Purpose: “God wants us to remember that because of Christ’s sacrifice, our home is now in Heaven! Remembering this truth both strengthens us in the present and motivates us for the future!”
I. IT STRENGTHENS US IN THE PRESENT (20a)
* Because of His sacrifice, we can be strengthened in the present, knowing that we have both a new identity and a new purpose!
A. We have a new identify
At the moment we placed our faith in Jesus Christ alone for our salvation, we became citizens of a heavenly kingdom. And now as the “Children of God”, we are under the authority of a new Ruler and an entirely new set of standards and source of power by which we are to conduct our lives. Just like Jesus, our kingdom is not of this world! And just as Jesus lived His life with a constant awareness that this was not His home, so you and I need to follow His example and live our lives with a constant awareness that our citizenship is not of this world but that we are members of a heavenly kingdom with a heavenly King!
B. We have a new purpose
As new creations in Christ Jesus, our citizenship is now in Heaven, our Father is in Heaven, & our names are now written in Heaven. Therefore we ought to live our lives focused like a laser on our new purpose here on earth as Ambassadors of Christ! Like the Blues Brothers…”We’re on a mission from God!”
II. IT MOTIVATES US FOR THE FUTURE (20b-21)
* The Judaizers Paul warned about wanted believers to live in the “past-tense” by going back under the Old Testament Law. But as Christians, we are to live in the “future- tense”...eagerly awaiting our Coming King and new bodies!
A. We eagerly await our coming King!
The fact that Jesus Christ is coming back soon to take all home to be with Him ought to motivate us to “press-on” in living for Him today! The question for us is, “Are you ready?”
B. We eagerly await our new bodies!
This is what we have to look forward to! When Jesus Christ returns for us, these lowly bodies of humiliation will be transformed & conformed to the glorious body of Jesus Christ! And how will He do it? Paul says, “According to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” Paul says that it is by this same power by which Christ is able to subdue all things to Himself that He is able to change our lowly physical bodies & conform them to the same eternal Resurrection Body that He possesses! You see, this old body we carry around that struggles with sickness and disease and sin and death will soon be transformed into a glorious eternal body that is made for eternity! I don’t know about you….but that’s Good News!
Sunday School: 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship: 10:45 AM
Nursery and children's classes available during Sunday School and Sunday Worship.
Contact us online or phone (208) 362-4357.