Living with Eternity in Mind: A Focus on Afterlife

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. **Luke 16:19-31** - The story of the rich man and Lazarus.
2. **Hebrews 9:27** - "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment."
3. **2 Corinthians 5:10** - "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."

#### Observation Questions
1. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), what were the contrasting lives and afterlives of the two men? How did their earthly choices impact their eternal destinies?
2. According to Hebrews 9:27, what is the sequence of events that happens after death? How does this align with the sermon’s message about the inevitability of judgment? [44:47]
3. What does 2 Corinthians 5:10 say about the criteria for judgment at the Bema Seat? How does this passage relate to the sermon’s discussion on rewards for believers? [53:38]
4. The sermon mentioned different beliefs about the afterlife. What are some of these beliefs, and how do they differ from the biblical perspective presented? [39:50]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of the rich man and Lazarus challenge our understanding of wealth and poverty in relation to eternal life? What lessons can we draw about the importance of our actions and attitudes in this life? [41:52]
2. Hebrews 9:27 speaks of an appointed time for death and judgment. How does this understanding influence the way we live our daily lives? What changes might it prompt in our priorities and actions? [47:46]
3. The Bema Seat Judgment in 2 Corinthians 5:10 emphasizes being repaid for what we have done in the body. How should this motivate believers in their daily conduct and use of resources? [53:38]
4. The sermon highlighted the need to recalibrate our focus from the here and now to eternity. What practical steps can we take to shift our focus towards eternal matters? [01:05:52]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current lifestyle. Are there areas where you are too focused on the here and now rather than eternity? What specific changes can you make to recalibrate your focus? [01:05:52]
2. The sermon mentioned the inevitability of death and judgment. How does this reality affect your daily decisions and interactions with others? Are there specific actions you need to take to align more closely with this understanding? [44:47]
3. Consider the story of the rich man and Lazarus. How do you treat those who are less fortunate than you? What practical steps can you take to show compassion and generosity in your community? [41:52]
4. The Bema Seat Judgment involves being rewarded for our deeds and motives. Reflect on your recent actions and motives. Are there areas where you need to seek God’s guidance to ensure your motives align with His will? [53:38]
5. The sermon emphasized the importance of living with an eternal perspective. Identify one specific area of your life where you can make a change to reflect this perspective. How will you implement this change in the coming week? [59:37]
6. The pastor shared a personal confession about being too focused on the present. Have you experienced similar struggles? How can you support each other in the group to maintain an eternal focus? [01:05:52]
7. The sermon concluded with a call to action for those uncertain about their eternity. If you are unsure about your eternal destiny, what steps can you take today to seek assurance and grow in your faith? [01:08:55]

Day 1: Living with Eternal Purpose
Our beliefs about the afterlife profoundly impact how we live our lives today. If we believe there is nothing after this life, we might live without purpose. However, if we believe in a God who rewards faithfulness, it changes everything. This belief encourages us to live with purpose and intentionality, knowing that our actions have eternal consequences. When we understand that our lives are part of a larger, eternal story, we begin to make choices that reflect our faith and commitment to God.

Living with an eternal perspective means prioritizing what truly matters and letting go of trivial concerns. It means investing in relationships, serving others, and using our resources wisely. By doing so, we align our lives with God's will and prepare ourselves for the eternal joy that awaits us. [38:06]

2 Corinthians 4:18 (ESV): "As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can start living with more eternal purpose today? How can you make a choice that reflects your belief in an eternal reward?


Day 2: The Fleeting Nature of Life
Life is like a mist that vanishes quickly. We often get caught up in trivial matters, but in the grand scheme of eternity, these things won't matter. Instead, we should focus on what truly matters: our eternal destiny. God's grace unfolds daily, and these hard times are insignificant compared to the eternal joy that awaits us. Recognizing the fleeting nature of life helps us to prioritize our time and energy on what has lasting value.

When we understand that our time on earth is limited, we are more likely to invest in things that have eternal significance. This perspective helps us to let go of worries and anxieties about temporary issues and focus on building a legacy that honors God. [01:04:17]

James 4:14 (ESV): "Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."

Reflection: What are some trivial matters that you have been focusing on lately? How can you shift your focus to what truly matters in the grand scheme of eternity?


Day 3: Recalibrating Our Focus
Many of us have been too focused on the here and now, neglecting thoughts of eternity. We need to recalibrate our lives to focus on what truly matters. This involves repenting for our misplaced priorities and seeking to live in a way that honors God and prepares us for eternity. Recalibrating our focus means making a conscious effort to align our daily actions with our eternal goals.

This process of recalibration requires self-reflection and a willingness to change. It may involve setting new priorities, making different choices, and seeking God's guidance in all aspects of our lives. By doing so, we can ensure that we are living in a way that reflects our faith and prepares us for the eternal joy that awaits us. [01:05:52]

Colossians 3:2 (ESV): "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to recalibrate your focus? What steps can you take today to align your priorities with your eternal goals?


Day 4: Judgment and Rewards
After death, we will face judgment. There are two types of judgment: the Great White Throne Judgment for unbelievers and the Bema Seat Judgment for believers. Believers will be rewarded based on how they lived their lives, their motives, and how they used their resources. This should motivate us to live faithfully and purposefully, knowing that our actions have eternal consequences.

Understanding the reality of judgment and rewards helps us to live with a sense of accountability and purpose. It reminds us that our choices matter and that we will be held responsible for how we lived our lives. This perspective encourages us to live in a way that honors God and prepares us for the eternal rewards that await us. [53:38]

2 Corinthians 5:10 (ESV): "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."

Reflection: How does the knowledge of future judgment and rewards impact your daily choices? What changes can you make to ensure that you are living in a way that honors God?


Day 5: Eternal Perspective
What we believe about eternity determines how we live today. We should focus on our eternal destiny and make choices that honor God. This involves living with purpose, treating others with kindness, and using our resources wisely. By doing so, we prepare ourselves for the eternal joy that awaits us. An eternal perspective helps us to see beyond our current circumstances and focus on what truly matters.

Living with an eternal perspective means making choices that reflect our faith and commitment to God. It means prioritizing relationships, serving others, and using our resources to further God's kingdom. By doing so, we can ensure that we are living in a way that honors God and prepares us for the eternal joy that awaits us. [59:37]

Matthew 6:19-20 (ESV): "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal."

Reflection: How can you start living with an eternal perspective today? What specific actions can you take to ensure that your choices reflect your belief in an eternal destiny?

Well, awesome. Hope you get the notes there. It's going to be a new series we're starting today. I'm excited about this. I've been working on it for several months, because I believe that what really happens in this world happens after this. That's what really matters. So we're going to be looking at that.

Just want to say that we love you, and so glad that you joined us as being part of this journey at the Father's House.

Hey, before I jump in, I want to just remind you, give you a special invitation to our marriage retreat that's coming up in September in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Great hotel. The leaves will begin to change. It's a great place. Chris has done a great job, and Casey is putting everything together. I'd love for you to come.

We had some guests that were coming, but they're not going to be able to come and speak because they're battling with cancer. But we prayed about that, what to do, and I feel like God gave a special word to me and Anita to share at this marriage retreat.

And I just ask you, what are you investing into your marriage? It's a good time to get away. I think they've got a couple of shows, Hatfield and McCoy's, some fun things they're going to do together. Great meals. So I'd love for you to join us.

After service, Chris is going to be out in the foyer, and he'll give you information and take notes and do all of that. And join us. It's going to be a great time.

Hey, let's pray again. Never can pray enough.

Father, we thank you today for your spirit that we sense. Thank you for Travis reminding us of who we rub shoulders with and impacting people. So today, Lord, in this new series, I pray that you would help us to recalibrate our life and think about what is going to really matter in this world, the afterlife, where we're going, and what we'll be doing forever and ever and ever and ever.

So I thank you today, Lord, for everyone that's here, for those that are online. And we just believe today, Lord, that at the end of this service, we want you to be glorified. We want the people to be edified, and we want the enemy. We want the people to be terrified in Jesus' name.

So I read the story about this minister that went to visit an older guy, and he said, you know, at your age, you should really begin thinking about the hereafter. And he said, oh, I think about the hereafter every day. No matter if I go downstairs or go to the bathroom or the kitchen, I keep asking myself, what am I hereafter?

Maybe we all should think more about what happens after this. After this. What happens? People say, well, why are we talking about dying? Let's talk about life. Let's talk about joy. Because how we live now is going to affect where we spend eternity.

And here's what I know. You may write this down. What you believe determines how you will live. What you believe determines how you will live. If you believe that there is nothing after this, then you're going to squander your life and live with no purpose.

But if you believe there is really a God that's given you an assignment, and one of these days he's going to reward you for your faithfulness, then it changes how we live now. Is that right?

Hey, I'd like you to join me on a new YouVersion plan. It'll be on the screen there. You can take your phone out and you can just zap that little thing. I did that between services. It's a Fix Your Eyes on Eternity. It's a 12-day devotional on heaven and the new earth with Randy Alcorn. I'll talk more about him next week. One of the greatest books on heaven.

But I'd like for you to join us. We start tomorrow and it'll be 12 days. So you can just use that little clip there. Go to that and be part of it. How many of you joined us on our YouVersion plans? All right. So please do that. It's a great thing. It's a place for you to share some good things that are going on in your life.

So please do that.

So after this, what happens? After this, after this life, you boom, you just died. What's next? Well, a lot of people believe, well, it's just sort of lights off. That's all there is. You're out of here. You're gone.

Some people believe that you return at another time in another form. Or some people believe you just go off into blissful eternity, that everybody goes to heaven. You know, you hear that all the time. Well, I'm sure they're in heaven.

Atheists, they don't believe that there's anything after life. So they don't believe that there's anything after life. They don't believe anything. I mean, so if you're an atheist and you die, that's it, lights off, nothing else.

Or some people believe, and we'll be talking more about some of these things in the next few weeks. Some people believe that you go to purgatory, or you go to a holding place and somebody can pray you out of that. Well, there's no truth to that in the scripture.

If you're Islam, you feel that you do good and at the end of your life, Allah judges your life. If you've done more good things than evil things, then he welcomes you into paradise. But if you've done more evil things than good things, then he sends you to hell.

Some people believe that after you die, we become angels. That's the biggest crock pot of nothingness I've ever heard in my life. People say, well, we're going to be angels, little chubby little bald head angels playing a harp forever. Now that really sounds exciting, doesn't it?

I mean, I just can't grasp that concept of what eternity in heaven would be like. And then when people say, well, that little kid died and God needed another angel in his choir, I just feel like puking. That's just no truth to that, all right? We do not become angels.

And then some people believe that, well, it's just reincarnation. That if you've done really good, you'll come back in a better form. You'll come back in a better time. Or if you've lived a life of evil, then they believe, well, you'll come back maybe as a cockroach or a bug or a cat. Just saying.

But let's go to what Jesus says. I mean, he lived, he died, and he was resurrected. And he sits at the right hand of the Father. So if I want to get a perspective that's true and not just what Uncle Billy Bob said, then what I would want to do is to see what Jesus said.

So in this, in these next five or six weeks, I'm not sure how long this series goes, we're going to talk about what the Bible says and what Jesus says about eternity.

But today I'd like you to turn with me to Luke chapter 16. I'm going to read a very lengthy passage. If you got your Bible, follow along with us. Now you may have a Bible that says the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. This was not a parable. When Jesus teaches a parable, he sets it up that this is a story.

But look what he says here in the very first verse. Jesus said, and he's saying, this is not a parable, but I'm going to try to give you a glimpse of what happens after this.

And there was a certain rich man who lived splendidly clothed with purple and fine linen. And that means he was part of the rich and famous. And then he lived in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man's table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.

Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to the place of the dead. There in that moment, he saw Abraham in a far distance with Lazarus at his side.

And the rich man shouted, Father Abraham. Now I know those of you who went to church years ago with me, the first thing that happened right there is what? Father Abraham had many sons. Many sons had Father Abraham. Yeah. So it's not talking about that here. Okay.

But isn't it interesting that this rich man is trying to be religious? He doesn't say Abraham. He says, Father Abraham. So in the midst of all this, he's still trying to be religious. And he says, send Lazarus over here.

And I look at that and I think, there he is. He's trying to boss somebody. He thinks he's still in charge. Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his fingers in water and cool my tongue. I'm in anguish in these flames.

But Abraham said to him, son, remember that during your lifetime, you had everything you wanted and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted and you're in anguish. And besides that, there's a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to see to you from here, and no one from there can come to you.

There's a chasm. And I'll talk about that later that some people say, well, in heaven, are you able to see what happens on earth? Yes. And I believe that people that are sent in torment actually can look across the chasm and they can see the good that comes to believers in life.

So we're going to talk about all those things in the next few weeks. Then the rich man said, please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father's home, for I have five brothers and I want him to warn them so they don't end up in the place of torment.

But Abraham said, Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote. The rich man replied, no, Father Abraham. But if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent of their sins and turn to God.

But Abraham said, if they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even if someone rises from the dead. Wow.

So when I read this passage, the first thing that jumps out to me that in your notes, you might want to write this down. Understand that death is inevitable. Look at your neighbor and say, you're going to die. Good news is you're going to die.

Now you'd say, well, can we talk about something else? No, we need to look at that because as best as I know, the records are that one out of one dies. Everybody dies unless you're still alive at the time that Jesus comes back and you just go to be with him, which would be great, right?

So what's in the cards for us is death, and death knows how to locate you if you're rich or poor. First of all, it says the rich man splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen. Well, if you wore purple during that time, it's a very expensive color to have, and only kings and very, very, very wealthy would wear that.

And then when it says linen, again, it would be about a year's salary for a normal person to wear linen clothes. So he had everything going for him. He had three condos, everything else going, whatever you want to say. He was a rich man, but death found him wherever he was, and it'll find you.

And then there's Lazarus, the poor man. I mean, he just would love to have the crumbs off the table. Well, you got to catch the picture here because anybody in the first century that would hear this would know that rich people, after they ate, they wouldn't use a napkin to wipe their hands. They would take a loaf of bread and they would use that loaf of bread to clean their hands.

And of course, there'd be lots of crumbs, and they'd take those crumbs and they would throw them out to the dogs, and the dogs would eat them. And Lazarus was so desperate that he longed to be able to eat those.

So whether you're rich or poor, whether you're rich or poor, you're going to be found by death. Whether you're black or white or in between, you're going to be found by death.

It's appointed, Hebrews 9 and 27, read this out loud with me. It is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment. That's what we're talking about in this series, after this.

It says that you have an appointment with death. We're all going to die by appointment. The Bible tells us in Psalm 139, you saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

He said, God's got a book. He knew before I was born when I would be born, where I would be born. The Bible says in the book of Acts, he sets our geographical location and our time of living. It's all in.

And then he says, and in that book also, I have an appointment with death. So when we look at that, God says, it says here that God knows exactly when, where, and how that we will die.

So does that mean that our fate is sealed? Well, the answer to that is yes and no, according to perspective. If it's from God's perspective, who is omniscient, knowing all things, then yes, he knows exactly when you will die by appointment.

So, but does that mean that then I have nothing to do with it? No, from my perspective and your perspective is no. If you walk out of here today and walk out in the middle of that road and it's in front of a semi-tractor trailer, it's going to make hamburger out of you.

Now you say, well, did God have that in his book that that was my fate that I was supposed to die at that time? No, you had a chance to live on, but you chose earlier. But then did God know that? Yes, he knows that.

That's what's so mind-boggling to us when we think about God. He knows all of those things. And you're sitting here today and maybe you're overeating and you're not exercising and you cut your life short. You say, was that God's fate for me? No, he didn't want you to be like that.

Or maybe you're strung out on drugs or alcohol and that's your life. That's your go-to. That's what you turn to. And so it causes your life to be short. You say, well, is that my fate? Is that what God wanted? No, God knew, but you had a choice and you did that.

So what is death? If we're all going to die, then exactly what is death? Well, we can all speculate and we could use what Uncle Billy Bob says about it, but I really would like to go to Revelation and find out what the scripture says about it.

So in the Bible, death means separation. Death means separation. Not a cessation, not you cease to be living, but it's a separation of something.

So in essence, when you die, you see what you see here, this six-foot-four frame is not me. This is a tent. This is a dwelling place. But my soul, my real existence lives inside of this tent. That's why Paul says that we take down the tent and we move on into the glory of God.

So one of these days, hopefully not anything soon, I'm going to die and Anita's going to have to make a decision about what to do. Well, we've already made that decision. I'll be cremated. I don't want to be put in a casket and worms eat my flesh and my eyeballs.

And well, I won't have any eyeballs because I'm a donor and everything that's worth anything will be given away. I hope there'll be something left that people can use. But I don't cease to exist.

The moment, the moment I die, the scripture says I'm in the presence of Jesus. That old body where you cremate me and sprinkle my ashes in the mountain or the beach and don't keep any on the mantle. I don't want you to look up and say there's cemetery. No, don't get, just get rid of that.

But what I'm saying is simply this, that I don't cease to exist. I can look down from heaven. You say people from heaven can look down and see us? Yeah, I'll show that to you in a few weeks and the cloud of angels that's around us.

So I'm not there. I'm in the presence of the Lord. Do you understand that? Does that kind of give you some joy? If so, would you give the Lord a hand clap and say, yeah, God, that's awesome.

So when we die, there's a judgment after that. There's a judgment and there's two different judgments. There's a judgment of those that are unbelievers that have never received Jesus into their life.

And so in Revelation chapter 20, verses 11 through 13, if you want to look at those, they're not on the screen, but they're in your Bible. If you brought your Bible, and that's a good thing, Revelation 20, 11 through 13.

And this is John the revelator. And he's seeing into heaven at the end time. And these are people that are dead spiritually, not just dead, dead, but they're dead spiritually. And he said, I saw the great white throne.

So this is called the great white throne judgment. If you're a believer, how many of you are a believer? You won't show up at this one. This is not yours. This is the great white throne is not a place that you will be, but this is for people who've decided that they would live their own life the way they want to without Jesus.

So he said, I saw the dead, the dead spiritually, both great and small standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the book of life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done.

So there's a book of life. And if their name was not written in the book of life, then they're going to be judged. So he said, and they were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

So the name wasn't in the book, but how they lived their life was in a book. That must be a pretty big book, huh? A very big one. And the sea gave up the dead and death and the grave gave up their dead. And they were all judged according to their deeds. They were all by their deeds.

But I want to look at the other judgment and it's called the Bema judgment, B-E-M-A, the Bema seat judgment. And it's in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verses 10 through 11 says, for we believers will be called to account and we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may be repaid for what he has done in the body.

For we're going to be repaid for what we did while we were living in these tents in this body, whether good or bad. Now, this has nothing to do with your eternal security of going to heaven, but it's just simply saying that not everybody receives the same rewards when you get to heaven.

Not everybody is going to be the same. It's not just equal equality across the board, but it's what you have done in this body. And that is each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, and motives, the use or misuse of his time, opportunities, and abilities.

Wow. The throne here is called the Bema, B-E-M-A, and that comes from the Greek Olympics. During the Greek Olympics, when they would have a competition for, you know, perhaps Vance and Steve were running in a marathon, they would run naked. So you don't need to see that picture in the Greek Olympics.

But when they come in, there's a Bema seat, a high seat, where an authority, a judge would sit there. And when somebody would come in first, if Vance came in first, the authority from the Bema seat would give him a crown and say, you ran good. You were first. Steve, you were second. Give him an award.

So Paul pulls in that same thing to us as believers. And he says that we're going to be treated not for our sins, because your sins have already been washed in the blood of Jesus, right? If you're a believer, God, when he looks at you, he sees you through the blood of Jesus. Man, I'm thankful for that.

And a lot of times people feel like, well, I don't, I'm not good enough. I don't do enough. I'm not that. But no, he sees you through the blood of Jesus Christ. Wow. That is so awesome.

He sees you through the blood of Jesus Christ. So he says, you're going to be rewarded according to your deeds. And what would that be? Well, how you treated people, how you treated the people that are marginal in life, people that nobody wants anything to do.

Remember Jesus said, hey, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was hungry and you fed me. I needed clothes and you clothed me. And they said, but Jesus, I don't ever remember. But he said, when you do it unto the least of these, you've done to me.

So some of you, you're so benevolent in your heart towards people that are less than, people that can't pay you back. It's easy to be good to somebody that can pay you back, right? In other words, you're getting points with them and they're going to be able to do something for you.

But those people who can't pay you back, the scripture says, I'm going to reward you according to how you treated people that nobody else would give a flip about treating. And he said, then I'll reward you.

We're rewarded according to our motives. So it's not enough that I just came to church. It's not enough that I just did this or whatever, but he says, I'm going to look not just at the deed, but I'm going to look at your motives. Why did you do that?

A friend of mine by the name of Leroy Arnold, and I remembered this in the first service, and I hope I can bring it all back because I don't have it in my notes. Years ago, he had a dream and in the dream, he was at this great judgment seat of Christ.

And he said, there was a long line of people in line and they would come up to where Jesus was and out of the book, they would read of all the good deeds they did and everything they did, how they took care of people.

And then all of that gold or all of those works were given to an angel and an angel would put that in the furnace and burn off the dross, burn off the wrong motives, burn off the wrong purpose.

And so he said, I'm watching this and I keep thinking about my life and I keep trying to get to the back of the line because I don't want to do that. But he said, in my dream, all of a sudden I stood at the front and Jesus began to talk about the things that I've done and all the things.

And then he gave all of that to the angel to burn up the motives. And he said, then when they brought out the gold, they fashioned it into a crown. And he said, they gave me the crown and I put the crown on my little finger.

And he said, then the next thing I knew there was a huge parade and Jesus was marching down the aisle and everybody would take off their crowns, some multiple crowns, and throw them at the feet of Jesus.

And he said, the last thing I remember in my dream is I saw Jesus looking straight at me and I was trying to get the little crown off my finger. And he said, I woke up.

You see, it's not just the things that we do, but it's the motives that we do that. Why are we doing that? And we'll be judged according to the words that we speak. He says, you're going to be held accountable for every idle word.

Every time you use Jesus, you're going to be held accountable for every idle word. Name in vain. I can't believe the number of Christians that use Jesus' name or say Jesus or, oh God, that's idle. That's an idle word. You're using his name in idleness. And you need to stop that.

That's you need to think about what you're doing. And then we'll be judged by the resources, what we did with our resources. Were you faithful? And then the people you bring to Christ.

I mean, think about it like this. Boom. One day your life is over and you'll be standing in the presence of the Lord. And he's going to say to you, well done, a good and faithful servant. Well done.

I just imagine him saying to some of you, you served every week in kids' church. Well done. It puts a crown on your head. Or he says, you know what? You prayed and prayed and prayed when nobody else was praying.

Or, you know, on your work, you were the person that's always telling people about Jesus. You tithe, you shared your faith. See what we believe about eternity determines how we live today.

So in this series, I'm praying that it's a wake-up call for all of us to think more about our eternal destiny.

Cause number two, I noticed this in this story, we can choose our eternal destination. Abraham said, you had a choice in life and you chose to go the other way.

Matthew 7, 13 through 14 says, enter by the narrow gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction. And there'll be many that go in by it because narrow is the great gate and difficult is the way that leads to life. There are few that find it.

He says, Jesus is talking here. And remember, he said, I'm the way, I'm the truth, I'm the life. So he says, look to follow after me, you're going to have to squeeze through a tiny door.

You know, in other words, you got to get rid of the baggage that you're carrying. You got to get rid of the sin that you're carrying because you got to squeeze through a tiny door. You got to get rid of the baggage that you're carrying.

Squeeze through this door, or you can live your life in the wide open places. Do whatever you want to do. Make the Bible fit for you. Say what it says and just live your life for any other way.

And he says, look, there's few that go in and choose the right way.

Hey, I know you've probably been wondering what I was going to do with this rope, but this rope is going to help me kick off this series. This part of the rope here that goes back and back and back and back. And you can't see the end of it represents the eternity past.

Like in the eternity past was God. God has always been. He wasn't created. He wasn't just one day he woke up. God has always been. That was always hard for me to grasp as a kid. How do you, but that's the eternity past.

That's eternity where in that eternity past, God had a plan for this earth for you and me. He knew us before we would ever be born. That's in the eternity past. That's the eternity past. That's the eternity past.

This other side of the rope, I'm sure you've already figured that is the eternity in the future where we're going to spend eternity. And it goes on and on and on. I mean, eternity in hell or heaven. I mean, it's more than a hundred years. It's more than a million years. It's more than a trillion years. You can't see the end of it.

And it goes on and on and on. And that's what this series is talking about. What are we doing? We're going to spend the after this, but this part of the rope talks about the life that we are now.

I mean, this part right here would be like, Adam is created and God saw that he wasn't good. And he created Eve and Adam said, whoa, man. And ever since done that.

And so you got, you got Noah and you keep going. You've got over here where a lot of us are from. You have, you've got, you've got, you've got World War II, World War I. You have all the conflicts in the Middle East. You have the Jews and the Arabs and everything that's going on.

And then around about 1950 over here is when I was born. And so now I'm living and doing things. And that's where most of us are right now on this timeline. We're right here.

Life is a mist. I mean, you know that you have that mist in your bathroom spray or whatever. You spray it into the air and it disappears, right? Where did that go? Paul said, that's how life is.

What I do with this part right here determines what's going to happen in eternity. Now we get in this place right here, we get upset because, well, they did me wrong and they got to pay for that. I mean, they hurt me. They're going to have to pay for that.

But a thousand years from now, is that going to amount to anything? No, not at all. Forever and ever and ever. I mean, in this little place here, we get so concerned about this life.

And I think that's where a lot of us are. We're thinking about now, you know, what's my new suit that I can get? What's a new condo, a new car, a new motorcycle? You know, improve my golf game, do all that.

And we're so focused right here, so focused right here that we make sure that we have a good time, that everything is good. And we're not preparing for this, for eternity.

We're not giving up. How could we? Even though on the outside, it often looks like things are falling apart. On the inside where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.

Not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration he has prepared for us.

There's far more than meets the eye. The things we see now are gone tomorrow, but the things we can't see last forever and ever and ever and ever.

I've got a confession I need to make to you. In studying this and getting ready in the last several months, I felt like the Lord just really revealed to me about how my focus and my routine, my routine, my routine, my routine, my routine, my routine, my routine, my routine, are all right here.

And I don't really wake up every day thinking about eternity where people will spend eternity. And so I just had to repent to the Lord and say, I'm sorry, you're right. I've, I'm so focused in this right here.

And I really don't think much about that because some of us have been taught that heaven is really honest. It's going to be a boring place. I mean, some of you never opened your mouth to sing in a worship song here.

And when people say, well, we're going to go to heaven, we're going to worship God and sing forever and ever and ever. And to you, that doesn't sound like a good deal. But let me tell you, heaven is so much more than that. So much more.

And I just wondered today, how many of you would honestly say, you know, I've been more focused right here on this than I've really thinking about eternity. Does anybody else feel that way besides me?

Oh, wow. I feel better. I feel better that there are a few of us that need to change our focus because we're spending so much time thinking about here and we need to remember this eternity.

So let me pray for you, if that's all right, those of you who raised your hand. Father, I pray today for those who, like me, said that my roots are just too deep in this world and I'm not thinking enough about eternity.

So Lord, I pray today that you would recalibrate our lives. God, that you'd help us to focus on what really matters after this, after this. And forgive us for getting so caught up in the little trivial things that in the scheme of eternity won't matter.

Lord, I pray that you would help us as every head is bowed and every eye is closed as you continue to pray for yourself, that this would be a wake-up teaching today, as we go into this series.

If you're here today and you got to honestly say, you know, I've been on the wide road, I've been living my life for myself, but I just want to remind you of Jesus who came. He lived a sinless life. He died on the cross. And on the third day, he was resurrected so that as many as call upon him could be saved.

Man, I don't want you to spend eternity separated from him. I don't want you to spend eternity separated from him. He said, in that day, there'll be many that say, Lord, Lord, we knew you. Lord, Lord, we came to church. Lord, we did this and that.

And you say, I'm sorry, I never knew you. I mean, we're going to look at that in the future. What does that really mean? I knew you. In other words, there's a life change. You don't just pray a little prayer, no life change. You get a life change.

So today, if you're here or online and you're uncertain about your eternity, you would say, you know what? Years ago, I was a Christian. I was a Christian. I was a Christian. I was a Christian. I was a Christian. I was pretty sharp and on track, but I've sort of got defragged into this world.

But today I want to be sure of my eternity. Would you raise your hand and make eye contact with me and let me pray for you? Terry, I want to be sure today of my eternity. I don't want to miss it.

Thank you. Others today, raise your hand. Thank you. Others today, just lift your hand. Yep. That's me. Thank you. Yeah. Such honesty today. Thank you in the back. Thank you. Thank you. Others today, they were joining this and say, yep, that's me. That's me. That's me. I want to be sure today.

The scripture says, if I believe in my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, I'll be saved. So today I want to lead you in a prayer. We've all prayed this prayer or one like it sometime or the other for a believer.

Pray this prayer with me out loud. We'll all pray this.

Father God, thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to die for my sins. You poured your wrath out on him so that I could be cleansed.

So I'm asking you today, forgive me of my sins. Come into my life and fill me with your spirit in Jesus' name.

Hey church, would you celebrate with me with those five or six that prayed that prayer? Look, it's very important. If you prayed that prayer, raise your hand, go to first step here or first step there, resources that'll help you on your journey.

Hey, just listen, just hang out just a minute as...

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "What you believe determines how you will live. If you believe that there is nothing after this, then you're going to squander your life and live with no purpose. But if you believe there is, really a God that's given you an assignment, and one of these days he's going to reward you for your faithfulness, then it changes how we live now." [38:06](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



2. "Life is a mist. I mean, you, you know that you, you have that mist in your bathroom spray or whatever. You spray it into the air and it disappears, right? Where did that go? Paul said, that's how life is. What I do with this part right here determines what's going to happen in eternity." [01:04:17](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



3. "Even though on the outside, it often looks like things are falling apart. On the inside where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration he has prepared for us. There's far more than meets the eye. The things we see now, see now are gone tomorrow, but the things we can't see last forever and ever and ever and ever and ever." [01:05:52](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



4. "So when we die, there's a judgment after that. There's a judgment and there's two different judgments. There's a judgment of those that have are unbelievers that have never received Jesus into their life. And so in revelation chapter 20 verses 11 through 13, if you want to look at those, they're not on the screen, but they're in your Bible. If you brought your Bible and that's a good thing, revelation 20, 11 through 13." [52:15](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



### Quotes for Members

1. "What we believe about eternity determines how we live today. So in this series, I'm praying that it's a wake-up call for all of us to think more about our eternal destiny. Cause number two, I noticed this in this story, we can choose our eternal destination. Uh, Abraham said, you had a choice in life and you chose to go the other way." [59:37](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



2. "We're rewarded according to our motives. So it's not enough that I just, came to church. It's not enough that I just did this or whatever, but he says, I'm going to look not just at the deed, but I'm going to look at your motives. Why did you do that?" [56:42](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



3. "So Paul pulls in that same thing to us as believers. And he says that we're going to be treated. Not for our sins, because your sins have already been washed in the blood of Jesus, right? If you're a believer, God, when he looks at you, he sees you through the blood of Jesus. Man, I'm thankful for that." [55:16](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



4. "So today I'd like you to turn with me to Luke chapter 16. I'm going to read a very lengthy passage. If you got your Bible, follow along with us. Now you may have a Bible that says the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. This was not a parable. When Jesus teaches a parable, he sets it up that, that this is a story. But look what he says here in the very first 19 verse. Jesus said, And he's saying, this is not a parable, but I'm going to try to give you a glimpse of what happens after this." [41:52](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)



5. "So in essence, when you die, you see what you see here, this six foot four frame is not me. This is a tent. This is a dwelling place. But my soul, my real existence lives inside of this tent. That's why Paul says that we take down the tent and we move on into the glory of God." [50:48](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | Download vertical captioned clip)