Eternal Excitement

[0:00] A pastor's reflections, eternal excitement.! John 2.17 And his disciples remembered that it was written,! The zeal of thine house has eaten me up.

[0:12] ! Psalm 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

[0:28] Colossians 4.13 For I bear him record, that he, Epaphras, has a great zeal for you. There are so many competing reasons today for being excited.

[0:42] We are always kept on the fever pitch of excitement and expectation. The world seems to think that life is meant to be lived in a constant state of always looking excitedly to a future that never actually arrives.

[0:55] We are told to feel excited about new things, new places, and new experiences. However, as soon as those new things arrive, we do not feel satisfied, or are even given a moment to enjoy them, before our heads are turned to focus on the next big, exciting thing.

[1:16] In Christ, while we are not supposed to live in the past, we are also not supposed to be living lives of discontent, always seeking for the next exciting thing.

[1:29] 1 Timothy 6.6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. However, just because the world's idea of what is exciting may not be healthy, it does not mean we do not have cause for excitement.

[1:44] Even Jesus had things that caused him to be excited, things that he was passionate about. The difference was that Jesus never needed to look ahead to find a source of passion and excitement.

[1:56] He who was before all things understood that things could not bring lasting joy. Jesus' joy and passion was wrapped up in things that were not just future, but eternal.

[2:13] While the physical temple in Israel at the time of Jesus' arrival was temporary, it represented something eternal, that which was his father's.

[2:23] Acts 7.47-49 But Solomon built him a house, howbeit the Most High dwells not in temples made with hands, as says the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool.

[2:39] What house will you build me, saith the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Ephesians 2.19.21-22 Now therefore, you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, in whom also the building fitly framed together grows unto a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are builded together for habitation of God through the Spirit.

[3:08] As followers of Jesus, we can have many legitimate sources of passion and excitement in our lives. However, let's make sure that our primary source is that which is eternal and of the Father.

[3:24] Father, thank you that you have given us a never-ending source of joy and passion in Jesus. Thank you that he is a never-ending reason for excitement.

[3:38] Help us today to not only be excited about what we can see Jesus doing in our temporary world, but to also be excited about his eternal work. Amen.