The aims of this Teaching about Heaven are to;
1. Excite you about your eternal destiny.
2. Comfort you that believers who have died are now with the Lord in Paradise/Heaven.
3. Challenge you to bring as many people to Heaven with you as possible.
Every one of us is a missionary to the nations; our missionary work begins with the nation on our door step where there are 1000s of people who need Jesus.
WHY? Well just as Heaven is a real place Hell is a real place, the destiny of those who reject Jesus
Resurrection of Our Body
Jesus is coming back, a trumpet will sound, the dead in Christ will rise and believers on earth will be caught up to meet with the Lord in the air, and in the twinkle of an eye we shall receive our new heavenly bodies that will be like the Lord, spiritually and physically. (1Cor 15)
An awesome moment to say the least. These revelations of Jesus’ return give us a glimpse of what our resurrected body will be like. Jesus’ own resurrected body acts as a model for revealing what our new body will be like. Jesus had a resurrected body that looked like a normal earthly body. Mary called him “Sir,” the disciples on the road talked with Jesus as they would anyone else, Jesus caught fish, Jesus cooked fish and Jesus ate the fish after his resurrection. Jesus didn’t have a Halo, he didn’t hover a few feet above the ground, nor did Jesus speak with a deep thundering movie voice and Jesus made it so clear “I am not a ghost” (Lk24:39) Also worth noting Jesus picked up the same relationships he had before his resurrection. (Read Lk 24, Jh 20 and Jh 21 looking at how normal Jesus’ body appeared and how normal his interactions with others was.)
There is a degree of continuity between our earthly and heavenly body, Job speaks of seeing God in his flesh with his eyes (see Job 19:26-27). The big difference being our new body is it will no longer be under the Curse and so no longer subject to the damage and decay and Sin and Satan introduced in the garden of Eden. (Gen 3) Our resurrected body will be imperishable, no sickness or disease will ever harm us. (see 1Cor 15:42-55)
Of course, Jesus appears to have walked through a wall, or appeared in a room, he also in his resurrected body ascended into the clouds. Some teachers suggest we may do the same in our resurrected bodies.
Paul also speaks of Jesus’ “Glorified Body” something we will also share in to some degree, it seems that when Jesus ascended into heaven his body was gloried (see Matt 17:2, Rev 1:12-18, Phil 3:20-21, Acts 7:55-56, Acts 22:6-11)
Resurrection of the Earth
This earth we reside in is desperate for our resurrection, it waits eagerly for us to be resurrected, because it means the earth will also be restored to its original glory. (See Rom 8:19-23)
Col 1:16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
God reconciling “ALL THINGS ON EARTH” raises Big Questions, such as will we be vegetarians on the new earth? Did animals kill for food before or after the fall? Or did the Lion eat straw pre Fall (see Isa 11:7)
Resurrection of Our Deeds
The danger of teaching and focusing on heaven is that we miss the point of our existence on earth. God has put us here today, in this place for a reason and it is not to sit back and day dream about heaven.
Paul says; “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” 1Cor 15:58
The first thing we must do when we read a verse like this is ‘ask what is the “therefore” there for?’
So please read 1 Cor 15:35-58.
Our labour, our deeds are of eternal significance they will either contribute to our eternal reward or they will be burned up meaning nothing 1Cor 3:12-15.
Matt 6:19 -21Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal. But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves do not break through and steal; For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Don’t just live and just don’t die content you’re going to heaven, but live a life that stores up treasure in heaven. The treasure of; winning souls to Jesus, bringing hope to the hurting, showing mercy, sowing joy, love peace.
Live with heaven in mind don’t just live to pay the bills or for next holiday, for the next party.
Live knowing that you can change your future and the destiny of others.
All you do and have done on this earth will follow you giving testimony to your walk with Jesus while on earth.
"Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labour, for their deeds will follow them." Rev 14:13
What will follow you to heaven?
You Can listen to this message at www.preaching.co.nr
Thanks to Rany Alcorn for his book on Heaven
