GOD’S WORD FOR JULY 31~ ~ Matthew 8:11 ~ ~ “I tell you, many will come from east and west to recline at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”

From the book, “We Shall See God”–sermons from Charles Spurgeon and comments by Randy Alcorn

Spurgeon:

When people we love die, we miss them, and long to see them again.  That’s a big part of death’s curse.  But when your Christian loved ones die, if you know Christ you will see them again.  In heaven we will have eternal fellowship not only with God but also with the family of God.

And mark the good company we sit with.  Some people think that in heaven we shall know nobody.  But our text declares here that we shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Then I am sure that we shall be aware that they are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!

If we have known one another here, we shall know one another there.  I have dear departed friends up there, and it is always a sweet thought to me that when I shall put  my foot  upon the threshold of heaven, there will come sisters and brothers to clasp me by the hand and say, “Yes, my loved one, at last you are here.”

Dear relatives who have been separated from you, those you will meet again in heaven.  One of you has lost a mother—she is gone above.  And if you follow the track of Jesus, you shall see her there.

We shall recognize our friends.  Husband, you will know your wife again.  Mother, you will know those dear babies of yours.  You shall hear those sweet voices once more; you shall yet know that those whom you loved have been loved by God.

***  ***

Alcorn:

Amy Carmichael, a missionary to India in the early 1900’s, wrote,

“Shall we know one another in heaven?  Shall we love and remember?  I do not think anyone need wonder about this or doubt for a single moment.  We are never told we shall, because, I expect, it was not necessary, for if we think for a minute, we know.  Would you be yourself if you did not love and remember?   We are told that we shall be like our Lord Jesus.  Surely this does not mean in holiness only, but in everything; and does not He know and

love and remember?  He would not be Himself if He did not, and we would not be ourselves if we did not.”

Augustine said, “We have not lost our dear ones who have departed from this life, but have merely sent them ahead of us, so we also shall depart and shall come to that life where they will be more than ever dear as they will be better known to us, and where we shall love them without fear of parting.   All of us who enjoy God are also enjoying each other in Him.”

Throughout the ages, Christians have anticipated eternal reunion with  their loved ones.

Paul tells the Thessalonians that they’ll be reunited with believing family and friends in heaven:  “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope…..God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him…We who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them… and so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore encourage one another with these words”  (1Thess 4:13-14 and 17-18)

Our source of comfort isn’t only that we’ll be with the Lord in heaven but also that we’ll be with one another.  Christ is “the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last”  (Revelation 22:13).  He alone is sufficient to meet all our needs.  Yet God has designed us for relationship not only with Himself but also with others of our kind.  After God created the world, He stepped back to look at His work and pronounced it “very good”  (Genesis 1:31)  However, before His creation was complete, He said there was one thing….and only one….that was not good:  “It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.”  Genesis 2:18).  God planned for Adam, and all mankind, to need human companionship.

Jesus rebuked the religious leaders for imagining they could love God without loving people (Luke 10:27-37).  The spiritual-sounding “I will love just God and no one else” is not only unspiritual; it’s impossible.  If we don’t love people, who are created in God’s image, we can’t love God (1John 4:8)

Puritan Richard Baxter, whom Spurgeon regarded as a pastoral mentor, looked forward to being with Christ first, but he also anticipated being reunited with dear friends:  “I know that Christ is all in all; and that it is the presence of God that makes heaven to be heaven.  But yet it much sweetens the thoughts of that place to me that there are there such a multitude of my most dear and precious friends in Christ.”

On the new earth, we’ll experience the joy of familiarity in old relationships and the joy of discovery in new ones.  As we get to know one another better, we’ll get to know God better.  And as we find joy in one another, we’ll find joy in Him.

*** ***

Psalm 89:5

And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints.

John 14:21

He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

Genesis 28:15

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.

Psalm 36:5

Your  mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and Your  faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Psalms 121:3 &4

He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel

Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

PS 38:9

Lord, all my desire is before You;

And my sighing is not hidden from You.

Published by liveinthelightofourlord

View all posts by liveinthelightofourlord