Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope. {NET}
We want to end this week’s session by talking about hope. As Paul tells us above, the Scriptures were given to us to encourage us so that we may have hope. This week we have been considering some very heavy and somewhat difficult truths. But these truths are given to us so that we may hope. Since we have been thinking about the end of things, the end of our present life and the world to come, let’s end by thinking on some of the most incredible truths that are reality for all those who are “in Christ.”
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When we began this study we said that it was important to realize that every human being who has existed will exist forever. We are now getting to some of the “meat” truths of the Bible and some things that are difficult for us to think about, but we must.
Just as their are only two types of people, spiritually speaking—those who are “alive in Christ” and those who are still “dead in Adam”—so also there are only two eternal options for everyone: either live in the presence of God (eternal life) forever or away from His presence (eternal death).
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Today, we begin to discuss what can be a terrifying subject for some: the Day of Judgment. The Scriptures make it clear that there is a day coming when every human being must stand before God to give an account of how they have spent their time on earth. Although this is a sobering idea, it does not have to be a terrifying one. We are warned that this day is coming and so we are able to prepare for it – Jesus Himself has given us what we need to prepare for this day.
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Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
History is moving toward a certain end, a sure conclusion. The Lord-God planned for this conclusion in the past and is now moving all things toward it. A day will come when this world—now ruled by sin, death, and shame—will be overtaken by the Kingdom of the Beloved Son. When this Kingdom comes, all things will be set right and everyone will be put in their proper place.
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Today is the day that we remember and mourn and rejoice in the events that changed everything. All of history comes to its Crux in the Cross of Jesus. As we think on these things, the words that Jesus speaks from The Cross give us insight into what He experienced and what He accomplished for us.
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On May 19th Tim Keller passed into the Lord’s presence. Almost immediately and appropriately, articles and remembrances were posted honoring his life and work, the size and scope of which cannot be denied. Just a day before, our dear brother Phil Allen also “graduated” into the Lord’s Presence on May 18th. There will be no articles written in Christianity Today about Phil. But his life is a reminder that size of service is not of first importance to the Lord. What really matters is faithfulness.
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The order and readings for the Passover celebration are called a Haggadah and it means “the telling.” Passover is a story that has been retold for thousands of years. It is a story of miraculous redemption – from slavery to freedom, from despair to hope, from the darkness to the light. The power and grace of the Lord God is the focus of this story. The timelessness of this story comes from God’s intimate relationship with His people. As He cared for the children of Israel in ancient times, He also cares for all who are His today.
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