Grounded · Week 9 · 20 min read
Where is All This Going?
The story has an ending, and it is good.
We’ve reached the end of the class, but you have only begun.
Think back to where we started. Week one, we talked about who Jesus is. Then we walked through what salvation actually means. We looked at how to know the Bible is true. We talked about what it means to be a disciple. We dug into the Church, the body and bride of Christ. We sat at the Table of the Lord and talked about communion and baptism. And last week we got to know the Holy Spirit. The Helper. The Advocate. The One who lives inside of you right now.
You’re not the same person you were eight weeks ago. You can’t be.
And now we land on the question that puts all of it into perspective. Where is all this going?
If you don’t know where the story ends, you’ll never know how to live in the middle of it. You’ll get tossed around by every wave. You’ll wonder if any of it matters. You’ll lose sight of why you started.
But when you know where it’s all going, everything changes. Your suffering has meaning. Your obedience has weight. Your hope is anchored to something that can’t be shaken. And the cross makes sense in a way it never did before.
So this week, let’s lift our eyes. Let’s look at where God is taking all of this. Let’s look at how it ends. Because how it ends changes how we live right now.
- Restoration of All Things
From the very beginning, God created everything good. There was no brokenness, no pain, no separation; everything was exactly as it was meant to be (Genesis 1:31). Adam and Eve lived in perfect relationship with God, and creation itself reflected His goodness and order.
But sin changed all of that. When sin entered the world, it didn’t just affect people; it affected absolutely everything. Separation from God came in, along with suffering, death, and brokenness (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 5:12). What was once whole became fractured. What was once life-giving became marked by struggle. And we still feel the effects of that today, in our own lives and all around us.
Here is our present reality: the story isn’t over yet. The Bible isn’t just about what went wrong; it’s the story of God restoring, redeeming, and resurrecting. From the moment sin entered the world, God began unfolding a plan of redemption. He didn’t step away from His creation. He stepped in to rescue and restore it.
13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”
“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”
14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild.
You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live.
15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring.
He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
This is a powerful line, and it’s easy to miss how much is packed into it.
When God says: “He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel,”
He is saying: Evil will not win, and I already have a plan to defeat it.
The serpent (Satan) will “strike his heel.” That points to real harm, but not a final defeat. A strike to the heel hurts; it’s serious, but it’s not fatal. This is often understood as pointing to the suffering of Jesus, His rejection, His crucifixion, everything He endured. It looked like a victory for evil in the moment.
But then it says: “He will strike your head.”That’s different. A strike to the head is decisive. It’s final. It’s defeat. It’s death.
God was predicting the cross. What looked like a loss (the cross) was actually the moment of victory. Sin was paid for. Death was overcome. The power of the enemy was broken.
The completion of the restoration is coming. The Bible points us forward to a time when God will fully restore everything. No more death. No more pain. No more suffering. No more separation. God will make all things new. Not just improved. Completely renewed and restored to what they were always meant to be.
Revelation 21:4-5 (NIV) 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[a] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
For us, this changes how we see everything. Our hope isn’t just about escaping this world or getting out of difficulty; it’s about God making all things new. It’s about restoration, not abandonment. The struggles, injustice, and pain we see now are real, but they are not the final word.
God is actively moving everything toward restoration. Nothing is random, and nothing is wasted. Even in the middle of brokenness, He is working toward a future where everything is made right. And as believers, we live with that hope, knowing that what God started, He will finish.
Philippians 1:6 (NLT) And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
And here’s what makes that hope so secure. The One doing the restoring is already King.
- Christ the King
Now more than ever, it can feel like the world is out of control. Just watch the news on any given day, and you will see there is no good news. There’s so much uncertainty, conflict, and brokenness that it’s easy to wonder who is really in charge. But the truth is, Jesus is not just Savior; He is THE King. He has all authority, even now, whether people recognize it or not.
Matthew 28:18 (NIV) Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus is already King and in control. After His resurrection, He was exalted and seated at the right hand of God, far above every power and authority (Ephesians 1:19–23). That means there is nothing outside of His rule. Even when the world feels chaotic, nothing is outside of His control.
But there is a day coming when His rule will not just be true; it will be fully seen and fully recognized by everyone. What we believe by faith now will one day be the undeniable reality. Scripture tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). There will be no confusion and no debate.
Every tongue, tribe, nation, authority, every power, every kingdom will ultimately answer to Jesus. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Revelation 19:16) Jesus will reign in perfect righteousness, justice, and truth. Unlike earthly leaders, His rule will be completely good, completely fair, and completely right (Isaiah 9:6-7).
This isn’t just about the future; it affects how we live right now. If Jesus is King, then we don’t just follow Him as a teacher or listen to Him when it’s convenient. We live under His authority. Our decisions, our priorities, and our lives are shaped by His rule today.
Jesus as King isn’t about what’s to come in the future; it affects how you and I live right here and right now. It means trusting Him even when we don’t understand. And there will be times when things happen that are beyond our understanding or comprehension. It means obeying Him even when it’s difficult. It means recognizing that His way is better than our own. We’re not just waiting for His kingdom; we’re living in it right now.
While the world may feel uncertain, we can live with confidence. Jesus is not trying to become King; He already is.
- Eternity with God
The ultimate destination for those who trust in Jesus and make Him Lord is not just a place; it’s a relationship fully realized. Eternity is about being with God. No more sin, no more pain, and no more separation. Everything that makes life hard right now will be gone. There will be no more death, no more mourning, no more pain. The brokenness we feel, both around us and inside of us, will be completely removed. Sin will no longer be something we struggle with. No temptation, no guilt, no regret.
Revelation 21:4 (NLT) 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
But eternity isn’t just about what’s taken away; it’s about what’s made new. We will be fully restored into who God created us to be. No more internal conflict. No more divided heart. You
will be whole.
1 Corinthians 15:52-53 (NLT) 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.
And more than anything, we will be with God. Right now, we walk by faith, but then we will see Him face to face. There will be nothing separating us from Him. No distance. No barrier. Just a real, personal relationship with God in a way we’ve never experienced before.
1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT) 12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
Revelation 21:3 (NLT) 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.
There will also be real life, real purpose, and real joy. Eternity is not sitting around doing nothing. It’s life as it was always meant to be. We will worship Him, serve Him, and live in perfect relationship with Him and with each other. Everything will have meaning. Nothing will feel empty.
Revelation 22:3 (NLT) 3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.
And there will be a deep sense of peace and belonging. No loneliness. No fear. No insecurity. You will be fully known and fully loved at the same time.
This is what your heart has been longing for, even if you didn’t realize it. Every desire for joy, peace, and belonging points to this. Nothing in this world can fully satisfy because it was never meant to. That fulfillment is found in being with God forever.
Eternity with God is not less than this life; it’s more. More real. More full. More alive. It’s everything this life points to, but can’t fully deliver. And it’s secure for those who are in Christ.
John 10:28 (NLT) 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me.
This is what eternity with God is: being with God, fully alive, fully restored, and finally home.
- So, I’m sure you have questions…How does this actually happen? When does eternity start? When do we get to all of this?
Here’s the simple answer. Jesus is coming back.
The first time Jesus came to Earth, He came as a baby. He came to lay down His life and pay for our sin. But He’s coming back again. And when He does, He’s not coming back as a sacrifice. He’s coming as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Hebrews 9:27-28 (NIV) 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
When Jesus returns, every single person will stand before Him. Believers and unbelievers. Those that are alive and those that have passed away. Nobody will be absent. God has given Jesus the authority to judge the earth (2 Corinthians 5:10).
If you belong to Jesus, you don’t have to be afraid of that day. Your sin is already paid for. The blood of Jesus covers you. You’re judged based on His righteousness, not your own. And you’ll receive rewards for the things you did in obedience to Him on this side of eternity.
For those who never trusted Jesus, the story ends very differently. They will be judged for everything. Every word. Every choice. Every motive. And the Bible tells us where they end up. It’s called hell. A real place. A real separation from God. Forever.
Heaven is real. Hell is real. Jesus talked about both.
Romans 2:6-11 (NIV) 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
John 5:26-30 (NIV) 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
When is He coming back? Nobody knows.
Not the angels. Not the church. Not even Jesus said He knew the day or the hour when He was here on earth. Only the Father knows. (Matthew 24:36).
Matthew 24:36-44 (NIV) “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of [f]heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what [g]hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what [h]hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
We’re not supposed to know the day. We’re supposed to be ready every day.
Remember the parable of the ten virgins from a few weeks back? Ten of them waiting for the bridegroom to show up. Five brought extra oil. Five didn’t. And when the bridegroom finally came, the five who weren’t ready missed it. The door closed. They were locked out.
That’s the warning. Stay ready. Live in obedience. Keep your lamps full of oil. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Whether He returns tomorrow or a hundred years from now, our job is the same. Live like He’s coming back today. Because the next moment of your life could be your last one before you stand before Him. (2 Peter 2:4-10; 1 John 4:17-18)
- Avoiding the Traps
One of the biggest challenges we face is getting distracted along the way.
It doesn’t usually happen all at once. It’s slow. It’s subtle. We just start giving more attention to things that don’t last and don’t matter. Let’s identify some of the most common ones.
Worldly success. The promotion. The bigger house. The next milestone.
None of those things are bad. But they make terrible gods. When success becomes the goal of your life instead of a tool to serve God’s purposes, it owns you.
Comfort.
Most of us are addicted to comfort, and we don’t even realize it. We organize our entire lives around avoiding pain, inconvenience, and discomfort. But following Jesus isn’t comfortable. It costs something. And if comfort is your highest value, you’ll never follow Jesus into anything that matters.
Entertainment.
Pull out your phone right now and look at your screen time. Be honest with yourself. How many hours a day are you giving to scrolling, streaming, gaming, watching? Now compare that to how much time you spent with God this week. The math will tell you who you really worship.
Approval from people.
Constantly worrying about what others think of you. Bending yourself to fit in. Staying quiet when you should speak up. Performing for an audience that doesn’t even care about your soul. When you live for the approval of people, you become a slave to whoever you’re trying to impress.
Old relationships.
This is one of the most dangerous traps for new believers. You started following Jesus and your life began to change. But the same people who pulled you away from God before are still in your life. They miss the old you. They want the old you back. And little by little, you find yourself drifting back into who you used to be just to fit in with them.
Numbing.
Maybe it’s not a screen. Maybe it’s not a substance. Maybe it’s something quieter. But every time something hard comes up in your life, you reach for something to numb it. Anything to not have to feel it. And in the process, you stop bringing your real life to God. You just keep medicating it instead.
Busyness.
This one is sneaky because it can look like obedience. Even good things can become traps. When you’re so busy doing for God that you stop being with God, something has gone wrong. Jesus doesn’t want your activity if your heart is far from Him. This is the danger of ministry sometimes. You’ve only got so much to give until you need the giver. Build margin into your life to take care of yourself, spiritually, physically, and emotionally.
None of these things are necessarily evil in themselves. But they were never meant to be the focus or the goal of your life. When they start to take priority over the things of God, that’s when they become dangerous. They begin to pull your time, your attention, your energy, and your affection away from God. And slowly, they replace what matters most.
And the real danger is drifting. You don’t wake up one day and decide to completely walk away from God. It happens over time. It’s a slow fade. You stop caring. You stop paying attention. You stop staying connected with God and with other believers. And before you know it, your focus has shifted. Eternity starts to feel distant. Or like it won’t happen. And the present starts to feel like everything.
That’s why Scripture calls us to stay alert and stay watchful.
Matthew 24:42-44 (NLT) 42 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
This is where walking with the Holy Spirit becomes so important. The Holy Spirit keeps us grounded. He brings conviction when we start to drift. He redirects us when we get off track. He helps us stay aligned with what actually matters. Remember? He gives you oil for every day.
Galatians 5:16 (NLT) 16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
At the end of the day, avoiding the traps isn’t about removing everything from your life. It’s about keeping the right things in the right place. It’s about staying focused. Staying connected. And not losing sight of where all of this is going. If we’re not intentional about our relationship with God, it’s easy to get caught up in what’s temporary and miss what’s eternal.
- Living for Eternity
If we really understand where all of this is going, it should change how we live right now. Living for eternity means we don’t just think about today; we think about what lasts. It means making decisions with the long view in mind. We start valuing what God values and investing our time, energy, and focus into things that actually matter in the end.
Colossians 3:2 (NLT) 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
This doesn’t mean we check out of everyday life or stop caring about what’s in front of us. It means the opposite. We live with purpose. The way we treat people, the way we serve, the way we follow Jesus in the small, everyday moments- it all matters more than we realize. Nothing done for God is wasted.
1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT) So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
Living for eternity also changes our priorities. We begin to see that some things we chase after don’t carry the weight we thought they did. Success, comfort, and recognition fade, but what we do for God and for others lasts. Jesus makes it clear that we are storing up treasure somewhere, either here and now or in eternity.
Matthew 6:19–20 (NLT) 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
This life is not the end; it’s preparation for what’s to come. We’re not just passing time or trying to make it through. God is shaping us. He’s forming our character, growing our faith, and preparing us for what’s ahead.
Romans 8:18 (NLT) 18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
So we’re different from the world. We live differently. We stay focused. We stay faithful in the small things. We keep showing up, even when it feels ordinary. And we keep our eyes on what’s ahead, not because we’re ignoring this life, but because we understand what this life is leading to.
What God has promised is real. And when we see it clearly, it changes everything. It reminds us that following Him is worth it, trusting Him is worth it, and living for Him is worth everything.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT) 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are[e] being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
7. CLOSING PRAYER AND COMMISSIONING
And this is where everything is going.
God is restoring all things. Jesus is King. Eternity with Him is real. And it’s coming. Maybe soon. Maybe in our lifetime. Maybe not in our lifetime. But He’s coming.
Don’t get distracted. Don’t get caught up in what’s temporary. Live with purpose. Stay connected. Stay focused on God. Don’t live for what won’t last. Live for what matters. Stay ready. Stay faithful. And keep your eyes on Jesus.
You are not the same person you were eight weeks ago.
You are a disciple of Jesus. Not a beginner anymore.
And here’s what that means. You’re not just a student now. You’re a sent one. Jesus said it Himself. “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21)
There are people in your life who are right where you were eight weeks ago. God has placed you in their path on purpose. You have something to give them now. You have a story. You have hope. You have the Holy Spirit. You have Jesus.
Go live this out. Go love your family with the love Jesus has given you. Go serve people who can’t repay you. Go tell someone what Jesus has done in your life. Be the Church wherever you are.
Keep your eyes on Jesus.
Let’s Pray!
Going deeper
Notes and appendices
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