“Future Hope Motivates Present Faithfulness” Pt 2
Review
X. The Reward and Inheritance Factor
A. PRESENT AND FUTURE REWARD
B. FUTURE INHERITANCE
C. INTERMEDIATE HOME
D. RENEWED HEAVEN AND EARTH – Our permanent home
E. PRESENT HELP FROM A FUTURE HOPE
Does contemplating a future heavenly existence have any present earthly benefit? I have come to the conclusion that a failure to contemplate heaven and our future hope actually diminishes our effectiveness on this present earth. Scripture clearly encourages a continual 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 be our focus in 2008? Will our thoughts be focused on eternal things are on the things of this present earth? Will we be Christ centered or self centered? Will we spend our energies on building Christ's kingdom or our kingdom? Every true follower of Christ has become heir to an eternal glorious kingdom. The key to managing the junk of this present world lies in the ability to keep our thoughts connected to the promise of a new world.
The writer of Hebrews and encouraged his readers to think about our present connection to God's kingdom that should motivate our present walk. He listed seven “heavenly” realities that surround us even now. Even though we may not see them, they are realities nonetheless.
? 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
A heavenly focus motivates an earthly faithfulness. The present responses connected to the revelation of God's future promises can be summarized into three main areas.
1. Inspires faithful diligent service
Contemplation of our future hope should inspire present faithfulness. The motivation for working hard and using every moment is the realization that what we do here affects life hereafter. 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 position, reward, responsibility, recognition, eternal treasure and resources.
We are in a live for the now culture. An experiment was done with young children. A group of children were given marshmallows. They were told that those who refrained from eating the marshmallow right away would be given more marshmallows at a later date. A large portion of the group was unable to forgo immediate pleasure on the promise of even greater future culinary delight. The group was followed into adulthood. It was discovered that the inability to exercise self-control carried on into adulthood. Those without self-control struggled in other areas. They found those with self-discipline at a greater tendency to succeed in life and all they did.
We see it all the time. People spend money for immediate pleasure and satisfaction on useless things that had they invested that same amount of money over a period of time would have brought financial security. How much more important it is for us to invest our time and resources on things of eternal value. 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. He concluded the chapter by urging us to offer to God an acceptable service. Faithful acceptable service takes discipline, training, initiative, resolve. Contemplation of our future hope should inspire present faithfulness. God rewards the faithful actions not good intentions.
2. Encourages continued endurance in our present struggle
Faithful service is hard. Faithful service involves obedience, diligence, suffering, hardship and pain. The promise of glory and eternal rest is not for this present earth. We spend so much of our time trying to restore the Garden of Eden’s wonder to our own efforts, in our own time.
The struggle of life in this fallen world is both external and internal. 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. The writer of Hebrews urged us to live like they lived.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Heb 12:1
Some of the longings lying in the depths of our heart may never be realized on this earth.
But we can be sure that God is preparing a city for us where all of those longings will be overwhelmingly fulfilled. Listen to Paul's confidence in God's future promise.
But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE," we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 2 Corinthians 4:13-14
How did this future hope of life with Jesus affect Paul's attitude toward daily suffering?
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
What Paul called momentary light affliction would be considered a total disaster in our eyes.
In the next chapter he expressed even more his hope of life in the present heaven with Christ after death.
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10
Choices we make in this present life set the stage for life in the next. Future reward depends on present faithfulness and endurance.
For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:10-12
The intended Jewish readers of this letter to the Hebrews were suffering great persecution. They were tempted to go back to the old ways just to get some sort of relief. This letter was written to encourage them that there is no going back. Faith in Christ superseded all that went before.
Jesus is the only way. There was no going back, only forward.
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Galatians 6:9-10
Jesus himself endured by looking to future glory rather than present gloom.
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 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.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials… James 1:2
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance… Romans 5:3
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
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. Why does an athlete endure and at some point enjoy the excruciating training regimen? He looks to the future hope of glory, affirmation, salary, recognition, achievement, growth. Reward is a Biblical motivation. It is a godly motivation.
If we could just get a tangible glimpse of the future…
If we could just learn to trust God’s promises related to our 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 an eternal weight of glory.
A compelling heavenly awareness motivates a joyful earthly endurance. With our eye on the future goal we are able to endure the present grit. My guess is that the promised reward isn't clear enough or really enough to motivate present endurance. Reward comes to those who endure with a heart of Christ and the attitude of Christ. We may generate a lot of heat and activity for all the wrong reasons with stinking attitudes. We complain. We gripe. We fret and fume. We serve without a servant's heart. We say we work for the Lord but it is really for ourselves. Jesus looked to the future reward. Moses endured suffering with his own people because he looked to the reward. The heroes of Hebrews 11 endured by looking to the future city. Jesus motivated and endurance and obedience by promising future reward.
Reward comes to those who endure to the end.
Reward comes to those who work without complaining.
Reward comes to those who serve with heart of humility.
Reward comes to those who work as for the Lord.
Reward comes to those who faint not.
A healthy future focus inspires us to serve God now. A healthy future focus encourages us to keep serving with proper motives and attitudes even when things get tough. Such faithful service is the only service that will count in eternity.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the LORD weighs the motives. Proverbs 16:2
Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God. 1 Corinthians 4:5
We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, "AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD." So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:10-12
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10
If we would only take to heart the fact that this is the only chance we get to impact eternity.
Once we die or the Lord returns, that’s it! Have you been tempted to quit? Have you fallen into mediocre service or lip service? Jesus reproved the Laodocian church for their haphazard service.
Revelation 3:15-20
These people were totally oblivious to their spiritual bankruptcy. They considered themselves rich. Have you lost your fire for God?
Jesus also reproved the Ephesians for loosing their fire. Revelation 2:2-5
I urge you to examine your life.
Examine your fire for kingdom purposes.
Examine your devotion to the King.
3. Promotes holy living
A healthy future focus also promotes present holy living. Most every extended passage dealing with future events also contains a strong exhortation to present holy living. Listen to Peter's description of future things connected to present living.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation…to Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:10-18
God did not tell us about the future just for our information but for our transformation and motivation to holy living.
Contemplation of future hope is intended to motivate present holiness.
“What sort of people ought we to be?”
The Thessalonians were encouraged to a holy walk by a future focus.
You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10
Hebrews 12 exhorts us to run with endurance the race set before us by thinking about the example of Jesus and the example of the faithful who have died and are cheering us on from their place in the present heaven. Submit to the Father’s training and discipline intended to train us in holy living. It may be uncomfortable now but the eternal results far outweigh the temporal distress. God instructs us to give particular attention to some particular issues as a family.
We will look at those issues in more detail in the coming weeks.
There are two motivations to walk holy.
One, is to understand what Christ has done for us already.
Two, is to understand what Christ has promised to do in the future.
The motivation to walk holy is to understand our present relationship to eternity.
Hebrews 12:18-24
We have a connection to the present heaven. We are citizens of an eternal kingdom.
Hebrews 12:25-29
In light of future events, we should be careful to listen to him now! In light of the incredible promises he has made regarding the future, we should be careful to show extreme gratitude by faithful service with appropriate reverence and awe.
A healthy future focus inspires a faithful service.
A healthy future focus encourages a lasting service.
A healthy future focus encourages a holy walk.
Many have put great time and energy in your earthly retirement years but have given very little thought to your eternal destiny. We will not all be the same on the New Earth. What will make the difference there is our living here.
In light of what is to come, what kind of people ought we to be now?
Hebrews 12 addresses some specific areas to focus on as a church family.
They will be the focus of our thoughts over the next several weeks.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. Psalms 139:23-24
MORNING PRAYER
Teach me how to keep seeking the “things above”. Help me to keep an eternal perspective in this fallen world. I want to keep the important things in the front of my thinking. I acknowledge that the decisions I make today have eternal consequence. How I invest my time and resources today affect my life on the New Earth yet to come. My faithfulness in little things today qualifies me to manage bigger things tomorrow. You have promised reward for faithfulness, diligence and endurance. I therefore want to be a minister of healing to the body of Christ. I want to pursue peace with those you bring into my life. I want to live my life as Jesus would more today than I did yesterday. I realize that you have made every spiritual resource available to walk worthy of Your calling. Help me receive and giving your grace. Help me to purge bitterness from my life by receiving and giving forgiveness. Help me to focus on the things that matter to You and bring growth to me. Help me see every one of today’s events as an opportunity to trust You. Help me see every person as an opportunity to demonstrate Your love. Guard my thoughts, attitudes and words. May my every word and action be a living testimony of Your power to transform lives and bring attention to You. I am surrounded by those who have run this race before me both to learn from their example and to cheer me on. There are ministering angels to protect me and pave the path before me. I can count on Your unfailing presence and provision and the continual intercession of Jesus. I choose to live this day with eternity in view. I yield to the direction of Your Holy Spirit. One day I will one day stand in Your physical presence to give account of the time You gave me to serve you. I so want to hear, “Well done good and faithful servant!” I do not want to be ashamed at your return. I do not want to go into the next life with regrets. I want to make the most of every moment. I want to live this day as if it were my last. I want to make every moment and every event count for eternity. I can’t do it without Your power in my life. Empower me today both to WANT TO and to DO Your good pleasure.
