"Living with Eternity in Mind" (Hebrews 12:12-17) Purpose Driven Series Sermon Four

1. Introduction

In the first three sermons in this series we have been reminded that God (not ourselves) is the centre of the universe. To fight this principle and seek to put ourselves in the centre, so that everything around me is interpreted through my needs, will lead nowhere other than disappointment. But placing God in the rightful and central position connects me with my purpose in life, allowing me to see which of the various connecting jigsaw puzzle pieces I fulfil.

We saw that our presence on earth and our connection with our church community allows us to participate in God’s plans in our neighbourhood and the world in general. We have been called into significant roles for the benefit of others that will bring ultimate purpose to our own lives. However, if we are to fulfil such purpose, we are going to have to have Jesus in the driver’s seat – not the co-pilot’s seat, not the passenger seat, but the driver’s seat – where all the action is.

This all leads to a certain philosophy of life; far away from the carefree anything goes laissez-faire type lifestyle we see in the world; but also far away from the stressed out over-performing sort of life orientation at the other end of the spectrum. This is new life – the life of the resurrected Jesus lived out every day in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is where we put aside earthly success as a goal and give preference to our God-given purpose – our real reason for being.

For we cannot take our success into eternity; we can only take our character. Education and learning and high achievement in various areas, and lots of material resources, can be very encouraging and helpful to us in many ways, but will not get us anywhere, when it comes to admission to heaven. We can only take our character into eternity, character built on the basis of effectively following Jesus in life. Our character begins to be built anew upon our repentance and receiving the gift of the grace of God offered through Jesus, and having Jesus in the driver’s seat through the challenges that follow.

2. Our Eternal Quest

Because we are saved and our eternity is secure, sometimes this can make the Christian person way too comfortable and apathetic. The affairs of earth and the difficulties faced by other people can become very much removed from our vision … for we feel that we will be alright thank-you very much! But this is not the Christian life at all, not the Christian life as described in the New Testament. If we are sure about our eternal destiny, and that we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom, then this should raise our level of concern for others, especially those who have not found relationship and peace with their creator. The more certain we are, the more activist we should become!

A Story of a Man and his Dog

"A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. The man remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. The man and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse me, where are we?' 'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered. 'Wow! Would you happen to have some water?' he asked. 'Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some ice water brought right up. 'The man gestured, and the gate began to open. 'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come in, too?' the traveler asked. 'I'm sorry sir, but we don't accept pets. 'The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. 'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have any water?' 'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on in.' 'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured to the dog. 'There should be a bowl by the pump,' said the man. They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree. 'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked. 'This is Heaven,' he answered. 'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The man down the road said that was Heaven, too.' 'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope. That's hell.' 'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?', the traveler asked. 'No, we're just happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.'"

Our surety of eternity should give us a higher level of concern for those without Jesus in their lives. Having become more concerned as such, then in turn we should become more concerned about the integrity of our witness … the intensity of our light. Do we actually present a good representation of God in our everyday living? Yes, we are only human and we can be forgiven after all – isn’t that enough? No, it isn’t! Are we actually seeking to grow in the image of Christ Jesus as the Bible recommends?

Let’s have a bit of a discussion! What do you think gets in the way of our spiritual growth and our effective witness??? And what can we do about these things??

Here are some ideas from me:
· Unforgiveness
· Bitterness
· Intolerance & hard-heartedness
· Tiredness
· Wavering ie. serving more than one master
· Lack of peace (cause by any one of above)

The writer to the Hebrews challenges us regarding these things. We can see here various implications if we don’t take seriously the importance of our daily walk with Jesus.

In Chapter 12 and Verse 14 we read again, as we do in so many passages in the Bible, of the importance of pursuing peace in all the interpersonal aspects of life. People are often selfish and abrasive, but this we should not be! Combined with this is the notion that the absence of a tangible and visible holiness in us will not only diminish our spirituality, but also mean that other people will not have the opportunity of seeing the Lord.

What does being “holy” mean?? Of course to be holy does not mean that holier-than-thou superior type attitude, but rather refers to being ‘set apart’ – being obviously and thoroughly given over to God – to belong to God first and foremost and completely. It is this ‘set-apartness’ or pure character that allows a person to really gain a vision of God, and for a vision of God to be seen in them.

Verse 15 begins with the words, “See to it”, which suggest a real oversight … a role of oversight over our field of influence and interest … investing real leadership into the lives of others. This ‘oversight’ targets no-one missing out on the grace of God.

We read here of the consequences of allowing bitterness to build. It not only leads to our own destruction, but also compromises the opportunity of others experiencing the grace of God. We can’t allow our feelings of woundedness (no matter how justified) to block the possibility of another experiencing forgiveness – our forgiveness and God’s forgiveness. Bitterness and unforgiveness and relational disconnection and any desire for revenge can only lead to what the Bible describes as defilement or corruption – the complete undoing of the human spirit. Bitterness is a poison that destroys all in its path.

3. An Eternal Mindset

So, if you knew today that tomorrow would be your last day on earth, what would you do to prepare for eternity?

We’ll listen to a song entitled “Live like you were dying”; and we can note words like … “I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter, and I gave forgiveness that I’d been denying”.

"Live Like You Were Dying"

(Written by Tim Nichols & Craig Wiseman; performed by Tim McGraw)

He said … I was in my early forties with a lot of life before me,
when a moment came that stopped me on a dime.
I spent most of the next days looking at the x-rays,
and talking ‘bout the options – and talking ‘bout sweet time.

I asked him when it sank in – that this might really be the end,
how’s it hit ya when you get that kind of news.
Man what’d you do? He said …

I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fumanchu.
And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
and I gave forgiveness I’d been denying.
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.

He said I was finally the husband that most the time I wasn’t,
And I became a friend a friend would like to have.
And all ‘a sudden going fishin’ – wasn’t such an imposition,
And I went three times that year I lost my dad.
Well I finally read the good book – and I took a good long hard look,
at what I’d do if I could do it all again … and then …

I went sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fumanchu.
And I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
and I gave forgiveness I’d been denying.
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.

Like tomorrow was a gift,
and you’ve got eternity to think about what you’d do with it,
what did you do with it – what did I do with it
– what would I do with it?

… sky diving, I went rocky mountain climbing,
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fumanchu.
Then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,
and I watched an eagle as it was flying.
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
to live like you were dying.

So let’s live with some urgency about us. Let’s be known for the joy that comes from a relationship with Jesus. Let’s be active with our faith, rather than just seeing it as an insurance plan! When we live with eternity in mind, our values change – for what is uppermost in our mind is where our life is leading; and not just our life, but also the lives of all those living around us, all those living within the sphere of our influence. As we see in our Hebrews text, it is important for God’s people to live as God’s people; and to take our standards from God and not from the ungodly.

Verses 12 & 13 sound like a coach’s half-time address when our team is five goals behind! The coach might say, ‘Get your bodies over the ball and get it running our way’! Some within the team, or in this case, some within the church, may just have lost their energy levels or momentum which has affected the whole vision. This image depicts those who are spiritually paralyzed. They are urged to put things right and get moving. There may be real hurts, distractions, doubts or even fear involved, but the writer to the Hebrews is quick to remind us that there is a huge and important task to be addressed i.e. the number of people around us who have never had the chance to truly experience God in their lives (and thus their destiny is in doubt).

Last Monday night when Carlton played St.Kilda, Chris Judd, in being pushed to the ground, badly dislocated a finger. Now if that was me, I’d be quickly looking for a trainer and a strong anesthetic and a rest on the bench for the remainder of the game. But the great Chris Judd just put his finger right back in joint himself and got straight back into the play. In a way that’s the level of toughness we need in being followers of Jesus. Because for a lot of people their eternity is at stake! You don’t want anybody to miss the grace of God. We have to be actively about the business of helping people reconnect with God.

Of course many of our number from time to time will need support if they are going to be able to keep their eyes on the goal. This will be achieved through broad tangible loving practical care (much more so than just verbal correction). We are to be supporters of one another, cheering and helping each other on toward our combined victory!

[This mission of ours will always require us to quickly and continually repent of our own misdoing, so that we never lose touch with God, and so that we find ourselves fully free (of conscience) to engage with others, without guilt weighing us down or holding us back or restricting our effort.]

4. Making the right decision

This text provides the example of Esau as one who never found the “straight path” because of his poor decision-making. Despite being hungry, it still showed a thoughtless mindset, to give up his divinely ordained birthright for a single meal. This was an outward sign that Esau was not spiritually minded but rather taken up with the things of the here and now. This was a decision that could never be reversed, for it was too late. Despite a later desire to regain his father’s blessing, he could not escape the consequences of his earlier decision. Esau was not able to find a way to change what he had done earlier. The choice was made and the choice stands. Esau could have come back to God, but what he really wanted (his inheritance rights as firstborn son) he couldn’t recover.

This all reminds us dramatically about our need to be so closely tuned into God as to limit making bad decisions (sourced from improper priorities). There is a certain finality about each action we take. At the beginning of verse 16 we again (like verse 15) read “See to it” bringing forward that ‘oversight’ role again. We certainly don’t want to see anyone fall into the trap that Esau did. This is not what we would want for ourselves, and this is also not what we would want for anybody else. Whereas forgiveness still remains available to the repentant, we would want our families and neighbourhood spared from all the ongoing destructiveness that derives from selfish decision-making.

5. Conclusion

The small group discussion guide that is being followed through this series asks participants to think of someone they know who does not know Jesus – then imagine meeting them in heaven and hearing them say, ‘Thank you … I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you’.

How might this change the way we think??? Wouldn’t everyday interactions take on new meaning and significance! Wouldn’t the level at which we reflect the light of Jesus become more crucial!! Wouldn’t having more idea how to share the story of our faith be really important!

The Apostle Paul is so thoroughly our example here. Following all of Paul’s dangerous and successful missionary journeys, he found himself under house arrest in Rome. He must have known his days were numbered. Yet we find him still on the job sharing the Gospel. The very last two verses of the Book of Acts read that Paul, “… welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance”. Paul continued to touch people with the Gospel because he cared about them and how their eternity would look – all out of his love for God.