John W. Peterson, who wrote both the words and music for the hymn, “Heaven Came Down” says that he wrote it in the summer of 1961, when he was directing the singing one week at the Montrose Bible Conference in Montrose, Pennsylvania. During one of the sessions, an opportunity for personal testimony was given to the audience. An old gentleman rose to his feet and told of his conversion experience. In describing that night when he met Christ, he used the phrase, “It seemed like heaven came down and glory filled my soul.” “Right away,” Peterson said, “I knew that it would be a fine title for a song, so I wrote it down and later in the week completed the song.” The chorus of the song is as follows:
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul,
When at the cross the Savior made me whole;
My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day,
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!
The description of salvation given in this song is similar to Paul’s description in verse 3: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
Through the presence of Christ, heaven comes down and fills the soul of those who put their faith in Him. Indeed, ours is a special salvation. A special salvation, Paul tells us, because through our salvation, we have received . . .
1. A special purpose - v. 4
Through our salvation, God has called us to live holy and blameless lives.
Fifty years after Paul’s death, Ignatius was being taken to Rome where he would be martyred for Christ. In his letter to the Romans, he asked the church to pray for him, that his death might be a witness for Christ. “Only pray for me for strength,” he wrote, “both inward and outward, that I may not merely speak, but also have the will, that I may not only be called a Chris¬tian, but may also be found to be one.”
We too, are to seek to live in such a way that we may not only call ourselves a Christian, but may also be found to be one.
Such is the calling that God gives to all who have received salvation through faith in Christ.
2. A special place - vs. 5-6
Through our salvation, we have a special place in the heart of God - we are His child!
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”- 1 John 3:1 (NIV)
It has been said that any man can be a father but that it takes a special kind of man to be a Dad! The ideal father does more than simply have a part in the procreation of the child, he helps to mold the child throughout his growing years through generous amounts of love, guidance, correction, forgiveness and praise. Fortunate are those who have had more than a biological father but have had a father with whom they had such a personal relationship. Whether or not this has been the case for you, this much is for certain: we can all experience the ultimate father-child relationship when we experience God as our Heavenly Father.
“If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen.” - Max Lucado
As the children of God, we are the objects of His love, which is, indeed, a special place!
3. A special pardon - vs. 7-8
“We were doing a baptism service. We told people before they came up to the platform to be baptized to take a piece of paper, write down a few of the sins they’ve committed, and fold the paper. When they come up to the platform, there was a large wooden cross on the stage. Take that piece of paper, take a pin, and pin it to the cross, because the Bible says our sins are nailed to the cross with Jesus Christ, and fully paid for by his death. Then turn and come to the pastor to be baptized. I want to read you a letter a woman wrote who was baptized in one of those services. She said: ‘I remember my fear. In fact, it was the most fear I remember in my life. I wrote as tiny as I could on that piece of paper the word abortion. I was so scared someone would open the paper and read it and find out it was me. I wanted to get up and walk out of the auditorium during the service, the guilt and fear were that strong. When my turn came, I walked toward the cross, and I pinned the paper there. I was directed to a pastor to be baptized. He looked me straight in the eyes, and I thought for sure that he was going to read this terrible secret I kept from everybody for so long. But instead, I felt like God was telling me, I love you. It’s okay. You’ve been forgiven. I felt so much love for me, a terrible sinner. It’s the first time I ever really felt forgiveness and unconditional love. It was unbelievable, indescribable.’ Do you have inside of you a secret sin that you wouldn’t even want to write down on a piece of paper out of fear somebody might open it up and find out? Let me tell you something about the Jesus I know. Not only does he want to adopt you as his child, he wants to lift the weight of guilt off your shoulders.” Lee Strobel, from sermon: “Meet the Jesus I Know”
What a wonderful forgiveness is ours through faith in Christ because of the cross!
“My sin - oh, the bliss of this glorious thought;
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Oh my soul!”
Through our special salvation, we have received a special pardon.
4. A special perspective - vs. 9-10
Through our salvation, we have received a special perspective - despite the circumstances of life, we can see all things through the ultimate victory we have in Christ.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” - Romans 8:28-35; 37 (NIV)
A man employed as a food inspector said that it was his job to inspect seventy thousand chickens a week as they were processed through a local poultry company.
One day he made the comment, “You know, I’ve never seen a good chicken.” Then he explained that through the years of inspecting chickens, it has become necessary for him to train his eyes to see only the bad chickens -the ones that should be rejected.
Training the eyes to see only the bad is permissible for a food inspector. But too often in life, people train themselves to only see the bad, the ugly, and the evil around them. But because of the victory we have in Christ, we have a different perspective on things. Because of His love and His power and His purpose for us, we know that in Christ, we will ultimately experience victory, and can, consequently, look at the challenges, the difficulties, and the obstacles of life much differently.
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” - James 1:2 (NLT)
5. A special portion - vs. 11-12
“Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” - Ephesians 1:11 (NLT)
We have been made heirs of God through our special salvation.
“[Born anew] into an inheritance which is beyond the reach of change and decay [imperishable], unsullied and unfading, reserved in heaven for you.” - 1 Peter 1:4 (Amplified)
This world is not our home; our citizenship is in heaven. That’s why we are called “pilgrims.”
A fugitive is one who is running away from home. A vagabond is one who has no home. A stranger is one who is away from home. But a pilgrim is one who is on his way home.
Henry C. Morrison was a great missionary who served the Lord in Africa for over 40 years. On the way back to United States, he began to wonder “will anyone remember us? Will anyone recall who we are? Will anyone meet us at the boat?” Well, unknown to Henry Morrison and his wife, Teddy Roosevelt, President of U.S., was also on board that ship. He had gone to Africa for a hunting trip When ship pulled into New York harbor he looked to see if anyone had come to welcome them back home.
Thousands of people were there cheering. Bands were playing. There were signs, banners, and billboards everywhere saying, “Welcome Home”. Henry and his wife were so excited about the crowds of people that were there to welcome them home and they went down to get their luggage, came back to the deck of the ship to get off and they realized that the parade of people were already gone. They had come to welcome Teddy Roosevelt.
Henry Morrison went to his hotel room with a heavy heart. As he sat there on the bed, he asked his wife, “Honey, I just don’t get it…for 40 years we poured our lives into ministry and service. And yet we come back to America and not a single soul comes to welcome us home!” His wife came and sat down next to her husband, she put her hand on his shoulder, and comforted him with words that he would never forget, “Henry, you have forgotten something, you’re not home yet!”
And may that be of comfort to you. It does not matter what takes place in this life, your reward is in heaven. Always remember, “You’re not home yet.”
A Sunday School teacher asked the children in his class, “If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, would that get me into Heaven?” “NO!” the children all answered. “If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?” Again, the answer was, “NO!” “Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children, and loved my wife, would that get me into Heaven?”
He asked them again. Again, they all answered, “NO!” “Well,” he continued, “then how can I get into Heaven?” A five-year-old boy shouted out, “YOU GOTTA BE DEAD!”
One of these days my life as a child of God will come to an end. But though I may be dead, you need to know, because Christ is my Savior and heaven is my home, I will be more alive then ever before!
“While we walk the pilgrim pathway, Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over, Not a shadow, not a sigh.
When we all get to heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus, We’ll sing and shout the victory!”
6. A special presence - vs. 13-14
With our special salvation comes a special presence - God is with us through the person of the Holy Spirit. His presence in my life is my guarantee of my salvation!
“And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.” - 1 John 4:13 (NLT)
“God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.” - Romans 8:16 (The Message)
“God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” - Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV)
“For He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?” - Hebrews 13:5-6 (Amplified)
The light of God surrounds me; the love of God enfolds me; the power of God protects me; the presence of God watches over me. Of whom or of what should I be afraid? God is with me and will never leave me; and His presence with me is my guarantee that He will see me safely into His eternal presence one day.
Conclusion:
The salvation that is available in Christ is ours only when we, by faith, receive it as a free gift.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23 (NLT)
A pastor told a true story of one of his church members, an attorney, who after meditating on several scriptures, decided to cancel the debts of all his clients that had owed him money for more than 6 months. He drafted a letter explaining his decision and its biblical basis and sent 17 debt canceling letters via certified mail. One by one, the letters began to return, unsigned and undelivered. Perhaps a couple people had moved away though not likely. 16 of the 17 letters came back to him because the clients refused to sign for and open the envelopes fearing that this attorney was suing them for their debts. How profound! We owe a debt for our sin and God is willing to cancel it but too many people will not even open the letter that explains that.
Have you received God’s free gift of salvation through faith in Christ?
Considering how special our salvation is, as one who has received this free gift from God, are you learning more about how special it is?
What aspect of the special salvation you now have in Christ do you need to appropriate today?
The special purpose that God saved you to fulfill; the special place you have in His heart; the special pardon that is yours; the special perspective you now have to live by; or the special portion that is yours to be strengthened by?
