2,000 years ago, God saw that heaven and earth were too far apart. God very much wanted to bring heaven down to earth so that all his children could enjoy it, just as he does. And for a moment, this happened.
The price to move heaven to earth was the life of God himself — God the Son. The Son gave everything to make this happen, even surrendering his place in heaven, even descending into the depths of Hades.
And when heaven touched earth, some amazing things occurred. The Son, who’d been flesh and blood and who’d died, was resurrected. Others had been resurrected before him. Just a few. But none were resurrected like this. The few who’d preceded the Son arose from the earth as flesh and blood. But the Son arose with a new, heavenly body. Well, this only makes sense. Heaven and earth were touching.
In fact, when heaven touched the earth, it also touched some other tombs, and other men and women long dead walked the earth in their heavenly bodies, too. And this only makes sense, heaven and earth were touching.
And the veil that hid the sight of God’s dwelling in the temple was torn, opening God’s dwelling for all to see. But this only makes sense. God’s real dwelling was already present on earth. He didn’t need two. You see, heaven and earth were touching.
And the sun was darkened. There was no eclipse. There were no clouds. Yet this only makes sense. There’s no need for the sun in heaven. Heaven and earth were touching.
Each time we take this bread — this body of the Son — we bring heaven and earth together again. You see, God’s Son lives in heaven, but right now, he’s here among us. He hasn’t left heaven. He’s brought a little bit of heaven with him. I hope you feel it. I hope you see it.
In heaven, we’ll all eat at a Great Banquet with friends. In heaven, we’ll all be one with each other. In heaven, we’ll all be a single family. In heaven, we’ll worship the God who made us and who re-made us.
And for that to be true here, today, in this room, for these people, we need only proclaim the Son’s death, that moment when heaven touched earth, and tell the world by this meal which anticipates an eternal, perfect meal, that heaven never left.
Heaven never left because the Son never left. His spiritual body is in heaven. But his physical body remains on earth. We are that body. We are the Son incarnate on earth — so long as we live as his body.
Therefore, as we take this meal, as we share in the body of the Son, the One who brought heaven to earth, let’s honor his presence by re-committing to be the body — to be Jesus on earth, walking as he walked, speaking as he spoke, and offering ourselves as he offered himself. Let’s bring even more of heaven to earth.
That is really awesome!
🙂