Heaven Series
What will not be in Heaven
Good morning, Zion’s Refuge. Welcome everyone to church this morning. Come along with me on our journey through heaven. Turn your Bibles to Revelation 21:4. We will be exploring together things that will not be in heaven. Now, your Bibles are open let us read together Revelation 21:4.
All things are new!
Will there be tears in heaven?)
Revelation 21: 4: God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the formal things are passed away.
It's wonderful what heaven is going to be like. A place where no one ever gets old. A place where people are content and love one another. No more arguments over what church should I attend. No more political parties or no dictatorship in heaven. There will be no sorrow there, it will be a place of everlasting joy. Down here many have cried themselves to sleep because of the despair that they're in with no hope. There will be no crying there or anxiety of the pressures of this world, it will be gone. As I grow older I discover new pains every day, it is hard to believe, but yet it's true, we'll live forever in a world without pain.
In every family we have had mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, little ones an old ones who have died and went on to see Jesus. For some they have suffered many years with terminal cancer, some will die unexpected in a car wreck. Pestilence, storms, war, hate has been the culprit of our loved ones dying and going to be at the Lord. None of these things mentioned will be allowed inside heaven. There will never ever be a funeral in heaven. No hospitals or doctors or nurses to take care of the terminally ill. Sickness and death are banned from that eternal city of God.
Can you imagine, what the angels were thinking when Jesus told them to wake up Lazarus and take him back to earth. After four days being dead in the presence of God he had to return to earth to show us the glory of his son. No doubt angels were surprised when they awaken Lazarus to return to earth. One day all the Saints of God will arise and go to be with Jesus in the air forevermore. Sadly, those who made their own destination without God must suffer the most tragic time in the history of man. They must go through the great tribulation here on earth. I have read from many theologians that if you heard the word of God and rejected it you will not be saved during the great tribulation you had your golden opportunity already. You make a choice of your eternal destiny here on earth to serve God or to serve Satan. The world tells you that this is not true, but the Bible says all will stand before almighty God and give an account for the deeds they have done in this flesh. Whether they have done good on the resurrection of life or whether they have done evil unto the resurrection of eternal separation from God forever in the lake of fire.
No more sun:
Why won’t there be a sun or moon in heaven?)
John 8:12: Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Jesus was Speaking of salvation, and his very existence would eliminate darkness so men could walk in the light of his love.
Revelation 21:22: And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamb is the light thereof.
In heaven there will be no sun for Jesus and God will be the light of that city. There will be one eternal day with the Lord, no night will ever come again.
No Tabernacle:
Who is our Tabernacle in Heaven?)
Revelation 21:3: I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
There will be no formal church in heaven. God himself will be the Tabernacle and he will dwell with us. We don't have to go to church because we're in the presence of God. We don't have to pray for God to intervene in our life because we have completed our earthly journey and we're at rest forever with God.
God warns everyone who will not be in heaven.
Why does God warn people to serve him?)
John 3:16-17: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17. For God sent not his son in the world to condemn the world but the world through him might be saved.
God made a special way that whosoever would call on the name of the Lord and repent of their sins could go to heaven. He came not to condemn the world but to bring the world to a saving grace and to give them an abundant life. John 10:10 is very specific about who Satan is and who God is we must make a logical decision which one that we will serve. 10. The thief (Satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, I am (Jesus) come that they might have life, and they might have it more abundantly. If you never accepted Jesus as your personal savior and live for him. You will die lost and be separated from God in an eternal lake of fire forever. When you accept Jesus as your personal savior the Bible says if you want to reign with me in glory you must also suffer with me in this present world. (II Timothy 2:11-12: it is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 2. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him, if we deny him he will also deny us) , And you must continue in the faith until you have completed your earthly journey. The Bible plainly tells us, he that endures to the end the same shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13: But he that endureth until the end, the same shall be saved.) God gives us a specific list of things that he will not allow in his heaven. It's not written to shame anyone. But it is written as a warning and a safe guard to keep you faithful to god.. Red letters, the voice of God, Matthew 5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Galatians 5:19-21: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20. idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21. Envy, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
The Bible is plain that people who live these lifestyles will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Note: You can turn away from these sinful habits, repent and live for Jesus. Living the Christian life on earth, does allow us to have abundant life on earth, it is a promise of God. But greater still living for Jesus and being faithful will allow us to live in God's heaven forever and ever. God does not want you to be ignorant about the word of God. The warnings to escape the lake of fire is mentioned 10 times more than the beauty of God's heaven. God's will is not for men to perish but to have everlasting life in the presence of God. God is fair and God is just he gives us all these warnings and let's the whole world know that he is God, and there will be a separation from God for those who deny Christ. What takes you to the lake of fire is your disobedience and not believing on the name of Jesus as the savior of the world, and repenting of your sins and living your life for God. The sins that are mentioned in the book of Galatians, that will take you to the lake of fire, are the direct result of following the god of this world who is Satan. John 8:42-47: Jesus said unto them, if God were your father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43. Why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear my word. 44. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45. And because I tell you the truth, you believe me not. 46. Which of you convinces me of sin? And I say the truth, why do you not believe me? 47. He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because you are not of God. I encourage you to turn from your sins and serve a living God who can give you eternal life. Jesus plainly said in Matthew 10:28: fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him (Jesus) which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Final warning in Revelation:
Why does God give us a final warning to live righteously?)
Revelation 21:8: but the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death.
As God is revealing Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior in our eternal home in heaven he gives one last warning to encourage people to live the Christian life. God does not want anyone to be separated into the lake of fire forever. He sent his Son to die for your sins. He gave us the Holy Spirit that dwells in the life of the believer. God gives us guardian angels that protect us in this present world. God gave us the revealed word in the book of revelations to warn everyone that you can escape the tribulation. And you can escape the lake of fire which burneth forever and separated from the presence of the Lord. I am hoping that you will be there in God's heaven. It is the choice that you make either to turn your life away from sin and serve God or simply continue the way you are without Christ. God has spoken to you many times when you stand before God there will be no excuses. Your life is an open book to him, you have nothing hidden from God. He knows all about you and he knows all about me and he came to save sinners.
Invitation:
God has made you and me, for a time such as this. We have never been closer to God than today. Yes, he could come any day or he could prolong for many years. Why wait? The altar is open, the church is praying and the Holy Spirit is calling come home.
Questions:
Will there be tears in Heaven?
Why won’t there be a sun or moon in heaven?
Who is our Tabernacle in heaven?
Why does God warn people to serve him?
Why does God give us a final warning to live righteously ?