Greetings to you, friend! I’m Mack Lyon. The program’s “In Search of the Lord’s Way.” According to one pole, seventy-one percent of Americans believe in heaven and hope to go there. Are you one of them? If so, what do you know about heaven? Did I hear someone say, “Not much?” Then what makes you think you want to go there? The title of our program today is “Let’s Talk About Heaven.” Stay tuned.
Welcome, my friend, to our Bible study program “In Search of the Lord’s Way” to become a Christian, and to live the faithful Christian life, and then go to heaven when life has ended here. Oh say, friend, we’re so glad you have joined us. We pray we’ll both be blessed.
A few weeks ago I was invited to speak at a community affair in the Texas town. I was asked to speak on the subject: “Let’s Talk About Heaven.” Then, I was unable to go. It was one of those very, very, very few times in my seventy years of ministry that I had to call and ask to be excused. But I had done a lot of thinking about heaven, and I want to share some of my thoughts with you today. And I am glad you have joined us.
If you think you might want a free printed copy, or a CD or an audio cassette tape of the message, you might want to jot down our address now. It’s In Search of the Lord's Way; P.O. Box 371; Edmond, OK 73083. Our e-mail address is searchtv@searchtv.org. Our website address is www.searchtv.org. And our toll-free telephone number is 1-800-321-8633. Ken Helterbrand is going to lead us now as we sing together; and then I’ll be back and we’ll read from Revelation chapter 21.
We are reading from the book of Revelation chapter 21; we’re beginning at verse 16 and reading down through verse 21. Remember now that the book of Revelation is written in signs and symbols, and God gives us a description of heaven in signs and symbols that we will understand; and so let’s read what He says about it. “The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” Now let us pray. Holy Father, we are so thankful that You gave us this beautiful description of the heavenly city. Help us to appreciate it, desire it, and hope to go there; and make preparations for our going. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!
The word “heaven” appears in the Bible 582 times: 327 times in the Old Testament and 255 times in the New. If a person believes the Bible and respects its teaching, he believes in heaven. Any belief system that denies the hope of heaven denies the credibility of the Bible and reduces man to the level of the beasts of the earth and the birds that fly above us in the sky. Still occasionally, we do hear or read of someone preaching or teaching that whatever heaven there is, is what each person makes for himself right here on the earth. However, the place the Bible calls “heaven” is not our own doing or “fantasy.” It isn’t a condition of the mind. Heaven is a real place, my friend. It’s just as real as the town or the city in which you are now living. No! Heaven is not a mere “invention of the clergy,” as you may have heard it said. It’s a place, a real place!
Jesus was talking with His disciples just before His betrayal and death by crucifixion and He said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14, verses 1 to 3). The Bible doesn’t leave us wondering about where Jesus went. In the first chapter of Acts the Holy Spirit caused it to be written where Jesus went, and where He is today. Verses 9 to 11 say: “Now when He had spoken these things, while they with Him (that would be the eleven apostles; Judas had gone and hanged himself) “while they were watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven.” Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ is in heaven preparing a place for all faithful Christians.
In 1 Peter chapter 1, verses 3 to 5 the apostle Peter wrote by inspiration about heaven as our inheritance. He said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again unto a living hope through the resurrection of the dead, to an inheritance (1) incorruptible (2) undefiled and (3) that does not fade away, (4) reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed at the last time.” Where is the Christian’s inheritance? It’s in heaven, friend. Despite the fact that we can neither see it, or touch it, or smell it, or taste it or hear it; well, it’s real, friend. For, "We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary; but the things which are not seen are eternal." That is 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 18.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 2 the apostle Paul wrote: "I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago – whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows – such a one was caught up to the third heaven," which indicates that according to Scripture there are three "heavens." The first is the atmosphere immediately above the surface of and we might say surrounding the earth in which the birds fly and the clouds gather. The Bible speaks of the "fowl of heaven" in Genesis 7:23. The second heaven is above that one and is what we call "outer space." It's where the sun, the moon, the stars, the planets are. David said, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork." That is Psalm 19 and 1. Well, we're learning more and more about this vast area of our universe and the more we learn of it the more the heavens declare the glory of God.
The third heaven is the eternal dwelling place of God (Isaiah 66 and 1). It's up above all the others whence the son of God came to dwell among us as a man (John 3:13). "He who descended is also the One who ascended far above the heavens, that He might fill all things” (Ephesians 4 and 10). It is also the eternal dwelling place of the saints (2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 1). No one, for emphasis sake I’m repeating, no one has ever gone into the third heaven, into the presence of God, and returned to tell what he saw and heard. Now, if you have been having any business dealings with someone who says he’s been there for three or four or five days, and he starts telling you what he saw and what he heard; well, you had better start counting your change. If the Bible is true, he’s not!!! The apostle Paul went there, but was not permitted to tell what he saw and heard (2 Corinthians 12:1 to 4). The apostle John was given a vision of it while he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos, and that is in the book of Revelation, but he was not actually there. So, don't you be deceived by these people going about the country with false claims of special visits and privileges with God. What is heaven like? Well, no one has ever gone there and returned to tell us what he (or she) saw and heard; it must be obvious then that we are dependent on the word of God for what we know about heaven. Now we read a brief description of it from the book of Revelation chapter 21 awhile ago.
But what excites me about Heaven is that it's my eternal home! I'm no longer a stranger, a foreigner and a sojourner in this world. I'll be at home with my Heavenly Father, and my older brother Jesus Christ, and with all the redeemed souls of all the ages past, present and future! What's important to me is that there shall not enter into heaven anything that is unclean, that makes an abomination or a lie. (Revelation 21:8). The fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars will be turned away (Revelation 21:8). And, those whose garments have been made white in the blood of the Lamb of God slain at Calvary will be citizens there.
I'm thrilled over the fact that there be no sickness, and suffering and dying over there. People whose lives have been literally filled with pain and sorrow and have every right to long for a place where there will be none. Well, they are going to be there. People who have had what seems to be more than their fair share of tragedy and dying and disappointment have a legitimate reason to look forward to heaven where there will be no more of all of that. Call it "pie-in-the-sky-religion" if you like. I believe it and I am not ashamed to say it. Oh say, my friend, don't you want to go there?
There is another question that you may be asking. It’s, “Will we know each other in heaven?” Every parent who has buried a child; every person who has had to give up a husband or wife, or mother or father, some one who was especially dear to him, asks this question. Yes! I believe the Bible teaches that we will retain our identity, our personality by which we are identified in the life beyond. We will not be recognized by our physical bodies, because that isn't always possible even here in this life. Quite often when I’m out over the country preaching, someone will come rushing up to me and ask, "Do you remember me? I was a little girl when you knew me." Or, "You are the first preacher I remember when I was a child." Of course, I don't recognize them! Their bodies have changed so that I couldn't be expected to know them now. Would I recognize them by their bodies in heaven? No, not any more than I do here; but our personalities, whatever that is, are not always dependent on our physical appearances.
The Bible says that when Abraham, Isaac and Jacob died, they were "Gathered to their people" (Genesis 25 and 8; and 35 and 39; and 49 and 33). David believed he would see his child who died at birth. He said, "He is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me" (2 Samuel 12:23). The apostles recognized Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17:1 to 5). So, there's every reason to believe that we will know one another in heaven. Heaven would not mean much if it were not true; if we did not remember past events and associations, if we were total strangers, non-entities there; there wouldn’t be much meaning left.
But, that brings up another question some of you have asked. “How can I be happy in heaven if I am conscious and aware that a close relative, or perhaps a neighbor or a friend or a business associate is not in heaven, but in hell?” I don't really know. But, let me ask you this question: Are you happy now? Does the fact that this close relative, or neighbor or friend or business associate is unsaved; does that trouble you now so that you can't sleep at night, or you can't enjoy life here in this world? Well, if it doesn't disturb your happiness or your routine here, it isn't likely it will there. I have but one answer to all such "unknowns." It’s my faith in a wise and just God. If you grant me that premise, I have the key that unlocks the door of the mystery to the things of the spirit for which there is no other key. Yes, while some are in heaven others will be in hell, and the sincere Christian will regret the loss of just one person in hell. Yet, somehow God has promised eternal happiness there, eternal bliss, and I believe Him. Let’s pray about it. Holy Father, we are thankful for the promises of heaven and the description of it that we have—that it sparkles, that it’s radiant, that it’s a jewel for us in the world to come. And we pray that we have inspired somebody to want to go there, above all things in this world. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!
My friend, I don't want to miss heaven. I hope to go there. I want more than anything else in all of this world to go to heaven. That's the ultimate goal of my life. How about you? Don't you want to go there, too? A certain father had a son who was nearing the age that he would be leaving home and going out on his own, so he thought it was time to have a father-son talk.
"Son," he asked, "what are your complete plans for the future?" "You mean my whole life?" "Yes." "Well," the son replied after thinking it over, "when I get my degree, I am going to take that engineering course or that engineering job that I have been offered." "Good! What then?" the father asked. "Then, Sue and I will get married, as soon as we can." "Fine, Sue is a splendid girl. What then?" "Well, if all goes well, I should get a promotion the first of the year, and more money, and we'll buy a house in that new section out there by the lake." "And what then?" the father asked. "Well, I am sure we will want at least two children." The father smiled and asked, "What then?" I figure we'll need to set up a fund for the children's education; and by then we should be able to afford a trip around the world that I have always wanted." "Well,” the father said, “that sounds exciting! What then?" "Well, I’m hoping they'll offer me a partnership in the company." "And after that?" "I guess that’s about it. If I can do all these things, I figure I’ll just about have it made. And we'll settle back and enjoy our grandchildren." "But what then?" the father insisted. "What do you mean, Dad? That will be it. Everything! What more could you ask?" "Well, son, if your hopes and dreams materialize strictly along those lines, you'll have missed the greatest blessing of all." The son was puzzled a bit, and taken back. "Son, if you miss heaven, you will have missed it all."
My friend, is heaven in your plans? Oh say! You have made plans and you’ve prepared for everything else. Are you prepared to go to heaven? What makes you think you’ll enjoy being in the presence of God in heaven, if you don’t enjoy it here? I beg you: put your faith in the one God sent to save us, Jesus Christ. Turn from those things in your life that we talked about that won’t be in heaven, and live again the death of Christ, be buried with Him in baptism, and rise as He did from the grave and that you can walk in newness of life, according to Romans 6: 3 and 4. Do it today! Will you?
For a free copy of today’s message about heaven, simply address your request to In Search of the Lord's Way; P.O. Box 371; Edmond, OK 73083; by e-mail to searchtv@searchtv.org. Our toll-free telephone number is 1-800-321-8633. We hope to be back next Sunday with another message from the Bible. God bless you. We pray; we love you.
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