For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might  Ephesians 1:15-19

1.  The Person of our inheritance:  God Himself

a.  The inheritance of beholding His glory forever: 2 Cor. 3:18, Rev. 7:9, Psalm 73:25, John 14:1-3,                 John 17:24

b.  The inheritance of being satisfied with His glorious Person forever: Rev. 21:1-4, Rev. 7:17, Psalm 23:1-3, 6

2.  The place of our inheritance:  heaven: 1 Peter 1:3-4

a.  What our inheritance of heaven is not

–  Not a place able to break down or be destroyed: 1 Peter 1:4a

–  Not a place polluted with blemish and stain: 1Peter 1:4b

–  Not a place losing its qualities of beauty and brightness: 1 Peter 1:4c

b.  What our inheritance of heaven is

 –  A real place: John 14:1-3, 2 Cor. 4:8, Phil. 1:23, Col. 3:1-3

 –  A holy place: Rev. 21:22-27

–  A loving place: 1 Cor. 13:8-13, Rev. 22:1-5

Applications in living out our inheritance

1.  We will pursue in this life the qualities in Christ and heaven – holiness and love – a prepared people for a prepared place.

2.  We will pursue in this life the priorities of Christ and heaven – spreading the gospel and building up one another – a mission-oriented people.

3.  We will be awakened to the foolishness of living for this life not the next – the vanity of being attached to this world.

4.  We will not let the small and trivial distract us from our inheritance – Christ, heaven.