Living For The Unseen

​Living for the Unseen- 2 Cor. 4:18


Intro: I know its difficult for us to Live for the unseen for we as human beings are physical creatures living in a natural world; living by our physical senses; living by what we hear, smell, taste, touch and especially SEE. Still, a life lived only by what is SEEN is a miserable life; a defeated life; discouraged life; depressed life; actually a wasted life.
For while it is true that we are physical creatures we are also spiritual creatures, and while it is true that we are human beings we are also heavenly beings in the making.
We Must Strive to Live for the Unseen! Paul stated plainly that we are to Live Looking not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen, because those things we see are temporal [they are temporary, momentary, brief, fleeting, quickly passing away] while those things that we cannot see physically are Eternal [Real and lasting; not fleeting but infinite; not brief but for ever; not quickly passing a way, but forever sure].
So what does it mean to Live for the Unseen?


I. It’s a Matter of FAITH.
The whole concept of faith has to do with the Unseen. Heb. 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things NOT SEEN.
Let me remind you that Faith is not based on feelings, it is based on Facts. Still, that being said, Faith is based on FACTS that cannot always be Seen with our physical eyes.
Faith is believing God even when you have not Seen God.
Faith is believing Jesus Christ even when you have not seen him.
Faith is believing the Holy Ghost when you have not seen Him.
Faith is believing the Word of God even though you did not witness its writing and knew none of its authors.
Faith is believing the truth even when you do not see the proof with your eyes.
Living for the Unseen means you will be living by FAITH- living IN Faith.
Remember when Jesus had been arrested, tortured, crucified and buried? His disciples fled in fear and despair, but remember how he came to them when they were gathered behind locked doors and revealed himself to them and they were thrilled beyond words. HOWEVER, Thomas was not there that evening and when the others told him about it, he could not and would not believe it. Remember what he insisted on happening before he would believe- being able to SEE.
Jesus did appear to him; did reveal himself to him; also gently rebuked Thomas and in so doing he gave us all a very important LESSON:
“Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
This is Vital because you and I are not going to SEE the Lord in this human life with our natural eyes, BUT we see him with our eyes enlightened with FAITH. Jesus is not just a historical figure, he is our Divine Savior. He really did come to earth; he really did live and die to save us; he really was buried in the tomb and he really did rise again on the third day; he really did ascend into heaven and he really did send the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost.
So Peter wrote about this in 1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
Living for the Unseen means that we live by Faith and with Faith- seeing spiritually what we cannot see physically.


II. It’s also a Matter of the Future.
Not only is living for the unseen an important matter of Faith, it is an important matter of our Future, for the future of each and every one us depends on how we live right now. If you live only for what is Seen, you will suffer in your future life here on earth and you will Really suffer in your future in eternity. The only way to have any hope for the future is to live for the unseen.
Again, Paul said that our outward man will perish but our inward man can be renewed day by day; and that even though we suffer affliction in this life, it is not even worthy to be compared to the glory that we will receive in our future= IF we live for the unseen.
Living for the Unseen means that we will Live for:
The Life that Comes After Death.
Yes, for those who live for the unseen there will be Glorious Life after death. Death is a Separation from physical life; a separation from human relationships; a separation from all earthly matters; BUT death is not just a separation- It is also a Completion!
It unites us with the Lord and completes our salvation. It unites us with loved ones gone on before us and completes our glorification. It takes us from earthly life to eternal life and completes our existence. Death is not the End for the Christian, it is only the Beginning. Are you living for the unseen?
Living for the unseen not only causes us to live for the life that comes after death; but
We live for the World that Comes after Earth.
There really is a world that comes after earth for all true Christians.
The words of this old hymn are certainly true- “This world is not my home I’m only passing through; my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue; my Savior beckons me through heaven’s open door and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”
Paul said in 1 Cor. 2:9 that Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
I know that Paul may have been referring to spiritual blessings that we receive right here on the earth, but can anyone deny that he must also be referring to the glorious world God has prepared for his people? The descriptions of heaven are amazing and we cannot begin to understand what heaven will really be like. Then when you top that off with NEW Heavens and a New Earth it’s even more amazing. I’m not interested in living for the SEEN but for the UNSEEN! How about You?
One last thing- If you are living for the unseen, you are living not only for the life that comes after death and the world that comes after the earth, but you are also living:
For the Joy that comes after the Tears!
Yes, it’s true that weeping may endure for the night. We all know what it is to go through the “Nights” of human life: the nights of disappointment; nights of broken hearts; nights of affliction and suffering; nights of grief and sorrow brought about by death; weeping may endure for the night BUT JOY comes in the morning. Sometimes we get a Ray of Morning’s Joy right now but then we will get the Fullness of Joy that comes after the tears. For when we enter that New heaven and New earth Jesus our Lord will wipe away all tears from our eyes. And there will be NO NIGHT THERE! There will be No more death, no more sorrow, no more crying, no more pain, and the former things will have all passed away.
Living for the Unseen! Living by Faith- Living for the Future- Living for the life that comes after death; the world that comes after earth; and the joy that comes after tears.