Living on Earth; Longing for Heaven - Part B

You say, here's the mark of a spiritual person spiritual person is willing to put what he or she wants on clause if it means helping somebody else really wanted to be with Christ, which is far better.

Nevertheless, I'm willing to but what I want on clause if I can blast I can just say that Paul practiced what he preached. Think about this. Able to share the gospel. When you get to heaven. So how you live today matters for eternity today on connect with Skip Heitzigs or Skip shares how you could be a fruitful and effective believer here and now. First, Skip wants to share about another great way you can use uplifting teaching.

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It's almost as if the pastor knows what you personally going through and he teaches a message like you're the only one listening. Well it's not that the pastor knows you personally that God knows you personally hear skip.

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Call now to request your copy of pastor Skip text 800-922-1888, or get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer Philippians chapter 1 as we dive into the teaching with Skip Heitzigs, soldiers were out camping when they were fighting and when it was time for them to move from one campsite to another or to go back home.

They would break the camp up in the word they used was on a Louisville break up the camp and they move on and I like thinking about our lives that way were camping out here this word is a campground not much more than that were just passing through our permanent abode will be in heaven and one day it will be time for us to break up the camp put away the tent and move on. I love camping. I was out, but I love it for a little while and I think I speak from experience.

I once spent three straight months camping out around the United States and Canada with a buddy. You know what I was done I was done that was done camping for a long time somebody a couple weeks is let's go camping now.

I'm good for a few years because when you go camping. It's cool, it's funny put up the tag like the campfire but then eventually everything smells like campfire all your clothes smell like fire.

You start smelling pretty ripe yourself up for a couple days so you start longing for something more permanent and then the tent.

The tent that you bring along. If you use it a lot like I've had a tent for years and to see it still works but you can tell it's old. The threads are kinda coming undone.

The flaps are kind of not flapping right and that's a good description of our body. This morning when I got up and got ready for church. I looked in the mirror and I saw the tent and I saw the threads in the flaps. It's not flapping quite right. But that's at the tent right there.

I'm looking at. That's about done. It's been well used, but it's a tent and Paul talks about her body this way in second Corinthians 5. We know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down. That is when we die and leave these bodies we have a home in heaven, and eternal body made for us by God and not by human hands.

Another author whom I have loved besides stock is FB Meyer FB Meyer was a contemporary with DL Moody. So century ago or about and FB Meyer was close to death and he wrote a letter to a friend as a portion he said I just heard to my great surprise that I have been a few days to live. It may be that before this letter reaches you. I shall have entered the palace to love that description and then he says this don't even bother to write, we shall meet in the morning.

I love that because he says and I live in this campground the tents about done and I traded in for palace.

I'm in a move very shortly. The problem is see if you agree with this. We live in this campground in these tents, but we are so preoccupied with our tents has my tent look it's okay for tent, but don't be surprised when the tent doesn't look the same next year and the year after the year after we so preoccupied with our tandem the color of our threads and and you know is the tent to pay her two smaller and it I mean we are so preoccupied with our bodies even to the point of death, go to funerals and the caskets open to people go by. They look inside the biz with the site.

Then he looks good. He looks dead, you look better a month ago. This is good or just so preoccupied with how the tent looks. Paul says there's going to be a departure. I'm not pull up the rope and set sail. I'm breaking down the tent and move in on and then I said is also used not only by sailors and soldiers but by farmers and it was used by farmers when they had an animal that had a yoke on it. You know the yoke is it's a steering device controlling device at the end of a workday. When the yoke was lifted off the animal. The term they used was on the Luo on the Luo job is done.

Yoke is taken off. It is removed. It has departed from off the animal and don't you love the Jesus said this.

Take my yoke upon you, you know that means let me rule you let me control you. Let me steer your life. I'll be in charge, not you. But then there comes a day when the yoke is removed and he says to us, well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord and we get rewarded so he's wrestling with the predicament he's wanting to push off and depart, and it's a departure but were still drilling down in verse 23 is more than a departure. Death is an encounter, for he says having a desire to depart and be what God talk out loud in church be with Christ. Now this part is what makes death suite for a Christian is not the departure that makes death suite. It's the arrival that makes it sweet. See encounter we have with Christ. There was once a man who spoke about heaven. He was a young preacher and he spoke about heaven. In his younger days in terms of what was in heaven. We talk all about the golden streets and the river of life and the tree that line the river of life because he was taking his cues from the book of Revelation. He was talking about heaven based on what's there until the day his daughter died and moved to heaven, and years later his wife died and moved to heaven now the older preacher started talking about heaven, not in terms of what's there. But in terms of who's there and for the believer. Who's there are just relatives and friends that you long to be reunited with and you will.

But even above and beyond that is the joy of that intimate, face-to-face encounter with Jesus himself.

That's the highlight of heaven heaven's main attraction is not stuff. Heaven's main attraction is God, he'll be there. You'll be with him.

Heaven will display God's glory. Undiminished full-screen the wow factor will be immense. It's God, I'm looking Adam and I didn't burn up because I have a glorified resurrected body. Now, just in case you're wondering if that really is the highlight of heaven. Just listen to how Jesus described heaven to his disciples, he said, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also. It's the encounter that he was talking about Paul in first Thessalonians 4 wrote, we will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord again.

Paul second Corinthians 58 to be absent from the body finish this one up is to be present with the Lord.

It's all about the encounter with him in it funny how we talk about heaven.

I've had people say will assert golf in heaven like talking to coulters on a golf course in heaven was her football in heaven. What about pets heaven will be heaven was like to have my dog is really you really want them there.

I want to clean up oops in heaven sent heaven to me. Don't you think that whatever great joy we can think of on earth.

God can say I can top that more than what you can think about.

I can top that. I think you can, so it will be a departure.

It will be an encounter and it will be much better look at what he says again. Verse 23 having a desire to depart and be with Christ for this departure in encounter, which is far better.

This is what he meant. A couple of verses back verse 21 for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. People often ask me Skip how will we look in heaven. My answer is simple better better you look much better than you do now. I look pretty good. LB look a lot better than you'll feel better. You'll be better, which is far better now here's something interesting is why I'm glad we have time to go through Philippians like this and slow down and pick it apart because we we start understanding the mind of Paul when he says, which is far better. He actually stacks up words together so the literal translation would be something like which is much more better I want to depart and be with Christ, which is much more varied better which is bad English, but good Greek and great theology. He sang as good as I can describe it, it's even better now. Just awesome know he would know because body experience where he was close to death and he said he was taken up and caught up to the third heaven member that's in great things while I was caught up to the third heaven and I saw and heard things in the express of all unlawful.

He said for Amanda under always been mad at Paul for that sort of held a grudge against Paul because you nine PE so I have an experience heaven for moments like give us something because not just so good I can even say anything so he doesn't is goes on to the next subject man but he would know it's so astonishing that it cannot be told there's no soul sleep in heaven there is no intermediate state. There's no purgatory. There is no limbo to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. The moment you are absent from your body.

Is that very moment that your present with the Lord. So think what that meant to Paul he would never again have to smell that prison cell. Again he would never again feel the whip the Roman whip on his back. He would ever hear the sneers of his detractors even Christian detractors who talked in a way that would make his incarceration. Worse, he would never again be shackled to a guard. He would be with Christ, which is much more better when DL Moody died and kind of cover. Now my favorite preachers in one sermon I DL Moody had his family around him on his deathbed, and I bring it up because what Moody said sounds so much like what Paul writes. Moody said I am not discouraged.

I want to live as long as I'm useful, but when my work is done. I want to be up and off most of us feel that way right want to do what God wants me to do what I'm done.

Take me to heaven.

Now that's what he said on his deathbed that night.

He had a horrible sleep very restless early the next morning he said in very deliberate slow cadence.

These words he said earth recedes heaven opens for me.

His son will thought his dad was having a dream. So he pushed and wake him up, and Moody said no.

This is no dream will. It is beautiful.

If this is dad is sweet.

There is no valley here God is calling me and I must go so you can understand why Paul is saying for me to depart means I'm to be with Christ, which is far better to be a departure to be an encounter to be far better so he's rustling. He is wanting to go but here's the third word the third attitude he is willing he is willing if it's in God's will to stay if you can help other people. Verse 24 actually was. Go back up to verse 22 but if I live on in the flesh. This will mean fruit from my labor. Now verse 24. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you and being confident of this. I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Christ Jesus by my coming to you again, that's interesting.

I just want to bring this up.

The theme of this book is joy. He writes about through the book. Now what he's saying is it's not about my joy, your joy, I am willing to remain.

If I can add to your joy. First of all, by bringing fruit. Verse 22.

This will mean fruit from my labor and progress in your Christian life and that is verse 25 with you all for the progress and joy of your faith only to say here's the mark of a spiritual person spiritual person is willing to put what he or she wants on pause if it means helping somebody else what I really wanted to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, I'm willing to but what I want on pause. If I can see other people helped blessed I can to say the Paul practice what he preached what he preached.

I want to see what he preached and then you'll see how we practice at look at Philippians 2 to Skip ahead will get there someday. Philippians 2 verse three let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in the lowliness of mind that means humility.

Let each esteem or consider others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interest of others.

That's what Paul told them they ought to do what Paul is saying in chapter 1, as this is what I do. This is how I live my life. I want to go to heaven but being here may help you two ways. He mentioned fruitfulness and progress fruitfulness.

If I live on the flesh. Verse 22.

This will mean fruit from my labor. In other words, if I'm still kicking all still be working as long as I'm breathing still going to be battling many use every breath I can for his glory in your betterment. This is what he meant verse 21 again for me to live is Christ for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. What is fruit you know I that's a Christian term should be fruitful. What is that me was immune as a Christian be a fruitful Christian will the New Testament speaks of fruit in a few different ways. Number one winning people to Christ is called fruit. Romans 113, I often plan to come to you that I might have some fruit among you also just as among other Gentiles winning people to Christ converts our fruit and also do not want to go there to have converts where you live just like everywhere I've gone so far. That's what I do. I'm that guy on the evangelist.

I want to see people in the Christ number two. Holy living is called fruit. Romans 622, having been set free from sin and having become slaves of God, you have fruit to holiness and the end everlasting life. The holier you become, the more fruitful you are. Number three giving is called fruit financially supporting God's work Romans chapter 15, Paul spoke of their contribution to the saints, and he calls it.

This fruit. This fruit being there monetary contribution number for good works is called fruit. Colossians 1 verse 10 pleasing him and being fruitful in every good work and finally praise is called fruit. Hebrews 1315, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. So there's Paul saying I hate prison but I'm willing to stay here if it's can help you if I can do more for his glory.

Fruitfulness. Listen to this fruitfulness ends when you die get that truth fruitfulness will and when you die you will not be fruitful and have you can't be fruitful and you can't pass out a tract in heaven. You can't support God's work in heaven.

You can encourage a young believer in heaven were in perfection. All of your fruitfulness is on earth you get rewarded for your fruitfulness in heaven. Your fruitfulness ends the day you die, so Paul wanted fruit number two. He wanted progress.

That's the word you will notice in verse 25 for the progress and the joy of your faith seed was on Paul's heart is their spiritual growth, their spiritual growth and so far being in prison has not heard Christian spiritual growth is further the gospel. So Paul moves to heaven. All of his hassles were done, but so is his effectiveness. He won't win any more guards to Christ. He won't stimulate boldness like he has so far that he mentioned a few verses back. He will be able to inspire others with his pen as he writes letters. He will be able to build up other churches and knowing that he says I am willing to postpone going to heaven if I can help others grow under now I may kinda boil this down to a single statement. This whole message you're on your way to heaven until you get there do something hereunder. Whatever yeah hallelujah but is not God's will for you to be in heaven today. How do I know that because I'm looking at you, your breathing is not room temperature. Yet no one day you will be inevitably it's appointed every man wants to develop your appointed time, but is not God's will.

Today the year in heaven. So until you get to heaven. Do something. Get involved in something, help someone grow in their faith become a fruitful believer.

I love the old saying that one of the tribes of the American Indians. The Native Americans had and that is this when you were born you cried, and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world tries and you rejoice, rejoice going to happen but you will rejoice even more. As you are rewarded by your Savior. For the faithful, fruitful service on earth when he says to you, well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of Merrill as its demographic Skip six message from the series Technicolor joy. Now we want to share about a special resource that will increase your knowledge of God's word taking classes and studies can fit in your life, free college student Krista after years of running training ministry. I found now I can keep in my life and I can fill as little boys and often is my schedule recurring in the schedule and leverage my work and family. Learn more about God your schedule like today college. Thank you for tuning in today our heart for this broadcast is to encourage friends like you to remain steadfast in your faith through all that life brings your way.

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Paul understood that if you become a Christian and you follow Christ boldly that the Christian life is not a playground man.

It's a battleground you got that so Skip presentation of connection occasions to go through ever-changing time