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THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
A couple from Oklahoma decided to go to Florida for a long weekend to thaw out during one very cold and 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.
Well at the same time 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 as well.
Heb 11:13-16
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them,and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
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.
I'm so thankful that there is somewhere so much better than this world we live in.
Let me give you the top 10 reasons why I am looking forward to heaven:
Reason 1 is
1. WE WILL GET A NEW HOME
John 14:2
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you
There is no such thing as a perfect house in this life.
But Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live In a mansion.
I know there are many here who probably live in small houses.
Me and Shelly's is pretty small
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 healthy bran muffins, I could have been here 10 years ago!"
Sometimes when people think of heaven they think of it as dull and boring place.
This joke however captures the promise of eternal life - a place of unbelievable beauty and delight.
2 reason I'm looking forward to heaven is
2. WE WILL GET A NEW BODY
2 Cor 5:1-2
1 For we know that if our earthly house of thistabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
Is anyone here fed up with your body.
Some of you are probably tired of aches and pains that come with getting older.
In heaven we will get a new body.
A 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 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 unspeakable and full of glory
The third reason I'm looking forward to heaven
3. WE WILL 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? So many saints that have gone on before us
Heaven will be great just to hear their 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 Angel 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.
You know 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.
When my grandma was in the nursing home me and Shelly done as much with her as we could could and saying bye was hard
In heaven there will be no more goodbyes. Ever.
Just think of that reunion day.
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, 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.”
The fourth reason I'm looking forward to heaven is
4. WE WILL GET NEW FOOD
Rev 19:9
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Shelly probably knew I'd get this one in here
Heaven is going to be the greatest 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 delicious.
What is the most perfect meal you can remember ever having in your life?
Next to heaven that is going to be like eating out of the garbage bin behind McDonalds.
Sometimes down here we can't go and eat at some of the places we would like to because of the prices but in heaven we will get to order anything on the menu for free.
Those fruit trees are going to be so delicious.
Man that sure does sound good don't it.
The fifth reason I'm looking forward to heaven
5. WE WILL GET A NEW WORLD
I love exploring. Getting out on the back roads with no where to go and no time to get back just riding around and seeing what I can see Shelly get kind of tired of it but I really enjoy it. Just think of how it will be to take that stroll all over heaven.
This world we live in was broken by the fall of man just as we were:
Rom 8:19-21
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty 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. When a convention of artists called to produce a perfect color-scheme, they could not improve upon it."
God created the world we live in in 7 days.
Not bad for such a short period of time
Jesus has been preparing a place for us in heaven for over 2000 years.
Just think of what it will look like.
"we are living in a garbage dump compared with what it is going to be like up there”!
There is a lot of beautiful things in this world
But none will compare to the beauty of heaven
I can’t wait for the chance 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 the heaven that God is preparing for us.
The sixth reason I'm looking forward to heaven
6. WE WILL 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 we will also get 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.
Some people simply love to work
If My dad was to win a million dollars and did not have to work and just went home and sat in front of the TV for a month He would be bored out of his mind.
Myself I simply love to preach I couldn't imagine having to sit around and not being able to work for the lord anymore
I am looking forward to heaven because you will be able to do what you love to do in service to God forever.
The seventh reason I am looking forward to heaven
7. WE WILL 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 7:21-24
21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this 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!
The eighth reason I am looking forward to heaven
8. WE WILL GET A NEW WORSHIP
What is the most powerful worship service you have ever experienced.
I have been in some good church services
Some good revival
I really enjoy our Wednesday night services here
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 LORD 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.
there may be times when our worship on earth gets tedious –
worship in heaven will not ever get boring!
The ninth reason I am looking forward to heaven
9. WE WILL 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 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 thou 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 a vacation mindset.
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.”
And the tenth and final reason I'm looking forward to heaven is it will be for all of eternity without end all of these wonderful things that I have mentioned will be ours for all time
Last week I talked about the reality of hell this week about the reality of heaven now let me ask you which reality will it be for you.
It's totally your choice
Let's pray!
