He That Loveth His Life

✅ introduction

📖 John 12:25 (KJV) He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

• Jesus makes a bold statement here, and it gives us a clear picture of why so many people are headed for hell if they die unsaved because they love this life too much. They hold so tightly to the temporary that they never reach for the eternal.

  I’ve seen this over and over again while out soulwinning. So many people are just too connected to the things of this world money, comfort, relationships, pleasure that they don’t even stop to think about eternity. One guy even told me straight up, “This life is way more important than eternity.” I said, “Until you get there, it isn’t.”

  I’ve met others who reject the gospel because something bad happened in their life. I remember one lady told me, “How can God be true after what He did to my father?” I asked her what happened. She said her father was a faithful Catholic priest, always serving God, but he died a tragic death. I said to her, “What about Jesus? He died a more painful, shameful death and He never sinned, He only healed and helped people.”

  I told her gently, “Your focus is too much on the temporal. Everything in this life comes to an end, and if your faith is built on temporary things, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.” But she didn’t like that answer she slammed the door right in my face.

  Still, the truth stands: people who cling to this life will lose it. Those who let go, who see beyond this world and put their trust in Christ, they’re the ones who find life everlasting.

1️⃣ Many People Are Trying to Build Heaven on Earth

• People today are obsessed with building their own version of heaven chasing comfort, wealth, pleasure, fame, and security but Jesus said this world is not our home.
  Instead of longing for eternity, many are trying to make eternity fit into this temporary world.

📖 Philippians 3:20 (KJV) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

• What this means is our home or citizenship is in heaven, the word conversation isn’t used only for speech as some would mistake this but conversation has other meanings as well in the Bible like, in Peter.

📖 1 Peter 2:12 (KJV) Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

• So we see that conversation means how we conduct ourselves, but in Philippians 3:20 it means our identity or home is in heaven, so this verse is explaining that our focus is on heaven not on the things of this earth.

📖 Hebrews 11:13-16 (KJV) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

• So what we see here is that all the saints of the Old Testament who died were looking for heaven. They weren’t caught up in earthly cities, towns, or comforts, because they knew all of that is temporary. Their eyes were fixed on something eternal a city God had prepared. That’s the same mindset we need today: our focus has to be on heaven, not the things of this world.

📖 Colossians 3:1-3 (KJV) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

• This sounds simple, but it’s not as easy as it seems. I see so many Christians today still caught up in this life more worried about their diploma, career, relationships, or looks than about God’s work and the church. That kind of focus is vain, and it will only lead to disappointment.

📖 Ecclesiastes 2:13-17 (KJV) Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. 15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. 16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. 17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

• When we really think about this earthly life its truly pointless yet we like to believe its something and thats the deception of the flesh, but the faster we realize this world has nothing to offer eternally the sooner we can gain rewards in the afterlife as mentioned in Revelations.

📖 Revelation 22:12 (KJV) And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

📖 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 (KJV) Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

• We need to understand that our rewards in heaven are based on our works here on earth. How we spend eternity will reflect how we lived in this life. And I’ll tell you there are going to be a lot of miserable Christians in heaven, people who made it in but had no works because they spent their lives pleasing themselves. That’s a very sobering thought.

2️⃣ Jesus Taught That Life on Earth Is Not the Main Thing

📖 Matthew 16:24-26 (KJV) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

• Basically, Jesus is showing us that this earthly life isn’t worth trading for eternity. He knows how amazing heaven is, and that’s why He calls us to keep our focus there. Just like the Old Testament saints in Hebrews 11, they were looking for a heavenly home and were willing to give up earthly pleasures to serve God. A perfect example of this is Moses he chose to suffer with God’s people rather than enjoy the temporary riches and comforts of Egypt.

📖 Hebrews 11:24-26 (KJV) By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

• Again, we see that the rewards of heaven are far greater than anything this earth can offer. The only things the world has to give are fame, money, power, and fleshly pleasures temporary things that fade away.

📖 Luke 4:3-8 (KJV) And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. 4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

• Notice here that Satan is all about the physical first he tempts Jesus to turn a stone into bread, and Jesus responds, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Jesus’ focus is on what lasts eternal value. Then Satan comes with the offer of the kingdoms, the power, and the glory of the world. Who would choose temporary fame and power over eternal glory? Jesus could easily see past all that the devil had to offer, but my question to you is this: can you see past all the temporary, physical things this life has to offer?

3️⃣ The Disciples Followed Jesus Example

The early church didn’t fear death they understood that their real home was eternal.

📖 Acts 20:24 (KJV) But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

• We see that the Apostle Paul was completely focused on ministry, on finishing the work the Lord had given him. And I want to stress that every Christian should be part of a church and actively serving in a ministry. It amazes me how many people claim to be Christians yet aren’t using the gifts God has given them in any ministry. The truth is, God gives everyone a ministry in the church that’s the whole point of the Holy Spirit giving us spiritual gifts: so we can serve, build up the body of Christ, and carry out His work here on earth.

📖 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (KJV) Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

• So we need to get our priorities straight just like the disciples, and one comes to mind is Steven who was stoned to death for his faith and preaching the word to wicked and unbelieving Jews, when Steven was stoned to death he wasn’t thinking “Oh no, my doctors degree is waiting for me”, or he wasn’t thinking about his family or children because he knows they are fine, he was more happy to be a martyr for Christ as that comes as an honorable reward in heaven.

📖 Hebrews 11:35-38 (KJV) Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

• We need to think of a better resurrection for ourselves, and what I mean is, we want to have better rewards in heaven which will give us a better resurrection in heaven, a better place in heaven because thats eternal and we have only this one life to determine that resurrection. So my question is “How will your resurrection look like?”

📖 Revelation 12:11-12 (KJV) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

• We see that the saints in the book of Revelation were willing to die for the cause of Christ rather than to deny Christ and the church.

4️⃣ Clinging to This Life Blinds Us to the Next

• Many people today live like this world is all there is and its sad to see but James 4 explains to us.

📖 James 4:14 (KJV) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

• I still can’t believe people would rather have this temporal life over eternity. Lets prioritize reality, and reality is this: that how we will spend Eternity is based on the works we do here on earth, the more time invested in this life the less time invested in Eternity.

2 Corinthians 4:18 (KJV) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

• A reminder: The devil doesn’t need to destroy us he just needs to distract us with comfort and temporary goals.

⏰ Conclusion

• Don’t spend your life trying to build heaven on earth; this world is not the reward.

• Jesus didn’t promise safety — He promised eternal life.

• To live for Christ means to die to this world daily.

📖 Romans 8:18 (KJV) 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.

• Stop trying to create your best life now, start preparing for your eternal life with Christ. Amen.