HEAVEN
John 14:1-7
INTRODUCTION
After having served for decades in Africa, a missionary
couple, Mr. & Mrs. Henry Morrison, were returning to New York to retire. After years of service they had no pension and their health was failing. They were worried and discouraged. They were on the same ship as President Theodore Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his African hunting expeditions. No one paid any attention to the missionary couple. They watched the fanfare that accompanied the President and his entourage.
During the voyage, the missionary said to his
wife, “Something is wrong. We have given
our lives in service to God in Africa all these years and no one cares a thing about us. Here this man comes back from a hunting trip and everybody makes much over him, but nobody gives two hoots about us.”
When the ship docked in new York, a band was waiting to greet the President. The mayor and other dignitaries were there. The papers were full of news of the President’s arrival. No one was there for the missionary couple. They slipped off the ship and found a cheap flat on the East side hoping the next day to see what they could do to make a living in the city.
That night the man said to his wife, “I can’t take this, God is not treating us fairly.” His wife replied, “Why don’t you go into the other room and tell that to the Lord? He did just that and returned a short time later but his face was different. His wife asked him what happened. “The Lord settled it
with me,” he said. “I told Him how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming, when no one even met us at the dock. And
when I finished complaining, it seemed as though the Lord put His hand on my shoulder and simply said ‘BUT YOU ARE NOT HOME YET.’” This earth is not our home.
Our fleeting years here on earth are but a minuscule portion of our journey. There is another whole realm of life beyond this sphere in which we now exist. It is a place where God will make right all the wrongs of this life. It is a place where we will know life in all its richness and fullness. Heaven will be wonderful, beyond our wildest imaginations. As believers, we are just pilgrims journeying to our heavenly home. Scripture, therefore, refers to us as “…STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS ON THIS EARTH…..” (Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 2:11)
Writing to the Philippian believers, Paul said “…OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN…”
“Here was a picture the Philippians could understand. Philippi was a Roman colony. Here and there at strategic military centers the Romans set down their
colonies. In such places the citizens were mostly soldiers who had served their time in the service and were rewarded with full citizenship. The great characteristics of these colonies was that, wherever they were, they remained fragments of Rome.Roman dress was worn; Roman justice was administered; Roman magistrates; governed ; the Latin tongue was spoken and Roman morals were observed.”
In a political sense, the Philippians knew what it was to be citizens of a far-off city (a place where most of them had never even been). On an immeasurably higher
plane, believers belong to a “heavenly city” as Hebrews 13:14 makes very clear. “Through the use of this analogy, Paul was saying to the believers,‘Just as the Roman colonists never forget that they belong to Rome, you must never forget that you are citizens of heaven; and your conduct must match your citizenship.’” (69/611/ Barclay)
TEXT
Just before His impending death, Jesus spoke to His disciples about this place called heaven.He left them with these memorable and reassuring words:“LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED. TRUST IN GOD; TRUST ALSO IN
ME.IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY DWELLING PLACES; IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I AM GOING TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU…..SO THAT WHERE I AM THERE YOU MAY BE ALSO.”
When Jesus said, “in my Father’s house,” the very
words He used changed the whole character of the abode of the dead.“No longer was death to be viewed as an eerie journey to an unknown and frightening destination. For the first time people were able to
think of death as a going home to their heavenly Father.It was seen as an entering into the presence of their Creator where all would be joy and light and love” (Maclaren). It was viewed as the one place where all the wrongs and inequities of this life would be made right. It was seen as the place where we would finally be reunited with loved ones who had died in Christ.
“When Jesus said ‘IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY DWELLING PLACES…’ the Greek word that He used for ‘dwelling places’ also means ‘abiding places.’
- A very familiar image from the days of Jesus underlies these words. It was customary for travelers in those days to send some of their party on in
advance to find lodging and make arrangements for them in distant cities. Many a time a disciple went ahead of Christ to make arrangements before He arrived for a gathering. That is what happened on the night of the first Lord’s Supper as two of the disciples, at Christ’s bidding, went before Him to make the
arrangements.”(270/257/Maclaren)
The meaning of this passage is clear: Christ has gone
before us to prepare an abiding place for us in heaven.
He has made the arrangements for us. We can be absolutely certain that heaven is our final destination. Why can we be certain of heaven?
Simply because 2,000 years ago God sent us a Savior.
An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and speaking of Mary said, “…SHE WILL GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND YOU ARE TO GIVE HIM THE NAME JESUS, BECAUSE HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.”
In John 3:16 Jesus said, “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.”
Heaven has been purchased for us through the shed blood of Christ. When we repent of our sin and receive the Christ of Christmas as our Savior, we are given the gift of eternal life in heaven. That is Christ’s promise to us. Heaven is gained through faith in Christ. Consequently, we can be absolutely certain of heaven. 1 John 5:13 says that all these truths have been written in Scripture so that “YOU MAY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE,”
Not hope or wish but KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt!
Since we can be assured of heaven, we need not fear death and dying. Physical death is for the believer a
triumphant gateway to the glory and splendors of heaven.
WHAT IS HEAVEN LIKE?
We can’t help but wonder what heaven is like. The only place we can go to find out what heaven is like is God’s Word. As a result of the limitations of our minds, Scripture is limited in its revelation.
Heaven is unfathomable to the human mind. Heaven is a place that defies our imagination. In 1 Corinthians 2:9 God tells us that “…NO EYE HAS SEEN, NO EAR HAS HEARD, NO MIND HAS CONCEIVED WHAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” Hence, whatever we can imagine heaven to be like, it isn’t! It is vastly superior to anything our minds can conjure up.
Nevertheless, there are some things about heaven that we do know. God has revealed to us some very important truths about heaven.
NO HEARTACHE, TEARS, PAIN OR DEATH
One thing we do know about heaven is that it will be a place where there will be no heartache, tears, pain or death. Revelation 21:4 tells us that in heaven God “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.”
In heaven there will be no sickness, sorrow, suffering or sin. Heaven will be a place of complete peace and happiness. The Psalmist exulted in this wonderful fact when he declared,“..YOU WILL FILL ME WITH JOY IN YOUR
PRESENCE, WITH ETERNAL PLEASURES AT YOUR RIGHT HAND.”
Heaven is our ultimate dwelling place or home.
Joni Eareckson who became a quadriplegic as a result of a diving accident nearly 30 years ago has experienced more than her share of pain and heartache.
She says that “heaven has become my heart’s home, the place where I will finally belong.The place where I will get a brand new body.” Heaven is the place where there will be no more tears, pain or sorrow. She goes on to say, “In the world’s finale something so glorious is going to happen that it will atone for every single tear we’ve ever cried. God is going to give us the key that will make sense out of what now seems to be such senseless suffering. Heaven is going to be a place of no more disappointment, no more grief but joy. Heaven’s joy.” (P.T. #157)
UNHINDERED FELLOWSHIP
We also know that heaven is a place where we will enjoy
unhindered fellowship with God. Our present fellowship with God is limited, hindered and distorted by sin. Consequently, at times God seems distant and far removed.. We don’t always sense His presence. That will never be the case in heaven.
Heaven is where God is and in His presence we will have
complete and unhindered fellowship with Him. We will know Him like we have never before known Him. “What makes heaven heaven is God.” (L.Anderson)
2 Corinthians 5:8 says “TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY IS TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.”
When we leave this life and enter heaven we will be in the presence of the Lord. In this earthly life we are able, to a small degree, to know God and have fellowship with Him. It is, however, limited. But the time is coming when on a far deeper level we shall know the Lord and be with Him. Our fellowship with Him will be unhindered. We will know God in a far more intimate way. We will relate to Him in a way that we cannot now even imagine.
We will experience the awesome Presence and glory of God. With that fellowship will come an unimaginable peace, contentment, and fulfillment.
HEAVENLY BODIES
Confined to a wheelchair, Joni Eareckson longs for the day when, as she says, she will leave her wheel chair behind. And receive a brand new body. But it won’t be an earthly physical body.One of the things that we definitely know about heaven is that in heaven we will not possess physical bodies.
1 Corinthians 15:50 says that “FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.” At physical death we leave behind our mortal bodies. The body dies but the soul lives on. The real us continues to exist. Our souls enter into the presence of Christ.
- Eventually, in God’s timing at the return of Christ,
our souls will receive new spiritual or heavenly bodies that are suitable for our heavenly existence.
We are not going to merely be spirits floating around the universe. Our heavenly or spiritual bodies will be like the resurrection body of Christ..1 John 3:2 declares, “BELOVED, NOW WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD,...AND WHEN CHRIST APPEARS, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM….” When we leave this life we will be like Jesus in many different ways not the least of which will be our resurrection bodies. These new heavenly bodies which we will receive are described in 1 Corinthians 15.
“They will be completely nonmaterial. The spiritual body is an imperishable yet utterly real body. It will, however, be of a different order and will have
different functions from our earthly bodies.” (Exp. Commentary)
1 Corinthians 15 tells us that our heavenly bodies will
not know “corruption” and dishonor.” What that means is that unlike our physical bodies they will
not know old age, grow weak or experience decay.
Neither will they be susceptible to any infirmities or diseases. They will be glorious and powerful. These new heavenly bodies will not be limited by time and space. In short, they are beyond our ability to
comprehend.
INCREASED KNOWLEDGE
One other thing we know about heaven is that when we
arrive there, our knowledge of things will be greatly increased. We will know each other even though it will not be through physical characteristics. We will even know those whom we have never met on earth, people like
Moses, Abraham and the apostle Paul.We will know loved ones who have gone before us and now wait for us.
In 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “…NOW I KNOW IN PART; THEN I SHALL KNOW FULLY, EVEN AS I AM FULLY
KNOWN.”
Here on earth we see things imperfectly."WE KNOW IN PART’ and our knowledge of things is mixed with error.
That is why we often reach wrong conclusions about God and His love. “In that day (when we get to heaven) we shall know as God knows us, and all that has puzzled us in this life will become clear” (97/79)
In heaven we will be granted fuller knowledge of things
and far greater insight. We all have a lot of unanswered questions about the sordid, sad and sinful things that occur daily in this world. We have a lot of questions about God and why he allows evil and suffering. There is so much about God that we cannot understand. Someday we will have answers to all these perplexing questions. When Scripture says that we will someday be “LIKE JESUS”, it means that we will be like Christ in our knowledge of things. Able to understand things, we will have a full revelation. We have the answers to all those things that confuse, perplex and sometimes cause us to doubt.
The story is told of a time when Albert Einstein was going on a train to an out-of-town engagement. The conductor stopped by to punch his ticket. The great scientist, preoccupied with his work, with great embarrassment, rummaged through his coat pockets and briefcase to no avail. He could not find his ticket.
The conductor said, “We all know who you are, Dr. Einstein. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it. Everything is O:K.”
The conductor walked on down the aisle punching other tickets. Before he moved to the next car, he looked back and saw Dr. Einstein down on his hands and knees looking under his seat trying to find his ticket.
He came back and gently said,“DR. Einstein, please don’t worry about it. I know who you are.”
Einstein looked up and said, “I too know who I am.
What I don’t know is where I’m going!” J. Huffman, Jr.)
Do you know where you are going when you leave this life? You can know with absolute certainty.
Heaven is a gift that is freely bestowed upon those who are trusting Christ to save them. Have you come to Christ for forgiveness? Are you trusting Him as your Savior and Lord? If you are then you can, according to God’s Word, be guaranteed a place in heaven.
CONCLUSION
When Sir Winston Churchill was making his funeral preparations he had a few special requests. He asked to be laid in state in the heart of London at St. Paul’s Cathedral. He requested that his casket be placed under the massive dome in the center. Churchill then requested that two trumpeters be stationed on each
side of the balcony that circles the dome. It was his wish that at the close of the service the trumpeter
on one side play taps. But when he was finished he wanted the other trumpeter to play reveille.
Churchill knew that death was not the end but really the beginning of something wonderful and unimaginable.
Thanks to the Christ of Christmas, a new and beautiful day will dawn when we close our eyes in death.
We will leave this life and enter into our Father’s heavenly home. In the midst of life’s disappointments, trials, heartaches we need to remember that we are not home yet. Heaven is our home.
