Coming Home
A sermon on heaven
Chuck Sligh
June 7, 2015
NOTE: A PowerPoint presentation is available for this sermon upon request by email me at chucksligh@hotmail.com.
ATTRIBUTION: The “Top 10 Reasons the New Earth Will Be A Blast” under the first point in my sermon is adapted from Steve Malone’s sermon, “Top Ten Reasons Why Heaven Is Going To Be A Blast,” found on SermonCentral.com.
TEXT: Please turn in your Bibles to John 14 (TEXT TO BE READ LATER)
INTRODUCTION
What a wonderful thing coming home is. Many of you have been deployed, separated from your spouse, your kids, your church, your home—from everything that has meaning to you and gives your life purpose. What did you do?—You longed for your loved ones, your home and your things.
Illus. – And what a thrill coming home was! Your family gathers at the gym (or wherever it was when you returned). They’re told your unit will be there at 14:00, so they all gather to greet you. Then the time is changed to 14:30, and everyone is waiting with mounting anticipation, and everyone on your bus groans when they hear the arrival time is a half hour later. Then the time is changed to 15:00; then 15:30, and all the while, anticipation is building both in the gym and on the bus. But then your bus FINALLY arrives, and everyone is waiting in the gym, and finally you march in with all your fellow-soldiers, and the commander says a few brief remarks, and then…you’re finally released into the loving arms, tearful faces and long embraces of your loved ones. There’s nothing more wonderful than coming home!
But folks, as joyful and thrilling as it is to come home on this earth, that’s NOTHING compared to the thrill believers will experience when they finally come to their REAL home.I want to talk to you about that today about coming home to the place God is preparing you for; the place God is preparing for—that place we usually call “heaven.”
In John 14 Jesus tells us about His Home, our Hope and How we can get there.
Let’s read John 14:1-6 – “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
I. IN THESE VERSES JESUS SAYS HE HAS PREPARED A NEW HOME FOR US.
Jesus begins with calming words, words of comfort: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” He had just spoken of His own death and His disciples’ hearts were troubled. He was telling them, “Settle your hearts; still your anxious thoughts. You believe in God. Believe in Me also. Trust in God, and trust in Me.”
Then He says, “In my Father's house are many mansions.” The Greek word translated “mansions” here doesn’t mean mansions as we think of them today, that is, a large, impressive house. It literally means a “dwelling place” or an “abode.” In fact, the identical word is translated “abode” down in verse 23 where Jesus says, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
The key point Jesus was making was not how big a place you’re going to get, but that there’s plenty of room in His home. Overcrowding will not be a problem there. You won’t see “No Vacancy” signs posted at the gates of the New Jerusalem! Jesus says there’s room for everyone who receives God’s offer of salvation.
What is this place called heaven like? Well, it’s probably nothing like what most of you picture heaven as being.
Illus. – I remember witnessing to a friend in England and he said, “I don’t want to go to heaven. The thought of endless tedium, floating on clouds, with nothing to do but strum a harp sounds boring. Hell would be much more interesting.”
John Eldridge says in The Journey to Desire, “Nearly every Christian I have spoken with has some idea that eternity is an unending church service….We have settled on an image of the never-ending sing-along in the sky, one great hymn after another, forever and ever, amen. And our heart sinks. Forever and ever? That’s it? That’s the good news? And then we sigh and feel guilty that we are not more ‘spiritual.’ We lose heart, and we turn once more to the present to find what life we can.”
Well, I’ve got good news for you: That’s not at all what heaven will be like! First of all, there’s NOTHING in the Bible about heaven being a place of clouds, nor that anyone will have a harp. And yes, worship in heaven in the immediate presence of God the Son, Jesus Christ, will be something we will do many times, but the Bible teaches that our lives will be filled with many other wonderful activities.
To start with, get the idea about heaven being “up there” out of your mind. Listen to the Apostle John’s opening words of his detailed description in Revelation 21 and 22 of what we often inaccurately call “heaven”: He says, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Verses 1-2)
John says God will destroy this sin-cursed world and create a new heaven and earth, and we’ll live on this New Earth in a place he calls the “new Jerusalem.” This earth will be much like the present earth, with mountains, rivers, plains, valleys, trees, plants, flowers and animals and all we see on this earth.
Furthermore, several clues in the Bible imply that the New Earth will be a place where there’s culture: music, art, architecture; and a place of activity and adventure. And rather than being a place of tedium and boredom, it will be a place of wondrous delight; a place where we will DO exciting and fun things.
Without going into too much detail or providing supporting Scriptures, for time’s sake let me just list for you my personal “Top 10 Reasons the New Earth Will Be A Blast”:
1) Number one, we get a new body.
There’s a lot of speculation that since the Bible tells us that our bodies will be like Christ’s, we’ll be able to go through walls like Jesus did in the upper room. That’s pure speculation, but what we do know is that our heavenly bodies will clearly be an upgrade—bodies that won’t get tired, feel pain, get sick, sag, fall apart or get old.
2) Number two, as Jesus promised, we’ll get a custom-built dwelling place. – I’m not quite sure what that means, but I can assure you that whatever you call “home” down here will be NOTHING compared to our abodes that Jesus says He is preparing for us right now.
3) The third reason it will be a blast there is because we’ll get to eat great food.
When the Bible describes our bodies as “heavenly bodies,” for some reason some have concluded that this means we’ll become formless spirits or angels. But the Bible teaches that we’ll have bodies that are “heavenly” in the sense that they’ll be eternal and sinless, but they will be PHYSICAL bodies, as physical and corporeal as the bodies we have now.
So we’ll still get to enjoy one of the great pleasures on this earth—eating. The Bible is full of references to great feasts in the New Earth. NOTHING will compare to the feasts we’ll have in the New Earth!
3) The fourth reason the New Earth will be a blast is we’ll get to talk with Bible characters. – Won’t it be great to ask David what it was like to fight Goliath, to ask Noah what it was like living in the ark with all those animals for 40 days and nights, or to ask Peter what it was like to heal the lame man, or to ask the lame man what it was like to be healed by Peter?
5) Number five, you’ll see and speak with our saved loved ones.
Just because there will be no marriage or sex in heaven, doesn’t mean that those dearest to you won’t know you and love you just as much in heaven. Oh, won’t it be great to know your saved spouse and kids and parents when they’re PERFECT?—When he’s always thoughtful, and she’s always joyful and the kids are always well-behaved, and dad and mom aren’t nagging?
6) Number six, we’ll get to live in a perfect world.
If you’ve never done it, go home today and read Revelation 21 and 22. MAN, what a great place the New Earth and the New Jerusalem will be! John says there’ll be no need for a temple, for God will be there. Nor will there be a need for the sun, for God’s glory will provide all the illumination necessary. And there’ll no more night or darkness. And through the city will flow the River of Life as clear as crystal. It will be a PERFECT place to live: Paradise will be regained! Creation, which has suffered because of the Fall, will be restored.
7) Another reason heaven is going to be a blast is because of the “no-mores”
When you soldiers were deployed, it was the “no-mores” that kept you going. You knew that eventually there would be no more sand; no more patrols; no more 130 degree temperatures; no more IEDs; no more constantly looking over your shoulder for danger. When you and I get to heaven, there are going to be some awesome “no-mores”: no more hunger, no more thirst, no more scorching heat, no more tears, no more death, no more crying, no more pain, no more evil.
8) Another reason the New Earth will be a blast is that we won’t fall anymore.
I know I’ll never be perfect, but I’m going to be honest with you, every time I fall; every time I sin; every time I let God down, it really gets to me. Yes, I know I’m saved by grace, and yes, I know that His blood washes away every stain, but I still get tired of failing, of falling, don’t you? No longer having this struggle is another reason heaven’s gonna’ to be a blast!
9) Number 9, in the New Earth, we’ll take part in an awesome worship. – Now I love great, fervent worship; I love worship full of joy and passion—so I look forward to worshiping in our new home because it’s going to be INCREDIBLE!
10) Finally, heaven will be a blast because we’ll get to see Jesus!
That’ll be the best part of all, won’t it? 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS.” Oh, man, what a joy to see my JESUS face to face; to fall down on my knees and worship Him IN PERSON. Oh, what a day that will be!
II. RETURNING TO OUR TEXT, THE SECOND THING THE LORD TALKS ABOUT IN JOHN 14 IS THE HOPE OF MAKING HIS HOME OURS.
Jesus said in John 14:3 – “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
One day Jesus will return for all who are truly His. It won’t matter whether you’ll be in the grave or still living when He comes. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4 that Jesus will come in the clouds and those of us who are saved will meet Him in the air.
The rapture of believers to be with the Lord is the hope of all who believe in Him. Later in the New Testament, the promise of Christ’s return for all who believe in Him is called “the blessed hope.” (Titus 2:13) The rapture for believers IS the blessed hope if you are truly one of God’s children.
But if you aren’t, it should strike fear in your heart because it’s the rapture of believers to heaven that will usher in the Antichrist and the seven-year Tribulation. But if you belong to Christ, you have the promise that Christ will come for you and deliver you from all that.
III. FINALLY, JESUS ALSO TELLS US HOW TO GO TO HIS HOME IN HEAVEN.
Jesus says in verse 6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Heaven isn’t automatically the home of everyone who dies. Jesus says it’s possible to follow the wrong path and miss heaven altogether. He taught that there is only one Door into heaven and Jesus is that door.
In John 10:7, He said, “Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.” (Jn. 10:7)
Two verses later He said, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (v. 9)
Only by faith in Jesus Christ can you gain an entrance into His heavenly home. Being a good person is not enough to open the door of heaven. The best and greatest person in this room needs Jesus to get into heaven.
There are no exceptions. Jesus said, “NO man comes to the Father but by me.”
Illus. – Graham Scroggie, a famous pastor in Edinburgh, Scotland years ago, was fond of telling the story of a small boy in London who wanted to meet the Queen. The boy often passed by Buckingham Palace hoping to see the Queen, but he never caught sight of her.
One day he went to the gate and tried to go in, but the guard stopped him. He watched as the guard marched back and forth, back and forth. When the guard was at the far end of the gate, the little boy ran to the gate and tried to squeeze between the bars. In a flash the guard was on him and grabbed him.
The little lad pleaded, “But I just want to meet the Queen.”
The guard told him to go away; that she didn’t have time for little boys.
Dejected, the lad turned and left, and sat on the curb and cried his heart out. Before long a young man came by and asked him what was wrong. He looked up at the young man and told his story, “All I wanted to do was meet the Queen, but that mean man at the gate won’t let me in.”
The young man took the boy by the hand and said, “Come with me.” Together they walked around the corner, and up to the gate. This time the guard opened the gate, and they walked right past the glaring guard, and into the palace. The young man told the boy to wait a moment, and soon the Queen appeared. She sat and chatted with him over tea and cookies. When time for him to leave, the Queen offered him a cookie to go.
The little boy smirked at the guard as he walked out of the gate. It turns out that the young man who took the boy in was the Queen’s son! Graham Scroggie said, “I know that story is true, because I was that little boy.”
I tell this story because Jesus tells us that not everyone is allowed into to this New Earth. But as God’s Son, if you will let Him, Jesus will take you by the hand and lead you through the gates—right into the presence of the King! I believe He wants every person in this room to make heaven their home. But it’s not automatic; you have to CHOOSE the right way. JESUS is the Way—the only way to heaven. Let Him take you into the presence of the King of Kings.
CONCLUSION
Today, if you’ll turn to Jesus and place your trust in HIM and what He did on the cross to pay for your sin, He will most assuredly forgive you of all your sin and give you eternal life. I invite you to do that today.
