In any story, there are some literary ‘rules’.  The main character is prominent.  That is to say, we not only get to know how she looks and what she does but we get to know what is inside her head, what her motives are.  Other characters, such as the barista who served her a cup of hot chocolate, are not even given a name.

Similarly, important characters in the Old Testament are spoken about much more then less important.  Consider Sarah and Asenath.

The death of a person also tells us of her significance.  Compare the death of Rebekah’s nurse Deborah, just one verse (Gen. 35:8) to Sarah’s death some twenty verses long (Gen. 23:1-20).  Obviously the death of Sarah was of much greater significance.

Not surprisingly then, the death of Jesus in the Gospel of John takes up approximately two thirds of the entire Gospel.  The author of Hebrews uses the metaphor of a Will to heighten the significance of Jesus’ death and the ratification of the covenant saying, “The will goes into effect only after the person’s death” (Hebrews 9:16-17).  The point being, it is only through the death of Jesus, that the terms of the covenant can be enacted (i.e. the death of the righteous ‘One’ can bring life to many (Romans 5:6-11)).

When you make your free Will through the Greater Sydney Conference, may it be a reminder of God’s act of grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our LORD who is “alive forever” and the One who holds the “keys of death and the grave” (Rev. 1:18).

Trust Services is a caring and free service for church members, family and friends for the preparation of their Will under the direction of a practicing solicitor.  The service is personal and confidential and is an important part of the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to minister spiritually and practically to the needs of our community and the church’s mandate to proclaim the everlasting Gospel.

 -Contributed by Rodney Woods, Director of Trust Services.