Christ's Desire & His People's Destiny

Where are we?

Death is mystifying - we are so full of life - its more than biology - spark of personhood - little glint comes into their playful eyes - story or joke at Tuesday Bible Study, still the saem even through struggles with infection, with Alzheimers - once in the hospital - woke up - registered who’sinthe semicircle even my face,voice, than she winked at me and turned to Hendrick and who is this young gentlemena trying to win me?

Life is what we know and what we instictively do-

But death is a foreign outside, rogue force, that undoes us all - relentless as the grave Son of Songs 8 - Our passage says, the theif comes to steal kill and destroy - Satan - Apoloyon - sin - separates - makes death great separation body, soul, god and us, us and life, castout of presence…

Hendrik I looked at you - and words of Isaaih describing our Lord came to mind - behold and see if ther be any sorrow like unto his sorrow - You loved her so, see heart ripped out - that is death that is where we are - the gloomy shadow - punishment - curse - final end!

THough has been sorrow in this world likeyours, part of big company all join - there was no sorrow like utno Christ’s sorrow, we want to rush to good news of resurrection, but first must share in His unique soorow and his unique death!

We are in gloom - separation - Christ before judgment day in ultimate gloom and heart ripped up separated from Father,separated from His people - isolating in death - . Christ swallowing the wholeof that up - but to do so - throw Himself into our death physical spiritual, in one sense iniinte wrath sin deserves

John Donne - that has to register everyones death dimnishes me, if a clod is washed off the continent Europe is the less for it.

But B. Where is HE?

I must call you to consider Jesus Christ in death. Yes, he was in the gloom of it all - suffered all we will BUT MORE, he like you wept at what death did to his freinds lazarus… But look now what he has done to dath. Before Lazrus died, he announced it - I have come into this broken world of death where hell awaits, and none will last in land of blessing forever - I have come to lay down my life for my sheep!

Watch him now as he goes to the Cross, then the three hours of darkness hell itself, then body laid in depth and darkness of the tomb - But watch him closely now - Paradise even without His body , where is He now He has returned, power to lay it down and to take it up again!

Listen to him explain it all before he died; Not just that he had to die for us, earning blessing of God for us, he had to go through death, to prepare a place And this is where it will do no good just to belive in your own ideas about the after life - no he announce believe in God - the Father has spoken - The Son believ also in him spoken - Prpare a place and descrbies it:

The place of glory from before the world began - but nowhe’s sgot a human body, nature, he’s representing you and me -and he prapers heaven for all who are one, by faith in Him.

And now think about it - main family got a mansion, but eldest son getting married, given inheritance, build on like Willie and Ilsye granny flat - share in life , glory of garden like Willem building in backyard, live together insame premises. And here it comes now, the big question for us all and the comfort for Renee -

Do you believe in the Fatherr’s House heaven, Do you believe many rooms - here is the key - jesus Jesus Himself must come agian and take you to Himself.

Did he do that - jesus died faced hell and the grave, and he came back to these disciples - said I will come to you again - didn’t mean 2nd comiong at end of age - But he came and breathed on them said I will be with you alway to the end of the age -

You must know Jesus comes to you now - Spirit and Word - and to be with HIm now is eternal life , not heaven yet, knigdomof heaven with in you - there will be no heaven , if not heaven inyour heart , Christ in your heart now.

Thomas asks that question that leads to faith, all of us should too - well jesus - how do we get to where you are going - we want to be with you - I am the way the truth and life. No one comes ot he Father Father but by me!

But listen to jesus desire - that where I am there they may also be - Christ down here with us in this life… by the Spirit. But now Christ not only present spiritually with us in our struggle here belvow

But the beignning of describes whre Christ is now - The Father glroified him in Death and resurrection - foundational doctrine on which everything depends: Father saw what Jesus did, satisfied - are you ; Reward - Give authroity over all flesh - Raised up as Meditorial King of heaven and WEarht - Be lifted up and draw all men to myself. Doyou see Jesus now in Heaven - exalted Ruler of nations, reigning untl all enemies put under his feet, including one day not only Satan but death itself! Until then granting eternal life now to all who belive in him. And Jesus before the Cross says, grant me that glory I left behind , as I now come into your heaven - reigning and representing my people!

The grand conclusion of his words before the Cross to us is where we can be, where we trust Renee is and where you will join one day by faith! This is the end of

C. Where is she & where will we be?

Where is she & where will we be?

Jesus had explained that thisis not true of thw orld in general, we are all stuck in the jaws of death, sin hell, condemned and curse, with death as punishment. But listen to Jesus:

Where is HE?

John 17:6 ESV

“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

Jesus says those the Father gave him - Christ revealed His name, saving power of the name of Jesus , full revelation of god’s charcter his law, way of slavation , Law came to us by Moses, but grace and truth by jesus Christ - Renee knew that name, she shared that name, COFFEE BREAK: She kept the words and shared the word. Like jesus describes - she received the words and know the truth that Jesus came from God and from the glory!

Where is she & where will we be?

But what now for one who has trusted. I have seen insidethe heart of your Mom and dad, but hear now the heart not only of god, but of God -made-human, of the greest human heart -yet divine . hear Jesus most earnest desire: it is our text

FATHER

John 17:24 ESV

Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

Jesus has this double glory in heaven, what he had as the Son of God eternally begotten, regflecting the character of the Father - radiance of god - given that gloyr again, but double glory is now as human mediator our true king - given reward for huamnity

And he says - where I am now - there they may also be! By faith seated in the heavenlyiess - live one with Christ so world will know this world isn’t just pleasure and death - but love and glory! Live one with this Jesus.

But where is Renee now: That where I am there they may also be , “that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am”

Why taht’s where there is glory that’s where there is love - share that glory and that relationships of love -

“We all naturally want to share the joyous moments of our lives with our loved ones. Win a race (Isaiah high school race, whole family after teh race) = rare moment , gain a promotion, honour for service to country, graduate, get married, have a baby = we want others to share our enjoyment.

Think of Jesus celebrration day -truimph to return to this earth, reign in grace and vioctyry and righteousness, whole rason he sufferd and died - but his heart isn’t satisfied for himelf to enojyou taht. says, He wants us to eat and drink at his table in his kingdom. says, He wants us to sit uopon the throne with him - reign - He wil sahre his glory with us - , sadness in parting buyt LORD has guided Renee last stages of earthly journey, hull unbreached, cargo unspoiled, reached desinty and destination - Afterward you will recive me to glory. Psalm 73:23-24)

Ought to conisder heaven, then when he returns and raises all belivers bodies up to full and reurrected life - new heavena santhe new earth - what will it be - last verse of the chapter and the theme of Henridk’s minsitry and preaching:

John 17:26b ESV

I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Heaven is a world of love - If you know it now know it then in fulness. Won’t know it on earth, lost in this life and the next. But if you will know it in Christ, be able to say as Hendrick whispered in her ear: Look beyond the grave …

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Wemust wakl throughthe valley, but who is in the house - Jesus is in the House, Renee is in the house - we are to meet Jesus the good shepehrd who laid down his ilfe to get us out of the pit of death - don’t fear any evil, submit to his rod and staff - know His comfort - Stop and even now in the presence of death, the last emney to be destroyed, Have Jesus anoint your head with the oil of glandess, have him fill your cup with peace and joy. and above all love!

Then we can say,

Colossians 3:3 ESV

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Ephesians 1:3 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Ephesians 2:6 ESV

and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

, my home is in the heavenleis, I’m spiritually seated there. with him Then we will not grieve as the rest of the world - but with certain strong Christian hope, not just of life after death, but life after life,

We will be together WITH THE LORD!