"Homesick"

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Chron. 2:9)

I want to talk to you about "Home." Not an earthly home, but a heavenly home. I want to talk to you about the hope of all Christians. I want you to open your minds with me and let your imagination paint a picture of Heaven. Let’s get a vision of this wondrous place as a reality and not just some faraway destination. Let us rejoice as we look forward to going there to be with our God.

First of all, there is no possible way that I can explain to you the awesomeness of Heaven – and there is little spoken about it because our minds can not comprehend such a place. I know this: There will be no Baptists in heaven, no Pentecostals, no Presbyterians, no Catholics, no Methodists. All man given labels will be left outside, and only those who have had their sins cleansed away and forgiven by Jesus Christ will be admitted. And I pray that what I’m about to say today about Heaven will paint for those of us, who have a made up mind to get there, a small picture of heaven’s glory.

Heaven is a mystery, but we know it to be a real place by the Word of God and the fact that (for the Christian) the spirit often longs for it and senses it. It is kind of like the young boy who was flying a kite and he flew it so high that it flew out of sight. Someone asked him “where it is” and he just pointed up into the sky. Someone asked, “how do you know it’s there?” The little boy answered, “I know it’s there because I can feel it tug.” My brothers and sisters, I know Heaven’s there because I can feel its tug on my soul... and every so often, I long to be there.

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not in a hurry to die - but every once and a while, I get homesick! I get homesick when I’m going through trials that test my body and my soul. Sometimes I feel like John the revelator wrote (while on the isle of Patmos) “Come Quickly, Lord Jesus. Come Quickly.” John said, “Brother Pastor, I was tired and weary. My body was hurting and my spirits were low, but I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Not only that, but he says, I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Yes... John said, “I got homesick!” Church, life and all that goes with it can sometimes wear you out! But we know heaven to be a great reward for those who are saved! The spiritual meaning of Heaven is: “A place of the everlasting blessedness for the righteous.” In other words, “Heaven is a reward for those who have remained faithful.” And I don’t know because I haven’t seen it, but I’ve read about it. Here are some of the names for Heaven given in the Bible.

Christ calls it His “Father’s house”. It’s called “paradise,” “The heavenly Jerusalem,” The “eternal kingdom,” The “better country,” just to name a few. It’s a big and spacious place! It’s big enough for all God’s children, for Jesus said, “There are many rooms and many mansions there!” Nothing we’ve ever seen on earth will be able to compare with it!

– It’s a city without pain...

– A city without sorrow...

– A city without sickness and without death.

– There is no darkness there. The Lamb of God is the light thereof.

– It needs no sun...

– It needs no moon!

– There will be no temper there. Think of a place where temptation cannot come!

Think of a place where we will be free from sin; where pollution cannot enter, and where the righteous shall reign forever. Think of a city that is not built with hands, where the buildings do not grow old with time; a city whose inhabitants no census has numbered except the Book of Life, which is a heavenly directory. Think of a city through whose streets are crime free, where no hearses creep slowly to the cemetary; a city without griefs or graves, without sins or sorrows, without marriages or mournings, without births or burials; A city which glories in having Jesus for its king, angels for its guards, and whose citizens are saints! That kind of makes you home sick!! No wonder _____________________ flew away! And I believe that’s just one reason.