Heaven
John 14:1-7
Eben Alexander is a neurosurgeon at Harvard. He thought everything had a scientific explanation including out of body experiences until in 2008, when he slipped into a coma for 7 days after contracting bacterial meningitis. During that time, he had an out-of-body experience of his own, a visit to heaven. He describes a place with beautiful butterflies and flowers, with souls dancing and angels flying above. It was full of bliss, and there was a comforting and cherishing love from the Creator. There was nothing to fear. There was no pain and there was nothing that one could do wrong in that realm. He came away from that experience knowing that we are all eternal spiritual beings and we are all loved. Colton Burpo is the son of a minister who almost died with a burst appendix. While on the operating table, he was taken to heaven and saw Jesus, had angels sing to him and met family members he never knew including his great grandfather and a sister whom he never knew about who had died due to a miscarriage. In response to his son’s story, his father Todd Burpo writes, “Over and over, I kept asking myself, ‘How could he have known (all those things)?’ But…(then) I had another question: ‘Could this be real?’”
Is heaven real? Recent polls suggest that nearly 80% of all Americans believe there is a place called heaven. There are many stories today of those who have had near death experiences and seen heaven for themselves. But they aren’t the only ones. There are several people in the Bible who have been eyewitnesses to heaven before they died. Elijah (II Kings 2:1-12) and Enoch were each taken up into heaven. Paul saw heaven while travelling on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians. Acts 9:3-4 The book of Revelation is John’s record of his experience with heaven that he saw through an open door. (Revelation 4:1)
The Bible uses the word heaven 532 times in the Bible. The Hebrew word for “heaven” is shamayim and is plural meaning “heights,” “elevations.” It is found in the first verse of the Bible. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” and in Gen 2:1 “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.” The phrase “heavens and earth” refers to the whole universe (Genesis 1:1; Jeremiah 23:24; Acts 17:24). But according to the Jewish belief and the OT, there were three heavens, all created by God. The first is our atmosphere and sky. The Scriptures speak of God opening the doors of heaven to provide food or rain. (Psalms 78: 23,Gen. 7:11-12, Deut. 11:17, 28:12, Mal. 3:10) The second is outer space, the Bible calls it firmament, and includes the sun, moon, and stars. (Genesis 1:17, Psalm 19:4,6)
The third heaven is where God dwells and is located beyond the space and stars. Jesus called it the “Father's house” but he also called it paradise when he promised it to the thief hanging on the cross next to him. Paul also uses the word paradise to refer to the third heaven. (2 Corinthians 12:4) This is where God’s throne is located. Jesus Christ is also there as are the angels. In fact, there are myriads of angels and heavenly beings serving the Lord in various ways. And finally, the saints of God who died on this earth are in heaven enjoying “everlasting life.” 2 Corinthians 4:17. Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am (John 14:1-3). Is heaven real? Twice in three verses, Jesus calls heaven a place and so it is a real place, just as real as the place you call home. In fact, this is God’s home. It is the dwelling place of God.
So what is heaven like? John Lennon sang, "Imagine there's no heaven, it's easy if you try." Although there is little in his song that agrees with what the Bible has to say about heaven, Lennon got it right on one point: it’s easier to imagine that heaven does not exist than it is to imagine heaven as it does exist. Heaven as we have traditionally pictured it described by corny clichés and is often the center of jokes. At one time, people seemed to think that saved souls would float around on clouds playing harps. The reality is the Bible doesn't give us a great deal of information. What we have are images and pictures of heaven and comparisons with life on earth. It’s the Father's house (John 14:2) It is a city designed and built by God (Hebrews 11:10). It is a better country (Hebrews 11:16). It is Paradise (Luke 23:43). Revelation 21, which offers us the most extended picture of heaven in the entire Bible, says it is a place where the streets are paved with gold, the gates are made of pearl, and the walls made of precious jewels. I love the old story of the rich man who, on his deathbed, asked God to allow him to bring his earthly treasures with him when he came to heaven. God's reaction was that this was a most unusual request, but since this man had been exceptionally faithful, permission was granted to bring along just one suitcase. When the man presented himself at the pearly gates, suitcase in hand- BOTH hands, actually, since he had stuffed it with as many bars of gold bullion as would fit. St. Peter opened the suitcase to check the contents and when he saw the gold bars, he asked quizzically, "You brought PAVEMENT?"
The reality is that heaven is a place more wonderful than we can ever begin to imagine. It is a place of joy and beauty, of peace and happiness that will never end. “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,” no quarrels or disagreements, and no disappointments. And in heaven, we will then know perfect joy (Ps. 16:11) because we will find ourselves in the very presence of God. We will have perfect knowledge for "Then shall I (we) know even as also I am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). We will have no more unanswered questions, no confusion, no ignorance, and no more need to walk by faith rather than by sight. We will love God perfectly and will be loved perfectly by Him. His love will engulf us forever.
So what will we do in heaven besides singing God’s praises? Pastor David Burns in a sermon called “Heaven is a Wonderful Place," says we will do five things in heaven.
• Worship without distraction
Worship. There is a constant chant of holy angels that are continually proclaiming, “Holy, Holy, Holy” proclaiming the holiness of God (Rev. 4:8-11). The best part of heaven will be seeing Jesus face to face. We will worship the Son of God and celebrate his great victory over sin while the endless ages of eternity roll on and on. The best music you've ever heard will pale compared to the music of heaven. The most awesome worship you've experienced on earth is but a dim reflection of the praise we will render around the throne of God. Four other things:
• Serve without exhaustion
• Fellowship without fear
• Learn without fatigue
• Rest without boredom
So why is there a heaven? We’re reminded that God is self-existent. God is not lonely and looking for something to do. So why did He go to all the trouble? Because God created everything in the universe to have eternal fellowship with Him. Heaven was created as the place where God can eternally enjoy His loving relationship with His creatures (us). He not only wants to have relationship with you for the 70-80 years you have on this earth. He wants to be in relationship with you for all eternity. That’s how much He loves you!
Heaven is meant to be a place where you want to be. So how do we get there? Faith in Christ. When asked if they expect to get to heaven, most Americans said, ‘Yes.” Most people understand that doing evil can keep us out of heaven. But few realize the Bible also teaches that doing good cannot get us in. None of us could ever gain enough merit through good deeds to make up for the sin in our lives to deserve heaven. We are sinful, and God's standard is utter perfection. The gap is too great between us and a Holy God. Jesus said, "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). He added, "You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (v. 48). The disciples asked Jesus this same question, ‘How can we get to heaven?’ (Matthew 19:25). His answer? "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (v. 26). In other words, being saved so that we can go to heaven is not something we can accomplish. It is something God must do for us. And he did that on the cross. Dr. James Kennedy, longtime pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL in a meeting with President Ronald Reagan at the White House asked, "Suppose you were to die and found yourself standing at the door of heaven. If God were to say, 'Why should I let you into heaven?' what answer would you give?" The President paused, thought for a moment, and then replied, "Well, I guess I'd have to answer with John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." Your only hope of heaven is through Jesus.
Let me make this very personal. If you were to die tonight, do you know for certain that you would go to heaven? This is too important to say "I think so" or "I hope so." If you're wrong, you're going to be wrong for a long, long time. What we need is solid ground on which to stand. And we have it in our faith in Jesus and his death and resurrection. Our entire hope of heaven is wrapped up in what Jesus did when he died on the cross for the sins of the world. And that is solid rock upon which we can stand.
Heaven is not just about eternity in heaven, it is also about looking forward to the day of Jesus’ return when he will establish God’s kingdom once again here on earth. In the beginning as described in Genesis, God’s home was with us on the earth (cf. Gen. 3:8). Adam and Eve’s sin changed all of that but it will be again in the end when his heavenly kingdom will be established here on earth. John got a glimpse of this glorious future, which recorded in the book of Revelation. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new’” (Rev. 21:1-5). We look forward to that day. The old will be transformed and renewed and all the Saints will be resurrected to live with God on earth, where he will dwell with them and they will be his people and He will be our God.
One final word: No one goes to heaven by accident. Heaven is God's prepared place for prepared people. We prepare for heaven while here on earth and then God prepares heaven for us. Not everyone is in heaven now. Some people won't make it. The Bible speaks of the saved and the lost. The saved are those who trust Jesus Christ as their eternal Savior. The lost are those who do not trust Christ as Savior. This is the great dividing line of humanity-you are either saved or not. And there is no in between. You will either spend eternity in heaven or eternity in hell. And hell is the topic of next week’s message. Are you prepared for heaven? Amen.
