2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Our text this morning is 2 Corinthians chapter 5.

2 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

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How does what will occur affect us now?

Romans 8, we just got finished.

Nathan just got finished preaching through Romans 8.

And it ends with the love of God.

It ends with God's love being played out.

For we receive future glory.

And that nothing can take that away from us.

Not even our sin.

The future glory of being perfected.

The future glory of no longer dealing with sin and death and suffering.

The future glory of being perfect.

That's what we're going to talk about this morning.

When we talk about this future glory,

there are two typical responses or reactions to it.

One is that people don't understand it,

so they take that teaching and they just kind of shelf it.

They just kind of put it up on the shelf and say,

okay, I'm going to just leave that alone.

I don't really understand it, so let's just...

The other reaction is,

it's so far out there in the future

that they take it and they just shelf it.

They just put it up on the shelf and say,

let's not worry about it.

It's not anything that affects us right now.

Well, in both cases, it doesn't affect us now.

In both cases, it has nothing to do with us now

because we ignore it.

We just let it sit there.

I don't know if this is a curse or this is a good thing,

but I'm wired to ask the question, so what?

So if I read something in the Bible,

if I read some commandment,

or if I read some story,

I always ask the question, so what now?

So why is this important?

How does this really affect me now?

What's the purpose of reading this?

And this morning,

I want to answer that question for us

concerning future glory,

our future glory.

Now here's the important thing

to answer, to talk about for a second.

Our future glory affects our ministry now.

I've already said that,

and I want to make it clear to you

that you guys are all ministers,

not just me or Nathan

or any other ordained pastor or reverend in here.

You guys are all ministers of the gospel.

In fact, that's one of the criteria

or requirements of being a member

of Christ's family church

is you to accept that responsibility

of being a minister.

So when we're out,

when we're living life with people,

when we're trying to live out

this Christian life,

we are ministers.

We are communicating a truth.

And I want you to see this morning

through our text,

and hopefully through my words,

that our future glory affects

how we live,

how we act,

how our day is played out.

So let me pray,

and then I'll read our text,

and we'll dig in.

Father, I thank you for this moment in time.

I thank you that you have called us here

this morning to hear your word.

God, I pray that I will hear your word

this morning through you speaking to me.

Pray, God, that all of us

will receive your word this morning

through you speaking to us.

God, use me this morning.

Let what is spoken not be my opinions,

but let it be your word,

your truth to us.

God, I ask for boldness

and for clarity of mind.

God, that I can make much of you

and little of me this morning.

Help us to hear,

not only hear,

but to obey,

to follow through,

to live out

what we hear this morning.

We love you

because you first loved us

through your son Jesus,

and it's in his wonderful name I pray.

Amen.

I'm going to start reading

in chapter 4, verse 1.

Our text is chapter 5,

Isaiah 5 · chapter mention

but I think when I read it,

you guys understand,

it kind of gives us a little bit of context

for our text this morning.

So starting in chapter 4, verse 1.

Therefore,

having this ministry by the mercy of God,

we do not lose heart,

but we have renounced

disgraceful, underhanded ways.

We refuse to practice cunning

or to tamper with God's word.

But by the open statement of the truth,

we would commend ourselves

to everyone's conscience

in the sight of God.

And even if our gospel is veiled,

it is veiled only to those

who are perishing.

In their case,

the God of this world

has blinded the minds

of the unbelievers

to keep them from seeing

the light of the gospel,

the glory of Christ,

who is the image of God.

For what we proclaim

is not ourselves,

but Jesus Christ as Lord,

with ourselves as your servants

for Jesus' sake.

For God, who said,

let light shine out of darkness,

has shown in our hearts

to give the light

of the knowledge

of the glory of God

in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure

in jars of clay

to show that the surpassing power

belongs to God

and not to us.

We are afflicted in every way,

but not crushed.

Perplexed,

but not driven to despair.

Persecuted,

but not forsaken.

Struck down,

but not destroyed.

Always carrying in the body

the death of Jesus,

so that the life of Jesus

may also be manifested

in our bodies.

For we who live

are always being given over

to death for Jesus' sake,

so that the life of Jesus

also may be manifested

in our mortal flesh.

So death is at work in us,

but life in you.

Since we have the same spirit of faith

according to what has been written,

I believed and so I spoke,

we also believe,

and so we also speak,

knowing that He who raised

the Lord Jesus

will raise us also with Jesus

and bring us with you

into His presence.

For it is all for your sake

that as grace extends

to more and more people,

it may increase thanksgiving

to the glory of God.

So we do not lose heart.

Though our outer self

is wasting away,

our inner self

is being renewed day by day.

For this light,

momentary affliction

is preparing for us

an eternal weight of glory

beyond all comparison.

As we look not

to the things that are seen,

but the things that are unseen.

For the things that are seen

are transit,

but the things that are unseen

are eternal.

For we know that at the tent

that is our earthly home

is destroyed,

we have a building from God,

a house not made with hands,

eternal in the heavens.

But in this tent we groan,

longing to put on

our heavenly dwelling.

If indeed by putting it on

we may not be found naked.

For while we are still

in this tent,

we groan,

being burdened,

not that we will be unclothed,

but that we will be

further clothed,

so that what is mortal

may be swallowed up by life.

He who has prepared us

for this very thing

is God,

who has given us

the Spirit

as a guarantee.

So we are always

of good courage.

We know that while

we are at home in the body,

we are away from the Lord.

For we walk by faith,

not by sight.

Yes,

we are of good courage,

and we would rather

be away from the body

and at home with the Lord.

So whether we are

at home or away,

we make it our aim

to please Him.

For we must all appear

before the judgment seat

of Christ,

so that each one

may receive what is due

for what he has done

in the body,

whether good or evil.

Therefore,

knowing the fear

of the Lord,

we persuade others.

But what we are

is known to God,

and I hope it is known

also to your conscience.

We are not commending

ourselves to you again,

but giving you cause

to boast about us,

so that you may be able

to answer those

who boast about

outward appearance

and not about

what is in the heart.

For if we are beside

ourselves,

it is for God.

If we are in our right mind,

it is for you.

For the love of Christ

controls us,

because we have

concluded this,

that one has died

for all,

therefore all have died.

And He died for all,

that those who live

might no longer live

for themselves,

but for Him

who for their sake

died and was raised.

From now on,

therefore,

we regard no one

according to the flesh,

even though we once

regarded Christ

according to the flesh.

We regard Him

thus no longer.

Therefore,

if anyone is in Christ,

he is a new creation.

The old has passed away,

behold,

the new has come.

All this is from God,

who through Christ

reconciled us to Himself

and gave us

the ministry

of reconciliation.

That is,

in Christ,

God was reconciling

the world to Himself,

not counting their trespasses

against them

and entrusting to us

the message

of reconciliation.

Therefore,

we are ambassadors

for Christ.

God making His appeal

through us.

We implore you

on behalf of Christ,

be reconciled to God.

For our sake,

He made Him to be sin

who knew no sin,

so that in Him

we might become

the righteousness

of God.

I don't know

if you picked up

on some of the language

that Paul was using,

but in chapter 4,

verse 17,

he says,

for this light

momentary affliction.

I just kind of chuckled

when I read that

for the first time.

What in the world

is he talking about,

this light momentary affliction?

He's talking about

all the suffering

and everything

that he's gone through.

Not right now,

but later on

in your studies

and you're reading,

flip over and look

at chapter 11

and see all the stuff

that Paul has gone through.

He gives you a giant list

of his afflictions

and he's calling

those things

light momentary afflictions.

So,

just incredible

by itself.

Now,

our text this morning

is chapter 5,

Isaiah 5 · chapter mention

1 through 10.

And it's a big chunk

and I understand that,

but I wanted to read

before and after

for you

so you can kind of

see where it sits.

What I want to do

with 1 through 4

is kind of give you guys

a quick summary.

This is basically

Romans chapter 8 again

Romans 8 · chapter mention

talking about

our future glory.

It relates very well,

transfers very well.

I want to go through that,

give it the respect

that it's due

and then our points

this morning

are 5 through 10.

So,

1 through 4,

really quick.

Verse 1,

it says,

For we know

that if the tent

that is our earthly home

is destroyed,

we have a building

from God,

a house not made

with hands,

eternal in the heavens.

Now,

what Paul does here,

Paul,

the author of 2 Corinthians,

what he does here

is he compares

tent and building.

He compares

mortal and immortal.

He compares

this life

and the life to come.

Our life here

is like living in a tent

or being in a tent.

It's temporary.

Storms come.

It gets beaten down.

You've got to put it back up.

There's guys in here

who love camping.

I don't really enjoy camping.

There's several reasons why.

One of them,

I hate laying on the floor

or laying on the ground.

I'm a tall guy

so it's hard to find

padding that fits my body.

I hate trying to set up the tent

and usually you're setting it up

at night

and you're trying to do it

with a headlamp.

I just don't enjoy any of that.

But,

you go camping,

you have to set up the tent,

you have to take it down

and that's kind of the idea

that Paul is getting at here.

It's temporary.

It's going to be taken down.

It's going to be removed.

And he's communicating here

that our tent,

our earthly home

is going to be destroyed.

We're going to leave this place.

And what we're going to leave too

is that earthly building,

an earthly home

that God is building for us,

that God has built for us.

One thing I want you to see

is here it says,

for we know,

the first three words,

for we know,

and that is a certainty.

That is a,

you die as a Christian,

as a believer,

as a follower of Jesus Christ,

you die,

you're going to be in the building

and the home

that he is building for you.

It's not a question.

It is as certain

as dying is.

It is positive,

definite,

going to happen.

And in Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

we learn about

nothing is going to take us away

from the love of God.

In Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

we learn,

we learn that we have this assurance

in our salvation

that Nathan said last week

that even our sin

can't take that away.

Even our sin

can't ruin that

because of Christ.

And,

and that assurance,

that certainty

is the same certainty here

that when we die,

we are in

the building

that God is building.

Well,

in verse 2,

we see another,

a term here

that is similar

and found in Romans chapter 8 also.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

Verse 2,

it says,

for in this tent

we groan,

longing to put on

our heavenly dwelling.

This groaning,

if you remember

in chapter 8 of Romans,

the creation groans

to be finally perfected.

This groaning here

is not just a,

it's not a sigh,

it's not a,

it's not a,

mmm,

that'd be great,

you know,

that'd be good,

but I'm really

looking forward to that.

No,

it's a,

it's a deep down

longing and desire

that can't be curved.

It's a,

it's a hunger

that can't be crushed.

Can't be quenched.

Do you long?

Do you groan

for future glory,

for our heavenly dwelling,

for that building,

that time,

that perfect body

that God is,

is getting ready

for us?

So,

the suffering,

the death,

the pain,

the mortality,

all of that goes away.

All of that disappears.

Do you,

do you long for that moment?

Is that,

is that a great desire

in your life?

In,

in,

in verse 4,

we get the same text,

the same language,

for while we are still

in this tent,

we groan,

being burdened,

being burdened,

just that weight,

that longing here,

that,

that overwhelming power,

overwhelming feeling

that we want to be

somewhere else.

Do you have that?

You know,

it's cliche to say that,

that death is the beginning.

Death is only just the beginning.

You know,

it's just kind of,

kind of a silly statement.

And I,

but Paul believed that.

Paul,

the writer of this text,

the writer of this book,

believed that.

Philippians 1,

21,

for to live is Christ

and to die is what?

Gain.

He,

he,

he saw death

as being the,

the,

the greatest thing

because then he's with,

with the Savior,

he's with God,

he's perfected.

I wonder how many of us

have that perspective.

How many of us

are groaning,

are eagerly awaiting

that moment,

that moment when,

when we no longer

suffer with sin

and death,

mortality,

from every,

every fiber of our being.

Do we,

do we long for that?

That's,

that's the picture here

of this future glory

to be,

as we,

we desire,

we long for it.

In,

in verse 3,

if indeed by putting it on

we may not be found naked,

and the end of verse 4,

not that we would be unclothed,

but that we would be

further clothed

so that what is mortal

may be swallowed up

by life.

He makes another comparison

saying the same thing.

Clothed and unclothed.

Here,

we're unclothed.

But in eternity,

future glory,

we're clothed.

He compares the two for us.

He wants to make a,

he wants to make a point

that we understand

that,

that when we die here,

immediately,

we're in heaven.

Immediately,

we're perfected.

Immediately,

there's not this waiting,

there's not this,

time of,

of purgatory,

or whatever these other,

literary,

creations,

have come up with.

We,

we die,

we are in eternity.

We are future glory.

There's no moment

of unclothed time.

And that's important

because,

because it,

it kind of,

kind of fuels us.

It fuels living

even now.

We know that,

that when we die,

we are with Him.

And that's,

that should be encouraging

to us.

So,

that kind of sets us up,

that kind of gives us

one through four.

That's the future glory

related to Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

kind of bringing us

and keep carrying that through.

Now,

five points this morning,

and we're going to see them

in five through ten.

Five points of how does

our future glory

affect our ministry now.

Now,

the first point

is found in verse five.

Verse five reads,

He who has prepared us

for this very thing

is God,

who has given us

the Spirit

as a guarantee.

Now,

this may not sound like

something that affects us,

but the truth is

that God is right now

preparing us

for our future glory.

God is preparing us

and making us ready

for that,

that time.

God,

who,

who put the stars

by His word

where they are

and told them to stay,

who raised the mountains

to a certain point

and told them

to stay right there.

The God who gave us,

who planned eternity past,

that on,

what was yesterday,

May 5th,

we would have a super moon.

This God,

through His word,

decided that was going to happen.

The God whose word

is redeeming a people

of every tribe and tongue.

This God is preparing us

for future glory.

Now,

I had the privilege,

I'll say privilege,

to go to the outlet mall yesterday.

I had to make a return

and had to make a purchase.

And as I'm driving down 400,

headed that way,

I am formulating a plan

of where I'm going to go,

how I'm going to get there,

and what's going to be

my most efficient way

of getting in and out.

So if I go to this store,

return this,

and I go down there,

come there,

so where do I need to park

within that area

so that I can just get out of there

as fast as possible

because Saturday

at the outlet mall,

this is crazy.

Well,

my plan didn't work.

I failed.

But I tried

to come up with a plan.

God is coming up

with a plan.

God is working His plan out

for you and for me

and permitting

and allowing things to happen

that is perfecting us

and getting us

and preparing us

for future glory.

He's preparing us

for that moment in time.

In chapter 4, verse 17,

I kind of touched on it.

It says,

for this light,

momentary affliction,

so everything that Paul

has suffered through,

is preparing for us

an eternal weight of glory

beyond all comparison.

Beyond all comparison.

So if God is preparing us

for future glory

and it is beyond comparison,

that should lighten our step

and make our voices bold

and live a certain way.

God is preparing us.

This light,

momentary affliction,

the suffering,

the sickness that we deal with,

the sin that we struggle with,

death,

the fight and the stride

that we have for holiness.

Those moments where we just say

we can't make it.

I can't live sinless.

I can't fight this sin any longer.

The desires to be somewhere else.

Those Southwest Airlines commercials

want to get away.

Desire to be somewhere else

because we just can't make it anymore.

All of that goes away.

All of that disappears

when we reach our future glory.

All of that will be no more.

And what's going to be left

is pure worship

and euphoria

and thanksgiving

to the suffering

that we go through now.

The struggle

and the fight

and the harsh,

the hard struggles

that we have,

all of that

is going to make

our Savior

that much better.

Our Savior

that much sweeter

to our eyes.

That much greater

because He's going to get us

through those times

and He's going to

take all of that away.

God is preparing us

even now.

Even now

for future glory.

And that should,

and I think does,

affect our ministry here.

Knowing that what we're going through,

God is using

to prepare us

for something greater.

So if we know

that God is preparing us,

then in verse 6,

first part of verse 6,

we have courage then.

Look at verse 6.

So we are always

of good courage.

So we are always

of good courage.

We know from the story

of Paul

that Paul abandoned

his life.

Like he just said,

to live is Christ

and to die is gain.

So I'm just going to go

full bore

and I'm going to preach

the Gospel

no matter what.

If it puts me in jail,

great.

If it kills me,

great.

If it makes me

shipwrecked on a boat,

great.

I'm going to put everything

aside for the Gospel.

That was what Paul did

for the mission

that God had called him.

I remember

in 2006

at the Summer X Games,

I remember watching

Travis Pastrana,

I don't know if you guys know,

motocross guy.

And they had built up

this hype

that he was going to

attempt to do

a double back flip

on the big air

motocross trick

or whatever.

I don't even know

what it's called anymore.

I'm too old.

They built it up

and so you had to watch.

It was just this moment

and he's up

at the top of the ramp

to get speed

and there's a moment

where he's sitting up there

before he goes down

that he needs to decide

whether or not

he's going to do this

or not.

Now, it's never been done before.

He's done it in pools

filled with padding.

I mean, that's about

all he's done it in.

So now he's trying to do it

on a motorcycle,

double back flip,

big, big deal.

And there's this moment

where he's got to decide,

am I going to abandon my life

and attempt this

or am I just going to

stay safe

and just kind of

ride down real slow

and just do

some silly trick

that everybody does.

And he, you know,

went forward

and did it.

Of course,

they made it way more dramatic

and his mom's crying

and, you know,

really scared for him

and, you know,

he gets off

and everybody's

jumping up and down

and he ends up doing it.

Well,

we may not do

double back flips.

I'm pretty sure

none of us in here

will do double back flips

on a motocross bike.

But we will abandon

and we can abandon

our lives.

We can say

the gospel

is more important.

We can say

that building the kingdom

and extending the kingdom

is far more important

than our comfort

or than this life here.

We can certainly,

certainly say that.

And in fact,

you and I

abandon everything good

when we choose to sin.

And that's the reality.

So,

it's not really

that hard of a thought.

So,

we can abandon

our lives.

We can live courageously,

live boldly

because we know,

Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

that God will not

abandon us

no matter what.

If we are His child,

we are His child forever.

God is preparing us

for glorious destiny.

And we can be courageous,

courageous.

We can be bold

in how we act

and how we live.

We can also be bold

through the suffering

and through the hardships

and through the troubled times.

Here are some examples

of being courageous

and being bold.

Move to a place

that doesn't make sense.

Maybe it's dangerous.

Maybe it's dangerous.

Maybe it's just culturally

not even your culture

at all.

But maybe God

is calling you there.

Maybe to be courageous

and live boldly,

you run a business

just so that you can

give your profit

to building a kingdom.

Maybe you,

you know,

some of the hardest moments

of being a Christian

and trying to share

the Gospel

that I find

are those moments

where you're having

a conversation

with somebody

and you're trying

to turn it

towards the Gospel.

You guys know

those moments, right?

You're trying to just,

I wish you'd just say

something about Jesus.

Then I could just

turn it.

Those are like

the hardest moments

to try to turn

those conversations.

They're hard

because you've got

to be bold.

You've got to just say,

look,

let me tell you

about Jesus.

Let me tell you

about what Christ

has done in my life.

So,

can you be bold

in speaking

and turning

those conversations,

turning those conversations

to the Gospel?

How about,

a lot of you guys

are college students

and you don't have

kids right now

and this relates

to me and a few

others in here,

but what if,

what if you had kids

and God called you

to an inner city

where crime

is rampant,

where it's uncomfortable

and culture

is totally different

and totally

unrelatable to you,

but God is calling

you there?

Would you do it?

Would you be bold?

Would you be courageous

to do just that?

So we know

God is preparing us.

We have courage.

We're bold.

But also,

in verse 7,

we find that our faith

is secure

or sure.

Our faith

is secure

or sure.

Verse 7,

for we walk

by faith,

not by sight.

Now,

what this

verse is,

there's far more

to it than

just these

seven or eight

words.

words.

What it's saying

is that our footing

or the root

of our faith

is sure.

It's going to happen.

It's almost like

a synonym

for hope

here.

We know

that it's going

to occur.

Related to

verse 18

in chapter 4

where it says,

as we look,

not to the things

that are seen,

but to the things

that are unseen.

For the things

that are seen

are transit,

but the things

that are unseen

are eternal.

Things that are unseen

are eternal.

They're going to

happen.

They're in play.

They're sure

to occur.

We have a certainty

that it's going

to happen.

It reminds me

of Romans chapter 4

Romans 4 · chapter mention

where it talks

about Abraham.

In verse 21

it says,

Abraham was fully

convinced that God

was going to do

what He promised.

Now,

our faith

the root

of our faith

is sure.

It's going

to happen.

But here,

people like

to illustrate

faith by saying

that if I sit

down in a chair,

I have faith

in that chair

that's not going

to break under me.

That is going

to hold me.

I agree

that that's a

description of faith,

but I think it

loses something

because that chair

could break.

That chair

could be faulty.

That chair

could mess up

somehow,

some way.

This type

of faith,

this surety

here,

is that chair

will never,

ever,

ever break.

The illustration

kind of falls

short a little

bit there.

Abraham was

fully convinced

that God

would do

what He promised.

Can you be

fully convinced

that what God

has called you

to,

He's going

to enable

you to do

it?

He's going

to empower

you to do

it?

He's going

to walk

you through

it.

Here's a

trouble that

we have.

Faith is

internal.

It's something

that's hard

to measure.

It's hard.

I can't tell you

how faithful

I am.

On a scale

of 1 to 10,

I'm an 8 right

now.

It just doesn't

work.

I can't look at

Josh or look

at anybody

else in here

and say,

faithful.

I see your

faith level.

It's high.

Well done.

It doesn't

work.

What I can

measure and

what we can

measure is

the actions.

It's the play

out of that

faith.

So how do

we react

to the

suffering?

How do we

react when

things don't

go our

way?

How do

we deal

with certain

people?

How do we

deal with our

struggles?

Do we hide

them?

Or are we

faithful to

confess them?

Are we

faithful to

communicate them

and to say,

I need your

help?

Those are

how we

measure our

faith.

And what we

put our

faith in

is sure.

It's never

going to fail.

What we put

our faith in

is certain.

And knowing

that we

can and

will be

courageous.

Knowing that

God is

going to do

fully convinced

that he's

going to do

what he

promised.

Look what

Abraham did.

Fully

convinced.

What can

you and I

do fully

convinced that

God will

never leave

us nor

forsake

us?

That nothing

can separate

us from

the love

of God.

Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8.

Our faith,

what our

faith is in,

is sure.

But not

only that,

not only

that,

but out of

our faith

that is sure

and living

courageously

and knowing

that God

is preparing

us for

future glory,

we please

him.

We strive

to please

him.

Verse 8

and 9.

It says,

yes,

we are of

good courage

and we

would rather

be away

from the

body and

at home

with the

Lord.

So whether

we are at

home or

away,

we make

it our

aim to

please

him.

Here or

there,

here on

earth,

mortal or

immortal,

perfect or

imperfect.

Baseball

season is

going.

The Atlanta

Braves,

they play

162 games

a year,

81 games

at home,

81 games

away.

And I'm

pretty sure

the manager

of the

Braves

doesn't say,

guys,

we're just

going to

throw in

the towel

on the

away games.

Don't worry

about it.

We'll just,

we'll work

really hard

for our

home games.

We'll work

really hard

when we're

home.

When we're

away,

we'll just

forget about

it.

No big

deal.

Pretty sure

that doesn't

happen.

For us,

here,

living here,

living away

from the

Lord,

away from

his presence,

and this

body,

imperfect

and sinful

a lot of

the time,

we strive

to please

him.

We strive.

It is a

fight

to please

him.

him.

And him

alone.

Not our

parents,

not others,

not our

teachers,

not our

significant

others,

our wives,

our husbands,

our boyfriends,

our girlfriends,

or our pastors.

We seek and

aim to please

him and

him alone.

Every decision,

every action,

every word that

comes from our

mouth,

does it

please him?

Does it,

is it

acceptable to

him?

Remember those

WWJD bracelets?

What would

Jesus do?

You guys

remember those?

Shake your

head,

you do.

You guys

all had

them,

didn't you?

Everybody

did.

I had

one.

WWJD,

what would

Jesus do?

The better

question is,

does this

please God?

Would this

be acceptable

acceptable to

God?

Without

Jesus,

without the

Spirit as

our guarantee,

without being

a Christian,

it's pointless

to even ask

that question.

It's pointless

to ask,

would this be

acceptable to

God?

Because it's

impossible to

please God

without Jesus.

It's impossible

to please

him because

of the

sin.

The

gospel reminds

us of our

sin.

It reminds

us of who

we are,

of our need

of a Savior,

that we

can't do

anything,

can do

nothing about

our sin,

that we

need God.

The

gospel also

enables us

to please

God.

Through the

gospel,

through Jesus

Christ,

his life,

death,

and

resurrection,

through what

he has done

on the

cross,

we can

be acceptable

to God.

Because,

as I read

in 2 Corinthians

5.21,

for our

sake,

he made

him,

being Jesus,

to be sin,

who knew

no sin,

so that in

him we

might become

the righteousness

of God.

It is

impossible

to please

God

without

Jesus.

it is

only by

the power

of God

in your

life that

you can

please

him for

your glory,

for his

glory,

and your

good.

So the

question is,

Paul says

that we

please him,

we aim to

please him,

but he

doesn't tell

us how.

He doesn't

give us

three steps,

five steps,

to pleasing

him,

so here I

thought I'd

help you

out just

a little

bit.

We've

got to

look at

some other

verses in

this letter,

but I

think we'll

all agree

that these

are here.

So how

do we

please God?

Well,

first of all,

we speak

boldly

the gospel.

We speak

boldly

the gospel.

In chapter

five,

later on,

in verse

20,

it says,

therefore,

we are

ambassadors for

Christ.

We are his

representatives.

God making

his appeal

through us.

We implore

you on

behalf of

Christ,

be reconciled

to God.

Paul

communicating

to the

church at

Corinth.

Chapter

three,

verse 12,

it says,

since we

have such

a hope,

such a

surety that

what is going

to be

promised will

happen,

we are

very bold.

Speak

boldly

the gospel.

Secondly,

how do we

please God?

Living

courageous

lives,

this life

in suffering

and pain.

This is

found in our

text,

verse 6.

So we are

always of

good courage,

always of

good courage,

living courageously

through this

life.

Third thing

to please God

is living by

faith.

Found in

our text,

verse 7,

for we walk

by faith,

not by sight.

We walk

knowing that

God is

faithful.

God is

what He

promised is

sure to

occur.

Fourth,

bringing glory

to God,

not to

ourselves,

glory to

God.

Found in

chapter 4,

verse 15,

for it is

all for

your sake,

so that

as grace

extends to

more and

more people,

it may

increase

thanksgiving

to the

glory of

God.

And then

fifthly,

living out

the message

of Christ

reconciling

death.

End of

chapter 5.

In

Christ,

verse 19,

in Christ

God was

reconciling the

world to

Himself,

not counting

their trespasses

against them,

and entrusting

to us the

message of

reconciliation.

Therefore,

we are

ambassadors for

Christ,

God making

His appeal

through us.

We implore

you on

behalf of

Christ,

be reconciled

to God.

For our

sake He

made Him

to be

sin who

knew no

sin,

so that

in Him

we might

become the

righteousness

of God.

Living the

message of

Christ

reconciling

death out

for people

to see.

So finally,

the last

point,

this doesn't

sound like

a point,

but I

promise it

is.

We are

going to

be judged

for what

we do

here on

earth.

We are

going to

be judged

for what

we do

here on

earth.

Chapter

5,

verse 10.

For we

must all

appear before

the judgment

seat of

Christ,

so that

each one

may receive

what is

due for

what he

has done

in the

body,

whether

good or

evil.

there is

no chance

of avoiding

this.

There is

no chance

of melting

into the

crowd,

of just

kind of

disappearing

and not

being held

accountable.

There is

no chance

that you

or I

can fool

God.

There is

no ability

for us

to be able

to say,

God,

I am not

that person.

we will

be judged

and held

responsible

for how

we live

as

Christians.

This

judgment

is not

to determine

whether

we're

saved or

not,

whether we

are a

Christian

or not.

It's

nothing

like

that.

It's

to show

us that

what we

do here

has

eternal

implications.

To remind

us that

we have

been saved

not for

aimlessness

or indifference,

but to

live for

the Lord.

We read

in verse

15,

chapter 5.

To remind

all believers

that we

are righteous

by faith

alone,

in Christ

alone,

and the

faith that

justifies is

to be expressed

by love

and obedience.

Meaning,

that we're

saved by

faith alone

and Christ

alone.

We all

shake our

head to

that.

But it's