Good News – Bad News
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Cor 4:18-5:5)
OK, so here’s the bad news: If Jesus tarries every one of us is facing the grave. Now that shouldn’t come as a big surprise to anyone. The mortality rate among humans, with extremely few exceptions, seems to hover fairly consistently right around 100%. And it’s been that way for – well, forever. I didn’t say it was new news – just bad news. Now that reality is absolutely dreadful for many people. In fact some people are so afraid of dying they will go to extraordinary lengths to try to avoid the grave. Once such process is called cryonics, in which you can have your body submerged in liquid nitrogen and frozen at -120 degrees. In case you’re not familiar with this process here is an introduction from a cryonics web page: “The Cryonics Institute offers cryonic suspension services and information. As soon as possible after legal death, a member patient is prepared and cooled to a temperature where physical decay essentially stops, and is then maintained indefinitely in cryostasis. When and if future medical technology allows, our member patients hope to be healed, rejuvenated, revived, and awakened to a greatly extended life in youthful good health, free from disease or the aging process.” Now that’s quite a promise! (but don’t miss the key words: “when and if” and “hope to be” in their ad.) Of course extended mortality doesn’t come cheap. The Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona (I believe baseball star Ted Williams is chilling out there right now.) will charge you a minimum of $120,000 to be frozen. In case you can’t pony up that much cold cash, you’ve got another option. For a mere $90,000 you can choose neurosuspension. With this reduced price plan, your head will be severed from your body and then frozen in hopes that future medical science will somehow come up with a way to reconnect your head to a newer, younger body. Now I don’t know how you feel about it, but even if they are able to work out the procedure to accomplish this, the thought of an old head attached to a younger body sounds a little weird to me. But who knows; perhaps it will become fashionable in the future? And besides that, having your head chopped off for a mere $30,000 discount doesn’t seem like that great of a bargain. – But if anyone is interested just let me know. I’ve got the toll free number.
And here’s the good news: God has a far better plan. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has removed the sting and the fear of death.
1. Focus on Christ’s Victory - While death is a grave problem all of us will face, (sorry – couldn’t pass it up) the Apostle Paul reminds us in the passage above that we don’t have to try to come up with our own solution to deal with it. People get troubled because they don’t know what is going to happen when they die, but Jesus has taken the fear out of dying. He has conquered the grave and death so there needs to be no fear in our eternal future. Death had no hold on Him nor does it have a hold on us. Because Christ conquered death there should be no fear for the Christian because through Christ we also conquer death. “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” (Rev 1:17-18)
2. Focus on the Eternal - So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Paul talks about the tearing down of the tent. A tent is transient, temporary, insecure, inferior, fragile, and frail. A tent belongs to somebody who wanders around and doesn't have a permanent home. It’s an uncomfortable place. If you’re living in a tent, it means you need something better – more permanent. God has prepared a better dwelling for you. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20-21)
3. Focus on God’s Plan - Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Somewhere in eternity past God prepared us for this. It has been His eternal plan all along - His eternal purpose. God has a plan than spans from eternity past to eternity future and you are included in that plan. And if you have received His forgiveness through the cross of Christ, God’s plan for you in eternity is fixed and guaranteed. To guarantee it He gives us the Spirit as a deposit to dwell within us. The very purpose God created you is to dwell with Him forever. He couldn’t wait for that reunion to begin in the future so He dwells within us today!
Surrender and submerge your life in Jesus Christ and you don’t have to worry about death – He is the end of your grave problems!
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:54 -57)
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
OK, so here’s the bad news: If Jesus tarries every one of us is facing the grave. Now that shouldn’t come as a big surprise to anyone. The mortality rate among humans, with extremely few exceptions, seems to hover fairly consistently right around 100%. And it’s been that way for – well, forever. I didn’t say it was new news – just bad news. Now that reality is absolutely dreadful for many people. In fact some people are so afraid of dying they will go to extraordinary lengths to try to avoid the grave. Once such process is called cryonics, in which you can have your body submerged in liquid nitrogen and frozen at -120 degrees. In case you’re not familiar with this process here is an introduction from a cryonics web page: “The Cryonics Institute offers cryonic suspension services and information. As soon as possible after legal death, a member patient is prepared and cooled to a temperature where physical decay essentially stops, and is then maintained indefinitely in cryostasis. When and if future medical technology allows, our member patients hope to be healed, rejuvenated, revived, and awakened to a greatly extended life in youthful good health, free from disease or the aging process.” Now that’s quite a promise! (but don’t miss the key words: “when and if” and “hope to be” in their ad.) Of course extended mortality doesn’t come cheap. The Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona (I believe baseball star Ted Williams is chilling out there right now.) will charge you a minimum of $120,000 to be frozen. In case you can’t pony up that much cold cash, you’ve got another option. For a mere $90,000 you can choose neurosuspension. With this reduced price plan, your head will be severed from your body and then frozen in hopes that future medical science will somehow come up with a way to reconnect your head to a newer, younger body. Now I don’t know how you feel about it, but even if they are able to work out the procedure to accomplish this, the thought of an old head attached to a younger body sounds a little weird to me. But who knows; perhaps it will become fashionable in the future? And besides that, having your head chopped off for a mere $30,000 discount doesn’t seem like that great of a bargain. – But if anyone is interested just let me know. I’ve got the toll free number.
And here’s the good news: God has a far better plan. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has removed the sting and the fear of death.
1. Focus on Christ’s Victory - While death is a grave problem all of us will face, (sorry – couldn’t pass it up) the Apostle Paul reminds us in the passage above that we don’t have to try to come up with our own solution to deal with it. People get troubled because they don’t know what is going to happen when they die, but Jesus has taken the fear out of dying. He has conquered the grave and death so there needs to be no fear in our eternal future. Death had no hold on Him nor does it have a hold on us. Because Christ conquered death there should be no fear for the Christian because through Christ we also conquer death. “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.” (Rev 1:17-18)
2. Focus on the Eternal - So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Paul talks about the tearing down of the tent. A tent is transient, temporary, insecure, inferior, fragile, and frail. A tent belongs to somebody who wanders around and doesn't have a permanent home. It’s an uncomfortable place. If you’re living in a tent, it means you need something better – more permanent. God has prepared a better dwelling for you. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20-21)
3. Focus on God’s Plan - Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Somewhere in eternity past God prepared us for this. It has been His eternal plan all along - His eternal purpose. God has a plan than spans from eternity past to eternity future and you are included in that plan. And if you have received His forgiveness through the cross of Christ, God’s plan for you in eternity is fixed and guaranteed. To guarantee it He gives us the Spirit as a deposit to dwell within us. The very purpose God created you is to dwell with Him forever. He couldn’t wait for that reunion to begin in the future so He dwells within us today!
Surrender and submerge your life in Jesus Christ and you don’t have to worry about death – He is the end of your grave problems!
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:54 -57)
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 8:51 AM
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