WEBVTT 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:36.979 Our text this morning is found in the second 00:00:36.979 --> 00:00:40.820 epistle to the Corinthian church, chapter 4, 00:00:40.979 --> 00:00:46.039 and we'll begin at verse 14 and look down through 00:00:46.039 --> 00:00:50.119 verse 18. The apostle Paul is writing to this 00:00:50.119 --> 00:00:53.460 church there in Corinth and he says, knowing, 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:58.700 this is confidence here, knowing that he who 00:00:58.700 --> 00:01:05.040 raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:09.640 with Jesus and will present us with you. That 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:14.620 is before his Father. Therefore, because of that, 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:20.680 because we know that, we don't lose heart. Even 00:01:20.680 --> 00:01:23.519 though our outward man is perishing, and it is, 00:01:23.719 --> 00:01:27.859 yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 00:01:29.500 --> 00:01:36.230 For our light, Which is but for a moment is working 00:01:36.230 --> 00:01:41.189 for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 00:01:41.189 --> 00:01:45.010 of glory. While we do not look at the things 00:01:45.010 --> 00:01:48.150 which are seen, but at the things which are not 00:01:48.150 --> 00:01:52.189 seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, 00:01:52.329 --> 00:01:55.969 they're transient, they're passing away. But 00:01:55.969 --> 00:02:00.129 the things which are not seen are eternal. Would 00:02:00.129 --> 00:02:02.170 you join me in prayer asking God to help us this 00:02:02.170 --> 00:02:12.150 morning? Father, I feel perhaps most weak when 00:02:12.150 --> 00:02:15.750 called to stand behind this sacred desk and proclaim 00:02:15.750 --> 00:02:21.590 the praises of the Son of God. Lord, I am certainly 00:02:21.590 --> 00:02:25.169 not sufficient for this. Lord, I pray that you 00:02:25.169 --> 00:02:27.930 would use my feeble words and your powerful word. 00:02:29.449 --> 00:02:31.449 to effect change in the lives of those who have 00:02:31.449 --> 00:02:35.030 gathered. Oh, Father, may our perspective be 00:02:35.030 --> 00:02:40.569 changed. Lord, fill us with hope and rejoicing 00:02:40.569 --> 00:02:44.550 this morning as we contemplate life in light 00:02:44.550 --> 00:02:48.889 of the empty tomb. God, would you bring comfort 00:02:48.889 --> 00:02:52.550 to those who are hurting, conviction to those 00:02:52.550 --> 00:02:55.969 who are sinning, and salvation to those who are 00:02:55.969 --> 00:03:00.009 lost. Open their eyes to see the glorious reality 00:03:00.009 --> 00:03:03.770 of Christ Jesus, the only Savior and the only 00:03:03.770 --> 00:03:07.289 mediator between God and man. Lord, would you 00:03:07.289 --> 00:03:09.509 do this for your son's glory. We pray this in 00:03:09.509 --> 00:03:14.509 his name. Amen. Through the years, Sandy and 00:03:14.509 --> 00:03:17.530 I have done several remodeling projects around 00:03:17.530 --> 00:03:22.090 the house. She will come to me with an idea and 00:03:22.090 --> 00:03:24.569 she has a vision of what she wants done. And 00:03:24.569 --> 00:03:28.289 inevitably, I don't get it. I do not understand. 00:03:28.990 --> 00:03:30.909 See, my wife, she has this ability where she 00:03:30.909 --> 00:03:33.990 can see the finished project before the project 00:03:33.990 --> 00:03:37.889 even begins. She sees things in a way that I 00:03:37.889 --> 00:03:40.270 cannot see. I'm always amazed. People can look 00:03:40.270 --> 00:03:41.930 at a blueprint and they can actually, in their 00:03:41.930 --> 00:03:44.110 mind, envision of what that's going to look like. 00:03:44.789 --> 00:03:49.090 I am not one of those people. I think of, you 00:03:49.090 --> 00:03:50.990 know, there's famous artists. Think of Michelangelo 00:03:50.990 --> 00:03:53.949 with the Statue of David. If that were me, I 00:03:53.949 --> 00:03:55.629 would go and I would just see a big block of 00:03:55.629 --> 00:03:58.580 marble. Michelangelo looks at it and he sees 00:03:58.580 --> 00:04:01.819 this artistic masterpiece. I actually marvel 00:04:01.819 --> 00:04:05.199 at Mount Rushmore. Think of all those who work 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:07.759 there. Again, if I'm one of them, I'm standing 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:11.800 there and I see a large granite mountain. But 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:14.780 not them. They see the end from the beginning. 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:17.899 They can see the faces of Washington, Jefferson, 00:04:18.259 --> 00:04:21.740 Roosevelt, and Lincoln. And this morning there's 00:04:21.740 --> 00:04:25.009 a spiritual parallel to that as well. Through 00:04:25.009 --> 00:04:27.310 the scriptures, there were men and women who 00:04:27.310 --> 00:04:30.870 also had an ability to see what others could 00:04:30.870 --> 00:04:34.269 not see. I think of Abraham. Abraham, it said, 00:04:34.389 --> 00:04:38.970 he saw the city that was built by God. And because 00:04:38.970 --> 00:04:42.790 he could see that city, it motivated him. Inevitably, 00:04:42.790 --> 00:04:46.110 he left his father's house, he left his lands, 00:04:46.250 --> 00:04:49.670 he left the pagan gods, and he followed the one 00:04:49.670 --> 00:04:55.220 true living God, Moses. Raised in Pharaoh's house. 00:04:55.339 --> 00:04:59.040 Raised as a grandson of Pharaoh. But he forsook 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:01.420 the pleasures that Egypt offered. And it says 00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:05.019 he did not fear Pharaoh's wrath because he was 00:05:05.019 --> 00:05:08.620 able to see him who was invisible. That's the 00:05:08.620 --> 00:05:14.139 line. Moses saw what cannot be seen. He saw the 00:05:14.139 --> 00:05:18.459 invisible. Elisha. Remember there as he's standing 00:05:18.459 --> 00:05:22.000 and vastly outnumbered. And yet his eyes were 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:25.040 opened and he saw the army of angels on the mountain 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:29.379 who had come to help them. Each of these men 00:05:29.379 --> 00:05:31.759 saw spiritual realities that others were not 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:35.160 privy or could not see. Each of them walked by 00:05:35.160 --> 00:05:39.019 faith. They trusted in God's promises. And in 00:05:39.019 --> 00:05:41.420 our text this morning, there's another man. It's 00:05:41.420 --> 00:05:45.100 the Apostle Paul. He also had this keen spiritual 00:05:45.100 --> 00:05:48.519 sight. He could see what others did not see. 00:05:49.490 --> 00:05:53.529 But he calls us, by the Spirit of God, to do 00:05:53.529 --> 00:05:56.269 the same today. Now, to me, if I'm looking at 00:05:56.269 --> 00:05:57.509 this, when I'm studying for this, I'm like, it 00:05:57.509 --> 00:05:59.689 sounds ironic. And if you're here for the first 00:05:59.689 --> 00:06:01.829 time, maybe your first time in church, it might 00:06:01.829 --> 00:06:05.610 even sound a little bit crazy. We're called to 00:06:05.610 --> 00:06:09.410 see what cannot be seen. I mean, that sounds 00:06:09.410 --> 00:06:11.269 like a lot of spiritual mumbo -jumbo, right? 00:06:12.430 --> 00:06:15.670 No. We're called to see through the eyes of faith. 00:06:16.060 --> 00:06:18.339 See, Paul knew something. Paul started in verse 00:06:18.339 --> 00:06:24.220 14. He said, we know, we see that Jesus Christ 00:06:24.220 --> 00:06:27.740 has been raised from the dead. And that changed 00:06:27.740 --> 00:06:31.740 his perspective. He now looked at life through 00:06:31.740 --> 00:06:36.220 the lens of an empty tomb. And this is so helpful 00:06:36.220 --> 00:06:39.879 for us this morning. Because many of you have 00:06:39.879 --> 00:06:43.000 gone through seasons where you felt as though 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:47.279 your life were unraveling. You felt it deep in 00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:52.000 your soul. A severe trial or trials ended your 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:55.100 life. And I took away everything that was comfortable, 00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:57.740 everything that was familiar, everything that 00:06:57.740 --> 00:07:02.560 was secure. And in those dark times, it is so 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:04.819 very easy to think that your life is defined 00:07:04.819 --> 00:07:07.800 by what is right in front of you. That's all 00:07:07.800 --> 00:07:10.180 you can see because it's so current and it's 00:07:10.180 --> 00:07:13.560 so pressing and it's so hard. So in that season, 00:07:13.579 --> 00:07:17.600 what you see, you see pain, you feel the suffering, 00:07:17.779 --> 00:07:23.060 and you sense the loss. And yet the living God 00:07:23.060 --> 00:07:29.319 calls you to set your gaze elsewhere. He tells 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:33.480 you to look at what you cannot see. As we consider 00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:36.339 the Apostle Paul and his life, it was difficult 00:07:36.339 --> 00:07:38.790 to say the least. It was not a charmed life. 00:07:38.930 --> 00:07:41.430 In fact, from an earthly perspective, the Apostle 00:07:41.430 --> 00:07:44.209 Paul looked like a life of defeat and one of 00:07:44.209 --> 00:07:47.649 loss. Yet in the midst of extreme suffering, 00:07:47.810 --> 00:07:53.550 he said in verse 16, we do not lose heart. We 00:07:53.550 --> 00:07:59.589 don't get discouraged. We don't give up. Look 00:07:59.589 --> 00:08:01.430 at verses 8 through 10, if you will. I think 00:08:01.430 --> 00:08:04.069 they're on the wall behind me. Maybe they're 00:08:04.069 --> 00:08:08.279 not. Paul wrote, We are afflicted in every way, 00:08:08.379 --> 00:08:14.339 but not crushed. We're perplexed, but not driven 00:08:14.339 --> 00:08:18.120 to despair. We are persecuted, but not forsaken. 00:08:18.180 --> 00:08:22.779 Struck down, but not destroyed. And notice verse 00:08:22.779 --> 00:08:27.720 10. Always carrying in the body the death of 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:31.839 Jesus. He has a death sentence upon him. Now 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:34.360 how in the world is a man like that not discouraged? 00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:37.259 He's afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck 00:08:37.259 --> 00:08:40.139 down, carrying a death sentence in his own body. 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:42.940 And he says, hey, we don't lose heart. Hey, we 00:08:42.940 --> 00:08:47.840 don't get discouraged. How? Paul knew something. 00:08:48.519 --> 00:08:52.779 He knew that Jesus had been raised from the dead. 00:08:52.940 --> 00:08:54.500 And friends, that changed everything for him. 00:08:54.740 --> 00:08:57.179 Because he knew something. He knew that life, 00:08:57.320 --> 00:09:02.330 this life, this age is not all there is. There 00:09:02.330 --> 00:09:06.409 is a life to come. In spite of all the affliction 00:09:06.409 --> 00:09:10.070 that he was enduring, he knew God was going to 00:09:10.070 --> 00:09:13.669 resurrect him one day to life eternal. So let's 00:09:13.669 --> 00:09:15.450 look at this verse by verse. Let's go back. Look 00:09:15.450 --> 00:09:19.210 at verse 14, if you will, with me. Knowing that 00:09:19.210 --> 00:09:23.009 he who raised up the Lord Jesus, so there's Christ's 00:09:23.009 --> 00:09:27.889 resurrection, will also raise us up with Jesus 00:09:27.889 --> 00:09:33.029 and will present us with you. It's a Greek word, 00:09:33.090 --> 00:09:35.850 ido. And it literally means to see, but it's 00:09:35.850 --> 00:09:39.049 the idea of seeing certainly. It's to have knowledge 00:09:39.049 --> 00:09:42.070 of. This is a bedrock confidence, if you will. 00:09:43.269 --> 00:09:47.289 So Paul's confidence, it's not an optimism. It's 00:09:47.289 --> 00:09:51.889 a confidence that was grounded in the resurrection 00:09:51.889 --> 00:09:57.070 of Jesus Christ. He knew that tomb was empty. 00:09:57.610 --> 00:10:00.230 He knew Jesus had been raised from the dead. 00:10:00.370 --> 00:10:03.889 And since he knew that, he also knew that everyone 00:10:03.889 --> 00:10:07.049 who belongs to Jesus, everyone who's in union 00:10:07.049 --> 00:10:12.570 with Christ, will also experience a grand resurrection. 00:10:13.970 --> 00:10:16.929 That means there is a life to come, and you can't 00:10:16.929 --> 00:10:19.830 currently see it. It's invisible to the physical 00:10:19.830 --> 00:10:23.789 eye. But friends, it is your eternal reality, 00:10:24.110 --> 00:10:26.909 and we want to look at that. See, the resurrection 00:10:26.909 --> 00:10:29.750 will also cause you and I to look at life through 00:10:29.750 --> 00:10:31.590 a different prism. And it's through that prism 00:10:31.590 --> 00:10:34.190 of an empty tomb. Because if the tomb were not 00:10:34.190 --> 00:10:37.929 empty, and this life right now, what's in front 00:10:37.929 --> 00:10:41.070 of us, is all that we had, we would seek to get 00:10:41.070 --> 00:10:43.629 from this life all that we could. That's what 00:10:43.629 --> 00:10:46.370 would make sense. That's what the culture does. 00:10:47.049 --> 00:10:49.570 Paul said that in 1 Corinthians 15. He said, 00:10:49.649 --> 00:10:52.830 if the dead do not rise, there's no resurrection, 00:10:53.029 --> 00:10:56.059 there's no age to come. Well, let us eat and 00:10:56.059 --> 00:11:00.639 drink, for tomorrow we die. Go out and get all 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:03.820 you can while you can get it. If the dead are 00:11:03.820 --> 00:11:06.139 not raised and this life is all there is, you 00:11:06.139 --> 00:11:11.860 better maximize it. But Christ is risen, and 00:11:11.860 --> 00:11:15.559 that changes everything. First of all, it changes 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:18.080 how we even view our own mortality. Look at verse 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:22.879 16. Therefore we do not lose heart, even though... 00:11:23.779 --> 00:11:28.580 Our outward man is perishing, yet the inward 00:11:28.580 --> 00:11:34.419 man is being renewed day by day. Therefore. So 00:11:34.419 --> 00:11:37.179 why is it therefore, therefore, right? Don't 00:11:37.179 --> 00:11:39.320 lose heart. So don't get discouraged. Don't give 00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:42.320 up. Don't quit. Why not? Going back to verse 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:45.559 14 because we know something. We know that the 00:11:45.559 --> 00:11:47.559 same God who raised up Jesus is going to raise 00:11:47.559 --> 00:11:52.360 us up one day. It is... precisely because of 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:55.139 the resurrection of Christ that you and I can 00:11:55.139 --> 00:11:59.039 persevere in this life. Persevere in faith, not 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:02.039 getting discouraged, not abandoning Christ. So 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:05.940 here's what we're called to do. Do not quit trusting 00:12:05.940 --> 00:12:11.299 God even in suffering because this life doesn't 00:12:11.299 --> 00:12:15.440 have the final word. In suffering, there is a 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:19.200 great temptation to quit trusting the Lord. Because 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:22.980 why? There's sickness. And there's no answer. 00:12:23.519 --> 00:12:27.720 There's failure. There's loss. There's tremendous 00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:33.159 sorrow. And we're tempted to think, if serving 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:39.860 the Lord brings this, why serve him? Is this 00:12:39.860 --> 00:12:44.460 all just a charade? Is it one big mirage? And 00:12:44.460 --> 00:12:49.159 Paul says, no. Do not quit. Don't quit though 00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:51.940 life is difficult, though trials are difficult. 00:12:52.940 --> 00:12:59.159 They are not ultimate. Even though our outward 00:12:59.159 --> 00:13:03.100 man is perishing, it's decaying. But the inward 00:13:03.100 --> 00:13:06.000 man's not. David Garland writes this. He said, 00:13:06.039 --> 00:13:09.220 death is chiseling away and breaking Paul down. 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:14.620 But it has no final power over him. It is for 00:13:14.620 --> 00:13:17.340 this reason he's willing to speak boldly. And 00:13:17.340 --> 00:13:19.200 it's for this reason he's willing to put himself 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:24.360 in danger every hour. The outer man is perishing. 00:13:24.460 --> 00:13:27.019 Do we really need to elaborate on that? I came 00:13:27.019 --> 00:13:31.139 to this church when I was 29 years old. Lord 00:13:31.139 --> 00:13:33.200 willing, if he allows me, next Lord's Day, next 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:37.299 Sunday, I will be 51. I know, you don't have 00:13:37.299 --> 00:13:39.120 to tell me. It's obvious the outer man is perishing. 00:13:39.259 --> 00:13:42.840 I get it. I see it too. Trust me, there's a lot 00:13:42.840 --> 00:13:46.879 more of me at 51 than there was at 29. But what 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:48.480 Paul said, our bodies are getting older, right? 00:13:48.500 --> 00:13:50.580 They're perishing. The word literally means decaying. 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:56.120 Just wearing down. Getting older, and I know 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:59.100 for some I'm young. For no one I'm young, but 00:13:59.100 --> 00:14:01.940 some I'm not that old. But getting older is a 00:14:01.940 --> 00:14:08.039 series of losses. Loss of memory. Loss of strength. 00:14:09.259 --> 00:14:13.259 Loss of mobility. Loss of muscle mass. You hear 00:14:13.259 --> 00:14:16.000 of sarcopenia on the news all the time. Loss 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:19.059 of bone density. You hear of DEXA scans. Loss 00:14:19.059 --> 00:14:22.860 of hair. Loss of eyesight. I'm wearing contacts 00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:27.419 that I didn't wear 21 years ago. Hearing. My 00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:29.220 wife told me I need to check it the other day. 00:14:30.700 --> 00:14:32.779 And eventually, and I haven't gotten there, there's 00:14:32.779 --> 00:14:34.559 a loss of teeth even, right? I mean, eventually. 00:14:36.220 --> 00:14:39.200 Right now, wrinkles are appearing. If you do 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:41.080 have hair, it's probably turning gray or falling 00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:45.850 out. Your joints are wearing down. This is all 00:14:45.850 --> 00:14:47.750 that Paul was meaning. He said, your outer man 00:14:47.750 --> 00:14:51.029 is just perishing. Are you encouraged yet? You 00:14:51.029 --> 00:14:55.289 glad you came to Mamre on Easter Sunday? See, 00:14:55.370 --> 00:14:58.610 our culture, it hates aging. And it fights against 00:14:58.610 --> 00:15:01.570 it. It sees the gray head as a sign of mortality. 00:15:02.090 --> 00:15:04.149 Ancient culture saw the gray head as a sign of 00:15:04.149 --> 00:15:08.110 wisdom. But not us. So today we see many people 00:15:08.110 --> 00:15:10.570 turn to cosmetic procedures. Why? They want to 00:15:10.570 --> 00:15:14.659 stay looking young. Countless people use makeup 00:15:14.659 --> 00:15:17.360 and dye their hair and anti -aging products. 00:15:18.279 --> 00:15:21.279 They're wanting to make that outer man look younger, 00:15:21.419 --> 00:15:26.039 but you can't stop the decay. All the cosmetic 00:15:26.039 --> 00:15:29.919 procedures in the world cannot prevent death 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:33.740 from coming. They may make you look younger in 00:15:33.740 --> 00:15:38.200 the coffin, but that is all they will do. You 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:42.179 see the idols of a culture. By what a culture 00:15:42.179 --> 00:15:44.539 emphasizes. And our culture has many idols, but 00:15:44.539 --> 00:15:47.620 one of them is this elusive dream of the fountain 00:15:47.620 --> 00:15:50.200 of youth. I mean, just look at TV and look at 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:53.559 social media. They're full of advertisements. 00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:56.159 Why? Trying to get you to chase that fountain 00:15:56.159 --> 00:16:00.179 of youth. Eat this, drink this, take this pill, 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:06.159 do this exercise, and you will not get old. King 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:11.019 Solomon says, try that. Now go chase the wind. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:13.519 That's what it is. It's chasing the wind. It's 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:17.240 an empty and futile pursuit. You're not going 00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:19.519 to do it, friends. And I'm not saying don't exercise. 00:16:19.580 --> 00:16:21.200 I'm not saying not to take care of your health. 00:16:21.960 --> 00:16:23.700 But you're not going to stop the decaying process. 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:27.220 Paul told Timothy, he said, bodily exercise profits 00:16:27.220 --> 00:16:29.299 a little. There is some profit. Let's not lie 00:16:29.299 --> 00:16:34.100 about it. But it's not ultimate. Because godliness 00:16:34.100 --> 00:16:36.799 is profitable for all things. Because notice 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:40.450 how he says this. He looks to the future. having 00:16:40.450 --> 00:16:44.929 the promise of the life that now is and of that 00:16:44.929 --> 00:16:47.509 which is to come. So go ahead, do whatever you 00:16:47.509 --> 00:16:48.950 want to your body. It's still going to perish. 00:16:49.090 --> 00:16:54.149 You are mortal and you will die. When I think 00:16:54.149 --> 00:16:56.090 of the Apostle Paul, I'm sure if we would have 00:16:56.090 --> 00:16:58.529 been able to see him physically, that man, even 00:16:58.529 --> 00:17:00.909 though aged, he was probably well aged beyond 00:17:00.909 --> 00:17:03.149 his years because of all the stress and all the 00:17:03.149 --> 00:17:05.390 difficulties he had. He wrote about those in 00:17:05.390 --> 00:17:07.890 seven chapters later in the same book of 2 Corinthians, 00:17:08.150 --> 00:17:11.170 chapter 11. He said, Paul writing, he says, I 00:17:11.170 --> 00:17:15.230 am in far greater labors, far more imprisonments, 00:17:15.309 --> 00:17:20.609 countless beatings, often near death. Five times 00:17:20.609 --> 00:17:22.990 I received at the hands of the Jews, the 40 lashes 00:17:22.990 --> 00:17:26.170 less one. So he's beaten with 39 stripes, five 00:17:26.170 --> 00:17:28.930 different times. Three times I was beaten with 00:17:28.930 --> 00:17:31.289 rods. Once I was stoned, not to have something 00:17:31.289 --> 00:17:33.609 different in that culture than ours. This means 00:17:33.609 --> 00:17:35.190 literally people were throwing rocks at his head, 00:17:35.269 --> 00:17:38.029 trying to kill him. Three times I was shipped. 00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:42.079 A night and a day I was adrift at sea on frequent 00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:45.259 journeys in danger from rivers, dangers from 00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:47.259 robbers, danger from my own people, danger from 00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:49.380 Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the 00:17:49.380 --> 00:17:51.240 wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false 00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:54.900 brothers. You get the point? In toil and hardship 00:17:54.900 --> 00:17:59.539 through many a sleepless night, in hunger, thirst, 00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:05.079 often without food, in cold and exposure, and 00:18:05.079 --> 00:18:08.579 apart from other things. There is the daily pressure 00:18:08.579 --> 00:18:13.960 on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Charmed 00:18:13.960 --> 00:18:17.519 life, right? This man had no rest wherever he 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:20.579 went. Sorrow and suffering abounded in his life. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:22.680 And that was the cost of doing God's will. This 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:25.579 was God's will for him. But he said, I'm not 00:18:25.579 --> 00:18:27.700 getting discouraged. I'm not quenching. I'm not 00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:31.000 losing heart. Why not? Because I know that Jesus 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:34.019 Christ has been raised from the dead. And I know 00:18:34.019 --> 00:18:36.039 he will also raise me one day to eternal life. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:39.700 I am confident of that. See, this is why I think 00:18:39.700 --> 00:18:42.000 of all the people on the planet, Christians of 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:45.200 all of them, can face hardship and adversity 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:51.539 and sorrow with joy and courage because we know 00:18:51.539 --> 00:18:54.119 this life is not all there is. We know there 00:18:54.119 --> 00:18:56.319 is a great reversal of fortune that is coming. 00:18:56.539 --> 00:18:59.579 The kingdom of God will come in its fullness 00:18:59.579 --> 00:19:03.240 and we will forever live with our king in eternal 00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:09.019 bliss. So don't lose heart. Don't quit. The resurrection 00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:11.440 of Christ gives us a new perspective on our own 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:13.599 mortality. The outer man's perishing, but the 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:15.839 second person, the inward man, is being renewed 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:18.920 day by day. The inward man, that's your soul. 00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:24.160 It's not decaying. It's getting better. It's 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:26.660 being renovated. So the outer man looks less 00:19:26.660 --> 00:19:29.779 glorious each day, but the inner man grows more 00:19:29.779 --> 00:19:33.940 glorious each day. So God is doing this. big 00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:38.599 remodeling project inside of you. But here's 00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:43.160 the part I don't like. What tools does God use 00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:47.819 to accomplish that remodeling project? Suffering. 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:53.400 Suffering. The very trials that you want God 00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:56.920 to take away are the tools he's using to make 00:19:56.920 --> 00:20:01.019 you look more like Jesus. Linsky, in his commentary, 00:20:01.180 --> 00:20:06.029 says, Paul can watch the destruction of the outer 00:20:06.029 --> 00:20:07.910 man. Now, I've not arrived there. Not perfect 00:20:07.910 --> 00:20:10.849 calmness. What if his enemies hasten the process? 00:20:11.029 --> 00:20:13.369 Yay, bring it to a sudden end by means of a violent 00:20:13.369 --> 00:20:19.029 death. Big deal. So what? He loses nothing. The 00:20:19.029 --> 00:20:22.529 inner man blossoms into new youth and beauty 00:20:22.529 --> 00:20:26.009 and strength day by day. This inner renewal, 00:20:26.049 --> 00:20:29.569 it's not hindered, but only helped by the tribulation. 00:20:30.119 --> 00:20:32.779 That assails the outer man. The trials actually 00:20:32.779 --> 00:20:35.039 serve the purpose of renovating the inner man. 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:40.599 And what he calls these bloody roses. They have 00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:43.900 the sweetest odor. Friends, let me say this. 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:47.000 Because of Christ's resurrection, your suffering 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:50.940 is not meaningless. God is using it to make you 00:20:50.940 --> 00:20:53.880 fit for heaven. See, we do live in a world that's 00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:55.660 still cursed by God, so that means suffering 00:20:55.660 --> 00:20:58.779 is going to abound and death is inevitable. The 00:20:58.779 --> 00:21:01.579 writer of Hebrews tells us, it is appointed unto 00:21:01.579 --> 00:21:04.839 men once to die, and after this comes judgment. 00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:09.400 It's going to happen. But because of Christ's 00:21:09.400 --> 00:21:11.900 glorious resurrection, death doesn't have the 00:21:11.900 --> 00:21:17.119 final word. And we need an anchor. And it's the 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:19.339 resurrection of Christ that anchors us, and it 00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:23.019 gives life meaning, even in the midst of tremendous 00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:28.170 loss. Suffering has a way of reprioritizing your 00:21:28.170 --> 00:21:31.829 life. I can promise you this, what once seemed 00:21:31.829 --> 00:21:36.450 so important, no longer does. Instead, there's 00:21:36.450 --> 00:21:39.849 a sharper focus on what is truly important. You 00:21:39.849 --> 00:21:41.269 know, I think that's why they say, with time 00:21:41.269 --> 00:21:43.390 or with age comes wisdom. It's not that age gives 00:21:43.390 --> 00:21:44.890 you wisdom, it's just the older you get, the 00:21:44.890 --> 00:21:46.970 more you suffer, and suffering brings that perspective. 00:21:48.809 --> 00:21:50.690 Now notice Paul's change of perspective in verse 00:21:50.690 --> 00:21:56.359 17. For our light affliction, which is but for 00:21:56.359 --> 00:21:59.720 a moment, is working, the affliction's working 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:03.440 for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:08.759 of glory. I love this. Light affliction. The 00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:10.960 word light means easy. It's easy to carry. It's 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:13.680 light. It doesn't weigh much. Now recall what 00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:15.859 Paul endured. Recall what we just read. There 00:22:15.859 --> 00:22:18.700 were beatings. He was stoned. He was shipwrecked. 00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:20.579 He was hungry. He was thirsty. He was left for 00:22:20.579 --> 00:22:27.930 dead. Easy? Light? Now Paul never said that his 00:22:27.930 --> 00:22:32.690 suffering was trivial. It's not trivial. He said 00:22:32.690 --> 00:22:36.049 it's comparatively light when I compare that 00:22:36.049 --> 00:22:41.450 to the weight of glory in eternity. Sam Storms, 00:22:41.450 --> 00:22:43.829 in his article I read this week, I loved what 00:22:43.829 --> 00:22:46.609 he wrote. God is not asking you to treat pain 00:22:46.609 --> 00:22:48.509 as though it were pleasure. Let's not kid ourselves. 00:22:48.769 --> 00:22:51.809 Pain hurts. Suffering's real. He's not asking 00:22:51.809 --> 00:22:53.589 you to treat grief as though it were joy. It's 00:22:53.589 --> 00:22:59.390 not. Life is hard. but bringing all earthly adversity 00:22:59.390 --> 00:23:05.890 into comparison with heavenly glory, and thereby 00:23:05.890 --> 00:23:10.069 you are strengthened to endure. See, through 00:23:10.069 --> 00:23:12.410 faith, the Apostle Paul, he could see the difference 00:23:12.410 --> 00:23:15.410 between what he was currently experiencing and 00:23:15.410 --> 00:23:18.609 what awaited him in the next age. Romans 8, Paul 00:23:18.609 --> 00:23:21.670 said, For I consider that the sufferings of this 00:23:21.670 --> 00:23:27.160 present time are not worthy, To be compared with 00:23:27.160 --> 00:23:32.319 the glory which shall be revealed in us. He knew 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:35.240 suffering is temporary. Suffering is only in 00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:38.640 this age. That's it. And this is how he could 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:40.799 see his affliction as light. This is how he knew 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:44.380 it was easy to bear. See, the pain is real, but 00:23:44.380 --> 00:23:49.480 it's temporary. The glory is eternal. I believe 00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:51.240 personally that you can go through a lot. You 00:23:51.240 --> 00:23:53.819 can endure a lot of pain if you know that it 00:23:53.819 --> 00:23:57.240 is only temporary. I really do. I see that with 00:23:57.240 --> 00:23:58.839 people because they have hope. It's going to 00:23:58.839 --> 00:24:02.579 end one day. Jim Elliot, he was the American 00:24:02.579 --> 00:24:04.960 missionary and he was actually martyred by the 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:08.140 Aka people in Ecuador. He famously wrote in his 00:24:08.140 --> 00:24:09.619 journal, and probably most of you have heard 00:24:09.619 --> 00:24:13.480 the quote and know it. He wrote, he is no fool 00:24:13.480 --> 00:24:20.140 who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which 00:24:20.140 --> 00:24:23.890 he cannot lose. Jim Elliot knew that to live 00:24:23.890 --> 00:24:26.210 your life only for this age is a fool's errand 00:24:26.210 --> 00:24:30.549 because this life will end. So he willingly endured 00:24:30.549 --> 00:24:35.869 suffering knowing that eternity holds no suffering. 00:24:36.769 --> 00:24:38.230 Friends, let me just say, if you're here today 00:24:38.230 --> 00:24:39.869 and you're young, this means you don't have to 00:24:39.869 --> 00:24:42.549 milk this life for all it's worth. Christ is 00:24:42.549 --> 00:24:47.849 risen. There's a much better age to come. And 00:24:47.849 --> 00:24:51.519 this is how we see our affliction as light. But 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:52.880 you better know something. When you're being 00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:54.880 afflicted, you need to know your affliction is 00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:58.440 working for us. And it says it's working a far 00:24:58.440 --> 00:25:00.599 more exceeding eternal weight of glory. But I 00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:03.039 want you to notice what Paul said. Look at subject, 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:06.380 look at verb. What is working? The affliction. 00:25:07.240 --> 00:25:09.619 It's working, it's producing, and what's the 00:25:09.619 --> 00:25:15.720 effect? Glory. That means your present suffering, 00:25:16.039 --> 00:25:20.390 as hard as it may be, It's the building blocks 00:25:20.390 --> 00:25:25.450 of your future glory. What a different perspective 00:25:25.450 --> 00:25:28.470 we would have on trials if we could only see 00:25:28.470 --> 00:25:30.150 what the Lord is doing through those trials. 00:25:31.829 --> 00:25:35.109 I know that to be true. So that means, believer, 00:25:35.130 --> 00:25:39.009 your pain, it seems it has no purpose. It's not 00:25:39.009 --> 00:25:46.210 wasted. From affliction comes glory. Just as 00:25:46.210 --> 00:25:49.329 from death comes resurrection. Now this is where 00:25:49.329 --> 00:25:52.369 it gets good. This eternal glory. Look at this 00:25:52.369 --> 00:25:54.750 word. It's one word in Greek. Far more exceeding. 00:25:55.450 --> 00:25:58.730 And in Greek, you'll see the English word immediately. 00:25:58.970 --> 00:26:03.710 It's hyperbole. Hyperbole. Which means beyond 00:26:03.710 --> 00:26:06.670 all measure. Now you see the English word immediately. 00:26:06.910 --> 00:26:09.670 This is where we get our word hyperbole from. 00:26:10.650 --> 00:26:13.269 So notice what Paul is saying. Our future glory 00:26:13.269 --> 00:26:19.450 with Christ is beyond comparison. It is impossible 00:26:19.450 --> 00:26:24.490 to exaggerate. The glory that those who belong 00:26:24.490 --> 00:26:28.630 to Christ is so massive, so expansive, it can't 00:26:28.630 --> 00:26:31.789 be measured, it can't be quantified. You can't 00:26:31.789 --> 00:26:34.849 even begin to imagine it. In fact, it's impossible 00:26:34.849 --> 00:26:38.630 to exaggerate how good it is. You can't overstate 00:26:38.630 --> 00:26:43.529 it. It's beyond all measure. Paul, writing about 00:26:43.529 --> 00:26:46.730 this, he says, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard. 00:26:47.490 --> 00:26:50.029 It's not even entered into the heart of man. 00:26:51.190 --> 00:26:53.589 The things which God has prepared for those who 00:26:53.589 --> 00:26:58.309 love him. Our eternity, the age to come, will 00:26:58.309 --> 00:27:02.990 be far better than you can possibly imagine in 00:27:02.990 --> 00:27:05.809 your wildest dreams. As good as you think it 00:27:05.809 --> 00:27:09.130 is, it'll be that much better. Now I think of 00:27:09.130 --> 00:27:12.009 resort brochures when I'm thinking of this. Because 00:27:12.009 --> 00:27:13.930 we like to go on vacation, you get a brochure, 00:27:14.009 --> 00:27:15.470 and it always looks so good, and they have the 00:27:15.470 --> 00:27:18.490 best pictures. But when you get there, it's never 00:27:18.490 --> 00:27:21.650 quite as good as it's pictured. There's always 00:27:21.650 --> 00:27:25.130 a little twinge of disappointment. But Paul says, 00:27:25.289 --> 00:27:28.210 listen, the glory that awaits the Christian is 00:27:28.210 --> 00:27:33.650 so great, so magnificent, it's impossible to 00:27:33.650 --> 00:27:36.089 disappoint you. You're going to be overwhelmed 00:27:36.089 --> 00:27:38.289 one second in the glory of what God has done. 00:27:40.049 --> 00:27:43.289 Philip Hughes says, Affliction for Jesus' sake, 00:27:43.470 --> 00:27:47.900 however crushing it may seem, is in fact light, 00:27:47.960 --> 00:27:53.200 a weightless trifle when weighed against the 00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:58.640 mass of that glory. Hallelujah. Because Christ 00:27:58.640 --> 00:28:01.440 is risen, all our suffering, all our heartache, 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:03.559 all our sorrow, it is a distant memory when you 00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:07.400 enter into glory. It's gone. Your future, it's 00:28:07.400 --> 00:28:10.700 bright. It's eternal happiness. And I love this 00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:13.359 because you will be home with Christ. You'll 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:16.339 be with him. You're saying, but pastor, right 00:28:16.339 --> 00:28:18.480 now my suffering seems longer than a moment. 00:28:19.119 --> 00:28:23.359 I know. I know. Which is why Paul says, compare 00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:26.599 it to eternity. In light of eternity, it's a 00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:31.160 blip on the radar screen. You need eyes of faith. 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:34.259 You must see with certainty. And look at that 00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:38.019 final verse, verse 18. While we do not look at 00:28:38.019 --> 00:28:41.559 the things which are seen. What? I mean, where 00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:43.559 else do you look? But at the things which are 00:28:43.559 --> 00:28:46.599 not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, 00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:50.240 but the things which are not seen, they're eternal. 00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:54.200 Paul is not making a distinction between physical 00:28:54.200 --> 00:28:56.740 or between material and immaterial, or physical 00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:58.480 and spiritual. That's not what he's doing here. 00:28:59.160 --> 00:29:01.220 God created the physical universe. It's good. 00:29:01.319 --> 00:29:03.099 Our bodies are good. In fact, we're going to 00:29:03.099 --> 00:29:05.640 live forever on a new earth in new glorified 00:29:05.640 --> 00:29:09.079 bodies. So it's not against physical. Paul is 00:29:09.079 --> 00:29:11.500 making a distinction between this current age 00:29:11.500 --> 00:29:14.539 of sin and suffering. and the age to come of 00:29:14.539 --> 00:29:18.799 glory and no suffering. So all that belongs to 00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:20.400 this current age, the one in which we currently 00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:23.220 live, it is temporary. Now listen, folks, and 00:29:23.220 --> 00:29:25.339 listen, young people. That means the house, the 00:29:25.339 --> 00:29:27.339 car, all your possessions, they're temporary. 00:29:28.259 --> 00:29:31.220 So don't get too attached to them. That's why 00:29:31.220 --> 00:29:34.259 it is so foolish to seek meaning in those things 00:29:34.259 --> 00:29:35.759 because they're all going to be gone one day. 00:29:36.619 --> 00:29:40.119 Peter says they'll be burnt up. Jesus said this, 00:29:40.180 --> 00:29:42.930 for what will profit a man? What profit is there 00:29:42.930 --> 00:29:47.529 if he gains this whole world and loses his own 00:29:47.529 --> 00:29:50.009 soul? Let me answer that. There is no profit 00:29:50.009 --> 00:29:52.869 in that. Or what will man give in exchange for 00:29:52.869 --> 00:29:55.690 a soul? One minute in hell, you'd give up everything 00:29:55.690 --> 00:29:59.710 you've ever owned. See, the mantra of our age, 00:29:59.829 --> 00:30:02.730 this godless age in which we live, it is hedonism 00:30:02.730 --> 00:30:05.650 and consumerism. Make as much money as you can. 00:30:05.910 --> 00:30:08.930 Seek as much pleasure as you can while you can. 00:30:10.599 --> 00:30:12.980 But the resurrection of Christ exposes that as 00:30:12.980 --> 00:30:16.400 a lie. It shows us that. Paul said, no, don't 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:19.000 look at what you can see. Well, where do you 00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:21.599 want me to look, Paul? Look at what can't be 00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:25.900 seen. This age is temporary. The age of come, 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:28.900 which is full of exceeding glory, it's eternal. 00:30:29.700 --> 00:30:33.059 Therefore, friends, fix your gaze there. Philippians 00:30:33.059 --> 00:30:37.980 3, Paul wrote this. For our citizenship is in 00:30:37.980 --> 00:30:42.190 heaven. Also, we eagerly wait for the Savior, 00:30:42.369 --> 00:30:44.730 the Lord Jesus Christ. What's he going to do? 00:30:44.789 --> 00:30:47.910 Who will transform our lowly body, that decaying 00:30:47.910 --> 00:30:50.970 body, that it may be conformed to his glorious 00:30:50.970 --> 00:30:55.509 body? You are a citizen of heaven. So why don't 00:30:55.509 --> 00:30:58.250 you keep your focus where your true life and 00:30:58.250 --> 00:31:00.569 true citizenship is found? You're saying, but 00:31:00.569 --> 00:31:03.470 how do I know that I'm a citizen of heaven? Because 00:31:03.470 --> 00:31:06.269 Christ died and rose again. That's the assurance. 00:31:09.230 --> 00:31:11.549 We're almost finished. Kent Hughes said this. 00:31:12.910 --> 00:31:16.549 Paul's hope was set in the future resurrection. 00:31:17.390 --> 00:31:20.829 For him, the grave was empty. The certitude of 00:31:20.829 --> 00:31:23.009 the resurrection was inevitable and compelling. 00:31:23.690 --> 00:31:26.750 It determined the way he lived. Because of it, 00:31:26.750 --> 00:31:28.730 because he knew Christ had been raised, he bore 00:31:28.730 --> 00:31:31.009 in his own body the dying of the Lord Jesus and 00:31:31.009 --> 00:31:33.250 lived as a slave to others, and he willingly, 00:31:33.390 --> 00:31:38.859 voluntarily, died daily. Paul. could hear the 00:31:38.859 --> 00:31:43.660 far -off song of eternal doxology from every 00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:48.460 tongue and every tribe. Paul's logic is on fire 00:31:48.460 --> 00:31:52.660 here. He said, this age is passing away, so don't 00:31:52.660 --> 00:31:55.720 be a fool and set your hope here. Jesus, the 00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:58.460 Lord, said the very same thing. Do not lay up 00:31:58.460 --> 00:32:01.059 for yourselves treasures on earth where moss 00:32:01.059 --> 00:32:04.009 and rough... destroy, where thieves break in 00:32:04.009 --> 00:32:05.990 and steal. Okay, don't lay them up in this age, 00:32:06.109 --> 00:32:08.750 but rather lay up for yourselves treasures in 00:32:08.750 --> 00:32:11.829 heaven. Why? Because there's neither moth nor 00:32:11.829 --> 00:32:14.170 rust. Nothing destroys, nothing corrodes, nothing 00:32:14.170 --> 00:32:16.170 decays, and there's no thief there. No one's 00:32:16.170 --> 00:32:19.869 going to break in and steal what you have. I 00:32:19.869 --> 00:32:21.950 love this. The Apostle Paul had no interest in 00:32:21.950 --> 00:32:24.690 making a name for himself or amassing the fortunes 00:32:24.690 --> 00:32:27.710 of this world. Instead, he chose to live sacrificially. 00:32:27.730 --> 00:32:30.069 How? Because he knew this world is passing away 00:32:30.069 --> 00:32:34.140 in the lust thereof. He knew it. But he who does 00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:37.420 the will of the Lord abides forever. Far too 00:32:37.420 --> 00:32:41.380 many people, far too many people spend far too 00:32:41.380 --> 00:32:44.400 much of their time and energy on earthly pursuits 00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:48.160 that will one day pass away. The Bible calls 00:32:48.160 --> 00:32:52.740 that foolish. It's acting like a fool. Hear the 00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:58.140 words of wisdom, friends. Christ Jesus is risen. 00:32:58.819 --> 00:33:02.750 And that changes everything. So I close with 00:33:02.750 --> 00:33:06.829 this. Where is your hope? And I mean to answer 00:33:06.829 --> 00:33:09.470 this truly, just in your heart of hearts. Is 00:33:09.470 --> 00:33:13.650 it in this age or is it in the age to come? In 00:33:13.650 --> 00:33:16.849 this age, everything's passing away. But there's 00:33:16.849 --> 00:33:22.369 a truth that you can anchor your life to. Christ 00:33:22.369 --> 00:33:26.380 rose from the dead. The Lord Jesus Christ died 00:33:26.380 --> 00:33:30.339 for our sins. He rose again, defeating death, 00:33:30.579 --> 00:33:34.420 and he has brought eternal life to all who trust 00:33:34.420 --> 00:33:38.279 in him. Scriptures are clear. There's a future 00:33:38.279 --> 00:33:41.619 day of judgment coming for all men. And the only 00:33:41.619 --> 00:33:44.519 one who can offer any hope on that day is the 00:33:44.519 --> 00:33:48.720 one who conquered the grave. So here's the final 00:33:48.720 --> 00:33:54.490 question. In what or in whom? which is the better 00:33:54.490 --> 00:33:57.869 question, will you place your trust? Friends, 00:33:57.890 --> 00:34:01.650 Christ is risen, and that changes everything. 00:34:02.809 --> 00:34:04.970 Let's go to the table and commune with our risen 00:34:04.970 --> 00:34:07.369 Lord, praising God for what he's done for us 00:34:07.369 --> 00:34:10.210 in his son. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father, 00:34:10.269 --> 00:34:13.949 thank you, Lord, for your glorious word and the 00:34:13.949 --> 00:34:16.869 power it has to inform us, to instruct us, to 00:34:16.869 --> 00:34:20.989 give us light and wisdom. Lord, I pray, God, 00:34:21.070 --> 00:34:23.349 that you might use this short time that has been 00:34:23.349 --> 00:34:27.170 given to us here at this church, Lord, to see 00:34:27.170 --> 00:34:30.570 beyond the curtain. Lord, God, you would give 00:34:30.570 --> 00:34:34.329 us eyes to see what can't be seen. Awake us from 00:34:34.329 --> 00:34:36.989 our stupor that we would put all our hope and 00:34:36.989 --> 00:34:39.570 all our time and all our energy into this life. 00:34:40.449 --> 00:34:43.489 It's a bud of vapor. It appears for a moment 00:34:43.489 --> 00:34:47.130 and passes away. Father, I pray you'd give us 00:34:47.130 --> 00:34:50.820 eyes to see what can't be seen. There's a far 00:34:50.820 --> 00:34:54.659 more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that 00:34:54.659 --> 00:34:57.840 awaits those who are united to your son. He's 00:34:57.840 --> 00:35:00.559 the firstfruits, and after him comes all those 00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:03.139 who belong to him. Father, I pray that you would 00:35:03.139 --> 00:35:05.519 save the lost this morning, Lord. No doubt in 00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:07.659 this congregation there are some who are lost, 00:35:07.780 --> 00:35:10.219 Lord, who are under the wrath and condemnation 00:35:10.219 --> 00:35:13.360 of God because they have not bowed the knee to 00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:16.219 your son. Lord, I pray you'd reveal to them their 00:35:16.219 --> 00:35:18.760 sin and reveal to them your son, the Savior. 00:35:19.529 --> 00:35:21.230 Father, I pray that you'd wake up some who are 00:35:21.230 --> 00:35:23.349 carnal. They're living and just are living, Lord, 00:35:23.389 --> 00:35:26.090 not just sinful, but they're living, Lord, foolishly, 00:35:26.090 --> 00:35:28.030 Lord, putting all their eggs in this one basket 00:35:28.030 --> 00:35:31.929 called now. God, help them to see. Lord, I pray 00:35:31.929 --> 00:35:33.750 for those who are suffering. Lord, I pray that 00:35:33.750 --> 00:35:35.829 they would have eyes of faith to see beyond their 00:35:35.829 --> 00:35:38.590 suffering and that it's building for them glory 00:35:38.590 --> 00:35:41.250 in the next stage. God, comfort them. Let them 00:35:41.250 --> 00:35:43.409 see the risen Christ. And Father, I pray that 00:35:43.409 --> 00:35:47.710 they would find peace in the resurrection of 00:35:47.710 --> 00:35:52.420 your son. He is glorious, Lord. Thank you for 00:35:52.420 --> 00:35:55.380 giving us Christ. Thank you for your son. Help 00:35:55.380 --> 00:35:57.199 us now, Lord, as we go to the table of the Lord 00:35:57.199 --> 00:35:59.679 to commune with him, we pray in Jesus' mighty 00:35:59.679 --> 00:36:00.599 name. Amen.