HEAVEN

HEAVEN

REV. 21: 1 - 8
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were
passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the. throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my
son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
I. THE WORLD WONDERS WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT ABOUT HEAVEN.
A. Psalms 14: 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on us and the whole world.
The fool hath said, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that hath done good.
2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
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God is in heaven.
B. Acts 7: 55 - 56 Steven looked up before being stone and saw Jesus.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Jesus is there.
C. Matt. 24: 35 - 36 Jesus said the angels are in heaven.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
The angels of heaven are there, Jesus is there, and God is there. To the Christian heaven is a very precious place.
II. The Bible Says Heaven Is a Real Place.
A. John 14: 1 - 3 A place for the believer.
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: ifit were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
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B. Rev. 21: 9-10 John was shown heaven.
9 , And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
C. Acts 1: 9 - 11 the eleven Apostles watched Jesus ascend into heaven.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
III. Can Christians have the assurance of Heaven and seeing God?
D. 2 Cor. 5: 1- 2 Gives us a definite Yes!
1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
B. 1 Cor. 15: 19 Paul says there is more than just this life.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
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4 C. 1 Cor. 15: 50 - 58 Paul goes on to say spiritual victory is in Christ.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 0 death, where is thy sting? o grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Heaven is described in the New Testament as:
John 14: 1-2
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
B. 2 Cor. 5: 1 Paul describes heaven as a building of God not made with hands. 1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
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C. Rev. 21: 2 John saw A Holy City.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
C. Acts 20: 32 Given as an inheritance.
32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Heaven is home for God, Christ and the angels.
Heaven is a real place prepared for people obedient to God.
Heaven is a building of God described in the New Testament as a place not made with hands.

Why is heaven so important to Christians, because it is eternal, for ever and ever and Hell is the alternative.
Think about your choices. 1.) Heaven with mansions, building of God, not made with hands, described with streets of gold, gates of pearls and other precious stones. To be with God, Christ and his angels for ever and ever.
2.) Hell, a lake of fire that burns for ever and ever, an unquenchable fire with no relief not even a drop of water. To be with the devil and his angels, tormented day and night in darkness.
Is there any comparison? No, but we make a choice. Will you come today confessing Jesus Christ as the Son of God and being baptized for the remission of your past sins? Acts 8: 35 Phillip preached to the Ethiopian about Jesus Christ.
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When they came to water, verse 36, The Ethiopian said, Here is water what hinders me from being baptized? Phillip says, if thou belivest with all thy heart thou mayest. The Ethiopian said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Phillip baptized him right then. Are you ready today? What hinders you? You need to put it aside and obey Jesus.
Are you a Christian, but you know your life is not right with God and Christ? Then make it right today, don't wait another minute. You have put Christ on as your savior and you know you have not obeyed him as a christian. They that are faithful to God will receive the crown not everyone baptized. Are you living as God wants you to live? Why not come back today?
You know whether you are ready. Will you come?