The present influence of the great tomorrow

A common thread

Moses, Jesus and Paul – the teachings of these three historical persons has left immense change on the world. An overview of their lives and teachings point to this common thread. The reference point is God in heaven and the ultimate focus is life beyond death.

The teachings through Moses are still with us today (howbeit, being rejected by many). For him to communicate the word of the Lord was not easy nor rewarding at the time, but one wrote of him:

“He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward God would give him.................." Hebrews 11.26

The Lord Jesus began His teaching ministry with a call to “repent for the kingdom of heaven was near”. His teaching related to living and dying in the light of the ‘judgement of the last day’. He seemed to be counter cultural with His call to ‘store your treasures in heaven’. His prayer that  ‘God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven’ showed that the reference point of His teachings was heaven, not earth. He ended His ministry with this prayer “Father I want these whom you have given  to be with me , so they can see my glory......” John 17

Paul likewise lived in the light of the day when we all stand before Christ to be judged. Paul’s teachings were very relevant to the world conditions then and now. As history records, his teachings were culture transforming. Yet the motive and focus of his life was to know Christ, to be like Him in His death and resurrection. The final hope was to be with Christ which he described as “ far better”.Philippians 1

In a time of short sighted humanism, may God give us an eternal perspective on all we do.

"For what is your life ? It is but a vapour that appears for a little time and the vanishes away."

Are you ready for the day of resurection, when all will be raised to face the verdict of the Son of God, Jesus Christ the Lord?

John McKee