Good morning and welcome in everyone. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to ask you a little question.
What are you having for dinner tonight? A lot of times when you buy food at the local grocery store, you will find an expiration date on the bottom. Much of this began back in the 1970s when people became concerned about the freshness of the food that they were eating. But it’s been claimed that it actually began back in 1910, when certain dairy producers introduced “use by” labels for consumers. If you like milk, it can perish very quickly. People have used root cellars for many years, but it only prolongs the inevitable. Fruits and vegetables tend to not last as long as other foods do. Certain things have a very short shelf life, and only have a certain amount of time in which to be consumed.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Each of us will eventually expire on this Earth. We have a short shelf life, because we are constantly aging in our physical bodies. It is a temporary affliction in our flesh because of our own sinfulness. But no matter how old we might become, we can become a newborn child all over again. Although the outward man will someday be dead and buried, the Spiritual man inside us can live eternally through faith in Christ Jesus. For a baptized believer, death might be working on the outside, but life is happening on the inside. We must reject the temporary things of this world, and be renewed in our minds by refocusing our attention on the eternal things of God.
2 Corinthians 4 ¹⁶ For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 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.
Each time that you walk down a trail in the woods, you cannot help but notice all the beautiful things that God has created. But someday, all of the things that we see will be gone. Just like our human bodies, this Earth is only a temporary place of residence. From the tallest of buildings, to the greatest of mountains, all of it will be destroyed by God. Like an old house that is bulldozed to the ground, God is going to replace this world with a new one, an everlasting home that is being prepared for His obedient children.
2 Peter 3 ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, ¹² 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? ¹³ Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. ¹⁴ Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
I have always thought it interesting how children want to grow up very quickly, but many elderly people long to be young. Although we cannot prevent our physical aging, we can become a child once again inside of our hearts. In fact, this is the only way that we can inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. We must become a reborn child of God through the waters of baptism, and then walk in the Spiritual things of Christ Jesus
John 3 ³ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ⁴ Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? ⁵ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Our Earthly bodies are a perishable product. They just aren’t going to last. But those who faithfully follow Christ, will eventually obtain a new one. The only difference is that this one will be vastly new and improved. It will never die and it will never decay.
1 Corinthians 15 ⁵⁰ Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Many times people think that they have all the time in the world to repent of their sins, but God is the only one who is in charge of life and death. He can reap a soul anytime He desires, and in whatever manner He chooses.
“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:20
Blessed James reminded the church that our lives are like a wisp of smoke.
“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14
“But this I say, brethren, the time is short:…..1 Corinthians 7:29
We must redeem the short period of time that we have.
Ephesians 5 ¹⁵ See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, ¹⁶ Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Although our bodies are a perishable item, those who repent and faithfully follow and obey Christ shall never perish.
John 10 ²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: ²⁸ And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Although we age physically, we must be renewed Spiritually, completely transformed from sinners into Saints. Just like the Apostles, we must become the servants of Christ Jesus, proving our love for Him through faithful obedience to His will. Therein lies our salvation, and taking hold of a life that will never end. Repent before the opportunity passes you by. We only have a period of time that has been granted to us by God, and like vegetables in the grocery store, each of us has an extremely short…..
…….Shelf Life
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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