*ILL>One Sunday morning a preacher asked the congregation, "How many want to go to heaven?" Hands went up everywhere. However one little boy on the front row didn’t raise his hand. The preacher, thinking maybe the boy hadn’t heard the question, asked again, "How many want to go to heaven?" Again, hands went up everywhere, but the boy didn’t raise his hand. So, the preacher asked the boy, "Johnny, don’t you want to go to heaven?" Johnny responded, "Sure I do." The preacher then asked, "Well, why didn’t you raise a hand?," to which Johnny replied, "Well, I thought you were trying to put together a load to go right right now."
It’s probably an accurate description of many folks, as is also expressed in a country song that declares, "Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die."
Continuing in our sermon series of "Pursuing Answers," I’ve entitled today’s message, "Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door," and I invite you to open a Bible and turn to Revelation, chapter 21.
*ILL>In Valladolid, Spain, where Christopher Columbus died in 1506, there stands a memorial to him. Perhapds the most interesting feature of the memorial is a statue of a lion destroying one of the Latin words that had been part of Spain’s motto for centuries. Before Columbus made his voyages, the Spaniards believed they had reached the outer limits of the earth. Thus, their motto was "Ne Plus Ultra," meaning "No More Beyond." However, in the memorial to Columbus the lion was tearing away the word, "Ne," which means "no," making it read "Plus Ultra," because Columbus had proven there was indeed "More Beyond."
In our case, Jesus promised us there is indeed more beyond, so today our focus is on the description of the more beyond. Or, stated more directly, we want to seek the Bible’s answers to the question...
"What is heaven like?"
In order to accomplish that task, we need to ask THREE QUESTIONS:
1) WHICH HEAVEN?
Gen.1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Notice the "number" of the noun "heaven" in Genesis 1:1 -- I’ts not singular, but plural. In other words, there is more than one heaven discussed in Scripture.
In fact, the Bible uses the word "heaven" in speaking of FOUR DIFFERENT HEAVENS:
a) The earth’s atmosphere.
--Gen.1:20 -- Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens."
--Sometimes the Bible uses the word "heaven" to mean where the clouds are, where the birds fly, the air/atmosphere of the earth.
b) Outer space.
-Ps.8:3-4 -- When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?
Oftentimes the Bible refers to "the heavens" as being where the sun and moon and stars are placed...above and beyond the gravitational pull and atmosphere of the earth, hence we refer to it as "outer space."
The Bible declares that these provide enough evidence to convince a true seeker that God exists, because the heavens declare the Lord’s glory.
--Rom1:19-20 -- that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
c) The dwelling place of God’s throne.
-2Cor.12:2-4 -- I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago...was caught up to the third heaven...into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.
This is what we normally refer to as "heaven," and what the Jews referred to as "the third heaven," the dwelling place of God’s throne.
This is the Paradise that Jesus assured the thief on the cross he would be in that day and that Jesus Himself would be in on that day.
This is where our believing loved ones abide today, in spirit bodies, worshiping and celebrating around the throne of God.
However, there is a fourth heaven discussed in Scripture...
d) The Eternal home of every believer.
-Rev.21:1-2 -- Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
Look around you. Everything you see right now will some day be destroyed by fire. This earth will pass away and exist no more, by the hand of God. It’s part of what Scripture means when it tells us that heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s Word will never pass away.
Even the present heaven will pass away, and make way for the ultimate heaven, the ultimate and final dwelling place for every believer in Christ...the place believers will live eternally in after the judgments of God, after the earth is destroyed, after non-believers have been cast into a lake of fire, after rewards have been determined for those who will dwell eternally with God.
It is the place God will prepare for His children, a place of eternal belonging, eternal rewards, eternal rest, and eternal joy.
--Quote: C. S. Lewis once said it well: "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probably explanation is that I was made for another world."
2) What IS heaven like right now?
-Ph.3:20 -- For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
Another way of saying it is, If I were to die today, what would I observe in heaven?
a) First of all, it’s a physical, real place.
Some who declare themselves to be "liberal theologians" deny its existence. They deem it to be merely a state of mind or just wishful thinking.
<>But that’s not what the writer of Hebrews tell us. He/she tells us it is a real place.
--Heb.9:24 -- "For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands (not humanly constructed or fabricated)...but into heaven itself...in the presence of God for us.
<>Stephen, the first Christian martyr after Jesus’ resurrection, determined and declared it to be a real place.
--Ac.7:55 -- ..full of the Holy Spirit, he (Stephen) gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
<>John declared it to be a real place.
--Throughout the book of Revelation John says, "I saw," "I saw," "I saw..." as he described heaven as it was revealed to him as being a real place and the events that were to happen would be real events, even though he presented them in an apocryphal style of writing.
<>But most importantly, Jesus declared it to be a real place.
--Jn.14 -- I go to prepare a place for you, so that where I am you may be also.
--Quote: C. S. Lewis is "right on" again, saying, "We are very shy nowadays of even mentioning heaven. We are afraid of the jeer about ’pie in the sky’ and of being told that we are trying to escape the duty of making a happy world here and now by dreaming of a happy world elsehwere. But either there is "pie in the sky" or there is not. If there is not, then Christianity is false, for this doctrine is woven into its whole fabric. If there is, then this truth must be faced, whether it is useful at political meetings or no."
It’s a real place, where every deceased believer resides right now in a spirit body.
It’s a real place where real seraphim and cherubim surround the real throne of God and lead the residents in praising God and worshipping the Lamb.
It’s a real place where Jesus is interceding for us with the Father.
b) It’s a prepared, readied place.
-Jn.14:2-3 -- 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, and if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
-1Pet.1:4 -- to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.
Jesus, the Carpenter, has gone to prepare a wedding chamber, a private and intimate dwelling place for us to live with Him as His bride.
We’ve discussed it before, but it’s important to understand the context and culture in which Jesus was speaking:
--He is describing the Jewish wedding customs of that day.
---The soon-to-be bride and groom would enter into a period of about a year before they physically came together, known as the "betrothal" period. (It was this period of time in which Mary found herself to be with child by the Holy Spirit.) The man and woman were actually legally a couple during this time. They were legally married, so that if either died during that time the other would inherit all the possessions of the deceased partner. However, they didn’t "come together" physically during that time.
---Instead, the prospective groom would go and build/prepare a bridal chamber as an addition to his own father’s house, while the bride would check on the progress and be aware of how close it is to being done.
As soon as the groom finished the room, he would come to the bride’s home, and bring her immediately to his father’s house, where the marriage feast would be held, an eight day celebration enjoyed by friends and family, during which time the couple would disappear into and remain in their bridal chamber throughout that time, consummating their relationship and hoping within the first year of their marriage to bring a child into the world.
---The bride needed to be ready, because the groom wouldn’t go to all that trouble of preparing a place (the word translated "dwelling place" is also translated "mansion" in some Bible versions because it conveys the idea of a truly ornate, especially beautiful place) if he didn’t intend on coming back to take her home with him to his father’s house and live with her forever.
c) It’s a praising, rejoicing place.
-Rev.19:1 -- After these things I heard...a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God!"
They’re rejoicing over the majesty and glory and power of God.
But they also rejoice when they see someone’s name written in the Lamb’s book of life.
--Lk.15:7 -- I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
3) What WILL heaven be like? - What will the final home of believers be like?
Rev.21:1 -- Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away.
Rev.21:5 -- "Behold, I am making all things new."
It will be a Place Of...
a) Intimacy and Connection.
-Rev.21:2-3 -- I saw the holy city...coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
-Rev.22:4 -- They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
--Quote: John Hannah predicts: "Three things will surprise me when I arrive in heaven: who is there, who is not there, and that I am there."
-->Intimacy as a bride & groom.
-Rev21:2 -- ...made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
The words the Holy Spirit inspired John to write weren’t accidental...a bride adorned for her husband is a picture of the ultimate intimacy and refers again to Jesus’ going to prepare a bridal chamber for us as His bride...to live in intimacy with us forever.
-->Intimacy in belonging to God.
---Rev.21:3-4 -- they shall be His people and God Himself will be among them...They will see His face and His name will be on their foreheads.
----*ILL> A dying man once asked his Christian doctor to tell him something about the place to which he was going. The doctor responded, saying, Do you hear the scratching at the door? It’s my dog. I left him downstairs, but he has grown impatient and has come to where he hears my voice. He has no notion of what’s inside this door, but he knows that I am here, so he wants to be with me. Likewise, we might not know all of what lies beyond heaven’s door, but we know our Master is there and we want to be there to be with Him.
---->Quote: Richard Baxter expresses it this way: "My knowledge of that life is small, the eye of faith is dim. But it’s enough that Christ knows all, and I shall be with Him."
--->Intimacy in knowing one another.
----Lk.9:33 -- ...and as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah," not realizing what he was saying.
----Jesus had led Peter, James and John up to a mountain top and there He was transfigured, He "unveiled" His glory to them. After they fell to the ground from the impact of the great light and power of His glory, when they looked up, they saw Moses and Elijah standing there with Jesus. Moses and Elijah had come from heaven and were also reflecting the glory of God.
----But here’s the question to ask: How did they know these two men were Moses and Elijah? This was long before cameras had been invented, hundreds of years since Elijah had been taken into heaven by a chariot of fire, hundreds of years after Moses’ death on Mount Nebo. And yet, Peter "just knew" who they were.
----*APP> In heaven, we’ll know every person there. How? We’ll "just know."
---*ILL> An anonymous author once said it this way: As a boy I thought of heaven as a city with domes, spires, and beautiful streets, inhabited by angels. But then my brother died, and I thought of heaven as much as before, but with one inhabitant I knew living there. Then another died, and then some of my acquaintances, so in time I began to think of heaven as containing several people that I knew. But it was not until one of my own little children died that I began to think I had treasure in heaven myself. Afterward another went, and yet another. By that time I had so many acquaintances and children in heaven that I no more thought of it as a city merely with streets of gold but as a place full of inhabitants. Now there are so many loved ones there I sometimes think I know more people in heaven than I do on earth.
It will be a place of intimacy with God, and we’ll connect to one another while we’re there, but it will also be a place of...
<>Comfort and Completion.
-Rev.21:4 -- and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.
-Rev.22:3 -- There will no longer be any curse;...
-->Comfort.
----God Himself will wipe away our tears.
----Earlier in the book of Revelation it describes God wiping away tears, following the presentation of rewards.
----The idea here is that He takes away our regrets and memories of times we failed Him in the past, enabling us to focus on the future instead.
-->Completion.
----God will bring everything together to return to what He had originally created and intended for mankind.
----Creation began in a garden (Eden) where Adam and Eve had an intimacy with God that allowed them to know of His walking in the cool of the evening. Creation will also end in a garden (Paradise).
----Where unredeemed man was kicked out of the first garden as a result of sin, suffering the curse of being separated from God, having to toil in sweat (Adam) and bearing children in great pain (Eve and all women after her), now redeemed mankind is brought back into Paradise.
----Where cherubim were placed at the gates of Eden to keep undredeemed man from returning and eating of the tree of eternal life, remaining unforgiven forever, now angels stand at the gates of the new garden, keeping us protected as we enjoy eternal life with the Lord.
----Dark things, "bad" things, will be gone, and only those things which are perfect and joyouse will be present.
---->No curse.
------Our punishment has been paid for, never again will we be banished or separated from God.
---->No night.
------The Bible refers to darkness and night as fostering evil and/or being the condition of not being "enlightened" by the truth of the gospel.
Night is also described in Scripture as being the time when evil is committed under the "cover" of darkness, a time when men do things they want to keep hidden.
---->No sea.
------There are several possible meanings being conveyed here:
-------a) John was writing this book from the isle of Patmos, completely surrounded by sea, cut off and isolated from other believers. There are some who believe this is describing how heaven will be a place where loneliness doesn’t exist anymore, where there is fellowship with other believers.
-------b) Some believe it is referring to the absence of turmoil and instability as would be experienced by sailors on a rough sea.
-------c) Some believe it refers to the lack of any unsaved persons, because the Bible often refers to large assemblies or armies of people as a sea (as in a sea of humanity).
-------d) And some believe it is referring simply to the overwhelming power of the consuming fire of God in destroying the world, so powerful that even the seas can’t withstand such a consuming fire.
-------The truth is every one of these conditions is an accurate description of the new heaven.
----->No tears.
-------God will remove our regrets, our memories of past errors or disobediences, and will turn our focus to the future, on what’s ahead, and what’s around us due to the grace and provision of God.
----->No sorrow, no pain, no suffering.
-------All of these occur as the result of sin, which will not be present there. In their place will be God’s peace.
----->No fear.
------The Psalmist declares, The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?
------David declares, I will fear no evil for You are with me.
------Scripture also tells us that perfect love casts out fear.
--------Perfect love is not a concept or emotion, perfect love is God Himself. The first memory verse I learned as a child is "God is love."
--------We’ll have no fear because we’ll be in the presence of God Himself.
----->No death.
------This is the culmination and realization of the eternal life which is in Christ, and given as a free gift of God to every believer.
It will be a place of intimacy and connection, a place of comfort and completion, but also a place of...
<>Glory, Beauty, and Perfection.
-Rev.21:10-11 -- He carried me away in the Spirit, and showed me the holy city...having the glory of God.
-->Glory.
---Rev.21:22-23 -- I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon...for the glory of God has illumined it.
---No temple is needed there because God’s glory will not be confined simply to the "holy of holies," the place behind the curtain of the tabernacle or temple.
His glory will permeate the entire 1500 miles wide, long, and high of it.
---This is what makes heaven heaven!
----Even if the streets weren’t gold, but just gravel...even if the walls weren’t made of jasper, but of sheet rock...even if it rained all day every day and there was mud knee deep all over it, it would still be heaven because Jesus is there.
---For the first time we’ll be able to look upon God’s glory. And, we’ll be allowed to see Him face to face.
-->Beauty.
-Rev.21:18-19,21 -- The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
---Yes, there will be gates of pearl, 216 feet tall, and each one of the gates will be a single pearl. (Just imagine the size of the oyster!)
---Yes, there will be streets of gold.
---Yes, there will be twelve foundations, each made out of a colorful gem.
---Yes, the city will have the appearance of beautiful, clear glass.
----*ILL> I’m reminded of the little girl who was born blind. The only beauty she knew came from her mother’s descriptions: flowers in spring, trees in fall, snow in winter, ocean in summer, etc. The girl could only imagine these things. But at the age of 10 she underwent experimental surgery to help her see. When the bandages were removed she could see. She ran to the window and stood their breathless. Then she cried out to her mother, Mother, why didn’t you tell me it was so beautiful? Her mother responded, saying, I tried, but words just wouldn’t suffice.
---I think when we get to heaven we’ll run around taking in the breathless beauty of the place, and when we finally meet the apostle John we’ll ask him, Why didn’t you tell me it was so beautiful? John will probably respond by saying, I tried, but words just wouldn’t suffice.
-->Perfection.
-Rev.21:8 -- But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
-Rev.21:27 -- and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
---No sin will be present, no sin will be possible, and no consequences of sin will be experienced.
---Instead, it will be holy, perfect, and the glory of God will be our focus rather than the limitations and consequences of sin.
---There will be one irony, though: that which made perfection possible will be represented by the only man-made thing in heaven: we’ll behold the nail-scarred hands and feet of Jesus.
---No person who went to their grave denying the existence of God, scoffing at the claims of Jesus, or refusing God’s offer of grace and forgiveness will be present. They will spend eternity in the lake of fire.
---*ILL> I’m reminded of the story told of former Senator Everett Dirksen. Following one of the senator’s campaign speeches, a young man rushed up to him and said, Senator, I wouldn’t vote for you if you were Saint Peter! Senator Dirksen didn’t skip a beat or blink an eye in responding to the young man, saying, Son, if I were Saint Peter you couldn’t vote for me, because you wouldn’t be in my district.
It will be place of intimacy and connection, comfort and completion, a place of glory and beauty and perfection, but it will also be a place of...
<>Security and Protection.
-Rev.21:12 -- It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels;
In Biblical times walls around cities were symbols of protection. The security level of the city was determined by the height of the wall around it and the presence of guards at the gates of the city.
Of course, in heaven there will be no enemies who would ever be able to come against the city, but God has still installed walls 216 feet high, and has stationed angels at each of the gates.
And, finally, it will be a place of...
<>Service and Celebration.
-Rev.22:3,5 -- ...His bond-servants will serve Him...and they will reign forever and ever.
Heaven will not be a place of idleness, but of fruitful work, and joy amid our work of worshiping and pleasing God.
---*POEM: We can well sum up our discussion about heaven with a poem written by an anonymous, but certainly enlightened writer:
-----"Light after darkness, gain after loss; strength after weakness, crown after cross; sweet after bitter, hope after fears; home after wandering, praise after tears; sheaves after sowing, sun after rain; sight after mystery, peace after pain; joy after sorrow, calm after blast; rest after weariness, sweet rest at last; near after distant, gleam after gloom; love after loneliness, life after tomb; after long agony, rapture of bliss; right was the pathway leading to this."
BRINGING IT HOME.
Well, we might know what to expect now, but bringing home what we’ve learned today, there are TWO REMAINING QUESTIONS I would encourage you to ask yourself today:
1) Am I ready?
Heaven has been prepared and is reserved only for those individuals who...
--A-dmit that they have sinned, disobeyed God.
They’re aware that sin separates them from intimacy with God.
--B-elieve that Jesus came to the earth, lived a sinless life, and paid the price for our forgiveness by dying in our place on the cross.
----They believe that Jesus is exactly Who He says He is: the only way to the Father, and that no one goes to heaven without placing their faith and trust in Him as Lord and Savior.
--C-hoose to receive Jesus’ free gift of eternal life.
----They do so by admitting their sin, repenting/turning from their sinful ways caused by running their own life, and choosing instead to turn over the leadership (Lordship) of their lives to Jesus.
*Is that the case with you?
*Are you ready to stand before God?
*If God was putting together a load of folks to go today, would you be ready?
*Are you confident that you’ve settled matters with Jesus, having trusted Him as your personal Lord and Savior?
---*ILL> Years ago a tourist visited the home of Rabbi Hofetz Chaim, and was astonished to see that the rabbi’s home was only a simple room filled with books, plus a table and bench. The tourist asked the Rabbi, Rabbi, where is your furniture? The Rabbi replied, Where is yours? The tourist, puzzled, responded: WHere is mine? I’m just a visitor here, I’m only passing through. The Rabbi replied: So am I.
2) Am I inviting others?
Maybe your "fire insurance" has been taken care of, and you’re ready to die, ready to walk the streets of gold when that day comes.
But what about your family members? What about your friends, neighbors, work acquaintances?
Are you using the days you have left on this earth to let others know of how they can go to heaven?
That’s our mission down here now, to go to our friends and acquaintances, family members and loved ones, and let Him work through us as He knocks on people’s hearts.
It will, in turn, help them know they can "knock on heaven’s door."
