“Eternal” questions: You better get these right! (Part 2 of heaven and hell series)
Luke 10:17--20; Romans 8:28--39 [NIV]
I. Our eternal security rests on Romans 8:32?
A. How? Giving us eternal life is easy for GOD?
B. Why is giving us eternal life easy for GOD? (v. 32) “The Logic of Heaven” (John Piper)
1. “But what puts Romans 8:32 in a class by itself is the logic that gives rise to the promise and makes it as solid and unshakable as God’s love for his infinitely admirable Son.
Romans 8:32 contains a foundation and guarantee that is so strong and so solid and so
secure that there is absolutely no possibility that the promise could ever be broken. ...ever present strength in times of great turmoil.” [John Piper, Future Grace (Sisters,
OR: Multnomah, 1995), 112.]
2. What makes this verse so powerful? “...two parts. The foundation and the promise.” (Ibid.)
a) “The foundation”: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us
all....”
Acts 2:23
This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and
foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by
nailing him to the cross.
Isaiah 53:4, 10
4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we
considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and
though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring
and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.
(1) Ex. Abraham and Isaac / “Just as Abraham lifted the knife over the chest of his son
Isaac, but then spared his son because there was a ram in the thicket, so GOD the
FATHER lifted the knife over the chest of his own Son JESUS---but did not spare
HIM, because HE was the ram; HE was the substitute.” (Ibid, 112--13)
(2) * Piper: “Why did GOD not spare HIS SON? GOD did not spare HIS own SON,
because it was the only way HE could spare us.” (Ibid, 113)
(a) We deserve “hell” because of our sins. But...
Isaiah 53:5--6
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed
for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was
upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like
sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own
way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
(3) Now we have the privilege of eternal life because we have been set free!
b) “The promise”: “majori ad minus. This means arguing ‘from the greater to the
lesser.’” (Ibid, 114)
(1) Piper: “Overcoming the greater obstacles assures you that I will overcome the
lesser ones.... Paul is reasoning in 8:32 from the hard to the easy, or from the
greater to the lesser.”
(2) “If GOD did not spare HIS own SON, but gave HIM up for us---that’s the hard thing,
the great thing. The reason it’s the greater thing is that GOD love[s] HIS SON
infinitely. HIS SON did not deserve to be killed. HIS SON [is] worthy of worship by
Intro: The snowman we made and how he melted. When it comes to eternal life, can I be eternally secure?
Every creature, not spitting and whipping and scorn and torture. To hand over HIS
beloved SON...was the incomparably great thing.” (Ibid, 114--15)
Colossians 1:13
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought
us into the kingdom of the Son he loves…”
(3) Two examples:
Matthew 6:28--30
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the
field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not
even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today
and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe
you, O you of little faith?
(a) Piper: “Don’t jump to the conclusion that JESUS is arguing from ‘lesser to
greater.’ Yes grass is lesser than people. But clothing grass is more unlikely
than clothing disciples.... HE says in effect that it is highly improbable that GOD
Almighty would waste HIS time clothing field flowers which last only a day. This
high improbability is the ‘greater thing.’... On the other hand, there is a small
amount of improbability that GOD would neglect HIS SON’s disciples and not
clothe them.” (Ibid., 114)
Mark 2:5--11
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son,
your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some teachers of the law
were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 "Why does this
fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins
but God alone?" 8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that
this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said
to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is
easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to
say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10 But that you may
know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive
sins . . ." He said to the paralytic, 11 "I tell you, get up, take
your mat and go home." 12 He got up, took his mat and
walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and
they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like
this!"
(b) It is easy for GOD to “forgive sins,” because the “greater” thing was sending
JESUS to die in our place and pay our penalty. Therefore, forgiving “sins” is
easier than healing! Why? Forgiveness is what we really need: more than
physical healing!
c) “This is why...the promise of Romans 8:32 is as sure as GOD’s love for HIS SON....
[GOD] did not spare HIS SON. ANd therefore it is impossible that HE should spare us
the promise for which the SON died--- “how will he not also, along with him,
graciously give us all things?” (Ibid., 115; Romans 8:32b)
C. “But what does this promise mean---that GOD will freely with CHRIST give us all things?
1 Corinthians 3:21--22
Intro: The snowman we made and how he melted. When it comes to eternal life, can I be eternally secure?
21 So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or
Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future---all areyours,
II.
Luke 10:1--20
III. First way heavenly minded is better, we live with a sense of urgency. (vv. 3--4)
A. “missionary work” remains crucial in CHRISTianity! (Joel B. Green, “The Gospel of Luke,” The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Gen. Eds. Ned B. Stonehouse, F. F.Bruce, and Gordon D. Fee (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1997), 410.)
B. The “seventy-two” had authority! (v. 17)
1. “sending” “incorporates...the provision of the competence necessary to achieve the
missionary end for which person are sent.” (Ibid.)
2. We should expect success!
C. Sending shows “concern for all the peoples of the world.” (Ibid., 411)
1. “the rejection of JESUS and his message among Galilean towns, set against the claim that a mission oriented toward Gentile settings would certainly have produced
repentance....” (Ibid.) (vv. 13--15)
D. Application: But, it takes “single-minded devotion” (Luke 9:57--62)
IV.Second way heavenly minded is better, we experience supernatural “peace.” (vv. 5--12)
A. “Peace will be pronounced....”
Romans 8:6
The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;
Ephesians 4:3
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
B. “...to reject JESUS’ messengers is to reject JESUS and HIS message, to reject JESUS is to reject GOD, to reject GOD is to align oneself with satan, and to align oneself with satan is to place oneself in a position to be cast down into judgment.” (Ibid.)
1. Luke 9:51--56
C. v. 17: “Lord”: key term in the disciples obedience and salvation!
V. Third way heavenly minded is better, we experience consistent “joy!” (vv. 17--20)
VI.
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