Living in Light of Eternity — Brent Yim

God’s Mercy and the Hope of Salvation

I was thinking last night as I was studying for this message, how all the events of 2010, they're going to contribute to the consummation of God's sovereign plan of redemption. I was thinking specifically about the souls that came to know Jesus over the course of this last year.

It says in 2 Peter that God's longsuffering is for the purpose of salvation. So the reason that the Lord extends His mercy each and every day that we awaken is because there are still people in this world that have yet to come to know Him that will come to know Him.

It's amazing that not only are we growing in more of an intimate relationship with Christ, we're able to be that platform and that catalyst to share with others about Jesus as well. It is a great privilege.

So I look forward to 2011 and all that the Lord has in store. Who knows if we'll make it through the entire year. But as many days as the Lord does give to us, we look forward to how He's going to continue to move and work in our midst.

So let's pray and ask the Lord to bless our morning. I'm going to share with you a special message today and then next week we will resume our study through the life of Christ. I'm looking forward to that as well back in the parables.

So let's pray and ask God to speak to our hearts this morning. Father, we come before you humbly with a clear understanding of how desperate we are for you. Lord, and I know one of the greatest lessons that we can learn is evaluating our life apart from Christ and then who we are in Christ.

Lord, knowing who we were and now having been transferred and conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of your love, knowing that we have Jesus and that everything that we do have is attributed to your grace and to your grace alone.

There's nothing that we've earned by way of our works. There's nothing that's noteworthy in and of ourselves. But anything good in us, Lord, is because of you. And so we thank you for all that you have done, Lord, all that you are doing and all that you're going to continue to do in each one of our lives.

Lord, I was thinking this morning that I'm so grateful that the accomplishing of your plan is not contingent upon my health or my faithfulness, but it's based upon your faithfulness. It's in that promise that I find great confidence, Lord, knowing that the work you began in each one of our lives, you're going to be faithful to complete even into the day of Christ.

And so I'm asking this morning as we look into your word that we would reflect upon, Lord, all that you've done in this previous year and that we would look forward to all that you're going to continue to do.

Lord, we pray that you would give us ears to hear what the Spirit is speaking, hearts that would be wide open to receive all that's found in your word. And we pray that you would continue to take us from glory to greater glory.

And it would be for the exaltation of your name that many will come to know you as Lord and Savior. We love you and we commit this morning into your hands in Jesus' name, amen. A pastor's responsibility is to hear from the Lord, who obviously is the chief shepherd, and then to relay God's heart to those who have been entrusted to his care.

The Pastor’s Responsibility to Communicate God’s Word

And it's a responsibility that should be approached with the utmost reverence. But what this requires of a pastor is that their heart remains sensitive to what the Lord is wanting to reveal to his people to the end, that they might share with the flock clearly and concisely the things that are upon the Lord's heart.

And you might be asking, well, why is this important? Let me read to you how this question is answered in Habakkuk chapter 2. Then the Lord answered Habakkuk and said, Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it will speak and will not lie. And so God has ordained that he would raise up leaders in the church that would receive his heart and that they would in return relay that information to those who are under their care.

And it's so very important that pastors are aware of what God is doing and how he's moving because the Lord wants his people to be informed in regard to his will. And although the Lord doesn't always reveal to us the specifics of what he has for us, we do know that he wants us to live with an expectation and an anticipation concerning the things that he's promised to us.

And so when we open the word of God and we read the promises of God, we should be living with an anticipation and expectation that God is going to fulfill his promises. That's how we're to live. We're to live on a daily basis with this perspective.

Therefore this morning's message was birthed out of a desire really to set the precedence for this upcoming year. And so my prayer is that the Lord by his word and through his spirit would really prevail in our hearts and prepare us for what's on the horizon.

I believe that God has wonderful things in store, not only for us individually, but also for us collectively as the body of Christ and not just here at TCC, but for the universal body of Christ as a whole.

And the closer that we come to Jesus's second advent or Jesus's second return, the more we should expect that God is going to continue to move in our midst in a powerful way. I really believe that God is going to produce a revival in our days.

And I live with that expectation because I know God's heart and his desire to bring people into relationship with him. And we know that where sin abounds, grace abounds so much more. And so I know that this world looks very dark in terms of its morality, the direction of our country and the direction of our world looks pretty dim.

But I know that the Lord many times chooses at these points in history to work in the most profound ways because it reveals that God is above and beyond these things. That the will of man and the sin of man will not prevail against God's plan of redemption.

Bobbi Rogers: A Life Lived in Light of Eternity

And I know that we can draw great comfort from that. Now the inspiration for what I'm about to share with you really has materialized within this last week as I've reflected upon someone's life who has been extremely inspirational to me.

Now I'm going to share with you to preface that, that my wife, one of the gifts that she bought me for Christmas was Decision Points. It's an autobiography of George W. Bush. We were at Costco and I just wanted to have a glimpse into what a president's life really is like.

And so she ended up buying that for me and I've enjoyed reading it immensely. And it's in this book that I'm really getting a candid snapshot of some very influential leaders of our times and from history.

So I'm getting a glimpse into presidents and to diplomats and justices and all of these important people that we look up to as inspirational figures. But really none of these people as important as they are or have been in the past really have inspired me as much as one dear saint who has recently gone home to be with the Lord.

Actually her family is sitting here in the back on the side and her name was Bobbi Rogers. She was a beautiful jewel that testified of God's grace and really her life exemplified the heart of Christ. I was sharing with Art and Jim just a few days ago when we were sitting down at our elders meeting that of all the people over the course of this year that have inspired my life, not one of them has really inspired me the way that Bobbi Rogers has.

And really as I reflect upon her life, the more true this statement becomes in my life personally. And so there's many people here who knew her and she was just a wonderful lady that testified of God's grace.

And it wasn't until I was sitting here during her memorial service and I was listening to other people share about her life that the Lord revealed to me what propelled her life and why she lived the way that she lived.

It was almost as if the Lord whispered to me, Brent, Bobbi lived in light of eternally. And she was fully aware, having considered the amount of days that she was to live and that ultimately her life would be weighed in the balances of eternity.

And because of this, her life loudly declared, live in light of eternity. I actually changed my message I was going to share in John chapter 11 and as I was sitting here listening to everyone share, I felt like all I had to do was simply highlight what her life actually declared.

And so I got up and shared out of first Corinthians chapter 15 and about resurrection and shared a little bit about how she having polio as a young lady, she was on the brink of death. And it was at that point that she realized that life is short and when she came to know Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior from that point forward, she lived a life that was exemplary before the Lord and before people because she lived in light of eternity.

She was a wonderful woman, but the Lord really spoke to my heart, Brent, Bobbi lived in light of eternity. I shared that she was like a living exhortation to me every time I would see her and every time I would talk with her, she was always reminding me of God's promises.

She always had a smile on her face, even when she was in the hospital and she was hooked up to a respirator and she had all these IVs going into her arms. She still trusted the Lord and she still loved the Lord and loved the people who were around her.

She lived a selfless life and she lived a life that inspired me. And as I was thinking about her life over the course of these last couple of weeks, God really granted her that form of wisdom that Moses asked for in Psalm chapter 90 where he says, teach us to number our days that we might gain a heart of wisdom.

God granted her that wisdom. She understood that her life was short and therefore she lived in light of eternity. So in honor of Bobbi Rogers and to set the precedence for 2011 for my life and for your life and for this ministry collectively, the title of this morning's message is Living in Light of Eternity.

Seeking the Lord Through Heavenly Priorities

And as I was thinking about this title, the Lord I believe revealed to me three very practical and purposeful ways that our lives should demonstrate this reality. And so that's what our message is going to consist of are these three points that are really practical and purposeful ways that our lives as Christians should demonstrate this principle.

So for the remainder of our time together, I'm going to briefly touch on these three points. And so first, living in light of eternity by seeking the Lord. If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Colossians chapter 3 verse 1.

I like New Year's because it speaks to me of new beginnings and it's always the month before we enter into a new year that I pray that God would give me his heart in regard to what he wants to accomplish in my life over the course of the next year if he so would tarry and would continue to give me life.

But the one passage of scripture that I really believe the Lord highlighted in my heart is found here in Colossians chapter 3 and that's why it's our first point. Living in light of eternity by seeking the Lord.

And every time I come to this passage of scripture, my heart's encouraged, I'm blessed by this scripture and it's been very influential in terms of my outlook on life. But this is what Paul says or writes as he's ministering to the church in Colossae.

He says, if, and really in the original language, that's a first class conditional sentence. And what I mean by that is if Paul is not saying the possibility, but he's actually inferring probability. So it's better translated sense.

So since you have been raised with Christ, he says, seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died and your life is hidden with Christ and God.

When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. So first I want to point out from these few verses, I want you to notice who Paul is writing to. Paul here is writing to Christians.

This isn't a message to unbelievers. And the reason that this message cannot and will not be appropriate for unbelievers is because the natural man doesn't understand the things of God, they're carnally minded.

The natural man is subservient to the natural mind, therefore they don't see the value in thinking upon eternity. The mantra of our world today is let's live, eat, drink, and be merry. Let's live for the today, for this moment.

Their plans, even if they're for the future, are always for the future of this life. And so Paul here isn't talking to an unbeliever. He's speaking to Christians because Christians should have a sense that they're to live in light of eternity.

But secondly I want to point this out. How our position in Christ is the grounds of our pursuit of Christ. I'll repeat that. Our position in Christ is the grounds of our pursuit of Christ. Notice it says, seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth, for you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. And so having been born again by the Spirit of God, having received Jesus Christ into our hearts, we then become positionally righteous before God.

The Lord looks down upon us and He sees us as blameless, as sinless in His Son Jesus Christ. And so He says, when you are brought into relationship with Jesus and positionally before Him as a redeemed servant of God, this becomes the grounds and the basis of your pursuit.

If you are a child of God, then your pursuit should reflect your position. Does that make sense? The thought process here of Paul is this. Is a redeemed man ought to have a redeemed mind, a renewed mind.

He's saying we as Christians are to be seeking those things which are above. Now you might be asking the question, well, why? Why does my mind need to be renewed? Why do I need to meditate upon things that are above?

Well, the answer is very simple. It's because convictions shape our conduct. The things that we believe, the things that we hold to in terms of our beliefs, they will ultimately shape the way we act and the way we conduct ourselves.

And so Paul here as he's writing to the Christians, he's reminding them, listen, you need to set your mind upon things above. You need to seek those things which are above. As a child of God, this should be the utmost priority in every single one of our lives.

Yet so often living in this life and surrounded with all the distractions that we're surrounded by, we're easily led astray. And the enemy knows that if he distracts us, then he can keep us from being effective.

He wants to distract us and sometimes these things are necessarily bad things, but they take the place of the best thing, right? And so here he's saying, listen guys, don't focus upon the things on the earth.

You need to set your mind upon things above. Seek those things which are above because Paul understood anthropology, the study of man, that what we set our mind upon is how we're going to conduct ourselves.

The things that we're going to say, the way that we interact with one another. In other words, our actions are simply a reflection of our beliefs. And so the apostle, he answers this question, how can my mind be renewed?

Our minds are renewed by seeking those things which are above and by setting our mind upon things above. There's a similar encouragement given in the book of Philippians where Paul says, be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, make your request be known to God and the peace of God that surpasses understanding will guard your heart and your mind through Christ Jesus.

But he continues and he says, the things that are pure, just, noble, trustworthy, meditate upon these things and the peace of God will be with you. Because again, Paul is highlighting the reality that which we believe and our convictions in our mind is only ultimately going to be the basis of our quality of life.

And God wants us to experience victory in our life. That's why in 2 Corinthians chapter 10, Paul would speak to the church in Corinth and he says, listen guys, our war is not against flesh and blood, but it's against principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness of this age and spiritual host of wickedness in the heavenly places.

But he goes on and he says, the weapons of warfare, they're not carnal, but they're mighty in God and pulling down strongholds and exalting itself against the knowledge of God. And so God has given us those weapons that we're in need of to fight this battle that we're engaged in.

But we as God's people need to be equipped by meditating upon things that are above and setting our mind upon those things which are above, seeking the Lord and his economy. Now the word seek here in Colossians chapter three is the same word that's used in Matthew chapter six, verse 33.

It's a passage that many of us are familiar with, but in this passage it says, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things shall be added unto you. The same exact word.

The word here seek means demand, ask, pursue with diligence. It means to be active and proactive in the seeking of these things. It reminds me of a similar passage where Jesus says, if you knock, then the door is going to be opened.

If you seek, you're going to find. And so we're continually given that encouragement in the word that we as God's people are to be seeking eternal things, that we're to be setting our mind upon that which is found in the word of God that exalts the Lord, that our minds might be renewed.

And Paul here is speaking to the church in Colossians saying, listen, we need to live by this principle that Jesus taught us during his earthly ministry, which is if we're living in light of eternity, we will prioritize our pursuits.

If we live in light of eternity, then we will prioritize our pursuits. And many people don't prioritize their pursuits unless they're faced with their own mortality. Maybe they find out they have cancer or there's something wrong in their life where they know that they're going to enter into eternity and therefore they kind of get everything in order.

But wouldn't it be amazing? If the Lord granted us this wisdom where we didn't have to get cancer or we didn't have to be on the brink of death before we said, Lord, I want to seek for your kingdom and your righteousness.

God, I want to set my mind upon things that are above. I realize the things that I've been searching after and seeking for upon this earth, they're never going to satisfy me the way that you satisfy me.

God, I realize I've been created to know you and the more that I know you, the more I'm going to experience the quality of life that you've intended, that abundance of life for me. And so it's based upon all of these truths that we say, you know what?

We want to prioritize our pursuits. We want to be a people who reflect the reality that we live in light of eternity. So that when people see our lives, they say there's something different about them.

They're not seeking the same things that the world seeks after. They're not pursuing the things that have left us with a void in our hearts, but there's joy, there's peace, there's contentment, there's satisfaction.

Hey, they might not have all the best stuff, but listen, they're living life because they're seeking the Lord and his kingdom first and foremost. It's a principle that we find throughout the word of God.

The third in this text, I want you to consider how our pursuit of Christ assures us of our promotion from Christ. He says, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Isn't that amazing? What confidence this statement provides for us. That we know that when this world and its works, they pass away, we're going to reign with Christ victorious. That we look forward to a day where we're going to stand with Jesus and we're going to see him face to face.

And so Paul says, let's live in this way, knowing that you're going to stand with the Lord, knowing that God is coming back for you and it could be at any moment. Seek me because that is what's really going to endure.

Seek me because that is what will sustain you and maintain you, not only in this life, but in this life to come. I was driving here to work today and I saw this young lady, she was on one of those, what do they call in the gym?

The elliptical machines. I actually use it when I go to the gym as well. And I guess they make a street one where she was, you know, and I was thinking, wow, that looks really nice because after all the eating I've done for the holidays and stuff, I'd really like to do some exercise, you know, after you haven't exercised for a while.

But I was thinking as I saw her pass by in my mind, that verse came to mind where it says bodily exercise profits little, but exercising yourself toward godliness is profitable for all times. You know, but so often we focus upon the things that are upon this earth and the Lord is wanting to take us deeper as people to understand this to a greater reality, not just to know these concepts in our minds, but for these truths actually impact the way that we live.

For these truths to really sink deep into our hearts where we say, you know what? I want to start seeking those things which are above more than the things upon this earth. And not only will that bring, again, just a greater encouragement and satisfaction in your life personally, but listen, the people that are around you are going to be impacted because just like Bobby Rogers who lived in light of eternity and she was always seeking those things which are above and every time I knew her, she was wanting to read her scriptures and even her daughter Sandy was sharing with me how when she went to the hospital, all she wanted was her Bible because that was her life.

She sought the Lord. She sought eternity. And that's why she's had a lasting impact upon me and upon you and to the people she came in contact with. And I was thinking as I was thinking about her, Lord, I want to have that influence in the lives of the people that are around me.

I want people to look at me and think, wow, I want to follow in after that example. And it has nothing to do with me or my faithfulness, but simply that we would be people who would respond to the word of God and say, Lord, we trust you.

And we believe that seeking your will and first your kingdom is the greatest thing that we can do in our lives presently because that's what we'll be doing throughout eternity. And knowing that we're going to stand before the Lord and be promoted by him, we will also appear with him in glory.

I look forward to that day. Listen, the more conscious we are of eternity, the more closely we're going to evaluate our priorities. And, you know, I'm not just talking to you right now. I'm talking to myself as well.

I'm talking to myself as a pastor and a normal person with struggles like you and everyone else in this world. We all have these issues of placing things before God. To be honest, last night I was supposed to be studying for my message and I was playing Angry Birds on my little phone.

So I'm sitting there playing this little game, Angry Birds, and there's all these levels and you have to try to knock these things down, absolutely worthless in terms of investment and time. And my wife looks at me and she goes, shouldn't you be reading your Bible or something?

I said, yeah, in a minute. But I share that with you in all honesty because I'm not saying that I've figured this out. I'm not saying that there's a person in here who really is the perfect example of that.

I mean, Jesus, he is our model. And really this exhortation, this encouragement is relative based upon where you're at in your relationship with the Lord. And as we grow, the Lord reveals to us, hey, listen, although all things are lawful, not all things are expedient.

Although you as a Christian have liberty to do what you want to do, as long as it's not contrary to the word of God, it doesn't mean that necessarily lends toward maturity and growth. And as you grow in the Lord, your eyes begin to be open to this reality.

And as you're praying, God, I want to get closer to you, the closer you get to the Lord, the more the Lord reveals to you how sinful you are. But it shouldn't stop in terms of our desire to pursue after him more and more.

And I believe in 2011, not only for us personally, but for us collectively as the body of Christ, the Lord wants to challenge us in this. The Lord wants to challenge us that we would be a people who would be known on the outside world and those looking in that we are people who are seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, that we are people who are living in a consciousness of eternity.

Therefore, we're evaluating our priorities. The things that we're engaged in, the things that we're involved in should all be a reflection or a manifestation of us living with this perspective that we are living in light of eternity.

Submitting to God’s Will

So, first, living in light of eternity by seeking the Lord. Second, living in light of eternity by submitting to the Lord. Turn with me to Romans chapter 12. Now, I know I've shared this text with you multiple times throughout this year, but as I was, yeah, praise the Lord, but as I was sitting in my office thinking about a text to highlight this point, the Lord once again led me to Romans chapter 12 verse 1.

And I believe the reason he did that is because it's appropriate for the context of our thought process. And this is one of those jewels that's found in the word of God that really is so applicable every moment of the day.

You know, it's a passage of scripture that when I first went to Bible college I was careful to memorize. And I found myself as I've taught the word of God that I'm continually quoting this verse and as now I've been teaching on more of a broader scale and not so limited as I was at the Bible college that this text continually comes up.

And I think of, you know, Paul's encouragement. He says it's not a tedious for me to remind you of these things always. It's something that we should continually learn and hear because it's so appropriate for each one of us.

But living in light of eternity by submitting to the Lord. And this is what Paul says. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. And so Paul here is writing to the church in Rome and he's saying listen based upon what God has done for you.

Based upon your position as a born again believer and his ways being above our ways. Past finding out. I beseech you there. I urge you. I beg you that you would lay yourselves down as a living sacrifice.

That you would discover what God's will is for your life. And the whole purpose of discovering God's will is so that we would submit to God's will. Our discovery of God's will is to the end that we would submit to God's will.

And I don't want to belabor this point but it's imperative to highlight the reality that to live in light of eternity is to submit our will to the one who inhabits eternity. Because only his will endures forever.

So if we're living for eternity then we want to be about the plan that is going to endure for eternity. And anything in our life that does not match up with God's will is going to pass away. And so if we say as Christians we want to live in light of eternity.

What we're saying is we want to live God's will. And as we begin to understand this concept and it seeks deep into our hearts. And it becomes a part of who we are. Then we're able to pray not with just our words but with our heart the same plea that Jesus offered to the Father.

Not my will but your will be done. Because someone who lives in light of eternity will sacrifice their will on the altar of obedience. Because they believe that God's will is superior to theirs. And I ask you this morning.

Do you believe that God's will is superior to yours? Do you trust God with your life? When you know that God is good. When you know that God is gracious. When you know that God is merciful and that he is kind.

That is who he is in his nature. Then his will will always be congruent with his nature. Meaning if God asks you to do something or he tells you to do something. Or he says I have this for you and your life.

Then we could submit to it knowing that God has our best interest at hand. No matter how scary. No matter how difficult it might be. We're saying Lord we believe your will above ours. And there's really so much comfort in this.

Because the world today when you talk to them. They'll say to you well I'm going to pursue this new work endeavor. I'm thinking about this relationship of proposing. Or I'm thinking about doing this or doing that.

Or this is my ambition. This is my desire. And really all the world and the encouragement they can give is go pursue your dream. Or they can pat you on the back and say good luck. Right? And if that fails they kind of turn back around and say well yeah it didn't all work out.

But as a child of God we come from a different perspective. We come from a perspective of knowing that we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus. For good works prepare before and that we should walk in them.

And so when God is revealing his will to our lives and we're submitting to that. We're simply saying Lord we trust that you've redeemed us. That we belong to you. You know what's best for us and for our life.

And God we want to surrender and yield to that. Because we believe that's what's best. And that's called walking by faith and not by sight. Because I can tell you personally as a pastor who hasn't been really walking with the Lord that long in terms of years.

That the Lord has asked me at times to do things where I had to step out in faith not knowing what the result would be. And that's scary. It was scary coming here to this church. It was and it still is scary at times being here at this church.

But I believe that it's God's will for my life. So no matter what my feelings or my emotions are telling me. I say Lord I trust you above my feelings. I trust you above my emotions. I trust you above my ambitions God.

I'm here. I'm yours. I belong to you. And so Lord I want to live what you've called me to live. And how you've called me to live. Because I trust you. And again I don't have this perfectly figured out.

And I don't think anyone in here would raise their hand and say well you know I'm going to do a seminar on how to submit to the will of God. Because the Lord is constantly taking us from glory to greater glory right.

We think we've conquered one area and the Lord says okay now this area. Oh not that area though Lord. I'll do this, this, this and this but not that. And the Lord is constantly challenging us. But it's always to the end that we might experience a better quality of life.

Remember Jesus said I've come to give you life and life more abundant. Now when I say quality of life I'm not talking about the world standard. I'm talking about what's revealed in the word of God. The quality of life that God wants us to live is a life of peace, of joy, of patience, of kindness, of goodness, of self control.

Being untouched from this world. God wants us to experience a greater intimacy with him. That's the quality of life I'm talking about. And so whenever the Lord is calling us to do something it's always to that end.

Does that make sense? It's always to the end that we might experience him more, that we might know him more, that we might trust him more. And the results are always wonderful. As hard as they may be.

But someone who lives in light of eternity will be able to submit to the will of the Lord. And be able to offer their will on the altar of obedience because they trust that God's will is superior to theirs.