Heaven or Jesus?

Sometimes we think about heaven and our thoughts of the place sound like they are taken right out of "America the beautiful." The place sounds so lovely and ... well ... heavenly.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!

 It sounds so wonderful and who wouldn't want to go to a place like this? This song even talks in later verses about cities that aren't stained with tears. Isn't that what we long for? A beautiful place where we can be with out pain and suffering.

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!


So when we get to heaven, there will be streets of gold, the crystal sea, no more pain or tears. It is very right to long for these things. God made all things "very good." Our sin shattered that "shalom." God is going to restore creation and make all things new.

All that stuff is great, but wait. Are we not forgetting something. We are falling into the same mistake that Adam and Eve did. They lived in God's "shalom." When temped they decided that it just wasn't enough. They wanted more. They were not satisfied with having "shalom" under God's rule. They wanted to be "like God." Ultimately this was pride. They wanted be lifted up to at least God's level and in going against God's law they really wanted to be god's to themselves, above God.

I would say the most important part of heaven we conveniently forget about and dwell on all the things about heaven that we desire. Jesus, is forgotten or maybe pushed to the side. So many people love to talk about all the things they gain in heaven but fail to realize the only thing that really should matter is the One they forget to long for.

The ironic thing about it is, without Jesus on the throne in the center, none of this other stuff exists. We are told to seek first the Kingdom (Jesus on the throne) and all these other things will be added to us. It could also be said that if we seek first OUR kingdom (mansion), we will gain none of these things.

If heaven has all the first things but no Jesus, would you be just as excited to get there?

The Idol of Security

I was recently studying Luke 9:59-60 and listening to a sermon. A man is asked by Jesus to follow Him. The man replies that he wants to go and bury his father first then he will follow Jesus. It was perplexing me how harsh Jesus' answer to this man appears. It appears that Jesus pretty much tells him to forget his mourning family and dead father, to suck it up and follow Him. The sermon I listened to gave me a new understanding of these two verses though.  It was a very big deal back then when someone died. The funeral would go on for days. If the man's father were actually dead at the time of this encounter then most likely the man would not have been out and about talking to Jesus.

A more logical explanation of where this man is at is that His father is not dead at all. He most likely wants to stick around and get his inheritance then he will be open to going and following Jesus. He will be secure so there will be very little risk involved. His god (idol) of security will be appeased and he will also have Jesus.

This is not what Jesus calls us to. Hence the very strong rebuke to this man. Jesus will never allow himself to be second in anyone's life. If fact He won't stand to be equal to anything either. Jesus plus anything equals nothing. Sadly this is played out constantly in our world and especially in America today. I would say that security is one of the most worshiped false gods in America. People put Jesus on hold to first pursue education, being debt free, getting that big promotion, and many other things they expect to make them more secure. They expect these things to give them strength to stand when they are walking with Jesus and things get hard. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 tells us that God will not share His glory:

1 Corinthians 1:27-29  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;  (28)  God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,  (29)  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

"So that NO human being might boast in the presence of God." This is how God works. It is played out throughout scripture this way. When the strong are called God often gives them a weakness first. God gave Joseph a limp and Paul a torn in the flesh. He tells Paul my grace is sufficient for you. I heard one man say, you should never trust a "man of God" who doesn't have a limp. If the man seems to have it all together, never go through hard times, is nearly like God, and sinless; he seems to be very .... SECURE.  He is lifting up his own strength and not giving the glory to God. Paul makes it clear throughout scripture that he is not secure in his own accomplishments and strengths. He even says he now considers all the things, he has accomplished to make him secure, as garbage.

Jesus gives a very straight and to the point answer to this idolatry. In essence, He says, burn your idols of security, put me first by proclaiming the Gospel everywhere. What are you putting before Jesus? What are you relying on to make you more secure other than Jesus? Put those things aside, turn back to Jesus and proclaim the good news. That all you need is Him.

Dark Night of the Soul

It is not uncommon to sometimes go through a "dark night of the soul." There are many instances in scripture when this happens to people. I am sure Jesus felt this way especially the night He was arrested, as His disciples fell sleep on Him a few times. David also experienced this and wrote about it in a few psalms. He gives a good example of how we should react in this time. In Psalm 13 verses 5-6 he focuses on what truly matters. Christ indescribable love to us who at one time declared ourselves his enemy. Focus on the free gift of salvation you have received.

Psalms 13:1-6  To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?  (2)  How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?  (3)  Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,  (4)  lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him," lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.  (5)  But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.  (6)  I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.