sermon

Investing In Eternity

Rev. Harold Linder

February 21, 2021 · Apostolic Pentecostal Church (St. Louis, MO)

Transcript of a published sermon by Rev. Harold Linder, transcribed from YouTube. An attributed primary source — not Acts 2:38 Life doctrine text.

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Summary

Summary prepared by Acts 2:38 Life from the transcript below — the preacher’s words follow in full.

Peter's Question and the Subject of Investing in Eternity

The speaker thanks the church for its legacy of missions and giving and says he is honored to be part of it.
He recalls the rich young ruler who had kept the commandments, was told to sell what he had and follow Jesus, and went away sorrowful.
He reads Peter's answer that they have left all and followed Jesus and asks what they shall have, and sums up Jesus' reply as blessing and, above all, eternal life.
He announces that he will speak on investing in eternity and prays to receive exactly what God wants to say and to be a vessel God can use.

Scriptures: Matthew 19; Matthew 19:27

Missionaries Who Forsake All and Seek a Better Country

He says he loves missionaries and families who know what it is to forsake all to answer the call of Jesus Christ.
He quotes a missionary who would rather burn out his one candle of life in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light, and another leader who would give a thousand lives for China.
He tells of Pearl Holmes, who left for Liberia, gave many years of missionary service there, went into the interior with very little cash, trusted the Lord through intense suffering, and prayed to be more like Jesus.
He says such lives show a cause bigger than personal comfort, but that those who gave their all were not only reaching for a country across the seas - they were seeking a better country, deciding this world is not their home, with some responding by going and all responding by giving.

Scriptures: Hebrews (book-only, as spoken)

Looking for the Prepared City While Giving to Missions

He reads that they desire a better, heavenly country and that God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
He says the church's godly givers have made it possible for missionaries to reach the world, and that givers and missionaries share this in common: God has prepared a country and a city for them.
He says that while souls have been won, people have been baptized in Jesus name, and people have been filled with the Holy Ghost, they have all the while been looking for a city whose builder and maker is God.
He acknowledges it can be troubling both to sell everything and go to an unfamiliar nation and to fill out a card without knowing where the money will come from, yet he preaches not to let the heart be troubled, because the Father's house has many mansions and a place is being prepared.
He tells of a single lady at his own church who said God told her to give to missions the money she had been saving for a house; she is still renting, he says, but her heart is not troubled because she is not living for this world but investing for that world.

Preoccupied with Heaven

He says early Christians were preoccupied with heaven, and cites an early writer describing believers who escorted a righteous person who had passed from this world with rejoicing, thanks to God, and songs of thanksgiving, as if setting off to a nearby place.
He quotes Paul that to live is Christ and to die is gain, and says he has handled the passing of loved ones and ministry heroes by remembering that corruption must put on incorruption and mortality must put on immortality.
He describes the promised world as one with no pain, no sorrow, no sickness, and no death, and says believers are not fools to say their greatest treasure and greatest investment are for another world.
He says he spent the previous year asking God to change all the mess and has decided this year that he is looking for a city, looking for a country, and investing in eternity.
He declares the church is not preoccupied with pleasures, problems, pandemics, or politics, but with revival, a harvest of souls, giving its best, and most of all a city called heaven, adding that some give by going and some go by giving, but all are investing in eternity.

Torn Between Living to Serve and Departing to Be With Christ

He turns to a translation of Paul's words that living means living for Christ and dying is even better, while living allows more fruitful work for Christ.
He applies the choice in everyday terms: if he lives he can keep giving to missions, inviting people to church, and telling people about Jesus; if he dies he is on his way to a much better place.
He says Paul was torn between two desires - longing to go and be with Christ, which is far better, yet recognizing that for the sake of others it is better to continue to live.
He contrasts that with the lighter choices he felt torn between before the pandemic, and says things are different now and he can relate more to Paul's desire.

Scriptures: Philippians 1:20

Setting Affection on Things Above

He tells the church the only reason it is surviving and thriving in these last days is that God wants it to pray more, give more, and serve more so the lost can be rescued in this generation.
He urges hearers to feel the tug of a much better world while also saying, as long as they are here, they will give to missions, reach lost souls, and invest in eternity.
He reads that those risen with Christ should seek the things which are above and set their affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
He thanks the pastor for holding another missions conference in the middle of a pandemic and calls it an opportunity for a great reset, saying he will store up treasure in heaven because a trumpet could sound any day and he wants his last efforts in this life to be investing in eternity.

Scriptures: Colossians (book-only, as spoken)

Investing Regardless of Earthly Return and the Closing Prayer

He says some give by going and some go by giving, and that giving is not only about new houses, new cars, or raises on the job; some understand that even if God never blesses them in this life, they will invest in eternity because Jesus is coming soon.
He says a person cannot buy his way to heaven, quotes that a man is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose, and asks what a man is profited if he gains the whole world and loses his soul, adding that when the Son of Man comes in His glory He will reward every man according to his works.
He stresses that no one is redeemed by corruptible things like silver and gold or by filling out a card, but must put faith in Jesus and what He did on the cross, repent of sins, be baptized in Jesus name, and seek to be filled with the Holy Ghost - the only way to be ready for eternity.
He says believers should invest in eternity because missionaries are investing every day, and celebrates that on a typical day many people around the world are baptized in Jesus name and receive the Holy Ghost, made possible because the church says it is investing in eternity.
He closes by leading the congregation to thank Jesus for the opportunity to invest in eternity and to declare that no matter what God asks or requires, they are investing in eternity, ending in prayer thanking God for His Word, His presence, His touch, and His faithfulness to His people.

Scripture index: Matthew 19; Matthew 19:27; Hebrews (book-only, as spoken); Philippians 1:20; Colossians (book-only, as spoken).

get my wife to help me i know you've been standing for just a few moments but i want to turn your direction to the scripture i don't have time to say how much i love pastor and sister willaford and their family don't have time to say how much i love brother river and the other leaders of this church i don't have time to say how much i appreciate the ministry of brother sladen and i know he doesn't have time to tell you how happy he is to be here with me i'm trying to obey you pastor i do want to say as you turn to matthew 19 that i am so thankful for the legacy of missions and giving represented by this church and honored to be a part of that today and what a privilege to be with the k through z's why would you worship with the a through jays if you could worship with the k through z's that's all i got to say about that until later matthew 19 and verse 27 some of you are familiar with this rich young ruler that obviously had kept all the commandments done everything he could do and and then he said lord what do i got to do to be saved and of course you are probably familiar jesus said well just go sell everything you got come and follow me and he went away very sorrowful he was very sad about that and the apostle peter was watching all this go down and he said man we've given a whole lot already that's how i feel about apc you've given a whole lot already haven't you through the years you have given yourself to prayer finance serving and it's a beautiful legacy and and this is what jesus said to peter and perhaps what he would say to us peter answered and said to him see we have left all and followed you therefore what shall we have and in a nutshell jesus said well i'm going to bless you but what you are really going to experience is eternal life that's really what we're in the process of being a part of here is eternal life i would like to just speak to you for a little bit on investing in eternity and i and i know we've just prayed but one more time just quickly lord help us to receive from you exactly what you want to say in jesus name i don't want to mess this up lord i want to be a vessel you can use in jesus name god bless you you may be seated and thank you so much for being here this morning

i love to be around faith promise services and missionary conferences because i love missionaries i love families like the slayton family and so many others we can name that really know what it's like to forsake all to answer the call of jesus christ one missionary of history said it this way he said i have but one candle of life to burn and i would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light and that's the reason why we are all compelled to give to missions there was another great leader in mission history that said if i had 1 000 lives i would give them all for china and i know we know stories that we could tell today in fact i read not too long ago about the history of our own apostolic missionary force in the united pentecostal church and even predating us as an organization in 1896 pearl holmes left for liberia and she gave 53 years of missionary service to that nation and then the pentecostal herald decided to highlight her efforts and they told her story and in that pentecostal herald article they said that she went into the interior of liberia with just four dollars cash but she trusted the lord to get her through she said there were times they'd have to kill a deer or a wild hog for a few dollars but she said even though the suffering was intense they just prayed to be more like jesus i think that's what compels us to realize there is a cause that's bigger than our own comfort there's an opportunity to invest in something that is beyond ourselves but i think what we need to recognize today is even though we celebrate heroes of the faith that have given their all for the nations and countries of the world i want to suggest to each of you that in reality they were not reaching out just for a country across the seas they were seeking a better country than that in the book of hebrews it says they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country and if they had been mindful of the country from which they came out they might have had opportunity to return i don't believe it's talking about people that leave the us to go to asia or africa or wherever i believe it's talking about men and women of god that make up their minds somewhere in their journey with jesus take this whole world but give me jesus i have decided that there is a better world there is a better country and this world is not my home some respond to that by going and all of us respond to that by giving but we are all seeking a better country

in hebrews we read they desire a better country that is a heavenly country wherefore god is not ashamed to be called their god for he hath prepared for them a city the apostolic pentecostal church is filled with godly givers that have made it possible for missionaries to reach the world and what we have in common with every single one of those missionaries is that god has prepared for us a country a city this whole while that you've been given to missions you've been investing in eternity we celebrate souls that have been warned we celebrate people that have been baptized in jesus name by the hundreds of thousands we celebrate those that have been filled with the holy ghost speaking with other tongues but all the while we have been looking for a city we have been looking for a country we have been reaching for that place whose builder and maker is god praise god it

it can be troubling to give all you have sell everything you got and go to a nation you've never been to but you know what else can be troubling to fill out a card on a sunday morning and say god i don't know where it's going to come from but i just feel this tug that you're speaking to me that can be troubling but i preached to you today let not your heart be troubled you believe in god believe also in me he said in my father's house there are many mansions if it were not so i would have told you so behold i go to prepare a place for you i remember being in a service like this at my own church and a single lady came up after church and said to my wife i've been saving up for a house but god told me to give it to missions today you know as pastor we were a little bit concerned because she had been so faithful and she really deserved to get into that kind of season of life but how could we withstand the voice of god i'm not here to tell you today that a few months later she moved into a brand new home bought and paid for now she's still renting today but i tell you what her heart's not troubled because she's not living for this world she is investing for that world

i'm not telling anybody to sell their house but i want to celebrate apc today that everything you've given has been an investment in eternity oh would you clap your hands and thank the lord for every opportunity to invest in the work of god praise god it was said of the early christians and this is so cool that they were preoccupied with the subject of heaven in a.d 125 a writer of that time was writing about the success of a new religion we call it christianity this is what he wrote if any righteous man among the christians passes from this world they rejoice and they offer thanks to god and they escort his body with songs of thanksgiving as if this person was setting off from one place to another nearby they were just preoccupied with heaven the apostle paul said it this way for to me to live is christ and to die is gain you know the only way that i've been able to handle loved ones and ministry heroes of mine that have passed away in the last year is to just remind myself that this corruption has got to put on incorruption that this mortality has got to put on immortality because we are not living for this world there is a world that has been promised to us where there is no pain there is no sorrow there is no sickness there is no death my brothers and sisters we are not fools today to say you know what i've got a few investments here in this world but by far and away my greatest treasure is for another world my greatest investment is for eternity today because for me to live is christ to die is gain

and so i believe that the historical record of ad2021 the historical record of the apostolic pentecostal church of our generation will read that the coveted christians were preoccupied with heaven i spent all last year asking god to change all this mess you know what i decided this year i'm looking for a city i'm looking for a country i'm investing in eternity i want to say that an apostolic pentecostal church we are not preoccupied with pleasures we are not preoccupied with problems we are not preoccupied with pandemics we are not preoccupied with politics we are preoccupied with revival we are preoccupied with a harvest of souls we are preoccupied with giving our best and most of all we are preoccupied with a city called heaven oh if that's you would you clap your hands and shout unto god if that's where your treasure is would you lift your voice out and say i'm going to a city i'm on my way praise god some give by going some go by giving but we are all investing in eternity

one translation of philippians 1. it's not one that i rely on for serious bible study but it does make the english language just pop out it's the new living translation in verse number 20 it says about the apostle paul for to me living means living for christ and dying is even better but if i live i can do more fruitful work for christ so i really don't know which is better if i live i can fill out that faith promise card i can keep giving the missions if i live i can keep inviting people to church if i live i can keep telling people about jesus if i die whoa i'm on my way to a much better place so he said this and you can relate i'm torn between two desires now before the pandemic my desires were a little bit different than they are now i was torn between two desires you know should we go to starbucks or maybe a happy meal i was torn before the pandemic i was torn between two desires a cruise with the wife or taking the kids to disney but you know what and i'm not preaching against cruises and i hope we can all go to disney again someday but things are different now i feel like i can relate a little bit more and he went on to say i am torn between two desires i long to go and be with christ which is far better for me but for your sakes it is better that i can continue to live

i want to say to apc the only reason why you are surviving and thriving in these last days is because god wants you to pray more and give more and serve more so that the lost can be rescued in our generation and i hope you feel the tug of a world that's much better than this world and yet in your spirit you're saying as long as i'm here i'm going to give the missions as long as i'm here i'm going to reach lost souls as long as i'm here i'm going to invest in eternity praise god and so we read in colossians if he then be risen with christ seek those things which are above he goes on to say set your affection on things above not on things on the earth pastor williford thank you in the middle of a pandemic in the middle with the world coming to an end thank you for having another missions conference because now we can all experience the great reset i'm not setting my affections on the things of this world i am setting my affections on the things above and when i fill out that card in just a few moments as brother satan comes and helps us you know what i'm going to do i'm going to store up treasure in heaven because i just feel like any day now a trumpet's going to sound and i want my last efforts in this life to be investing in eternity

some give by going and some go by giving but all of us acknowledge that when we have given all is not just for new houses and new cars and raises on the job in fact i hate to tell you this in the next service i'll preach about all that stuff but sometimes there are people that just recognize and maybe it's the l through jesus that understand even if god never blesses me in this life i'm going to invest in eternity because jesus is coming soon and i know i can't buy my way to heaven but i can invest in eternity praise god as the musicians come he is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose and jesus said it this way what is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his soul and he went on to say when the son of man comes in all of his glory this is what's going to happen he shall reward every man according to his works i know we're not redeemed with corruptable things like silver and gold i know we're not redeemed by filling out a card please don't misunderstand i know you've got to put your faith in jesus and what he did on the cross you need to repent of your sins today and be baptized in jesus name and seek to be filled with the holy ghost that's the only way to be ready for eternity but for the rest of us we should invest in eternity because our missionaries are investing every single day and we celebrate that on a typical day in just the united pentecostal church around the world 449 people will be baptized in jesus name and 446 will receive the holy ghost speaking with other tongues but that's only possible because apc says we are investing in eternity today would you close your eyes and raise your hands and say jesus thank you so much for the opportunity that i have to invest in eternity and now i wonder if you could just lift your voice just a little bit where you're seated and say jesus no matter what you ask of me today no matter what you require of me today i'm investing in eternity in jesus name thank you jesus thank you jesus lord we thank you for your word and your presence thank you god for what we feel thank you for your touch thank you jesus god we love you we love you you are so faithful to your people lord thank you today hallelujah praise god

Scripture references as spoken: Matthew 19; Matthew 19:27; Hebrews (book-only, as spoken); Philippians 1:20; Colossians (book-only, as spoken).