Series: 23&Me
Sermon: Where are you going?
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
ICE BREAKER: Would you rather only eat food that is way over-salted or only eat food that has not seasoning at all?
REVIEW:
This week, we continued learning about our true Identity. We acknowledged:
To Know Who You Are
You Have to Know
Where You Are Going!
Last week, we saw that our culture is in an Identity Crisis. One of the ways that gets expressed is through people saying, "I have no Direction in life!" In other words, I have no sense of purpose, I'm not sure what meaning my life has, and I don't know how to organize my life for something significant.
So many people are looking for direction! However, when you stop and think about it - "DIRECTION" is not something to look for.
DIRECTIONS REQUIRE A DESTINATION
In other words, Directions are not the GOAL, they are simply a tool to get you to the goal of your DESTINATION! Put simply, the problem isn't that we don't have any direction in life - the problem is we don't know where we are going.
Scripture helps us understand our ultimate Destination in this life. When Jesus left earth, he promised to return for all those who have put their trust in Him. That means, we are in the messy middle between the first and second coming of Jesus. In Sunday's service we drew out what this end-time process looks like and learned that, before the world gets really really bad, Jesus will call his people out of this world.
It is in that moment, that we will stand before Jesus at the "BEMA seat of Christ." Most people know that Christians believe in Judgement for all humans at the end; however, most people DO NOT know that there are TWO judgments - one for unbelievers and one for believers.
These two judgments are very different in nature. The Great White Throne will judge those who rejected Jesus and find them guilty for all of their sin. The Bema Seat of Christ is an evaluation of the life of each believer. This is not to find us guilty or innocent, (Jesus already took care of that on the cross). The Bema Seat of Christ is where we will give an account for how we lived out the salvation that Jesus gave to us. What did we do with the new life we were given?
What emotions come up when you think about standing before Jesus someday?
How does the reality of the Bema seat change how you see things in your life today?
For the writers of the New Testament, the Bema Seat was understood as THE Destination of this life.
2 Corinthians 5
10Â For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Because they knew their ultimate destination, these world changing men and women simply did everything they could to get the direction of their life to line up to that moment.
APPLICATION:
While Jesus was on earth he prayed for his disciples:
John 17
14Â I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Jesus' perspective is clear - when we believe in Him we are made completely new. We are no longer a citizen of this world, we are a citizen of Heaven! That means our Destination is not of this world, it is now the moment where we stand before our Savior.
This is what we call a PILGRIM'S PERSPECTIVE at MetaChurch. We believe it is essential to live with the end destination in mind if we are going to root our Identity in who God made us to be.
Clarity on our Destination means we look to the coming Bema Seat, where we stand before Jesus and account for our life, at all times.
-In our relationships
-In our work
-While we parent
-With our enemies
-As we develop habits
-As we participate in our Church
-etc etc etc
HERE IS THIS WEEK'S APPLICATION QUESTION:
What is ONE WAY you will focus on the Destination of the Bema Seat this week and what is ONE THING you hope to see change as a result of your new perspective?
PRAY:
Ask the Holy Spirit to help broaden your perspective beyond the things that are directly in front of you. Make it a point to start each day committing to live with the end Destination in mind. Thank Jesus for all He has done for you and imagine yourself standing before Him at the end of your life.
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