Place: Lurgan Baptist 2:1:2005 Readings: Isaiah 57:15 2 Cor 4:17-18 ETERNITY It is that time of the year again when people are making their New Year Resolutions. Some time ago a website released its annual predictions of the types of resolutions people are expected to make for the coming year. They break down as follows. 22% of resolutions involve health and fitness. 18% career, 15% personal growth and interests, 11% personal finance, 8% family and relationships, 6% education and training, 5% home improvement and property and 3% recreation and leisure. We begin a New Year by saying, I m going to lose weight yet March rolls around and the Diet books are sitting on the shelf and we are ten pounds heavier. I want to suggest to you that there is something far more important than New Years Resolutions, and that is New Year Perspectives. Our word perspective, is from a Latin word ( perspectus ) meaning to look through, to see clearly, and my. the thing that I want you to see clearly this. is this, that time for you is marching on and soon you will be in eternity. I tell you those thousands and thousands who perished as a result of that earthquake in the Indian Ocean did not think that at the beginning of a New Year they would be in eternity. ( December 2004 ) Do you realise that you could be in eternity before this year passes? Before this month passes? Before this week passes? Before this very day passes? How would you fare? Where would you be? A few hours before entering Heaven, the famous American evangelist, D.L. Moody caught a glimpse of the coming glory and he cried, earth is receding, heaven is opening, God is calling I must go, this is my triumph, this is my coronation day. Is that how you will pass into eternity? With hope, confidence, assurance, that for you it be heaven? Or will you leave this scene of time without Christ, without God and without hope? Lord William Russell, when on the scaffold about to be beheaded took his watch from his pocket and gave it to Dr. Burnett who was attending him. He said, My watch may be of service to you. I have no further occasion for it. My thoughts are fixed on eternity. My. for a little while this. I want to fix your thoughts on eternity for there are some here this. who this time next year will be in eternity. Indeed all in this congregation within a period of one hundred years will be in eternity, in heaven or hell. Is it not vital then, that we listen attentively
and yield submissively to the Word of the Lord for our eternal destiny may depend on it. I want to direct your thoughts to the words of the apostle Paul in ( 2 Cor 4:4 ) He says, While., Can I give you three realities relating to eternity. We are, (1) LIVING IN A SPHERE WHICH IS TEMPORAL Paul says, the things which are seen are temporal. My. everything around us is decaying, dying and coming to an end. No wonder the hymn-writer says, Change and decay in all around I see O Thou who changest not abide with me. My. we are all going, going, going, it matters not if we are high or low, rich or poor, young or old. We are going and soon we shall be gone. How, (a) CHALLENGING THIS IS: Think about the things which are seen. No doubt Paul had in mind the troubles and trials that were his present lot. ( 4:8 ) But he meant a great deal more than this. All that he had ever seen in Tarsus, Jerusalem, Corinth, Rome, the things which man had made, city and palace, the things which God had made. The flowers and trees, rivers and ocean, these says Paul are the things which are transient and temporal. Can I bring it a little closer home for us this.? 1. Beauty is only Temporal: Sarah was once a beautiful woman, the admiration of the court of Egypt, yet a day came when her husband Abraham said, Let me bury my dead out of my sight. ( Gen 23:4 ) Ladies, despite all the cosmetics beauty is only temporal. It will pass. You know, we have 10,000 beauty secrets going around. People want to get a face lift. Then they have the second face lift, the third face lift and so on. Why? They want to slow the process down as much as they can. We are always looking for the fountain of youth. If its not Oil of Olay its Aloe Vera. You see, these old eyes get weaker, and these arms become more feeble, and the legs start to bend, and memory begins to go, is that happening to you already? I heard about a fellow who went to a psychiatrist. He said, Doc, you ll have to help me for I have a real problem. The Doctor said, what s your problem? He said, It my memory I can t
remember anything. I can t remember where I put my watch, I can t remember where I am supposed to go. The Doctor said to him, man you have a real problem, how long have you had this problem? The man said, How long have I had what problem? 1. 2. Strength is only Temporal: Men, despite all the jogging, walking and weight lifting Strength is only temporal. King David was once a mighty man of valour, yet a day came when even David had to be ministered unto in his old age. ( 1 Kings 11:2 ) Life expectancy is now rising so much so, that the Pension Companies have to juggle their figures. In the U.S.A. it reached a new height of 77.2 years in 2001. When you realise that life expectancy in 1900 was just 47.3 years, its amazing that such advancements have been made in the last 100 years that Americans are now expected to live 30 years longer. But they will still die for strength is only temporal. 3. Wisdom is only Temporal: Young folk, go in for all the education you can get, but always remember that wisdom is only temporal. Solomon was once a prodigy of knowledge, and all the kings of the earth came to hear his wisdom, yet even Solomon in his latter days played the fool exceedingly and allowed his wives to turn away his heart. ( 1 Kings 11:2 ) Can I bring it a little closer to you this.? The houses we live in, the home we love, the riches we accumulate, the professions we follow, the plans we make, the relations we cherish. My. they are all only for a time for the things which are seen are temporal. How well we know it! Someone has said when you die the only thing you ll have is a six foot hole in the ground. Then after a moments meditation he said, as a matter of fact you won t have the hold in the ground, it will have you. My. is it not time at the beginning of this New Year for you to pause, and try and see life in its true perspective. Do you realise that the things you are living for now are temporal? All your pleasures, sins, recreations will be soon be over, you cannot keep them, you will not have them. That s why we say to you this. seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. ( Matt 6:33 ) the things which are seen are temporal. (a) But how, (b) COMFORTING THIS IS:
For when Paul speaks here of the things which are seen, he is no doubt thinking about his toils, his tears, his trials, the troubles endured by him as a servant of Jesus Christ. ( 4:8-17 ) My fellow Christian does this not comfort your heart, cheer your soul, lighten your step? For all your trials, conflicts, sorrows, difficulties, problems, weakness, they are all temporal. They will be soon be over and even now they are working for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. ( 4:18 ) That s why you need to take them patiently, bear them quietly. Look upward, forward, onward and fare beyond them. Bear them with the abiding recollection that the things which are seen are temporal. (1) But we are (2) GOING TO A WORLD THAT IS ETERNAL Did you catch what Paul said? But the things which are not seen., God, Christ, joy eternal bliss, eternal torment, heaven, hell, these things are eternal. ( Jn 1:18 1 Cor 2:9 ) You see, that great unseen state of existence which lies beyond the grave is forever. It does not matter whether it be joy or judgement, glory or gloom, pleasure or pain. In one respect it is completely unlike this world, it is for ever. There in the great eternity there will be no change, or decay, no end, no alteration, no annihilation. Whatever there is beyond the grave is endless, eternal, everlasting. You see, while the word eternity, appears only once in the Bible ( Is 57:15 ) the concept of eternity appears time and again. Eternity is an attribute or perfection of God. God s existence is without beginning and will never end. Do you recall what the psalmist says? From everlasting to everlasting Thou art God. ( 90:2 ) Paul says, the things which are not seen are eternal. (1) I stand on the shores of time and cry out Eternity, eternity how long are thou? Back comes the answer, When ten thousand times, ten thousand times, ten thousand years have passed, eternity will have just begun. My. look ahead this.! How long will you live? You may live, 5, 10, 15, 20, 50, more years but then what? Those years will be soon be over, then what? Eternity! Can you grasp it? How long is a million years? Well, a million is a thousand, thousand. How long is a trillion years? A trillion is a thousand billion. How long is a quadrillion of years? A quadrillion is a thousand trillion. How long is a quintillion of years? A quintillion is a thousand quadrillion. You say, preacher I don grasp that. Its incomprehensible. My. so is eternity. Because after a quintillion of years eternity will have just begun. Do you recognise that there is an eternity? Do you realise that you are living in a sphere which is temporal, but that you are going to a
world which is eternal? but the things which are not seen are eternal. Do you know what that means? It means that the future, (a) GLORY OF THE SAVED IS ETERNAL: Do you recall what the sweet psalmist says? And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. ( 23:6 ) Paul says we shall be forever with the Lord. ( 1 Thes 4:17 ) And however little we may grasp this, it is something which will have no end, it will never cease, never grow old, never decay and never die. At Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. ( Ps 16:11 ) My Christian. once we land in glory we shall go out no more. Peter says the inheritance of the believer is incorruptible, undefiled, and fadeth not away. ( 1 Pet 1:4 ) Then our warfare will be accomplished, then our fight will be over, and then our work will be done. There we shall have satisfying resources, because for the Christian the best is yet to be. We are heading to a home which shall never be broken up, a meeting without a parting, a family gathering without a separation, a day without a night. Do you know what we are now? We are pilgrim and strangers. ( 1 Pet 2:11 ) Now a fugitive is running away from home, a vagabond has no home, a stranger is away from home, but a pilgrim is heading home and when we get home I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Oh, the permanency of it. One of these days we are going to settle down, and be forever with the Lord. (a) But, (b) THE AGONY OF THE LOST IS ETERNAL: For eternal glory and eternal agony stand side by side. ( Matt 25:46 ) I fail to see how you can distinguish the duration of the one from the duration of the other. My. if the joy of the Christian is eternal, then the judgement of the Christless is eternal. If heaven is eternal, then so is hell. How awful to think that once in hell you will be in hell forever. Yet is this not the truth of the Bible? The Lord Jesus speaks about the fire that never will be quenched. ( Mk 9:43 ) He says, These shall go away into everlasting punishment. ( Matt 25:46 2 Thes 1:9 ) There s a verse that has been burning into my soul in these past days. Do you know where it is? Its found in the Book of the Revelation. Speaking of those who had no time for God or for His sinless Son it says, And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever. ( 14:11 ) My. there is a road that leads into hell, but there is no road that leads out of hell. The road that leads into hell is a one way dead end street. There will be no missionary journeys to hell, and there will be no vacation trips to heaven. Do you know what
the Bible teaches? The eternal security of the sinner. For once in hell, you will be in hell forever. My. have you got the message? Do you realise that there is no second chance of being saved after death? Do you see clearly that there is no hope of deliverance if you die in your sins? ( Jn 8:21 ) Lost! Personally lost! Eternally lost! Tragically lost! Lost in the darkness of hell forever! If you were called into eternity within 24 hours would you be saved or lost? Paul says, the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. We are (1) (2) and right now we are, (3) DECIDING UPON A MATTER THAT IS VITAL Can you tell me anything more vital than where you will spend eternity? My. (a) IT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO KNOW WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY: It is. Yes it is. My. will you answer one simple question for me. Have you come to the place in your life where you can say for certain that if you were to die tonight, you would go to heaven? What is your answer? I don t know. Can anyone know for sure? Yes they can! Do you know now where you will be spend eternity? The Lord Jesus knew where He would spend eternity. He said, But I go my way to Him that sent Me. ( Jn 16:5 ) Christ was going back to the Father in heaven to prepare a home for His blood bought people. Job, knew where he would spend eternity. He said, I know that my Redeemer liveth. and in my flesh shall I see God. ( 19:25 ) Paul knew where he would spend eternity. He said, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better. ( Phil 1:23 ) So it is possible for you to know where you will spend eternity. You see, (b) ETERNITY HINGES UPON WHAT YOU DO HERE AND NOW: Our life on this planet is short at the very best. ( James 4:14 ) And the life that is before us when we leave this world is an endless eternity, a sea without a bottom, an ocean without a shore. But shore as our life is here, and endless as it will be hereafter, it s a big thought that eternity hinges on time. My. your destiny after death depends on what you do in time. The Bible says, It is appointed. judgement. ( Heb 9:27 ) And as death leaves men so
judgement will find them. I tell you, Now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation. ( 2 Cor 6:2 ) How are you using your time? What are you doing for your immoral soul? Are you preparing to meet the Lord? My. (a) (b) (c) HERE AND NOW YOU ARE FACED WITH CHRIST AND YOUR ETERNITY WILL BE DETERMINED BY WHAT YOU DO WITH HIM: He Himself said, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. ( 3:36 ) My. if you accept Christ as your personal Saviour, you will spend eternity with Him, if you reject Christ as your personal Saviour, you will spend eternity without Him. So the question that confronts you this. is this, what shall I do with Jesus, which is called Christ? ( Matt 2722 ) What did the Lord Jesus do for you? Well, He came, and He lived a life that we could never live, and He died for our sins on the tree, He shed His precious blood to deal with our sin problem, and on the third day He rose again, and this. He lives to be your Saviour. My. Christ came to give us hope and peace while we live among the things which are seen and temporal, and He came to gave us glory and joy when we enter into the things which are not seen and eternal. Eternity! How will you face it? Do you know how Paul faced it? He said For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better. ( Phil 1:21 ) Is this how you will face eternity for face it you will! In the city of Sydney, Australia late one evening a British naval officer walked down a well known street. Suddenly he heard a voice behind which said, if you should be called into eternity within the next 24 hours your soul would be in either heaven or hell. These arresting words burned into his soul and through them he came to trust Christ. My. if you should be called into eternity within the next 24 hours your soul would be in either heaven or hell. Which? Eternity! (1) (2) (3) To think, when heaven and earth are fled And skies and seas are o er When all that can die shall be dead That I shall die no more Oh, where shall then my portion be Where shall I spend eternity.