“Present Help from a Future Hope” Pt 1
Review
X. The Reward and Inheritance Factor
A. PRESENT AND FUTURE REWARD
Remember – you’re not home yet.
B. FUTURE INHERITANCE
Remember – He who has the Son gets it all and the best is yet to come.
C. INTERMEDIATE HOME
Remember – Absent from the body at home with the Lord in a glorious yet temporary place.
Like being housed in a luxury hotel whiles you new home is being built.
While the present conditions may be quite nice, it is still not home.
D. RENEWED HEAVEN AND EARTH – Our permanent home
1. Unimaginable physical aspects of life on the new earth
2. Perfect social and personal aspects of life on the new earth
3. Absolutely fulfilling Spiritual aspects of life on the new earth
E. PRESENT HELP FROM A FUTURE HOPE
Does contemplating a future heavenly existence have any present earthly benefit? Is it possible to be “so heavenly minded we are no earthly good? I have come to the conclusion that a failure to contemplate heaven and our future hope actually diminishes our experience on this present earth. The Present earth is a fallen one. Corruption permeates everything. Nevertheless, life on this earth has eternal purpose. Every tick of time before the last trumpet call announcing the return of Christ has a purpose. Paul encouraged the Ephesians to redeem the time we have because the days are evil. Every moment of life on this present earth is an opportunity to affect our future life on Earth. Every day, we make decisions to use our time for Kingdom purposes or ours. We either live for God’s will or our whims. We either waste time or invest time. Scripture clearly encourages a heavenly focus.
Therefore since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
What will we seek in in the coming year? How we use our time? Many people make New Year resolutions at the beginning of the year. The New Year is a time to evaluate what in the world were doing.
Our culture is so self-focused. Our culture even encourages a man-centered interpretation of Scripture. It’s all about me! John indicated that some will shrink away in shame at Christ’s coming. Some of that shame may be related to the sudden realization of what we could have accomplished, had we kept a “things above” focus rather than an earthly one, compared to what we actually did accomplish. Missed opportunities for service and witness - Wasted time - Fleshly pursuits - Undisciplined life - Temporal values - Wasted resources – just to name a few
Check out the life resolutions of a 19-year-old Jonathan Edwards. These are only a few of the original 70 he wrote just before entering his first pastorate.
Being aware that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ’s sake.
I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live if they were to live their lives over again: RESOLVED, that I will live as I think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age.
RESOLVED, to examine carefully and constantly what is that one thing in me that causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
RESOLVED, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity.
RESOLVED, after afflictions, to inquire how I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
RESOLVED, never to lose one moment of time; but to improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
RESOLVED, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently that I may plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of them.
RESOLVED, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body except what tends to the glory of God.
RESOLVED, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God.
RESOLVED, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
RESOLVED, never to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God’s. RESOLVED, to ask every night as I am going to bed in what way I have been negligent, what sin I have committed and in what way I have denied myself; also to do this at the end of every week, month and year.
RESOLVED, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back until I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the origin of it.
RESOLVED, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, in what way I could possibly, in any respect, have done better.
RESOLVED, never to do anything that I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.
RESOLVED, to live with all my might, while I do live.
We spent some seven weeks talking about our future hope. Over the next four weeks I want revisit some of those passages we have visited and focus on how the contemplation of the promise of a glorious future should affect our present conduct. Many of these are expressed in a most powerful passage; Hebrews 12. Hebrews 12 follows up the previous chapter’s discussion of faithful servants of God who lived by faith in God and His promised reward and a new city in which they would live eternally. Their focus on the future promise enabled them to trust God in the present struggles each encounters. Chapter 12 encourages us to contemplate their faithful witness so that we too will run the present race of life with endurance. First by looking to Jesus who also focuses on the future benefit and to adopt a heavenly focus.
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. Hebrews 12:22-24
The writer does not say we will come but we have already come. Then he lists seven “heavenly” realities that surround us.
? The Heavenly Jerusalem – God’s city. God’s capital.
? Myriads of angels
? General assembly and church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven
? God the Judge of all
? Spirits of righteous made perfect
? Jesus our mediator
? Jesus’ sprinkled blood which speaks better than Abel’s blood
The motivation to do the things outlined in the rest of the chapter is found in the realization of these spiritual realities.
1. Inspires faithful diligent service
Contemplation of our future hope should inspire present faithfulness. There is more continuity between how we live our life now and our future life on the New Earth than we realize. What we do here and now significantly affects life hereafter. It relates to position, reward, responsibility, recognition, treasure. Faithfulness and diligence during this short time we live on this present earth affects our life on the New Earth for eternity. Jesus urged us not to lay up treasures on earth but treasures in heaven. Paul talked about building with quality materials.
He warned that no matter what our deeds may be down here, if they are tainted with bitterness, anger, selfishness, jealousy, prided, selfish ambition they will not stand the test of fire and all eternal benefit will be lost. 1 Cor 3:10-15
Much of our eternal circumstances will depend on our earthly commitment and faithfulness.
It will depend not just on faithful doing or working but on faithful being. Not just our daily occupation but our daily obedience. How much of our time is spent trying to restore the New Earth Life on the Old Earth? How much of our energy is spent acquiring and experiencing the good life now while forfeiting life in the next. Hebrews 12 urges us to lay aside every encumbrance, obstacle, distraction, weight that interferes with our faithful service.
What weights you down? What keeps you from serving God more effectively? Too entangled by the affairs of this earth? Wasted time? Wrong focus? Lack of purpose?
He also tells us to lay aside every sing that so easily entangles us. He concluded the chapter by urging us to offer to God an acceptable service. Much of our service to God may be expressed in the act of serving others.
Faithful acceptable service takes discipline, training, initiative, resolve. The whole first part of the chapter urges us to embrace God’s training regimen. God trains us to be the best servants we can be. His training involves information, practical instruction, correction and reproof. God intends everything we encounter in this life to train us. He wants us to run this race with endurance. How are you serving God? What is your kingdom involvement? Failure to invest your life here greatly influences your life in the hereafter.
2. Encourages continued endurance in our present struggle
Scripture urges us to endure, not to become weary in well doing, keep pure, stay diligent, walk worthy, serve well, and faint not in this present world in light of its connection to the life to come. Many faithful servants listed in Hebrews 11 endured unspeakable suffering (sawn in two) by focusing on a country, a city not made with human hands or polluted by human hands; a better country. Hebrews 11:13-16
So often we lose sight of the goal and therefore lose heart in the struggle. We may never realize some of the God-engrained longings on the present earth. But we can be sure that God is preparing a city for us where all of those longings will be wonderfully fulfilled. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
What Paul called momentary light affliction would be considered a complete disaster for us.
In the next chapter he talked about the hope of life in the present heaven with Christ after death.
2 Corinthians 5:9-10
Choices we make in this present life set the stage for life in the next. They determine position and responsibility. They determine reward.
Galatians 6:9-10
Jesus himself endured by looking to future glory rather than present gloom. Hebrews 12:2-3
A healthy future focus encourages a hopeful present endurance. Biblical endurance transcends a tooth-gritting fight-to-the-finish attitude. The word actually means “to remain under.”
Scripture instructs us not only to stay in the trial but to do it with a smile on her face.
James 1:2 Romans 5:3 1 Peter 4:12-13
How do we mange such an attitude in the face of the kind of suffering that crowds its unwelcome way into our lives at any given moment? It all has to do with a future focus, a mind set on things above; a hope for the future. Why does an athlete endure and at some point enjoy an excruciating training regimen? He looks to the future hope of glory, affirmation, salary, recognition, achievement, growth. Reward is a legitimate Biblical motivation.
It is a godly motivation. If we could just get a concrete glimpse of the future…
If we could just learn to trust God’s promises related to our faithful service to Him…
If we were more convinced as to the eternal future benefit of present endurance…
…we just might learn to rejoice when we encounter various trials.
We just might quit complaining when things don’t go our way or life gets uncomfortable or our health fails or people bug us. We just might rejoice for the opportunity to demonstrate the supernatural power of Christ to transform a life and renew our thinking and sweeten our attitudes and produce and eternal weight of glory.
A compelling heavenly awareness motivates a joyful earthly endurance.
We have a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Our lives are connected to the heavenly Jerusalem that will one day locate on earth. There are thousands upon thousands of angels surrounding us. We have the testimony and maybe even the intercession of followers of God already enjoying heaven. We have God’s presence who doesn’t miss a thing. We have Jesus praying for us daily. We have the shedding of His blood that restores relationship with the Father. Have you given up? Will you keep running with endurance the race God has laid out for you? Will you dedicate this year to a renewed focus on the “things above”?
