afterlife

Where Are You Going?

​Dave Matthews asked a compelling question. I know it was a compelling question because it was featured heavily in one of the only movies Adam Sandler made that didn’t stink. Dave’s question: Where are you going?

So, um, where are YOU going? Usually when a guy like me asks that question what we really want to know is if you think you’re going to heaven. That’s a pretty monumental question. You should have a good answer for that one.

But I mean right now. Where are you going? Grocery store? Football practice? Shady backroom business deal? Are those real?

Where are you going? As in—what are you on your way to do?

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I’m convinced we are all going somewhere. A key part of my faith leads me to believe in a postmortem metaphysical destination— aka afterlife. But I sincerely hope you don’t wait until you’re dead to go somewhere. You have a perfectly great before life available to you right now.

Do something with it. Run with the bulls. Buy a guitar and write your wife love songs. Figure out a way to tap into the stuff inside your soul that fires you up—and do a lot of that. Invite other people to do it with you.

I know someday will be my last day. And like the guy with the big sword and blue face said—I want all of my days between this one and that one—to mean something.

So where are you going? Where I’m going is in the direction of somewhere I’ve never been. It’s a new me that is learning as much as I can. Loving as much as I can. Living as much as I can.

Because the where we’re going right now is less about a set of points on a map and more about a drive through the mountains. Full of twists and turns and ups and downs and all of the beautiful in betweens. Where are you going? Wherever it is I hope you won’t go it alone.

May 8 - Heaven

Read: John 14:1-14

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (John 14:3 ESV)

Jesus promised that heaven is a reality. Not only that, but he declared his intentions to gather his followers to himself at some appointed time. That in calling the redeemed he would bring us to his heavenly home. He would and will take us to the place for which he departed physical time and space to prepare.

Heaven is for real. It is a place. As much as we can either imagine or fathom it is a location. It is somewhere than can be arrived at, departed from, and dwelled in. It is the capital city of the Kingdom of God. The headquarters of the heavenly host of angel armies. The garrison for God's servants, messengers, and gathered children. In short, heaven is home.

It isn't limbo. There isn't a waiting list. It isn't purgatory, it isn't hell, it isn't Texas, and it isn't the mall. It's not Jerusalem, Mecca, or near the Wailing Wall. The bible paints a picture of golden streets, pearly gates, and rainbow foundations. It is going to be a breathtaking display of grandeur that in truth we may barely even notice as we turn our fullest undiminished affections toward God.

There we will experience peace in full. Joy in earnest. Knowledge unadulterated. Love unfettered. Time unending. God Almighty. The Spirit in Fullness. And Jesus our Savior.

May 7 - Hell

Read: Mark 9:42-50 & John 14:1-3

"where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9:48 ESV)

There have been countless sermons about hell. There have been books about hell. There are movies about hell. There are bumper stickers, songs, paintings, T-shirts, and a plethora of media portraying various imaginings of hell. I'm really and truly convinced that none of them get it entirely right.

Jesus spoke about it candidly. It is clearly a literal place. It is definitely not a place that you want to be. Jesus' descriptions of it make it out to sound truly horrendous.

But it is a place that is going to be a reality for anyone that has not entered into an authentic relationship with Jesus. Some people misguidedly trumpeted that information with a proud or arrogant kind of bravado, which is altogether sad. But that sadness is profoundly and shockingly eclipsed by the reality of hell. It is the reality of an eternal existence apart from God.