“Preparing for Everlasting”
2 Corinthians 5:-10 - August 20, 2017
Message 10 of 10 in the Series “Old Time Religion: The Hymns and Creeds that Declare Our Faith”

Ecclesiastes 3:11—“…He has also set eternity in the human heart…”

“You are not a body with a soul…you are a soul with a body”.

-C.S. Lewis

The Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic** Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

Three Fast Facts of Life

1.The most uncomfortable, unchanging, and undeniable truth about life is death.

2.The most hopeful, inspiring, and comforting truth about death is everlasting life.

3.The most overlooked truth between these truths is judgment.

Scripture “De-Coder”
“earthly tent”	Physical Body
“building from God”	Eternal Body
“naked/unclothed”	Physical Body
“heavenly dwelling”	Eternal Body
“home in the body”	Earthly Body
“away from the body”	Heavenly Body

2 Corinthians 5:1-10—“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ²Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, ³because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

⁶Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷For we live by faith, not by sight. ⁸We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

Preparing for Everlasting:

1. Our Struggle.

Every person’s spiritual struggle has two elements to it:

Struggle #1: Death.

Death shakes our sense of everlasting life only because God has planted it in our souls.

Ecclesiastes 3:11—“… He has also set eternity in the human heart…”.

Everlasting life does not replace death, but it does redeem it!

Struggle #2: Life.

When an everlasting soul lives in a temporary body that faces death, we “struggle” with…

a. Spiritual weakness.

b. Vulnerability.

c. Burdens.

d. Mortality.

2. Our Confidence.

Every Christian has spiritual confidence for two reasons:

Confidence #1: Death.

Death is the confidence for a Christian that, “it won’t always be like this”…at least not for me.

Confidence #2: Everlasting Life.

Paul was confident about everlasting life.
Paul preferred everlasting life.
Paul tried to begin living everlasting life.

Matthew 6:10—“your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Galatians 2:20—“I have been crucified with Christand I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,who loved meand gave himself for me.”

3. Our Decision.

The first choice that God gave humanity and the last choice that Moses and Joshua gave Israel is the same choice God gives you today.

The Problem – Judgment.

Hebrews 9:27—“… people are destined to die once,and after that to face judgment…”

The Answer – Jesus.

John 5:24—“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent mehas eternal lifeand will not be judgedbut has crossed over from death to life.”

The Choice – Yours.

2 Corinthians 5:10—“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

Worship Experience Pastor Christian Newsome

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