What are you living for? 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 Lewis Winkler.

What are you living for?What are you living for?

2 Corinthians 5:1-102 Corinthians 5:1-10

Lewis WinklerLewis Winkler

What are you living for?What are you living for?

A Brief Review:A Brief Review:

The New Covenant in Christ is more glorious The New Covenant in Christ is more glorious than the Old Mosaic Covenant.than the Old Mosaic Covenant.

The New Covenant is eternal and will never fade The New Covenant is eternal and will never fade away.away.

Our trials and tribulations can be faced by fixing Our trials and tribulations can be faced by fixing our eyes on the daily transformation God is our eyes on the daily transformation God is bringing about within us as we look to and trust bringing about within us as we look to and trust in Him.in Him.

Longing for Longing for HeavenHeaven (1-5): (1-5):

Our Earthly Our Earthly Bodies as Tents:Bodies as Tents:

People who live in tents:People who live in tents:

SojournersSojournersGypsiesGypsiesNomadsNomadsVagabondsVagabondsWanderersWanderers


Our true home is not here on earth.Our true home is not here on earth.

Like impermanent dwellings, our Like impermanent dwellings, our bodies are wasting away.bodies are wasting away.

Our true and eternal home is being built Our true and eternal home is being built by God in heaven!by God in heaven!

Longing forLonging for HeavenHeaven (1-5):(1-5):

As Christians, we are aliens and transients As Christians, we are aliens and transients in this impermanent world.in this impermanent world.

We groan with both suffering and with We groan with both suffering and with longing to live forever in the home that we longing to live forever in the home that we were made for and that was made for us.were made for and that was made for us.


““I have worked much harder, been in prison more I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in great dangers from constantly on the move. I have been in great dangers from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from the Gentiles; in danger in the countrymen, in danger from the Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have know hunger and have often gone without sleep; I have know hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”pressure of my concern for all the churches.”

Paul’s Journey through SufferingPaul’s Journey through Suffering(2 Corinthians 11:23-28):(2 Corinthians 11:23-28):

Some Possible Ways toSome Possible Ways toRespond to Suffering:Respond to Suffering:

MaterialismMaterialism: : Eliminate suffering by Eliminate suffering by obtaining more and more things.obtaining more and more things.

Some Possible Some Possible Ways toWays to

Respond to Respond to Suffering:Suffering:

RomanticismRomanticism: Eliminate suffering through : Eliminate suffering through personal relationships and sex.personal relationships and sex.


ExperientialismExperientialism: : Eliminate suffering Eliminate suffering through extreme entertainment and through extreme entertainment and drugs.drugs.


RationalismRationalism: : Eliminate suffering Eliminate suffering through intellectual analysis and through intellectual analysis and scientific progress.scientific progress.

Some Possible Some Possible Ways toWays to

Respond to Respond to Suffering:Suffering:

BuddhismBuddhism: : Eliminate suffering Eliminate suffering through right through right understanding, ritual understanding, ritual practice, and proper practice, and proper moral action.moral action.

A Christian Response to SufferingA Christian Response to Suffering

Suffering is only finally eliminated in the Suffering is only finally eliminated in the life that is to come.life that is to come.

Our ability to endure suffering in this life Our ability to endure suffering in this life with persistent joy and humility comes with persistent joy and humility comes through keeping our hearts and minds through keeping our hearts and minds focused on the hope that one day we will focused on the hope that one day we will “be clothed with our heavenly dwelling . . . “be clothed with our heavenly dwelling . . . [and] swallowed up by life.”[and] swallowed up by life.”

A Christian Response to SufferingA Christian Response to Suffering

The Holy Spirit is given as our guaranteed The Holy Spirit is given as our guaranteed down payment for all that awaits us in down payment for all that awaits us in heaven.heaven.

Meanwhile, we somehow feel naked, Meanwhile, we somehow feel naked, exposed, out of place, as if we do not exposed, out of place, as if we do not belong here but were made for another belong here but were made for another world.world.

C. S. Lewis on Longing C. S. Lewis on Longing for Heavenfor Heaven

““Creatures are not born with desires unless Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably, earthly that the universe is a fraud. Probably, earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing.”only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing.”

The “Intermediate State” DebateThe “Intermediate State” Debate

What happens to us between the time that What happens to us between the time that we die and the time when Christ returns to we die and the time when Christ returns to give us a resurrection body fitted for the give us a resurrection body fitted for the new heaven and the new earth?new heaven and the new earth?


Three Main Views:Three Main Views:

1)1) When Paul talks about our longing to be When Paul talks about our longing to be clothed, he is describing an intermediate clothed, he is describing an intermediate state of existence where we are state of existence where we are disembodied spirits who long for Christ’s disembodied spirits who long for Christ’s return when we will finally be clothed in our return when we will finally be clothed in our resurrection body.resurrection body.



2)2) Paul is not talking about the idea of an Paul is not talking about the idea of an “intermediate state” of existence at all. He is “intermediate state” of existence at all. He is merely describing the Christian longing to be merely describing the Christian longing to be free from the suffering of this life and to free from the suffering of this life and to finally live forever in the unhindered finally live forever in the unhindered presence of Christ.presence of Christ.



3)3) Others argue that those who die will simply Others argue that those who die will simply go to sleep and not wake up until the end of go to sleep and not wake up until the end of the age when Christ returns and we all the age when Christ returns and we all receive our resurrection bodies.receive our resurrection bodies.

But Before We Miss the Point . . .But Before We Miss the Point . . .

As Christians, our focus should be on the As Christians, our focus should be on the hope of our divine and eternal home in hope of our divine and eternal home in heaven rather than feeling at home in the heaven rather than feeling at home in the things of this life. things of this life.

By living in view of our heavenly home, we By living in view of our heavenly home, we will be far more effective at living well in will be far more effective at living well in the life that we have been given by God the life that we have been given by God here on earth.here on earth.

Updown CourtUpdown Court

The Main Point:The Main Point:

Our Our realreal home, our home, our realreal dwelling, the dwelling, the place that we were made for and that place that we were made for and that God is now making for us, cannot be God is now making for us, cannot be found here on earth.found here on earth.

It is being built by God for us in It is being built by God for us in heaven!heaven!

Some Questions to PonderSome Questions to Ponder Do you long for heaven? Do you long to be with Do you long for heaven? Do you long to be with

Jesus forever?Jesus forever?

Or do you long for Updown Court—or maybe Or do you long for Updown Court—or maybe just “Good Enough” Court or even “HDB” Courtjust “Good Enough” Court or even “HDB” Court—here on earth?—here on earth?

Where does your longing lie? Do you really Where does your longing lie? Do you really want something eternal and unfading, or merely want something eternal and unfading, or merely something in this life that you will ultimately have something in this life that you will ultimately have to leave behind?to leave behind?

Living by Living by FaithFaith (6-8): (6-8):

Our confidence comes from knowing an Our confidence comes from knowing an eternal home in heaven awaits us.eternal home in heaven awaits us.

We know this is true because we live by We know this is true because we live by faith, not by mere sight.faith, not by mere sight.


In other words, In other words, we live for the unseen we live for the unseen things that are eternal rather than the things that are eternal rather than the visible things which are only temporary.visible things which are only temporary.

Although things appear to us to be one Although things appear to us to be one way, they are, in fact, extremely different.way, they are, in fact, extremely different.

Colossians 3:1-2Colossians 3:1-2

““Since, then, you have been raised with Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on the things Christ, set your hearts on the things above, where Christ is seated at the right above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”above, not on earthly things.”

Elisha and the Servant of God:Elisha and the Servant of God:2 Kings 6:8-172 Kings 6:8-17


Living by faith means seeing things the Living by faith means seeing things the way God sees them.way God sees them.

That is best done through listening to That is best done through listening to and reading His word, the Bible.and reading His word, the Bible.

Romans 10:17Romans 10:17

““Faith comes from hearing the Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”through the word of Christ.”

Living forLiving for ChristChrist (9-10):(9-10):

As Christians, we will all appear before As Christians, we will all appear before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ.the judgment seat of Jesus Christ.

This judgment is not a matter of This judgment is not a matter of salvation.salvation.

It pertains to rewards, accountability, It pertains to rewards, accountability, and our desire to please God.and our desire to please God.

Living for Rewards:Living for Rewards:1 Corinthians 3:11-151 Corinthians 3:11-15

““For no one can lay any foundation other than For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.”one escaping through the flames.”

Living for Rewards:Living for Rewards:1 Corinthians 9:24-271 Corinthians 9:24-27

““Do you not know that in a race all the Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave . . . .”I beat my body and make it my slave . . . .”

Living to Please ChristLiving to Please ChristMatthew 25:21Matthew 25:21

““His master replied, ‘Well done, good and His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”master’s happiness!’”

Living for Living for ChristChrist (9-10): (9-10): How we live out our lives in this decaying, How we live out our lives in this decaying,

temporary earthly body really matters for all temporary earthly body really matters for all eternity!eternity!

This should be a source of both hope and This should be a source of both hope and persistence through the tough times of life.persistence through the tough times of life.

It should also be a sobering reminder during the It should also be a sobering reminder during the easier times of life that we will all appear before easier times of life that we will all appear before Christ and give an account to Him concerning Christ and give an account to Him concerning how we lived out our lives upon this earth in the how we lived out our lives upon this earth in the light of eternity.light of eternity.

Conclusion and Application:Conclusion and Application:

What are you What are you reallyreally living for? living for?

Areas of AssessmentAreas of Assessment

Thought Life:Thought Life:


Casual Conversations:Casual Conversations:


Financial Priorities:Financial Priorities:


Time Commitments:Time Commitments:


Thought Life:Thought Life:

Casual Conversations:Casual Conversations:

Financial Priorities:Financial Priorities:

Time Commitments:Time Commitments:

The Student Volunteer MovementThe Student Volunteer Movement

William Borden William Borden of Yale of Yale

UniversityUniversity

““Precious in the Precious in the sight of the Lord sight of the Lord is the death of His is the death of His godly ones.”godly ones.”

——Psalm 116:15Psalm 116:15

William Borden William Borden of Yale of Yale

UniversityUniversity

No reserve.No reserve.

No retreat.No retreat.

No regret.No regret.

What are you living for? 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 Lewis Winkler.

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