What responsibilities do we have as "heirs of the prophets" today? Embracing Our Inheritance Acts 3:25—“You are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’” Echo the apostles’ reminder: being “sons” means receiving both privilege and obligation. The covenant blessing to Abraham now reaches the nations through Christ (Galatians 3:29). We are therefore custodians of the same divine message that shaped the prophets’ lives. Echoing the Prophetic Voice The prophets spoke what God revealed (2 Peter 1:19-21). As heirs, we: • Proclaim God’s Word faithfully—refusing to dilute or edit it (Jeremiah 26:2; 2 Timothy 4:2). • Call people to repentance and faith in Jesus, just as Peter did in Acts 3:19. • Declare both warning and hope, holding together truth and grace (Isaiah 1:18; John 1:14). Guarding the Whole Counsel of God Jude 3 urges believers to “contend for the faith once for all delivered.” Our responsibilities include: • Protecting biblical doctrine from distortion (Acts 20:27-31). • Testing every teaching against Scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:21; Acts 17:11). • Passing on sound teaching to reliable disciples (2 Timothy 2:2). Living the Message We Speak Prophets embodied their message; their lives illustrated God’s heart (Hosea 1; Jeremiah 16). Today: • Pursue personal holiness—“be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15-16). • Practice justice and mercy—“let justice roll down like a river” (Amos 5:24; James 1:27). • Walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8), showing the gospel’s transforming power. Interceding for the People Samuel considered prayerlessness a sin against the Lord (1 Samuel 12:23). Heirs of the prophets: • Stand in the gap for nations, leaders, and the church (Ezekiel 22:30; 1 Timothy 2:1-3). • Plead for revival, healing, and salvation (2 Chron 7:14). • Carry others’ burdens before God (Galatians 6:2). Depending on the Spirit’s Power The prophets spoke “as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). Likewise, we: • Seek continual filling (Ephesians 5:18) and guidance (Romans 8:14). • Exercise Spirit-given gifts to build up the body (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). • Trust His power rather than human wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:4-5). Passing the Torch Psalm 78:4—“We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation.” Heirs must: • Teach the Scriptures diligently at home and in the congregation (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). • Model faithful living for younger believers (1 Timothy 4:12). • Invest in missions so every family of earth hears the blessing promised to Abraham (Matthew 28:19-20). Looking Ahead The prophets longed for the day we now enjoy (1 Peter 1:10-12). As their heirs, we steward their message until Christ returns (2 Peter 3:11-14), finishing the work they began and rejoicing that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). |
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