Sermon snippet – Simply Heaven – Part X
INTRODUCTION – We have been endeavoring to set our affection “on things above,” on the reality of heaven (Colossians 3:1-2). Acts 10:1-48 adds to our understanding of this gracious command. Let us read the first twenty verses as we consider Peter’s vision from heaven.
- THINKING ABOUT HEAVEN IS PRACTICAL
Today, we are not interested in what other people eat. However, in the first century, dietary restrictions were a major difference between Jewish and non-Jewish (Gentile) people. Peter, coming from the Jewish tradition, considered many foods to be unclean; Cornelius and others, interested in salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, did not concern themselves with dietary laws. However, this difference threatened to keep Christianity as an exclusively Jewish religion. Thus, God intervened and provided Peter, the leader of the early Church, with a vision. “Heaven opened” (verse 11), and Peter learned a crucial principle: “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common” (verse 15). Some are disdainful of the reality of heaven, thinking that any contemplation of heaven is merely escapism. No, setting our affection on things above has practical outworkings in our behavior. Serious Christians were abolitionists and were responsible for ending slavery. God’s people also led the drive to better understand and help those suffering from mental illness. Our well-known colleges and universities were once great centers of learning; they were founded by Christians who appreciated both the value of education and the value of the student. Today, believers in Jesus are at the forefront of opposition to the minority genocide that is commonly called abortion. Thinking about heaven must have personal and practical applications.
- GOD CARES ABOUT ALL AREAS OF LIFE
We studied this point some weeks ago and found that passages about heaven touch upon diverse subjects such as forgiveness, marriage, family, friendships, and home. These are just some of the things here that reflect heaven and reveal God’s heavenly ways. The fact that God would open heaven to talk to Peter about food tells us that He is fully interested and involved in the details of our lives. I think about the loss and recovery of an axe by Elisha (II Kings 6:1-7); the Lord Who cares about a simple implement certainly is concerned about my simple life. Remember, heaven is opened to us each time that we pray, whether we are praying about large or small things.
- OUR FOCUS ON HEAVEN IS ALSO A FOCUS ON SALVATION
The primary reason that this heavenly vision was granted to Peter was to prepare the way for the salvation of Cornelius and other Gentiles (verses 44-48). No one understands eternal life better than God Himself, and everything He does leads in that direction. Logically, we see that Jesus, God the Son, opened heaven to all of us by coming from heaven to die in our places on the Cross. He took our full punishment in order to provide us with the opportunity to trust in Him. He rose from the dead because He is the Lord of life, and He ascended back to His eternal home in heaven to prepare a place for us.
CONCLUSION – Each one of us must decide to accept Jesus’ offer of salvation. When we receive His free offer of forgiveness, we are secure forever. Because His focus is everlasting life, so should ours be. Will you commit to praying for the salvation of just one person? In so doing, we will be setting our affection on things above.