HEAVEN, A PREPARED PLACE

John 14:1-3

 

Notice some of the songs we sing on the subject of heaven: Above the Bright Blue, An Empty Mansion, Heaven Holds All to Me, Home of the Soul, How beautiful Heaven Must Be, Just Over in the Glory Land, No Tears in Heaven, O They Tell Me of a Home, Sing to Me of Heaven, This World is Not My Home, To CanaanÕs Land, When We all Get to Heaven, WonÕt it Be Wonderful There and many others. These all describe a place we should want to go.

            However happy or useful our life here is, there are times when we have a desire to know if there is something beyond this life, or does the grave end it all.  Our question is still one that Job asked in the long ago, ÒIf a man die, shall he live again.Ó (Job 14:14). We know both by experience and by the Word of God that man will not live forever on this earth. ÒAnd as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment (Heb. 9:27). Also I Cor. 15:22. No one has ever died, gone to heaven, and returned to earth to tell of the experience.  All we know about heaven is revealed in the Scriptures.

 

I)                 Life beyond the grave.

A)      Since Òlife and immortalityÓ has been Òbrought to lightÓ through the ÒgospelÓ (2 Tim. 1:10), it is to be expected that N.T. will contain more info on heaven than does the O.T.

B)      There are clear allusions to the eternal reward of the faithful in O.T.

1)        Abraham looked for that cityÉa better countryÉthat God had prepared for them (Heb. 11:9-16).

2)        Moses forsook Egypt (Heb. 11:25).

3)        DavidÉI shall go to him (2 Sam. 12:23).  Also beautiful Psalm 23ÉI will dwellÉforever.

C)      Our Lord spoke frequently of heaven.

1)        Matthew 5:10-12Ñenduring persecution

2)        Matt. 6:19-21É lay up treasure in heaven.

3)        Matt. 25:31-46---life eternal

4)        John 14:1-3

D)      Notice some other references.

1)        Eph. 3:10

2)        Philippians 1:21, 23

3)        Philippians 3:20-21

4)        Titus 1:2

5)        I Peter 1:3-5

6)        I John 2:25

E)       With the passing of years, we look with joyful anticipation of the eternal, heavenly kingdom.

II)             Biblical Record of Heaven.

A)      As with most teachings of the Bible, there are many false theories out there.

1)        Islamic heaven is Òa sensual paradise, with blooming gardens, fresh fountains, and an abundance of beautiful virgins.Ó

2)        MormonismÕs heaven claim there are three levels of heavenly gloryÑCelestial, Terrestrial, and Telestia.

3)        WatchtowerÕs heavenÑ144,000in heaven, rest will live on glorified earth.

4)        Heaven on earth theory, earth purged with fire and restored to a material paradise.

B)      Biblical Account.

1)        Heaven truly is a place

(a)     John 14:2

(b)    Phil. 3:20

2)        Scriptures tell us that Jesus is there now.

(a)     Mark 16:19

(b)    Acts 1:11

(c)     Acts 7:54-56

3)        What kind of place is heaven?

(a)     There are figures of speech that represent the heavenly sphere.

(1st)              A city ÐHeb. 11:10

(2nd)          A countryÑHeb. 11:14-16

(3rd)            A house and a placeÑJohn 14:2

(4th)             A throne ÐMatt. 5:34

(5th)             It is called ÒgloryÓ ÐI Tim. 3:16

(6th)             A kingdomÑ2 Tim. 4:18

(7th)             It is the ultimate Òholy city, the new JerusalemÓÑRev. 21:2

(8th)             Our eternal ÒhomeÓ Ð2 Cor. 5:8

(b)    It is a prepared place (John 14:2)

(1st)              An unprepared people in a prepared placeÑthat would not be heaven.

(2nd)          An unprepared place and a prepared peopleÑthat would not be heaven.

(3rd)            A prepared place for a prepared peopleÑthat is heaven.

(4th)             Jesus said, ÒI am going to prepare a place; now you prepare the person.Ó

(c)     It is a permanent place

(1st)              2 Cor. 5:1

(2nd)          I Thess. 4:17

(3rd)            We donÕtÕ have to worry about time running out. When you are enjoying something, you hate to leave.  DonÕt have to be concerned about that in heaven!

(d)    Heaven is a place of rest (Rev. 14:13)

(e)     Throughout the Bible, God has given us glimpses of what heaven will be like.

(f)      The human mind can understand only by comparison what heaven will be like.

4)        JohnÕs description as found in Revelation 21& 22.

(a)     He uses symbolic language to try to describe the beauty of heaven for us.

(b)    He also tells us what will not be in heaven.

(1st)              No more sin, no more crimes, no more locks on our doors, no more sorrow, no more night, no more fear, no more pain, no more grief, no more tears.

(2nd)          No more hospitals, funerals, cemeteries, no more death.

5)        Heaven is a beautiful place and a condition that is hard for us in this life to fully understand.

C)      Fellowship in heaven.

1)        We like to be with those we know and love

(a)     God has a family (Eph. 3:15)

(b)    You must be in GodÕs family here to be in His family there. (Rev. 14:13Ñin the Lord)

(c)     What better place could we spend eternity than the place where God is?

(d)    We will be with Christ (I Jo. 3:2; John 14:3).

(e)     The redeemed of ages past will be there (Rev. 22:14)

(f)      Saved one we have known will be there

(g)     All of those who do His commandments (Heb. 5:8,9)

(h)    All whose names are written in the LambÕs book of life (Rev. 21:27; 20:15)

(i)       Those who overcome (Rev. 2 & 3).  How? (Rev. 12:11).

D)      The folly of those who will miss heaven

1)        Not everyone (Matt. 7:21)

2)        It is so foolish for someone to miss heaven.     

(a)     Because the debt of sin has been paid (Isa. 53:11; I Pet. 3:18).

(b)    Because the power to save has been provided (Rom. 1:16).

(c)     Because the invitation to salvation is being offered (Rev. 22:17; Acts 2:37-38)

3)        Sad part is that most people think that they are OK with God as long as they live a morally good life.

4)        The truth of the matter is, only those who obey the commandments of God will have right to the tree of life and will enter through the gates into that eternal city (Rev. 22:14).

E)       I want to take as many people to heaven as possible.

1)        Heaven will be better if we take others with us (I Thess. 2:19).

2)        Those of us who are Christians should want to spend whatever time we have left on this earth encouraging people to obey the gospel and become Christians . . . and to so live that heaven will be our eternal home together.

3)        I want to see my dear Savior who loved me and saved me by His grace

4)        I want to see my dear loved ones and my dear friends I have made on this earth while preaching GodÕs word.

5)        What a day, glorious day, that will be!

6)        I Cor. 15:55, 57

7)        II Timothy 4:6-8

Con:  If one would go to heaven, he must prepare himself for heaven while he lives on this earth by obedience to the teachings of the Bible. We cannot afford to miss heaven. There is nothing in this world that ought to keep us from making the necessary preparation for heaven to be our eternal home. When judgment day comes, you will be ushered into heaven or hell.   Make the right decision today.