The Windows Of Heaven

The Windows of Heaven

Malachi 3: 10-12

I LIKE WINDOWS. I wouldn’t live in a house without many of them. I wouldn’t want to work in an office or factory without them. Windows have two primary functions: to let light in and to let those who are inside see out.

When I was a boy in grade school, I always tried to sit near a window. That practice continued all the way through graduate school. I tried to be early so as to get a window seat. Why? When there was a pause, I liked to see what was going on---especially at Asbury Seminary where one could look at the college campus across the street, for it was quite charming. There were always creatures to watch—squirrels and birds.

The Bible has a lot to say about windows.

- In Geneses 7, we see God opening up the windows of heaven and pouring out a flood on the earth as a judgment on wicked, rebellious sinners.

- A few chapters later we see Noah opening up a window of the Ark and sending our a raven and a dove to see if the flood waters were abated.

- In the Book of Joshua, we see Rahab placing a scarlet thread in her window and how she was spared by Joshua’s army.

- Daniel used windows. Three times each day he stood by them facing Jerusalem and prayed.

- In Malachi, God tells us that if we would tithe, He would open the windows of heaven and bless us with a great blessing.

- Over in the New Testament, we read how Paul’s life was in danger once, so his friends helped him escape by letting him down through a window in a basket.

- And what about Eutychus? Remember the night when Paul was preaching in Ephesus and this young man fell asleep and then fell out a window and was killed?

Yes, the bible tells us of many windows. But the main truth is that God opens the windows of heaven on our behalf. He has already done that on two occasions and some great day He is going to open the windows again.

I. God Opened the Windows of Heaven and

Sent Us A Savior

- His name was Jesus, born of a virgin

- God was His Father and Mary His mother

- This was God’s way of getting Him into the world

- He could have sent Him as a full grown man, but He wanted His Son to experience all that a human does---all the joys, grief’s, and troubles of life that He might sympathize with us. And Hebrews 4:14 says that is exactly what happened.

God sent Jesus into this world for three primary reasons:

1. To show us what God is like. We can see some of what God is like in nature: beauty, harmony, order, complexity. But to really understand what God is like as a Person, we need a Person to tell and show us. And when one looks at Jesus he sees a perfect reflection of God--holy, just, loving, merciful---that’s the nature of God!

2. To teach us how to live---how to relate to each other, how to treat our family, our neighbor, our friends, our church, our God, even our world. He taught us by sermons, precept, and example.

Some time ago a pastor made a call on an invalid and asked him if he’d like to become a Christian. He answered, “No, sir, I don’t want anything to do with it. My parents and grandparents said they were Christians. I watched the way they lived—how they treated people—how prejudiced they were and I made up my mind right then and there that I wouldn’t have anything to do with it.” We need to make sure that our lives back up our witness.

3. To save us. It took the last drop of His blood, the last ounce of His energy, the last bit of Himself to save us. Luke 19:10 tells us that “the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

At the close of a service, a stranger walked up to the minister and informed him that he didn’t care for his sermon. He said, “I wish you would stop all this preaching about the cross and the death of Christ. Why don’t you just concentrate on Him as our great teacher and example?” The minister thought for a moment and replied, “Would you be willing to follow Him if I preached that way?” “Yes, I would,” said the stranger. “I would follow in His steps.” “Fine,” said the minister. “Here’s the first step for you to take. It is said of Him that He was without sin (I Peter 2:2). Can you take that first step?” The man looked confused and admitted that he could not. Then the minister went on to describe some other statements that the Bible makes concerning Christ—his humility, lack of material goods and friends, His betrayal, suffering and death. To all of these the stranger only remained silent. Finally, the minister said, “You first need of Christ is not as an example, but as a Savior. You must have His Spirit to guide you before you can walk in His steps.”