Sermons about Heaven March 07, 2010
Sermon #2:
What’s Up With Heaven? Part #2
Introduction:
Last Sunday morning we began a NEW SERIES of SERMONS on the SUBJECT of HEAVEN. We LOOKED at 4 POINTS:
1: THE PROMINECE of HEAVEN:
Remember the word HEAVEN is mentioned over 500 TIMES throughout the BIBLE. The WORD of GOD would NOT be the same WITHOUT the PROMISE of HEAVEN.
2: THE PLURALITY of HEAVEN:
Remember there are THREE HEAVENS mentioned throughout the BIBLE.
A} THE ATMOSPHERIC HEAVEN: The AIR ABOVE US, CLOUDS:
B} THE STELLAR HEAVEN: The STARS, MOON, SUN, & the PLANETS:
C} THE 3RD HEAVEN: The PLACE where GOD RESIDES:
3: THE PLACE of HEAVEN:
JESUS has gone to PREPARE for us a LITERAL & a REAL PLACE.
4: HEAVEN is UP:
JESUS ASCENDED UP & HE PROMISED to RETURN for HIS BRIDE.
We ENDED LASTED SUNDAY MORNING talking about HOW that HEAVEN is UP?
But WHICH WAY is UP?
If we say it is in the DIRECTION at RIGHT ANGELS with the EARTH’S SURFACE WHEREVER we may HAPPEN to BE then it would BE in a DIFFERENT DIRECTION from EVERY POINT on the EARTH.
ACCORDING to THIS it WOULD BE EVERYWHERE in GENERAL & NOWHERE in PARTICULAR. It would BE DIFFERENT if we were in CHINA than it would BE here in AMERICA. It would BE DIFFERENT if we were in BRAZIL in the SOVIET UNION.
Have you EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT or HAVE I really MESSED US UP?
Let me TRY to HELP US with THIS if I can:
WHERE is HEAVEN, HEAVEN is UP but I want to SHARE with us a PASSAGE of SCRIPTURE that SHEDS a LITTLE INFORMATION of this.
Isaiah 14 has to do with the ISSUE of SATAN & HIM being KICKED OUT of HEAVEN, but NOTE
Isaiah 14:13 ‘For you have said in your heart, ‘I will ascend into HEAVEN, I will exalt my throne above the stars of GOD, I also sit upon the mount of the congregation of the fartherest sides of the north.’
UNDERLINE that LAST PHRASE:
REFFERING to the PLACE WHERE he WAS as HEAVEN; he REFERS to it in this CHAPTER as the FARTHEREST SIDES of the NORTH.
So NO MATTER WHAT PART of the EARTH we are on or WHERE we are STANDING NORTH will ALWAYS BE UP!
So it would seem REASONABLE to CONCLUDE that HEAVEN is SOMEWHERE in the NORTHERN HEAVENS that is BEYOND the REACH of all the ASTRONOMERS & their very POWERFUL TELESCOPES. SCIENTISTS using the HUBBLE TELESCOPE do tell us there is SUCH A PLACE that seems to be SOMEWHAT VACANT of STARS & GALAZIES in the NORTHERN HEAVENS & MOST SCHOLARS who want to PLACE HEAVEN in the 3RD HEAVENS say it is in the NORTHERN PART of the 3RD HEAVENS. That may be HARD for us in the SOUTH but it does seem that HEAVEN is in the NORTH.
So we KNOW that HEAVEN is a PLACE.
You KNOW SOMETIMES we say that HEAVEN is SO MAGINIFICANT that the MIND could NEVER CONCEIVE or REALLY KNOW about HEAVEN.
But that’s NOT ALL TRUE!
In that SCRIPTURE that says
‘HEAVEN is such a PLACE that our MINDS could not CONCEIVE of it, the NEXT VERSE says this:
‘But it has been revealed to us what it is.’
I Corinthians 2:9-10 ‘But as it is written, { psalms 62:12} Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which GOD has prepared for them that love HIM. But GOD has revealed them unto us by HIS SPIRIT for the SPIRIT searches all things, yea, the DEEP THINGS of GOD.’
So HOPEFULLY THROUGHOUT this SERIES we will COME OUT of it KNOWING MORE about HEAVEN than we ever did BEFORE. The MORE we KNOW then the MORE we should WANT to GO THERE.
If we could really UNDERSTAND ALL the BIBLE tells us about HEAVEN then we should have such a LONGING to BE THERE.
HEAVEN is a PLACE.
But I want us to LOOK at ANOTHER POINT.
#4: HEAVEN is IMPORTANT BECAUSE it is a PRECIOUS PLACE.
You might ASK, ‘WHY is HEAVEN a PRECIOUS PLACE?’
HEAVEN is a PRECIOUS PLACE because EVERYTHING that is NEAR & DEAR to us as CHRISTIANS – EVERTHING that is IMPORTANT to us as a PEOPLE who LOVE GOD is FOUND in HEAVEN.
1: 1ST of all OUR REDEEMER is in HEAVEN:
Hebrews 9: ‘For CHRIST has not entered the holy place made with hands, which are copies of the true, but HE has entered into HEAVEN itself, now to enter into presence of GOD for us.’
CHRIST, OUR REDEEMER is in HEAVEN:
You know we can ARGUE a lot about HEAVEN & its BEAUTY & in these messages we’ll LOOK at the MANY BEAUTIES of HEAVEN but I have the FEELING that WHEN we get to HEAVEN and we SEE all the GOLDEN STREETS & the GATES of PEARL & all those OTHER THINGS which are REAL & TRUE --- they will all FADE AWAY in SIGNIFICANCE when we SEE OUR PRECIOUS SAVIOR.
WHEN we are ABLE to GAZE our EYES upon the ONE who PAID the PENALITY for our SINS & HUNG upon the CROSS & WHEN we are ABLE to SEE the NAIL PRINTS in HIS HANDS & HIS FEET & perhaps even the PLACE where the CROWN of THORNS PRESSED into HIS BROW & we PLACE our HAND in HIS SIDE where the SPEAR was, JESUS will APPEAR, I BELIEVE in HEAVEN throughout ALL ETERNITY as the LAMB of GOD & as OUR REDEEMER, then HE will CARRY with HIM throughout ALL ETERNITY the SCARS of OUR REDEMPTION.
& WHEN we SEE JESUS & we LOOK upon HIS BODY HE will FOREVER BE the MOST PRECIOUS PART of HEAVEN to us. EVERYTHING ELSE will PALE in its SIGNIFICANCE.
ONE AUTHOR wrote this:
‘If I could just be in HEAVEN & just PEEK through a KEY HOLE for ONE SECOND every 1,000 YEARS & SEE JESUS it would be WORTH GOING.’
& BELOVED, it will BE FAR BETTER THAN THAT!
I DON’T KNOW HOW it ALL WORKS but we will be ABLE to have FELLOWSHIP with JESUS PERSONALLY & be ABLE to KNOW HIM in such a way that will GO BEYOND our KNOWLEDGE of HIM NOW!
OUR REDEEMER is in HEAVEN.
JESUS will BE WHAT MAKES it HEAVEN for us!
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#2: OUR RELATIONSHIPS are in HEAVEN:
If we have LOVED ONES who have DIED & they SERVED GOD FAITHFULLY then they are in HEAVEN WAITING for OUR ARRIVAL.
HEAVEN is WORTH GOING TO just for THAT!
ONE of the THINGS about GROWING OLDER is that we OFTEN have MORE FRIENDS & LOVED ONES in HEAVEN than we do STILL HERE ON EARTH.
I have PREACHED at so many FUNERALS of our AGED & there was such a LONG OBITURARY that LISTED their LOVED ONES but the MAJORITY of them had already PRECEEDED then in DEATH.
So many PRECIOUS PEOPLE WAIT for us in HEAVEN & they are LOOKING at us as we RUN this RACE & they are CHEERING US ON day by day. & we are going to SEE OUR FAMLIES & OUR LOVED ONES in HEAVEN.
WHAT a CELEBRATION.
WHAT a GATHERING of the FAITHFUL that will be.
WHAT a GALD REUINION DAY!
Hebrews 12:23 ‘To the general assembly & the church of the 1st born, which are written in HEAVEN, & to GOD the judge of all, & to the spirits of just men made perfect.’
This is a REFERANCE to the POPULATION of HEAVEN.
JESUS OUR REDEEMER is there but also OUR LOVED ONES in the LORD are there also.
That’s OUR ASSURANCE that saying GOODBYE at the CEMENTARY isn’t really GOODBYE but just a ‘SEE YOU LATER.’
Often people ASK:
‘Will ye KNOW ONE ANOTHER in HEAVEN?’
SURE we WILL!
The LADIES HOME JOURNAL magazine ran a POLL & the QUESTION was:
‘WHO would you most like to see 1st in HEAVEN?’
& HERE are the RESULTS:
#1: 31% said MOTHER.
#2: 16% said FATHER.
#3: 10% said their SPOUSE.
That’s a PRETTY SAD STORY right there. SOMETHING just ain’t RIGHT there.
Well, OUR REDEEMER is in HEAVEN.
& OUR RELATIONSHIPS are in HEAVEN.
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#3: OUR RESOURCES are in HEAVEN:
1 Peter 1:3-4 ‘Blessed be the GOD & FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, which according to HIS abundant mercy has begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible & undefiled, & that fades not away, reserved in HEAVEN for you.’
When we became a CHRISTIAN, GOD became OUR FATHER, & you know what, when GOD became OUR FATHER, then WE BECAME an HEIR.
We are an HEIR of GOD & we have an INHERITANCE.
& PETER says, ‘That INHERITANCE has GONE AHEAD of us. It is PRESERVED for us in HEAVEN for EVER & for EVER. It CANNOT ever GO AWAY. It CANNOT be TOUCHED by INFLATION. We have an INHERITANCE in HEAVEN that is PRESERVED for us. It has OUR NAME on it. It’s OUR INHERITANCE.
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#4: OUR RESIDENCE IS IN HEAVEN:
I’m not talking here about just WHERE WE LIVE but I’m talking about here OUR CITIZENSHIP.
Philippians 3:20 ‘For our CITIZENSHIP is in HEAVEN; from where we also look for the SAVIOR, the LORD JESUS CHRIST.’
We’re NOT really CITIZENS of THIS LAND.
On many APPLICATIONS for VARIOUS THINGS we are REQUIRED to LIST for them WHERE we were BORN & WHERE we RESIDE.
But OUR REAL RESIDENCE is in HEAVEN.
THIS WORLD is NOT OUR HOME. We’re just PILGRIMS & STRANGERS PASSING THROUGH. AMEN? OUR CITIZENSHIP is in HEAVEN.
That is WHY PAUL tells us:
Colossians 3:2 ‘Set your affection on things above & not on things below.’
Once again I want to STRESS that IF we FORGET ABOUT HEAVEN & we SELDOM, IF EVER LOOK UP, then all we have LEFT to DO is to LOOK AROUND & LOOKING AROUND can GET REAL DEPRESSING.
I know this COUPLE who has a BEAUTIFUL HOME but they AREN’T HAPPY with it, they ALWAYS FINDING FAULT with THIS or with THAT which the BUILDER didn’t do RIGHT.
That is WHY we NEED to LOOK UP:
We NEED to BE REMINDED that we are CITIZENS of ANOTHER PLACE & one of these days we are GOING HOME & we’ll BE with JESUS evermore.
OUR REDEEMER is in HEAVEN:
OUR REDEEMER is in HEAVEN:
OUR RESOURCES are in HEAVEN:
OUR RESDIENCE is in HEAVEN:
& then NEXT
#5: OUR REWARD is in HEAVEN.
Matthew 5:12 ‘Rejoice & be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in HEAVEN.’
The REWARDS in HEAVEN:
Did you KNOW that there are 5 CROWNS in HEAVEN that the CHRISTIANS are going to RECEIVE that we can EARN while we are here on EARTH?
Some people say ‘Well, it DOESN’T SEEM SPIRITUAL to LOOK for a REWARD.’
But GOD is into REWARDS:
& all throughout the BIBLE GOD is into MOTIVATION & REWARDS & if we DON’T BELIEVE THAT then we DON’T KNOW the SCRIPTURES.
GOD wants us to BE FAITHFUL & HE holds out a CROWN & HE REWARDS US for OUR FAITHFULNESS.
& then we are TOLD that we will CAST those CROWNS DOWN at the FEET of JESUS in an ACT of WORSHIP that will be UNLIKE ANYTHING we have ever EXPERIENCED before.
OUR REWARDS ARE IN HEAVEN:
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#6: OUR RICHES are in HEAVEN:
Matthew 6:19-21 ‘Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth & rust does corrupt, & where thieves break through & steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in HEAVEN where neither moth nor rust does corrupt & where thieves do not break through & steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’
The WAY in which we LAY UP TREASURES in HEAVEN is LISTEN CHURCH, the ONLY THINGS that are GOING from HERE to THERE & the ONLY WAY we can get OUR TREASURES from HERE to THERE is to INVEST in the THINGS that ARE GOING THERE.
& the ONLY THINGS that are GOING THERE are the SOULS of MANKIND & the WORD of GOD.
So if we are trying to BUILD some EQUITY in HEAVEN then we NEED to BE INVESTING OUR RESOURCES & OUR TALENTS & OUR TIME in the ETERNITY of PEOPLE & the WORK of the LORD because when we GET to HEAVEN that is the ONLY THINGS that are COMING UP BEFORE US to MEET US THERE when we ARRIVE.
Are we HEADED TOWARD OUR REWARD?
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& finally
#7: OUR RESERVATION IS IN HEAVEN:
This is the MOST IMPORTANT THING.
Revelation 21:27 ‘But there shall by no means enter into HEAVEN anything that defiles, neither works abomination, or makes a lie, but only they which are written in the LAMB’S book of life.’
The BIBLE says that in HEAVEN there is a BOOK – a REGISTRY & it is CALLED the LAMB’S BOOK of LIFE.
& the NAMES of ALL WHO WILL BE in HEAVEN are RECORDED in that BOOK.
You may ASK: ‘Is it COMPUTERIZED?’
I DON’T KNOW:
But it is a BOOK HOWEVER you want to say a BOOK.
& there is a PLACE in that BOOK for EACH of OUR NAMES.
JESUS said to HIS DISCIPLES
Luke 10:20 ‘Don’t rejoice that spirits are subject unto you, but rejoice that your names are written in HEAVEN.’
Let me close by ASKING you this QUESTION, ‘Is YOUR NAME WRITTEN in HEAVEN?’
Do you have a RESERVATION in HEAVEN?
Because ONE DAY we will ALL STAND BEFORE GOD & HE is going to say to us ‘WHY SHOULD I LET YOU into MY HEAVEN?’
& if we CANNOT SAY with AUTHORITY, ‘My NAME is WRITTEN in the BOOK of LIFE. I HAVE a RESERVATION. I have PUT MY TRUST in JESUS CHRIST as MY SAVIOR & therefore I QUALIFY to COME IN.
If we DON’T HAVE that STRENGTH & that POWER & that CONFIDENCE then we will NEVER BE in HEAVEN.
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RUTH ANNA METSGER a PROFESSIONAL SINGER tells a STORY that ILLUSTRATES the IMPORTANCE of having a RESERVATION & YOUR NAME WRITTEN in the BOOK.
She was asked to SING at a WEDDING & it was a very very PLUSH POSH WEDDING.
It was ONE of the WEALTHIEST FAMILES in SEATTLE, & their DAUGHTER was getting MARRIED. She was ASKED to be the SOLOIST at the WEDDING.
& she was EXCITED about the INVITATION for TWO REASONS.
1st: It was quite AN EVENT:
2nd: The RECEPTION for this WEDDING was going to be HELD on the TOP 2 FLOORS of the COLUMBIA TOWERS, the TALLEST BUILDING in the N W United States.
She THOUGHT HOW MUCH FUN it would be for her & her HUSBAND, ROY, to go to the RECEPTION.
After the WEDDING they drove down to the TOWERS & went to the RECEPTION DESK but their NAME wasn’t on the LIST. Of course, she explained; ‘There must be a MISTAKE. I am the SINGER & I just sang for their WEDDING.’ But the man IN CHARGE plainly INFORMED HER, it doesn’t make any difference WHO you are or WHAT you did, without YOUR NAME being WRITTEN in the BOOK you CANNOT ATTEND the ELVATOR & PUSHED the GARAGE BUTTON.
On their way home ROY asked his wife, ‘What happened?’
& RUTH ANNA explained: ‘Well, when the INVITATIONS ARRIVED I was so BUSY & I never bothered to RSVP. Besides, I was THE SINGER. Surely, I could go to the RECEPTION without RETURNING a little card.’
RUTH ANNA began to CRY. Not only had she MISSED the MOST LUSCIOUS BANQUET she had ever been INVITED to but also because she SUDDENLY had a SMALL TASTE of WHAT it will BE LIKE SOMEDAY for PEOPLE as they STAND BEFORE CHRIST & they FIND that THEIR NAMES are NOT WRITTEN in the LAMB’S BOOK if LIFE.
& they will be put on an ELEVATOR that DOESN’T STOP at the GARAGE.
In that SAME CHAPTER in John 14 where JESUS said:
In MY FATHER’S house are many mansions HE tells us HOW to MAKE the RESERVATION.’
& ALMIGHTY GOD is TODAY STILL ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS for HEAVEN.
THOMAS QUESTIONED: ‘LORD, we DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU are GOING or HOW to get there,’
John14:6 JESUS said:
‘I am the way, the truth, & the life: no man comes unto the FATHER but by ME.’
JESUS is NOT a WAY to HEAVEN.
JESUS is the ONLY WAY to HEAVEN.
WITHOUT JESUS as the LORD of OUR LIVES we WILL MISS HEAVEN!
ETERNITY is NOT a GAME, NOTHING to PLAY AROUND WITH.
In FINAL CLOSING this morning, may I SHARE with you WHAT I THINK is going to KEEP MANY OUT of HEAVEN WHO THOUGHT they were GOING THERE.
Do you want a DOCTOR who will TELL you the TRUTH or will SUGAR COAT it so you don’t GET UPSET?
The LAST LETTER of the 7 CHURCHES of ASIA which CHRIST had JOHN write to: The CHURCH at LAODICEA:
Revelation 3: 15-16 ‘I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot, I would thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, & neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.’
They thought they were RICH & had NEED of NOTHING.
But JESUS said HE SAW THEM as WRETCHED, MISERABLE & BLIND.
BLIND SPIRITUALLY:
I don’t care how much we SHOUT.
What matters is HOW FAITHFUL ARE WE?
