How do you envision eternal life? Golf every day all you want? Freedom to rest and do nothing and be at ease? Is it people of every race able to sit together and be at peace? Is it a place, heaven? Having streets of gold and mansions and riches and a body without defect?
"This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." John 17:3 NIV
"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26 NIV
If we believe that eternal life has to do with stuff, or location, or feelings, we have missed the whole point of the good news of God. We get to know Him, and His Son. Only in Him are our hearts healed and our bodies made whole and we are given ease and hope and peace; IN HIM. He is the giver and the true eternal life. So most importantly, we must have HIM. Cry out to God to know Him, to be near Him, for Him to reveal Himself to you. And He most assuredly will hear your cry.
"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him." 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 NIV
Why did He die for me? So I could have stuff? Peace? Not go through physical death? A happy life? NO NO NO NO NO Non Niet Maningmanae!!!
He died for me and anyone who reads this so we can BE WITH HIM. I get to live with Jesus forever, and I get to know Him now. The healer of my heart and the one who satisfies my deepest longings, and will do so forever and ever and ever.
Death didn't stop Him, can't stop Him, and won't stop me from being with Him; nothing can. Nada, nothing, no one.
Jesus let a good friend DIE so that we and those around Him and anyone who cares to notice can see His glory, and the glory of His Father. And in so doing He loved them and us. What we need is Him and His glory. He is greater than death, and we need Him more than we need to stay alive. And if it stands in the way of us seeing Him, then He will even let death come to us so we can see Him.
I urge you to listen to these two sermons by John Piper in there entirety. This story of the dying friend we find in John chapter 11. Piper opens these to us. May they bless your soul and help you to see and know Jesus better.
Sermon 1: Jesus' glory sermon 1
Sermon 2: Jesus' glory sermon 2
No comments:
Post a Comment