Experiencing the Open Heavens: God's Eternal Presence

 

Summary

The image of the heavens opening up is a profound and recurring theme as we approach the celebration of the Incarnation and Christmas. This concept is not just a physical phenomenon but a spiritual reality that invites us to perceive the eternal presence of God in our lives. Thornton Wilder's words remind us that something eternal resides within us, a truth that has been echoed by the greatest minds throughout history. This eternal something is God's desire to be with us, a reality that is already in session.

The notion of the heavens opening up is deeply rooted in scripture, as seen in the book of Ezekiel, where the prophet experiences a vision of God. This experience is not about the physical sky but about the spiritual realm becoming perceptible. The story of Elijah and his servant further illustrates this, where the servant's eyes are opened to see the spiritual reality of God's presence. When Jesus came, it was to make this spiritual reality accessible to us, to open the heavens so that we might know God's love and power.

In the Gospels, Jesus' baptism marks a moment where the heavens open, and the Spirit descends, making the spiritual realm directly available to Him. Dallas Willard notes that the Bible never mentions the heavens closing after this event, signifying that they remain open for us as well. Jesus' life and teachings invite us to live with an awareness of God's presence, to see the open door to the spiritual realm in our daily lives.

The Book of Revelation speaks of an open door set before us, a metaphor for the opportunities to do good and be used by God. This door, opened by God, remains open, allowing us to live in communion with Him. As we prepare for Christmas, we are encouraged to see God's presence in others, recognizing that each person bears His image. Jesus emphasized that His presence is uniquely manifested in the presence of others, urging us to see the heavens open in our interactions with people.

God's presence is both omnipresent and manifest, inviting us to experience and interact with Him. Just as a child can sense when they are being spoken about, we are called to be aware of God's manifold presence in our lives. Jesus embodies this presence, assuring us that we are never alone. Each moment, each act of kindness, and each encounter with another person is an opportunity to experience the open heavens and the eternal presence of God.

Key Takeaways:

1. The concept of the heavens opening is a spiritual reality that invites us to perceive God's eternal presence in our lives. It is not about the physical sky but about becoming aware of the spiritual realm and God's desire to be with us. [02:40]

2. Jesus' baptism marked the opening of the heavens, making the spiritual realm directly accessible. This event signifies that the heavens remain open for us, inviting us to live with an awareness of God's love and power. [04:00]

3. The open door mentioned in Revelation symbolizes the opportunities to do good and be used by God. This door, opened by God, remains open, allowing us to live in communion with Him and experience His presence in our daily lives. [06:37]

4. As we prepare for Christmas, we are encouraged to see God's presence in others, recognizing that each person bears His image. Jesus emphasized that His presence is uniquely manifested in the presence of others, urging us to see the heavens open in our interactions with people. [07:42]

5. God's presence is both omnipresent and manifest, inviting us to experience and interact with Him. Jesus embodies this presence, assuring us that we are never alone. Each moment, each act of kindness, and each encounter with another person is an opportunity to experience the open heavens and the eternal presence of God. [09:32]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - The Image of Heavens Opening
[01:02] - Eternity in Our Bones
[01:52] - Ezekiel's Vision
[02:27] - Spiritual Reality
[03:11] - Elijah's Servant Sees
[03:28] - Jesus and the Open Heavens
[04:33] - Revelation's Open Door
[05:18] - Greek Tenses Explained
[06:37] - The Perfect Tense of God's Presence
[07:12] - Seeing God in Others
[08:25] - Omnipresence and Manifest Presence
[09:32] - Experiencing God's Presence
[10:02] - The Incarnation and Open Heavens

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Ezekiel 1:1 - "In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God."
2. Matthew 3:16-17 - "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.'"
3. Revelation 3:8 - "I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Ezekiel describe seeing when the heavens were opened in Ezekiel 1:1? How does this relate to the concept of spiritual reality? [01:52]
2. In Matthew 3:16-17, what significant event occurs when the heavens open during Jesus' baptism? How is this event described in the sermon? [04:00]
3. According to Revelation 3:8, what does the open door symbolize, and who is responsible for opening it? [06:37]
4. How does the sermon describe the ongoing state of the heavens after Jesus' baptism? [04:15]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the vision of the heavens opening in Ezekiel 1:1 help us understand the nature of spiritual reality? What does this imply about our ability to perceive God's presence? [02:40]
2. What is the significance of the heavens remaining open after Jesus' baptism, as mentioned in the sermon? How does this affect our daily lives and spiritual awareness? [04:15]
3. In what ways does the open door in Revelation 3:8 represent opportunities for believers to engage with God's work? How does this relate to the concept of living in communion with God? [06:37]
4. How does the sermon suggest we can see God's presence in others, and why is this important as we prepare for Christmas? [07:42]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt a sense of God's presence in your life. How did this experience change your perspective or actions? [09:32]
2. As we approach Christmas, how can you become more aware of God's presence in the people around you? What practical steps can you take to see the "heavens open" in your interactions with others? [07:42]
3. The sermon mentions that each act of kindness is an opportunity to experience God's presence. Identify a specific act of kindness you can perform this week and how it might open the heavens for you and others. [09:32]
4. Consider the open door mentioned in Revelation 3:8. What opportunities do you currently have to do good and be used by God? How can you step through this open door in your daily life? [06:37]
5. How can you cultivate an awareness of God's omnipresence in your daily routine? What changes might you need to make to become more attuned to His presence? [08:25]
6. Think of a person in your life who reflects God's image. How can you honor and recognize God's presence in them this week? [07:42]
7. The sermon emphasizes that we are never alone because of Jesus' presence. How can this assurance impact your response to loneliness or isolation? [09:32]

Devotional

Day 1: Perceiving the Spiritual Realm
The concept of the heavens opening is a profound spiritual reality that invites us to perceive God's eternal presence in our lives. This is not about the physical sky but about becoming aware of the spiritual realm and God's desire to be with us. The image of the heavens opening is a recurring theme as we approach the celebration of the Incarnation and Christmas. It is a reminder that something eternal resides within us, a truth echoed by the greatest minds throughout history. This eternal something is God's desire to be with us, a reality that is already in session. [02:40]

Ezekiel 1:1 (ESV): "In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God."

Reflection: How can you cultivate an awareness of God's presence in your daily routine today? What specific practices can help you perceive the spiritual realm more clearly?


Day 2: Living with Open Heavens
Jesus' baptism marked the opening of the heavens, making the spiritual realm directly accessible. This event signifies that the heavens remain open for us, inviting us to live with an awareness of God's love and power. The Gospels describe this moment as the Spirit descending upon Jesus, making the spiritual realm directly available to Him. Dallas Willard notes that the Bible never mentions the heavens closing after this event, signifying that they remain open for us as well. Jesus' life and teachings invite us to live with an awareness of God's presence, to see the open door to the spiritual realm in our daily lives. [04:00]

Matthew 3:16-17 (ESV): "And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'"

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself of the open heavens in your life today? How can this awareness change the way you approach challenges and opportunities?


Day 3: Embracing Opportunities for Good
The open door mentioned in Revelation symbolizes the opportunities to do good and be used by God. This door, opened by God, remains open, allowing us to live in communion with Him and experience His presence in our daily lives. The Book of Revelation speaks of an open door set before us, a metaphor for the opportunities to do good and be used by God. As we prepare for Christmas, we are encouraged to see God's presence in others, recognizing that each person bears His image. [06:37]

Revelation 3:8 (ESV): "I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name."

Reflection: What is one specific opportunity to do good that you can embrace today? How can you be intentional about recognizing and acting on these opportunities?


Day 4: Seeing God in Others
As we prepare for Christmas, we are encouraged to see God's presence in others, recognizing that each person bears His image. Jesus emphasized that His presence is uniquely manifested in the presence of others, urging us to see the heavens open in our interactions with people. This perspective invites us to recognize the divine in each person we encounter, understanding that each moment, each act of kindness, and each encounter with another person is an opportunity to experience the open heavens and the eternal presence of God. [07:42]

Matthew 25:40 (ESV): "And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'"

Reflection: Who in your life can you intentionally see as bearing God's image today? How can you show them love and kindness in a way that reflects God's presence?


Day 5: Experiencing God's Omnipresence
God's presence is both omnipresent and manifest, inviting us to experience and interact with Him. Jesus embodies this presence, assuring us that we are never alone. Just as a child can sense when they are being spoken about, we are called to be aware of God's manifold presence in our lives. Each moment, each act of kindness, and each encounter with another person is an opportunity to experience the open heavens and the eternal presence of God. [09:32]

Psalm 139:7-10 (ESV): "Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me."

Reflection: How can you become more aware of God's omnipresence in your life today? What specific steps can you take to interact with Him throughout your day?

Quotes


Now there are some things we all know, but we don't take them out look at them very often. We all know that something is eternal, and Eight houses and eight names, and Earth ain't even the Stars. Everybody knows in their bones that something is eternal, and that something has to do with human beings. All the greatest people ever lived have been telling us that for five thousand years, and yet you'd be surprised how often people are always losing hold of it. [00:01:04]

And that something is that God wants to be with us, that eternity is already in session. So this notion of the heavens opening up goes way back in the book of The Prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel chapter 1 verse 1, Ezekiel says in my 30th year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, when I was with the Exiles at the kibar river, the heavens opened up and I saw a vision of God. [00:01:46]

Now the idea of the heavens opening up is not something that takes place in the sky. This is a spectacular time of day and beauty is all around me right at the moment and the idea of the heavens opening up is not a physical thing. It's built on this notion that the spiritual is real. We have a hard time coming to grips with that but that the spiritual is real, and the heavens opening up as a way of talking about somebody actually being able to have the experience to perceive the reality of the spiritual. [00:02:15]

Now when Jesus comes, it is so that the heavens could be opened up so that that reality, the spiritual reality, the reality of love, God above all and God's power and God's goodness, something Eternal that we know in our bones could become real to us in the person of Jesus. And when Jesus himself was baptized in all of the Gospels it says the heavens are opened up and the spirit descends on Jesus, so that the reality of his father and the existence of the spiritual realm was made directly available, present, perceptible to Jesus. [00:03:25]

Dallas Willard puts it like this: the heavens opened up to him and the Bible never says that they closed. They just remained open to him, and then Jesus came became flesh so that the heavens could be open to you, could be open to me. We could become aware, could know in our bones that God is with us. [00:04:09]

So in the Book of Revelation one of the things Jesus says to one of the churches is see I have set before you an open door, that image of opening up into the reality of the spiritual that comes now in opportunities to do good, to be used by God for other people. [00:04:33]

Jesus now has made possible a life where the door to heaven, the opening of the heavens, the ability to do life together with God in this moment, in this task, seeing the reality that he is here with us is now possible for human beings. [00:06:50]

And one of the deepest ways in which it's true and what I would invite you to do is we're getting ready now for Christmas, is to see the presence of God, that the heavens opening in particular when you look at people who bear the image of God, and to think as I look at each one of them now the heavens are opened up. [00:07:14]

Jesus would often talk about how his presence comes uniquely in the presence of other people because they are image bearers. Wherever two or three of you are gathered together there I am, you would say, whatever you do for the least of these, he would say, you have done for me. He is the door to Heaven is open, particularly when I see other people. [00:07:37]

There are two senses in which we could think about God being present. He is present in the beauty of Creation in his world. He is present automatically, we might say, because he is omnipresent. There is no place where God is not, he's always present. However, sometimes his presence is Manifest to us, we are aware of it, we become experiencing it and we can interact with it. [00:08:21]

Jesus is the manifold presence of God. You Are Not Alone, right here right now, the heavens are open. I have set before you an Open Door, and that's true every moment, every scene of beauty, every task that you're able to do that could help somebody else out. We are never done with that, we are never done trying to bring good to other people. [00:09:31]

So when you look at people each moment of the day, but especially as you look at people as we move towards the celebration of the Incarnation, the word becoming flesh, Jesus being with us, think of that each time I see another person, you Are Not Alone, the heavens have opened and they have not shown. [00:10:06]

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Transcript
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