Two Heavens
Communion with God is essential for triumphing over life's challenges and achieving a deep sense of comfort, strength, and fulfillment.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the vital importance of communion with God, describing it as a source of strength and courage that enables believers to overcome all adversities. He illustrates communion as a reciprocal relationship between Christ and the soul, likening it to Jacob's ladder, where divine influences flow both ways. Brooks asserts that true communion provides both a present heaven on earth and a future heaven after death, making it the most valuable pursuit for a believer. He warns that without this communion, one loses comfort and strength, ultimately leading to spiritual captivity, as exemplified by Samson's downfall. Therefore, he urges believers to prioritize and maintain their communion with Christ above all else.
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Communion with God is that which will make you stand
fast, and triumph over all enemies, difficulties, dangers,
and deaths. Communion with God will make a man as
courageous and bold as a lion, yes, as a young lion
which is fearless of any creature.
Communion is a reciprocal exchange between Christ
and a gracious soul. Communion is Jacob's ladder,
where you have Christ sweetly descending down into
the soul--and the soul by divine influences sweetly
ascending up to Christ.
Communion with God is . . .
a shield upon land,
an anchor at sea,
a sword to defend you,
a staff to support you,
balm to heal you,
a cordial to strengthen you.
High communion with Christ will yield you two
heavens, a heaven upon earth, and a heaven
after death.
He enjoys nothing, who lacks communion with God.
He lacks nothing, who enjoys communion with God.
Therefore above all gettings, get communion with
Christ; and above all keepings, keep communion
with Christ. All other losses are not comparable to
the loss of communion with Christ. He who has lost
his communion, has lost his comfort, his strength,
his all, and it will not be long before the Philistines
capture him, and put out his eyes, and bind him
with fetters of brass, and make him grind in a
prison, as they did Samson, in Judges 16:20-21.
Sermon Outline
- Communion with God
- Characteristics of Communion with God
- Importance of Communion with God
- Definition of Communion with God
- Benefits of Communion with God
- Reciprocal Exchange between Christ and the Soul
- Jacob's Ladder
- 'Two Heavens: Heaven on Earth and Heaven After Death'
Key Quotes
“Communion with God is that which will make you stand fast, and triumph over all enemies, difficulties, dangers, and deaths.” — Thomas Brooks
“Communion is a reciprocal exchange between Christ and a gracious soul.” — Thomas Brooks
“High communion with Christ will yield you two heavens, a heaven upon earth, and a heaven after death.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Make communion with God your top priority, above all else.
- Maintain a reciprocal exchange with Christ, where you ascend to Him and He descends to you.
- Recognize the importance of communion with God in your life, and take steps to deepen your relationship with Him.