Sermon Idea: Time Machines - Bane or Boon?

Idea of the sermon: our recollections of the past or speculations of the future can undermine and weaken our faith in our present life, or can undergird and strengthen it. Stated another way, the past or the future can hinder or help the present; can bless or curse the present.

• The past as a bane to the present:
  • Regret of past sins tempting us to embrace to the erroneous idea that God didn’t forgive or still harbors some animus toward us now.
    • Paul dealt (successfully) with this temptation, calling himself “the worst of sinners” and “the least of the apostles” <ref>
  • Past failures tempting us to “manage our risks” in the present, to not respond obediently to the Holy Spirit’s promptings.
    • Peter faced this temptation, which Jesus worked to get him over when He recommissioned him to “feed my sheep” <ref>
• The future as a bane to the present:
  • References to not fear
    • Ref to not fear man
    • Ref to not fear experiencing God’s promised wrath on the sinful world
    • Ref to not fear inability to fulfill God’s planned good works (2 Cor 9.8)
• The past as a boon to the present:
  • Ps 77 Recalling God’s mighty deeds in the past provides comfort in the present
  • David’s recollection of God’s enabling in the past (lion and bear) emboldened him to confidently face Goliath.
  • Examples of others’ past disobedience/sin and consequences can encourage us to resist temptations. 1 Cor 10.1-13
  • God’s reliability performing past promises provides the precedent for trusting His continued reliability performing His future ones. Num 23.19; Josh 21.45, 23.14; 1 Ki 8.56; 1 Thess 5.24; Tit 1.2; Heb 6.18
• The (promised) future as a boon to the present:
  • The only events to really fear, God’s wrath, are not our destiny. He promises we, the members of the Church, will not experience them.
  • He promises future trials/temptations (pierasmos) will not be too great for you to “handle”, to “deal” with trials w/o being diminished/destroyed by them (2 Cor 4), and to resist temptations. 1 Cor 10.13
  • He promises future good works He has planned for you (Eph 2.10), regardless of what resources (material, mental, emotional, circumstantial) are needed, will be reliably and graciously provided. 2 Cor 9.8
  • The future contains delightful experiences “pulling” you forward, toward them:
    • Inheritance Mt 25.34; 1 Pet 1.3-6
    • Reward (Clint’s book)
    • Glory. 1 Pet 1.7
    • Better than can be imagined. Ps 31.19; 1 Cor 2.9; Eph 3.20