CRCF””5/17/09
Questions of the Heart: #3
Introduction””My daughter, Hannah, and a couple of her friends had the rare opportunity to attend one of their Hispanic friends”™ 15th birthday celebration””a very big deal for a young lady in that culture . . . and, a very big party! As my daughter and her friends said, “It was the best party I”™ve ever been to in my life!” Beautiful dresses, awesome decorations, lots of great food and plenty of dancing! Imagine three teenage “gringo” girls attempting to learn Hispanic line dances from their friends! ☺ Well, girls””and they”™re all three here this morning””there”™s a party yet to come that will shame any party that has been or will be thrown on this entire planet. And it”™s gonna happen in heaven.
What will heaven be like? William Young in his book, The Shack, paints a picture that I love and believe helps us begin to grasp Scripture”™s teaching on the eternal hope we have as Christ-followers.
“He was standing right where he had closed his eyes, but the shack was gone as well as the dock and shop. Instead he was outside, perched on the top of a small hill under a brilliant but moonless night sky. He could see that the star were in motion, not hurriedly but smoothly and with precision, as if there were grand celestial conductors coordinating their movements.
Occasionally, as if on cue, comets and meteor showers would tumble through the starry ranks, adding variation to the flowing dance. Then Mack saw some of the stars grow and change colors as if they were turning nova or white dwarf. It was as if time itself had become dynamic and volatile, adding to the seeming chaotic but precisely managed heavenly display. . . Mack felt larger than life, as if he were able to be present wherever he looked . . . Mack felt that he could reach out and touch them, and without thought stretched out his arm. He drew it back, startled, as he realized that he too was ablaze. He looked at his hands, wonderfully crafted, and clearly visible inside the cascading colors of light that seemed to glove them. He examined the rest of his body to find that light and color robed him completely; a clothing of purity that allowed him both freedom and propriety. Mack realized also that he felt no pain, not even in his usually aching joints. In fact, he had never felt this well, this whole. His head was clear and he breathed deeply the scents and aromas of the night and of the sleeping flowers in the garden, many of which had begun to awaken to this celebration . . .” (209-211).
“Nearly nine out of 10 people in the United States say they believe in heaven, according to recent ABC News poll” (“Heaven””Where is It? How do we get there?”, Barbara Walters, Dec. 20, 2005).
So it seems that the subject of your third question in this series, “Questions of the Heart”, is most likely relevant to everyone in the room!
5-17-095-17-09
I want to start at the beginning and layout some, perhaps, obvious, but foundational truths that form the backdrop for the answer to that question.
1. “Heaven” is where the Father is right now.
While we”™re talking about what happens to us when we die and whether or not we go to be with God immediately, it seems important to start with where our Father is right now. And the Bible tells us:
“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.”
Matthew 6:8-10 (NLT)
Matthew 7:11 (NKJV)””“ 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!”
Revelation 4:2-3””“ 2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. 3 The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones””like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow.”
There is a place where our “Daddy” resides today!
Heaven is where the Father is right now!
2. Jesus sits in Heaven with the Father.
I”™m also interested in where Jesus went after His death and resurrection, aren”™t you?
Acts 1:9-11””“It was not long after he had said this that he was taken up into the sky while they were watching, and he disappeared into a cloud. As they were straining their eyes to see him, two white-robed men suddenly stood there among them. They said, ”˜Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has been taken away from you into heaven. And someday, just as you saw him go, he will return!”
“The Son radiates God”™s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”
Hebrews 1:2-4 (NLT)
Hebrews 7:25 (NKJV)””“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Hebrews 8:1 (NKJV)””“We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens . . . .”
Jesus sits in heaven with the Father.
3. Our souls will be with God the moment our bodies die.
There have been Christians down through the ages, and some still today, who believe that when a Christian dies, their body is buried and their soul sleeps until Jesus returns. This belief comes from the language used in Scripture of “falling asleep”:
1 Corinthians 15:18””“Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” (NKJV)
1 Thessalonians 4:13””“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” (NKJV)
It seems clear that this language of falling asleep is a euphemism, much like when we say someone has “passed” or “passed away”, and refers, simply, to the death of our bodies””not “soul-sleep”. I believe this based on some very clear Scriptures where figures of speech do not come into play but we are told straight up that when we die we will then be with the Lord. Let”™s take a look:
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NLT)–6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.
Philippians 1:22-26 (The Message)– “As long as I’m alive in this body, there is good work for me to do. If I had to choose right now, I hardly know which I’d choose. Hard choice! The desire to break camp here and be with Christ is powerful. Some days I can think of nothing better. But most days, because of what you are going through, I am sure that it’s better for me to stick it out here. So I plan to be around awhile, companion to you as your growth and joy in this life of trusting God continues.”
1 Corinthians 12:1-4 (NKJV)–1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago””whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows””such a one was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know such a man””whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows”” 4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Luke 16:19-31 (NLT)””“ 19 Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. 20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man”™s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. 22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. 24 “The rich man shouted, ”˜Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.”™ 25 “But Abraham said to him, ”˜Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.”™ 27 “Then the rich man said, ”˜Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father”™s home. 28 For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don”™t end up in this place of torment.”™ 29 “But Abraham said, ”˜Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.”™ 30 “The rich man replied, ”˜No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.”™ 31 “But Abraham said, ”˜If they won”™t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won”™t listen even if someone rises from the dead.”™”
Luke 23:43 (NLT)–“And Jesus replied, ”˜I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”™”
Our souls will be with God the moment our bodies die!
4. We will live eternally in glorified bodies in the New Jerusalem.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 [READ]
1 Corinthians 15:42-58 [READ]
Our bodies DO remain “asleep”, “dead” in the grave until Jesus returns. And then, they are raised and REMADE and our souls rejoin our bodies and are ready for the completion of our salvation! When Jesus returns and remakes all things, Heaven and Earth become one””and we dwell with our Lord forever in the new heavens and the new earth, in the new Jerusalem of God!
Revelation 21 (NLT)
The New Jerusalem
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
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. 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.”
5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega””the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars””their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
9 Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
10 So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone””like jasper as clear as crystal. 12 The city wall was broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. 13 There were three gates on each side””east, north, south, and west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked to me held in his hand a gold measuring stick to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 When he measured it, he found it was a square, as wide as it was long. In fact, its length and width and height were each 1,400 miles. 17 Then he measured the walls and found them to be 216 feet thick (according to the human standard used by the angel).
18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. 19 The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.
21 The twelve gates were made of pearls””each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.
22 I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. 24 The nations will walk in its light, and the kings of the world will enter the city in all their glory. 25 Its gates will never be closed at the end of day because there is no night there. 26 And all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city. 27 Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty””but only those whose names are written in the Lamb”™s Book of Life.
THAT is our ultimate destiny as followers of Christ and children of God! What a future and a hope!
We will live eternally in glorified bodies in the New Jerusalem.
If you”™re a fellow-follower of Christ, let your hearts and minds brim with hope! Be encouraged about your eternity, no matter your present!
Conclusion””But if you”™re here and you don”™t have a sure hope of heaven by faith in Jesus, Jesus gives you an invitation this morning:
“”™See, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay all according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”™ Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life . . . The Spirit and the bride say, ”˜Come”™. Let each one who hears them say, ”˜Come”™. Let the thirsty ones come””anyone who want to. Let them come and drink the water of life without charge” (Revelation 21:12-17).
Another excerpt from The Shack, as we close:
“Somehow, he was already known and loved here. When he reached Sarayu, she embraced him as well and he let her hold him as he continued to cry. When he had regained some semblance of coherence, he turned to look back at the meadow, the lake, and the night sky. A hush descended. The anticipation was palpable. Suddenly to their right, from out of the darkness emerged Jesus, and pandemonium broke out. He was dressed in a simple brilliant white garment and wore on his head a simple gold crown, but he was every inch the king of the universe. He walked the path that opened before him into the center””the center of all Creation, the man who is God and the God who is man. Light and color danced and wove a tapestry of love for him to step on. Some were crying out words of love, while others simply stood with hands lifted up. Many of those whose colors were the richest and deepest were lying flat on their faces. Everything that had a breath sang out a song of unending love and thankfulness. Tonight the universe was as it was intended. As Jesus reached the center he paused to look around. His gaze stopped on Mack standing on the small hill at the outer edge and he heard Jesus whisper in his ear, ”˜Mack, I am especially fond of you.”™ That was all Mack could bear as he slumped to the ground, dissolving into a wash of joyful tears. He couldn”™t move, gripped as he was in Jesus”™ embrace of love and tenderness. He then heard Jesus say clearly and loudly, but oh so gently and invitingly: ”˜Come!”™ And they did, the children first and then the adults, each in turn for as long as they needed; to laugh and talk and embrace and sing with their Jesus” (216).
The truth is: we can only imagine!
–Closing Song: “I Can Only Imagine”