The Gift of Everlasting Life

Intro

Life is a miracle.

Funny enough, its such a miracle that even the Athiestic naturalist has to admit that its a miracle.

YOU are a miracle!

Just a bit of PG biology:

Your mom was born with about 1 million eggs. Anyone one of which could have been you.

Your father was a lot more busy, on average a man make 525 Billion of his guys - anyone of which could be you.

The odds of that one from your mom and that 1 from your dad meeting to produce you is staggering.

If fact it is more likley to win the lottery every week for a year, to win 52 weeks consecutivly, that it is for you to be here.

And yet nothing about you is by chance at all.

Albert Enstien famously said: “God does not play dice”

You dad and you mom, when, where, how - were all in God’s plan to bring about you.

Isaiah 44:2 CSB

2 This is the word of the Lord your Maker, the one who formed you from the womb: He will help you. Do not fear, Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

Psalm 139:16 CSB

16 Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began.

God’s purpose for you is that as His creation, you spend eternity with Him in his eternal love and care and goodness.

But sin has come between us and God.

The miracle that is you and me and humanity will not enjoy God and his goodness but rather because of sin has been cast out of the presence of God and is destined to go a place of darkness, death and eternal suffering out of God’s presence, a place called Hell.

Matthew 25:41 CSB

41 “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels!

1 Corinthians 6:9–10 CSB

9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.

What a terrible tradgy.

However, to save us from this dispare God has offered humanity a free gift, a gift which will change everything.

What is this gift?

Romans 6:23 CSB

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When you recieve this gift, everyting changes:

John 5:24 CSB

24 “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

So lets on this Christmas unpack this incredible gift - The gift of Eternal life.

Eternal Life is Quality

I suppose one of the first things i would say about eternal life is that its not just a matter of quantity but of qualitity.

Just because something last forever does no inherintly make it good.

Hell lasts forever too, but its definitly not good!

Jesus explains eternal life like this:

John 10:10 CSB

10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

The abundant life. Life to the full.

And do you knows what so precious? This abundant life is not a post dated queck only for when you die, its a life that we can live and enjoy right here and right now.

What is abundant life?

Well let me first say that the abundant life has got nothing to do with worldly possesion or money.

Jesus said:

Luke 12:15 CSB

15 He then told them, “Watch out and be on guard against all greed, because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.”

No, abundant live can be enjoyed by all, from the king in his golden throne to the begger and his wooden cup.

Abundant life is a series of truths that cannot be changed, touched or removed by lifes circumstances.

Here is a small sampeling:

1: God loves you.

God loves you, even if no one else does, God does! and there is nothing that can get between God’s love and you.

Romans 8:38–39 CSB

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2: There is nothing to fear

Fear is a killer of life. It robs of you all its blessings.

Peace is the opposite of fear and God gives us peace in abundance.

Jesus said:

John 14:27 CSB

27 “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.

It has been noted that there are around 360 specific instances where Gods tells us not to fear.

The abundant life is a life free from fear because we have God’s love.

1 John 4:18 CSB

18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love.

3: A life full of Joy

Joy is a vital life blood for the christian.

Joy gives us hope, it gives us strength.

Nehemiah 8:10 CSB

10 Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

It is unfortinuate that biblical joy is often confused with worldy happiness - They are not trhe same.

Happiness is a result of what happens to you. Joy is the result of what God has done for you.

God has given me Jesus.

God has forgiven my sins.

God has written my name in the lambs book of life.

God has filled me with his Holy Spirit.

God has called me out of darkness.

God has freed me from the law.

God has given me his Holy Word.

Where do i stop - and joy is based on these things.

Eternal Life is a gift that can only be recived by faith in Jesus Christ

Eternakl life is not a reward. A reward is given by erning it. We do not earn eternal life.

John 14:6 CSB

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Why did Jesus say this?

Because on the cross Jesus made eternal life avalible.

Let me explain:

On this cross Jesus actually did a double transaction.

We all know that he paid the price for our sins, but he actually did more than that.

Look at this:

2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB

21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Let me explain in money terms:

Say i have R1000 dept on my CD. You offer to pay my debt. After you pay my debt what is the ballance on my card?

zero. I am debt free but still broke.

Now imagine you had a billion rand in your account.

Now you p[ay my R1000, bring my balance to zero. Step 1.

But then you go further. You then, after pay my debt put your billion in my account.

you did 2 things: First you paid MY debt. Then you gave me YOUR wealth.

Thats what Jesus Christ did.

First he paid for MY sin. Then He gave me HIS wealth of righteousness.

That wealth that Jesus gives us: That is everlasting life.