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What We Keep in Heaven
Scripture Passage:
2 Corinthians 5:1-4 2 Corinthians 5:1For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
See All... For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
Islamic View of the Heavens – “The universe of popular Islam comprises seven heavens, seven earths and seven seas, each inhabited and ruled over by different beings. The heavens provide the abiding places for angels and archangels. They are also the invasion ground of other spirit beings. It is commonly thought that up to the time of Jesus, the jinn had freedom to enter any of the seven heavens. With Jesus’ birth, they were excluded from three of those heavens. With Muhammad’s birth, they were shut out of the remaining four. Yet, even after this, the jinn continued to ascend to the boundaries of the first heaven to listen to angels talking together about God’s decrees. Meteors are said to be fiery darts, hurled after such jinn who try to eavesdrop.” –from The Unseen Face of Islam by Bill Musk (p.64).
INTRODUCTION: Most of our understanding of heaven is negative: no death, no sickness, no sorrow. This, by itself, makes heaven an escape from the trials of this life and not very desirable if things are going well. The Bible however emphasizes another, a more positive, view of heaven. It is not what we escape, but what we gain, by going to heaven that thrills our souls. It is not our desire to be unclothed, but to be clothed upon, that moves us to seek its residence.
But this message is not even about all the good things we gain in heaven. It is about how the good things of earth continue in heaven. Here are some of the things we keep in heaven.
- OUR LIFE CONTINUES IN HEAVEN
- To Swallow Up our Mortality in Life (2 Corinthians 5:4For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
See All...) - Our Eternal Life as Overcomers (Revelation 2:11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
See All...) - Our Life of Personal Identity
- To see God in our flesh (Job 19:23-27 [23] Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
[24] That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
[25] For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
[26] And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
[27] Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
See All...) - To make our time together with the saints (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 [16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
[17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
[18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
See All...) - Our Life of Service to God
- As in the first paradise (Genesis 2:15And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
See All...) - To serve Him as His servant (Revelation 22:3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
See All...) - OUR LORD CONTINUES IN HEAVEN
- We Shall be Like Him (1 John 3:2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
See All...) - We Shall Live in Him (Philippians 1:20-24
See All...) - OUR LEARNING CONTINUES IN HEAVEN
- Learning of the Grace of God (Ephesians 2:7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
See All...) - Learning of the Word of God (Luke 9:30-31 [30] And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
[31] Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
See All...) - OUR LOVE CONTINUES IN HEAVEN
- Our Love for the Lord (Romans 8:35-39 [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
[36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
[37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
See All...) - Our Love for Loved Ones
- The strength of love (Song of Solomon 8:6-7 [6] Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
[7] Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.
See All...) - The example of the rich man (Luke 16:27-28 [27] Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
[28] For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
See All...) - Our Love for their Souls (Luke 15:10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
See All...)
CONCLUSION: Do You Seek to Know the Glory of Christ? – “Many love the world too well, and have their minds too much filled with the things of it, to entertain desires of speeding through it unto a state wherein they may behold the glory of Christ. They are at home, and are unwilling to be absent from the body, though to be present with the Lord. They hope it may be that such a season will come at one time or another, and then it will be the best they can look for when they can be here no more.
“But they have but a little sight of the glory of Christ in this world by faith, if any at all, who so little, so faintly desire to have the immediate sight of it above. I cannot understand how any man can walk with God as he ought, or hath that love for Jesus Christ which true faith will produce, or doth place his refreshments and joy in spiritual things, in things above, that doth not, on all just occasions, so meditate on the glory of Christ in heaven, as to long for an admittance into the immediate sight of it.” –from The Glory of Christ by John Owen (page 188).