The Things God Has Prepared.

Preached on 10th of July 2011

Text: 1 Corinthians 2:9

The things God has prepared.

Bible reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him."

Children of God.

Today I want to speak about the things God has prepared.

When I say these words: ‘things God has prepared’ – what comes to your mind? What are those things that our Lord has prepared? Tell me?

We might immediately think of heaven. I am sure that would be probably the first thing on our mind. And if I would ask you to come up with some Scripture to support this idea, I am sure you would be able to provide some good examples. Let me give you some:

In John 14:2-3 Jesus said:

“In my Father's house are many dwelling places. If it weren't so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.”

So one of those things that the Lord has prepared is a place (‘topos’ in Greek – a spot in space, but limited by occupancy). Jesus ascended to heaven with this promise and we know we can trust Him. However the reason why it is taking Him so long to come and take us to that place is not that it takes Him so long to prepare that place. He is Almighty Creator. It did not take Him that long to create the whole universe with billions of stars and galaxies; so He surely would not have a huge problem to prepare a place for our eternal habitation, even though I guess, if He created this world for our physical existence in the flesh with such a sense for detail and in such a grandeur and beauty how much more the world to come. How much more magnificent, more grandiose, greater, bigger, more colourful, more diverse, sophisticated and amazing will be the one that we are going to!

Surely the world – the new earth that is to come, , the paradise, heaven will be nothing like something that we have already seen or heard of, or could even imagine. Because how that would feel if heaven would be just like a holiday in Bali. Imagine you’d come there and you’d say: ‘Oh yeah! I’ve seen this already. Been there, done that… Nothing special really.’

That would not be heaven, would it?

Heaven will be much more awesome than that. Much more awesome than holiday to Alaska, or even if you were a celebrity, or a royalty and could go and live in the 7 star hotel in Dubai, New York or Bahamas where you pay $ 50,000.00 per night, even that is nothing in comparison to what the Lord has prepared, because the Bible says: “an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear” and as great as these hotels, these places might be, they were seen and heard of already, so heaven must be better. So they are not it! Praise the Lord!

When we come to some lovely place on earth we often: ‘It’s a paradise on earth!’ Yet we know that place is not a paradise. It is so far from paradise as heaven from the earth – literally. It is nothing like THE PLACE!

The place the Lord has prepared is not 5 stars, not even 7 stars, not even 10 stars, because in a few years time people might come up with something like that, and in the years to come we will be amazed again and again how beautiful how awesome, how amazing things people can build.

But if people can build things like this, could you imagine what God can build?

What the Lord has prepared is simply beyond and above anything and everything, beyond any expectations, beyond any imagination, beyond any engineering and gadgets people might come up with now or in the next 100 centuries (if there will be any).

And the angelic room service! We just have NO IDEA! Can you imagine that? No you can’t because if you could imagine than Jesus would be liar because He said it “didn't enter into the heart of man” what He had prepared. And I am willing to trust Him. And to tell you the truth, I can’t wait to see and to hear.

By the way, have you notice that He mentioned also hearing – that new place will be a very interesting as far as the sound effects go. And some people who had some quick preview speak about that.