A Refused Inheritance

Doug Parsons once told about Morris Siegel, a homeless man that lived on the streets of Los Angeles.  Morris slept outside and carried everything he owned in an old shopping cart.  He died on December 14, 1989, from natural causes; his body was found in an alley.  But Morris was not a typical homeless person.  He died with $207,421.00 in the bank!

Then WHY was he living on the streets of L.A.?

Ten years earlier, Morris Siegel’s father had died and left him a small fortune.  Morris never showed up to claim the money.  Finally, the Division of Unclaimed Property traced him down.  They forced him to accept it, even though he did not show up for the ceremony to receive the money.  He did take enough money to buy an old car in which he slept during bad weather.  Relatives rented an apartment for Morris, but he never went there.  He died with $3.00 in his pocket and a small fortune in the bank.  His father had left him a substantial inheritance, but Morris refused it.... *

It is the desire of God, the Heavenly Father, to give each of US an eternal inheritance.  Even though we were lost in sin, because of His great love for us, God sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins, so that we might become his children and heirs together with Christ.  “Now if we are children, then we are heirs -- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17).

God wants each of us to become His children in order to give us that eternal inheritance which includes an eternal home with Him in heaven. 

We are “born” into His family when we place our faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) – “born of the water and the Spirit” (John 3:3,5) – having our sins washed away by the blood of Jesus (Acts 2:38; 22:16).  Then, if we will continue to walk in the light of His Word, He will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7).

If only we will accept His offer…

Morris Siegel died in poverty on the streets of L.A. because he refused to accept his father’s inheritance!  Steve Williams has observed that sadly “to this day, lost people shuffle around this world, walking up and down blind alleys of sin, living lives of empty existence, refusing the wealth that God would give them.  They reject Christ and an eternal inheritance.”

Rejecting Christ and His offer of salvation and life condemns one to eternal destruction.  DON'T make that tragic mistake! 

Accept God’s offer of sonship and salvation on His terms.

Won’t YOU?