112 carats of sheer beauty. It possesses an intense blue color.

And it was eventually cut down to 67 carats and arrayed with 14 other diamonds around its perimeter. This marvelous gem is none other than the Hope Diamond. I was in Washington D.C. at the Museum of Natural History looking at the Hope Diamond and I wondered, Who owns this thing? Then I moved on to the crown room and viewed the various crowns and scepters and jewels and asked myself again, Who owns all these? Then I took it a step further and thought, and who owns the crown jewels in England, or the gold in Fort Knox? Who owns the pyramids at Giza or the Taj Mahal? Then the answer came to me and it was obvious, God owns all these, of course! And if you were thinking the same thing, youre absolutely right. But then another answer came to my mind that might be a little less obvious but just as true, I own all these too. You see, thats part of the good news of the gospelHes made me a co-heir with Christ. So tonight I want to talk with you about the implications of being an heir. And for that well start in Romans 8. Romans 8:15-17 - no doubt that we are heirs. But not all heirs are equal in their mentality about their inheritance: Luke 15:11-14, 20-32 Primary purpose for parable? God does not disdain the lost but rejoices over their repentance. - Have group discuss lost sheep, lost coin, lost son in context. But Jesus also reveals two mentalities Gods children have: 1. Poverty Mentality 2. Plenty Mentality Plenty: v.12 - give me my share (even though father is still alive and none of it was earned by the son) - and father did! You did not work for it (Jesus said, It is finished) but many blessings are yours if youd simply ask: Hebrews 4:15-16, Ephesians 3:12 - ASK and expect to receive - stop and pray before each new undertaking and ask for grace and mercy to accomplish the task. Luke 12:29-32 - All these things given to you. The Father is pleased to do it. I imagine that in the parable the father wasnt begrudging giving the inheritance to the son. The prodigal had the right mentality but missed the logical conclusion: v.33-34 Give me my sharehow much is our share because of Jesus? Poverty: v.28-31 - this son had a poverty mentality. Believes theres only so much to go around. Doesnt understand all is his. Americas poverty mentality - must take from the rich instead of make everyone rich. (Romans 8:32) Do you have a poverty mentality? Ephesians 1:3 (just quote) - every spiritual blessing disciples did - five loaves not enough - who will be the greatest? they didnt understand the concept of you own everything. Corinthians did 1 Corinthians 3:21-22 - All is yours. Plenty: This takes away every desire to compete against other saints. All you have is mine, all I have is yours. You build treasure in heaven and its still mine, I build and its still yours. Why? Because you are of Christ! If youre not an heir, how do you become one? Romans 4:13 - Do what Abraham did - have faith. Are you an heir? If not, you can bethanks to Jesus and what He did on the cross. The prayer of Paul that people would understand this mentality: Ephesians 1:18 - end with a prayer