Core 52 Week 52 - Heaven
Notes
Transcript
We’re not going to heaven.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.
tells us heaven is coming to us as the new heaven and the new earth.
This is good news.
The last chapters of Revelation describe a city in a physical place. We are resurrected in new bodies that are physical but without limitation.
Paul tells us that we will be like Jesus.
21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
You may remember that Jesus’ resurrection body was glorious, perfect (recognizable) and not limited by time and space.
19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.
It’s a staggering implication: Perfected bodies in a restored Eden.
Everything that is good about this creation without the sin, disease, chaos.
Recall that God gave Adam and Eve dominion over creation as His steward. Imagine what you can accomplish with no limitations!
The Good News is that Jesus has prepared a place exactly designed to give us the opportunity to explore what a perfect world will be like.
2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
Thoughts like these spark our imagination (and always have). Over time, different views of what heaven looks like, etc. have come up. Most of these aren’t based in any reliable source. (Especially not looney tunes!
Although Revelation is highly figurative and metaphoric, we do find glimpses of what the new heaven and new earth will be like.
What ISN’T There?
What ISN’T There?
We can be sure that there won’t be any police, hospitals, politicians, lawyers, no preachers (!), prisons, locks, armies.
How do we know this:
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.
No sea means no separation, no chaos.
We’ll be connected to one another without regard for gender, ethnicity, language.
We’ll also be untroubled by random chaos, evil circumstances.
No LEO or armies or locks when we’re all living in unity!
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
No hospitals when there’s no disease.
22 I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
No preachers when we are connected directly to the source of love and truth.
3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.
No more layoffs, bad bosses, awful jobs. why? The curse has been lifted.
This list of what is NOT on the new earth is endless.
Jesus has completed the work of redeeming all of creation.
“The impulses of our new bodies will match the intentions of our saved souls.” Mark Moore
“The impulses of our new bodies will match the intentions of our saved souls.” Mark Moore
all the evil influences are gone. Satan is condemned and no impure influence from our world will exist there.
One last thing to mention in the “not” category. No time. We often talk about spending eternity in heaven but not really consider the implications.
We spend most of our lives being governed by time. Years, seasons, months, days, minutes.
It’s often a tyranny.
What would it be like to never wonder or worry what time it is? No deadlines, no looming birthdays.
Time to sit and talk, just to think. Time to pursue your dreams and passions.
What IS There?
What IS There?
Some pretty famous people from the Bible.
Our loved ones.
Incredible riches.
18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. 19 The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.
21 The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.
The new earth will have an abundance of everything we need.
But the one thing the new heaven and new earth will have we can gain no other place is Jesus.
The one we have worshiped, prayed to, sung about, studied. Tried to emulate with our very lives...
Everything will fade in his presence.
In awe and wonder, we’ll fall down in worship.
13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
belong to the one sitting on the throne
and to the Lamb forever and ever.”
14 And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.
Jesus tells us that he will come again (the 2nd Advent we just celebrated).
7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.”
And he invites us join him!
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.
What’s your response?
20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!