THEME: HEAVEN SHALL BE OPENED TO YOU
SCRIPTURE READINGS
1st Samuel 3:1-10
1st Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51
Psalter: Psalm 139:1-6 (Response V.1)
Prepared By: Osofo Yaw Dodd
INTRODUCTION
Whenever the windows of heaven open in the Scriptures, we are given a revelation of God. We either see a new aspect of His being or a new way of His dealings with men. We see Him as a God who blesses and gives generously or as a God who takes sin seriously and judges sinners. When heaven open man is given a vision of God and heaven and sees what God has prepared for those who love him. When the heaven Is open there is no barrier between earth and heaven and nothing is able to come between us and God, between our prayers and God’s blessings. HEAVEN SHALL NOT REMAIN CLOSED BUT SHALL BE OPENED TO YOU.
God wants us to live under open heaven because under it, we have a revelation of Who He is. This revelation will eventually lead to an intimate relationship with Him that gives us access to His presence. Open heaven gives us unhindered access to God’s presence and His blessings. In His presence God will not withhold any blessing from you. Open heaven gives us access to God’s abundant supplies. God knows what we need and has everything we need.
CONTEXT
John’s Gospel is a very theological Gospel. Right from the beginning John want us to understand the deep meanings of what Jesus said and did, and the significance of just who Jesus is. The opening of his Gospel makes it very clear that, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”.
In John’s Gospel, there is no nice narrative of the birth of Jesus, John tells us how Jesus had begun to gather disciples to follow Him. Just a few verses earlier in this first chapter of John, Jesus walks towards John the Baptist. As He does so, John cries out, “Look the Lamb of God”! And after hearing this, two of John’s disciples follow Jesus. And these two are Andrew and Peter. John continues to tell us that the next day, Jesus finds Philip and simply says, “FOLLOW ME ”. And John records that Philip went with Jesus.
These three men, Andrew, Peter, and Phillip had no problem following Jesus after meeting Him for the first time in their lives. In fact Phillip saw something in Jesus that was so amazing to him, he had to run and tell his Best Friend by the name Nathanael. John with his theological profundity tells us that, “Philip found Nathanael” and when he found him—he proceeded to tell him all about Jesus. And here’s what he said, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
BODY
A. IS THERE A CLOSED HEAVEN?
In the days of Eli the heaven remained closed because the spiritual leaders were corrupt and God’s people were not obeying His law. The sons of Eli, the priest, paid no attention to the Lord or to the regulations concerning what the priests could demand from the people. “The word of the Lord was rare in those days and there was no widespread revelation” referring to a closed heaven.
▪God chose Samuel to replace Eli and heaven was opened to him because of his DEDICATION and LOVE for the Lord.
▪The heaven remained close to Eli but was open to Samuel to hear the voice of God.
Samuel, however, was not familiar with the voice of the Lord so God used Eli to reveal to Samuel how he should respond to God’s voice. This means that it is possible for God to stop speaking to someone who was once very spiritual. The tragedy of Eli’s life was that he was someone who God used to speak to, who still had enough spiritual knowledge but whose life no longer pleased the Lord.
B. THE CALL TO BE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS
Right at the start of the story, John says: “JESUS FOUND PHILIP ”. People spend many years seeking out a spiritual leader to follow. But that is not the same for us as Christians: that is not even an option because, as John says, “Jesus found Philip”. Philip didn’t find Christ. CHRIST FOUND PHILIP. The truth at the heart of the Christian story is not that you and I have found Christ, but Christ has found us. We did not decide for God. God decided for us. And the narrative that runs throughout the Bible is of a God who constantly seeks out his people. And once Jesus finds Philip, he issues a single command: “Follow me”.
Put Jesus as number one in our life: that is what is demanded of us as Christians. Philip is compelled to follow Jesus – and leaves all else behind: his WORK, his FAMILY, his POSSESSIONS, his AMBITIONS. It all has to go second place, when we follow Christ.
Following Jesus is a radical commitment that demands every aspect of our being. Of course we get it wrong from time to time and fall short of the ideal – but the intention of radical discipleship should always be before us.
The first thing he did, according to John, was to find his brother Nathanael and tell him about Jesus! The first rule of being a disciple of Jesus is very simple: TELL OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS!
C. THE GREATEST INVITATION GIVEN TO THIS GENERATION
The phrase “COME AND SEE ” occurs twice in this first chapter of St. John’s Gospel. When two curious disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus where He was staying, the Lord said, “Come and see” (v.39).
▪Here in the text, I think Nathanael was simply exhausted. Many of us are like Nathanael today, many of us need our very own FIG TREE to sit under and rest—because we are exhausted with life and the things of life.
It makes us want to find a fig tree somewhere, and just sit there in order to be by ourselves and then contemplate on life and what it’s all about. Phillip seemed to know just what his dear friend needed—and so he said, “COME AND SEE ”!
D. JESUS KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT US
Jesus knew everything about Nathanael beforehand, He knew what Nathanael believed in and what kind of character Nathanael possessed. This is seen in Jesus calling Nathanael an “Israelite indeed” in essence; Jesus was paying Nathanael a huge compliment.
▪Jesus knows what you’re dealing with today under your fig tree;
▪He knows all your hopes and your dreams and your aspirations.
John Piper said, “Jesus not only knows all people thoroughly as they were and are today, he also knows what people will think and do tomorrow. He knows all things that will come to pass.”
I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t serve a Saviour who wouldn’t know everything about me. Because, if I come to Him with a problem or a trial He wouldn’t know how to help me. But since He does know all about me I can come to Him and He can and will fix it.
E. HEAVEN IS OPENED TO YOU
When the heaven was opened to Christ it remained open to His disciples who are one with Him.
When Nathanael acknowledged Jesus was the Messiah Jesus told him he would “see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”.
Heaven is opened to the believer because through the death and resurrection of Christ he has become God’s beloved child. The believer becomes all that Jesus is. The believer is made righteous with the righteousness of Christ. He is justified, just as if he had never sinned.
When Jesus was baptized the heaven was opened and a dove descended on Jesus Christ. Ever since, heaven has been opened to believers and the Holy Spirit comes down to bring solution to the challenges they face and support them in their struggles so that they can respond with faith and obedience.
APPLICATION
We all need open heaven to communicate with God.
When the heaven is closed we are not able to hear God’s voice and direction and our prayers remain unanswered as they contradict God’s will for our lives.
He wants us to live under an open Heaven, where we have free access to His abundant blessings.
CONCLUSION
Thank God for fig trees! Thank God that we are allowed to all sit under our own fig trees! Because through them we are brought to our own personal realization concerning whom Jesus is and what He means to us in our lives. Through the spiritual fig trees you are better able to, “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” –What a powerful revelation!
We are now able to see greater things. Now we can approach God and enter heaven through Jesus Christ; now we have access to God only through Jesus Christ, and now we have a constant communication with God because hereafter we shall see the very heaven open up, with angels ascending and descending. And it is all because of the blessed privilege of sitting under our fig tree and being confronted by Jesus Christ our Lord. Enjoy the SERVICE. Stay Blessed.
PREPARED BY
OSOFO YAW DODD
CALVARY METHODIST SOCIETY
ADABRAKA-ACCRA
