Christ In Heaven

Today I would like to explain a sentence of the Apostol Creed: “He ascended into heaven, and He is seated at the right hand of the Father”. Let us see all the blessings of this wondrous confession.

Everything that is happening here today, communion as a visible message and the sermon’s message as an audible message asks us to focus towards heaven. Let us turn our hearts and our mind from this world to the other world, from the visible to the invisible, into the center of Heaven, where God is sitting in His glorious throne shared with His son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The ascension of Jesus is not only a historical fact. It is not only about the miracle, which happened once, as Jesus Christ had gone from this visible world to the other invisible world in front of people's eyes.

Jesus Christs ascension into heaven is telling us something extremely important in a very personal way: we are God’s children, Jesus Christ died for us, He was resurrected for us, He saved us and after finishing His mission amongst us Jesus returned into His glory, which He left to come to the earth. For this you and I, we should not forget that our final home is in heaven with Jesus Christ. He is the way here. He will give us everlasting life and joy in His glory. One day He will come and will take us home.

We need to hear this message because we often forget where we belong.

Sometimes, when we are standing next to a casket, we use to say sentences like:

- well, we all have to go once; we do not have a permanent city here on this earth as we read in Hebrews 13:14 or

- “we are strangers and wanderers.” Hebrews 11:13

The truth is that we feel wonderful in our human skin, on this earth, on this planet. Here in Canada we have such a wonderful, peaceful and comfortable life that we are not longing towards heaven, and we are not taking seriously that one day we too have to leave this earth. I met quite a few people who were extremely ill, but they still wanted to stay here. They were holding people’s hands asking them to hold them back here as much and as long they can. Moreover, I met people who were ready to leave.

I will share a memorable story from my childhood. In grade 5, I had a friend, John, who had five siblings. His mother was such a wonderful, nice and kind person, full with love and always had an amazing smile. She was our nurse. Once we heard that John’s mother had cancer and she would die soon. John told me that one day her mother called all her children one by one into her room and talked to each of them for more than an hour. She shared with them their childhood stories and said goodbye to them. She told them that she has to move to God soon, but was asking them to support their father as good children, to be faithful to God, to love our Saviour Jesus Christ, and to keep and practice their faith for their entire life. Also, their mother reminded them, that the day would come when they all will be together in heaven, and she will wait for them up there.

This story had such a powerful impact on me and as a young child, I promised to myself, that one day if I will have children and if I might feel that my departure is near, I will say goodbye to to my children and loved once at the same way.

Lately, God brought me through some difficult times when I had surgeries. Every time I asked my children to be faithful to the Lord, and if my time might be here to go home, I will go to the Lord, and I will wait for them prayerfully.

A few months ago, I received a phone call to come to Simcoe Hospital because one of my most faithful parishioner, Dorothy, who was 92, was in the hospital, and her days were numbered. She was one of the most faithful members of my congregation. She never missed a Sunday service or a Wednesday Bible study. She picked up the ladies and gave them a ride to my house where the events were held. Three months ago I came to see her at Simcoe hospital on a Wednesday. As I arrived in her room, her daughter informed me that her mother did not talk for a week because she is very tired, and I will not be able to communicate with her. However, as Dorothy heard my voice as I was touching her hands, she opened her eyes and greeted me with a big smile. She grabbed my hand, and she was talking fluently. We had a nice visit. We recalled our best memories, then I read from the Bible, we prayed, and I was singing her favourite hymns. With a gentle hug and a great smile, we said goodbye to each other, assuring each other that next time we will see each other in Heaven, in our Lord’s Kingdom, which is prepared for us. As I waved goodbye to Dorothy, she was smiling at me. As I left the room I was in tears.