BE ENCOURAGED!
“Our Eternal Home”
Pastor Duane Cross | 10.13.2013

“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed, we are perplexed but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down but we are not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT)

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits arebeing renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)

“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. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. 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. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (NLT)

I. WE WILL HAVE A NEW BODY

“He will take our weak and mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own…” Philippians 3:21 (NLT)

II. WE CAN BE CONFIDENT OF OUR PLACE IN HEAVEN

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.” 2 Timothy 4:18

III. WE WILL BE REWARDED FOR OUR FAITHFULNESS

“And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.” 1 John 2:28 (NLT)

GOING DEEPER QUESTIONS

These questions are designed to help you go deeper with the sermon during your week – to take a closer look at the scripture and find fresh ways to live out the main points of the sermon. Going Deeper questions also are used in all of our Grow Groups.

Scripture Reading

2 Corinthians 4:8-9; 16-18; 5:1-10; John 14:1-3; Philippians 3:21; 2 Timothy 4:18;
1 John 2:28

Getting Started

As a child, what was your idea about heaven?
What is your idea about heaven today?
Do you think you will be judged by God as you approach heaven?

A Closer Look

Read 2 Corinthians 5:6-10

What is the earthly tent?

What are the differences between our earthly body and our eternal body?

What does it mean that our bodies will be “swallowed up by life”?

Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

What does it mean to be “confident” to be at home with the Lord?
Verse 9 says that our goal is to please him whether in this body or not.
What does that mean to you?

Digging Deeper

Why is it so difficult to believe that our earthly bodies are not as important as our eternal bodies?
Are you “confident” of your eternal destination? What or why not?

Are you fearful of standing before Christ to be judged (verse 10)? Why or why not?