A Citizen Of Heaven

(Sermon outline authored by Dr. Phil Sanders)

A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN

Phil 3:20-21

Introduction:

1. It is a wondrous thing that you and I can become a citizen of Heaven NOW in this life:

a. Jesus is preparing a place just for me! (Jno 14:1-3)

b. Jesus is now preparing me just for that place (2 Cor 5:1-5)

2. [Matt 25:34] Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world

3. HEAVEN is a real place that has been assured to those who remain faithful in following the Word of God.

a. It is a place EVERY CHRISTIAN should know something about

b. NO ONE STUMBLES into heaven- people must intend to go there!

c. Our inheritance in heaven is worth more than anything we might have here

d. For us, heaven is a cheap purchase whatever the cost.

e. But it was not cheap for our Lord Jesus, He died for us;

Heaven is the place God has prepared to bless mankind!

1. We will never be able to understand some things about heaven until we go there.

a. Heaven would hardly be heaven if we could describe it!

b. [2 Peter 3:12,13] We are looking for a NEW (in kind and quality) heavens and earth; because the old ones we know are gone!

c. When Jesus describes heaven to us, He uses things we know about to describe and suggest what his “new home of ours” will be like

i. “If God hath made this world so fair, Where sin and death abound, how beautiful beyond compare; will paradise be found” (James S. Montgomery)

2. What Will NOT be in Heaven

a. Rev 21: 2-4 no weeping, no death or separation, no sorrow

b. Rev 21:21-27 no night, nothing unclean, no one commits sin

c. Rev 22: 1-3 no division, no curse

d. Rev 7: 16-17 no discomforts

3. What will be in Heaven

a. JOY (Matt 25:21) “enter into the JOY of your Master”

i. C.S. Lewis says Joy is the serious business of Heaven

ii. Heaven will not be a place of boredom, monotony, or indifference

iii. 1 Peter 4:13 His coming will be a Time of “Exceeding Joy”

b. SERVICE (Rev 22:3) =“Latreuo”= is a service of worship as in the temple;

i. We are God’s bond-servants, (slaves) our task is to serve Him;

1. it is inconceivable to think we would do nothing in Heaven

ii. Matt Ch 25 those who use their talents were given greater roles of service in the Kingdom

iii. Service= implies a kind of worship that GLORIFIES GOD

iv. If you do not enjoy worshipping down here, you will probably not enjoy heaven,

1. for it is a place where worshipping God will be pure joy and overflowing!

c. RICH WITH TREASURES—OUR INHERITANCE

i. 1 Peter 1:3-4 “born to receive an inheritance undefiled”

ii. Eph 2:6-7 “in the ages to come show us the incomparable riches of His grace”

iii. Matt 6:20 “lay up for yourselves riches in Heaven”

iv. LK 12:21 the rich fool: “This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself, but is not rich towards GOD”

v. The riches of heaven will satisfy us spiritually, unlike the treasures of this earth.

1. new car=rusts away 2. Clothes soon go out of style 3.gold=tarnish

d. FELLOWSHIP what makes heaven precious is WHO is there!

i. All of God’s people will be in heaven= everyone whose name is written in the Lamb’s book of life

1. We will be surprised at who is there {God’s grace is wondrous}

2. We will be surprised at who is not there

ii. We will be at ‘Home with the Lord”

1. 2 Cor 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2. Phil 1:21-23 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I want not.

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

3. 1Thes 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

e. Who will be there? (to fellowship)

i. God (to be removed from His presence is the worst thing in Hell; to be in His presence is the best thing about Heaven)

ii. Jesus Christ we will see His face and say “Thank You”

iii. Holy Spirit who has been our constant companion indwelling in us