November 11, 2007 "Heaven"

[Opening for 1st Service:
A little girl was taking an evening walk with her father. Wonderingly, she looked up at the stars and exclaimed; "Oh, Daddy, if the wrong side of heaven is so beautiful, what must the right side be!" (Charles L. Allen in Home Fires.)
Today we are going to hear about heaven.]

[Opening for 2nd Service:
Following a campaign speech, a young man rushed up to Senator Everett Dirksen and said, "Senator, I wouldn't vote for you if you were St. Peter!" Dirksen eyed the young man for a moment, then said: "Son, if I were St. Peter, you couldn't vote for me, because you wouldn't be in my district." (Source Unknown.)
Where is St. Peter’s district? It is heaven! Today, we are going to hear about heaven!]

The Sadducees were a political group of people who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. They were considered somewhat religious because of their ties to the temple, but they did not believe in heaven. Can you imagine someone confronting you with the very strong notion that there is no heaven? Jesus was thus confronted. They even crafted a wild scenario to frustrate him and to belittle him for believing in heaven. How would you respond to such an attempt to belittle your faith? Would you walk away, would you yell, would you even know how to defend yourself?

Jesus did what we all can do. He countered with the word of God. He stated that there is a resurrection, and quoted Exodus 3:6 as fact! Nothing more needed to be said! No arguing, no yelling, no shame! Jesus settled the notion of heaven right then and there. Thank you, Jesus!

Richard Baxter, a writer who had a tremendous influence on the founders of the Methodist and United Brethren movements, stated:
My knowledge of that life is small,
The eye of faith is dim,
But it's enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with him.

J. I. Packer, a great theologian whose words I studied in seminary, wrote this about heaven: “…where the redeemed will find all their heart's desire: joy with their Lord, joy with his people, and joy in the ending of all frustration and distress and in the supply of all wants. What was said to the child -- "If you want sweets and hamsters in heaven, they'll be there" -- was not an evasion but a witness to the truth that in heaven no felt needs or longings go unsatisfied. What our wants will actually be, however, we hardly know, except the first and foremost: we shall want to be "always...with the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:17).

What shall we do in heaven? Not lounge around but worship, work, think, and communicate, enjoying activity, beauty, people, and God. First and foremost, however, we shall see and love Jesus, our Savior, Master, and Friend. (James Packer, Your Father Loves You, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986.)

Let’s see what the Bible has to say about heaven. The born-again believer:
will be with Jesus; Jesus said to the repentant thief on the cross: “Today you shall be with me in paradise” (Luke 24:43).

will have complete knowledge; speaking of heaven, Paul wrote, “Now I know in part; then I shall know fully” (I Cor. 13:12).

will be active; Paul wrote, “Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of life” (I Cor. 6:3).

will be free of hurt and agony; John wrote, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Rev. 21:4).

will be surrounded by unbelievable beauty; Speaking of the new Jerusalem, John wrote: “The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass…The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Rev. 21:21 and 23).

Heaven will be belonging like we have never belonged before. Heaven will be never needing to give or receive an apology. Heaven will never have even a whisper of tragedy. Heaven will be knowing everyone – even those we have never met. Heaven is being in love. Heaven is an endless sunset. Heaven is surprise – our mouths will most of the time be hanging wide open. And when we can speak, it will be to say, “I had no idea!” And, we will be surprised by who is there, and who is not there!

In an article title, "Are We Ready for Heaven?" Maurice R. Irwin points out that only 34 percent of the American people who call themselves Christians attend church at least once a week. He says, "We sing, 'When all my labors and trials are o'er, and I am safe on that beautiful shore, just to be near the dear Lord I adore will through the ages be glory for me.' However, unless our attitudes toward the Lord and our appreciation of Him change greatly, heaven may be more of a shock than a glory." Daily Bread, July 31, 1992.

The opposite of heaven is hell. Jesus taught it was a literal place. It is a place where God removes His presence. I have had someone say to me, “If I don’t make it to heaven, I will just have a big party in hell.” My response is this: with God’s absence in hell, there will be no godlike quality there. There will be no friendships, no parties, no fun, no hope, no joy. The only way to avoid hell is to choose heaven by choosing Christ.

There is nothing that can satisfy the soul like a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! You can fill the void of this life with drugs, alcohol, and possessions, but they will never satisfy. Even people can not satisfy us fully. Only Christ can fill the void.

Just yesterday I did something that I have never done before. I ordered tickets to a Christian concert online. I bought the tickets and printed them right then and there. They are setting on my table. Christ is the ticket to heaven. That ticket can never be lost or damaged. Make sure that you have your ticket today.

C. S. Lewis shared, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world” (Mere Christianity, New York, Macmillan, 1960, p. 119.)

And if you are truly heaven-bound, then these words of C.S. Lewis are equally true:
If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. (Mere Christianity.)

If we are a people filled with the hope of heaven, then everything will look different! And we will not be a people who compose the sidelines. We will be in the game – working, ministering, in church and beyond! For we will know, beyond any doubt, that our greatest pursuit is to bring others along with us!


Before Communion:
A widely respected man known as "Uncle Johnson" died in Michigan at the incredible age of 120. Perhaps his advanced years could be credited in part to the cheerful outlook that characterized his life. One day while at work in his garden, he was singing songs of praise to God. His pastor, who was passing by, looked over the fence and called, "Uncle Johnson, you seem very happy today." "Yes, I was just thinking," said the old man. "Thinking about what?" questioned his pastor. "Oh, I was just thinking that if the crumbs of joy that fall from the Master's table in this world are so good, what will the great loaf in glory be like! I tell you, sir, there will be enough for everyone and some to spare up there." Source Unknown