What Is Our Future? Living Today in Light of Eternity
In the final message of our BASICS series, Kelsey invited us to consider a question every person eventually has to face: What is our future? We spend a lot of time thinking about tomorrow—our families, finances, jobs, plans, problems, and everything we hope will happen next. But Scripture invites us to look farther ahead. Beyond next week. Beyond retirement. Beyond the end of this life. When we begin to see our lives in light of eternity, it changes what matters today.
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Life Passes Like Smoke Through a Keyhole
Life feels enormous while we are living it. There is real pain here, but there is also real joy. There is loss and love, disappointment and celebration. Our decisions have consequences. Our relationships matter. The work we do matters. Our families matter.
And yet, compared with eternity, our lives are incredibly brief. Years that once seemed impossibly far away arrive before we know it. Childhood becomes adulthood. Careers begin and end. Children grow up. Seasons change. We look back and wonder how so much life could have passed so quickly.
Our time here passes like smoke through a keyhole.
That doesn’t mean our lives are meaningless. It means we have to be careful about asking temporary things to carry the weight of eternity.
Ecclesiastes
Read Ecclesiastes on Bible Gateway
Solomon had wisdom, wealth, accomplishments, influence, and almost everything the world tells us should make a person satisfied. Yet he discovered something we are still learning thousands of years later: nothing temporary can bear the weight of being ultimate and everlasting.
A career can’t do that. Money can’t. Success can’t. A relationship can’t. Possessions can’t. These things aren’t necessarily bad. Many of them are gifts from God. The problem comes when we ask those gifts to do something they were never designed to do. Even the good things God gives us were never meant to become our god.
Without God, we can spend an entire lifetime building something that ultimately cannot satisfy the deepest need of our souls.
Set Your Sights Higher
The Christian life gives us a radically different way to think about our future. Our eyes aren’t supposed to remain fixed entirely on what is happening here. Paul tells us that because we belong to Christ, our perspective has changed.
Colossians 3:1–4
Read Colossians 3:1–4 on Bible GatewaySince you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your[a] life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Paul isn’t telling us to stop caring about this life. He’s telling us where this life finds its meaning. Our families, work, relationships, struggles, and opportunities begin to look different when we understand them in light of Christ and eternity.
That changes the questions we ask. Instead of simply asking, “What will make me happy?” we can ask, “What will matter eternally?” Instead of spending our lives asking how much we can accomplish, we can ask whether we’re becoming more like Jesus. Instead of building our own little kingdoms and asking God to bless them, we can ask how our lives can serve His Kingdom.
What Happens Next?
Christian hope isn’t simply a vague belief that something happens after we die. Scripture speaks about resurrection, eternal life, judgment, heaven, and separation from God. Jesus spoke directly about paradise while hanging on the cross.
Luke 23:39–43
Read Luke 23:39–43 on Bible GatewayOne of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”
But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Paul described our earthly bodies as temporary dwellings and pointed believers toward something eternal.
2 Corinthians 5:1–5
Read 2 Corinthians 5:1–5 on Bible GatewayFor we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.[a] 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
Revelation gives us an extraordinary picture of God’s promised future: a world made new, where death, sorrow, crying, and pain no longer have the final word.
Revelation 21:1–8
Read Revelation 21:1–8 on Bible GatewayThen I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.[a] 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
This is the hope Christians carry. Death is real. Grief is real. Losing someone we love hurts. Scripture doesn’t ask us to pretend otherwise. Instead, the Gospel gives us a hope strong enough to face those realities.
Death does not get the final word. Jesus does.
The Real Consequence of Life Without God
Scripture also speaks seriously about separation from God.
2 Thessalonians 1:9
Read 2 Thessalonians 1:9 on Bible GatewayFor we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.[a] 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.
People have spent centuries debating exactly what hell looks like and how every biblical image should be understood. But underneath those questions is something sobering that we shouldn’t overlook: Scripture describes an eternal separation from God.
In some ways, we can already see glimpses of what distance from God does. We see brokenness, isolation, hopelessness, fractured families, addiction, violence, selfishness, bitterness, and people desperately searching for something that will fill an emptiness they can’t seem to satisfy.
Scripture describes a world in which spiritual blindness keeps people from seeing the hope of the Gospel.
2 Corinthians 4:4
Read 2 Corinthians 4:4 on Bible GatewaySatan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
1 John 5:19
Read 1 John 5:19 on Bible GatewayWe know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.
The real consequence of choosing a life without God is ultimately a life without God. That isn’t only a theological statement about what happens someday. It should cause us to examine the direction of our lives right now.
EGO: Who Is at the Center?
There is a helpful way to think about ego: EGO can mean “Edging God Out” or “Exalting God Only.” One phrase describes a life that increasingly revolves around ourselves. The other points toward a life surrendered to God.
Edging God out doesn’t usually happen all at once. It can happen so gradually that we don’t recognize it. We become too ashamed to pray, too proud to ask for help, too convinced that our plan is best, too impatient to wait for God’s direction, or too afraid of what God might say if we actually ask Him. Eventually, we can become so committed to building our own kingdoms that we barely notice how far we’ve moved from the King.
It can begin with something incredibly small, like a seed falling into a crack in a sidewalk. At first it looks harmless. Then it takes root. The roots grow, the crack widens, and eventually something tiny has fractured what once seemed solid.
Sin, compromise, pride, and doubt can work the same way in our spiritual lives. We rationalize something small. We tell ourselves it doesn’t really matter. We allow something to take root, and over time it begins changing the foundation.
The question isn’t simply whether we believe in God.
Are we actually allowing Him to be God?
When We Make Scripture Say What We Want
One of the dangers of putting ourselves at the center is that we can even begin reading Scripture that way. Instead of allowing God’s Word to challenge us, we look for ways to make it confirm what we already want to believe.
We tell ourselves, “Surely God didn’t really mean that.” We emphasize the parts that make us comfortable and explain away the parts that confront us. We can rationalize our behavior, minimize sin, or convince ourselves that generally being a good person is enough.
But Scripture isn’t meant to be molded around our preferences. We are the ones being formed.
That doesn’t mean every passage is easy to understand. There are difficult texts and questions Christians have wrestled with for generations. Sometimes understanding Scripture feels like putting together a thousand-piece puzzle and discovering that the piece you need isn’t immediately obvious. That should lead us toward humility, prayer, study, and community—not toward simply choosing whichever interpretation asks the least of us.
What If God Is Already Answering?
Sometimes we pray desperately for God to intervene while overlooking the ways He is already working. We have already decided what the answer should look like, so anything that doesn’t match our expectations can be easy to miss.
We want the dramatic miracle, while God may provide a person. We want the problem instantly removed, while God may provide the strength to walk through it. We want a door to suddenly swing open, while God may give us wisdom, resources, community, correction, or an opportunity that requires us to take the next faithful step.
Faith means trusting God’s solutions, not simply asking Him to approve ours.
Some answers only make sense later. Months or years down the road, we may finally recognize how a difficult experience shaped us, taught us, redirected us, or prepared us for something we couldn’t see at the time. None of us has this completely figured out. We are all works in progress.
Our hope isn’t found in figuring everything out. Our hope is found in Jesus.
Our Future Changes Our Mission
If eternity is real, following Jesus cannot be reduced to attending church, believing the right things, and trying to be a decent person. Jesus gave His followers a mission.
Matthew 28:19–20
Read Matthew 28:19–20 on Bible GatewayTherefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,[a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
The Great Commission isn’t reserved for pastors, missionaries, theologians, or people who feel naturally comfortable talking about faith. It belongs to followers of Jesus. We have been called to make disciples, and Jesus didn’t leave His followers alone to accomplish that mission.
Acts 1:8–11
Read Acts 1:8–11 on Bible GatewayBut you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
We have been called to witness, serve, love, speak, pray, and act when God puts someone in our path. Sometimes faithful obedience is much simpler than we imagine. It might be a conversation, a meal, an invitation, a prayer, a phone call, or a hand on someone’s shoulder.
We can spend years believing we aren’t qualified to make a difference while overlooking the simple opportunities God keeps placing directly in front of us.
Sometimes Faith Looks Like a Hand on a Shoulder
There are moments when we don’t know what to say. We feel inadequate. We’re tired. We’re afraid we’ll do it wrong. But following Jesus isn’t about waiting until we feel completely prepared. It’s about being available.
Sometimes God uses something as simple as a child placing a hand on someone’s shoulder to provide exactly the encouragement needed in that moment. No sermon. No perfectly constructed explanation. No special qualifications. Just someone willing to respond.
That should challenge those of us who have spent years following Jesus. How many times have we talked ourselves out of doing something simple because we thought we weren’t prepared enough? How often have we ignored a prompting to pray, encourage, invite, help, or speak because we were afraid we’d get it wrong?
Sometimes the greatest act of discipleship is simply noticing someone who needs encouragement and refusing to walk past them.
If a child can do that, so can we.
Live Today With Eternity in Mind
Our future with Christ should change the way we live in the present. If eternity matters, then people matter. If the Gospel is true, sharing it matters. If Jesus has given us hope, carrying that hope into the lives of others matters.
And if our time here really does pass like smoke through a keyhole, we shouldn’t waste it building kingdoms that won’t last.
We should spend it loving God, loving people, serving others, making disciples, and becoming more like Jesus. We should enjoy the good gifts God has given us without asking them to become our ultimate source of meaning. We should hold our plans with open hands and learn to recognize God’s work even when it doesn’t look the way we expected.
Our future isn’t simply something we’re waiting for.
It’s something that should change the way we live today.
A Prayer for the Future
God, as we look toward the future, help us see our lives from Your perspective. Teach us to hold temporary things loosely and eternal things closely. Show us where pride, fear, sin, or selfishness have been edging You out of our lives, and help us recognize the ways You are already working even when Your answers don’t look like the answers we expected.
Give us courage to speak when You’re calling us to speak, to act when You’re calling us to act, and to love when You’re calling us to love. Give us strength when we’re tired, wisdom when we’re uncertain, and compassion for the people You place in our path.
Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and help us use the brief time we’ve been given to build something that matters for eternity.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Ready to Take Your Next Step?
Maybe you’ve been thinking about faith. Maybe you’ve been away from church for a long time. Maybe you aren’t even sure what you believe yet. You don’t have to have everything figured out before you walk through the doors.
At Open Arms, we’re real people helping people become more like Jesus as a family. We’d love to meet you this Sunday at 10:00 AM at 71 Congress Street in Bradford, PA.
