HoHum:
News article in April 1996 from Chico California- Person suspected of stealing and eating the cremated remains of 4 people in hopes of attaining “everlasting life” has been arrested. Rodney Hines, 36, told police he snorted some of the ashes and sprinkled others on his food because he wanted to live forever. Impossible to “take hold of the eternal life” in 1 Tim 6:12 this way
WBTU:
Think about God. “Each of the four living creatures... “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”” Revelation 4:8, NIV. Past, present and future
Past-“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Psalms 90:2, NIV.
Present- “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere” Proverbs 15:3, NIV.
Future- “But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children--” Psalms 103:17, NIV. God with us in future
Make a time line for God and go to the past and then go beyond the past and God is there. Point to the Right
God is here in the present- point to present spot
God is in the future and go beyond the future and God is there. Point to left
We are different, we have a beginning- point to present spot and we also have an eternity- point to the left
Need to be reminded of 2 things: 1) Life here is brief compared with eternity. “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14, NIV.
Earth is only our temporary home. “As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” Psalms 103:15, 16, NIV.
Thesis: Consider different aspects of “Take Hold of the Eternal Life” 1 Tim 6:12
For instances:
Consider our need of eternal life
Every human being has eternal life. When the Bible talks about everlasting or eternal life it is talking about eternal life with God. Many will not have eternal life with God. Speaking of the resurrection day...“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2, NIV. Called everlasting contempt here but also called the second death in the New Testament.
No, the eternal life I am talking about is best described by Thomas Guthrie: Eternal life is deliverance from eternal death, deliverance from the curse of breaking God’s law, and deliverance from the doom of a burning hell. Eternal life is eternal blessedness- the pardon from sin’s guilt, and freedom from sin’s power; the pleasures of a pure heart, and the enjoyment of peace with God; joy without any bitterness, riches without wings; health that never sickens, life that never dies, and a glory hereafter that never fades away; perfect holiness in the likeness of our Savior, and perfect happiness in the bosom of God. This is what we all need
Years ago, in caves under the earth, men were buried in just a few seconds. These poor men, buried below a mass of earth, choking for a last breath, in instant danger of perishing, need above all else the promise of eternal life.
Sin has brought death into this world, and we are all involved in this disaster- buried in the ruins of the Fall. Some might compare themselves to others and say they have not sinned as much as so and so. What difference does that make? We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. One day we will be paid our wages. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23, NIV.
Consider our inheritance
In elder care, many times have a struggle. Go to the POA (usually a child of the elder) and say, “To properly provide for the needs of your parent, money will have to be spent.” The child will say something like this, “My, that is so expensive, I don’t want to spend all of our inheritance on this.” One time got into a discussion with my father over this. He said something about my inheritance and I said, “Dad, you can keep it- spend it all before you go- because I have not earned it. Just because I am your child does not mean that I have a right to that money so use it as you see fit. I have done nothing to deserve it.” So true! Even so, many parents want to give an inheritance to their children. God wants to give an inheritance to his children. Wise to make a will and most of the time the will outlines what goes to whom- most of the time to their children. “In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.” Hebrews 9:16, 17, NIV. Christ Jesus has died and so his will is in force for his children.
Southern Gospel song “Who Am I?” When I think of how He came so far from glory, came to dwell among the lowly such as I, to suffer shame and such disgrace on Mount Calvary took my place then I ask myself this question, “Who am I?” Who am I that a King would bleed and die for? Who am I that he would pray not my will, but Thine Lord? The answer I may never know, why He ever loved me so, but to an old rugged cross He’d go for who am I?
We have an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--”kept in heaven for you,” 1 Peter 1:4
Speaking of the new heaven and the new earth, “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” Revelation 21:7
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1, NIV. Historically, the inheritance goes to the family
Are we a son or a daughter of God?
Consider what we have to do
There is a school of thought that there is nothing we can do. “not by works, so that no-one can boast.” Ephesians 2:9, NIV. “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” Titus 3:4, 5
2 outcomes of this kind of thinking: 1) Everyone is saved- universalism- several Bible verses refute this 2) God predestines some to be saved and some to be lost- nothing we can do it is all up to God- have a special feeling and that tells us that we are one of the elect. Several reasons to disagree but these terms bring up an important point. We are adopted into the family. “he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ” Ephesians 1:5, NIV.
A group of siblings were making fun of an adopted child. Exasperated, the adopted child said, "Mom and Dad chose me. Mom and Dad are stuck with all of you."
Many say belief is all that is needed- belief in the gospel, belief in the name of Jesus Christ. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--” John 1:12, NIV. Definitely part of it but more involved that just belief. In Roman society the adoption ceremony was carried out in the presence of 7 witnesses. Now, supposing the adopting father died, and then suppose there was some dispute about the right of the adopted son to inherit, one or more of the original 7 witnesses stepped forward and swore that the adoption was genuine and true. This is what Paul has in mind about the Spirit. “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” Romans 8:16, 17, NIV. The Spirit is mentioned in Titus. Did not give all the verses there. “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7, NIV. When is the Holy Spirit given? Go to Acts 2:38. When we have Holy Spirit we are heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Give an opportunity at end of this sermon, to come forward and to be adopted into the family
Consider the results of taking hold of the eternal life
Other translations say here, “win eternal life for yourself” (Good News Translation); “claim eternal life” (Contemporary English Version); “Lay hold on eternal life” (King James)
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13, NIV. When we have eternal life in our possession it changes how we live this life. We will use our time and money wisely at least from a heavenly perspective. Relationships and character will be more important than fame or wealth or achievements or entertainment. Our priorities will be reordered. “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” Philippians 3:7, NIV.
Sounds like only concerned with the future, what about now? I have needs now that only this world can fill. If we have eternal life, if we have Jesus in our hearts, we have what we need. Heaven starts now. “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,” Ephesians 2:6, NIV. A person was asked, “Do you expect to go to heaven?” He said, “Oh, I live in heaven now!” Is there peace with God? We have it now! Is there fellowship? We have it now. Heaven has come to the real world.
On the deck of a sinking ship stood an African slave- the last man on board. He was to be the last person to get on the last lifeboat. The life boat was loaded to the water line. The slave had something in his arms and the sailors refused to take him until he let that go. He pressed to his bosom what he carried in his arms and the sailors cried out to him to save himself and get into the boat. He had his choice- either to let go and get in the boat or to keep it and perish. He opened his arms and their lay 2 small children whom their father, the slave’s master, had committed to his care. He kissed the children; told the sailors to tell their father that he had done his duty; and then lowered the children into the boat which pushed off, leaving the dark man to stand alone on the deck. The slave bravely went down with the ship. A noble and touching example of someone who laid down his life for his friends. Even so, no poor sinner here today need lose eternal life. Jesus Christ paid the price, he went down with the ship so that no one else need be lost. There is room for all at the cross. Sing “Room at the Cross for you”
