HEAVEN
JOHN 14:1-3; PHILIPPIANS 3:20
Introduction:
The old Negro spiritual says, “Ev’rybody talkin’ ‘bout Heav’n ain’t goin’ there.” Heaven is the place everyone wants to go to and that is good. However, God has put one requirement on those who would go to Heaven – faith in Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
Heaven is a great place. It is the hope of every believer in Christ. It is called a place of rest. It is said to be beautiful. There the Tree of Life stands beside the River of Life. Let us examine what the Bible says about Heaven.
I. THE PLACE WHERE GOD IS
A. Where God’s throne is, Psalm 11:4, “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.”
1. From heaven He beholds man, Psalm 33:13, “The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.”
2. From heaven He searches the heart of man, Jeremiah 17:10, “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”
3. Man cannot hid from the Lord, Jeremiah 23:24, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.”
B. The Lord called it “paradise.”
1. To the repentant thief on the cross, Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
2. It is where the man in Paul’s vision was caught up to, 2 Corinthians 12:4, “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”
3. It is where the Tree of Life is, Revelation 2:7, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”
II. THE PLACE OF ETERNAL HOPE
A. Our hope is beyond this life, 1 Corinthians 15:19, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”
1. Hope in Christ, Ephesians 1:12-13, “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,”
2. We have confidence in our Saviour, 2 Timothy 1:12, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
B. We wait for the hope of righteousness, Galatians 5:5,“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
C. We are saved by hope, Romans 8:24-25, “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
III. THE PLACE OF THE REDEEMED
A. Where the Redeemed will sing of God’s glory, Revelation 15:3, “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. “
1. The Lord is my strength and song, Exodus 15:2, “The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
2. Who is like thee O Lord? Exodus 15:11, “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
B. Where we will worship our Lord, Revelation 5:9, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”
1. With a new song, Revelation 14:3, “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”
2. For He gave His life as a ransom for us, Matthew 20:28, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
C. Where we will serve the Lord, Revelation 22:3, “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:”
1. We shall see His face, Revelation 22:4, “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.”
2. We shall see Him as He is, 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3. There we will serve our Saviour, John 12:26, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”
D. Where we will fellowship with the saints forever, Matthew 17:3, “And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.”
1. Fellowship in one accord, Philippians 2:1-2, “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
2. We will fellowship with the Father and the Son, 1 John 1:3, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
CONCLUSION:
This is our hope. This is what we wait patiently for in anticipation of that perfect fellowship with Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:9 that we are called to this fellowship saying, “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.” Heaven is a wonderful place.