|
|
|
|
Eternally John 17:1-3 Introduction: Developing Eternally Significant Relationships… Last week we talked of the Developing part of Developing Eternally Significant Relationships… § The first word of our Mission statement tells us what our job is… to develop, to go somewhere, the doing of developing. § The second word tells us where we are to do it, within the context of eternal life. § The third word tells us why, because we are significant, made in the image of God. § And our last and possibly most confusing word is relationship… The ultimate goal of it all! So today I am going to talk eternally! You've heard of long sermons... well here goes! OK, I was just kidding, but all of us have experienced a time like you may have just dreaded... those long monotonous times in our lives, when someone just goes on and on. We say those times feel like "an eternity." A psychologist by the name of William Moulton Marston asked three thousand persons, "What have you to live for?" He was shocked to find that 94 percent were simply enduring the present while waiting for the future. They would describe this as waiting for "something’’ to happen waiting for children to grow up and leave home, waiting for next year, waiting for another time to take a long-dreamed-about trip, waiting for tomorrow. They were all waiting without realizing that all anyone ever has is today because yesterday is gone and tomorrow never comes." Today I want us to capture an infinitely bigger picture of eternal things! Mark Twain said, "We could use up two Eternities in learning all that is to be learned about our own world and the thousands of nations that have arisen and flourished and vanished from it. Mathematics alone would occupy me eight million years” For some of us understanding math would take an "like an affinity of years!" Today I want us to get the idea that eternity and the concept of the eternal is either the most exciting or the scariest concepts we can encounter. We believe that human beings were created for eternity. In Ecclesiastes 3:11 it is written, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.".So prepare to confront eternity, and be changed by seeing it! YOU WERE CREATED FOR ETERNAL LIFE! Are you ready to live it! 1) The Reality of Eternity - C.S. Lewis, in the “The Four Loves,” wrote "All that is not eternal is eternally out of date". a) Eternity is a huge concept. The word and the concept of infinity come to mind when we think of it. Yet even in the wonder of the concept of infinity, there is but a glimpse of the wonder of eternity. ii) Infinity gives us the idea of something huge... in the mathematical sense a number line in which no number is any closer to infinity than any other number... just a long line of points on a line, endless in both directions. iii) Eternal life though, when lived in the presence of an infinitely wonder filled God, is a three, four, five, no infinitely dimensioned type of life... a life of real wonder… (1) (Isaiah 40:31) Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. (2) We will never get to the end of the wonder of God... he is everlasting... (3) And He is the creator of all things... He knows each and every aspect of His creation... God is truly wonderful! He's eternal! b) Now, eternity in the other direction is truly hell. Without Christ and the forgiveness He offers us, eternity leads us into the emptiness of ourselves. In Mere Christianity, Lewis talks of our sins in the context of eternity... I'll paraphrase him... if all we have is 70 years to grow in our grumpiness, that would be bad, but to continue to grow in those types of things for eternity... there will be nothing beautiful left... it will be hell! A continual turning in on oneself. ii) Think of those sins in your life… they might even be the really minor ones, but given an infinite time to grow and evolve outside of the presence of God… iii) Now I know that I’m not supposed to talk about stuff like hell in a church in the United States, but I did resolve to offend people this year, and so I will let the words of Jesus do the work. (Matthew 13 38-+) The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (1) Fire, weeping, gnashing of teeth… those terms might be figurative, but then again they might not… (2) But you know what it’s like to turn in upon yourself, to dwell on your offenses, the ones inflicted upon you and the ones you inflict upon yourself and others… and to do that, to live there for eternity… I want to run screaming from that place! c) Hebrews 9:27-28 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. i) When Christ came the first time he came to take upon Himself our sins, ii) The next time you see Him the result will depend on your response to Jesus’ gift… to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. SALVATION! iii) Your choice determines how you will live in eternity. YOU WERE CREATED FOR ETERNAL LIFE! Are you ready to live it! 2) The Requirements of Eternal Life - Do you realize that each moment of your life is a part of eternity? There are no requirements for entry into eternity… Jesus Christ is the requirement of for relationship with God. a) John Chapter 17 (1) After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. (2) For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. (17:3) Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. It was after this that Judas came to the garden and betrayed Jesus, beginning His final walk to the cross! i) He calls us to put All Our Eggs in One Basket, Eternity, eternal life (17:3) Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ii) 1st John 5:11-12 (5:11) And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (5:12) He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1) Do you realize what it is that is offered you? (2) You know how when you buy something they offer the "extended warranty." I never buy them, because I know that know matter what I do, I won't use that warranty, or get what I paid for it, unless what I bought is really bad, and then if they are smart they won’t offer a warranty.. (3) Do you understand the offer of Jesus? It is not an extended warranty; it is an eternal relationship. (a) We don't have to hedge our bets with God (b) We don't have to provide for our own security (c) We already have a golden parachute - our future is guaranteed b) So if you haven’t taken hold of that gift, now is the time! And if you have that relationship, it’s time to act! YOU WERE CREATED FOR ETERNAL LIFE! Are you ready to live it! 3) The Responsibility of Eternal Life – to share Christ! The last “R,” Relationship, in our vision statement imposes itself on every word that precedes it. Relationship comes with many things and responsibility is one of the most important. When we have this incredible treasure that is an eternally significant relationship with God through the precious blood of Christ. It comes down to living in and sharing with others the relationship we have been given! a) The Christ filled life… Let’s look at 1 Peter 1:14-19) i) It is a life of obedience and holiness (vs. 14-16) 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." {Lev. 11:44,45} ii) It is a life filled with reverence (vs. 17-19) 17 Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, Reverence is the attitude of the man or woman who is always aware that he is in the presence of God. Here are 3 reasons for reverence (1) The Christian is a Stranger here on this earth… Life is lived in the shadow of eternity. Thinking not only of where he is but where he is going! (2) He is going to God, a God who judges impartially (vs. 17) Life here take on new meaning when you know it leads to there (3) The Christian life must be lived in reverence because it cost so much!!! 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. b) The Christ Expressed life! Jesus came to seek and save the lost… as we recognize that we have been sought and saved, we must take on that same lifestyle for us to truly enjoy the relationship He gives us. i) That’s a rule of relationship! To enjoy the person and the relationship, you need to engage in it. ii) We are called to live His life here! Phil. 3:10,11 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. c) The reality of eternity is that it is! You live in the atmosphere of eternity NOW! And there is hope!!! i) Let’s turn back to Matthew 13 again… 44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. ii) 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. iii) Brennan Manning challenges us to be the “precious few… with sufficient folly to make the mad exchange of everything for Christ; only a remnant with the confidence to risk everything on the gospel of grace; only a minority who stagger about with the delirious joy of the man who found buried treasure.”[i] Who found the pearl of great value. YOU WERE CREATED FOR ETERNAL LIFE! Are you ready to live it!
Contact Information
|
|
|
