THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
A couple from Oklahoma decided to go to Florida for a long weekend to thaw out during one particularly icy winter. Because they both had jobs, they had difficulty coordinating their travel schedules. It was decided that the husband would fly to Florida on Thursday, and his wife would follow the next day. Upon arriving as planned, the husband checked into the motel. He decided to open his laptop and send his wife an e-mail back home. However, he accidentally left off one letter in her address, and sent the e-mail without realizing the error.
In Houston, a widow returned from her husband’s funeral. He was a pastor of many years who had been called home to glory. The widow checked her e-mail, expecting messages from relatives and friends. Upon reading the first message, she fainted and fell to the floor. The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read: TO: My loving wife FROM: Your departed husband SUBJECT: I’ve arrived! MESSAGE: I’ve just arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was. P.S. Sure is hot down here.
Today, if you are a Christian you have something wonderful to look forward too. I want to re-kindle the fires of your hope. Today if you are not a Christian I pray that the hope that those who are in Christ have will move you to accept Christ in order that you to may be born again into a living hope.
Heb 11:13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country -- a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Today I want us to look towards our heavenly home. Though we may only see it from a distance I hope it will encourage you. I can’t wait to get to heaven. It is going to be a blast. Let me give you the top 10 reasons why I am looking forward to heaven:
1. WE GET A NEW HOME
John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
I like the King James Version of this verse because it says MANSIONS. There is no such thing as a perfect house in this life. In Canada we had the chance to build a house from scratch and even that did not end up exactly the way we wanted it. Sacrifices had to be made. Because of cost, corners had to be cut. It turned out nice, but it was just a house. Have you ever dreamed of living in a mansion? We lived in a huge house in Kuwait but it was nothing compared to some of the truly HUGE homes. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in something like that?
When we lived in Kuwait we would visit Canada during the summer. We would spend a month living with my mother and then with Naomi’s parents. Both of them have small homes. We were able to survive the cramped conditions because we knew it was temporary. I know there are many here who live in small houses. I want to say to those of you who struggle with their earthly home today, your heavenly home will be wonderful!
An elderly couple passed away and found themselves at the pearly gates. Peter was there to welcome them. First he showed them their mansion. The man overwhelmed by the sheer luxury of it all asked, "How much does this place cost per night?" Peter replied, "Sir, this is Heaven, it doesn’t cost anything." Then Peter took them to the dining room where table upon table was piled high with the most delicious foods you could imagine. Again overwhelmed by the glory of it all the man asked, "How much for the meals?" Peter said, "You forget, this is Heaven, it’s free." Peter then took them out back where they saw a fantastically beautiful golf course. As the man stood there open-mouthed Peter said, "Now before you ask, there are no greens fees, this is Heaven, everything is free." The man looked at his wife and said, "You and your confounded bran muffins, I could have been here 10 years ago!" Sometimes when people think of heaven they think of it as dull and boring. This joke however captures the promise of eternal life - a place of unbelievable beauty and delight.
2. WE GET A NEW BODY
2 Cor 5: 5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling
Is anyone else here fed up with your body. I tell you the older I get the more I look forward to trading in this body for a newer model. In heaven we will get a new body that will be perfect. We will not have to deal with sickness and disabilities anymore.
Joni Eareckson who became a quadriplegic as a result of a diving accident nearly 30 years ago has experienced more than her share of pain and heartache. She says that “Heaven has become my heart’s home, the place where I will finally belong. The place where I will get a brand new body… In the world’s finale something so glorious is going to happen that it will atone for every single tear we’ve ever cried. God is going to give us the key that will make sense out of what now seems to be such senseless suffering. Heaven is going to be a place of no more disappointment, no more grief but joy. Heaven’s joy.”
3. WE GET NEW FRIENDS
Think of all the people that you are going to get a chance to meet in heaven. Who is it that you are looking forward to sitting down and having a conversation with? This past week Naomi and I were at a retreat with pastors from all over. It was great to hear the stories about how they had come to faith and were called into ministry. Heaven will be great just to hear the stories!
When was the last time you met someone who was pretty famous? Think about it… Think about what it is going to be like to ask Moses what parting the Red Sea was really like. Asking Daniel to explain what it was like hanging out in the lion’s den. I wonder what hanging out with a Seraphim will be like? Mostly I just look forward to hearing the stories of normal people like me whose lives were radically saved and transformed by the love of Jesus.
Not only will we meet new people but think of all the people that you have been separated from in life that you will be able to see again in heaven. It seems the older you get the more people you start losing from your life. It is hard to say goodbye to loved ones. It is hard to keep them close as the years pass.
What is so amazing to me about heaven is that you will never have to say goodbye ever again.
When we lived in Kuwait we would go back to Canada it is was always hard to get settled because we knew that in just a short time we will have to pack up again and leave. There is joy in arriving but also a hint of sadness. In a few weeks we will have to say goodbye again and it is always so hard to leave. In heaven there are no more goodbyes. Ever.
When Bishop Philip Brooks, author of “O, Little Town of Bethlehem,” was seriously ill, he requested no friends come to see him. But when an acquaintance of his named Robert Ingersoll, a famous anti-Christian propagandist, came to see him he allowed him to come in right away. Ingersoll said, “I appreciate this very much. Especially when you aren’t letting any of your close friends see you.” Bishop Brooks responded, “Oh, I’m confident of seeing them in the next world, but this may be my last chance to see you.”
4. WE GET NEW FOOD
Rev 19:9 Then the angel said to me, "Write: `Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
Heaven is going to be the mother of all buffets. I don’t know about you but I like to eat. I’m not talking about eating just to satisfy your hunger. I’m talking about EATING – when the food is expensive and exotic and delicious. What is the most perfect meal you can remember ever having in your life? Next to heaven that is like eating out of the garbage bin behind McDonalds.
We as a family have gone to Disney World a few times. Years ago we went but we were on a tight budget. Because of this we tried to never eat in the park because it was just so expensive. The girls could have some French fries but that was about it. The last time we went part of our vacation package was something called free Disney dinning. That means we get to order anything on the menu for free. We loved it. We ordered the most expensive thing on the menu every day. Steak, shrimp, lobster, you name it we ate it. Stuff we would never think of ordering normally because it is too expensive.
5. WE GET A NEW WORLD
I love exploring. I have visited some amazing places on this earth, but the best this world has to offer is always flawed. This world we live on was as broken by the fall of man as we were:
Rom 8:19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God
In heaven there will be a new earth. In Revelations John tries to describe what the heavenly city will be like. He tries to convey what transparent gold and Jasper and all the precious stones are like but words fail him. I recently read of a man who visited a distinguished artist at his studio. He found the artist there with an open Bible in front of him while he was arranging squares of colored glass. "I have made a singular discovery," he said, "these are the precious stones in the foundation of the New Jerusalem, and when placed in the order described in the vision they form a perfect harmony of color. Were a convention of artists called to produce a perfect color-scheme, they could not improve upon it."
God created the world we live on in 7 days. Not bad for such a short period of time but it was only his first attempt. Jesus has been preparing a place for us in heaven for 2000 years.
As the late Keith Green once said “we are living in a garbage dump compared with what is going up there”! I remember the first time we took our kids to Disney World. Their eyes were so big! Everything seems so huge and so magical. Now they have been a couple of times so things are not like they were before. I can’t wait for the wonder of exploring heaven.
C.S. Lewis in his final book of the Narnia series describes heaven as an onion, only the further in you get the bigger it becomes. Each inner layer is larger than the one above. I can’t wait to explore not only the new earth but also the new heavens that God is preparing for us.
7. WE GET A NEW WORK
Heaven is not going to be just sitting on a cloud for eternity. Some people get the idea that heaven will be boring. We will get the rest we need but also a new responsibility – a new way of serving God.
When you are really busy you look forward to having a rest. However, too much rest is not a good thing. If I won a million dollars and did not have to work and just went home and sat in front of the TV for a month I would be bored out of my mind. Even when I go on vacation I look forward to being able to preach in different churches while we are away. I am looking forward to heaven because you will be able to do what you love to do in service to God forever.
6. WE GET A NEW START
I am so tired of sin. I am tired of the constant struggle that rages within me. I know that the grace of God covers our sins and that they were paid for by Christ on the cross. The problem is that every time we blow it we are letting God down.
Rom 7:21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Did you ever have a parent who said they were disappointed with you? Do you remember how much that hurt? Even more than a spanking. I know that the love of God covers our sins but they still hurt.
Every time I sin I feel I have disappointed my creator. In heaven there is no more sin. No more crying over stupid mistakes. No more guilt. A fresh start. A clean slate.
In this life we are justified through the cross. God found a way to declare us as righteous because our debt has been paid. In heaven we will not only be declared righteous but we will BE righteous. What a day of rejoicing that will be!
8. WE GET A NEW WORSHIP
What is the most powerful worship service you have ever experienced. I remember sitting on the top of a mountain by myself praising the Lord. I also have been in some very big churches before. I remember being in a stadium of more than 20,000 voices singing to the Lord. The voices were so loud it was like thunder. That was powerful.
However, no matter what we have experienced here on earth – heaven will blow it away! Just imagine the worship in heaven. I imagine all creation will join in with our praise. Day after day the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders around the throne of God cry out HOLY HOLY HOLY IS THE GOD ALMIGHTY. Why do they keep repeating that? I believe it is because every time around the throne they find out something new about God’s holiness. While there may be times worship on earth gets tedious – worship in heaven will not get boring!
9. WE GET TO SEE GOD
The thing I look forward to most about heaven is that we will finally see God. How many times have you stood here and lifted up your voices to sing trying to imagine that moment when you will see the one who died for you? Many time I have felt the presence of God in a worship service and it has been overwhelming. However, what would it be like if Jesus suddenly appeared in this place right now. What would you say? What would you do?
The beloved hymn “Over the Sunset Mountains” by John Peterson, was penned during the his meditation on the piano. Sure that it’s message would catch on, Peterson confidently approached a publisher. “We would like to use it,” the approving publisher said after glancing over it. “But we have one little suggestion. Can you take out the reference to Jesus and enlarge a little more on heaven?” Heaven without Jesus? Unthinkable! Clutching his manuscript, Peterson walked from the publisher’s office with another song coming on: “I have No Song to Sing, But That of Christ My King.” Both songs became favorites within the Christian community.
I look forward to the day when Jesus will meet me at the finish line. I want to hear those words “well done good and faithful servant”. I can’t wait to see Him.
Maybe you are here today and you are have grown tired in your race of faith. Maybe you have lost sight of the finish line. Be encouraged today. It’s hard not to be encouraged when you are a day from vacation. Rekindle that day before vacation sense of expectancy.
For the Christian, Heaven isn’t simply a destination; it’s a motivation -- Warren Wiersbe
I know that heaven will be even greater that what I have tried to communicate this morning. I know that it will surprise us in ways we cannot even now imagine.
When a mortal man speaks anything of that eternal blessedness of the saints in glory, he is like a blind man discoursing about the light which he has never seen, and so cannot distinctly speak anything concerning it… In a way it is akin to a man writing a travel guide for a land he has never visited or seen. It is to attempt to describe the indescribable with words which cannot come close to expressing the glory of heaven. -- CH Spurgeon
If you are here today and your heart has been captured by the thought of heaven but you still don’t know if you are going there then you can make sure before you leave this church today.
Henry C. Morrison was a great missionary who served the Lord in Africa for over 40 years. On the way back to United States, he began to wonder “will anyone remember us? Will anyone recall who we are? Will anyone meet us at the boat?” Well, unknown to Henry Morrison and his wife, Teddy Roosevelt, President of U.S., was also on board that ship. He had gone to Africa for a hunting trip. When ship pulled into New York harbor he looked to see if anyone had come to welcome them back home. Thousands of people were there cheering. Bands were playing. There were signs, banners, and billboards everywhere saying, “Welcome Home”. Henry and his wife were so excited about the crowds of people that were there to welcome them home and they went down to get their luggage, came back to the deck of the ship to get off and they realized that the parade of people were already gone. They had come to welcome Teddy Roosevelt.
Henry Morrison went to his hotel room with a heavy heart. As he sat there on the bed, he asked his wife, “Honey, I just don’t get it…for 40 years we poured our lives into ministry and service. And yet we come back to America and not a single soul comes to welcome us home!” His wife came and sat down next to her husband, she put her hand on his shoulder, and comforted him with words that he would never forget, “Henry, you have forgotten something, you’re not home yet!” And may that be of comfort to you. It does not matter what takes place in this life, your reward is in heaven. Always remember, “You’re not home yet.”
