"If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one" (Mere Christianity).
For the most part, we believe that it exists. Books, movies, songs, poems, art, and other mediums have been used to communicate to us that Heaven exists. We condemningly speak of Heaven as a reward to avoid the punishment of Hell to the impenitent. Very few sermons are now preached about Heaven. I agree with the great Christian apologist, C. S. Lewis, we have stopped thinking about Heaven and thereby have become useless and ineffective in this world.
Polls say that 78% of Americans believe that they are going to Heaven even though they don’t attend church, pray, or read their Bibles. The more staggering number is that of all Americans only 34% who claim to be Christian attend church. Let’s just say that we are talking about the whole of the population of America 330,000,000 people. 34% is 112,200,000. And of course, we know that all 112,200,000 believe Heaven is their home.
I know that when I have been away from home for a while, I get “homesick.” I start yearning for home—thinking about my wife, my son, my bed, my refrigerator, my garage, my yard, my television, my sofa, my messy desk. I see pictures of my home in my mind, and the more I see home, the more I long to be there. What do I do? I begin to do what is necessary for me to get home. Jesus wants us to think about home. He wants us to have Heaven on our minds.
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
We need to talk about Heaven this morning. I want to go home, how about you? But before we can talk about Home and Heaven, we need to review the rules for studying prophecy. (Deuteronomy 4:2, 2 Peter 1:19-21 & Revelation 22:18, 19)
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John, the Revelator, is once again taken off in vision. After hours or days or weeks or months of seeing visions of devastation, turmoil, persecution, upheaval, and disappointment, Jesus shows him a picture. The Millennium has just passed before his face, and John is given insight as to who has made it and to those who did not make it. Maybe, just maybe he doesn’t see all the faces clear enough to determine who is in Heaven and to those who come up in the second resurrection and face the flames of the lake of fire. But it certainly is not a picture that Jesus would have him carry with him to his grave. The Record is,
1 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. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev. 21:1-8)
We have all heard that adage, “May it ever be so humble, there is no place like home!” Well, I would like to share three points with you this morning about Heaven. First, Heaven will be new. Second, we will answer the question of how can a place that we’ve never been, be called Home, and finally, everybody is not welcomed home.
What a picture! John said that he saw A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH. We can all relate to NEW, Amen? There is nothing like something that is new. It smells new; it looks new; it sounds new; it tastes new though we don’t say “taste new” but “fresh,” huh! It feels new. We can relate to new. New shoes, new car, new money, new home, new carpet, new paint, new books, new is just different. This ‘new’ in the Greek is kainos (kahee nos). It means recently made, fresh, recent, used, unworn!
It’s amazing that when New is with New it tends to stay new! I don’t know about you but some people just have a gift for maintaining things. Their house always looks new, paint ain’t chipped in the 15 years that they’ve been living in it, and the carpet looks the same as when it was installed; their car is five-years-old, and it still has the new car scent in it. Their jeans are 5-years-old and they still are able to maintain a crease. I look and it’s that way because they are meticulous at cleaning! They dedicate time to ensure that it stays new, but I stopped by to tell you that Jesus as verse 5 says, “made all things new!” There will be no need for maintaining anything because New will keep New, New! There he goes speaking in riddles!
Well before we go home, we have to be made New--inside and outside. Who would wear dirty socks with a new pair of LeBron’s? This is a commonsense thing. If God wants Heaven to continue to smell new, look new, feel new, He has to put some NEW folk in it.
38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. Luke 5:38
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Colossians 3:8-10
I had an employee tell me that he had to cut off one of his co-workers because she became in his words too “crazy.” I said to him oh, a fatal attraction kind of thing aye? He said, "Yeah, I tried to tell her about the Lord," and I stopped him in mid-sentence, forgive me, but sometimes people have to be rebuked! I told him brother it is no way possible that she could see Jesus while you are laying on top of her! Huh! What has that got to do with the scriptures we just read? Well, he is saying he’s new but living in old socks! Do you know how quickly Heaven would become dirty, old, and smelly if God would allow some of us old-new Christians in? Do you know what an old-new Christian is—A SINNER SAVED BY GRACE! Now before Jesus saved me, Oak Cliff was my home. I love Oak Cliff! I wouldn’t live there now, but OC was my HOME! Now that I’m a NEW creature, I have a NEW home furnished by God.
1 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. John 14:1-3
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. Hebrews 8:1, 2
Now don’t expect to get into the New Heaven and the New Earth if you’re old that is will not change nor think that you can change, or old-new, that is been changed but don’t see any changes! The Bible not only says that the inside of me is new, but the outside will be made new as well. It not only says that God will fix us on the inside, but He will have to change the outside too or we won’t be able to make it home.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:50-53
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Philippians 3:20, 21
This is the first picture of Glory that we should relish. It will be new. That appeals to us in the flesh. I don’t know anybody who couldn’t use a new home!
“Preacher, it is hard for me to have a longing for Heaven when I haven’t ever been. How can I call Heaven my home?” Well first of all I beg to differ with you. If you have Christ you are in heaven! Notice the illustration of the vision of the Revelator again.
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. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. Revelation 21:2, 3
We have this illustration of a real city and so it is! But we have to remember that we will already be in Heaven before Heaven comes down! The city has always been the people that inhabit it. And since Jesus is the king of this city, the city is wherever He is.
35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. 36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein. Psalm 69:35, 36
16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people. Isaiah 51:16
Zion or Jerusalem is the people of God! God isn’t merely describing a city of buildings and roads, He is describing the subjects of His kingdom! Christ said,
20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:20, 21
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Revelation 20:4
All this time we have been trying to get into Heaven, and didn’t know that Heaven is in us. His name is Jesus because verse 3 says, “BEHOLD, the tabernacle of God is with men…” That tabernacle has been the goal of Providence from the inception of man. Ellen White says, that man enjoyed communion with his Maker,
When Adam came from the Creator’s hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker…Face-to-face, heart-to-heart communion with his Maker was his high privilege. Had he remained loyal to God, all this would have been his forever. Throughout eternal ages he would have continued to gain new treasures of knowledge, to discover fresh springs of happiness, and to obtain clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the wisdom, the power, and the love of God. More and more fully would he have fulfilled the object of his creation, more and more fully have reflected the Creator’s glory. (Education, p.15)
Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. The tabernacle of God is God with us.
8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14
The New Jerusalem coming down as a Bride adorned for her husband is a metaphor that captures the new reality of our home! The Church is His Bride, and all those who have joined themselves to Christ will be a part of that great wedding procession.
Finally, we have the privilege of making Heaven our Home right now because there will come a time when everybody will not be welcomed. I love it when we go door-to-door, and I look and see a welcome mat at the front door. I say to myself boy I know we are going to get somebody at this house. And after a knock or a ring, nobody comes to the front door! Then there have been those who have answered and invited us to come in and they say to us “make yourselves feel at home.” Jesus has the welcome mat out for everyone today. He says,
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Revelation 22:17
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
But Revelation 21, says the mat has been taken up!
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:6-8
Jesus said it is done! When we get to this point, there will be no second chances. Those who get up after the second resurrection will be deceived again into thinking they can make it into Heaven without change, without becoming new the Bible said,
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. Revelation 20:7-9
Like he is doing right now, the Devil is deceiving the believing and the unbelieving into thinking that mere belief is adequate, that a profession without reformation is sufficient, and that faith without works of love are unnecessary for an entrance into Glory. That our God is a take it or leave it God and that is just what is going to happen! You will be left out!
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14
Only the children of God will be welcomed home! Those who wasted time, forfeited opportunity, and abandoned His saving grace will be stuck out!
13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might. 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? 15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 16 He shall dwell on high…Isaiah 33:13-16
1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Isaiah 52:1
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. Psalm 1:5
Heed the call beloved! Come to Jesus while you still have time. Don’t let time run out before you run up! How long will you love leasing! Make Heaven your home today!
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