The Present Form Is Passing Away – Life with Christ Remains! 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Mark 1:14-20

Grace, mercy and peace to you, from God our Father, who gave us life, and Jesus Christ, our Lord, who makes our life new again.

We’re going to talk about how life in this present form is passing away, but life in Christ remains, because life is dear and sacred to God. 

This is based on our Epistle, especially verse 31: For the present form of this world is passing away.

Life goes on, it’s been said. In Christ, that’s a true statement… and a good one to live by.

All good things must come to an end, it’s also been said. Sort of… yes and no.

This earthly life, with its blessings, will come to an end… and this world, with its blessings will someday end… but in Christ, the good things of this life and this world, will be replaced by an even better life, and better things.

Knowing this puts everything in its proper perspective for us. 

Our secular-minded culture, with no faith and hope, and no vision of a life to come, tends to obsess over the troubles this world has, because to the secular mind, there’s nothing else… this is all you get, and this is as good as it gets. 

But not in Christ, with life in Him, this life is good, a blessing, but it gets way better.

For us to be concerned and care about this life and this world, can be a good thing. 

In His time on earth, Jesus cared deeply about people and their earthly needs… and He emphasized the importance of loving and serving others in His name, like they are His, and our, very brothers and sisters.

Likewise, the created world is something God cares about, all of it… and so He made Adam and Eve, and calls us today, to be caretakers of it… because we all need God’s creation in order to live.

But He calls us to keep it all in its proper place. 

This world was once paradise, but no longer. Paradise is yet to come for God’s faithful stewards.

One of the mistakes of fallen humanity, from way back, and even today, is to treat the world, and the things of nature, of the Universe, as if they’re it’s God… to treat creation as if it’s the Creator, which is what the belief in evolution sort of does.

In our Epistle, God reminds us that this created and fallen world is not eternal, as He is, but this is only temporary.

So if we put our ultimate trust and hope in the things of this world, we’re in for a fall, a terrible let-down, a grave disappointment, an unbearable disappointment that will never end. How horrible and tragic to be forever disappointed. 

That’s what it will be for all who put their primary trust and hope in this world, and in the things of this world. 

This world doesn’t last forever, and this life doesn’t last forever, and so to regard ourselves, or this world, as our god… because if we do, we dishonor the true God, our Creator and Redeemer… 

…. and we mislead our neighbor… and we become poor stewards of God’s Creation, not caring for it in the right way, and with the right mind-set… 

… but worst of all, when we regard this world as our god and maker, we become poor and false stewards of the Gospel, which shows us the life that lasts forever, and that’s the world we put our great hope in.

In our Old Testament, Ninevah, as a people and as a society, and as a culture, had put their love and trust in worldly things and ways, as if this is everything, and means everything. 

God didn’t wish to abandon Nineveh to their vain and godless ways. So He sent Jonah, who after a detour on the sea, and in the belly of the huge fish, listened to God, and traveled to Nineveh, and called the people to turn back to the Lord.   

To Jonah’s surprise, they listened with their hearts, as we talked about last week, and repented, and God forgave them. 

They came to their senses and saw that life without God is short in terms of its blessings, with only temporal, earthly blessings… but life with God, is eternally and richly blessed.

When all else passes away, life with Christ remains, which is not just blessed in length of time, in quantity, but also in quality. 

Earthly blessings are wonderful; they’re truly good gifts from God above, but the blessings in Heaven are of a kind and quality, that will amaze us forever.

With this perspective, Paul tells us in our Epistle, This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. 

From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

In our Gospel, Jesus says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

The day of our Lord’s return is at hand. 

Now this doesn’t mean that we should neglect the relationships and responsibilities we have in this world, rather that we should realize everything we’ve been given in this world and this life, is meant to lead us, and focus us on, the life and the kingdom to come. 

Greater blessings are coming, so let us not tie ourselves to this world as if it’s all we have, and all we ever will have. In Christ, there far more, there’s eternity… and there’s far better, there’s perfect love and glory.

On this Sanctity of Life Sunday, we remember that God created human life in His image, and so able to be redeemed by His Son, and sanctified by His Spirit, so that life might go on in glory and joy and love forever.

And so we regard life made in His image as sacred, not to be selfishly and recklessly and callously discarded, but to be graciously kept, and lovingly preserved…

… that all may live to hear the Gospel, and repent and believe and be baptized, that God may cap earthly life with a crown of heavenly glory, for this world in it’s fallen form is passing away.

Let us be a voice of love and life in this world, of salvation and joy in Christ; let us be the hands and feet of God, to serve and comfort and help so many who are hurting in body, mind and soul. 

Let us champion just laws in the land, laws that honor all human life as sacred at every age and in every condition… rather than arbitrarily demoting the life of the very young, the preborn, and the life of the old and sick and weak and disabled, as less valued, less important than other life… 

Not to God, and not us! We see all life as sacred.

Every human being is treasured by Christ, who died and rose for each and every one. 

Let us have that same mind and love and devotion toward every human life…

… every life, each soul, sacred to God and to us, who celebrate and serve and proclaim the sanctity of human life, miraculously created and designed, and personally made by God.

Because this world is in it final phase, this last era of time, that started with the Ascension of Christ, and ends with His return, let us see life and the world as He sees it. 

That’s when we’re equipped with the right perspective to serve this fallen, dying world with the promise of life and blessings everlasting in the Gospel of Christ…

… and in the sure and certain hope of His return in glory, and justice, and power, to bring His faithful to where they belong, in the glory of His heavenly presence forever.

And as we wait with hope, and serve with joy, the peace of God, that passes understanding, will guard our hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus, who gives us blessed and sacred life in His name. Amen.