This series of meditations on the seven utterances made by our Lord Jesus in the hours when he was hanging on the Cross were originally given at Communion services, and subsequently produced as booklets.
This is the link to the Audio version of the meditation: CR 2 – Today…with me in Paradise – Audio
“Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you
will be with me in Paradise.'” Luke 23:43
It was midday and the three men hanging on crosses outside the wall of Jerusalem were slowly dying. Crucifixion was a horrible way to die. Soon it would be over because it was Sabbath Eve and according to Jewish law bodies could not be left unburied on the Sabbath. If they did not die before sundown these three felons would be summarily dispatched.
Two of the three were robbers. They were not pickpockets or petty thieves. They were the kind who stuck knives into people in the darkened, labyrinthine alleyways of the city or harassed travelers on the desert road from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbing them, stripping them, and leaving them for dead. They were bandits, murderers.
The man on the centre cross was a king. The inscription above his head said so. It read, “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” The sign was a deliberate attempt by the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, to show his contempt for the Jews and especially the Jewish leaders who had howled for the blood of Jesus and hounded him to his death. Jesus was a king rejected.
Some who passed by mocked him. Others hung their heads and wondered, “Who is this man, in whom we had such high hopes and whom we believed to be our Messiah?” In actual fact he was just that, the Son of God and the Saviour of the world.
So, three men were dying. Like them, we are all dying. Let us hope we do not die as they did, but we will all die somehow. As certain as the fact that every reader is alive to read this meditation, so is the fact that one day every reader will die – except for those alive on the Day that Jesus comes again. No exceptions.
President Richard M. Nixon was buried right next to his place of birth in Yorba Linda, California. At the funeral Dr Billy Graham challenged the world dignitaries gathered there, and the millions watching by television, with this Scripture: “There is a time to be born and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2). We would all, he said, be well advised to be prepared. Had we been to the Cross?
How strange and how foolish to make provision for a retirement which may never come, but not for our final departure which most certainly will. I pray that this little meditation will help you to prepare.
Our text is the short and sweet reply of Jesus to the petition of one of the thieves. It is the second cry from the cross and one of the most significant statements recorded in God’s Word. The great Anglican bishop, J.C. Ryle, said of these verses, “They should be printed in gold. They have probably been the salvation of myriads of souls. Multitudes will for all eternity thank God that the Bible contains the story of the penitent thief.”
Luke records the interchange:
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:39-42).
We will consider five points from this word of Jesus.
1. There is life beyond death
Jesus makes that very clear. All through history men and women of all cultures have had some instinctive notion that the death of the body is not the end of existence. Cultures and religions have varied regarding the nature of the after-life as they have varied in teaching their followers how to prepare for it. Most have taught that the kind of life we live here will somehow affect our bliss or otherwise in our new existence. In other words, the Hitler’s of history large or small will be in Hell and the Mother Teresa’s in Heaven.
Even in those countries most affected by Christianity the prevalent view of the man in the street is the same: live a good life and you will be alright and go to Heaven. As we shall see that is NOT the teaching of the Bible. How mistaken people can be.
Of course, in the Western world in recent years, vigorous attempts have been made to educate moderns out of this notion of an after-life. When we die, we have been told, there is nothing. We are snuffed out like candles. We cease to exist.
Yet the belief in life beyond the grave persists. Just as surely as men and women die so their instinct for soul-survival refuses to do so. This is all the more remarkable because the empirical evidence seems against it. In ancient times – and still sometimes today – the high and mighty were buried with provisions for their new existence even though quite clearly those provisions were never used. Ancestors were worshiped and prayed to though they never spoke back. When our loved ones die, they are gone from us. They do not return to whisper to us of the beautiful world they have discovered in their life here-after or to warn us of the horrors of Hell.
Why then does a belief in an after-life persist? It seems as if God has placed the “evidence” into our very being as humans “made in His image.” He has put eternity into our hearts. We have a persistent sense that justice will one day be done. Those who appear to have gotten away with murder and other evil deeds will eventually be brought to trial.
Do we not also sense there is a real self that is somehow independent of the body? As we grow older the body deteriorates yet the mind may be as sharp as a tack and the inward self actually improves as we gather knowledge, wisdom, experience and maturity. It is not absurd, therefore, to believe that when body and soul separate at death the real self lives on.
Some say that is merely wishful thinking. We just cannot bear to think that this life is all there is. It is true that another irrepressible part of our humanity tends to regard death as an outrage; an enemy. We were created to live not to die. Something has gone wrong. I might just as well say the wishful thinking comes from those who assert there is no after-life since they have made no preparation for it. For them, there dare not be an accounting.
For those who believe in Jesus he here puts the matter beyond all doubt. Life does go on, the soul survives. And by the way, Jesus did come back and confirm it (See John 20:24-29).
Now second:
2. There is a Heaven – and there is a hell.
What does Jesus mean by “Paradise?” It was a Persian word meaning “beautiful garden.” The Jews incorporated it into their language of the future life as a synonym for Heaven. In any country a garden conjures up an image of beauty and peace.
I come from England and an English country garden is world renowned. I can think of few things more therapeutic than to sit and talk with a dear friend on a beautiful summer day in an English garden surrounded by hollyhocks, roses, dahlias, and lilac. A gentle breeze kissing the cheek; overhead, blue sky and lazily drifting clouds; the air is warm but fresh; the birds sing in the trees while bees, and butterflies, flit from flower to flower. Blissful! Trials and troubles seem far away.
When Jesus chose the word Paradise for Heaven what a beautiful image he gave to this poor man. There he was, dying in blood, spiked to a cross, tormented by flies, ravaged by thirst, trying to draw another breath by each agonizing heave. Below him the cruel crowd, staring at his nakedness, mocked his pain. With his grossly swollen tongue he stammered out a short request to Jesus and Jesus replied (in effect), “Not much longer, dear friend, and you and I will be together in the most beautiful, fragrant, peaceful garden you have ever imagined sipping cool water and attended by angels. We shall be in Paradise.”
What is Heaven?
Heaven is a real place. It is not a state of mind or an abstract thought. Have you ever had an experience so wonderful you wished it could last forever? Heaven will be like that – forever. The most beautiful sound you have ever heard, the most beautiful sight you have ever seen, the most exalted happiness you have ever known; multiply that by a few million and you might just begin to imagine what Heaven is like.
Heaven is the home of God.
“Look down from Heaven your dwelling place, and bless your people Israel” (Deuteronomy 26:15).
“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
“Heaven is my throne. The earth is my footstool” (Isaiah 66:1).
Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father, in Heaven…”
Jesus came from Heaven: “For I came down from Heaven…” (John 6:38), and he returned there: “In my Father’s house are many resting places. If it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you…” (John 14:6).
Where is Heaven?
I do not know. Somewhere in God’s vast universe. Perhaps beyond space and time as we know it.
Sometimes I have conducted question and answer sessions in high schools and colleges. I remember a high school senior asked me, “Dr. Kilbride, Jesus ascended into Heaven, right?”
“Right.” I replied.
“Well, supposing he traveled at the speed of light. After two thousand years just where will he be now? In the Milky Way?”
Of course, he was hoping to embarrass me and smirked as he looked at his friends.
I responded, “But Jesus did not travel at the speed of light. He traveled at the speed of thought.”
I tried to explain, for those with ears to hear, even we can, in some respects, travel at the speed of thought. If you mention a place to me with which I am familiar, I am instantly there in my mind. A picture is called up, an experience instantly re-lived. Of course, because of the restrictions of my bodily existence I am only transported there in my memory and imagination. Jesus was not so restricted after his resurrection and neither will we be when we die. Heaven is a real place and we shall arrive there at the speed of thought. Or maybe even faster.
I must tell you Hell is a real place too.
If Heaven is an extrapolation of the most wonderful experience one has ever known then Hell is an extrapolation of the worst. When people pass through an experience of horror and say, “It was like hell,” or, “I went through hell,” they have the picture correct. Jesus once said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
Because Hell is not the subject in our text I will make only brief mention of it. Suffice it to remind the reader that the penitent thief addressed his profane colleague, “Don’t you fear God?” If there is no life-after-death; if there is no Hell, why should he fear God? In such a case it does not really matter what one does. There is nothing to pay.
The Bible, however, teaches, “Man is destined to die once, and after that face judgment” (Heb 9:27). The thief knew that. He was reminding his colleague that, since he was a guilty sinner, dying justly for his crimes, and since he was soon to meet his Maker and Judge, he would be ill-advised to add to his guilt by cursing an innocent man.
Whatever you may hear to the contrary, I tell you it is a healthy road to Christ that begins with the fear of God.
Third:
3. The Way to Heaven is Through Faith in Jesus Christ
In this simple prayer request this dying man is putting his faith in Jesus. That is what we are all called to do if we want to be saved. There is no other way. Jesus said it himself in very plain language: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
I mentioned earlier that the common view seems to be that a person’s good works will take them to Heaven. No one is perfect nevertheless if the person’s good deeds exceed the bad then they will be alright. Or so it is supposed. I can only conclude this is Satan’s biggest lie because the Bible totally and utterly contradicts it.
To begin with, even one sin will keep us out of Heaven. Any sin. It is not a question of some kind of balance sheet, debit, and credit. Nor do our good deeds somehow erase the bad ones. Furthermore, we are much more sinful than we think we are. The worst sins are not those committed against our fellow men, bad as they may be, but against God. The first four of the Ten Commandments for example contain our obligations to God and the first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer are concerned not with our needs but with God’s glory.
In Romans 1 the sins of the Gentile world which render men under the wrath of God are described as “not giving glory to God” and “ingratitude” (v 21). Which of us has always given thanks to God for gifts received. None. Some, rarely. Some, never. Which of us has always given glory to God? None of us. No wonder the Bible says, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).
I recently read the account by Terry Anderson of his seven long years as a hostage in Beirut. He was abducted on March 16, 1985. As a journalist he had lived a somewhat Godless life but in captivity he had time to reflect. He asked for a Bible and reading it concluded that he broken every one of the Ten Commandments and many more. He asked God for forgiveness, for Jesus’ sake.
We all need forgiveness. Living a good life, commendable as it is, will never get anyone into Heaven. If that had been the case then Jesus could have stayed home in Heaven and need never have gone to the Cross.
This thief who called out in faith to Jesus was not a good man. He had no time to somehow make up for his bad life by turning over a new leaf and living right. He was about to die. Yet he went to Heaven and is there now. Heaven is not a place occupied by good people but bad. Sinners saved by God’s grace and through faith in Jesus who died to take away their sins.
No-one is so bad that they cannot be saved and no-one is so good that they do not need to be.
Notice this man’s petition was:
a) Simple
He does not utter many words – just nine. When God works in a sinner’s heart and turns that heart to Christ it does not require long prayers to be saved. He was saved in an instant.
I doubt if he knew much theology (the study of God) or had been a great student of the Scriptures. We are not saved by theology but by Christ. We are not saved because we understand the deep mysteries of soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) but because we cast ourselves upon Jesus. We learn of these things after we are saved. We spend the rest of our lives learning them. I am not decrying the importance of the study of Christian doctrine. Elsewhere I have decried the lack of it today. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that Satan is an expert on theology, no doubt knows the finer points of Christology, soteriology, eschatology and many other “ologies” – but Satan is damned.
Though his petition was simple it was also:
b) Meaningful
I do not want you to think that, because the words were few and the petition short, it was superficial or trivial. There is more here than may appear at first glance. It contains at least twelve affirmations of faith.
Clearly this man believed in God and feared him. He believed in an after-life and judgment to come. He acknowledged his own guilt and that he deserved the awful fate which had befallen him. He declared his belief in Jesus’ innocence. Though it is doubtful if he understood why Jesus was dying, he knew Jesus was not dying for his own sins for he had none. Jesus was a King. That he believed, and that Jesus would one day inherit his rightful Kingdom. The hatred of his enemies, even to pursuing him to death, could not thwart that glorious future destiny. This dying sinner wanted to be there with Jesus when he took possession of his Kingdom. The very essence of being saved is identifying one-self with Jesus in his Cross and in his Crown. There was great meaning in his request.
c) Personal.
He was not merely “saying a prayer.” It came from his heart. Saving faith always does. It cries out to God, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” A lady, preparing for baptism, once explained to me; she had been brought up to believe that Jesus was THE Saviour, but now she could say, “He is MY Saviour.” She had always believed that Jesus died for sinners, but now she could say from a grateful, believing heart, “I know he died for ME.” This man’s prayer was deeply personal, “Lord, remember ME…”
There is another way in which his faith was personal. Clearly Jesus was not popular with the crowd. Once he had been but now, they had turned away from him. The other thief challenged Jesus, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us,” echoing the mockery of the sneering Jewish leaders who said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ, the Chosen One.” The Gentile soldiers also mocked him, “If you are the King of the Jews save yourself” (Luke 23:35-39). Thus, Jew and Gentile united in their taunts. To many it seemed that Jesus was under the curse of God, as indeed in a sense he was. They spoke in ignorance. Had Jesus saved himself he could never have saved us. It was because he drank this cup to the last drop that we have a Saviour.
Nevertheless, this dying thief, regardless of the verdict of his religious leaders, regardless of the crowd, regardless of the outward evidence, believed in Jesus and in his heart bowed before his crucified King. THAT is saving faith. You will believe in Jesus and follow him, though you be the only one in your class, your school, your family or, for that matter, in the whole world! Let the world scoff, you will kneel.
d) Effective.
This simple, meaningful, personal, prayer of faith was answered. The Lord Jesus assures him that he will go to Heaven. There are those who say you must add something to your faith to be saved.
Some say you must be baptized to go to Heaven. He was not. There are those who say you must join a church to go to Heaven, they usually mean their church. He did not. There are those who say you must live a good and consistent life to go to Heaven. He did not have time!
Now, don’t misunderstand me. I believe that had he not been pinned to a cross he would have gladly been baptized. I believe that had his life been spared he would have joined the church and lived out his days in grateful service as a disciple of Christ. Baptism, church membership, and a good life are right. We are indeed called to these but they are not what gains our entry to Heaven.
What gains our entry into Heaven is faith in Christ and faith alone in Christ alone.
Simple, significant, sincere faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Some people find it impossible to accept that a wicked sinner can be saved in an instant and have all that past record wiped out. But that is the glorious truth of the Gospel. If this man could be saved, then so can any reader of this meditation – no matter who you are or what you have done.
Fourth:
4. When the believer dies he goes directly to heaven
Surely that is the plain meaning of our text, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”
The apostle Paul confirms it. When Paul was in a Roman prison on a capital charge he was in somewhat of a dilemma of mind. He knew that acquittal would mean more useful service on behalf of the churches including the one in Philippi. Yet he was weary and longed to be with Christ.
He wrote: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body” (Phil 1:21-24).
The believer, therefore, is not asleep – in the sense of unconscious – until the Resurrection, as some have taught. How can that be true when Jesus assures the dying man, “Today you will be with me in Paradise?” How can it be true when Paul says….“to die is gain?” How can that be true when Paul says it is “better by far” to be with Christ? The whole passage implies blissful, conscious fellowship with Christ.
Our fellowship with Christ now is through the invisible, indwelling Holy Spirit. But in Heaven, we shall see Him. Faith will give way to sight. That is “gain” and is indeed “better by far.” Furthermore, when the Book of Revelation describes the activities of the saints in Heaven, they are very much awake!
The 19th century evangelist D L Moody once said, “One day you will read in the newspapers, ‘D L Moody is dead.’ Don’t believe it. I shall be more alive that day than I have ever been!”
Besides, even in this life when my body sleeps, I am anything but unconscious. My mind transports me all over the place as I dream. So it will be, then, with that “final” sleep when our body is “laid to rest”, our souls will fly consciously to Heaven where, with Jesus and the saints and angels, and clothed in our Heavenly dwelling, we shall engage in all the activities of Heaven.
There is no Purgatory. If a saved sinner needs to go somewhere first to have his sins purged away before he can be fit for Heaven, surely this thief and murderer would have needed that. He had obviously lived a very bad life and had an eleventh hour, “death-bed” conversion. If ever Purgatory had a prime candidate, it would be him, yet Jesus says he is not going to Purgatory but to Paradise. Doesn’t the idea of Purgatory cast doubt upon the saving efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ? If Jesus died to take my sins away then I do not need to pay for them. They are GONE. It is not the purging fire the sinner needs but the cleansing blood and “the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
How wonderful it is when you have this assurance that when you die you will be taken straight to Paradise and be in the presence of your Saviour.
That does not mean we may not fear dying. We cannot help that. Life is precious and is a gift from God and he has put it within us to cling on to it. If it were otherwise, the more we look forward to Heaven, or the more we are beset with troubles and sorrows here below, the more tempted we might be to commit suicide. Furthermore, we flinch from pain and are afraid our dying might be painful. That is not sinful, it is natural. But though we may fear dying we need not fear death when it is the gateway to Heaven. When the time comes to die God will give us the grace for it – and not before.
Don’t be afraid, Christian reader. When the Lord calls you Home, he will send his angels to bear you over and whisper, “Today you will be with Jesus in Paradise.”
Fifth and Finally:
5. Heaven is the Glorious, Future Inheritance of all who Believe
When the Lord Jesus promised the penitent man, “Today you will be with me in Paradise,” what was he really promising? What is Heaven like, and what shall we do there?
a) Heaven is a Place of Worship
The Paradise-Garden of Heaven will be a garden of worship. I recall a service of worship in a garden. It was the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem. There in that beautiful setting, facing an empty tomb, we worshipped the Risen Saviour. It was a memorable experience.
The highest activity of which a man or woman is capable is the worship of God and of his Son. Worship is the principal activity of Heaven. Here, on earth, we engage in it feebly. Then we shall worship with perfection. The last book of the Bible gives us a few glimpses into Heaven. Writes John of the worship in Heaven,
And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open the seals, because you were slain and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God and they will reign on the earth.” Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Rev 5:9-12; See also: Rev 7:13-17.)
Are you looking forward to joining in the glorious worship of Heaven? If not, could that possibly be because you are not a Christian? How can you look forward with joy to the worship of a Christ in whom you have not believed and whom you do not love? How can you delight in the Lamb when you know nothing of the cleansing of his blood or the touch of his grace?
Or perhaps your experience of worship on earth has been a poor one. Sadly, it is true that our feeble efforts of worship here below can be dull, uninspiring, and even unworthy. Sometimes it is routine, lifeless, and poorly presented.
But have there not been times when your heart like mine has been uplifted to heights beyond description: when the beauty of the music and the content of the words, and the loftiness of the prayers, and the power of the preaching has taken us, if not to Paradise, then certainly into its porticos. I have had many such times in many varied settings. If you have not then I truly feel sorry for you. Exalted worship here on earth should be a foretaste – however pale – of the glorious worship of Heaven, and make us long for it.
O how wonderful will be the choirs and orchestras of Heaven. The angelic host will be like nothing we have ever heard, but yet the songs of the saved will be more wonderful still: for we have a song to sing which angels cannot sing: we’ve been redeemed. Heaven is a place of worship.
b) Heaven is a Place of Service
Rev 7:15 says of the redeemed with Jesus in Heaven, “they serve him day and night.”
If Paradise is like a garden, then you can be sure there will be work to do. There is always work in a garden! In ancient times the word “paradise” was sometimes used of the Garden of Eden. When God originally gave it to Adam and Eve in all its pristine splendor their work was sheer joy.
Sadly, sin brought the Fall and the curse. Now with the joy would come the toil. With the fruit and the flowers came thorns and thistles. In fact, they were expelled from that garden and paradise was lost. But in the “Paradise Regained” there will be no weeds.
We were created to work. God intends for us to find great happiness in a job well done and a noble task successfully accomplished. Here, there is indeed an element of drudgery and boredom. There, our service will be an important aspect of our joy. Heaven is a place where we have “entered into” our rest. But that is rest from drudgery and weariness not from joyful service. Our work will itself be an act of worship offered for the glory of God.
c) Heaven is a Place of Fellowship
I am sometimes asked, “Shall we know one another in Heaven?” Of course we will. Is that not an important aspect of Jesus’ promise, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” And if we are to recognize him and fellowship with him why not with each other. May I suggest that Heaven is not primarily where you are nor how beautiful the surroundings but who you are with. When I have been away the joy of coming home is to be with the one I love, not the things we have acquired.
But how can we know one another if we have left our bodies behind? I know that in Heaven we shall not have our resurrection bodies. Jesus has his but ours will be given at his Coming. Nevertheless, I believe that in Heaven we shall have some form of temporary bodies through which we can worship, serve, and fellowship together. Paul speaks of the fact that in this body we groan and are burdened but in Heaven we shall “be clothed with our Heavenly dwelling”(2 Cor 5:2). To Paul a disembodied soul is unclothed. Body and soul are meant to work as one.
Let me illustrate this concept of a temporary body. Some years ago, my dentist decided to crown several of my teeth. He persuaded me to buy the very best porcelain caps. Until they were ready, however, he gave me instant but temporary ones. They were plastic. He assured me I could bite and chew because they would act just as the permanent ones would.
I suggested that perhaps, in that case, we could forget about the porcelain and stick to the plastic at a fraction of the cost. He was not impressed with that suggestion! After all, what is temporary is temporary; however efficient.
Our heavenly bodies are temporary. They will function very efficiently and serve our Heavenly purposes. One day, however, we shall obtain new, permanent, resurrection bodies and live with the risen Christ in the New Heaven and the New Earth. My, what a prospect, what a subject!
Perhaps you have never even heard about that? We are so busy focusing upon the here and now that we neglect the focus point of the Christian Gospel which is our future inheritance in Christ in all its fascinating aspects.
Sometimes I am asked, “Will I know my husband (or wife) in Heaven?” Of course. You will know everybody. You will know all your loved ones. I am so looking forward to being reunited with loved ones, aren’t you? What is the good of that if we do not know them! Not exactly heavenly bliss, is it?
“But,” says one, “didn’t Jesus say that in Heaven there is ‘no marriage or giving in marriage’?” Correct. One reason for that is because marriage was, and is, God’s primary answer to man’s loneliness but there will be no loneliness in Heaven. Marriage locks two people in but it also shuts other people out. Our relationships in Heaven will shut no one out. Our love will be for all. But all will include our beloved spouse and family and parents and special friends we have known here on earth.
Besides: I suspect there will be more women than men in Heaven – many more. I cannot prove it, but look at your average church. Isn’t it common to see more women than men? God has a very special love for women, just as he does for children. So, if there was marriage in Heaven there would need to be equal numbers or some would feel left out. In Heaven no-one is left out.
Some say, “What if my loved one isn’t there?” First, never assume that. See how this man repented and believed almost with his dying breath. Even if your loved one made no profession of faith that you were aware of you know not what inward transaction may have taken place at the very end. Make sure your loved ones know the way. Second, if a loved one is absent from Heaven I can only presume we shall have no knowledge of it or our joy would be diminished. There is no sorrow in Heaven.
d) Heaven is a Place of Pleasure
That is what gardens are for. This Paradise garden will be the most wonderful pleasure garden of all. I suspect this comes as a surprise to some readers – even a shock.
That is for two reasons:
1. They somehow think there is something not very holy and not very spiritual in enjoying oneself in pleasure and therefore we shall not indulge in such things in Heaven. But the Bible says, “God has given us all things richly to enjoy” (1 Tim 6:17). And, “In thy presence there is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore” Psalm 16:11.
2. Satan has also sown a gross lie; that Hell is the real pleasure palace. He has put it about very successfully that Heaven is where sanctimonious, pious people in nightshirts sit on clouds, sing hymns, and play harps for all eternity. Not exactly appealing! Whereas Hell, he whispers – where he, Satan, is going – is the place for a good time. It is a place of love and laughter, wine, partying, and song. It is where all the fun-loving people who like to party can continue to indulge the same activities for ever.
O, HOW WRONG!
There is no pleasure in Hell. None whatsoever. No love, no comfort, no fun – only frustration, anguish and regret. Perhaps, worst of all will be the knowledge that the devil sold them a lie and it is the folk in Heaven who are enjoying to the full every minute.
Love; worship; happiness; comfort; rest; re-union; fruitful, joyful service; excited anticipation – of the Consummation of Christ’s Kingdom; and pleasures for evermore; are all to be found with Christ in Heaven. And THAT is the Paradise promised by the Lord Jesus to all who belong to him.
Let me end with a story. Many, many years ago, during my pastorate at the Lansdowne Baptist Church in England, I became utterly exhausted. We were seeing a gracious and continuous outpouring of the blessing of God but the work was taking a heavy toll on me through sheer fatigue and overload. The modern word would be “burn-out.”
Someone gave a financial gift to my wife and I on the condition that we took a week’s vacation on the beautiful Spanish island of Majorca. I declared I could not go. I was too tired to make the preparations and I could not face the strain of the journey.
As I winged and whined my wonder-wife made all the arrangements, and as I grumbled and groaned someone drove us to the airport. I do not care for flying at the best of times and was convinced my imminent nervous breakdown would occur even before we left the ground. The cold, dark and drizzly weather of England matched my mood as I wedged myself into the cramped seat. A moment of tension, an earnest prayer, sweaty hands gripping tightly together, a few bumps and rattles in the darkened cabin, and suddenly we were above the heavy clouds and into the sunshine. Relax; “Refreshments will now be served.”
Was it going to be alright after all? My spirits began to lift with my perspective. Nevertheless, it was still a worn-out preacher who checked into the hotel down by the remote little bay some hours – and a long bus-ride – later. We wearily heaved our bags onto the beds and drew back the curtains to see if we had a nice view – I had predicted all the way over that we would probably overlook the rubbish area!
What we saw took our breath away. There before us, beneath a cloudless blue sky, was the most beautiful coastal scene I had ever set eyes upon. The rocky cliffs tumbled straight down into the sea forming a crescent defense against which the waves incessantly beat, sending up plumes of glistening spray. The rocks of pink and peach and gray were crowned with pine trees some growing out of crevices, mostly at fascinating angles, defying gravity. Below us, and beyond the inviting terraces and swimming pool of the hotel, the sandy beach sloped down to the iridescent blue Mediterranean. A walk-way led out to a restaurant on a tiny island from which the soft sound of music and laughter drifted up to our balcony.
I confess that my pent-up emotions totally collapsed. We knelt together side by side as I tearfully asked the Lord’s forgiveness for my unbearable irritability and thanked him for those angels, including the one beside me, who had brought us there. What a glorious, happy, refreshing week it was.
That experience has always been to me a little picture of what it will be like to die and go to Heaven. Perhaps a weariness with life in this scene of sorrow and yet a reluctance to leave it. A fear; a grey day; a moment of tension; holding hands; and then the angels will come and, in no time at all, will carry us on wings of love to the most beautiful and wonderful sight we have ever seen. There lined up to welcome us will be those loved ones who have gone before, smiling, and hugging us, and there will be our dear Lord Jesus, whom we love the most because he first loved us and gave his life for us. “Greetings, beloved,” he will say, “Welcome Home. Today you are with me in Paradise.”