Carl Witty
11/09/15
An old song proclaims the above phrase, and suggests that heaven will be worth whatever sacrifice we may make to be there. Our auditorium class has just concluded a thirteen lesson study of heaven. This article will contain some reflections on heaven covered in that study.
The “otherworld” emphasis of Christianity has varied through human history and in the lives of individual Christians. Historical periods of war, great national tragedies such as economic depression, catastrophic events like floods, earthquakes, and destructive storms have turned the attention of Bible believers toward heaven. Tragedies in the lives of individual Christians have had similar effects. It is spiritually healthy for us to study and reflect on heaven as the ultimate goal before us.
Heaven is God’s eternal home. The model prayer Jesus taught begins “Our Father, which art in heaven.” (Matt. 6:9) Jesus speaks of His Father “in heaven” fifteen times in Matthew alone. While God is everywhere (omnipresent), His center of operations is in heaven. (I Kings 8:30) Heaven is a place of incomparable beauty, and is a reflection of the character of God. The symbolic visions of heaven seem to convey to us the beauty, holiness, and majesty of the presence of God. God’s plan is for us to join Him in that beautiful place. His desire is “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding richness of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:6-7)
Jesus Christ left His home in heaven to make His home our home also. He became human, lived a perfect life, sacrificed Himself for unworthy sinners, came back from death and the grave, and then went back to heaven. He explained His imminent suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension to His disciples in John 14:2b-3 by saying “I go to prepare a place for you. And, if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” The angels told His disciples as they watched Him ascend out their sight; “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11) Jesus completed the mission described in John 6. Following the discourse on the Bread of Life, the disciples said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” Jesus replied with a question; “What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?” Jesus went back to His home, and is preparing for us to join Him there.
The only possible explanation for His planning our destiny in such a place is the biblical reason given: “for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jno. 3:16) His love for us explains His sending His Son, the ministry of angels for us, His providential care, our privilege of prayer, and the expectation of heaven awaiting us. Love is the explanation! Surely the songwriter got it right when he wrote: “The Love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell….”
Heaven is not an unreachable, impossible dream for God’s children. Truly Jesus has gone to “prepare a place for you.” He even prepares us for the moment when we will receive our reward. His description of that which awaits the faithful servants of God includes these words: “well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matt. 25:21) The apostle Paul anticipated the prize awaiting him in these words “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Jesus has laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:12-14)
Preparation for heaven involves God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the angels, and prepared people. The first word of the gospel is “repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matt. 3:2) John’s message in preparing people for Jesus was followed by the message by Jesus: “from that time, Jesus began to say, ‘Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” (Matt 4:7) On Pentecost, the apostle Peter answered sinners who asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” with the answer: “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) When Paul was chosen by the Lord to preach to the Gentiles, Jesus told him to preach that they should repent and turn to God. (Acts 26:19-20) Our journey to heaven is marked by change and preparation. The most complete description of the kind of people we must become is the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Mathew 5–7. This masterpiece from the lips of Jesus describes the kind of people God desires to be in heaven with Him. In the opening words of His sermon (the beatitudes), Jesus shows the character of Kingdom citizens. To the student of God’s word, there is no doubt as to the character required and the help available to those who are willing to go to heaven!
(Part 2 Will Follow Next Week)