A Window Into Heaven…!

Heaven Series #3

“A Window into Heaven…!”

For me, this is one of the most fascinating insights in the Scriptures… one where we are allowed to actually look into what happens on a daily basis inside the beautiful jasper walls. 

I have separated this message into two parts because of there are several key and exciting revelations that I don’t want us to miss.

Jesus tells us three happy-ending parables in Luke chapter 15 using three different stories to communicate one central revelation. As is often seen in Jesus‘s teachings, there are several revelations and applications that are communicated, but in this case, there is a central theme that he gets to at the end of each one.. And that is the one that so fascinating! 

In the first parable of the “lost sheep”, Jesus tells us of a shepherd who has 100 sheep and when he counts them realizes there are only 99 in the fold… that one of his sheep is lost. He searches relentlessly until he finds the lost sheep… and then out of great joy, he calls his friends and neighbors over for to celebrate saying “Rejoice with me, I have found my lost sheep!”

Jumping ahead to the second parable of the “lost coin”, similarly, Jesus tells of a woman who had 10 silver coins and loses one. She lights a lamp, sweeps the house, searching diligently until she finds it. And then like the shepherd, she calls all her friends and neighbors over for a celebration saying “I found my lost coin!”

Now in the third parable of the “prodigal son”, (which I prefer to call the parable of the “loving father”), in much more detail, Jesus tells of a father whose son leaves home with his inheritance, and ends up squandering it all in a distant land.  When things finally get just too bad, out of desperation, the son eventually comes back home. The father in the parable never gives up hope, and one day looking across the fields sees his son approaching… runs to him… falls upon him… kisses him… and says “Quick, bring the best robe and put it on him!  Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet! Bring the fatted calf and kill it.  Let’s have a feast and celebrate!  For my son was dead and is alive again! He was lost and now is found!  So they all began to celebrate! 

Jesus tells us the same message using three completely different illustrations. Why does he gives us this message three times…?  He clearly wants us to get it!!  It is a big deal to Jesus and obviously a big deal in heaven as we shall see…

Now backtracking… at the end of the first parable of the lost sheep, Jesus says something very profound, and very revealing… “I tell you that IN THE SAME WAY, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent!”  You can see here that what Jesus is wanting to communicate is what HAPPENS IN HEAVEN when a particular thing happens here on earth.  

Again, at the end of the second parable of the lost coin, Jesus says something very similar… 

IN THE SAME WAY, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents!”

As you can clearly see in these first two parables, He is literally OPENING A WINDOW IN HEAVEN for us to see into the daily activities there… celebrations!… singing!… shouting!… dancing!… rejoicing!… when just ONE PERSON turns their life over to Jesus!  And in the third parable of the prodigal son, consider the amount of celebration and rejoicing that happens as a result of the incredible LOVE the FATHER had for his SON! 

You’ll notice that each of the parables has several things in common. Something is lost… Someone is searching for it… It is found… And there is a celebration and rejoicing that follows. But the real message here is something on an even higher plane… a heavenly one. As I mentioned, Jesus is actually OPENING A WINDOW FOR US INTO HEAVEN.  It is one of the very rare times that the scripture allows us to see what actually takes place on a daily basis in heaven. It reveals to us some of the emotional and passionate side of Heaven’s inhabitants! In heaven, these things are experienced without the weight and shadows of sin… They are experienced with perfect bodies… unhindered emotions… pure joy… abounding love! These parables are merely metaphors and earthly expressions of something far greater that we cannot fully grasp or understand here… But they do give us a glimpse of what is happening there when something of eternal heavenly significance happens here on earth!

Blessings, Mike