A Question of Time & Eternity
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SCRIPTURE INTRODUCTION: Today we get to be a “fly on the wall” as we listen to Jesus and the religious leaders have conversations regarding life right now and in eternity. Although their questions were not sincere, Jesus gives eternal truth about what’s expected as we live life in this present time and He also gives us a glimpse into what life is going to be like for the believer in eternity. While there is much confusion in this world about these matters, Jesus gives simple direct answers that not only silenced these religious leaders, but give us much insight into these important truths.
Notice first of all
Sometimes
A Question About the Here and Now
A Question About the Here and Now
EXPLANATION
After Jesus’ run in with the religious leaders and His parable demonstrating He was the Messiah, says:
The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.
Now, as we have seen in our text, these religious leaders are sending in spies to question Jesus and they are trying to trip Him up, so as to get Him in trouble with the authorities. The first thing they question Him about is something that the Jewish people are having to deal with on a regular basis and that is the authority of Rome and whether or not they should pay the tribute tax to Caesar. The reason they ask them this question, is very simple, if you understand the culture and times they were living in. They were facing a “here and now” type of problem, but in reality their motives were not really to find out what they should do, but rather try to get Jesus “in trouble” with either the Jews or the Romans—and they really didn’t care which.
To understand this a little better we need to have a brief history lesson. R. T. France, in his commentary on the book of Luke says this:
The imposition of direct Roman rule over Judea and Samaria in AD 6 was followed by a census in order to impose a [poll] tax on all citizens of the area. This particular tax was therefore a symbol of their political subjection, and so it was violently opposed by many Jews on patriotic grounds . . . The question posed to Jesus was therefore politically very sensitive.
R. T. France goes on to shed some more light on this coin:
The Roman silver coin, use for paying the tax, bore the portrait of the emperor and an inscription describing him as the “son of God” and “high priest.” Strict Jews therefore regarded it as idolatrous and so refused to use it . . .
So try to picture this in your mind. They are, once again, trying to back Jesus into a corner. If He says, “Yes, you should pay taxes to Rome,” then a large part of Judea would be outraged against Him. If He says, “No, you should not pay taxes to Rome,” then Rome may see Him as a dangerous and radical threat against their government. Once again, they assume they have Jesus backed into a corner.
Notice what the Master does in response. He asks for a denarius from the very people who supposedly have an objection against this coin. Since they were so opposed to this coinage you would think they would be using the copper coins without the inscription, but wouldn’t you know it, someone in this crowd of pretenders had the very coin in question. In Jesus asks them a question:
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
“Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.”
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Then He proceeds to answer their question this way in
He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Jesus is basically saying that the taxation is a proper return for the good things they receive from the government. However, that was not the main thrust of His message. Living in the here and now demands that we honor, respect and obey the God given authorities that He has placed in our lives, but living in the here and now also demands that we honor God as well!
ILLUSTRATION
I want to illustrate this by going back to the word likeness in verse 24. This word can also translated “image.” In other words whose “image” is on the coin. On this particular coin it would have been the image of Tiberius Caesar. So Jesus in effect said, “Give back to Caesar, the things that bear his image.” Give back to Rome the things that bear the image of Rome.
But then Jesus says something remarkable: “Give back to God the things that are God’s.” In other words give back to God the things that “bear His image/His likeness.” So what would that be? I’m glad you asked. We are told in for instance:
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
YOU were created in the image of God! YOU bear God’s likeness. On a coin is stamped an image, and this image is a reminder of the distributor and the source of the coinage. But dear friend, on and in your life, is stamped the image of the Creator God, who knit you and formed you in your mother’s womb and created you in His image! This is an amazingly wonderful reminder that YOU are not an accident—YOU are not a mistake—YOU are not a blob of highly evolved tissue—but YOU are intricately designed. reminds us of this fact:
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
What is the significance of being made in the image of God? One resource reminds us of this truth:
The image of God (Latin: imago dei) refers to the immaterial part of humanity. It sets human beings apart from the animal world, fits them for the dominion God intended them to have over the earth (), and enables them to commune with their Maker. It is a likeness mentally, morally, and socially.
Mentally . . . human beings can reason and choose. This is a reflection of God’s intellect and freedom. Anytime someone invents a machine, writes a book, paints a landscape, enjoys a symphony, calculates a sum, or names a pet, he or she is proclaiming the fact that we are made in God’s image.
Morally, humanity was created in righteousness and perfect innocence, a reflection of God’s holiness . . . Our conscience or “moral compass” is a vestige of that original state.
Morally, humanity was created in righteousness and perfect innocence, a reflection of God’s holiness . . . Our conscience or “moral compass” is a vestige of that original state.
Socially, humanity was created for fellowship. This reflects God's triune nature and His love. In Eden, humanity’s primary relationship was with God ( implies fellowship with God), and God made the first woman because “it is not good for the man to be alone” (). Every time someone marries, makes a friend, or attends church, he or she is demonstrating the fact that we are made in the likeness of God.
Today, we still bear the image of God (), but we also bear the scars of sin. Mentally, morally, socially, and physically, we show the effects of sin.
Today, we still bear the image of God (), but we also bear the scars of sin. Mentally, morally, socially, and physically, we show the effects of sin.
The good news is that when God redeems an individual, He begins to restore the original image of God, creating a “new self . . . That redemption is only available by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior from the sin that separates us from God (). Through Christ, we are made new creations in the likeness of God ().
APPLICATION
So lets go back to what Jesus said, “Give to Caesar the things that bear his image and give to God the things that bear His image.”
That’s what we are to be doing HERE AND NOW. We are to recognize and honor the authority structures we find ourselves in, but most importantly we are to recognize our CREATOR and as we realize that we have been created in His image, we are to relinquish the stranglehold we have “our lives” and recognize they are not really ours at all—they are His. Just as I surrender my taxes to the US Gov’t every year by April 15th, I am to surrender myself to God each and every day, each and every moment because . . .
I am not my own
I am not here for me
This isn’t about me
My life is His—it is His because of creation and it is His because of redemption
And right here and right now I am to “render” (give) back to God the things that are His!
You do realize, don’t you that you cannot give to God anything, that He did not first of all give to YOU?
says:
“But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.
So RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW we need to be offering to God that which bears His image . . . that’s YOU and that’s ME!
Now notice …
A Question About the Hereafter
A Question About the Hereafter
The second question that is posed to Jesus is about the hereafter. Now it is the Sadduccees turn. Verse 27 reminds us that part of their core beliefs is to deny the resurrection—that’s why they were “sad-you-see.” Because they didn’t believe in the resurrection they decide to ask Jesus a question, that in their mind would pose a real problem if the resurrection were true...
Moses had taught, in , that if a wife’s husband passed away, and she had no children to preserve the family name, then her brother-in-law would step up to the plate, marry her and they would have children to carry on the family name. The Sadduccees bring up this hypothetical question about a woman who had a husband pass away and so she married the next brother in line and he passed away so she married the next brother in line and he passed away and so on and so forth until she had married all seven brothers. There question is this, “Whose wife would she be in the resurrection.” Since they don’t believe in the resurrection, it is obvious their question isn’t really about the resurrection, but is about trying to get Jesus to say something they can accuse Him of later.
However, Jesus reveals something to us about the hereafter that you may not have known. Those who are a living in their new bodies in the Kingdom of Heaven will not be married to one another. Life in the New Heaven and in the New Earth is not going to be the same as it is now. It will be without death, it will be without pain, it will be without sorrow and apparently it will be without marriage, at least in the sense we think of now.
When you think about marriage and the purpose of marriage it makes a lot of sense to think marriage will no longer be needed in eternity! One of the reasons marriage was given in this life is because, “it is not good for man to be alone.” In Heaven every relationship will be perfected and there will be no such thing as aloneness, so marriage will not be needed in that sense. Another reason marriage was given was for procreation and as one commentary said, “Marriage is ordained to perpetuate the human family; but as there will be no breaches by death in the future state, this ordinance will cease (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D.).” Without marriage and procreation on earth the population would eventually die out, but praise God in Heaven there is no death, therefore procreation will not be necessary.
Please note very carefully verse 36 . . . Jesus does not say we will become angels, He says we will become equal to the angels in the sense that we cannot die and in the sense that we will not marry. No where does Scripture teach that people become angels at death.
Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 121). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Now, Jesus turns to the real issue—the resurrection itself. Jesus knows their question really doesn’t have to do with marriage at all, it has everything to do with the resurrection. The Sadduccees gloated in the fact that the Law of Moses was their only authority and since, in their minds, Moses didn’t deal with the resurrection, then it must not be true. Watch what Jesus does in VERSE 37! Jesus refers back to the burning bush incident and quotes what God said in :
God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
A casual reading of these verses will cause you to miss something very important. God identified Himself as BEING the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Remember, by this time in history Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have already died. How can God be their God if they are dead? BECAUSE OF THE RESURRECTION! Abraham, Isaac and Jacob’s bodies were in a grave but their soul was alive in Paradise awaiting the resurrection . . . dear friend God is not the God of the dead, He is the God of the living, because EVERY believer that has passed from this life is MORE ALIVE THAN THEY’VE EVER BEEN!
ILLUSTRATION
APPLICATION
ILLUSTRATION
The resurrection gives us so much HOPE!
If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Friend I hope you are not living for this world and for the here and now! If so you are going to be sadly disappointed. This world is full of pain, misery, discouragement, frustration, sickness, sorrow, misunderstandings, bitterness, discord, disunity and on and on the list goes. I hope and pray that you are living for that which is eternal!
reminds us what we must do
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
APPLICATION
Live for the things that are going to matter 1,000 years from now! Make investments in the eternal souls of people! Teach your children what real value is and what really matters when all the dust settles! Your soul is going to be somewhere 1,000 years from now and the souls of your children are going to be somewhere. While God has given us this earth to enjoy and have dominion over, and while we live in time and space, God never intended for this world to become our home or for the things of this world to become our god.
God is the God of the living! God is the God of the eternal. Our lives should be focused on those things as well.
FINAL APPLICATIONS
Take a moment to look at the person beside you. Just as the coin in your piggy bank bears an image, the person sitting beside you also bears an image. They bear the image of God. When you look into the mirror you are looking at a person that bears the image of God. That knowledge should radically change a couple of things about the way we live:
FIRST IT SHOULD RADICALLY CHANGE THE WAY YOU SEE AND TREAT PEOPLE.
FIRST IT SHOULD RADICALLY CHANGE THE WAY YOU SEE AND TREAT PEOPLE.
One of the reasons we have so much hatred and animosity and division in our world today is the result of sin and the result of an unbiblical and unhealthy worldview. From the time children are very, very small they are taught they are nothing more than just a highly evolved animal. In a few billion years things went from “goo to you.” They are taught that the strong survive and the weak are naturally weeded out. There is no image of God, therefore others determine value based upon skin tone, or weight, or health, or finances, or whatever. The fact of the matter is we were all created by God Himself, and within us is HIS image and there is not one human being on the earth that doesn’t bear His image, although it has been marred by sin. So when I deal with my neighbor, I’m not just talking to a highly evolved clump of cells, but I’m talking to someone whom God created, whom God loves and whom God wants to spend eternity with and someone whom God wants to become, if they haven’t already done so, one of His children and therefore my brother or sister in Christ. When I see someone bearing God’s image it make a HUGE difference in how I see them and therefore in the way I treat them.
It matters not what ethnicity a person may be they were created by God, in the image of God. It matters not what nation of origin they may be from they were created by God, in the image of God. It matters not the size of their bank account, their mental capacity, their struggles, their weaknesses, their predisposition . . . they were created BY GOD in the IMAGE OF GOD.
When you mistreat people . . . you are mistreating someone created by God and created in the image of God.
When you take advantage of someone . . . DITTO
When you use someone for your own selfish purposes . . . DITTO
IT SHOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW YOU SEE & TREAT YOURSELF.
IT SHOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW YOU SEE & TREAT YOURSELF.
Your mom or dad may have considered you a mistake or accident, but God doesn’t!
You were planned by Him! You have value to Him. He doesn’t want Heaven without you, that’s the reason He allowed Jesus to be butchered and crucified in your place, so your sins could be forgiven and so you could be reconciled to the Father!
Your body doesn’t belong to YOU—it belongs to Him!
It shouldn’t be sacrificed on the altar of fake love, but should be cherished as a gift of God and kept for the ONE God intended you to share it with.
You need to forget the idea that you are an animal . . . NO YOU HAVE SOMETHING NO ANIMAL HAS—THE IMAGE OF GOD ALMIGHTY!
It shouldn’t be abused, but recognized, as not only created by God, but now as a believer, the ACTUAL TEMPLE OF GOD/the HOME OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
THE TRUTHS WE’VE BEEN REMINDED OF TODAY SHOULD ALSO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW WE APPROACH LIFE
THE TRUTHS WE’VE BEEN REMINDED OF TODAY SHOULD ALSO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW WE APPROACH LIFE
This life is not all there is—therefore we shouldn’t live like it!
Jesus taught us to “lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven
You can’t really be prepared to live, until first of all you are prepared to face eternity!