Eternity

Transcript: "(00:00) Good morning. I'm glad that you're here. Boy, you got real quiet here all of a sudden. I'm glad that you're here. So, we're going to uh continue our series here this morning on uh life unlocked. And in fact, we've reached the one-third point. This is the 10th point in our bit laying down our foundation, theological foundation. And uh we'll get into that this morning. (00:26) Before we dive in any further though, I just want to say a couple things. Nate mentioned that the retreat's coming up. That's only two. Next sun or two Sundays from now, we'll be at the retreat. So, I'm telling you people, it's time. Get signed up. You've been procrastinating long enough. Get signed up. Another thing I wanted to mention to you, I really hope you're here this week. (00:46) Make an effort to be here next week. If you're online with us, I would encourage you to even make an effort to be in here in person with us. Um we have a um guest speaking next week so you can take a break from me and uh b ut I am too much cheering going on in the back. Um the uh Kirk Schwitzer is going to be uh speaking and you may not know his name. (01:11) Wouldn't expect you to. He's with an organization called Love Justice and I'm having him speak because it ties into what we've been talking all the way through this first part of this series. I just give you a little plug. Kirk uh Kirk lives in South Africa uh with his family and he works with uh like I said with Love Justice work that the work that Love Just ice does is they do interception in sex trafficking and uh they have had a phenomenal impact worldwide uh and they're continuing to it's growing their impact is growing on (01:44) if you you probably are aware of this statistic but there are more people in uh slavery today than there ever has been in history and they are doing a phenomenal work. Uh they're in 16 countries right now. It's continuing to grow. (02:02) Um but I want you to hear about the work that he's doing and how we as a church u h can even begin to look at how can we be a part of uh making an impact uh in this way. Uh a few weeks ago we talked about being people that are uh because of our relationship with God, we live with compassion. We know the love of God is extended to us. (02:21) And we look at we looked at the good Samaritan and we were talking about how he in just the process of his daily life uh responded to uh he saw a need. He felt the need. He did something about it. And uh that's what I want to how I want u s to be inspired as we're listening to Kirk next week. I know if you make the effort to be here, you will be rewarded for it. (02:40) So just giving you that plug. Be here if any if there's any way you can. All right. Um continuing our series now on uh life unlocked. The whole purpose of this is to understand uh our relationship with God ultimately the difference that uh makes in how we live and then who it is that we're becoming. (03:02) We are now laying the last kind of brick in the foundatio n here for a little bit. Um some of you may say and you know aren't there other things that we could say are foundational to our our beliefs as Christians. Yeah, we there are others. We're building off of these 10 today. (03:21) And uh today we're going to be looking at the whole idea of what's next? Um etern eternity. Is this life the only life? Is this what it's all about? Uh we've been building with the idea that um just going back a few weeks that the church is God's main instrument of chang e in the world today. And uh that we are the recipients of his love. that within the church we practice and we grow in our love by the way that we care for and we do the one anothers of the of Jesus teaching and of the New Testament and then we also take that outside of the church and we are people of compassion. We live out our relationship with God. We love God by the way that we love other people. And (04:00) then we have looked at last week the whole idea of uh stewardship, managing well wha t we have been given to produce the best. And we do that in relationship with God. And I want to make another little side note here, plugging in little things here and there. (04:18) Um I wanted to let you know last uh month, it just happened to timing wise came up that we were talking about stewardship last week and then we were talking also within the church family about some financial issues that we were having. And I want to just say that that God really responded well through your faithfuln ess and we're we were able to cover everything we needed to cover and God is doing good things. That is a praise in that. Um it's not a one-time praise. (04:41) God continues to work as we are faithful. But that is a good sign to me that we're listening. We're walking with God. We're looking to be obedient. And so I was I wanted you to know that it's easy to hear sometimes. Oh, we have this challenge going on and I want to make sure that I do a good job of coming back and saying this is what's h appened with that. And so yeah, it's a praise. (04:58) God is God is good. So we should be thankful for that. um shows me that we are people who are trying to be good stewards with what we have been given. Um so that's just a well done. That's good. All right. So let's look at this whole idea of what's next. Um in the book of Ecclesiastes. In fact, Pat, would you bring up that verse for me? Ecclesiastes 3:11. (05:23) It says this, "God has made everything beautiful in its own time. He has plante d eternity in the heart in the in the human heart. But even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. Okay. What what is it that he's Solomon's talking about here in Ecclesiastes? I'm going to go back and give you a contextual setting. (05:43) I'm going to read some other verses to you. I want you to catch the phrase that he has planted eternity in the human heart. And now I'm going to we're going to build off of that this morning by understanding what is it that that Solomon is trying to get at. Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. Um I'm curious how many of you have read through the book of Ecclesiastes. (06:05) Okay, good. If you haven't, go do it sometime. Um it's uh it makes you think. Solomon says some very interesting things in there, but all of them come back ultimately to the final point of God, you're in control. I'm going to I'm going to live my life to praise you. And uh so he says here that a is beautiful in some time, but God has planted e ternity in the human heart. But even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work. (06:37) What I'm going to try to do, we as human beings can't see the whole scope. I'm going to try to give you the small scope of what God is doing because eternity is planted in our hearts. He was Solomon was on to a a very central tooth truth truth to human existence. It is the truth that God has a purpose in everything that is unfolding. (06:57) Now I want to read to you the setting the contextual setti ng of what uh Solomon is saying. The verses won't be up there so I'm just going to read this to you. There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to uproot. (07:15) A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build. A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them. A time to embrace and a time to refrai n from embracing. A time to search and a time to give up. A time to keep and a time to throw away. (07:41) A time to tear and a time to to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. God has made everything beautiful in its own time. He's planted eternity in the human heart. Do you catch now a little bit of what Solomon is saying? He's saying you and I exist in a world where there are patterns that repeat. (08:07) Anybody need notice tha ng or or affecting us emotionally. It's what is determining how we feel in a given time. You see, we all are going through we might be in a different season each of us, but we're all going to kind of keep cycling through to the next one. And then we might come back around to another one. And we keep cycling through it. (09:33) And how do we learn how to handle those seasons? All comes down to our understanding that there is a purpose greater than the seasons themselves. That God has a purpose. N ht now and how is it affecting the way that I see the things? Do I see the purpose of God? If we are going to be people who live with compassion, who are good stewards, who can love God as the way that we love other people, if we can be those who express the love of God within the (11:05) context of his instrument, the church, we'd better have an understanding of the purpose and not got get uh blinded by the season because the the purpose will give me the strength and insight in every season and hrough God. But we rejected it. And as a part of that rejection and as an effect of the sin that followed that rejection, we now are born in the image of Adam. Do you remember me talking about this? We looked at this. We are made in the image of God, but we now as human beings are born in the image of Adam. (12:44) We have been separated from that which we were created for because of sin. And that's why I talked about the time when it talks about Paul talks about uh the the fact that sin entered ath. But the gift of God is life. That's why Jesus came. So the reason I'm telling you this, we're going to build on this. I've got to understand the purpose of God. The seasons that exist in the world today. (14:31) And one of the things that Solomon is putting before you and I is they're affected by death. The purpose of God is to redeem those seasons when he redeems us. And if I know Jesus and have put my life and my faith in him, I have, what have I been told? I've moved from death to life. d is, there is life. So what's the next? What's next? Life with God. Life itself. If we choose life with God, you see, just as Adam and Eve in the garden made a choice, we now also have a choice, life or death. Did the serpent lie to Eve when he said, "If you eat of the tree, you will see uh you will know uh the the difference between you'll you will gain the knowledge of good and evil. (16:40) " Was that a lie? No. That's exactly what she got. He didn't tell her how she get it. That was the pro r uh 14 is where we're going to be. John chapter 12 through 21, if you're aware, is a very condensed time, but it's almost a the you know, a good portion of the book of John. And sometimes when we read it, we think it covered over a long period. No, it not a long period of time. It was basically a week that he gave those chapters. (18:15) And why was that that John was showing us this? Because in that week, it starts with Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem. And then it is his time with his dis s great." And he's still saying to them, "No, I have to die." They've got to understand his purpose if they're going to be able to praise God in the season. This was the lesson they needed to learn and it's the lesson we need to learn. And that lesson is fully planted on on the word hope. (19:52) Jesus is saying to them, "You have a hope that's greater than the circumstances you're finding yourself in right now." And that hope is in me. Let's read what he says here, starting with verse one. Don' ing to I'm going to guess you're going to say, "Well, kind of I could explain it." My guess is the answer is no because it's written in English in a non-Jewish context. So, let me see if I can give you a little insight to what's taking place here. (21:28) To those guys sitting around that table, the words that Jesus uses would be perfectly clear to them. We're hearing Jesus trying to comfort him. Everything's going to be okay. Don't get too don't be overwhelmed. No, he's giving them the confiden nt relative way down here they know of somebody you know whatever out there the father would pick and choose and then and when the time came and and uh the girl was of age um the son and the father would usually go together they would go the but the son would be there and he would make the proposal to the family he'd go to her family and he would I want to marry your daughter and in that culture that he would pay what we would maybe relate to understand a little bit would be kind of the bride pr s house. (24:59) And while he was there, he was to build a uh living quarters for he and his new wife. He was to invest himself fully into that. And once the father was pleased with what the son had accomplished, the son was released to go back and get his bride. Jesus is saying to the disciples, "My father has chosen you. So, we're going to work toward your being with me always, but I've got to pay the price, and the price is going to be my life. (25:38) " jump ahead a little bit from this occa t me ask you, how would you sum up? What word would you give to her anticipation? I would say it was hopeful and excited, longing. It's Jesus is giving to his disciples, don't despair. Have hope. (27:13) as the groom will return for the bride because the price has been paid. I too will return for you. They didn't know what was coming. Jesus did. And so even when Jesus spent time with his disciples after his resurrection, he still told them, "I still have to go. I just paid the price. I still hav nd the spirit." We'll get to that in a minute here. That too is is tied into um that's part of the price and the promise of the groom uh to uh his bride, the church. And if you're not familiar with this, this is a theme all in the New Testament. The church is referred to as what? The bride of Christ. (29:03) And so these things are being told to us because of our value before God. God's purpose was to restore us to a relationship with him. That relationship needed to be restored to the price tha s kingdom, in his home. and he's done what's necessary to make it happen. As he says there in verse three, I will come and get you so that you will always be with me. Again, underline and mark that the word with becomes significant in these latter last days of Jesus. (30:40) He repeats it many times. Gives the word the father desires for you to be with him. I desire for you to be with me. I will send my spirit to be with you. The word with becomes extremely significant theological impact. One li g us back to him that we would live as we were created to live in the image of God with him. That is what is next. We've been given the spirit to be with him today. But even that, as Paul says, we see through a a a a glass dimly. It's fogged. (32:30) It's hard to tell, but God is with us with his spirit. But the day is coming when all the seasons will be shattered, and there is one. I am with God in his presence because of what Jesus has done for me. Go on in uh let's look at John 14 a little bi hat down because of his love for him. He was not going to let the circumstances determine his love and value for her. Now, it says that he thought about divorcing her quietly because he didn't want to harm her. He was invested in their relationship. (34:08) So, he took on himself what could have been socially uh ostracizing that she didn't stick to the promise. So we have here as Jesus is talking about this, he says this and Thomas goes, "Well, we don't know where you're going." In other words, fe is a statement of his deity. I am the one who is life itself. So if you know me, you know my father and you know I have come to be here once. I am paying the price. I love you as a groom loves a bride. I will return. (36:05) I have paid the price. My father has chosen you. It is all in place. It all has a purpose for you to be with me. Thomas, you do know where I'm going. You may not fully understand it, but you know, don't let your hearts be troubled. You believe in the Father, believe also tes here in these problems. (37:32) He's telling us Solomon points out the problems and the cycles of life. Paul's giving the purpose behind them, what they are to accomplish. The purpose behind them is to fulfill the ultimate purpose of God. He's already laid that out in what Christ has done for us. So he says this, we can rejoice too when we run into problems and trials. For we know that they help us develop endurance. (37:56) And endurance develops strength of character. And character strengt be prepared as it builds character. And so when we drink that, we're being reminded of the sealing of the promise. We belong to Christ. So we will live with purity. We will live with integrity. (39:32) We will live with a character that reflects the hope of salvation that we have till the day that our savior returns. We will be with him. Paul continues on. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. This is this is cool what Paul's saying here. For we know how dearly God loves us because he and a new earth. For the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared and the sea was also gone. We are by this point Christ has returned. He's taken his bride with him. (41:24) And it says this, "And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people. He will live with them and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. (4 ns are gone. (43:02) But for that to be true, for Christ to return, and all of this, as we've already read, is based in faith. Do you realize there has to be an opposite side to that? By its very nature, logically, there's another side. I either believe and live for the purpose of God by faith accept the price that was paid. I live with anticipation and a hope that allows me to know the salvation that has been uh given to me through Christ or I live in the seasons of life and they bring tears an God gives every one of us a choice. (45:01) We can choose eternity with him, return to where we uh need to be. We are with God where we were created to be what we were created to know. where even in this life where sin still has a a full effect, we still can be with God to the day that Christ returns and we are with him or we can choose to not and God says free to choose that. I want you to think if God is life then what is hell? You see the logical conclusion? It's death. (45:38) is separation if there is no hell, we didn't need a bride's price. We didn't have anything needed to be paid. We don't have to go back to be with God. But there is a hell and we get a small glimpse of it in the seasons of life. (47:12) But there will be a day when God is no longer present and hell becomes everything. Death reigns. It isn't pretty. I say that because Jesus himself said it and he spoke with honesty and clarity and he longs. As it says, God desires that none should perish. He wants everybody to alking about this concept of width and that we don't often get it. But I want to want to just end on this thought. (48:58) I want to again come back to Christ allows for us to be with God. And when we get a grasp of the of the ramifications of what that one simple word means, it should transform how we live out with purpose in the seasons of life because we have an eternal hope of Christ's return. Listen to these words. He says this. God demonstrated the word with is much bigger and and it's and let that sink in. May we live for it, long for it, and Jesus, may we be those who anticipate every day your return. We pray this in your beautiful name. Amen."