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Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div., M.S.A., Editor

Twentieth Sunday After Pentecost
Series C

Called us with a holy calling (kalesantos kleôsei hagiaôi): probably dative, "to a holy calling." Kleôsis here apparently not the invitation, but the consecrated service, "the upward calling" (Philippians 3:14). Purpose (prothesin): see Romans 9:11; Ephesians 1:11 for prothesin: which was given before times eternal (pro chronoôn aioônioôn); see Titus 1:2.

    C. It testifies of Jesus’ destruction of death and the immortality He brings--v10

But hath now been manifested: see Titus 1:3; Colossians 1:26; 3:4. By the appearing (dia teôs epiphaneias): only here of the Incarnation (except the verb, Titus 2:11; 3:4), but for the second coming see Titus 2:13. Who abolished death (katargeôsantos men ton thanaton): first aorist active participle of katargeoô, the very phrase in 1 Corinthians 15:26; Heb 2:14. Brought to light (phoôtisantos de): first aorist active participle of phoôtizoô, literary Koiné word for which see note on 1 Corinthians 4:5; Ephesians 1:18, to turn the light on. Life and incorruption (zoôeôn kai aphtharsian): the opposite of thanatos, "life and immortality" (unchangeable life).

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Children's Message

 

Today’s Bible text speaks about ETERNAL LIFE. Since you’re young and healthy and full of energy, you probably don’t think about eternal life very often. I didn’t either when I was your age--at least not until someone close to me died; then I thought about eternal life a lot.

A close relative of mine had cancer and I watched him waste away from a strong man of 250 pound to a man who weighed less than 100 when he died. When you see something like that, you think about what the Bible means when it talks about eternal life.

Pastors watch this happen often with people in our churches. None of those people would want to live with their sickness forever. So ETERNAL LIFE is much more than just life that never ends. We’re talking about the quality of life, too; by that I mean the eternal life Jesus gives is happy and joyful, the kind of life you’d never want to end. I’m sure you’ve had some good times that you wished would never end.

Listen to what Paul wrote about this:

(2 Tim 1:10): Jesus (who) has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

When we rise from the dead on the last day, death will be out of business. The Bible says there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old things will be gone. When Jesus rose from the dead, he didn’t look like a man who had been crucified. Some of his old friends didn’t even recognize him. I don’t know how old you and I will be when he wakes us up from the dead, but I do know that you will like the life he gives you and you will thank God that it will never end.

That’s why we call it ETERNAL LIFE. It is the life that is really life, seeing God face to face forever in the joyful celebration of our Father’s house.

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(The above is inspired by and adapted from a homiletical help by Henry Gerike)  

 

1. Faithfulness to God is the willingness to choose to live life a certain way under God, even when the "vision" may be far off in the future and the present circumstances are bleak and barren. (Dennis Bratcher)

2. God will see you through what He leads you to.

3. Gracious Redeemer, shake this slumber from my soul!

    Say to me now, "Awake, awake! and Christ shall make thee whole."
    Lay to thy mighty hand! Alarm me in this hour,
    and make me fully understand the thunder of thy power.

 

    Give me on thee to call, always to watch and pray,
    lest I into temptation fall and cast my shield away;
    for each assault prepared and ready may I be,
    for ever standing on my guard and looking up to thee.

    O do thou always warn my soul of evil near!
    When to the right or left I turn, thy voice still let me hear;
    "Come back! this is the way, come back, and walk herein!"
    O may I hearken and obey and shun the paths of sin!

    Thou seest my feebleness; Jesus, be thou my power,
    My help and refuge in distress, my fortress and my tower;
    Give me to trust in thee. Be thou my sure abode,
    my horn, and rock, and buckler be, my Saviour, and my God.

    Myself I cannot save, myself I cannot keep,
    but strength in thee I surely have, whose eyelids never sleep;
    my soul to thee alone now therefore I commend;
    thou, Jesus, love me as thy own, and love me to the end.

    (Charles Wesley)

 

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