Winning Ways -- Hillcrest Baptist Church

Discipleship Classes Launch This Sunday!

Have you registered for a class in the Hillcrest Institute?
Find out what's available and sign up at www.hillcrest.church/hill.

Training Today for a Glorious Tomorrow
by Tom Goodman
February 10, 2016

This life is a training center to get you ready for a glorious future.

That perspective shows up all through the Bible. For example, when Paul urged the Corinthian believers to settle disputes amongst themselves instead of taking their cases to secular courts, he said, "Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!" (1 Corinthians 6:3).

There is a stunning future ahead for those who belong to Jesus. Heaven is a place for rest and reward from our labors, but there will be work to do, too. We'll govern angels!

By the way, note that Paul says we'll govern angels, not become angels. Perhaps one of the most common phrases you hear when a loved one dies is, "She's become one of God's angels now." The phrase is intended as a compliment, but it really diminishes the grandeur and glory of blood-bought humanity. Angels can only look longingly into the wonder of a gospel meant for us (1 Peter 1:12). They are "ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14). If a believer were to become one of God's angels at death, it would be a demotion!

No, we are destined for a stunning future where faithful earthly servants become rulers of cities (Luke 19:11-26), princes on thrones (Revelation 3:21), rescuers of a ruined world (Malachi 4:3), and, yes, governors of angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). Maybe one reason we don't long for heaven as much as the biblical writers did is because our modern understanding of heaven has become so thin and colorless.

This isn't some pie-in-the-sky mental escape from the hardships of life. Instead, you need to adjust your perspective on present-day life on this basis of your glorious future! If faithful service is rewarded, then serve faithfully now. If treasure stored in eternal causes never fades away, then give to Heaven's causes now (Matthew 6:19-21). If our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal weight of glory, then joyfully endure your troubles now (2 Corinthians 4:17). And, as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:3, if you're destined to govern angels in the future, you're authorized to settle comparatively trivial disputes between believers now.

Let what's true about your future change how you handle your present! We'll examine this in more detail on Sunday. Read ahead in 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 and join us online or onsite at 10am!

--Tom

Beacon Articles Available Online: The staff newsletters that appear each week in the Beacon are also available on our website. You can find them here.

Check out my weblog here.

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Winning Ways - from Hillcrest Baptist Church, Austin, Texas	Contact Tom Goodman, Pastor
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Discipleship Classes Launch This Sunday! Have you registered for a class in the Hillcrest Institute? Find out what's available and sign up at www.hillcrest.church/hill. Training Today for a Glorious Tomorrow by Tom Goodman February 10, 2016 This life is a training center to get you ready for a glorious future. That perspective shows up all through the Bible. For example, when Paul urged the Corinthian believers to settle disputes amongst themselves instead of taking their cases to secular courts, he said, "Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!" (1 Corinthians 6:3). There is a stunning future ahead for those who belong to Jesus. Heaven is a place for rest and reward from our labors, but there will be work to do, too. We'll govern angels! By the way, note that Paul says we'll govern angels, not become angels. Perhaps one of the most common phrases you hear when a loved one dies is, "She's become one of God's angels now." The phrase is intended as a compliment, but it really diminishes the grandeur and glory of blood-bought humanity. Angels can only look longingly into the wonder of a gospel meant for us (1 Peter 1:12). They are "ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14). If a believer were to become one of God's angels at death, it would be a demotion! No, we are destined for a stunning future where faithful earthly servants become rulers of cities (Luke 19:11-26), princes on thrones (Revelation 3:21), rescuers of a ruined world (Malachi 4:3), and, yes, governors of angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). Maybe one reason we don't long for heaven as much as the biblical writers did is because our modern understanding of heaven has become so thin and colorless. This isn't some pie-in-the-sky mental escape from the hardships of life. Instead, you need to adjust your perspective on present-day life on this basis of your glorious future! If faithful service is rewarded, then serve faithfully now. If treasure stored in eternal causes never fades away, then give to Heaven's causes now (Matthew 6:19-21). If our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal weight of glory, then joyfully endure your troubles now (2 Corinthians 4:17). And, as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:3, if you're destined to govern angels in the future, you're authorized to settle comparatively trivial disputes between believers now. Let what's true about your future change how you handle your present! We'll examine this in more detail on Sunday. Read ahead in 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 and join us online or onsite at 10am! --Tom Beacon Articles Available Online: The staff newsletters that appear each week in the Beacon are also available on our website. You can find them here. Check out my weblog here. Do you know friends who would appreciate Winning Ways? Just forward this e-mail to them! Have you subscribed to Winning Ways? You can subscribe by clicking here and following the instructions. Your e-mail address will not be sold or given away to anyone, and you can automatically change your subscription or drop it by following the easy steps provided with each e-mail. FRESH NEWS AT HILLCREST UPDATED WEEKLY: www.hillcrestaustin.org LISTEN TO RECENT SERMONS: Click here. MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTERS: Click here. If you do not have access to the web, please send a note to newsmaster@hbcaustin.org to tell us of any changes you would like to make.