Heaven Is for Real

There has been a great deal of press lately about he book "Heaven Is for Real."  The story recounts a four-year old boy's journey to heaven during a severe illness.  His clear accounting of the events and his knowledge of information unknown to him before his journey is fascinating.  These types of stories always get our attention because we all really want to know for certain if heaven really exists. 

Jesus left us no uncertainty about heaven.  In Luke 16:19-31 he tells of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus.  In this passage Jesus shares the inequities of life that occur among men as they live in the world.  The rich man had every physical and material need met.  Lazarus sought the table scraps out of the rich man's garbage, so ill the wild dogs nipped at him as a dead carcass.  Both men died.

In eternity, Jesus shows us the the inequities of life find justice.  Lazarus found himself in heaven resting in the presence of God. The rich man is found in hell, in torment knowing his sin, selfishness and a lack of compassion put him there.  He also realized there was no escape.  In life he failed to use his great abundance to meet the needs of others.  He loved himself and his possessions more than anything else.  Though wealthy in life, he found himself bankrupt in eternity.

Jesus' words here remind us of three significant truths.

1. We will live forever in one of two realms, heaven or hell. 
2. What we trust in before death determines our eternal destiny.  
3. At death, our decision is final.  No one can go from heaven to hell or visa versa.

Mark Twain said "I’ll take heaven for the climate and Hell for the society." Ted Turner once said, "I’m looking forward to dying and going to hell because I know that is where I’m headed."   Many people live with great misconceptions about heaven and hell.  Jesus left us know doubt as to the nature of both of them. 

Come see us Sunday.  We will be talking about that.

Pastor Jeff