HEAVEN: Just Exactly Who Will Be There?
- Are we gracious for what God has provided us?
- Are we thankful for those acts of kindness God places within the hearts of others that they willingly perform, helping us?
- Are we praising our heavenly Father for those precious ones He has placed into our lives: into our life paths & into our workplaces, those who we sense have changed us?
Before we begin, let me apologize for the length; there were several biblical passages I wished to share within this writing.
This weekend, I have the pleasure of attending the reunion of my maternal grandpa’s side of the family. Since the grand-daughters have assumed the role of organizers & planners, it follows that they also were given the task of decorators. Since we want our family reunion to be a “fun” affair, one worth attending year-after-year, we have adopted the idea of voting on a Reunion Theme. Once the votes are cast and we know our theme, the girls go to work planning, purchasing, and preparing. Last night, the grand-daughters and one grandson (who married into the family) gathered to decorate.
While there, in the church life center when we were decorating, that we found ourselves talking through a concern. We listened as one shared, and then my sister said more as a statement than a question, “Why don’t we just pray now?” So we did.
HEAVEN: Just Exactly Who Will Be There?
I firmly believe each held hand within that circle of prayer last evening—will be there—because these godly ones “live their faith in God out loud.”
There have been so many Scripture passages that speak about our place in heaven, who we will see, and how we are to serve our Lord here (on earth) before we go there (home to heaven). Thus today, let us begin with the book of Hebrews. Please read with me.
“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;
(The Letter to the Hebrews 3: 1-4 NASB)
He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house.
For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.
For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.”
- It is a truth—God Loves Us!
- It is also a promise from God—He seeks to save us!
- It is a blessing of God—His Holy Spirit fills & dwells deep within every one of us—those who know Jesus as their Savior!
- It is a fact—God appointed Jesus, the builder and finisher of our faith!
Thus, some questions come to mind:
- Will we know (by sight) those who have gone on home to heaven?
- Will we encounter (in heaven) those faces that we knew here on earth, those who proclaimed (while alive) that they had given their heart to God?
YES, the Bible says we will.
YES, God’s Word says we will.
“But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.
(The Letter to the Hebrews 2: 9-11 & 14-15 NASB)
For it was fitting for Him, for who are all things and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.
For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father;
for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, . . .”
[and then a bit further]
“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
Did we see God’s revelation?
JESUS—overcame death for us so that we would not face alienation from Him once our life here is complete!
JESUS—died for us so that we might live through HIM!
JESUS—“tasted death for everyone” Our Savior wants no one to remain lost!
JESUS—sets us apart (sanctifies) once we belong to the Father!
JESUS—willingly proclaims us brothers!
JESUS—took on flesh and blood, like us, to “render powerless” the devil’s hold over us!
JESUS—conquered “the power of death, that is, the devil” for each one of us!
JESUS—freed us from the slavery of the devil’s hold over us!
Our Savior JESUS CHRIST—did all of this, and what’s more, when we arrive home to heaven, it will be JESUS’ face that we will behold.
Tonight, part of the “family” will gather at one of the homes for a “pre-reunion” meal, and while sharing time together, for sure, there will be as much laughter as there will be food & drink.
I firmly believe each person present at the “pre-reunion” party may NOT be present in heaven, primarily because statistically speaking, 100% of those present may not know Jesus as their Savior! Therefore, we who know Jesus must be on-mission every single day, witnessing to strangers we meet and to family members who are not yet ready to face their eternity.
A reminder through melody of our task can be found through the song “I Speak Jesus” by KingsPorch. Place your earbuds in your ears & really listen & be reminded.
HEAVEN: Just Exactly Who Will Be There?
- The Bible says those who knew & walked with God while they lived on earth—Will Be There!
- The Bible states that Jesus was seen with those very ones when he was transfigured.
“Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.
(Matthew 17: 1-3 NASB)
And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.”
Truly, this discourse could go on & on about HEAVEN & Just Exactly Who Will Be There, but in closing, there remains two additional groups we should recognize in that great heavenly crowd of saints. For the first, see with me King David’s faith recorded in the Old Testament, a narrative that tells of the day he grieved for the death of his son.
“Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!”
(2 Samuel 12: 18-23 NASB)
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.”
So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate.
Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”
He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’
“But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
Did we see God’s revelation?
- Those children who die prematurely—Will Be There—in Heaven!
- Those children who in sickness die way too soon—Will Be There—in Heaven!
- Those babies aborted—Will Be There!
- Even when a baby dies—God assures us—He will carry the babies into Heaven!
On Saturday, my family will gather at our family reunion; we will play games; we will eat good food; we will tell stories; & we will remember those who have gone home to Heaven. However, there might be some in attendance at this “earthly” family reunion who may not make a profession of faith while living here on earth. That is why God leaves us here! May we obediently do the Father’s will while we are alive & while there is still time for others to make their decision!
Therefore, at the end of this discourse, the question becomes: WHO DO WE KNOW—WHO WILL NOT BE THERE—in HEAVEN?
&—WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO DO for the CAUSE of CHRIST?
“Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later;
(The Letter to the Hebrews 3: 5-6 NASB)
but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are,
if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.”