This past week, I was reading from a devotional published by Christ to All ministries, also known as “CTA.” The verse of the day was 2nd Corinthians 5:1 in which the Apostle Paul says: “For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands.” (NLT2) The illustration that followed was about Woodchester Mansion in Britain. The mansion has an interesting story. A rich man named William Leigh purchased a huge estate in the mid-1800’s where he started the construction of what was supposed to be a spacious and luxurious mansion. Construction began in 1858, but 15 years later the work was nowhere near completion. From the outside, the mansion was beautiful and looked like it was ready to be occupied. However, on the inside, most of the rooms lacked interior walls. And, those that had walls were lacking plaster. But, Mr. Leigh had a grand plan for his estate, so he pressed on and poured his money, as well as his life efforts, toward the goal of finishing the mansion. Then, it happened—Mr. Leigh died. And, with his death, all work on this partially built mansion came to a halt. The mansion has remained in that unfinished state for the past 150+ years. Guess who lives there now? Well, it happens to be the home of about 1,000 bats who dwell in the darkness of the mansion’s attic![1]
In addition to the verse from 2nd Corinthians, Mr. Leigh’s story reminded me of another passage of Scripture in Luke’s Gospel. It is a parable that Jesus told about a man who, like Mr. Leigh, had great building plans. Jesus said: 16 “There was once a rich man who had land which bore good crops. 17 He began to think to himself, 'I don't have a place to keep all my crops. What can I do? 18 This is what I will do,' he told himself; 'I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I will store the grain and all my other goods. 19 Then I will say to myself, Lucky man! You have all the good things you need for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself!' 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life; then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself?’ 21 And Jesus concluded, “This is how it is with those who pile up riches for themselves but are not rich in God's sight.” Luke 12:16-21 (TEV)
When I thought about Mr. Leigh and this barn-builder in Jesus’ parable, and all their worldly building projects, it took me back to my days as a practicing attorney. (Days—by the way—that I don’t miss in the least!) You see, I had a few clients like Mr. Leigh and that barn-builder. They seemed fixated on the material things of this world, with little thought of the world to come. This materialistic mindset even spilled over to their estate planning. And, in my law practice, I did a fair amount of estate planning. Occasionally, I’d be invited to churches to give brief seminars on such matters. I would provide those attending with information about such things as Wills, Powers of Attorney and Advanced Medical Directives. Typically, it would take about 45 minutes to talk about these things. At the end of my presentation (if anyone was still awake), I would say that I could give them the best estate planning advice ever in just three sentences. Those who were awake would elbow the ones sleeping to get their attention. Then, all of them would lean forward to hear this great estate planning tip. I would proceed by reading this to them: 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT2) These words, of course, come from Jesus as found in Matthew, chapter 6. Jesus is telling us that if our desires are for worldly riches and materials things, then our hearts will never be heaven bound. They will remain anchored to this earth.
When I’d finish reading these three verses from Matthew’s Gospel at these estate planning seminars, it would be interesting to watch the expressions on the faces of those attending. Some nodded approvingly. Some looked puzzled and then just seemed to shrug it off. I only had one experience of someone being offended by my reading this Scripture. I was in a large United Methodist Church here in Louisa many years ago. After I ended my presentation by reading from Matthew’s Gospel, one of the older women of this congregation slowly approached me. She was walking with a cane. And, by the expression on her face, I was afraid that she had the intention of using that cane on me. She pointed her finger in my face and said, “You should have never read the Bible here. This was supposed to be only about estate planning. After all, what if someone present tonight were Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or a Buddhist? Wouldn’t that have been terrible!” Now, I must say that this was quite a shock to me. After all, we were in part of the church building, so I didn’t quite follow how reading God’s Word in Church could be so offensive! In any event, I turned to this angry lady and replied: “Ma’am, if I had been invited to an auditorium full of atheists to give this presentation, I would have told them exactly what I told you tonight—including the passage from the Gospel of Matthew. It would make no difference to me who they might be or where they might come from. There is not a person in the world who doesn’t need Jesus Christ!”
I’d estimate that I gave these estate planning presentations five or six times to churches over the years. But, that was then. . . THIS IS NOW. Now, if I gave a talk on estate planning, it would be quite different in content. It would focus on the “eternal estate” God has prepared for you and would sound something like this.
[Last Wills and Testaments:] For the part of the discussion involving Wills, I’d provide a model Will that people could go by in making their estate plans. But, this model Will wouldn’t be the latest thing to come out of some legal form book. Rather, I would refer them to a Will that was written 226 years ago by Patrick Henry—that faithful Christian who was a patriot of the American Revolution. He had a very detailed Will that deposed of his earthly properties by carefully dividing his estate among his family members. But, that is not the part of his Will that I’d dwell upon. Rather, I’d have you focus on something he wrote at the very end of his Will. This is the message he wrote to his heirs that was the most valuable bequest he could have ever given them. Here is a paraphrase of what he wrote: “This is all the Inheritance I can give to [you]—my dear family; [But,] the RELIGION OF CHRIST CAN GIVE [you] AN INHERITANCE WHICH WILL MAKE [you] RICH INDEED.”[2]
This closing note to Patrick Henry’s Will offered something much more valuable to his heirs than any of the material things that he left to them. The reason for this is that the material things of this world do not last. They are temporary things that will one day lie in ruins. In this regard, let me give you an example regarding another extravagant home of a wealthy businessman. Again, this story comes from the 1800’s—only this time it involves Godfrey Barnsley who was once recognized as one of the world’s wealthiest men. Like Mr. Leigh, he bought a huge tract of land. This estate, however, was here in America in the northern part of Georgia. His greatest desire was to build an immense house to impress his wife. He spared no expense on the building materials. The windows were handcrafted by the finest artists and fitted with sterling silver latches. The floors were inlaid with Italian marble. He had elaborate gardens and landscaping put in place surrounding the premises. But, unlike Mr. Leigh, Mr. Barnsley completed this house. It was said to be the most beautiful home on this side of the Mississippi River. So, there it was—ready for his wife to move in. But, she never had the opportunity to do so. Why? Well, like Mr. Leigh, she died. Her death came before she ever set a foot into that magnificent home. As time went by, the structure fell into a state of disrepair. Eventually, Mr. Barnsley died as well and his last will and testament left the house to family members. But, over the years, the estate passed into the hands of new owners. And, in the 1980’s, real estate developers turned the property into an upscale resort. So, what happened to Mr. Barnsley’s grand home? Today, nothing is left of it but a pile of rocks with a little sign by them simply stating: “Manor House Ruins.”[3]
You see, it doesn’t matter whether it’s one of the barns referred to in Jesus’ parable of the barn-builder, or Mr. Leigh’s mansion, Mr. Barnsley’s house, or whether it’s your house or mine. One day all those earthly structures are going to be a pile of rubble or occupied by bats or some other creatures. If worldly things are your sole legacy to your heirs, then you have left them with a poor estate indeed. You see, making your Last Will and Testament to dispose of earthly property that won’t last, isn’t the important thing. The only truly important WILL to make sure you follow is the WILL OF GOD. Then, your “will” will be exactly as it should be. If you really want to leave something to your children and family members, you don’t have to wait until you die. Instead, share with them the Word of God today. Lavish upon them the greatest of treasures—the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ. There are no greater riches that you can leave them than that!
[Powers of Attorney:] After finishing the discussion on Wills, I’d continue my revised estate planning seminar by moving on to powers of attorney. A power of attorney is a legal document whereby you give someone the power to act on your behalf. It comes in handy if you become incapacitated in some way due to illness or accident. The person you designate has the power to act on your behalf and in your best interests. But, here is the reality: It is not so important to have a power of attorney to enable some other person to handle your affairs. What is more crucial is to allow the power of the Holy Spirit to transform your heart and mind so that you can handle your own affairs according to God’s plan for your life. Paul alluded to this incomparable power when he said: 2 “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know GOD’S WILL for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2 (NLT2) 13 “May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.” Romans 15:13 (TEV)
Any estate lawyer can provide you with a power of attorney document. But, only the Holy Spirit has the power to give you a “new heart.” To all those who surrender their lives to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit promises: 26 “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow My decrees and be careful to obey My regulations.” Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NLT2) Having a human being temporarily in charge of your daily business when needed can be a good thing. But, it is infinitely better to keep the Holy Spirit permanently in charge of spiritual matters concerning your heart.
[Advanced Medical Directive:] Finally, I would cover Advanced Medical Directives in my new estate planning talk. It is an important document whereby you appoint someone you trust to make the decision, if necessary, to withdraw life support if you are rendered in a medically hopeless condition from which no recovery is possible. Sometimes people refer to it casually as “pulling the plug.” But, these dire situations are anything but casual. They involve those incredibly tough decisions to make when the doctors tell you that a loved one, who is in a vegetative state, has no chance of recovery and is basically being sustained artificially. Most people don’t like to think about this document because it reminds them that this earthly life is so fragile and temporary. But, the reality is that one day the “plug will be pulled” on all of us—because every human being will one day pass from this earth.[4] Only God knows the exact time for each one of us. Of course, as legal documents, Advanced Medical Directives serve an important role and provide people with the comfort and peace of mind that their passing from this earth will be handled by someone they can trust. But, it is infinitely more important to consider where you will be headed after you pass from this world. So, rather than pondering a “Medical Directive,” spend more time considering your SPIRITUAL DIRECTIVE—the one by which Jesus says: 28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB)
So, now you’ve heard it: My revised “estate planning” seminar that I would give today. It is less about earthly estate planning that benefits your heirs, and more about spiritual estate planning that is of eternal benefit to you. I wonder if William Leigh or Godfrey Barnsley ever considered such a spiritual “estate plan.” I certainly hope so. And, I pray that they weren’t like the rich barn-builder in Jesus’ parable who I mentioned earlier. He was so enthralled with the material things of this world that his life was dedicated to building bigger and better earthly structures. He seemed to be clueless about the temporary nature of such worldly things. And, think about Mr. Leigh. When he died, the home he strove to build ended up being a giant hotel for bats. If that abandoned mansion was all he treasured, then Mr. Leigh had a terrible “estate plan.” Estate planning shouldn’t be limited to considering where your earthly possessions will go when you die. For the most part, it should be about where you will go when you die. Will it be to a heavenly estate, or to a hellish one? It is a question of having your priorities straight. In this regard, Jesus said: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 (KJV) Those “things” that Jesus spoke of are not the materials riches of this world. Rather, they are the “spiritual riches” that come when you have a right relationship with God.
That’s why Jesus said: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24 (KJV) When hearing that, many people comfort themselves by thinking: “Oh, I don’t have to worry about that—I’m not rich.” The problem is that there are many poor and middle-class people who have the same faulty spiritual mindset as the “rich man” who’d no sooner pass into Heaven than that camel would pass through the needle. If you don’t believe me, just go into your local convenience store. Look over at all the people standing in line to buy lotto tickets. Many of them are anything but rich. Yet, they lay down their money on a gamble. They put their trust in “Lady Luck” and not the God of the Universe who created them. They fail to understand that they are actually gambling with their souls when they rely on earthly riches to sustain their future rather than trusting in God. That is what you do when you don’t have your spiritual priorities straight. You will see more camels passing through the eyes of needles than such reckless gamblers entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. And, the reason for this is that their “estate plans” are eternally flawed.
God has a better plan for you. The Book of Jeremiah says He has a plan for your good, and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.[5] It is a plan that gives you the hope of residing in an eternal “mansion”—not like Mr. Leigh’s that was never finished, or Mr. Barnsley’s that ended up as a pile of rubble. The future “mansion” God has ready in His Heavenly Kingdom can be eternally yours if you have faith in Jesus Christ and follow Him. Jesus said, 2 “In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2-3 (NKJV) That’s the only “estate plan” that’s eternally sound. And, note this: When Mr. Leigh bought the property where he commenced construction on his mansion, it cost him 100,000 British pounds. That is equivalent to about $14 million today![6] Now, that’s a lot to pay for any estate. But, the estate God has ready for you—it won’t cost you a dime. And yet, that future “mansion” of yours cost God dearly. You see, your heavenly mansion, that God longs for you to occupy upon leaving your “earthly tent,” cost God the Father the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. Your “mansion” was paid for in full by Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. Who could be so foolish as to abandon the opportunity to live in such a Heavenly Mansion purchased for you at such a high cost?
Yes, “estate planning” is a wonderful thing. It is something that everyone should take care of without delay—because you never know when you will be taking that final breath. But, the only “estate planning” that really matters has nothing to do with what lawyers write on paper. It has everything to do with what’s written on your heart. King David did many wonderful things, and he did some awful things as well. But, in the end, he had his “estate plan” in order when he declared: “I delight TO DO YOUR WILL, my God, for your law is WRITTEN UPON MY HEART!” Psalm 40:8 (TLB) So, how can GOD’S WILL for your life be written on your heart? For those who turn to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, God will take care of the writing—for the LORD promises: “I will put My laws in their minds, and I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. I will be their God, and they will be My people.” Hebrews 8:10 (NLT2) So, how’s your estate plan looking this morning? What’s written on your heart today?
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor
Forest Hill Baptist Church
March 30, 2025
©2025 All Rights Reserved as follows:
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God’s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.
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[1] A. Trevor Sutton, Abide with Me: A Journey of Dwelling in Jesus, “Abiding in Your Forever Home,” Christ to All, CTA, Inc., Thailand: 2025, p. 60-61.
[2] Red Hill, Patrick Henry National Memorial, “Patrick Henry’s Will, redhill.org, https://www.redhill.org/patrick-henry/henrys-will/ (accessed March 26, 2025).
[3] Kenneth Boa, Leverage: Using Temporal Wealth for Eternal Gain (Trinity House Publishers, 2023), p. 3—cited in PreachingToday.com, https://www.preachingtoday.com/search/?query=estate&contentFilter =Illustration&type=word (accessed March 27, 2025).
[4] James 4:14 “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (ESV)
[5] Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (TLB)
[6] A. Trevor Sutton, Abide with Me: A Journey of Dwelling in Jesus, “Abiding in Your Forever Home,” Christ to All, CTA, Inc., Thailand: 2025, p. 60-61.
