100:00:00,920 –> 00:00:03,680FINGERSCREEKING200:00:03,680 –> 00:00:09,420Today we come to the subject of relationship and particularly the question will we know300:00:09,420 –> 00:00:10,520one another in heaven?400:00:10,520 –> 00:00:14,920I think that is probably the question that I have been asked about heaven500:00:14,920 –> 00:00:16,459more often than any other.600:00:16,459 –> 00:00:21,400Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and Colin if you’ve been asked that700:00:21,400 –> 00:00:23,719question a lot you must have an answer.800:00:23,719 –> 00:00:25,559You want the one word answer?900:00:25,559 –> 00:00:26,559Yes!1000:00:26,559 –> 00:00:27,920Praise the Lord!1100:00:28,040 –> 00:00:33,480Everything about our life in the presence of the Lord will be more than our experience1200:00:33,480 –> 00:00:39,660of life here and God has made us, not as sort of isolated individuals he has made us with1300:00:39,660 –> 00:00:44,939the joy of knowing one another and the richness that comes to life in our relationship, and1400:00:44,939 –> 00:00:50,520our relationship with each other and our relationship with him will be moved to another level altogether1500:00:50,520 –> 00:00:51,939when faith is turned to sight.1600:00:51,939 –> 00:00:56,680Amnazing that we get to know each other without the element of sin that is always present1700:00:56,820 –> 00:00:58,180in our relationships here.1800:00:58,180 –> 00:00:59,259Yeah, that’s right.1900:00:59,259 –> 00:01:03,680Adam and Eve knew this wonderful relationship, fellowship with God, fellowship with each2000:01:03,680 –> 00:01:03,959Trevor Yeah.2100:01:03,959 –> 00:01:07,559other in the garden of Eden, that was then spoiled and ruined.2200:01:07,559 –> 00:01:11,779Well, Christ is going to bring us back not only to that level but to something even better2300:01:11,779 –> 00:01:11,980still.2400:01:11,980 –> 00:01:17,379So, join us if you can, in Revelation Chapter 7, as we begin the message, Will we know not2500:01:17,379 –> 00:01:19,300one another in heaven?2600:01:19,300 –> 00:01:21,279Here is Parstor Colin.2700:01:21,279 –> 00:01:24,540We’ve asked the question, how can I be sure of heaven?2800:01:24,540 –> 00:01:28,660And we saw the answer from the story of the thief on the cross.2900:01:28,660 –> 00:01:33,620He turned to Jesus, he asked of Jesus, and he trusted in Jesus.3000:01:33,620 –> 00:01:40,620And to the person who turns, and asks, and trusts, Jesus says you will be with me in3100:01:40,620 –> 00:01:42,540paradise.3200:01:42,540 –> 00:01:46,440And then, last week, we asked the question what will it be like in heaven.3300:01:46,440 –> 00:01:51,959What is the experience of our Christian loved ones immediately after death for those who3400:01:52,059 –> 00:01:54,879are already in the presence of the Lord.3500:01:54,879 –> 00:01:57,900We saw four answers to that question from the Bible.3600:01:57,900 –> 00:02:05,760They are with Christ, they are fully conscious, they are actively engaged, and they are eagerly3700:02:05,760 –> 00:02:07,279waiting.3800:02:07,279 –> 00:02:13,800What they enjoy in heaven is better by far than anything that we know here on earth.3900:02:13,800 –> 00:02:17,960But the best for them and for us is still yet to be.4000:02:17,960 –> 00:02:20,559They are waiting for the resurrection of the body.4100:02:20,559 –> 00:02:24,199They are waiting for the gathering of the entire family of God.4200:02:24,199 –> 00:02:27,100They are waiting for the new heaven and the new earth.4300:02:27,100 –> 00:02:32,259All that lies in the future for them as it does for us.4400:02:32,259 –> 00:02:37,139Now, today we come to the subject of relationship.4500:02:37,139 –> 00:02:40,679Particularly the question, will we know one another in heaven?4600:02:40,679 –> 00:02:45,520I think that’s probably the question that I’ve been asked about heaven more often than4700:02:45,520 –> 00:02:46,580any other.4800:02:46,779 –> 00:02:52,059So, we’re going to attempt a clear answer from many scriptures a little later in the4900:02:52,059 –> 00:02:53,679message today.5000:02:53,679 –> 00:02:56,220The outline is simply this.5100:02:56,220 –> 00:03:00,520We’re going to look at the joy of being at home in heaven.5200:03:00,520 –> 00:03:04,600We’re going to look at the joy of being together in heaven.5300:03:04,600 –> 00:03:09,179And, we’re going to look at the joy of being with Christ in heaven.5400:03:09,179 –> 00:03:12,979So, if you have your Bible, open up Revelation in chapter 7.5500:03:12,979 –> 00:03:18,699We begin there at verse 9 with the joy of being at home.5600:03:18,699 –> 00:03:20,339After this, John says,5700:03:28,119 –> 00:03:31,320Now, what a great scene this is.5800:03:31,320 –> 00:03:36,679John sees a vast crowd, a great multitude, he says,5900:03:43,199 –> 00:03:46,919They are standing before the lamb.6000:03:46,919 –> 00:03:49,399And notice that those who are in the presence of Jesus,6100:03:49,399 –> 00:03:53,119as John sees them, they are dressed in white robes,6200:03:53,119 –> 00:03:56,559which of course speaks of complete purity.6300:03:56,559 –> 00:04:01,619There is not the hint of a stain of sin upon them.6400:04:01,619 –> 00:04:07,520There is not the whiff of a temptation anywhere near them.6500:04:07,520 –> 00:04:11,520And they have palm branches in their hands.6600:04:11,660 –> 00:04:16,480Palm branches of course in biblical times were symbols of victory.6700:04:16,480 –> 00:04:22,339And here are these people and they are celebrating complete, total, utter and lasting victory.6800:04:22,339 –> 00:04:28,559There are for them no more battles, no more struggles, no more wounds.6900:04:28,559 –> 00:04:34,720Complete and total victory and they ascribe this victory, not to themselves, but to God.7000:04:34,720 –> 00:04:42,739Salvation they say belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.7100:04:42,739 –> 00:04:49,140So obviously their experience is very different from what we experience here.7200:04:49,140 –> 00:04:55,660Think about it, when you become a Christian you give your, Jesus Christ gives you a new heart,7300:04:55,660 –> 00:04:57,279a new heart I will give you.7400:04:57,359 –> 00:05:05,500God puts his Holy Spirit within you, but you live this life in the body and therefore living7500:05:05,500 –> 00:05:11,980a truly Christian life as we try to pursue that is a battle all the way.7600:05:11,980 –> 00:05:16,700It’s a battle for us in this world because we live with the baggage of remaining sin7700:05:16,700 –> 00:05:20,359that’s never completely gone in this life.7800:05:20,359 –> 00:05:25,239We live with the pain of a fallen world in which God is so dishonoured and righteousness7900:05:25,239 –> 00:05:32,859despised and where evil and violence cast a shadow over all that is good.8000:05:32,859 –> 00:05:38,380We’re up constantly against the pull of the flesh in this world.8100:05:38,380 –> 00:05:43,660It may change the direction of the pull as you move through the course of life.8200:05:43,660 –> 00:05:48,720The pull of the flesh may be at one point more in the direction of lust and at another8300:05:48,720 –> 00:05:53,559time more in the direction of greed and at another time more in the direction of laziness.8400:05:53,559 –> 00:05:59,720The pull of the flesh may change its direction but the pull never ends and the battle never8500:05:59,720 –> 00:06:01,779goes away.8600:06:01,779 –> 00:06:07,779And then we have our enemy the devil who throughout, though he cannot ever finally succeed against8700:06:07,779 –> 00:06:10,619us will never give up trying.8800:06:10,619 –> 00:06:17,320And so in this world we are always living a life of repentance and of faith.8900:06:17,320 –> 00:06:21,980Repentance because we are never beyond the place of being aware of our own sins and our9000:06:22,059 –> 00:06:27,279failures, and faith because we have to walk by faith and not by sight.9100:06:27,279 –> 00:06:31,980And we do this with the help of the Holy Spirit and because God has put a new heart within9200:06:31,980 –> 00:06:32,980us.9300:06:32,980 –> 00:06:37,820But the Christian life, to pursue a truly Christian life in this world is a struggle9400:06:37,820 –> 00:06:40,540all the way.9500:06:40,540 –> 00:06:44,619But what we are seeing here in Revelation in chapter 7 is that it will not always be9600:06:44,619 –> 00:06:46,799so.9700:06:46,899 –> 00:06:52,359One sees believers in the presence of Jesus and they’re not struggling at all.9800:06:52,359 –> 00:06:54,600They are celebrating victory.9900:06:54,600 –> 00:06:58,200They’re waving palm branches.10000:06:58,200 –> 00:07:02,160There isn’t the hint of a stain of a sin upon them.10100:07:02,160 –> 00:07:05,600There isn’t the whiff of a temptation near them.10200:07:05,600 –> 00:07:11,440Their long struggle is over and their battle has been won.10300:07:11,440 –> 00:07:13,920And so now they are at home.10400:07:13,920 –> 00:07:15,399Verse 15.10500:07:15,399 –> 00:07:23,019Therefore they are before the throne of God and they serve him day and night in his temple.10600:07:23,019 –> 00:07:29,440And he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.10700:07:29,440 –> 00:07:36,440That last phrase shelter them with his presence literally translated means that he, God, will10800:07:36,440 –> 00:07:39,339spread his tent over them.10900:07:39,339 –> 00:07:41,440It’s a beautiful picture.11000:07:41,440 –> 00:07:45,040You imagine this vast piece of canvas.11100:07:45,040 –> 00:07:51,480And here is the Almighty and he’s shaking it out and it floats now down over all of11200:07:51,480 –> 00:07:56,959the people of God so that nobody is outside and everybody is inside.11300:07:56,959 –> 00:07:59,959It is the most beautiful picture of inclusion.11400:07:59,959 –> 00:08:04,540He will spread his tent over all of his people.11500:08:04,540 –> 00:08:07,440It’s a wonderful way of saying you’re at home here.11600:08:07,440 –> 00:08:11,220This is where you belong.11700:08:11,500 –> 00:08:17,420Try and think about the time or the place in your life where you would say you felt11800:08:17,420 –> 00:08:23,220most at home, where you were most yourself.11900:08:23,220 –> 00:08:25,959Where is that?12000:08:25,959 –> 00:08:28,899When was that?12100:08:28,899 –> 00:08:36,099Wherever and whenever it was or is, what you experience when you feel most completely at12200:08:36,260 –> 00:08:44,880home is just a little foretaste of what you will experience in the presence of the Lord.12300:08:44,880 –> 00:08:51,080And that’s very important because some of us struggle to feel at home in this life.12400:08:51,080 –> 00:08:54,159Some don’t feel completely at home in their work.12500:08:54,159 –> 00:08:59,280You are doing this job and you say, I’m not sure it’s really me.12600:08:59,280 –> 00:09:02,400I’m not sure I’m really a fit for this.12700:09:03,059 –> 00:09:07,479I’m not really sure that this is what I was made for.12800:09:07,479 –> 00:09:11,380Some don’t feel completely at home in the church.12900:09:11,380 –> 00:09:15,940Some don’t feel completely at home in their own families.13000:09:15,940 –> 00:09:22,520And some don’t feel completely at home in their own bodies.13100:09:22,520 –> 00:09:30,619But if you are in Christ, the day will come when you know that you are completely at home.13200:09:30,719 –> 00:09:34,880God will spread his tent over you.13300:09:34,880 –> 00:09:39,520And you will say, ah, now this is where I belong.13400:09:39,520 –> 00:09:42,419I was made for this place.13500:09:42,419 –> 00:09:47,619This is where I was always meant to be.13600:09:47,619 –> 00:09:51,719And to be at home means, of course, that you will truly be yourself.13700:09:51,719 –> 00:09:55,520In fact, in Heaven, you will say, I’m more myself now and here,13800:09:55,520 –> 00:09:58,940than I have ever been in all of my experience before.13900:09:58,940 –> 00:10:03,440So much of what went before wasn’t really me.14000:10:03,440 –> 00:10:05,719It somehow attached itself to me.14100:10:05,719 –> 00:10:07,679But now that I am here, I am a home.14200:10:07,679 –> 00:10:10,640I am myself.14300:10:10,640 –> 00:10:12,739And for that reason you will be able, as it says here,14400:10:12,739 –> 00:10:15,719to serve the Lord, as you always wished you could.14500:10:15,719 –> 00:10:18,159Every Christian really wants to serve the Lord.14600:10:18,159 –> 00:10:21,780But we struggle with so many difficulties and tiredness14700:10:21,780 –> 00:10:23,840and jadedness and discouragement.14800:10:23,840 –> 00:10:26,659But here they serve the Lord day and night.14900:10:26,659 –> 00:10:28,159You see the significant of that?15000:10:28,380 –> 00:10:31,460There’s no tiredness, no jadedness, no running low15100:10:31,460 –> 00:10:34,299that’s happening there in the presence of the Lord.15200:10:35,619 –> 00:10:37,820Lincoln Duncan, an esteemed pastor,15300:10:37,820 –> 00:10:39,900a college president, Christian leader15400:10:39,900 –> 00:10:42,080has a wonderful comment on this.15500:10:43,099 –> 00:10:47,380He says, I have no idea what it is like15600:10:48,260 –> 00:10:52,320to live with a heart that is wholly given over to God.15700:10:53,179 –> 00:10:54,859You see what he’s saying?15800:10:54,859 –> 00:10:56,979There’s always that tension, always that struggle15900:10:56,979 –> 00:10:57,940in the human heart.16000:10:58,580 –> 00:11:00,900Not even the redeemed in the renewed heart.16100:11:00,900 –> 00:11:03,900I have no idea what it is like to live with a heart16200:11:03,900 –> 00:11:07,219that is wholly given over to my God.16300:11:07,219 –> 00:11:10,479I have not lived one second with that kind of heart,16400:11:10,479 –> 00:11:13,159but one day I will.16500:11:14,859 –> 00:11:17,900Think how much you will enjoy your own heart16600:11:17,900 –> 00:11:21,059being wholly given over to God,16700:11:22,380 –> 00:11:24,940not a hint of a stain of a sin upon you16800:11:25,419 –> 00:11:28,539of a temptation around you.16900:11:30,080 –> 00:11:35,080And Satan unable to get his hook into your heart ever again17000:11:35,400 –> 00:11:40,400because nothing in you is drawn to anything that is his.17100:11:42,780 –> 00:11:45,700And you will never be out of sorts,17200:11:45,700 –> 00:11:47,320you never have that experience17300:11:47,320 –> 00:11:49,960of a sort of mood settling over you,17400:11:49,960 –> 00:11:51,520and you know what that’s like,17500:11:51,520 –> 00:11:53,440there’s a sort of mood settles over and you say,17600:11:53,479 –> 00:11:56,500where in the world did that come from?17700:11:56,500 –> 00:11:59,320You’ll never have that kind of an experience again,17800:11:59,320 –> 00:12:01,520you will be at peace with yourself.17900:12:02,500 –> 00:12:05,679You will be at peace with all your brothers and sisters18000:12:05,679 –> 00:12:08,760made perfect in Jesus Christ.18100:12:08,760 –> 00:12:11,059And you will be at peace with God18200:12:11,960 –> 00:12:15,299and you will be at home.18300:12:15,299 –> 00:12:18,799We’ve been hearing about the joy of being at home18400:12:18,799 –> 00:12:22,640and soon we’ll hear about the joy of being together.18500:12:22,760 –> 00:12:24,080You’re listening to Open the Bible18600:12:24,080 –> 00:12:25,960with Pastor Colin Smith18700:12:25,960 –> 00:12:29,400and a message called Will We Know One Another in Heaven?18800:12:29,400 –> 00:12:31,380Taken from our series, Heaven,18900:12:31,380 –> 00:12:33,080and if you ever miss one of the series,19000:12:33,080 –> 00:12:34,640it’s very easy to catch up19100:12:34,640 –> 00:12:37,619or go back and listen again to any of the messages19200:12:37,619 –> 00:12:39,580which have already gone out on air.19300:12:39,580 –> 00:12:44,159You can find them at our website openthebible.org.uk.19400:12:44,159 –> 00:12:45,640Also, as a podcast,19500:12:45,640 –> 00:12:47,960and those are on all the main podcast sites,19600:12:47,960 –> 00:12:50,179search for Open the Bible UK19700:12:50,179 –> 00:12:52,239or follow the link from our website.19800:12:53,539 –> 00:12:54,820Back to the message now.19900:12:54,820 –> 00:12:57,260Here again is Pastor Colin.20000:12:57,260 –> 00:13:02,260The joy of being at home in heaven.20100:13:03,700 –> 00:13:08,700Secondly, the joy of being together in heaven.20200:13:09,020 –> 00:13:14,020Verse nine, after this, I looked and behold20300:13:14,099 –> 00:13:18,359a great multitude that no one could number20400:13:18,400 –> 00:13:21,000from every nation, from all tribes20500:13:21,000 –> 00:13:23,239and peoples and languages standing20600:13:23,239 –> 00:13:26,659before the throne and before the lamb.20700:13:27,960 –> 00:13:30,159Now I want you to notice something important here20800:13:30,159 –> 00:13:33,719that the distinct identity of every person20900:13:33,719 –> 00:13:37,440in this vast crowd is maintained.21000:13:37,440 –> 00:13:41,159They are specifically from every tribe21100:13:41,159 –> 00:13:45,020and every nation and every language.21200:13:45,020 –> 00:13:47,799Here is something very wonderful21300:13:47,799 –> 00:13:50,479that the distinct individuality21400:13:50,479 –> 00:13:52,700of every one of Christ’s children21500:13:52,700 –> 00:13:55,559in heaven is preserved.21600:13:55,559 –> 00:13:59,340But what makes us different,21700:13:59,340 –> 00:14:02,260no longer divides.21800:14:02,260 –> 00:14:03,780There isn’t the hint of conflict.21900:14:03,780 –> 00:14:05,719There isn’t the hint of tension22000:14:05,719 –> 00:14:07,940in this vast crowd from every tribe22100:14:07,940 –> 00:14:09,419and nation and language.22200:14:09,419 –> 00:14:12,140Truly in the presence of God in heaven,22300:14:12,140 –> 00:14:17,140God’s people out of many will be one.22400:14:18,640 –> 00:14:21,900Now friends, this speaks directly to the question22500:14:21,900 –> 00:14:24,640will we know one another in heaven?22600:14:24,640 –> 00:14:26,520Now, I wanted to give you the one word22700:14:26,520 –> 00:14:28,619sort of bottom line answer to that22800:14:28,619 –> 00:14:31,200and then to support it from the Bible.22900:14:31,200 –> 00:14:32,780Will we know one another in heaven?23000:14:32,780 –> 00:14:34,659Answer, yes.23100:14:34,659 –> 00:14:38,840You will be you, I will be me.23200:14:38,840 –> 00:14:42,539We will be made perfect like Christ.23300:14:42,539 –> 00:14:47,539We will all reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ23400:14:48,280 –> 00:14:52,039but each of us will reflect his likeness23500:14:52,039 –> 00:14:55,520through our own unique individuality.23600:14:56,739 –> 00:15:00,119God never made two snowflakes exactly alike23700:15:00,119 –> 00:15:03,299and he certainly never made two Christians exactly alike.23800:15:03,299 –> 00:15:06,679He has made us distinct in our reflection23900:15:06,679 –> 00:15:09,140of his likeness in creation24000:15:09,140 –> 00:15:12,179and that distinction and that individuality24100:15:12,179 –> 00:15:14,700will continue to all eternity24200:15:14,700 –> 00:15:17,479among the redeemed of the Lord in heaven.24300:15:18,780 –> 00:15:23,780For sure, we shall know one another in the resurrection.24400:15:23,859 –> 00:15:27,260The disciples recognized Jesus24500:15:27,260 –> 00:15:31,979in his resurrection body but even before that,24600:15:31,979 –> 00:15:34,299we have good reason to believe24700:15:34,299 –> 00:15:37,580that the same will be true for believers now24800:15:37,580 –> 00:15:40,020even in advance of the resurrection body24900:15:40,020 –> 00:15:42,299in the presence of the Lord.25000:15:42,299 –> 00:15:45,099And to that end, I want to offer to you25100:15:45,479 –> 00:15:49,239seven scriptures today that all point25200:15:49,239 –> 00:15:51,659to our knowing one another in heaven.25300:15:51,659 –> 00:15:54,900All make clear identity, individuality,25400:15:54,900 –> 00:15:57,299and relationship in heaven.25500:15:57,299 –> 00:16:00,619Seven scriptures, all of them for sure points25600:16:00,619 –> 00:16:03,179to knowing one another in the resurrection25700:16:03,179 –> 00:16:05,820and some of them point to believers25800:16:05,820 –> 00:16:09,260knowing one another immediately after death.25900:16:10,179 –> 00:16:12,979So having been asked this question so many times26000:16:12,979 –> 00:16:14,859now when someone asks me the question,26100:16:14,900 –> 00:16:16,140will we know one another in heaven?26200:16:16,140 –> 00:16:17,659I’m gonna say, well, there are seven scriptures26300:16:17,659 –> 00:16:19,260that answer that, it’s all on the internet.26400:16:19,260 –> 00:16:21,320You can just download the message.26500:16:21,320 –> 00:16:24,340I want you to get this and for it to be settled26600:16:24,340 –> 00:16:26,580in our minds26700:16:26,580 –> 00:16:29,099because if there’s one great purpose for this series26800:16:29,099 –> 00:16:32,580it is to heighten our anticipation of heaven.26900:16:32,580 –> 00:16:34,900Why would it be that the Son of God would give27000:16:34,900 –> 00:16:37,580all that he did to open the gates of heaven27100:16:37,580 –> 00:16:39,179for his people and that there would be27200:16:39,179 –> 00:16:41,559a relatively low level of anticipation27300:16:41,559 –> 00:16:44,400among God’s people with regard to actually going there?27400:16:45,099 –> 00:16:46,780Well, that would be very strange.27500:16:46,780 –> 00:16:49,619And we are given glimpses of what lies ahead27600:16:49,619 –> 00:16:53,020in order to encourage us in the battle now27700:16:53,020 –> 00:16:56,099to press on in anticipation27800:16:56,099 –> 00:16:58,619of the joy that is yet to be.27900:16:59,780 –> 00:17:02,260So I’m gonna try and make the case here.28000:17:02,260 –> 00:17:05,579As someone tries to make a case I’m gonna call witnesses28100:17:05,579 –> 00:17:08,060and I have seven witnesses from the scripture28200:17:08,060 –> 00:17:12,199and the first one I want to call David and his son.28300:17:12,199 –> 00:17:17,199That is from Second Samuel chapter 12 and verse 23.28400:17:17,560 –> 00:17:21,500Now, as most of you know, King David had a little boy28500:17:21,500 –> 00:17:24,560who died in infancy.28600:17:24,560 –> 00:17:27,439David had prayed much the God would spare his life,28700:17:27,439 –> 00:17:29,920the boy died and when the little boy died,28800:17:29,920 –> 00:17:34,560David said, Second Samuel 12 and verse 23,28900:17:34,560 –> 00:17:37,619I shall go to him.29000:17:38,040 –> 00:17:43,040He’s not coming back to me, but I, King David says,29100:17:44,000 –> 00:17:45,959under the inspiration of the Spirit of God,29200:17:45,959 –> 00:17:50,099I shall go to him.29300:17:50,099 –> 00:17:51,839Now, think about this.29400:17:51,839 –> 00:17:54,119There is more here than David saying,29500:17:54,119 –> 00:17:57,280I will go to heaven when I die.29600:17:58,500 –> 00:18:01,680No, David says, I will go to the boy!29700:18:02,599 –> 00:18:04,420I will see him!29800:18:05,239 –> 00:18:10,000I will be reunited with him in heaven.29900:18:11,939 –> 00:18:14,859And there are many parents who have gone through30000:18:14,859 –> 00:18:19,859the great grief and sadness of losing a child in infancy.30100:18:21,560 –> 00:18:23,979And here is a wonderful assurance30200:18:23,979 –> 00:18:28,239for every Christian parent who loses a child.30300:18:28,239 –> 00:18:32,880David says, I shall go to him.30400:18:33,880 –> 00:18:36,160CH Spurgeon points out very beautifully30500:18:36,160 –> 00:18:37,599from the story of Job.30600:18:38,520 –> 00:18:42,800Remember Job lost everything and his children died,30700:18:42,800 –> 00:18:45,439lost all of his cattle and money30800:18:45,439 –> 00:18:49,479and terrible, terrible devastation in chapter one.30900:18:49,479 –> 00:18:53,599When you get to the last chapter of the Book of Job,31000:18:53,599 –> 00:18:58,560God restores to Job double all that he lost.31100:18:58,560 –> 00:19:00,680And if you look at the first and the last chapter,31200:19:00,680 –> 00:19:05,079Job has double the cattle, he has double the sheep,31300:19:05,079 –> 00:19:06,819he has double the money.31400:19:08,239 –> 00:19:10,119But at the beginning of the story,31500:19:10,119 –> 00:19:12,219he had seven sons and three daughters31600:19:12,219 –> 00:19:13,579and at the end of the story,31700:19:13,579 –> 00:19:16,219we’re told not that he was given double of that31800:19:16,219 –> 00:19:19,400but simply that he was given by God31900:19:19,400 –> 00:19:22,160seven sons and three daughters.32000:19:23,479 –> 00:19:25,699And Spurgeon asks this question.32100:19:26,640 –> 00:19:31,640Why did God not give Job double the children32200:19:34,079 –> 00:19:35,199when he got double the cattle32300:19:35,199 –> 00:19:38,160and double the money and double everything else?32400:19:38,160 –> 00:19:39,359And here’s his answer.32500:19:40,439 –> 00:19:43,319God regarded the children who had died32600:19:43,319 –> 00:19:46,199as being Job’s still.32700:19:47,599 –> 00:19:52,599He does have double, now in the presence of Jesus.32800:19:55,760 –> 00:19:59,739Witness number one, David and his son.32900:20:00,859 –> 00:20:05,839Witness number two, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.33000:20:05,839 –> 00:20:07,979And here we’re looking at Matthew chapter eight33100:20:07,979 –> 00:20:10,839and verse 11, where Jesus says,33200:20:10,839 –> 00:20:14,420I tell you that many will come from east and west33300:20:14,420 –> 00:20:17,979and recline at the table with Abraham,33400:20:17,979 –> 00:20:22,979Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.33500:20:23,040 –> 00:20:25,540Now notice again, this is very important,33600:20:25,540 –> 00:20:27,660distinct identity.33700:20:27,660 –> 00:20:29,459Abraham is Abraham in heaven,33800:20:29,459 –> 00:20:33,260not someone else, not some kind of composite figure.33900:20:33,260 –> 00:20:36,619Isaac is still Isaac, Jacob is Jacob.34000:20:36,619 –> 00:20:39,599They retain their distinct identity.34100:20:40,540 –> 00:20:45,040They do not become in heaven, nameless, anonymous spirits.34200:20:46,099 –> 00:20:48,540Abraham is enjoying the company,34300:20:48,540 –> 00:20:52,319think of this, of his own son and of his own grandson.34400:20:53,420 –> 00:20:56,660Jacob is enjoying the company of his father34500:20:56,660 –> 00:21:00,219and of his grandfather, three generations of the same family34600:21:00,219 –> 00:21:01,420and there they are together,34700:21:01,420 –> 00:21:04,660according to the word of the Lord Jesus.34800:21:04,660 –> 00:21:07,500And notice what they are doing here in the resurrection.34900:21:07,500 –> 00:21:10,459They are reclining at a table,35000:21:11,540 –> 00:21:14,020they are eating and they are drinking,35100:21:14,020 –> 00:21:16,819you have identity, you have relationship,35200:21:16,819 –> 00:21:19,619you have conversation, you have sharing a meal,35300:21:19,619 –> 00:21:22,859three generations of the same family, Jesus said it.35400:21:24,420 –> 00:21:25,339And Jesus says,35500:21:25,339 –> 00:21:27,979many will come from the East and the West35600:21:27,979 –> 00:21:28,819to join them.35700:21:28,819 –> 00:21:29,640What’s He saying?35800:21:29,640 –> 00:21:32,660That is the joy into which every believer will be brought,35900:21:32,660 –> 00:21:35,380that same joy that Abraham and Isaac36000:21:35,380 –> 00:21:38,619and Jacob will experience in the resurrection.36100:21:40,560 –> 00:21:42,180You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith36200:21:42,180 –> 00:21:43,520on Open the Bible36300:21:43,520 –> 00:21:44,619and a message called,36400:21:44,619 –> 00:21:46,859Will We Know One Another in Heaven?36500:21:46,859 –> 00:21:49,140Part of the series called Heaven36600:21:49,180 –> 00:21:50,959and if you ever miss one of the series,36700:21:50,959 –> 00:21:53,319you can easily catch up or go back,36800:21:53,319 –> 00:21:55,540listen again on our website,36900:21:55,540 –> 00:21:58,540that’s at openthebible.org.uk37000:21:58,540 –> 00:22:01,420or as a podcast, if you prefer that format.37100:22:01,420 –> 00:22:03,579Those are on all the main podcast sites37200:22:03,579 –> 00:22:06,859and you can find them by searching for Open the Bible UK.37300:22:07,699 –> 00:22:10,900At Open the Bible, we welcome contact with our listeners.37400:22:10,900 –> 00:22:13,859If you’ve been blessed by Pastor Colin Smith’s teaching37500:22:13,859 –> 00:22:16,000and you’d like to reach out to us,37600:22:16,000 –> 00:22:18,800you can write to us at openthebible,37700:22:18,800 –> 00:22:23,800PO box 1420 Cheltenham GL50 9pg.37800:22:25,760 –> 00:22:28,319That address along with an email address37900:22:28,319 –> 00:22:31,719and a telephone number that you can use to contact us38000:22:31,719 –> 00:22:36,719are all on our website, openthebible.org.uk.38100:22:36,939 –> 00:22:39,319Open the Bible is supported by our listeners38200:22:39,319 –> 00:22:40,760and we’re extremely grateful38300:22:40,760 –> 00:22:43,479for the financial support that you give us.38400:22:43,479 –> 00:22:45,640If that’s something that you’ve been considering38500:22:45,640 –> 00:22:48,640starting to do, this month we have a wonderful offer38600:22:48,640 –> 00:22:49,520for you.38700:22:49,520 –> 00:22:52,500It’s our Easter giveaway bundle.38800:22:52,500 –> 00:22:54,560The bundle consists of two copies38900:22:54,560 –> 00:22:57,839of the graphic novel version of Heaven How I Got Here,39000:22:57,839 –> 00:22:59,959The Story of the Theif on the Cross,39100:22:59,959 –> 00:23:04,060plus an NIV outreach edition of The Bible.39200:23:04,060 –> 00:23:05,920These are ideal to give away39300:23:05,920 –> 00:23:08,479to friends and family this Easter.39400:23:08,479 –> 00:23:11,719Colin, who is this graphic novel for?39500:23:11,719 –> 00:23:15,040Well, I’m super excited about this graphic novel.39600:23:15,040 –> 00:23:18,800It is a brilliantly illustrated 48-page story.39700:23:18,800 –> 00:23:21,420It’s got clear and compelling dialogue39800:23:21,420 –> 00:23:23,880and it’s designed to reach younger people39900:23:23,880 –> 00:23:26,619and for anyone who thinks of themselves40000:23:26,619 –> 00:23:28,780as being a visual learner.40100:23:28,780 –> 00:23:31,040And it tells the story of the thief on the cross,40200:23:31,040 –> 00:23:34,380which is really a story that I think everyone needs to know.40300:23:34,380 –> 00:23:37,900It teaches us that entrance into heaven40400:23:37,900 –> 00:23:40,479doesn’t depend on a person’s performance40500:23:40,479 –> 00:23:41,560in the Christian life.40600:23:41,560 –> 00:23:44,619And I think that’s something that everybody needs to grasp40700:23:44,619 –> 00:23:49,079but especially younger people who have grown up in church40800:23:49,079 –> 00:23:51,939and yet may not have grasped the heart of the gospel40900:23:51,939 –> 00:23:54,760and may be tempted to turn away.41000:23:54,760 –> 00:23:56,540I hope that we can get it into the hands41100:23:56,540 –> 00:24:00,000of as many younger people and visual learners as possible41200:24:00,000 –> 00:24:01,680so that people will understand41300:24:01,680 –> 00:24:04,839the marvelous news of God’s grace.41400:24:04,839 –> 00:24:07,959Jesus opened heaven for the thief on the cross.41500:24:07,959 –> 00:24:09,540If he could do that for the thief on the cross,41600:24:09,540 –> 00:24:11,540he could do that for any person.41700:24:11,540 –> 00:24:15,219There is hope for every person in Jesus Christ.41800:24:15,219 –> 00:24:17,219So who’s a young person in your life41900:24:17,219 –> 00:24:19,760who needs to understand the grace of God,42000:24:19,760 –> 00:24:22,020would love for you to be the means42100:24:22,020 –> 00:24:25,619of getting the story of God’s grace into their hands42200:24:25,619 –> 00:24:28,339and who knows what God will do as a result.42300:24:28,339 –> 00:24:31,619Well, we’d love to send you our Easter giveaway bundle42400:24:31,619 –> 00:24:34,000if you’re able to begin a new direct debit42500:24:34,000 –> 00:24:35,699to the work of open the Bible42600:24:35,699 –> 00:24:38,780in the amount of five pounds per month or more42700:24:38,780 –> 00:24:42,579or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more.42800:24:42,579 –> 00:24:45,739Full terms and conditions and to give online,42900:24:45,739 –> 00:24:47,099head for our website.43000:24:47,099 –> 00:24:50,500That’s at openthebible.org.uk.43100:24:50,500 –> 00:24:51,699And if you give online,43200:24:51,699 –> 00:24:53,619don’t forget to leave your full name43300:24:53,619 –> 00:24:55,739and address so that we can send you43400:24:55,739 –> 00:24:57,619our Easter giveaway bundle.43500:24:57,619 –> 00:25:00,380For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,43600:25:00,380 –> 00:25:02,699I’m David Pike and I hope you’ll join us again43700:25:02,699 –> 00:25:04,300next time on Open the Bible.43800:25:04,459 –> 00:25:06,219®43900:25:16,260 –> 00:25:19,099Will we know one another in heaven?44000:25:19,099 –> 00:25:21,119Discover seven Bible passages44100:25:21,119 –> 00:25:23,859that support the idea that we will.44200:25:23,859 –> 00:25:26,260That’s next time on Open the Bible.