Living for Eternity: Proclaiming Christ Amidst Life's Trials
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor expressing gratitude for the promise of eternal life in Christ, despite the brokenness and fragility of our earthly bodies. The pastor encourages the congregation to look forward to the day in heaven while seeking God's mercy in the present. The sermon text is Acts chapter 24, and the pastor uses the analogy of living in temporary accommodations to remind the congregation that their time on earth is also temporary, and they should focus on their eternal home in heaven.
The pastor emphasizes the importance of being faithful in proclaiming the name of Jesus, trusting that God will give them the words and wisdom to speak. Using the example of the apostle Paul, the pastor explains that our innocence before God is not based on our own works, but on the work of Christ Jesus. Through faith, we can exchange our sin for Christ's righteousness and stand before God as innocent. The pastor then reflects on the temporary nature of our lives on Earth and how that should impact the way we live. He encourages the congregation to pursue and preach righteousness, reminding them that both they and their neighbors will one day stand before God.
The pastor emphasizes the importance of not only living righteously before others but also preaching righteousness for the sake of our neighbors. He refers to the example of Paul, who preached about faith in Christ Jesus, righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come. The pastor highlights the importance of sharing our own testimonies and speaking truthfully and reasonably, even in the face of opposition. He then focuses on the attitude that Paul had during his trials, encouraging the congregation to adopt an attitude like Paul's, living in light of the future judgment before God.
The pastor emphasizes the importance of giving all glory to Christ and encourages the congregation to reflect on the brevity of life and to recognize that true glory belongs to Christ alone. He acknowledges the struggle of balancing the pursuit of a comfortable life on Earth with the desire to prioritize our eternal relationship with God. The pastor encourages the congregation to reflect on whether they are allowing the temporary busyness of life to hinder them from obeying the Lord's commands. He concludes by emphasizing the urgency and importance of proclaiming Jesus Christ to others, regardless of the circumstances or the length of time it takes.
Key Takeaways:
- Our time on earth is temporary, and we should focus on our eternal home in heaven. We should live in light of the future judgment before God, pursuing and preaching righteousness. ([12:45])
- Our innocence before God is not based on our own works, but on the work of Christ Jesus. Through faith, we can exchange our sin for Christ's righteousness and stand before God as innocent. ([22:30])
- We should not only live righteously before others but also preach righteousness for the sake of our neighbors. Sharing our own testimonies and speaking truthfully and reasonably, even in the face of opposition, is crucial. ([34:15])
- We should give all glory to Christ and recognize that true glory belongs to Him alone. The pursuit of a comfortable life on Earth should not hinder us from prioritizing our eternal relationship with God. ([45:50])
- Proclaiming Jesus Christ to others, regardless of the circumstances or the length of time it takes, is of utmost importance. Every person has an eternal soul and needs to know Jesus for their salvation. ([58:20])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Acts 24:15 - "I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked."
2. 1 Peter 2:11-17 - "Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us... Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor."
3. Daniel 6:4 - "At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent."
Observation Questions:
1. What is the hope in God that is mentioned in Acts 24:15?
2. In 1 Peter 2:11-17, what are the instructions given to the believers and why are they urged to live such good lives among the pagans?
3. What qualities made Daniel trustworthy and incorruptible according to Daniel 6:4?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked, as mentioned in Acts 24:15, relate to the concept of eternal life?
2. How does living a good life among non-believers, as urged in 1 Peter 2:11-17, contribute to the proclamation of Jesus' name and the preaching of righteousness?
3. How does Daniel's trustworthiness and incorruptibility, as described in Daniel 6:4, reflect the innocence before God that is not based on our own works but on the work of Christ Jesus?
Application Questions:
1. Reflecting on Acts 24:15, how does the hope of resurrection influence your daily life and decisions? Can you share a specific example?
2. Considering 1 Peter 2:11-17, what is one specific way you can live a good life among non-believers this week to glorify God?
3. In light of Daniel 6:4, can you identify a specific area in your life where you can strive to be more trustworthy and incorruptible?
4. How can you, like Paul, preach about faith in Christ Jesus, righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come in your daily interactions this week?
5. Can you think of a specific circumstance or person where you can proclaim Jesus Christ, regardless of the opposition or time it takes?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Our Temporary Earthly Existence
Our time on earth is fleeting, and we should focus on our eternal home in heaven. We are encouraged to live in light of the future judgment before God, pursuing and preaching righteousness. This perspective should shape our actions, decisions, and interactions with others. [12:45]
2 Corinthians 4:18 - "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Reflection: What are some ways you can shift your focus from the temporary things of this world to the eternal things of God today?
Day 2: Understanding Our Innocence in Christ
Our innocence before God is not based on our own works, but on the work of Christ Jesus. Through faith, we can exchange our sin for Christ's righteousness and stand before God as innocent. This truth should bring us comfort and assurance in our relationship with God. [22:30]
Romans 3:22 - "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile."
Reflection: How does understanding your innocence in Christ affect your daily walk with God?
Day 3: Living and Preaching Righteousness
We are called not only to live righteously before others but also to preach righteousness for the sake of our neighbors. Sharing our own testimonies and speaking truthfully and reasonably, even in the face of opposition, is crucial. [34:15]
1 Peter 2:12 - "Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear about the righteousness of Christ? How can you share this message with them today?
Day 4: Giving Glory to Christ Alone
We should give all glory to Christ and recognize that true glory belongs to Him alone. The pursuit of a comfortable life on Earth should not hinder us from prioritizing our eternal relationship with God. [45:50]
1 Corinthians 10:31 - "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Reflection: What is one way you can shift your focus from seeking personal comfort to glorifying Christ in your life today?
Day 5: Proclaiming Jesus Christ to Others
Proclaiming Jesus Christ to others, regardless of the circumstances or the length of time it takes, is of utmost importance. Every person has an eternal soul and needs to know Jesus for their salvation. [58:20]
Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Reflection: Who is one person in your life that you can share the gospel with this week? How can you prepare for this conversation?
Quotes
"How ultimately is Paul innocent before his God? Not based on his own works but on the work of Christ Jesus who perfectly lived righteously before the father and before man and who died on the cross taking on our junk, our sin... we can stand before our God innocent because of the work of Christ and it's all by faith." [01:05:21]
"I worry that so many people live their lives that way they work and they work and they work here to gain all sorts of things here and they go and stand before God and realize it didn't have to be done you worked on the wrong assignment and all of that is for nothing" ([49:01])
"I don't want you to just live righteously before your neighbor, there's another aspect to this use your words, call your neighbor to righteousness. Your neighbor has an eternal soul that will never die... every person that comes to your house for tri treat has an eternal soul that will not die. Do they know the way of Salvation without which they will spend eternity away from King Jesus and in Hell forever?" #!!01:01:53!!#
"I think of our own lives on this Earth as rather temporary and we ought to live that way... our life is actually rather short... our little years 100 years or so if we're lucky are just so small and then broaden that out to all of eternity and Eternity continues to go and go and go and our life here is so temporary in light of our Eternal home." #!!30:11!!#
"We as olic Baptists ought to live knowing that you and your neighbor will both stand before God one day... all of them will one day face their maker and we ought to both pursue and preach righteousness because of this all of this we see bearing out in our text in those three chapters in Acts this morning." #!!31:35!!#
"Paul's eyes are on eternity... I have the same hope in God as these men themselves had that there will be a resurrection both of the righteous and of the wicked." #!!42:38!!#
"I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and before man... I know that I must stand before God one day so I'm not going to budge." #!!43:16!!#
"Paul begins to talk about righteousness, self-control, and judgment - all things that a ruler needs to hear about. He's talking about the judgment to come, urging this man, urging Felix, urging his wife to trust in Christ." (#!!58:21!!#)
"Paul just begins to lay out his testimony before the king... God has helped me to this very day, so I stand here and testify to small and great alike... that the Messiah would suffer and as the first arise from the dead would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles." (#!!01:00:14!!#)
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