What kind of security do you have in your home? Do you have any at all? It might just be something as simple as a dead-bolt lock. Or, maybe you have some of those motion-sensored lights that will turn on automatically if someone walks by it. Or, maybe you have a guard dog. Sometimes those dogs might not be so reliable if someone ever actually got into your house, but they sure sound mean from the outside. Dana and I have a cat that will come and purr, and rub up against your leg. I don’t think that’s going to scare too many people away, though. Perhaps you actually have a full-fledged security system. One that requires a code to be punched in every time you come into the house. One that sounds an alarm if anyone tries to break into your home.
Well, whatever the type of security you have, it’s most likely enough security. Because, whatever kind of security we have, it’s enough to make us comfortable at night when we’re home alone. Or, when we’re away on vacation. Because if it wasn’t enough to make us comfortable, we probably would be seeking additional security.
This morning, I want us to consider whether or not we have security in our Christian lives. Do you have enough security in your walk with Christ? Do you have enough security in your faith, or your eternal destination? This will be our final lesson in the year-long series on “Eternal Vision.” We’ve talked about preparing for eternity. We’ve discussed the judgment day. We’ve looked into the glories of heaven, and the horrors of hell. And, so, today I want us to study our security in knowing where we are bound for eternity.
Can we know? Is it possible for us to have that kind of security. In the verses that were just read to us from Hebrews 4, there’s another word that describes what we’re talking about today. The Hebrews writer says that we can approach the throne of grace how? - with confidence. There are several things that we can have confidence in as Christians. But, this morning, I want us to look at three, specifically.
I. Confidence in Our Care
A. The first of these is found in Matthew 6:25-34. We can have confidence in our care. The eagle is one of the largest and most powerful birds in the world. Some eagles weigh as much as 12 or 13 pounds and have a wingspan of up to seven feet.
The nests of eagles are called eyries. They are built mainly of sticks and are often lined with fresh green leaves while they are being used. Once a year, the female lays one or two eggs, and they are carefully tended, sometimes even by the male eagle, until they hatch, in about 40 days. Both parents then guard the nest and take food to the young.
At about 11 or 12 weeks, a very curious thing happens. If the eaglets have not ventured forth on their own, the parent eagle "stirs" or rocks the nest, tipping the eaglets out! The young eaglets flap about in panic, still beginners at this flying business. The parent eagle hovers watchfully, waiting for the critical moment. Then, with wings spread wide, the eagle swoops down underneath those babies and delivers them back to the security of the eyrie.
Do you ever feel as though you’ve been tossed from the nest, and you don’t know how to fly? At some time or another in this life, I believe we all have experiences like this. We struggle to know how to handle the situations we’re in. We worry about what the end result is going to be. And, since we can’t see the future, we aren’t confident in how things are going to turn out.
But, that’s the beauty of the message Jesus gives us here. We don’t have to have confidence in knowing the end result. We don’t have to have confidence in our own abilities to get us through it all. Because we can have confidence in the One who cares for us. We can have confidence that even when we are tossed around by this life, and when we feel as though we’re free-falling, God is going to be there to catch us.
Friday night, at the Men’s Retreat, after everything was finished, several of us stayed in our conference room, and we sang a bunch of songs. I think it lasted 2 hours or more. And, it was great. But, one of the songs we sang reminded me of this morning’s sermon. So, I wanted us to turn to #319. [SING/READ VERSES 1 & 3]
We can have that kind of confidence! We can have the kind of confidence that says, “I don’t know about tomorrow, but I know it’s God that is going to care for me then.” And, that should provide us with a great deal of security in this life.
II. Confidence in Our Forgiveness
A. In addition to being confident in God’s care for our physical lives, we can have great confidence in God’s ability to care for our spiritual well-being. Look again at those verses in Hebrews 4. We can find great security in knowing that we have a Savior who understands our troubles. A Savior who was tempted just as we are. But, most importantly, a Savior who is willing to forgive us of our shortcomings.
There’s a story of a chess champion who was touring a museum when he stopped to examine a picture that especially interested him. The painting was of a chess match between a man and Satan. And, the man’s face was clearly one of panic as the Evil One was making what appeared to be his final move. And, the painting’s title was simply called “checkmate.” Well, after studying the painting for a couple minutes, the chess champion began to smile. He turned to the tour guide, and said, “I have good news for the man in that picture. He still has a move!”
I wonder how often we feel as though we have no more moves left. That we are in a chess match with Satan, and he has outwitted us, and we have no choice but to give up and give in. What we need to realize is that there’s always another move. In 1 John 1:9, we’re told, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Not only do we have a Lord who understands us, and understands what we go through when faced with temptation. But, we have a Lord who has promised us that if we will confess our sins to Him, and if we will repent of them, then He will forgive us. How much more security could we possibly need?
III. Confidence in Eternity
A. Because, when we can know that our physical lives are being cared for, and when we can know that our spiritual shortcomings are forgiven, that means we can have confidence in eternity.
I don’t think it’s a great secret that I’m a sports fan. I enjoy a lot of different sports. I’ll even watch pool, or bowling if it’s on ESPN when I happen to turn on the TV. But, one of the ESPN channels I really like is ESPN Classic. The entire network is dedicated to showing broadcasts of games that have already been played. And, I really like watching some of those older games that are classic rivalries, or famous players from years ago.
But, the best part about it is - I don’t have to get all wrapped up in who’s going to win. Because, I already know the outcome. Or, if I don’t, I can easily find out by looking it up on the internet. It makes for a much more relaxing time while watching the game, even if it was a “nail-biter” when it was first played. I don’t have to get upset over bad calls, or get worried about a team coming from behind. I know the end result.
I hope by now you know where I’m going with this. But, to help us be sure, let’s turn to 1 Corinthians 15:51-57. We know the end result. We know the final outcome. If you are a Christian today, you can have confidence in eternity. Because, you have a God that is going to forgive you of your sins, which is going to grant you victory, as Paul puts it. And, there is no greater security than that.
IV. Conclusion
A. But, the problem this morning is that there is still a lot of insecurity among us. Some of us may have more security in our homes than we do in our spiritual lives. But, that can all change right here, and right now. If you haven’t been baptized for the forgiveness of your sins, and you haven’t made that commitment to Jesus Christ, then you need to have that security in your life. You need to come to Him today, and begin a new life of confidence.
Or, perhaps you’ve been baptized, but your life has been one full of sin, lately. And that sin has rattled your confidence. Well, this morning, you can take security in the fact that you can confess your sins to God, repent, and He will forgive you.
INVITATION
