LIVING IN ETERNITY

This past Sunday, Pastor Andriel challenged us to live in eternity, which for Christ-followers means in the present.  While we tend to focus on our aches, wants, and needs in this temporary body in which we live, our focus should be on being ready for Christ’s return.  We should be living in eternity in our temporary jars of clay, while we are still walking around in them, then sleep until His return afterward.  Three times in the passage below, Paul uses “sleep” as a term for death.  It shows that death, for the believer, is nothing more than sleep.  Most of us struggle with the concept of eternity, thinking that, like here on earth, we must wait for certain events, which are yet in the future.  But time and eternity are two different things. Time has sequences: past, present, and future.  But eternity has only one dimension.  It is now, always meaning the present.  

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV) (emphasis added)

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Living in eternity today reminds of a MercyMe song called Goodbye Ordinary, some of the lyrics of which are: Live like there is no tomorrow, love extravagantly, lead a life to be followed…

Say goodbye to living ordinarily and live in eternity!