Every fall we witness one of nature's spectacles, when we see large flocks of Canada Geese flying south. What a magnificent sight to see them fly over in perfect V formation. The question is, how do they know? How do they know they are flying south, and not east or west? Well, no one knows for sure, but there seems to be an inborn sense of direction that tells them. Not only a sense of direction, but an inner longing, an inner desire to go to a place where they will be away from the harsh cold weather that would certainly kill them.
Someone has observed that in much the same way God has planted within each man and woman a longing for a place called heaven. (George Sweeting) Paul was convinced that all people somehow have an awareness of God. He once wrote, "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them" (Rom 1:19 RSV). Just as the Canada Goose instinctively knows the route it must travel, so do people instinctively know about God. You see, it has to do with the way were created. God created us that way, in his image. So if we are in his image, it makes sense to have our thoughts directed toward him. Even those who say they do not believe in God, often will say that they do believe in a higher power.
People, since the beginning of time have had a hope for life beyond death. A study of the tombs in Egypt tells of the Egyptian's concept of the afterlife, which is similar to what many people think heaven might be like. The Native religions have a belief in the afterlife in a place with the Great Spirit. Danish history tells us that when a landowner died his personal servant would also be expected to take his life, so that he could continue to serve his master in the life beyond. Virtually every civilization has had, or has an instinctive awareness of the life here after. It is just part of being human it seems.
For believers in God, it is just natural to long to be with him at the appointed time, in the place the Bible calls heaven. But perhaps you have unanswered questions about heaven. Most of us do. Whatever we do know, or learn about heaven in this life is at best incomplete. We do not have all the answers, and it seems as if each answer offered comes with it's own set of questions. These days of course we seem to know about almost everything, and yet our knowledge about heaven is quite limited. Perhaps this is so because we think it quite outdated to talk about it. Perhaps we really do not want to know too much about it just in case we don't ever get there. Of course, stories like the following do not help either.
Russian cosmonauts flew to heaven in their spaceship and met God: while at the gates of heaven, God gave Russian cosmonauts a message for the people of earth. Two Russian Cosmonauts report that while orbiting the earth in their spaceship, the controls of their space ship were taken over and the ship flew into a black hole. The cosmonauts report that while they were trapped in the black hole, their spaceship flew to the Gates of Heaven where they met GOD, heard heavenly choirs, saw angels, and saw their dead relatives. God asked the Russians if they would take a message to the people of the planet Earth. Tell the people of the Planet Earth that God is real and that God cares about the lives of each person on this planet! Then the spaceship went through a brightly lit tunnel, and the ship was back in orbit. According to Mission Control, no time had passed. The Russian Cosmonauts report they were atheists, but after going to Heaven, they are true believers in God.
Computer Genius Breaks Computer Code to Heaven's Master Computer! A computer genius reports he has broken the computer code to Heaven's master computer and that Saint Peter sent him a message from Heaven's computer telling him they had been waiting for him to break the code to Heaven's computer. The genius reports he's online regularly with Saint Peter, a deceased friend and his deceased dog.
Well, after listening to that, how can we know that there really is a heaven? We can know more about heaven than we perhaps do now, by searching the Scriptures, and then accepting what it says as truth. This will answer some questions for you, things you might have been wondering about.
First, the attributes of God demands that there be a place like heaven. God is holy and just. In our world there is very little true justice. The United Church of Canada, and several partner denominations have just embarked upon a project they call Jubilee 2000. This is based on the O.T. concept of Jubilee whereby in every fiftieth year all debts were forgiven, prisoners were set free. The Jubilee Year would prevent the massive accumulation of wealth by a small portion of the population. Said in a different way, the Jubilee Year was designed to exercise some semblance of justice. This is the idea behind Jubilee 2000 as well, one of the ideas being that rich countries forgive the debts of poor countries. But with God, justice has a slightly different meaning. The Bible is clear that at the appointed time, God will send the righteous Judge, who will judge, not only the nations, but every individual. And then the oppressors will not go unpunished. The poor will be vindicated. Paul makes the declaration that God, "has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." He is talking about Jesus Christ, of course. And heaven is the reward of the righteous.
Why? Because God is merciful. His divine mercy demands it. Salvation is offered to those who trust in Christ, and heaven is the reward. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, next to him was a thief. What did Jesus say to him after he had made a confession? "Today you shall be with me in Paradise." This man had spent a life of sin, and yet, because of God's mercy, he was forgiven, redeemed, and promised his eternity in Heaven.
An eternity? Yes! God is eternal, so the dwelling place for the righteous must be as well. The Bible says, " Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands, ( 2 Cor. 5:1). This means that we have eternal home where we will spend an eternity with God.
Heaven is a real place. There can be no doubt. If it were not so, Jesus once said that he would have told us if it was not so. "In 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" (John 14:2). He is there now, preparing a place for those who have accepted him as Lord and Savior.
What is heaven like? Do we have to speculate here, or believe the reports I spoke about at the outset? Again, we must turn to our Bible to find the information we may be looking for.
The book of Revelation records the vision John has of heaven. Should we take these visions literally? Some people are convinced we should, others we should not. I believe it important to remember the purpose of God's word. Paul tells Timothy, and us that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16). The purpose of Revelation then, is to teach us something. So what is this morning's passage all about? Is it a picture of what heaven is like? Let's take a closer look.
There is a description of a new heaven and a new earth. John calls it the New Jerusalem. But did you notice that there is no geographical description here? It is described first of all as a bride dressed to meet her husband. And then it says, "now God's home is with mankind. He will live with them, and they shall be his people." (Vs 3) This is a description of a perfect marriage. There is intimacy here. There is love here. There is commitment here. Then it goes on the describe the ultimate care the husband has for his bride, whom we represent. "He will wipe away every tear...the will be no more death...no more grief, no more pain." How is such an environment best described? What words can we use? Perfect love. Those are the words. This is a place of perfect love, and that is what's important. Later there is a description of the physical heavenly city, which is a place of beauty, but the real beauty lies in our close, intimate relationship with God. This is the perfect home, where believers are described as a bride, and later as God's children. These are words that "are true, and can be trusted" (Vs 5).
Are we all destined for heaven? George Sweeting once interviewed several people on a busy street corner in Chicago. As people went by he would select them at random to ask, "What are your chances of going to heaven?" The answers he got were rather interesting, yet not uncommon. One young woman said that she thought her chances were really good because she had a good father. She was convinced that his goodness would somehow get her into heaven. Well, not according to Scripture. Godly parents may put us on the right track, but they will not be able to "say a good word" us to get God to accept us. Each one of us is personally responsible to God.
The next person thought he had no chance at all of getting into heaven because he didn't like wearing long white robes, nor did he know how to play a harp. This too is not an unusual response. Many people simply want to brush off eternal matters with silly remarks. Other will say something like, "It really doesn't matter where I go. I will have friends there when I get there."
Do you know what? It does matter. And to whom does it matter most? To God! "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thes. 5:9). Jesus himself once said, "I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death" (John 8:51). God offers heaven to us as a gift. We can't get there on account of our own goodness, our own good works. We cannot buy our way into heaven. We can only get there by believing Jesus when he said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Think again of the thief on a cross next to Jesus. He did nothing but repent after a life of crime. How did he get to be with Jesus in Paradise? By faith. "For by grace you are saved through faith," it says in Ephesians 2.
How does one get to heaven? The answer lies in faith. Simply believe. There is plenty of evidence in God's Word. It matters a great deal to him, "For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die, but have eternal life" (John 3:16 GNB). Trust Christ as your Savior now, and heaven is yours.
