A Walking Tour Of Eternal Life

INTRODUCTION - "A WALKING TOUR OF ETERNAL LIFE"

1. Last Spring, Debbie and I took a week off and went down to Myrtle Beach.

2. While we were there, we decided to go down to Charleston for a day.

3. We had never been to Charleston.

4. We had heard a lot about Charleston and so we decided to go there.

5. And after we found our way around, we decided to take a guided tour of Charleston on one of those horse and buggy rigs.

6. The tour lasted about an hour to an hour and a half.

7. And after we finished the guided tour, we decided to take a walking tour.

8. We took a walking tour so that we could go and see the things that we wanted to see.

9. On a walking tour, we could spend more time on the things that really interested us and we could learn more about them.

10. And so, we walked around Charleston for a couple of hours.

11. The things that interested us were religious in nature.

12. We went into several of the beautiful churches in Charleston.

13. We even saw the very first Baptist church which was formed in the South.

14. One of the most interesting things on our walking tour to me was a French Hugenot church.

15. This was interesting to me because my ancestors were French Hugeonots and I had never been in a French Hugeonot church before.

16. The church was very elaborate in its architecture and it was filled with many symbols of their faith in Jesus Christ.

17. The Hugeonot creed was posted inside the church and so I was able to learn what the faith of my ancestors was all about.

18. That’s what I like about a walking tour.

19. I can go to a place and learn from it.

20. I can go to a place and let it teach me about itself.

21. That’s what we’re going to do this morning.

22. We’re going to take a walking tour.

23. We’re not actually going to get up and walk outside this building, but we are going to walk our hearts through God’s Word and let God speak to us today.

24. There’s a phrase in the Bible that many of us misunderstand.

25. That phrase consists of two words: "eternal life."

26. What does the Bible mean when it refers to "eternal life"?

27. I want you to think to yourself for a moment about that phrase "eternal life."

28. If I were to ask you to stand up and give us a definition of eternal life, what would you say?

29. You don’t have to worry---I’m not going to ask anybody to do that.

30. But if I did, what would you say?

31. I want you to remember what you think eternal life is for later.

32. Today, we’re going to take a walking tour of God’s Word to see what God has to say about eternal life.

33. Today, God’s Word is going to answer three questions about "eternal life."

34. How do we get eternal life?

35. When does eternal life begin?

36. And finally, what is eternal life?

37. Let’s begin our walking tour of God’s Word.

BODY

HOW DO WE GET ETERNAL LIFE?

1. The first question we’re going to answer is : How do we get eternal life?

2. Let’s start our walking tour at John 3:16. ((READ John 3:16))

4. This verse tells us that eternal life is given by God to those who believe in Jesus Christ.

5. There is no other way to receive eternal life except through Jesus.

6. This is also stated in John 3:36. ((READ John 3:36))

8. This verse also says that those who believe in the Son have eternal life.

9. John 4:14 also agrees with this. ((READ John 4:14))

11. Jesus is the One who gives eternal life.

12. This verse not only tells us that Jesus is the giver of eternal life, but also that eternal life is completely satisfying.

13. Nothing else satisfies like Jesus Christ.

14. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

15. Jesus is the giver of life.

16. And Jesus gets more specific about that in John 5:24. ((READ John 5:24))

18. Notice that He uses the word "Whoever."

19. This is important because Jesus does not restrict eternal life to a certain race, to a certain country, or to a certain church.

20. He says that anybody can receive eternal life.

21. "Whoever" hears My word and believes Him who sent Me.

22. This same word was also used in John 3:16.

23. "whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

24. Who is included in the word "Whoever"? Does "Whoever" include you and me? Yes it does.