Heaven

Heaven

March 6, 2011 Morning Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: Heaven is real and is the destination for those who have been saved by Jesus.

Focus Passage: Revelation 21:1-27 (Pew Bible page 1424)

Supplemental Passage: "In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:2-3 NASB)

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; (Philippians 3:20 NASB)

Introduction: In Dec 1992, Orestes Perez, a Cuban defector, flew back to Cuba to pick up his wife and children. His wife, Victoria waited patiently. When she saw the plane, she shouted to her children, “There is your father!” and grabbed both of them and ran. As they were running toward the plane, one of the kids lost a shoe. “Forget the shoe” she cried, “father is waiting in the plane”. After two years of separation, she could only imagine what America was like. Yet, one day, her husband came for her and all of her dreams became reality. (Jim Henry – 2003)

I. What is Not There:

a. Sad Emotions (Vs 4)

i. Tears

ii. Death

iii. Mourning

iv. Crying

v. Pain

b. Bad Behavior (vs27)

i. Dirty minds or mouths

ii. Dirty deeds

iii. Lies, deceit or falsities

c. Temple (vs 22)

i. The Father and the Son ARE the temple

ii. There is no temporary dwelling, for we are in God’s House made by Him!

d. Sun or Moon (vs 23)

i. God’s glory shines so brightly there is no need for lighting

e. Night-time (vs 25)

i. There will only be day, for God’s glory cannot be extinguished or hidden

f. No Curse (Chapter 22, vs 3)

II. Description of Heaven:

a. Dimensions:

i. 1500 mile cube

ii. base is 2.25 million square miles

1. roughly from Canadian border to Brownsville, TX, and California to Mississippi River

2. if you allow 12’ per storey, it would be 660,000 stories tall

b. Description:

i. “Pearly Gates” – actually 12 gates, each one a giant pearl. (vs21)

1. Each gate is named after one of the tribes of Israel (vs 12)

2. Each gate has 12 angels in attendance (vs 12)

ii. Streets of God – (vs 21)

iii. Foundation of 12 precious stones – each one named for the 12 Apostles (vs 14)

iv. Walls made out of jasper (vs 18)

v. Rest of the city made out of pure gold (vs 18)

1. Yet, these riches will mean nothing to us!

III. Inhabitants:

a. God, on His Throne (vs 5)

b. Jesus, the Lamb, at the right hand of the Father (vs 23 and Mark 16:19)

i. And here we’ll see Heaven’s only man-made item – the nail scarred hands.

c. The Redeemed of the Lord (vs 7 & 27)

i. Have Personal Dwelling Places (as in John 14:2-3)

ii. Glorified bodies

iii. Know and recognize each other (Luke 19 & Mark 9 – Lazarus & rich man and Transfiguration with Moses & Elijah

iv. No marriage - Mat 22:30 "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

Invitation: Verse 27 says that “only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” may come into Heaven. Is your name written there?