BUILDING FOR ETERNITY

MATTHEW 7:2

A. WE ARE LIVING AT A TIME WHEN CONSTRUCTION WORK IN THE U.S.A. IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH
  1. It is a sign of the end:
  2. The nearness of Christ's second coming: Luke 17:28; Matt. 24:37-39
  3. Many are building, but not for eternity: Matt. 7:26; Ps. 127:1, 2
B. BUILDING FOR ETERNITY
  1. Negatively:
    1. Not that which is material only - 1 John 2:15, 16
    2. All material constructions are bound to be destroyed by fire - 2 Pet. 3:1-13; 1 Cor. 3:10-12
  2. Build a Bible based faith:
    1. That will endure forever - Jude 20
    2. Such a building is spoken of by the Lord Jesus Christ - Matt. 7:24-27
    3. Substance of this faith - John 7:37-39; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Rom. 10:17
    4. This building has Jesus Christ for the chief cornerstone - 1 Cor. 3:9-14; Luke 6:46; Eph. 2:20- 22
  3. The most important building project in the world today is:
    1. Character building
      1. Christlikeness - Rom. 8:29; 1 John 3:1-3
      2. Christlikeness must be the goal of everyone that wants to build for eternity - Phil. 3:10- 15
  4. Usefulness in the service of God and humanity is still another worthy project to work on:
    1. That was Paul's great ambition - 1 Cor. 9:19
    2. Said Jesus, "I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit" - John 15:16
    3. We are unto God a savour of life unto life to those who are blessed by our services - 2 Cor. 2:15, 16
    4. Endurance -- Our Lord gives great emphasis to endurance - Matt. 10:22; 24:12, 13. These are worthwhile projects to work for.
  5. Our pattern for our building:
    1. The Lord Jesus first and last - 1 Pet. 2:9-11
    2. He is the choice of our heavenly Father - Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Heb. 1:1-9
    3. This pattern is found in the sixty-six books of the Bible - John 5:39, 46, 47; Rom. 10:14-17
    4. Earnest and prevailing prayer is the heaven directed channel to give us the supply for our spiritual building - 1 Thess. 5:17; Col. 4:2
C. BUILDING FOR ETERNITY
  1. We know from experience that such a project is the work of a lifetime:
    1. That which has been ruined or destroyed through sin cannot be reconstructed in a day.
    2. Those who say that sanctification is instantaneous are greatly in error.
    3. Character building is based upon experience, and experience is based upon our daily life.
    4. Consider what Paul writes -
      1. About himself - Phil. 3:13-15
      2. The work of sanctification - 2 Cor. 7:1-3
    5. Peter writes about additions - 2 Pet. 1:2-8
    6. James understood this truth - Jas. 3:1-17
  2. To have our building endure through all eternity, we must make sure:
    1. That our thoughts, words, and actions are based upon eternal principles.
    2. These principles are stated plainly in the Ten Commandments - Ex. 20:3-17; Eccl. 12:13, 14
    3. They are a transcript of God's eternal and unchangeable will - Ps. 111:7-9
    4. Those who oppose God's law will build on the sand - 1 John 2:4-7; Isa. 30:8, 9
    5. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only - Jas. 1:22, 23; Rom. 2:13
  3. Thus, it is crystal clear that when we build according to God's plan, use the material provided for us in the Bible, our building will endure: 2 Cor. 3:18, 19; Matt. 7:24-27


Design © John Bryant 2011