Eternal Perspective Week 2

INTRODUCTION :

We are in week two of our discussion on Eternal Perspective. Jesus challenged His followers to look at the present in the context of the eternal plan of the Father. His disciples watched Him face public scrutiny, demands, conflict, judgment, criticism, and ultimately His trial and crucifixion.

His disciples saw Him do what was required because of the scope of His eternal perspective. He placed the immediate circumstances of life into the context of the eternal. 

As we read, does our eternal perspective must have that same scope. It must permeate every area of our lives. Do we help those we influence and lead to view their circumstances and responsibilities through the lens of God’s eternal plan, as revealed in His Word. 

Today, we continue to read about God’s perspective on life and how this perspective is woven throughout all of His Word. Maybe by the end of it, we will develop the ability to contrast temporal values with eternal ones and apply those values to life.

We are going to start in Matthew Chapter 6 today. This is a part of the “Sermon on the Mount” with the overarching theme being discipleship and life in the Kingdom of heaven. Jesus was setting out for his disciples an overview of the privileges and demands of their new situation.

Matthew 6:19-34

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Man there is a LOT in there!  Let’s break it down and see what we can learn.

Jesus starts out that earthly treasures are temporary, they decay, get used up, or bring short-lived satisfaction.  

• Jesus advises not to store up treasures on earth where they can be destroyed or stolen, but to store up treasures in heaven. 

• He emphasizes that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Jesus guarantees that earth is a place where moth and rust will destroy the value of our treasures, and where thieves break in and steal the hopes we have for our treasures. 

• He emphasizes that it is infinitely more prudent to store up treasures in heaven, where a treasure’s value is never lost. 

Application: He simply calls it out that our hearts follow our treasures – which will it be?  Eternal? Temporary?... Is what I am accumulating today eternal?

How about the eye being the lamp of the body… Healthy vision leads to light.  

• Jesus uses the metaphor of the eye being the lamp of the body. If the eye is healthy, the whole body will be full of light. But if the eye is unhealthy, the whole body will be full of darkness.

• We cannot not have it both ways - we either pursue pure and healthy, or we are led to dark and harmful thoughts, and beliefs.  What we see, and allow our eyes to bring into our hearts/minds can either help us or hurt us. We can let in light and grow in our Christ- lightness or let in darkness and corruption.  

Application: If our vision is focused on Kingdom values it replaces our focus on ourselves and our problems thus keeping our hearts and minds guarded and growing with a bigger picture and eternal perspective in mind. Look up from time to time to get perspective.

Jesus continues and states that no one can serve two masters. 

• He tells us that you will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. 

• He tells us that you cannot serve both God and money. 

• This is because God and wealth often have competing directions for our lives.

• Spiritual devotion vs materialistic pursuits.

To cap it off... Oh yeah…Do Not Worry Jesus instructs not to worry about life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. But He caps it off like a Champ….

• This may sound familiar as we have worked through this before….He uses the examples of birds and flowers to illustrate God’s care for His creation. 

• He encourages seeking first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

• So what does that mean?  Definition time…

• Anxious – to care, to have a distracting thought

• Seek – to strive after, endeavor, desire: coveting earnestly

• Seek FIRST, before all else:  the Kingdom of God, his will for your life, be obedient to His ways, make your focus on the eternal.

• He concludes by advising not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Nice!

Jesus further emphasizes that worrying is actually unproductive. It does not add a single hour to one’s life. Instead, it keeps us from fulfilling the kingdom purposes to which God has called us and  worrying can actually damage your physical health!  Anxiety is a real thing with real consequences!

That was a lot! Let's look at two shorter pieces of scripture before we wrap to further gain eternal perspective by identifying a truth and a practical application.

Galatians 6:7-10  

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Biblical Truth:  We will reap what we sow – be patient, do not give up

Practical Application: What am I sowing?  Truth, love , kindness and mercy? Or Judgement, shame, pride, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc? Be patient- there can be long amounts of time between planting seeds and seeing a harvest - but there will be a “due season” if we don't give up!

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Biblical Truth: Get rid of the sin that weighs you down so that you can run the race God has planned for you, looking to Jesus as the one who will both author and perfect your faith.

Practical Application: Confess your sin with a repentant heart and turn away from sinful habits, compulsions and directions as they are revealed to you so you can keep pressing on and following Jesus.

CONCLUSION:

Through these verses today, we learn that when we put God above all else, focus on His ways, His Kingdom, everything else falls into proper perspective and order.  It’s ok to gain things just don’t be totally focused on it and don’t let those things have you.

God is working in us to prepare us for eternal life with him - not to have every worldly desire fulfilled, or even an easy earthly life.  He is asking us to trust Him in this life and preparing us for a glorious eternity as believers.

May we have endurance and run with Jesus striving for spiritual growth daily. 

Today’s Scriptures:

• Matt 6:19-34

• Gal 6:7-10

• Heb 12:1-2

Thoughts/Questions To Consider:

• Have you ever had that moment when you were out and about, and you started to notice everyone around you was looking down at their phone and no one was looking up? What thoughts popped into your mind? How can we relate that to our discussion today?

Quote…"We may ‘believe’ in eternity, but to what extent have we actually agreed with the world that eternity is not relevant until after this life? Eternity is not merely a time frame that is endless; it is profoundly and foremost a qualitative thing that is available now. When we begin to see all our moments set in the context of eternity, we will bring to those moments a seriousness that we would not otherwise have had." - Art Katz

• How have we bought into this idea of eternity not being relevant until we die?

• What are some of the things that we can change in our life to focus on eternal things now?