## Mothers Day In Heaven

## John 14:1-6

Anna M. Jarvis first suggested the national observance of an annual day honoring all mothers because she had loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation (her mother's favorite flower) to each person who attended.

Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother's Day was observed in a number of large cities in the U.S. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. He established the day as a time for "public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country."

It is for certain that Mothers need to be honored and deserve to be honored. I think about a little boy that forgot his lines in a Sunday school presentation. His mother was in the front row to prompt him. She gestured and formed the words silently with her lips, but it did not help. Her son's memory was blank. Finally, she leaned forward and whispered the cue, "I am the light of the world." The child beamed and with great feeling and a loud clear voice said, "My mother is the light of the world." I'm sure that many feel the same way about their mother. There are not enough words in our vocabulary to say all that should be said about mothers.

Abraham Lincoln said: "I remember my mother's prayers, and they have followed me; they have clung to me all my life. All that I am and hope to be I owe to my angel mother."

Today as we think about mothers, I realize that many of you, like me, no longer have your mothers with you. Some of you are spending your first Mothers Day without your mother. Many have you have spent several Mothers Days without your mother. This is the seventeenth Mothers Day since my mother went to be with the Lord.

Read: John 14:1-6

I. Is Mom in Heaven?

A. That all depends on her relationship with Jesus Christ.

1. Moms are not exempt from being accountable to God.

2. I know this isn't easy for us to consider, but a mother's eternal destiny isn't determined by how much they loved their children…nor by all the sacrifices they made for their families.

3. The Word of God makes it clear that eternity is determined solely on the basis of a proper relationship with Jesus Christ.

4. In verse 1, when Jesus spoke of His "Father's House." He was talking about heaven.

5. It is a comfort thought to know that your mother is dwelling in heaven on this Mother's Day.

6. It brings joy to hearts to know, that they are celebrating Mothers Day in heaven.

B. Consider what Jesus had to say about this place called heaven.

1. Heaven Is A Prepared Place.

a. Jesus said in verse 2, "I go to prepare a place for you."

b. Heaven is a place prepared by the Son of God for those who are born again.

c. Death for a believer is just a moving day.

d. This world is not our final home!

e. Death is making our move into the home that Jesus has prepared.

f. Mothers are you prepared for heaven?

g. The only preparation is to place your faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary.

2. Heaven Is A Plenteous Place.

a. Jesus spoke of "many mansions" in Heaven (Vs.2).

b. He was indicating that Heaven is a spacious and plenteous place.

c. It is a place of many mansions.

d. Let me put that in perspective for you.

e. The apostle John describes our heavenly home as 12,000 furlongs in length, breadth, and height.

f. 1 furlong = 1/8 of a mile and 12,000 furlongs = 1500 miles.

g. Imagine that the stories of the New Jerusalem are 15 foot a story.

h. The New Jerusalem would have 528,000 stories and on each story there would be 2,250,000 square miles.

i. The Department of Eugenics estimates that there have been approximately 100 billion who have lived on the earth.

j. If every person went to heaven, they would each have a mansion that was 12 square miles in size.

k. There is plenty of room in heaven!

C. Heaven Is A Personal Place.

1. Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you" (Vs. 2).

2. Jesus spoke of heaven as personal place.

3. It is a place prepared for those who will receive Christ as Savior.

4. It is a place prepared for you and me.

5. But there is one particular mansion prepared just for mom.

6. Today, she celebrates Mothers Day in her mansion.

II. What is she doing?

A. She is experiencing the Newness of life with the Lord.

1. When Jesus spoke of His "Father's House", as a place of "many mansions", and a place He had gone away to "prepare" (Vs.2-3), He was speaking of a place that is in contrast to all we have known in this life.

2. He was describing a life that is distinct from the life we have known on this earth.

3. There is the place we lived on earth, but there is the place we will live in heaven.

4. There is the life we live on earth, but there is the life we will live in heaven.

5. These two are in sharp contrast to one another.

a. When John saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, he described it as a place prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev.21:2).

b. One of the things that he saw about our future heavenly home was the contrast in lifestyles.

c. Note: Revelation 21:3-5

d. John saw a place in which all things were new.

e. He saw a place in which everything was different as compared to the life that had been lived on earth.

f. He saw that there was: No more tears, No more death, No more sorrow, No more crying, No more pain, All the former we had been accustomed to were passed away and all things were new.

B. She is Enjoying The Nearness Of Her Lord.

1. Jesus said in verse 3, "that where I am, there ye may be also."

2. Jesus was telling them that that He would be with Him in heaven.

3. One of the glories of heaven is being in the presence of Jesus.

1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

4. Mom and all our loved ones have looked upon the face of Jesus, bowed at the feet of Jesus, and praised the name of Jesus.

5. She is in His presence this Mothers Day.

III. Is She Happy?

A. We sorrow over the loss of a loved one.

1. There is sorrow in many hearts today due to the absence of a mother.

2. But you can be sure that there is no sorrow in the heart of the mothers that are with the Lord.

3. Their heart, as I have already stated, is filled with joy, happiness, and praise. Why?

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

4. Every mother and every loved one that is in heaven this day is there experiencing and enjoying all heaven affords because there was a day when they received Christ as their Savior.

5. We have God's Word on it…She is rejoicing.

B. What would make Mom happier?

1. Knowing her children walk in truth.

3Jo 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

2. My mom was so happy the day I called her and told her I had accepted Christ.

3. How many moms have prayed and wept over their children.

4. Praying that they would get right with God?

5. Is mom happy today? Yes!

6. Does she desire to see her children know that same happiness? Yes!

7. But it is up to each of us to make that choice.

8. Jesus invites us to come unto Him…but we must choose to accept Him.

I. Is Mom in Heaven?

II. What is she doing?

III. Is She Happy?

As we come to a close this morning, I have several challenges for each of you. Do you know Christ as your personal Savior? If not, I invite you to come now and let us share with you from the Word of God how you can know the Lord for now and all eternity.

Perhaps your mother is still on this earth, do you know if she is prepared for eternity? If not, will you share the message of salvation with her this Mothers Day?

What is your need today? Come now.