Sunday, March 29, 2020 -
Will we know our loved ones in heaven? I believe the answer is yes! Jesus said in Matthew 8:11, “Many shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” Clearly, these men will be known to those who follow them both by name and reputation.
And at the transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared to Peter, James, and John as they spoke with Christ on the high mountain. Scripture does not say how they were recognized, but they knew who those men were (Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 9).
And of course in Luke 16 we see that Abraham and Lazarus were easily recognizable in heaven.
So I believe, while our earthly family and friends will have less significance to us than they do on earth because Christ will be the center of our focus, we will still know and fellowship with them. Heaven is incomprehensible to our finite minds. But I am very much looking forward to it and we should be laying up treasures in heaven, not on this earth. D.L. Moody told of a story he heard about a ship carrying a company of emigrants that had been driven from its course and wrecked on a desert island. There was no way of escape and little hope of rescue. Although surrounded by ocean, the island had good soil, plenty of sunshine, and no danger. They had been shipwrecked with plenty of food and seed. But shortly after finding themselves there, an exploration party discovered a gold mine. The entire group of people rushed there to dig and labor day after day and month after month. They secured a huge cache of gold. But spring had passed by in the meanwhile, and no fields had been cleared and not a single seed planted.
Summer comes and the gold heap grows, but their stock of food grows small. By the autumn their heaps of gold are worthless and they face starvation. They rush into the woods, chop down trees, dig up roots, till the ground, and sow the seed. But it is too late! Winter comes and their seeds rot in the ground. They die of want in the midst of their treasures.
Isn’t this like so many of us today, toiling to build up treasures here on earth that have no eternal consequence, storing them rather than using our time and wealth to build up treasure in heaven – bringing souls into His kingdom, growing in Christ, and living our lives in service to others. What good is it if we gain the whole world and lose our souls?
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