- An Eternal View -

Objective:

To help us realize that we are already eternal beings and how such a realization affects how we will live our life on earth.

Scripture Basis:

Gen 5, Matt 10:27, Heb 4:12, Luke 16:19-25, Rev 20:6 and many others

Activity :

Remember the movie Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. In it Bill and Ted travel back through time to help them learn some key lessons about life. Watch a short section of the movie from the end when Ted and Bill give their presentation. Afterwards find out what each person thought of the clip .. did Bill and Ted learn from the past?

Well today we shall do the same and for a time machine we will use the Bible. It can help us to help us gain another view of what is really happening . This time we are going back perhaps 4000-5000 years ago to a time just before the great flood .

The BackDoor:

Read Genesis Chapter 5

Hold a discussion centered on the life spans of the people described in Gen 5.

Q1. Imagine what it would be like to live 800-900 years ?

Q2. If you knew you would live to be 800 years old, what would you do different today?

Now this information can help us learn something about the nature of man, the nature of life and the nature of death. First lets look at the nature on man.

Today Science says :

Man is made up of highly organized cells - organic living matter. All our thoughts and memories and feelings originate and are stored in chemical patterns in our brain . When we die, all we are ceases to exist. We are gone. Everything that made us what we are ceases to exist and our body decays into dust.

But Gods Word says;

Man is made of Body, Soul, and Spirit

Our Body is our flesh and blood. It is part of us that is the organic living matter. It lives and breathes and has thoughts & memories.

Our Soul is the part of us that yearns and loves and hopes .. there are many references in scripture to committing to things "heart and soul". These indicate that the soul is the source of our emotions and desires and our will. We know these aspects of us are strongly affected by our body so the soul and body work together. We are also told in Heb 4:12 that the soul and spirit are also closely knit together.

Our Spirit is our eternal self ,its the part of us that can know God. God is spiritual in nature and we are created in his image. Our spirit is the part of us that will exist beyond our bodies yet it is capable of memory, and feelings. You see mans spirit is eternal.

Key Message:

When we die only our body dies and is destroyed, but our soul and spirit will continue to live (Rev 20:4) with memories and feelings and desires intact. Read Luke 16:19 .. (story of rich man and beggar) and see how the rich man remembered his family after dying and how he felt pain and torment while in Hades. This story as well as the very specific statement Jesus makes in Mat 10:27 makes it clear we should not fear our bodies physical death but rather hell.

Now lets look at the Nature of Life and Death ….

Death in Gods word is always spoken of in two ways , first it is referred to as the physical death of the death of the body (Example James 4:14 .. we are a mist that appears for a time) however their is also something referred to as "real death" or the "2nd death" (Rev 20:6). This refers to a state where the spirit is condemned eternally to being separated from God while undergoing torment as punishment for sin.

Life is also referred to in two ways,.First life on earth in physical form is referred to as "natural life". Something that is temporary. However elsewhere scripture talks about a persons "real life" that only comes from Christ (1 John 5:11-13). Phil 3:20 and 1 Cor 15:42-45 make it clear that those who believe in and follow Christ will receive a new body like Christ received when he was resurrected. One that is spiritual in nature and will not die or get ill.

Now once a person becomes aware of this, a number of changes will likely happen in his life. Lets go to scripture and find out what they are.

Students Teach Students

Divide the students in groups (there are 6 sets of verses) and give each group at least one set of verse. Ask them to read the verses and identify what a person with and Eternal view of life will do compared to what a person with a mortal view of life will do.

Conclusion:

Scripture makes it quite clear that we are already eternal beings and that realizing this can really change your outlook on life. You see once you realize that you are eternal, the really big question is; Where you will spend your eternal life? Review John 3:16 .. it says it all.