Most people like to think that their dearly departed are in Heaven.  I can remember my Grandpa Woodhouse dying when I was three and my dad trying to explain what had happened to him.  As far as I could see he had gone into our little bedroom and not come out.  Dad wasn’t ‘very religious’ at the time and said something vague about Grandpa being in Heaven.  I was sad because it meant that Grandpa and I couldn’t go to see the ‘Puffing Billy’ come down from Upminster.  It was the 1940s and British Railways were still running steam.

 

Now I am a Grandpa. “Grandpa,” said my six year old granddaughter, “where exactly is Heaven?”  “I told her you would know, Dad,” said my married daughter.  “Thank you dear,” I said and wondered how to explain it to a six year old.  Ever been there?

 

Jesus, who came to earth from Heaven, had very clear ideas on how to explain Heaven.  It is what the verse on our poster is all about.  “In my Father's house are many rooms:  if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”  John’s Gospel Chapter 14 verse 2.  Here our Lord is in the Upper Room.  He knows, but His Disciples don’t know, that He is about to be betrayed, arrested, put on trial and crucified. So He uses this time to say some really important things to them that He wants them to remember after He has gone.  

 

One of the most important things man needs to know about is the afterlife.  Is there one?  What is it like?  There are all sorts of ideas that come from various faith groups and, indeed, from those with no faith.