Changed by Eternity Eternity: Hope for a Broken World 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 July 7, 2013

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16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Introduction Good evening! I am glad that you are here and that we get to worship together tonight. If you have your Bibles you can go ahead and start making your way to 2 Corinthians chapters 4 and 5, this is where we are going to spend our time together tonight. If you are using one of the pew Bibles we are on page 966.

I hope that you have had a good week. For most of us this was short week. On Thursday we celebrated Independence Day and I had was so glad to spend that evening celebrating with y’all. I know many of you had Friday off so you had a long weekend, so I hope that you are coming in tonight refreshed.

For most of us this week was a time when we celebrated some of the good things in our lives and tonight we are going to continue our series Changed by Eternity where we are celebrating one of the greatest gifts of all.

SERIES INTRO: This summer we are taking time to celebrate that this life is not all there is. We have learned in this series that we are people who have been made to live forever; that although every one of us will die one day, death is not the end, God has made us to be eternal. So we have been discussing that every person will spend eternity somewhere: For those who do not have a relationship with God, eternity will be spent in separation from God in a place called Hell. But for those who do have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we will spend eternity in God’s presence in a place called Heaven.

So this series has been a reminder that this life is not all there is. While this life is good and we have a lot to celebrate here, and in many ways we may enjoy life, we have something much better to look forward to.

OUR GOAL is that as we consider eternity throughout this summer it will change our lives. We believe that the more we talk about the glories of eternity:

• The more impressed you will be with the greatness of God • The more you will long for the things that He longs for • The more you will recognize the temporary nature of the things of this world

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• The more you will value Jesus and long to live for Him • We live in a world that is sin-cursed and broken – But there is hope!

Part of this series has been the reminder that while in many ways this life is good, but that also in many ways this life is very hard. This series has served as a reminder that we live in a broken world and that ultimately we can never find satisfaction here. We can do all the things that the world says will give us happiness, and for a while it may, but ultimately this world and our lives are frustrating because they are imperfect.

If you have lived any length of time then you know that this life does have joy, but this life also has unbelievable pain. We live in a world where things don’t always go right. This week we celebrated freedom, but the reason we celebrate freedom is because there places in the world where people are not free. There are places in the world where people live under oppressive rule.

• We live in world where there is strife and anger and war. • We live in a world where nations fight and kill for power and land. • This week in the state news we have been reminded that we live in world where life is not always valued. We live in a world where people are willing to kill unborn children. • We live in a world where people sin against one another and as a result marriages and relationships are broken. • We live in world where people lie and steal and cheat to get ahead in the work place • We live in a world where people lose jobs and lose investments and lose security • We live in world where stuff wears out and falls apart. This week Michelle and I had to sink a bunch of money into car repairs, why? Because we live in a world where everything is temporary and stuff falls apart. It happens to our stuff and it happens to us. • We live in a world where sickness and death are reality. Where we don’t know how long we will maintain the quality of life that we have now. • We live in a world where people are opposed to the things of God. • We live in a world where those who follow God are often seen as ignorant and foolish

Why do I bring all of this up? Why am I taking time to remind us of all that is messed up in our world? Isn’t church supposed to be encouraging?

I bring it up because for many of us it is eating away at our souls. For many of we try to put on a smile but the brokenness of our world and of our own hearts is overwhelming. For many people the struggles of this life cause sleepless nights and incredible heartache.

The Big Idea of this Message

But here is the good news (there is good news!!): even while living in a broken world where things are falling apart all around us, we have great hope, and that is what this series on eternity is all about. We have hope, and as we understand the hope of eternity it can change our lives.

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The text that Thomas read earlier and that we are considering tonight is all about how the truth of eternity gives us hope and endurance through the difficulties of life.

The text begins with this sentence (look at verse 16): So we do not lose heart. Paul is providing the basis on which he doesn’t lose hope. This sentence is wonderful because it acknowledges what we have been saying: That many of us are tempted to lose heart. Many of us are prone to discouragement; many of us long for a better life. The promise of our passage tonight is this: you don’t have to lose heart.

Context of the Passage

Before we go any farther let me give you quick context update. This passage of Scripture was written by the apostle Paul. I told you last week that much of this series would come from the writings of Paul because Paul was a man who understood the importance of living for eternity.

Paul learned to live for eternity because he knew better than anybody that this life is hard. Last week we got a glimpse into the difficulties of Paul’s life. We were reminded that because of his work for the Lord he was often beaten and tortured and imprisoned. For Paul life was hard and painful, yet Paul constantly describes his life as one of joy and peace, how? How could a man who had gone through the things that Paul went through be a man of joy and peace? The answer ultimately comes down to this: he did not live for this life, he lived for eternity.

In 2 Corinthians 4 we find ourselves in the middle of Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth. Much like Paul’s letter to the Philippians that we looked at last week, in 2 Corinthians Paul is telling the church about all that he has been through and is continuing to go through for the cause of Christ.

This is important: Paul knows that he is not the only one going through difficulty in life; he knows that others struggle too and so he writes a portion of Scripture that serves as a reminder of the hope that we have; He writes, So we do not lose heart.

• Even our own bodies are in the process of dying – But there is hope!

In verse 16 Paul acknowledges what we have already started discussing, that we live in broken world and in dying bodies. Look at verse 16 again:

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away

What’s he saying? We don’t lose heart, even though the bodies we live in are breaking down. I probably don’t have to say too much to prove to you that our bodies don’t last forever.

• When I tell you to look your Bibles many of you are either using glasses or you are holding your Bible’s three feet away from you, why? Because our bodies are wasting away. Many of us can’t see the way we used to. • I’m reminded all of the time that my body isn’t what it used to be: o Friday night we helped Caren move – that entire process was a reminder that my body is wasting away. 3 Changed by Eternity Eternity: Hope for a Broken World 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 July 7, 2013

o There were some things that I lifted and it seemed harder than it should have been. I can’t lift as much as I used too. o I know when I was younger I could jump out of the back of my truck. This weekend we were helping Caren move and I realized that my legs aren’t as elastic as they used to be. When I jump out of the back of my truck my legs don’t have much give in them. o When I got home I was tired. I fell asleep in the couch. When I woke I up I felt much different. My legs hurt. I had a hard time climbing the stairs. o I’m only thirty-years old so I’m certain that it is going to get worse. Although we don’t like to think about it, for most of us we will get to a point in our life where physically we are in a much different place.

The point is this: Our outer-man wasting away, and not just physically. Emotionally and mentally our outer-man wastes away. We get tired and discouraged and overwhelmed.

TRANSITION: So what is the answer? How do we not lose heart when our bodies and everything around is wasting away? How do we avoid discouragement through the difficulties of life? The rest of our passage gives us the answer. The first thing I want you to see is this:

Maintaining hope in a broken and sin-cursed world (So we do not lose heart)

Recognize that God uses the difficulties of this life to prepare you for the glories of eternal life (vs. 16c-17)

Look back at verse 16:

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

In verse 16 Paul gives us a great reminder: Yes, our outer man is wasting away, yes life is hard and continues to get harder, but our inner man is being renewed day by day. Another way to say it would be “every single day my spirit is being made stronger.”

What does that mean? What does it mean that our inner man is being made stronger everyday? We get some explanation in verse 17:

17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

This is an incredible verse and an incredible truth. In fact verses 16 and 17 are our memory verses for this week so I hope you will be spending a lot of time with them over the next couple of days. A great reminder that God uses the difficulties of this life to prepare you for the glories of eternal life

I believe that for the Christian, this is one of the single greatest truths in all of Scripture: God uses what we go through day in and day out to prepare us and to transform us into people who will live with Him forever. 4 Changed by Eternity Eternity: Hope for a Broken World 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 July 7, 2013

Paul is a man who had perspective. I know he has perspective and understands eternity because in verse 17 he calls the difficulties of his life “light” and “momentary.” He says that the stuff that I’m going through in his life is relatively small and relatively short.

That incredible perspective for a man who is enduring what Paul is enduring. We have talked about the difficulties of Paul’s life and ministry, but look back at chapter one of 2 Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 1:8-11 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.

As Paul writes to give an update to the church at Corinth this is what he says: Hey, I think you should know, I don’t want you to be in the dark about what is happening to us. We were so burdened, so engulfed that we were certain that we were going die.

Paul fears for his life and yet somehow he still considers the difficulties of his life as small and temporary.

Let me give you another description of Paul’s ministry that it is right here in our chapter. Earlier in chapter 4 he described his ministry this way:

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

If you look over at chapter 6 you will see more of the same. Look over to 6:4:

2 Corinthians 6:4-5 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;

Do you hear the adjectives he is using to describe his life and ministry? Afflicted, Perplexed, Persecuted, Struck down, Hardship, Calamity, Beatings, Imprisonment, Riots, Labors, Sleepless Nights, Hunger.

These aren’t exactly words that scream “Light and Momentary.” His life was filled with unbelievable difficulties, but by the grace of God he went through them with an eternal perspective.

He says: my difficulties and afflictions are “light and momentary,” they “small and temporary,” and they are preparing me for eternity. They are transforming me into a person who will experience the incomprehensible glory of God forever and ever.

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That’s why he writes: Don’t lose heart! Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

Listen to those words: Eternal weight of glory, beyond all comparison. What word picture: He is saying that if we could take eternity, if we could take forever and weigh it on a scale – that’s how much glory is waiting for you. It is beyond all comparison.

If we continue the scale metaphor, Paul is saying this: Put all the stuff of this life on one side (All the pain, affliction, persecution and difficulties). On the other side of the scale put an eternal weight of glory that’s coming.

Glory Wins!! Glory is better!! This is why Paul can call the suffering of this life light and momentary. Because the compared to an eternity of glory everything else is microscopic.

The point is this: Don’t lose heart, be encouraged, the difficulties of life have a purpose and that purpose is to prepare you for eternity! ON THE SCREEN:

Piper: The decaying of your body is not meaningless. The pain, pressure, frustration, and affliction are not happening in vain. They are not vanishing into a black hole of pointless suffering. Instead this "momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison . . . When Paul is hurting, he fixes his eyes not on how heavy the hurt is, but on how heavy the glory will be because of the hurt.”

The pain in this life is not pointless; it is preparation. It is not pointless; it is preparation.

TRANSITION: So Paul’s encouragement is this:

• Don’t lose heart; Recognize that God uses the difficulties of this life to prepare you for the glories of eternal life.

The next thing I want you to see is in verse 18:

Don’t look at what you can see, Learn to look at what you cannot see – Eternity (4:18)

I love verse eighteen because if you take it very literally it doesn’t make any sense at all. Paul says this: “Don’t look at the things you can see, Look at the things that you can’t see.” What? I don’t think that is possible.

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I know how to look at things that I can see, but I don’t think it is possible to look at things that I cannot see. Paul says, don’t look at what is visible; look at what’s invisible.

“Thanks Paul, that’s helpful . . . and impossible.” When taken literally it’s a funny concept, but I think we all know what Paul is saying. He is saying there are a lot of things that we can see; there are things that we tend to focus on:

• We see our pain • We see our difficulties • We see our lack of resources • We see that we were laid off from our job • We see a sick child • We see war and soldier separated from their families • We see the broken down car • We see broken relationships and jacked up marriages • We see our bodies and minds getting old • We see our constant and ongoing struggle with sin

Paul says, don’t look at what you can see; look at what you can’t see. Notice what he says about the things that we can see. Look at verse 18:

18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

He says the things that we can see (pain, difficulty, sickness) even the good things (family, friends, house, car) are transient. They come and they go. Think about a person who is described as transient. They don’t stick around, they aren’t permanent, you can’t count on them to stay. That’s how this life is.

Everything in life is temporary; in fact, even life itself is very temporary. Remember what the Scriptures say in James 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. The reminder is that everything we can see, everything we touch is temporary.

So what is the alternative? We aren’t supposed to look at the things that we can see. The alternative, the command is to look at the things that are unseen. In verse 18 Paul says that the things that we can’t see are eternal. These are the things that we should look at.

TRANSITION: So what are the eternal things? What are the things that Paul is telling us to look at? The truth is that there are many answers to this question, and in some respects that’s what our entire summer series is about, helping us to understand what is eternal, what we should be looking at.

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But in our passage Paul does give a list of some things that are eternal. He begins to discuss the difference between where we are - what we can see, and what is eternal - what we can’t see. As we start walking through the next verses we will see some of these things.

Aspects of eternity that we can look to for hope (5:1-10)

The first thing we see is this:

• Our present bodies are temporary and they will die – God will provide us with eternal bodies (5:1)

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

In large part this is a continuation of what Paul just said in 4:18. In that verse he said what we can see is transient and what we can’t see is eternal. In 5:1 we just get a really great example of that. The example is our bodies.

Paul uses the metaphor of tents and buildings to refer to bodies that we live in.

In verse one he acknowledges something that we all know to be true: our earthly tents, our bodies can be destroyed. We have already discussed the progressive destruction that is taking place in our bodies. As we get older, as we live and do different things our bodies are slowly, but surely being destroyed.

The ultimate destruction of our bodies is death. It is at the point of death that our bodies cease to function altogether.

As we listen to Paul’s command to not look at what we can see, but instead to look at what we cannot see we get this reminder: Don’t focus so much on the body you have right now. (My point is not to dismiss healthy eating or exercise – we are called to be good stewards of that God has given us). The point is this, many of us are prone to discouragement.

• We see and feel the bodies that we live in and it’s frustrating. • We battle with sickness and pain and it’s frustrating • We battle with weariness and fatigue and it’s frustrating • We battle with emotional heaviness and it’s frustrating • We battle with memory loss and limited intellectual ability (That’s Me!) • We battle with sin and temptation

The last one is the big one. Most of us are involved in life groups an we are reminded on a weekly basis as we answer our Accountability Questions that we are in a constant battle with sin. If we aren’t careful we can become frustrated and overwhelmed with our struggles.

Here is the encouragement from Paul: Don’t focus on what you can see; focus on what you can’t see:

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1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

So what is this eternal body all about? We don’t have time tonight to do a full breakdown and study of our glorified bodies, but we are told three things I this verse:

• Eternal bodies are lasting and enduring

The first thing I want you to notice is that Paul refers to our earthly bodies as tents and our heavenly bodies as buildings. What are the differences between a tent and a building? Primarily strength and permanence.

MacArthur: A tent is transient, temporary, insecure, inferior, lowly, fragile, frail, dilapidating, decaying, like a human body. And a tent belongs to somebody who wanders around and doesn't have a permanent home. And Paul knew that as a believer he was a stranger and an alien and a sojourner and a pilgrim.

He compares our bodies to tents because God doesn’t plan for us to be in them forever. God doesn’t intend for us to make this earth our permanent home; our permanent home is our eternal home, Heaven.

He calls our eternal bodies buildings. They permanent, lasting intended to endure.

TRANSITION: Our bodies are temporary, but eventually we will have bodies that built for eternity, the next part of the verse speaks to how our bodies are made.

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

• Eternal bodies are not earthly in nature (not made with hands)

When Paul says that our eternal bodies are “not made with hands” he is referring to the fact that our eternal bodies are not earthly. Everything that we know and have experienced in our lives is of the earth, but the bodies we will be given are not made like the things of the earth.

Now, we know and acknowledge love that God created the earth. The earth is God’s work, His creation and in many ways it is beautiful and worthy of awe. But we also know that earth has limitations. Everything on earth is in the process of decaying and dying.

So in this verse Paul makes a distinction between God’s earthly creation and God’s heavenly creation and he is saying that our eternal bodies will be superior. They will be a part of heavenly creation, not made with hands.

There is a passage of Scripture in Hebrews 11 that pulls together these first two ideas: The idea of tents verses buildings and the idea of “not being made of hands,” but by God. 9 Changed by Eternity Eternity: Hope for a Broken World 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 July 7, 2013

Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

Now if you have an understanding of the story of Abraham then that passage my ring a little more clearly for you, but the important thing for you to understand is this: We are told that Abraham was looking forward to something more permanent, a place that was designed and build by God. The writer of Hebrews uses the same imagery and language to describe the place that Abraham longed for as Paul uses to describe the Heavenly bodies that we long for.

TRANSITION: Our eternal bodies will be stronger, permanent, lasting and enduring; not earthly. The third thing we see in verse one about our heavenly bodies and they will live forever:

• Eternal bodies will never die

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Everything in our present reality is temporary, but what God is preparing for us eternal; it is everlasting, it is made to last forever. Our new bodies will be created so that we can live in heaven with God for eternity.

The passage of Scripture the celebrates and explains this truth well is in 1 Corinthians 15:

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

TRANSITION: Our tendency may be look at our present situation, our present body and be discouraged. The tendency may be to lose heart. Paul’s encouragement is this: Don’t look at what you can see; look at what you can’t see.

• Our present bodies are temporary and they will die – God will provide us with eternal bodies

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The next thing I want you to see is in verses 2-4:

• Our human nature is always longing for something better – Eternity fulfills that longing (5:2-4)

2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

This verse tells us something that I think we all know to be true. Paul tells us that part of living in un- glorified bodies, part of living on earth is this reality: we will always want something better. No matter what we have, no matter what we accomplish, no matter how good our life appears, there will always be a desire within us that longs for more.

Our sinful nature is never satisfied. No matter what we have, no matter how much we get we always want and desire something more.

This passage tells us that as long as we are in earthly bodies we will long to be in our heavenly bodies. Paul goes on to say that we groan are burdened in our present bodies and lives.

This should sound familiar because Thomas spent quite a bit of time on this concept when we studied Romans 8 four weeks ago:

Romans 8:22-23 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. [and then a verse we memorized as a church] 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

The teaching of Romans 8 and 2 Corinthians 5 is that there is a desire within every person for something better. The Scriptures tell us that this desire is a longing for eternity, a longing to be in the presence of God. Unfortunately this longing drives many of us to look for fulfillment in all of the wrong places.

• We have a longing for something better – so we search for a different job • We have a longing for something better – so buy a different house • We have a longing for something better – so we lust after another person • We have a longing for something better – so we pour ourselves into our children or grandchildren • We have a longing for something better – so we drink too much, eat to much or buy too much • We have a longing for something better – so we work 24/7 to get ahead • We have a longing for something better – so we devote ourselves to ministry hoping that strong church-life will fulfill our desire for something more

But what we find is that no matter what give ourselves to (even good things) nothing can satisfy the longing that is in our sole. At the end of the day:

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• The job we live for will end • The houses we live for need repair • The sexual desire that we live only gives temporary fulfillment • The people that we live for let us down or don’t live up to the standards we have set for them • The food or drink that we live for just leaves us fat and hung-over • Even good things like family and ministry were never intended to fulfill us and if we put all of our hope in them they will leave us wanting something more.

There is only one thing that can fill the longing of our soul, and that is eternity with the One who created us and saved us and us is using this life to sanctify us.

Application: If you are constantly finding yourself chasing after next high or next fulfilling experience. If you are always looking other people or more stuff to fill that longing within your soul then this is for you. God put that longing within your soul so that you would run passionately after Him. This life is meant for pursuing Him and the ultimate prize is eternity with Him, we will talk about that more in just a minute.

This life is not pointless. Paul says, it’s not that we are unclothed now, but our desire is to be further clothed. Right now we have a relationship with Jesus, but in eternity we get to see Him face to face. That happens when what is mortal is swallowed up by life.

Don’t lose heart, don’t focus on what you see, focus on what you can’t see:

• Our present bodies are temporary and they will die – God will provide us with eternal bodies (5:1) • Our human nature is always longing for something better – Eternity fulfills that longing (5:2-4)

Third: • Our world is full of uncertainty and unfulfilled promises – Eternity is guaranteed by God; a promise we can count on (5:5)

Look at verse five: 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

This is just a great reminder that all of this talk of eternity and heaven and glorified bodies is not just something that we may or may not get. It’s not something that may or may not work out. It’s not just a cool possibility.

For those of us who have Jesus Christ as our Savior; For those of us who have been forgiven from our sins and saved by grace through faith in the person and work of Jesus; glorified bodies and eternity in heaven in presence of God is what we are made for and it is guaranteed to us.

5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

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We live in world where almost nothing certain. There is not much in this life that we can count on. The saying is that “The only thing that will never change is that everything changes.” That’s pretty accurate.

There is not much in this life that we can know for sure, but you can know this for sure: If you are a Christian, if Jesus saved you, then eternity with God is your future.

This is the second time in this letter that Paul has referred to the Spirit as God’s guarantee to us:

2 Corinthians 1:20-22 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

The reason we can have confidence, the reason we can be sure that eternity is real is because it has been promised to us by God. Beyond that, He has given us a guarantee.

That word could also be translated down payment. He has given us the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee that He will complete salvation in us.

This wouldn’t be a complete sermon if we didn’t go to Romans 8 again:

Romans 8:28-30 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

We serve a God who has a plan and is working out His plan in the lives of people. Before we were ever on the scene God planned to save us. He foreknew us and predestined that we would become like His Son Jesus. Everyone he chose, justified (saved), everyone he saved he will also glorify.

Glorification is the Christian word for when God gives us our eternal bodies and makes us perfect.

This passage show the progression of salvation and that God is faithful to fulfilling His plan in the lives of those whom He saves.

In traditional Baptist circles this concept of God completing his work of salvation is called eternal security. The God who saved us has secured us and in Him we are secure for all of eternity.

There is not much in this world that we can say is secure. Our eternity is secure, it is guaranteed. There is nothing that can take away God’s guarantee of salvation, and Paul says that in Romans 8 as well:

Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things 13 Changed by Eternity Eternity: Hope for a Broken World 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 July 7, 2013

we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Why am I sharing all of this with you? This may seem like a bit of rabbit trail, but it is so important to what we are talking about. Remember earlier we were talking about how hard life can be? We were talking about all that life throws at us? Remember Paul’s life was hard. He went through persecution and affliction and imprisonment.

There may have been people, religious leaders, who told Paul that the reason he was going through all of those things was because God had forsake him. Or maybe Paul, in his own spirit could doubt that God was with him, after all his life was so hard.

Maybe you have thought the same things in your life. That there is not way that God could still love me or that God is continuing to work in my life. Take this as encouragement:

Paul teaches that difficulties of life are use by God to purify us and prepare us for eternity (verse 4:17). And beyond that, we have the guarantee of eternity and we secure in Jesus.

No amount of hardship in this life can separate us from Him and from the future that He has prepared for us.

Application: If you are frustrated with the uncertainty of life, find hope here: You’re eternity is secure in Jesus. • Your family life may be uncertain – your eternity is secure • Your job maybe uncertain – your eternity is secure • Your relationships may be uncertain – your eternity is secure • Your earthly retirement plan may be uncertain – your eternal retirement is secure, It is guaranteed by the Spirit of God!

TRANSITION: Don’t focus on what you can see; focus on what you can’t see:

• Our present bodies are temporary and they will die – God will provide us with eternal bodies • Our nature is to long for something better – Eternity fulfills that longing • Our world is full of uncertainty – Eternity is guaranteed by God

Fourth • Our physical nature keeps us separated from Jesus – In eternity we get to be in His presence, Forever (5:6-8)

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord

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Paul’s big idea in these verses is this: as long as we are here in these bodies, we are not where we ultimately want to be, with Jesus. But, when we leave these bodies we finally get our reward: Being at home with Jesus.

We talked about this a lot last week as we studied Philippians 1, but let me tell you, this is the best part of the whole passage.

• Is it awesome that we are going to have better bodies? – Yes – Being with Jesus is better. • The reason why our bodies long for something better, the reason we groan is because we are longing for the presence of Jesus, the one who created us and saved us. • Is it exciting that we are going to live in a place where we don’t struggle with uncertainty and unfulfilled promises? – Yes – But Being with Jesus is better.

Do I need to remind you of what we studied last week? Do you remember what Paul said about this life versus eternity with Jesus?

Philippians 1:21-23 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

• Better than a life with friends • Better than falling in love and being married • Better than having children • Better than great job and a big home • Better than having a great church and fulfilling ministry • Better than retirement and grandchildren and the rewards of earthly labor • Better than traveling the world and experiencing all it has to offer • Paul says it is better!! Eternity with Jesus is better!!

He says it this way in our passage in 2 Corinthians: Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Paul spent his life giving everything for Jesus. We spend our lives living for Him and serving Him by faith, but there is a day coming when our faith shall be sight.

Verse seven says: 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. – This is our present reality.

But for those of us we know Jesus there will be a day when faith become sight. In this life we have been living by faith, we have not yet seen Jesus, but verse eight is the prize: One day we will see Him.

I hope you long for that day! This life can be hard. The problems and trials of this life can seem overwhelming, but this truth can you get you through the hardest struggle of life: When this is over I will see Jesus.

15 Changed by Eternity Eternity: Hope for a Broken World 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 July 7, 2013

This life is not all there is, there’s more, and it is better!! This world is not our home! Steven Curtis Chapman says this way:

We are not home yet - I know there'll be a moment - I know there'll be a place Where we will see our Savior - And fall in His embrace So let us not grow weary - Or too content to stay - 'Cause we are not home yet Keep on looking ahead - Let your heart not forget - We are not home yet

Don’t lose hope: Don’t look at what you can see, Learn to look at what you cannot see – Eternity (4:18)

o Our present bodies are temporary and they will die – God will provide us with eternal bodies o Our human nature is always longing for something better – Eternity fulfills that longing o Our world is full of uncertainty and unfulfilled promises – Eternity is guaranteed by God; a promise we can count on o Our physical nature keeps us separated from Jesus – In eternity we get to be in His presence, Forever

It’s my hope that like Paul you will have great thoughts of eternity, not just because it’s cool to think about, but also because it changes today.

Loving and longing for eternity can make all of the difference your life today.

Application for Life:

• Life is hard; there will be pain and struggles. There will be times when you become discouraged with the things of this world. Remember that God is using the difficulties of your life to prepare you for eternal glory.

This is absolutely huge. It will be very difficult to walk through the struggles of life in a way that truly honors God until you understand this concept.

The pain in this life is not pointless; it is preparation. It is not pointless; it is preparation.

Don’t Waste your pain! See your pain as an opportunity!

• Life is hard; there will be pain and struggles. There will be times when you become discouraged with the things of this world. Look to the things that eternal! Allow the realities of eternity to give you hope, courage and joy for today. Don’t lose heart! Learn to focus on what you cannot see!

We started off by acknowledging that life hard. Remember, the reason Paul says all of this is because he doesn’t want us to lose heart; he wants us to have great hope.

One thing we didn’t focus much on was the word courage in verse 6 (it’s used twice) 16 Changed by Eternity Eternity: Hope for a Broken World 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 July 7, 2013

The word courage is an interesting word. Sometime it is translated as courage or confidence, but in some contexts the word is used to express happiness or joy. Some translators have said

“We are of good cheer, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”

Maybe you can see how the two come together. Courage and confidence are attitudes that provide comfort and joy. Courage is the opposite of fear. Courage is accompanied by joy.

If we bring both aspects of that word into this verse Paul is saying, we have confident joy, and would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. Paul’s desire to be with Jesus gives him courage or confidence and joy.

Throughout Paul’s writing he has this consistent them of joy. Regardless of what he was going through he had joy and his joy is founded in his relationship with Jesus. So it makes sense that he talks about going to be with Jesus that he would say it produces great joy.

He has lived his life for Christ and the thought of seeing Jesus face to face brings great joy.

We should have the same testimony. We can face life and even death with incredible courage and joy because we know that we have the guarantee of eternity with Jesus.

I joked with Thomas yesterday that the title for this message was going to be Eternity as an Anti- Depressant. Great thoughts of eternity should give us courage and joy.

• One day we will enter the glories eternity and the presence of Jesus, until then we get to live our lives for the one who makes eternity possible (5:9-10)

9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

You may have noticed that we hadn’t finished the passage yet. At the end of the passage Paul adds a built in Application for us.

If you remember last week we talked through Philippians 1 and Paul was talking the advantages of life and the advantages of death. He didn’t know which was going to happen, but he said that either way it would be all about Jesus:

• If he lived, it would be about Jesus, If he died it would be all about Jesus.

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The teaching here is very similar. He says if I am alive, at home in this body, I want to please Him. If go home to be with Him I want to please Him.

Verse 10 reminds us that God is aware and will take into account the way we live. We know that for those of us who are in Christ we have no fear of receiving the penalty of our sins, but we will still give an account for the way we lived. The Bible also says there will be rewards for those who lived for Him.

Paul’s encouragement is live for Him!

It won’t be easy, life hard. But we have eternity as our encouragement.

Here is my prayer for you: DON’T LOSE HEART! Life is hard, but DON’T LOSE HEART!