“The Reward and Inheritance Factor” Pt 3
(The Fatherhood of God Message 17)
X. The Reward and Inheritance Factor
A. PRESET AND FUTURE REWARD
B. FUTURE INHERITANCE
1. The Father’s wealth
2. The only begotten Son’s Inheritance
3. The inheritance of the saints
Introduction
One of the significant contributions to the growth and development of children that a father can make is the provision of a home. Deeply ingrained in the makeup of every human being is a desire for home. We want a place that is familiar. We long for a safe place; a stable dependable place. We gravitate to a place where we can be ourselves. We seek a place where we can express our creativity, make our mark, find rest. This is true during are growing up years.
It is also true as we grow up.
House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. Prov 19:14
Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz had it right. There's no place like home. No matter how much we may like to travel and see new things, there comes a point when the longing for home kicks in. The return to the familiar. Our own bed,Uninterrupted times of solitude and meditation
It’s time to go home. Just as deeply ingrained in every believer is a desire for an eternal home.
A safe place, a familiar place, an inviting place, a peaceful place, a place of encouragement and meaningful relationship.
Not only does our heavenly father promise that we will inherit all things and reward us according to our faithful service but He also promises us an eternal home. Although the Bible falls short of a full description of our heavenly home, there is sufficient description to grab our attention and to stir our longings. Don Wytzen penned a song that has become a Memorial service favorite. Perhaps not yet as common as "In the Garden" but gaining popularity.
But just think of stepping on shore and finding it heaven of touching a hand and finding it God's
of breathing new air and finding it celestial
of waking up in glory and finding it home. Finally home.
If many of us were to be honest, we would admit that the commonly held and taught image of heaven doesn't feel like home. It does not satisfy the deeply ingrained, and I believe God given, longings for home. Disembodied spirits floating around in some unfamiliar nonphysical celestial environment engaged in a perpetual church service does not seem all that attractive.
We generally envision white robes, halos and harps. We envision a day and night praise service prolonging for eternity. You will grow to appreciate the 15 minute overtime at Chico.
It is no wonder that, if we were honest, if you are really excited to leave this earth for heaven.
Is that common imagery of heaven the biblical one? Does the Bible paint a different or at least a broader picture of our heavenly home?
Satan does not want you to have a clear picture of your future.
He makes it his goal to slander God's person, God's people, and God’s place.
And he (the beast) opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. Revelation 13:6
It is not only biblically accurate but spiritually healthy to meditate on our ultimate destiny. Job endured the horrendous horrors of his trial by meditating on a future of hope.
"As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
"Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God;whom I myself shall behold, and whom my eyes will see and not another. My heart faints within me! Job 19:25-27
Jesus encouraged His despondent disciples by sharing the hope of a permanent home contracted by the Father and built by Jesus. God encourages us to think about our future hope. 1 Peter 1:13
Actually He commands us to think about heaven. Col 3:1-4
I believe God intended us to think about heaven not just philosophically tangibly.
You may have heard the statement that people can be so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. It's more likely that we become so earthly minded that we become good for nothing.
CS Lewis wrote, "Those who did most for the present world were those who thought most of the next."
It is my desire to paint a biblical picture of heaven that captures not only our imagination but our heart. Actually I have four pictures for us to look at in order to fully visualize and appreciate our ultimate inheritance.
C. FUTURE ETERNAL HOME
1. The original creation
The Bible doesn't give us a whole lot of information concerning the original environment.
We know that it was perfect. We know that it was sinless. It was home to both man and beast, fish and fowl. Many believe it was a tropical environment. Due to a protective canopy over the whole earth many feel that the whole earth was inhabitable and productive. There was one particular place God chose to interact with man called the Garden of God or Eden. This was a special place where God and man enjoyed perfect communication. No death, no pain, no sickness, no pollution, no weeds; a perfect place to call home. In the middle of the garden we find the tree of life.
2. Present polluted or fallen earth
The ripple effects of Adam's disobedience to God marked all of creation. In Romans eight Paul speaks of the groaning of creation because of its solid-state. Paul reminds us that the whole creation was subjected to futility because of Adam's sin. Death, decay, struggle, disease, chaos resulted from Adam’s sin against God. I have come to think that perhaps be futility imposed upon creation may have been universal. Since God is going to restore the heavens and the earth perhaps the heavens and the earth were factored by the entrance of sin. God blocked Adam's entrance into the garden designated by God as their special meeting place. I have come to think that perhaps this glorious garden was removed from the earth to the present Heaven awaiting its return on the new earth. Just a thought!
We are quite familiar with the fallenness of the world in which we live both physically and in every other aspect. Sin permeated the heart as well as the home of all of mankind. This world is not in our blood. Eden is in our blood. God created us to live forever in a perfect and glorious environment. Much of man's energy and technology focuses on restoring Eden without God.
Not only does he try to restore a perfect environment but is doing everything he can to live forever. The problem is that the death rate in the world is 100%. Only God can restore what we've ruined. It will take a monumental supernatural act of God to reverse the curse that has so thoroughly infected this world. In this current age we live on an earth that is mostly physical containing spiritual elements. The Christian is born again into a world in which we have 1 foot in a spiritual dimension and another foot in a physical dimension.
When we die we will go to a world that is mostly spiritual containing some physical elements.
Ultimately God wants us to live in a world where there is a balance of physical and spiritual.
In Jesus both worlds will be brought together in perfect balance.
When will God bring this grand finale to pass? From Genesis to Revelation the story of complete redemption for earth and its inhabitants unfolds. Isaiah prophesied it. The apostle John pictured it in the last two chapters of his book. The establishment of the renewed heavens and the new earth mark the final stage redemption. Is our destiny heaven or earth?
3. Present Heaven or intermediate heaven
Much of the confusion and fog related to heaven have to do with confusing images. There are some things related to the present Heaven and there are some things related to the future new heavens and new earth. The first thing we need to settle is the difference between the present Heaven and the new heaven and earth. Both old and new Testaments use the word heaven to indicate God’s dwelling place. There are actually three heaven's used in Scripture. There is the heaven in which the birds fly or our atmosphere. There is a heaven of outer space. Then there is the heaven in which God dwells. We are most interested in the heaven where God dwells.
a) Who lives there?
Of course God is there in all of his glory. The resurrected Christ in his glorified body as their.
The Holy Spirit is a permanent resident. Myriads of Angels with various responsibilities inhabit heaven. It is also a dwelling place of Old Testament saints as well as New Testament saints. Heaven is the intermediate dwelling place awaiting the establishment of the new heavens and a new earth.
b) What is it like?
This heaven is mostly of a spiritual nature with physical elements. Plato taught that matter is evil the only spirit is good. His philosophy has permeated thought for centuries including Christianity. We somehow think that even though the Bible uses physical imagery that in reality heaven is more an intangible and unfamiliar environment. The present Heaven contains many physical characteristics. I believe that paradise, the garden of God, presently resides in heaven.
The tree of life is currently located in heaven. The new Jerusalem is currently located in heaven and will come down out of heaven to earth. Paul was taken up to the third heaven although he admitted he didn't know whether it was in the body or in the spirit. John described the physical elements that he saw. Martyred saints wearing robes. Jesus himself who took on the flesh for eternity. There is a throne. The heavens were opened and Stephen as he was being stoned saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Saints have temporary bodies as they await their glorified bodies. It seems these temporary bodies have certain recognizable characteristics.
There are two saints perhaps that still maintain their physical characteristics. We often described heaven is a place where there is no sorrow. Technically that long-awaited prospect is not promised until the new earth. The martyred saints hear the altar have sorrow and indignation as they ask to God how long will it be until there blood is avenged. All will have an eternal perspective however which enables them to wait for the ultimate redemption.
There is a memory of Earth's past events accompanied by God's comfort. There is awareness of Earth's current events. Perhaps there is even intercession by those who have gone before. Perhaps the bowl that contains the prayers of the saints are those who are in heaven and praying for us still on earth. With such awareness diminish happiness in heaven? It is not likely. Happiness does not depend on ignorance but on perspective. And in heaven we have God's eternal perspective not only on all the earth's present events but also on all of life’s past events as well as the glories to come.
There is also great rejoicing in heaven at every conversion on earth. I always thought it was the angels who rejoiced. Luke 15 actually says there is rejoicing in the presence of Angels. Who is doing the rejoicing? Perhaps it is the saints. Who better to rejoice in the friends and relatives who have gone before as they observe their family coming to Christ? Who better to understand the wonder of salvation but those who have experienced salvation on earth and now the glories of heaven?
There are new arrivals every day are sure to into the glories of heaven by angelic beings.
There is a great worship in heaven. John described the worship he observed in the present Heaven much of which I am sure will continue on the new earth. He saw people from every tribe and language in people and nation giving praise to the Lamb.
He saw Angels and unfamiliar creatures bringing praise to him who was and who is and who is to come.
There will be fellowship, communication, stories of redemption, walk through the garden of God, conversations with Jesus, exhilarating times of worship and praise and thanksgiving.
The present Heaven will be absolutely glorious because the full glory of God resides there.
However, it is still not our final destiny. It is not the culmination of God's plan yet. There is more to come. Jesus taught his disciples to pray thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as as it is in heaven. This is a prayer for the culmination of God's plan on earth.
Revelation 21:1-3
This is God's plan. God's plan is to live eternally among resurrected saints on a resurrected earth. What will it be like? I hope to share more of the biblical picture beginning next week.
c) How do we get there?
John 14:1-6
