Ready for Heaven? – Part 2

John 14:1-3 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And 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.” 

Pastor Herk continuing his Sermon on Heaven explains that the distractions of this life keeps our focus on bigger, better and more stuff. But Heaven is a place prepared by Jesus, perfect in holiness to meet and be with the Lord. The battle with sin will be over. Heaven is a place of rest, but not idleness with no burdens, tears, pain or death. Revelation 14:13 says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” The children of God enjoy the love joy and hospitality of God. It is difficult to describe Heaven because attempts portray using earthly language cannot begin to express the Kingdom of God. We take symbolic language in an effort to illustrate and explain heaven literally. We will experience indescribable joy, in indescribable beauty, never again be separated from God for eternity. We shall once again be back in the garden.  

John 14:4-6 “You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The Bible is a record from God of our restoration and return to relationship and eternal life. No one can earn, purchase or merit their way to heaven by their own efforts, except accepting and receiving Jesus Christ (God incarnate) by faith. Ephesians 2:8-9a “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works.” Jesus came to conquered sin and death through His substitutionary sacrifice for us on the cross. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” But, not everyone will believe and go to heaven. All roads do not lead to heaven and not everyone goes to heaven. The Bible does not teach that everyone is going to heaven. Jesus clarifies this in: Matthew 7:13-14 saying, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” There is a “right” way (by God mercy and grace though the narrow gate - Jesus Christ alone) and “wrong” ways (any and all other ways). We cannot have it both ways; the choice is ours. It is easy to talk about our “stuff” in the here and now, but it is difficult to comprehend that which will not come to pass. Free Will stops us from God saving us against our will. If we do not come to the decision and proclaim “My God, Thy will be done” and Jesus pays for our sins, then God will say to us “Thy will be done” and we shall pay for our sins and perish. 

Everybody wants salvation and to go to heaven, but not all will choose Heaven as their eternal home. Look beyond today to tomorrow. What are our desires and plans for the endless age of eternity? Acts 4:12 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Respond to Jesus as Lord of your heart now, and Lord of your life forever. Heaven’s promise allows imperfect people (like you and I) into God’s kingdom heavenly reward and realm by way of a gift freely given, the narrow gate of our Redeemer Jesus.

In Christ, Brian