Our Promised Inheritance

0:58On March 25th, 1616, William Shakespeare set forth and signed his last will and testament. Shakespeare, the famous playwright, was a wealthy man by the end of his life, and he left a majority of his wealth to his eldest daughter. But within his will, he left to his wife, Anne Hathaway, not the famous actress, but his wife of 34 years and mother to his children. He left what seemed to be A very peculiar item. It is as follows: Item, I give unto my wife my second best bed with the furniture.

1:42Now this might seem to be somewhat of a slight, but it just so happened that it was a romantic gesture. I know we're talking about the playwright that wrote Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth, and you would think he would have had better words to come up with and a better statement of affection than leaving his wife his second best bed. But Shakespeare believed that brevity was the soul of wit. And he knew that by English common law, his wife would be entitled to at least a third of his wealth and the use of the house for the rest of her life. So putting that into the will would have been a waste of good ink.

2:36Also during that time, the best bed would have gone to the guest room for guests, and the second best bed would have belonged to the husband and wife in the home. So this inheritance was a reminder of the intimacy they had shared for 34 years, and that they could never be taken away from her. So it was a romantic gesture. And it was the best that he could give to his grieving wife. Today we're going to be looking at the inheritance given by God through Joshua to the Israelites.

3:20Joshua and the Israelites have moved victoriously into the land of promise. They have destroyed the main kings in the land. And now it's time to divide the land among the tribes and take full possession of the land. As Pastor Cody mentioned, we're going to be covering chapters 14 through 19 today. When I agreed to this, I misunderstood and thought I was agreeing to Joshua 14, 19. And when I realized there wasn't a Joshua 14, 19, I realized the gravity of my mistake. But it's also, I could understand why Pastor Cody and Pastor Allen would laugh every time we mentioned the book of Joshua.

4:06So I'm going to talk really, really fast. And that's a good thing because I can't pronounce most of the names that are written in the text. I'm just kidding. I'm not going to talk super fast. I'm not able to. But I think the next six chapters, six chapters, will give us a good picture of how God's people came into their inheritance. And it teaches us that we have. An imperishable heritance through Jesus. And though we won't read every single verse, we will be going through all six chapters.

4:41But our main focus will be on Caleb. Caleb, who happens to be one of the most faithful and godliest men in the Bible. Caleb was the son of Jephunah, the Kenizzite. Now, there's a lot of debate about Caleb's origin, but one thing we know for sure is that Caleb was not an Israelite by blood. He's most likely a descendant of Esau. And somehow, through time, he became, him and his family became infused with the tribe of Judah.

5:17In Numbers 13, Moses gathered representatives from every tribe, and Caleb represented the tribe of Judah. He was made a spy, and he was sent into the land of Canaan 40 years prior, as the text said. And when they returned to report to Moses, Caleb was the one that said, though the people were large and the cities were fortified, they could go in and occupy the land because God had promised it to them. Now, Joshua backed up Caleb, and it was only those two who said that we could do it. That they could do it. They could go in and defeat the Canaanites.

6:07Both said that to not go in would be rebellion against God. And sure enough, it was. When the other spies convinced the people of Israel that they could not go into the land without danger, that the people were too strong, God saw fit to pass down judgment. They decided not to go into the promised land, and because God pronounced a judgment on them, Joshua and Caleb were the only two from that generation that were able to enter into the land of promise.

6:42In fact, Moses told Caleb that he would inherit the land that he actually spied out. So Caleb, who is just as old as Joshua and has fought alongside all the other men for the last 85 years faithfully, goes to Joshua and reminds him what Moses said about him and Joshua. Now, remember, Joshua was right there with Caleb. So he should know about this promise of inheritance. But Caleb offers more evidence, he offers his strength. How could you not like this guy?

7:28I mean, he goes up to Joshua. And he trades a few war stories, and then he flexes on him. He tells Joshua he's just as strong as he was when he was 40. And then he says, Give me my inheritance, and I will go take it from the most feared of all, the Anakim. The Anakim were descendants of Anak. And when the spies described these people, they said, We look like grasshoppers compared to them. Goliath is said to be a descendant of Anak.

8:03Plus, the Anakim live in hill country, and their cities are fortified, hard to take in strategic areas. But Caleb said in verse 12, It may be that the Lord be with me, and I shall drive them out, just as the Lord said. This is not a question, this is a declarative statement. So there are three things that we can take away from Caleb's story. First, Caleb was the way he was because he wholly trusted the Lord.

8:42Caleb was faithful because he could trust in God's promises. Caleb saw God call them out of Egypt. He saw the Red Sea part. He was there when God gave Israel the law. He followed the pillar of fire and clouds. He ate the manna that God gave to them in the wilderness, and he witnessed every miracle of God in provision for him and his people. He knew that God was faithful, and he was ready for his inheritance.

9:22So, though Caleb stated that he was still strong, he did not trust in his own strength. Instead, he trusted in the faithfulness of God to make good on his promises. Second, Caleb was willing to act upon his faith, even though he knew it would be difficult. Caleb wholly trusted God, but it was not like his inheritance was going to come easy. Caleb still had to go in and destroy the Anakim and take possession of the land that was full of these hostile occupants.

10:00If you'll turn over to Joshua 15, we'll look at verses 13 through 15. It says, According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, he gave Caleb, the son of Jephuna, a portion among the people of Judah, Kareth Arba, and that is Hebron. Arbo was the father of Anak. And Caleb drove out from the three sons of Anak, Sheeshai, and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of the people. Of Anak, and he went up from there against the inhabitants of Debir.

10:35So even though Caleb is given an inheritance, the inheritance that he was promised, he still has to go in and take it. Let's look at what David first says about this point. He says, This is a point worth stressing for believers today. God's promises can be trusted, but that does not mean we receive them without struggle and opposition. In fact, as Joshua assigns the different areas to all the tribes, they all have to go in and take possession of the land.

11:14They have to go in and dispossess the inhabitants of the land. Prior to this, Joshua and the Israelites destroyed the major armies and kings that possessed their promised land, but they still needed to defeat pockets of smaller groups that were in their areas that had been given to them. And Caleb did this faithfully. And as a result, when he had finished, the last words in chapter 14 say, and the land had rest from war. Caleb understood that without war, there was no peace. Without struggle, there can be no rest. Without opposition, there can be no victory.

12:00And unlike the rest of the tribes who failed to completely take land from the inhabitants, Caleb was able to do it. Let's look at the map of the promised land once it was divided among the tribes. Keep in mind, Caleb was not an Israelite, but because he represented the tribe of Judah as a spy, his inheritance was taken from within Judah's allotment. And you can see that Judah received a large portion of land to the south, and Joseph through Ephraim and Manasseh received a large portion in the north.

12:40These lands created a natural barrier for Israel against enemies that surrounded them. And as the history of Israel unfolds later on, we see God's plan unfold simply by the way that the land of promise was divided with Judah in the south and Joseph through Ephraim and Manasseh in the north. The third thing we learned from Caleb's story was that his inheritance was not just meant for his own pleasure and satisfaction. If you'll turn back to chapter 15, we'll read verses 15 through 19.

13:22And he went up from there against the inhabitants of Dabir. Now the name Dabir formerly was Kareth Sefer. And Caleb said, Whoever strikes Kareth Sefer and captures it, to him will I give Aksa my daughter as wife. So Othneel, the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it, and he gave Aksa his daughter as wife. And when she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she got off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, What do you want? And she said to him, Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of Nageb, give me also springs of water.

14:09And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs. Dabir is drier than the area around Hebron. And Caleb, being the head of his clan, could have taken all the resources his inheritance had to offer and claimed it for himself. He could have charged a tax. He could have asked for payment in return. But these springs of water were vitally important to Dabir. And Caleb doesn't do that. Instead, he gives them away because he knows that in order for this land to be inhabited and the inhabitants to be successful, he could not hold on to the gifts that God had given him.

15:00He knew that his inheritance was given to him. He didn't earn it. And because he did not earn it, he was generous with all that God had given him. But Caleb is not the only one who shares his inheritance. If you read further, you see that after Judah and Joseph's inheritance, the rest of the land was given by lots in chapter 18. Now, remember, in chapter 14, it said that after Caleb took his inheritance, the land was without war.

15:42So when God gives us gifts, he expects us to maintain them. He wants us to develop them and protect them. We're not to hoard them. If you'll show the map again, Judah had an enormous territory, and their territory was a buffer protecting the rest of Israel from southern enemies. But there was not enough people of Judah to accomplish this. Also, as you read through these chapters, you'll realize Judah was unable to fully dispel the Jebusites. In chapter 19, verse 9, it says, The inheritance of the people of Simeon formed part of the territory of the people of Judah. Because the portion of the people of Judah was too large for them. And the people of Simeon obtained an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.

16:43You know, we share an inheritance within an inheritance, too. Let's look at Ephesians 1, verses 11 through 14. In Him, we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, so that we were the first to hope in Christ, might be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of His glory.

17:30It is through Christ that we have obtained our inheritance. And with those God predestines to be the first hope in Jesus, the apostles. And we have a guarantee through the Holy Spirit until we gain full possession of it, which is being in complete union with God for the rest of eternity. So, church, we see an earthly physical example. Caleb is a precursor to our spiritual inheritance. Caleb shows us that our inheritance comes by faith. Caleb believed the Word of God.

18:14He believed what he saw, and he remembered the things that he saw. He didn't have to. He wasn't an Israelite. But his faith placed him in the middle of God's people. And he led and served God's people through his example. Caleb believed that God would be faithful to his word, and his strength and fortitude was based in that faith. Brother and sister, your strength and your fortitude is also based in that faith. Caleb's earthly inheritance will eventually pass away, but our inheritance will not.

19:01So we can act with the same boldness, the same certainty, as Christians who proclaim Jesus as our Savior. Colossians 3, 23 and 24 say, Whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for men. Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. The Hebrew word for inheritance is. Nahala. It means inalienable hereditary property. And inheritance is usually given as a result of the death of the one who can give it. Our inheritance became obtainable when Jesus died on the cross and rose again. Our inheritance is through Jesus, given to us by God, the Father and the Holy, and sealed by the Holy Spirit.

19:59But we have to understand that just as Caleb's inheritance did not come without opposition or struggle, ours will not come any easier. I think sometimes as Christians, we buy into this false narrative, at least functionally we do, that we shouldn't suffer, or if we suffer, that we will or should be relieved of that suffering quickly. Brothers and sisters, we are guaranteed that when we finally obtain our glorious inheritance, that is when we will finally meet our Creator, we will not have struggles or suffering or pain or sorrow, but we're not there yet.

20:43Look at 1 Peter 1, verses 3 through 9. It says, 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, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who, by God's power, are being guarded through the faith, through faith, for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, it is necessary you have been grieved by various trials, 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. Though you have not seen him, you love him. And though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with the joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation for your souls.

21:58So, as Christians, as the church, we see that our inheritance comes with struggle, opposition, and suffering. And Caleb understood this. He had to go into a land and not just slay Goliath, he had to slay hundreds of Goliaths. He had to defeat heavily fortified cities filled with those Goliaths. And he was 85 years old. I'm 45 years old, and I get winded going up the stairs. But Caleb is fighting battle after battle. And he believed that God would be with him as he struggled, and the outcome would be victory.

22:54Can you see how this makes us different from the world? We're not victims, we're victors. We're able to face suffering with joy rather than despair. New life, I know that there are some of you who are going through intense times of suffering. I know that there are some who are questioning your resolve and your faith because of the trials that are surrounding you. But I want to encourage you, as Peter encouraged the church, in this you rejoice.

23:35These trials may be found to result in a praise and glory and honor when our faith becomes sight. You see, belief in Jesus and what he has done for us by giving us an inheritance gives us the ability to see trials and suffering for what they really are, temporary. They will make you tired. They will test you. They will cause you pain and tears and heartache. And you will feel these things in very real ways. They will seem overwhelming.

24:20But, Christian, remember that your hope is grounded in eternity, not the temporary. Revelation 21, 3 through 4 says, This is a great memory verse, by the way, to have in your mind during these times. It says, And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

25:16That is our inheritance. That is our eternity. That's our reality. The enemy wants you to think. That the anachem is too large. They're too powerful. It's too much to conquer. The enemy wants you to think that your sin is too entrenched and too fortified to destroy. Trials and struggles will come. It's going to happen. But our hope, like Caleb's hope, is in God who gives us victory, even in our struggles and our oppositions. So I'll say this one more time to be clear: you are not a victim.

26:12I, we, should not treat one another like we are victims. You are a victor by the blood of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lastly, your inheritance is not just for you. You have been given victory so that you might provide for others. You will not be alone in your inheritance. As Hebrews says, you will be surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. And just as Caleb gave away important resources so that others might benefit, resources that cost him, your victories are not only meant for you, but it's also meant for others.

27:02The gospel was never meant to be hoarded. The church was never meant to be individualistic or clickish. Gathering on Sunday morning, the Lord's Day was never meant to be just for you. Hebrews 10:23 through 25 says, Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

27:47You are here in this place today, this morning, to encourage the person next to you, to minister to those who are needing hope, whether that be sharing the gospel to someone for the first time or reminding someone of our great hope that we have in the gospel. Either way, the church is not a feeding trough for believers. By that, I mean that you don't get to come in and go to discipleship class, hear a good sermon most of the time, sing some songs that make you feel warm and tingly, and walk out of here never looking to see who needs your encouragement.

28:31Who needs to hear the gospel from your lips, not the pastors? Who needs prayer? Who needs financial help? Who needs a hug? Who needs correction? Your gifts should be used and need to be used here, today. The Holy Spirit does not give you these gifts so that you can keep them to yourself. They are meant for your brother and sister sitting next to you. Your victories are victories that should benefit all of the church, not just yourself.

29:07So consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. Here at New Life, we have a group of men in this church who have been fighting and destroying the sin of addiction to pornography. They have developed a culture of confession and repentance. That's the church. There's a group of women in this church who recognize the need for prayer in our church and have committed to gather together to pray for you. And they fight battles on their knees with righteous prayers to our Father.

29:46That's the church. Do you agree? If you're here today and none of this makes sense to you, and you have no idea. What inheritance I'm talking about, I would like to share with you our great hope. Jesus, who is the more perfect Caleb, an outsider, God who came to us as a human, just like us. He was despised, he knew suffering and sorrow, he wept just like us. Isaiah 53:3 says, He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, and as one from whom men hide their faces, was despised, and we esteemed him not.

30:44He went to the cross, bearing our sin, and was crucified as a sacrifice and as a ransom for us. He died and was placed in a grave, and God rose him up on the third day. He was the perfect sacrifice in death, and a victor when he rose from the dead, defeating the Goliath of sin and death on our behalf. And if you believe in him and his work, and you believe that he was raised from the dead, and you confess with your mouth that he is Lord, you will be saved from sin's curse, which is an eternal inheritance of God's wrath and eternal torment. Torment as an enemy of God and his people.

31:36Instead, you will be adopted as a son or daughter through the blood shed on that cross. And you'll have a promised eternal heritage of peace and glory with Jesus forever. There will be no more war in the land. Your struggles and your suffering will not be in vain. Instead, they will give you hope for when Jesus comes back to take us into our eternal inheritance. If you have questions about that or want to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord for the first time, would you find Pastor Cody or myself or any church member and talk to us? We would love to answer any questions or rejoice with you upon your confession. Let's pray.

32:40Heavenly Father, you are faithful to your promises. You are trustworthy and right in all of your ways. You defeat our enemies and you give us a spirit of boldness. And make us conquerors. No weapon formed against us can win because you are our God and we are your people. Give us the faith of Caleb and empower us by your Holy Spirit to conquer sin in our lives, to encourage one another, and to love one another. Spirit, give us hope in times of sorrow and suffering. Remind us that we have an eternal inheritance and make that real for us.

33:42We desperately need reminding and renewal of our faith. We proclaim just as Caleb proclaimed: it may be that the Lord be with me, and I shall drive them out, as the Lord said. We pray this in your Son's name. Amen. Thank you for listening to the sermon audio from New Life Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. For more information or to support our ministry, visit us online at newlifecs.net.