TAE: ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS
SMWS- 9/27/09 Text:
SRBC #hip this morning
A) I can’t think of a better way to wrap-up this sermon series on heaven and eternity
B) Than to be inspired by these great songs of hope and joy
2) As far as today’s sermon is concerned, I’m going to answer some questions you’ve been asking about heaven
A) I chose questions I hadn’t addressed in previous sermons
B) Questions that let me make some important points about heaven
3) The questions fall into two categories
A) The first group are light-hearted and deal with issues of human curiosity
B) The second group are questions that address some of the deepest, most profound issues human beings can face
4) So with that in mind- let’s get started…..
I WAS JUST WONDERING…..
Will People Have To Go To The Bathroom In Heaven?
1) I’m not sure if this should be question # 1 or question # 2
A) But someone asked
B) So we’ll give it a shot
2) The Bible tells us God created the human body out of the dust of the ground
A) He made our bodies dependent on well-designed systems that have to work together to maintain good health.
B) One of these body systems is the digestive system- which causes you to have to go to the bathroom
3) Anyway when God finished creating the human body-
A) He stepped back and said it was ‘very good’
B) The human body did all the things God intended it to do
5) Here’s where I’m going to make some educated guesses
A) The Bible doesn’t suggest that Adam & Eve’s decision to sin changed anything about the way their bodies functioned
1) Which would mean they went to the bathroom before they sinned
2) And they went to the bathroom after they sinned
B) This would also suggests that when God gives us our resurrection body in heaven
1) We’ll still have to go to the bathroom……
2) I think- but don’t consider that written in stone
Will People Wear Clothes In Heaven?
1) Wednesday night B & J Rollins and L Bullock asked me a question a lot of people have wondered about: Will People Wear Clothes In Heaven?
A) It’s a great question- and it’s based on something the Bible tells us in Genesis chapter 2
B) It says that prior to sinning against God- Adam and Eve were naked and…..felt no shame
2) Of course once they sinned everything changed
A) Adam and Eve suddenly realized they were naked
B) So they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves (Genesis 2:7)
1) Personally- I’ve always wondered if they were designer fig leaves
2) Or just ‘off-the-rack’ fig leaves
3) Jerilyn went on to make a great point about living in heaven in a resurrected body
A) She said that since we’ll no longer sin in heaven-
1) Even if we were naked
2) Nobody would notice or care
B) Which is right- but in spite of that the Bible offers some strong clues that we will wear clothes in heaven
4) For instance-
A) In Revelation 3:4 and 6:11 people in the present heaven are depicted as wearing robes
B) Think about it:
1) Since people are wearing clothes in the present heaven
2) It kind of stands to reason that we’ll wear clothes in the eternal heaven as well
5) But that doesn’t mean we’ll all be wearing robes
A) To people living in the 1st century robes were everyday clothing- like jeans and T-shirts are today
B) This means we’ll probably wear everyday clothing in heaven
1) Not 1st century everyday- but everyday 21st century
2) Clothing that’s modest- and keeps us comfortable as we do the things God wants us to do
Will There Be Animals & Pets In Heaven?
1) Before preparing this sermon series- I would’ve probably told you ‘No’
A) But as I’ve come to learn- that would have marked me as a Biblical illiterate
1) In fact- the Word of God makes it clear there will be animals in heaven
2) Which means there’s a good chance people will have pets in heaven too
B) Two Biblical facts- and one Biblical truth- have lead me to this conclusion
2) # 1- Animals existed in the Garden of Eden
A) This is an undeniable fact
B) The truth is: God put animals on the Earth before He created human beings
Genesis 1:20-25
20 And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."
21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
22 God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."
23 And there was evening, and there was morning--the fifth day.
24 And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so.
25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
4) # 2- Prophecy makes it clear there will be animals in heaven
A) One of the most beautiful descriptions of the peace of heaven is found in Isaiah 11:6
6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.
B) Since this prophecy hasn’t been fulfilled yet-
1) It has to be a description of life on the new earth
2) And notice- animals are a part of that world
6) Now it’s also a fact that many people discover joy and pleasure owning pets
A) How many of you have a pet living in your home?
B) How many of you love your pet?
7) Which leads me to an important Biblical truth: God is the ultimate source of the all joy and pleasure that exists in life
A) Every other joy and pleasure derives from Him- including the joy and pleasure of owning pets
B) As your Heavenly Father, God wants you to experience unlimited joy and pleasure in heaven
1) Which is why I think resurrected human beings will be have pets in heaven
2) Because God understands the joy and pleasure they bring His children
8) By the way- Jacob Dunham wrote and asked if there will be clouds in heaven
A) That’s a good question Jacob!
B) And the answer is Yes! Remember:
1) Clouds produce rain
2) And rain brings the water that plants and trees and animals- and human beings need to live
Will People Have Fun In Heaven?
1) People came at this question in several ways:
A) A few of you asked: Will there be anything to do in heaven?
B) A couple of folks wanted to know how we’ll spend our leisure time in heaven
C) Austin Bullock asked if we’ll be able to do the same things in heaven that we do here
2) Let me repeat something I’ve said throughout this sermon series: Heaven is NOT going to be a dull and boring place
A) The fact is-
1) Heaven is going to be GREAT!
2) It’s going to joyful- stimulating- exciting
B) In a word- FUN!
3) For instance there will be terrific music in heaven- and not just symphonies and hymns and praise choruses
A) God created what….8 notes of music
B) Then He gave human beings the creativity to mix and arrange these notes into an infinite variety of musical forms
4) You know- when I’m in heaven listening to a jazz ensemble- or a jam band- or a bluegrass quartet
A) I’m going to be having fun
B) I’ll also be giving God glory for….
1) His gift of music
2) The creativity and talent of the artist
3) And the senses that let me enjoy the music
5) I’m telling you- we’re going to have a great time in heaven
A) I’m confident there will be books and plays and movies and tv shows in heaven
B) Only without the filth that many of the books and plays and movies and tv shows have here on the present earth
6) I think we’ll play games in heaven
A) When I’m on vacation one of my favorite things to do is to play Canasta with Carl, my parents and my aunts
B) We have a great time of fun and fellowship playing cards around the table
1) As VB used to ask me: What’s wrong with that?
2) As I used to tell Vernon: Absolutely nothing!
7) A lot of people predict that sports will be a part of life in heaven
A) Now the bad things about sports-
1) The overbearing fans, the win-at-all-costs fanaticism, the ridiculous salaries and the poor sportsmanship
2) Thankfully those things will be banished forever
B) But the good things about sports. Things like…
1) Friendly competition- teamwork- the childlike sense of play- exercise and recreation
2) These things will be enhanced for our pleasure and enjoyment
9) Isadora Silva wants to know if we’ll eat food in heaven
A) Isadora-
1) We’re not only going to eat food in heaven
2) It’s going to taste better than anything you’ve ever eaten before
B) In the Bible Jesus talks about banquets and feasts in heaven
1) Banquets and feasts are big parties with tables filled with delicious food prepared by the greatest chefs in the world
2) For people like Chris Coleman it will be lots of work- but people like us will have we’ll a great time sitting around the table with Jesus and eating what they’ve prepared!
10) I love doing stuff like this- but it’s time to get a little more focused….
I HAVE TO KNOW……
Will There Be Racial and Ethnic Differences In Heaven?
1) I’m glad someone asked this question because I’ve been concerned by the racism we’ve recently been seeing here in America
A) Now some of it’s always been there
1) Not just in the United States
2) But all over the world- among all races of people
B) But many commentators think the recent rise of racism is related to the presidency of Barack Obama
2) Now I’m not trying to assess the popularity of Barack Obama among the members of SRBC
A) We’re a mostly white, theologically conservative, evangelical Baptist church in the south
B) Which is not exactly a prime demographic for the Democratic party
3) And I want you to understand- I’m not talking about his politics
A) It’s not racist to honestly oppose Obama’s policies on everything from health care- to the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan- to the role of government in our daily lives….to whatever
B) Remember- brave men & women sacrificed their lives on fields of battle so we can exercise that freedom
3) But that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about:
A) Posters that depict Barack Obama as a witch doctor
B) Or bloggers that use racial epithets in describing his wife and children
C) Or TV commentators who claim Obama hates white people (despite the fact he’s half white himself)
4) As a Christian you should be prayerfully concerned about this
A) Not because you’re pro-Obama- that has nothing to do with it!
B) As a Christian you should be concerned about this hatred and racism- because you’re pro-God!
5) God created human beings with racial and ethnic differences
A) When you allow racism to control your life you’re telling God:
B) You didn’t get Creation right!
1) You lied when You said it was very good
2) You should have made more people that look like me- and fewer people that look like them!
6) Some Christians- in thinking about this sad state of affairs- have expressed the hope that God will erase our differences when we get to heaven
A) Instead of being racially and ethnically different- we’ll suddenly all look the same
B) It sounds like a reasonable idea…..at first
1) But the more you study the Bible
2) The more you realize that’s NOT what God plans to do
7) This is where it’s important to remember the doctrine of continuity
A) Continuity states that what existed before God redeems, restores and resurrects it- is essentially what will exist afterwards
B) IOW: In heaven-
1) If the color of my skin color isn’t a pale shade of tan with some pinkish highlights
2) Then I’m not going to be Steve Bass
8) Folks- here’s the plain and simple truth-
A) The problem we face isn’t the racial and ethnic differences that exist between human beings-
1) They are God-given
2) And God says they are good
B) The problem we face is that SIN has lead people to make these differences into a source of fear- mistrust- dislike- even hatred
9) So what’s God going to do about it? When we get to heaven He’s going to perform an eternal attitude adjustment
A) He’s going to heal sin-damaged hearts & minds
1) Afterwards- you’ll still be aware of the color of your skin- and the skin color of others
2) But you’ll realize it’s really nothing more than the package each person comes in
B) And the differences that seem so threatening now
1) Will become a source of worship and praise
2) A reason to glorify the richness and beauty and diversity of God’s Creation
If We Have Free Will In Heaven Isn’t There A Risk We’ll Make The Same Mistake Adam and Eve Made?
1) To answer that question let me begin by saying:
A) There’s no doubt that resurrected human beings will have free will in heaven
B) But there’s no possibility we’ll make the same mistake Adam & Eve made in the Garden of Eden
2) Now here’s where I need to define what free will is
A) Free will is the gift from God that lets you make decisions without the fear of threat or coercion
B) Today the most important free-will choice you face is the decision to accept or reject Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord
3) In the Garden of Eden Adam & Eve faced a dramatically different choice
A) God had given them unlimited freedom- with one exception
B) They were forbidden to eat the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil that grew in the center of the Garden 1) That was it
2) On this one matter they had to choose whether they would obey or disobey God
4) The Bible tells us what happened next: When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3:6)
5) OK here’s how this affects you and me: Adam & Eve’s decision to sin against God had the effect of putting limits on the exercise of your free will
A) Because of their choice- sin entered the human genetic code- and people have been enslaved- or predestined- to sin ever since
B) The Bible says: There is none righteous- no not one….for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
6) This brings us to one of the best promises about life in eternity
A) In heaven there will be no longer be any limitations on your free will
B) Why? Because you’ll no longer be enslaved to sin
1) Actually-
a) The moment you accepted Jesus as your Savior you were no longer a slave to sin
b) Although as long as you’re in this life you’ll continue to struggle with sin
2) But in heaven- you’ll be free to choose to love and obey God perfectly
Romans 6:22
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
7) Of course this brings us back to the original question: What’s going to keep us from making the same mistake Adam & Eve made?
A) Well- here’s the thing: You’ve got some things going for you
B) That they didn’t have going for them
8) First of all- Satan won’t be around to bother you in heaven
A) Now we’ll never know if Adam & Eve would have sinned against God if Satan hadn’t been around to provide the temptation
B) But the Bible says that at the end of time God will bind up Satan and cast him into hell where he can’t touch you anymore……what a day of rejoicing THAT will be!
9) But here’s the main reason you don’t have to worry about making the mistake Adam & Eve made
A) The Bible says in heaven you’ll possess the full righteousness of Christ
B) Romans 5:19
19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
10) I want you to understand what this is saying
A) When you possess the full righteousness of Christ- your vulnerability to sin will be gone forever
1) Sure- you’ll remember what sin was
2) But it’ll have no appeal to you whatsoever
B) Sin will be as contrary to your resurrected nature as living outside of saltwater would be to a shark
11) So you don’t have to worry about making Adam & Eve’s mistake in heaven- Jesus will take care of that
Will We Miss & Grieve Our Loved Ones Who Are Not In Heaven?
1) If you have a deceased loved one in hell there’s nothing I can say or do that will take away the pain and sorrow in your life
A) I’m certainly not going to lie and offer you false hope
B) Instead- what I’m going to try to do is give you an honest, compassionate answer- based on Biblical truth
2) Some people have always believed that the answer to this problem would be heavenly ignorance and amnesia
A) That somehow God will….
1) Erase the knowledge of hell from your mind
2) And then eliminate any memory you might have of loved ones who are not in heaven
B) The problem with that theory is the testimony of the infallible, inerrant Word of God
3) The Bible makes it clear that people in heaven ARE aware of hell and understand why some people are in hell
A) In fact- the Bible says that people in heaven rejoice when God executes His righteous judgment against those who’ve defied Him
B) 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10
5 All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you
7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at (or praised) among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
3) Now listen to what the Bible says in 2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
4) The idea here is that in heaven you’ll be able to see things from God’s point of view
A) Suddenly you’ll know how many chances your loved one had to accept God’s gracious gift of salvation in the name of Jesus
B) You’ll realize that your loved one….
1) Isn’t in hell because of God’s injustice
2) Is in hell because of their sheer rebelliousness against God’s mercy and love and grace
5) In his book Heaven Randy Alcorn makes an interesting observation about this fact: (Read from book during sermon)
In a sense, none of our loved ones will be in Hell- only some whom we once loved. Our love for our companions in Heaven will be directly linked to God, the central object of our love. We will see Him in them. We will not love those in Hell because when we see Jesus as He is, we will only love- and only want to love- whoever and whatever pleases and glorifies and reflects Him. What we loved in those who died without Christ was God’s beauty we once saw in them. When God forever withdraws from them, I think they’ll no longer bear His image and no longer reflect His beauty. Although they will be the same people, without God they’ll be stripped of all the qualities we loved. Therefore, paradoxically, in a sense they will not be the people we loved.
6) Now what I’ve given you so far are theological answers that don’t really get at the heart of the pain and sorrow you’re feeling
A) So here’s where I need to remind you of God’s promise
B) Turn with me to Revelation 21:3-4
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
7) I don’t know HOW God is going to do this- but I have no doubt that He WILL do this
A) God is going to wipe the tears from your eyes- He will eliminate all the mourning and crying and pain from your resurrected life
B) This is His promise. I encourage you to take comfort and hope in it!
I Know I’m Going To Heaven, But I’m Still Afraid To Die. Is That Wrong?
1) No- it’s normal
2) But here’s the thing: If you’re a Christian- I’m not really sure you’re AFRAID to die
A) The truth is: Satan may be confusing you
B) He may be taking some legitimate feelings
1) And using them to make you THINK you’re still afraid to die
2) When the truth is- Something else is going on
3) Think about it this way: If you know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord you know what happens after death….right?
A) The instant you die- you will go to the present heaven to begin eternity with the Heavenly Father
B) The Bible says: To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord
4) Once you’re in the present heaven you will await Jesus’ Second Coming when you will…..
A) Accompany Jesus on His trip back to Earth
B) Receive your resurrection body
C) And then step foot on your eternal home- the new earth where you will dwell with the Father eternally
5) Man! That’s not scary- that’s the best news ever!
……But I’m Still Afraid To Die
6) Is it possible that what you’re really saying is: I’m afraid of what I might face BEFORE I die
A) I’ll be honest with you- I am too
B) I dread the thought of having to face something like cancer or heart disease or some form of dementia
7) But here’s what I know- here’s what gives me courage
A) Whatever happens in my life
1) God is going to be there with me
2) He promises He will NEVER fail or forsake me
B) 2 Corinthians 9: 8: And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
1) And don’t forget
2) This promise is given for you too!
….But I’m Still Afraid To Die
9) Maybe this is what you’re trying to say:
A) I know I’m going to heaven, but I’m not ready to die yet. I want to keep on living!
1) I want to raise my kids
2) I want to grow old with my husband or wife
3) I want to bounce my grandchildren on my knees
4) There’s are just so many things I want to do before I go to be with the Lord
B) Guess what? That’s the way God wants you to feel!
9) Remember:
A) God put that desire for life in your heart
B) He never wants you to forget that just as….
1) Eternal life in heaven will be His gift to you
2) Your life on this Earth is His gift to you
10) It’s a life God wants you to treasure and enjoy
A) To live it with faith and hope and peace and joy
1) God wants you to be surrounded by family and friends and Christian brothers and sisters
2) It makes Him happy to know that your life is filled with laughter and love and genuine agape-fellowship
B) This is what Jesus meant when He said: I have come that they might have life- and it more abundantly!
11) Folks- if you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord you don’t have to be afraid of death
A) You can live each day as a joyous gift from the Father
B) Knowing the best is yet to come
12) This is what Paul had in mind when he wrote these words: But for me to live is Christ- and to die is gain.
A) As a Christian- you’ve literally got the best of both worlds!
B) So celebrate life- and give God the glory!
13) Let us pray
