We Do Not Lose Heart (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

[Music] the title of today's message is we do not lose heart and to reminder for us all here as we've come into ace a situation for many here a season where there's been quite a bit of physical affliction will always be afflictions of some sort for the Christian but this is a call for us to endure and it's a biblical reminder and some biblical reasons why we ought not to lose heart so second Corinthians chapter 4 verses 16 to 18 hear the word of the Lord therefore we do not lose heart but though our outer man is decaying yet our inner man is being renewed day by day for momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal was approximately twenty years ago when I walked into a church service in New York City now this was like no other church service I'd ever been to this did not meet my expectations of church at all there were no stained-glass windows there were no candles there were no confessionals there's nothing like that there was something however I had not experienced there was a joy there was an enthusiasm this seemed to be a sincerity these people here seem to possess some kind of a love for Jesus Christ multitudes of people all different types of people ethnic backgrounds social economic backgrounds very very different and many seem to have lived to tell a story and over a period of time going there learning about these people I heard testimonies and I kept going and I heard testimonies about people's whose lives would transform by what they proclaimed to be the power of God a supernatural power I remember when I first walked in they would do worship like we do they'd have worship music and then the word would come there was a massive combination of voices singing together and I remember one song and particularly a reference to Psalm 40 I didn't know it at the time but you have put in my mouth a new song a soul of praise for what you've done singing these songs about joy about this new life about this love for Jesus Christ and about this thing called eternal life many profess them this eternal life and rejoice but I remember after the singing was over one time and then subsequently other times I remember this gray-haired man coming to a podium like this taking a microphone it was a very serious man very dour speaking intently earnestly and passionately to these people about enduring hardship he would speak about trials quite a bit that come to the life of a Christian and he seemed to be resonating with all these people these happy people who were just singing with joy with smiling faces some espousing tears of joy these seem to be the very same people who were encountering trials these seem to be the very same people who were afflicted and that it seemed to be somewhat confusing to me somewhat schizophrenic here you are just singing about this joy and now you are an afflicted people he addressed these people who some of them were in the midst of turmoil what appeared I did not know this then but this was a fundamental biblical lesson that affliction comes to these people of God these people that love Jesus Christ this faith this Christianity is a faith of sharp contrasts and paradox what is a paradox a paradox seems to be something that's absurd something reasoning that leads to a conclusion that seems senseless illogical unacceptable a self contradictory but the Bible and this faith is filled with paradoxes for example Matthew 23:12 whoever exalts himself shall be humble and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted the first shall be last and the last shall be first that's a paradox Matthew twenty twelve to really live in the faith you must die Galatians 2:20 I've been crucified with Christ there's no longer I who live but Christ in me the one who holds on to their life in the end will lose it but when you lose your life for my sake Jesus says you'll find it that's another paradox but one significant paradox we see today is in 2nd Corinthians 12:9 we see this paradox that's so applicable for our lesson we see the Apostle Paul saying and he said to me my grace is sufficient for you for power is perfected in weakness most gladly therefore I will rather boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me this is a paradoxical truth that when believers are weak when believers come to the end of themselves they're often made very spiritually strong and it's a central theme of 2nd Corinthians where suffering comes and the power of God comes with that suffering this is what happened to Paul now before we get to our verse I want to look at the context we look at the context in verses 7 to 12 and Paul will divulge his personal insufficiency and suffering served to manifest more clearly the power of God Paul was an instrument for God in his affliction and his suffering and he was powerful for example let's just read it verse 7 chapter 4 verse 7 to 12 but we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves we are afflicted in every way but not crushed perplexed but not despairing persecuted but not forsaken struck down but not destroyed always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our body for we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus sake so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh so death works in us but life in you and the context in verses 13 to 15 speaks of Paul enduring hardship as an evangelist understanding that his evangelism would affect many other people and bring forth the glory of God verse 13 but having the same spirit of faith according to what is written I believe therefore I spoke a reference to Psalm 116 verse 10 we also believe therefore we also speak knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with the for all things are for your sake so that the grace which is spreading more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound and the glory of God Paul will endure much hardship for most of his Christian life as a minister physically his ministry and the beatings and the persecution had taken a toll on his body but he encountered all for the glory of God and he understood that the spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead would raise him and would raise God's people he's speaking about the last day in the resurrection and verse 14 therefore he did not get discouraged but he endured and continuing his calling so that God may be glorified now Paul puts things in proper perspective as we get to verses 14 to 16 and doing so he's going to draw some contrasts in verse 16 he will prioritize the spiritual over the physical in verse 17 he will prioritize the future over the present and verse 18 he will prioritize the eternal over the temple let's read verse 16 as we go to our text therefore we do not lose heart but though our outer man is decaying the inner man is being renewed day by day the priority of the spiritual over the physical what does this term mean we do not lose heart well it's a term that would mean we do not get discouraged we do not draw back in cowardness but we endure with the implication at what is transpired in my life what is transpiring in the life of believers can cause us to lose heart to get discouraged now when it came to discouragement if anyone could have been discouraged it was the Apostle Paul Paul was an afflicted man and for most of his ministry somewhere in the area of maybe 30 years he endured much physical persecution much probably emotional and psychological affliction as well but speaking just about the physical persecution consider what he writes in 2nd Corinthians 11 24 to 28 5 times I received from the Jews 39 lashes three times that was beaten with rods once I was stoned three times I was shipwrecked a night a day I have spent in the deep I have been on frequent journeys in dangers from rivers dangers from robbers dangers in the city dangers from Gentiles dangers in the wilderness dangers on the scene dangers among false brethren I've been in labor and hardship through many sleepless nights and hunger and thirst often without food and cold and exposure and apart from such external things there is daily pressure on me concern for all the churches not only did he suffer but tradition tells us he died a martyr's death and consider all the emotional perhaps psychological toil that was upon Paul I often think about Paul starting these churches going into a town and the church would start and start out right only in a short period of time for false teachers to come in and Paul would have to right the wrongs being propagated over and over again and this was a problem he was facing when he wrote this letter false teachers came in claiming to be apostles sent to the Jerusalem church and tried to dissuade people away from Paul disparaging accusations who were planted against Paul by these people and according to the MacArthur commentary to Paul's great sorrow the church at Corinth been infiltrated by a devastating plague of ceremonialism self style apostles well basically heretics sought to bring the Corinthians under the crushing yoke of bondage basically they would Judaizers that had come in they argued that Gentiles must first become Jewish proselytes before they could be saved to enter God's kingdom dealing with circumcision new moons and festivals things like that so not only are they disparaging Paul they're teaching false doctrine and that in itself would have caused discouragement for Paul they were teaching the Old Covenant Paul was a minister of the new and Paul would have to defend his Apostleship from these false teachers and he make the exact use Asians like this Paul if you really were an apostle and saying if this guy was an apostle he wouldn't be as weak as he is he wouldn't be dealing with all this hardship he wouldn't be so afflicted but Paul would have defend himself and say I will boast in my infirmities as he encountered through much suffering the letter the many difficult situations he counted his struggles the suffering Paul would argue that Christ was made manifest Christ was strong in Paul's weakness because the false teachers were boasting in their own wisdom in their own strength Paul would boast in the power of God and in Christ and Christ alone these false teachers were emphasizing their own self-aggrandizement the self glory of man Paul understood that what he was experiencing was producing something valuable something for the glory of God that's one of the main themes in second Corinthians as well the glory of God and his emphasis on the glory of God and suffering and in affliction that God's glory has made manifest in these situations now throughout chapter 4 and Beyond the life of Christ is prioritized in these situations by Paul God's power is always superior to the power of man Christ power is being manifested throughout this letter through Paul's frailty Paul's trials brought him to a place where only the power of God would suffice and sometimes Christian God will bring you to a place beyond yourself where only his power can suffice where only his power is sufficient now certainly Paul could have lost heart and become discouraged despite the sufferings there was always a confidence in Paul what God was doing always this confidence and the power of God through Paul's perseverance we must understand he's an example for us to learn now maybe Paul did get discouraged maybe he was at times discouraged but how he dealt with it was the issue not how he felt about it but how he dealt with it Paulin counted all these afflictions at the time of this writing knowing that others would endure the same things and it kept on going as an evangelist now another prominent theme in 2nd Corinthians is not only did is not only suffering and the glory of God but his encouragement in the midst of affliction now Paul could have been discouraged yes I think you could make a better argument that Paul was encouraged Paul knew the risen Savior intimately Paul knew Jesus Christ Paul had gone to the third heaven as we see in chapter 12 of this letter Paul understood the promises of God Paul saw the power of God through the constant struggle and through his frailty and through his affliction God never ceased being God regardless of Paul situation a quote by Charles Hodge in regards to Paul he was sustained by the assurance that the life of Christ secured his life that if Jesus rose he should rise also alluding to the resurrection and by the firm conviction that the more he suffered for the sake of Christ or in such a way as to honor his divine master the more glorious he would be through all eternity suffering therefore became to him not merely endurable but a ground of exceeding joy now you can look at Paul as some kind of super Saint some kind of super hero of the Apostles Paul was a man basically of inadequacy in his own words but Paul was a super man in the supernatural power of God he was a powerful instrument despite all the suffering listen to another paradox as he writes in 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 10 their form well content with weaknesses with insults with distresses with persecutions with difficulties why for Christ's sake for one am weak again I am made strong and the implication is that this truth this weakness is of the old man and God's power resides in the new man now why would we lose heart here in this congregation as many of you are dealing with physical afflictions and some of you will be dealing with it next year some of you dealt with it last year there'll always be a time when afflictions will come upon you and the reality is again God will always be God God will do with you what he wants to do how he wants to do it when where and how because He is God and just as someone in this very congregation was healed of fourth stage cancer last year we saw him in the hospital he had fourth stage cancer as of last week he was cancer-free God will be God the reality is there some of you here with less severe afflictions who have not been healed you may pray for an answer and the answer may simply be my grace is sufficient my power is perfected in weakness I may not be the answer you want quite frankly but I may be the answer you get at this current time and Paul writes in verse 16 he makes the contrast that this out of man is decaying the contrast is made between the outer man the physical body this earthen vessel out of man and some translations will render it a jar of clay this jar of clay a jar of clay was something very cheap not much value it was breakable replaceable and it served necessary household funk something not of much value but inside this jar of clay your out-of-body is something very valuable you have a treasure in this earthen vessel this jar of clay the gospel the light is shined in you and it's God's choice to use these weak vessels to manifest something powerful Paul like is the out of man human mortality and human frailty as man is physically perishing like it or not we are all involved in the aging process you may think as you want you may look in the mirror and affirm I am NOT getting older I am getting younger and you may try and trick your brain into thinking that but nevertheless your outward man is perishing you do not have the capacity to stop the aging process and inevitably you will spiral into physical death that's a fact no one's beat that one yet Paul was worn out for the case of Christ and he understood this it was not merely hunger sleeplessness and illnesses that took his talk to toll just the ministry in general it was the physical beatings but understand this Christian though the out of man is the king we are not to lose heart because all believers one day will receive a new resurrected glorified body and we see that in several places in Scripture most notably second Corinthians five one two five first Corinthians 15 42 44 so there's a contrast here of optimism a negative of the South wood man perishing but the inner man is being renewed day by day it's happening it's happening but yet Paul would pray for it see this alot in Scripture Paul prayed for the Ephesians in it Ephesians 3 verse 16 that he would grant you according to the riches of a gloss glory to be strengthened with power through this his spirit and he in a man so something of high value is in you within the inner man and something of low value I don't want to burst anyone's bubble but the out of man you may be beautiful this is not of such high value description tells us the inward man is being renewed as part of the new self as Paul would write in several places most notably also Colossians 3:10 having put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator so we can think of it like this while in the process of physical decay there is an internal transformation going on there is a metamorphosis a spiritual metamorphosis taking place and the outward man will go to its inevitable destination which is death but the inward man will go to its inevitable destination which is life life eternal Paul's physical powers and daily renewal and the inner man is also part of the progressive transformation of all believers also into the image of Christ 2nd Corinthians 3:18 but we all with unveiled face beholding as in the mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory just as the Lord the spirit recognizing this should motivate us not to discouragement but to encouragement and it should produce in us as spiritual endurance that's why Paul wrote in chapter 4 verse 7 which we read to have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not of ourselves the power the sustenance is of God and not of ourselves so you looked at verse 17 we see this unpleasant reality that we her is producing something far better long-term verse 17 read it slow for a momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison as our text teaches us there is a purpose in afflictions in the eternal realm in the age to come by way of implication while we here I think the Bible generally teaches us and even in 2nd Corinthians that there is purpose in afflictions in the here and now they are momentary light and we'll get to the describing them but what about now do God design situations to come into the life of a believer to accomplish several things it's by God's design when Christian encounters all types of afflictions in the afflictions can build in a strength the afflictions can build a dependence upon God the afflictions must be understood correctly and consequently responded to correctly and some months ago I preached the message called a biblical response to Christian suffering I liken this message to a part two of that when we looked at 1st Peter 4:12 2:19 that afflictions and suffering that comes from persecution you see if you don't understand the affliction and the cause and we won't know everything but what's revealed we must understand if we don't it can cause discouragement and it can cause us to lose heart now as a present purpose Paul tells us in 2nd Corinthians chapter one three and four afflictions can comfort us God comforts us through affliction so we may comfort others afflictions give us producing us a godly compassion he's the God of all comfort who comforts us in our fliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any fliction with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God so Comfort for us and others and a compassion second Corinthians chapter 1 verse 89 Paul writes we do not want you to be unaware brethren that our affliction which came to us in Asia Asia that we were burden excessively beyond our own strength so that we despaired even life indeed we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead a trust in God will bring you to the end of yourself afflictions and trials of all kind will produce endurance where do I see this James chapter one verses two and four confirms this truth consider it all joy my brethren when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have it's perfect result so that you may be perfect complete lacking nothing trials also tests one's faith and produce strength and maturity in faith further confirm the first Peter chapter 1 verses 6 and 7 in this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while if necessary you have been distressed by various trials why so that the proof of your faith being much more precious than gold which is perishable even though tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ a tested faith a proven faith this comes from the trials what else there's more this character it produces character affliction and tribulation and hope Romans 5 3 and 4 we exult in our tribulations knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance and/or endurance and perseverance proven character proven character hope it is god this thing these things don't happen randomly it is God who proverbs 17 3 says tests tests hearts we sell an illustration of that in the Old Testament Deuteronomy 8 to Moses told Israel the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these 40 years that he might humble you testing you to know what was in your heart whether you would keep his Commandments or not now this is all well and good but I'm very aware was still human here and a prolonged period of affliction and trial may produce discouragement but in verse 17 we have to look at this in a matter of time and analyzing the afflictions of our text we see contrast and time now we must view these afflictions from a biblical perspective of time different than our own perspective of time we view time from a human perspective minutes hours seconds it's a finite perspective we use in the material world where momentary is typically not long we use the phrase wait a moment this will only be a moment with the expectation that the time will be short but in our text momentary could be a matter of use the period of time Paul encountered afflicted affliction was a very long time and some of you have endured affliction and momentary is not the first word that's coming to your mind when you're thinking about your affliction but it's a short period of time comparatively speaking with eternity an infinite period of time based on the backdrop of eternity all situations whether they be positive negative or short in comparison biblically speaking understand God's perspective on time James 4:14 you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow you are just a vapor that appears for a little while and vanishes time from God's perspective 2nd Peter 3:8 but do not let this one fact escape your notice beloved that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day so in the Word of God momentary is not as we may see momentary whatever the affliction within the backdrop of eternity it's not comparable to the weight of glory as we look forward to the resurrection of ourself and the new heavens and the new earth we cannot still diminish the afflictions that you're dealing with some of them have been life-changing for you some of them have been life-threatening and there's a burden it is a weight there's a heaviness and the affliction and I thinking of the heaviness of God's glory perhaps beyond the backdrop it's considered to be life light is another word like momentary you're probably not thinking of it's light and it's momentary and while the fliction may be consuming you in the present realm we must view it from an eternal perspective it's a comparison that the text forces us to make and it's a comparison that Paul will make in Romans 8:18 for what we currently see is revealed is far less significant to be what it actually is Romans 8:18 for I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us in the age to come in the glorified state they're the glory of God will be revealed beyond comparison this eternal weight of glory this is a future thing but we ought to hold to this truth in the present though not really fully comprehending it now what is seen in the future state and what is not seen we also know that this world is decaying in perishing due to the fall due to sin it is also under bondage in decay Romans 8:19 221 but we'll see a new heaven and a new earth an added incentive for our endurance in our text spiritual treasure we have enables us to look beyond the present be look beyond the visible look beyond the material world the temporal world that's laden with decay and look forward to the resurrection of our self the new heavens and the new earth and the glorious Savior Jesus Christ where believers will be vilified in the age to come and experiencing the resurrection power in that glorified state now scripture teaches us that afflictions of all kind cannot only be diminished when they are seen in the backdrop of eternity but we know that they have value now and in the age to come what is the meaning of this weight the heaviness heaviness in the God's glory well the passage offers acute clue the weight of glory speaks of glory having to do with a heaviness essentially we're talking about Worth and value things of value often measured by their weight such as gold and diamonds and God's glory will be heavy the weight of glory is eternal we're not fully able to comprehend it we can't fully touch it or realize it now but what we can see in Scripture we ought to understand and respond to so understand that the Christians ultimate reward is not here the Christian message is to exalt in the hope and the glory of the God how did we get to this state of realization and resiliency and we do not lose heart when we have an endurance and a perspective that comes when we see that the eternal far outweighs the temple is it really that simple I think so being sold out for God is a matter of prioritizing the promises of God and walking in faith have you established this in your heart have you established what it is to live in by faith to walk by faith and not by sight as we see in verse 18 while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal the prioritizing the eternal over the temporal and more contrasts and made we see the temporal the physical the material as we spoke about is on the decay it's not just the human body it's the whole earth due to the fall the full restoration of things is to come what is seen is in is an invisible read what is not seen as an invisible reality which will be fully consummated now Paul is not telling us teaching us to dismiss this present world to neglect our body and to collect neglect life on earth he's not saying that what he's saying is don't be so consumed with what is happening now don't be so consumed with this passing the passing pleasures of the here and now and this world on the decay the Christians ultimate priority must be set on what is not seen consider this quote by aw pink the more the substance of the heavenly world engages the heart the less hold will the shadows of this earthly world have upon him quote by Martin lloyd-jones and he says the business of the Bible is to assert the reality of the unseen not only that the Bible are Sert's the primacy the all importance of the unseen we often hear phrases like you have to put the past in the past Christian to some degree we have to put the present in its place where the present must take a secondary place at times a backseat and not not weigh us down with the afflictions of this life it's real it's present it's reality but it has to be put in its proper perspective we must walk by faith now sometimes we get discouraged and we could draw back and lose heart because we have a show me don't tell me mentality I know it's future but I can't see it I can't taste it I can't touch it I need to see it I need a little more than what is written but taking God at his word his truths must be apprehended by faith a scripture teaches something that's far superior in the future but yet we long for comfort yet we long for stability yet we want to prosper we want peace we've had enough suffering some of us that's been critiqued by many a preacher that we could fall into a trap it's a mentality so prevalent in our age and it is your best life now the Christian was never designed by God's decree to have their best life now biblical Christianity based on the Word of God speaks of the best being yet to come the best is yet to come for the Christian I'm concluding this message this is a call for us all regardless of the situation to endure to not drawback to not cower to not lose heart despite the very real and present afflictions that you're encountering put the affliction the trial in its proper perspective regardless of how we feel this is not easy I understand that but we have to see it from a biblical perspective respond biblically and in doing so will respond courageously understand that a hope is not lace in our body in this world it's fading away if that's our hope if all we're praying for is prosperity and health we're going to be very disappointed no matter what you think or say or under decay and we're all called to look to the future a glorious truth for those who have come to Christ for those who God is shining light in their hearts we are called to endure and not lose heart because we shall take partake in the bodily resurrection that Paul was alluding to we shall get a glorified body in Chapter five Paul elaborates on this glorious truth and 1157 in page in your Bible you just look to your right and you could follow along with me chapter five verses one to eight for we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down we have a building from God a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens for indeed in this house we groan longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven and as much as we having put it on will not be found naked for indeed while we are in this tent we groan being burdened because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life now he who prepared us for this very purpose is God who gave to us the spirit as a pledge therefore being always of good courage and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord for we walk by faith not by sight we are of good courage I say and prefer rather to be absent from the body is to be home with the Lord brethren we cannot trust in the conference of this world but in the eternal truth that is found in Jesus Christ and fixing our eyes on Jesus Christ who is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact representation of his nature who upholds all things by the word of his power this will bring us out of any self induced comfort zone that we may have but be encouraged we can receive God's comfort through affliction like we read Christian understand you can lose heart and get discouraged when you misunderstand God's purpose for you on this earth we all have plans and procedures on how this should work and God you should do it this way but God knows what is best God ordains the days of our life God is our ever present help in time of trouble and God is all-knowing on this she if we're up to ourself that probably would never be a time of trial and affliction and I would just stay where I am very comfortable I don't like drama I don't need the ups and downs I stay right here but God has so designed it as we looked at to produce something in his people so we look not at what is seen but what is unseen we place the eternal over the temporal just as the tech teaches us understanding that God is working on its purposes for today in US and most importantly tomorrow my friend do you think about eternity perhaps now and then you do there's a good possibility you're probably more consumed with what you see here and now and I understand that to some extent for those who do not know Jesus Christ and if you do not know Jesus Christ you probably consumed with just keeping your head above water in such a crazy world just making it through each day and you're probably saying to yourself I don't have time to think about eternity just assuming when life is over we'll all see each other on the other side yeah I think there's a crossing over of some sort you probably believe that there's another place to go after you die after your physical bodies are buried or maybe cremated maybe someone has the mindset that we shouldn't be thinking of those things because after all they can't be seen therefore they can't be known just live life into now and don't waste your time on that sort of stuff maybe the vast majority you hearing this message answer man audio on TV when you think of the other time the the other place this place of eternity the other side a place beyond this a place where everyone goes where they died you're probably thinking about heaven it's a place where we meet a loving God it's a place where all my relatives are and I'll see them then and you may just assume that this is automatic well unless of course you won't get there only if you were a good person if you're bad you're not getting there maybe that's what you're thinking if I was to ask you how would you get to the other side where this eternal weight of glory as' some of you might say well I was baptized as a baby so I believe that will qualify me for my spot in heaven and I was taught that by the way others may say I did my best on the earth I didn't harm anyone that should qualify me for heaven some might say I go to church every Sunday that should be enough to qualify me for this final eternal spot some kind of heaven and a list can go on and on now there's a phrase we're hearing very much nowadays in the media a phrase about being on the right side of history there's an implication that you could be on the wrong side of history people think and perhaps that's true I guess it is but more importantly the Bible teaches us that we need to be on the right side of eternity when it comes to eternally you'll leave a B in the presence of God the right side or out of the presence of God that's the wrong side of eternity my friend the Bible teaches us that there is a bridge they get you to the other side the right side in the presence of God how do you get there what is this bridge it's Jesus Christ it's this biblical Jesus Christ when you accept him as Lord and Savior this happens when a man and woman received Jesus Christ and they are born again by grace alone through faith alone you simply believe in the finished work of Christ and receive the offer of salvation the Bible would affirm that there's only one way to get on the right side of eternity to try and get there any other way is futile and it's foolish and it will not get you into the presence of God it will not get you on the right side fraternity now we see a snapshot of God's glory what this is going to be like in several places in the Bible you can look it up revelation four and five and Isaiah in several other places it's a place where those who have received Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior will see him they will see him and they will be with him but eventually all will meet the risen Savior Jesus Christ as he will judge the living and the dead there will be a day of judgment the Bible is clear but many think they have enough in and of themselves to pass this judgment trusting on their own works and merits it's foolish it's like trying to get a running start your whole life and trying to jump from one side of the Grand Canyon to the other the divide is too big you're not gonna make it you're not gonna make it without Jesus Christ and the new birth you can try as hard and possible you can be as good and you could do as much as you'd want to do and get enough momentum and make that running start but you're gonna fall you're not going to get to the other side you will not make it but that's how the vast majority of people live their life you need a bridge to get to the right side of eternity and that bridge is Jesus Christ the only bridge that's it that's what you offer the offer is in the Bible it's Christ in Christ alone you can place your trust in many other things other than this Savior but you'll not get to where you need to go have you considered eternity I ask it again have you considered your own mortality for those who do not know Christ my friend consider the words of Jesus in John 5:24 truly truly I say to you he who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment but has passed out of death into life there's a final judgment day don't be on the wrong side of eternity and it's something that Jesus spoke about quite a bit he referred to a place of outer darkness Jesus spoke quite a bit about a place called hell and it's a fate that awaits people apart from him come to Jesus today so you may attain eternal life and being the presence of God for eternity come come today come to Jesus Christ and be on the right side of eternity let us pray father God we pray for this congregation and those hearing who have the Spirit of God we pray for an empowerment Lord that you empower them by the treasure that they have in this earthen vessel that the power may be of God and not of themselves we pray for an empowerment for those who are physically afflicted lord Oh Lord pray for the empowerment Lord understanding that they will come to terms with your grace that is sufficient and father we know beyond all what we say or do there is a place waiting for us those who have been born again those who have been born of God there is a place where the eternal weight of glory shall be seen where Christ will be seen the great reward the inheritance and father we pray for those who do not know you Lord and we ask Lord that they come and they take the bridge to eternity the wave the truth in the life that no man will come to the Father no man may attain eternal life no other way but by your son the risen Savior Jesus Christ and this we pray thank you lord amen [Music]

Channel: TottenvilleEFC

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Keywords: hope, faith, endurance, trials, peace, perseverance

Id: DF65c-NDgsY

Length: 54min 23sec (3263 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 06 2019