I made a promise to my daughter recently. I promised her that if she would go poop in the potty that I would get her the biggest ice cream she has ever had in her life. When I mentioned ice cream she perked up, and even though she had not fulfilled the stipulation she was ready for that ice cream right away. I told her that she had to go poop first, then we would go. In the days that followed I repeated my promise many times trying to encourage her to just let it out. Well about a week later she finally did, and I was so proud I almost took a picture and posted it on facebook. After fulfilling her obligation she promptly reminded me of mine. That night we took a trip to Cold Stone.

In church we have been talking about trusting God and his promises, following Abraham’s life as a good example of this. God made many promises to Abraham in his life time, and many of them were brought to fruition right in front of his face. The protection and provision of God, the promised son, Abraham saw these promises fulfilled in his life time, but there were some promises of God that Abraham did not see realized during his life.

Hebrews 11:13 (New Living Translation)

 ¹³ All these people (referring to the Patriarchs, Abraham included) died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.

The book of Hebrews lists even more people who died without receiving the fulfillment of God’s promise. How can this be? Doesn’t God keep his promises? Let’s keep reading in Hebrews.

Hebrews 11:14-16

¹⁴ Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. ¹⁵ If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. ¹⁶ But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

You see God will fulfill his promises, every one of them, he has prepared a city for us! A city with no death, sickness, pain, mourning or crying. A City where God will dwell and his perfect will is your reality! (Rev.21:1-4) And yes, all his promises will be complete. Does this mean that all God’s promises are for the future only, and we should not expect God to heal or deliver us here and now? No! God does heal, and prosper and deliver and save us here and now, but the ultimate consummation of all God’s promises are realized eschatologicaly, that is, at the end of the age. At the end of the world when Christ returns, we will be raised or changed and brought into the fullness of God’s Kingdom. Evil will be dealt its final blow, and we will sit down at the wedding feast of the Lamb without sin, without sickness, without pain, and without death, we will know God face to face, and there we shall be forever and ever, AMEN! He who promised is faithful, let this hope be an anchor for your soul!

We have alot of work to do! Get up! This is no time to sit around and twiddle your thumbs.

 Have we grown too fat and lazy? Have our ears grown so dull that we do not hear the trumpet call, sounding the alarm?

 The enemy has caught us by surprise... NO! worse then that, he has infiltrated and seduced us!

Who signed this treaty? To put our weapons down in exchange for the toys of little boys? I tear it up in front of your face!

I won't settle for this! Take up again the banner, long discarded in the dust. Brush it off, raise it high, lets get back to what we were called to do.

In the beginning of time there was, already, God. He created the universe, and all that it contains. He made the earth to be a place where life could flourish, and he filled it with a variety of plants and animals. Then, God made people, humans, to be in God’s own image, to reflect the character and qualities of the Creator. God had a unique and wonderful relationship with these first people, they loved, worshiped and obeyed God and enjoyed his friendship.

Into this utopia trespassed a rebellious angel known commonly as the Devil. The Devil took the appearance of a snake and went looking for the people God had made in order to persuade them to join in his rebellion against God. Finding them receptive to his lies, the Devil convinced them to disobey their creator, and join in his cosmic rebellion. God, as you can imagine, was not pleased with this turn of events. His cherished intimate friendship with people was now broken. His treasured creation had now joined his adversaries and in so doing became his enemies. God’s justice and righteousness, which he could not compromise, even for these beloved creatures, demanded payment and restitution.  Someone had to pay for all this, blood must be shed! On that day God banished people from his presence and pronounced a curse upon the earth because of the rebellion of mankind.  At the same time God promised that he would send a savior who would, both rescue people from damnation, by restoring the broken relationship between God and people, and destroy the Devil, along with all who rebel with him.

Much time passed before, onto the stage of history, there came a man named Jesus. History tells us that Jesus was a miracle worker who lived in Judea during the Roman Empire. Jesus’ followers recorded his words, that he claimed to be the Son of God, and the savior of the world. In fact, his name means, God my Savior! It is not just his miraculous life that makes him son of God and savior of the world, though. What demonstrated that Jesus is the Son of God is that he lived a life fully obedient to God and never rebelled against him, not even once; and Jesus is savior because he died to take our place and to remove our guilt before God. According to God’s own preordained plan he allowed Jesus to be falsely accused and crucified as a criminal. While Jesus was hanging on the cross God put all the guilt, rebellion, evil and wickedness that people have committed and placed it on Jesus. Then, he let Jesus have it… all the anger, the burning wrath and the distain that God has for our sin he poured it full force onto his beloved son. Jesus died the death that we deserve, he took the punishment from his own father that we should have taken. This is why Jesus is the Savior.

Three days after this excruciating death God brought Jesus back to life and he appeared to over 500 people. Jesus told his followers to go to all the world and tell them that they can be reconciled to God, and have peace with God because of what he had done on the cross, if only they would turn from their rebellious, wicked ways and believe in what he had done for them on the cross, God would fill them with his Spirit, and forgive all their sin and rebellion. 

Now is the time of God’s grace and salvation, it is found only by believing in Jesus Christ. Take advantage of it now, for at the end of the world, Jesus will return to judge all people who have ever lived. He will start by throwing the Devil into a fiery lake to suffer forever, then all who have not turned to Jesus, but have persisted in their rebellion will join the Devil to suffer the fate of God’s enemies. But all who have turned to Jesus to find forgiveness and life will live forever in a new heaven and a new earth, in fellowship with God.