Read: Ephesians 1:3-14
Watch: https://bibleproject.com/videos/new-humanity/
Our Double Inheritance
Several years ago, our middle son gave me a genetic home test. I was quite surprised by the results. I knew my maternal side was from Scotland, but I didn’t realize just how much of a Scot I actually am! The rest of my ancestry is a mix of England and Northwest Europe, with a scattering of Irish, German, and even Norwegian thrown in—I like to think I’m not a little Viking.
When we discuss ancestry and the traits we inherit, my mind turns to the long lineage of Jesus Christ recorded in the Gospels. Jesus’ roots trace back through King David and Abraham, all the way to Adam. Jesus’ heritage was certainly important, but what He became—our Savior—was infinitely more so.
This brings us to our text this week. In Ephesians 1:11–12, Paul writes that we were chosen in Christ to be His own. This immediately assures us that our salvation is an inheritance we receive from Jesus. Because we are in Christ, we are secure in God’s redemptive purpose. We were rescued, ransomed, reinstated, and re-named (adopted) in, through, for, and by Christ! This is cause for celebration, declaring “Hallelujah and Amen!”
However, there is another extraordinary aspect to this truth: We who are in Christ have also become God’s inheritance.What does that mean? Those of us who have trusted in Jesus as Lord—we who are “in Christ”—have become His Body, His Bride, His Church! We are the result of God’s great plan! At the right time, Jesus came as the perfect, spotless sacrifice. At the right time, you and I were rescued from our helpless state.
You may have heard about laying our crowns at the feet of Jesus—and that is right and good. But here is the wonder: we are the jewels in His crown. In the fullness of time, we, His Bride, His Church, will be presented by Christ to the Father as the crowning achievement of His redemptive work! We will be displayed as the fulfilled purpose of His finished plan, prepared before the beginning of the world. All praise and glory belong to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Pray: Lord, make me a blessing, today!
Discussion Questions:
- “God’s plan was prepared before the beginning of the world.” Knowing that your life is part of a perfect, eternal design, what immediate human pressure (e.g., career, schedule, social expectation) can you afford to let go of today?
2. Contrast the certainty of genetic inheritance (family lineage, physical traits) with spiritual inheritance (being chosen in Christ). Where do you currently derive more of your sense of security and identity: from your earthly lineage and achievements, or from your spiritual status as God’s adopted child?
3. Paul states we were chosen “In Christ to be His own.” If your salvation is a secured inheritance, what practical fear, anxiety, or doubt about your future should that security eliminate?
4. “We are God’s inheritance—the jewels in His crown.” If the Church is the “crowning achievement” of Christ’s work, how does that shift your view of your value and purpose within the local church body?
5. The author notes that Jesus’ heritage was important, but what He became was more so. In your own life, what legacy (what you become through character and choice) are you prioritizing over the circumstances you inherited(family background, resources, struggles)?
6. We are called to be presented as the fulfillment of God’s purpose. What does it mean for your daily life to be living as a jewel in Christ’s crown right now? How should a jewel behave differently than common stone?