2020-09-02
Revelation 7:15 NIV
Another thing we might think about if we were buying a house is: ‘How close is it to where I work?’ We saw a few days ago that God has a place prepared for us in heaven with other worshippers, so we know where we’ll be and who we’re with, but what about the things we’ll do? Will we have to work? The Bible doesn’t specifically say what work we’ll do, but John’s vision of heaven tells us that the people he saw served God ‘day and night’, so we know we’ll have something to do. We can also look for clues in the first Paradise – the Garden of Eden. In Genesis we read: ‘The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it’ (2:15 NIV). God created the earth and everything in it, but then He set Adam and Eve the task of taking care of His creation and turning it into a reflection of His glory and power. So one of the ways we might be serving God in heaven is by looking after everything there and using it all to demonstrate our love for Him. After Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, God said to them: ‘The ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it’ (Genesis 3:17 NLT). But in heaven, God says: ‘No longer will there be a curse upon anything’ (Revelation 22:3 NLT). That means even though we have to work in heaven, we won’t find the work difficult or boring, and because we’re serving God through our work, we’ll be able to enjoy our work too.
Eze 1-4; Luke 19:28-40; Ps 111; Prov 19:18-20
Revelation 7:15 NKJV
When you think about your dream house, two more questions arise. How close is it to where I work? Have you ever wondered what we’ll actually do in heaven? Since heaven will be Paradise regained, read this: “God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion…over every living thing that moves on the earth'” (Genesis 1:28 NKJV). The Bible doesn’t provide specific job descriptions for what we’ll do in heaven, but the first Paradise gives us two important clues. (a) “Be fruitful and multiply.” You won’t struggle to make ends meet. You won’t live with crushed hopes and disappointments. Every dream and creative idea you have will be fulfilled. (b) “Have dominion over…every living thing that moves.” The word “dominion” means “to rule over.” So we’ll be promoted to positions of leadership and management. But here’s the difference! In Paradise Lost, God said to Adam, “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:17 NKJV). But in Paradise Found, God said, “There shall be no more curse” (Revelation 22:3 NKJV). Gazing up at the stars one night, a little boy said to his dad, “If the wrong side of heaven is so wonderful, what must the right side be like?” So here’s the question: Are you going to heaven when you die? Are you sure? You can be. John said, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know…you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13 NKJV).
Soul food: Eze 1-4; Luke 19:28-40; Ps 111; Prov 19:18-20
2020-09-01
Revelation 7:9 NKJV
When it comes to moving into your dream house, here’s another important question: What kind of people live in the neighborhood? Describing the joys of heaven, John the Revelator wrote: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb [who is Jesus]!'” (vv. 9-10 NKJV). Author Max Lucado tells the story of his friend Joy, who was a Sunday school teacher and had a timid nine-year-old girl named Barbara in her class. She was an underprivileged child from an impoverished area of town, and Lucado writes: “Barbara’s difficult home life had left her afraid and insecure. For the weeks that my friend was teaching the class, Barbara never spoke. Never. While the other children talked, she sat. While the others sang, she was silent. While the others giggled, she was quiet. Always present. Always listening. Always speechless. Until the day Joy gave a class on heaven. Joy talked about seeing God. She talked about tearless eyes and deathless lives. Barbara was fascinated. She couldn’t release Joy from her stare. She listened with hunger. Then she raised her hand. ‘Mrs. Joy?’ Joy was stunned. Barbara had never before asked a question. ‘Yes, Barbara.’ Nine-year-old-Barbara asked, ‘Is heaven for girls like me?'” The answer is yes! Heaven was made for Barbara – and for you.
Soul food: Amos 5:18-9:15; Luke 19:11-27; Ps 103:13-22; Prov 19:17
Revelation 7:9 NCV
Another question we might ask if we were buying a house is: ‘What are the neighbours like?’ In Revelation, John describes a vision he received of heaven. He wrote: ‘After the vision of these things, I looked, and there was a great number of people, so many that no one could count them. They were from every nation, tribe, people and language of the earth. They were all standing before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They were shouting in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb”‘ (Revelation 7:9-10 NCV). John’s vision tells us something important – heaven is a place of complete unity. Everyone in heaven is united by their love of God and Jesus. Everyone there wants to praise God. Their differences don’t matter – the important thing is that they’ve all accepted their salvation through Jesus, and they give glory to God for it. Ever been to a Christian festival like Big Church Day Out or Soul Survivor? There are thousands of people from all over the country (and even from across the world), all with different backgrounds, different accents, different languages, different opinions. But they’re united in their love for God and want to come together to worship Him. Heaven will be even better – imagine how amazing it’ll be to see ‘a great number of people, so many that no one could count them,’ all singing and shouting praise to God! But before we get there, we can try to bring some of that to our daily lives, by welcoming those who are different from us into God’s family, forgetting our differences and remembering what unites us – Jesus.
Amos 5:18-9:15; Luke 19:11-27; Ps 103:13-22; Prov 19:17
Openbaring 7:9 NLV
Wanneer jy by jou droomhuis intrek, is daar nog ‘n belangrike vraag: Watter tipe mense woon in die woonbuurt? Johannes het die vreugdes van die hemel as volg beskryf: “Hierna het ek gekyk, en werklikwaar – daar was ‘n reuse skare mense wat niemand eers kon tel nie. Hulle het gekom uit elke nasie, stam, volk en taal en het voor die troon en voor die Lam stelling ingeneem. Hulle het wit klere aangehad, met palmtakke in hulle hande. Met ‘n kragtige stem het hulle uitgeroep: ‘Ons verlossing is te danke aan God wat op die troon sit en aan die Lam!'” (verse 9-10 NLV). Die skrywer Max Lucado, vertel die verhaal van sy vriendin Joy, wat ‘n Sondagskoolonderwyseres was. Sy het ‘n skugter nege-jarige dogterjie genaamd Barbara, wat uit ‘n minderbevoorregte huis en woonbuurt gekom het, in haar klas gehad. Lucado skryf: “Barbara se moeilike huislike omstandighede het haar bang en onseker gemaak. In die weke wat my vriendin die klassie geleer het, het Barbara nooit gepraat nie. Nooit. Terwyl die ander kinders gepraat het, het sy gesit. Terwyl die ander gesing het, het sy stilgebly. Terwyl die ander gegiggel het, was sy stil. Altyd teenwoordig. Altyd luisterend. Altyd sprakeloos. Tot die dag wat Joy ‘n klas oor die hemel aangebied het. Joy het gepraat oor hoe ons God sou sien. Oor tranelose oë en ewige lewens. Barbara was gefassineerd. Sy het honger geluister. Toe het sy haar hand opgesteek. ‘Juffrou Joy?’ Joy was verstom. Barbara het nog nooit vantevore ‘n vraag gevra nie. ‘Ja, Barbara?’ Nege-jarige Barbara het gevra: ‘Is die hemel ook vir dogtertjies soos ek?'” Die antwoord is ja! Die hemel is vir Barbara geskep – en vir jou.
Sielskos: Amos 5:18-9:15; Luk 19:11-27; Ps 103:13-22; Spr 19:17
