From Here to Eternity… Greg Quakenbush, Centurion, BreakPoint / Prison Fellowship

From Here to Eternity…

Colossians 3:1-2: 1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Colossians 3:2

2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Have you ever take an “inventory” re: your focus or “mindset” ? Some of my earthly mindset from this last week…

Tell me about the “things that are on the earth”… Temporary… passing away. Visible… (problem with this, Rom 8:24-25) Futile (Ground Hog Day…/ Ecclesiastes) Never satisfies…

Tell me about the “things that are on the earth”… We try to persuade God to serve us… Col 1:16 Not what we were created for… Evil… God of this world… Sin… #1 most important thing on earth is “ ME”

“ ME” Col 3:5-6: 5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, Col 3: 8-9: 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

What are the things above that we are to set our mind on… Heaven… Eternity… Forever… God… His plan, His kingdom…

Tell me about the characteristics of “things above” Eternal… forever… Not visible… but knowable (Rom 8:20-25) Not futile… Satisfies…

Tell me about the characteristics of “things above” We exist to please God… What we were created for… Presence of God… being in God’s presence Most important thing above… “Him”

What do you know about eternity, heaven, forever…??

What does the Bible say about heaven…?

What we Assume About Heaven* Non- earth New Earth What the Bible says about heaven * Randy Acorn, Heaven, (Wheaton, Ill. Tyndall Press, 2004) pg 155

Heaven & earth… Gen 1:1; In the beginning God Created the heavens and the earth… Isa 65:17; For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; Isa 66:22; For just as the new heavens and the new earth Which I make will endure before Me, declares the Lord…

Heaven & earth… 2 Pet 3:13; But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Rev 21:1; Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away…

What we Assume About Heaven* Non- earth Unfamiliar; otherworldly Disembodied Foreign Leaving favorite things No time and space Static New Earth Familiar; earthly Resurrected (embodied) Home (all the comforts of home) Retaining the good; finding the best ahead Time & space Dynamic What the Bible says about heaven * Randy Acorn, Heaven, (Wheaton, Ill. Tyndall Press, 2004) pg 155

What we Assume About Heaven* Strange & unknown Nothing to do; floating around No learning or discovery; instant and complete knowledge Boring Loss of desire Absence of the terrible… but presence of little we desire Both old & new A God to worship & serve; a universe to rule; purposeful work to accomplish An eternity of learning & discovering Fascinating Continuous fulfillment of desire Presence of the wonderful… (everything we desire & nothing we don’t) What the Bible says about heaven * Randy Acorn, Heaven, (Wheaton, Ill. Tyndall Press, 2004) pg 155

We are caught between the “already” and the “not yet”… Messy here… We suffer from “eternity amnesia”… Two competing mindsets… Temporal & Eternal… earth vs. things above Need to transfer our affections and ambitions to our true home… Heaven Forever, Paul David Tripp, Zondervan, 2011

Dead Poets Society… Carpe Diem

Experiencing our Mortality Takes some time to grasp the reality… when you are young you are invincible… Don’t fully appreciate the brevity of life… With out Christ & “Forever” the exercise (Carpe Diem) is still futile… Carpe Aeternum

Word about your Mind Set Why is it so hard… setting your mind on things above…?? Mind Set… will determine how we live our lives. Renewing ones mind… How??

What is the advantage of a “forever” mindset Impacts how we live out this life… – Changes our focus… – Loosens my grip… – Lay up your treasure in heaven… (Mat. 6:19-21) – Giving up various pleasures, power, possessions now… obtain them in the next world

What is the advantage of a “forever” mindset Hope… can’t live w/o forever or apart from God Suffering is harder w/o forever… Joy… not necessarily in current events, but what’s coming Grace has provided us with “forever”… What we were created for…

2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. “Tremendous Power if you “Plug In”’ So where is the power…?

Supporting Scripture… Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has put eternity into man’s heart… (ESV) Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, Romans 8:6-8: For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.

Supporting Scripture… Romans 8:18 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Ephesians 4: that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Supporting Scripture… Philippians 3: For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Matthew 6:31-33

Some Dr. Q musings… “Our view of eternity completely shapes & defines the way we live…” (Joni Erickson Tada) W/o eternity… Christianity makes no sense… What we were created for… This life is not all that there is… Life is not about “us”

Some Dr. Q musings… Define life backwards and live it forward… (Kierkegaard) Rewards are real… not a PC environment… Question becomes not what will I leave behind… what will I send ahead (Matt 6:20, Luke 16:9) Need to re-set our minds… temporary, not home, things here are not what was meant to be…

From Here to Eternity…

Culls… Back Up Slides

Col. 3: 2

Practical Application How do you do it for more that 10 min. So what specifically are the “things” above Why is this important…

God is into “do overs” Extreme Makeovers

So… if you have one year to live… what would you do differently…

Important “re” words Renew… Restore… Redeem… Resurrection… Reconcile… Rewards…

What does the Bible say about heaven…? Real people, with real bodies enjoying close relationships with God and each other, eating, drinking, working, playing, traveling, worshiping, and discovering on a New Earth… Earth as God created it. Earth as he intended it to be.

Warning… Matt 7:13-14; Matt 7: 21-23; John 14:6;

He promises us a resurrected life, in a resurrected body with the resurrected Christ on a resurrected Earth

2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. I’ve read this verse many times… Used it on several occasions… I have never fully or consistently lived it… This was the topic the Holy Spirit directed me to… Very important verse to understand and live… See if we can unpack and discover the truths inside…