Heaven on Earth

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This is a sermon that explores the need for God's holy presence to fill us so that we don't have to wait until we get to heaven in order to sense His nearness. It also speaks about the need for God's people to live out His presence so that the darkness around us is overcome by heaven's influence through God's people.

Written Excerpts:

Matthew 6:10 ^(NKJV) Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

Introduction:

It seems as though there has been a fascination among people of all times with the idea of “heaven on earth” or what we might call utopian societies. People have repeatedly experimented with the idea of forming communities where everyone lives in harmony, no greed, no vices, no one takes advantage of anyone else, and everyone contributes equally to the overall benefit of the community.

For example: (http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/5-19th-century-utopian-communities-in-the-united-states)

Utopian communities in 19th-century [1800’s] America were considered by many to herald a new age in human civilization. Often led by charismatic leaders with high religious or secular moral ideals, these settlements experimented wildly with different models of government, marriage, labor and wealth. Hundreds of such societies littered the U.S. landscape during the 1800s, most disappearing without a trace….

The philosophical movement known as Transcendentalist was in full swing when Unitarian minister George Ripley founded Brook Farm in the rural Boston suburb of West Roxbury in 1841. The community wasn’t particularly unique for its time—after all, more than 80 utopian communities were launched in the 1840s alone—but it was notable as the first purely secular one. Members farmed the land together and held the fruits of their labor in common. The idea was that this would give settlers more time to pursue their own literary and scientific interests, which would then benefit the rest of humankind. Money troubles and internal squabbling eventually eroded the community, which disbanded after only a few years in existence. Founding member Nathaniel Hawthorne ended up having a pretty miserable time there, which he would later document in his fictionalized account of Brook Farm, “Blithedale Romance.”

The history seems to show that human attempts at creating an earthly utopia have dramatically failed. No matter how noble or even how “spiritual” the founders and their motives might have been, experiments have proven that human nature tainted by original sin generally stifles such efforts. My message today is not a call to form another utopian community of peace and harmony! Having said that, I do want to share with you some of the thoughts that have been on my mind and in my heart lately as a result of some articles I have read.

With the help of the Lord, I want to explore the message implied in the words that Christ taught us in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

(Some scholars say the phrase, “On earth as it is in heaven” is a qualifier that should apply to all three of the preceding clauses – hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; and thy will be done.) This is a petition which Jesus Himself instructs us to pray. In some real and genuine form, we are to pray for and expect these things to come on earth as in heaven.

I want to first of all share some quotes from an author by the name of Peter Cheyne, because I can’t make this point any better than he does. These comments come from an article he wrote about 7 years ago and was titled, “Make up There Come down Here.”

Human beings have always had this sense that there is another world. …we have this persistent belief that there is something beyond death. Some people may say they don’t believe that, but different civilizations down through the centuries have consistently believed that there is another world beyond death.

Eccl 3:11 God has set eternity in the hearts of men….

The only way to really know what heaven is like and to really know what it is like to be in the presence of God seems to be to die….

Is the gospel about what happens to you when you’re dead? Is it all about “getting into heaven”?

Many people do have that understanding. The gospel – the good news – is about being forgiven and reconciled to God so that when we die we go to heaven.

Of course, the gospel is about being forgiven and going to heaven but if that is all then Christianity boils down to waiting to go to heaven and it is good news only when you die. I think tens of thousands of Christians take that view: I’m OK. Jesus has saved me. Now I am simply waiting to go to heaven….

Is the gospel [only] about obtaining your ticket to heaven and is it [only] good news after we die? Or, is the gospel about experiencing God now? Is the gospel [only] about us going to heaven, or [is it also] about heaven coming to us – now, in this life?

Listen to [author] John Ortberg: Sometimes people pray a version of the Star Trek prayer to Scottie: “Beam me up.” Many people think our job is to get my afterlife destination taken care of, then tread water till we all get ejected and God comes back and torches this place. But Jesus never told anybody – neither his disciples nor us – to pray “Get me out of here so I can go up there.” His prayer was, “Make up there come down here.” Make things down here run the way they do up there. (p.176)

For the rest of our time today, I want to speak about three ingredients that I believe are essential in order for what is “Up there to come down here.”

I.      Desire God more than anything

Psalm 42:1-2 ^(NKJV) As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Psalm 63:1-2 ^(NKJV) O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.

Psalm 73:25 ^(NKJV) Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

These verses I’ve read from the Psalms describe the yearning heart of the Psalmist who longs for the intimate and distinct presence of the Lord. We’re so accustomed to this world, and most of us are so “wrapped up” in this world that we don’t really desire God like we should or like He desires us to want Him. We are far too contented to live life with the benefits and pleasures we currently have rather than to desire more of God’s presence among us and with us.

I find that for most people, the only time we really long for heaven (i.e. God’s presence) is when things are not going well at all – suffering; heartaches; sorrow; etc. But, as long as life is going well and we can enjoy the pleasures of this world, we wouldn’t care if it never ends.

I’ve talked to many people who are so involved in worldly pleasures that it really doesn’t seem to occur to them that they are missing the greatest part of life – experiencing the presence of God; knowing Him; and worshiping Him.

Our concept of "heaven on earth" is a world where we get everything we want, we live in comfort, we enjoy most if not all of the material blessings we dream about, etc. But, in reality it means having the supernatural presence of God, with God's will being accomplished as evil is being overcome. It is the surpassing confidence that in spite of whatever seems to be going wrong, God is still in control and is going to bring good out of it all.

One of the ingredients for experiencing “heaven on earth” is to have a passionate desire for God.

II.    Experience God’s presence

When we talk about the presence of God, there is a sense in which it is hard to distinguish whether the desire must precede the experience, or if the experience must create the desire. It may be a little of both. It makes sense to say that one really can’t desire God until he/she has at least had some limited experience of God’s presence that stimulates the passionate desire for more.

(Kirk Dearman, Worship Leader & Song Writer) Many years ago, my wife and I were extremely blessed to be a part of a genuine and sovereign visitation of God that was taking place in two particular churches in our area. We realize now that what we experienced in those days was the exception and not the norm for most local congregations.

As we gathered to worship the Lord during those exciting days, there was such a sense of expectation and a tangible awareness of God's presence. Many times we would be so overwhelmed by His presence that we could only respond by falling to our knees, or lying completely prostrate in an attitude of deep reverence. Often the pastor would be compelled to set aside his sermon and we would worship... sometimes for as long as two hour! The goal of our worship was to touch God's heart; to connect with Him in such a way that He would, in turn, respond to us, individually and corporately. We understood that we were coming together to meet with God, to "commune" with Him. It wasn't at all about us, it wasn't about the songs or the band. It was all about Him. The prevailing attitude of the congregation during those unforgettable times of corporate worship was one of profound reverence, wonder and awe. I have often said over the years that once you have experienced such times of corporate worship, you can never be satisfied with anything less.

What did I learn during those times of glorious worship?

I think the main thing I learned is to treasure God's presence. A healthy reverence for Him and for His presence was deeply ingrained into my spirit. I also learned that, far from being my "buddy", God is absolutely and wholly "Other", transcendent, and far beyond my comprehension. The early church fathers knew that much about God is shrouded in mystery. They called this mystery the mysterium tremendum, or "awesome mystery."

What makes heaven, heaven? It is the presence of divinity. It is the presence of Jesus.

(Jonathan Parnell, “Where Is Heaven on Earth?”) (http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/where-is-heaven-on-earth) Wherever the risen Christ is, that is heaven. That is why John’s vision in Revelation has heaven coming here, heralded as, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man” (Rev. 21:1–3).

When we seek for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, we are essentially seeking for the presence of God to be just as real here as it is there. We are seeking for Jesus to be just as close to us “here” as He is “up there.”

Experiencing the presence of God like Kirk Dearman and others have described is not a simple task or process. As I indicated in a message I gave about a month ago (The Still Small Voice), it requires intentional effort to get quiet enough before God and to approach Him with the right spirit and attitude.

So, the second necessary ingredient for having “heaven on earth” is to experience the real, genuine presence of God Himself.

III.   Engage in God’s enterprise

Finally, let’s consider the third ingredient that is necessary to have heaven on earth. What does it look like when “What is up there comes down here?”

(Jonathan Parnell) Until the [final] reality of God’s new creation overwhelms this old one, the way that heaven touches this world now is through his people — by his Spirit, through his people . . . people like you and me.

(Peter Cheyne) Jesus called His first disciples saying, “I will make you fishers of men”; not “I will make you comfortable” but “I will make you fishers of men.” He left them saying, “Go into all the world and make disciples.” On another occasion he said, “I chose you to go and bear much fruit – fruit that will last.” (Jn 15:16) The Biblical picture is not of us receiving salvation and waiting to be beamed up to heaven. The Biblical picture is of us being called to be agents bringing the Kingdom of God into this world.”

He continues… John 17:15-18 ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

Jesus’ prayer is not that we be plucked out of this nasty world but that we are sent into this sad world. Sent into the world, just like Jesus was sent into the world, to be an agent of the Kingdom of God.

…the misunderstanding that we are simply waiting to be plucked out of this world [along with] the [idea that the] good news is only really good news after we die, is keeping many people from seeking to experience God’s presence and power in their lives here and now. It is by becoming agents of the Kingdom and working for God’s will to be done in our own lives and our homes and workplaces and our society, that we do experience God.

When Jesus prayed, “As You have sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world,” He is defining our mission and purpose. We are the ones that are to help bring “what’s up there down here.”

Our lives are not to be all wrapped up in making our world as comfortable as it can be for ourselves, but it is to be wrapped up in making others around us feel as though a little bit of heaven has broken through into their chaotic world by bringing light to their darkness, healing to their pain, and robust life to their spiritual corpses.

When we connect with God in a way that was described at the beginning of the message, then we are in the best condition spiritually to go out and spread the “heaven on earth” experience with whomever we find that is in need of “good news.”

Let’s “Take Time to be Holy” then go spread it around!

Take Time to Be Holy