HEAVEN IS HOME
By George W. Sinquefield
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HomewithGod.com
By George W. Sinquefield
Philippians 3:20 (KJV)
20 For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Heaven is the home of all who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus.
Home -- the very word conjures up for us visions of rapture, bliss, joy, and expectation which no other word in the entire English language is able to do. We associate home with everything which stands for love, peace, and tranquility. There is not another word associated with such bliss, happiness, and reunion as the word home. And thanks be unto God, heaven is our home, our eternal home.
I. Heaven Is The Home Of God, Our Heavenly Father
Psalm 103:19 (KJV)
Matthew 6:9 (KJV)
Matthew 10:32 through Matthew 10:33 (KJV)
Acts 7:48 through Acts 7:49 (KJV)
II. Heaven Is The Home Of Jesus, Our Savior
Jesus was with the Father from the beginning.
John 1:1 through John 1:4 (KJV)
John 17:5 (KJV)
John 17:8 (KJV)
John 17:11 (KJV)
John 17:13 (KJV)
He left His home in glory to come into this world and die on the cruel cross for the salvation of us sinners.
Philippians 2:5 through Philippians 2:8 (KJV)
Having accomplished His mission, He went back to heaven.
Luke 24:51 (KJV)
Acts 1:9 through Acts 1:11 (KJV)
As Stephen was being stoned to death, he saw Jesus in heaven.
Acts 7:55 (KJV)
A mother was on her death bed and her little girl was taken from her to the home of a neighbor, but the child called often for her mother. One day the mother died and they thought it best to bury her without saying a word to the child. This they did and later the child was taken back to the house. The first thing she did was to go to her mother's living room and then to her mother's bedroom and all over the house calling her mother. And when she found her not, she went to the neighbor and said "Take me back, I don't want to stay here if I cannot see mother."
We'll say the same thing when we get to heaven and Jesus is not there. It would not be heaven if He were not present. Many of God's people have longed to see Him and one day we'll have this glorious experience.
One pastor shares this with us: There is a blind preacher, ninety years old, who still plays the piano remarkably well -- and who still lifts up that cracked voice to proclaim the Saviour's name. One day, when he had played for us, and I had preached on that heavenly homecoming, he came up to me and said, "Bro. Wayne, I want to see you!" and he ran his fingers over my face. "One day," he said, "I can really see you." And, then with tears streaming out of sightless eyes, he said, "When I open my eyes for the first time, you know who I'll be looking at, don't you?" And I said, "Yes, you'll be looking at Jesus!"
John Jasper was a mighty preacher of the Gospel. He had been a Negro slave, and had been called of God to preach. The people by the thousands came to hear him -- the white and the black. When his old body was about worn out, he preached a sermon on heaven. He closed his message by saying something like this:
"When I get to heaven, the angel is going to say, 'John Jasper, do you want your robe?' And I will say, 'Not yet, not yet.' Then he will say, 'Do you want your crown?' And I will say, Not yet, not yet.' And then he will say, 'Do you want to see your mansion?' And I will say, 'Angel before you show me my harp, and my crown, and my mansion, I want to see my Jesus.'"
Samuel Rutherford said that to see Christ through the keyhole once in a thousand years would be heaven enough for him. Thus did he express his love for his Saviour and the joy that one glimpse of His face would yield to him. But that would not be enough for the Saviour whom he loved and adored. No, His love has something to say in this matter. It has already said it, and it is this: "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." And, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory."
There shall be no closed door in that glory to hide the Saviour from His blood-bought saints.
19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Close to His trusted side
In fellowship divine.
No cloud, no distance then shall hide
Glories that there shall shine.
III. Heaven Is The Home Of The Angels
Angels are special creations of God, created to do His will. The Bible says thay are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who are the heirs of salvation. Won't it be wonderful to get to know the one, or the ones, who watched over us and protected us along life's way?
The Bible tells that there are "a multitude" of the heavenly host.
Hebrews 12:22 (KJV)
IV. Heaven Is Home Of All The Saved
All who have ever been saved will be in heaven. All the saved young and old, black and white, rich and poor, the educated and the unlearned - all will be there.
God is no respector of persons. He loved everyone and offers salvation to all.
John 3:16 (KJV)
Romans 10:13 (KJV)
Revelation 22:17 (KJV)
Evangelist E. J. Daniels shares this about the death of his father: For three weeks he had lingered between life and death, but had started getting better. The doctors said he would probably get well. His illness caused all of us children to decide that we should do something to make him happier during his remaining days on earth. We decided to remodel the old home place. We called a contractor and completed plans on Friday night. On Monday he was to begin work. I went in about midnight to tell daddy about it and sit up with him that night. He seemed happy about it, but acted as if he knew it would never be realized. The next morning, without any warning much, he slipped out into eternity. We were left bleeding and broken -- our plans to give him a better home all smashed. Suddenly it dawned on me that God wanted him to have a better home than we could give him, so he called him to His Home in glory. And so it is for all saints, for "to die is to gain heaven."
Most of us will never have much of a home down here, but up there -- oh, up there -- we will have a mansion. In thinking about it, I am made to sing out with the hymn writer:
22 But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Norman MacLeod, friend of Queen Victoria, said, "There is a Father in heaven who loves me, a Savior who died for me, a Spirit who guides me and a home where Christians meet at last."
All the saints of all ages will be there. What do we mean by the word "saint"? Who is a saint according to the Bible? A saint is one, everyone, who has been born of that Holy spirit, born into the family of God by faith in Jesus Christ. Some may be more saintly than others but all saved ones are saints.
Paul, when writing to the churches referred to them as saints.
Philippians 1:1 (KJV)
Philippians 4:21 through Philippians 4:22 (KJV)
Ephesians 1:1 (KJV)
Colossians 1:1 through Colossians 1:2 (KJV)
Oh, what a thrill it will be to come to know personally and intimately all the saints.
Abraham -- that great giant of faith.
David -- the sweet singer of Israel. Surely, we'll want him to quote the 23rd psalm for us.
Daniel, Elijah, Nehemiah, Paul, Peter, John, Blind Bartemus (but no longer blind), the repentant thief on the cross.
The early church father -- Polycarp, Justyn Martyr, and Augustine.
The Bible translaters -- Wycliffe, Tyndale, and Coverdalle
Heroes of the Reformation -- Luther, Huss and Savonarola.
Great evangelists -- Sunday, Wesley and Moody.
Great preachers -- Spurgeon, Truett Jipsy Smith.
Great missionaries -- Taylor, Judson, Livingstone.
Where can we stop? There seems to be no end. Think of the multitude of God's brave ones whose names we've never heard but who "through faith subdued kingdom, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions." It'll take us a billion years to see them all.
An old doctor, a fine Christian man had his office on the second floor of a building. On the street below was this sign, "Dr. Thomas Riley -- Office upstairs." One day the old Dr. went out in the snow to answer a call. He took a cold and later died. When he was buried, his friends wanted to perpetuate his memory in the best way. They wondered what sort of a stone to put over his grave and what epitaph to put on the stone. They thought of his labors of love and now he was in heave. So they took the old battered sign and put it on his grave. It simply read, "Dr. Thomas Riley, office upstairs" and pointed toward heaven.
Dr. Herschel Ford -- "Some years ago one of my deacons who was an agent for an express company, took me with him to the railroad station at dawn. I watched him as he released a coop of carrier pigeons. They were 1000 miles from their home. They flew straight up into the air, circled around 2 or 3 times and then headed directly toward their home a thousand miles away. The next day the deacon received a telegram saying that everyone of the pigeons had arrived safely home.
One of these days we who have trusted Christ as our Lord and Savior, will be released from the cares of this world and we'll take our flight to heaven.
Dwight L. Moody one time said, "Some of these days you will read where Dwight L. Moody is dead, but don't you ever believe that. It will be in the newspapers someday and people will pass by my casket and say, 'Here lies Dwight L. Moody,' but don't you believe it. I will not be there," he said.
"You can say when you pass the casket that holds my body,'Here is the old house where Dwight L. Moody used to live,' for I will have a new address."
Thank God, every Christian can look forward to a moving day.
We're nearer to heaven now than we've ever been. The hymn writer, Phoebe Carey said, "One sweetly solemn thought comes to me O're and O're. I'm nearer home today than I have been before. Nearer the bound of life where I lay my burdens down, nearer to leave the cross today and nearer to the crown. Nearer my home, nearer my home, nearer my home today, today than I have been before.
Oh, how happy we Christians should be when we realize that we're on our way home.
Dr. R. C. Campbell said, "I was away in school for the first time I made my first visit home. When I got off the train at the station, it was long before daylight and it was 10 miles in the country to my home. I didn't wait for someone to meet me. I walked and got there before daylight. The 10 miles were not long for they marked the distance home. I was glad because I was facing home."
No wonder one penned these words: "The toils of the road will seem nothing when I get to the end of the way."
A preacher stood on the platform of the depot in Columbus, Ohio talking to a group of students from Ohio State University. They seemed inexpressibly happy. They were singing and cheering and joyfully back-slapping. I said to one of them, "What are you all to happy about?" "Oh," they said, "It's Christmas and we are going home." What a wonderful thing to be going home. Is heaven you home?
Rev. Vernon Elmon relates this: "I was called one day to the bedside of my sick old grandfather. It was obvious that he was dying. He lived all his years without Christ. That day I tried to pour salt into the wounds of his soul. Presently I could see his pulse begin to quicken. Tears welled in his tired eyes. His old gnarled hand came into mine. He accepted Christ as his Savior. Immediately he turned to one of his sons, a lost man who was standing by his bed and said, "I wish you were going with Vernan and me."
I copied the following from a devotional booklet and I'd like to share it with you.
The last month of 1983 was the coldest December on record in Michigan. Heavy snow, sub-zero temperatures, and strong winds caused near-blizzard conditions and made highway driving hazardous. Along the Lake Michigan shoreline, a condition called "white-out" occurred. This happens when the air becomes so filled with powery snow that you can't see more than a few feet in front of you. Believe me, you feel helpless, especially if you are driving, and we were.
Our family had been invited to my sister's house for Christmas dinner. As we headed westward toward Lake Michigan, the weather became more and more treacherous. Our vision was limited, but we made it to our destination. Later, however, driving home after dark, the situation was even worse. The expressway was covered with ice. Traffic had slowed to a crawl. Several cars were in the ditch. Then all at once we went through severe brief white-outs. After a slow tedious journey, we finally reached the outskirts of Grand Rapids and soon pulled into our driveway. I think every member of the family said, "I'm sure glad to get home!"
I couldn't help but contemplate a similar feeling of relief and joy we will experience when we enter heaven. The "white-outs" of this life will be gone forever. The temptations, the stresses, the perplexities will all be behind us. There will be no more feelings of helplessness -- no more failures. But best of all, we'll be with our Savior. Yes, we'll be so glad to get home!
1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. 22 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Someone has said, "Heaven for the Christian is but spelled H-O-M-E.
Is heaven your home? It can be. Jesus said, "I am the way. No man comes to the Father except by Me. Trust Him today. I hope to see you in that wonderful home.
