 |
38th Street Church of Christ 3904 38th Street NW Canton, Ohio 44718 330-492-5523 Fax: 330-493-7119 |
“The Place Called Heaven” |
  |
I. Introduction.
A. Term “heaven” brings to mind different images for people.
To us, it’s more of an idea than a reality. Whatever our
personal feelings, most correct to say heaven is a prepared
place for a prepared people.1. Jesus told closest disciples: “. . . I go to prepare a
place for you.” (John 14:2).2. But, if we’re ever going to live forever in Heaven,
have to have desire to go there.B. We will exist eternally in one of two “prepared” places. In
addition to one Jesus promised His disciples, there is
another place prepared, but this “. . . for the devil and his
angels.” (Matthew 25:41). This is a place of “everlasting
fire” and “everlasting punishment.”1. Everything we can learn, and know, about Heaven
should draw us toward it, and make us feel we don’t
want to miss eternal life there.2. Everything we can learn, and know, about Hell
should repulse us and make us feel we want to
avoid the “second death,” one that separates us from
God forever.3. Above all, Hell represents hopelessness. There is
nothing, in this life, that is totally hopeless; nothing
that cannot, somehow, change. As long as we’re in
sight of God, and can appeal to Him, things can be
made different. But, separated from Him, out of
His presence and His mind, there is no hope of
change. We will face an eternity in “outer
darkness.” (Matthew 25:30).C. We might desire to know all we can about “The Place
Called Heaven,” but must admit our information is limited.
Bible gives us glimpses of this beautiful, peaceful place,
but we may still feel frustrated because we’re not told
more. Why are we not given more information about
Heaven in God’s Word? Are some possible explanations.1. Paul wrote, in this life we “. . . walk by faith, not by
sight.” (II Corinthians 5:7). We know enough
about Heaven not to have “troubled hearts,” and to
“believe in God” and in Christ as His Son. We
might consider this a test of our faith – as Abraham
was tested when God instructed him to make the
journey to “. . . a land [God] would show [him].”
(Genesis 12:1). Writer of Hebrews described
Abraham’s test this way:“By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to
go out to the place which he would receive as an
inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where
he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8).2. Or, perhaps we’re not told more so that we might
not get distracted from the important responsibilities
of this present life.a. There are things which require our attention
now, as we prepare to go to Heaven when
this life is completed.b. God expects us to live in one world at a
time, focusing on serving Him in this world
to prepare to serve Him in Heaven.c. Those who glimpsed that other, spiritual
world were never permitted to discuss it
with people yet alive on earth. No
indication Lazarus ever revealed what he
had experienced when his body was in
grave. Paul wrote of a person “. . . caught
up into Paradise , . . .” who “. . . heard
inexpressible words, which it is not lawful
for a man to utter.” (II Corinthians 12:4).3. But, maybe best reason we’re not given more
information about Heaven is our inability to really
understand.a. You may be familiar with advanced
calculus or other forms of higher
mathematics, but how would you get a
two-year old to understand it?b. In our relationship to God, we’re ones with
limited abilities – limited vocabularies, not
God.c. We are familiar with a physical
environment, not a spiritual world. Cannot
even talk about “eternity” without using
contradictions: we say Heaven is “where we
will spend eternity.” Cannot “spend”, or use
up, something that has no end, or limit.d. Whole idea of “heaven” is one of forever,
and a bliss and peace we cannot
comprehend. So, God accommodates our
limitations by telling us how Heaven is like
certain things we do know about.II. Aids To Knowing About Heaven.
A. In comparative ways, are some things God has used to help
us know about Heaven, and to increase our desire to go
there.B. Heaven represents the place that satisfies the common
yearning of people for something better than this world;
something better beyond this life. That yearning (desire)
is about as old as humanity itself.1. Job asked the question for people of all generations:
“If a man dies, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14). Is
there more to our existence than just this life? Is
there more than sorrow, pain, trouble? Can we, like
Abraham, look for “. . . the city which has
foundations, whose builder and maker is God?”
(Hebrews 11:10).2. God has used most appealing, most beautiful
language to answer our questions about life after
death and about His “city.”a. We can live in a new place of peace and
security, a “mansion” as opposed to the
“tent” we inhabit in this world.b. There we’ll have a new body, “. . . [a]
house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens,” as opposed to this present body
which is subject to disease and decay.
(II Corinthians 5:1).C. Heaven is described as a great walled city, the walls made
of the most precious, beautiful jewels and its streets paved
with pure gold.D. Heaven is a place of reunion and homecoming for all of
God’s children.E. Heaven represents complete deliverance from all evil and
wickedness (I Corinthians 6:9: “Do you not know that the
unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? . . .”)F. Our impressions of Heaven are based on these descriptions:
they’re what God has given us for comfort, hope, and to
sustain us as we struggle through this life.III. What Heaven Represents.
A. To majority of people who believe in an eternal Heaven
and have a desire to go there, it does represent a variety of
things.B. After all the turmoil and tribulation of this life, Heaven is
viewed as a place of rest.1. Scriptures characterize it as such a place.
a. Hebrews 4:9-11; (READ).
b. Revelation 14:13: “Then I heard a voice
from Heaven saying to me, “Write:
‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord
from now on.’ ‘Yes’, says the Spirit,
‘That they may rest from their labors, and
their works follow them.”2. It is the nature of earthly life to have to work
(Genesis 3:19: “In the sweat of your face you shall
eat bread, till you return to the ground; . . .”). Such
labor brings with it physical and emotional burdens
and fatigue, and, at times, equally natural desire for
relief. (Solomon said; “Therefore I hated life,
because the work that was done under the sun was
distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for
the wind.”). (Ecclesiastes 2:17).3. The thought of Heaven as a place of rest, for those
prepared to live there forever, should not make
physical death a dreaded, but welcomed,
experience. It brings the relief we do not know
here.C. At same time, Heaven will be a place of joyful activity.
1. To say Heaven is place of rest is not to say it is a
place of inactivity.a. Revelation 7:15: In another description of
saints in Heaven, John records – “Therefore
they are before the throne of God, and serve
Him day and night in His temple: and He
who sits on the throne will dwell among
them.”b. We will have things to do in Heaven; we
will exist eternally as children and servants
of God.2. If we take pleasure, and find fulfillment, in doing
good and serving God now, how much more joyful
will such activity be in Heaven?D. The joy of Heaven will be absolute and complete, because
it represents a place where all sorrows are gone.1. Again, can turn to a description in Revelation to
confirm this claim.a. Revelation 21:4: “And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes; there shall be no
more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There
shall be no more pain, for the former things
have passed away.”b. Those things which cause so much grief and
give us so much unhappiness in this world
will have no place in Heaven. God will
personally comfort us and see to all our
needs.2. Above all, death will be banished forever. It is that
“. . . last enemy that will be destroyed . . .”
(I Corinthians 15:26). The sin that brought physical
death to this world will be at an end, and so will its
consequence: separation from God.(READ I Corinthians 15:54-57). The “victory” is
eternal life and eternal communion with God in
Heaven. There will be no more separation from
Him or from our spiritual family.E. Heaven will be a place of peace.
1. The tragedy and suffering of people caught up in
wars is very familiar to us here on earth. People
often live in a state of uncertainty – not able to
even sleep because of fear of being attacked.2. In Heaven, the evil elements of this world will not
exist. All fears will be gone because “. . . there
shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or
causes an abomination, or a lie; . . .” (Rev. 21:27).3. Peace and security shall reign forever.
F. And, finally, Heaven is a place where much that is now
mysterious to us will be revealed, and the unknown become
known.1. Questions like: “What really happens when we
die?” and “Will we know one another?” will be
answered for us. Our questions will become
certainties.2. We can be confident that things will be clearer to
us. Maybe not all our curiosity will be satisfied;
God may still choose to keep some things secret
from us. But, looking through spiritual eyes, with
spiritual vision we will know more than we can
now.IV. Conclusion.
A. But, right now, we can know enough to come to God and
have sins forgiven and enjoy the blessings of a sustaining
faith – even in an imperfect world.B. We can live now anticipating Heaven. But, can never get
there without obeying God of Heaven.C. “Do you want to go to Heaven?” Are you preparing now,
for that journey to a “better country?” God’s invitation
open to everyone. Whoever will, let them come.D. Luke 14:23; READ. “Then the Master said to the servant,
‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to
come in, that my house may be filled.’”