Will The Family Be Together Over There

THREE INTRODUCTORY PASSAGES

ONE

(2 Sam 12:18-23) "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

We understand THREE things from this passage:

1. David believed that his baby that died went to some place.

2. He went to a place that he himself would someday go also.

3. When he reached that place, he and his child would know each other.

By comparing other passages, we know that King David was speaking about heaven:

"The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven..."

"Whom have I in heaven but thee?"

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."

He expected to see his child again.

He said that his child had gone to a place that he also expected to go someday.

> He fully expected to know his child and his child to know him.

He later made it plain that the place he was referring to was heaven, the house of the LORD.

TWO

(Matt. 22:31-32) "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

Here in this passage, Jesus Himself speaks of 3 Patriarchs that have already died.

He tells His hearers that these men are alive and well with God.

> After all God is not the God of the dead, but of the living!

The point is, that there is a resurrection, and some have already experienced it to some degree.

> Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are already having fellowship w/ God.

THREE

(1 Cor. 6:1-3) "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?"

God’s people will participate with Christ at 2 final judgements.

1. We will be present and participants at the Great White Throne judgement.

> Where all the lost people will be judged before being sent to the lake of fire.

2. The judgement of angels.

> Where the fallen angels that rebelled with lucifer will be judged.

RECAP OF INTRODUCTION:

David’s baby died and went to heaven.

He expected to go also and see his baby again.

Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob are together now in heaven.

They know each other and see each other and are even now having fellowship with God.

God’s people are going to participate in the judgement of the world.

Part of which will occur at the Great White Throne judgement.

I said all of this to preach on...

I WONDER IF THE FAMILY CIRCLE WILL BE TOGETHER OVER THERE?

I. The Great White Throne Judgement (Rev. 20:11-15).

A. THE IDENTITY OF THE SOVEREIGN.

1. From whose face the heaven and earth fled...

> Daniel prayed: "O Lord, the great and dreadful God..."

> The Apostle Paul: Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: FOR OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE."

2. He is a gracious, loving, and seeking God...

> But He is also a bitter judge.

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 FOR THE GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH IS COME; AND WHO SHALL BE ABLE TO STAND?

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up FOR EVER AND EVER: AND THEY HAVE NO REST DAY NOR NIGHT...

> Now is the time of atonement!

> Today is the day of salvation!

> Call on the Lord while He may be found... Seek ye Him while He is near!

3. Right now you can come to Him.

> Right now He is the Precious Savior, reaching out His hand to you.

> Right now He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of this world.

> But, one day He will be the righteous judge of all the Earth!

B. THE ABSENCE OF THE SAVIOR.

1. "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous..."

> An Advocate is a lawyer.

> An Intercessor.

> A Go-Between!

2. Right now Jesus Christ is interceding on our behalf.

> He is our advocate between God and man.

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus..."