11 AM Worship

When I was a child, 5 or 6 years old, our family took a three weeklong camping trip to see "many" of the national parks in the US. It was a great experience for us as a family. It was a great experience for me. Someday I’d like for Patti and I to do something similar, but probably not in a tent.

While we had a great time on this family camping trip, there were a few less than perfect nights in the tent. The one that I remember was the night the bears came looking for food.

apache tent-trailer

We were sleeping a tent trailer which was a one bed in the trailer (mom and dad slept there) my two brothers and one sister and I all slept on the ground in sleeping bags. That night we were camping in Yellowstone. During the night, bears came scavenging for food. They didn't touch our tent, but they attacked and tore apart our neighbor’s coolers which they had left on their picnic tables. I, being the sound sleeper that I am, slept through it all. But in the morning, I heard the story and saw the damage the bears did. Camping can be fun. It was great fun for me as a child. But not so much as an adult.

The last time Patti and I went tent camping, we were newly married. We went camping with 2 other couples from the seminary in northern Wisconsin in a farmer’s field. I am not certain why we were camping. There were perfectly good beds and floors in a house where we could have all stayed. FIVE of us slept in sleeping bags on the ground. One of us, had an air mattress and a sleeping bag – real luxury. In the middle the night a thunderstorm hit. I learned one thing about tent camping that night. Never pitch a tent in a low area of a field. Always make certain that the water will drain away from your tent. When the thunderstorm hit, our tent filled with water. Everyone, except the one sleeping on the air mattress was awakened when water filled our sleeping bags. We were soaked. So, in the middle of the night, in the storm, we packed up, and returned to Mark's parents’ home. Tent camping can be fun.

What I’ve learned about tents is that they are not intended to be permanent structures. They are meant to be "temporary" and moveable.

2 Corinthians 5:1 NIV - Anglicised

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.

The tent Paul is referring to is YOUR body, the body God gave you to live this temporary life. Your physical body, Paul says, is like a tent. It is temporary. It is flimsy, frail, vulnerable body and it is wasting away.

That’s the bad news is: Your physical body is a temporary dwelling. In fact, it is not only temporary, but Your physical body is trouble-filled.

2 Corinthians 5:4 (NIV) For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened…

Does life ever feel like a burden to you? Life has its “burdens.” Getting a job. Keeping job. Finding satisfaction in your job. Finding a spouse. Keeping a spouse. Finding satisfaction in your marriage. Having kids. Raising kids. Finding satisfaction is stewarding God gifts of children. Illness and disease can be a burdens, short term, or long term. Health-care is becoming more and more of a burden. Having enough money to live on. Setting aside money for college for your kids. Wondering, no, worrying if you will have enough to live on until the Lord brings you home. Is your concern, not leaving any financial legacy for your kids, it is hoping you won’t be a financial burden to your kids. This life is filled with burdens of all kinds.

Let’s not forget the elephant in the room. Your physical body is NOT going to last forever.

You have probably heard about the pastor stood in front of his congregation one Sunday and announced boldly, “all the members of my parish are going to die.” You could hear people gasping. All the faces turned from smiles to concerns, all except for one young man sitting in the front row. He had a smile on his face. The Pastor repeat the same expression two more times in the message, “all the members of my parish are going to die.” By now the young man in front row is laughing out loud. Angrily, the pastor stopped his message and talked directly to the young man, “Excuse me young man, what so funny?” He said, “I’m not a member of your parish.”

The evidence of temporary nature of this life is obvious. No one escapes it.

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NIV) 1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed…

The only IF of this temporary life not being destroyed, is IF Christ returns BEFORE we walk through the doorway of death. Otherwise, death is coming to all of us.

Romans 5:12 (NIV) Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned—

If death is inevitable for all, why do so many live this temporary life as if death is never coming? Why do so many live without the hope we have in Jesus Christ?

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NIV) 13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

Paul says they are ignorant about the truth, and therefore, they have no hope.

But thanks be to God that is not the case for us, Paul says with a hope-filled heart.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 (NIV) 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

The Great news is:

Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV) 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Jesus came to free us from the fear of death, to be

Romans 8:21 (NIV) “…liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

To receive by grace, the full life He came to bring and give us now and forever.

John 10:10 (NIV) I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Not just a good temporary life, but an eternal life

John 3:15 (NIV) 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

Amidst all the “negatives” of this temporary life, which Paul identifies in 2 Corinthians 5, he lists a who host of the great and priceless promises for all who believe. Here they all are in order:

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NIV) we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

It has already been constructed. It is a present reality, divinely made. Here is the second one.

2 Corinthians 5:2-3 (NIV) 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

We won’t be “naked” before God ever again. When we reach eternity sin will never again trouble us. Number three:

2 Corinthians 5:4 (NIV) “…our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

We may be moral now, with all of its trapping and troubles, blessings and burdens, but our mortality will be swallowed up by life eternal. Number four: We don’t need to wonder and worry about our future

2 Corinthians 5:5 (NIV) 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.

God given believers the Holy Spirit in baptism. He now lives in you and HE is God’s guarantee that your future is safe and secure. This guarantee is NOT like the life-time guarantees we so often are offered in this life. This one covers your life forever.

Since we have God’s 100% guarantee, we can live this temporary life, tent life with Confidence. Because...

Romans 8:28 (NIV) we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

We know that…

Romans 8:37-39 (NIV) “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV) 7 We live by faith, not by sight.

No matter how short or long this tent-life, this temporary life may be, we know it this life is only a prelude, to the eternal that is coming.

When we live by faith and hope in God, we stop living for ourselves, we live for Christ and his Kingdom.

2 Corinthians 5:15 (NIV) And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

2 Corinthians 5:9 (NIV) So we make it our goal to please him…

For us, the question is NOT, how are you going to die or how long will we live, but rather, how will you live?

Romans 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.

Will you for Him and offer your tent-life, your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. That’s worship!

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

As we live for Him, we choose to throw off sin and everything that would keep you from receiving this life greater life that has no end!

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (NIV) Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

When death touches those we love, we won’t grieve like they do who have no hope of resurrection and eternal life.

No, we have hope-filled hearts, we will look forward to the day,

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 (NIV) “…we will all be changed-- 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

Forever Change by the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Love of God our Father, and abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.