Looking Ahead
Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted
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For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,
if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.
For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Intro:
Intro:
After reminding us of the temporary nature of life on earth by speaking of our treasure in jars of clay, Paul now turns to looking ahead at our future. The reality of the fragility of our physical lives should motivate us to live for the eternal.
I. The Reassurance (2 Cor 5:1-8)
I. The Reassurance (2 Cor 5:1-8)
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,
if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.
For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
The Old Body
An earthly tent (5:1a)
Filled with groans and sighs (5:2a)
Dying (5:3-4a)
Unable to see Jesus (5:6-8)
The New Body
A home in heaven (5:1b)
Free from groaning (5:4b)
Eternal (5:2b)
Able to see Jesus face to face (5:5)
II. The Resolve (2 Cor. 5:9)
II. The Resolve (2 Cor. 5:9)
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
Paul is resolved to please God in both bodies
Whether at home in our “tents” of physical bodies or at home in heaven, our goal is the same- Pleasing God
If that is our goal, it raises some important questions.
But how do we please Him? What types of behaviors are pleasing? What character traits are pleasing to Him?
Have Faith
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Fear Him and Hope in Him
His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
fear- a reverential awe
Deep respect
Hope- closely from and arising out of faith
we trust our present and future circumstances to Him
Transformed and Wholly dedicated to God
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Obeying Him
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
10 commandments
Great commission
Beatitudes
Doing Good to others:
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Bearing Fruit
so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
III. The Reckoning (2 Cor 5:10)
III. The Reckoning (2 Cor 5:10)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Paul reminds us of a sobering truth: Judgment day is real and looming out there in EVERYONE’s future.
The Place (5:10a)
Judgment Seat of Christ
Here, believers will be judged by Christ.
Unbelievers face the Great White Throne where sheep will be separated from goats.
This judgment is distinctly for those entering the Kingdom with eternal life
Our lives will be judged. Let’s look at that as we examine.....
The Purpose (5:10b)
The quality (or lack thereof) of our life
Again, this is for the saved.
All who have repented of their sins and genuinely put their faith in Christ alone for eternal life enter the Kingdom.
Yet we still will give an account of our lives.
Paul had previously explained the Judgment seat of Christ
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.
For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
It is a judgment for reward, not to see if we are good enough to be saved and “earn” eternal life.
We would never be good enough!
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Today, we have been reassured that this tent isn’t home… heaven and eternal life await God’s children.
We have seen and been challenged by Paul’s resolve to please God.
Finally, we have been reminding that a day of reckoning is coming when we face the judgment seat of Christ.