Selected Scriptures
DATE: 28 July, 2002
AM
PLACE: BBC Blarney
I.
Introduction (Rom 1:21)
A. Before I got saved, I looked forward to a lot of weird things
B. After I got saved, my appetites all changed
C. I had a different “outlook” on life and events in my life – still have that “different” outlook
D. I want to look at several things every believer in Christ yearns for
II.
Background
Instead of giving up like most people…
A. I look forward to Growing Up – That’s Maturation
B. I look forward to Going Up – That’s Graduation
III.
Message – Things Believer’s Look Forward To
A. We Shall Meet Jesus Christ (1Thes 4:16,17)
1. It will be spectacular
a. No warning
b. Trumpet blast
c. Shout from heaven
d. In the twinkle of an eye we take off (1Cor 15:51,52)
e. Meet Jesus in the air – in the clouds
1) Not Peter, or Mary, or an alien
2) But Jesus Himself
2. It could be soon
a. NASA knows
b. The world has gone crazy with sin – out of control
c. It is ready for the anti-christ and his mark
3. Are you ready?
a. You have a chance to repent and get saved right now
b. 10 minutes from now may be too late
c. To wait past the rapture, is to wait too long!
B. We Shall Be With Jesus Christ (1Thes 4:17)
1. For real
a. Jesus is with me now (Heb 13:5)
b. But one day I will be with HIM
c. Heaven won’t just be a place of streets of gold and mansions and angels, but wherever Jesus is!
2. For ever
a. Till death do us part – there ain’t NO DEATH IN HEAVEN
b. There will be no separation again
1) Jesus had to leave at His ascension – the apostle John ached for His presence
2) When Jesus brought John up to the third heave, John couldn’t believe it – here Jesus was once again, in all His glory!
3) Peter wanted to just stay on that mountain-top of the mount of Transfiguration
4) But all those events had to close
5) But not in heaven!
3. I don’t know why YOU are looking forward to heaven, but as for ME, it’s to BE WITH JESUS!
a. To fall at His feet
b. To sing of His love
c. To hug on and hold onto Him for a couple of thousand years at a time
d. To sit at His feet and hear Him
e. To tell Him I love Him
f. To worship Him (Rev 5:11,12)
C. We Shall See Him as He Is (1Jn 3:1,2)
1. Not as He was in humiliation and death – a one time event
a. Not like they sing and teach today – that Jesus still feels the pains in his scars when we sin
b. That crucifixion is over and finished and complete, praise God
2. Not as he is portrayed by everyone’s guess-work, and manipulation
a. Some say he was a She
b. Some say he was just a good man, later elevated to God-head
c. Some say he was a pipe-dream
d. Some say He was only “a” god
e. Some say he is still dead
3. But the believers in this room look forward to just seeing Him!
a. As God, and yet still with that body – about 39 years old (sorry, 33 years old) – this trips up 90% of everybody!
b. Now are we the sons of God. We have the nature of sons by regeneration: by being born again. It is not something we WILL have in heaven – we have eternal life NOW!
c. And it doth not yet appear what we shall be.
1) The full glory of this sonship and adoption is reserved for another time.
2) The sons of God must walk by faith, and live by hope.
d. But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him.
1) The sons of God will be known by their likeness to their Saviour – it is true today, and how much more in heaven!?
2) They shall be like him—in honour, and power, and glory.
3) Their vile bodies shall be made like his glorious body (Philp 3:20,21)
4) I am so glad that I’m not what I CAN be
5) God is not finished with me yet – but one day, He will be!
6) I so look forward to that day!
e. And we shall see Him as He is (1Cor 13:12)
1) Sometimes we get confused about what He is like – misunderstand Him
2) But I look forward to seeing as He really is, and face to face, taking in all that He is (1Jn 1:1-3) John can’t believe how He didn’t realise WHO he had handled when Jesus was here!
D. We Shall Be Received by Him (Jn 14:3)
1. Talking about believers
2. I can be so bold as to say, my entrance into heaven is GARRANTEED
3. I presume nothing! I am trusting the finished work of Jesus Christ who promised every believer that when He comes back for me, He will receive me
a. He will accept me
b. He will take me to Himself, like a groom does His bride
c. He will not come, and then go, Uh, I changed my mind!
4. No purgatory – no tests, entrance exams, no bribing the gate- guards
5. Do you know who we meet first in heaven? Not Peter – JESUS!
6. I look forward to HIM welcoming me to His home
7. I am going by invitation!
E. We Shall Stand Before Him for Rewards (Rom 14:10; 1Cor 3:11-15; 9:5; 2Cor 5:10)
1. Condemnation is past (Rom 8:1) – all placed on Jesus on the cross
2. Commendation, or the loss of it, is all that remains
3. Our life and service for Him will be reviewed
a. We are saved by faith alone, and kept by God’s grace alone
b. But our life is now to be lived by works (Eph 2:8-10)
c. Thankfully, those works will be rewarded (Heb 6:10) – this life we live is not a rat-race, that is all for nothing! Every encouraging word will be rewarded by the Lord!
1) Did you do anything just for Jesus? You are supposed to do ALL things for Him
2) Did you do anything out of simple obedience to God’s commands in His word? Follow His recipe book for life?
3) Was your life a life that reflected God’s Son? Or only a sun-tan?
4) Or was it just a stinking selfish cess-pool of a life?
d. A life lived FOR the Lord will be rewarded BY the Lord
e. A life for SELF will not receive ANY reward at all
4. I so look forward to God’s kind of rewards
a. They are treasures – not tokens – “lay up treasures in heaven”
b. They are timeless – eternal – last forever
c. They are telling – they will identify for all eternity just what kind of a Christian life we lived – Oooooh! Pretty scary huh?
IV.
Conclusion - Applications
A. We Shall Meet Jesus Christ
1. It will be spectacular
2. It could be soon
3. Are you ready? You will meet Him as your Friend, or as your Judge (Heb 9:27)
B. We Shall Be With Jesus Christ (1Thes 4:17)
1. For real
2. For ever
3. THAT will make everything all worthwhile!
C. We Shall See Him as He Is (1Jn 3:1,2) – just one look!
D. We Shall Be Received by Him (Jn 14:3) – He is coming for US!
E. We Shall Stand Before Him for Rewards (Rom 14:10; 1Cor 3:11-15; 9:5; 2Cor 5:10) Will you have anything to show for your life? Jesus saved you for a reason! He has a wonderful way of transforming lives into something that shines! Shine for the Lord folks! Today and always!