In That Day Series

First, being heavenly minded reminds us that we have a future. Here’s a newsflash for you—this isn’t all there is. Wow—that’s profound, preacher. Glad I got out of bed this morning for that one. We inherently know that this isn’t all there is, don’t we? So let me ask you something—if we know that this isn’t all there is, why do we spend most of our lives living like it is? In Luke 12:16-21, Jesus told a parable about this very attitude. “And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” What was the problem with the rich man? Was the problem that he was rich? Was the problem that he had a good investment plan? No—the problem isn’t a resource problem. The problem isn’t a 401K or annuity problem. The problem is a heart problem. This guy’s problem was that he was living like this life is all there is. With all of his vast resources, he had the opportunity to invest in something that would make an eternal difference. But he was more interested in his earthly security than he was in anybody else’s eternal security. But preacher—I don’t have that kind of money! Well, neither do I—and with kids and grandkids and colleges and weddings and mortgages and taxes and bills, it doesn’t look like I ever will. This isn’t ultimately about how you’re spending your money—although that’s a symptom. This is about how you’re spending your life. Are you investing your life with eternity in mind? Or are you just living your life for the next paycheck or promotion or piece of pie? The reality is—you have a future. And that future is far bigger than eating, drinking and being merry. That future is about living every moment God gives you today for Jesus and the advancement of His Kingdom. It’s about wringing out every last drop of life and health and wealth and time He gives you for His glory and for His mission that He’s given us. Being heavenly minded reminds us that we have a future. It also reminds us that death isn’t final.

I’m really hoping to go in the Rapture. But the reality is, almost everybody is being shipped out of here via ground, not air. So here’s some news for you—unless the Rapture happens in your lifetime, there’s a 100% chance you’re going to die. Vegas will let you bet on anything—but they won’t let you bet on that. Because no matter how physically fit you are. No matter how much moisturizer and Oil of Olay you use. No matter how vegan or paleo or gluten-free you are. You’re still going to die. You might be really healthy and young looking when you die, but you’re still going to die. But here’s the good news—death may be inevitable, but it isn’t final. Death isn’t final, because Jesus conquered death. Listen to how Paul puts it in 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. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 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.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” For a believer, death isn’t a time of defeat. For a believer, death is a time of victory. It’s a time when our race might be finished, but our reward is eternal. The fact is—death is terrible. As a matter of fact, I hate death. I hate death because it separates loved ones. I hate death because it breaks hearts of those left behind. I hate death because it’s so often accompanied by the pain of things left undone and words left unsaid. But do you know why I hate death most of all? I hate death most of all, because the only reason we have to experience death is because of the fall. And the only reason for the fall is sin. And I hate sin. But Jesus paid for sin on the cross, didn’t He? And not only did He pay for sin, three days later He rose victorious over it. And when Jesus got up from that grave, He proclaimed victory over sin and death and hell and the grave. And when He did that—He assured you that death isn’t final. Being heavenly minded reminds us that we have a future and that death isn’t final. It also reminds us that heaven is real. Look back at Joel 3:18