100:00:00,960 –> 00:00:14,040what does he experience now? What’s it like for dad? Now what is he doing now, and everyone who has a loved one, a Christian loved one who goes into the presence of the Lord, you ask these200:00:14,080 –> 00:00:24,520questions and you think about it and you may think about it in relation to yourself. Now, when that moment comes with me and I die and I pass into the presence of the Lord, what will it be like?300:00:25,080 –> 00:00:36,040You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick, glad you could join us today. And Colin, this is something that many people ask who have lost someone close to them. And you were going through this yourself400:00:36,080 –> 00:00:38,080at the time when you preach this message.500:00:38,279 –> 00:00:38,980Yeah,600:00:38,980 –> 00:00:50,279the message was meeting just after my father-in-law went to be with the Lord. As you say, everyone listening to us right now will have a personal experience of this, someone you know, someone that you love.700:00:50,279 –> 00:00:57,759Who you miss, they are no longer with you and you wonder about them. Now what is it like for them now?800:00:57,799 –> 00:01:11,760Well, we’re going to look at that question from the Bible today. For a person who is in Christ, your loved one has an immediate, conscious, joyful experience of the presence of the Lord.900:01:12,000 –> 00:01:18,260It often occurs to me that being unconscious wouldn’t be better by far than living with all of the joys of life in this world.1000:01:18,300 –> 00:01:21,260But Paul says it’s better by far. And why does he say that?1100:01:21,300 –> 00:01:26,139Because there’s the immediate, conscious, joyful experience of the presence of the Lord.1200:01:26,180 –> 00:01:31,260I want to see that in the Bible today so that we can ascertain what it’s like for our loved ones.1300:01:31,339 –> 00:01:37,059So, join us today, If you can, in Revelation 6 and verses 9 to 11, as we begin the message,1400:01:37,099 –> 00:01:39,260What will it be like in Heaven?1500:01:39,260 –> 00:01:40,839Here is Pastor Colin.1600:02:11,839 –> 00:02:16,039And we saw from the story, that the thief turned to Jesus,1700:02:16,039 –> 00:02:21,419that is, he began to fear God, he recognised Jesus Christ as King,1800:02:21,419 –> 00:02:25,220and he asked of Jesus, asking meaning, that he came empty handed,1900:02:25,220 –> 00:02:27,880he didn’t try and do a deal, he didn’t try and pretend,2000:02:27,880 –> 00:02:31,020that he was righteous in some way which he was not,2100:02:31,020 –> 00:02:35,220he turned and he asked, and then we saw that he trusted in Jesus,2200:02:35,220 –> 00:02:38,179what Jesus gave to him, was a promise,2300:02:38,500 –> 00:02:43,100And the thief trusted that promise of Jesus, in the darkness,2400:02:43,100 –> 00:02:48,520in the pain, and even when it came to the moment of death itself.2500:02:48,520 –> 00:02:52,679And so we saw that to the person who turns to Jesus,2600:02:52,679 –> 00:02:57,839and to the person who asks of Jesus, and the person who trust in Jesus,2700:02:57,839 –> 00:03:00,460it is to this person that Jesus says,2800:03:00,460 –> 00:03:04,820you will be with me in paradise.2900:03:05,100 –> 00:03:09,059Now, today we want to take it a step further and to ask the question,3000:03:09,059 –> 00:03:11,619well, what does that look like?3100:03:11,619 –> 00:03:15,759What exactly is the experience of a Christian believer3200:03:15,759 –> 00:03:18,080immediately after death?3300:03:18,080 –> 00:03:21,160Now, remember that immediately after death,3400:03:21,160 –> 00:03:23,240a believer in the presence of the Lord3500:03:23,240 –> 00:03:27,259does not yet experience all that’s to come in the resurrection.3600:03:27,259 –> 00:03:33,600The resurrection of the body comes when Christ comes in power and in glory.3700:03:33,600 –> 00:03:36,380Death is the separation of the soul from the body.3800:03:36,380 –> 00:03:41,339We lay to rest at the body of someone that we love who has died,3900:03:41,339 –> 00:03:45,259and their soul, their spirit goes into the presence of Jesus.4000:03:45,259 –> 00:03:48,460So what exactly, between now and the resurrection,4100:03:48,460 –> 00:03:53,179what exactly now is the experience of a Christian believer4200:03:53,179 –> 00:03:56,279in the presence of the Lord?4300:03:56,279 –> 00:04:00,360Today you will be with me in paradise.4400:04:00,360 –> 00:04:03,119Well, what was it for the thief at the end of that day?4500:04:03,179 –> 00:04:08,179Now, this is obviously a profoundly personal question4600:04:08,419 –> 00:04:10,300for all of us.4700:04:10,300 –> 00:04:12,419Earlier this year, as I think most of you know,4800:04:12,419 –> 00:04:14,059Karn and I were in England4900:04:14,059 –> 00:04:17,459for the funeral service of her father.5000:04:17,459 –> 00:04:21,079Dad died at the age of 90, he was a believer.5100:04:21,079 –> 00:04:23,040He died in the Lord.5200:04:23,040 –> 00:04:24,200And over these last weeks,5300:04:24,200 –> 00:04:25,880it has been natural in our minds,5400:04:25,880 –> 00:04:28,160and in our conversation, to be saying,5500:04:28,160 –> 00:04:32,100what does he experience now, what’s it like for dad now?5600:04:32,100 –> 00:04:33,839What is he doing now?5700:04:33,839 –> 00:04:38,459And everyone who has a loved one, a Christian loved one,5800:04:38,459 –> 00:04:40,619who goes into the presence of the Lord,5900:04:40,619 –> 00:04:43,100you ask these questions and you think about it.6000:04:43,100 –> 00:04:45,540And you may think about it in relation to yourself.6100:04:45,540 –> 00:04:47,519Now, when that moment comes for me,6200:04:47,519 –> 00:04:50,059and I die and I pass into the presence of the Lord,6300:04:50,059 –> 00:04:53,359what will it be like one minute after you die?6400:04:53,359 –> 00:04:55,859What is that experience going to be?6500:04:55,859 –> 00:05:00,859Now, I want to offer four answers to that question today,6600:05:01,200 –> 00:05:02,679and then very briefly at the end6700:05:02,679 –> 00:05:04,679to show how you can use these truths6800:05:04,679 –> 00:05:07,339that we’re drawing from various scriptures today6900:05:07,339 –> 00:05:09,380as a help and an encouragement7000:05:09,380 –> 00:05:12,239in your own walk with the Lord.7100:05:12,239 –> 00:05:14,679But we begin here that loved ones7200:05:14,679 –> 00:05:19,059who have died in the Lord are with Christ.7300:05:19,059 –> 00:05:22,200That’s answer number one, they are with Christ.7400:05:22,200 –> 00:05:24,339And of course, this is right in the words7500:05:24,339 –> 00:05:26,899that Jesus spoke to the thief on the cross.7600:05:26,899 –> 00:05:31,899Today you will be with me in paradise.7700:05:33,440 –> 00:05:35,720So the great promise was that7800:05:35,720 –> 00:05:38,660the thief would be with Jesus.7900:05:38,660 –> 00:05:43,019And Jesus says that it would be today.8000:05:43,019 –> 00:05:45,760Death he says to the thief, for you,8100:05:45,760 –> 00:05:48,679will be an immediate translation8200:05:48,679 –> 00:05:52,820into the joyful presence of the Father in heaven.8300:05:52,820 –> 00:05:56,480You will be with me.8400:05:56,480 –> 00:05:57,940Now we’ve noted several times8500:05:57,940 –> 00:06:00,880that we know that Jesus died before the thief.8600:06:00,880 –> 00:06:04,079He committed his spirit into the hands of the father.8700:06:04,079 –> 00:06:07,140And when the thief died the thief went immediately8800:06:07,140 –> 00:06:09,720into the presence of Jesus.8900:06:09,720 –> 00:06:11,079Think about that.9000:06:11,079 –> 00:06:12,959After all that he had endured9100:06:12,959 –> 00:06:17,959no post-traumatic stress for the thief in heaven.9200:06:18,760 –> 00:06:22,279No wounds from the past, no fears from the future.9300:06:22,359 –> 00:06:27,359Complete healing in the presence of Jesus.9400:06:27,619 –> 00:06:30,200Now that immediate translation9500:06:30,200 –> 00:06:35,079of the soul of the thief at death9600:06:35,079 –> 00:06:37,839entering into the presence of Jesus.9700:06:37,839 –> 00:06:41,559That immediate translation is really a kind of prototype9800:06:41,559 –> 00:06:44,119or a model of what happens9900:06:44,119 –> 00:06:47,920for the death of every Christian believer.10000:06:47,920 –> 00:06:50,359And we’re told this very clearly in the new Testament10100:06:50,420 –> 00:06:54,640in 2nd Corinthians, chapter 5 and verse 8,10200:06:54,640 –> 00:06:57,880where we’re told that to be away from the body,10300:06:57,880 –> 00:06:59,140that’s what death is,10400:06:59,140 –> 00:07:01,980your soul and your body that God has joined together10500:07:01,980 –> 00:07:05,200are separated and you are away from the body.10600:07:05,200 –> 00:07:07,640Your soul is away from the body.10700:07:07,640 –> 00:07:12,200That means that your soul is at home with the Lord.10800:07:12,200 –> 00:07:14,339And Paul actually states it both ways round10900:07:14,339 –> 00:07:16,920in 2nd Corinthians and chapter 5.11000:07:16,920 –> 00:07:18,600He says,11100:07:18,839 –> 00:07:21,679while we are at home in the body,11200:07:21,679 –> 00:07:24,179we are away from the Lord,11300:07:24,179 –> 00:07:27,640and he says we would rather be away from the body11400:07:27,640 –> 00:07:32,079because then we will be at home with the Lord.11500:07:33,160 –> 00:07:35,279So, when a believing loved one dies11600:07:35,279 –> 00:07:36,880and when the question comes to you,11700:07:36,880 –> 00:07:39,279now, where are they now?11800:07:39,279 –> 00:07:44,279Your first answer should always be they are with Christ.11900:07:45,859 –> 00:07:48,059They are with Christ.12000:07:48,079 –> 00:07:50,880They are away from the body.12100:07:50,880 –> 00:07:54,519That is why the family, those who love them,12200:07:54,519 –> 00:07:56,480will lay the body to rest.12300:07:56,480 –> 00:07:57,779Why do we lay the body to rest?12400:07:57,779 –> 00:07:59,760Because they’re away from the body,12500:07:59,760 –> 00:08:01,820and, being away from the body,12600:08:01,820 –> 00:08:06,059they are at home with the Lord.12700:08:06,059 –> 00:08:09,600Answer number one, with Christ.12800:08:09,600 –> 00:08:10,679Answer number two,12900:08:11,579 –> 00:08:16,579loved ones who have died in the Lord are fully conscious,13000:08:17,260 –> 00:08:21,880fully conscious, and when you pass into the presence13100:08:21,880 –> 00:08:23,260of the Lord Jesus through death,13200:08:23,260 –> 00:08:26,579that will be true for you as well.13300:08:26,579 –> 00:08:28,880Notice that Jesus said to the thief,13400:08:28,880 –> 00:08:33,880today, you will be with me in paradise.13500:08:34,820 –> 00:08:36,520There’s immediacy there.13600:08:37,359 –> 00:08:40,380Now, notice that Jesus does not say,13700:08:40,380 –> 00:08:42,919when the thief says will you remember me,13800:08:42,919 –> 00:08:46,239Jesus does not say well, let me explain this to you.13900:08:46,239 –> 00:08:48,539After today, you’re gonna go into14000:08:48,539 –> 00:08:50,340a long period of unconsciousness14100:08:50,340 –> 00:08:52,940that’s actually gonna last more than 2,000 years.14200:08:53,840 –> 00:08:55,760But after a long period of unconsciousness14300:08:55,760 –> 00:08:57,419that will last more than 2,000 years,14400:08:57,419 –> 00:08:59,500I will come again and then I will waken you up14500:08:59,500 –> 00:09:01,219and then you will be with me in paradise.14600:09:01,219 –> 00:09:03,039He does not say that, does he?14700:09:04,039 –> 00:09:07,500Now, get the weight and the significance of this.14800:09:07,500 –> 00:09:11,299Today, you will be with me in paradise.14900:09:11,299 –> 00:09:16,000That means immediate, conscious enjoyment15000:09:16,000 –> 00:09:19,520of the presence of the Lord.15100:09:20,359 –> 00:09:23,619Now, some Christians are confused at this point15200:09:23,619 –> 00:09:26,239and through the history of the church,15300:09:26,239 –> 00:09:28,479there have been some small groups15400:09:28,479 –> 00:09:30,719that have seized on the fact15500:09:30,719 –> 00:09:35,039that the Bible often describes death as a kind of sleep.15600:09:35,039 –> 00:09:38,679It uses that analogy, we shall not all sleep,15700:09:38,679 –> 00:09:41,280but we shall all be changed.15800:09:41,280 –> 00:09:43,559And because of that, there have been some, a few,15900:09:43,580 –> 00:09:47,619who have suggested that the souls of believers16000:09:47,619 –> 00:09:49,799go to sleep when they die.16100:09:49,799 –> 00:09:53,340In other words, that they become unconscious.16200:09:53,340 –> 00:09:58,340But what sleeps, when the Bible uses that language,16300:09:59,080 –> 00:10:03,840what sleeps is not the soul, what sleeps is the body.16400:10:03,840 –> 00:10:06,219That’s why we lay the body to rest.16500:10:06,219 –> 00:10:10,140The body is laid to rest until the resurrection,16600:10:10,140 –> 00:10:15,140the soul is alive and thrives in the presence of Jesus.16700:10:18,559 –> 00:10:21,760Now I think that it may be that some folks16800:10:21,760 –> 00:10:24,940get their minds onto this idea of soul sleep.16900:10:24,940 –> 00:10:28,840Because candidly it’s easier to imagine unconsciousness17000:10:28,840 –> 00:10:33,840than it is to imagine the life of a soul without a body.17100:10:34,260 –> 00:10:36,780And we’ll come to that in just a few moments’ time17200:10:36,780 –> 00:10:39,580to try to give some help in that regard.17300:10:39,599 –> 00:10:41,140But what I want you to notice now17400:10:41,140 –> 00:10:45,900is that unconsciousness is not the promise of Jesus.17500:10:45,900 –> 00:10:47,380Thank God for that.17600:10:47,380 –> 00:10:50,380Enjoying the presence of God17700:10:50,380 –> 00:10:53,320in the company of Jesus in paradise,17800:10:53,320 –> 00:10:56,520that is His promise.17900:10:56,520 –> 00:10:58,979And remember this just by way of underlining it.18000:11:00,460 –> 00:11:04,219The Apostle Paul said, and you can help me with this verse,18100:11:04,219 –> 00:11:09,020for me to live is Christ and to die is?18200:11:09,479 –> 00:11:10,320Gain.18300:11:11,520 –> 00:11:13,380He then goes on two verses later,18400:11:13,380 –> 00:11:15,719Philippians chapter one and verse 2318500:11:15,719 –> 00:11:18,820to say that he desires to go into be with Christ18600:11:18,820 –> 00:11:21,900because to be with Christ is better by far.18700:11:23,039 –> 00:11:24,640Now what he’s saying in these two statements,18800:11:24,640 –> 00:11:28,400Philippians 21 and Philippians 123,18900:11:28,400 –> 00:11:30,320it’s gain, it’s better by far,19000:11:30,320 –> 00:11:33,919is that what a believer experiences immediately19100:11:33,919 –> 00:11:36,599in the conscious enjoyment of the presence of Jesus19200:11:36,599 –> 00:11:40,760is better, is more than the very best19300:11:40,760 –> 00:11:44,179that you can know as a Christian believer in this world.19400:11:45,440 –> 00:11:47,820So think of everything that you can know and enjoy19500:11:47,820 –> 00:11:49,679as a Christian believer in this world.19600:11:49,679 –> 00:11:52,559In Christ, you are born again.19700:11:52,559 –> 00:11:55,039You are justified by faith.19800:11:55,039 –> 00:11:57,400You are reconciled to God.19900:11:57,400 –> 00:11:59,479You are adopted into his family20000:11:59,479 –> 00:12:01,880as a son or a daughter of the King.20100:12:01,880 –> 00:12:04,700The spirit of God lives within you20200:12:05,119 –> 00:12:07,539and nothing can ever separate you20300:12:07,539 –> 00:12:09,200from the love of God20400:12:09,200 –> 00:12:12,059that is in Jesus Christ our Lord.20500:12:12,059 –> 00:12:14,940You are blessed with every spiritual blessing20600:12:14,940 –> 00:12:17,739in Jesus Christ and that is yours now.20700:12:17,739 –> 00:12:19,340There is no way in the world20800:12:19,340 –> 00:12:21,940that being unconscious is better than that.20900:12:22,940 –> 00:12:25,719That would be so much less.21000:12:25,719 –> 00:12:27,979And Paul says, what lies beyond for the believer21100:12:27,979 –> 00:12:30,659immediately, is not less, it is more, it is gain,21200:12:30,659 –> 00:12:32,200it is better by far21300:12:32,200 –> 00:12:34,299than the very best that you can know21400:12:34,340 –> 00:12:37,000in this life in all of your experience21500:12:37,000 –> 00:12:38,979of Jesus Christ in this world,21600:12:38,979 –> 00:12:42,099better than all that you have of Christ right now,21700:12:42,099 –> 00:12:44,000better than anything you have ever known21800:12:44,000 –> 00:12:45,979in this world as a Christian believer,21900:12:45,979 –> 00:12:49,000better than anything you can know in this world22000:12:49,000 –> 00:12:49,940as a believer.22100:12:49,940 –> 00:12:51,599That is not unconsciousness22200:12:51,599 –> 00:12:54,099that is immediate conscious enjoyment22300:12:54,099 –> 00:12:57,479of the presence of Jesus.22400:12:57,479 –> 00:12:59,159So I want us to be clear about that22500:12:59,159 –> 00:13:02,260otherwise we will not have a joyful anticipation22600:13:02,260 –> 00:13:04,179of what lies ahead22700:13:04,179 –> 00:13:08,159as you find so vibrantly in the New Testament.22800:13:09,380 –> 00:13:10,580You’re listening to Open the Bible22900:13:10,580 –> 00:13:11,900with Pastor Colin Smith23000:13:11,900 –> 00:13:12,979in a message called,23100:13:12,979 –> 00:13:15,500What Will it be Like in Heaven?23200:13:15,500 –> 00:13:18,359Part of our series simply entitled Heaven23300:13:18,359 –> 00:13:19,580and it’s taken today23400:13:19,580 –> 00:13:23,099from Revelation 6 verses 9 to 11.23500:13:23,099 –> 00:13:25,580If you ever miss one of the messages in the series23600:13:25,580 –> 00:13:26,799you can easily catch up23700:13:26,799 –> 00:13:28,440or go back and listen again23800:13:28,440 –> 00:13:30,219by coming online to our website23900:13:30,219 –> 00:13:33,859at openthebible.org.uk24000:13:33,859 –> 00:13:35,340or find us as a podcast24100:13:35,340 –> 00:13:37,080on all the main podcast sites,24200:13:37,080 –> 00:13:39,179search for open the Bible, UK24300:13:39,179 –> 00:13:41,900or follow the link from our website.24400:13:41,900 –> 00:13:43,119Back to the message now,24500:13:43,119 –> 00:13:45,059here again is Colin.24600:13:45,059 –> 00:13:46,520Believers who have died,24700:13:46,520 –> 00:13:48,299what are they experiencing right now?24800:13:48,299 –> 00:13:49,419They are with Christ,24900:13:49,419 –> 00:13:51,000that’s answer number one.25000:13:52,200 –> 00:13:54,099They are fully conscious25100:13:54,099 –> 00:13:56,039is answer number two.25200:13:56,039 –> 00:13:57,039Answer number three,25300:13:58,479 –> 00:14:00,419they are actively engaged25400:14:01,440 –> 00:14:03,559and here’s what I want to encourage you25500:14:03,599 –> 00:14:05,799in regards to our thinking25600:14:05,799 –> 00:14:08,000about the life that is to come.25700:14:09,440 –> 00:14:10,659Here’s the problem that we have25800:14:10,659 –> 00:14:13,359I alluded to it a moment ago,25900:14:14,340 –> 00:14:17,059everything that we enjoy in this life26000:14:17,059 –> 00:14:19,200is experienced through the body.26100:14:20,739 –> 00:14:23,140So we enjoy walking and running,26200:14:24,039 –> 00:14:26,359but how can you do that without legs?26300:14:27,700 –> 00:14:30,479We enjoy listening to music,26400:14:30,479 –> 00:14:32,900but how could you do that without ears?26500:14:34,039 –> 00:14:36,840We enjoy seeing the world,26600:14:36,840 –> 00:14:39,599but how could you do that without eyes?26700:14:40,539 –> 00:14:42,719Everything we do, everything we enjoy,26800:14:42,719 –> 00:14:44,280everything we experience,26900:14:44,280 –> 00:14:47,539we experience in this life through the body.27000:14:49,119 –> 00:14:51,719Now here is someone that you love,27100:14:51,719 –> 00:14:54,080and the soul has been separated from the body,27200:14:54,080 –> 00:14:57,520their body has been laid to rest,27300:14:57,520 –> 00:14:59,979they won’t get the Resurrection Body27400:14:59,979 –> 00:15:01,640until Jesus Christ comes,27500:15:01,739 –> 00:15:03,799and so it sits in your mind saying,27600:15:03,799 –> 00:15:07,640so what in the world can they possibly be doing right now?27700:15:09,440 –> 00:15:11,820Now here’s what has helped me with this question,27800:15:11,820 –> 00:15:13,820and I hope it will be helpful to you.27900:15:14,799 –> 00:15:16,380Think about it.28000:15:16,380 –> 00:15:19,780God has given life to you28100:15:19,780 –> 00:15:24,780through the union of your body and your soul.28200:15:24,940 –> 00:15:26,260That of course is why death,28300:15:26,260 –> 00:15:28,200which is the separation of the soul from the body,28400:15:28,200 –> 00:15:29,599is such a fearful thing,28500:15:29,599 –> 00:15:32,200it is the undoing of our very nature.28600:15:32,200 –> 00:15:34,580It is the tearing apart of the very thing28700:15:34,580 –> 00:15:36,960that God has bound together28800:15:36,960 –> 00:15:39,960in giving us the life that we know in this world.28900:15:39,960 –> 00:15:43,280So it’s very hard for us to imagine anything other29000:15:43,280 –> 00:15:48,280than life that exists through and in the body,29100:15:48,520 –> 00:15:53,520but angels are souls or spirits without bodies.29200:15:53,960 –> 00:15:58,880They never had bodies, they never will have bodies,29300:15:58,880 –> 00:16:02,059they are souls or spirits.29400:16:02,059 –> 00:16:06,739Hebrews 1, and verse 14, angels are ministering spirits,29500:16:10,020 –> 00:16:14,859and Jesus says in regards to his own resurrection,29600:16:14,859 –> 00:16:18,320he says to the disciples, Luke 24, and verse 39,29700:16:18,320 –> 00:16:23,320a spirit does not have flesh or bones29800:16:24,039 –> 00:16:26,820and then he says, as you see I have,29900:16:26,820 –> 00:16:28,580a fascinating reference to the nature30000:16:28,580 –> 00:16:29,919of the resurrection body.30100:16:29,919 –> 00:16:33,440But he says a spirit does not have flesh and bones,30200:16:33,440 –> 00:16:36,140a spirit does not have flesh and bones,30300:16:36,140 –> 00:16:39,280angels don’t have flesh and bones.30400:16:40,799 –> 00:16:43,460Wayne Grudem, who has written a marvelous book30500:16:43,460 –> 00:16:44,919called Systematic Theology,30600:16:44,919 –> 00:16:47,619that just means bringing in a systematized way30700:16:47,619 –> 00:16:49,799truths on various themes together30800:16:49,799 –> 00:16:51,359from across the whole bible,30900:16:51,359 –> 00:16:52,900he says this about angels,31000:16:52,900 –> 00:16:56,099angels are created spiritual beings31100:16:56,099 –> 00:16:58,239with moral judgment,31200:16:58,239 –> 00:17:01,159with high intelligence,31300:17:01,159 –> 00:17:05,479but without physical bodies.31400:17:06,439 –> 00:17:08,119So think this through with me.31500:17:09,000 –> 00:17:10,800In the Bible,31600:17:10,800 –> 00:17:15,020we have created beings31700:17:15,020 –> 00:17:17,760that are souls or spirits31800:17:17,760 –> 00:17:20,680without bodies31900:17:20,680 –> 00:17:21,520and32000:17:22,439 –> 00:17:24,280we are told a great deal32100:17:24,280 –> 00:17:25,959about their activity.32200:17:26,859 –> 00:17:29,339A great deal about the activity of angels.32300:17:29,339 –> 00:17:30,839A great deal about the activity32400:17:30,839 –> 00:17:32,400of these created spirits32500:17:32,400 –> 00:17:34,239who have never had bodies never will32600:17:35,219 –> 00:17:37,579and yet they’re joyful engagement,32700:17:37,579 –> 00:17:40,540actively engaged in the purposes of God.32800:17:41,520 –> 00:17:43,760So thinking about what is possible32900:17:43,760 –> 00:17:45,199for angels without bodies33000:17:45,199 –> 00:17:47,520will just begin to give us some help33100:17:47,520 –> 00:17:50,439to trigger our minds33200:17:51,199 –> 00:17:54,900with regards what is possible in the presence of God33300:17:54,900 –> 00:17:59,359for those who have gone as souls and as spirits33400:17:59,359 –> 00:18:03,739into the presence of Jesus awaiting the resurrection.33500:18:04,680 –> 00:18:06,900So this is what has helped me,33600:18:06,900 –> 00:18:10,859you don’t need a body to do what angels do.33700:18:11,800 –> 00:18:13,699They are ministering spirit.33800:18:14,560 –> 00:18:16,739They therefore give to us a model,33900:18:16,739 –> 00:18:20,040a pattern for thinking about the experience34000:18:20,119 –> 00:18:24,699of our believing loved ones who are now with the Lord.34100:18:24,699 –> 00:18:26,959So let me just tease that out a little bit for you,34200:18:26,959 –> 00:18:28,500give you just one or two examples34300:18:28,500 –> 00:18:31,180that quickly come to mind from the Bible34400:18:31,180 –> 00:18:35,619about what angels do, how they’re actively engaged34500:18:35,619 –> 00:18:38,119and therefore open up our thinking34600:18:38,119 –> 00:18:40,300with regards to the experience now34700:18:40,300 –> 00:18:42,859of our believing loved ones in heaven.34800:18:42,859 –> 00:18:47,859For example, angels see and so do believers in heaven.34900:18:50,479 –> 00:18:53,660So Jesus says this, Matthew chapter 18 in verse 10,35000:18:53,660 –> 00:18:56,359don’t despise these little ones for I tell you35100:18:56,359 –> 00:19:01,319that in heaven their angels always see the face35200:19:01,319 –> 00:19:04,920of my Father who is in heaven.35300:19:04,920 –> 00:19:06,920Now they don’t have bodies,35400:19:06,920 –> 00:19:09,880angels don’t have eyeballs, they don’t have retinas.35500:19:09,880 –> 00:19:12,199So you say, how do you see without an eyeball on a retina?35600:19:12,199 –> 00:19:14,079I don’t know, but the Bible tells me35700:19:14,079 –> 00:19:18,160that angels see the Father, the Spirit see the Father.35800:19:19,099 –> 00:19:21,199They behold him.35900:19:21,199 –> 00:19:24,400You don’t need a body to do that is what we’re being told36000:19:24,400 –> 00:19:27,359in Matthew chapter 18 in verse 10.36100:19:28,479 –> 00:19:31,500And the same therefore is true for your believing loved ones.36200:19:31,500 –> 00:19:35,479Faith has been turned to sight for them.36300:19:35,479 –> 00:19:39,680They will have eyes in the resurrection.36400:19:39,680 –> 00:19:42,839But right now they see and behold the face of the Father36500:19:42,839 –> 00:19:44,699in the same way as angels do,36600:19:44,699 –> 00:19:48,000and they do not have bodies and do not need them to do it.36700:19:49,000 –> 00:19:51,739Second angels spend,36800:19:51,739 –> 00:19:53,359and so do believers in Heaven,36900:19:53,359 –> 00:19:55,380there’s joyful communication.37000:19:55,380 –> 00:19:57,420We read this every Christmas, don’t we?37100:19:57,420 –> 00:19:59,260Suddenly there was, with the angel,37200:19:59,260 –> 00:20:03,880a multitude of the heavenly host praising God saying,37300:20:03,880 –> 00:20:07,439how do you say without a larynx?37400:20:07,439 –> 00:20:11,319I don’t know, but angels do and they don’t have bodies37500:20:11,319 –> 00:20:14,000and they communicate and they declare the glory of God37600:20:14,000 –> 00:20:17,719and you’re believing loved ones do so also37700:20:17,760 –> 00:20:19,180in the presence of Jesus.37800:20:19,180 –> 00:20:22,339We will have vocal chords in the resurrection,37900:20:23,339 –> 00:20:27,260but right now they speak as angels do.38000:20:28,699 –> 00:20:33,540Thirdly, angels rejoice and so do believers in Heaven.38100:20:33,540 –> 00:20:35,819Remember Jesus saying, Luke chapter 15,38200:20:35,819 –> 00:20:40,060I tell you there is joy before the angels of God38300:20:40,060 –> 00:20:43,160over one sinner who repents.38400:20:43,859 –> 00:20:48,859Four, angels worship and so do believers in Heaven.38500:20:49,500 –> 00:20:51,339I’m looking at Revelation five,38600:20:51,339 –> 00:20:53,400I looked and I heard around the throne38700:20:53,400 –> 00:20:56,219the voice of many angels,38800:20:56,219 –> 00:20:57,739so here are these spirits38900:20:57,739 –> 00:21:00,359and there are thousands upon thousands of them39000:21:00,359 –> 00:21:02,239and they’re saying in a loud voice,39100:21:02,239 –> 00:21:04,219worthy as the Lamb who was slain39200:21:04,219 –> 00:21:06,239to receive power, and wealth, and wisdom,39300:21:06,239 –> 00:21:11,119and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing,39400:21:11,459 –> 00:21:13,739and the redeemed in the presence of Christ39500:21:13,739 –> 00:21:14,819share in this.39600:21:16,479 –> 00:21:18,800Don’t yet have the resurrection body39700:21:18,800 –> 00:21:21,880but oh weak is the effort of my heart39800:21:23,439 –> 00:21:25,660and cold my warmest thought39900:21:25,660 –> 00:21:28,380but when I see thee, as thou art,40000:21:28,380 –> 00:21:30,760I’ll praise thee as I ought.40100:21:30,760 –> 00:21:32,099You will worship40200:21:33,479 –> 00:21:36,560out of a full and an overflowing heart40300:21:36,560 –> 00:21:41,560in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.40400:21:42,160 –> 00:21:45,420Faith turned to sight, fullness of joy40500:21:45,420 –> 00:21:49,339uninhibited by any sluggishness of the flesh.40600:21:50,699 –> 00:21:51,839It’s gonna be glorious.40700:21:53,020 –> 00:21:54,199A really helpful message40800:21:54,199 –> 00:21:57,479there from Pastor Colin Smith on Open the Bible.40900:21:57,479 –> 00:22:00,979The message is called What will it be like in heaven?41000:22:00,979 –> 00:22:04,260Part of the series simply called heaven.41100:22:04,260 –> 00:22:05,819If you ever miss one of the series41200:22:05,859 –> 00:22:08,540you can easily catch up or go back and listen again41300:22:08,540 –> 00:22:13,359online at our website, that’s at openthebible.org.uk.41400:22:14,339 –> 00:22:16,020Many listeners to this program41500:22:16,020 –> 00:22:18,420also listen to Open the Bible Daily41600:22:18,420 –> 00:22:20,300which is our series of short41700:22:20,300 –> 00:22:22,739two to three minute daily reflections41800:22:22,739 –> 00:22:24,619based on Pastor Colin’s teaching41900:22:24,619 –> 00:22:27,619and read in the UK by Sue McClezar.42000:22:27,619 –> 00:22:29,239Sue was in the studio recently42100:22:29,239 –> 00:22:31,260so I took the opportunity to talk to her42200:22:31,260 –> 00:22:33,219about Open the Bible Daily.42300:22:33,260 –> 00:22:36,060Sue, you’ve been the voice of Open the Bible Daily42400:22:36,060 –> 00:22:37,439for several years now.42500:22:37,439 –> 00:22:39,459What are your memories of it?42600:22:39,459 –> 00:22:42,979Well David, it’s been such a privilege.42700:22:42,979 –> 00:22:43,900It really has.42800:22:43,900 –> 00:22:46,560It’s been wonderful to work with you42900:22:46,560 –> 00:22:48,760but it’s been even more wonderful43000:22:48,760 –> 00:22:51,619to be able to share what I believe43100:22:51,619 –> 00:22:56,619is really anointed gospel teaching from Pastor Colin.43200:22:57,000 –> 00:23:00,579It really has been a huge privilege43300:23:00,579 –> 00:23:02,000and I just thank God43400:23:02,060 –> 00:23:04,839that he put me in the place to do this.43500:23:04,839 –> 00:23:06,500How do you think listeners benefit43600:23:06,500 –> 00:23:09,219from listening to Open the Bible Daily regularly?43700:23:09,219 –> 00:23:11,400I do believe that the dailies43800:23:11,400 –> 00:23:14,859have a real place actually in peoples’ faith.43900:23:14,859 –> 00:23:18,060I know for a fact that many people44000:23:18,060 –> 00:23:22,180have just found the length to be perfect for them.44100:23:22,180 –> 00:23:24,680Gives them a wonderful little reflection44200:23:24,680 –> 00:23:26,560to take into the day.44300:23:26,560 –> 00:23:29,160What’s been your own experience of Open the Bible44400:23:29,160 –> 00:23:31,839since you started listening to Pastor Colin Smith,44500:23:31,839 –> 00:23:33,099many years ago?44600:23:33,099 –> 00:23:36,060I have benefited in the most wonderful way.44700:23:36,060 –> 00:23:37,920I was in a very dark place44800:23:37,920 –> 00:23:42,239when I was first introduced to Colin’s sermons44900:23:42,239 –> 00:23:46,920and it just completely broke into my darkness,45000:23:46,920 –> 00:23:51,119brought light into my life and from that moment onwards,45100:23:51,119 –> 00:23:54,319I just could not wait to hear another sermon45200:23:54,319 –> 00:23:57,619and to be taught deeply about the Bible45300:23:57,619 –> 00:24:01,400and its message and the fact that it’s all one45400:24:01,420 –> 00:24:03,880and it all points to Jesus.45500:24:03,880 –> 00:24:06,839Starting this month, we’ll be featuring new readers45600:24:06,839 –> 00:24:08,800at For Open the Bible Daily.45700:24:08,800 –> 00:24:10,739Sue, what are your hopes for the future45800:24:10,739 –> 00:24:12,140of Open the Bible Daily?45900:24:12,140 –> 00:24:14,079I do believe that Pastor Colin46000:24:14,079 –> 00:24:16,380has a really anointed ministry46100:24:16,380 –> 00:24:18,599and I am absolutely delighted46200:24:18,599 –> 00:24:22,180that the UK link is going from strength to strength46300:24:22,180 –> 00:24:25,640and I just wish the new readers, every joy,46400:24:25,640 –> 00:24:29,540the joy that I have had in sharing God’s word46500:24:29,619 –> 00:24:32,780and Pastor Colin’s wonderful teaching.46600:24:32,780 –> 00:24:34,939So whether you are a regular listener46700:24:34,939 –> 00:24:35,979of Open the Bible Daily46800:24:35,979 –> 00:24:38,079or maybe it’s something you’d like to try,46900:24:38,079 –> 00:24:42,640you can find it on our website at openthebible.org.uk47000:24:42,640 –> 00:24:44,560and you can also find it as a podcast47100:24:44,560 –> 00:24:47,579by searching for Open the Bible UK.47200:24:47,579 –> 00:24:49,900Thanks for listening to Open the Bible today47300:24:49,900 –> 00:24:51,660and I hope you’ll join us again47400:24:51,660 –> 00:24:53,780when we hear the second part of the message,47500:24:53,780 –> 00:24:55,859What Will it Be Like in Heaven?47600:24:55,859 –> 00:24:58,079For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,47700:24:58,079 –> 00:24:59,160I’m David Pick.47800:24:59,180 –> 00:25:01,400Join us again next time on Open the Bible.47900:25:17,380 –> 00:25:19,479What’s it like for believing loved ones48000:25:19,479 –> 00:25:21,579who are already in Heaven?48100:25:21,579 –> 00:25:23,560Find out next time on Open the Bible.