Week 33 - Free Weekend Program for Street & Vulnerable Children

Text Romans 8:16-20

Theme : Heirs of God & Joint Heirs with Christ

Verse 16 : The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

First, The Holy Spirit plants this truth (Christ) in our heart, He comes to us through the Gospel, we receive Him by Faith and He produces fruit in and through us.

The Spirit makes us confident by faith, He gives us assurance that we are indeed God’s children, adopted into God’s family. Empowered, enabled by Him, we see fruits of repentance, holiness, a changed life, though gradual, maybe small, yet evident because He has given us a new heart, new desires - a love for God, which leads to obedience.

We rejoice in this reality, assured of our identity as children of God.

Verse 17 “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Last week, we learnt about sonship by adoption, which gives us rights of inheritance; now, we see that we are heirs of God and joint -heir with Christ. What does it mean to be an heir? An heir is a person who inherits the properties, money and rank - position of another after their death. For example, let’s say that the chief of Karu has children, do you know his children? Ok, if he dies, his children will take over everything he has, his first son will immediately become the chief, his house, money, property and throne will belong to him.

This is the same for us, we are God’s children, but unlike the chief of karu, God will never die, instead, we, His sons will die. Yet, we will live again because the Spirit will raise us up from the dead and as heirs, we inherit everything God has even though he is still alive, lives forever, we will also live forever with him in paradise.

We are joint-heirs with Christ, which means that all that Christ has belong to us as well. we will inherit everything that Christ has earned from the father; the exceeding riches of Christ.

What are the exceeding riches of Christ? He is seated at the Father’s right hand, seated in heavenly place above principalities and powers and we are seated with Him. He rules overs all and we will rule with Him.. We have the unsearchable riches of Christ, it is ever- lasting Righteousnesses, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit, it is God’s kingdom reigning and ruling in and through us. It is wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, it is a glorious inheritance.

Don’t worry about what they say in those false churches, Jesus didn’t die to make us rich with money, he died to make us rich in Christ, so we can spend eternity with God, the glorious privilege of seeing God face to face. However, the scripture says “if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

The Christian life is marked with suffering - persecution, this is guaranteed “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” 2 Timothy 3:12 . We all experience physical hardships, difficulties and challenges( right now, things are so expensive, many people are suffering in Nigeria; we fall sick, our loved ones die, etc

In addition, Christians have peculiar suffering as well, they suffer for their faith; some are disowned by their parents, others are killed for the sake of Christ. As you tell people about Christ, they will mock your faith, some of your friends will disdain you, others will be hostile to you, living a godly life in Christ is hard, but God has promised to be with us; He will help us.

“Me, I no go suffer!” is a useless song that they sing in false churches; Our sufferings are real, we see them every day, to deny them or wish it away is an illusion, senseless madness. It’s against the teaching of scripture, God is not pleased with that kind of teaching, stay away from such teaching! Avoid them like a contagious disease as you grow up. Christ suffered, He learnt obedience through the things He suffered; His obedience was unto death; if we must share in His Glory, we must also share in His suffering. We can’t have one without the other.

18. “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

The suffering, difficulties and challenges we face in this life are nothing compared to the amazing future that awaits us in heaven, the celestial city. A good example is the story of Joseph from the book of Genesis. Joseph faced numerous hardships and challenges throughout his life, he was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused and imprisoned, and endured years of separation from his family.

However, despite these trials, Joseph remained faithful to God and trusted in Him. In the end, God's faithfulness and Joseph's perseverance led to his rise to power in Egypt, where God used him to save his family and many others from famine, Joseph's sufferings and difficulties, though extremely significant, ultimately paled, meant nothing when compared to the amazing future and blessings that God had in store for him.

The suffering and challenges we face in this life are nothing compared to the glorious future that awaits us in heaven.

19 “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope”

Since Adam sinned, the earth came under a curse, became subject to death and decay, thorns and weeds grow out of the ground, man began to labor, animals kill and eat each other. Women strive to control their husbands and they rule over them fiercely. We see war, earthquakes, hurricane etc decay, destruction and chaos.

It was not so from the beginning, all God made was good till sin came. The creation is eagerly looking forward to its redemption, a state of peace, void of death, destruction and decay. This is only possible when Christians enter into their glorious state. God has promised to make all things new at that time, a new heaven and a new death.

Men in their own strength are trying to restore earth through science, green vegetation, peaceful dialogues, etc but it’s IMPOSSIBLE. Green energy will not redeem the world, but there's nothing wrong with cleaning the environment - water, healthy food, etc. The earth came under subjection to the curse- futility by the will of God and God has promised to redeem it ( make it perfect again) in time. Only God can do this.

Finally, we are on a spiritual journey here on earth, God has us here for a reason, “to know Him and to make Him known” though we suffer, we will reign with Christ; creation eagerly awaits our glorification as sons of God, a time when we are raised from the dead to die no more, a time of perfect holiness (spirit, soul & body) when we shall reign with Christ. At that time, creation will experience redemption as well.

Keep your eyes on Christ, keep your eyes on your eternal reality - Heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.