Echoes of the Future | Q50 - Is eternal life real?
November 2, 2024

INTRODUCTION: studying ‘eternity’ is tricky!

  1. The Lack of

    Evidence!

  2. The

    Nature!

  3. Every Religion has a

    Interpretation!

Q: Is Eternal Life Real?

Psalm 90:2 (NIV) - “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

Isaiah 51:6 (NLT) 6 Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth below. For the skies will disappear like smoke and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end!

John 3:16 (NLT) - 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV) - “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

SIX SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT ETERNITY!

1 EVERYONE HAS AN WITH ETERNITY!

Hebrews 9:27-28 (NLT) - 27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, 28 so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for Him.

Psalm 39:4-5 - 4 “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. 5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.”

2 ETERNITY WAS IN OUR HEARTS!

ECCLESS. 3:11 (NLT) - 11 …God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

Augustine: ‘You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they can find peace in you.’”

3 THERE ARE TWO : ETERNITY WITH GOD OR WITHOUT HIM!

Matthew 25:46 (NLT) - 46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

4 ETERNAL LIFE BEGAN WHEN YOU WERE !

Psalm 139:13 (NLT) - You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NLT) - For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.

5 HEAVEN WILL BE A PLACE OF AND EXPLORATION!

Revelation 21:5 (NLT) - 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!”

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT) - 9 …“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

John 14:2-3 (CEV) - There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I wouldn’t tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you.

The Bible refers to…

  • streets made of pure gold

  • twelve city gates made of pearl

  • a river of life flowing from God’s throne

  • a tree of life

  • a banquet hall and feast

  • mansions and rooms

  • crowns of glory given to believers

  • musical instruments

  • various animals and creatures

  • books and scrolls

  • lush gardens and diverse flora

  • a sea that looks like glass

  • a variety of jewels and precious stones

(Illust) - a baby in the womb

(Illust) - a journal from the other side

6 ETERNITY IS GOD’S TO YOU!

Romans 6:23 (NLT) - 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

CONCLUSION: Our days are numbered

Job 14:5 (NLV) - A man’s days are numbered. You know the number of his months. He cannot live longer than the time You have set.

Q: Is Eternal life real?

A: “Absolutely! Eternal life is real. Scripture reveals that God is “from everlasting to everlasting,” and Jesus promises that all who believe in Him “will not perish but have eternal life.” As followers of Christ, we hold onto this assurance: though our earthly lives are finite, God has placed eternity in our hearts, and our souls are made to dwell with Him forever. Yet, God leaves the choice up to each of us.”