1. Clear-Headed Thinking Wake up and come to grips with the most overwhelming, incomparable, revolutionary love ever given in the history and future of the universe!

2. Paul’s Clear-Headed Thinking Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 Paul, in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 “imprisonments, beaten…shipwrecked.. robbers…I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.”

3. Paul’s Clear-Headed Thinking Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

4. Paul’s Clear-Headed Thinking while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 By CONTRAST! “momentary, light affliction” “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18

5. Our Foggy Thinking… 1. Expect to build happiness here… “I think we have lost the old knowledge that... (this) life is overrated. We have lost, somehow, a sense of mystery about us, our purpose, our meaning, our role. Our ancestors believed in two worlds, and understood this to be the solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short one. We are the first generations of (our culture) that actually expected to find happiness here on earth, and our search for it has caused--such unhappiness...” Peggy Noonan, "You'd Cry Too If It Happened To You," Forbes Magazine, September 14, 1992, p. 65.

6. Our Foggy Thinking… 1. Expect to build happiness here… 2. Self-indulgent pursuits… “When the church doesn’t have heaven on its mind, it becomes indulgent and self-centered and weak. Sometimes its present comfort consumes its thoughts, and heaven is just an after-thought…” Dr. David Jeremiah, “Heaven”

7. Our Foggy Thinking… 1. Expect to build happiness here… 2. Self-indulgent pursuits… 3. An unquenchable thirst… God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

8. Our Foggy Thinking… 1. Expect to build happiness here… 2. Self-indulgent pursuits… 3. An unquenchable thirst… 4. Building “Heaven on earth…” As I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. As I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. Ecclesiastes 2:11

9. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” So Prominent in the Bible… –Over 500 times! “I don’t believe in the afterlife, so I don’t have to spend my life fearing hell or fearing heaven even more. For whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse!” Isaac Asimov

10. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” So Prominent in the Bible… It’s God’s Place! –God is not boring! “Are we so arrogant that we imagine that human beings came up with the idea of fun? The very qualities that you and I admire in others – every one of them – are true of God.” Randy Alcorn, Heaven “Who made Bach? Who made Beethoven and Mozart? Who gave them their gifts, and created music, and our ability to enjoy it? All that is fascinating in human beings comes from our Creator!” Randy Alcorn, Heaven You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalms 16:11

11. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” So Prominent in the Bible… It’s God’s Place! You will be very different! For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 Cor.5:1 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 2 Corinthians 5:2

12. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” So Prominent in the Bible… It’s God’s Place! You will be very different! –With a real body… For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. 2 Corinthians 5:3

13. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” So Prominent in the Bible… It’s God’s Place! You will be very different! –With a real body… –Recognizable! –And beautiful! While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. (5:4) For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 1 Cor. 15:53

14. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” So Prominent in the Bible… It’s God’s Place! You will be very different! –With a real body… –Recognizable! –And beautiful! –Able to eat! –And feast! “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. John 21:12 Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself! Rev. 19:7 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.” Rev. 19:9 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” Matthew 26:29

15. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” So Prominent in the Bible… It’s God’s Place! You will be very different! –With a real body… –Recognizable! –And beautiful! –Able to eat! –And feast! –With POWER! So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 1 Cor. 15:42-43 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 1 Cor.15:44 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said* to them, "Peace be with you." John 20:19

16. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” So Prominent in the Bible… It’s God’s Place! You will be very different! Not imagination! Christianity is the only major world religion that can point to a historical event as evidence for its view of the afterlife

17. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” How does this affect your view now? 1. A Change of what we long for! While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 2 Corinthians 5:4

18. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” How does this affect your view now? 1. A Change of what we long for! 2. A deeper relationship with God… God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:5 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:7

19. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” How does this affect your view now? 1. A Change of what we long for! 2. A deeper relationship with God… 3. A healthy view on temporary suffering… For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:17

20. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” How does this affect your view now? 1. A Change of what we long for! 2. A deeper relationship with God… 3. A healthy view on temporary suffering… Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

21. “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” How does this affect your view now? 1. A Change of what we long for! 2. A deeper relationship with God… 3. A healthy view on temporary suffering… 4. A consistent & courageous life! Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— 2 Corinthians 5:6-7

22. Clear-Headed Thinking Wake up and come to grips with the most overwhelming, incomparable, revolutionary love ever given in the history and future of the universe!