1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
A
t a recent church potluck, Les Welk, Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Northwest Ministries Network, sat next to a parishioner. As they were eating, he was surprised to hear the parishioner breakout into a theological discourse entitled, “You can tell a lot about a church by the food that shows up at a potluck.” I have renamed the list, “All I’ve learned in the ministry, I learned at a church potluck,” a spin-off of the book, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum. So here goes:
Church Potluck Theology
A potluck made up of mostly salads and rolls shows -
a church of low commitment.
A potluck with roast and chicken along with the casseroles signifies -
a church that celebrates God’s provision.
A potluck where the dessert section is mostly Jell-o indicates -
a church of little diversity and no imagination.
A potluck that doesn’t have enough food reveals -
a church of low givers.
A potluck that has plenty of ice for the cold drinks shows -
a church that’s considerate.
A potluck that provides food for children (how often are the children placed in a side room with pizza or hot-dogs?) shows -
a church that values all age groups.
Are there rules for eating at a potluck? Several. Rule number 7 says: when going through the dessert line and you see lemon meringue pie, don’t wait to come back to get your piece. That pie will be gone. Sheet cake? Always plenty. Pie, no!
Potlucks and Shakespeare - you can learn a lot from both of them. You don’t travel the road in college very long before you run into Shakespeare in the English department. Not my favorite read in college. Had to do it to graduate. I graduated therefore I must have read. (Yes, I really did - Cliffs Notes!)
Even if you’ve never read much Shakespeare, you’re probably familiar with the line spoken by Hamlet in a moment of deep thought: “To be, or not to be, that is the question…” (III, i57) The circumstance surrounding that question is tragic: Do I commit suicide or do I live? Which, in his mind, was the worse of two evils?
For Hamlet, life had become intolerable. When he began to think about what his options were in death, he continued, “In that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil?” (III, I, 67-68) Could it be possible that my existence, whatever that is, might be even more intolerable on the other side than life is now? Many in this life have no idea what is on the other side. That’s sad. They could be enjoying everything this life has to offer through God the Father (For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11) plus looking ahead to eternity in Heaven.
Think about another literary genius and his contemplation between this life and the life to come. Paul says, “But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Philippians 1:23-24 (NASB)
Hamlet says, “Live or die, I lose!” Paul says, “Live or die, I win!” You make the choice about where you’ll spend eternity. If you choose Heaven, welcome home!
Have you found yourself thinking more about Heaven? That’s one of the goals of this series of messages. I certainly have. I experienced three different settings where I thought more about Heaven this week. First, my secretary Faye was sharing about an occasion when she was ministering to some senior adults. She asked the question: Have you been thinking about Heaven lately? To her amazement there was almost no response.
I wonder if the lack of response is really an epidemic in the church at large. Why do we not think more of Heaven? Perhaps, C.S. Lewis can help each of us understand the struggle to keep Heaven in our thinking.
There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven; but more often I find myself wondering whether, in our heart of hearts, we have ever desired anything else. 1
Okay, for those of you who weren’t listening, here it goes again. For those of you who weren’t sure the quote was good then thought, “Wow, what was that?” here it is again.
There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven; but more often I find myself wondering whether, in our heart of hearts, we have ever desired anything else. 1
The second time I thought about Heaven involved one of our church families who run a restaurant in the county. O’Brien’s Manor at Island Crossing is world famous for serving turkey: It is often frequented by many of our church family. We got the word the other day that Kerry O’Brien’s dad passed away. The following story went along with his death:
Danny O’Brien was a Wycliff Bible Translator in Mexico. He had been hospitalized for several weeks. Thursday morning at 6:00 AM he awoke, saw a nurse come in and said, “Oh, it’s you. Today I think I will go home to be with Jesus.” She thought, “I will put my purse down and come and hold his hand.” She was gone for maybe a moment. When she returned his wish had come true. Into God’s presence went Mr. O’Brien. One who had served God faithfully for his whole life.
Third, Heaven in the news! Do you know what God’s word teaches about Heaven? Can you stand in defense of the faith against the many distorted beliefs that exist in the world today?
The Saturday edition of the Everett Herald ran a story entitled, “Jews and Mormons agree to resolve the rift over baptism by proxy.” Researchers found the names of Holocaust victims in the church’s massive International Genealogical Index (IGI) more than a decade ago. Jewish leaders had protested about 380,000 names of Holocaust victims who were the subject of proxy baptisms.3
What is proxy, or vicarious, baptism? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believes that an individuals’ ability to choose a religion continues beyond the grave. Through unique proxy or vicarious baptisms, church members stand in for the deceased non-Mormons, a ritual the church believes is required for the dead to go to Heaven. In other words, non-Mormons get to be presented with the Mormon gospel one last time before being judged for eternity. Be assured friend, the Bible says there is no second chance after death. Your future is locked and sealed. The Bible says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27. In just one line, that verse refutes Mormonism and reincarnation.
God’s Hope For Tomorrow
We are going home someday my friend. For many, that experience is greatly anticipated. Your home has been a place of love, laughter, learning, and lasting memories. It has been a place where your every need has been met. Home is where your discouragement has been replaced by affirmation. Home is a place where your fears have been washed away through the prayers of your parents. To go home is to enjoy the family you love. To be refreshed and nourished with peace, rest, and food. It is a sanctuary where God’s presence and your family have your best interests in mind. How I love to go home.
Jesus promised that He was going to prepare a place for us (John 14:2). What God starts you can be sure He will complete. It all began in creation. God’s work has continued and will be completed with your arrival at your eternal destination - Heaven. Jesus’ preparations will be done, and My Father’s House will be ready and waiting as an eternal and heavenly home for His loved ones.
Each of my four children has a room that has been designed with their likes, wants, and loves in mind. Long before the house we built was complete our kids were already making requests for their rooms. Our only daughter Rebekah (12) has her room filled with make-up, her dog Abbey, diaries, music, and her devotional books and Bible. Our 6 and 8-year boys love sports. Their room is filled with posters, baseball pennants, and miniature basketball hoops. From morning until night, every sport imaginable is played in that room. Our oldest son’s room clearly reflects the wishes, dreams, and aspirations of an oldest son who bears the same name as dad.
A father’s room designed for an older son has a northerly view of Saratoga Passage in Puget Sound. May brings the whales heading north searching for food on their way out through Deception Pass and the San Juan Islands. Ikea furniture, that mom put together, fills the room. At night a futon accepts the long legs of this 14-year-old who loves God, baseball, and his band.
A bookshelf holds trophies, loose change, and a wallet given by Dad. In the corner sits a steel-stringed guitar that once belonged to the grandfather. A Dell computer provides hours of fun and converts some of the worst handwriting into a paper that earns an A. A collage that was part of a homework assignment when Kenny traveled to England with Dad hangs on the wall. Each item reminds him of his experience with Dad. In my Father’s house are many rooms, and one of them is especially designed for a son named Kenny.
Just as each of my kids have a room designed with their likes, interests, and needs in mind, God does the same with our eternal home. I can’t wait to get there. A place where God has considered all my needs, wants, desires, gifting, longings, loves… Friend, each home is uniquely fashioned and created with us in mind. No one-size-fits-all here!
Heaven’s Home Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
What is the home of your dreams if you are…
an Eskimo living in an ice hut,
a Chinese living in a bamboo hut,
an African living in a mud hut,
a homeless person living in a newspaper hut,
a Bedouin living in a tent,
an Indian living in a teepee,
a royal living in a palace,
a tenant living in a project,
a slum-dweller living in a shanty,
a president living in the White House,
a celebrity living in the penthouse,
a peasant living in the farmhouse,
a city-dweller living in the row house,
an orphan living in a foster house,
a criminal living in the prison house,
a soldier living in the guard house,
a beggar with no house at all?2
Regardless of how impressive or simple your home was when you grew up, at best it had flaws. I am not referring to the building - peeling paint, creaky floors, light socket missing a screw, or a door not completely flush. Over spray here. Carpet stain there. No, I am referring to what goes in the home. Your new home in Heaven will be an unbelievable dwelling, but what goes on inside is the key.
1. The Father’s House is a safe place.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” John 14:1
If you have an automatic garage door opener you have probably left the door open by accident. Remember how you felt about your exposure to danger? There’s no such experience or feeling in Heaven. Nightly a spouse says to her husband, “Did you lock all the doors?” No such request in Heaven. Did you hear a loud crash down the hall while you were sleeping? No need to fear intruders. They don’t exist. Heaven will be a safe place.
The disciples were troubled. In the previous verses Jesus had let them know that their futures were filled with heartache. Peter’s pride caused the Lord to unveil a glimpse of his future (John 13:36-38). It was spelled out in vivid detail. Not a pretty sight. Although Peter would make some mistakes and his devotion would be challenged, God’s plan included healing and Heaven. God has confidence that we are going to make it to Heaven, even with our flaws and shortcomings. Be encouraged dear friend, you are going to get there. God is not going to withhold his most prized possession because somehow you don’t measure up. The One who has been preparing a place for you is looking forward to the day of your arrival.
God reminds us in John 3:16 that we will be in the Father’s House for eternity. That home will be a safe place. Do you see that?
“…shall not perish but have eternal life…”
At best, all of us grew up in an imperfect home. For many, home was as place of pain, punishment, and perishing; an impatient dad, a mom who was frustrated because there wasn’t enough money, kids who were rebellious. That’s why Heaven is going to be so grand. The safety of that home will offer in abundance all the provisions this life has lacked.
“No eye has seen,
nor ear heard
no mind conceived,
what God has prepared for those
who love him…(1 Corinthians 2:9)
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
As Gomer Pile used to say, “Surprise, surprise, surprise.” Heaven will be a jaw-dropping experience that we’ll not recover from in the first million years. Each of the preceding texts makes the same point: not in our wildest imaginations are we prepared to experience and understand all that Heaven has to offer. The joy and awe of Heaven will be far beyond what the visitor to an art gallery experiences as he stands gazing at a masterpiece. Every feature in Heaven will call for a pause. In fact, that pause will go on for some time. Could it be that Heaven will offer a creation that is continually creating something more and something new? Could it be that the very definition of creation and eternity conveys the idea we will never discover all that Heaven has to offer? Wow!
Was yours a single parent home? You’ll have unlimited support of your Father in heaven.
Was your home filled with violence? Heaven will offer such wonderful peace. No flinching. No trembling when the door opens. No raised voices.
Was your home burglarized? Did it burn down? Were you ever flooded out? Perhaps you moved often. Did your family outgrow your house? Were the rules of your community association more bondage than blessing? Maybe your house was plain and drew little attention. Seldom did passersby stop for conversation. Nobody asked if there were unique features in your home. It was common and plain.
None of the heartache associated with your home in this life will follow you to the place of eternal rest and joy.
Heaven will offer many dreams this life has left unfulfilled.
Heaven will offer much healing for the scars of this life.
Heaven will offer more opportunities and experiences than any family, home, White House, penthouse, or Taj Mahal could dream up.
In Heaven, Trump Tower will only satisfy the needs of a weary traveler (rest-stop)
In Heaven, the White House will barely shelter the survivors of Gilligan’s USS Minnow or the finalists of Survivor.
In Heaven, the Taj Mahal won’t even be listed as a tourist attraction.
Heaven. The Father’s home is a design that will bring the world’s greatest architects to their knees. Jesus’ death guarantees your safety for eternity. Can’t find or make that promise today. A quick glance through the paper shows you how unsafe the world is. The Father’s House is safe because:
Heaven is SAFE because it is real.
Then I saw a new heaven and new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. Revelation 21:1
Our future home is real. It isn’t a pipe dream. We are not wishing upon a star. Heaven is no abstract idea. It isn’t part of Aesop’s fable or a child’s fantasy. Heaven is the only place that will meet all of your needs, satisfy all your wants, and fulfill all of your dreams.
What we experience in this life is just a mirror, a shadow or a vapor of the real thing. What you are experiencing today is no comparison to the reality of your future that we call Heaven. It’s a place where the physical and spiritual merge into one. Where the visible and the invisible work together. Where the natural and the eternal are expressed equally.
Heaven is real. It will have an eternal address. You can look up the population when you arrive. Smog doesn’t exist, and there are no car jackings, community meetings for sex offenders moving in the area, or increased taxes.
Heaven is SAFE because it is spacious.
16The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man’s measurement, which the angel was using. Revelation 21:16-17
Do you know what it feels like to be confined to a wheelchair? Does your cubicle at work give you claustrophobia? College dorm rooms can be suffocating they’re so small. Tight quarters, we’ve all been in them. A small hotel room, small bunks on an aircraft carrier, a home with a growing family.
If these and other settings are the norm, then Heaven will be enjoyed beyond our imagination. Heaven is a real place with “space to burn.” When you get to heaven and look up words for spacious in the thesaurus, you will find:
freedom
immeasurable property lines
territorial views that have no ending.
An angel gave the apostle John a personal guided tour of the home we call the Father’s House. It is so spacious it has no earthly comparison. In the book The Revelation Record, author Henry Morris gives us some insight on the calculations.
The cube described in Revelation is 1500 miles square. This would be the equivalent of the area from Canada to Mexico and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rockies. This residence could easily accommodate over 20 Billion people. Each person would have his own private room, mansion, or Trump Tower that was a 75-acre cube. This would leave plenty of room for parks, streets, and buildings. Heaven is going to be big.4
Now remember, that’s just the city of the New Jerusalem. Some live in that city. Does everybody live in the New Jerusalem? Some might prefer the suburbs. Who doesn’t enjoy the country? What about island living? Some desire a mountainous retreat. Others may prefer desert-like climate. Do we ever have to move? I wonder how many homes we really have? A mountain chalet, a beach home, remember,
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him” in heaven (my addition)
I Corinthians 2:9.
In my Father’s House are many rooms - for all who choose to call it home! So feel free to bring everyone with you! Bring the whole family - even weird uncle Harold. Don’t leave out any of your friends. Go all the way back to your early days and bring those friends from elementary school, bring your little league team, bring your Boy Scout troop. In fact, why don’t you invite your whole high school graduating class? (1977 for me; Shorecrest High School in Seattle) Oh okay, bring everyone from the city you grew up in. In fact, why not think big; bring them all - your state, your country, everybody in the whole world!
Heaven is going to be a great big place. Heaven will have maps so you don’t miss a thing. You will have unlimited time to enjoy everything (no picking and choosing on this vacation because of financial or time constraints) and to enjoy everyone.
As the days draw closer to the dawning of a new age, somewhere in the universe God is at work this very moment building a real home with you in mind.
A healing home
A Herculean home
A holy home
A heavenly home
A hospitable home.
Heaven is SAFE because it is secure.
12It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. Revelation 21:12a
17He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man’s measurement, which the angel was using.
Revelation 21:17
The days of keeping your children in the front yard to play will be gone. They will wander the city having the time of their life. The backfiring of a car will be just that, not the mistaken sound of a drive-by-shooting. When someone walks up behind you, the days of being startled will have melted away.
Heaven is filled with Boy Scouts walking old ladies across the street and with good Samaritans picking up hitchhikers. In Heaven, you’ll go to pay your bill at some restaurant only to find that five other people have offered to pay it for you.
The walls of Heaven are so strong that God’s people will be eternally secure. The walls, which some writers describe as being two hundred feet thick (Revelation 21:17), are made of diamonds. They offer the inhabitants freedom from violence, rape, and drive by shootings.
This earth is a constant reminder of how different Heaven will be. Many of Heaven’s creations are reminders of the eternal plan God has been working since before your birth. He knew your limitations; He provided a home with none. He sustained you in your hurt; He offers a home free of tears.
C. S. Lewis was right, “There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”5 These are just a few of them.
Summary Thoughts
1. Just as each of my kids have a room designed with their likes, interests, and needs in mind, God does the same with our eternal home. I can’t wait to get there. A place where God has taken into consideration all my needs, wants, desires, gifting, longings, loves… Friend, each home is uniquely fashioned and created with us in mind. No one-size-fits-all here!
2. None of the heartache associated with your home in this life will follow you to the place of eternal rest and joy.
Heaven will offer many dreams this life has left unfulfilled.
Heaven will offer much healing for the scars of this life.
Heaven will offer more opportunities and experiences than any family, home, White House, penthouse, or Taj Mahal could dream up.
3. What we experience in this life is just a mirror, a shadow or a vapor of the real thing. What you are experiencing today is no comparison to the reality of your future we call heaven. It’s a place where the physical and spiritual merge into one. Where the visible and the invisible work together. Where the natural and the eternal are expressed equally.
Heaven is real. It will have an eternal address. You can look up the population when you arrive. Smog doesn’t exist. There are no car jackings, community meetings for sex offenders moving in the area, or increased taxes
4. C. S. Lewis was right, “There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
Surprising Thoughts
1. Hamlet says, “Live or die, I lose!” Paul says, “Live or die, I win!” You make the choice. If you choose Heaven, welcome home!
2. In Heaven, Trump Tower will only satisfy the needs of a weary traveler (rest-stop)
In Heaven, the White House will barely shelter the survivors of Gilligan’s USS Minnow or the finalists of Survivor.
In Heaven, the Taj Mahal won’t even be listed as a tourist attraction.
3. An angel gave the apostle John a personal guided tour of the home we call the Father’s House. It is so spacious it has no earthly comparison. In the book The Revelation Record, author Henry Morris gives us some insight on the calculations.
The cube described in Revelation is 1500 miles square. This would be the equivalent of the area from Canada to Mexico and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rockies. This residence could easily accommodate over 20 Billion people. Each person would have his own private room, mansion or Trump Tower that was a 75-acre cube. This would leave plenty of room for parks, streets, and buildings. Heaven is going to be big.4
End Notes
1. Images of Heaven. Herald Shaw Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 1996, pg. 34.
2. Anne Graham Lotz, Heaven: My Father’s House, W Publishing Group. Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN, 2001, pg. 29-30.
3. Everett Herald. Jews and Mormons agree to resolve rift over baptism by proxy. Associated Press. April 16, 2005, pg. B3.
4. Anne Graham Lotz. Heaven: My Father’s House. W Publishing Group. (Thomas Nelson-Nashville, Tenn), 2001, pg. 47-48.
5. Images of Heaven. Herald Shaw Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 1996, pg. 33.
