Did you notice that we just began the liturgy with the Benediction? It’s Wacky Wednesday so why not? In fact we’re doing the whole service backwards. Do you think that makes a difference? Is it good to know the end at the beginning?
Actually the Bible does just that. Way back in the beginning, in the Garden of Eden, God told us the end of the story at the beginning. He said the snake would be defeated. This is a promise of Jesus the Messiah. Right there at the beginning we are told the end. Do you think that makes a difference?
Let me ask you this: Do you know who you will marry? Or how many children you will have? Will you live in Chicago or someplace else? You don’t know the answer to any of these questions do you? But God does. God knows everything about you from before you were born all the way into forever.
And the coolest thing is that He has told each of you what the end of your life looks like. He says that someday far off from now Jesus will return and take you – all of you – into forever with Him. Imagine that. God not only knows the end of your life, but He tells you!
So, let me ask you this. If you know that someday Jesus is coming to take you into heaven with Him forever, how do think you should live today? Does that make any difference to you?
Here’s what I think. If Jesus is coming to take you with Him (and that is going to be pretty great) then why wait? Why wait to live in the peace and joy and perfection of tomorrow? Why not live today as if you are already there?
Paul writes in our Epistle this morning, “children obey your parents.” This is because that is how God makes a good life for us. He gives us parents to guide and love and take of us. And He wants us to listen to them just as much as we listen to God. And He wants us to obey them because they are caring for us in obedience to God.
God says, “here take this precious boy or girl that I love, and teach them my ways and how to get along with others.” So when we obey our parents we are really obeying God through them. And since He is coming to get us anyway we might as well start living with Him today.
Let’s pray.
