Hello Everyone! The Heaven question of the day is: “Can you eat clouds?”
The Answer is: “I have no idea.”
Thanks for joining us!
Archive for June, 2007
What’s up with Heaven #6
June 27, 2007Take me out to the ballgame…
June 26, 2007Summer isn’t quite summer without a trip to the ballgame. The good news is that July 20, you can join us for a trip to “the dome” to see the Twinkies take on the LA Angels. This trip is open to middle school and high school students, so print off the permission slip and get your $15 into church ASAP. We have a limited number of tickets, so sign up soon to make sure you have a spot. If you want to go, get your permission slip and money in by July 13, after that there are no guarantees.
What’s up with Heaven #5
June 25, 2007Well, we are slowly but surely making our way through the questions that you all asked on heaven. Today we are looking at one that I hope none of us ever has to deal with in our own lives. The question is “If babies die before they know Jesus, where do they go (assuming they were too young to understand about it)?”
The short answer is that we aren’t quite sure. The Bible is not silent about this issue but it also does not tell us exactly what happens to those who die young. Many Christians today believe in a so called “age of accountability”, which basically means that if a child dies before he or she is old enough to understand the gospel and make a commitment to Christ, that child will be allowed into heaven because they could not yet be held accountable for their actions. However, we need to remember that the Bible does not use the term “age of accountability”; that is something that humans have come up with to help us explain what some believe about what happens when young children die. We have to remember though, that the most important thing to consider is what Scripture says about an issue like this, not what humans have come up with, so let’s take a look.
One Scripture that many apply to the question of what happens to children who die young is II Samuel 12:23. Here David learns about the death of his newly born baby boy, and says, “…I will go to him, but he will not return to me”. From this passage it seems fairly certian that David believes his infant son who has died is in heaven and he will see him again there. Some might say, “well, that’s it, case closed.” But there are other scriptures that are relevant to this question, and we have to look at those too.
What really determines where someone spends eternity is whether or not they have made a decision to recieve by faith God’s forgiveness which he gives when we choose to follow him. If we are going to talk about what happens to babies who die, we have to look at what Scripture says about our spiritual state when we are born. God’s Word is very clear that humans are born with a sinful and seperated from God. No matter how cute and innocent a baby looks when they are born, God’s Word says that we are sinful and evil from day one. Psalm 51:5 says, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (see also 58:3). Paul tells us in Romans 3, “None is righteous, no, not one” (v.10). Later in Romans 5 Paul explains how sin came to all human beings through Adam and how salvation came through Christ (v.12-21). Based on these passages, it is pretty clear that the only way for anyone, whether they are 1 hour old or 100 years old to be made right before God and allowed into heaven is through forgiveness which can only come through Christ.
Scripture is clear about two things, first that God has created and knows each person, from the time they were conceived (check out Psalm 139:13, Job 31:15 and Isaiah 44:2). And second, that each human being is born with a sinful nature and cannot be considered innocent just because they haven’t yet reached an “age of accountability”. Perhaps the final and best answer is to look to God’s character and rest in that. We know God is loving, compassionate, and merciful. He is good, faithful, and true. Everything he does is right and good (see Psalm 86:15, Isaiah 30:18, Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 33:4-you’ll have to look those up yourself). This is the most encouraging truth of all. We can rely on God to do what is good, right and just in any situation even when we have no way of understanding what is going on. And at the end of the day, no matter what issue you are up against, trusting in a God who loves you and cares for you is not a bad answer, and certianly not a bad idea.
***For more information and another point of view, check out this page. http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2006/1622_What_happens_to_infants_who_die/***
Determined
June 20, 2007I know many of you are looking at your High School Schedule right now thinking “Next week says TBD, I wonder if they have determinied what is to be determined, and I wonder what they have determined.” (Okay, so maybe many of you aren’t really doing that, but I like to think you are). Well, next week, 6-20 we will be meeting here at Church. We’ll play some ultimate and some sand volleyball. It will be good, so if you’re in High School we’ll see you here at church next week at 7:00.
What’s Up With Heaven #4
June 20, 2007Welcome to the heaven question of the day. Today’s question is: “When you go to heaven, can you take anything with you?”
This question reminds me of a joke. A guy dies and goes to heaven. When says to the angel at the gate “I brought some of my most valuable things from earth with me, can I take them into heaven?” The angel isn’t very impressed with the question, but out of curiosity decides to allow the man to bring his bag of stuff into heaven. Once the man walks through the gate the angel says to him “So, what did you bring?” The man opens up the sack and shows the angel that it is full of coins made of the most brilliant, most beautiful pure gold. The angel begins to laugh almost uncontrollably and the man asks “What’s so funny?” After calming himself down, the angel looks at the man and says “You brought pavement?!”
Whether you laughed or groaned at that joke, it points to something that is very biblical. There is nothing on this earth that we could bring to heaven that would really be of any value to us. I know that it might be difficult to imagine heaven being a truly happy place without your music, your favorite books, your dog Rufus, or your X-box. Hopefully though, looking at what Scripture really says about heaven will set your mind at ease. First of all, no material things from this earth will make it into heaven. God’s Word teaches that treasures of this world do not last for eternity (check out Luke 12:13-21 & Luke 12:32-34). Second Peter 3 makes it real clear and says, “The heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire,” and “the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” Because Jesus knows all this, and knows that nothing here on Earth will last he tells his followers to, “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” (Matthew 6:19-21).When you look at these passages, it is pretty clear that the “things” of this world are not going to be a part of the new heavens and new earth that will make up our eternal home.
The fact that the things in this world won’t make it to heaven doesn’t necessarily mean that the things of this world are bad. I believe it is because the things that we enjoy here (like Rufus & X-box) will no longer serve any purpose once this life is over, because all of our needs will be met in ways that we can’t even imagine right now. We won’t need to take clothes, food, or entertainment. We won’t need money, pets or possessions to make us happy. Everything we need will be provided for perfectly by God in heaven. We will experience life and joy in a way so far beyond anything we have ever experienced here on earth that the best, most exciting things here will be totally boring and dull in comparison. The old saying “you can’t take it with you” is right on, but if you are following Christ what awaits you in heaven is better by far anyway.
What’s Up With Heaven #3
June 11, 2007Well, it has been a while, but we’re back at the heaven questions. The question for today is: “Can you die, go to heaven and come back to Earth?” or ”Do you get reincarnated (re-born)?
“Whatever people say, and whatever we might like to think about being reincarnated (dying and then coming back to earth as something else, like a duckbill platypus or something), Scripture is very clear that this does not happen. Genesis 3:19 says, “for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (ESV). Along those same lines, Solomon in Ecclesiastes talks twice about man coming from and returning to dust (in chapters 3 and 12). Perhaps the best evidence that we have from scripture that there can be no reincarnation, and no “second chance” here on Earth comes from the book of Hebrews. “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Scripture is clear that after death our bodies decay back into dust, and our souls go to stand before God and be judged. There is no second chance at life, and you won’t have the opportunity to come back as a blue whale, banana slug or anything else. We have one chance at life. We live for a while, sometimes struggling, sometimes rejoicing and then we die.
Before you say “well then, what’s the point?” take a minute and read Psalm 90. Moses gives some very wise words when he says “teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” We don’t have long, and it should be our goal and desire to gain the wisdom of God in realizing that all that we do in this life will only matter if it has been done for God. You can’t take anything with you (more on that next time), and you aren’t coming back, so live your life with heaven in view and you won’t regret it. Even if you never do get to experience life as a duckbill platypus.
The River
June 9, 2007Good news! I was just down on the river fishing this morning, and it looked to be in prime condition for tubing this wednesday. The water was actually clear and just the right temperature. The weather on Wednesday is supposed to be perfect for a float down the river, partly cloudy and warm! If you don’t have a permission slip print this out, and we’ll see you on Wednesday!
Summer Stuff
June 9, 2007If you’ve been wondering what’s going on this summer, keep reading ’cause here’s the scoop. We are going to be meeting at your houses, and what we will do depends on where we meet. But wherever we are, you can count on the opportunity to hang out with friends, probably eat some food, and have a good time. You can get the info you need (even maps) by clicking on the calendar links on the right side of the page, or download these flyers/permission slips. See you this summer!
