As we begin testing this feature on the church website, here is Pastor Ratcliffe's sermon for the 6th Sunday after Easter.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?  Rev. 21:9-11, 22-27

They thought they were going to be friends forever.  In high school they shared classes, secrets and the aches and pains of growing up.  Their bond was such a close bond they believed that nothing could ever come between them.  Or, so they thought.  For as the years went by, these close friends drifted apart.  One went to college, another tech school and still another right to work on his dad’s farm.  Some of them married, some divorced and still others were killed serving their country.

At their ten year class reunion, about half of that group of friends showed up.  They started talking about the rest of their group that wasn’t there.  What happened to them?  Did you hear where they are living?  Where are they now?  And, as usually happens, there were a few people that no one knew where they were.

That’s never going to happen to believers, at least when it comes to our eternal destination.  We may lose track of our fellow Christians here one earth, but we do know where they will end up.  “WHERE ARE THEY NOW?”  If you are talking bout believers who have died, then you can be sure that they are in a glorious place and an extremely joyful place.  Come with my today to the Word of God and be sure of that fact.

Today we have the great privilege to view a vision of the Last Day.  The apostle John received this vision while in exile on the island of Patmos.  The Holy Spirit inspired him to write his vision down on papyrus to give comfort and hope to believers of every age.  And what a wonderful vision it is!  It’s a vision of heaven.  Now, as we said last Sunday, it’s not a literal view of heaven.  It’s not a photograph of what heaven is like.  It’s a vision.  God is using pictures of things we are familiar with to portray the wonders and glories of the life to come.  He wants us to understand that heaven is a glorious place.  So let’s take a look at our heavenly home.

“Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’  And he carried me away in the spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.  It shown with the glory of God.’” Remember, this isn’t the city we know as Jerusalem in the land of Israel today.  It’s a vision.  This is a picture of all believers of all time.  We know this is true because of how it’s described – “the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”  Elsewhere in Scriptures all believers are described in this way.

Notice that the Church – all believers – are described as shining with the glory of God.  This is glory that God has given to us.  It’s not glory and honor that we have earned.  It’s a glory and honor that is a free gift.  It’s glory that has been earned by Christ and freely given to all who believe in Him.  Just think of it – when Jesus lived His life on earth, He was earning glory for you.  When Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sins, He was earning glory for you.  In heaven, all that glory, all that honor can shine forth in all it’s brilliance.  Sin is taken out of the picture and the glory of God can shine in us and through us like the sun shines through a clean window on a bright summer day.  Light is everywhere.  Glory is everywhere.

Why?  Because God is everywhere in heaven.  Now remember, sin separates us from God.  God’s glory won’t shine fully where sin exists.  The two are mutually exclusive.  But in heaven, on the Last Day, God’s glory will shine completely in us and through us because God Himself will be with us completely.  We will be in direct and glorious contact with the Lord of heaven and earth.  The Creator Himself will be right there next to us, and we can ask Him any question we have.  We can tell Him personally how much we love Him, and He will show us just how much He totally loves us.  In heaven, we will receive glory from God – the light’ in our vision for today – and we will give Him praise face to face.

What a wonderful gift God gives to us!  How true the saying of James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.”  Do you see a reflection of this vision in that passage?  Oh, how this picture of our glorious eternal home comforts us as we live in this sinful, hurtful and depressing at times world!  Especially as we remember the believers who have already left this word and are now with our Lord in heaven.  No longer do they have to endure the pain of disease or cancer.  No longer do they have to worry about home repairs or paying the bills.  No longer do they have to endure mean neighbors or uncaring words or having their physical or emotional needs ignored by harried care givers.  No longer are their hearts broken by the effect that sin has on their loves ones.  Oh, no!  Now they are in heaven, where there are no tears or crying or pain.  That is glorious! 

What makes it even more glorious, more wonderful and spectacular than any place here is the fact that they are in direct contact with the King of heaven and earth.  Their brother, Jesus Christ, is with them, and they can talk to Him directly and hear Him answer them!  While we are here on earth, we talk to the Savior in our prayers and He answers us through the written Word, the Bible.  But in heaven, we can hear Him talk to us face to face.   We will see His love for us on His face and in all the pleasures and joys that we will experience there.  On this Mothers Day, it is truly comforting to know that our moms, including our dads, grandmas and grandpas, husbands and wives, our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters, in fact, all Christians who have died are with the Lord, experiencing His glory and infinite love.

His infinite love – His overwhelming desire to give us the best – makes heaven not just a glorious place, but a joyful place.

It’s a joyous place, because it’s full of the light of God.  Now in this vision, light is meant to indicate the presence of God.  It can also mean His love, knowledge of Him and His protection.  What stands out in this portion of Scripture is the fact that the source of that light – Jesus Christ Himself – will always be there, lighting up heaven with His presence and love.  That makes it a joyful place.

Just think of the benefits of light here on earth.  If there is light, we can do things.  We can go places, enjoy activities and talk with our loved ones.  God’s presence will allow us to do the same in the Holy City.  “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”  God’s presence will allow us to sing praises, visit fellow believers, praise God forever and God knows what else.  What a joy to have all of eternity to joyfully live with God!  Heaven is a place where there will be joys beyond compare.

It will also be a joyous place because desirable things will be brought into it.  “Splendor, glory and honor” are the words that John uses to describe the treasure that will be brought into the Holy City. What are those treasures I’m not sure exactly what those treasures will be, but I do know of one treasure that will be brought into heaven.  It’s the one thing that God values more than anything else.  It’s you.  We are the precious treasures of the Lord, and through the work of Jesus Christ we will be brought home, to be with the Lamb, our beautiful Savior and with the Father forever.  The glory of the Lord shines in us because of the work of the Holy Spirit, and that glory shows we are precious.

Heaven will also be a joyous place because it is a safe place.  The gates are never shut because there will be no sin left to keep out.  Sin will be erased from the new heaven and the new earth.  The only place you will be able to find sinful thoughts or words or deeds will be in the prison of hell.  The new heaves and the new earth will be perfectly safe from any sinful, corrupting idea or person or thing.  We don’t have to worry about being tempted, because temptation won’t be allowed in.

On this Mother’s Day, what a relief to know our loved ones – those who died believing Jesus is the Savior – are living in such a joyful place.  Their joy will never end.  They are forever with the Lord, experiencing His love and presence beaming fully on them.  What joy is ours, knowing what joy is theirs!  And soon, we hope that joy will also be our joy.

In the early days of our country, there were many immigrants who came to this land without their families. They homesteaded land, built a house, and earned enough money to bring their families over form the old country.  While they did all that work, I’m sure they longed for their family.  The passed the time by working on the home, making sure they did everything they could to make it comfortable.  Our beautiful Savior is like that.  He’s waiting for us in heaven, preparing a place for each of us.  He is eager, yet patiently counting the days until He can come and bring us home.  The price for our passage to heaven is paid.  All that’s left is for the glory train to leave the station and take us to be with our loved ones, especially our loved One, Jesus Christ.

No believer will be left behind.  No one will be overlooked!  Our Lord will make sure of that.  On this Mother’s Day, we know where all believers go when they die.  They move to the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, a place filled with glory and joy.  A place filled with the presence of God. AMEN

Greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome to the newest feature in the on-line minsitry of Peace LCMS in Kansas City,  our new weblog.

There are some exciting things coming.  Stay tuned.