We continue our four-week worship series this Sunday called The Difference Heaven Makes with emphasis on the reality of heaven.
Our worship series is rooted in the biblical texts below and the work of two important theologians: Christopher Morse (The Difference Heaven Makes) and Jurgen Moltmann (Sun of Righteousness, ARISE! and In the End-The Beginning)
Outline of Series
September 8: Hearing of Heaven Today (Isaiah 60.1-9)
September 15: The Theology of Heaven (I Corinthians 7.29-31)
September 22: The Reality of Heaven (Luke 24.1-8)
September 29: The Ethics and Hope of Heaven (Romans 15.13)
When have you looked for the living among the dead? When have you been surprised by new life?
The following is an interview of Dr. Christopher Morse by Dr Trevor Eppehimer (from http://www.salisburypost.com/Opinion/010911-insight-heaven-pic-qcd).
Eppehimer: What I found particularly interesting in your book is your discussion of the way in which heaven, particularly its forthcoming, as you put it, calls into question what we understand the “real world” to entail. I wonder if you might talk a bit about the connection you make in your book between heaven and what we refer to as “reality.”
Morse: Here I think you come to the core message of the Gospel regarding heaven, and that is that it’s not about religion so much as about what we take to be “the real world.” It’s fascinating, when you think about it, that in the Bible heaven is referred to most often in terms of that which is now coming to pass in contrast to what Paul refers to as “the form of this world that is passing away.” The most real thing about our present life on Earth now is heaven. If that is indeed the news of the Gospel, it’s rather surprising to hear, isn’t it?
Morse states, “The most real thing about our present life on Earth now is heaven.” What does this mean to you?
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