The Assurance of Heaven
Matthew 13:44-50
Hallelujah! May the grace and peace of our Lord be with you throughout this week. Last week, I shared the message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Today, I would like to focus on the words of our Lord in connection with heaven. I have observed three key aspects in the Lord’s teachings. First, the Lord spoke about what heaven is like and the value it holds. Second, the Lord described people’s responses when they hear the message of heaven. Third, the Lord explained the influence of those who understand the value of heaven on the world. I will share with you these three points today.
First, we must have a clear understanding of the value of heaven. However, heaven is like a hidden treasure that cannot be known unless God reveals it to us through the Holy Spirit. Heaven is not a realm that human effort or research can comprehend. Just as a caterpillar cannot understand the transformation into a butterfly, a person of the flesh cannot grasp the spiritual reality of heaven. While the world we live in is bound to the physical dimensions, heaven transcends these boundaries as a spiritual realm filled with God’s sovereignty and glory. God has placed eternity in the hearts of all people, making them ponder the life beyond death (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
The secret of heaven can only be known when God, the Creator of this world, reveals it through the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures, written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, declare: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Those who understand and believe in the mysteries of heaven are spiritual people. To become spiritual people, we must receive the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit comes to those who publicly declare their faith in Jesus Christ and are baptized. The Bible says, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:38-39).
Let us look at the descriptions of heaven revealed in Scripture. Heaven is a real place, as Jesus described it as a dwelling place prepared for us to live forever. Jesus said, “My Father’s house has many rooms” (John 14:2), and “I am going there to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2-3). Revelation describes heaven as a “new heaven and a new earth”: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them’” (Revelation 21:1-2). The streets of heaven are said to be made of pure gold, like transparent glass, with a river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God, and the tree of life growing on both sides of the river, bearing fruit every month, and its leaves bringing healing to the nations (Revelation 22:1-2).
Heaven is the place where God’s sovereignty and perfect rule are fully realized. It is where those who live according to His law and submit to His authority reside. This place is filled with God’s righteousness, peace, and joy. We will fellowship there with the Lord and all the saints, clothed in glorious, resurrected bodies like that of the risen Christ. Jesus, the Light of the world, fills heaven with His glory, and it is a place of perfect light where there is no darkness, temptation, or deceit. Heaven is a perfect world where we love and trust one another, worship God, and find eternal rest.
In this glorious heaven, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). While we all long for such rest in this world, we cannot fully experience it here. However, in heaven, we will finally enjoy the rest we have always desired.
God has revealed this heaven to us through the Scriptures, and Jesus likened the value of heaven to a “hidden treasure in a field” (Matthew 13:44). In ancient Israel, a region frequently ravaged by war, people often buried their treasures in the ground for safekeeping. If the owner died, the treasure remained hidden until someone discovered it. To rightfully own it, one had to purchase the field. Likewise, heaven is a treasure of immeasurable value that far exceeds anything we possess on earth. As Jesus said, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Matthew 16:26). To pursue worldly happiness apart from the Word of the Lord, only to fall into hell after death, is the most foolish and pitiful way to live.
Although it is a sobering truth, our days on earth are drawing nearer to their end. The Bible clearly states that after death, there will be judgment. This makes the value of heaven directly tied to the value of our lives. The righteous will inherit the blessings of eternal life, living in resurrected bodies in the new heaven and new earth with the Lord. However, heaven is not a place that everyone can enter. Jesus compared heaven to a net gathering all kinds of fish, with the righteous and the wicked being separated (Matthew 13:47-50). Only the righteous will enter heaven.
Who are the righteous? All people are sinners before God’s standards. Only through the redemptive grace of Jesus Christ, which cleanses us from our sins, can we become righteous. God is a just and fair judge who repays according to each person’s deeds. The righteous are those who seek God’s justice and righteousness, continually longing for the Holy Spirit and praying without ceasing. Such people can resist the temptations of sin, declaring, “How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). These are the righteous who will inherit heaven’s glory. May we all be counted among them and share in the blessings of heaven. Amen.
Second, the Lord spoke about people’s responses when they hear the message of heaven.
The first response is like the path. Jesus said, “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path” (Matthew 13:19). He also explained, “Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved” (Luke 8:12). People who respond like the path judge the message of heaven based on their own experiences and knowledge. Therefore, they see God’s Word as foolish, weak, and insignificant by worldly standards and do not accept it. What they fail to realize is that the devil is at work behind the scenes, controlling their hearts to keep them from being saved. Let us pray that none of us will respond like the path.
The second response is like rocky ground. Jesus said, “Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing, they fall away” (Luke 8:13). The Word of God often conflicts with the values of the world, and those with hearts like rocky ground easily give up their faith because living according to God’s Word is challenging. Rocky ground can be compared to a barren wilderness without water. The devil seeks out these dry places and claims them as his territory. However, when the Holy Spirit comes into such a heart, the evil spirit is cast out, and streams of living water flow into the once-barren wilderness, transforming it into fertile soil. To experience this transformation, we must rely on the redeeming grace of Jesus and earnestly pray for the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts.
The third response is like the thorny ground. Jesus said, “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). He also explained, “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature” (Luke 8:14). Regarding this, 1 Timothy 5:6 states, “The one who lives for pleasure is dead even while they live,” and 2 Timothy 3:2-4 warns, “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” A heart like thorny ground, which seeks happiness in worldly things, cannot produce the fruit of the Word. Just as a child finds rest and joy in their mother’s presence, we must find satisfaction in the Lord alone. When we do, all the thorns in our lives will be removed, and we will bear much fruit.
The fourth response is like good soil. Jesus said, “But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown” (Matthew 13:23). He also explained, “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering, produce a crop” (Luke 8:15). Good soil reflects a “poor in spirit” heart, as Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Being poor in spirit means crucifying one’s fleshly desires and earnestly desiring the Holy Spirit to overcome the forces of darkness. To those who fervently seek the Holy Spirit, God will surely pour out His Spirit, enabling them to bear fruit thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold.
Third, those who realize the value of heaven naturally reflect that value in their lives and influence the world.
Just as looking into a mirror and noticing a blemish prompts one to wash it off, those who understand heaven reveal that understanding to others through their lives. Jesus illustrated the influence of heaven through parables. He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32). He also compared heaven to “yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough” (Matthew 13:33). The value of heaven spreads and exerts a profound influence, much like an infectious disease. The Jews referred to the Apostle Paul as a “pest” because anyone who encountered him came to believe in Jesus. In today’s terms, it is like the way COVID-19 spreads through contact. Let us strive to spread the Word of Jesus and His life to the world. A person with true faith and the values of a citizen of heaven will inevitably impact others. However, such influence requires patience. As Jesus said, patience and obedience to His Word result in yields of 100, 60, or 30 times. May this fruit be evident in all of us.
Even as we strive to influence the world for good, we must be aware of the devil’s attempts to exert his influence on us. Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. In this parable, the enemy who sowed the weeds is the devil. The essence of the weeds is anything that causes people to stumble. Weeds include all things that hinder belief in God’s creation and salvation. One example of such weeds is the theory of evolution, which opposes faith in God’s creation. Another is religious pluralism, which denies the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the Savior. Religious pluralism suggests that salvation can also be found in other religions, leading people away from faith in Jesus as the only Savior.
These false beliefs are sown by the devil when the church becomes spiritually complacent. Interestingly, those who accept evolution often also embrace religious pluralism. This demonstrates how the weeds mentioned in Scripture grow within Christian society. The devil sows weeds to distort the gospel of Jesus, preventing people from being saved.
Another form of weeds is the belief that one can enter heaven simply by believing in Jesus, even while living a sinful and lawless life. To such individuals, the Lord declares, “Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). The difference between a house built on rock and one built on sand lies in obedience to God’s Word. Revelation 21:27 states, “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Similarly, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 warns, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” The devil seeks to lead people astray through false beliefs and lawlessness, but we must remain faithful to God’s Word. Let us pray earnestly and seek the Holy Spirit, striving to live as children of God who obey His Word.
To summarize: Heaven is a real, spiritual realm that no one can comprehend unless God reveals it to them. Through Scripture, God has made heaven known to us. However, the devil seeks to prevent us from entering heaven by planting weeds of unbelief and false teachings in our hearts. Without the Holy Spirit, our hearts may resemble the path, rocky ground, or thorny ground. Only when the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts can streams of living water flow, transforming them into good soil. Then we will understand the Word, live with purpose, and influence others with the values of the kingdom of heaven.
May none of us be deceived by the false teaching that we can enter heaven while living in sin. We must stay vigilant in prayer because, without God’s strength, we cannot live holy and godly lives in this world. Scripture clearly states that without holiness, no one will see the kingdom of God. Our prayers should invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts. May we receive renewed strength through the Holy Spirit and live victoriously throughout this week.
Prayer:
Gracious and loving Father, we give thanks and praise for Your promise to send the Holy Spirit to those who seek Him, enabling us to live as Your children set apart in this world. Pour out Your Spirit upon us as we pray, and help us to live with the values of Your kingdom rather than the values of this world. Teach us to number our days and realize how short our time is. Fill us with wisdom and strength to live holy, godly lives in peace with others. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.