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Blueprint, part 2

Inherit the Earth – Matthew 5:5

Today, we come to Jesus’ third beatitude – that is Jesus’ third statement on happiness. You can follow along with me by turning in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 5. Yesterday, my 6 year old daughter and I went outside to play in the snow, but I first wanted to shovel the driveway. Eventually, Kezia came over and picked up a shovel and started helping me. After about 20 minutes, she started asking me if she was going to get any reward for helping her. I told her yes that I would take her out to eat and to the dollar store. We shoveled for another 20 minutes, and over that time Kezia must have asked me what her reward was going to be another 10 times. She did not ask me over and over 10 times because she had forgotten, so why did she ask? Let me answer that in a moment. This week many of us felt the impact of the stock market plunge; in fact, the Times reported that the news coming out of the World Economic Forum where the collective prediction is that a "full-blown, prolonged recession in [the United States] is now inescapable, with the rest of the world set to be dragged into a severe global slowdown…” In light of this terrible financial news, why is that we are reading article after article online; googling recession and watching our stock daily? The reason why we are reading so much is the same reason why Kezia was asking me over and over what her reward would be for working hard…we need to be reassured time and again that everything will be alright. The financial situation will be worth the trial. In the third beatitude, we find Jesus making a financial promise to us that is especially timely.

Our talk will give us a glimpse into our Heavenly Father’s estate and the inheritance that we begin to receive during this lifetime with more to come later. As an estate planning lawyer, I would often see parents give the lion’s share of the family business to the child who worked the hardest to make the family business grow. The children who went off to work for other companies or who lived off the family finances to travel Europe almost always received less, much less. The child who poured in sweat equity was rewarded on the day the parent’s Last Will and Testament was read. Maybe you received or will receive an inheritance from your parents – I made sure of it as I prepared my parent’s estate plan – but did you know that all of God’s children will receive an inheritance. And, did you know that we who believe in Jesus are adopted brothers and sisters? We are children of God and our elder brother is Jesus Christ. In Matthew 5:5 our elder brother says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” If Father God is anything like many clients I have worked with, then the child who worked the hardest would be rewarded the greatest. The other children might receive the leftovers. But, here Jesus says the Father’s inheritance does not get distributed like that. Jesus has seen God’s Will and he is telling us how the distributions will be divided between all of us children of God. We know that Jesus did all the work to make it even possible for us to become children of God, so will our elder brother, Jesus, negotiate with the Father to disinherit us or reduce our portion from the eternal estate plan? NO! Jesus by his own choice so identified himself with what his rights as co-heir are not to be separated apart from our rights. The first truth to discover is that Jesus has made you an heir, a beneficiary of the Father’s estate. Jesus by his choosing has no rights apart from his people. In Hebrews (6:20) Jesus entered the inner sanctuary to be with the Father to be our High Priest, our mediator but not for himself alone, but it says he “entered on our behalf.” Later in Hebrews (9:24) Jesus is said to have entered heaven not to appear before God for himself but “to appear for us in God’s presence.” While Adam’s sin and death impacted all of us negatively, Jesus death and resurrection has impacted all of us positively. We are all co-heirs. Jesus chose to attach us to himself, so whatever comes Jesus’ way will also come our way. Here is what the apostle Paul wrote: Romans 8:16-17 “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ...”

Combine that idea of being co-beneficiary with Jesus with the meek shall inherit the earth. As co-beneficiaries, every believing child of God will receive an inheritance from our Heavenly Father.

The second truth to discover is what you are a beneficiary of…what is this inheritance? To appreciate our inheritance, we must first understand what our Heavenly Father owns. It starts with understanding that God owns it all. Jesus as the King is the owner of all things. 1 Chronicles 29:11-14 “…for everything in heaven and earth is yours [O Lord]…Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things…Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.” (See also, Romans 4:13, Psalm 24:1, Psalm 2:8, 1 Cor. 3:21-23) God owns everything…think about that for a moment and let it sink in. That means, God owns all the dollars, euros, deutschmarks; he owns every parcel of real estate; he owns all the oil fields; all the Swiss bank accounts and offshore accounts; he owns the oceans, the continents, the stars and galaxies; there is nothing God does not own. So, if God owns omniscience that is all-knowledge, then we are beneficiaries to infinite wisdom to guide us. If God owns eternity, then we are the beneficiaries of the eternal life – that means we own time and have all the time we desire. If God owns love and grace, then life can be filled with endless amounts of love and kindness. Consider what the great preacher Charles Spurgeon said, “You may walk the broad acres of this round globe, and never look upon a single spot that is not yours. You may cast your eye to the remotest star, or send your thoughts beyond into the untraversed leagues of space, but look where you will, as all is Christ’s, so all is yours. You have not come of age, so you do not possess it yet, but the day shall come when Christ shall come to this earth, and take possession of it, and then his saints shall reign with him. The meek shall inherit the earth…we are told that God has appointed Christ heir of all things. Then we are heirs of all things – heaven and earth, time and eternity, anything that you can conceive of the things that can be named and cannot be named, things conceivable and inconceivable, finite and infinite, human and divine.” Does he call himself a king, then he has made us kings. Is Jesus the high priest, then we are priests too. Does he sit upon a throne, then we shall overcome and sit down with him upon that throne. Will he judge nations, then we too will judge the world. Will he be received with triumph by the Father, then we shall be likewise received – well done good and faithful servant. Will Jesus have joy and happiness in unlimited capacities, then we shall enter into such infinite joy.

Okay, okay, we need a reality check. Is this for real? Is this just some spiritual double talk, and even if it is true, then it must be entirely in the future. First, it is true the inheritance is that incredibly awesome. The only question in our head is how long must we wait as beneficiaries? There is an incredible theological truth when it comes to the sermon on the mountain, that is the kingdom is a present yet future kingdom. The kingdom is both now and even more in the future. Jesus never says that we must wait until death to enjoy the membership privileges of the kingdom. The kingdom of heaven is right now for you with the fullness of blessings for the age to come. In this life, we experience the foretastes of what is to come; but the full experience of the kingdom will have to wait. You need to remember this little phrase – already but not yet. The kingdom is already here, but it is not fully here. How does this translate into inheriting the earth now and later? Jesus taught that there is much to inherit right now during this lifetime. This is just like my children with my inheritance. My children already receive the benefit of some of my inheritance, but they must wait for the fullness of my inheritance. When I told my daughter about this idea she was very excited about it, this made her very happy. We too can find happiness in our inheritance especially considering the ALREADY idea of enjoying his inheritance now. Mark 10:29-30 “I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.” One more incredible thing we inherit right now is that God withholds no good thing: “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). God only withholds what is not for our good. What He does withhold, He replaces with something far better. Must we wait for the inheritance? There is an incredible foretaste of the full inheritance available right now as we walk in the kingdom during this lifetime. But, just imagine how much more inheritance awaits us. As an estate planning attorney, I have had very uncomfortable discussions with adult children who talk about their parent’s estates and how much they will get as beneficiaries. This may be inappropriate and wrong. However, our Heavenly Father wants us to know all about our inheritance, he wants us to discuss our inheritance…why? Why…because it helps us to give glory to Jesus for all he has accomplished, and knowing the benefit will help us embrace the cost. The cost you ask…the cost of discipleship. Salvation is a free gift, but it will cost you your life…how so…every disciple of Jesus must submit to God’s Will and do what God wants even when it does not coincide with what we want.

The inheritance sounds pretty incredible and there are not many people who would turn their backs on such an infinite treasure. But, that is not all of the inheritance…there is more. God’s inheritance also includes tribulation: The same inheritance that left peace with you also leaves tribulation with you…at least while you are in this world. The inheritance includes both great riches and tribulation, and if we turn our backs on one part of the inheritance then we turn our back on all of the inheritance. Jesus’ cross is a portion of the inheritance for all Kingdom citizens. Will you take your cross? Do your shoulders forbid and refuse the pain of bearing it? No cross no crown. If you are co-heir and claim one part of the estate, you must take the rest of the estate. Remember my clients with the family business? The child who poured sweat equity into the business while the parents were alive inherited the business. That means, the child must continue to run the business after the parents are gone. The family business usually represents 80% of the family’s estate value, but along with the business comes great trials, great stress and worry, the difficulty of working with family members. With a great inheritance come riches mixed with trials. If you are not willing to carry your cross, then no crown is available. For those citizens who claim that their sorrow is too much, their trials are not worth the benefit, are you ready to give up your claim on the great inheritance? But, if you will not follow Jesus through these difficult times, neither shall you follow him when he marches through the streets of heaven in triumph, amid the acclamations of angels. Among our woes and tears and constant questioning of God for what he permits and brings upon us, we are saying that we desire the riches of Job but not the trials of Job; we want David’s crown but not the attacks on his life; would you have your master’s throne but not his temptation in the wilderness. When you refuse the one part of the inheritance, you relinquish claim to the other part. The co-heir is the heir to the entire estate. Your are already the recipient of a portion of God’s inheritance on this earth, but are you helping to run the family business? How are you adding value to Jesus’ church? Are you helping to serve? Are you tithing a portion of the finances God has given you? Are you sharing Jesus’ salvation with new client opportunities? Or instead are you one of those children in the family who just want the benefit of a successful business but do none of the work? --------PRAY-------

In light of the promise to inherit the earth, permit me to offer you a compassionate challenge. Each of these thoughts offers an incredible life altering experience if you will simply leave here and choose 1 idea to mediate on:

1. We need to stop questioning our spiritual father for His unequal distribution of his wealth. God owns it all, and God may do whatever he wants with his money. When we envy another person’s home, car, retirement plan or we complain about what we don’t have, this is comparable to our acting like my worst clients who question their parents over why does he get that but I only get this much. Let’s stop questioning God and start thanking Jesus for making us co-heirs which is the only reason we get anything.

2. We need to start giving some serious thought to our current and future inheritance. God wants you to really think about all he has given you and how much more he will give you in the age to come. The greater his inheritance is firmly placed in our minds is how God helps us endure the trials of this life. Paul wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) My daughter kept asking me, what are you going to give me for enduring this difficult task of shoveling the snow. Over and over again she would ask this question. Why did she ask this question? The reason is because the more she heard me say what she was receiving it made the trial more manageable. The better you appreciate your inheritance, the less you will complain and the more you discover happiness even in the midst of the difficult times.

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