Series: Are You Prepared? (Revelation) [#9]
EXTREME MAKEOVER:
HEAVEN EDITION
Revelation 4:1-11
Introduction:
Reality shows have become extremely popular over the last couple of years. One of these reality shows is called “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”. In this show a construction team is sent in to a dilapidated home where they transform the house into a beautiful house.
As we continue in our series “Are You Prepared?”, I want to look at an “Extreme Makeover: Heaven Edition”. Over the last couple of months we have been studying the 7 Churches found in Revelation 2-3. Now, not all preachers and Christians will agree with me; but I believe that the fact that we no longer hear about the Church (which is made up of all Christians) in the preceding chapters of Revelation is an indication of a pre-tribulation rapture.
We as Christians are going to receive an…
I. Extreme Makeover Of Our Home
Like I said I could be wrong and it doesn’t really matter because I may not know if the rapture is before the tribulation, in the middle of the tribulation, or after the tribulation; but I do know that there will be a rapture of all of the Christians.
John 14:1-6
Jesus told the disciples that He was going to prepare their eternal home and ours. He also gave them the requirements for getting to have an “Extreme Makeover”. You must go through Jesus Christ because He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the only way to Heaven.
As a Christian, you will leave this world where your earthly home with all of its imperfections, (leaky pipes, faulty wiring, etc.) is. This ought to give some of us something to think about because some of us put more effort and concern into our earthly houses and buildings than we do our Heavenly Home. Don’t get me wrong, you ought to take good care of your home, your church building, etc… because it is given to us by God; but it is not as important as being an occupant of Heaven and doing all you can to make sure everyone else you know will also be occupants of Heaven. When we sing, “When we all get to Heaven”, do you really mean all; because if you do then your actions should show that.
When you get to Heaven, no one is going to care if you lived in the biggest, prettiest house on your block or if you lived in a cardboard box. If you don’t believe me look at the rich man and Lazarus. Folks, we can get so focused on colors of carpet, church vans, and class rooms sizes that we lose track of what really matters. When Jesus is checking the Lamb’s Book of Life to see who will be in Heaven and who will not; He’s not going to care about the carpet or the church van. Let’s not use those things that God has blessed us with as tools of pushing lost people away from Christ.
Not only are we as Christians going to receive an eternal home in Heaven; but we are going to also have…
II. An Extreme Makeover Of Our Body
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
All of these bodies with their imperfections will be caught up with Jesus Christ in the air and then we will be taken with Him into Heaven; but not in these bodies. See, these bodies are corrupted, they can’t go into a perfect place because they are not perfect; but the new glorified body we will be given can.
1 Corinthians 15:50-58
Now I don’t want you leaving here saying the preacher said to eat, drink, and be merry; because you’re not taking this old thing with you anyhow. We need to be reminded that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we are to take care of our body; but in comparison to your spiritual body, your physical body doesn’t matter and there will come a day that you will have no pain, no flaws, etc… The only person in Heaven that will have scars will be Jesus.
When you get to Heaven no one is going to care how good you looked in the dress that they buried you in. No one is going to care if your makeup was always perfect or if your hair was always in place like mine is (ha, ha…). No one is going to care if you wore a 3 piece suit or a pair of “cut-off” shorts to Church. Once again, if you lose focus of what matters, you could end up using things like appearance and clothing as a tool to push people away from Christ.
Not only are we as Christians going to receive an eternal home in Heaven and receive a new body in Heaven; but we are going to also have…
III. Extreme Makeover Of Our Attitude
Revelation 4:1-11
Look at what is happening in Heaven:
1. The 4 living creatures never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is , and is to come.” Repeat that with me.
2. The 24 elders fall down and worship God and as they do that, they lay their crowns before Him and say, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Repeat that with me.
When you get to Heaven no one is going to care what style of music you like, or what instruments you want to hear at church, or what your favorite traditions are. No one is going to care what you think, because we are all going to be their in Heaven with our perfect homes, our perfect bodies, and most important- our perfect Savior. Again, we must be careful that our attitudes here on this earth don’t push people away from Christ. Please hear me. The greatest thing that most of us could do for the Kingdom of God is to shut-up about what we don’t like and start telling and living before people the change that the Risen Savior makes in our lives.
Conclusion:
Some of you may be waiting until you get to Heaven to make all of these changes. I can tell you that you will have to wait for the 1st two, but the 3rd makeover should already be happening.
We ought to take every opportunity possible to worship God and live a life that will lead others to Heaven.
Be reminded of what Jesus said in the “Model Prayer”. In fact read it with me. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
This Church and you Christians need to be all about Jesus, nothing more and nothing less!
