“The population of heaven”
Almighty and everlasting God, always more ready to hear than we to pray and always ready to give more than we either desire or deserve, pour down on us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us the things of which our conscience is afraid and giving us the good things we are not worthy to ask but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, your son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.[1]
Can you know who is in heaven? Are our loved ones
there? Will you be there some day? Will we know each other in heaven? Is there
a limit to the number of those who will get to heaven, say 144,000?
These are but some of the questions people ask when
they think about heaven. Our text speaks to us about the city of God, our home
in heaven.
What can we say concerning heaven?
1. There are innumerable angels all about –v.22 “But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to numerable hosts of angels.”
Angels are the foremost of the LORD’s invisible creatures. What do they do? What is their function? They are responsible for three things; they praise God, they carry out His command, and they serve God’s children.
A They praise God. Psalm 103 teaches, “Bless the LORD, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commands…Bless yet th4e Lord, all ye His hosts; ye ministers of His, that do His pleasure.” Vv. 20-21
B They carry out His commands – The author to the Hebrews reminds us” “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” V 14
C They serve God’s children. Psalm 91 declares, “He shall give His angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Vv.11-12
Is there such a thing as a guardian angel? According to these Scripture passages, it’s all true. Yet let us always remember the angels of the LORD are created for this purpose as they surround and watch over us.
Transition: What else can we say about heaven?
2.
It is the assembly of true believers – v.23 “To the
general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to
God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.”
Three things are mentioned concerning
the saints in glory – the assembly of true believers with Christ in glory.
. They are the
joyful gathering of the LORD’s first-born sons. The first-born was the heir.
The first-born is the one who got the farm, carried on the family business. He
received a double share of the wealth. As a redeemed child of God, you inherit
a double portion of all of the Father’s gifts and blessings. Yet there is more.
B They are people
made perfect. Now whom among us is perfect? None of us are – yet we are made
perfect, and declared righteous because of what Christ has done for you. He has
declared you righteous. What a joy to know that you are now a person made
perfect by the Savior Jesus Christ the righteous one.
C Their names are written in heaven. The entire redeemed are accounted for. Your name is written in the LORD’s book of life.
D It cannot be blotted out for your name is
written in indelible ink – it is written in blood- the blood of Jesus – the
spotless Lamb of God.
Transition: What else can we say about heaven?
3. There God is
the judge –v.23
A As judge, He has
weight us on the scales of justice. – What do those scales render? They render
us guilty of sin and deserving of punishment. “There is not one who is righteous – no one even one.” Deuteronomy
9:6 The Bible tells us. Again, we are told, “The soul that sinneth is shall die.” (See Genesis 2:17) “Moreover,
“The wages of sin is death.” (Romans
6:23)
B The judge must see the evidence and the evidence is sin. There is more – much more. The Bible continues to teach us “God was in Christ reconciling the whole world to himself not counting our sins against us.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)
C Yet the Scriptures declare, “For by grace have you been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Finally, the Scriptures teach, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, bu9t have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
D God, the
righteous judge of all will judge you not on your own merits but on the merits
and work of Christ. There can be but one verdict rendered. In Jesus Christ, all
sin is forgiven – period!
Transition: What can we say concerning
heaven?
4. Jesus the mediator – v. 24 “And to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel.”
A Able offered up a
sacrifice and was murdered in the process. His blood is a heaven crying sin,”
which called out for vengeance.
B Jesus who was
also murdered in the process offered a perfect sacrifice. His blood too is a
“heaven crying sin” but His blood cries, “Father forgive them!” “Father,
absolve them,” “Father, atone for their sins.” The Father heard His Son’s heart
felt prayer. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in
Christ Jesus.”
What can we say concerning heaven? We
can say plenty. But today let’s limit it to four wonderful statements of faith.
1.
There are innumerable
angels
2.
There is the
assembly of true believers
3.
There, the LORD
sits as judge of all
4. There, Jesus stands as your mediator
What a statement concerning Heaven. I can’t wait to get there” How about you?
Words – 1,045
Passive Sentences -12%
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