Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro

My goal tonight is to make you all uncomfortable

Eternity: Forever without beginning or end

Bird/Sand/1000 years, Ant on a steel globe

Ant on a steel globe

Eternity Frustrates Our Time

- He has made everything appropriate in its time.

He has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end.

“Life doesn’t make sense”

We are designed for eternity but living in time.

It is uncomfortable.

It kinda hurts at times.

Like a sweater that is too small we just pull and tug and squirm sometimes to make it work.

***Fixing plumbing***

Eternity for Everyone

Every culture naturally believes in an afterlife.

Because God put that in us.

Naturally, people live out their lives knowing there is something more, but not sure what it is.

It frustrates us... that good things pass away...bad things happen.

Frustrated that the bad things happen to those who seem like they don’t deserve it...

People search out an explanation.

“Well since this doesn’t make sense, there must not be a god.

Or maybe his whole purpose in life is to just give me pleasure.

Or maybe I can work hard enough to earn my way there.”

This is a frustrated logic.

The Bible tells us that God put that eternity into our hearts JUST SO THAT we would turn to him.

It pushes us out of the right here, right now, and forces us to think about eternity— even if it is uncomfortable.

An Uncomfortable Life---

We have this really uncomfortable truth in our lives.

And we have to still go on living.

What does that look like?

(v12) He knows that he doesn’t have all the answers.

He hasn’t figured it out.

Its not like he is perfect and living life in perfection.

No, he hasn’t reached the finish line yet— But he is giving every effort.

“Every effort”- Paul desires what matters for eternity.

Hunting or Lover

Even if it costs what you think matters for your life today.

And he gave it all up- and he considered that a promotion!

He gained by giving up all the success on earth!

Those things meant nothing to him.

He just wanted to know Christ.

He just wanted to be like Christ.

What does striving look like?

(v13) Paul is forgetting his past and focusing everything on the future.

Thank God we don’t have to live in our pasts— We don’t have to be haunted.

We don’t have to be haunted.

Double edged sword here: Remove guilt and find Hope.

The future hope is getting to see Jesus

Not thinking about everything going on around us, the distractions, the fun, the opportunities, the options- thinking about seeing Jesus.

It isn’t about looking back at how unfair the world is or looking around at the pretty colors.

It is about looking into the future and seeing what you can live out now that will really matterCounselors/our tendencies.---There are some things that I do now because of the past, but there is more now that I do because of the future.---How

often do you think about seeing Jesus?

That is the main goal of Christianity- to be in love with Jesus and get to see him.

To be enjoying God so much that there isn’t anything in this world that can tear you down.

If the main point about our whole spiritual life is revolving around Jesus in the after-life, don’t you think that it is an issue that we don’t even think about it regularly?

If we are living in a way that matters then we are thinking about eternity.

Does your life right now mean anything in eternity?

Are the choices that you have made really going to be a point of conversation between you and Jesus?

Because day by day, moment by moment the choices you and I make will either land us with a reward or with a regret.

Everything will either bring reward or regret.

And every situation ends with an award or an apology.

Not thinking about what could’ve been, whats unfair, whats shiny or distracting now.

Thinking about Jesus.

How can you live now that will really matter for Jesus?

(Counselors/our tendencies)

---There are some things that I do now because of the past, but there is more now that I do because of the future.---

How often do you think about seeing Jesus?

Main goal of Christianity- to be in love with Jesus and get to see him.

To be enjoying God so much that there isn’t anything in this world that can tear you down.

Is it an issue that we don’t even think about it regularly?

If we are living in a way that matters then we are thinking about eternity.

Does your life right now mean anything in eternity?

Are the choices that you have made really going to be a point of conversation between you and Jesus?

Because day by day, moment by moment the choices you and I make will end with a reward or with a regret.

Everything will either bring reward or regret.

Two Eternities Again and Again

We see the black and white simplicity of the Gospel.

Because not everyone is going to live like this.

Not everyone is going to own this.

Not everyone is willing to give up their stuff, give up their pleasure, give up their other gods.

(v17) Paul says find the people that do.

Live like them.

He would be proud of you for being here.

Because the people who can’t give up those other things- they are enemies of the cross (v18).

With tears

People who go to church and refuse to live in a way that matters for eternity.

They live for their stomach.

They live for right now.

They live for their desires.

They want, so the get.

Your god isn’t God.

Your god is your desires, its just you.

They choose to live for today, not for eternity.

It Doesn’t Make Sense

(***Rope***)

Honestly, it doesn’t make sense.

People call me stupid

And I say they’re stupid

But they don’t care.