Greg Laurie - The Inconsolable Longing (02/26/2018)
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Pastor Greg Laurie shares how we all carry an inconsolable longing for more—something this world can't satisfy—because God placed eternity in our hearts. Drawing from Colossians 3, he points us to set our minds on heaven, our true home, especially through grief after losing his son Christopher, finding comfort that death isn't the end but leads to perfected life with Christ.
The Inconsolable Longing We All Feel
Lord, You are holy, and we acknowledge that. And You're good, and You're loving, and You're wise, and You're powerful. And You're here—here to speak to us today. So we ask You to bless our time as we look in Your Word. We come with an open heart and an open Bible. We come to the God of the Word before we come to the Word of God. Speak to us now, we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
You can be seated. I'd like you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Colossians chapter 3. This is a message in a little mini-series that I'm doing that are loosely known as Messages Greg Is Preaching to Himself. And you're welcome to eavesdrop, and I hope it will be a benefit to you as well. The title of the message is The Inconsolable Longing.
I've mentioned my granddaughter, Stella, likes to use the word "more" when she really likes something. Her favorite food is the quesadilla. No matter what time of the day it is, she wants a quesadilla. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or the "dia," as she calls it. "Stella, what would you like to eat?" "Dia." And I have only mastered scrambled eggs, being the great culinary expert that I am. And so I've had to expand my repertoire now to the "dia" for Stella. And usually when you give her one, she'll then say, "More." Whenever she likes something, she says, "More."
That Childlike Cry for "More"
I was reading a Bible story to her before bed the other night, and after I was done, she said, "More." So I told her another story. She said, "More." Did another, "More." And another, "More." I'd worked my way pretty much to the whole Bible by the time we were done. But, you know, she wanted to hear more of those things. That's a good thing.
Now, of course, this can be a problem, because sometimes we want more of the wrong things. I remember years ago when I tried my first Krispy Kreme donut. It wasn't here in California. It was long before they came here. It was in the South where they originated. Actually, the headquarters of Krispy Kreme is Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I know because we did a crusade there. And anyway, so someone said, "You've got to try the Krispy Kreme donut." Well, the very name sounded so odd. "What? No, you've got to try them." I said, "Oh, I've had donuts before." "You haven't had a donut like this." So I went down, and I had my first Krispy Kreme glazed donut, fresh, hot. And I said, "More." And I had another. "More." And another. "More." I made it to six. That's my all-time record. Don't look at me that way. Has anybody ever surpassed six Krispy Kremes? There's your hand. Okay, we're going to be having a gathering of gluttons after church today, so I hope to see you all there.
But of course, then after they make their way down to your stomach, you say, "Oh, no more." You know, deep down inside, we're all really, like little Stella, saying, "More." You know, there's something about life. We just want more out of life. We want the newest, the latest, the freshest, the coolest. We want more.
Why This World Never Quite Satisfies
And you know, I think God has basically wired us that way. But here's the problem. As much as we live life, as much as we experience, as much as we see, it always seems like it just isn't quite enough. You know why that is? As the Bible says, God has placed eternity in our hearts. There's a recognition deep down inside of us that this world is not going to be able to deliver on its promises.
And that's why there's an old song the church has been singing for years that says, "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through." See, the Bible says that we are citizens of another kingdom. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you become a citizen of heaven because that is your real home, not earth. We're told in Philippians 3:20, "We are citizens of heaven where the Lord Jesus Christ lives and we are eagerly waiting for His return as our Savior."
And that's why we have this longing deep inside of us—a longing for something this earth can never deliver, only heaven. And that is also why we'll always be a bit out of tune with this world and all it celebrates. That's why certain things that the world parades before us will leave us cold. And we'll say, "That's not what I want. That's not what I desire." Because as followers of Jesus, we want something more. We want much more.
C.S. Lewis described this longing, this desire, as the inconsolable longing. And he made this statement, and I quote: "There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven. But more often I find myself wondering whether in our heart of hearts we have ever desired anything else." Lewis says, "It's the secret signature of each soul, the incommunicable and unappeasable want." It's the inconsolable longing.
Like a Built-In Homing Instinct
It's sort of like a homing instinct. You know what? Animals have that ability to travel great distances in their migration and so forth. And it's a built-in GPS, if you will, that God has placed inside of them. Dogs have it somewhat. Cats certainly have it.
I read a story about a cat named Clem that left home for years. And that's the problem with cats, right there. Cats will just leave. They don't leave a note. No explanation. They're just like, "See ya." And they're gone for three days. They come back, act like they own the place, like everything's fine. You know, that's the way cats are.
Well, anyway, this is a true story about a cat named Clem that one day just left home. And after the eighth year, his owners thought Clem was gone, maybe hit by a car, someone stole him, but they never expected to see Clem again. And then one day, there's this cat scratching at their front door. They open it, and this cat, kind of mangy, walks in, jumps up on Clem's old favorite chair, makes himself at home. They thought, "Where did this cat come from? Why is he sitting on Clem's chair?" And then it dawned on them, could this be Clem, the prodigal cat, returns?
So they got out some old photos of Clem, and sure enough, this crazy cat had come home after eight years. I would have demanded an explanation. "Where on earth have you been?" Old Clem came home. One of these days, we're going to go home too, to heaven.
Heaven Feels Closer After Loss
Heaven is more real to me than it's ever been because I have an investment there. Now, I know many people in heaven that have gone before me. Of course, my grandparents are there, and my mom's there, and the father who adopted me is there. I have many friends that I've known through the years that have gone on to heaven. People in our own church that have gone on that used to be familiar faces sitting in the very pews you're sitting in now.
But when my son, at the age of 33, died unexpectedly and went to heaven, I became even more interested than I'd ever been before. And, you know, right now, we're in a process of mourning and grieving. And the question we probably hear asked more often than any other is, "How are you doing?"
You know, and I have to just say, that is a hard question to answer. And I'm going to just give you an answer, kind of collectively, as a representative for anyone who has recently lost a loved one. To your question, "How are we doing?" Let me honestly say to you, not really all that well. We're very, very sad. We're missing that person.
Now, there are moments of peace and even joy, but there are more moments of sadness. But we're suffering, yes. But we're also learning. We're grieving, yet we're rejoicing. We're mourning, we're occasionally laughing, but most of the time, we're just sad.
Triggers of Grief and God's Comfort
And there are things that trigger this sadness. It's sort of like little landmines that you step on, ambushes, if you will, that will hit you unexpectedly, that will remind you of something, and immediately you're taken to a different place, and it's very hard.
So, when you ask us how we're doing, just know we're struggling. Any person who has lost a loved one that was close to them is struggling. But also know this: God is with us. And there's a blessedness in mourning. Who would think? We think the blessedness always comes from laughing and having fun. No. There's a blessedness in mourning.
Jesus said, "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." There are things you learn in this valley that you will not learn anywhere else. Now, if we had our druthers, we would not be here, but we're here. So, we want to learn what we can learn.
But I think sometimes people will see you, and they see you're not smiling. Maybe they even see you've been crying, and they think you're not doing well. "Oh, they're not doing well." Well, what are you expecting? There is a place for mourning. There is a place for crying, and there is a place for grieving when you've lost someone.
Ecclesiastes says there's a time to laugh, there's a time to dance, there's a time to cry, there's a time to grieve.
Even the Apostle Paul Felt Deep Sorrow
There's an interesting passage in the book of Philippians where the Apostle Paul, the same Paul that said "to live is Christ and to die is gain," the same Paul that said there's a crown of righteousness laid up for me in heaven, the same Paul that seemed to be fearless, but yet he wrote in Philippians chapter 2 that he had sent Epaphroditus. He said he's a true brother, he's a faithful worker, he's a courageous soldier. He almost died, but God had mercy on him. "Listen, God had mercy on him and also on me so I would not have such unbearable sorrow."
Apparently Epaphroditus came to the very brink of death and Paul was saying, "I'm glad he didn't die because I don't think I could have borne it." That's honest. And that's what it's like when you're mourning. It seems unbearable at times.
Even Stephen, when he was martyred, the Bible says, was taken by godly men who cried loudly. So don't expect us to get over it quickly. You can't get over someone that's been a part of your life, in our case for 33 years. You don't just edit them out of the script.
When you're at a table to eat, you notice the empty chair. They are a part of everything that you did and they're just suddenly gone. Now you know they're alive in heaven, but they're not with you on earth. And that's where the sorrow comes in.
Helpful and Unhelpful Words in Grief
I was speaking with Dave Dravecky a while back and you may remember that Dave was a pro ball player. And he tragically lost his arm and part of his shoulder through cancer. But he's a cancer survivor. And he has used this as a platform to minister to people and bring hope and encouragement.
And Dave was telling me one day about how he would get phantom pain. And he was describing pain he felt in his arm that was no longer there. His arm had been amputated, as they said. But he said, "I feel that pain in my arm as though it's there right now." He said, "Right now I'm feeling this pain."
And I found that to be a really startling thing to hear. And I have sort of this phantom pain where my son once was. He isn't now. And you feel him. And so it's hard.
So when you ask us or me or anybody else who's grieving, "How are you?" You know, understand it's a hard question to answer. Maybe you shouldn't ask "How are you" at all, but just say, "Hey man, praying for you." Or, "I'm sorry." Or, "I love you," but the "how are you" one is a hard one to answer.
Sometimes a person may want to talk about it. Sometimes they don't want to talk about it. But listen to this. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone who's lost someone is don't say anything.
You know, one person's clapping. But Job's counselors had that right. When they initially approached Job and saw his condition, they didn't say a word. Everything started falling apart when they started talking.
You see, when you're mourning, you're vulnerable. Your guard is down. You're sensitive. Ultra sensitive. Sensitive to things that will help you and sensitive to things that can hurt you as well.
So if you're going to say something, pray the Lord will give you the right words. And if you don't know what the right words are, don't say words. It's okay. Love you, man. Just smile, wave, whatever.
Because the Bible says a word that is fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. But I would say a word that is unfitly spoken can be very, very difficult.
What Not to Say—and What to Say Instead
You know, sometimes people will say, "I know what you're going through." And you know, it's pretty unlikely you know what a person's going through. Because I don't even know exactly what my wife is going through. Though we're together all the time and we're both mourning the loss of our son, but her mourning process is different than mine.
But I had a person come up to me and say, "I know what you're going through. My grandmother just died." With all due respect, though I'm sorry for your loss, the loss of a grandmother is not the same as the loss of a child. Because you know what? All of our grandparents are going to die one day. We know that's coming. That's not a shock to us.
And you know what? Our parents are going to die one day. That will not come as a shock, I hope. And then, of course, you will die one day. That will really be a shock for some of us. You know, this is just the way life works.
So I'm not saying that the loss of a grandparent or a parent is not hard. It's very hard, especially if you lost them early in life. But the loss of a child is different because your children aren't supposed to die before you. So that's a unique loss.
I'm not saying that to downplay other people's pain. Every kind of loss is difficult and hard in its own way.
I know a couple that lost their child and someone actually came up to them and said, "I know how you feel. My dog just died." Those are grounds for assault right there.
One person said to me, "Hey, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." That didn't help. One person wrote me and said, "God always picks His best flowers first." That didn't help.
But there's been a lot of things that have been said that have been very helpful. But let me flip this around now and add, having said you should not say the wrong thing, do say something.
I think sometimes when we're around a person who's lost someone, we don't want to bring the topic up because we don't want them to cry. So we say nothing. I'll tell you what's the hardest thing of all is when you're around people and no one mentions it, even if it happened recently. No one acknowledges it. No one will speak of the elephant in the room, if you will, because you don't want that person to have their eyes well up with tears, not realizing that they're thinking about that individual, and they want to talk about it, but they don't want to sort of rain on your parade, so it's never discussed, and this person is in pain.
Say something. "I miss that person." "Oh, I love that person." "I remember a story about that person." And you know what? They may cry, and that's okay. Because mourning and crying is part of healing. And you've got to go through it.
And if you're not mourning or crying, there's something wrong with you. And if you don't get it out that way, it's going to come out in some other way, and it probably won't be good.
So yes, there's a hard process that one goes through.
Never Be at Peace with Death Itself
People will sometimes ask the question, "Are you at peace with this? Are you at peace with this person's death?" Don't ever ask that. And let me just say, you should never be at peace with anyone's death. I'm not at peace with my son's death. I hate death. Death is an enemy. The Bible says the last enemy that will be defeated is death.
Having said that, God is a friend. Not death. I am at peace with God. Death may be an enemy, but God is a friend, so we trust the Lord. But no, we'll never be at peace with this thing that we call death.
Having said that, it's because we realize that Christ will one day completely conquer death. He dealt a decisive blow against it at the cross of Calvary. But one day, we'll live forever in new resurrected bodies. For the believer, death is not the end of the road. It's only a bend in the road. The road that winds to the path as Jesus Himself has gone. The tomb is not an entrance to death, but to life. Because death has been swallowed up in victory.
Turning Our Minds to Heaven
So, what does help a person through this process? Well, I'll tell you what helps me. Thinking about heaven. The more I think about heaven, the better things are. So, that's why I want to focus a little bit on what heaven is like in our short time that we have together.
Heaven, of course, as I've said, is closer to me than it's ever been before. We all think about heaven, but you know, heaven's kind of hard to wrap your mind around, isn't it? We have a lot of questions about heaven. What is heaven like? What will our new bodies be like? Will we recognize one another?
Here's one that's often asked: Do people in heaven know what's going on down here on earth?
Newsweek magazine did an article on heaven a while back called "Visions of Heaven," and they pointed out that 76% of Americans believe in heaven, and of those, 71% think it's an actual place, but after that, the agreement breaks down. 90% think heaven looks like a garden, 13% say it looks like a city, and 17% don't know. And they also said, even those that don't believe in heaven sneakily wish there was one.
Listen, we need to know more about heaven. We don't want to get up there and be some country bumpkin that doesn't know what's going on. Let's get the lay of the land.
If you're going to take a trip somewhere, you do a little research first. How should I dress? Where should I stay? Where's the good food? What do you do? What's it like? Let's think a little bit about heaven.
Set Your Mind on Things Above
Why? Because we're told in Colossians 3, look at it now, verse 1 and 2: "Since you've been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."
The phrase that Paul uses here for "set your minds" speaks of a diligent, active, single-minded investigation. Again, Paul is saying that every believer should be engaged in a diligent, active, single-minded investigation of heaven.
Also, this verbiage that Paul uses is in the present tense and it could be translated "keep seeking heaven." You see, we all need to be heavenly-minded, but sometimes we don't know what that means. Because we'll hear that expression, "Oh, they're so heavenly-minded they're no earthly good." What a dumb thing to say.
The fact of the matter is a lot of people are so earthly-minded they're no heavenly good. I want to be heavenly-minded in the proper sense. And we all should desire that as well.
So let's deal with a few of these ideas of what it means to be heavenly-minded. For as Warren Wiersbe reminds us, for the Christian heaven is not simply a destination—it's a motivation.
What Heaven Is Really Like
So, what is heaven like? That's the first question we'll deal with. Let me respond by saying heaven is an actual place. It's a place. Jesus said, "I have gone to prepare a place for you."
We often think of heaven in sort of a mystical way and we have sort of the Hollywood version, you know, where people are just floating around on clouds with little halos over their head and you don't really do a whole lot there. It actually sounds like a pretty boring destination. But that's not the heaven of the Bible.
The Bible uses a number of words to describe heaven. One word it uses is paradise. Heaven is a paradise. You remember when Jesus was crucified, hanging next to Him was one of the thieves who came to his senses and believed and said, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said, "Truly, truly I say unto you, today you will be with Me in paradise."
And the apostle Paul who had the unique experience of dying and going to heaven, the third heaven as he described it, and returning again to earth said it was paradise.
But what does that mean? Well it's a word that actually is describing the royal garden of a king in the context the king of Persia. Just this immaculate amazing garden that only a king could afford. It's hard for us to wrap our mind around but heaven is compared to a paradise. A garden.
Heaven is compared to a city. We're told in Hebrews 11:10 that this city has God as its architect and builder. And then Hebrews 13:14 says we do not here on earth have an enduring city but we're looking for a city that is to come.
Now we know that cities have buildings and culture and art and music and goods and services and events. Will heaven have all of these things? Well we don't know. But it's compared not only to a garden—a paradise—but it's also compared to a city.
Heaven is also described as a country. Hebrews 11:16 says they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for He has prepared a city for them.
Heaven is a country, a city, a garden, a paradise.
Earth Is the Shadow—Heaven Is the Real
See we tend to think of heaven as surreal and earth as real. In other words our point of reference is earth—this is real—heaven who knows what that is. Now listen to me now: heaven is what's real. Earth is what's temporary.
That's why C.S. Lewis described life on earth as the shadow lands. Earth is a pale version of heaven—not the other way around.
Moses was commanded by God to build the tabernacle like the one in heaven. And in Hebrews 8:5 we read that they serve in a place of worship that is only a copy—a shadow—of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the tabernacle God gave him this warning: "Be sure you make everything according to the design I've shown you here in this mountain."
See it's a copy of the original. The original is in heaven. The copy is here on earth.
Again C.S. Lewis proposed quote: "The hills and valleys of heaven will be to those you now experience not as a copy but an original, nor as a substitute is to the genuine article but as the flower to the root or the diamond to the coal."
You see we start with earth and reason up toward heaven and we ought to start with heaven and reason down toward earth. Heaven is the real deal—the eternal dwelling place. Earth is the copy—the temporary dwelling place.
So here's my point: when you see that beautiful sunset or that panoramic view of nature's finest or God's finest is expressed through nature or any other thing that takes your breath away—no, it's just a glimpse of the real thing. It is waiting for you in heaven. Heaven is a place.
Will We Recognize Each Other in Heaven?
Question number two. Will we know each other in heaven? Answer: Absolutely. We'll know each other.
A good illustration of this is what happened on the Mount of Transfiguration. You remember Peter, James, and John were there with Jesus. And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared. Now, how did Peter, James, and John know that was Moses and Elijah? Did they have those little name tags on? "Hi, my name is Moses," you know. You think Moses was standing there with, you know, the Ten Commandments? You know, the traditional view here. Just in case you didn't know.
No, there was something about them that was recognizable.
And the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 13, in heaven we will know fully as we are known. Listen, in heaven you will know more than you know on earth. You'll know more, not less.
Sometimes we act as though we're going to know less in heaven. You're going to know more in heaven.
The good news is there will be no more senior moments in heaven. I'm having a problem these days remembering where I parked my car. It happens all the time. I'll park it. We'll go in wherever we're going. And I'll come out. My wife will be with me. I say, "Where did I park the car?" She says, "I don't remember." So I'm walking around pressing my alarm button. You know, and then I'll hear it. But it sounds distant. Oh, right. It's two levels down. We're in a parking structure.
No senior moments in heaven. You'll know more there. And you'll still love in heaven. Your love for your family and your friends will still be there. In fact, it will be a stronger, sweeter, purer love.
There's no break in our love any more than there's a break in our thoughts. Death breaks ties on earth, but it renews them in heaven.
Heaven is the perfecting of the highest moments of our present Christian experience. And listen, we will be the same people that we were on earth. We're not different people. You don't become a different person when you get to heaven. You're the same person, except now you're perfected.
After Jesus rose again from the dead, He said to His disciples, "It is I, Myself." Guys, it's me. This is Jesus alive, but in His resurrection body.
What Our Resurrection Bodies Will Be Like
Bringing us to question number three. What will our new bodies be like? Well, you will have a new body in heaven. It will not be in the same state as it is now.
1 Corinthians 15:42 says, "Our earthly bodies, which die and decay, will be different when they're resurrected. For they will never die. Our bodies now disappoint us, but when they're raised, they'll be full of glory. They're weak now, but when they're raised, they'll be full of power."
So if you were disabled on earth, you will not be disabled in heaven. If your body was broken down through the ravages of age or disease on earth, it will not be that case in heaven.
There will be differences in our new bodies, but there will be similarities too. So, if you wonder, well, we recognize one another. Yes, you'll recognize me, but I'll be different.
Now you're expecting me to say that I'll have a full head of hair. Because I've said that before. But what about if in our glorified state everyone's bald? What do you think about that? What if hair is part of the curse on humanity? Probably not. But there's something to think about.
But our resurrection bodies will resemble the resurrection body of Christ. For we're told in 1 John 3:2, "Beloved, now we're the children of God. It has not yet been revealed what we will be, but we know when He's revealed, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is."
Now, what was different about the resurrection body of Jesus and the body He was in before He was crucified? Well, when He walked among us on this earth, He voluntarily exposed Himself to the limitations of humanity. So when He was out all day walking, He was tired, He was sleepy, He was hungry, like anybody else.
But in His resurrected body, there were similarities to the old body, but differences. For instance, He still bore in His hands the marks of the crucifixion. He said, "Reach out and touch Me. I'm not a phantom. I'm not some spirit. This is a body." He sat down and ate a piece of fish.
But then again, He would just appear in a room without using the door. And we know He ascended to heaven. Which makes me wonder, will we fly in heaven? That would be nice.
You ever had a dream about flying? How many of you have ever dreamt of flying? See, we're all nuts. I don't know about your dreams of flying, but in my dreams, it's not like I run and jump and leap and shoot off like a bullet. I just kind of lift up and float and cruise around, you know.
Jesus ascended. Will we be able to move around like that in heaven in our new bodies? I don't know. Quite possibly.
Do People in Heaven See What's Happening on Earth?
That brings an interesting question up. Do people in heaven know what's going on down here on earth? I think this is more important to you when you have a loved one that's gone on before you. And the reason it's important is because you are connected to that person. You talked with them. You communicated with them. And now they're gone. And you wonder, well, do they know what's happening down here? Can they see anything that's happening here on this planet that we are still living in?
Well, I think I can say they do. But I don't think I can say I know how much. But I want to share four passages of Scripture that give us an indication that people in heaven know more about what's going on earth than we may think.
For instance, number one, people in eternity are aware of the fact that their loved ones are not saved. Because Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16. Lazarus, a believer, died and went to comfort in Abraham's bosom. The rich man, a non-believer, died and went to a place of torment.
And there on the other side, the ungodly man recognized that he was in judgment and could never return again. And his concern was that his brothers would come to this place. And he said in Luke 16:28, "I have five brothers and I want to warn them about this place of torment so they won't have to come here when they die."
So that indicates a knowledge in eternity about what's happening on earth.
Number two, when people believe in Jesus on earth, it's public knowledge in heaven. Because Jesus said, "There is joy in the presence of God over one sinner that comes to repentance."
Now that's an amazing verse. Because first of all, it tells us that there's rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that comes to repentance. So, right off the bat, it's like one person is enough to cause a party to break out in heaven.
Number two, they're aware of a person coming to repentance, which is not just a person praying a prayer or whatever, but they're aware of the fact that repentance has taken place.
And then the other part of that verse, "there is joy in the presence of the angels." See, that verse is often quoted, "there is joy among the angels in heaven over one sinner that comes to repentance." It doesn't say that. It says "there is joy in the presence of the angels."
That would imply that maybe someone else is doing the rejoicing. Now, I think the angels rejoice too, probably. But could it be that the ones that are rejoicing, that Jesus is referring to here in Luke 15, are those that have gone before us, who are rejoicing over the salvation of a loved one, maybe even a loved one they played a part in reaching?
Is it possible in heaven we would be aware of people that came to faith because of our testimony or our witness? We don't know. But it's an interesting thing to consider.
Tribulation Martyrs' Awareness in Heaven
But here's another verse that I find fascinating. It's over in Revelation 6. So why don't you just flip over there? Hang a right in your Bible and keep going. Last book of the Bible. Revelation 6.
What we're going to read in a moment is a description of people who've been martyred for their faith. Revelation 6 is describing, among other things, the tribulation period.
The Bible teaches a world leader will emerge on the stage known as the Antichrist or the Beast. He'll command people everywhere to take his mark and no one will be able to buy or sell without his mark. This wicked man of sin will relentlessly persecute followers of Jesus, even putting them to death.
During the tribulation period, there will be people who will be martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ. Here now in Revelation 6:9-11 is a description of tribulation martyrs who have died and have already gone on to heaven.
So what we're reading about is them in heaven. Okay?
Revelation 6:9: "When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth?' Then a white robe was given to each of them. And it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer until both the number of their fellow servants and their brothers, who would be killed as they were, was completed."
So here are these tribulation martyrs who seem to understand what is happening on earth.
For instance, they knew they were killed for following Jesus while on earth. And this demonstrates direct continuity between our identity on earth and our identity in heaven. They're not different people, but the same people relocated.
We're still alive. We do not have to speak of our loved ones who have died in the past tense. We can speak of them in the present tense. They're just not on earth. They're in heaven. These people have been relocated. They're the same people.
Number two, they were aware of the passing of time. Verse 10, they say, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those that dwell on the earth?" How long, Lord? Until our blood is avenged. They're aware that this is an injustice.
Secondly, in verse 11, it was said that they should rest a little while longer. They're aware of the passing of time.
Thirdly, there was a connection between the believers in heaven and those on earth. For those in heaven speak of their fellow servants and their brothers.
So, sometimes we hear it said, people in heaven have no idea what's going on on earth. These people knew. And there's rejoicing in heaven when someone comes to faith on earth.
So I think the answer to this question is people in heaven may know more about what's going on on earth than we realize. How much they know, we don't know. But these people are aware. They're concerned. They're aware of the passing of time.
Now, granted, this is speaking of this particular group of people, the martyrs of the tribulation period, but they're mere mortals. If it's true of them, could it also be true of us or of others who have gone before us? Perhaps.
Fourth and lastly, people in heaven may be watching us right now and cheering us on. They may be watching us right now and cheering us on. I didn't say I guarantee they are, but I said they may be.
Hebrews 12 tells us that we're surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses so let's lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us and run with endurance the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.
Now, what is he talking about this great cloud of witnesses? Well, Hebrews 12 is right after Hebrews 11. Write that down. That's a big insight.
But of course, Hebrews 11 is a record of the great men and women of faith who died serving God. We sometimes refer to it as the hall of faith. You read about Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Gideon, Samson, David, Rahab, Daniel, the list goes on.
So, Hebrews 11. Here's the hall of faith. Here's the heroes of our faith. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, so we've looked at the hall of faith. And therefore, in light of this, you need to run the race set before us.
Now, is this referring to heavenly grandstands? Or is it just referring to an example they've left us? This is interpreted usually two ways.
Another way it's looked at sometimes is that they're not only giving us a template to follow, but they're observing us. They're the cloud of witnesses watching us, cheering us on, if you will.
Is that the case? I don't know. But I know this much. We're in the race of our life on earth. We don't know how long it will last. And I know for certain Jesus is watching.
Running the Race Until the End
My son Christopher was quite the runner. When he was in elementary school he ran cross country. He was really quite good and had gotten really fast. And we would go to his track meets and cheer him on. In fact, he ran for Harvest Christian school.
And as he got older, you know, he continued to run. And I was a runner when I was in school too, but I was more of a short distance runner. Very short. I was not good at those long distance runs. But, you know, I could run pretty fast in a short area. A small race.
And so, I would challenge him to a race every now and then. And, you know, as he got older he was getting faster, but I still beat him. Because when I would run, I just had this, I would be running and I was always able to just kind of, almost like a little turbo button I could push inside. I'd leave my opponents behind me.
And so I'd run and I'd beat him and I always felt good. And one day we were on a beach. I said, "Hey, Christopher, you want to race to that mark right up there?" And he said, "Okay."
And, you know, it favored me totally because it was a short distance. And so we took off and he was right up with me. Hit the turbo button now. Hit it, nothing happens. And he just passed me and won the race. I was crestfallen. Can't believe it. But I was also proud of him. "Way to go, son. You beat old dad," you know.
And we're in a race of life. The Apostle Paul, in his last epistle, said, "I fought a good fight. I finished the race. I've remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me, the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me that day, not to me only, but to all who love His return."
See, I always thought that I would finish my race before my sons. And I would pass the baton on to them. To heaven. And now, in effect, he's passed the baton on to me. And I have to finish my race.
And we all have to finish our race. And we all have a race to run. And we don't know how long this race is going to be.
You know, it's really easy to listen to what's happened to me and see it as an observer, a spectator. "Well, that's sad for Greg." We don't think about it happening in our life. "Well, I'm in good health. I just had my checkup. I'm young or whatever." But you never know.
I've received a lot of letters and a lot of emails and people have blogged onto my blog site and said some really helpful things to me and told me their own stories. In fact, on my blog site where I've talked about this a little bit, we have a little community of people that have lost loved ones and they've told me their stories. They've been very moved by many of the stories I've read.
But this lady just wrote me. She was in church last Sunday. Maybe she's here today. And here's what she wrote me. She says, "I was so touched by your words at first service last Sunday because I just buried my husband of 32 years on that Thursday. And everything was still very fresh and new. Your words gave me strength to keep seeking God's will and allow him to hold me through this time of devastation."
"My husband was totally filled with sorrow over the loss of Christopher. And I truly believe it was that loss that brought my husband and I to the crusade on Sunday night. Although we were already believers, it was a time of recommitment. Unfortunately, my husband fell in the bathroom the next Friday and broke his hip. He had hip surgery and went into a coma and died two days later."
"There's nothing but peace and love in heaven," she writes. "Now he can say hello to Christopher himself and have some very engaging conversations. My husband was quite the talker and was filled with humor. Heaven is a much better place for everyone because he."
The story of my son causing him to make a recommitment to Christ, little realizing that he would be joining him in eternity only days later. It's just a reminder. You never know when life will end. So be ready and be running your race well.
The Promise of Happily Ever After—in Heaven
You know when we were children we liked to hear those fairy tales because they would always end with the words "and they lived happily ever after." That's what we all want. We want a happy life. A fulfilled life.
And so you thought you know I'm speaking to girls now. Oh one day my prince will come and some confused guys. But no the girls. And you found your prince and instead of the frog turning into a prince your prince turned into a frog. Life didn't deliver.
Let me restate that—earth didn't deliver. It never will.
You're going to have moments of happiness. You're going to have moments of fulfillment. You're going to have moments of joy and peace. You're going to see beautiful things. Life is going to be good—good for you.
You are going to have moments of sadness and despair and disappointment and hurt.
So know this, earth can't deliver on its promises, but heaven can. And for the Christian, we will live happily ever after. In heaven, in the presence of God. But not until.
But you know, I just wonder in closing, if there's someone like this gentleman that I talked about, needs to recommit their life to Christ. As we've talked about these pretty weighty topics. You've thought, you know what? I need to do that too. I need to make a commitment or a recommitment to Jesus Christ.
Because what if this were my last night on earth? I mean, we think of all the things that can happen to us out in that dangerous world. And here's a man who was injured in his own home. I mean, it can happen anywhere, anytime, any place.
So you want to be ready. Are you right with God? You know if you are or not. I don't have to preach a whole sermon on that. You know if you're right with God. Are you ready to meet Jesus Christ? You know if you are or not.
And if that very question brings discomfort to you and there's an unease inside of you, it would indicate to me you're probably not where you need to be.
That's why I want to close today with an opportunity for you to commit or recommit your life to Jesus. I'm so glad this man did. And I know his wife is glad he did. And that she did it with him. Because now when she thinks of him making that recommitment, she knows he's with the Lord.
Do you need to make that commitment or recommitment? If so, do it now. Jesus Christ died on a cross for you 2,000 years ago and shed His blood for every sin you have ever committed so you could be forgiven and have a relationship with Him.
But you must turn from your sin and put your faith in Christ. And if you haven't done that, do it now.
And there might be some of you who put your faith in Christ, but yet you've been trying to live in two worlds. You've been living a compromised life. You've been doing things you know you have no business doing as a follower of Jesus. Make a recommitment.
Respond to this invitation as we pray.
Father, now I pray for every person here, every person listening, watching. If they are not right with You now, Lord, help them to see life is short, eternity is real, and they need to decide what they're going to do with their life now. Help them to come to You and believe if they have not done that yet.
Well, our heads are bowed, and our eyes are closed, and we're praying. If you need to make a commitment to Jesus Christ, if you're not sure that you will go to heaven when you die, if you want to get right with God today, I'm going to ask you to stand to your feet wherever you are, and I'm going to lead you in a prayer. Just stand to your feet wherever you are. God bless you. Just stand up. Out there in the courtyard area, I want you to stand to your feet if you would. Just stand up right where you are. In the fellowship hall, you stand up too up in the balcony. You need to make this commitment to Christ. You want to be ready to go to heaven. Stand to your feet now. God bless you. Anybody else? Stand up.
There might be some of you that know you need to make a recommitment to Christ like the man I talked about. He made that recommitment. He knew he needed to do it. Maybe you need to do the same. If you need to make a recommitment to Jesus today, you stand to your feet and stay standing if you would. Stand to your feet right now. And stay standing. You know who you are? The Holy Spirit speaking to your heart right now. Out there in the courtyard, you stand too. In the fellowship hall, stand. Anybody else? Just stand to your feet now.
If you need to make a commitment or recommitment to Jesus Christ, man or woman, boy or girl, God bless all of you. Many are standing, so don't feel like you're the only one if you do. This final moment, anybody else that wants to make this commitment or recommitment stand up? And I'm going to lead you in this prayer. Anybody else? God bless you. Anybody else? All right.
Now all of you that are standing, I want you to pray this prayer out loud right where you stand. Again, as I pray, you pray this out loud right where you are. Okay? Pray this now.
"Lord Jesus, I am sorry for my sin. You died on the cross for my sin. And I turn from it now. I repent of my sin. I want to follow You, Jesus, from this moment forward. Be the Lord of my life. I want to run my race well. And go to heaven when I die. I commit myself to You now. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."
↓↓↓ Part 2 ↓↓↓
In The Inconsolable Longing Part 2, Pastor Greg Laurie continues exploring heaven as our true home, where we'll eat, serve, reign with Christ, and see dreams fulfilled beyond earth’s limits. Using Luke 19’s parable, he urges faithful stewardship of life and the gospel until Jesus returns, reminding us earth is temporary and our real purpose is knowing and glorifying God.
Continuing the Longing for Heaven
Good morning. The title of the message is The Inconsolable Longing Part 2. And I want to talk a little bit more about heaven. This has been a trilogy of messages I've been sharing that I have effectively written to myself in light of all that I've been through in the last couple of months. And so this is a little bit more about heaven.
You know, one day life as we know it is going to end and we're going to be in the presence of God. Now, there are two basic ways you and I are going to get to heaven. Two options. One is through death and the other would be through the rapture of the church. If the Lord would be so gracious to allow us to be the generation that would be caught up to meet Him in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, I way prefer that mode of transportation over the other. Don't you?
But then again, no matter how you get there, the good news is, you're going to get there into the presence of God. If it were through the rapture, it would be so quick, instantaneous really, because the Bible says it's in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. It doesn't say the blinking of an eye, though that's quite fast. I mean, I just blink my eye. Let me do it in slow motion. But in the twinkling of an eye, the scripture says we'll be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, reunited with loved ones in the presence of Jesus Christ.
But life on earth will be seen then for what it really was, a story that's already been told. And heaven, as I mentioned in my last message, is a real place. The Bible doesn't merely offer these pictures that we have in scripture as mere metaphors, but they're words that are used. Heaven is a place. Heaven is a garden. Heaven is a city. Heaven is a country. Heaven is a paradise. And deep down inside, we all long for it.
C.S. Lewis called this longing for eternity the inconsolable longing. Hence the title of my message.
Heaven: Beyond Our Earthly Limits
But for now, we're here on earth, living out our lives with all the limitations of humanity. I've read that we only use 5% of our brain. And I wonder if some people even use 5%. So presumably when we get to heaven, we'll be able to tap that other 95%, perhaps even more. And it's going to be glorious beyond our wildest dreams. And I look forward to it.
But of course, I miss my son, who has gone on before me to heaven. And I think of him all the time. In fact, the other day we were having Sushi. How many of you like Sushi out there? Wow. A lot of you. And my son loves Sushi. And he was very adept with chopsticks. He really knew how to use them. I am the worst chopstick user on earth. I'm always, you know, losing control of them and my little bits of fish or whatever are dropping to the table.
And so they give you those kind of cheater kind with a rubber band wrapped around them, which is humiliating somewhat. But then when they just take those away and actually just give you a fork and say, give it up, that's the ultimate act of humiliation in a Sushi restaurant.
But we were having some Sushi the other day. And we were there together as a family. And little Stella, his daughter, our granddaughter, was laughing and having so much fun. And I thought, if only Christopher could see this.
Now, I don't know that he can't see it. Because as I pointed out in my last message on heaven, people up there may be a lot more aware than we think they are. But I just thought it would be great if he could see how happy his daughter is right now, you know.
But then I thought to myself, but what's he doing right now? I mean, he might be running through some Meadow or better yet, flying over some Meadow, having something far better than Sushi, and thinking to himself, man, I wish dad could see this. Because where he is, is better than where I am.
Feasting and Fellowship in Heaven
But you know, one of the great things that I'm looking forward to in heaven is not only being reunited with my son, with my loved ones, and being with others that have gone before me, but I'm looking forward to the fact that in heaven, we're going to eat. Eat. Isn't that good to know?
Hey, what do we like to do when we get together with family and friends? Let's go eat, right? That's not going to change in heaven. And you won't gain weight there, I'm sure. Or if you will, it'll be okay. We'll all be good with it.
So the Bible says in Revelation 19:9, the angel said to me, write, blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. And he added, these are the true words of God.
I like that word supper. That's what they call dinner in the South. We say, let's have dinner. In the South they say, let's have supper. And my grandmother, Mama Stella, we called her, was a great Southern cook. And she knew how to throw down all those Southern goodies. You know, the fried chicken, and the black-eyed peas, and the collard Greens, and the mashed potatoes, made from scratch. And of course, her crowning achievement was the biscuit.
And I'm sure God will utilize my grandmother's skills in the wedding supper of the Lamb.
And not only will we be eating together, but we'll be in some pretty good company. The Bible tells us that they'll come from the east to the west and take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. That's Matthew 8:11.
Can you imagine sitting down for lunch with Abraham and Isaac, or the Apostle Paul, or C.S. Lewis, or C.H. Spurgeon? Imagine sitting next to Elijah and saying, hey, you know, man, my meat could use just a little more fire. Could you, you know. Remember Mount Carmel? Just, you know, quick one. Just torch it.
Elijah would say, how do you want it done? Well, well done, good and faithful servant. Come on. What are you talking about? Heaven's going to be amazing.
Be More Heavenly-Minded
And that's why the Bible tells us we should all be a lot more heavenly minded. What does that mean exactly? Last time we looked together at Colossians 3, and let me read to you what we read before from the New Living Translation.
Since you've been raised in a new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor, and let heaven fill your thoughts. Don't think only about things down here on earth.
I love that. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Don't think only of things down here on earth. Yet that is what we spend the majority of our time doing. Thinking about things happening, things that we're concerned about, things that we're stressed about.
The Bible is not saying don't think about these things. It's saying don't stress about these things. Don't worry about these things. But think more about heaven. Because when you do that, it will put everything else in its proper perspective.
Another translation of this phrase, let heaven fill your thoughts, would be keep seeking heaven.
But what does that mean practically? Commentator E.M. Bounds made this statement, and I quote, Heaven ought to draw and engage us. Heaven ought to so fill our hearts and hands, our conversation, our character, and our features, that all would see that we are foreigners and strangers to this world. The very atmosphere of this world should be chilling to us and noxious, its sun's eclipsed, and its companionship dull and insipid. Heaven is our native land and home to us, and death to us is not the dying hour, but the birth hour. End quote. Well said.
And that's why Warren Wiersbe said, and I quote, for the Christian, heaven isn't simply a destination, it's a motivation. End quote.
We should be motivated by the truth, by the hope that we will be in heaven, because we know that our life is passing by quickly. We know that we will see our loved ones again. The absence away from our loved ones is a comma, not a period. To be continued, you could add, to all of those relationships.
Earth is a temporary place where we decide our eternal destiny. Heaven is our real home.
This World Is Passing Away
Now, when I say earth, I'm speaking also of this world system we're living in today. Today, this world will pass away. Because it is under the control of the God of this world, and I'm speaking of Satan.
Verse John 2:15 to 17, describing this world system, puts it this way. Don't love this world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Father, practically everything that goes on in the world, wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important, has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from Him. The world and all of its wanting, wanting, wanting, is on the way out. And whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.
You see, one day Jesus Christ is going to call us all to heaven, be it through rapture, be it through death, we're going to get there. But then the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is going to come back again to the earth. This is called the second coming.
Sometimes people confuse the rapture and the second coming. The rapture is when Christ comes for His people. The second coming is when He returns to the earth with His people. What goes up must come down.
We're going to go to heaven, and then we're going to come back again to the earth when Jesus establishes His rule and reign on earth at the end of the tribulation period. And this rule and reign of Christ is known as the millennium. And millennium is just a word that means a thousand. And we'll rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years. Where it's going to be heaven on earth.
And this will be the fulfillment of the prayer that our Lord taught us to pray. In the Lord's prayer, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
And remember Jesus told us in the Beatitudes, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the... What? The earth.
So we will come back again to earth which will be in a glorified state under the rule and reign of Christ.
I can tell you one thing. Be it in heaven, or be it on earth when Christ is reigning, it's never going to be boring.
Isaac Asimov, a science fiction writer, made this statement before he died. And I quote, I don't believe in an afterlife, so I don't have to spend my whole life fearing hell, or fearing heaven even more. For whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be worse. End quote. What a stupid statement.
Heaven will not be boring. In fact, in heaven, we're going to be active. See, we have this caricatured version of heaven of just sitting around in clouds, playing harps, and sleeping all day. Now, that might appeal to some. It doesn't appeal to me. I mean, it might not be bad for 20 minutes or so, but then I want to do something.
I mean, I don't know about you, but I like to get out and live life. I like to be active. Not busy for busyness sake, but I like to be productive and accomplish things, especially accomplishing things for the Lord.
And the Bible says we're going to serve the Lord in eternity. Revelation 22:3 says His servants will serve Him. We'll have activities to be engaged in as we do the Lord's work. Revelation 7:15 says we're standing in front of the throne of God serving Him day and night in the temple.
And Jesus tells us that we'll have positions of authority where we will be ruling and reigning with Him as we'll see in a few moments when we look at our passage together.
Dreams Fulfilled Beyond This Life
So, here's something to consider in light of all of that. What about the person who had their dreams shattered on earth? What about the person through no fault of their own was not able to do all that they had hoped to do? The life is hampered by disability or illness or shorter than what we had hoped through death like when a child dies or a young man or a young woman.
They had no control over those circumstances so are these people just ones who lose? And then you see other people living their lives even to advanced years and wasting them or worse yet living wicked lives.
Listen now. God will not waste or squander any life or gifts because death for the believer is not the end of life but a continuation of it in another place.
Let me say that again. Death for the believer is not the end of life but the continuation of it in another place.
See we tend to think that everything that's going to happen has to happen during this short span of life that we have on earth but according to the Bible we live forever and there are still things we will do yet in the future.
I think of my own son Christopher 33 years old in heaven right now and he was a committed believer and a loving son brother husband father a talented designer and wonder does God still have plans for him to design maybe in the future.
We know in the millennium range Isaiah 65:21 tells us we will build our own houses and eat the fruit of our own vineyards you know sometimes when we think of the millennium because we are reading of the interesting language of scripture we might think we will almost go back to a primitive But why would we not have all of the technology and more that we have today in heaven? Who knows? I mean, expand your thinking a little bit.
But I know this. We'll have work to do. We'll have tasks to accomplish. And maybe the dreams you never realize on earth will be realized in heaven. Or in the new earth when Christ comes to rule and reign. And we rule and reign with Him.
But this I do know. God loves us. And He gave to each of us our abilities. And He gave to each of us a desire to achieve and to do something with our lives.
In fact, we're told in Romans 2:7, He will give eternal life to those who persist in doing what is good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.
We want that. We want to accomplish something. We want our lives to matter. God wired us that way. It will all be done in God's time. Either here or there.
But until that time, we want to be faithful. We want to be faithful with what God has set before us. We want to use our life and our time and our resources wisely.
The Parable of Faithful Stewardship
And that brings us to Luke 19. This is a parable that Jesus told. Reminding us that time is short. Opportunity is limited. And the need is great.
It's a story of ten men who were given money to invest by their master. And He told them to invest until He came back.
A reading from Luke 19, starting in verse 12. I'm reading from the New Living Translation.
A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. Before he left, he called together ten servants and gave them ten pounds of silver to invest for him while he was gone.
But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say they did not want him to be their king.
When he returned, the king called on the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what they had done with the money and what the profits were.
Their first servant reported a tremendous gain ten times as much as the original amount. Well done, the king exclaimed. You're a trustworthy servant. You've been faithful with the little I entrusted you with. You will be governor of ten cities as your reward.
The next servant also reported a good gain. Five times the original amount. Well done, the king said. You can be governor over five cities.
But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, Well, I hid it and kept it safe. I was afraid because you're a hard man to deal with, taking what isn't yours and harvesting crops you didn't plant.
You, wicked servant, the king roared. Hard am I? If you knew so much about me and how tough I am, why didn't you at least deposit the money in the bank so I could at least get some interest on it, then turning to the other, sending her by the king ordered, take the money from the servant and give it to the one who earned the most.
But master, they said, that servant is enough already. Yes, the king replied. But to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who are unfaithful, even what they have will be taken away.
We'll stop there.
Now, let's understand the original context and then we'll talk about how this applies to us.
At this particular point in his ministry, as recorded in Luke, Jesus was making his final ascent into Jerusalem. Messianic expectation had reached a fever pitch, so much so that they thought Jesus was going to rule and reign over them at that moment. They thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.
And what that meant to them was, they thought Jesus was going to overthrow the Roman Empire and rule as Messiah. They didn't understand that he was actually coming with the express purpose of going to a cross and dying for their sin and for the sin of generations to come, including us.
And that later he would establish his kingdom that is still in our future.
So with this false sense of understanding, they think he's going to do it immediately. So he tells them this parable, which essentially is saying, what you need to do is live your life wisely until the master returns again.
Three Kinds of Servants—Which Are You?
Now, who are the servants in this particular parable? Well, you might say there are three kinds of people. Number one, there are the super faithful. Number two, there are the less faithful. And thirdly, there are the unfaithful. The super faithful, the less faithful, the unfaithful.
And here's now how it applies to us. We each are given certain things by God. How are we going to use them?
Let's take the parable and sort of update it into our contemporary culture. Let's say that you had ten cars you wanted to sell. You were going to take a trip. So you called together ten people and he gave to each one of them a car. And he said, sell this car for as much money as you can get for it and I'll see you later to collect the profit.
So you go and you come back a couple of months later and one of the guys says, well, actually, I didn't sell your car. In fact, I drove your car. I put a bunch of miles on it. I got into a couple of Fender benders. So it's worth less than it was when you left me with it originally. Sorry about that. Here are the keys. Now, do you want to give that guy a promotion in your company?
Second guy says, well, I took your car and I sold it and I made a tidy profit and I bought a couple of other cars and so actually I have five cars now to give to you instead of the one car you gave to me. He said, that's very good.
But the third guy, he's really resourceful. He says, well, I took your car. I sold it. Bought a couple of other cars, sold them. Bought some more cars, sold them and set up a Ferrari dealership with your name on it and there's a line going around the block.
Now, that's the guy you're going to promote in your company. He's resourceful.
So, now let's bring it to us. God gives to each of us something. Now, there's other parables that have different applications but this one is saying there's something that all of us are given. All of us are given the same thing in this parable. That's very important to understand.
What do all of us have in common? What has God given to all of us right now listening to this message?
Well, for starters. God has given to all of us our life. This time span. graciously given to us to occupy by the grace of God.
Now, here's the twist. We don't know how long that time span is. We assume that it will be long. We plan on it being long. It's funny. I'm 55 and they call me middle-aged. What, am I going to live to be 110? I think I'm past middle-aged.
We don't know how long we'll live. Will we live to be 100? 90? 80? 70? 60? 50? 40? 30? 20? That's entirely up to God.
That's why you don't want to put off anything spiritual for another day. You want to take care of it now. Because you don't know when life will end. You might be halfway through your life already. You might be two-thirds through your life. Listen, you might be 95% through your life. None of us know these things. There's no time to waste here.
Our Purpose: Know God and Bear Fruit
So here's the big question we need to ask ourselves. Why am I here on this earth? If I don't have this one figured out, I'm going to be in trouble. Why do I occupy this planet? Why do I exist? Why am I here?
Here's the answer. I am here to know and glorify God and bring forth spiritual fruit.
Let me say that again. I am here to know and glorify God and bring forth spiritual fruit.
In fact, in heaven, one of the songs we're going to be singing together is Revelation 4:11 where it says they sing, You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power for You created everything and it is for Your pleasure that they exist and were created.
I was created to bring glory to God. I was created to honor God. I was created to bring pleasure to God.
But the problem is some people live for their own pleasure. They seek after pleasure. The Bible even tells us in the last days they would be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.
Here's the problem with that. You're never going to find pleasure when you chase after pleasure. But, if you fulfill the purpose for which God created you, which is to know Him and to glorify Him, you will experience pleasure. Not the kind of pleasure the world offers. A different kind of pleasure. Not the high or the euphoria. Though sometimes in service to the Lord you can experience things of that nature. But you will experience a fulfillment. A contentment. A sense that you are living the way that God wants you to live.
For what does this scripture tell us? In your presence there is fullness of joy and in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Not the illicit pleasures of this world. But real, legitimate, godly, holy pleasure as you walk with God.
And then the result of that is you bring forth spiritual fruit. People see the evidence of Christ working in you. You become a follower of Jesus. People see the Lord in your life and they're attracted to Him as a result.
Is that the case with you? Or with me?
Jesus said in John 15:16 You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain.
I laugh at the fact that Christians for hundreds of years have been debating the issue of predestination. How did God choose us? Why did God choose us? Who did God choose? And then they miss altogether the reason He chose us.
Instead of debating how or why you were chosen why don't you focus on what you were chosen to do? You're chosen by God. If you put your faith in Christ and call yourself a Christian I can tell you in the authority of Scripture you've been chosen by God.
So let's take that off the table and stop debating it. Now let's focus on what am I chosen to do? I'm chosen for a purpose. What is that purpose? To bring forth fruit.
And Jesus also said in John chapter 15 herein is my Father glorified that you bear much fruit so will you be my disciples.
So the question that begs to be asked is how are you doing with this? Let me ask the question in a different way. What are you doing for heaven's sake? What are you doing for the kingdom of God while you're on earth?
You know, sadly many of us squander a great portion of our life in the pursuit of nothingness or just sitting idly.
I read, I don't know if this is true that the average American spends about 15 years of their life watching television. And I think nowadays people spend more time on the Internet than they do watching TV. You know, you're out there just cruising around looking at this, looking at that and you can use up so much time.
I'm not saying there's anything inherently evil about watching television or being on the Internet but I'm just saying it's very easy to waste time.
And then the irony is is we'll say you know, I just don't have time to read the Bible. I just don't have time to pray. I'm just so busy. I really don't have time this week to go to church.
I have a challenge for you. Go through one week without watching television or going online. You'll be amazed by how much time will open up in your life that you can use for God's glory.
I'm not saying you have to all live a television free life though I don't think it would hurt anyone. But what I am saying is let's think about how to use our lives predictably for the glory of God.
We're told in 2 Corinthians 6:1 companions as we are in this work with you we beg you please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life that God has given to us. Don't squander your life.
Paul reminds us that we are to redeem the time because the days are evil and the word redeem could be translated make sacred and wise use of every opportunity.
So what do we all have in common? We all have this life that has been given to us by God let's use it to glorify Him and to bring for spiritual fruit.
The Sacred Trust: Share the Gospel
Number 2 what else do we all have in common as we go back to the message of this parable to each He gave the same thing ten people each got a measure of money.
What have we all been called to do by the Lord? We have all been called to get the gospel out to the world. We've been given the sacred trust of delivering the gospel message the great commission was given to all no one is excused.
Now granted some are called to be evangelists but all are called to evangelize and Paul mentions that in his letter to young Timothy when he said the glorious gospel had been delivered to his trust and again emphasizing the sacred trust of the gospel Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 we've been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel even so we speak not as pleasing men but God who tests our hearts.
So here's what Jesus is saying look I'm coming soon take this message I've entrusted you with and get it out to others do God's business until I come it's fine to live your life and to find that right person and marry them and to pursue your career these things are all fine but don't forget your sacred trust of bringing the gospel to as many people as you can because one day when you're in heaven you will have gathered around you those that you helped to bring to Christ.
Paul writes to the believers in 1 Thessalonians and says what is our hope or our joy or our crown of rejoicing is it not even you in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming.
This crown of rejoicing Paul is referring to appears to be all the people you would apart in bringing to faith listen the only thing you will take to heaven are those you lead to Christ or you played a part in them coming to the Lord.
And don't feel as though you're a colossal failure in this area. Necessarily. I mean, think of old Noah. He didn't have a single convert. All those years preaching, no one really believed. But Noah was faithful in what God had called him to do.
Listen, you need to be faithful with what the Lord has set before you. Faithful to be a good husband, a good wife. Faithful to raise your children in the way of the Lord and teach them the Word of God. Faithful to be a witness for Christ wherever you go.
And in the end, you may have more fruit than you ever thought possible. Because, you know, you're being watched wherever you go. And you're making an impact in ways you don't even realize. And that impact may not be fully realized until a generation or two from today or further on. It'll be impacting your children. And then it will impact your grandchildren. You don't know.
So don't worry about that. You just focus on what the Lord has set before you. To be faithful in those things.
Because we're not taking anything on this earth with us to heaven. And we leave everything behind. That's why it's good to remember, do your giving while you're living. Then you're knowing where it's going.
Rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ
And the reason this is important is because the Bible teaches that one day as Christians, we will stand before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ.
Because when we get to heaven as believers, prior to returning with Christ, there will be a time of the giving out of rewards.
You see, people get confused by this sometimes because they think, Oh, wait a second. I thought when I became a Christian, I passed from judgment.
Well, in one sense you did. You're not going to face the great white throne judgment spoken of in Revelation 20. That is that judgment that is only for non-believers. And we read, Whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
I don't believe that you will face it, nor do I even believe that we as believers will be present at it.
But there is a judgment for us. But this is not a judgment that determines whether or not we get to heaven. This is a judgment that takes place in heaven. We're there already.
So this is not so much about a penalty as much as it's about a reward. Hey, if you've been faithful, now the rewards are given out.
And it's not a judgment according to quantity as much as it's a judgment according to quality. In other words, God's going to look at the motive.
The Bible says that God will judge every man's work of what sort it was.
See, God is not going to hold you accountable to what He has called me to do. He's not going to hold me accountable to what He has called you to do. He's going to hold you accountable for what He called you to do. Were you faithful?
And then He will bless you and give you these special rewards, and I would assume greater responsibilities to rule and reign with Him.
That day is coming. So we want to do everything we can with what God has given to us, for our reward will be received in that final day.
Listen, you don't get the reward on earth. You get it in heaven.
I heard a story of a missionary couple that had been serving the Lord in Africa for many, many years. Finally, the time of their service had ended, and they were returning home again. They boarded a giant ship, destination New York in the United States.
And also on board that ship was President Theodore Roosevelt.
And when they finally arrived in port, there was a big band playing a medley of songs, adoring throngs of people, shouting out the name of the president, and greeting him as he was coming home from a hunting trip.
Meanwhile, this old couple who had served the Lord faithfully on the mission field came down off of that boat, and there was no one to greet them. As it turns out, the people that were supposed to meet them had gotten the date confused and came one day too late.
And the husband, this man who had served the Lord all those years, was so frustrated, and he said, God, I didn't expect a band or a parade, but you could have at least sent somebody to welcome us home.
His wife, hearing him pray that prayer wisely, said, honey, we're not home yet.
Folks, we're not home yet. This is not home.
Oh, I know, we all go home to our houses, our apartments, wherever it is we live. But you know what? Our real home is heaven. And we need to remember that. And we need to be heavenly minded.
Communion: Remembering Jesus' Sacrifice
So now we come to the communion table. And it's here that we remember what Jesus has done for us. Because really, when you get down to it, we all just want to go to heaven because we want to see Jesus.
Our longing for heaven is really a longing for God, a desire to see God.
And Jesus said, blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, writes, and I quote, seeing God will be like seeing everything else for the first time. Why? Because not only will we see God, he will be the lens through which we will see everything else, people, ourselves, and the events of this life. End quote. Well said.
I know we all have questions we want to ask God. I have a couple. But you look at the book of Job, and after all the calamities came upon him, and Job asked his questions of God, it's worth noting, God never answered his questions. Instead, he revealed his glory.
Because I think even if God did answer our questions, we wouldn't be satisfied with what he said. God said, friend, you don't need your questions answered. You just need to know me better. You just need to see my power more. You need to see my wisdom in a greater way. You need to just see more of my glory. And that's what he did for Job.
But the thing that keeps us from that is our sin. Our sin that separates us from God.
And that is why, even when we're in heaven, and we do see Jesus face to face, we'll be reminded of the price that he paid, because we're told in the book of Revelation that Jesus will appear as a lamb who had been slain. At the same time, he'll appear as the lion of the tribe of Judah.
So we'll see him in his splendor and his glory. But somehow in heaven, Jesus will still bear the marks of the crucifixion. Why? To make us miserable? No. To remind us why we're there. Because he made this incredible sacrifice for each of us.
And so when we come to the communion table, we're reminded of his sacrifice. He's given us two elements to remember him by. Bread and wine. Representing his body and his blood. Simple elements.
They'll remind us that Jesus lived. He died. He Rose again. Telling us that we too will die. And then again, we'll live forever.
However, Jesus said, this do in remembrance of me. These elements jog our memory, if you will.
And one thing I've done a lot of since Christopher went to heaven is I've looked at pictures of him. I miss him. I can't talk to him. I can't pick up the phone. I can't go visit him. He can't come to me. So I look at photographs.
And you know what? I have to tell you, a lot of times they make me sad. But I'm told by others who have had loved ones die that those pictures that make you sad today will bring joy to you later.
But for now, it's just a sadness when I look at them because I remember him.
We hold in our hands in a moment, or we'll hold in our hands in a moment, something that jogs our memory. And there's a sadness in it because we remember the incredible sacrifice Jesus made. But there's a joy in it as well because we realize it's through our salvation. Rather, it's through the sacrifice that our salvation came and will receive these elements representing his body and his blood.
No, bread will not become flesh and grape juice will not become blood. But yet they represent one who is holy.
And this is important to know because communion is for believers only. This is a family affair.
If you're a visitor today, and by that I mean you're not a person who is certain that Christ is living in you, you don't want to receive the elements of communion without knowing the one they represent. You want to be sure that you have a relationship with God.
Why? Because the Bible says when you partake of these elements without knowing the God that they're representing, you can actually eat and drink judgment to yourself. So it won't get you closer to God. It can actually be almost as though you're mocking God.
So here's what I'm saying. You need to know the God that we're thinking of now. And maybe you've joined us today and you don't have this personal relationship with God. You don't have this assurance that you will go to heaven when you die. You're not certain that Christ is living inside of you.
We want you to make a commitment to Jesus today and believe in Him and then join us for this family celebration.
Invitation to Commit to Christ
So in a moment, we're going to pray and I'm going to give you an opportunity to get right with God if you need to and then receive communion with us. Let's all bow our heads now if you would. Everybody praying.
Father, I pray for any that have joined us here today who may not yet know you. Help them to see their need for you and help them to come to you now we ask in Jesus' name.
When our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed, maybe today you've joined us and you don't really have the certainty that you'll go to heaven when you die. You have a big hole in your heart. You've tried to fill with all the things this world offers to no avail.
But here now is Jesus who died and Rose again from the dead standing at the door of your life and He is knocking and He is saying if you will hear my voice and open the door I will come in.
If you would like Jesus Christ to come into your life, if you would like Him to forgive you of your sin, if you would like to know with certainty that you will go to heaven when you die, I'm going to ask you to stand to your feet right now and I'm going to lead you in a prayer of commitment to Christ.
Again, if you want Christ to come into your life right now, just stand to your feet. God bless you. God bless you there in the balcony. Just stand up wherever you are and I'm going to lead you in a prayer.
If you're out in the courtyard area, I want you to stand up As well. If you're in the fellowship hall, I want you to stand up too, if you would. Just stand up right where you are. And I'm going to lead you in this prayer.
Anybody else? You want your sin forgiven? You want your guilt taken away? You want Christ to come into your life today as Savior and Lord? Stand to your feet, and I'll lead you in a prayer.
In this final moment, stand now, if you're going to stand. And I'll lead you in a prayer. Anybody else? Stand up. God bless you. Anybody else? Stand now. God bless each one of you.
Now you that are standing, pray this prayer out loud after me. And this is where you're asking Christ to come into your life. Again, as I pray, pray this out loud after me. Pray this now,
Lord Jesus. I know I'm a sinner. But you died on the cross for my sin. I turn now from that sin and ask you to come into my life. Forgive me of my sin. I choose to follow you now from this moment forward. Thank you for forgiving me and accepting me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.