You have been named in a will!

You have been named in a will.  Ephesians 1.4-14  

hi.   Have you ever been named in a will?  It seems like in these days of living trusts and other options, we hear less of folks meeting together in austere dark-paneled attorneys’ offices to hear the reading of some distant relative’s will.   Designated trustees and registered letters now handle most of these matters.  But imagine with me just now that you have been named in a rich uncle’s will; you have been notified to appear in person at a particular time on a certain day for the reading of the will. 

There is keen interest and a little intrigue as well – what has he left you?  And you think to yourself, ‘geez, I didn’t even know he thought that much of me!’  There are a couple others present, though you are unsure of their identities… then the attorney comes into the room, clearing his throat, ‘Uh, thank you all for coming today.  As you know, you have been called here today at the request of Joshua Christos, now deceased some 29 days … what I am about to reveal to you is at the request of Mr. Christos . . .” Tis a great day IF Uncle J.C. had anything of value to leave, and if in fact, you are the named recipient of just such a bequeathal.

Doesn’t matter.  Whatever your uncle could leave you, it still would not be eternal.  You see, nothing can compare with what God has in mind for you!

God is not just rich in mercy and grace, he is generous, and it is his desire to ‘will’ it all to you.  Staggering!

Out inheritance can be viewed as coming through Father, Son and Holy Spirit~

Note our blessings from the Father:  How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

And our blessings from God the Son:  Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

Our blessings from God the Holy Spirit:  It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.     [Scripture from The Message]

Yes, Friends, you have been named in a will; you have been granted an eternal inheritance that no one can take away—that life cannot erode or use up.  You are blessed indeed and have a rich and abundant life forever, promised by God. Amen.