YOUR FIRST 30 MINUTES IN HEAVEN
John 14:1-3
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. There’s a natural curiosity about Heaven. One little boy asked his Mom, “Mom, are there animals in Heaven?” She replied, “What kind of animals?”
2. He said, “Regular animals, cows and bees.” She said, “I’m not sure about that. I doubt they will be necessary in Heaven.”
3. “Then where are we going to get enough milk and honey for everybody?” he asked.
B. TEXT
1Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2In 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. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:1-3, KJV
C. THESIS
1. A few years ago the number one Christian song was “I Can Only Imagine,” written by Bart Millard and sung by MercyMe. In it, the writer imagines what it will be like to suddenly find yourself in Heaven, and what you would do, one thing after another.
2. So that’s what I want to do today, to describe what it will be like “Your First 30 Minutes in Heaven.”
I. WHAT YOU’LL THINK WHEN YOU GET THERE
A. THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS WAS ENOUGH
1. The first thing we’ll realize is that the grace of God through Jesus Christ was sufficient to save us from all of our sins and that nothing else could have.
2. There will be an overwhelming relief that we really made it, and that it’s so real. The old world will seem so remote and tenuous and the new world of God so solid and eternal, we’ll wonder how we could have ever doubted God’s reality & kingdom.
B. YOU’LL KNOW IT WAS “WORTH IT ALL”
1. Knowing the old fallen universe will soon burn up and that we have escaped, and that all God has prophesied about the New Heavens and New Jerusalem will come true;
2. We will put all our suffering, persecution, and rejection for the Gospel on one side of the scales, and put the blessings & benefits of being one of God’s adopted children & heirs, on the other side of the scales – and we’ll see it was infinitely worth it to be on God’s side!
3. As Stephen Funderburk said, “When you arrive in heaven you will shout unto God with the voice of triumph. You will go running on the hills of glory. You will high five the great cloud of witnesses!”
C. YOU WILL WANT TO SEE JESUS!
1. When you get there it won’t be the golden streets or the angels that will excite your curiosity, or the fact that you have a new resurrected body or a mansion.
2. The overwhelming wish of all heaven is to look on the face of Jesus. Each person who does will be smitten with the beauty and the pleasure of beholding Him. Better than seeing any wonder of nature or creation of man, will be to look on the face of God. Such joy no tongue can tell.
D. YOU’LL HAVE A FAMILY REUNION
1. Not only will you see old friends and family who’ve made it, but you’ll meet countless thousands that have some bearing on your life that you’ve never met.
2. It will be the biggest party in history. 3 times Jesus described it as a party: 1). The woman who found her lost coin & threw a party, 2). The prodigal son coming home & his father threw him a party, and 3). The Wedding Feast for the King’s Son. Heaven will NOT be a boring place!
E. YOU’LL RECEIVE YOUR REWARD
1. Jesus said, “Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”
2. Paul said when we bless other people as we serve Jesus on earth, we “lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age” 1 Tim. 6:19. As we work, our reward is accruing. When we get to heaven, we’ll receive our reward.
II. THINGS WE’LL FIND OUT WEREN’T TRUE
A. “NO ONE KNOWS WHAT HEAVEN IS LIKE”
1. Many people are under the mistaken notion that all talk about heaven is just guessing, that nobody really can say what heaven is like. There is one Person who knows what heaven is like – Who has been to heaven and can tell us what it’s actually like: JESUS!
2. Listen to these statements of Jesus:
a. “No one has ever gone into heaven except the One who came from heaven – the Son of Man”.(Jn. 3:13)
b. “For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of Him who sent Me”. (Jn. 6:38)
c. “What if you see the Son of Man ascend up to where He was before?”. (Jn. 6:62)
d. “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world”. (Jn. 8:23)
e. “I am telling you what I have seen in My Father’s presence…” (Jn. 8:38)(see 10:36; 17:5)
B. “IN HEAVEN WE’LL BE LIKE GHOSTS”
1. Many people have thought that in heaven, like the pictures of Michelangelo’s painting, we’ll be little naked babies with wings! Another strange misconception is that we will be Casper the Ghosts; disembodied spirits floating around without purpose or real substance.
2. Satan hates heaven and doesn’t want the Saints or sinners to have a clear picture of it lest they see it as desirable and strive to enter it.
3. In reality, our lives will not be so radically different then, than our lives are now:
a. We will live on a real planet, in a real city, with streets, buildings, homes with furniture, friends and neighbors;
b. We will have real physical bodies, wear clothing; have duties to perform, books to read, activities to attend; we’ll enjoy running, jumping, dancing, relaxing, singing…
c. This place is described as paradise, with mountains, trees, rivers, fountains, animals, flowers, and undoubtedly the perfect temperature!
C. “WE WILL LOSE OUR IDENTITIES”
1. Some people think that in heaven we won’t be the same people anymore, because a). we’ll be transformed into heavenly beings, like the angels; b). Satan will be locked up, there’ll be no more sin; and c). that memories of our past lives that were unpleasant, or of loved ones who didn’t make it to heaven, will probably be wiped out by God so there won’t be crying in heaven.
2. But the Lord Jesus, after His resurrection, looked much the same and remembered everything -- things Peter wished He’d forgotten about! At Jesus’ transfiguration, Moses & Elijah appeared and the 3 disciples who’d never seen them, instantly knew who they were. Their identities remained intact.
D. “I CAN GET TO HEAVEN ON MY OWN TERMS”
1. First of all, we are in a short period of time of grace, between the Cross and the Judgment Seat. Now is the only time of “open enrollment” for Heaven. Once the window of opportunity closes, you chance for getting into Heaven will be over. Do it now, before it's too late.
2. THERE ARE TWO DESTINATIONS AFTER DEATH; ONE IS HEAVEN & THE OTHER IS HELL. Both are real. Jesus talked more about Hell than He did about Heaven. If you can’t accept the word of Jesus about Hell, then how can accept anything from Him? It’s all or nothing.
3. JESUS HIMSELF IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” Jn. 14:6. Paul said, “for if righteousness [acceptance in Heaven] could be gained through the law [being good], Christ died for nothing!” Gal. 2:21. Lastly Peter said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved,” Acts 4:12. Jesus is the only way.
4. These 3 verses shut the door on all the world’s religions and cults. Jesus is the Door to Heaven; You must trust and confess Him if you would be saved, Rom. 10:9-10.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: The King's Bounty
1. A skillful surgeon recently undertook the responsibility of performing a serious operation on the eyes of an Eastern monarch which proved highly successful.
2. After the king's recovery the problem of presenting his fee puzzled the doctor, for he was dubious as to what figure would correctly estimate the value of the result achieved. Taking a blank letterhead the doctor wrote across it, "The king can do no wrong," and respectfully submitted it to the monarch.
3. His answer was a letter enclosing a sum far beyond his highest hopes. When we know not what to pray for, let us leave it to our Heavenly King, who does all things well. [Christian Herald]
B. THE CALL
1. As the song says, “It Will Be Worth It All...” You can’t out-give God; He will be no man’s/ woman’s debtor.
2. If you haven’t dedicated your life to Jesus, now is the time to do it. If you have but haven’t been giving your best for the Master, now is the time for a new commitment!
3. PRAYER
[This is a rewrite of Stephen Funderburk’s message of the same title]
