Heavenly Citizenship-

               The Inhabitants of Heaven

“Where do you come from? Where do you go? Where do you come from, Cotton Eye Joe”

                                                 
    Its important to know where you have come from. In Eastern cultures people take a much higher view of a persons ancestry than we, in our western world, do. In his book ‘Walking from East to West’ Ravi Zacharias tells his life story, putting huge emphasis on his ‘roots’ and his family tree. The BBC Ancestry series, ‘Who do you think you are?’, has further highlighted the importance of knowing our history.
   Important though knowing our roots is, it surely is of a more vital importance (if you will excuse my grammar) to know where we are going. As one writer put it, knowing where we will finally end up ‘works backwards’ and thus dramatically influence our lives here and now. 
   Citizens of Heaven don’t become so when they arrive at the metaphorical pearly gates. No angelic immigration officer awaits, clutching their new passport and documentation. No, quite the contrary. Citizens of Heaven live as travellers, strangers and foreigners in this world first and then -after having lived away from their true homeland- they finally return there. The knowledge of the Heavenly City which awaits them totally transforms their thinking and even living in this world, making them Heavenly Citizens. Perhaps the bible passage which is best known for explaining this is Hebrews 11:

    These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.(Hebrews 11:13-16 ESV)

    So, who are these Heavenly Citizens? Who will populate Heaven?
    In the Gospel of John we discover that the people of Heaven need a guide to bring them home. Jesus says “I will come…and will take you to where I am going….I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I could give other examples, but I think Jesus’ words are simple and concise enough. From the Bible we learn that the inhabitants of Heaven have been bought there by and through the Lord Jesus Christ- there is no back entrance.
   First and foremost, Heaven is a Gospel place. All citizens will share a bond greater than nationality or colour or creed: they have each been individually bought there through the grace of a God who died for their sins. It is obvious to assume therefore that Heaven is a joyful place! How could it not be?!
   As we further study the scriptures we discover, to our joy, that our guide and saviour- the Lord Jesus Christ- will be our neighbour and co-citizen in Heaven. Jesus tells us that Heaven is “my Father’s house”, that he will “take you to where I [Jesus] am going”. We are encouraged when he tells us that “you will be with me in paradise”, the Apostle Paul remarks that “we will be always with the Lord.” In fact, to our great delight, we find that Heaven is “the city of the living God”…“whose designer and builder is God.” The book of Revelation teaches us that Heaven is “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” and that “a great multitude” will worship God before his throne.
    So, to recap: the inhabitants of Heaven have been bought there by and through the Lord Jesus Christ- he is the only way in. They will be with Jesus and enjoy him; he will reign eternally. Heaven (whether a paradise-garden, city, house or throne room) is God’s own property which he has created and is preparing for his own people. 
    But how ‘real’ will Heaven actually be? Is Heaven simply a biblical metaphor for a ‘higher level of consciousness’?
    To answer simply: no.
    If we turn to our trusty bibles we have some more surprises in store. Jesus knew that death isn’t final. He spoke of a ‘resurrection’:  

    And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
(Luke 20:34-36 ESV)

    Furthermore, Paul spoke about our bodies being changed:

    But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.(Philippians 3:20-21 ESV)

    Revelation talks about the resurrection in real terms; we will no longer hunger or thirst, we will be clothed in garments etc.
    Paul also talked in length about the resurrection when he was writing to the Corinthian church. Apparently some people were asking what bodies people would have when they had been ‘resurrected’. Paul explained that though we die with earthly bodies we rise with heavenly bodies. He uses the example of a seed and a flower: “It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.”
   But even if none of these examples were in the Bible, the greatest reason to believe in a literal, physical resurrection of the dead has not yet been mentioned- the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead! Thomas felt the nail marks in Jesus’ hands and feet. Jesus had a physical resurrected body. Paul argues that our entire faith is based on this, he even goes so far as to say “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” Harsh words!
   We can be sure that the inhabitants of Heaven will possess literal, physical bodies- bodies that are new, glorious and ‘imperishable’. They will be transformed instantly and will bear a likeness to the resurrected King of Heaven- the Lord Jesus. They will not hunger, thirst or suffer pain.
   I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to Heaven!
   One of my favourite hymns, includes these words (which I echo with all my heart), “And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight”. That is the desire of the Christian’s heart- to see the Lord Jesus Christ and to enjoy him for all eternity!
   C.S. Lewis pictured his longing for  Heaven like the earnest longing of a boy, stuck at a boarding school, for the school holidays. They seem so very very far away and yet he lives each day in the hope of the holidays. Lets do the same!

Living in a Wigwam….

                    …..Waiting for the wonders of Heaven  

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

    When I say the word Heaven what images does your mind conjure up?
    A castle?  A mansion? A city? A prison, maybe?
   Who or what  populates your picture of Heaven?
   Flowers? People? Light? Gold paving slabs? Fruit, maybe? 
     Whatever you picture- and however wrong that picture may be- I put it to you:  if you are a Christian then you desire to be in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ. If not: there’s a problem.
      Paul, an early convert to Christianity, who wrote a number of letters to early churches across the Roman Empire, described this world as a ‘tent’ in comparison to our ‘heavenly dwelling’. (Personally I like to use the metaphor of  a Wigwam!) He had such an earnest longing for Heaven- he even talks about his ‘groaning’ for Heaven!

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

      The Bible tells us a lot about Heaven.
      My aim over the next few posts is to unravel some of the biblical truths of Heaven. I can’t even begin to understand, comprehend or even grasp at, the amazing wonders of Heaven. My hope is that these posts will give you a desire to search for the truth about Heaven yourselves.
     As I heard it put recently- ‘Stop moaning about petrol prices, VAT and the income tax and start groaning for Heaven!’

The Joy of a Future

 Joy is the serious business of Heaven

 C.S. Lewis 

   As Christians our lives are positively bursting with joy! My Bible says the word 'Joy' one hundred and seventy one times. It must be important!

    This, my final post in a series looking at the joy of being a Christian. This is the grand finale!



...a marrow, a castle and the watchword of Heaven

'This is a marrow....'

   I recently heard a tale. It takes place in 21st Century Sussex, a rural county in the quaint English South, where farmers pride themselves on their marrows and where neighbours share and share alike. 

   My storyteller (you know who you are) was driving merrily along, transporting her young brother home one summer's eve, when said brother suddenly spoke:

       "Sister", he exclaimed "Stop the car! I need my free marrow!"   (dramatic reconstruction)

   "Your marrow" She replied in disbelief. "Have you lost your marbles, brother?" (Marbles is a highly popular game in Sussex)

   It turned out, to her amazement, that a free marrow did indeed await them. A small table stood outside a house. Beside it a chalk board read 'Free Marrow'. Her brother promptly jumped out of the car, picked up the marrow, and reentered the car, clutching his new marrow. 

   Why am I telling this story? Fascinating though the rural culture of 'the south' most surely is! 

    The reason is simply this: the marrow was free, the growers wanted to share their produce.  But it had to be taken. It had to be received. How great is that? What kind people- people who grow marrows with the intent of humbly bestowing their harvest upon strangers. 

   God has freely offered up himself as the substitute for us. We no longer have to be labelled 'sinner'. Jesus Christ has given us a gift, a free gift. Lets take it!

   And who, after being treated so grandly, wouldn't want to thank the giver and hold them in great respect?!

'This is a castle....'

   Actually this is Bodiam Castle in East Sussex. A fine castle to be sure. I recently went to Warwick Castle and then to Arundel Castle. Before that I went to the Tower of London. I love Castles. Can you tell?

   What is the point of a Castle? No, it isn't simply a place for aging volunteers in tweed jackets to spend their afternoons! (Note to self: try to get that job in 40 years time!) A Castle is built to secure and defend. A castle is designed to keep invaders and intruders out. Its purpose is to protect its inhabitants and its treasures.

   Jesus spoke some of the most wise words to ever be spoken:

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

   Good advice. How joyful would you be if you knew that your future was safe in the vaults of Heaven? Would you not rejoice if you knew that your eternal soul was guarded and defended by the Lord God himself? Why are Christians joyful? Because our lives are safe from any threat, from any marauding army or blitzkrieg strategy.

   The Bible promises many things to Christians. One thing we aren't promised is riches and glamour and good looks. We know that 'the best is yet to come'! All of the joys and blessings we have now will be even greater in Heaven: a real literal physical place where we will live for eternity with the Lord God. Because we know we have this eternal future prepared and safe, we can live without seeking fame or glory or money.

   In the book of Psalms, God is regularly referred to as our 'fortress'. If our hope for the future is in the Lord God Almighty then it is safer than the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London.

'This is a watchword [keypad]'

     Throughout history, watchmen and guards have used a simple mechanism to find out who is their 'friend or foe'- a watchword.
     Until the early 19th Century, armies tended not to have uniforms, most soldiers simply wore a peasants garb. The English Civil war between King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell is a particularly good example of this. Both sides looked identical! Who was who?!
     Unsure of who they were fighting, the men would challenge their opponents with a watchword. Remembering the right word was literally the difference between life or death.

    So, what is the watchword of Heaven?

   Its important to get it right.

   When I was 15, through God's guidance and love, I learnt the watchword. Its simple and its marvelous. But if, like a civil-war soldier, I didn't stop and learn the word, then my future would be sealed. One day we will die, everybody does, and then it will be too late to learn the watchword.

   Would you like to know it? Do you want the freedom, contentedness, purpose and assurance of a future which Jesus grants his people?

   I asked Jesus for the watchword. This was what I learnt,

I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

   The door of Heaven stands open to all who Jesus invites in. The Watchword is Grace. Jesus Christ died upon a cross, to take away our sins. He rose again (a grave couldn't hold the author of life) to show us the way.

   Do you see now why Christians are full of joy?



   I've been trying to tell you a little about this joy. Just a glimpse. A crack of light through a door left ajar. 


The wonderful thing about this joy is that it is free for all: thats the marrow! 


This unspeakable joy is safe and unmoveable: thats the castle! 


Jesus stands by an open door because of God's grace: thats the watchword of Heaven!

• The Joy of Contentedness
• The Joy of Freedom
• The Joy of being Loved
• The Joy of having a Purpose
• The Joy of Heaven

a marrow, a castle and the watchword of Heaven

this is a marrow....

this is a castle.....

Do you know the watchword of Heaven?

To find out more, and to discover how a marrow, a castle and the watchword of Heaven are all connected then you are going to have to read the final blog in my (un-exhaustive) list of 

'The Joys of being a Christian' 

(Coming soon to Wonders and Wigwams.)

Purpose

The Joy of having a Purpose-

                          For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

    Motorways have a strange effect on me, peculiar as I am; amidst flashing lights and screeching tyres, sirens and indicators, I pause and consider the meaning of it all (much to the anger of the drivers stuck behind me!).
  
    Have you ever looked at the sheer mass of lorries and simply thought- why?! In one short journey think how many Eddie Stobart lorries you might see? And then consider: half of those were traveling one way, half the other. Wouldn't it just be more efficient to let the people in the North keep their things and the people in the South theirs? Hundreds upon hundreds, thousands upon thousands of people....all..... moving, talking, working, sleeping, eating, driving.... and why? What's the point of it all?

    I like watching Reggie Perrin, a TV series in which an overworked middle manager comes to terms with the futility of his existence (some sitcoms actually do contain some serious content!) In an earlier blog- A-Road Inspiration- I told of Reggie's annoyance at his work: he designs and sells razors, but after all his concerted effort and care, people's hair just keeps growing back!

   Frankly, a life without meaning is meaningless. Agreed?

   Good news though. This, my fourth 'positive spin' on being a follower of the Messiah of the bible, is this: Jesus gives us a purpose.

   There is a popular children's song, based on a bible character, which goes like this: (for a bonus point see if you can work out who the character is!)

Dare to be a Daniel, dare to stand alone. 

Dare to have a purpose bold and dare to make it known.  

  
    So what is this 'purpose bold'? Why should Jesus Christ give our lives meaning?

    Simple really, it was through and for Jesus that we were created in the first place!

    For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

  
     I don't know how you react to the news that we were created by and for someone else, but our great-great-great-great-great-grandparents didn't like it one bit! They rebelled against the Lord God and no longer 'walked with him'. They did anything and everything they could think of which would anger God- from their revolt came murder, theft, lust, perversions, lies and deceit (to name but a few).
 
    A righteous and just God would have no choice but to utterly destroy any rebellion and wickedness going on in his kingdom. The good news which the whole bible is focused on is this: God sent his only son to be punished so that his rebellious subjects could be forgiven and not destroyed. Why? Because he loved us. Why? We don't know.

    When we are forgiven and become followers of Jesus we re-discover that purpose and meaning which our ancestors lost. An old Church document, called the Westminster Catechism, was made- using the bible- to remind Christians of the basis of their faith. One thing it said was this:

Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.

    Perhaps this puts you off of Christianity. Why should I dedicate my life to someone else's  glory? If you need to ask that question then you have missed the whole point of the bible. When Jesus died on the cross, he died because he loves us. That kind of love cannot help but be reciprocated. We love God, the scriptures say, because he first loved us. Get this: we actually want to serve and glorify Jesus! And it brings us a great joy to do so.

    By worshiping Jesus Christ in all we do, we actually discover that life is fuller and more  wholesome than we originally thought! I remember one speaker we had at church took an elder by surprise with these words, "Someone once asked me what Christians do. He said that we are strict and have so many activities which we won't do. So lets find out what Christians are up to this week-  can we have the notices please, John?" That made him jump, he'd been nodding off at the back!

   Yes, there are activities that believers avoid. Not because we want spiritual 'brownie points' (or pozy points, as we had at lower school!) but because we love our Saviour and want to be like him.

   Its a generally accepted rule that 3 sets of results which agree are 'fact'. Well the bible has this to say- not once, not twice, but thrice:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men 

    Christians are weird. Christians don't do what other people do. Christians boggle the mind. Why? Because they aren't living for career, or love, or wealth. No. Instead they are living for Jesus.

    They have a purpose. Do you?

• The Joy of Being Loved
• The Joy of Freedom
• The Joy of Contentedness

   Having followed some advice for 'marketing' the Wonders and Wigwams blog, I find myself  having to post a strange series of numbers on the home page. Don't panic- normal service will soon be resumed!
  
    In the meantime please have a browse over previous posts and links, and also visit my Readings and Revolutions page, recently updated, to find some great books on the market.


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Forming a Theology of....

Forming a Theology of Work- 
      Living out our work life for the glory of God

   A few months back I started a personal study series I called "Forming a Theology of....". My aim was to 'search the scriptures' and to 'work out my salvation'. I wanted to build up a biblical worldview, covering- in the fulness of time- a whole range of topics.
 
    I began, rather naively, with the topic of 'God'.

    That took some time.

    Since then, my study certainly hasn't been exhaustive, in fact it has hardly scratched the surface of the vast depths of God's written word. Years ago, in a physics lesson, we were shown a cross section of the earth, marked on it was the deepest mine shaft dug by mankind. It was a speck. Our attempts to fathom the word of God are like this. Even the greatest scholar would have to admit: there is still a long way to go!

    Why is this?

    I've recently been reading a fantastic book by Graeme Goldworthy called 'Gospel and Kingdom'. I would highly recommend it*. In it Goldworthy helps us to understand why finding answers in the Bible can seem like such hard work. The Bible, he says, is not a text book with an easy-use index. If we found a simple answer to 'How much money should I tithe?' under 'T' for tithe, then we wouldn't need to prayerfully search through God's word, trying to learn from Jesus' example or by understanding the role of grace in a believer. The Bible wasn't written as a glorified dictionary of Christianity, rather its fundamental aim is to make us grow.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

    Sometimes when we grab our bibles in search of a 'quick fix' to our problems, we instead find ourselves amazed by stories of God's sovereignty and love and fall on our knees in praise and thanksgiving. Gradually, through the work of the Holy Spirit, we may find that we are growing in grace and maturity- even though we might not have found the solution we were originally seeking.

    A text book has never done that to me yet.

   My preamble has served as a longer introduction than I had originally intended! If you are still reading and haven't fallen headfirst into a deep slumber then I congratulate you!

   The intention of this  post is to share with you a biblical 'statement', explanation, or expression, of the role of work in the life of a believer. I wrote this statement yesterday, after studying the issue of 'Forming a Theology of... Work'. Rather than deciding what I believed and then finding bible verses to back it up, I started from the bible and then formed this 'statement' around the principles and commands I found.

   Feel free to disagree or comment. I would love to hear your thoughts. Keep them biblical though!

 


   God designed man to be working (Genesis 2:15). Through our sin, in the fall, work has now become difficult and sometimes painful (Genesis 3:19). In the New Creation (New Heavens and New Earth) the LORD will restore work to its initial position in our lives (Isaiah 65:21-25) -it will be more fruitful and satisfying than is currently the case.
    While seeking to supply for our earthly requirements (1 Thess 4:11, 2 Thess 3:10-11) we must keep our 'work lives' in perspective; (Eccl 2:18-26) our chief focus in life is the glory of God and not the acquisition of material wealth (Luke 12:13-34). With this in mind, we should exercise Godly contentment with our wages and positions, while still seeking to provide for our families as best as possible (Luke 3:14, Phil 2:14-15).
     In our workplace we find ourselves under the authority of a head figure. They- however badly and whatever their deficiencies may be- are a picture of Christ, the Head of the Church, and therefore must be treated with respect and honour (1 Tim 6:1).
    Work provides two further specific benefits to the believer. Firstly, it aids us in our struggle against sin;  it has been said that 'the devil makes work for idle hands' (2 Thess 3:10-11). Secondly, it gives us a vital opportunity to witness to outsiders whom we might not have otherwise met- both through our godly  actions, ethic and behaviour in the workplace, and also through our conversations with them. (1 Thess 4:11-12, Phil 2:14-15).
    Our attitude in the workplace should be a genuine expression of our love for the LORD and our love for our lost neighbours; it is only possible through a transformed heart, and through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us (Eph 6:5-9, John 8:38). Our desire, as in all things, is to glorify God (Col 3:17, 1 Cor 10:31).







*The aim of 'Gospel and Kingdom' is to show how the theme of the bible- both old testament and new- is the coming of the Kingdom of God. This, Goldworthy articulates, is the 'good news' of the Gospel message. If, understandably, it looks like a too difficult read to even attempt then Vaughan Robert's book 'God's Big Picture' might be a better place to start (thats what I did!). By his own admission, Robert's book is a simplified version of 'G&K' written to help us understand the message of the Bible.