Our Heavenly Home Prepared by Our Loving Savior

October 6, 2013

John 14:1-3

We live in a transient society. People are always moving. The average American will move about 12 times in their life time.

So far, in the 65 years of my life, I’ve lived in 17 different “houses” or apartments. I can still visualize each of these in my memory—Some of the places I lived hold precious memories… and some, not so pleasant.

A house doesn’t make a home. Some of the houses and apartments I’ve lived in were only dwelling places, while others were places I would call “home.”

I have many fond memories during the five years we lived in Barton, Vermont. Those were the formative years of raising our four daughters.

Today, our daughters have families of their own, but Barb and I “keep the light on” for them to come home any time.

I have at least one more change of residence yet to come. That will be my last one when I move from my earthly home to my heavenly home.

In our text, Jesus tells us we will be with Him forever. Over and over again the Bible refers to the Christian being WITH THE LORD:

Jesus prayed, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, BE WITH ME where I am” (John 17:24 cf. 14:23).

In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he WITH ME.”

Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross, “Today shalt thou be WITH ME in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Paul assures us that death is “to be absent from body and to be present WITH THE LORD” (2 Cor 5:8).

Paul again tells us when the Lord comes in the “rapture” the dead in Christ will rise first and we will 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” (1 Thess. 4:17).

I’m not exactly sure what heaven is going to be like. The Bible says, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor. 2:11). I do know this much: HEAVEN IS TO BE WITH JESUS! The great Puritan preacher, Richard Baxter, said it this way:

My knowledge of that life is small The eye of faith is dim: But it’s enough that Christ knows all; And I shall be with Him!

Heaven will be… (5 things)