Living for Him
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Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Meanwhile we groan...
Meanwhile we groan...
Life can be really awesome! But the awesome-o-meter only goes so high. Life has a built in limiter. It’s like this is a dry run. There are limiters built in so there’s only so much damage we can do. If we focus on the life we live in the body and the joys of earth as ultimate joys we will be disappointed. We will groan as we press on through life. We come to the end of that little rainbow fairly quickly but it can be so hard to accept. So it’s possible for all of us to be thinking that the glass is half-empty on our whole journey.
But there is a different kind of groaning that comes when we realize there is something more that awaits us. A longing for what comes next. This kind of longing can actually be a gift. Living in these physical bodies is good in many ways. It is familiar. We know through our senses, as long as they work right. They don’t always work right. Our eyes can fail us. We think we see but then realize we missed something when we look again. Our ears may fail us. The other day I though my wife was crying out for help, I searched and searched for her only to find she was laughing on her cell phone talking to her sister. My ears were fooling me. So today we know in part through out senses but one day we will fully know even as we are fully known by God. There is every reason to look forward to what is yet to come. Hold on loosely to reality as we know it now.
Paul for Everyone: 2 Corinthians A House Waiting in the Heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1–5)
if Paul is right, there is something deep down within every human being which knows that we are made for more than this. Clothes are an anticipation of our resurrection bodies. The reason we take trouble over them, insofar as we do, is not just pride or a desire to show off, though of course that may come into it as well. At a deeper level than that, it is because we know that we are, in the present, a shadow of the self God wants and intends us to be. Wearing clothes is a sign of that ‘something more’, that fuller existence which we glimpse but cannot, in this life, grasp and possess.
So please do wear clothes. :) But seriously we have so much to look forward to.
Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is what connects us to a whole new reality! This is powerful and important. And this is where the message of the New Testament starts coming together. John writes about it in his gospel that what Jesus gives us is Eternal Life. That doesn’t mostly mean life that goes on forever although we know it will when Christ returns. But what Eternal Life is really getting at is that Life from the future gets hold of us now and draws us forward into a taste of what’s to come. Living life in Christ, in Jesus, in the family of God is basically living in the future. God has given us a deposit, a downpayment. It’s something more and better and fuller but it’s just getting started. See what I mean? It gives us hope on the best days and the worst days.
Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
Paul was constantly facing criticism as all leaders who are doing anything worthwhile will face. Paul is like: look, I’m not here to impress you at all. I have to answer to God and I’m doing my best to keep to the most important priorities of God’s mission. You may not agree with me. But be careful and just make sure you’re not disagreeing with God. If I let you down, I’m sorry. But sometimes you’re just wrong when you judge me. You don’t understand what I’m doing all the time. Those parts may not be for you. At other times it’s clear what I’m doing and those things are directly for your benefit. A leader has many different responsibilities. You may or may not be mature enough to evaluate how a leader handles these. A church should hold a leader accountable. But not to their own preferences and desires. A church should not try to control a leader. A leader should not have an unhealthy sense of control over a congregation either. All of us together are the church. But wise people cut a leader some slack and look for the good just as you would want the leader to do with you. Paul ran into some difficult personalities. People focused on getting Paul to do what they wanted. Or just trying to undermine his leadership so they had no expectations on themselves.
Paul is very humble here, but he’s exposing that for what it is…a sinful attitude that doesn’t build up the church or help your own progress. It’s a missed opportunity to not try to benefit from the influence of a key leader in your life. I’ve never met a perfect pastor and I certainly don’t meet one in the mirror. But I’m here for you if what you want is a friend to help you grow in God’s grace and see His kingdom come… But I will ask for your help. Sometimes I will work alongside you. But most times I’ll trust you and expect you to handle your area so I can be doing what I do best to further our mission.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Because we are living toward a vision of the kingdom of God. We are making disciples. To do that some work is one on one. Some is behind the scenes—such as when I write my sermon or design our worship or when Jeff runs the sound or Helen and Despina decorate or Connie prepares her Sunday School lesson or Joy works in the office or Paula takes care of the bills or Bob organizes some people to take care of the building. If we all stop looking at one person and deciding what they need to be doing and do what we can do, it’s amazing what gets done and how the kingdom advances. We need each other so lets love and serve God together.
Not only that, but we have a new way of looking at everything!
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Paul once looked down on Jesus not understanding who he was. We all have things that bug us about other people from a fleshly point of view. We find certain personalities annoying. Or we think someone is ugly or too good looking. We think someone isn’t educated enough. Or we think they are too educated. Or don’t like where they are from or the color of their skin. The ridiculous list goes on and on and none of it has anything to do with being a Christian, amen? If you are in Christ, the old has gone and the new has come! Have you let yourself settle back in to old patterns of human judging? If you meet someone who is just getting started on following Jesus then cut them serious slack. Look for and celebrate where you see the new has come! We can leave old patterns behind. Patterns of worldly behavior. Patterns of judging. We can live in a new reality brought to us from a glorious future by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
We who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died...
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
It’s a new way of life. Christ’s love is what compels us… Let’s stop living for ourselves…
When you are baptized or make your profession of faith from an infant baptism this is what you are committing to do… It’s the only life that lets you get the most out of life...
I’ll live for Him who died for me,
How happy then my life shall be
I’ll live for him who died for me
My Savior and My God....
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