God’s Last Will and Testament
Rev. Sean D. Lester
August 17, 2003
Text: Hebrews 9:15-28
Introduction
A. A will is the declaration of how a person’s belongings are to be disposed of upon death.
1. It is generally a written document and witnessed by people without an interest in the estate.
2. It names an executor, or mediator, who is to determine how the will is to be enforced.
3. It names heirs and gives instructions about who is to receive what part of the estate.
B. A will never goes into effect until death.
1. Death is separation. Natural death is the separation of spirit from body. The Bible never defines death as inaction or unconsciousness.
2. God never dies, so He has no need to leave anything to anyone. So in His case, His will goes into effect when you die.
Proposition: God’s Last Will and Testament concerns the disposition of your soul upon our death.
Interrogative: What is God’s will for my life?
Transition: This passage tells us about God’s will.
I. God’s Will Names an Executor and Heirs.
A. Jesus Christ was named the executor of the estate.
1. He has the responsibility of determining who qualifies to receive the inheritance of eternal life.
2. He has the authorization to deliver eternal life to the heirs.
B. The Heirs are defined.
1. Sometimes a will defines by name who will receive the inheritance, but at other times it will give qualifications.
2. Illustration: A will may name a “charity dedicated and effective in saving ducks.” The executor must decide which organization or organizations best fit that description.
3. In the case of this will, all whose lives are brought into conformity with the teaching of Jesus Christ are heirs.
4. Sometimes the will declares who will be excluded from the will by qualification.
5. Illustration: The following are excluded from God’s will: 1 Cor. 6:9-10
1 Cor. 6:9-10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders [10] nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
C. The question facing us all is: “Are you in God’s will?”
1. How would Jesus judge? It is based upon your confession of faith as evidenced by works of your life.
3. How do you know? The same way you know if someone loves you. If a spouse professes love, then his or her actions will demonstrate it by their faithfulness to the marriage. If you love Christ, your faithfulness will communicate it.
Transition: You may ask, “I want to be in God’s will, but how do I find out to be written into it?”
II. God declared His will with a Legal Testament
A. First, He gave a written covenant.
1. The rules of righteous living were written in stone with God’s own finger. Anyone who kept the commands could be included in the inheritance.
2. Then, the Holy Spirit spoke through Moses to write down rules that would allow anyone who unintentionally broke the commands to be forgiven.
3. Illustration: In premarital counseling, there are rules established that determine how love is to be demonstrated. Everything from physical affection to taking out the trash is discussed. Sometimes, in the process, the couple discovers that they are not in love. Sometimes, they learn better how to love.
B. Then, God affirmed the covenant in front of witnesses.
1. A contract is binding even if given orally.
2. Illustration: In a marriage, the parties do not sign the marriage covenant. The witnesses sign it. Typically, the best man signs as a representative of the groom, and the maid of honor signs as a representative of the bride.
3. With the first covenant, the priests signed as the representative of God, sprinkling the tabernacle, the furnishings, and the people with the blood.
C. When the first covenant was proven ineffective for purifying people from sin, a new covenant was given.
1. Jesus, God become a man, declared that righteousness was based on lifestyle of faith in God. Not dead religious practices, but living service to God.
2. Instead of signing this covenant in the blood of animals as a symbol, Jesus Christ signed it with his own blood.
3. In so doing, sin was done away with. Whenever the commandment comes, so does the desire to break it.
4. Illustration: At camp, whenever a rule is given not to fraternize with the opposite six, the desire to do that rises, and they find ways to do it. I have the practice of encouraging the search for a mate, in fact, I make suggestions about who would be right together. I never have a problem with inappropriate sexual behavior among my youth.
Transition: For us, whose lives are lived by faith in Jesus Christ, there is both a joy in knowing that when we die, we will be with Christ, and a longing for when that will happen.
III. God has set a time for the final reading of His Will.
A. …and no one except the Father knows when, it will be either at death…
1. All people are destined to be separated from their bodies. That moment should be foremost on your mind.
2. Illustration: Jonathan Edwards admonished all believers to think about their own death every day. It helps keep this life and activities in perspective.
B. …Or it will be at the rapture.
1. Jesus Christ will appear in the clouds to take his church out of this world.
2. It will still be a death, that is the present body will be separated from the spirit, and a new body will take its place, one that will never perish.
C. Then, Jesus will come at the end of the millennium and sit upon the throne of judgment.
1. He will open his record and read the names of those who have been determined to have fulfilled the terms of God’s will.
2. Those who have not been written into the will will be removed from God’s presence and placed into the lake of fire.
3. And those who have been waiting for Christ, they will come back to a new heaven and a new earth to live in the presence of God forever.
Transition: God’s last will and testament will be read and executed one day, so it is fitting that we all prepare ourselves in this life to hear the reading.
Conclusion:
God’s last will and testament was written thousands of years ago in a collection of books that we call the Old Testament. That will was superceded by another will and testament that we call the New Testament. Both together are called the Bible. In this book, you can learn about God’s will. You learn who He is and how to love Him.
But know this, God loves you and sent His Son Jesus Christ to show you how to live forever. He gives you temporary life so that you may decide whether you love the Lord and whether you would like to live with Him forever. You only have this life to decide, and it will never be an easier decision to make than it is right now.
You have this opportunity to believe this message, and make your profession of faith in Jesus Christ. You must be ashamed enough of your sinful life that you will repent and live according to what Jesus taught. But if that is truth with you, you can begin a new life with Christ this morning by confessing faith in Jesus Christ, and covenanting yourself to living for Him.
