12/4 SERMON: THE CHALLENGE OF ETERNITY

Friends,

This sermon marks the end of our NTC teaching series and the end of my blogs based on the sermon series. I would love to know if these were helpful for you and/or your group. I'm continuing to look for ways to make leading a more impactful and enjoyable and I would love your feedback so please shoot me a quick email and let me know if this was helpful for you (specifics would be great as I evaluate whether or not the teaching notes blog was helpful).

Here's Sunday's message with some questions to help your group go deeper:

THE CHALLENGE OF ETERNITY

• Why do you think the New Testament talks so much (over 500 times) about eternity? 
• Ron suggested that we can't full experience life the way that God intended it if without a view of eternity. Why do you think that is?

COLOSSIANS 3:2 – Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. – TLB

• The author of Colossians writes the words in Col. 3:2 because he knows that we have a deep sense of eternity, but a strong desire to live for temporal things. 
• Where do you see this tension coming up in your life?
• Ron reminded us that the key to life is living with a dual focus (both on the here and now, and on eternity). What does this practically look like in our lives?

 3 CHANGES THAT DUAL FOCUS BRINGS INTO OUR LIVES:

#1 – It changes what we get upset and worried about. 

ROMANS 8:18 – I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. – NIV

• What kinds of things do you get worried/upset about? 
• How often do the things that you worry/get upset about come to pass?
• How can your view of eternity change the above two questions?

#2 – It changes how we invest our time, energies, and resources.

JOHN 6:27 – Don't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. – NLT

• Do the majority of your resources, time, and energy go toward eternal pursuits or temporal ones? 
• Are you happy with the percentage that you give to each or would you like to change the ratio?

 #3 – It changes how we view our own mortality and death. 

1 CORINTHIANS 15:54-55 – Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? – NLT

• Does death scare you? Why or why not? 

3 WAYS TO LIVE WITH AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

#1 – Get on board with Jesus 

JOHN 3:16-18 – God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. – NLT

• When did you choose to become a follower of Jesus? If you have never made that decision, what is the deciding factor keeping you from making it today?

#2 – Educate myself about my destination 

• How much do you know about Haven? 
• Are you going to take Ron's advice and listen to the series that he preached about Heaven, or get Randy Alcorn's book "Heaven"?

#3 – Put myself in settings where eternity is the focus

• Being reminded of our eternal destination as followers of God is one great benefit to being at church and in  a Life Group. What are some other benefits to being in this type of community of faith?

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE: What is one thing that you want to do to put this discussion about eternity into practice?