Sermon Audio: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ministrybymail

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. (ESV)

Imagination. We were full of it when we were young. Do you remember some of the things you used to dream about and imagine as a child? The sky was the limit, wasn’t it? I can remember imagining myself to be everything from a professional athlete to a superhero. And yes, I even imagined myself being a pastor when I was little, and once made my mom and my siblings gather in the living room for a church service! Maybe you imagined similar things when you were younger.

But something usually happens to us as we get older, doesn’t it? We use our imagination less and less. We don’t dream as much about the future as we did when we were little kids. After we’ve had a few doses of reality in life our hopes and dreams usually become a little bit more “down to earth.” As adults, when we do daydream and use our imaginations, it is usually about more “realistic” things like getting that new job, the new home we’ll live in, or getting that new car or boat.

As Christians, in general, I think we tend to use our imaginations even less. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. For example, we don’t want to let our imaginations run wild when we are dealing with God’s Word. God wants us to teach and believe faithfully only what He says. No more and no less. However, there is a place for using God’s gift of imagination in our Christian lives, and I think we do ourselves a disservice by not using it in the proper place. Paul speaks of mankind’s imagination in our text for today: “… no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (v. 9)

With these words Paul is reminding us that no human being could ever have imagined God’s plan of salvation. Think about it: God creates man. Man rejects God’s love and care by disobeying His command. God graciously decides to save rebellious, undeserving mankind and sends His one and only Son Jesus— whom God loves dearly—to suffer and die on the cross to make the payment for all of humanity’s sins.

God dies for people? The Creator dies for those He created? That is simply unimaginable! No amount of schooling, no level of education in the wisdom of this world can reveal this to you. No matter how vivid the imagination, no person could have ever dreamed this up. And yet it has been revealed to us—to you and me. How? How did you and I ever come to know and believe what even the most brilliant minds on this earth could never come up with on their own? Paul gives us the answer in v. 10, “these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” Only God’s Holy Spirit can reveal the unimaginable mystery of our salvation through this Gospel message of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

So, what does this have to do with our imagination as Christians? Consider this: if God’s plan and method of salvation are absolutely unimaginable, just think of how fantastic that salvation itself is going to be! I am, of course, speaking of heaven. However, keep in mind that our salvation doesn’t begin when we leave this life and our life doesn’t end when we leave this world. As redeemed children of God forgiven and freed from sin and death by Christ’s precious blood we are saved right now! We are living out our salvation right now, as we speak!

Now you might be thinking to yourself, “What kind of salvation is this that we’re living in right now? Think of all the problems in the world right now! Think of all the problems in your life right now!” This is where our imaginations come in. God wants us to remember His promises. He wants us to think about and dream about and imagine “what God has prepared for those who love him.” (v. 9) The problems and day to day struggles that we experience in this life are all a result of sin–sin in the world, and sin that still lives inside of each one of us. In His Word God has promised us that it will not be this way forever. Jesus has promised to return again to take us to be with Him eternally in heaven. Right now, while we are still here on earth, Jesus is preparing a mansion for us in heaven (John 14:2). He is giving each one of us something really worth looking forward to. Something worth enduring the pains and troubles of this life for. Something worth imagining!

Have you ever imagined what heaven is going to be like? Have you ever dreamt about it or daydreamed about it? How about recently? What it’s going to be like living with all our brothers and sisters in Christ who have ever lived—living with Jesus Himself forever? Jesus once told a parable in which He compared heaven to a great banquet (Luke 14:16). You’ve probably all been to a banquet before, either your high school banquet or prom, or maybe a wedding reception, so you can all imagine what a banquet looks like. I want you to use your imagination for a few moments and just try and picture what that heavenly banquet might be like:

What will it look like? How elaborate and elegant will the decorations be?

What will the food at this heavenly banquet smell like and taste like? (Will we even eat food in heaven??)

Think of the people who will be there: Every one of God’s children—past and present—sitting at His banquet hall. From Adam and Eve to the Apostle Paul, to your believing loved ones, including the ones who have gone before you—they will all be there!

Most importantly, Jesus will be there too!

He’s clothed you in His “robes of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10), washed you clean from all your sins so that you are accepted as a guest at this banquet. He has a seat reserved just for you.

In fact, you have more than just a seat reserved, Jesus Himself will tell you, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!” (Matthew 25:34)

Can you imagine it? Actually, we can’t—at least we can’t imagine exactly what heaven will look like and be like. It will be too wonderful to imagine! After all, how can we sinful human beings, living in a world full of pain, sickness, death and sin, imagine the place described in Revelation? A place where there “shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying…(nor) pain”? (Revelation 21:4) How can we possibly visualize our true, heavenly home where “God Himself will be with [us] and be our God”and “will dwell with [us], and [we] shall be His people”? (Revelation 21:3) An eternal home where there are no more “good byes” or “farewells” ever!

Yet, make no mistake, this place will be ours, and it will be ours soon. Jesus Himself, our God and Savior has paid for it with His precious shed blood. He has prepared it for us from eternity. He has promised it to us and has reserved it for us forever. What will that be like? We can only imagine! And one day, because of Jesus, our Redeemer we won’t have to! One day we too will be able to say, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27). Amen!

—Pastor Luke Bernthal

St. Stephen Lutheran Church
Mt. View and Hayward, CA

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Ministry by Mail is a weekly publication of the Church of the Lutheran Confession. Subscription and staff information may be found online at www.clclutheran.org/ministrybymail.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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