Inheritance Laws Anyone Can Understand

Readings: Isaiah 25:6-9; John 20:1-18; I Peter 1:3-9

I think anyone would agree that our world has become a mess of laws when it comes to almost any aspect of life. Want to get married? Here's the paperwork. Want to start a business? Here's the paperwork. Want to leave something to future generations? Here's the paperwork. 

Inheritance laws seem to have become a special pet project of our lawmakers. Page after page, volume after volume of instructions on what can be done, can't be done, shouldn't be done...little guidance and littler understanding. It's all so complicated and frustrating.

In I Peter, inheritance is also discussed; however, that's where the similarities with the laws of man end in its regard. We are told that "In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time"  (v.3-5). 

An inheritance that can never perish...never spoil...never fade...in safe keeping for us. An inheritance that is given to us through an act of infinite mercy and love. No signing on the bottom line, no legal jargon, no doubts if things were done correctly. An inheritance of perfection.

How can such a wonderful grace be given to us so freely? We are loved--eternally and unconditionally. Isaiah 25:6-9 tells us, "On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet...on this mount he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples...he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces...In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.'" No matter how far we look, we will never find such assurances that will result in truth, not just words. We are loved beyond our greatest dreams.

All this is given to us by our loving Father, as Christ shared with Mary Magdalene in John 18:17, "...my Father and your Father, my God and your God."

Material inheritance can be a wonderful gift to leave future generations, helping assure that they will have an easier time throughout life; perhaps they can, in turn, leave a similar inheritance to the next generation. Eternal inheritance, given through the mercy of our loving God will give us eternal life in His presence...priceless.