Home Sweet Home (Part 1) Series

Sunday Morning November 3, 2002 Bel Aire Baptist Church

Series: “The End” [#27]

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HOME SWEET HOME!

Revelation 21

Introduction:

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Philippians 3:20-21

1. There are many sermons that we hear that we need, but we don’t enjoy them. We don’t like to be told what we are doing wrong or what we need to be doing, but this morning we are going to study a subject that we all like to hear about.

Revelation 21:1-8

2. Before we study Heaven, we must be reminded that not everyone gets to go to Heaven. There is a requirement in order to inherit the right to go to Heaven.

3. If you want to go to Heaven, you must be a saved person. Now that we have covered the requirements of entry, let’s look at our eternal home as Christians.

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The Capital Of Heaven

In the Bible we read of three Heavens.

1. The First Heaven- home of the birds and clouds.

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2. The Second Heaven- home of the sun, moon, and stars.

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3. The Third Heaven- home of God. This is the Heaven that we as Christians refer to. It is important to note that man’s brainpower has been able to transport mankind from the first to the second Heaven, but no space vehicle can ever be devised which will take him from the second to the third Heaven! This journey can only be affected by the blood of Jesus and not by the brain. In fact, Jesus told Nicodemus a man could not even see this Heaven, let alone enter it, apart from the new birth.

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The Characteristics Of Heaven (New Jerusalem)

The Shape Of This City

Revelation 21:16

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The Size Of This City

Revelation 21:16

1. According to our present-day measurements this city would be roughly 1400 miles long, high, and wide!

2. To help you out a little bit, this is over 15 times the combined surface of the entire earth, including both land and water area!

3. It has been estimated that approximately 40 billion people have lived on our planet since the creation of Adam. Of this number, over 4 billion are living today. Studies of city populations assure us that every single one of these 40 billion could easily be accommodated on just the first “foundational floor” of this marvelous place.

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The Inhabitants Of This City

1. The holy and elect angels.

2. The 24 elders.

3. The Church.

4. Saved Israel.

5. The Father.

6. The Son.

7. The Holy Spirit.

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The Foundation Of This City

1. The city rests upon twelve layers of foundation stones with each layer being inlaid with a different precious gem.

2. The twelve foundations were not only inlaid with costly gems, but each foundational layer carried the name of one of the twelve apostles in the New Testament.

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The Walls Of This City

Revelation 21:17-18

1. The walls of the New Jerusalem are some 216 feet high and are made of jasper.

2. The wall is obviously not for protection, but for design and beauty only. In comparison to size, a 216 foot wall around a 1400 mile high city would be like a one inch curbing around the Empire State Building!

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The Gates Of This City

Revelation 21:12-13, 21

1. There are twelve gates to this city, three gates on each side.

2. On each gate is the name of one of the Tribes of Israel.

3. Each gate is composed of a beautiful solid white pearl.

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The Main Street Of This City

Revelation 21:21

1. The central boulevard of the New Jerusalem is composed of pure transparent gold.

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The Throne Is Within This City

Revelation 4:2-3, 6

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The River Of Life Is In This City

Revelation 22:1

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The Tree Of Life Is In This City

Revelation 22:2

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The Activities Of The Redeemed In This City

1. Heaven will be a place of singing.

2. Heaven will be a place of fellowship.

3. Heaven will be a place of serving.

4. Heaven will be a place of learning. What will we learn about in Heaven? We will learn concerning the person of God. We will learn concerning the plan of God. We will learn concerning the power of God.

Conclusion:

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1. Out of all of the songs we sing, our favorites are those about Heaven. Out of all the sermons we hear, our favorites are those about Heaven.

2. Unfortunately, there are many who will not enter into the gates of Heaven because they never made Jesus the Savior of their life.

3. Remember, there is plenty of room for everybody and God does not want any to end up in Hell separated from Him.

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