Life in the Real World; Luke 9:24-27

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 2/12/2023. After establishing that the Son of Man will suffer and be killed, Jesus informed His disciples and all who would truly follow Him that they too would be called on to suffer for His name sake. And immediately afterwards, in our text for this lesson, He addresses a broader audience, which He refers to as two, all-inclusive "whoevers". By doing so, He divides all of humanity into those who will hear His words and believe in Him and those who will not. We will closely examine these two groups and add a third-- those newly "born again" who are making the transition from darkness to Light. But throughout this discussion we will realize that the "reality" we perceive around us is not as "real" as the REALITY of the Kingdom of God. And that ultimately, it will be that reality (God's reality) that will determine our eschatological destiny. For those who turn to Jesus in the "life-now" will assure their blessing in the "life-eternal" and thereby gladly and willingly live their "life-now" in the "Real World".