Eternity is All

Recharge - Eternity and Salvation

I grew up in England. A big family, 5 boys and 1 girl. We attended church weekly and my parents had roles in the leadership. I went to Sunday school every week and bible knowledge came easy to me. I would of been able to talk to you about any old testament story. However, none of that helped me with the emptiness within me.

I knew that I was sinful. Noone had to teach me how to lie. Noone had to teach me how to hate. No one needed to teach me how to be prideful or love myself above others. That all came naturally to me. Because I am sinful. I am human. Just like you.

I remember believing that when I die I would judged before God the Father. I would stand before and be held accountable for everything that I had ever done. The bible showed me this and so did my conscience.

I tried to live a day without sinning. I would attempt to not lie or hate or be selfish. Failed.

Then I found out that God would forgive me of my sins if I confessed them to him in prayer. So I would pray every night, ‘please forgive me of my sins.’ But then I would sin again so I would have to ask for forgiveness again. I remember how scared I was about dying before I could ask for forgiveness. Dying in a flash without having the time to pray. Silly I know but that is how I felt day in, day out. I felt hopeless. I felt like there was no point to my life. I was 10 years old. I don’t doubt for a second that I am the only one in this room that has ever felt that same hopelessness. You don’t care about fun things. You don’t care about food even. There is a huge weight over your head and nothing else matters.

When you really look at life. Nothing but one thing matters. Eternity. All we have ever known and experienced has begins and ends. But time does not bind God. And when God made us he created us to live with Him forever.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. He created Adam and Eve. He gave them life by breathing into their lungs. God created us in his own image. We have a spirit. A spirit that lives on past our physical death. So that everything in our lives with culminate into a single moment of standing before a Holy God. In Judgement because ‘all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.’ . No one has lived a holy perfect life.

If you imagine the years that we lie here on earth. What’s the average? 75 years or so? How long is eternity? So much more and unending and yet what do we live focused on? We spend so much time and effort seeking to make this part the best ever.

I've asked many people this and noone, who doesn’t know Jesus, has ever say anything other than yes. ‘Does it ever feel like we are just distracting ourselves until we die?’

We look at the problem of our own death. We all know we are going to die and yet we live as though we will never face this problem.

When you look at our world for answers all they can say is, love for the now. Be in every moment you have because you won’t have them back. Love your family and leave a good legacy. As good as family and enjoying life can be it does answer that hopeless that we all feel inside.

Turn to . This is written by a King, called Solomon. Bible describes him as the wisest man who ever lived. He was the most wealthy man who ever lived at that time. Everything to do in life, he had done it. He had sought relationship after relationship. He had more wives that there are days in a year. He worked so hard and in everything that he thought was interesting. He distracted himself with everything in the world and in his own mind and yet we come to this moment that he writes.

‘What gain has a worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time.’

God made the world and man’s place its all great and wonderful. There is a time for everything. But then catch the next statement.

‘Also, He has put eternity into man’s heart.’

When God made mankind he made us with eternity in our hearts. The fact that there is a God who is above everything. That there is something greater that we need to be apart of and with. Something that transcends all things that we experience. This eternity is a longing.

‘He has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find what God has done from beginning to the end.’

God put a longing in each and everyone of us. This longing to find something awesome and above and beyond ourselves. God made you that way and if you don’t find it you will be hungry for more and dissatisfied with temporary pleasures. That is why we fill ourselves with things. We think that we will get satisfaction from things here on earth.

Relationships, ‘my boyfriend is everything to me because he makes me feel so complete. Don’t you ever leave me.’

Things, I need this, if not I will be miserable. I will be empty unless I have it.

Work, maybe you’ve seen adults do this, where they give all their time and focus to a job or career. We think we will find fulfillment in it.

Hobbies and entertainment, Video games filled this void in my heart for many years. I would play without ceasing for weeks. Before school, lunch after school and before bed.

Pleasure, pornigraohy is so easily accessable. It won’t hurt you if you just take a quick look.

All these things only fill you temporarily. Eventually they won’t make you feel complete anymore. Or they will fail you and you will begin to hate them.

Relationships go sour and cause great pain and heartbreak because turns out both of you are sinful broken people, just like all of us.

Things get old or break. Maybe someone else got a better thing.

Work takes more and more time in life until it wrecks everything else.

Entertainment leaves you wanting the same thrill but inside you grows a callousness.

Pleasure and pornography eat at your very soul. Eventually those things don’t do it for you and you have to go deeper and deeper. Eventually it’s running your life and you seek any moment you are alone to spend your life on the altar of pleasure.

God made you for more than this. God gave you the longing for eternity so that you would encounter and look for Him. Through this verse in the bible here we see that everyone is the same. Longing to be in awe of something awesome. To be fulfilled by something greater than ourselves. To not waste our lives. To have hope and purpose. All of this is found in God himself.

Turn to . This is where Jesus steps in to our story. Your story and mine.

Your story and mine.

A man called Nicodemus, he was ruler of the Jews and a Pharisee. So he is a religious top dog. If anyone knew God it would over been this guy. He came to Jesus at night time, he didn’t want to be seen with Jesus, and he asks him in verse 2, “Rabbi(teacher), we know that you are a teacher come from God because no one can do these signs(miracles) that you do unless God is with Him.”

We all know that Christmas story. That God himself came down to earth in Jesus Christ. In he has an encounter with a man who asks the very heavy questions that I have been circling around tonight.

A man called Nicodemus, he was ruler of the Jews and a Pharisee. So he is a religious top dog. If anyone knew God it would over been this guy. He came to Jesus at night time, he didn’t want to be seen with Jesus, and he asks him in verse 2, “Rabbi(teacher), we know that you are a teacher come from God because no one can do these signs(miracles) that you do unless God is with Him.”

He wants to inquire that Jesus is sent by God and also that God is with Him.

So Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you This is a phrase that was said back then to mean what I’m going to say is completely true so listen up! Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” He is saying for God to be with someone he must be born again.

This is a strange thing to say. This was not a phase used at the time so Nicodemus is confused. He says “how can a man enter his mother’s womb again?”

Jesus answers him, verse 5, “Truly, truly, I say unto you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

This is a strange thing to say. This was not a phase used at the time so Nicodemus is confused. He says “how can a man enter his mother’s womb again?”

Jesus answers him, verse 5, “Truly, truly, I say unto you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

We have two parts to us. Flesh and Spirit. The flesh is what you can see. You can slap it. Spirit however is that part that God breathed into us. He breath life into Adam and Eve. However, when they sinned for the very first time, which you can read about in , thier Spirit died. Because of sin, you and I are spiritually dead. In the flesh we live but in the Spirit, we are dead. That is what Jesus means by we must be born again. You were alive because God made you a living being. Our sin killed us and now we are walk in the flesh, which sin is also killing, but dead in spirit because we are not with God. We are in our sin and sin is heavy and it separates us from God.

So what can be done? That’s what Nicodemus feels in verse 9, “How can these things be?”

Jesus answered him...in verse 14… “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.” Jesus is referring to a moment when the Israelites were in the desert. Because of their sin they were all bitten by snakes and about to die. Crazy story! But God instructed Moses to put up a pole with a dead serpent on it and anyone who looked at the pole would be healed. Crazy! But what is even crazier is that some didn’t!! They were so bent on doing it their own way. Dead. This story is in Number 21 if you want to read about it. So back to Jesus.

“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.”

Jesus is the answer to the eternity in your heart. We are all longing to be fulfilled by God Himself and that is where Jesus steps in. Just as the snake was held up

Jesus is the answer to the eternity in your heart. We are all longing to be fulfilled by God Himself and that is where Jesus steps in. Just as the snake was held up dead for the broken people, in need of saving, to be looked upon for salvation. Just as the snakes story is in Number 21, Jesus’ is in the gospel. In . Don’t turn just listen as I read God’s word.

Jesus was betrayed. Verse 41, “The hour has come. The Son of ManThe Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going, my betrayer is at hand.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve. This was one of Jesus’ friends for the past 3 years. Jesus had lived with this guy, eaten with him and even washed his feet. Jesus loved Judas. Judas came, one of the twelve, with him a crowd with swords and clubs...Now the betrayer had given them a sign…”The one I will kiss is the man.”...When he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he kissed Him. And they laid hands on him and seized Him. Jesus was betrayed.

Jesus was misrepresented and lied about. He is put on trail before the council. Verse 56, For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimony did not agree. Have you ever felt the injustice of someone lying about you? Jesus took it all and stayed silent so that he could keep walking the path to the cross.

Jesus was mocked. In verse 61, Again, the High Priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said to him, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated on the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the High Priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need?...” And they all condemned Him as deserving death. And some began to cover His face and strike Him, saying “Prophesy! Who stroke you?” And the guards received him with blows. When Jesus is handed over to the Roman soldiers he is beaten and mocked. And the soldiers led him inside...and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed Him in a purple cloak, and twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on Him. And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”And they were striking His head with a reed and spitting on Him and kneeling down in homage to Him.”

Jesus was abandoned. After Jesus was betrayed and seized it says, ‘And they all left him and fled.’ During the council Peter emerges in the courtyard. He gets recognized as one of the followers of Jesus and he denies it three times. And after an interval of an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Jesus was truly truly on his own.

Jesus was rejected. The Roman governor gave the Jewish people a chance to set Jesus free or a murder called Barabas. The people wanted to set the mirder free and kill Jesus.

Jesus was nailed to a cross, taking the responsibility for our sin. After being humiliated and mocked, they gave him his cross to bear to the place where he would be hung on it. In verse 24, in four words so much is said. And they crucified Him. They nailed his hands and feet to a cross. Then hung it up so he would suffocate to death. Slow and painful. And they crucified Him and divided His garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take...the inscription of the charge against Him read, “The King of the Jews.”...with Him they crucified two robbers...Those who passed by derided Him, wagging their headings and saying, “...save yourself, and come down from the cross!” So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with Him also reviled Him.

At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”...And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed His last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing Him saw that in this way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

This is what Jesus did for you and me! He went to cross for you and me so that our sin could be put on Him. He took your sin to the cross and paid the price for your forgiveness and freedom.

Just as the snake was put up in the desert for saving the Israelites from there sin. Jesus was put up on a cross so that all who believe in Him may have eternal salvation!

In , three days after being buried, we see that Jesus rises from the dead, conquering sin, death and hell.

Back in John chapter 3. Read with me verse 16-18. Jesus says, For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn it, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

When you get to the end of your life nothing else will matter, except did you believe in Jesus? Belief in his payment. Belief in His Lordship. Belief in His saving power.

Because of this I have hope. My hopelessness is gone. I ran out of that grave! Now I am spiritually alive! When Jesus died on the cross the viel was torn in two. What that means is that the presence of God, God Himself that rested in the temple - the Holy of holies - has been released into the world through Jesus. Now through Jesus you can have that longing of eternity fulfilled. You can live, truly live in freedom from sin and eternal hell.

Seek no more eternal fulfillment from the things on earth but look to Jesus. Belief is what saves you. Faith in Jesus saves. Jesus fulfills and satisfies us. Let’s bow our heads.

Death has no sting over your life. Sin’s power over you is dead. Your grave is nothing because Jesus is everything. Believe in the name of Jesus and you will be saved and you will be born again.

Eternity is All

My story and eternity

Nothing else matters

God made you for more

Eternity and Jesus