HEAVEN – THE ASSURED HOPE
OF EVERY BELIEVER
(A) Why are so many
Christians not really excited about Heaven?
I CULTURE
- popular cultural ideas of Heaven, especially through television, show it as a boring place.
II CORRUPT KNOWLEDGE
We don’t really understand or know what the Word of God has to say about Heaven.
III CONSUMERITIS
We are constantly entertained, amused, and catered to in the Western world. With all the fascinating attractions and enjoyable experiences available today, its easy to forget that the pursuit of earthly happiness is not what the Christian life is about.
(B)
What do we say to
the people who deny the reality of
Heaven, and who ask us:
“ Why should I believe in Heaven”?
I WORD OF GOD – WRITING OF HEBREWS
- all the great people of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 treated this life as a temporary assignment and served God faithfully, expecting their promised reward, namely Heaven.
- “ All these great people died in faith. They did not get the things God promise His people, but they saw them coming far in the future and were glad. They said they were like visitors and strangers on earth… they were waiting for a better country… a Heavenly country. So God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them”.
II WITNESS OF BIBLICAL SAINTS
-David - Psalm 23:6
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will
follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in
the house of the LORD forever.
- Paul – II Timothy 4:8
8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only
to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
III WORK OF JESUS CHRIST
Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead to open the door of Heaven for you and me.
John 14:6
6 Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life;
no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Luke 23: 43
43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be
with Me in
(C) WHAT WILL HEAVEN
BE LIKE?
I PLACE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS – Revelation 7:14
14 I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me,
"These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have
washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
( see also Rev. 6:11; 7:9,13 )
4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no
longer be {any} death; there will no longer be {any} mourning, or crying, or
pain; the first things have passed away."
I Thessalonians 4: 17
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with
the Lord.
( see also I Thessalonians 5: 9-10 )
What is the glory of God? It is who God is. God’s glory is the expression of his goodness and all his other eternal qualities. Throughout history, God has revealed his glory to people in different settings ( Garden of Eden, Moses, tabernacle, temple ) . God’s glory is the best seen in Jesus Christ. “ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory”. ( Hebrews 1:3 ) In Heaven, God’s glory provides all the light needed. The Bible says: “ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light”. ( Rev. 21:23 )
V PLACE OF REQUIRED
RESERVATION
While life on earth offers many choices, eternity offers only two: Heaven or Hell. Your relationship to God on earth will determine your relationship to him in eternity. If you learn to love and trust God’s Son Jesus, you will be invited to spend the rest of eternity with him. On the other hand, if you reject his love, forgiveness, and salvation, you will spend eternity apart from God forever.