[136]. A MESSAGE FROM A POEM – I’M JUST CHANGING RESIDENCE

I have lived in my current home for 45 years. Before that we lived in a home for 10 years. I have only ever owned two homes. Some people change homes like they change clothes.

When a Christian dies some say, “He has gone home to be with the Lord,” or “Now he dwells in heaven.” Paul expressed it this way –{{2 Corinthians 5:6-8 “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 AND TO BE AT HOME WITH THE LORD.”}}

All Christians have a home with the Lord. We will all see heaven. Jesus said He was going to go away TO PREPARE A PLACE for His disciples (we understand that to be ALL believers). John 14:1-3. Some think that means Jesus went to heaven to start building mansions for everyone. That is incorrect. The Lord who spoke the universe into existence does not have to go off labouring to build places for His followers.

NO. What those John verses mean is that the preparation for the heavenly accommodation was the cross. Without Christ’s death there would be no heaven for anyone. One other thing. We are not going to live in mansions in heaven. That problem arose from the incorrect wording in the AV - “mansions” instead of the NASB’S “dwelling places” and in the 1995 version “rooms”. {{John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many DWELLING PLACES. If it were not so, I would have told you for I go to prepare a place for you.”}} Most versions use “rooms”.

The serious part about this poem is that a whole life’s effort and work will evaporate away at the point of death. We take nothing with us. As the first line of the poem says – “Only what’s done for Christ will last”. For the Christian, when he/she leaves here, it is merely changing your address.

Are you looking forward to your new address, or are you so bound by the world’s hold on you that you don’t give it any thought? I like this poem. I hope you do as well.

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I’M JUST CHANGING RESIDENCE

Only what’s done for Christ will last;

Only what’s Christ’s will He hold fast.

Only what’s His – that will endure,

Held in His hand and kept secure.

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What’s expended has no return,

And what’s not of Christ, it will burn.

Whatever remains – silver, gold,

Is the true substance that we’ll hold.

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When life slips away, it’s too late

To reckon the cost at death’s gate.

Only what’s done for Christ will last;

The worthless and bad, all then past.

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In those last days before we leave

It falls away, to what we cleave.

A lifetime of effort and care

Evaporates – mist in the air.

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‘Tis glorious what is in store;

What God has deemed for evermore.

I’ll part this world in confidence:

You see – I’m changing residence.

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2 April 2023 R E Ferguson 8-8-8-8 AABB

This goes with the message “When we are at the point of death – the Christian perspective.”

https://sermoncentral.com/sermons/when-we-are-at-the-point-of-death-the-christian-perspective-ron-ferguson-sermon-on-death-272527