Everlasting life.
In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam shared the idea of everlasting life as not simply a quantitative measure, but a qualitative one. It is a life of peace, love, joy, rest, and blessed communion with our God.
The wonderful thing about this eternal life is that it begins not when we die physically, but when we choose to die to our own selfish desires and accept the new birth that is available in Jesus. In John chapter 3 we see the word of Christ to Nicodemus: “You must be born again.” It is this new birth that opens the door to a new life. And, here on earth, we can begin to experience the blessings of heaven.
To paraphrase our pastor, this eternal life is God's life shared with those who have given themselves completely to Him. We are encouraged in this in the book of Second Peter:
“So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others... Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (see Second Peter 1:5-11)
Pastor Sam sometimes prays for "flashes of the kingdom" to be seen and experienced by the people of God. The temptation is to confine this phrase to evidences such as healings and miracles. But we need "flashes of the kingdom" in terms of what Peter says are the complements of basic faith. What would church look like if the people of God were living demonstrations of character, wisdom, discipline, patience, wonder, friendliness, and love?
Lord, may Your Spirit open our hearts, so that we will joyfully embrace the basic things. May we experience these evidences of eternal life, here on earth, as it is in heaven.
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