Heaven 3 Restored, Reunited and Renewed
Ya’ll open your Bibles to Revelation 21. Revelation 21 and verse 1 if you will.
Ya’ll know how Gladys and my vacations usually work out. Well, back before Covid, my mother had bought tickets for all of us us, the whole family, to take a cruise on one of those Viking River Cruise ships in Europe. The trip was originally postponed because of Covid, then delayed for one reason or another. The rest of the family has gone, and Gladys and I are supposed to leave this afternoon for this once in a lifetime vacation.
Well, the ship we were supposed to be on broke down a couple of weeks ago, so they are putting us on a different ship. The river we are supposed to be sailing on broke. I know, you didn’t think it was possible, but one of the locks on the river broke, so they are putting us a ship 40 miles further down the river than we originally planned. Friday they had that computer glip, so all of the airlines in Germany, where we were supposed to be flying, were grounded. After a week of avoiding my brother’s family so I wouldn’t be around those sick people, on Friday I got sick and the doctor has me on antibiotics while we’re going on vacation.
I was telling a friend about this the other day, and he said, “Well, Jonah, when you get to Germany, they are going to throw you off the ship just to save the boat and the rest of the passengers.”
I don’t know about that, but I do know Germany has asked us not to come. The airlines all got together and said that they would pay for our next vacation to anywhere, as long as we promised to drive there.
We have been talking about heaven for the past couple of weeks, and I have it on good authority that in heaven all vacations work, no one is sick, and ships and rivers don’t break. Who ever heard of such a thing? If you think about it, ya’ll pray for us. I may not deserve a good time, but Gladys is convinced that she does.
Speaking of which, night before last I spilt some lemonade on the carpet, so she ended up working on the carpet yesterday. Last night my c-pap machine leaked on the floor, so she worked on that this morning, while she told me that the older I get the more issues I seem to cause. I told her, “Suck it up buttercup, cause I don’t see things getting any better between here and heaven.”
I am convinced that the Lord invented old age to make us look forward to heaven more, cause otherwise, some of ya’ll would get comfortable down here and would never think about heaven at all. No wonder my prayers each day end with, “Calgon, take me away.” And don’t laugh, CJ and James’ end their prayers with “Beam me up Scotty.” You spiritual folks may say, “Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.” We all have our own way of saying the same thing.
The other day Gladys said she married me for better or for worse, and there has to be some better coming sometime.
Isn’t it great to know that this world as we know it, is not the end all to end all. There is going to be a better place and a better fellowship for those who know the Lord. And Hallelujah, we are going to have some better friends, praise the Lord, cause some of ya’ll are getting on my last nerve.
I wonder if that’s why Gladys has been going around the house lately, singing, “Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King. Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King. Soon and very soon, we are going to see the king. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, we are going to see the King. No more crying there, we are going to see the King. No more husbands there, we are going to see the king. No Christmas in the Country or 4H there, we are going to see the King.”
I’m not saying that’s how the song goes, I’m just saying that’s how she sings it.”
- Read Revelation 21:1-8
These verses tell us that the Lord is going build, He is going to create a new heaven and a new earth. And no, it’s not because I broke the old one. John wrote this before I was even born.
Can you imagine, a new heaven and a new earth? Oh my word. How can God improve on what He’s already built?
For the past couple of weeks we have looked at heaven, and we saw that in heaven we will have regrets, because according to
> > Romans 14:12 So then, each one of us will give an account of himself to God.”
I have some regrets in my life. There are times I have let the Lord down. There are things I’ve done, I wish I hadn’t and things I didn’t do that I wish I had. Opportunities missed, and things left unsaid.
I have some regrets and when those are pointed out to me, I am sure I will shed some tears of regret,. Oh, but praise God, according to verse 4, He is going to wipe away every tear. Don’t you look forward to that day?
No tears of regret. No tears of pain, or sorrow, or grief. He’s going to wipe them all away.
In heaven there will be rewards. I believe that’s part of the reason Paul says in Philippians 1:21 for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
My friend, your experience in heaven will be impacted by your life on earth and there are no do overs. Don’t waste your opportunities because there will be regrets and rewards in heaven based on what you do in this life.
Last week we looked at a couple more R’s. In heaven we will have relationships. We will know the people, the friends and family from earth who end up in heaven and we will have better relationships with them than we ever did on earth.
In heaven there will be refreshments. Be quiet Dan, we don’t have time. Ij heaven we will have responsibility. There will be jobs for us to do. We will have a a purpose, amend enjoy a sense of accomplishment for a job well done.
Oh, and I want you to know that we will enjoy some more R’s in heaven as well. For one, in heaven, we will be reunited with God.
II. REUNITED WITH GOD
Look there again please art verse 3.
- Read Revelation 21:3
God’s dwelling place will be with man! Turn to someone near you and tell them, “God’s dwelling place will be with man.”
Can you imagine?
- Genesis 3:8-9
Back in the Garden of Eden, God used to come down and walk with man. He used to fellowship with man. He used to talk to man. But then, sin entered the picture. The fellowship was destroyed. Man was kicked out of the garden, and God and man never fellowship like that again.
But imagine, in the new heaven and the new earth, that fellowship will be restored. That relationship will be restored. According to Revelation 21:3, God will dwell with man!
No more will we have to pray. No more will we have to question whether that’s God voice and God’s direction we heard or our imagination. No more will we have to question and look for signs, wondering if we have discerned God’s will and direction again.
God will tell us something and we will understand and know instantly what God’s will is in a situation.
There will be no darkness there. There will be no sickness there. There will be no doubting there. There will be no sin there, the sin that so easily ensnares us. The sin we battle with each day, and the passions we are so frustrated by the beat us time and time again. Because we will be reunited with God!
Bonnie won’t have to ask me if we’re doing Christmas in the Country another year, because the Lord will be able to tell her directly.
> 1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see only a reflection[a] as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known.
No more questioning, wondering and waiting. Because we will be reunited with God.
Second, things will be restored.
III. RESTORED
- Isaiah 11:6-9
During the millennial reign of Christ, and on the new earth, things are going to be different.
Oh, can you imagine? On the new earth, there will be no shark bites. There will be no alligator attacks. There will be no afternoon thunderstorms.
This past week, I was emptying a trailer, on the hill at the Orange County Landfill. I think I was the 2nd to the last vehicle they allowed up there before they closed it due to a storm. While closing up the trailer a bolt of lightening cracked directly over my head. Scared me to death.
There will be none of that. No traffic, you want to see a crowd? Go the the throne of God and you will see crowds of people worshipping and thanking Him for what He’s done for them . . .
No hospitals. No surgery. No sickness. No funeral homes.
Everything is going to be restored.
Oh, can you imagine, visiting with God in the new heaven and on the new earth,?
Can you imagine looking at the stars, planets and constellations with no light pollution?
Can you imagine seeing everyone with new bodies? No cripples. Shoundra won’t be limping, Lanna won’t be giving me sign language, and Dan won’t be ugly. Everything will be restored. Made like it's supposed to be.
DON MOEN
If You Could See Me Now
Our prayers have been answered
I finally arrived
The healing that had been delayed
Is now realized
No one's in a hurry
There's no schedule to keep
We're all enjoying Jesus
Just sitting at His feet
If you could see me now
I'm walking streets of gold
If you could see me now
I'm standing tall and whole
If you could see me now
You'd know I've seen His face
If you could see me now
You'd know the pain's erased
You wouldn't want me
to ever leave this place
If only you could see me now
My light and temporary trials
Have worked out for my good
To know it brought Him glory
When I misunderstood
Though we've had our sorrows
They can never compare
To what Jesus has in store for us
No language can share
In heaven we will be reunited with God. In heaven, things will be restored.
Oh, but one final R I want us to cover before we leave, and that is r for Road.
IV. ROAD
- Matthew 7:13-23
Years ago Oprah Winfrey said, we may be on different roads but they all lead to the same place., Well, that’s not what Jesus says.
Jesus said in verses 13 & 14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.
He said there is a narrow gate through which we have to enter, and few find it. What is that narrow gate? It is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The only way of salvation is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Bible says in Acts 4:12 “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”
Some of ya’ll are familiar with Ron Jon Surf Shop. When I was a kid, folks at school would listen to their surf report each day, to decide if they were going to school or to the beach.
Ron Jon’s has a saying that you’ll see on many bill boards of there’s around here. It says, “Ron Jon’s Surf Shop. Not one of many, but one of a kind.”
Well let me tell you my friend, Jesus is not one of many ways to heaven He is one of a kind. He is the only way to heaven.”
Share plan of salvation.
The first Sunday I preached in Mississippi, an older couple that later became great friends of mine, sang a song that I have since come to love. When I think of heaven I often remember this song.
Hallelujah Square
I saw a blind man tapping along,?Losing his way, as he passed through the throng?Tears filled my eyes, I said, ” Friend you can t see, “
(But) with a smile on his face, he replied to me?I saw a cripple dragging his feet,?He couldn’t walk like we do down the street?I said, ” My friend,?I feel sorry for you, ” but he said, ” Up in Heaven,?I m gonna walk just like you.”
I’ll see all my friends in Hallelujah Square,?What a wonderful time we’ll all have up there?We ll sing and praise Jesus, His glory to share,?And you ll not see one blind man in Hallelujah Square
I saw an old man, gasping for breath,?Soon he’d be gone, as his eyes closed in death?He looked at me and said,?” Boy don t look so blue,?For I’m going up to Heaven, now how about you??” I ll see all my friends in Hallelujah Square,?What a wonderful time we’ll all have up there?We ll sing and praise Jesus,?His glory to share,?And we’ll all live forever in Hallelujah Square!
Are you going there my friend?
