Mike Marette: There is a hope for us – and that is why we want to talk about heaven – not just because it is an interesting topic. Yes, there are a lot of books being written, and there are a lot of questions – but what matters most is what Jemma shared – there is hope. To be with Christ is better. We say we are going to a better place – and that is true. Lord, we thank You for Jemma’s courageous and being able to share her sorrow – and yet her hope and faith. We thank You for Bill and the life You gave him and to us – thank You for his love for You and that he is with You and that someday we will all be together. Help us to put aside our anxiety and to gain that peace that goes beyond our capability – to know that You are a God who loves us and offers us life – and we give our lives back to You. Teach us from Your word – it encourages us. Thank you for your questions – many were on next week’s topic – Hell. The kids in Steve Bishop’s class wrote a bunch of questions – I want to read to you. Do you sleep in heaven? I don’t know Is heaven on a cloud? That is typical. That family must watch the Simpson’s. I think Rob snuck down to write a few of these. Will there be food and water in heaven? Yes. Is there a gold road in heaven? No – that is on the new earth. Are there stores in heaven? No, those are in hell! Will there be Christmas and Easter in heaven? Always Christmas and never winter. Wait – that is just the opposite of Narnia. Will there be animals in heaven? To have a new heaven and earth, there would have to be. Will your specific cat or dog be there? We don’t know – but from what I’ve heard, some of your cats will be in hell. Some want to know if there will be dinosaurs there. I don’t know. Order of Events – how things happen - Death Presence of the Lord – We see that with Stephen – he sees heaven opened and Christ on His throne. To be away from the body is to be present with the Lord 3) The coming/appearing of Christ. We use the term second coming – the Bible uses the term appearing. It can be translated either way. 4) The resurrection of the body In this – I won’t talk about the Rapture – there are different opinions on that and The Millennium – that would take a long time to discuss 5) Judgment 6) New heaven and earth. That is the basic outline When is the resurrection? When/Where/Why/Who/How? Heaven is not possible without the resurrection. On the cross – He forgave us of our sins – but without resurrection – there is no heaven. We can’t understand our eternal state without understanding the resurrection. So I want to give us some understanding of the resurrection. 1 Cor. 15 is about the resurrection – it is a long chapter – I encourage you to read it – and really look at it – it is a very important chapter in the Bible. 1 Cor. 15: 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins The people in Corinth were questioning if there even was a resurrection. What about the dead? If that has not happened, there is a disconnect. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. If Christ has been raised from the dead – he compares this to the first fruits – the first one is telling and the rest will be similar. We will be in line with that – similar to that. It is the beginning of what’s to come. 21 For since by a man [came] death, by a man also [came] the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, Some translations: appearing Those who belong to Christ. We have this order – there will be the resurrection that happens when He returns. When He returns, there will be the resurrection of the dead and the living. 50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep This refers to Christian death… but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. Very simple – very clear – The trumpet sounds, Christ returns, the dead are raised. 1 Thess. 4: 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of [the] archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. What will our new bodies be like? Sometimes when we ask this question, it is like – will I be able to dunk a basketball? Will we have like these superhuman bodies? They had the same questions: 35 But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?" 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable [body], it is raised an imperishable [body]; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual [body.] 45 So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. So what we know – our heavenly bodies are immortal, imperishable – 1 John 3: 2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope [fixed] on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. When He returns – and we go to be with Him – we will see that we are like Him. Our body will be like His body – so this gives us a clue. We can look back to His resurrected body – it wasn’t glorified yet – but what happened – Mary clung to Him – it will be something of substance – something you can get ahold of – something touchable – huggable. We get this picture of being in heaven with just us and God – but God created us to be in community – and to be together with one another with Him. One time Jesus appeared to the disciples and they thought He was a ghost – and what did He say? Touch me – give me something to eat. We are going to celebrate the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Perfect taste buds. Whose body was in the tomb? None? It got raised. What body got raised? The one that was in the tomb. What body will be raised for you? The one sitting in your chair. Romans 8: 10 And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you. Remember, it goes from weakness to power, mortal to immortal, dishonor to glory. What will it look like? It will somehow look like you and will look like glory – When we see Him, we shall be like Him – shining like the sun – but it will be us – and that is what is so important. It was BILL – and all the family in heaven. Not some strange ghost thing going on. So we know that all that we are – it will all be there, but changed gloriously. What will happen to our relationships in heaven? We who are left, alive, will be caught up together with them – and so we will always be with them together with the Lord. You will be with them forever. But there will NOT be marriage, as far as sexual relationships and procreation. But that doesn’t mean that the ones you are close to on earth won’t be the ones you’ll be closest to in heaven. Your family will be transferred into a greater family. In Ephesians 5, Paul talks about marriage – what does he say? I speak of a greater mystery – that of Christ and the church. So marriage goes into this Great Marriage – an eternal marriage that lasts forever. What will the new earth be like? Revelation 21: 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer [any] sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband - New heaven and new earth come together. The old passes away – and that refers to all the corruption. In Revelation – the Sea is referred to as a place of evil – the beast comes out of the sea, the harlot comes out of the sea – and all evil will be removed – is what He is saying. One thing I encourage – read Genesis 1 and 2 and Revelation 21 and 22. The similarities are astounding – and there are so many of these – and like the one cook says – BAM! He kicks it up a notch. . 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, God, His city, His throne – comes down to earth and He dwells with man through all eternity. That is where God will spend eternity –that is the point from Genesis. DWELL – used in Revelation – and John 1:14 – the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. That is God’s intent – to be with His people – that is why He created everything in the first place – in order that He can come and live with us. 4 and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be [any] death; there shall no longer be [any] mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. 5 And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He ^said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true." All evil is gone – all pain, all suffering – so from the practical point of where do we go from here – again, read Revelation 21 and 22 (also, Isaiah 65 and 66 give a good picture) – it gives a good picture of what eternity will be like – So how do we live in light of this? 1 Cor. 3: 12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is [to be] revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire. Here is the deal. What you do on this earth – if it is done right – will go on. You know, however mundane you think your job is – Paul says if you do it unto the Lord, it will go on – into the next world. The simplest thing! Even the drink of water you got for someone – how small is that – but when it is done as unto the Lord – the visiting of the sick and those in prison – those things that seem small continue into the next world, next life, into eternity. So I challenge you – your deeds and service and work of the Gospel – these things – brought together – continue on. And so I urge you – as you go forth – if it is done unto the Lord - it will last - so do it unto the Lord – to understand its value – This just came this week – Christianity Today – talks about bringing clean water to the world – a million children die from not having clean water. Here is what I would say – find a passion. Find a passion and get involved in it. If God is about removing pain and suffering in the future world, we should be about that in this world. And we should be about removing eternal suffering. People will last forever. I give you this one simple challenge – that you would begin praying for – on a daily basis – two people you know who don’t know Jesus – that they would come to know Jesus – every day. And if he shows you to share with them – it will go on for eternity -
