If Every Christian Could Take One Look into Heaven
John 14:2
Intro
The Bible does not give us all the answers to the questions we may have concerning heaven and hell. Someone has suggested that if we were given a full description of the joys of heaven, it would be impossible for us to be happy here on earth. Although many questions are not answered, we can be grateful for the information we do have concerning the life beyond.
It is impossible to know all until we get to heaven. By means of travel, one is able to learn much about a country and about the people that make up the country. It is impossible to describe fully what we learn by a trip to heaven. We can only speculate as to the reports that we would be able to give if we could then return to the common walks of man.
In the book of Revelation, a door was opened and John the Revelator heard a voice describing heaven: “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead with die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them” (Rev. 14:13). The voice came from one who could see the glory and joy of those who had passed on into the home of the heavenly Father. It described those saints as blessed and happy.
If we could take one look into heaven, we would observe a number of things.
I. We would see what God intended for all people.
a. The Bible begins with man in a garden of delight.
i. He was given a pleasant occupation
ii. He was blessed with beloved companionship
iii. He enjoyed beautiful surroundings.
b. Sin changed God’s plan for all though
i. Humans were made to walk and talk with God in a personal relationship and fellowship
ii. Unbelief, rebellion, and greed for equality with God broke this fellowship, and Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden.
c. The Bible is a record of God’s activities by which he is seeking to help humankind regain the lost paradise.
i. The Bible opens with man in the garden (Gen. 3) and closes with the redeemed again in a garden (Rev. 22:1-5)
ii. The redemptive program of God from the beginning to the present has been designed to help people regain that which was lost because of sin.
II. We would see what God has in store for those who love him (1 Cor. 2:9)
a. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people
i. Commodious
ii. Beautiful
iii. Comfortable
b. Heaven is a place of perfect holiness
i. Rev. 21:27, “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination, or makes a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
c. Heaven is a place of Rest
d. Heaven is a place of perfect health
e. Heaven is a place of active service
f. Heaven is a place where rewards for faithful service are bestowed.
III. We would see what our lost friends are going to miss.
a. The scriptures teach that the unsaved will be shut out of heaven and deprived of the blessings that could have been theirs.
Matthew 25:41, 46
“Then He will also say to those on His left, Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;…These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Rev. 20:11-15
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; an the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead with were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
b. The Bible teaches that instead of going to heaven, which god is preparing for those who love him, the unsaved will enter hell as intruders.
i. They will be un-welcomed guests in a place that we prepared for the Devil and his angels.
c. Missing heaven will be a tragedy of tragedies.
IV. We would see why Jesus was willing to die for lost people
a. The Savior was willing to die for our sins that we might receive the gift of eternal life and have the privilege of living with God in heaven for eternity.
b. He died to save us from hell, but he also died to save us for heaven.
c. The privilege of going to heaven is the highest possible destiny and the greatest possible blessing that can be bestowed on a life.
Closing
When we claim the precious promises of God concerning heaven, e will immediately realize how foolish it is to live for his life only. To grasp our Savior’s teachings about heaven would do much to destroy our fear of death and would enable us to face the future with more joy and courage. Those who trust in the teachings of the Savior concerning heaven will find much greater joy in living day by day with the issues and values of eternity in mind.
The assurance of going to heaven should challenge every disciple to be a good witness for Jesus Christ so that through his or her telling the story of God’s love, many others will come to know Christ as their personal Savior.
Unsaved friend, the absolute certainty of death, your need for forgiveness, and the desire for a life and destiny in heaven like that which the Bible describes should challenge you this very day to forsake the life of unbelief and rebellion against God. Jesus Christ can and will forgive your sin and grant you the privilege of entering into the eternal home prepared for those who love God if you will receive him as your Lord and Savior.
