Lesson
4: Our Father in Heaven
Our
Father in heaven,
Hallowed
be your name;
Your
kingdom come;
Your
will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give
us this day our daily bread;
And
forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors;
And
do not lead us into temptation,
But
deliver us from the evil.
For
yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.
Matthew 6:9a
Pray like this: ‘Our Father in heaven,
Luke 11:1-2a
[1] When he finished praying in a certain
place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray,
just as John also taught his disciples.” [2] He said to them, “When
you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven,
The Main
Points for This Lesson:
Pray in this way.
The Lord's Prayer comes from God. Jesus taught us to pray in this way
(Matthew 6:9), and even to say (Luke 11:2) this prayer. We should
know, understand, and use the Lord's Prayer.
Our. One word and
concept that is found in this prayer is the “our.”
This “our” reminds us that we are part of a family of believers,
with brothers and sisters. Pride and separation, or distancing
ourselves (Proverbs 18:1) from fellow disciples, are contrary to
God's will. Unity should be sought and maintained by walking in
humility and love. God calls us to this.
As we pray this prayer for ourselves, we should pray this prayer for
others. We should pray this prayer privately in our closet, and we
should pray this prayer with others.
Father. God is the
Father of his people, of those who have turned from sin to do the
will of God. Such people are born of God by the word of God. When we
pray “our Father,” such a prayer should both reflect and call
forth actions in us: Love for such a Father; Thanksgiving to such a
Father; Holy fear of this Father; Obedience to such a Father.
We should remember who God is to us. He is our Father. As such, he is
our creator (both in giving natural life, and in giving us new
birth), our provider, our authority, the one who disciplines us, etc.
The title “father” speaks of love and compassion. It speaks of
relationship. Jesus said that eternal life is to know the Father and
the One whom he has sent (John 17:3). This and more should call forth
love, thanksgiving, fear and obedience.
We should remember who we are to God, and who we should be to God.
God gives birth to children not in name only, but in power as well.
Because of God's great love, we may be called sons of God. We may
also live and act as children of God. Jesus said that when we love
our enemies, and do good to those around us without looking for
earthly rewards, then we are children of our Father in heaven. If we
call God “Father,” but do not live as God's children should live,
we are taking his name in vain (this becomes more clear as we
consider that our Father has given us all we need for life and
godliness). This and more should call forth love, thanksgiving, fear
and obedience.
In heaven. When we
call upon God as our Father, we remember that he is in heaven. We
learn by such a prayer that we should both live a heavenly life and
aim to live a heavenly life. What is meant by a heavenly life? As the
saints of old, we too should live as strangers and pilgrims in this
world, looking forward to and loving our home in heaven far above
this earthly life. As Jesus taught, we should not lay up treasure on
earth, by making our goals center on this life, its possessions and
rewards. Rather, we should lay up treasure in heaven, by making our
goals center on the next life, its eternal possessions and rewards.
We should live for the kingdom of heaven, for God's kingdom, and not
for this world. That is, we should make choices, and live, in keeping
with God's eternal priorities first and foremost.
Suggestions:
Open each lesson
with prayer for the teacher and the students and this class time.
Begin by reminding
the children that we are learning about the Lord's Prayer.
Read the verses in
Matthew 5:9a and Luke 11:1-2. Ask what is meant by “pray like
this,” and “when you pray, say.”
Talk about the three
main ideas in this first part of the pray itself, “our,”
“Father,” and “in heaven.” Use questions to help the children
think of these things. When do you usually use the word “our”?
Why do you think Jesus taught us to use the word “our” in this
prayer? What is a father? How is God our Father? In what way is a
Christian a child of God? Where is God according to the Lord's
Prayer? Did Jesus teach anything about heaven?
Use the portion from
1 Corinthians 12:12-26 to illustrate the concept of one family, one
body, with one Father, and how this should direct our prayers.
Questions: Which parts of your body are important? Which parts are
not important? How is the church like a body? Which parts of God's
body, or family, are important? Which parts can we ignore are
mistreat? Who should we pray for? Who should we pray with?
Use the story from
Luke 15:11-32 to talk about the idea of God as our Father, and we as
his children. Questions: Did the younger son honor his father? How
did he dishonor him? Did the younger son understand that he had
dishonored his father? Why do you think this? What was the father's
response to the son when he repented, that is, when he left his sin
to return to serve his father?
Close the lesson
with prayer related to the subject and the students. Pray the Lord's
Prayer together.
Stories:
1 Corinthians
12:12-26 [12] For as the body is one, and has many members, and
all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is
Christ. [13] For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to
drink into one Spirit. [14] For the body is not one member, but many.
[15] If the foot would say, “Because I’m not the hand, I’m not
part of the body,” it is not therefore not part of the body. [16]
If the ear would say, “Because I’m not the eye, I’m not part of
the body,” it’s not therefore not part of the body. [17] If the
whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were
hearing, where would the smelling be? [18] But now God has set the
members, each one of them, in the body, just as he desired. [19] If
they were all one member, where would the body be? [20] But now they
are many members, but one body. [21] The eye can’t tell the hand,
“I have no need for you,” or again the head to the feet, “I
have no need for you.” [22] No, much rather, those members of the
body which seem to be weaker are necessary. [23] Those parts of the
body which we think to be less honorable, on those we bestow more
abundant honor; and our unpresentable parts have more abundant
propriety; [24] whereas our presentable parts have no such need. But
God composed the body together, giving more abundant honor to the
inferior part, [25] that there should be no division in the body, but
that the members should have the same care for one another. [26] When
one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one
member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
While
this is not really a story, it may still be used to illustrate the
thought of the “our” in the Lord's Prayer. It does not use the
picture of a family, but the picture of a body with its various parts
may help to show the importance of praying this prayer both for and
with one another.
Luke 15:11-32
[11] He said, “A certain man had two sons. [12] The younger of them
said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’
He divided his livelihood between them. [13] Not many days after, the
younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far
country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. [14] When
he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country,
and he began to be in need. [15] He went and joined himself to one of
the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed
pigs. [16] He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs
ate, but no one gave him any. [17] But when he came to himself he
said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough
to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! [18] I will get up and go to
my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and in your sight. [19] I am no more worthy to be called your
son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’ [20] “He arose,
and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father
saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his
neck, and kissed him. [21] The son said to him, ‘Father, I have
sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be
called your son.’ [22] “But the father said to his servants,
‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his
hand, and shoes on his feet. [23] Bring the fattened calf, kill it,
and let us eat, and celebrate; [24] for this, my son, was dead, and
is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to
celebrate. [25] “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came
near to the house, he heard music and dancing. [26] He called one of
the servants to him, and asked what was going on. [27] He said to
him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the
fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’
[28] But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came
out, and begged him. [29] But he answered his father, ‘Behold,
these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a
commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might
celebrate with my friends. [30] But when this, your son, came, who
has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened
calf for him.’ [31] “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with
me, and all that is mine is yours. [32] But it was appropriate to
celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive
again. He was lost, and is found.’”
This
story may help to illustrate both the idea of God as our Father, and
the humility of God's children as they come to him, as the prodigal
son humbly returned to his father, recognizing that he was no longer
worthy to be called his son.
More Stories
and Examples:
Genesis 40:14
But remember me when it will be well with you, and please show
kindness to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out
of this house. [see Genesis 40:1-23 for full story]
Joseph
was is prison. After interpreting the chief cupbearer's dream, he
makes the above request or plea to him. As
the cupbearer should have remembered Joseph, this
is a picture of what should be on the heart of Christian's as we pray
to God the prayer taught to us by our Lord. Is it not Jesus'
intention that we should remember the weak, the fainting, the
persecuted, the hungry, the sick, the tempted, etc., when we pray
“give us
daily bread,” “forgive us
our debts,” “deliver us
from the evil”?
Matthew 13:24-30
[24] He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of
Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, [25] but while
people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the
wheat, and went away. [26] But when the blade sprang up and produced
fruit, then the darnel weeds appeared also. [27] The servants of the
householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed
in your field? Where did this darnel come from?’ [28] “He said to
them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do
you want us to go and gather them up?’ [29] “But he said, ‘No,
lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the
wheat with them. [30] Let both grow together until the harvest, and
in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the
darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the
wheat into my barn.”’”
Matthew 13:36-43
[36] Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house.
His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of
the darnel weeds of the field.” [37] He answered them, “He who
sows the good seed is the Son of Man, [38] the field is the world;
and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and
the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one. [39] The
enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age,
and the reapers are angels. [40] As therefore the darnel weeds are
gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this
age. [41] The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will
gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those
who do iniquity, [42] and will cast them into the furnace of fire.
There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. [43] Then the
righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
This
story may be more fitting for the lesson on “your kingdom come.”
That said, it does speak about the children of the kingdom, and the
kingdom of their Father. May we learn to seek first and treasure that
kingdom above all others.
Other Verses:
OUR
Proverbs 18:1
[ASV] He that separateth himself seeketh his own desire, And
rageth against all sound wisdom.
Matthew 18:19
Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on
earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for
them by my Father who is in heaven.
1 Timothy 2:8
I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up
holy hands without anger and doubting.
James 5:16
Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another,
that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is
powerfully effective.
Galatians 6:10
So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all
men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the
faith.
Ephesians 2:19-20
[19] So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you
are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,
[20] being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone;
Ephesians 4:1-6
[1] I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily
of the calling with which you were called, [2] with all lowliness
and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love;
[3] being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace. [4] There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also
were called in one hope of your calling; [5] one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all, and
through all, and in us all.
Ephesians 6:18
with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the
Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and
requests for all the saints:
Hebrews 13:3
Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them;
and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body.
Jude 20-21
[20] But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your
most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. [21] Keep
yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ to eternal life.
FATHER
Genesis 2:7
Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Our
Father is the creator of all mankind.
Psalm 103:13-14
[13] Like a father has compassion on his children, so Yahweh
has compassion on those who fear him. [14] For he knows how we
are made. He remembers that we are dust.
Our
Father has compassion on those who fear him. He know our condition.
Matthew 6:8
Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things
you need, before you ask him.
Our
Father knows what we need, before we ask him.
Matthew 6:14
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you.
Our
Father forgives us when we forgive others.
Matthew 7:11
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give
good things to those who ask him!
Our
Father gives good things to those who ask him.
Matthew 18:12-14
[12] “What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of
them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the
mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? [13] If he finds it,
most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the
ninety-nine which have not gone astray. [14] Even so it is not the
will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little
ones should perish.
It
is not the will of our Father that one of these little ones should
perish.
Luke 11:11-13
[11] “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give
him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won’t give him a snake
instead of a fish, will he? [12] Or if he asks for an egg, he won’t
give him a scorpion, will he? [13] If you then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
James 1:17-18
[17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no
variation, nor turning shadow. [18] Of his own will he gave birth
to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first
fruits of his creatures.
Our
Father gives good and perfect gifts. He gave us new birth through his
holy word.
James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this:
to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep
oneself unstained by the world.
Our
God is our God and Father.
Hebrews 12:4-11
[4] You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin; [5] and
you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with
children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord,
nor faint when you are reproved by him; [6] For whom the Lord loves,
he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.” [7] It is
for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children,
for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline? [8] But
if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers,
then are you illegitimate, and not children. [9] Furthermore, we had
the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect.
Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of
spirits, and live? [10] For they indeed, for a few days, punished
us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be
partakers of his holiness. [11] All chastening seems for the present
to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful
fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby.
Our
Father disciplines us and teaches us the right path to life.
1 John 3:1
[1] See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we
should be called children of God! For this cause the world
doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.
CHILDREN OF OUR
FATHER
Isaiah 1:2
Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for Yahweh has spoken: “I have
nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against
me.
Malachi 1:6
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I
am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where
is the respect due me? Says Yahweh of Armies to you, priests, who
despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’
Matthew 5:43-48
[43] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your
neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ [44] But I tell you, love your
enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those
who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and
persecute you, [45] that you may be children of your Father
who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and
the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. [46] For if you
love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the
tax collectors do the same? [47] If you only greet your friends, what
more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the
same? [48] Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in
heaven is perfect.
Matthew 12:46-50
[46] While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother
and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him. [47] One
said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside,
seeking to speak to you.” [48] But he answered him who spoke to
him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” [49] He stretched
out his hand towards his disciples, and said, “Behold, my mother
and my brothers! [50] For whoever does the will of my Father who
is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Matthew 18:1-4
[1] In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is
greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” [2] Jesus called a little child
to himself, and set him in their midst, [3] and said, “Most
certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little
children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
[4] Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same
is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
We
must humble ourselves as little children to enter the kingdom of
heaven.
Luke 6:27-36
[27] “But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those
who hate you, [28] bless those who curse you, and pray for those who
mistreat you. [29] To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also
the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don’t withhold
your coat also. [30] Give to everyone who asks you, and don’t ask
him who takes away your goods to give them back again. [31] “As you
would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. [32] If you
love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners
love those who love them. [33] If you do good to those who do good to
you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. [34]
If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is
that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.
[35] But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting
nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be
children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful
and evil. [36] “Therefore be merciful, even as your Father is also
merciful.
John 1:10-13
[10] He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the
world didn’t recognize him. [11] He came to his own, and those who
were his own didn’t receive him. [12] But as many as received him,
to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those
who believe in his name: [13] who were born not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12-13
[KJV] [12] But as many as received him, to them gave he power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
[13] Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor
of the will of man, but of God.
Through
Jesus Christ, God gave us the “right” to become God's children
(v12). He cleared all the legal roadblocks, so that if we turn from
sin to follow Jesus, we can become children of God. Becoming and
being a child of God is not simply a legal transaction, having no
relation to our nature and actions (our thoughts, words and deeds).
God, through Christ Jesus, did not just give us the “right,” but
also the “power” to become children of God (v12). Jesus taught
that if we love our enemies and do good, seeking no earthly reward,
we will be children of the Most High (Luke 6:35). We were not given
only an impotent “right” to become children of God, while
remaining in every other way children of the devil (1 John 3:10). We
were given both the “right” and the “power” to become
children of God. Hence, God's
children are not only able, but
expected, to live like their
Father in heaven.
Romans 8:13-17
[13] For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the
Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. [14]
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of
God. [15] For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to
fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba!
Father!” [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we
are children of God; [17] and if children, then heirs; heirs of
God, and joint heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer
with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
Note
the conditions given in these verses. The children of God are those
who are led by the Spirit of God, that is, those who do not live
after the flesh, but put to death the deeds of the body. Such people
are the children of God (vv13-14). Further, the apostle Paul writes
that the Spirit testifies that we are children of God. To whom does
the Spirit testify this? It testifies this to those who suffer with
Christ (vv16-17). Those who suffer with Christ may have confidence
that they are children of God, as the Spirit of God testifies with
our spirit about this.
2 Corinthians
6:14-18 [14] Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for
what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what fellowship
has light with darkness? [15] What agreement has Christ with Belial?
Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever? [16] What
agreement has a temple of God with idols? For you are a temple of the
living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them, and walk in
them; and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” [17]
Therefore “‘Come out from among them, and be separate,’ says
the Lord. ‘Touch no unclean thing. I will receive you. [18] I
will be to you a Father. You will be to me sons and daughters,’
says the Lord Almighty.”
1 Peter 1:13-19
[13] Therefore prepare your minds for action, be sober and set your
hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation
of Jesus Christ— [14] as children of obedience, not
conforming yourselves according to your former lusts as in your
ignorance, [15] but just as he who called you is holy, you yourselves
also be holy in all of your behavior; [16] because it is written,
“You shall be holy; for I am holy.” [17] If you call on him as
Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s
work, pass the time of your living as foreigners here in reverent
fear: [18] knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible
things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down
from your fathers, [19] but with precious blood, as of a faultless
and pure lamb, the blood of Christ;
If
we call God Father, we should walk in the fear of the Lord as
strangers in this world. Our Father in not just the one who
disciplines us for our eternal good, but he is also the final and
impartial judge of all the earth, who will judge each man's work.
1 John 2:15
Don’t love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If
anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him.
1 John 3:1-10
[1] See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we
should be called children of God! For this cause the world
doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. [2] Beloved, now we
are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But
we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will
see him just as he is. [3] Everyone who has this hope set on him
purifies himself, even as he is pure. [4] Everyone who sins also
commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. [5] You know that he was
revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. [6] Whoever
remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him, neither
knows him. [7] Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who
does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. [8] He
who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the
beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might
destroy the works of the devil. [9] Whoever is born of God doesn’t
commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he can’t sin,
because he is born of God. [10] In this the children of God are
revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do
righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his
brother.
Here
the apostle John speaks of the great love of God given to us that we
should be called children of God. God gave his only son that we may
become his children. John goes further, giving us measures by which
we may judge ourselves rightly (and perhaps see with clearer
discernment the claims of others). Those who do righteousness and
love their brother may have some confidence that they are children of
God. We are told that those who do not practice righteousness, but
continue on in their sin are not children of God. Instead, they
belong to the devil.
IN HEAVEN
Matthew 6:19-21
[19] “Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth,
where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and
steal; [20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break
through and steal; [21] for where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.
Matthew 10:32-33
[32] Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, him I will
also confess before my Father who is in heaven. [33] But whoever
denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in
heaven.
Philippians
3:17-21 [17] Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note
those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example. [18] For
many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping,
as the enemies of the cross of Christ, [19] whose end is destruction,
whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think
about earthly things. [20] For our citizenship is in heaven,
from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, [21] who
will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body
of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to
subject all things to himself.
Colossians 3:1-3
[1] If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things
that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
[2] Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the
things that are on the earth. [3] For you died, and your life is
hidden with Christ in God.
Hebrews 11:13-16
[13] These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but
having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. [14] For
those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a
country of their own. [15] If indeed they had been thinking of that
country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to
return. [16] But now they desire a better country, that is, a
heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be
called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
