WHERE IS YOUR CITIZENSHIP?

The Acts of the Apostles Part 27

The Teaching Ministry of Rick Trice

Trinity Fellowship

March 5, 2006

Acts 22:22-29

Philippians 3:20-21; 4:1

IF AN AIRPLANE CRASHES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIO GRANDE RIVER, DO THEY BURY THE SURVIVORS IN MEXICO OR THE UNITED STATES?

ANSWER:  YOU DON’T BURY SURVIVORS!

PAUL’S CITIZENSHIP  (ACTS 22:22-29)

 ROMAN CITIZENSHIP WAS GREATLY VALUED; AND VERY HARD TO COME BY.  MOST PEOPLE, OUTSIDE OF ROME ITSELF:

*GAINED IT ONLY BY DOING SOMETHING HEROIC AND OF GREAT VALUE TO THE STATE,

*PURCHASED IT FOR A GREAT SUM OF MONEY

*PASSED ON BY THEIR PARENTS.

 PAUL’S CITIZENSHIP IS OF GRATER VALUE THAN THE COMMANDERS, FOR HIS WAS FROM BIRTH.

OUR CITIZENSHIP

SO HOW MUCH MORE VALUABLE IS OUR CITIZENSHIP?  PAUL WIRTES IN PHILLIPIANS THAT “OUR CITIZESHNSHIP IS IN HEAVEN.”

JESUS SAYS IN JOHN 3:3 “ UNLESS ONE IS BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

I JOHN 5:1 SAYS, “WHOEVER BELIEVES THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST IS BORN OF GOD…”,

EPHESIANS 1:11 “IN HIM ALSO WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, BEING PREDESTINED ACCORDING TO THE PUROSE OF HIM WHO WORKS ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL. “

GALATIANS 3:26FF.  “FOR YOU ARE ALL SONS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS.  FOR AS MANY OF YOU AS WERE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE PUT ON CHRIST.   THERE IS NEITHER JEW NOR GREEK, THERE IS NEITHER SLAVE NOR FREE, THERE IS NEITHER MALE NOR FEMALE; FOR YOU ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS.  AND IF YOU ARE CHRIST’S, THEN YOU ARE ABRAHAM’S SEED, AND HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE PROMISE.”

THE WORLD

SATAN TRIES TO GET YOU TO BUY YOUR CITIZENSHIP INTO HEAVEN. 

YOU CAN’T DO IT.  IT HAS NO REAL VALUE.

JESUS PURCHASED YOUR CITIZENSHIP THROUGH GREAT COST:  HIS BLOOD AND HIS LIFE.

WHEN YOU ACCEPT JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR, YOU ARE BORN AGAIN AND  RECEIVE CITIZENSHIP OF HEAVEN AS PART OF YOUR INHERITANCE.  

YOU ARE “BORN AGAIN,” AND CITIZENSHIP IS PASSED ONTO YOU AS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT