Heaven:Return to Forever

Heaven will bring ultimate rewards

Matthew 25:31-36

The Sheep and the Goats 31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

Matthew 25:40-43
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

Matthew 25:45-46
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

So what is the point of this passage?

It appears that we will be judged on the interactions that we have here on earth...there is a qualitative difference which appears to be applied. The sheep are the good guys and the goats...are well the goats.

The difference is how we have treated the least of these brothers..."'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Sheep are engaged in support of the whole of the brothers...and goats are concerned only with themselves.

There are rewards that will be given out at the judgement seat of Christ. Rewards for those who have engaged in the activity of helping the brothers and then judgement for those who have not.

This has connection with the whole conversation between works vs. faith...the major idea and is the ultimate place where we will find out if we got it right. Our faith...should motivate us to help those who are in need...the least of these brothers. It is the expression of what is happening within...

The qualitative distinction between sheep and goats rest on relationship and on the expression of that internal relationship.

John 10

7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.

Grace experienced needs to be grace express through us. So do we only help the household of faith?

Hard questions...it almost brings us back full circle to Cain and Able. Am I my brother's keeper? the implication is that we are indeed our brother's keeper...that the family is extensive...not just those who have made a decision to follow Christ but also those who may in the future make that decision...

In so many ways heaven and eternity is a return to Eden to the garden where God walked with man...where there was meaningful work to be done... and yet an Eden where innocence is re-established.

Heaven:What do we know for sure...what do we not know?

I have had some thoughts lately on heaven, what does the Chistian faith teach...what do we not know...

Heaven is a place where wrongs will be righted.

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

The things that make us mourn will be gone. Death and pain with be a thing of the past.

Does that mean that we will not have anything that we care about enough to cry? No we will care very much? But those things will be in the past in a way that we can't really understand right now. The hurts of the past will not impact the reality of our life in heaven.

No more pain...when you think about that simple statement alone it is mind boggleing. On earth in 2009, pain fulfills a needed purpose. Pain tells us that something is not right...that we are either hurting or in danger and must take action. In heaven there will no longer be a need for pain. We will be safe in a way that pain will not be needed.

What will that be like? How we will feel about the past? How can we ever experience a place where the past will not bear on the present? A place where we are safe enough that the safeguard of pain will not be needed?

All of them good questions that just wait for heaven's gates to be answered. I know that for the time being I need to have a level of faith and just plain trust in a loving God that he will be able...more than able to create a place that is a place of fundamental healing.

Κύριος Notes :A Price Paid

Adoration

Once Again

And once again I look upon the cross where You died

I'm humbled by Your mercy and I'm broken inside

Once again I thank You

Once again I pour out my life

Scripture Reflection: Luke 23

26As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

I wonder what the thoughts were of Simon as he followed You up that hill outside of the city. Was he aware of who You were Lord? Did he understand why You were dieing? Did anyone on that day understand what was happening Lord? You were all alone walking, stumbling ahead of Simeon, too weak from what you had already be through to carry your own cross.

27A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' 30Then " 'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' 31For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

Were you thinking of the coming destruction of Jerusalem with this generation? Could be...were you thinking of the end of things that is yet to be...not sure. It is clear that Your death has carried a cost...a cost for you...a cost for the Father...a cost of rejection.

Thank you Jesus for the price that you paid for my redemption.

Κύριος Notes :Politics Power and Accountability

Adoration

Once Again
Jesus Christ, I think upon Your sacrifice

You became nothing, poured out to death

Many times I've wondered at Your gift of life

And I'm in that place once again

I'm in that place once again

And once again I look upon the cross where You died

I'm humbled by Your mercy and I'm broken inside

Once again I thank You

Once again I pour out my life

Scripture Reflection: Luke 23
12That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.

Politics makes for strange friendships. When I think of the present American political environment I realize that politics have not changed much in 2000 years. Still there is the push to make or find middle ground. I wonder how much Christians have sacrificed in search for a voice in the political process.

13Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 14and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16Therefore, I will punish him and then release him."

Pilate could see that You were being set up. He was even willing to be involved to a point...punishing you within an inch of Your life. But he did not want to agree with Your murder at the hands of these men.

Pilate the one who regularly would condemn innocents as an example of Roman power and for the rule of terror when needed, did not want to be involved in your death. Lord Jesus, I think of Pilate when I think of political power without courage and without accountability for exercise. There is a need for courage that You frequent call for from with me. I wonder if I am not sometimes like Pilate aware of the truth and yet frozen by my surroundings into following where I need not go.

18With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" 19(Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. 21But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
22For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him."
23But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24So Pilate decided to grant their demand. 25He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

I think of that crowd and the power that they could have had for justice...many of these same people were there while you were teaching in the temple courts. Many may have seen miracles happen before their eyes and yet the cries came from their mouth's to crucify. I wonder if the high priest's servant was in that crowd and I wonder if his ear burned when he thought of how recently he had felt your healing touch. Did the words stick in his throat?

I always would like to push away from these events and some how believe that I am qualitatively different than the people that sent You to Your death Lord Jesus. The reality is that I am not...I walk away from this encounter realizing that I am not different...I am not better...I an just saved by your grace. Nothing more.

And once again I look upon the cross where You died

I'm humbled by Your mercy and I'm broken inside

Once again I thank You

Once again I pour out my life

Κύριος Notes :Night in the Heart of Herod

Adoration

Thank You for this time Lord Jesus
To listen and to hear Your quiet Voice.
Have control over this time and in this place Lord Jesus.

Scripture Reflection: Luke 23
8When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.

Lord Jesus--You were a curiosity to Herod. He wanted to see tricks with fish and bread or walking on water...or blind men healed before his eyes. Something verifiable for the record books...something that a calloused and seasoned political infighter could believe in...Herod Antipas was looking for something more than power, more than money or success.

John intrigued him and You mystified him. Ultimately he was a second rate king in client nation of Roman who inherited his power and wealth. He ended up being exiled to Gaul with his second wife and dieing in obscurity by best historical accounts. I wonder if he ever thought of this interview...I wonder if the look in your eyes ever made an impact on his jaundiced and jaded soul.

10The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. 11Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.

Politics won out over Herod's curiosity. The hatred of the religious elect was enough to make him want to get out of the middle of the situation. Herod was someone who was not willing to be brought into the middle of anything where he would have to make the powers that be upset with him.

Lord Jesus in the middle of this interchange and intrigue there is the thread of the Holy that can be seen. There is a call to the just, there is a need to allow honesty in the middle of trumped up charges. There is the sense of the Father's hand revealing people for who they are.

Lord Jesus as I look at this account again and reflect on the sacrifice that You made, I realize how futile my attempts have been at being authentic are without your power alive within me. You were able at your trial...at your most vulnerable to bring out the truth in people of power.

Lord Jesus continue your work in me.

Κύριος Notes :Darkness Reigned Over Justice

Adoration

Justice and Mercy
You've put a new song in my mouth

It is a hymn of praise to You

Jus-tice and mercy are its theme

And I will live it back to You

Scripture Reflection: Luke 23
4Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."

There was a side of Pilate that could see the injustice that was being asked of him. He knew the power blocks in the community in which he he was living. He knew that You had the leadership angry at you.

Justice needs to have courage mixed with it to have any impact.

5But they insisted, "He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here."
6On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

Pilate above all was a political leader and a man who was unable to deal with pressure without worrying about his job. What would have happened if he had been able to stand up for justice in this case? I am sure that these men would have found a way to their end. But how would have that choice have changed Pilate?

Lord Jesus you remind me that choices change me...they form and shape who I am. My choice to follow you each day shapes my life, guards and guides my path.

Help me to follow you and to make the choices that would reflect your glory today.

Κύριος Notes :Darkness Reigned in Roman Hands

Adoration

Light of the world
King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor
Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,All together wonderful to me

Scripture Reflection: Luke 23
1Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 2And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."

Lord Jesus the charges changed when they had to take you to Caesar's representative. It wasn't blasphemy anymore. It was sedation...rebel rousing and being unwilling to pay taxes to Caesar. They were willing to do whatever it took to make sure you were on that cross.

I wondered what happened to these men who were so sure of themselves at this point in their lives. did they see the temple mount all that was left of Herod's temple? Did they see their children and grandchildren die in the destruction of Jerusalem, or did they tuck tail and run when they saw the Roman legions on the way?

3So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

These men who lead you to Pilate They knew who you claimed to be all along. You were not the kind of Christ that they wanted. The real question is...am I am willing to serve You even when what you ask is out of my control and not what I really want?

Looking at the decision of these men after the fact it is very easy to get comfortable and to miss the point entirely. You always bring me to the point of a decision...a place where I either have to change or twist the point. They did not want to allow for you to be Christ when you would break the sabbath by healing and see tithing as less important then justice.

Am I willing to allow you to break out of the limits that I have imposed on you by my limited view? Am I willing to have you move in my life without restraint? That remains the question.

Light of the World shine on even when it is hard for me to see what is brought to light.