Possessing God’s Promises Part 2 Series

Purpose: To focus our attention on the glories that awaits believers.

Aim: I want the listener to see God’s eternal blessings and determine if they possess them.

INTRODUCTION: What will heaven be like? We have already looked at some things that will no longer exist. Human government is gone (no more politicians!), Satan will never be seen or present on earth again (we will have no enemies), sin has been eradicated (there is no more curse on creation). The marvelously perfect will of God has now come to full bloom. The Lord’s Prayer has been completely answered: Matthew 6:10’your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.(NAU)

Today we will gain a peek into what heaven is like. Last time (Vs.3) we saw that the great announcement about heaven is that God Himself will dwell with the sinners He has saved.

What will it be like to live with God?

REVIEW:

1:1-20 I. John’s Vision of the Past "the things which you have seen"

2:1-5:14 II. Christ’s Vision of the Present "the things which are"

Ch.6-22 III. John’s Vision of the Future "things which will take places"

6-7; 12-14 A. Satan’s war against God’s creation: the first six seals

8-11; 13:11-18; 15-18 B. The wrath of God: the seventh seal

Ch.19-20 C. The worship of God

Ch.21-22 D. The wonder of eternal bliss

Vs.1-8 1. God makes all things new

Vs.1 a. A new creation "a new heaven and a new earth"

Vs.2 b. A new city "new Jerusalem"

Vs.3 c. A new closeness with God "God Himself will be among them"

LESSON:

Vs.4 d. A new freedom from God

This verse continues the picture of our relationship with Christ.

(1) No more crying "He will wipe away all tears"

Notice that this is something God does. It is ALL His work. To WIPE AWAY means "to smear out, obliterate, erase, permanently eliminate."

This same word is used in Colossians 2:14having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (NAU)

This is a promise that was made long before Christ came to earth. Isaiah 25:8... the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.(NAU)

The treasure we will gain in heaven will be much greater than all of our tears. Romans 8:18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.(NAU)

This must mean that there will be NO painful memories in heaven.

"[Tears] ...blight our lives and burden our days, but they are temporary. There will be no hospitals, no graves, no insane wards, no bombs, no disease, no blood and to tears in heaven. I once heard a ninety year old, blind, black preacher thank God for his blindness. He explained why. He said, ’In a little while I am going to be able to see. And the first thnkg I ever see will be the face of my Jesus. How can I not be thankful and joyful?’" [1]

John uses the phrase EVERY TEAR. God will not miss one tear. Psalm 56:8You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book? (NAU) Oh what love that God Himself will wipe the tears off of our cheeks forever.

Every time you shed tears, remember that there is coming a day (and it may be soon) when there will be no more tears.

(2) No more dying "no longer be any death"

Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death for all time, ... (NAU)

This is all possible because of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15:23--26 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.(NAU)

(3) No more grieving "no longer be any mourning or crying"

Isaiah 35:10And the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, With everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away. (NAU)

The word for CRYING is only used two other times. The first time was when Paul got the Pharisees and Saducees arguing about the possibility of the resurrection. Acts 23:9And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, "We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?" (NAU)