Yesterday, at Faith
Discovery, I spoke about Heaven. There was a time in my life when I thought
that pastors who spoke about Heaven needed to ‘get a life.’ In the
heyday of my 30’s, I wondered why anyone would concern themselves with that. I
was a Christian, had an assurance that Jesus had a place prepared for me, and I
seldom thought much about it except when I preached a funeral service. Ah, the
conceit of youth.
The truth is that the
promise of Heaven makes life richer, right now. Paul writes that "You
trust in Christ Jesus and that you love all of God’s people. You do this because
you are looking forward to the joys of heaven—as you have been ever
since you first heard the truth of the Good News." (Colossians 1:4-5,
NLT) Anticipating our home in heaven is
not an escape from life’s reality. It is the lens that makes us see clearly,
so that we can keep our priorities in order.
Just 2 miles up the road from my house is a sacred spot of ground I visit often. There are stones that mark the graves of my wife and my parents. That cemetery is for some a grim place, only a reminder of life’s end. For me, it is a holy place that reminds me that earthly life is finite, that heaven waits. God has prepared a whole new, wonderful existence for those who are ‘in Christ’ without pain, endings, sin, or grief. Is your understanding of heaven inadequate, a kind of mixture of romantic notions, cultural myth, and wishful thinking? Let’s go deeper, willing to grasp the hope that is promised.
Kevin Miller illustrates the difficulty that we have in
reaching beyond our limited understanding to the amazing existence that God has
made for us. He writes this fun little parable.
“Let’s imagine that I tell my four-year-old son,
“Andrew, when you grow up, if you get married, your honeymoon will be one of
the most delightful and wonderful times of your life.”
He says, “Oh, you mean I can take my toy dinosaurs along?”
“Uh, no . . . you probably won’t want to. But you’ll still have a fantastic
time.”
“Well, can Jeffrey from next door come along on my honeymoon?”
“No, sorry,” I tell him.
“I don’t know if I want to go on a honeymoon, Daddy. It doesn’t sound like
any fun.”
“Trust me, Andrew: you will enjoy it, even though you
can’t understand it right now.”
Heaven will give us incredible joy—but at a higher, richer level than we’ve
ever experienced. It’s natural not to understand it all now.” Discipleship
Journal : Issue 57. 1999
The writers of Scripture saw visions and tried describe what they saw using the
language and images that were available. Isaiah, Zechariah, and John tell us
about amazing creatures that circle a Throne, about smoke, and seas of glass. Their
words are best understood by realizing that they are using earthly language to
tell us about a completely unearthly place! If we force the metaphors
too literally, we may miss the true wonder of what God has planned for our
eternal home.
What do we know about Heaven that brings us hope and keeps us on track while we wait to go there?
God is there!
The God we’ve loved from a distance, Whose purposes and plans sometimes confuse
us, Who actions are beyond our figuring out, will be our Friend, will be
accessible, and we will worship Him “face to face.” John attempts
to show us the wonder of that moment and says, “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. 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.” (Revelation 21:3-4, NLT)
The beauty is beyond imagination.
John talks about dazzling splendor, streets of gold, and pearly gates! No, he’s not talking about some incredibly
over the top luxury hotel. He’s not describing an eternal upscale lodging in a
place like Las Vegas. He is reaching for words to help us to see the beauty of
a place that God has created for His people. The same God that designed
Creation, that paints sunsets, that let’s the sunlight sparkle across the river
– all for a world that is temporary, has made us a home that is eternal. What must
that home be? Yes, Christian, when we wonder at the beauty of a wild flower or
colors of a bird’s plumage, let’s get enthused about living in that forever
home He’s prepared for His people.
All things are made new- no rust, no death, no sin!
“And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am
making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5, NLT) Everything we know is
subject to decay and all living things ultimately die. New things deteriorate.
Babies grow into aged people. Shiny things become dull. Heaven knows no time,
no depreciation, no aging. Jesus urges us to “Store your treasures in
heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy…” (Matthew 6:20, NLT)
Joy will be complete!
Life’s happiest moments always end. Grim? No, just the
truth. The joy of a baby’s birth is offset with the certainty of a grandparent’s
death. The pleasure of an amazing friendship
comes to an end when the company brings relocation. Summer’s warm is always
followed by winter’s chill. Heaven knows nothing of that kind of thing. There
only joy reigns. There no ends are anticipated, no sorrow invades, no
disappointment lurks in the shadows.
The BIG question is this - are you prepared for Heaven?
You will not enter because you are good enough, joined a
church, or were a ‘nice’ person. We are saved by grace through faith –
period. I am going to Heaven because of Who I know, not because of what I
have done. Christ died to save sinners. In Him this is our promise: “Come,
you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the
creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34, NLT)
Do not lose sight of Heaven. The promise keeps us on track when the Enemy tempts us with sin. Heaven’s promise gives us hope when life’s challenges rise up and seem ready to crush us. And, Heaven is our inheritance.
Here is a word from the Word. As you start this new week,
spend some time meditating on the promise of eternal life, asking God to make
Heaven real in your heart and mind.
Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in
God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so,
I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that
you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3, NIV) I believe it, do
you?
___________
The atmosphere is changing now
For the Spirit of the Lord is here
The evidence is all around
That the Spirit of the Lord is here
Overflow in this place
Fill our hearts with your love
Your love surrounds us
You're the reason we came to encounter your love
Your love surrounds us
Spirit of God fall fresh on us
We need your presence
Your kingdom come your will be done
Here as in heaven
A miracle can happen now
For the Spirit of the Lord is here
The evidence is all around
That the Spirit of the Lord is here
Chris Brown | Mack Brock | Matthews Ntlele | Steven Furtick | Wade Joye
© 2015 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)
CCLI License # 810055
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