Sunday Inspiration: Living For God's Tomorrow
Living For God’s Tomorrow
Can I tell you a secret? I started preparing for my departure the day I arrived at Gainesville First United Methodist Church. I am unsure if other pastors do this, but when I start a new appointment, I pray about how it should be the day I leave. I am a United Methodist pastor, and we signed up for an itinerant system. I will one day leave.
Granted, when I first arrived, we thought we would only be here two to three years in an associate capacity. The District Superintendent told us that. But I have learned they are just as clueless about God's plans as everyone else.
When I look at the New Testament, I am in good company when I preach and lead with the end in mind. The author of 2 Peter encourages his congregation to live as they would want to be seen when Jesus returns.
In 2 Peter 3:10, the author says, "The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be destroyed with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed."
So, if the day of the Lord arrives suddenly, we are told, "Strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation" (2 Peter 3: 14 - 15).
In a world where Christians are divided in angry rhetoric, striving to be found at peace is a good word for us today.
Jesus will return. We profess it as one of the core beliefs of our tradition. He said as much when he was on earth, "About that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert, for you do not know when the time will come" (Mark 13: 32 - 33).
But before he said this, Jesus said, "I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place" (Mark 13:30). So, as the first-generation disciples begin dying off, they ask the question, "When will all this happen?" "When will he return?"
Soon, and very soon, we are going to see the king. How soon? When?
Have you ever been on a long trip with a child? What is the most common thing they ask? "Are we there yet?" Ten minutes into the journey, "Are we there yet?" Thirty minutes into the trip, "Are we there yet?"
As the first generation Christians are dying off, the second generation Christians are asking, "Are we there yet?" "Is he coming back soon?"
The author of 2 Peter warns readers not to doubt God's promise. The delay is not because God is not keeping up God's end of the bargain; it is for the sake of salvation. He says, "The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3: 9).
God's delay is an opportunity to grow in grace.
Grace is possible for the person who takes the long view. Most of what divides and polarizes us today catches our attention immediately. Social media creators and politicians know this. If you look back over your life at the things you got upset about, most of them have no relevance to your life today. But it might have ruined relationships with children or grandchildren, stolen time away from loved ones, and affected your health in ways you cannot get back.
I consider the day I will leave on the day I arrive because I don't want the in-between details to distract me from the greater goal of seeing people grow in Christ and the church live into its mission.
As we begin a new school year, I want to encourage parents and grandparents to take a similar approach to the year. As you send your child off to school, begin to pray about who they will become 180 days from now. Ask yourself, "What lessons do I want my child to learn?" "What character do I want my children to develop?" "How different do I want them to be 180 days from now?"
And when it is difficult to see them as any different than they are now, take another lesson from the Apostle Paul. In his greeting to the church, Paul refers to the Christians in Corinth as "called to be saints."
If you read the letter, the characters seem to be anything but saints. They are argumentative and divisive, have issues, and are messed up. And yet, in verse two of the first chapter, Paul calls them saints and sanctified.
Paul addresses the Christians in Corinth not as they are but as they are becoming. And the only way they are becoming saints is by the grace of God. We're sanctified in Christ Jesus. We've been made righteous in Christ. We are being remade in the image of God as we follow Christ.
If truth be told, our lives and our church are messed up. But we need leaders who will guide us toward the people we are becoming. We need parents who parent their children into who they are becoming in Christ. We need spouses who see one another in the persons they are becoming. If we are going to impact this world, we need to lead from where we want people to go. If we want to see our children be all they can be in Christ, we need to parent in a way that sees them as saints.
Living as saints for God's tomorrow is the picture of God's grace. We are all messed up. By the grace of God, in Jesus Christ, we are called to be saints. God sent His son to die on the cross for us. God sent God's Spirit to indwell us to make us what we can be. And God will one day send His Son to return to take possession of what is a reflection of his image.
If you have your phone, pull it out and take a selfie. Text it to yourself, and underneath it, write "saint." You don't deserve that title. You can't earn it. But by the grace of God, when Jesus returns, He will call you one of His saints. Do the same thing for your children and your spouse.
Let's see people not just as they are but as they are becoming—saints in the making by God's grace. Lead your families, communities, your church, and lives from a place of future grace and transformation. Let us be the leaders, parents, and spouses who guide our loved ones toward becoming all they can be in Christ. Together, let's reflect God's image and prepare for the day He calls us His saints.
Begin today living for God's tomorrow. Amen.
Pastor Jamey
(Click Here to Watch the Worship Service from Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia.)
Discussion Questions
How does the idea of preparing for your departure from the day you arrive apply to different areas of your life (work, relationships, personal goals)?
In a world filled with division and conflict, how can striving to be found at peace, as mentioned in 2 Peter 3:14-15, change the way we interact with others?
How can viewing others as saints in the making, as Paul did with the Corinthians, transform your relationships with family, friends, and coworkers?
For parents and grandparents, how does praying and planning for your children’s future character and faith influence your approach to parenting?
What role do we play in helping others grow in their faith and become who God has called them to be? How can you support others in your church community?
Prayer
Lord, we commit ourselves to Your will and purpose. Help us see the bigger picture without being distracted by this world's immediate concerns and divisions. Grant us the patience to grow in grace, understanding that Your delay is an opportunity for salvation and transformation.
Today, we commit to living for Your tomorrow, embracing the title of "saint" not by our merit but by Your grace. Strengthen us to be the leaders, parents, and spouses who guide others toward becoming all they can be in Christ.
In Jesus' precious name, we pray.
Amen.
Benediction
May the Holy Spirit empower you to be the leaders, parents, and spouses who see beyond today, envisioning the people God is shaping you to become. Let your life be a testament to His love, a beacon of hope in a divided world.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, knowing that you are called, sanctified, and deeply loved by God. Amen.
