Three Things To Increase Faith And Love (a continuation from yesterday's post)

I mentioned yesterday that the hope of heaven is suppose to motivate us to greater faith in Christ, and love for the Church of Jesus. Today we will see a couple of specific things about heaven that are meant to help us do just that.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19-21 that we are not suppose to store up for ourselves treasures here on this earth; rather we are to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven. Why? Because heaven is the safest place for our treasures. And there is no thieve, or moth that will destroy or steal our goods.

We tend to think that a bank is the safest place to store our earthly treasures. For the most part that is probably true. But time and time again, we read of banks that are robbed. In heaven, you can trust that all of your goods will be there safe and sound when you arrive.

The second reason the knowledge of heaven is suppose to increase our faith in Christ, and love for his Church; is because there is a registry in heaven with my name on it. Luke 10:20 records Jesus telling us that.

A name on a registry is an important thing. If you reserve a hotel room through a third party company, you tend to have some resignation about your name being on the registry when you arrive. That would be a bummer to show up for a stay at the Marriot, and they do not have your name on their registry. "Sorry, there is not a room here that has your name on it." Jesus tells us to "rejoice because your names are written in heaven." I do not have to worry about arriving there are my name is nowhere on the registry list.

Thirdly Jesus tells us in John 14 that in his "Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." There is no chance that all of the rooms will be full when you arrive. Jesus even says it in such a way to ensure us of its truth. "I wouldn't have told you that there are many mansions in heaven, nor a place for you if it weren't so. I'm not going to lie to you. I am the way, the truth and the life." (my paraphrase).

When I roomed in a dorm for a year, I found out who was going to be my roommate a month or so before school started. I contacted him and tried to strike up a friendship. I wanted to build a relationship with him because I was going to be spending 9 months in the same room as he. It turned out that we were never roommates, but you get the point. We are going to be spending eternity with our fellow believers. Does that not motivate you to build deeper relationships here before you are called heavenward?