God’s Upgrade

Introduction

Good to see everybody tonight. Some places you might find a great fall off for those who worship football. Or even the cancellation of a Sunday night assembly, or even hauling in a television to watch the game. Somebody has already said something about the fact that we do have a TV for a display, and that actually could be done. But no, that’s not what we’re doing in this place. The game will hardly be started when we get done anyway, if you even care. And then there’s Jared, who suggested toward the end of the week that I preach a lesson tonight. It’s tailor-made for tonight, and that is the lesson about the giant and God’s patriot. I said no.

So if I ever get back to 2 Corinthians 4, please be advised it’s fairly within the same context of the passage I am going to look at. And Jared’s responsible for this too, as I will explain in a moment. Let’s pick on New Member 9. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. I have written, and I noticed this last Sunday night during Jared’s invitation. I have written above 2 Corinthians 5 these two words, and I don’t know who said it, but I liked it, and I wrote it down in my Bible. God’s upgrade. And I want to talk to you briefly about that tonight. Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5 1 through 9. For we know that if the earthly tent, which is our house, is torn down, we have a building from God.

A house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan. Though some would like to think that there is no groaning and that everything could be absolutely perfect and wonderful here, our experience over time will tell us otherwise. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven. Everything about our existence here shouts impermanence, temporary, not lasting. All of creation groans, in fact. Inasmuch, he says, as we having put it on, shall not be found naked. We, who are we really? We are spirit beings. And when we leave this mortal flesh, then we will be, our spirits will be without a body, unless we are clothed, as this passage is talking about. For indeed, while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened.

Because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now he who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage and knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to him. Why God’s upgrade. When we look at the fraileness of our flesh, and what happens to this tent as it ages, yes, some of you are in need of an upgrade.

Not all of us can be, as time passes, continue to be the triple threat of eloquence, good look, and charisma, as Woody was touted last Sunday. Now, all of us can’t be like that over time, maintaining the triple threat, but in this house, things deteriorate and are not what they once were. Well, I said some of you need an upgrade. Seriously, I need one too. And what an upgrade it’s going to be. And thus we are admonished because of the end of all that is material, as we are studying in 2 Peter chapter 3, and we’ll look at next week. Since all these things are to be dissolved, what manner of person ought you to be in all holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.

We should look for this time with eager anticipation, longing to be clothed with immortality, that what is mortal may be swallowed up with life. Why do people put all of their focus and attention on this time and on this tent? And that’s why Paul said what he did. Bodily exercise profits a little. But godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and the life that is to come. Ultimately, all focus and attention we place on our material existence and even our mortal flesh is ultimately not going to stave off the inevitable, the decayed, and death of our mortal bodies. And so these lesson is going to focus on three words in this context that we have read that relate to God’s upgrade for us.

1. Prepared for This Very Purpose

There are three words in the New American Standard that begin with the letter P that help us to approach this truth about our existence here in the right way. The first is the word prepared. If you notice that in verse 5, I have it underlined in my Bible. Now he who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Now again, I got this idea for this sermon last Sunday night when Jared was talking very briefly about John chapter 14, when Jesus said, I go to prepare a place for you. He said to his disciples. Do you believe in God? Believe also in me. Let not your heart be troubled. There is a dwelling place. There is a room, there is a place awaiting you in my presence.

That where I am, there you may be also. And I thought Jared made a very keen observation that God has prepared us for this, not for hell. Hell is prepared for the devil and his angels, Matthew 25 and 41. And when he said that, you know the trigger, he said, I noticed you were writing. And the trigger went off. I immediately thought of 2 Corinthians chapter 5. That we are not prepared for destruction. But he has prepared us that our mortal lives can put on this immortality. And then I thought of 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, the text where it says that we are of the day, therefore we should be sober, he says. 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 8, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

And then this, for God has not destined us, his people, his people of faith. God has not destined us or prepared us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build up one another just as you also are doing. God has glorious intentions for his people. And we cannot begin to fathom the treasure of what awaits us. It’s mind-blowing. The magnitude of it, we really cannot tell.

Would it be possible to give us a greater glimpse? We’re told that heaven is going to be treasure. We’re told about this immortal condition that we are going to experience, this joy that will be beyond measure in the presence of God, Psalm 16 and verse 11. And this is to motivate us. But what is the experience going to be like? I think of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians chapter 12. In a context where he is defending his apostleship and his authority as an apostle. He shouldn’t have to be defending himself to the church at Corinth after all he has done for them in their salvation and in their instruction of God’s way, and yet he has to engage in this foolishness. And he tells them about his visions.

And he says in verse 2, and he speaks here of himself when he says, I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, but whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body, I do not know. This vision was such that it was like he was actually being transported there, but whether he actually left his physical frame of reference or not, he says, I don’t know. Wow, what a vision this was. Only God knows, he says, such a man was caught up to the third heaven. Lucky dog. And I know how such a man, whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know, God knows. He says that again, was caught up in the paradise. And look at this.

And heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. I don’t know about you, but I look at that passage and go, what is that? The language of heaven. He heard inexpressible words that a man on earth in human flesh is not even permitted to speak. And I think about statements where God says, No man can see me and live. Have you ever thought about that? No man can see me and the. Is that just because God is so holy and we are sinners that his perfection and our imperfection would cause us to die? He’s not just talking about the wicked here. He says, no man can see me and live. Could it be such that for flesh and blood to witness, to see God in his essence, would be so overwhelming that it would kill us.

Even when Isaiah sees his vision in Isaiah chapter 6 of God sitting upon the throne and everything shaking and the thunder of his voice and all that whole thing. What is his response? And remember, this is just a vision. This isn’t reality. It’s not God in his essence he’s seeing, but a representation of that. And he says, Woe is me, for I’m undone. I’m a dead man. Daniel has pretty much the same response in regard to his visions. And I’ve said all of that to say we cannot begin to fathom what we’re headed to as God’s people. And that’s what this passage is trying to tell us in words. That we have something so amazing and incredible that really cannot be put into words ahead of us.

And he says, we can have assurance and confidence of this because God has given us his spirit as a pledge. Now, I could have thrown that keyword under the word prepared. Pledge. He has given his spirit as a pledge or a down payment. So we might regard it. What does that say? The instruction of the Holy Spirit, God’s revelation of his intentions for us, all the things the Holy Spirit has done for us in our salvation and our instruction, in the elevation of our lives, in our rescue from sin, everything that the Holy Spirit has done to reveal God’s mind to us.

Only of what is to come. We have tasted of the good word of God. We have tasted of the heavenly gift, the Hebrew writer says in Hebrews chapter 6. We have just begun to taste what is the ultimate. And he says, this taste is a promise, what the Holy Spirit has revealed and shown to us in this new covenant. It’s a pledge of what is to come that is far beyond the taste. We grasp that, don’t we? Wouldn’t it be cruel to sit down to Thanksgiving dinner? Here, honey, taste some of this dressing. And she puts a little bit of that wonderful southern cornbread dressing. Not that white bread Yankee dressing that I grew up with. And she puts that on the tip of your tongue, and you taste that, and you’re going, mmm.

Sorry, you don’t get the meal. Everybody else is eating turkey and cranberry sauce and everything. Bash potatoes, sweet potatoes, whatever it is that you have, they got it all going on. And all you got was. There’s a big difference between the taste and the full meal, isn’t there? We have simply tasted of the good word of God and of the things to come. There is much more in store for us. And we have God’s promise and have God’s assurance that more awaits us. We have every confidence because we have been baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. And that’s what the Holy Spirit instructed us. And we know on that occasion that we rose to walk in newness of life and came into God’s fellowship, and there was rejoicing in the presence of the angels of heaven over the sinner who repents.

2. Prefer to Be at Home with the Lord

And we have begun the journey. And we have motivation to complete the journey. Because of what it already has been done for us. I don’t believe this passage is talking about the Holy Spirit literally indwelling us, but what it’s talking about is we have come under the influence and direction of the Holy Spirit, and that is a testimony in and of itself. The transformation that we have experienced as God’s people, that greater things are yet in store for us. So we were prepared for this. He who prepared us for this very purpose is God. And the second thing that I want to draw to your attention to in this text is that we need to prefer this future. As he says in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 8, we are of good courage, I say, and preferred rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

The first time I used this illustration, I had forgotten the brother’s name. But it came to me this week. His name was Al Day, an older brother in Christ in the late 1980s when we moved to Beaumont. Sherry and I had just been married a couple of weeks, and off we went to Beaumont to begin work with the Pinecrest Church, and it is now the Dallin Road congregation. But while we were still meeting in the old central church building in more toward downtown Beaumont, I’ll never forget Brother Al’s prayer when he said, Lord, we want to go to heaven. We just don’t want to go right now. You know, that’s one of those things that said that you just don’t forget. And here it is 22 years later, and I still remember it clear as day.

Good little pun there. Lord, we want to go to heaven, but we don’t want to go right now. I understand the sentiment. After all, the song says, I’d like to stay here longer than man’s allotted days. And watch the fleeting changes of life’s uneven ways. But if my Savior calls me to that sweet home on high, I’ll live with him forever in glory by and by. Yes, we want to go to glory, but could we stay here just a little bit longer, please? I’m a little concerned about the strength of our attachment here. Could it be true that our preference is not where it needs to be? Paul said, I prefer this upgrade right now. And he says that in Philippians chapter 1, to depart and be with Christ is very much better.

So if you had the option, would you say, God, I want to come right now? I prefer to be at home with the Lord. This preference flows out of at least three things here. The understanding of the sojourner status that we have here, it is temporary, coupled with the impermanent nature of our existence here, is the further attendance of pain and trouble while in this house. But thirdly, the surpassing nature of the believers experience in glory. Yeah, but if I, but if I go right now, I’m not going to know who won the Super Bowl. Do you really care? And I’m here to tell you, I wouldn’t care if it was my favorite team, much less two teams that I don’t care about, like this year.

I wouldn’t care if it was my beloved but beleaguered Cincinnati Bengals who were playing in the game. What would you have missed? Ultimately, all of that’s going to come to an end anyway. And just think about the people who said, okay, services or super bowl, services or super bowl. I traded an assembly with the saints, an opportunity to glorify God and be encouraged and to think about the Spirit’s pledge to us. I sacrificed that for a game. Sort of reminds me of Esau Stew. Sacrificing his birthright. And then after it was all said and done, he goes, I didn’t make a very good bargain here. But in his case, there was no way to fix it. Who in heaven will pine for Super Bowls missed? Or any other thing missed for that matter?

3. Our Ambition: To Be Pleasing to Him

Earth holds no treasures but perish with using, however precious they be. Yet there is a country to which I am going. Heaven holds all to me. Is that your preference? If you could leave it all behind right now. Would you take it? And thirdly, while we await the transfer, he says something else in this text. In verse 9. Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent. Now, absence better, that’s at home with the Lord. But whether at home or absent, in whichever place, to be pleasing to him. We suggested this morning, and Dave tried to preach my sermon, even the announcements this morning. Dave, better known as Ernie, sitting in Ernie’s spot today. Talked about selfishness. Yes, it’s the root of all of our problems.

So many simply want to do what they please. But here’s the thing. The do as I please attitude, it is the very essence of sin. We are not here to be consumed with ourselves. We exist, we were created, we were designed and fashioned to please him. And that’s what heaven is going to be about. Heaven’s going to be about adoring God. Because in his presence is awesome majesty. And will be pleasure for us beyond measure. But we will be there to please him. Selfishness is not your friend. It is your enemy. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but consider one another as better or esteem one another as better than yourself. Philippians chapter 2 and verse 3. He who wishes to save his life shall lose it.

That’s selfishness. He who wishes to save his life shall lose it. But he who loses his life for my sake shall find it. Life. What is mortal shall be swallowed up by life. Why? Because we have lived a life pleasing to God. We have striven to please him, Ephesians 5 and verse 10, and we will be about pleasing him for all eternity. And in losing ourselves in that, we find. We truly find ourselves. But as long as we think that this is about selfishness and me and serving myself and being consumed with me, he says, He who wishes to save his life shall lose it. Well, in opposite to that, pursuing the exalted desires of our Creator, well, nothing is more ennobling than that. It enriches our lives, it enriches our character and the lives of others, elevating our existence to a higher plane.

Conclusion

So I want to conclude with this tonight. What is it about your life that is pleasing to him? One thing. Your decision to be here tonight. And to pursue spiritual things is one decision that pleases him. But what about as we live our life tomorrow? And Lord willing, tomorrow, and the day after that, if things continue, what is it about your life that pleases him? We should ask, you say, How have I pleased him today? What have I done that is the result of my faith and my confidence in him? Have I taken the time to pray? Have I taken the time to meditate upon his word? Have I done some selfless act of service? Not because I have a checklist and prayer done, meditation done, selfless act of service done.

Okay, two acts of service today, done. But because I understand that every one of these selfless acts betters me and makes me more like him. Because I want to please him. Because I want to show my gratitude to him. And so when others follow their impulse, it I exercise restraint. I take time for meditation. What does the Lord want me to be? How does he want me to react in this situation? Moments of prayer, casting all of our cares upon him because he cares for us. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 7. And a few moments each day. Thinking about this exchange. The putting aside of this frail and failing and disappointing tent. It’s a tent. That’s not permanent. It’s not like he’s describing it as a house or something.

He’s saying, tent. Conveying the temporary to us. Versus the permanent. The better that awaits us. Immortality. In his presence. We need to spend some time thinking about that. That’s the country where I’m going.

He who prepared us for this very purpose is God. And we prefer it. Being absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. And we have as our admission, as long as we’re here, and even when we’re gone to be pleasing to him. Said all of that to say. We need God’s upgrade. And we should want it. With all of our being. And it’s hard. When you’re younger and you’re feeling strong and full of life and few aches and pains. It’s hard to think about this. Hard earth. But when you’re just going about your routine, and like happens to me sometimes, I’m just doing some task and my left knee gives out. Because there’s no anterior cruciate there. Or you would like to be able to hear what people are saying, but you cannot.

Or you’re just doing something very ordinary, and it’s like somebody is taking a knife and stabbed it right here in your back. And such maladies as these befall us. And we get discouraged in our hurt and in our pain. So we must remind ourselves. The perfect awaits. This place is temporary. We’re going to a place where all such pain will forever be vanquished from our lives. And that’s what we need to live for. And that’s why we worship. And that’s why we’re here today. Instead of staying at home watching the Super Bowl.

Latch on to these things that have eternal implications. Serve the Lord while there’s time and opportunity. Won’t you respond while we stand and say?