God's Eternal Kingdom

Mike Sullivan

Revelation 21:1

What will happen to us when we die? Does it really matter? The book of Isaiah has a lot to say about the two destinations - heaven and hell. How that impacts our lives now and what we have to look forward to is discussed.

An Audience of One

Dennis McCallum

1 Corinthians 3:8-23

Corinth struggled in many areas including following human leaders instead of God. Serving just the Lord, eternal life, and how we should not store up treasures here on earth are all covered.

The Waking Dead

Scott Risley

Daniel 12:1-13

What will the end of the world look like and what comes afterward? Daniel describes this seven-year period. We'll see the Antichrist's role where things turn from peace into war; the final world war, which will last until Jesus returns to defeat the Antichrist. In Matthew 24, Jesus quotes from Daniel, describing the Abomination of Desolation and the Great Tribulation. The world will be wracked by anguish, but everyone whose name is "written in the book" will be saved. At the end of time, everyone will be brought back from the dead; some will be awakened to everlasting life and some to "shame and everlasting contempt."

Exploring Eternity

James Rochford

Daniel 12:1-13

Daniel's final chapter speaks both of "everlasting life" and "shame and everlasting contempt." Several reasons are presented about why we can be confident in an afterlife. Popular misconceptions of Hell and God's judgment are clarified.

Fighting the Good Fight

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Timothy 4:7

In Paul's letters to Timothy, God reveals the keys to fulfilling His purposes in your life; following God with your whole life is like a race or a fight. It won't be easy and you have to continue to remember it can only be done with God as your trainer. There are four keys laid out in these letters: 1) heed the gifting and calling that God gave you; 2) keep a good conscience; 3) cultivate an eternal perspective; and 4) learn endurance from the trials in your life.

What is the Human Race?

Dennis McCallum

Genesis 1:27-2:20

What does scripture mean when it says humans are made in the image of God? Seven characteristics of humans before the fall are outlined and what each communicates about God, humans, and the afterlife. The first five characteristics are: 1) benevolent leadership; 2) creative accomplishment; 3) free moral agency; 4) relational; and 5) intellectual creativity. The last two characteristics are covered in the next teaching of the series.

Exploring Eternity (Part 2) - The Afterlife in World Religions

James Rochford

Genesis 1:27-2:20

When comparing and contrasting the major world religions (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism) we see that these worldviews cannot all be true. One similarity among all of them except Christianity is that they teach ?works? of some kind. Biblical Christianity is different in that it says you can never be good enough and you have to trust in the work God has already done through Jesus. What is interesting is Jesus is found in many of the world religions. If Jesus is so important, why not pick the view that places him at the center of your faith rather than around the periphery?

Exploring Eternity (Part 1)

James Rochford

Revelation 6:9-11

Many of us get a sense that something is missing in this world and seek things in this world to fulfill what is missing. But this world will never satisfy us because we were made for another world altogether. Instead of seeking the things in this world, we are to seek the things above. Revelation 6 gives us seven insights into what we can look forward to in the present heaven. Many choose not to seek heaven because of their objections. Our speculations about eternity might seem reasonable now but how horrible to prejudge a place we've never been! Most of our objections don't come from knowing too much?but too little.

Exploring Eternity (Part 3) - Minds Fixed on Eterntiy

James Rochford

Ephesians 5:15-16

Investing in heaven is the wisest choice we can make. It starts with setting our mind on heaven in this life. Here are five things to consider: 1) people are the only lasting commodity; 2) eternity reminds us why temporal pursuits never satisfy; 3) a mindset on eternity reminds us our suffering has a purpose; 4) eternity reminds us to be faithful with the small stuff; and 5) eternity reminds us that we will all give an account for our lives someday.