Sermon Title: Living For Eternity
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
As believers, our existential certainty, confidence, purpose and substance comes from utterly following the Lord Jesus, and living in the reality of the His Coming Kingdom.
Are you truly living for Jesus?
Do you truly anticipate and yearn for His Kingdom to come quickly? Does anything hold you back to this world? Whom do you live for? What do you live for?
Are you truly living for eternity in His Kingdom?
Do you even know what eternity holds for you?
The PAOC Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truths 5.8.6 states:
THE ETERNAL STATE OF THE RIGHTEOUS
The righteous will share the glory of God in the new heaven and the new earth for eternity.
There was once a time - before the onset of the global pandemic - when our minds would be regaled with the possibility of visiting ‘paradise’.
We would look at travel brochures of strange and exotic ‘paradises on earth’ and be drawn into imagining ourselves being there; and perhaps even, allocate substantial resources to visiting such places.
And once the trip was booked, most would catch themselves imagining what it would actually be like being there; discovering, exploring, relaxing and simply living in that different reality; albeit temporarily.
You get the idea.
There is an anticipation – a deep and forward desire.
When the time comes and we are making our way there, we get the sense of leaving everything behind, and become completely pre-occupied and passionately intent on having a glorious time..
Of course, what makes the trip exponentially meaning and joyous is to find a group of really good, like-minded friends and go together!
As believers headed for the eternal Kingdom of God, we must have the same, if not more, excitement and passion about where we are ultimately headed.
If we are not excited about eternal life in God’s coming Kingdom, it is an indication about where our treasures truly lie; where our heart truly is.
In this world, any trip is short and temporal. We will leave our lives behind for a while, but we will be back. We will savor a taste of a different world, but we will be back.
As much as we want these experiences to last forever, it will not. Our money and time will run out. And yet, we still do it; and even, determinedly set aside money and time to fulfill this desire to get away.
Just before the pandemic brought the world to a halt, travel and tourism’s direct contribution to the world’s economy is more than 10% that of financial services - the largest global industry; which is quite substantial – considering that it is money and time away from the necessities of life.
Simply put, the vacation industry reveals a deep need for people to get away from everyday life; to leave behind – perhaps even escape – a present reality, albeit for a short period of time.
Why?
We all need a breather; a respite - a season of re-creation.
The need and the possibility of the fulfillment of rest and re - create keeps us moving forward; keeps us excited, and keeps us alive until the next break.
As children of God, when we think about paradise, we must think about the ultimate fulfillment of rest; for all eternity; where only the Righteousness of God dwells.
In order to keep living our lives for Christ and His Kingdom, we must learn to desire, to anticipate, to truly get excited about what the eternal Kingdom of God holds for us - a place where there is no more death, no more sickness, no more injustice, and no more tears.
In every regard, Revelation 21:1–22:5 is God’s divine revelation to draw us into the perfect destination and destiny that He has planned for each faithful believer since the beginning of time.
His Eternal, Perfect and Glorious Kingdom is the paradise that we must utterly yearn for, and live for.
This passage is God’s Kingdom ‘brochure’ to us.
It will be difficult to visualize because it was translated from Greek; with experiences and sights that John could not even begin to describe out of the lack of vocabulary.
Imagine bringing a desert tribesman to the North Pole. Not only would the experience be new, there would most likely not be any words in their language to describe the extreme cold, the snow nor the ice.
Thus for us, we treasure the words in this passage in our hearts and in faith - that when we see it, we will immediately recognize the Kingdom of God.
May the Holy Spirit set our hearts right before God; and align our minds in accordance to His Holy and Eternal Will for us – that from this moment on, as we look at our future and coming destiny in God’s Kingdom against the landscape of this dark, sinful and broken world, our spirits will begin to be awakened and quickened (made truly alive) in an utter and deepest desire never to settle for the world, but to yearn for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ and the inbreaking of the eternal Kingdom of God.
“1“Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.
They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:1–8)
To be daily victorious in Christ and daily live in the inheritance of God’s Kingdom must be our present reality (Ref: Revelation 21:7) through constantly manifesting:
(i) The holiness of God that is established in the redemption and resurrection power of Christ – recognizing that we are priests of God, ever prayerful, ever devoted to the study and embrace of His Word; and
(ii) Godliness by consciously and conscientiously bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and the fruits of the Gospel in making disciples of all nations.
Our entire life must be all about this eternal inheritance that comes with the right of being Children of God.
Our Lord Jesus warns us:
Do not be cowardly – by refusing to believe in God and His coming Kingdom because we are afraid of the world.
Do not be unbelieving of God and His Kingdom – and be found unfaithful to God.
Do not be vile – of being contemptuous of God and His Kingdom.
Do not murder – or hate.
Do not be sexually immoral – through defiance of God’s notion of divine love and sex that must only be found within the context of covenantal marriage between God, the man (husband)and the woman (wife).
Do not practice magic arts – one who works for the devil.
Do not be an idolater – one who worships demons.
Do not lie – defying the truth.
For if you become any of these, you will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
There are simply no exceptions.
Be warned.
Getting into God’s Kingdom is an impossibly high bar achieved only in utter faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and absolute embrace of His Perfect and Eternal Kingdom reality.
“9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me,
“Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates.
On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.
14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.
16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.
17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick.
18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.
19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.
The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.
26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:9-27)
Only those who are pure through Christ - whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life – may enter the Kingdom of God.
God’s Kingdom categorically manifests His characteristic holiness.
Every dimension from every direction is a factor of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and thus, speaks to the Kingdom as Holy and filled with the Presence of God.
The 12 foundations represent His Salvation narrative through Christ with the fulfillment of God’s Covenant with Abraham and subsequently - with the names of the 12 Apostles – God’s ultimate fulfillment of His Kingdom Gospel through the Church.
There is perfect balance and justice found in the dimensions of the city which was laid out as a perfect cube - 12,000 stadias (2,200km) in length, width and height.
Even the width of the wall is 144 cubits thick (for perspective - around 65 meters) – comprising of 12 X 12 – representing God’s divine covering and salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Kingdom of God is so congruous with His Salvation narrative that even the dimensions and structural elements of the Kingdom would clearly represent the means of receiving the gift of eternal life.
The most precious of earthly treasures are mere construction materials for this Holy and Eternal City; a clear message for us to stop storing for ourselves treasures on earth – but to consciously and conscientiously build up your relationship with the living God! (Ref: Matthew 6:19-21)
To this Holy Kingdom – only the pure and holy may enter.
As believers, it is imperative that we learn to utterly yearn and embrace the eternity and perfection of God’s Kingdom reality today.
In fact, the more we embrace God’s Kingdom, eternal reality – our lives become the eternal paradigm that God will use to inspire the world, and reveal His Kingdom Gospel.
What is the eternal paradigm?
A Special Word about Children and the eternal paradigm:
Children, whose lives concluded in this world before they came into the consciousness of their sin are pure in the sight of God.
Our Lord Jesus said in Matthew 19:14, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
There is no doubt that little children – and the child-like, whose faith in Jesus and love for God is pure and simple – will enter the Kingdom of God.
Many of us may have some form of longing for our loved ones who left this world when they were very young.
There are parents amongst us who grief over our unborn children, or children who died young; and the two big laments that these parents have are that:
1. These young children never really got to realise their fullest potential in this world; and that
2. They never got a chance to get to know their children.
However, if we truly live in God’s eternal paradigm – which means that, our reality is firmly established in our faith in the Salvation and Love of God through Jesus Christ and eternal life in His Kingdom, we will ultimately realise that:
1. No one ever realises their fullest potential in this world because this world is broken and temporal. Our fullest potential can only be realised in God’s eternal and perfect world known as the Kingdom of God (also known as the New Heavens and the New Earth, or New Creation);
2. Although we may miss, and still have an attachment to, our unborn or young children – which is good and natural of the love we have as parents – we must yearn for them not with the regret of having lost the opportunity of spending 40, 50 or even 60 years with them. Truly, what is 60 years compared to to 60 million years? Even 60 billion years is nothing compared to eternity. A godly love and yearning for our unborn or young children who have passed away is an anticipation and expectation that we will get to know them not only in a few short decades but rather, we will have an eternity to build a relationship with them in the coming Kingdom of God.
When you truly embrace God’s love through Jesus Christ and His Kingdom, your perspective becomes eternal; and you begin to live in a holy, eternal paradigm.
As believers, this blessed, eternal perspective is the basic and fundamental requirement of living as Children of God in this world.
We will lose our bodies in this world to old age, or perhaps sickness, or even persecution; but if we keep our faith in Jesus, we will gain a New Creation body along with everyone whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life; and inherit the Kingdom of God not as mere citizens but as co-rulers with Christ.
“22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city.
On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
3 No longer will there be any curse.
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
5 There will be no more night.
They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.
And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-22:5)
Are you humbled by God’s inheritance for you?
There is simply no worldly challenge that can be set out for you to change your mind about this world and begin to live utterly for eternal life in God’s Kingdom.
You must want God’s Salvation.
You must want to be part of God’s Kingdom.
You must want to give up trying to build your own little kingdom in this world, but be resolute in entering the Kingdom of God.
You must want to humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time, He will raise you up to reign with His Son Jesus Christ forever and ever.
You must want Jesus.
You must want to surrender your life to Him.
You must want – even right now - to receive God’s gift of eternal life through Christ.
And this starts with placing all your hope in Jesus Christ.
This world holds nothing for us.
There is work to be done here, no doubt; but it is His Kingdom that we belong in, it is in His Kingdom that we will live forever; and to which we must be headed towards, together.
The Kingdom of God is our ultimate destiny and destination.
Let us look forward, anticipate and desire to enter God’s Kingdom together.
More than any trip that we can make in this world, we must get immensely excited about making our way to our ultimate place of rest – God’s eternal Kingdom – by being completely pre-occupied about God’s Work and His Kingdom; and be passionately intent on having a glorious time when we arrive there together.
Church, let us keep our faith and hope solely and utterly in Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Saviour and our King; let us commit to head towards God’s Kingdom together – where we will reign with King Jesus forever and ever.
Begin living for eternity today!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Holy Spirit, grant me an eternal paradigm today – and the utter desire to enter the Kingdom of God!
Help me reconstitute my heart, realign my life and reset my perspective in light of Your Glorious and Eternal Kingdom.
May my certainty, confidence, purpose and substance come from utterly following my Lord Jesus Christ and from utterly living in the reality of His Coming Kingdom.
Help me to set aside all that distracts me; that I may anticipate and yearn for Your Kingdom to come quickly – that nothing would hold me back from Your gift of rest and eternal life; where only Your Righteousness dwells.
Lord Jesus, help me to be daily victorious in You; and to daily live in the inheritance of Your Coming Kingdom thought manifesting Your Holiness as Your priests, and manifesting godliness as Your Witnesses consciously and conscientiously bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and the fruits of the Gospel in making disciples of all nations.
Holy Spirit, make my entire life about God’s eternal inheritance that comes with the right of being a Child of God.
Forgive my transgressions of cowardice, disbelief, contempt, murder, sexual immorality, worshipping and working for the powers of darkness, lies; and grant me the courage, strength, resolve and wisdom to overcome all such temptations that would consign me to the lake of burning sulfur.
May I be found utterly pure and holy through Christ Jesus, my Lord and Saviour; and may my name be written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Make my faith pure and simple – like a child - that I may enter Your Kingdom, O God!
Lord, I am profoundly humbled by Your inheritance for me.
I long for You, O Lord; and I long for Your Kingdom to come soon!
Lord, I surrender my entire life to You; and in faith, I receive Your gift of eternal life.
I declare that Your Kingdom is my ultimate destiny and destination; and that I will begin living for eternity today!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
As believers, our existential certainty, confidence, purpose and substance comes from utterly following the Lord Jesus, and living in the reality of the His Coming Kingdom.
Are you truly living for Jesus?
Do you truly anticipate and yearn for His Kingdom to come quickly? Does anything hold you back to this world? Whom do you live for? What do you live for?
Are you truly living for eternity in His Kingdom?
Do you even know what eternity holds for you?
The PAOC Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truths 5.8.6 states:
THE ETERNAL STATE OF THE RIGHTEOUS
The righteous will share the glory of God in the new heaven and the new earth for eternity.
There was once a time - before the onset of the global pandemic - when our minds would be regaled with the possibility of visiting ‘paradise’.
We would look at travel brochures of strange and exotic ‘paradises on earth’ and be drawn into imagining ourselves being there; and perhaps even, allocate substantial resources to visiting such places.
And once the trip was booked, most would catch themselves imagining what it would actually be like being there; discovering, exploring, relaxing and simply living in that different reality; albeit temporarily.
You get the idea.
There is an anticipation – a deep and forward desire.
When the time comes and we are making our way there, we get the sense of leaving everything behind, and become completely pre-occupied and passionately intent on having a glorious time..
Of course, what makes the trip exponentially meaning and joyous is to find a group of really good, like-minded friends and go together!
As believers headed for the eternal Kingdom of God, we must have the same, if not more, excitement and passion about where we are ultimately headed.
If we are not excited about eternal life in God’s coming Kingdom, it is an indication about where our treasures truly lie; where our heart truly is.
In this world, any trip is short and temporal. We will leave our lives behind for a while, but we will be back. We will savor a taste of a different world, but we will be back.
As much as we want these experiences to last forever, it will not. Our money and time will run out. And yet, we still do it; and even, determinedly set aside money and time to fulfill this desire to get away.
Just before the pandemic brought the world to a halt, travel and tourism’s direct contribution to the world’s economy is more than 10% that of financial services - the largest global industry; which is quite substantial – considering that it is money and time away from the necessities of life.
Simply put, the vacation industry reveals a deep need for people to get away from everyday life; to leave behind – perhaps even escape – a present reality, albeit for a short period of time.
Why?
We all need a breather; a respite - a season of re-creation.
The need and the possibility of the fulfillment of rest and re - create keeps us moving forward; keeps us excited, and keeps us alive until the next break.
As children of God, when we think about paradise, we must think about the ultimate fulfillment of rest; for all eternity; where only the Righteousness of God dwells.
In order to keep living our lives for Christ and His Kingdom, we must learn to desire, to anticipate, to truly get excited about what the eternal Kingdom of God holds for us - a place where there is no more death, no more sickness, no more injustice, and no more tears.
In every regard, Revelation 21:1–22:5 is God’s divine revelation to draw us into the perfect destination and destiny that He has planned for each faithful believer since the beginning of time.
His Eternal, Perfect and Glorious Kingdom is the paradise that we must utterly yearn for, and live for.
This passage is God’s Kingdom ‘brochure’ to us.
It will be difficult to visualize because it was translated from Greek; with experiences and sights that John could not even begin to describe out of the lack of vocabulary.
Imagine bringing a desert tribesman to the North Pole. Not only would the experience be new, there would most likely not be any words in their language to describe the extreme cold, the snow nor the ice.
Thus for us, we treasure the words in this passage in our hearts and in faith - that when we see it, we will immediately recognize the Kingdom of God.
May the Holy Spirit set our hearts right before God; and align our minds in accordance to His Holy and Eternal Will for us – that from this moment on, as we look at our future and coming destiny in God’s Kingdom against the landscape of this dark, sinful and broken world, our spirits will begin to be awakened and quickened (made truly alive) in an utter and deepest desire never to settle for the world, but to yearn for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ and the inbreaking of the eternal Kingdom of God.
“1“Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.
They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.
To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21:1–8)
To be daily victorious in Christ and daily live in the inheritance of God’s Kingdom must be our present reality (Ref: Revelation 21:7) through constantly manifesting:
(i) The holiness of God that is established in the redemption and resurrection power of Christ – recognizing that we are priests of God, ever prayerful, ever devoted to the study and embrace of His Word; and
(ii) Godliness by consciously and conscientiously bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and the fruits of the Gospel in making disciples of all nations.
Our entire life must be all about this eternal inheritance that comes with the right of being Children of God.
Our Lord Jesus warns us:
Do not be cowardly – by refusing to believe in God and His coming Kingdom because we are afraid of the world.
Do not be unbelieving of God and His Kingdom – and be found unfaithful to God.
Do not be vile – of being contemptuous of God and His Kingdom.
Do not murder – or hate.
Do not be sexually immoral – through defiance of God’s notion of divine love and sex that must only be found within the context of covenantal marriage between God, the man (husband)and the woman (wife).
Do not practice magic arts – one who works for the devil.
Do not be an idolater – one who worships demons.
Do not lie – defying the truth.
For if you become any of these, you will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
There are simply no exceptions.
Be warned.
Getting into God’s Kingdom is an impossibly high bar achieved only in utter faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and absolute embrace of His Perfect and Eternal Kingdom reality.
“9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me,
“Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates.
On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.
14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.
16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long.
17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick.
18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.
19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone.
The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.
26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:9-27)
Only those who are pure through Christ - whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life – may enter the Kingdom of God.
God’s Kingdom categorically manifests His characteristic holiness.
Every dimension from every direction is a factor of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and thus, speaks to the Kingdom as Holy and filled with the Presence of God.
The 12 foundations represent His Salvation narrative through Christ with the fulfillment of God’s Covenant with Abraham and subsequently - with the names of the 12 Apostles – God’s ultimate fulfillment of His Kingdom Gospel through the Church.
There is perfect balance and justice found in the dimensions of the city which was laid out as a perfect cube - 12,000 stadias (2,200km) in length, width and height.
Even the width of the wall is 144 cubits thick (for perspective - around 65 meters) – comprising of 12 X 12 – representing God’s divine covering and salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Kingdom of God is so congruous with His Salvation narrative that even the dimensions and structural elements of the Kingdom would clearly represent the means of receiving the gift of eternal life.
The most precious of earthly treasures are mere construction materials for this Holy and Eternal City; a clear message for us to stop storing for ourselves treasures on earth – but to consciously and conscientiously build up your relationship with the living God! (Ref: Matthew 6:19-21)
To this Holy Kingdom – only the pure and holy may enter.
As believers, it is imperative that we learn to utterly yearn and embrace the eternity and perfection of God’s Kingdom reality today.
In fact, the more we embrace God’s Kingdom, eternal reality – our lives become the eternal paradigm that God will use to inspire the world, and reveal His Kingdom Gospel.
What is the eternal paradigm?
A Special Word about Children and the eternal paradigm:
Children, whose lives concluded in this world before they came into the consciousness of their sin are pure in the sight of God.
Our Lord Jesus said in Matthew 19:14, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
There is no doubt that little children – and the child-like, whose faith in Jesus and love for God is pure and simple – will enter the Kingdom of God.
Many of us may have some form of longing for our loved ones who left this world when they were very young.
There are parents amongst us who grief over our unborn children, or children who died young; and the two big laments that these parents have are that:
1. These young children never really got to realise their fullest potential in this world; and that
2. They never got a chance to get to know their children.
However, if we truly live in God’s eternal paradigm – which means that, our reality is firmly established in our faith in the Salvation and Love of God through Jesus Christ and eternal life in His Kingdom, we will ultimately realise that:
1. No one ever realises their fullest potential in this world because this world is broken and temporal. Our fullest potential can only be realised in God’s eternal and perfect world known as the Kingdom of God (also known as the New Heavens and the New Earth, or New Creation);
2. Although we may miss, and still have an attachment to, our unborn or young children – which is good and natural of the love we have as parents – we must yearn for them not with the regret of having lost the opportunity of spending 40, 50 or even 60 years with them. Truly, what is 60 years compared to to 60 million years? Even 60 billion years is nothing compared to eternity. A godly love and yearning for our unborn or young children who have passed away is an anticipation and expectation that we will get to know them not only in a few short decades but rather, we will have an eternity to build a relationship with them in the coming Kingdom of God.
When you truly embrace God’s love through Jesus Christ and His Kingdom, your perspective becomes eternal; and you begin to live in a holy, eternal paradigm.
As believers, this blessed, eternal perspective is the basic and fundamental requirement of living as Children of God in this world.
We will lose our bodies in this world to old age, or perhaps sickness, or even persecution; but if we keep our faith in Jesus, we will gain a New Creation body along with everyone whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life; and inherit the Kingdom of God not as mere citizens but as co-rulers with Christ.
“22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city.
On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
3 No longer will there be any curse.
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
5 There will be no more night.
They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.
And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-22:5)
Are you humbled by God’s inheritance for you?
There is simply no worldly challenge that can be set out for you to change your mind about this world and begin to live utterly for eternal life in God’s Kingdom.
You must want God’s Salvation.
You must want to be part of God’s Kingdom.
You must want to give up trying to build your own little kingdom in this world, but be resolute in entering the Kingdom of God.
You must want to humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time, He will raise you up to reign with His Son Jesus Christ forever and ever.
You must want Jesus.
You must want to surrender your life to Him.
You must want – even right now - to receive God’s gift of eternal life through Christ.
And this starts with placing all your hope in Jesus Christ.
This world holds nothing for us.
There is work to be done here, no doubt; but it is His Kingdom that we belong in, it is in His Kingdom that we will live forever; and to which we must be headed towards, together.
The Kingdom of God is our ultimate destiny and destination.
Let us look forward, anticipate and desire to enter God’s Kingdom together.
More than any trip that we can make in this world, we must get immensely excited about making our way to our ultimate place of rest – God’s eternal Kingdom – by being completely pre-occupied about God’s Work and His Kingdom; and be passionately intent on having a glorious time when we arrive there together.
Church, let us keep our faith and hope solely and utterly in Jesus Christ, our Lord, our Saviour and our King; let us commit to head towards God’s Kingdom together – where we will reign with King Jesus forever and ever.
Begin living for eternity today!
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Holy Spirit, grant me an eternal paradigm today – and the utter desire to enter the Kingdom of God!
Help me reconstitute my heart, realign my life and reset my perspective in light of Your Glorious and Eternal Kingdom.
May my certainty, confidence, purpose and substance come from utterly following my Lord Jesus Christ and from utterly living in the reality of His Coming Kingdom.
Help me to set aside all that distracts me; that I may anticipate and yearn for Your Kingdom to come quickly – that nothing would hold me back from Your gift of rest and eternal life; where only Your Righteousness dwells.
Lord Jesus, help me to be daily victorious in You; and to daily live in the inheritance of Your Coming Kingdom thought manifesting Your Holiness as Your priests, and manifesting godliness as Your Witnesses consciously and conscientiously bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and the fruits of the Gospel in making disciples of all nations.
Holy Spirit, make my entire life about God’s eternal inheritance that comes with the right of being a Child of God.
Forgive my transgressions of cowardice, disbelief, contempt, murder, sexual immorality, worshipping and working for the powers of darkness, lies; and grant me the courage, strength, resolve and wisdom to overcome all such temptations that would consign me to the lake of burning sulfur.
May I be found utterly pure and holy through Christ Jesus, my Lord and Saviour; and may my name be written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Make my faith pure and simple – like a child - that I may enter Your Kingdom, O God!
Lord, I am profoundly humbled by Your inheritance for me.
I long for You, O Lord; and I long for Your Kingdom to come soon!
Lord, I surrender my entire life to You; and in faith, I receive Your gift of eternal life.
I declare that Your Kingdom is my ultimate destiny and destination; and that I will begin living for eternity today!
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.