What on Earth are We Doing Here, for Heaven's Sake? (2)

What are we (to be) doing here?

Colossians 1:16 ESV

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Colossians 1:17 ESV

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

1) Going

Great Commission - Go

Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Acts 1:6–11 NKJV

6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

To the Richer Young Ruler:

Go, Sell, Give - then Come and Follow

2) Loving

Matthew 22:37–39 NKJV

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

Matthew 22:40 NKJV

40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus was in the Synagogue, answering the question of a Pharisee about which commandment was the greatest.

The Primacy of Love for God

The command to love God is not just the first in order but the greatest in importance. It should be the foundation of all our actions and decisions.

Holistic Love

Loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind involves every aspect of our being—emotions, will, intellect, and spirit.

Love as a Command

This love is not merely a feeling but a command, requiring intentionality and commitment.

You can’t love by accident. You must choose to love and act upon that choice with intentionality.

1 John 3:18 CSB

18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.

Matthew 5:44 NKJV

44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Bless - That is intentional. (internal). It’s a decision I make to not render evil for evil; to return blessing instead of cursing; to “pay it forward”

Do Good - That is actionable (external). This is the test of my decision to bless. This is where the action and the the truth comes in.

If I don’t act upon the love, there is no truth in the love.

As Paul would say in 1 Corinthians 13:1

1 Corinthians 13:1 NKJV

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

Love that includes action reaps a great reward.

Luke 6:35 NKJV

35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

Relationship with God

Our love for God is a response to His love for us, fostering a deep, personal relationship with Him.

Integration with Neighborly Love

Loving God naturally extends to loving others, as these commandments are interconnected and reflect God's character. — From Matthew 22:38 This is the first and greatest commandment. Bible Hub.com, Study Bible

John 13:34–35 NKJV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

3) Bearing Fruit

Westminster Shorter Catechism

What is the chief end of man?

Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.

John 15:8 NKJV

8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Genesis 1:29 NKJV

29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.

“The seed of the future is in the fruit of today.” - Pastor Jeff

Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

We forget the context:

Galatians 5:13–18 NKJV

13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

4) Abiding

John 15:1–9 NKJV

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.

Abide:

to continue — verb. to continue a certain state, condition, or activity.

to stay (remain) — verb. to stay put (in a certain place).

to wait (in place) — verb. to stay in one place and anticipate or expect something.

to endure (persist) — verb. to persist for a specified period of time.

Psalm 92:13 NKJV

13 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.

“Are you willing to stay right where you are and let the Lord do great things through you, though no one may seem to notice at all?” — Keith Green