"Absent From the Body, Present With the Lord"

Q: What does the Bible say about being present with the Lord after death?

The Bible teaches that when believers die, they are absent from the body and present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). In 2 Corinthians 5:8, the Apostle Paul expresses the confidence of believers that upon leaving this earthly body, they will immediately be in the presence of the Lord. This assurance is rooted in the gospel promise that for those who trust in Christ, death is a transition into eternal communion with God. The passage emphasizes the certainty and comfort found in this hope, providing solace to those who face the reality of death.

Q: How do we know that we will be accepted by God?

We are accepted by God in the Beloved, Jesus Christ, who is well-pleasing to Him (Ephesians 1:6). Our acceptance before God does not depend on our performance or good works; instead, it is solely based on our union with Christ. As Ephesians 1:6 states, we are accepted in the Beloved. This means that God sees us not in our own failings, but through the righteousness of His Son, which was imputed to us. Therefore, believers can have confidence in their acceptance because it rests on the perfect obedience and sacrifice of Jesus, who fulfilled all righteousness on our behalf.

Q: Why is the promise of eternal life important for Christians?

The promise of eternal life provides hope and assurance that believers will be with the Lord forever (John 14:3). The promise of eternal life is foundational for the Christian faith. It assures believers that, despite trials and hardships in this life, they have an eternal hope that transcends their current circumstances. As John 14:3 asserts, Jesus has gone to prepare a place for His followers, ensuring that they will not be left behind. This hope inspires Christians to live in light of eternity, to engage in faithful labor for the Lord, and to encourage one another in their walk of faith.

Q: How can believers have confidence in their salvation?

Believers can be confident in their salvation because it is grounded in God's sovereign purpose and grace (Romans 8:28). Christian confidence in salvation is founded on God's sovereignty and faithfulness. Romans 8:28 teaches that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. This means that the believer's salvation is part of God's divine plan, and He is actively at work in their lives to fulfill His promises. Paul emphasizes the certainty of this truth, providing believers with assurance that their salvation is secure in Christ, regardless of their circumstances or shortcomings.

Good morning. Let's all stand together and sing hymn number 40 together. Hymn number 40 in our hymnals. Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father. There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not. As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness, Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me. Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, sun, moon, and stars in their courses above, Join with all nature in manifold witness to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. Great is thy faithfulness. ♪ Great is thy faithfulness ♪ ♪ Morning by morning new mercies I see ♪ ♪ All I have needed thy hand hath provided ♪ ♪ Great is thy faithfulness ♪ Lord unto me.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth. Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide. Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. Blessings all mine with 10,000 beside. Great is thy faithfulness. Great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning. Be seated. We'll sing hymn number 361. 361.

Sweet hour of prayer. sweet hour of prayer that calls me from the world of care and bids me at my father's throne make all my wants and wishes known. This season's of distress and grief, my soul has often found relieved and oft escaped the tempter's snare by thy return, sweet hour of prayer. Sweet hour of prayer Sweet hour of prayer Thy wings shall my petition bear To him whose truth and faithfulness. Engage the waiting soul to bliss. And since he bids me seek his face, believe his word. and trust his grace. I'll cast on him my every care and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer. Sweet hour of prayer. Sweet hour of prayer, may I thy consolation share. Till from Mount Pisgah's lofty height, I view my home, they take my flight. This robe of flesh I'll drop and rise to seize the end. Passing through the air. Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer. If you have your Bibles with you this morning, if you would, open with me to the book of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 55. Isaiah 55. Very familiar passage of scripture. Chapter 55, the book of Isaiah, we'll read the first seven verses.

Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. And he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat. Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfieth not?

Hearken diligently unto me, and ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me. Here in your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel, for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Lord God Almighty, our high and heavenly Father, we come to you once more through your precious son, Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, we thank you for this passage of scripture. We thank you for your entire word, but Lord, we thank you for this passage telling us about your blessed covenant.

We thank you that you keep your promise to your people. Thank you for your abundant mercies. Thank you for your grace. or thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you for showing mercy to an unrighteous, unruly people. A multitude of sinners, Lord, that you've shown mercy to, and we thank you for it. We can't thank you enough. Lord, we thank you for this day. Thank you for this gathering of saints.

We thank you for the pastor you've sent to speak to us this morning. Lord, we ask that you would. Be with him and bless him as he stands before us to proclaim the gospel. Ask that you would bless the word to his heart as he preaches to us and bless bless us through his preaching. Lord, that you would meet with us that we not meet in vain. Cause us to worship you in spirit and in truth.

Lord, we ask for mercy, continual mercy. We especially pray for those who are weak and weary and not with us, Lord, through the frailties of this flesh. Though their heart desires to be here, but their weak bodies don't allow them. And there are many, Lord, and you know who they are. Pray that you would lift them up. Lord, there are many lost among us as well. I ask that you would show mercy unto them. Reveal yourself unto them. Show them your mercy and your grace if it would please you, Lord.

Pray that thy word would go forth all over this world Conquer sinful souls of your sheep, Lord, wherever they may be. We pray for our pastor and his dear wife as they travel. I ask that you'd keep your hand upon them, bless their time, and see them safely back to us, Lord, if it be thy will. We pray for our lost loved ones, pray for our children, Lord, we pray for ourselves, as that you would keep us.

Never let us go astray. Keep us and hold us, Lord, cause us to always look to you for all things. Teach us thy way. Let us forget the things of this world, the worries of this flesh, for a little while, if you would. Let us just look upon thee. We pray that thy name is honored glorified here today. For Christ's sake, we ask these things, amen. Let's all stand together and sing the hymn of the day in the bulletin.

I was lost and could not see what my sin had done to me, but the Spirit made me know Christ could pay the debt I owe. Everything I'll ever need is in Christ who died for me. When I lean upon His breast, When I learn in Him to rest, O what joy then fills my heart! Christ and I shall never part, ♪ Everything I'll ever need ♪ ♪ Is in Christ who died for me ♪ ♪ Righteousness and peace divine ♪ ♪ Christ earned for me ♪ made mine. To my Savior I will cling. All His praises I will sing. Everything I'll ever need. is in Christ who died for me. When I on my deathbed lie, when I leave here with a sigh, On my Savior I'll depend By His grace I will ascend Christ for me a place prepared Done with Him can be compared. Be seated.

Once my soul was astray from the heavenly way. I was wretched and foul as could be. But my Savior in love Gave me peace from above When He reached down His hands for me When my Savior reached down for me when he reached way down for me. I was lost and unknown with that blood on his side when he reached down his head. I was dead in despair when he came to me there.

And he showed me that I could be free. And he lifted my feet, gave me gladness, When He reached down His hand for me When my Savior reached out for me When He reached way down for me I was lost and unknown, without God or His Son, when He reached down His hand for me. Now my heart doth rejoice When I hear his sweet voice Dare to lean on his arms, safe, secure from all harm, since he reached down his hand for me. Sing it with me. When my Savior reached down for me, when he reached great path for me. I was lost and undone without God or his son. When he reached down his hand for me, There to lean on his arms, safe secure from all harm, since he reached down his hand for me.

I think everybody here knows Brother Larry Chris. He's got his sweet wife with him today. We're glad to see both of them, glad to have them. If you don't know him or where he's from, he currently makes his way to us from Sylacauga, Alabama. A familiar face, a dear friend, a dear brother. Brother Larry, you come and preach the gospel to us, would you? Make yourself at home.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that song. Thank you for giving me a couple of minutes to recover from it. That was a blessing. Well, no, you don't want to recover from that. Good morning. So what you did like soon, if you Where'd he go? Houston, as soon as you plucked the cord, I recognized that tune. So that's one of my favorites. That's my biography, James.

I declare, if you think, if you ever have any doubt that God's arm is shortened to where he cannot see, he wouldn't have reached down, he couldn't have reached down as far as his center was if his arm wasn't long and powerful and merciful and gracious. That one verse especially, I'm going to switch this. I think one time y'all had some kind of electrical stuff here, so I didn't switch it because I didn't want to be charged for destroying some high-tech stuff. But I'm a lefty.

How many times I got to tell you people that? But what was I saying? But yeah, he reached way down. Yeah, that verse, it sure rings a bell, Gary. I was near to despair when he came to me there. I thought, man, I had crossed the line. I'd sinned too long, too deep. God's won't have mercy on me. I was ready to throw in the towel. If I hadn't been scared of going to hell, I was near to despair. Well, okay. Turn, if you will, to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Anybody here can identify with what I just said?

If you don't know Christ, especially, he delights to show mercy. We listened to a hymn by Brother Dave Coleman on the way to church from the motel, and he said, I'm so glad that God saves old sinners. I'm surprised and amazed how he sets them free. But the biggest surprise in God saving old sinners is that he would save an old sinner like me. He delights to show mercy.

We're going to read our text in a moment. It'll be verse 8, verse 8 and 9, in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Everyone just about has heard of Charles Spurgeon. Preachers quote him. A lot of them hate the gospel he preached, but they quote Mr. Spurgeon, the prince of preachers.

He suffered greatly with ill health his whole life, so did his wife Susanna. But soon after his death, he was in Mentone, France. He would go there because the climate they felt would help him recover. Well, the last time he didn't recover, he got plum well. God took him home.

But his wife Susanna, soon after the death of her famous husband, said, These words in verse eight were such a comfort to her. God, after he had taken her dear husband home, I remember reading, she said she knelt by his bed and thanked God that he had given him to her, brought them together for so many years, then prayed for mercy and grace to carry on. But she said these words, not even the entire text, God used over and over again to comfort her heart, absent from the body, present with the Lord. She said this, she wrote, a dear friend wrote thus to me the other day, and said, oh, when I think of him, that is Spurgeon, as able to praise his savior without fatigue or pain.

Daryl, what do you reckon that'd be like? without fatigue or pain, no longer limping, like you saw me do, or leaning on his staff, with no cough, no faintness, no swollen fingers or ankles. He suffered terribly with gouts, burgundy, and rheumatism and other ailments. But no more swollen fingers or ankles, away from the fog and the mist, where no heresies distress his heart. When I think of him thus, my heart fairly leaps for joy. Absent from the body, but present with the Lord.

And this is the text. Look at it with me. Verse 8 of 2 Corinthians 5. We'll read that. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Notice Paul says, we are confident. We are confident. Paul was not only speaking for himself, but those to whom he wrote. And not only those, but every child of God has the same reason to be confident. Verse six, he says again, we are always confident. We are always confident. Verse 1, he says, we know. And in verse 6 again, he says, knowing that. I like Paul's dogmatism, don't you? Don't you, Mike? I like Paul's dogmatism, his certainty of the things he's speaking of.

As he wrote in Romans 8 and 28, we all know that by heart. We know that all, we know. We know. How do we know? that all things work together for them that love God, because it's God that's doing the work. That's what gives us confidence. We don't know and have confidence because it's up to us. We know and have confidence because it's God Almighty's purpose.

Paul says that when we leave this world, we're no longer in this world. We're absent from this body, this flesh, this sinful nature. And for the child of God, he takes his last breath here, and the next one, he's breathing the air of heaven. Present with the Lord.

Jesus Christ said this, my sheep, now does this define you? If you're a sheep, it does. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them. I know them like I know no other, and they follow me. They hear his voice in time. Isn't that right? In time, they hear the voice of the Son of God. He comes to them wherever they're at. The great shepherd finds his sheep, and he reaches down his hand for them. They hear his voice in time when he calls them by his grace and reveals himself to them, and they follow him. They follow him.

But God says concerning every called out of darkness into the marvelous light of Christ, every one of his sheep, he says, these are they which follow the Lamb whether so ever he goes. Not only when he calls them initially to himself, but he continues to call them and they'll follow him all the way to glory. God's honor is at stake. The glory of Christ will see to that.

So when their life here below is over, they will hear the voice. Now think about this. Again, as Robin and I drove here this morning, I said, honey, we have no idea. These are our dear friends. We've known them. We've known them many years. Enjoy coming here. I told her, someone told me that Donnie was 16 or 17 hours in the air. He can have that. I just drove about four hours here. But as we left the motel, I said, honey, we don't know the folks. I mean, you see folks, their face, you don't know what they're going through. You have no idea the burdens, the heartaches, the trials they might be going through.

Pray that God will make the message a blessing to their heart. Oh, but think of this. Think of this, when this life is over, once again, we'll hear the voice of our great shepherd saying, it's time to come home. It's time to be absent from the body. You've dwelt here long enough and to be present with the Lord. It's time to come with me where I'm at to the Father's house.

And there'll be no more death. No more sorrow, no more crying, no more pain of any kind. Not pain in body, not pain in mind, not pain in heart, because God's going to wipe every tear from our eyes. There'll be no crying in heaven. You ever say to your son, Houston, now what are you crying for? You've got no reason to cry. Well, children of God, I have no reason to cry. in glory, when they hear the voice of the great shepherd calling them to be with him.

The former things are passed away, but this will never pass away. Seeing Jesus Christ will never pass away. Loving him as he deserves to be loved, that will never pass away. Worshipping him with an unsinning heart. No child of God has ever done that while they're in this world. We can only imagine giving him the honor, the praise that's due him. That will never be over. I believe that it will increase as eternity rolls on. The hymn writer said this, Face to face.

I wish I could sing, I can't. That may be, you may have noticed some of the hymns I didn't follow along. I thought I might just be throwing y'all off. I was in Kentucky last weekend, preached a funeral there, and we stayed at a house of some dear friends, Mark and Regina Henson, and her granddaughter was there. And I went outside and her granddaughter was across the yard and sitting in a swing, and I went over there and she was singing.

I said, teach me that song. Okay, then finally she said, you need to take a pill. I said, what? I didn't know what she meant. She said, because I sounded hoarse. I said, okay, let's try it again. Then she said, I tell you what, you need to go up there where Robin is and sit down and let her come down here and sing. Oh, but in glory, in glory, perfect harmony, perfect voice.

Face to face with Christ my Savior. How about that? Face to face, what will it be? When with rapture I behold him, Jesus Christ, who died for me, only faintly now I see him, with the darkling veil between. Oh, but a blessed day is coming when his glory shall be seen. What rejoicing in his presence, when our banished grief and pain, when the crooked ways are straightened and the dark things shall be plain. Oh, face to face, O blissful moment, face-to-face to see and know, face-to-face with my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who loves me so. Now let's read the immediate context of our text. Let's begin at verse 6, here in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 6.

Therefore, therefore, we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in this body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and rather, willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor, that is, we make it our aim, our ambition, our goal. Remember what Christ said, strive the inner end at the straight gate. Wherefore we labor, that whether present or absent, whether we're living or dying, we may be accepted of Him.

We may be accepted of Him. That's kind of strange talk in most religious circles today. I mean, after all, most places this morning are telling people and trying to convince them how easy it is It's not will we be accepted of him, but will you accept Jesus? Am I lying? I wish it wasn't true. And it's so dishonoring to God. And it gives sinners a false hope. That's pretty important.

Will you accept Jesus? Will you allow him to save you? Anybody ever tell you that? Or will you let him into your heart? Have you made your decision for Jesus? Where is that in God's word? After service, if you believe that, show me that in God's Word.

Jesus Christ never used such language in preaching to sinners. He said, come unto me, bow to me. When the apostles were sent out to preach to the disciples, they never used that kind of language. They pointed people to the Lord Jesus Christ and said, bow to him, believe on him.

And all the while praying, as I'm doing right now, that God would grant them faith to do Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember these words, our great high priest is praying, he said, Father, you've given me power over all flesh, that I should give eternal life to as many as thou has given me. And this is life eternal. This is salvation.

That they might know thee, the only true God, not know the doctrine, No, not know the Bible cover to cover, but they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ. If you don't know Christ, you can't be a believer. And there's a Christianity today that doesn't require people to truly know the Son of God. My decision won't accomplish that, will it? That I might know God and Jesus Christ. My decision won't accomplish that. My acceptance won't produce that. Oh, but His decision will. His acceptance of me will.

This great work of salvation, it's not as easy as ABC. That's the language of religion. That's the language of people who have not been taught of God. That's not been born from above. Paul said, the natural man receiveth not the things of God. That's why Nicodemus, you must be born again. Unless you're born again, you can't see, you can't comprehend, you can't understand the things of God. These are the very words of Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit that quickeneth.

And he spoke these words in John 6 to a multitude of people that he had fed, and they got hungry again, so they followed him across the sea. But they came to him physically with their feet, and he said, you've not really come to me. Why are people exhorted to move their feet from the back to the front? These are people who literally saw Jesus Christ in the flesh and he said, you've not come to me. Because it's the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.

Listen to this quote, I found this just the other day and wrote it down here, copied it down. This man said, ritualism is the most popular religion in the world. because it is all abracadabra, done in a minute, nothing to think of, nothing to care about, nothing to sorrow over. It is all a mere matter of external religious forms. The little that is needed of them can be done without thought. They can go on in their sins as pleasantly as ever.

You know who said that? Spurgeon. Over a hundred years ago, it seems like the same issue existed then as exists now, because man hasn't changed. Their concept of God hasn't changed. Their need of salvation, thinking it's easy, it hasn't changed. The flesh profits nothing whether you live in the 1800s or 2026.

Remember what our Lord said to his disciples that time when the rich young ruler had come to him and sought him out? He looked good outwardly, bowed down before him. What can I do to inherit eternal life? How can I earn my way to heaven? You know the story. And the Lord sent him away sorrowful and said, oh, how difficult, how difficult for those that have riches to enter into the kingdom of God.

And the disciples heard that and they said, did we hear him right? I mean, we're impressed with that young man and he sends him away sorrowful. He doesn't give him a false hope. They said, well, who can be saved? Could words be plainer than this? Who can be safe?

With man, it is impossible. Impossible, but not with God. Not with God. This is what I'm driving at. A real sinner, a real sinner needs real grace. Nothing else will do them any good. They won't be satisfied with anything else. They need grace that abounds where sin abounded. Grace that reigns where sin once reigned. And that only comes by Jesus Christ. I often am involved in text on my phone. Threads, they called it, right? A conversation. And I've got four brothers and four sisters We're all still living. And they'll get to chatting.

A lot of times it doesn't interest me, especially if I'm preparing or something, I'll turn it off. But every now and then, they'll get on the religious thing. And all of a sudden, people that got no interest in the gospel, in God and grace, but they all throw it out there. And sometimes I tell Robin, I said, I've got to say something. So I'll put something in, most of the time, or they'll say, yeah, Larry, you're right, you're right. Yeah, it's free grace alone, then they say it's free will too.

And when I think about them, not only then, but many times, many times, my four brothers and sisters and grandchildren, I got great-grandchildren, most of my relations are lost. A lot of them are religious. But they don't owe God. I mean, I'm not judging them. I hear it from their own mouth. That can't be God that they're talking about.

I don't know. I wrote an article in the Bulletin not long ago. Some of you get it, I think. But if someone came up to me and said they knew Don Fortner and said, yeah, I said, well, I know him, too. They said, yeah, he's a skinny little guy. He probably wouldn't weigh 100 pounds soaking wet. I'd say, man, you talking about somebody else.

That's not the Don I know. And when I hear this description of a Jesus today who can't have his way, that doesn't rule in the armies of heaven, whose hand none can stay, who does what he wants to do whenever he wants to do it, and nobody can stop him, that's not the Jesus my dear brothers and sisters, the ones that profess anything, talk about.

And it's heartbreaking. Is it? You've got family like that. It's heartbreaking. And I think of that scripture. Oh, my soul. When our Lord said, many in that day shall say to me, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? We did it in your name. These are not a bunch of moonies. They go right up to the very judgment seat of Jesus Christ, thinking he's going to fling open the doors of heaven and say, welcome home. Now you think about that.

How can someone be so deceived? I mean, can you imagine the horror that grips their heart when they hear the judge of all the earth say, depart from me? I never knew you people. What happened? Well, you read Matthew 7, and the Lord says how that happened. They started wrong. They never built their hope. on the foundation of Jesus Christ, the solid rock. They built it upon sand, their own decision, their own will, their own whatever, but they didn't know the Son of God.

And when I hear that, when I read that, when I think about it, I imagine my brothers that I love, sisters that I love, and I picture if that would take place now, They would be standing there. I see their faces. I picture them hearing those awful words, depart from me, I never knew you. So I've got to tell them the truth, whether it offends them or not, right? Got to, got to.

Too much is at stake. to leave folks trusting in another God. Oh, but sinners need someone mightier than themselves, don't they? I like what John the Baptist said one time when folks were wondering. You know, John the Baptist, he was a novelty for a while. Then the novelty wore off and they killed him. But they came to him one time. They said, are you the Messiah? Are you the ones the Old Testament Scriptures told us about? Are you He? Are you the Christ? And John said, no. How many times do I have to tell you people? I'm not the Christ.

There cometh one after me mightier than I, mightier than I. Oh, my soul. That's what real sinners need, don't they? They need a Savior mightier than themselves. Someone whose arm can reach deeper than the stain has gone. A savior who's mighty to save, who's able to reach down his arm as deep as necessary, the brain centers up out of the horrible pit of their natural depravity. We need one who is mighty to save. John said there's one mightier than I, mightier than I. Like that poor leper.

Remember that? Oh, what a picture of you and I by nature. Is it getting warm in here? Getting drowsy? But he came to our Lord, you know the story, fell before him. Lord, if you will. James, I believe he was serious. He didn't come skipping up an aisle to make a decision. He needed help. The priest couldn't do nothing for him. All they could do was condemn him. That's what the law does. By the law is the knowledge of sin, but it can't justify anybody. And he came to the Lord Jesus Christ. Can you picture that?

He was an outcast. He was a leper. The priest said, you're unclean. Get out. Don't show your face in the temple. You got a wife, children, too bad. Get out. You're an outcast. If anybody approached that man, that wasn't familiar with the laws of Israel or was too far away to notice. He was commanded to shout out and warned him, don't come near me. I'm unclean. I'm unclean. Don't touch me. Don't come near me.

Oh, that's the picture. He comes to the Son of God. He'd heard about Christ. Oh, he comes to him and falls down before him. Oh, if you will, if you will, Houston, when's the last time you ran across anybody in a case like that? Every sinner that God gets lost is like that, is a picture of that leper. Lord, if you will, you don't have to. He knew it wasn't his will that would render the cure. Oh, he was more than willing, but he had no power. Lord, if you will, it's all up to you. It's all up to you. If you will.

Can you imagine? I wonder how long it's been since anybody touched that diseased, outcast leper. Wonder how long it's been since he felt the touch of another human hand. And he falls before the Son of God. If you will, and all you know in his heart of hearts, he's thinking, oh, I hope he will. Oh, I hope he will. I know he can, but will he? And just, he no sooner got the words out of his mouth than Jesus Christ, the great physician, was reaching forth and saying, I will.

Bam, touched him. Touched him, Beryl. Oh, he touched me. Oh, the joy that floods my soul. Something happened and now I know. He touched me and made me whole. Hmm. This. Well, it talks about. We are confident verse verse eight again or no verse nine. Wherefore, we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him accepted. Literally, it means that we may be well-pleasing to Him. That doesn't make it any easier, does it? How can I do anything to be accepted of Him or to be well-pleasing to Him? God said it must be perfect to be accepted.

Well, here it is. He spoke from heaven and said, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased. And Paul wrote to the praise of the glory of His grace in Ephesians 1 and 6, wherein He, that is God, hath made us accepted in the Beloved. In the Beloved. That's where our acceptance is. That's what makes us well-pleasing to God. He sees us in His Son, in whom He is well-pleased. In the Beloved accepted am I, risen, ascended, and seated on high, saved from all sin through His infinite grace, with the redeemed ones accorded a place.

In the Beloved, how safe my retreat. In the Beloved, accounted complete. Who can condemn me? In him I am free. Savior and keeper forever is he. In the Beloved, God's marvelous grace calls me to dwell in this wonderful place. God sees my Savior, Brad, and then he sees me. I'm in Christ. I'm in Christ, I'm accepted in Christ. God would have to reject his son before he would reject every sinner that's in his son. What about that? In the beloved, accepted, and free. I like that. I like that.

I start the day, usually, my wife and I have a devotion and pray. God, help me not to dishonor you today. And the people I run into, In conversation, in contact, don't allow me to dishonor you today. But I say, Lord, I know I will. Give me mercy and grace. And at the end of the day, I look back over and I have to pray. I have to ask her often, honey, I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to say that. I didn't mean to act that way. But here's my point. Aren't you glad that your acceptance by God doesn't depend on you? I mean, we're goners if that's—oh, we're accepted in His Son, in the Beloved, accepted and free. I appreciate who puts this water up here.

Most of the time I forget about it. I imagine most of y'all saw that—the broadcast on the news about three weeks ago, I think it was now. I watched the news about the American pilots that were shot down over Iran. Remember that? What's that? That's not me. That's my text, but that's not me. One of us is going to have to shut up. Okay, we good? Never had that happen. He's in the same chapter as well.

Anyway, three weeks ago, I watched the news about those pilots being shot down over Iran. They were ejected from the plane before it went down. And they said they found one pilot pretty quick. But the other one, I think, was ejected 42 miles away, deep in Iranian territory. And there was a rescue sent out to find him.

And the Iranian army, remember, they wanted him. They wanted him as bad as the Americans. I told my wife, and as we sat there watching the news, I said, let's pray for that young man. Can you imagine what they'll do, the Iranians will do if they get him? What they might do, how they might We got a pretty good idea of what they would do, but I said, let's pray for him. And I listened to the reports of the military intelligence and high-ranking generalists, and they said this was their words.

It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. And this young man was wounded, and he was way back in the mountains. And one said it was like trying to find a grain of sand on the beach. What about that? As I listened to their words, and they referred to it as a mission impossible, and I told Robin, everything they're saying reminds me of the captain of my salvation.

Jesus Christ, the captain of my salvation, said this, I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him that sent me, and this is the will of Him that sent me, of all which He had given me, I should lose none. I'm the good shepherd, I seek my sheep. The Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost. And the mission of the great shepherd is not something attempted, it's something accomplished.

There's a big difference. James, I could stand out here after service and flatten my arms and tell y'all, I'm gonna fly, I'm gonna attempt to fly, and y'all would say, uh-oh, Robin, we're sorry. How long's he been this way? But it would be an attempt. It'd be another thing if you see me sailing away into the sky. Jesus Christ didn't attempt to save his people. He didn't attempt to redeem them. He obtained eternal redemption for us. Glory. What a Savior.

He accomplished it, remember? Just a few days before he went to Jerusalem, before he was crucified, he told his disciples, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and everything written about the Son of Man shall be accomplished. Accomplished. And then he cries through that darkness after he emerges from that darkness of being forsaken of God on the cross. And what did he say? It is accomplished. It's finished.

He obtained eternal redemption for us. Man of sorrows, what a name. For the Son of God who came, ruined sinners to reclaim. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Left it up was he to die. It is finished was his cry. Now in heaven exalted high. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Mission accomplished.

One of the generals we watched during one of the interviews while they were searching for that downed pilot, he said that they had sent out hundreds and hundreds of more jet fighters and hundreds of personnel were involved in the search for that young man. I mean, I just, I don't know how much was involved, but he said there was a lot of people looking for him. You know what? Jesus Christ had nobody to help him then. Jesus Christ said, I've trodden the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with me. When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. I also heard several times in the search for that young pilot, I think it was Hegseth, top dog, something of defense. But I was listening to him, and he said that, Remember, this is our motto. This pilot knows this. Every soldier knows this.

There won't be one left behind. You won't be left behind. We're coming for you. Listen to what our Commander-in-Chief said, in my father's house are many mansions. You won't be left behind. Oh, I'm coming for you, that where I am, there ye may be also. That happens when a believer dies, absent from the body and present with the Lord. One more thing and I'm done.

After the successful search and rescue of that pilot, they reported that it was such an extraordinary feat. Everything that had to go right went right. Went right. But this remark really got my attention. Here, I got it wrote down here. I forgot. Pete Hexeth, the United States Secretary of Defense, after the successful rescue of that pilot, he said, I and others, he said, stand in awe. A-W-E of this mission.

And I believe, he said, that as we learn more in the days ahead, we will stand even more in awe of what was done. And I said, Robin, now who does that remind you of? Jesus Christ. Isn't that true in a far greater sense of Him, our great God and Savior? I know now. as we mentioned, we see through a glass darkly. But even though that's so, we still know whom we have believed. We know of his great mercy and grace. We know that he reached down his hand for us as sinners, as those that believe.

And when we think of what he's already done for us and the cost and the price that he paid, don't we stand in awe of him? Is that what the hymn writer said? When I think that God, his son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in. That on the cross my burden gladly bearing, he bled and died to take away my sin.

I looked up that word awe. Here's some synonyms for it. Filled with wonder. Wonderstruck. awestruck, amazed, filled with amazement, astonished, filled with astonishment, lost for words, open mouth, the dictionary says. Oh, and how that wonder, that awe, will burst forth from every believer's heart when they're presented before God Almighty without spot or blemish or any such thing, and the captain of their salvation says to his father, Father, I And all those you gave me, not one was left behind. I lost none.

Oh, then will not our wonder increase when Christ shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home what joy shall fill my heart? And I shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim in a way that I never have, my God, how great My question is, will you be there? Will you hear him say, Father, will you be included in that number? Or will you hear these horrible words depart from me?

Oh, God don't allow that. God don't allow that. Thank you. God bless you. Thank you for your attention. Let's have a word of prayer. Our high and heavenly Father, once more we bow our heads and hearts before you through your precious Son, Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for the wonderful message we just heard, Lord. Thank you for your glorious gospel. Lord, thank you for showing us A glimpse of what we are. And a glimpse of who you are and what you are. Or thank you for giving us confidence in you. You are the only thing in this world. Worth having confidence in Lord.

We thank you for it. Lord, as we go our way this week, I ask that you would keep us, cause us to remember you. Lord, we know you. In your perfect faithfulness, you remember us, Lord, but cause us to remember you. Leave us not to ourselves, let us not go astray. As our brother said, Lord, let's pray that we not bring reproach upon your name. Pray for traveling mercies as they travel home, Lord, and pray that you'd see us safely through this week until we can meet again. Lord, we ask thy name be glorified in all things, for Christ's sake, amen.

Let's stand together in our chorus books. On page 23, we'll sing the first and third verse. Page 23 in our course books, the first and the third verse. I couldn't help but be happy hearing that message. It made me think of this tune. This was one of my Papaw's favorites. The first and the third verse.

In Jesus I found a sweet rest, From sorrow, from toil, and from care. In Him I am happy and blessed, For He all my burdens doth bear. Oh, how happy am I with my Savior so nigh! I have found a sweet rest on Jesus, my Savior's dear breast. Though many the troubles I meet, He'll keep me and carry me along. I'll sit at His glorified feet, For He is my joy and my song.

Brother, if you would go up to the front door of papal Shake your hand, give you a hug. Well, give them one anyway. If you'll remember, there's no Wednesday service as our pastor is away. So we'll meet again, Lord willing, next week. And Brother Fred Evans will be here to speak. You're dismissed.

"Absent From the Body, Present With the Lord"

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about being present with the Lord after death?

How do we know that we will be accepted by God?

Why is the promise of eternal life important for Christians?

How can believers have confidence in their salvation?

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About Larry Criss

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"Absent From the Body, Present With the Lord"

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about being present with the Lord after death?

How do we know that we will be accepted by God?

Why is the promise of eternal life important for Christians?

How can believers have confidence in their salvation?

Sermon Transcript

About Larry Criss

Comments

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