A Cloud Of Witnesses

HEB.12:1 "A CLOUD OF WITNESSES"

* A question that has been asked me so many times, and probably is in the hearts of millions of

other people is: Do our loved ones in heaven know what goes on here on this earth?

* I can say with assurance and show you in the bible that they do know.

* And I can show you that they do care!

A) Someone will say, "How could a mother in heaven be happy if she knew her son on earth,

* Went on in sin, rejecting Christ, and perhaps knew he died lost and went to hell?"

B) Or, "How could people in heaven be happy if they knew all the sadness and wickedness,

* And all the disease, crime, failure, war, and all the sin of this poor wicked world?"

C) But let me ask you another question which will answer this one.

* How can the Lord Jesus in heaven be happy? * Surely, He knows all things!

D) He looked into hell and heard the cries of the rich man tormented in flame!

* And He, with God the Father, knows the fall of every sparrow, and even the number of every

hair on every human head! * Matt.10:29-30 "Are not two sparrows sold for ......."

E) He also looks at the heart of every unrepentant sinner and grieves at the mistakes and failures

of every Christian. * Can Jesus be happy in heaven?

F) We know that the scriptures answers in Isa.53:11 "He shall see the travail ......."

* We know that Jesus on earth looked forward to the joy in heaven, we’re told in v.2

* Yes, Jesus is happy in heaven knowing all the wickedness of this world,

* And so are the saints in heaven!

----------------THE TROUBLE ABOUT US BELIEVING THIS IS SIMPLE!-----------------

A) We’re measuring saints in heaven by the standards of carnal, earth minded Christians!

* I am burdened for sinners to be saved, yet, Oh the joy of the Lord that fills my soul even here

on earth! * And so much more when I shall awake in His likeness!

B) You may be perfectly satisfied and happy when you get to heaven with everything that the

Lord Jesus Christ does!

* And when, at the last judgment, the Lord sends sinners away forever to the lake of fire,

* Sinners who would have nothing to do with Jesus, who rejected the pleading of the Holy

Spirit, who trample under their feet the precious blood,

* Then every mother will say "Amen" to the just condemnation of her boy, and every wife will

will turn away comforted concerning her husband who wouldn’t get saved,

* And God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes!

------- CERTAINLY IN HEAVEN THEY KNOW WHAT GOES ON HERE ON EARTH -------

* That is made clear by many scriptural illustrations! *

A) There is the case of Samuel who died! * 1 Sam.28

* King Saul, backslidden and out of the will of God, went to the witch of Endor and asked

that Samuel be brought back to advise him.

B) I know that witchcraft and spiritualism were forbidden by God! * Ex.22:18 "Thou shalt ..."

* I don’t know why God allowed Samuel to appear in person to Saul in that case, but I know

he did. * Perhaps God worked it altogether to suit Himself without the help of the witch.

* Certainly she seemed startled when she saw Samuel! (cried with a loud voice)

C) There we find that Samuel, who had already gone to paradise, returning and knew just what

was happening on earth. * In fact, he knew more!

* He knew what would happen on the morrow! Turn to 1 Sam.28:16-19

D) The scripture tells us what Samuel said to Saul! (Read scripture)

* Samuel knew what went on, on the earth and he knew why! * He knew the sin of Saul,

* Knew the purposes of God, and knew what would happen on the morrow!

* Surely this is evidence that saints in heaven know what goes on, on the earth!

THE RICH MAN IN HELL LOOKED WITH THE DEEPEST CONCERN UPON THE AFFAIRS OF THE EARTH! * He said, "I pray thee ....... that thou wouldest send him ......."

* He knew that his brethren had not repented. * Abraham knew more about it that the rich man...

A) Abraham said, "They have Moses ......." * How strange, that both heaven and hell,

* Look on with such concern for the conversion of the wicked here on earth,

* While we that are here and have opportunity to warn them, do so little about it!

* "They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them."

B) Another illustration: Luke 9:28-31 when Moses and Elijah met Jesus on the Mount of Trans-