Heaven Is for Real by Todd Burpo
Week 9: Chapters 26–27 — Heaven and the Cross
Read Chapters 26–27 of Heaven Is for Real. Key Scripture: Revelation 5:6-14; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:19-20
Previewing Week 9 of Heaven Is for Real
Read 3 of 6 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 11-week guide when you’re ready.
The most theologically crucial detail in Colton's account is the one that grounds everything else — Jesus still bears the wounds of the cross, and heaven is possible only because of what those wounds represent.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Colton describes Jesus as still having 'markers' — nail holes in his hands and feet — in heaven. Revelation 5:6 describes the Lamb appearing 'as if it had been slain' at the center of heaven's throne room. Why does it matter that the glorified, risen Jesus still bears the marks of crucifixion? What does that tell us about the cross's permanent significance?
2.Todd reflects that when Colton described Jesus' wounds, it reoriented all the other beautiful descriptions of heaven. Heaven is not just a nice place — it is a purchased place. How does keeping the cross at the center of our vision of heaven prevent heaven from becoming just a self-centered fantasy about comfort and reunion?
3.Colton says Jesus was sad when he talked about the cross. A four-year-old used the word 'sad' — not 'triumphant,' not 'victorious,' but sad. What do you make of that? Can the cross be simultaneously the greatest victory in history and something that cost Jesus something so profound it still carries sorrow?