Rev. Roland J. Wells, Jr. - Pastor

All Saints Sunday - November 3, 2002

Lessons:

"We Shall Be Like Him"

Introduction:

All Saints: read names of members who have departed in last 14 years.

I) The Bible's Concept of Heaven Was Revealed

On a day when we remember the faithful ones who have gone on before us, we start thinking about heaven. The New Testament tells us a bit about that reality. If we look at the word 'heaven' it means both 'heaven' and 'sky.' To the ancients, they were interchangeable. The sky was tantalizingly close, yet unattainable. The earth was for mortals. The skies were full of strange signs, of the sun and moon turning red, of pictures we call constellations, of eclipses and signs that marked the seasons. The sky was the place of the unknown but significant.

The ancient Hebrews put the place of the resting dead, 'Sheol' in the bowels of the earth. Did they really think that there were people down in the ground? It seems that both the Hebrew sheol-in-the-ground and later heaven-in-the-sky were symbols- they realized that there were deeper realities there, of death and life after death, but they used the sky and deep earth as ways of describing the distancing death places us from those we love.

As we read the OT & NT, we see that God was progressively revealing the idea of an afterlife. Jesus speaks a lot about death, judgement, eternity and life after death. It's not a simple place up in the sky. The ancients weren't silly and primitive. They realized that they needed to describe a reality indescribable in human terms. But they tried, and gave us some fascinating pictures.

II) Some Biblical Concepts

A few things are very clear:

+ Eternal life is to be with Christ. Jesus says,

(John 14:1-6) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. [2] 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. [3] 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. [4] You know the way to the place where I am going." [5] Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" [6] Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

(Col. 3:3-4) For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

+ Eternal life begins now:

(John 5:24) "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. John even uses a special word, 'Zoe' to describe life, spiritual life, that begins now and goes on for eternity.

+ Dying in Christ means being with Christ:

(Philip. 1:21-24) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. [22] If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! [23] I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; [24] but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

+ Those who die, remain in Christ. They are with him:

(Thes. 4:14) For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.

+ Christ will bring the believers back with them when he returns. Then things will get interesting, fast:

(I Thes. 4:16-17) [16] For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. And,

(1 Cor. 15:50-52) I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. [51] Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- [52] in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

+ At Resurrection, You Will Have a New Body

We just read about those who are still alive will have new bodies. Those who have died will be 'resurrected.' That's a key idea in Christianity. We're not talking about existing as ghosts, nor as disembodied spirits. The Biblical teaching on life after death is that there will be a resurrection, and all who trust in Christ will receive new bodies. You will spend eternity with bodies that don't wear out, don't have pain, and don't have limitations. The resurrected Jesus was able to do many amazing things. But we only have a few tiny indications, like walking through walls and the ability to appear instantly. He still could eat. He was still recognizable, but changed.

+ So when does this all happen? Are we judged when we die? Is Judgement Day sometime in the future? Does Jesus have to come back first? How does this all fit in time? To the best of my understanding, it all happens at the same time for God. God is not bound by time. Once we pass from life, we pass from the bondage of time. We die, and a thousand years may pass before the generation is born when Jesus returns. But you go directly to life and resurrection at death, because Jesus is your Life. I believe you go directly to Resurrection Day. That's the same as Judgement Day, but for the Christian, there is no judgement, because in trusting Christ, we have passed from death to life, and have already entered Eternity. Jesus says, again, (John 5:24) "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come into judgement; but has already crossed over from death to life. This is the critical truth. If you trust in Christ, eternal life has already begun, and you will never come under judgement.

We look at death with great comfort and hopefulness. We look to be reunited with all of our relatives, from all generations, right at the point of death. The people we leave will meet us right there on the other side, and so will the ones who left before us. Think of that!

III) What Will it be Like for US?

So what will heaven be like? We have many pictures, of streets of clear gold, a heavenly city, etc. These are word pictures, of things that are indescribable. But we can gain some glimpses.

+ There will be no more pain or sadness there.

(Rev. 21:4) He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Earlier in Revelation, John told us, in our lesson today, about those who have gone on in faith:

(Rev. 7:15-17) [15] For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

[16] They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; [17] for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

+ And perhaps most remarkably, is this tiny bit of news from our text today:

(I John 3:2) But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. We will be like him- think of what that means- sinless! Whole! Able to walk through walls! A new body, without pain and degeneration for ever! All the sin, and sadness and brokenness will be gone. Only the new self in Christ will be left. We will be just like the resurrected Jesus!

This is your future, if you trust in Christ. This is our future together. Eternity! God calls you into a good future. One not of fear, and sickness, and darkness and that's it. God's future is in his very presence, forever.

Invitation, Amen.

All Saints Sunday - November 3, 2002

Rev. 7:9-17

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. [10] And they cried out in a loud voice:

"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

[11] All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, [12] saying:

"Amen!

Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor

and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever.

Amen!"

[13] Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?"

[14] I answered, "Sir, you know."

And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. [15] Therefore,

"they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple;

and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.

[16] Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.

The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.

[17] For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;

he will lead them to springs of living water.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

1 John 3:1-3

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. [2] Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. [3] Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

Mathew 5:1-12

Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, [2] and he began to teach them, saying:

[3] "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[4] Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

[5] Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

[6] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

[7] Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

[8] Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

[9] Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

[10] Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

[11] "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. [12] Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.