Special Morning Prayer Sep. 4
Hebrews 12:22-24
12 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Part 4. Community in Heaven
1. Summary of the Book’s Key Points
Heaven is a place where a perfect community is formed between God and all the saints. Pastor Randy Alcorn emphasizes that heaven is not merely a place of individual glory but a community where believers gather to praise God’s glory together. In heaven, all saints will share in perfect fellowship with God and experience deep love and unity with one another.
In Hebrews 12:22-24, “Mount Zion” and the “Heavenly Jerusalem” are mentioned, portraying a scene where God and His people gather for a celebration. This gathering is not just formal but a real and glorious community where all believers unite in God’s presence and enjoy perfect joy. Heaven will achieve the complete fellowship and unity that we could not attain on earth, and all differences will disappear as we share eternal joy with God (p. 131-145).
Pastor Alcorn also explains that the community in heaven will be characterized by intimate relationships, like that of a family. We will be reunited with loved ones we cherished on earth, worship God together, and share eternal joy. This strengthens our hope and intensifies our desire for heaven. The heavenly community will be built on perfect love and respect, transcending all cultural and racial differences (p. 146-150).
2. Central Message
Heaven is a place where a perfect community between God and the saints is realized. We will be reunited with our loved ones in heaven, where we will live together eternally and praise God’s glory. This community will be filled with unimaginable love and peace, fulfilling God’s plan for perfect unity.
The community in heaven signifies perfect relationships among believers, grounded in deep fellowship with God. This relationship will be full of love and respect for each other, centered on the collective praise of God’s glory. In heaven, we will experience a true union and peace that is unattainable on earth (p. 151-155).
Pastor Alcorn emphasizes that the heavenly community is not just about physical reunion but also about a deeper spiritual union. In heaven, not only will our relationship with God deepen, but also our relationships with other believers will be renewed in God. This community is a place of perfect understanding and love, unlike the imperfect relationships on earth (p. 156-160).
3. Our Application
As we look forward to the community in heaven, we should cherish our relationships on earth even more. Since we will achieve perfect unity with God and the saints in heaven, we should strive to build such love and unity as much as possible here on earth. It is our mission to love, serve, and praise God together within the church community.
We should look forward to reuniting with our loved ones in heaven, praying for them, and sharing Christ’s love with them. By experiencing a preview of the heavenly community in our lives, we should deepen and enrich our relationships here on earth. This hope for heaven should greatly influence our lives, motivating us to build a community that pleases God (p. 161-165).
Furthermore, with the prospect of communal life in heaven in mind, we should live better lives on earth. It is important to love, build up, and fulfill God’s mission together within our faith community. The church's role is to offer a foretaste of the heavenly community, and we should work diligently toward this end. As we hope for heaven, that hope should transform our lives, leading us to live in a way that glorifies God (p. 166-170).
