MILKY WAY MESSAGE

On Sunday I took a bite from a Milky Way candy bar as the message started. We knew it was a Milky Way candy bar because the wrapper identified it as a Milky Way candy bar. But the wrapper was not the candy bar; the wrapper was just a wrapper to protect the candy bar that was inside. In 2 Corinthians 5 Paul tells us our earthly bodies are kind of like a candy bar wrapper. Our earthly bodies aren’t the real us, they just protect and cover the real us that is inside. One day the real us will be “unwrapped” from our earthly bodies, and we will receive new bodies that will last forever. Paul said our earthly bodies are like tents, but our Heavenly bodies will be buildings that God Himself makes for us. So, it’s easy to see that our earthly bodies are only temporary, and our earthly lives are only temporary. 

Since our earthly bodies are temporary, Paul encourages us to live our temporary earthly lives for God’s honor and glory because we will all give an account for how we’ve lived our lives. Believers will be rewarded for their work for the Lord, while non-believers will be judged for their sin. Paul then says that since we know we will all be judged, we try to persuade men. Persuade them of what? The need to give their lives to Jesus and the need to then live their lives for His honor and glory. Why? Because we want them to be ready to stand before Jesus. We want them to be saved and secure in Heaven, and we want them to be blessed with whatever rewards He has prepared for them. Paul said these are things we know, or at least things that we should know. 

So, What do we know? We know…

1. We have an earthly body and a Heavenly body.  

2. We’ll all give an account for our earthly lives.

3. The judgment seat should motivate us.               

Since we know these things, let’s act on them and make a difference for Jesus and for His Kingdom right here in Sarasota. May God bless you!

-Pastor Rick