"WITH THE LORD"
Intro:
1. One of the great concerns of each one who is a child of God is
to be "With the Lord." One who is not comfortable in His
Presence is not ready for eternity.
2. In our study today I wish to inquire into some of the
relationships that we can experience in order to "Be With the
Lord."
I. THERE IS ONE SENSE IN WHICH WE ARE NEVER OUT OF HIS PRESENCE.
1. Ps 139:1-10 -- "whither shall I flee from thy presence..."
2. Acts 17:27-28 -- He is "not far from every one....."
3. Jer. 23:24 -- "Can any hide himself in secret places that I
shall not see him? saith Jehovah. Do not I fill heaven and
earth? saith Jehovah."
4. Also: Ps 11:4; 33:13.
5. We are all creatures of God; Ever present before His
watching eye. He cares for each of us.
6. Illustration: A small girl stated, "I don't like God." When
mother asked, "Why," the response was, "Because He is a
snooper." The mother learned that they had studied about
God as being "all-seeing," and "all knowing." That He knew
our every deed. How sad it is that many do not wish
Jehovah to watch our every move. Perhaps, He should just
leave us alone and not be concerned.
II. THERE ARE SOME PARTICULAR WAYS IN WHICH CHILDREN OF GOD CAN BE
"WITH THE LORD."
1. When one obeys the gospel, he/she begins a new relationship
with the Lord. (The old life of sin, which separated us
from the Lord, has been removed.)
(1) Rom. 6:3-5 -- "buried with him by baptism into death"
(2) Gal. 3:26-27 -- by being baptized into Christ.
(3) Col. 3:1-2 -- Raised with Christ... seek things above
(4) 2 Cor. 5:17 -- One in Christ is a New Creature.
(5) A new child in the family of God; thus, a new heart, a
new life; a new beginning, a new relationship with
Christ; born again (John 3:3,5).
2. When one assembles with fellow Christians for worship, he
is with the Lord.
(1) Matt. 18:20 -- "Where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
(2) John 20:19, 24, 26 -- Jesus met with the disciples
after His resurrection. Thomas missed that first
meeting. We are not informed as to why he missed; but
the fact remains he missed a blessing by his absence.
(3) Heb. 10:25 -- We are commanded not to forsake the
assembly. And for whatever reason we miss; we miss a
blessing and opportunity to be with the Lord.
(4) When it becomes easy for us to miss an assembly, it
leaves questions as to our desire to be with the Lord.
(5) Someone has said, "If our faith is not strong enough
to bring us to worship, is it strong enough to take us
to heaven."
3. When one renders faithful daily service, he is with the
Lord.
(1) 2 John 9:10 -- By abiding in His doctrine, we
"....hath both the Father and the Son"
(2) 1 John 1:7 -- By walking in the light we have
fellowship with the Deity.
(3) This is a constant, day by day, hour by hour,
submission to His will.
(4) Our doctrinal purity must be practiced on a daily
basis, as we go about life and living.
(5) As we practice "pure religion," we have Christ at our
side, ever with us.
4. The faithful child of God can be with Christ in death.
(1) Phil. 1:20-24 -- Paul's problem: (a) to stay in the
flesh and assist others, (b) to depart and be with
Christ.
(2) Rev. 14:13 -- what an exalted promise. But, one must
"die in the Lord."
(3) Lk. 16:19-31 -- Lazarus was in place of bliss.
(4) 1 Thess. 4:14 -- "asleep in Jesus..."
(5) How consoling it is to attend a funeral where the
departed was a member of God's family. In contrast to
attending a funeral where one never obey their Lord,
still in their sins; thus separated from the Lord.
(6) This is not to say that we are passing judgment upon
anyone, but even the Lord said, "By their fruits shall
ye know them."
(7) Indeed, does not Paul say, "Oh, death, where is thy
sting?"
5. In the ultimate and most intimate sense, the faithful child
of God can be with the Lord in that eternal home.
(1) 1 Thess 4:13-18 -- "meet the Lord in the air....so
shall we ever be with the Lord."
(2) Rev. 21:3 -- "...and God himself shall be with them,
and be their God."
(3) Matt 25:34 -- "Come, ye blessed of my Father...."
(4) John 14:1-3 -- I go and prepare a place for you....
"there ye may be also..."
(5) We may not grasp how all of this is possible, nor what
we may be like, etc., but the reality of being in His
presence is very clear and real.
Conclusion:
1. If one has spent his/her days seeking to do the things which
the Lord expects out of us, why should it be such a difficult
thing to believe that the Lord will invite us to be with Him in
Eternity? Heaven is but the next step in our service.
2. Yet, one cannot "die in the Lord," unless we have been willing
to "live in the Lord."
3. But one cannot "live in the Lord," unless we are willing to DO
WHAT CHRIST TEACHES TO ENTER HIS PRESENCE.
4. How does one gain entrance INTO Christ? Gal 3:26-27; Rom 6:3-
4; Born into Heavenly Family, Jn. 3:5.
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