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[0:00] Today's scripture reading is from the 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verses 29 to 58. Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead?

[0:14] If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.

[0:28] I died every day. What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.

[0:43] Do not be deceived. Bad company ruins good morals. Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning.

[0:54] For some have no knowledge of God. God, I say this to your shame. But someone will ask, how are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?

[1:06] You foolish person. What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. What you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.

[1:20] But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.

[1:37] There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.

[1:54] For star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable. What is raised is imperishable.

[2:07] It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body.

[2:19] If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, the first man, Adam, became a living being. The last, Adam, became a life-giving spirit.

[2:33] But it is not the spirit that is first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust. The second man is from heaven.

[2:46] As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust. And as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we were born the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

[3:02] I tell you this, brothers. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery.

[3:15] We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised, imperishable.

[3:27] And we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

[3:50] O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. And thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

[4:04] Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. This is the word of God.

[4:16] Amen. Amen. Great. Thank you, Yidi, for praying. Margo, for reading. We're going to look at this passage.

[4:27] It's actually part of a topical series, but yeah, it's a great passage. And so, let's pray that God would speak to each one of us. Our Father, thank you for your word.

[4:38] Thank you that we are not in the dark about the future. You tell us what will be, and we pray that you would speak to our hearts, and it would change our lives. In Jesus' name. Amen.

[4:50] Great. So, I know it's a beautiful day. Let me start with a slightly different question. So, imagine you only had like five years to live.

[5:03] What kind of things would you be doing during those five years? Have a think about that. I don't know what kind of things you're thinking of.

[5:16] My guess is if you ask most people in the world, they would have a list of things that they would want to do, right? They would, I want to go to Paris. I want to ride a motorcycle. I want to go bungee jumping.

[5:28] I want to see the normal lights, take a cruise. Any of those kind of things, right? Because, you know, we want to make the most of life. These are amazing things that, you know, we should do.

[5:39] And if I only have five years, well, let me do them. People call it a bucket list from the expression to kick the bucket, which is to die. Now, some of you haven't probably thought about that because you're so young.

[5:52] I guess in your case, well, I think this is on social media, YOLO, right? YOLO, you only live once. Let's make the most of this life.

[6:03] Let's have big ice cream. Let's go bungee jumping. They're both the same thing, right? Whether you're old or young. The idea that we hear in the world is make the most of this life.

[6:14] There is so much good in the world. There's so much to enjoy. So many great experiences you can have. Well, let's do it. Because this is your life.

[6:25] Now, as Christians, I don't know how you feel about that. It kind of feels wrong. But at the same time, are you saying that those things are wrong? All right? No. I'm sure they are good things.

[6:36] How do we work with that? Well, that's what we're going to talk about today. Because this is a series on the human body, our physical bodies. What does God think about them?

[6:47] And we're basically going through the Bible story, right? It starts with creation and how God made our bodies. And so they're good. But then, yeah, we sinned and our bodies are now broken.

[6:58] Last week, well, we're now back with God so we can use our bodies for worship. But then, the future. You know, what will this mean? Yeah, what about our bodies and all eternity?

[7:10] Or in heaven, as Kevin just said. That's what we're going to talk about. And I think this is really important because the future does affect the present. And the reason we're, well, you've heard that we're reading from 1 Corinthians 15.

[7:26] And that chapter is really suitable because that was the Corinthians problem. They didn't think there was much after death. They didn't think there was a resurrection, right?

[7:38] Paul, in verse 12 of this chapter, he says, how can you say there's no resurrection from the dead? We're just saying, I believe in the resurrection, right? This is a core Christian belief and a lot of the Corinthians, they didn't believe it anymore.

[7:52] They just followed Greek philosophy where, you know, the body isn't very important. The future, well, we'll just be spirits floating around, something like that. That is the future we have.

[8:05] And, well, Paul wants to say, no, no, this is essential. And that's what, actually, it's exactly what we need to hear, right? We want to know about our bodies, about the future.

[8:17] Well, let's talk about the resurrection because that's when it's called, right? Being raised from the dead. And so, the big thing, first of all, that Paul wants to say, well, look, you will have resurrection bodies.

[8:30] We will have resurrection bodies, right? You heard in the reading, the body, the body, the body. We will have bodies. Clearly, God cares about bodies because we will have bodies for all eternity.

[8:42] And you will have a physical body. The future is physical. It is a new creation. This is very different from what many people think, right? I think I've said this before.

[8:53] Many people think eternity, heaven, is like, a bit like this, right? floating around in a white dress with a harp on a cloud, something like that. This is kind of eternity for most people.

[9:07] And I don't know about you. I don't think it's very exciting. But that is kind of what people think. Well, the answer is, actually, that is not our future. This is kind of the picture of heaven.

[9:19] But, you know what? You're going to heaven, but only for a short time. Heaven is only a waiting room. The real thing is when Jesus comes back and then he will make a new creation.

[9:30] He will take this creation and totally transform it. And he will give us our old bodies, whether they'll be completely transformed. We'll have new bodies, resurrection bodies. So the future is physical, right?

[9:41] We're going back to the Garden of Eden. God had this plan originally, and he's not going to change that. And back when God made humans, he gave them taste buds so that they could taste.

[9:53] Well, God wants us to be tasting in the new creation. He gave us ears to listen to music. He gave us eyes to see beauty, and he wants us to do that for all eternity because that was his plan.

[10:05] And he's not going to change his plan with a kind of plan B of floating spirits. No, you will have a physical body. I think this is, you know, that answers kind of what we feel, right?

[10:18] Because maybe, I don't know, maybe you're here, you're not a visitor. So you're a visitor, you're not a Christian, you look at different religions, and you see the world, and there's good things and bad things. And many religions, they kind of, they discard the world.

[10:31] And, you know, you have this kind of spiritual nirvana or whatever. But then how about the good things in the world? Now, Christianity says, no, the world is good. We just need to get rid of the bad things and renew it.

[10:44] And God says, the world is good. Bodies are good, and you will have them for all eternity. But not just the body we have now, actually, a better body.

[10:57] Because a lot of this passage was about this objection in verse 35, right? But someone will ask, how were the dead raised? What kind of body do they come? With what kind of body?

[11:09] Because if you don't think much of the body, and you get to hear, well, you're going to have a body for all eternity, maybe that's not that exciting, right? Because bodies, they hurt, and they break, and they get old, and they get fat, and you just think, why would I want a body for all eternity?

[11:25] And so Paul says, no, no, no, you fool. You'll get a better body. It's a transformed body. It's like, well, verse 37, you know, what you sow is not a body that is to be, but a bare seed, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.

[11:44] It's going to be a transformed body. And so, I have here an apple seed. Most of you can't see it. I had an apple this morning. If I put this in the ground, I don't get an apple seed out of it.

[11:57] What do I get? Well, I get like an apple tree, beautiful, full of apples. I get something, I mean, it's the same thing, but it's not, right? It's transformed. It's far better. Well, Paul says, that is what your body will be, right?

[12:11] When you die, you get planted in the ground, right? And then, what comes out isn't just the same old you. It is a better, transformed you, right?

[12:22] So, we get all these adjectives. Verse 42, right? This is the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable. What is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory.

[12:33] It's sown in weakness. It's raised in power. It's sown in natural body. It's raised in spiritual body. That doesn't mean physical versus spiritual. It means a kind of, you know, just natural power versus spirit and powers, something like that.

[12:46] It doesn't mean non-physical, but better, right? You know, Adam and Christ. Adam was made of the dust. Christ is from heaven, right? It's going to be better.

[12:57] You're going to be, yeah, your body will be better. It's beyond the Garden of Eden. I think the best illustration is Jesus himself, right? Jesus is our prototype.

[13:08] He has a resurrection body. Now, he looked like Jesus. It was physical. He could eat and fish and drink and those kind of things. It was recognizably Jesus, but also he could teleport and walk through walls, right?

[13:22] It's a, he had a better body. Well, it's the same for us. We will have a better body. Now, how will it be better? We don't really know all the details.

[13:34] I mean, a big thing we know, no more sin, right? Our bodies are now full of sin. That will all be gone. And there will be no more sluggishness when trying to obey God.

[13:45] There's no, nothing holding you back, right? We will be perfectly glorifying God with our lives. That is a big thing. No more brokenness. All the things from two weeks ago, the damage and disease and defects and decay, nothing of that.

[14:02] Of course, we'll still have some limitations. We're creatures, but some other limitations will be gone. Something like that, right? Of course, we don't know. How old will I look?

[14:12] No idea. If I jump off the building, will I die or will I just not, I won't die, but, you know, or will I just not jump off buildings? I have no idea. But, here's the idea.

[14:23] We can just trust God, but you will have a better body. You know, more, you'll be more alive now, than, than now. It will be more real than now.

[14:35] Right? So, maybe you like hiking here. How about hiking in a transformed body in the new creation? Maybe you like music. How about playing music with a transformed body in the new creation, with transformed ears?

[14:54] Right? The idea is, it's going to be so much better. And you have an amazing future to look forward to. And it's a great hope. And if any of you here are currently struggling with the brokenness of this world, of our bodies, maybe of family members that you need to care for, what a hope.

[15:15] Right? You know, two weeks ago, I said, hey, it's temporary. Well, here it is. It is, that is temporary, because we have this great future. One day, a new body, no more sin, no more pain, no more death.

[15:28] God will make everything right. That's our, a great hope. And, and even if you're not struggling at the moment, even if life is great, this should be exciting. This should be, you know, sometimes you think, oh, life is hard.

[15:41] Jesus, please come back. You know, you should want Jesus to come back on your wedding day. I know, but imagine you're, you're getting married, right? Saying you've been dating for years, and then you're planning the wedding, and, uh, everything is ready, and it's the great day, and, the bride is walking down the aisle, and then, Jesus is here.

[16:00] What would you say? Amen, Jesus, what, could you come one day later? What? No, we should think, wow, this is better than getting married, right?

[16:10] Jesus is coming back, the resurrection. It's, it's a, it's, it's not just another life, it's a better, everlasting life, and, and that's what, what we need, right? I mean, I don't know, sometimes we're tempted to sin, and think, well, but I don't want to throw away my Christian life.

[16:28] Uh, I love this cartoon about, uh, you know, the, the cloud, and this guy sitting there, wish I'd brought a magazine. I mean, if that's what you think about the future, that's not really going to help you, right?

[16:40] You're tempted to sin, oh man, I don't want to lose my harp and my dress. No, of course you're going to give in to sin, if you think the future isn't worth living for. Yeah? No, we have an amazing future.

[16:54] And, basically, what I want us all to see, well, you won't miss out later. You will have an amazing future. If you're a Christian, if you're in Christ, uh, you know, God loves this creation, and he will make a new creation, and it's going to be amazing.

[17:12] You're not going to miss out. I think for some of us, is that the fact that you won't miss out, means we can have, we can be content now. Right? Because, for some of us here, actually, we really feel that there are things that we want to do, but we can't.

[17:30] Imagine, yeah, like, if you're Sebastian, and you can't see well, and there's so much beauty to see in this world, and you can't see it, that must be really hard. And if this is your only life, that's a real pity.

[17:43] But, there's a new creation, and you're going to have amazing eyes, and to see amazing beauty, and you're not going to miss anything from this world. Right? It's okay. It's okay to not see this world, because you're going to be in the new creation.

[17:56] Others of you, maybe there's things you, were able to do in the past, and you can't do them anymore. That's okay. You're going to do much more in the future. Maybe responsibilities.

[18:07] Maybe there's so much you want to do, but you have kids, or you have elderly parents, and you just are unable to do those kind of things. It's okay. You can be content.

[18:18] You'll do them later. I mean, for me, I'd love to see Australia. I heard it's really beautiful. But yeah, I've got three kids. I've got family in two different countries. We need to see. I may never see Australia.

[18:30] That's okay. Because I will go to the new creation. Right? It's okay not to see Australia. Maybe if you're from Australia, you may not think so. But right? It's okay.

[18:43] I hope that encourages us. If we're feeling that, if we're feeling the limitations at the moment, yeah, you have a wonderful future. You will not miss out later. But I also want to speak to the rest of us who kind of don't feel that at the moment.

[18:58] Because many of us here, we're young, and we're single, or we're married without kids. And actually, we can get a lot out of this life. We don't have many responsibilities or limitations yet.

[19:09] Others of us, we're a bit older, but we have a lot of money. Right? And so, there's many of us here who can make the most of this life. Right? Which is where we started.

[19:20] What would Paul say to us? And Paul says to us, well, if we have resurrection bodies, we should have resurrection priorities. resurrection priorities.

[19:33] Because what does Paul say we should be doing? Well, the last verse of that chapter, verse 58. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain.

[19:52] He wants them to be doing the work of the Lord. Now, what is that? Is that your job as a lawyer or doctor? Well, the next chapter, 16, verse 10. What does Paul say?

[20:03] He talks about Timothy. When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. And so, this is the stuff that Timothy and Paul do.

[20:16] The work of the Lord is gospel work. It's evangelism. It's making disciples. Right? It's things that build the church. Right? Things to do with God's salvation plan.

[20:29] That is what we should be doing, if we understand the resurrection, Paul says. Now, why is that? Now, there's a few reasons in this passage. One big thing is, of course, you know, think of this, you know, we've been thinking about me, right?

[20:43] Me and my body. Actually, think of this incredibly great future, what this actually means. This is the fulfillment of all God's plan. Right? This is the final step of his plan to restore everything.

[20:57] This is not just about you. There's like a billion Christians who will all receive a resurrection body on that day. Right? It's going to be the greatest day ever. It's why Paul goes on to talk about, you know, victory.

[21:11] Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where's your victory? It's this whole crowd of people changed who are cheering and celebrating. Right? We've seen the Olympics or the European championships.

[21:24] You have all these people, you know, celebrating their country that has won and they're all cheering. Yay! And, you know, and that is going to be the last day. You know, the last enemy is defeated and we'll all go, yo, death, you loser, you've lost and Christ has won.

[21:40] And it's going to be a great celebration. The most wonderful day in history as Christ's victory is just there for all to see. And we're all celebrating. And the work of the Lord is what contributes to that.

[21:53] Right? If people are saved, they will be there. You know, that calling you're trying to reach out to and they believe they will be there. Part of the celebration. But it should be so. Yeah.

[22:04] It's not just about me. This is such a great plan to be part of, to join in. Right? It says, this is not in vain. Your work for the Lord is not in vain. Maybe now, you know, you're reading the Bible with someone and not much seems to be happening.

[22:17] On that day, you will see it's not in vain. See what Christ has done. See that as they stand there celebrating. No, it's not in vain. But at the same time, there's another reason.

[22:33] Why can we have resurrection priorities? Well, if we have such a great future, if we have another life, actually, maybe this life is a bit less important.

[22:45] We can spend it on other things. Because Paul says, hey, why don't you look at me and the apostles? That's what he's saying to the Corinthians earlier in that, that first paragraph that we read.

[22:57] Because the Corinthians, they don't believe in the resurrection. And Paul says, look, this is such a basic Christian belief. Look at me. Look at the other apostles.

[23:09] Look at how we live. And how does he live? Well, verse 30. Hey, Corinthians, why are we in danger every hour? I die every day.

[23:20] Look, why do we apostles, yeah, why do we live as we do? Why do we go around church planting? Why do we not settle down? But we go around planting churches, we get put in prison, we get persecuted, we work hard, we get opposed.

[23:38] Why do we live such a life? Why would you do that, why would we do that, Corinthians? Well, because of the resurrection, right? Look, verse 32. What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus?

[23:54] It's like, imagine, gladiator, right? You know, you're in the arena, fighting with beasts, right? You're there with your sword, trying to fight against lions. It's not a good idea, right?

[24:05] What do you gain? You just die. Why would I do that? Why would I waste my life like that? Because that's what they were doing, right, in the eyes of the world. If they, you know, if there's no future, we would live differently.

[24:20] The rest of verse 33, 32, you know, if the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. You know, if there's no future, well, YOLO, well, let's eat and drink, go to the best restaurants, travel, you know, get married, you know, do all those things, because this is your only life.

[24:40] But the thing is, we don't do that. Why don't we do that? Because we have another life. We have, we won't miss out later, and therefore, we can miss out now.

[24:51] I mean, that's why the Corinthian church was such a mess. You may wonder, why were the Corinthians sleeping with prostitutes and going to the idol temple to get the best food and suing each other for money and getting drunk at the Lord's Supper?

[25:06] Why were they doing those things? Well, because this is their only life, they thought. And so, YOLO, right? Let's get the most out of it. But Paul says, you don't need to.

[25:17] You don't need to do that because you have another one and you can give up this life. Now, I'm not saying we should all become missionaries. It doesn't have to be God's call on all of us.

[25:29] But you have to admit of our priorities, right? What are the most important things we can do right now? I mean, why is Jesus not here yet? Why don't we have a resurrection body yet?

[25:41] Well, the Bible tells us, 2 Peter 3, verse 9, the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise that some count slowness, but he's patient towards you, not wanting anyone to perish, but all to reach repentance.

[25:55] Jesus isn't here yet because he wants more people to be saved. That's what he is doing. I mean, he's not delaying so you can watch more Netflix and see more countries.

[26:05] He is here to, he's delaying to save more people. Right? I mean, all those things are not bad things, they're good things. It's good to travel, it's good to enjoy food, they're all good things.

[26:18] The only thing is, you will also do them later. But saving people can only be done now, right? When Jesus returns, there is not going to be any more opportunity to repent.

[26:30] No one can be saved anymore. But enjoying yourself, you can do later. And so, I mean, if all my to-do list, there are things that need to be done today and things without a deadline, I will focus on the things that need to be done today.

[26:44] And Paul says, that's what we should be doing. Right? The work of the Lord can only be done now. And, you know, you won't miss out later, so you can miss out now.

[26:56] You can adjust your priorities to prioritize the work, the gospel. Prioritize discipleship. Prioritize evangelism. Because this is the greatest thing you can be involved in and, you know, you won't miss out.

[27:11] You won't miss out on anything. Yeah? I mean, most of us know that. I mean, I gave you, at the start, five years to live. If I told you you've got six months left to live, I think most of you wouldn't travel the world, right?

[27:25] You want to spend time with family. You want to make sure your kids really know about Jesus and your family members. Most of us know, okay, if it's really urgent, yeah, I know what I need to do. Prioritize people.

[27:37] Prioritize the gospel. The only thing is, we don't think we have six months left to live. We have a long, we have decades still to live. And so, we end up living just for now, as if there's no future.

[27:50] And Paul says, no. Yeah? you can do that later. You won't miss out later. You can miss out now. Now, well, what would that look like?

[28:01] Let me just give a few examples from kind of small things to big things. You know, the work of the Lord. What do you need? I guess it needs time, right? Because it's people work, you need to be with people to read the Bible with them or to evangelize them.

[28:16] It needs money because missionaries need to go across the world. So, well, can we reprioritize some of our time and money? Something simple. Watching TV.

[28:28] I mean, it's good to watch TV. It's nice to switch off your brain. You know, maybe you're watching 10 hours a week. Do you need to watch 10 hours? Or do you also get a break if you watch 8 hours?

[28:41] Well, if 8 hours is enough, maybe those 2 hours you can spend time befriending someone. Maybe you can read the Bible with someone, right? Very simple thing, but you're prioritizing the work of the Lord.

[28:53] You're not cutting off all TV. You know, TV is good. It's good to relax. But actually, you know, I don't need more than this. Why do more than I need?

[29:03] Something like that. Or, you're at work. You know, how do you spend your lunch breaks? I think many of us, we, you know, you just get food and you eat it behind your desk so that you can do more work and be a better worker.

[29:18] Well, you could prioritize the work of the Lord if you are able to. Why not read the Bible with someone over lunch? It does mean a whole lunch break. Maybe you get slightly less work done.

[29:30] You know, slightly less good review at the end of the year. Slightly less bonus. Slightly less holiday this year. That's okay, right? Because you're prioritizing the work of the Lord.

[29:43] There are small examples. Let me give some bigger examples. So, I knew a guy in England and he was this kind of top finance guy. And he could go to Australia with his family.

[29:54] No problem. The only thing is he didn't. He would just go camping. Why would he go camping? Well, he said, well, that's all I need, right? I get time with family.

[30:05] I get time away from work. That's all I need. But the advantage is at the end of the summer he would have $100,000 in his bank account left.

[30:15] and those $100,000 he could give to mission work. I mean, that's a bigger decision, right? But he would say, hey, I don't need to see Australia. I don't need all this. I can spend my money better and I can still get a holiday.

[30:30] I don't know what you think of that. Or, here's another one. I once read a blog post by some woman. She became a stay-at-home mom, right?

[30:40] So she stopped working when she had kids and, you know, wanted to really invest in her kids. And she wrote this blog post and she said, you know, everyone keeps telling me you're giving up your career.

[30:53] And she said, I'm not giving up my career. I'm postponing my career. Because in the new creation, we'll be working, right? We'll be... It's a physical creation.

[31:04] And so I will have an amazing career later. I will have a career. Just not now. Right now, I want to invest in my kids so they know Jesus and so that they are raised properly, right?

[31:15] That's an interesting way of thinking, right? You will have a great career later. You... Therefore, you don't need it now. I'm not saying a career is bad because we will have a career later, right?

[31:26] Careers are good. And some of us, many of us, we need it to work, right? Many families, yeah, you need two incomes because Hong Kong is so expensive. But, maybe a career in this life is not the most important thing.

[31:41] Maybe you don't need to maximize your potential. You'll do that later. You don't need to use all your gifts. You will do that later. Right? I mean, that's a very big decision. But, just to give you some examples, okay, here are people who really get the new creation and think, okay, if that is true, you know, I can make some changes in my life.

[32:05] And none of these are bad things. It's good to have a rest. It's good to have a break. It's good to have a new experience. But, at the same time, right, we will do that later as well.

[32:17] And so, maybe we can prioritize the work of the Lord. Make that our priority. And live a more simple, stripped down life just because the gospel is such an important thing.

[32:30] I mean, it is challenging. It's challenging for me. It's challenging for each one of us. But, be honest, would anyone be disappointed when Jesus returns? Will any of us be there and think, oh man, I missed out on season five of that series?

[32:45] Man, I wish I had invested more in my career. None of us will do that, right? We will be there and think, man, I wish I prayed more. I wish I shared the gospel with more people.

[32:56] That's what we'll be feeling, I think. So, let's have this great future vision. I wanted to finish with an amazing letter that expresses some of this so well.

[33:12] There was a missionary called Adoniram Judson. He was a missionary early 19th century to Myanmar. And he wanted to go on mission, but he also was in love with this girl.

[33:24] And if they got married, well, she'd have to come with him. And so, he wrote a letter to her father asking, hey, can I marry her? But, you know, this is what it means. And, you know, this is what he asked the father.

[33:39] I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world, whether you can consent to her departure to a heathen land and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life, whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean, to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India, to every kind of want and distress, to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death.

[34:12] Now, why would you do that, right? Why would you let your daughter do that if this is your only life? Well, he goes on. Think about the big picture.

[34:23] Can you consent to all this for the sake of him who left his heavenly home and died for her and for you, for the sake of perishing immortal souls, for the sake of Zion and the glory of God?

[34:37] Now, think about the big picture. And again, you won't lose out, right? Can you consent to all this in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory?

[34:48] I mean, you're not going to see your daughter for a while, but you'll see her again, right? In 20 years' time, you'll be together forever. It's okay, but something will have changed. You will see your daughter in the world of glory with a crown of righteousness, brightened by the acclamations of praise, which shall resound to her Savior from he even saved, through her means from eternal woe and despair.

[35:14] Right? Now you will see your daughter and you will see all these other people who have been saved through her because she went on mission work. Isn't that worth sending your daughter for, right?

[35:26] You know, Paul says, the labor in the Lord is not in vain. And actually, some of the other things we do in this life will be in vain, right? I mean, she will be there with all those people.

[35:40] And if we've just lived our life here and we've just done our career and TV, won't be much to celebrate. In a way, we will miss out later in that sense, right? We'll, you know, less to celebrate.

[35:52] No. You have an amazing future body. You can miss out now for something much greater, more glorious. Don't we want that? Let's, let's think about it.

[36:05] Let's think, okay, if this is true, do I really believe this? And what does this mean for me? And I think a very good time to reflect will be in a moment. We're going to take the Lord's Supper.

[36:17] And, you know, this is, of course, Jesus' body and blood. It's also a little foretaste, right? One day, we will be with Jesus at the wedding supper of the Lamb.

[36:30] Now, wedding suppers, this is not a wedding supper, right? This is nothing. Last week, I was at a wedding. It was a lot better than this, right? You know, this is not it. When you come and take this, okay, Jesus, I know this is not it.

[36:44] This life is not it. You know, my life is just this. Later is a wedding banquet. And I trust you for that. And then, are you willing to give that up?

[36:56] Just like Jesus was. Because Jesus could have settled down. Jesus could have spent more time with the disciples. But what did he say at the last supper? He said, you know, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until I drink it with you in my Father's kingdom.

[37:15] And Jesus gave up his life. You know, he gave up the fruit of the vine now so he can have it later with us at a wedding banquet. As we take the Lord's supper, you know, remember Jesus' love.

[37:28] Remember his sacrifice for you, giving up everything to save you. And would we follow him? We won't miss out later. Let's prioritize his salvation plan, his mission work, the work of the Lord in our lives, knowing we will be with him forever.

[37:47] We won't miss out. why don't we give us 30 seconds silence, then I'll pray for us, and during the time the music team and the communion stewards can come forward.

[37:58] Amen. Let's pray.

[38:37] Father, thank you for the great future we see here. Thank you that you will make everything right. Thank you that if we trust in Jesus, we'll be part of that. Thank you that it's certain and it's more wonderful than anything here in this life.

[38:51] Father, would we live like that? Would you help us to see what is important? See Jesus and what he did? And would we follow him in the way we live?

[39:03] Lord, would you use this time to strengthen us? We remember what Jesus said at the last supper. Remember that how he took bread and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, this is my body which is for you.

[39:19] Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way also, he took the cup after supper saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.

[39:34] For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. So as we take this, would we proclaim the Lord's death?

[39:45] Would we proclaim that that is our hope? Our hope is not here in this life. Our hope is the resurrection when we'll see Jesus face to face. So strengthen our faith, send us out, renewed by our great hope.

[40:01]  In Jesus name. Amen. Amen.