Thursday, April 25, 2013

The Hope of Eternal Life

Beyond the Present Time
Resurrection Hope
Hope Comes from God's Grace

Titus 3:1-8

The Message

He Put Our Lives Together

1-2 Remind the people to respect the government and be law-abiding, always ready to lend a helping hand. No insults, no fights. God’s people should be bighearted and courteous.
3-8 It wasn’t so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God’s gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there’s more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this. 

For Reflection
Is this all there is?  I hope not.  

For a Christian the preceding phrase is not an empty one which indicates expectations of nothing.  Life after death is hoped for with a hope that is actively seeking the obedient way.  It is a hope so filled with confidence that eternal life is taken for granted.  Little is known about life after death, but to a Christian, eternal life is lived in the presence of God.

Pray
that you will embrace all opportunities for working toward good.   Pray that you will never shirk your indebtedness to God.  Pray that you will follow God's call to work toward peace and justice in our time so that the Kingdom may be realized in God's time.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please post comments here.