Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from 2nd Corinthians chapter 4, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Because Andrew and I have been involved with recycling for many years, we have ripped apart alot of older residences. Alot of them were old trailer houses that eventually outlived their purpose. These dwelling places were lived in for a short period of time but eventually they were completely destroyed and cut up and hauled away for scrap. They were temporary housing. How many of you have gone out with your family on the weekend and gotten yourself a hotel room so you could go swimming and have fun with the kids. The next morning you get out of bed, pack up your belongings and leave. This is because it was temporary housing. Maybe you have lived at an apartment building, but after 6 months you finally move on.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
This earth is a giant temporary housing complex that was created for a short period of time but someday its all going to be gone. To those who truly believe in the gospel we understand that although we stay here for a while, it is only for a season, and then we will be moving on to a permanent location, a new heaven and a new earth. We can’t see it yet, but its coming.
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The word temporary means lasting, existing, serving, or effective for only a certain amount of time. Not permanent. Everything your eyes can perceive will not last because it’s not permanent and will pass away.
Matthew 24:35 – Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
When you look outside to see a beautiful sunny day, or watch as a few loons swim across the lake in the twilight, all of these are going to eventually be gone. The everlasting kingdom that is coming cannot be seen with your eyes, because it is the unseen things that are eternal. This world is passing away.
1 John 2:16-17 – For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
A true believer is a pilgrim traveler, who is journeying through this hotel called Earth, to eventually obtain the New heaven and Earth being created by God. We wait patiently for the city of God.
Hebrews 11:13-16 – These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
A stranger is a guest or a visitor.
Psalms 119:19 – I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
Christians walk by faith, not by what we can see.
2 Corinthians 5:7 – For we walk by faith, not by sight:
Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Our hope is placed in the unseen things of God which causes us to patiently wait till that day that he redeems us off the Earth to take us home.
Romans 8:24-25 – For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Moses had great faith trusting in the invisible God
Hebrews 11:25-27 – Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Like a residence being bulldozed to the ground, the Earth and everything in it will someday be dissolved, which means to cause to disappear, to destroy, and to bring to an end permanently.
2 Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
True believers are preparing themselves for what’s coming. Noah believed in the impending destruction of the Earth, and prepared for that day. Before the return of Jesus Christ it will be like the days of Noah.
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Abraham was searching for the city of God, which is found on the New Earth.
Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
It’s a good thing to have your bags packed and ready to go because check out time is soon approaching. This temporary housing that we call Earth, will someday be dissolved and vanish away, just like…
…..The Old Trailer house.
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.
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