secure.” 2 Samuel 23: 1-5

The prophecy that God gave to Nathan for David, ”When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body and I will establish his kingdom.. . . 16. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established for ever. 2 Samuel 7:12-16

During David’s life he continued to hear from God about his offspring, the Messiah, and he put the words into song, words that were sweet to David as he sang and played his lyre in the Spirit. Psalm 33: 2  
In the Anglican tradition at Evensong we used to sing the Psalms. 
A lady I knew when she came to know Jesus, she received the gift of composing songs, even though she could not sing or read music. She asked a friend who was able to write the music as she sang what the Lord had given her. 

David’s Psalms gave prophesies concerning the Messiah.

Psalm 2 God laughs in heaven as he knows his Messiah has the victory over his conspirators. David prophesied that the Lord’s anointed was born of God and his kingdom he will rule over the earth with Godly justice.

Psalm 16 he speaks of the resurrection his holy one would not see the corruption of his body

In 18 He sings of his own relationship with his Lord and God, David loved God, his strength was in God, who was solid as a rock. He knew to call on the Lord when he was in trouble and David praised the Lord for saving him from his enemies.

In Psalm 22 David foretold the Messiah’s agony of separation from God, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" and of his suffering. He was despised and mocked by the people. His body being ravaged and encircled by evil. The second half of the Psalm God has fulfilled his purposes those who seek the Messiah shall praise the Lord and their hearts live for ever.  
Psalm 22: 27 “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord and all the families of the nations shall worship before him. For dominion belongs to the Lord and Jesus rules over the nations.” 

Psalm 24. David's prophecy of the Ascension   “Lift up your heads, O gates!  And be lifted up you ancient doors! That the king of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory the Lord strong and mighty, .  .  The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!                                                                                            

Last Thursday we celebrated the Ascension

What a welcome the Lord must have received on his return to heaven.
How the multitude of heavenly hosts must have praised God, just as we read they did at his birth. ‘Glory to God in the highest and peace to all men.”              

I can only liken it to the Queen’s coronation 1953 where the crowds lined the streets, cheering and singing ‘God save our gracious Queen’ flags waving, trumpets sounded (fanfare)and bands played and the church bells rang out throughout the land.

The Ascension is a crucial part of eternal salvation because Jesus united heaven and earth through his death, resurrection and his Ascension. His kingdom on earth within his believers as in heaven we have received eternal life.

At the time Some of Jesus followers still doubted they expected Nathan's prophecy to King David to be fulfilled. 
The Jews expected to enter into their inheritance  from the covenants and promises God gave to Abraham and to his descendants and to David of inheriting God’s kingdom.

John the Baptist and Jesus both proclaimed the coming of the kingdom of God. 

The writer of Hebrews pointed out, that before a person can receive their inheritance, a person has to die then the will comes into force, those who are to inherit then receive their inheritance Hebrews 9: 17. 

The Messiah had to die before the Jews could inherit the promises of eternal throne and kingdom promised to David. 
The Messiah's Secret.
The death of the Messiah was hidden from the understanding of the Jewish leaders. They had taught from the Law that when the Messiah came he would remain for ever. John 12: 34                                                                              

Christians inherit eternal life through the death of Jesus. and as a result  we receive our inheritance, while living on the earth we are transferred into Christ’s eternal kingdom. Col 1: 13

St Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, “We have been blessed with every spiritual blessings in heavenly places.” Ephesians 1: 3. 

What are the spiritual blessings? 

While we live on the earth: We are citizens of heaven. Philippians 2:20.
Children of God and joint heirs in Christ. Romans 8:16, 17.          
We are raised up and seated with Christ in heavenly places. Ephesians 2:6. Imitators of God, empowered to imitate Jesus by his Spirit and word in us. Ephesians 5: 1  Colossians 1: 27.
Ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. 2 Corinthians 5: 20.

In our sketch the neighbour who was a Christian shared the good news about Jesus to a neighbour who had no faith in Jesus. It was important for her to know that Jesus cares about every person, and through prayer will bring about healing of broken relationships and to those who repent and turn in faith to Jesus the ultimate God's forgiveness and love. Also the gift of eternal life in fellowship with our Lord God.

In heaven after Jesus returns  
Reign and rule with Christ in his kingdom. Revelation 20: 4. Daniel 7: 22. 
Given authority over cities. Luke 19: 17 & Judge angels. 1 Corinthians 6:3  
One day we will look back to when we received our inheritance our salvation in Christ