When Heaven Seems Silent

What do you do when heaven seems silent?

Just two days ago we spent some time in remembrance for what is called “Good Friday”. The day remember Christ laying down his life as the sacrificial lamb of God.

But what of Jesus disciples? What were they doing during this time?

Well John 20:19 gives this picture

John 20:19 CSB

19 When it was evening on that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.

John 20:20 CSB

20 Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

John 20:21 CSB

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.”

The Disciples were hiding. Many scholars believe they were hiding in the same upper room where they had just a couple days earlier spent what is now known as the last supper with Jesus.

So the scriptures tell us that his disciples were afraid. They were in hiding. They had the doors locked for fear of being discovered. No doubt thier whole world had come crashing down. Everything they thought they knew about God and heaven seemed of no effect. The Messiah was gone. They were alone. The world was now against them. What were a handful of disciples going to do now?

So then for three long days they waited.

Today for many of us it may seem like everything we thought about our world, our nation is crashing down. We see that hate of all types is rising. The fruit of violence and unbridled sexual desires manifesting as murder, hatred, and suicide.

If we are not careful we too like Jesus Disciples can feel defeated, intimidated and alone. After all what can a few disciples of Jesus actually do when the world has gone crazy? Now doubt by the third day they were feeling that heaven had been silent for too long. God had abandoned them. They were now on there own.

Maybe for some you have reacted just like these first disciples did? You’ve chosen to insulate yourself from the world. You’ve chosen self-protection. You have gone into a upper room of your own making. You worship in secret. That is in your daily life you stay silent about all that you believe. You avoid conflict by avoiding meaningful conversations with those who would be willing to do you emotional or possibly physical harm if they knew exactly what you actually believed.

Can I say that this seems to be a reasonable response. After all isn’t it normal to want to avoid suffering? Isn’t tthis what the disciples did?

But then something happened to the disciples that would cause them to come out of that room. So let’s look at the rest of the story.

Luke 24:1–8 CSB

1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. 5 So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. 6 “He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’ 8 And they remembered his words.

Notice this last part. “They remembered his words” So then scripture tell us these few disciples that came to the tomb went running off to tell the others that Jesus was not dead but alive.

Luke 24:9–50 CSB

9 Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. 10 Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things. 11 But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went away, amazed at what had happened. 13 Now that same day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 Together they were discussing everything that had taken place. 15 And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them. 16 But they were prevented from recognizing him. 17 Then he asked them, “What is this dispute that you’re having with each other as you are walking?” And they stopped walking and looked discouraged. 18 The one named Cleopas answered him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked them. So they said to him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. 21 But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, 23 and when they didn’t find his body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see him.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures. 28 They came near the village where they were going, and he gave the impression that he was going farther. 29 But they urged him, “Stay with us, because it’s almost evening, and now the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 It was as he reclined at the table with them that he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us while he was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?” 33 That very hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those with them gathered together, 34 who said, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. 36 As they were saying these things, he himself stood in their midst. He said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 “Why are you troubled?” he asked them. “And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” 40 Having said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 But while they still were amazed and in disbelief because of their joy, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 So they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate in their presence. 44 He told them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 He also said to them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead the third day, 47 and repentance for forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered from on high.” 50 Then he led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.

So then what changed for the disciples? What caused them to leave the safety of the upper room and launch themselves into harms way with such great courage.

It was the resurrection. The resurrection was the proof that all the things that Jesus said about himself are true.

So then what did Jesus say about himself?

He told all those who would listen that he is

John 14:6 CSB

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Matthew 24:30–33 CSB

30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. 32 “Learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize that he is near—at the door.

So then what do we do when life seems hard, when the waiting seems long, when death seems to have won, when heaven seems silent?

We bring back to memory the resurrection.

You see the resurrection is proof that one day Jesus is coming back to set all things right. It is proof that what we see in our world today is only temporary. It is proof that heaven has not been silent but rather that God in heaven has already spoken. Just as he promised his disciples that he would conquer death and raise again from the dead

Jesus is soon returning just as he said he would.

The worlds events and hardships are not to cause alarm but cause us to look forward to the day when he comes.

So for those who have repented from thier sin and turned in faith to Jesus Christ. This day will be full of Joy as we see him in the sky and he gathers from all the earth the redeemed. Those who have been made clean by his shed blood.

But for the rebellious it will be a day of terror. For Just as Jesus has come to set all things right.

What is right is that the impartial judge will call in the payment . He will call into account the sin of those who have refused to let him pay for thier crimes against his universal law.

Jesus the sacrificial lamb will now come as the roaring lion who sets all things right.

The resurrection reminds us heaven is not silent ,but rather that heaven has already spoken, and the judge of all the earth is alive.

Will you trust in him today? Will you choose to recall the resurrection?

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 CSB

3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:5 CSB

5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.

Romans 10:9–10 CSB

9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

The scriptures tell us that all those who will recognize his Lordship in thier life, that is turn from thier sin and turn to him as God, and places thier faith in him as savior will rejoice on the day he returns because their sin has been forgiven and they have been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ.