HEAVEN IS MY HOME

Suday 29th January, 2012

Sermon By Deacon Felix Kwashitsu

MAIN TEXT: PHILIPPIANS 3:20

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ"

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this world, Christians are aliens, fully involved in it, yet not of it

Paul says, we are citizens of heaven. And Peter speaks of an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for us. (1 Peter 1:4)

1 Peter 2:11

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against  your soul.

John 14:3

And if I go and prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Col 3:1,2

If  then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, not on things on the earth.

As Christians  we are on a temporal visa and we should never forget it. Every decision and action we take should be weighted from the idea of heaven - not our immediate comfort. We need to get rid of the idea that "Thoughts of heaven are only the pleasantries of aging." This life is the short story; heaven is the unending one. Your earthly suit is not going to last forever. Before we shed it, be sure we have fulfilled our God given assignment and that we'll hear the words: "Well done, good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21).

It is the only commendation that matters.

One second after we arrived in God's presence, what are we going to wish. We had done? That should be the driving force of our life.

Rejoice always. Until a christian gains a good understanding of their position in Christ, it is very difficult sometimes for them to rejoice in the midst of their world of pain.

Some Christians have difficulty believing what their position on Christ is, because they do not fully know who Jesus Christ really is.

2 Corinthians 5:1

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

John 6:27a

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the son of man will give you.

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good  and acceptable as perfect will of God.

Romans 8:6

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

1 John 2:15

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him.

For this world in its present form is passing away.

Matthew 16:26 / Mark 8:36

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

We are aliens on this earth, we will be going to our original home - heaven, when we live to the standard of the citizenship. One day this earthly living will fade away, so let seek the things that will not fade away.

The world at its stage of corruption, say to yourself that I would  not be part or victim of that corruption art, because you belong to heaven.

Do not treat the grace of God  meaningless. God provide a way for us to be reconciled to Him. Accept His way and then live for Him, as he lives in you.

As aliens and strangers on the earth, whose citizenship is in heaven, we are to be separated from the corruption of the world, not yielding to its destructive sinful desires.

We need to live rightfully so that we can see the face of God. The knowledge we need to see the God, it is not the academic knowledge, but the knowledge that desires God's will.