Eschatology part 2- the approach

Intro

last week

OT examples and sheol

Walking with God is the goal

Bridging the gap with the NT

Hebrews 11

All of these were working toward something

They all had faith that their was some goal that they were striving toward even if it wasn’t always all so clear

They lived and furthered the kingdom of God and its coming

They walked with God and his righteousness showed in their life despite their own

Parables

Very revealing ideas of the kingdom of heaven, the life that we have where God is

Luke 17:16

The Rich man and Lazarus Luke 16:19

parables explained as images of what the kingdom will be like

Story and illustration, not reality

Rich and Poor, Blessing and Anguish, Analogies to show the opposition of the two outcomes and how they are reached

Still giving orders to someone he views as lower even when it is made clear that his lack of humility got him there

One lived humbly seeking life

One lived carelessly approaching death

chasm between- outcomes are permanent

The Watchful Servant Luke 12:35

waiting for the Master to return to the kingdom

we are members of the kingdom but we are called to be looking out for it until he returns in the flesh, not calling ourselves members and going far away or staying inside and not working

The kingdom of heaven is urgent and constant

The Pearl Matthew 13:44

the kingdom of heaven is valuable

We give everything for it

There is no price too high, not task to difficult to get to it

It’s more valuable than anything I could truly give so I give everything and continue working with all that I have

Application

Jesus speaks cryptically but completely truthfully

The kingdom of heaven we should be looking forward to and living toward is not necessarily pearly gates and streets of gold

The hell of punishment is not simply fire and torture and anguish

It is all so much more and so much more present and current and that is where so many go wrong

There can be no tomorrow mentality in your faith: faith is yesterday today and forever

heaven, eternal life, the kingdom of God, are right now and they need you right now and always