Grace and Peace Episode 31
Presbyterian Church of Easton
April 18, 2021
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:2
Heidelberg Catechism
58Q. How does the article concerning “life everlasting” comfort you?
A. Even as I already now experience in my heart the beginning of eternal joy, so after this life I will have perfect blessedness such as no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human heart has ever imagined: a blessedness in which to praise God forever.
Revelation 7:13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes-- who are they, and where did they come from?" 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple, and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. 16 Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
We will enter heaven clothed in white robes. These robes may be the clothes we died in: the hospital gown covered in vomit, the tee-shirt and jeans covered in blood after the car wreck, the wet bathing suit after the drowning. But our clothes will be clean having been washed in the blood of Jesus, our sins will be forgiven, and we will be ready to receive eternal lives.
In our eternal lives, we will have bodies to wear the clothes. We will have noses that smell the incense, the animals, and the blood of the lamb. We will have ears that hear the voices of the elders, the angels singing “Holy, holy holy”, the harps, the trumpets, and the prayers in every language on earth. We will feel the shaking of the earth, the palm branches in our hands, the shade of the tent shielding us from the scorching sun, and the satisfaction of having plenty to eat. We will have tongues that taste our own tears and the cool spring living water. And we will have eyes to see the glory of heaven, God sitting on a throne, his Son to his right, the 144000 children of Israel, the 24 elders, the 7 blazing lamps, the four horses and their riders, the sun turning black, the moon turning red and the stars falling from the sky. There will be no hunger or thirst. The weather will be perfect. Eternal life in heaven will be the most joy-filled time you will ever have. And it will just be the beginning. It will get better and better.
This is the promise made to all who believe in Jesus Christ. And Jesus will be with you, caring for you, like a good shepherd. Let’s pray.
Holy Spirit we ask that you assure us of this glorious promise of eternal life. Fill us with saving faith, comfort and strengthen us as we move toward that day of eternal bliss and happiness. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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