CONCERNING MOMENTS AND AGES

Text: Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Introduction: Let us consider moments of pleasure and ages of torment as opposed to moments of tears and ages of rapture.
I. Satan's promise of pleasure.
'Worship me and I will give you a moment of pleasure'.

I To young people: Live for the moment, forget school; forget preparation for the future whether in this life or eternity: but he never shows the hard life of poverty, and deprivation nor the plight of the rich man in hell.

A. He advertises the lifting moment of drink but never mentions the life of despair.

B. The pleasing Euphoria of drugs is extolled but he never mentions the wasted life, the agony of withdrawal or the death by o.d.

C. The beauty and grace of the dance is praised but not the broken hearts and homes spawned on the dance floor.

D. The pleasure of freedom from moral restraint is lauded without ever mentioning the stain of shame and degradation.

E. Pride and vanity are paraded as 'sophistication' while the graces of love, joy, peace and humility are spurned as being 'gauche’

F. The furious drive for wealth goes on while men stumble over the jewel of heaven, Jesus Christ.
1 Pet 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1 Pet 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
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II. The Ages to come. What will these ages hold?

A. The Lord's Church.
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

B. The fulfillment of all the promises of Matthew five and six.

C. The revealing of the Glorified Christ with his bride.
Zec 14:5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
2 Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2 Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2 Th 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
1 Pet 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
1 Pet 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
1 Pet 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
1 Pet 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

D. The Millennial reign. Share it with Christ or wait it out in hell? It's your choice!

E. Eternity. Where will you spend it? A new earth or the old hell? What you do with your moments now will determine your fate in the ages to come.
2 Cor 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)