Remember something. God the Father is not Jesus
Christ the Son. Neither is the Son the Holy Spirit.
The three comprise the Godhead. But the Holy
Spirit is a person. God the Father is a person.
Jesus Christ the Son is a person. each with a
very definite personality, a distinctive work
to be done, and yet one does not work separate
and apart from the other. They work in conjunction
with each other, but not separate and apart one
from the other. Yet there are three persons working
as one in such perfect harmony and unison. The
fact has been established in previous messages
that the Holy Spirit has been in existence from
all of eternity. And when the great plans were
made, for the redemption of man. And these plans
were made way back there, even before the foundations
of the world. The Holy Spirit was there. For
the Word says, in the ninth chapter of Hebrews,
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without
spot to God. Therefore, we see that when plans
were being made, for the redemption of man that
Jesus offered Himself through the Holy Spirit
to God the Father. Going a little further, we
see that the Holy Spirit was present at the creation
of this planet. He was also present when God
made man. For the Scripture says, God said, let
us make man in our own image and after our likeness,
referring to his Son and the Holy Spirit. He
was there at the time of creation, for Job says,
by his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens.
The fact has been established in... previous
messages, that God the Father could not have
carried out His plans for redemption without
the aid and the cooperation of the Holy Spirit.
For, remember, Jesus was conceived by the Holy
Spirit. He was baptized by the Holy Spirit. Jesus
performed all of his mighty works by the power
of the Holy Spirit. He was anointed to preach
by the Holy Spirit. He was raised from the dead
by the Holy Spirit, quickened by the Holy Ghost.
Now watch something. Before Jesus went away,
he made something very clear. It was most important
that those of us in the generations to follow
would understand those important words that he
spoke just before his ascension. It is expedient
for you that I go away. In other words, it is
absolutely necessary that I go away. Why? That
the Holy Spirit, the third person of Trinity,
might come unto you. And in that day, when the
Holy Spirit came, after the ascension of Jesus,
he came and took up residence here on this earth.
But why? Why did the Holy Spirit come to take
up residence here on this earth? I'll tell you
why. He had a very definite work to do in this
dispensation. What was it? The formation of the
body of Christ. The church. Now, before I go
further into this message, let's go back to something.
Let's go back to the time when the three sat
at the great conference table, away back there
in the past, past eternity, before the very foundation
of the world, when the three were making plans
for the redemption of fallen man. When Jesus
offered himself through the Holy Spirit to God
the Father to come and give himself as a living
sacrifice, to give himself as a lamb led to slaughter,
that you and I might know redemption and have
eternal life. When they sat at that great conference
table, And we're making the plans for the future.
An agreement was made between the three of them
that if Jesus Christ carried out those plans,
that you and I would be given to him as his inheritance
for the work that he did. You want to know something?
As Christians, you and I are constantly talking
about our inheritance in Christ Jesus. Oh, that's
thrilling. That's marvelous. There is a very
definite inheritance for us. A marvelous inheritance.
Let's go back to that prayer that Paul prayed
and is recorded in the first chapter of Ephesians.
Here it is. 18th verse, he is speaking under
the anointing of the Holy Spirit of our inheritance
as Christians, which is the earnest of our inheritance
until the redemption of the purchased possession
unto the praise of his glory. Now, go down further
in that prayer, and you'll see in the 18th verse,
there's another inheritance that's spoken of.
and it's not ours. Paul prayed that the eyes
of their understanding should be enlightened,
that ye may know what is the hope of his calling,
and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
is in the saints. Whose inheritance is he talking
about? Not ours. He is talking about the inheritance
of Jesus Christ. And his inheritance is the saints.
As they sat at that great conference table, the
three of them, making plans for man's redemption,
God the Father made an agreement and said, All
right, son, if you'll carry out these plans,
and come through victoriously, I promise you
that as your inheritance, I will give you those
who accept you as their savior, as their redeemer.
You know how I know those plans were made? Jesus.
talked about those plans, referred to them, when
he prayed that prayer as recorded in the 17th
chapter of John. This is the Lord's prayer. In
that 24th verse, he is saying, Father. He's talking
to the Father. He's addressing the Father. Father,
I will that they, Also, whom thou hast given
me. They both had an understanding. The father
knew exactly what Jesus was referring to. And
Jesus was talking about his inheritance that
had been promised to him of the father when plans
were being made before the foundations of the
world for the redemption of man. Father. I will
that they also whom thou hast given me be with
me where I am, that they may behold my glory
which thou hast given me. For thou lovest me
before the foundation of the world. Father. I'm
reminding you of our agreement. You loved me
even before the foundation of the world. You
loved me so much when I offered myself through
the Holy Spirit to you to give to the world that
in exchange you promised the saints, you promised
to me. As my inheritance, those who would accept
my plan, those who would accept me as their Savior,
those who would accept me as their Redeemer.
Is it an inheritance for you? There is an inheritance
for Jesus. Watch something that to me is very
thrilling. as an inheritance and it works both
ways ours and his jesus said father i want that
they should be heirs with me to the richest in
glory i want that as my inheritance that they
shall share equally with The father says, son,
the only way that that can be done. For you are
the only son I have. I have but one son. You
are that son. The only way that I can make them
joint heirs with you is by adoption. through
adoption, make them my sons. That's why, beloved,
at the time of our conversion, at the time of
our salvation, when we accept the Christ our
personal Savior, automatically, when the blood
of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from
all sin, God Almighty, the glorious Creator,
becomes our Heavenly Father. And we are adopted
of the Father legally. And through legal adoption
of the Father, we become heirs of God and joint
heirs with Christ Jesus. Oh, doesn't that do
something to you? Isn't that thrilling? This
marvelous plan of salvation is the most thrilling
thing in the world. And it's way beyond our comprehension.
But every once in a while, somehow the Holy Spirit
just opens the crack a little bit and allows
us to peek through that crack. And he gives us
a glimpse of that which is rightfully ours and
a part of God's wonderful plan for us. Oh, this
is glorious. This is marvelous. Now then. Do
you understand? Are you beginning to see why
the Holy Spirit, after the ascension of Jesus,
why the Holy Spirit came here to this earth and
took up his residence here on this earth and
will continue to reside here on this earth until
the great catching up, until the rapture of the
church? at which time he leaves and goes back
again to the father from whence he came. He is
here with a very definite work to be done. What
is it? To continue to carry out those great plans
that were made way back there at the great conference
table, before the very foundation of the world.
The purpose of this dispensation is not the conversion
of the world, but the gathering out of the church.
Watch something very carefully. While Israel
is a called -out body, it is a national body
composed exclusively exclusively of the descendants
of Abraham. But the church is not a national
body, for it is not composed of people of any
one nation, but of individuals from every kindred,
from all peoples, tribes, and nations. That Israel
and the church are distinct and separate and
cannot be blended, is clear from the fact that
their election was made at different dates. Know
that. And at different times. Believe me, Israel
and the church are separate and apart, one from
the other. Israel was chosen in Abraham from
the foundation of the world, as recorded in the
25th chapter of Matthew, the 34th verse, while
the church was chosen in him, Jesus, before the
foundation of the world, as recorded here in
the first chapter of Ephesians. Oh, that's marvelous.
Let me continue to read from this first chapter
of Ephesians. The 22nd, 23rd verses. And hath
put all things under his feet and gave him, speaking
of Jesus, to be the head over all things to the
church, which is his body. And the context shows,
in verse 20, that this headship was not possible
until Jesus had been raised from the dead. and
sit at the right hand of the Father. Because
remember something, as I told you in a previous
message, that it was absolutely possible for
these plans someplace along the line to go wrong.
It was absolutely possible when Jesus was here
in the flesh, as much man as though he were not
God, it was possible for him to have yielded
to temptation. And one of the greatest battles
that was ever fought and won was fought in the
Garden of Gethsemane. Know that. The battle wasn't
fought at the cross. No. The battle was fought
and won before the body was ever nailed to the
cross. in the garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus
finally looked up with great beads of blood upon
his forehead and said, Father, nevertheless,
not my will but thine be done. was proof positive
that Jesus had a will separate and apart from
the Father. While he walked in the flesh here
on this earth, he had a will, the will of a man,
that was separate and apart from the Father,
and that will had to be yielded To the will of
God. Before he was ever nailed on that cross.
We make much over the crucifixion. We make much
over Golgotha. But I'll tell you something. The
battle wasn't fought on the cross. The battle
was fought and won there in the garden. And through
the whole thing. From the time of his conception.
To the time when he cried, it is finished. His
every movement was watched very closely by God
the Father and by the Holy Spirit. Waiting, watching
breathlessly to see that the plans were carried
out. For he could have failed. That's the reason
the father looked down and said, this is my beloved
son in whom I'm well pleased. He was saying,
In essence, son, up until now, you're carrying
out every plan. The church, therefore, could
not have been in existence before there was a
head, and Jesus could not be the head until after
he was raised from the dead and seated at the
right hand of God the Father. Oh, that's marvelous.
And now today, we are his church. We are a very
part of his body. For as the body is one and
hath many members, and all the members that one
body, being many, are one body, so also in Christ.
For by one spirit are we all baptized into one
body, whether we be Jew or Gentile. whether we
be bond or free, and have been all made to drink
into one spirit. Why then did the Holy Spirit
come to take up residence here on this earth
after the ascension of Jesus? And why will he
continue until the close of this dispensation
when we have the great catching up? I'll tell
you why. Not for the purpose to convert the whole
world, but the gathering out of the church and
the church. is the inheritance of Jesus Christ.
The part of the agreement that was made as the
three sat at the great conference table. Jesus
carried out the plan. to the dotting of every
I and the crossing of every T. Therefore, as
surely as you and I are a part of the great plan,
as surely as we have an inheritance in Christ
Jesus, as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ
Jesus, never overlook the most important fact
of it all, and that is the fact that through
redemption's plan, we are his inheritance. And
I pray that he shall be proud of his inheritance.
Inherited. Amen.