11/24/02 T-last INI Txt: in sermon

I once watched a young child hold a carrot in front of a rabbit's nose in order to lead it to a better place. Our God also uses a "carrot" of sorts to draw us to Himself and a better place. He holds heaven in front of us. The rabbit seems to have an advantage over us because he can see and even smell the carrot, but heaven is the hope that cannot be seen!

What is heaven like? What will we do in heaven? Before we answer these questions, let me ask you: Why doesn't God let us actually see heaven, the way the rabbit sees the carrot? For one thing, Heaven is "the most holy place" where God and His perfect righteousness dwell! How could we poor sinners endure the sight of heaven in all its glory? Secondly, we are not rabbits! They may be led by the visible carrot, but the Christian "walks by faith, not by sight." (2 Cor. 5:7)

There's something else to keep in mind as we read about heaven in the Bible. We may wish that God would give more details. But the human language would still fall far short of describing the actual glory of heaven. Can you explain the beauty of a rainbow to someone who has been blind from birth, and lives in a world of darkness?

"The things which God has prepared for those who love Him" have not entered into the eye, the ear, or the heart of man by nature. But God's Spirit has revealed them in part to Christ's apostles and to all who believe their word (1 Cor. 2:9 ff.) May we receive the Spirit's testimony concerning

There is a place called "heaven" where our God dwells. Jesus commanded us to pray: "Our Father, Who art in heaven." Jesus spoke of His Father's "house" with its "many mansions" or rooms. (Jn. 14:6) But the heaven in which the Lord God dwells, and the place to which Jesus ascended as true God and true Man is from eternity. From this eternal, glorious place God cast out the devil and his angels. Because of sin, the "heavens and the earth" in which man now lives is separated from the eternal and glorious dwelling place of God in heaven.

But according to 2 Peter 3:10: The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it shall be burned up." Nevertheless, Peter continues, "we, according to His promise look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." (2 Pet. 3:13) This promise is recorded in Isaiah 65:17: "For behold," the Lord says, "I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind." This entire created universe along with all the works of man will be utterly and completely dissolved by fire at Christ's coming. Then what?

The Lord God will "create" another heaven and earth so "new" that the old will not be remembered or brought to mind at all -- ever! Not only will there be no thought of the sins and griefs of this world; neither will there be any longing for the beautiful trees, mountains, flowers, and skies of this world. The surpassing beauty of the new heavens and earth will totally erase every remembrance of the first creation!

The apostle John records in Rev. 21 that he saw this new heaven and earth in the revelation Jesus gave him. He also says that he saw "the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (21:2) Then John heard a loud voice from God's heaven, saying, "behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, . . . " (21:3 ff.) In other words, the eternal heaven of God and the new heavens and earth will be forever joined together, and the new Jerusalem, which is the Church of Christ, will be beautiful in the midst of it all! Read Revelation 21, and remember that the huge jewels and pearls, the precious gemstones and the gold of the "Holy City" symbolize the magnificent beauty of our heavenly home!

But what good is a beautiful place without good company? The company of heaven will be glorious too! The writer to the Hebrew Christians says: "you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant." (Heb. 12:22-24)

Think of it! The victorious children of God will be received by the holy angels and become partakers of their joy. The Archangel, Michael, chief protector of God's people, Gabriel, who made the announcement to the Virgin Mary, and all the thousands upon thousands of angels, which have served Christians throughout the ages -- all will be there! Think of the music we will make together in praise of our Redeemer's love!

The company of heaven will include the whole "general assembly and Church of Christ, the firstborn." We will join not only Abraham, Noah, and Moses, but all of our loved ones who have died or yet will die in the faith of Christ. What perfect love and fellowship shall be ours forever!

But the best of all our company will be the one Who shed His precious blood to prepare a place for us in heaven, and now lives to bring us safely there. To finally see Him face to face, to embrace Him, to walk and talk with Him, and to sing His praises with the angels shall be our greatest joy!

What shall be our state of being in heaven, our condition? We know that we shall have a perfect and blessed knowledge of God. The apostle Paul wrote: "Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." (1 Cor. 13:12) God knows us perfectly. But in heaven we shall know and understand as well as He knows us! What will we do with such knowledge of God? I don't know now, but in heaven we all will know just what to do every moment.

"Beloved, now we are children of God;" John writes in his first letter: "and it is has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3;2) To be "like" Christ means that we shall be without fault before the throne of God." (Rev. 14:5) To be "like" Christ means that we shall also rule in heaven with Him, as He has promised in Rev.3:21: "to him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, . . . ." What we shall do as "faultless rulers" with Christ in heaven I don't know. But I do want to find out, don't you?

After experiencing in this life how everything falls apart, rusts, or gets lost, and knowing that we shall leave this world as naked as the day we were born, I'm looking forward to that "incorruptible and undefiled inheritance, which does not fade away," which Peter says "is reserved in heaven" for us. (1 Peter 1:4) This inheritance will include "pleasures forevermore and fulness of joy," according to Psalm 16:11.

Our state of being will be glorious in heaven, not only because of what we shall have and find there, but also because of what we shall not have and not find there. Are you sometimes afraid of the dark? There will be "no night" in heaven at all, because the glory of our Lord shall be the everlasting light of heaven! (Rev. 21:23-25, 22:5). There'll be no more "curse" of sin and death either! (Rev. 22:3). God will wipe away every tear from our eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things shall "have passed away"!

What are we going to DO in heaven? We are going to rest, brethren! After having passed through the stormy trials and temptations of this sinful world, after doing battle against pride, selfishness, and envy, after suffering the pain of sorrow and death, after contending for the faith of Christ, after suffering the contempt of the world to whom we would bring the Gospel of salvation -- after all this, we shall "rest from our labors"! The ultimate goal of our Savior will have been accomplished, as He promised: "Come unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Mt. 11:2, Heb. 4:9)

As we grow older, we become more aware of sin, both in ourselves, and in the world. We find that the world does not satisfy for very long. We become tired of its vanity. The body begins to break down. All the while, the blessed promises of our dear Savior concerning heaven become sweeter and more meaningful for us. This is a hidden blessing of all our trials on this earth.

No longer do we think so much about what shall DO in heaven. We think of heaven more and more as our HOME, of our BEING safely there with Jesus, the angels, and all the rest of God's saints. We think of HAVING all the heavenly treasures which neither time nor decay shall ever destroy. As God grant us His enabling grace, we will come to the end of our earthly pilgrimage and say: "I want to go HOME!" We shall have the faith of David the King, who, although he had everything this life can offer, said, "O Lord, . . . as for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awaken in Your likeness!" (Psalm 17:15) Amen.