Intro:	1.  1st century church did so much and no one stopped them.  Why?
	2.  John 16:20-22 - No one takes you joy away from you
	3.  Nehemiah 8:10 - The joy of the Lord is your strength
	4.  Why we can have joy:  We have been given several possessions

I.  Possession one:  Indwelling
	A.  I Cor 6:19 - Our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit
		1.  We are not our own and should glorify God-stay pure
		2.  Do not quench the Spirit (I Thess 5:19)  Why?
	B.  What is means to have the Holy Spirit
		1.  Jesus called the Holy Spirit the paraclete, comforter/helper.  How?
		2.  Romans 8:
			a.  v13 - Ability
			b.  v.16 - Assurance
			c.  v. 26 - Strength
		3.  Eph 1:13 
			a.  Holy spirit is a seal.  (protection, ownership)
			b.  Holy Spirit is a pledge, gaurantee, down payment!!
		4.  Result is fruit.  What is second fruit of Spirit?  JOY
	C.  ILL:  
		1.  Someone wanted to show the greatest unused power in the world
			a.  Was shown Niagara falls
			b.  Other person said, no, the greatest unused power is the Holy Spirit
		2.  John 7:37-39 - He who believes in Me, as the scriputre said, “From his 
		     innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.”  This he spoke of the 
		     Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive.
		3.  God is generous with his gifts
			a.  Lk 11:13 - Not give snake instead of fish or scorpion instead of egg
			b.  If you being evil know how to give good gifts, how much more the H.S.
	D.  The Spirit renews us, Titus 3:5
		1.  Need to empty ourselves to make room for the Spirit
		2.  ILL:  How do I empty a glass of air?
			a.  Not by sucking air out, it will collapse
			b.  Fill it with water.
			c.  Eph 5:18 - Be filled with the Spirit
		3.  I Cor 2:12-13 - Are your thoughts and words spiritual throughout the week

II.  Inheritance
	A.  We are called heirs (Galatians 4:4-7)
	B.  Explanation
		1.  Rom 8:15-25 - 
			a.  Heirs, so suffering is temporary with purpose.
			b.  Corruption of the creation is temporary
			c.  Own corruption is temporary
			d.  We eagerly wait redemption
		2.  Rom 8:28-30 (Ps 139:15-16) - Foreknew, and then predestined
		3.  Rev 13:8; 17:8 - Names in the book of life from foundation of the world
		4.  Lk 10:17-20 - Rejoice that names are recorded in Heaven
	C.  Elder said to me that no matter how bad it gets, it will pass
	D.  Letter to Charles E. Fuller
		1.  John 14:1-3 - Let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe also in...
		2.  If Jesus is building you a house, why be focused on this world and its houses?

III.  Intimacy  (that is what salvation is all about)
	A.  We are called the "Bride of Christ"
	B.  Better offer
		1.  Wedding rehersal, groom approaches the preacher
		2.  Slips him $100 and says “skip all that honor, love and cherish sruff”
		3.  On day of wedding, preacher says “will you promise to prostrate yourself 
		    before her, obey her every command and wish, serve her breakfast in bed 
		    every morning, and swear before God and your lovely wife that you will never
		    look at another woman?”
		4.  Afterwards, he hissed, “I thought we had a deal!”
		5.  Preacher gives back $100 dollars and said, she gave me a better deal
	C.  Eph 5:22-31
		1.  Wives subject to Husband
		2.  Husband (lot more said about Husband)
			a.  Love wife
				-Give self up for her
				-Sanctify - Wife is special
				-Bring out best in wife,
				-Cherish and nourish his wife
			b.  Talking just about marriage?  (v.32)  Talking about the church!
				-It hit me that more is said about groom which is Christ
				-Jesus loves you deeply and intimately
		3.  Many don’t understand the full impact of this
			a.  Many preachers paint a picture from Puritan era
				-Jonathan edwards, sinners in the hands of an angry God
			b.  Many fear for the salvation, think they are never quite good enough
			c.  **I’m Not a perfect husband, Stacey not divorce me every time I mess up
			d.  Jesus will not either
		4.  If you are worried when you mess up that you haven’t prayed for forgiveness
		    yet and might die and be lost...
			a.  How selfish, you haven’t understood the relationship just yet
			b.  I get troubled when I fail my wife, not because I’m worried it is 
			    over, but because I have dissapointed or hurt her.
			c.  See the correlation?
	D.  There is a wedding coming
		1.  Rev 17:9 - Says Jesus is coming to get his bride, and we will be married
		2.  Look forward to that day!!
		3.  In the meantime, get ready
			a.  Stay pure
			b.  Jesus is number one in your life
			c.  Nothing come between you and him

Concl:
1.  So now, what?  REJOICE!!
2.  We are given
	a.  intimacy - we are the bride of Christ
	b.  inheritance - We are an heir, Jesus died and left a fortune, and is building a house
	c.  indwelling - Given assurance, a downpayment or pledge.  More is coming!!!
3.  WE ARE LEAVING, WE ARE GOING TO OUR REAL HOME
4.  Don’t get entangled and bogged down in this world.  
	a.  That’s how Satan takes away joy
	b.  A joyless Christian is a conquered Christian
5.  The Joy of the Lord is our Strength - That is how the early church did it!!
6.  With the Joy of the Lord, can stand up to anything and keep on marching