• Home
    • Ways to Give
  • Prayer Corner
    • Share a Request
    • Memorial Tribute >
      • Hetty Postma
      • Edna Kirby
      • Norman Hunter
      • Ina Rottier
      • Dennis Brommeland
      • Norris Thompson
      • Irv Wood
      • Ann Vander Kooi
      • Jack Demorest
      • Yde Vander Kooi
      • Ainsley Rose Wollf
      • Dick Mayer
      • David Rusnell
      • Bob McKay
      • Guy Deschatelets
      • Chloe Kroeger
      • Ida Barisoff
      • Gerard Zandee
      • Nick Dikur
  • About Valley
    • Annual Reports >
      • 2023 Annual Report
      • 2022 Annual Report
      • 2021 Annual Report
      • 2020 Annual Report
      • 2019 Annual Report
      • 2018 Annual Report
    • Membership Information
    • Who We Are
    • What We Believe
    • How We Are Governed >
      • Constitution & Bylaws
    • Where We Are Going
  • Ministries
    • Leadership Team >
      • Nomination Committee
      • Benevolent Ministry
    • Finance and Property >
      • 2023 Budget
      • Current Quarterly Report
    • Missions >
      • Missions Guidelines
    • Caring and Connecting
    • Christian Education >
      • Library
    • Worship >
      • Heritage House
  • What's Happening
    • Bulletin
    • Links
  • Photos
    • Annual Celebration >
      • 2023
      • 2022
      • 2021
      • 2020
      • 2019
      • 2018
      • 2017
      • 2016
      • 2015
      • 2014
      • Mexico 2013
      • 2013
      • 2012
      • 2011
      • 2010
    • 30th Anniversary
    • 25th Anniversary
    • Follow the Duck 2014
    • Follow the Crown 2013
    • "The Bridge"
    • 20th Anniversary
  • Messages
    • Archived Messages 2023
    • Archived Messages 2022
    • Archived Messages 2021
    • Archived Messages 2020
    • Archived Messages 2019
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Directions
    • Directory
VALLEY CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Only Jesus

6/1/2014

1 Comment

 
Where will you be when you get where you are going? 

We are all on journey and we intuitively know the journey does not end at the grave.  The Bible speaks to this truth when it reveals, He (God) has also set eternity in the human heart.  (Ecclesiastes 3:11)  Written on every human heart is this sense that there is life beyond the grave.  When the journey ends, when you finally arrive, where will you be?  When it’s all said and done – what will you have to show for your life? 

In Philippians 3, the Apostle Paul lists some impressive credentials on his spiritual resume; that might provide him with a sense that his journey will lead him to heaven based on who he is and what he has done. 

If anyone thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:  circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.  (Philippians 3:5-6) 

Paul had all the right stuff; Jewish descent, a rich family history, highly educated, social status and a reputation as being a religious man.  What more could you want? 

If being religious could earn you a right standing before God, if following all the outward rules and rituals could earn you place in heaven, then Paul should have had a guaranteed front row seat, next to Moses and Elijah.  His religious resume was as good as it gets, he was the cream of the crop, what more could you want? 

There are a lot of people who subscribe to this kind of religion.  Maybe their resume is not as impressive as Paul’s, but it’s good.  They try to do and keep the rules, what more could want?  Surely that’s enough!  But Paul says…it’s not enough.  He weights it out and concludes it’s not enough. 

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.  (Philippians 3:7-11) 

As Paul considers his life, as he weighs out what is really important and what is not important, he draws up a spiritual profit-loss statement and concludes only one thing matters:  I want to know Christ (Philippians 3:10)  That’s what the Christian faith is all about, trusting Jesus completely.  You can make it a lot more complicated than that but the Bible says it all comes down to Christ; being found in Him.

Which brings me back to the question, where will you be when you get where you are going?  When you finally come to the end of your journey, what will you have to show for the 50, 70 or 90 years you were on this earth? 

Two thousand years ago Jesus asked the question this way:  What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?  (Mark 8:36) 

We are all on a journey through this life to life eternal and sooner than we think, our days on earth will be over, then what?  At the end of the journey, where will you be? 

Do you know Jesus, or are you still hoping your religion will be enough to get you to heaven? Weigh it out; figure out what it is that matters and what doesn’t and then come to your own conclusion.  The Bible says, if you don’t know Jesus, you are in danger of losing your eternal soul.  When it is all said and done nothing matters but knowing Christ and being found in Him.

Would you like to go to heaven? Here are the two words that can take you there:  Only Jesus  

Time how short! Eternity how long! Life how precarious and vanishing! Death how certain! The pursuits and employments of this life who vain, unsatisfying, trifling, and vexatious!  God’s favour and eternal life how unspeakably precious!  (Thomas Scott)

1 Comment
Shirley Melnyk
6/11/2014 09:59:21 am

Just read the message and I remembered the series on finishing well and in conversation with "someone" the past week that phrase came to mind and I shared it as it seemed fitting as they had experienced a serious illness that changed their life and way of thinking

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Ken Clarke has been the Pastor at Valley since 2007. He lives in the Oliver area 
    with his wife Janice. They have three adult children, Lisa, Scott & Tiffany (Riley, Charlie), Andrea & Jason (Noah, Luke).

    Categories

    All
    Christian Living
    Christmas
    Church
    Creation
    Easter
    Finishing Well
    Leadership
    Mexico
    Most Viewed
    Nature Of God
    Our Stories
    Parenting
    Prayer
    Relationships
    Worship

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012

4312 Black Sage Road Box 1235 Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 250-498-4829 valleyccc@hotmail.com