The greatest wonders of heaven

The greatest wonders of heaven

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow, and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. – Matthew 7:13-14

1 Timothy 1:12-16

 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,

 13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.

 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love.

 15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them all.

 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then, others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

John Newton, composer of “Amazing Grace,” was a despicable, wretched person as a young man. He was a cruel, self-serving slave trader. Yet the Father reached out from heaven and brought His wayward sheep home to His flock. With a remorseful yet simultaneously worshipful heart, Newton wrote,

“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see” (John Newton).

Pondering his newfound promised destiny, Heaven, as a part of the Father’s Forever Family, Newton wrote, “If I ever reach heaven, I expect to find three wonders there first, to meet some I had not thought to see there. Second, to miss some I had expected to see there. Third, and greatest wonder of all, will be to find myself there.”

The apostle Paul shared his sentiments.

1 Timothy 1:13-16

 13 Even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.

 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love.

 15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them all.

 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then, others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

If there was anyone who might question his worthiness for heaven based upon his conduct and many failures, it was the apostle Paul. But the Father God is not only just but merciful and gracious. Paul knew and understood that he was heaven-bound solely by the grace of God.

Does anyone deserve to go to heaven? The Scriptures are crystal clear.

Romans 3:23: Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Because of our sins, the Lord Jesus Christ was sent to forgive and redeem us from them. We are declared righteous when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. We do not become acceptable based on what we do but rather on the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.

Romans 3:22-25

 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

REFLECT & PRAY

“One day, when we stand before Christ, it will become absolutely clear what we accomplished for Him through the Spirit and what we did on our own power. No one will quibble with God’s judgment” (Stanley).

Father You are my most dependable friend. I desire to trust You entirely daily. You know I am but dust. You know and understand my shortcomings and graciously love me anyway. Indeed, You have removed my sins as far from me as the East is from the West (Psalms 103:12). Encourage and enable me to build upon the foundation You have laid.

INSIGHT

The story is told of a wealthy woman who was a child of the King. She died and went to heaven. As promised, she was escorted to her heavenly mansion. It was exquisite but somewhat modest in size. Uncertain of what to anticipate, she found herself pleasantly surprised. However, her joy was short-lived when gazing out of her second-story window, she spotted her former gardener entering a mansion across the street. This mansion was four times the size and radiated unparalleled beauty compared to her own.

Perplexed, she turned to the angel guiding her and inquired if the man now resided in that grand mansion. The angel graciously revealed that the magnificent estate belonged to her former elderly gardener. The woman couldn’t fathom how this could be, and she questioned why he had received such abundant blessings.

The angel tenderly explained that their heavenly mansions were constructed from the spiritual materials they had sent ahead during their time on Earth. In the case of the woman, her faith had wavered, and her deeds had been inconsistent, resulting in a mansion of relatively limited value. In stark contrast, her loyal servant had dedicated his entire life to serving Christ with unwavering devotion. Consequently, he had accumulated treasures in heaven while she had sought her rewards primarily on Earth.

While this is an imaginary tale, it is somewhat analogous to the incoming judgment of children of the King presented in 1 Corinthians 3:12-17. Our time and efforts on earth will be evaluated. Some children of the King will experience significant rewards, while others will experience tragic loss.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15

 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have– Jesus Christ.

 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials– gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.

 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.

 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.

 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer a great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

In 1 Corinthians 3:17, Paul delineated three categories of builders: the skilled experts (3:14; compare with 3:10), the unwise (3:15), and the destructive (3:17). The materials employed in construction are designated as gold, silver, and precious stones which indicate the lasting nature of the builder’s efforts, while the wood, hay, and straw indicate work that is fleeting and devoid of value. None of these building materials is identified explicitly (David K. Lowery).

If we aspire to construct something enduring, we must exercise caution. We should choose materials that can withstand the Father’s testing fire. Are you building with inferior or superior materials (Richison)?

To some degree or another, our efforts while on Earth determine some elements of our future. We are to be wise and careful about our priorities and the goals of our efforts.

Ultimately, do we serve the Father, or are we serving ourselves?

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© Dr. H 2023