Set Eternity In Our Hearts Lord!

Title: Set Eternity In Our Hearts Lord!

Text: Matt 13:44-52

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Introduction:

- Today’s message is an introduction to this evenings message.

- Tonight is part 6 in my prophecy series called Reigning with God in the Millennium.

- It will be like Heaven on earth, when the presence and knowledge of God fills the whole earth.

- The only way a person can get into Heaven is to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and live for Him, but there is another way to get to Heaven, did you know that.

- Listen this story:

The pastor was talking to a group of young children about believing in Jesus and going to heaven.

At the end of his talk, he asked, "Where do you want to go?"

"Heaven!" they all piped up.

"And what do you have to be to get there?"

"Dead!", one boy yelled.

- But a lot of people don’t believe that they must accept Jesus as Lord and Savior in order to get to Heaven. Listen to this statistic from George Barna research.

There is a growing tendency to believe that all good people, whether or not they consider Jesus Christ to be their savior, will live in heaven after they die on earth. In 1999 the public is almost divided on the matter: 53% agree, 40% disagree. This represents a significant change since 1992, when 40% agreed with this notion and 1994 when 46% agree, 47% disagree.

Half of all adults (51%) believe that if a person is generally good, or does enough good things for others during their life, they will earn a place in Heaven.

Of those who have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ: (1999)

63% believe that they will go to Heaven when they die because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus as their savior.

11% believe that they will go to heaven because basically they are a good person.

10% do not know what will happen to them after they die.

7% believe that they will go to Heaven because God loves all people and will not let them perish.

5% believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they have tried to obey the 10 commandments.

2% believe that when they die they will not go to Heaven.

- If you have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior the Bible says you are going to Heaven, listen to this scripture: (Read Rom 10:9-14)

Transition:

Now that we know how to be saved, why are people not accepting Jesus into there lives?

- For many reasons:

- Don’t want to change lifestyle

- Don’t understand how to get to Heaven

- People think that being good, is enough.

- But I think there are 3 reasons that Jesus gives from our text that show us why Heaven should be considered.

Point 1: Jesus Shows Us That Heaven Is Worth Giving Up Everything

- The man in Jesus parable found a field and a priceless treasure in that field.

- When he uncovered the treasure, he saw the treasure was worth giving everything up, so he went back home and sold everything he had to obtain the treasure.

- The moral of this part of the parable is that Heaven is worth giving up everything.

- In light of what we are giving up in this life, is nothing in comparison to the life after.

- When we rule and reign with Christ in the Millennium we are going to be thankful that we gave all of our lives to Christ in order to obtain Heaven.

- The truth is we must give everything over in order to obtain Heaven, listen to this quote: Andrew Murray: The truth is this - pride must die in you or nothing of heaven can live in you.

- In our text Jesus is not only emphasizing that there is joy in giving up everything to obtain Heaven, but that it is a requirement.

- This does not mean we go and sell everything, but that we give all our lives, our emotions, our dreams and give them to Jesus.

- Jesus says when mankind does this, they will go away joyful.

OPRAH MAKES IT TO HEAVEN

Forget her TV rankings. Among a group of 15 prominent figures, Oprah Winfrey is a winner in the biggest rating game of all. In a recent survey, 66 percent of Americans said they believe that the popular talk show host is "very likely" or "somewhat likely" to go to heaven. Others:

Mother Teresa - 79%

Michael Jordan - 65%

Colin Powell - 61%

Princess Diana 60%

Bill Clinton 52%

Al Gore and Hillary Clinton 55%

Newt Gingrich 40%

Pat Robertson 47%

Dennis Rodman 28%

O.J. Simpson 19%

Those surveyed (on their chances) 87%