As we round off our series, it’s important to keep our life in perspective. Specifically: a heavenly one – our life is temporary. In our struggle to remain alert we need to focus on heaven and life to come.
Our passage today: Acts 7:55, Pastor Ian Bayne, 7th February 2021.
Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Acts 7:55 CSB
Last week we looked at striving each day for the Holy Spirit; working out out salvation with fear and trembling.
This will we continue looking at living every day with a heavenly perspective.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit means our eyes are automatically starting to lift to heaven.
1. Put the world in is place
As the song goes: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace”
We need to get the balance right. This world is temporary, yet heaven is eternal. Even if science can extend our lives, we’ll never reach eternity
As sung in Amazing Grace: “There’s no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun”
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.
Romans 8:18 CSB
And Paul also says:
For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21 CSB
This helps us put our lives in perspective.
2. Find meaning in hardship
We will experience trials and suffering. Especially as Christians we should expect this.
But this happened so that the statement written in their law might be fulfilled: They hated me for no reason.
John 15:25 CSB
James says:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
James 1:2 ESV
3. Know that God sees everything
We can think that because we can’t see God, he can’t see us. But He sees everything.
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
Proverbs 15:3 ESV
He has witnessed all since creation:
“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.
Revelation 3:14 ESV
If we know God sees everything then we want to do right so we can please him. Lol heavenward more often and know God sees everything.
4. You have an eternal future with Christ
In our passage today, Stephen sees his deliverance: Jesus was raised, therefore He can raise us as well.
We’re looking forward to a place where:
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4 ESV
As Emmylou Harris sings: “It don’t matter where you bury me I’ll be home and I’ll be free It don’t matter where I lay All my tears be washed away.”
Series summary
We’ve been looking at:
So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
1 Thessalonians 5:6 ESV
We looked at the reasons we might snooze
- Doubt the promise of God’s return
- Denial of the certainty of death
- Comfortable and secure environment
- Times of feasting and frivolity
And we looked at antidotes found in scripture:
- Hear the gospel
- Gossip the gospel
- Keep the cross constantly before your eyes
- Keep a watch out for the enemy
- Strive to be filled daily with the Holy Spirit (Phi 2:12)
- Seek to live every day with a heavenly perspective
Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
Revelation 3:2 ESV
Resources
We hope you’ve enjoyed this series. If you have any comments or questions, we’d love to hear from you. Please fill out the contact us form.
Inspired? Come and worship with us on Sundays.
