Atom“But have ETERNAL life”
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-7, 22:1-5
Begin with movie clip from “Field of Dreams” where Shoeless Joe Jackson has come to the Kevin Costner’s character has built for him and now is leaving, to return later with “others.” As he starts to run off the field, he suddenly stops, turns and asks, “Is this heaven?” And Costner replies, “No, this is Iowa!”
I love that scene from “Field of Dreams.” For a baseball player, what could be more heavenly than a perfectly manicured baseball field, the smell of raked dirt and mown grass on a warm summer’s night, and the prospect of a ballgame? You also know that Iowa tourism made hay with that slogan for a number of years. Why not?
How did we ever get the image of heaven as floating on clouds, playing harps, joining in an endless heavenly chorus? For some folks that might be less than heavenly! And to be accurate, the scripture does not paint us that sort of picture of heaven – God’s destination for those who die in Christ. Rather, the scripture pictures a new heavens and a new earth – the imagery of Revelation, a resurrection not only of the human body, but a regeneration of the whole created order. Jesus hints at this recreation in his teaching of his followers,
“In the ‘re-creation’ of the world, when the Son of Man will rule gloriously, you who have followed me will also rule.” Matthew 19:28 MSG
Paul in his letter to the Romans Christians…in reflecting upon the hardships of life in this world, even for Christians, points to the struggle of the earth itself:
“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the children of God…that the creation itself also will be set free form its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God; for we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” Romans 8:19-22
What is heaven to be like? Like the earth here…in its best moments… restored, recreated, made new, without earthquakes and hurricanes, and sickness and famine. It will be like the glimpses we see now of purple mountain majesty, and golden sunsets, and sparkling seas – or even of the first snow of winter when we marvel at pristine beauty covering the dead, dry leaves of Fall. It doesn’t seem nearly as lovely after a blizzard on March 31st, I know. And as I told Dave yesterday, when he asked, “Since we live in God’s country up here, does that mean there will be snow in heaven?” I told him, “If snow is a part of being in “God’s heavenly country,” then I believe there will always be a cleared road or path when we need it or, as Max Lucado will suggest in a few moments, “unending strength to shovel!”
But in the very least, I find no indication in God’s Word that heaven is solely a place where we float on clouds and play harps. It is to be a new creation – a resurrection of all of God’s intent in creating the cosmos.
And then there is the matter of the New Jerusalem of which we read here in Revelation – New Jerusalem, God’s city, a city unlike any the earth has ever seen. You have heard of some of its be-jeweled beauty, of its streets of gold, and foundations of jasper, and amethyst, and emerald, and its gates of pearl. But its dimensions also make it “otherworldly” – 1400 square miles, large enough to contain all the land from the Appalachians to the California coast, Canada to Mexico, and reaching into the heavens as high as it’s breadth, 600,000 stories, a city big enough for all…”I go to prepare a place for you,” remember? It’s Jesus promise in John 14. “Let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places.” For you and for you and for you…
And everyone dwelling there will be at their prime. And there will be no more sin, no more selfishness or self-centeredness. The images we have seen during the flooding of the valley, of God’s people helping each other, rallying around each other, lending a hand, a meal, an encouraging word…this is what life will be like all the time. Imagine when the glimpses of who God created us to be become the total reality of our life…when forgiveness and love and compassion and faithfulness are the rule among us forever and ever and ever. And when
“God will wipe away every tear…there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:4
No sorrow…no sin. And no sin means no thieves, no divorce, no heartbreak, and no boredom. This is one that Max Lucado brings home in a new way for those who are afraid that heaven might be too much about harps and choirs. He reminds us that, “You won’t be bored in heaven, because you won’t be the same you in heaven.” But let’s listen in as our brother Max describes it from the promises of God’s Word:
(Play the Lucado clip from the 3:16 CD, “What Makes Heaven Heavenly?)
Always keen minds, unending strength, overflowing joy…“A perfect place of perfected people overseen by a perfect Lord.” What a powerful image. And Max shares one more in his book when he tells the story of John Todd.
John Todd was very young when the deaths of his parents left him orphaned. He was one of several children, and, as was common in the early 1800’s, he and all his siblings were farmed out to relatives. An aunt offered to take little John. She sent a servant by the name of Caesar to bring John to her. The boy climbed on the back of the horse, wrapped his small arms around the man, and set out for her house. His questions revealed his fears:
“Will she be there?”
“Oh, yes,” Caesar assured. “She’ll be there waiting up for you.”
“Will I like living with her?”
“My son, you vall into good hands.”
“Will she love me?”
The servant was patient and soft in his reply, “Ah, she has a big heart.”
“Do you think she’ll go to bed before we get there?”
“Oh, no! She’ll be sure to wait up for you. You’ll see when we get out of these woods. You’ll see her candle in the window.”
Sure enough, as they neared the house, John saw a candle in the window and his aunt standing in the doorway. As he shyly approached the porch, she reached down and kissed him and said, “Welcome home!”
Young John Todd grew up in his aunt’s care. She was a mother to him. When the time came for him to select a profession, he followed a calling to be a pastor. Years later, the role with his aunt was reversed. She sent news of her failing health and impending death. Unable to go to her, here is what he wrote in reply:
My dear Aunt,
Years ago, I left a house of death, not knowing where I was to go, whether anyone cared, whether it was the end of me. The ride was long, but the servant encouraged me. Finally I arrived to your embrace and a new home. I was expected; I felt safe. You did it all for me.
Now it’s your turn to go. I’m writing to let you know, someone is waiting up, your room is all ready, the light is on, the door is open, and you’re expected!
“As are you,” says Jesus. He is preparing a place…a perfect place of perfected people overseen by a perfect Lord. And at the right time he will come and take us home.
Page 1 of 1 comment pages