SHALL WE KNOW EACH OTHER IN HEAVEN?

Shannon News, 19 August 1924, Page 4

SHALL WE KNOW EACH OTHER IN HEAVEN?

A STRIKING SERMON BY THE REV. A. C. DIXON. 8.A., D.D. Formerly Pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. Text: “Now I know in part: but j then shall I know even as also I am , known." —1 Cor. xiii. 12. | Shall we really know each other in , heaven? Poetry, philososphy, and re- j velation reply “Yes.” I have been quite interested in tracing the views of pagan poets and philosophers on this subject. Homer, in his Odyssey, represented Ulysses as recognising his mother in the world of spirits. Virgil pictures Aeneas, on a visit to tihe spirit world, recognising and being recognised by acquaintances that he met; and Socrates used some memorable words before his judges. “Who would not part with great fields," he said, “to purchase a meeting with Orpheus, Hesiod, and Homer? If it be true that this is to be the sequence of death, I would be even glad to die." Cicero, the great Roman orator, echoes the same hope more than once. “For my own part," he says, “I feel myself possessed with the most ardent longings to join the society of j i>ly two Departed Friends, whose character I greatly respected, and whose presence I sincerely loved.” We are all familiar with the customs of tihe savage world. How, in Africa, they cruelly put in the grave the wives of dead chiefs. How they whisper into the ears of those who are dying, messages for friends who have gone ahead. But whati does all this amount to? Just the same that the universal expectation of immortality announces. I think It is & presumption in favour of the immortality of the spirit that everyone believes that he is immortal. There is not a race on earth, however degraded, that does pot believe in a future life. The only people who try not to believe it are some modern infidels, unbelievers, who publish papers and magazines, and make speeches, while really, down in their hearts, they have the instinct of immortality, and when they are brought face to face with death, often confess it, if they are conscious. There is the expectation of recognising friends in the other world just as universal as the instinct of immortality, and has God given us this to tantalise us? The presumption is that the world-wide instinct of immortality is proof to some extent that Man is Immortal, and this expectation ''that we shall know each other in the other world is at least a presumption in favour of the fact. But let us pass from this vestibule of poetry and philosophy into the stately temple of revelation. I believe that Christians will recognise each other in heaven, and that for six reasons.

1. First, because the- Scriptures definitely assert it. My text is a clear declaration that we shall know each other in the life beyond. ' Referring to this present life, Paul says, "Now I know in part.” Then, referring to the life beyond, “I shall know thoroughly, as I also am known thoroughly. I shall know better, and be known better, in the future than I know and am known here.” . The medium of communication may be better. It would hardly do. for everybody to know everybody else thoroughly in this world. If you knew all about your best friends, it might not make you happy; and if we all lived, spiritually, in glass houses, so that everybody might look in, and see what was going on in the rooms of thought and purpose and desire, it might not bo pleasant and it might not be profitable. But When We Get to Heaven,

thank God, we can afford it. Everybody can know everybody, and be happier and better by it, because there will be nothing but good to be known. The Scriptures directly assert in this verse that we shall know each other in the next world. 2. My second reason is that tihe immortality of the spirit carries with it recognition in heaven. If the spiritual part of us is immortal, we shall know each other in heaven. The memory is immortal, the imagination is immortal, the reason is immortal. That peculiar thing about the spirit that is so easily recognised, the personality, is immortal. You do not have to see people to know them. The spiritual man is as complete a personality as. the natural man. We are in the habit of quoting with a smile the words of the old Scotchman whose wife asked him if he thought they would know each other in heaven, and he replied, “Do you think We’ll have less sense there than we have here?” And there .is deep philosophy in it. 3. My third reason is that! heaven is revealed as a social place. Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom is a picture of intimate sociability. Jesufe calls heaven our Father’s house. Yes, I know it is a great city, as revealed in the book of Revelation, a municipality redeemed; and I wish our cities on earth were more like it. (As a boy I was quite Afraid of Goins to Heaven.

I was afraid of getting lost in. a big city. But as I grew older, this friend passed over, and that friend passed over. Father went on, mother went on, aister and brother went on. Some of the children, by-and-bye, went on, and then I forgot to think of heaven as a city. I began tio think of it as home, as Father’s house, and I was not afraid to go. I felt I would be acquainted when I entered.” Heaven is revealed as a social place, the Father’s house. Can you imagine the father’s house where people do not know each other, where the father and mother do not know the children, and the friends do not know the friends? What, sort of a father's house would that be? You remember that Paul says, ‘‘The Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family of , heaves and earth Jg earned*”- &sd is

the Revised, Version it is translated, “Every family in heaven and earth’ is named,” as if the family idea continued in the Father’s house. Heaven is a social -place and those who go into it must harmonise. Their natures are so regenerated and so harmonised one with L the other that they shall enjoy its sociability. 4. Because Christians are known in heaven while they are oh earth.* "Your names are written in heaven.” "The general assembly of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven.” The name stands to repre--sent you; your personality is Known in Heaven and it is said of the children that "their angels do always behold the face of their Father which is in heaven.” There are special guardian angels,' and is it thinkable that tlfpse in heaven who know me while I am here will not recognise me when I got there? Is it thinkable that my name is written in heaven, and yet I am not to be recognised when I get there? I am recognised already. The record has been made, the name stands;for me, and when I get there tl shad berecognised for all. that the name stands for.

5. Because the joy of heaven will be increased by the presence of ourfriends, especially of those that we have won for Christ. “What is our hope?” asked Paul, in writing in the Thessalonians, "of joy, or crown of re-’ rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, at. His coming?” How could that be true if Paul would not recognise the Thessalonian converts, and they would not recogniso him? How could the joy of heaven be increased? Then, in writing again to the Corinthians, Paul insists upon mutual recognition. 2 Cor. i, 14: "As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are keeping your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day.of the Lord Jesus.” Just as ye. are our rejoicing, so we are to be your rejoicing; A Mutual Recognition

of the pastor and the people, of the evangelist and the convert; and how can there be any rejoicing in each other if there is no recognition at all? You remember that Jesus said: "Make friends by means of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when' you fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” So invest your money that you will be sending some' people ahead to glory to welcome you when you get there. .So invest your time and strength that you will be laying up treasure in heaven in the way of glorified souls, and that sort of wealth you will meet when you get there. *6. My last reason, is because the Lord Jesus, after His resurrection,' was recognised by His friends, and He had tthe recognition of the resurrection body. On one occasion their eyes ,were holden that they could not recognise. Him, but before they left Him, in the breaking of bread,they discovered, who He was. Mary recognised,Him by His voice; Thomas recognised Him by the prints of the nails, Jesus was, recognised between his resurrection-, and His. ascension,,and He is the First-fruits of all that shall, be raised from the dead and shall enter into the glory. Let me give two more thoughts in closing. To me it is a comforting-fact that we shall recognise each other in heaven; but, my dear friends, I hope you will recognise each other on earth; for that I think is equally important. And tif Jesus Christ gets into our hearts and masters our souls and bodies here, there will be

The Friendly Hand-clasp, there will be the word of comfort, there will be the spiritual ties that bind us together, and the helpfulness which comes from recognition upon earth. May I make this plea? I want you, friend, to recognise Jesus Christ on earth, and in anticipation of that you may expect His recognition in glory. “Whosoever shall confess Me before men, Him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God.”

Will you recognise Christ, the Lamb of God, the Saviour of . the world, the Redeemer of sinners? .If so, your recognition of Him will be a foretaste of heaven when He recognises you. Amen.