Sunset Road Baptist Church Sermon Notes

TAE- BETWEEN YOUR DEATH & THE RESURRECTION.doc

2009-10-30T13:04:00.001-05:00

TAE: BETWEEN YOUR DEATH & THE RESURRECTION

SMWS- 7/19/09 Text: 2 Corinthians 2:21-22

SRBC #

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

1) Here’s a fact: With the possible exception of a few babies in the nursery

A) Every person here at church this morning will be dead within the next 80- 100 years

B) Unless Jesus comes back first

2) Now last week we talked about your ultimate destiny as a born-again child of God

A) You’re going to live in a resurrected body

B) On a resurrected Earth prepared by God as the eternal dwelling place for His children

3) How can you be certain this is going to happen?

A) The Bible says the Holy Spirit is the One who guarantees your future

B) Listen to what it says in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,

22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

4) IOW:. God made you, and saved you in Christ.

A) You don’t have to worry about the future. You are His.

B) He insured your future- He set you apart for eternity- by giving you the gift of the Holy Spirit.

5) OK- that takes care of your eternity on the resurrected Earth

A) But it also raises another question:

B) What happens to me after my physical death and before the Resurrection at the end of time?

6) That’s the question I want to address this morning

A) Here’s the way we’re going to do it

B) I’m going to share four Biblical truths you need to know about this ‘in-between’ time

7) The first truth is that…..

WHEN YOU DIE YOU GO TO BE WITH JESUS

1) Have you ever met someone who believed in ‘soul sleep?’

A) It’s an interesting theory

B) It says that when a Christian dies their soul

1) Enters a state of deep sleep

2) Where it remains until the Resurrection at the end of time

2) I once read a book by a pastor who compared ‘soul sleep’ to being under general anesthesia

A) He said: A person may be under anesthesia for many hours. But as far as they are concerned it’s just a split second between falling asleep and hearing the recovery room nurse say ‘wake up Mr. Jones.’

B) This is the way it will be for the Christian in a state of soul sleep

1) When you die you may lay in the grave for hundreds- thousands- of years

2) But as far as you’re concerned it will be an instant later that you will hear the trumpet call signaling the beginning of the Resurrection

2) Isn’t that a nice illustration?

A) A nifty little theory- soul sleep

B) The only problem with the theory is what it says in the Bible!

3) For instance- when Jesus was hanging on the Cross the repentant thief asked Him to remember me when You come into Your kingdom (Luke 23:42)

A) Jesus responded by saying: I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)

B) What has Jesus promised the thief?

1) Listen

2) That’s right- within a 24 hour period of time he would be with Jesus in heaven

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body (physically alive in this present world) we are (physically) away from the Lord. (Remember- He’s always with us through the presence of the Holy Spirit)

7 We live by faith, not by sight.

8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body (the physical body we presently occupy. He’s not talking about a ‘spiritual’ existence apart from the body) and at home with the Lord.

4) How many of you have had at least one friend or loved one die knowing Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord? (Allow for show of hands)

A) On the authority of the infallible, inerrant Word of God- I can assure you: They’re not in a state of suspended animation waiting for Resurrection Morning

B) They are alive and well and with the Lord in heaven….Amen?

THE PRESENT HEAVEN IS NOT THE PLACE WHERE YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY

1) On two of our trips to Israel we had a layover in London

A) It was terrific- we even got to do some sightseeing (Saw everything but the Queen Mum herself)

B) Before I left- if you’d have asked me where I was going-

1) I might have said: We’ve got a layover in London- but I probably wouldn’t have even said that

2) Instead I would’ve told you: I’m going to Israel because Israel was my final destination

2) Well here’s the thing: As a Christian when you die….

A) You’ll immediately go to heaven- the place where Jesus is right now

B) But that’s not the place where Jesus- or you- will spend eternity

3) Once again- you have to remember what the Bible says about your ultimate destiny as a born-again child of God

A) You’re going to live in a resurrected body

B) On a resurrected Earth prepared by God as the eternal dwelling place for His children

4) IOW:

A) The present heaven is a temporary layover place you go to between the time of your physical death and the Resurrection

B) But your final destination is the heavenly home God is preparing for you on the ‘new’ Earth

5) At this point some of you might be thinking: But Steve- I thought God didn’t change. Doesn’t the Bible say He’s the same yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever?

A) Well- if God doesn’t change

B) How can heaven change?

6) Well first of all- it’s true that God doesn’t change

A) The theological term to describe this truth is ‘immutability’

B) ‘Immutability’ means that in the essential qualities of His character- His moral attributes and His unending faithfulness

1) God never changes

2) He is the picture of eternal and absolute consistency

7) Now here’s why the doctrine of ‘immutability’ is so important

A) In the Bible it says: If you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved (Romans 10:9)

B) Now if you’re a Christian- you want to be sure that what it says in Romans 10:9 still applies today- and that it will continue to apply until the end of time

1) Otherwise- you’ve got no hope of salvation

2) Well- the doctrine of immutability says: What God said in Romans 10:9 always has been, and always will be true- if you believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ- you will be saved

8) So you’re right- God doesn’t change

A) But here’s where your logic breaks down

B) You’ve equated heaven with God

1) You’ve assumed that if God doesn’t change

2) Heaven doesn’t change

9) But that’s not true- and here’s why:

A) The present heaven- the place where you will go when you die- is a created place

1) It’s not eternal

2) There was a time it didn’t exist

B) God made It- just like He made everything else in the Universe

10) This means the present heaven is under God’s sovereign control

A) He makes the rules- He determines what happens to it

B) And God’s plan is for the present heaven to give way to the eternal heaven that will exist on a resurrected Earth

Revelation 21:1-3

21:1 Then I saw a new (rejuvenated, renewed) heaven and a new (redeemed, reclaimed) earth, for the first (or present) heaven and the first (or present) earth (as they exist now) had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

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. (What makes a place heaven is the presence of God) They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

11) Now if you go back to the book of Genesis this promise begins to make sense

A) The Bible says before Adam & Eve chose to sin

B) God would come down and walk with them in cool of the day (Genesis 3:8)

12) IOW: In God’s original plan for human beings

A) He didn’t intend for Adam & Eve to come up to the present heaven to visit Him

B) Instead, He planned to come down and be with them on the Earth He had created for them

13) In eternity it’s going to be that way once again:

A) All believers- from all the ages- will live in resurrected bodies on the new Earth

B) And God will come down and be with us in the perfect heaven (the resurrected Earth) He has created for His people

14) In the meantime-

A) Jesus- and all those Christians who’ve gone on before us

B) Are with the Lord in the present heaven waiting for Resurrection morning

15) I’m telling you- this is so cool!

A) God’s truth!

B) You can’t beat it!

THE PRESENT HEAVEN IS A REAL, PHYSICAL PLACE

1) Here’s a fact

A) Unless Jesus Comes Back first-

1) And nobody can be sure when that is going to happen

2) You’re going to spend time in the present heaven

B) So it’s only natural to want to know something about the place

2) Now if you remember last week I talked about how some early Christian theologians-

A) Let themselves be more influenced-

1) By Greek philosophy

2) Than the inspired, inerrant Word of God

B) These guys taught-

1) That anything material- including human flesh- was morally evil and should be rejected

2) While anything ‘spiritual’ was morally superior and should be desired

3) People who buy into their pagan ideas have always insisted that heaven must be a ‘spiritual’ place

A) I mean even if they accept that the eternal heaven will be a physical place located on the resurrected Earth (and most of them won’t even do that)

B) They claim the present heaven is a gray, misty, place where faceless, formless spirits sit around for eternity- meditating on God

4) With preaching like that it’s a wonder anyone ever gets saved

A) That’s not a picture of the joys of heaven

B) That’s a nightmare from an existential novel

5) It makes me glad we’ve got the Bible to set things straight

A) God’s Word makes it clear that the present heaven is a physical place occupied by physical creatures

B) Look at what it says

6) Remember- when Jesus offered the repentant thief salvation He said Today you will be with Me in paradise

A) The Greek word translated as ‘paradise’ is paradeisoi

B) Paradeisoi means a walled park- a carefully cultivated garden

7) Now some people……/ Sounds to me…..

A) Claim Jesus used ‘paradise’ as an allegory to symbolize a place of spiritual oneness with God

B) Like Jesus is describing a real place of God-touched beauty that’s greater than anything we know here on Earth!

8) Colossians 3:1 goes on to say: Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

A) Here’s what Paul is saying: As a Christian keep your minds focused on the Resurrected Jesus who is seated on a throne in heaven at the right hand of the Heavenly Father!

B) If that’s not a description of a physical person occupying a physical space I don’t know what is

9) When you get to the book of Revelation you’ll find that it is loaded with physical depictions of the present heaven

A) Objects of worship are described including lamp stands, scrolls, trumpets, harps and bowls of incense

B) John says he saw the Resurrected Jesus standing in the middle of the throne room of heaven- surrounded by heavenly creatures that resembled animals who had the faces of human beings

C) And then- in chapter 10 one of the elders hands John a scroll and says

9 ….. ‘Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’

10 I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.

10) Turn with me to Revelation 21:15-17

A) This is part of John’s amazing description of the new Jerusalem

B) Which will be the capital city of the new Earth- the place where God will dwell with His people

15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.

16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia (roughly 1,400 miles) in length, and as wide and high as it is long. (Think of a cube 1,400 miles long, 1,400 miles deep, and 1,400 miles tall)

17 He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits (about 200 feet) thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using.

11) Unless the Bible is deliberately trying to confuse us- this is a description of a physical place

A) A physical place that currently exists in the present heaven

B) Revelation 21:9-10

9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."

10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, (physically) coming down out of heaven (the present heaven) from God.

12) Look- if you’re afraid the present heaven is some gray, misty place where faceless, formless spirits sit around for eternity- meditating on God

A) Erase that thought from your brain

B) In fact- the present heaven is a real, physical place that is better by far than anything we know on Earth (Philippians 1:23)

YOU WON’T RECEIVE YOUR RESURRECTION BODY IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR PHYSICAL DEATH

1) OK- let’s imagine for a moment that later today you suffer a massive heart attack and drop dead in your tracks

A) Now- I pray that doesn’t happen to you

B) But just for the moment- let’s pretend that it does

2) Think about this with me-

A) We’ve already established that when you die you’ll immediately go to be with Jesus: To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord

B) We’ve also learned that when you die you’ll go to the present heaven-

1) Which is the very real place where Jesus is right now

2) But not the place where He and you will spend eternity

3) So here’s the question I want you to think about: Will you receive your Resurrection body when you get to the present heaven?

A) Anybody want to hazard a guess?

B) The answer is ‘No’

1) According to the Bible

2) You won’t get your Resurrection body until Jesus returns to Earth at the end of time

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant (or uninformed) about those who fall asleep (this is a euphemism Paul uses to describe the physical death of a Christian), or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. (Paul’s talking about the Second Coming of Christ at the end of time)

15 According to the Lord's own word (Paul’s received a direct revelation from Christ), we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede (or have any advantage over) those who have fallen asleep. (Or died knowing Jesus as their Savior)

16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (This is a description of the Resurrection)

17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

4) Now with these words in mind- let’s turn over to 1 Corinthians 15:51-53

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery (A truth that God wants His people to understand): We will not all sleep (some Christians will be alive when Jesus comes again), but we will all be changed (or transformed)--

52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead (in Christ-those whose physical bodies have been buried and returned to dust) will be raised (resurrected) imperishable (they will never again face death), and we will be changed.

53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal (Christians who are alive when Jesus comes again) with immortality (They will instantly receive a Resurrection body that will never be subjected to disease, decline or death).

5) At this point you may be thinking:

A) OK Steve- I’ve got it. I won’t receive my resurrection body as long as I’m in the present heaven

B) But here’s what I want to know:

1) Will I at least have some kind of body in the present heaven

2) Or will I be more like a ghostly spirit?

6) I want you to listen carefully to what I’m about to say:

A) Even though the Bible doesn’t directly say that we’ll have some type of physical body in the present heaven

B) It strongly suggests that we will

7) Take the parable of Lazarus and the rich man

A) This is the only time in Jesus’ parables in which one of the characters is given a name

1) Maybe that’s coincidental

2) But more likely because Lazarus was a real person who died and went to live in the present heaven

B) And if that’s the case- Lazarus is clearly in some kind of body

1) In Luke 16:24 the rich man begs Father Abraham to have Lazarus

2) ‘….Dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

8) Turn to Revelation 6:9-11

9 When he (meaning the Resurrected Jesus) opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls (the Greek word here is psuche. It refers to the total existence of a human being- physical, spiritual and emotional) of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.

10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?"

11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.

9) Fact- A disembodied spirit does not wear a robe

A) A robe is a piece of clothing

B) And clothing can only be worn by a person with a body

10) Now we don’t have time to examine all the Scriptures that suggest we’ll have some sort of physical body in the present heaven

A) But make no mistake about it- they’re in there

B) And when study them- and believe them- you’ll discover a joy you never knew was possible!

C) The message of God’s infallible, inerrant Word is good news:

1) The best is yet to come

2) And after that- it gets even better!

CONCLUSION

1) Next Sunday we’ll continue our series on heaven by thinking about the nature of our Resurrection bodies

A) As you go through this week every time you have an ache or a pain- or cope with an illness- or deal with a headache

B) I want you to remind yourself: All this will be over soon- because I’m going to be resurrected to eternal life!

2) But in the meantime- I want to ask you a simple question: Are you sure you’re going to heaven?

A) I don’t want to say: I think so or I hope so

B) I want you to be able to say: I know so- because I have asked Jesus Christ to be my personal Savior and Lord

3) You know it’s interesting- people will experience intense chest pain and refuse to go to the hospital

A) I guess they’re afraid of having the ER doctor tell them: We checked you out and there’s nothing wrong with you

B) Let me tell you something:

1) If you come into an ER with intense chest pain

2) That’s what the ER doctor wants to be able to tell you: We checked you out and there’s nothing wrong with you’

4) What’s the point of that illustration? If you’re not absolutely sure of your salvation this morning

A) Come forward and let’s talk

B) I’ll ask you some simple questions

1) When we’re done I hope I’ll be able to tell you: Based on the authority of the Word of God I can assure you that you are saved

2) But if there is even the slightest doubt about your salvation- I promise: You’ll be given a chance to ask Jesus to come into your life

5) Let us pray

TAE- ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS.doc

2009-09-27T10:30:00.000-05:00

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

TAE- WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HELL.doc

2009-09-20T10:30:00.000-05:00

TAE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HELL

SMWS- 9/20/09 Text:

SRBC #

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

1) Today’s sermon in our series on heaven and eternity is going to focus on hell

A) I’m going to be honest with you- I have not looked forward to preaching this message

1) I love having an opportunity to talk about heaven

2) But find no pleasure proclaiming the truth about hell

B) ….But that’s not going to stop me from preaching this sermon.

1) If you’re already a Christian- knowing the truth about hell will deepen your sense of thanksgiving for what Jesus did for you on the Cross

2) If you aren’t a Christian- understanding hell may cause you to turn to Jesus for salvation before it’s too late

2) With all this in mind let’s get started by discovering what the Bible says about……

THE REALITY OF HELL

1) Some theological liberals (I hate labeling people- but in this case it fits) claim that the traditional church teaching on hell isn’t based on the Bible

A) They love to point out that the word sheol- which means grave or pit- appears 65 times in the Hebrew Bible

B) Then- with relish- they’ll say: The reason hell appears in the OT is because early English translators mistranslated sheol as hell- instead of using the correct word- grave

2) Look- the academics are correct about sheol- but they’re dead wrong when they say the traditional church teaching on hell isn’t based on the Bible

A) The Bible not only says a lot about the reality of hell

B) The person in the Bible who spent the most time talking about hell was…….Jesus the Christ

3) Turn with me to Matthew 13:37-42.

A) Earlier in the day Jesus had told the crowds the Parable of the Sower

B) But now the crowds had departed- and the disciples wanted to know what the parable meant

37 He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.

38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40 "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.

41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.

42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

4) Mark 9:43: 43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.

5) In Matthew 8:12 Jesus speaks about the unsaved being thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth

6) Here’s the bottom line:

A) If you deny the reality of hell- then you’re denying what Jesus said about hell

B) And if you deny what Jesus said about hell- how can you be sure He’s telling you the truth when He talks about salvation and heaven?

8) Jesus said: I am the Way- the Truth and the Life

A) Every word He speaks is the absolute truth of the Living God

B) …..And Jesus had a lot to say about a place called hell!

HELL WAS CREATED TO BE A PLACE OF PUNISHMENT

1) The main thing Jesus taught about hell was that it was created to be a place of punishment

2) According to the Bible- Satan was an angel who rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven

A) Now we know this happened because two passages of Scripture specifically refer to it

1) 2 Peter 2:4: For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment

2) Jude 6: And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.

B) There are several other passages of Scripture that may- or may not- refer to Satan’s act of rebellion

1) The story of why one of these passages- Isaiah 14:12-15- is thought to be about Satan is fascinating

2) I don’t have time to tell you the story today- maybe during a Wednesday night Bible study

4) Getting back to the original point: Jesus taught that God created hell to be a place of punishment

A) The Bible says that at the end of historic time Satan- and the other angels who joined him in rebellion against God- will be bound-up and cast into this prison

B) Scripture references:

Matthew 25:41

41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Revelation 20: 7-8;10

7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison (Strange: Why would Satan be released from prison? Millennial theology has its theories- but it still isn’t clear to me)…Satan will be released from his prison

8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle.

10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

5) OK- let’s see where we’re at. Jesus said that…..

A) Hell was created as a place of punishment and imprisonment for Satan

B) But He also taught that hell will also be used as a place of punishment for human sin (Listen to what He says in Matthew 7:21-23)

21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'

23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

6) Folks- this might be the most terrifying verse of Scripture in the entire Bible

A) Jesus Christ- the one and only hope for salvation given to man

B) Turning to you and saying: I don’t even know you. Permanently and eternally remove yourself from My presence, you sinful and wicked man!

7) Now all this brings us to one more fundamental fact about hell….

THE DEFAULT DESTINATION FOR HUMAN BEINGS IS HELL

1) I don’t like profanity

A) I don’t use it- even when I hurt various parts of my body

B) And I don’t like hearing it- so please bear with me

2) I think the two most meaningless curses in the book are:

A) Aw- go to hell

B) And I hope God sends you straight to hell

3) Here’s why these curses are meaningless:

A) You don’t have to curse someone to hell

B) Unless a person asks Jesus Christ to forgive their sin- come into their life and be their personal Savior and Lord

1) They’re going to hell

2) Period

4) The Bible reveals that hell- not heaven- is the default destination for sinful human beings. Remember what the Word of God says:

A) Every human being is a sinner: For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God

1) And by the way: Sin is not really about what you do

2) Sin is who you are. By nature you live in a state of sinful rebellion against the One who created and loves you

B) The wages of sin is death-

1) Folks this isn’t talking about physical death- even though physical death was a consequence of Adam & Eve’s decision to sin

2) In this case death means to be eternally separated from the presence of the Almighty God

C) Finally, this separation from God takes place in a small, dull, lifeless prison called hell

5) Think about it:

A) God is going to restore His Creation to the beauty and grandeur and glory it possessed prior to Adam & Eve’s decision to sin against God

B) And you’ll be hopelessly stuck in a mind-numbingly, grey place of misery and sorrow for all eternity

6) And remember- you don’t have to do anything to get there

A) Doing what you’re doing now guarantees you a spot in hell

B) I know that’s not a popular thing to say- but it happens to be the truth!

7) But- the Good News is there is something you can do to change your eternal destiny

A) Actually- that’s not quite right

B) I should have said: You can change your eternal destiny by accepting what Jesus has done for you!

Romans 10:9-10

9 …..If you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

8) And be happy in the knowledge that God has reset your eternal destination for heaven

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT HELL

1) Now let me shift gears- and answer some questions Christian frequently ask about hell- such as…..

Will a person in hell burn for all eternity?

1) Of the many ways the Bible describes the torments of hell- the most horrifying is the idea of being trapped in an eternal, unquenchable fire

2) And make no mistake about it-

A) At various times Jesus described hell as:

1) The fire of hell (Matthew 5:22)

2) A fiery furnace (Matthew 13:42)

3) An eternal fire (Matthew 18:8)

4) A place where the fire is not quenched (Matthew 9:48)

B) Of course, Jesus also described hell as a place of darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth

1) As human beings it’s hard to understand how you could be in the midst of a fire- and yet be trapped in total darkness

2) But that’s what Jesus said- and that’s that

3) Now what’s interesting here- is that Jesus always used the same word when referring to hell- Gehenna

A) That word alone would have sent cold chills up and down the spines of His listeners

B) Because they not only knew WHAT Gehenna was- they knew WHERE it was located

4) The Hebrew word translated as Gehenna is ge hinnom- which means valley of lamentation- or the ‘Hinnom Valley’

A) In Jesus’ day Gehenna was the garbage dump for the city of Jerusalem

1) Fires were constantly burning there- consuming the tons of trash and garbage

2) Worms- and rats- feasted on the rotting food

3) It was disgusting, nauseating place to be

B) But there was also a horrifying history associated with Gehenna

1) When the Israelites conquered the Promised Land they discovered that the Hinnom valley had been a center of pagan worship

2) Pagan worship that featured fiery child sacrifice as a central act of religious devotion

5) Which is why- long before Jesus’ birth- Jews had come to think of Gehenna as a symbol of hell

A) It was a place of abomination- a place of genuinely Satanic ‘worship’

B) When people thought about ge Hinnom they thought about its sulfuric stench and unquenchable fire

C) Over time, Gehenna became a proverb of God’s judgment against sin. It was known as a place of…..

1) Of endless guilt and shame

2) Utter misery, and a sense of total abandonment

6) So how does all this relate to the question: Will a person in hell burn for all eternity?

A) Here’s what I know:

1) Jesus used the most vivid, terrifying language imaginable to describe hell

2) And it should go without saying that as the only begotten Son of God He knew what He was talking about

B) But here’s the thing: Jesus…./ Instead He…..

1) Wasn’t trying to be deliberately provocative- or shock His listeners

2) Wanted them to wake up and understand there is an alternative to the horrors of hell

7) That’s why Jesus had come to Earth

A) That’s why He would soon die on the Cross for the sin of the world

B) God the Father and God the Son don’t want you to spend eternity in hell- they want YOU to be with them in heaven!

8) That’s pure grace folks- that’s unconditional love- and that’s what Jesus was talking about!

Will a person in hell have memories and be conscious of other people and things?

1) The short answer to this question is ‘Yes’

A) In fact having memory and consciousness of others

B) May be the most horrifying aspect of an existence in hell

2) Take Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus

A) While on Earth Jesus says…../ After each of their deaths….

1) Lazarus endured a miserable life- while the rich man lived in the lap of luxury

2) Lazarus was taken to heaven- and the rich man went straight to hell

a) And- bear in mind- it wasn’t because the rich man was an especially wicked man

b) He was just your everyday, run-of-the-mill human sinner

B) During his torment in hell Jesus noted that……

1) The rich man remembered the religion of his childhood- he addressed Abraham as Father Abraham

2) He recognized Lazarus- even though he probably never bothered to learn his name during his lifetime

3) He remembered that God was a god of mercy and compassion- pleading with Abraham to have pity on me

4) Was aware of the lost condition of his family- he begged Abraham to send Lazarus to speak to them so they could avoid the agony he was experiencing

3) Can you imagine what that would be like?

A) To spend eternity remembering all the sins you’d done in your life to merit hell

1) To recall the opportunities you’d passed up to receive Jesus as your Savior

2) To remember your family and friends and loved ones- and wish there was something you could do to keep them from suffering your fate

B) To remember all these things- and know there was absolutely nothing you could do about it

4) All this is depressing enough- but here’s what terrifies me:

A) The Bible says the wages of sin is death- eternal separation from God in a place called hell

B) Now think about this with me:

1) The Bible teaches us that God is the ultimate source of all the life, love, joy, peace, happiness, laughter, goodness, inspiration, encouragement, friendship, loyalty, creativity and pleasure in Creation

2) IOW: If you’re eternally separated from God in hell- you’re going to be separated from all these things as well

C) And that would make suicide- if it were an option- preferable to the knowledge that you’ll be in this condition FOREVER

5) See the idea of hell as an eternal frat party couldn’t be further from the truth

A) A person in hell will be placed in solitary confinement

B) And left to grieve and remember and lament what put you there in the first place- your failure to receive Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord

Is hell really eternal?

1) When it comes to conservative evangelical theology-

A) You don’t get much more respected than Clark Pinnock

B) And you don’t get any more conservative than the Criswell Theological Review (As in Dr. W.A. Criswell- the father of the conservative movement in the SBC)

2) Well this is what Professor Pinnock wrote a few years ago in the CTR: I consider the concept of hell as endless torment in body and mind an outrageous doctrine….How can Christians possibly project a deity of such cruelty and vindictiveness- whose ways include inflicting everlasting torture upon His creatures, however sinful they may have been? Surely a God who would do such a thing is more nearly like Satan than like God.

3) Here’s what I’d like to ask the professor:

A) How could you get it right on so many other things

B) And get it so wrong on this thing?

4) It’s sadly familiar story: Dr. Pinncok allowed himself

A) To be more influenced by a tender heart and a liberal, Biblically illiterate society

B) Than the infallible, inerrant Word of God

5) Listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 25:46

46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

6) Here in one sentence Jesus uses the same Greek word aionos to describe the duration of both heaven and hell

A) Now as far as I’m concerned- that settles it

B) Punishment in hell continues throughout eternity

7) Look- if you deny the endlessness of hell- you’re ultimately going to minimize what Jesus did on the Cross

A) What made Jesus’ death on the Cross so powerful- so significant- so meaningful was that eternity WAS hanging in the balance

1) Human beings were either going to continue their steady death march straight to hell

2) Or Jesus was going to give us a chance for eternal life with the Father in heaven by dying in our place on the Cross

B) That’s what He did and that’s why the creatures in heaven sing: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!

8) So to answer the question:

A) Hell is eternal

B) But an eternal God- and His only begotten Son- has done everything in their power to insure that you’ll never have to spend a nanosecond there

Why doesn’t God save everyone?

1) Some Christians believe in a theory called universalism

A) There are many differences viewpoints within universalism

1) But here’s the basic idea: In the end God will save everybody

2) That means everyone from Billy Graham, Mother Theresa and the Apostle Paul- to bin Laden, Hitler and Pol Pot

B) To these people universalism seems like a more humane, civilized and compassionate way for God to do things

1) They’ll say: Jesus died for the sin of the world- and that’s who God is going to save- the whole world

2) Otherwise- Jesus didn’t accomplish the work He was sent to do

2) Well here’s the thing:

A) The Bible says Jesus DID fulfill His mission of reconciling the world to God through His blood shed on the Cross

B) AND the Bible makes it clear that some people will spend eternity separated from God in a hell prepared for Satan and his demons

3) The problem is- we’ve been coming at this thing all wrong:

A) We’ve let Satan seduce us into believing eternal punishment for sin is a catastrophic miscarriage of justice

B) Instead of accepting what the Bible says: That every person of the face of the Earth is a sinner who deserves eternal punishment at the hands of a holy and awesome God

4) IOW: The real shock…..

A) Isn’t that some people go to hell

B) Is that anyone is allowed to go to heaven if they turn to Jesus and ask for salvation in His name

1) THAT’S the miracle of God’s mercy and grace

2) THAT’S the love we celebrate when we sing about The Old Rugged Cross

3) THAT’S what will cause us to shake our heads in wonder throughout eternity: Jesus Christ died so I could be here!

CONCLUSION

1) You know- in my heart of hearts:

A) I wish I didn’t have to believe in hell

B) I would be perfectly happy spending the rest of my life preaching about nothing but Jesus and the promise of heaven

2) But the Biblical evidence is so clear and conclusive I MUST believe that…

A) Hell is a real place

B) Confirmed by the testimony of the only begotten Son of the Living God

3) As a preacher- I also understand I have a responsibility to share the whole truth of the Gospel with you

A) Folks- hell is a real place of torment and agony

B) But the Good News is that you have an opportunity to avoid hell- and spend eternity in heaven with Jesus

4) Of course- there is a time-limit on your opportunity to be saved

A) You must ask Jesus to be your Savior before you die- or Jesus Comes Again

B) Because after that- the die is cast, eternity is already determined

4) John 3:16-18 says:

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

5) Don’t wind up like those who are already in hell

A) Remembering and lamenting the times they could have asked Jesus to come into their life and be their personal Savior and Lord

B) Instead- claim this chance to invite Jesus into your life

6) Let us pray

TAE-STANDING BEFORE KING JESUS.doc

2009-09-13T10:30:00.000-05:00

TAE: STANDING BEFORE KING JESUS

SMWS- 9/13/09 Text:

SRBC #

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

1) This morning our sermon on heaven and eternity is entitled: Standing Before King Jesus

A) Folks- this is something I need to tell you about

B) Because every one of us has an appointment to stand and be judged by King Jesus

2) But I don’t need to worry about that! Jesus is my personal Savior and Lord. He took the guilt of my sin at the Cross of Calvary. Judgment has passed for me.

A) Well- your theology of the atonement is great

B) But your understanding of judgment needs to be refined

3) According to the Bible there are two judgments we face as human beings

A) One takes place before the throne of God and is called the judgment of faith

B) The second takes place before the Judgment Seat of Christ and is called the judgment of works

4) This morning- I want to help you understand what the Bible says about each of these judgments. We’ll begin with-

THE JUDGMENT OF FAITH

1) Let’s say the…Observer decided to have a contest to encourage participation in November’s mayoral election

A) The winner would be chosen by a random drawing to be held on the Wednesday morning following the election

1) Every person of voting age would automatically be entered in the contest

2) But there’s a catch

B) Before you can claim the $10,000 prize you have to answer a question: Did you vote in yesterday’s election?

1) If your answer is ‘Yes’- Congratulations! The money belongs to you!

2) If your answer is ‘No’- I’m sorry- but you don’t get the money. You didn’t do the one thing you had to do to claim the prize

2) This isn’t a perfect illustration- but it gives you an idea about what God’s judgment of faith will be like

A) At the time of death, every human being will stand before God and be asked a single question: At some point in your life did you ask Jesus to be your personal Savior and Lord?

B) If your answer is…..

1) ‘Yes’- then you’ll instantly be admitted into the presence of the Lord to spend eternity in heaven

2) ‘No’- you’ll instantly be removed from the presence of the Lord to spend eternity in hell

3) Now if you’ve been around churches most of your life- this isn’t a newsflash

A) But if you’re unfamiliar with the basics of the Gospel this may strike you as….harsh and arbitrary

B) Shouldn’t my good deeds count for something? I’m no saint- but I’m not a bad person. Why would God send me to hell?

4) Well- here’s where you have to understand a fundamental truth about God’s judgment of faith:

A) He doesn’t have to focus on what you’ve done in life

1) He knows what you’ve done

2) The Bible says: For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God

B) Instead He’s focused on what Jesus has done for you- and how you responded to Jesus’ act of love

1) If you’ve gratefully accepted that Jesus’ atoning death on the Cross is adequate for the forgiveness of your sin

2) Then when God judges you He sees the blood Jesus shed on the Cross- not your sin- and you are saved

5) Turn with me to John 3:16-18. Let’s see what Jesus said about this thing

16 "For God so loved the world (this includes individuals and all of Creation) that he gave (the Greek word implies an act of sacrifice) his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him (believes that Jesus is the Son of God- that He died on the Cross- and was physically raised from the dead on the third day) shall not perish but have eternal life. (The Bible says eternal life in a resurrected body is a GIFT from God Himself)

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn (or judge) the world (the world had already condemned itself), but to save (or rescue or redeem) the world through him.

18 Whoever believes in him (Asks Jesus to be their personal Savior and Lord) is not condemned, (or judged) but whoever does not believe (goes through their life and never asks Jesus Christ to be their personal Savior and Lord) stands condemned (or judged) already (the verdict has been rendered- why?) because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son

6) Now obviously-

A) God’s judgment of faith is the most important verdict in eternity

B) Because it will determine whether you spend eternity in heaven or in hell

7) But there’s something else you need to understand about God’s judgment of faith- and that’s the nature of saving faith

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For it is by grace…..

7) Grace means God’s unlimited, unmerited favor and mercy.

A) Grace means you can’t do anything to make God love you more

B) And you can’t do anything to make God love you less. He just loves you.

8 ….It is by grace you have been saved, through faith (Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Faith means you put it all in God’s hands and leave it at that).--and this not from yourselves (even the faith that saves you doesn’t come from inside of you), it is the gift of God-

9 not by works, (anything you’ve done) so that no one can boast.

8) Think about what this means:

A) Salvation is a free gift of God’s grace activated by faith-

B) And God gives you the faith that lets His grace be activated in your life

9) OK- let’s summarize the judgment of faith. It….

A) Happens at the time of your physical death

B) It takes place before the Judgment Seat of God

C) Consists of one question: At some point in your life did you ask Jesus to be your personal Savior and Lord?

D) And finally- the faith that saves is a gift of God’s grace

10) With all that in mind- let’s move on and talk about….

THE JUDGMENT OF WORKS

1) When it comes to this event people agree about one thing:

It will take place before the Judgment Seat of Christ

2) Beyond that…..let’s put it this way-

A) The 534 members of Congress have fewer opinions about health care reform

B) Than theologians- and other Christians- have about Jesus’ Judgment of Works. For example:

1) Some people believe it will happen simultaneous with God’s judgment of faith- there will be an on-going series of judgment days for each person as they die

2) Others think it will take place in the present heaven sometime between your death and the return of Christ

3) Finally, pretribulational rapturists believe the judgment of works will happen sometime between the Rapture and the physical return of Christ

2) Personally- I believe the judgment of works will take place on- or shortly after- the Day of Resurrection

A) I mean, the Bible makes it pretty clearly there will a single Day of Judgment- not a series of judgment days

B) And it strongly suggests the Judgment of Works will be closely associated with Jesus’ Second Cominh

3) Scripture references:

Acts 17:31: For he (meaning God) has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed (namely- Jesus)

Matthew 16:27

27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.

Romans 14:10

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. (The Greek indicates this will be a once-for-all-eternity event)

4) Now let’s talk the nature of this judgment

A) The Bible makes it clear it will not determine your salvation

1) That’s a done deal

2) Secured by the blood Jesus shed on the Cross

B) With this judgment Jesus is going to evaluate how you used your life to honor and glorify God

4) Throughout the centuries some people have always criticized preachers who spend lots of time talking about heaven and eternity:

A) They say: You’re going to make people so interested in heaven they won’t care about the world we’re living in now. They won’t be interested in making this world a better place to live

B) Let me tell you something: Those guys couldn’t be more wrong if they tried!

6) The truth is that…..

A) The people who are least interested in working to make the world a better place to live are those who have no vision of heaven or eternity

1) Their vision is too limited

2) The only thing they’re interested in- is what happens to them in this life

B) On the other hand-

1) Christians understand that the things we do in this lifetime will impact our eternal heavenly home

2) That’s what motivates us to work to make this world a better place to live

7) Now I know some of you are going to say Wait a minute Steve! A lot of non-Christians volunteer to help other people

A) No argument there- you see it everyday

B) But listen to what they say when they’re asked:

1) Why are you doing this?

2) What do they say? Because it makes me feel good or Because I get so much out of it

8) But ask a Christian volunteering on a mission trip- or working at a homeless shelter: Why are you doing this?

A) A few will say: Because it makes me feel good

B) But most will say: I’m doing this to serve my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

9) Remember- Jesus’ judgment of works will be an evaluation of how you used your life to honor and glorify God

A) Now I’ll bet when you heard me say that you assumed I was talking about church stuff. Everything-

1) From a pastor or a missionary

2) To being a SS teacher- a committee member

3) Or a volunteer on a mission trip

B) IOW: Something that has the church’s stamp of approval

10) Folks- if you feel that way…..

A) Don’t be surprised- most churches want you to feel that way

1) See- guilt is a time-tested method for filling slots on a Nominating committee report:

2) Billie- we’ve prayed and given your talent for cleaning toilets would like you to serve on the B & G committee. Now you’re not going to disappoint Jesus by telling Him ‘No’- are you?

B) Look-

1) If you think your life and work has to have the church’s stamp of approval for Jesus to consider it worthy of reward

2) You don’t understand God’s plans for His people

11) See-

A) God doesn’t want the church to be made up of nothing but professional members of the clergy

B) Look at what 1 Corinthians 12:27-30

27 Now you (This is the use of the corporate ‘you.’ Paul’s not just talking about one Christian- but the assembled body of Christ) Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part (an important part) of it.

28 And in the church God has appointed (or set apart) first of all apostles (evangelists), second prophets (or inspired preachers), third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

29 Are all apostles? (The answer is clearly ‘No’- even though the importance of apostles can’t be understated) Are all prophets? (Again ‘no’- even though Paul believes in the power of preaching) Are all teachers? (Of course not) Do all work miracles? (No way- as incredible as that might)

30 Do all have gifts of healing? (Unfortunately not- even though there are many people who need to be healed) Do all speak in tongues? (Hardly) Do all interpret? (That wouldn’t be logical or necessary)

12) Here’s the problem with a church made up of nothing but preaching- teaching- ‘healing one another’ super-Christians

A) It might be a great church to belong to

B) We’d probably be good at loving one another- but no one outside the church would ever come to know Jesus as their Savior

13) Pam recently told me a depressing statistic: Within two years of being saved, the average Christian has no non-Christian friends

A) IOW: Take a brand-new Christian

1) Give them 24 months

2) And they’ll have no remaining social contact with the non-Christian world

B) Satan must love that- makes his job so easy

1) Just keep all of us behind closed doors- singing praise songs and loving one another in Jesus’ name

2) And the world will just keep on going straight to hell

13) What God needs are committed Christians living and working and socializing out there in the ‘real non-Christian world’

A) See if you’re out there- claiming opportunities God gives you to share His love with others

B) You’ll meet and influence more non-Christians in a week than I’ll do in 12 months of roaming the halls of SRBC

14) Now you may be sitting there thinking:

A) But Steve- I couldn’t do something like that. You have to have a calling from God- and I don’t think I have it

1) Look- I might challenge your reasoning

2) But just for the sake of argument- let’s say you don’t have a calling from God

B) Will you at least accept the idea that God has placed you where you are to share His love with others?

15) Folks-

A) It’s not an accident that…..

1) You have a particular job

2) You’re serving on a neighborhood board

3) You were elected to a leadership position in the PTA

B) And that fact that you’re….

1) Coaching a youth basketball team

2) Or leading a Scout troop

3) Or chaperoning a youth trip isn’t a coincidence

C) Ad who do you think put the….

1) Passion for feeding the hungry

2) Or the desire to serve as a community firefighter or EMT in your heart

16) God did!

A) God strategically put you in all those places- and many more

B) To meet, befriend and share the Gospel with others as the Holy Spirit gives you the opportunity

18) Now let’s talk about the way Jesus will judge your works

1 Corinthians 3:10-14

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. (I did my part- someone else is doing their part) But each one should be careful how he builds.

11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

19) Paul’s point is simple: If you let yourself wander away from the truth of Jesus- and the message of God’s grace

A) You won’t be much good to God- yourself

B) Or anyone else for that matter

12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,

13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.

20) You know some preachers specialize in beating-up their congregations with guilt

A) These type of guys love 1 Corinthians 3:12-13

B) And their sermon outline for this passage of Scripture never varies

21) First of all- they misinterpret Paul’s illustration

A) They begin by making the point that gold, silver and costly stones have a greater monetary value than wood, hay or straw

B) From that- they create an allegory that Paul never intended to be there. They’ll say: / While the-

1) The gold, silver & costly stones represent using your life to bring glory and honor to Christ

2) Wood, hay or straw represent failing to use your life to bring glorify and honor to God

22) And that’s when they kick the guilt-trip into hyper-drive

A) Someday JE-SUS will judge you for what you’ve done for Him in this life

B) He will expose the quality of your work on His behalf

1) If you brought Him a life of gold and silver and costly stones you will receive a blessed reward from His own hand….Praise God!

2) But if you brought Him wood, hay and straw you’ll feel shame and reproach as the fire from heaven comes down to consume the worthless dross of your life

23) Now some people like to call this step-on-my-toes preaching

A) In this case it’s just bad preaching

B) Because it misses what the Bible is trying to say

24) See this is what Paul’s readers would have known:

A) The primary building material in those days was limestone: Virtually every building was made of limestone

B) Gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay and straw- these were secondary building materials

25) In fact- the decision on whether to use gold, silver and costly stones or simple wood, hay and straw depended on the building you’d been asked to build

A) If you’d been hired to build…..

1) A palace, or a seat of government, or a place of worship you’d use the precious metals and dazzling jewels

2) A home- wood, hay and straw would be your material of choice

B) It all depended on the job you’d been asked to do

26) With this in mind- let’s take a second look at verses 12-13

If any man builds on this foundation (the primary material we’ll use will always be the Gospel of Christ) using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, (the secondary materials will be determined by the individual tasks and responsibilities God assigns us)

13 his work (on Christ’s behalf) will be shown for what it is, because the Day (Judgment Day) will bring it to light

27) Now this should tell you something about the way Jesus will treat you as He judges your life’s work

A) He’s not going to evaluate your works by human standards

1) Granted- a temple adorned with gold, silver and costly stones is going to be more beautiful and more culturally significant

2) Than a nice, sturdy house built with a solid wood doorframe and an energy-efficient roof made of wood, hay and straw

B) BUT- Jesus isn’t going to say to the laborer who was assigned to build the temple:

1) Since you built the worship center- you’re more important than the laborer God asked to build the home

2) Instead Jesus will evaluate each person’s work on standards established by God

C) Criteria for judgment

1) Did you accept the task- the calling- the placement God gave you with joy and thanksgiving?

2) Did you take advantage of the opportunities you had to share My love with others?

3) Did you view everything you did- whether it was in word or in deed- as a chance to honor, serve and glorify your Father in heaven?

28) Now that still leaves the idea of having Jesus reveal the quality of your work with fire hanging in the air

A) At first glance that sounds frightening- because fire can be dangerous and destructive

B) But fire can also be warm, illuminating and beneficial

28) See- here’s where it’s important to remember that Jesus will be your judge

A) Given what we know about Him you can know- beyond a shadow of a doubt- that…..

1) He’s not out to destroy you

2) He died on the Cross to save you from destruction

B) His honest evaluation will let you see things through His eyes

1) Suddenly you’ll understand how things you did that may have seemed minor & insignificant (like giving someone a cup of water in His name) made a crucial contribution to the kingdom of God

2) While things that seemed urgently important at the time (like preparing for that Pastor’s Bible Study Group) weren’t all that big a deal when viewed through the lens of eternity

29) I don’t know about you- but I can’t wait to have my life evaluated by Jesus

A) I hope it’s going go be a day of celebration

B) But regardless I know….

1) I’ll feel the power of His love and warmth and grace

2) And that will make it a day of thanksgiving and joy

THE RESULTS OF JESUS’ JUDGMENT

1) Now once Jesus has evaluated and judged your life- He’s going to use that information to do two things:

A) One- He’ll determine the kind of service and ministry you’ll be assigned in heaven

B) And two- He’ll determine the number and types of rewards you’ll receive from the hand of the Father

2) A lot of people have this idea that heaven will be eternity’s answer to a Caribbean cruise

A) You know-

1) Basically do nothing all day

2) Waiting for the next time to eat

B) Well- that’s not what the Bible says. God’s Word makes it clear we will be engaged in fulfilling, meaningful and purposeful work in heaven

3) And here’s the strange part: In heaven-

A) Work and responsibility will be considered a reward- a gift- an honor

B) For the faithful service you offered God during this lifetime

4) Remember Jesus’ Parable of the Talents?

A) Seems a wealthy man entrusts three of his servants with large sums of money before leaving on a trip

1) First servant is given 5 talents of money (an average person’s income for 20 years of hard work)

2) Second servant is given 2 talents

3) The final servant is given 1 talent

B) Once their Master hits the road-

1) The first two servants get busy.

2) In each case they double the amount of money their master has given them

C) When their Master finally returns home

1) The first two servants can’t wait to show him what they’ve done: Look sir- I’ve doubled your money!

2) And their Master is thrilled

Matthew 25:15-23

21 Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!

4) It’s hard to miss the point of Jesus’ story

A) When you stand before Christ and have the works of your life judged

B) It will be the greatest of honors to have Jesus reward you with greater duties and responsibilities in heaven

5) You know- throughout the NT the Bible says Jesus will give us rewards- or crowns- based on the faithfulness and Christian love we demonstrate during this lifetime

A) Luke 6:35

35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

B) Ephesians 6:7-8

7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,

8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does,

C) Colossians 3:23-24

23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,

24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

D) 2 Timothy 4:6-8

6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

E) James 1:12

12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

6) So far- so good

A) No one seriously argues the fact that Jesus rewards those who serve Him faithfully in this life

B) But-

1) I’ve always heard that as soon as we receive those rewards we’ll turn around and lay them at the feet of Jesus

2) Have you ever heard that?

a) I’m sure you have

b) I’ve said it from this pulpit many times

7) Turns out I’ve been telling you a lie

A) In preparing this sermon I decided I would find out where the Bible says we will lay our rewards at the feet of Jesus

B) I’ve searched the Bible from cover-to-cover

1) I looked at every verse of Scripture that contained the words reward- rewards- crown- crowns- lay- place- present or feet

2) And I can’t find anything that suggests we’re going to give up the crowns and rewards Jesus is planning to give us

2) The closest thing I could find to the idea of placing your crowns at the feet of Jesus is found in Revelation 4:10-11

10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

A) As numerous commentaries pointed out: This is a specific act of worship by 24 members of the heavenly court

B) IOW: It doesn’t apply to us!

3) Now you might be thinking: But I couldn’t take a reward from Jesus! He’s already done everything for me. I’d have to place my reward at Jesus’ feet. If I kept it- it would be…..blasphemy- it would be the height of arrogance

A) At least- that’s the objection I’ve been raising the last week or so

B) And you know what I’ve come to realize?

4) That would be right

A) IF the idea of receiving rewards from Jesus was a human idea it would be….

1) Blasphemy

2) The height of arrogance

B) But here’s thing: This is not a human idea- it’s God’s idea

1) And that’s the game changer

2) That’s the fact my pious objections have no answers to

5) For whatever reason the One who….

A) Graciously and lovingly sacrificed His life on the Cross so that you and I could be saved

B) Is planning on judging your life’s works so He can reward you for your faithfulness to Him

6) I don’t get it- but it makes chills run up and down my spine

A) How can I- how can you- be more perfectly loved than that?

B) The rewards and crowns on my mantle will be a constant and wonderful reminder of my Father’s- of my Savior’s love for me

1) He died to save me

2) And then He gave me these trophies for trying- in some small, inconsistent way- to live for Him

7) As I was thinking about all of this- the old praise chorus came to my mind: Heaven is a wonderful place- filled with glory and grace. I wanna see my Father’s face- heaven is a wonderful place- I wanna go there!

A) Are you sure your eternity is going to be spent in a resurrected new body on the resurrected new Earth in the very presence of the Living Lord?

B) If you’re not sure- I hope you’re ready to ask Jesus to be your Savior today.

8) Let us pray