TAE: UNDERSTANDING FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS IN HEAVEN
SMWS- 08/09/09 Text:
SRBC #
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
1) During last week’s sermon I wasn’t as precise as I should have while discussing a particular point
2) I was talking about the curse that fell on Creation after Adam & Eve sinned and said:
A) Earthquakes- tornadoes- volcanoes- drought- hurricanes- tsunamis. All these terrible things are the result of the curse sin brought on creation.
B) Here’s what I should have said:. Most scholars believe these terrible things are the results of the curse sin brought on creation.
3) See other scholars believe these natural phenomena existed before the Fall
A) They say what the Curse did was make these things dangerous and destructive to human beings
B) They also say that on the new Earth:
1) These things will still exist
2) But they’ll no longer pose a threat to human life or property
4) One writer says: We might ride out an earthquake as if we were on a roller coaster- experiencing the thrill without the danger (Alcorn- Heaven- page 259)
A) I’m not sure about that
B) But who knows- it might be kind of fun
5) Now that I’ve taken care of that- let’s turn our attention to this week’s message
A) Today we’re going to discover what the Bible teaches us about our family relationships in eternity
B) We’ll begin in the second chapter of Genesis
GOD CREATED MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY
18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
1) Throughout Genesis’ Creation story there’s one constant
A) God would look down on what He’d made
B) And say: It is good
1) It’s the way I intended it to be
2) It perfectly fulfills all of My plans and purposes for Creation
2) The only exception to that rule comes in Genesis 2:18
A) God examines Adam’s life
B) And says: This is not good. Adam is alone. This is keeping him from fulfilling My plans and purposes for Creation
3) Funny thing about that…..Adam really wasn’t alone
A) He enjoyed a perfect relationship with God
B) It filled his life with blessing & happiness- it was a constant source of joy & refreshment- it was all he needed
4) Except God realized it wasn’t
A) God could see that Adam was lonely- he had this emptiness in his life- and that wasn’t good
B) Remember that the next time someone piously says: God is all you need
1) That’s right-
2) But it’s not the whole story
5) The fact is God created you with a need- a desire- for deep and meaningful relationships with other people
A) It can’t be God and you- God says that isn’t good
B) Instead it has to be God and you and others
5) So God decided to make Adam a helper suitable for him
A) The Hebrew word translated as suitable carries the idea of companionship and oneness
B) IOW: Adam needed a relationship with a creature who was like him
6) Look at what Genesis 2:21-23 says
21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh.
22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, ' for she was taken out of man."
7) When Adam woke up he liked what God had done
A) This wasn’t a monkey or a gorilla or a kangaroo
B) This beautiful creature was his own kind- she was another human being
1) Granted she had different body parts
2) But Adam decided he liked that too!
8) Now let me point out something about Eve’s arrival
A) She would have taken Adam’s mind off of God…..at least some of the time
1) Remember that Wilson Pickett classic?
2) When a man loves a woman- can’t keep his mind on nothing else
B) But that didn’t offend God. It was the way He intended it to be. It was very good
9) Folks- desiring companionship with- and finding pleasure in- another one of God’s image-bearing children isn’t a sin
A) In fact it pleases God to no end
B) It puts a delighted smile on His face
10) You know- some people giggle when the Bible says Adam & Eve went around naked before the Fall
A) The problem is they get stuck on the nakedness
B) And miss the larger truth:
1) Adam & Eve had nothing to hide from one another
2) They had a relationship built on unconditional love, total trust, deep respect, warm affection and absolute commitment to one another
11) To put it another way:
A) It was the perfect foundation for a perfect marriage/ for a perfect home
B) Just the way God intended it to be
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS ARE DAMAGED BY SIN
1) But tragically- Adam & Eve didn’t appreciate perfection
A) When they decided to sin against God
B) The relationship they had was changed forever
Genesis 3:7
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
2) Why did Adam & Eve worry about being naked?
A) They’re the only two people in the world- who’s gonna see ‘em?
B) Besides that they were married- it was OK for them to see one another naked
3) So why the fig leaves? It was because of the irreparable harm that sin had created in their relationship
A) They were no longer two who had become one flesh
B) Instead the love- trust- respect- affection and commitment they had shared was shattered and destroyed
4) Suddenly they realized: We’re different from one another
A) Instead of taking pleasure and joy in these differences
B) They were frightened and embarrassed by them
5) Folks- here’s the tragedy of sin:
A) Because the sin in your life damages your vertical relationship with God
B) It also affects the other relationships you have in life:
1) Including the relationships you have with your spouse- your children- your parents- your siblings
2) Every single one of them!
6) I hate to sound like Oprah- but what we’re describing are dysfunctional marriages and families
A) Now there are a lot of definitions that try to describe what a dysfunctional relationship is
B) But here’s the one I like best: A dysfunctional relationship is one that fails to live up to God’s explicit plans and purposes for it.
7) Take marriage. God’s explicit plans and purposes for marriage are spelled out in Ephesians 5:21-28
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Men like to skip this verse)
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
8) Look- there’s no question some marriages come closer to God’s plans and purposes than others
A) And the people who live in these marriages are more secure and create happier homes than those who don’t
B) But don’t think these folks live in ‘perfect families’
7) The truth is: Sin has made every human relationship dysfunctional to some degree or the other
A) And this means the most important relationships you have in life- your marriage and your family
B) May cause pain and disappointment and brokenness that can last a lifetime
THE HOPE OF RESURRECTION & RECONCILIATION
1) But it will not linger into eternity!
A) God has a plan to heal you- and heal the divisions that exist in your marriage and family
B) He calls His plan resurrection & reconciliation
2) We’ve talked about resurrection over the last few weeks
A) The resurrection will take place at the Second Coming when the dead in Christ and those who are still alive will…..
1) Meet Jesus in the air
2) Receive our resurrection bodies
3) And return with Jesus to a new, resurrected Earth to live eternally in the presence of God
B) Part of the resurrection process will include the permanent destruction of the powers of sin and death
1) On the new Earth you be tempted to sin
2) Because the sources of sin and temptation will no longer be around to haunt you
3) And remember- this just won’t be happening to you
A) This will happen to every born-again child of God
B) Including members of your family who may have hurt you during this lifetime
4) Now you might be thinking: But I’m not sure I want to have a resurrected relationship with my husband- my wife- my family
A) Here’s where the next step in God’s plan comes into play
B) We call this step- reconciliation
5) Turn with me to Ephesians 2:13-14
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. (This is primarily referring to your relationship with God- but remember: ‘When your vertical relationship with God is right- the horizontal relationships will be right as well’)
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, (This is what reconciliation is- the reestablishment of godly relationships after a period of estrangement)
6) When you get to heaven- and experience the power of God’s reconciling love
A) The old pain and brokenness will be healed by God’s loving embrace
B) And you and your family will be given a fresh start- another chance to love one another in the name of Jesus
6) Psalm 133:1 says: How good and pleasant it is when brothers (and sisters- and husbands and wives- and parents and children) live together in unity!
A) Folks- this is God’s dream- His plan for your family
B) If it doesn’t happen in this lifetime- you can rest assured it will be fulfilled in heaven
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1) OK- let’s answer a few of the questions people ask about family relationships in heaven
Will there be marriage in heaven?
1) Let’s see what you think:
A) How many of you think there won’t be marriage in heaven?
B) How many of you think there will be marriage in heaven?
2) All right
A) To those of you who think marriage will…..
1) Not exist in heaven- Congratulations! You are absolutely right!
2) Exist in heaven- Congratulations! You are absolutely right!
B) Before you start lobbing rotten eggs- let me explain
3) On the one hand, Jesus clearly taught that in heaven people will neither marry nor be given in marriage
A) Seems clear enough- right?
B) But here’s a place where context is everything
1) Jesus was responding to a question
2) Posed by the Sadducees
4) The story they told concerned a woman who had been married seven times to seven brothers
A) In Matthew 22:28: they ask: Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her
B) The Sadducees didn’t believe in the resurrection in the first place- so ‘yes’ their question is loaded with sarcasm
5) To understand the context of the question you have to understand something called levirate marriage
A) Levirate marriage had been established in the OT
B) It existed to perform a valuable social purpose
1) It helped insure the continuation of the family line
2) And guaranteed that the God-given tribal lands stayed in the family’s hands
6) Here’s how it worked
A) Let’s say I would’ve died before Pam and I had any children
B) The levirate law said my brother had to marry Pam (even though he’d still be married to Tammy)
1) Any children born to Pam would have been considered to be my children
2) Any children born to Tammy would have be Bob’s kids
7) Now do you understand the Sadducees story?
A) This woman had been passed down from one brother to the next….
1) Not because each they loved her
2) But in an effort to produce children for his deceased brothers
B) With that in mind- look at Jesus’ answer
Matthew 22: 30
30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven
7) OK- let me paraphrase what we’ve just read: When the Resurrection takes place marriage will no longer be needed as a way to bring children into the world. In this respect alone human beings will be like the angels in heaven- no longer needing to reproduce their species.
A) So Jesus answers the Sadducees ridiculous question
B) And establishes an important truth about marriage in the kingdom of God: Marriage- as we know it here on Earth- will no longer be necessary in eternity
8) But I want you to notice something:
A) Jesus never suggests that the relationships that have existed here on Earth will be destroyed in eternity
B) If anything they’ll be made infinitely better- and that includes the marital relationship I have with Pam
9) Here- Pam’s my wife- my best friend- my trusted confidant- my closest sister in Christ
A) There’s no one I love and trust more than her
B) There’s no one who understands me like she does
C) There’s no one whose company I seek out and desire more than Pam’s
10) Why would that be changed in heaven?
A) Remember the principle of continuity
B) What existed before God redeems, rejuvenates and saves- is essentially the same afterwards
11) Folks- I’m not going to forget who Pam is in heaven
A) God’s not going to wipe out my memory bank and make me stupid
B) In fact- my relationship with her will be-
1) Deeper and more profound than it’s ever been
2) Why? Because in heaven we’ll be joined in marriage to the same person- namely Jesus the Christ!
12) That’s right- marriage will exist in heaven
A) One marriage- the marriage of Christ and the church
B) Turn with me to Revelation 19:7-9
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb (or Jesus) has come, and his bride (or the church) has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
13) Now I’m not sure what it will mean to be married to Christ
A) But based on what I know about Jesus I’m convinced it will meet all of your needs and desires
B) And result in a relationship characterized by deeper intimacy- unconditional love- greater joy- more profound meaning- and more intense pleasure than anything you can imagine here on Earth
14) Don’t know about you- but it makes me ready to say I do.
Will We Enjoy Our Family Relationships In Heaven?
1) I like being able to answer these questions by pointing to a particular verse and say: This is what the Bible says…….
A) I can’t exactly do that with this question
B) Although the weight of Biblical evidence overwhelmingly indicates the answer is ‘Yes’
2) Turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 4:14; 16-18
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, (Grief hits hardest when it’s a member of your own family) who have no hope…….
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
3) Here we see Paul in the role of caring pastor
A) His church family is struggling with grief over the deaths of spouses- and parents- and children and siblings
B) If you read between the lines- Paul’s words of comfort go something like this: It’s OK to grieve- that’s normal. But hold onto your hope- Jesus is coming again! And when He does you’ll be reunited with your resurrected loved ones- picking up where you left off- spending eternity together- as a family- in the presence of the Lord
4) Remember the story of David & Bathsheba’s first child?
A) Through Nathan David had learned that the baby was going to die because of his affair with Bathsheba
1) David spends many days fasting and praying
2) Pleading with God to spare his child
B) But then- after the baby dies David gets up….
1) Takes a bath- puts on the royal robes
2) Eats a meal- and goes to the Holy Place to worship
5) David’s staff is dumbfounded
A) You grieved while the baby was alive- but now that he’s dead you act like nothing happened. We don’t get it
B) …..Now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me. (2 Samuel 12:23)
6) This is off the main subject- but 2 Samuel 12:23 is often used to confirm the doctrine of an age of accountability
A) Now the words age of accountability don’t appear in the Bible- but the teaching represents solid Biblical truth B) Essentially it says that-
1) Infants and young children who die before they’re able to understand what it means to receive Jesus as their Savior
2) Are saved by a special provision of God’s grace- activated through the blood Jesus shed on the Cross
7) There are many other verses that have lead evangelical Christians to believe in the age of accountability
A) Psalm 8:2: From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praised
B) Luke 18:16: Let the little children come to Me
C) Matthew 18:10: See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
8) If you take all these things- and add in God’s infinite mercy and grace- and you’ll come up with the doctrine of an age of accountability
A) Which is a source of comfort and consolation for Christian parents who loose a baby or a young child
B) Their grief can be tempered by the knowledge their child is safe in the arms of Jesus
I will go to him, but he will not return to me.
9) David’s hope is founded in the hope of the resurrection
A) He knows that he’ll spend eternity with his son in heaven
B) The family connection will still be there- unbroken- because of the grace of God
10) Now let me make one other comment before we move on
A) Remember the principle of continuity? It says that what existed before God redeems, rejuvenates and saves- is essentially the same afterwards
B) Given all that- isn’t it logical to conclude that we’ll continue to enjoy family relationship in heaven?
1) We enjoyed during them this lifetime
2) Why wouldn’t we be able to enjoy them in eternity?
11) To put all of this in personal terms: In heaven….
A) I’ll still address my grandparents as Granny & Papa and Grandma & PawPaw
1) I’ll still be their grandson
2) Even though we’ll also be brothers and sisters in Christ- which is pretty amazing
B) I’ll still be Pat & Linda’s son- and they’ll still be my parents
C) I’ll still be Matthew & Stephanie’s father- Rebecca’s father-in-law and Vivi and Zeke’s grandfather
D) God will take the wonderful family relationships I have now- and make them better than they’ve ever been before
12) I can’t wait! How about you?
Will My Family Be Together In Heaven?
1) This is a tough question- but I can answer it simply: Does every member of your family have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Savior?
A) If the answer is ‘Yes’- your family will be together in heaven
B) If the answer is ‘No’- your family will not be together in heaven- unless something changes
2) I’m not a fire-and-brimstone kind of preacher- but I do believe in telling you the truth…and here’s the truth
A) The only people who will be in heaven are those who accept Jesus as their Savior during this lifetime
B) Everyone else will spend eternity apart from God in a place called hell
3) If that thought horrifies you- then you get it
A) You understand we’re not playing games here
B) The stakes are as high as they get- eternity hangs in the balance
4) Over the years I’ve heard different Christians say: I could never talk to- (name of family member)- I could never talk to them about Jesus. We’re too close.
A) I don’t want to call you a liar- but evidently you’re not really all that close
B) Sounds like that person doesn’t mean much to you at all
1) Why do I say that?
2) Because you’re prepared to leave that person behind for the rest of eternity
5) If you want to have all the members of your family together in heaven
A) They must be saved
B) So tell them about Jesus!
6) Let us pray
0 comments:
Post a Comment