Series Beholding The Lamb #27- “HEAVEN- WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE” John 14:1-6
Intro- A Sunday School Teacher asked her class of boys and girls, “How many of you want to go to Heaven, raise your hand.” Every one raised their hand except one little boy. The teacher replied, and don’t you want to go to Heaven? He said Oh yes! But my mom made me promise I would come straight home after church!
Let me remind you that we are in the Upper Room with Jesus and his disciples. The disciples are experiencing serious heart trouble. The reason for their heart trouble is Jesus has just dropped 3 Bombshells on them. He announced that one of them is going to betray him. He has just told them that he is about to go away. And then, Jesus tells them that their leader Peter is going to deny he even knows Jesus. So you can imagine the heart ache they are experiencing. (Bear in mind that Jesus is just hours away from being led through the streets of Jerusalem like a common criminal. He’s just hours from being nailed to a cross. And yet He is more concerned about His disciples well being than his. And so he begins chapter 14 by turning their hopelessness into happiness. And He did so by telling them about Heaven!
I want to preach this… on HEAVEN!
1- Ivor Powell said, “ It is a remarkable fact that few people know anything about heaven.” “People will go to great links in planning a vacation. They consult travel agents. They consult brochures. They obtain passports if necessary. Yet when it comes to Heaven, our Final Destination, we know so little concerning it.”
2- D.L. Moody said, “The thought of Heaven has cheered the soul of many believers…”
3- The hymn writer (Homer Morris) put it like this;
Verse 1
When With The Savior We Enter The Glory Land, Won’t It Be Wonderful There?
Ended The Troubles And Cares Of The Story Land, Won’t It Be Wonderful There?
Verse 2
Walking And Talking With Christ, The Supernal One, Won’t It Be Wonderful There?Praising, Adoring The Matchless Eternal One, Won’t It Be Wonderful There?
Chorus
Won’t It Be Wonderful There? Having No Burdens To Bear?
Joyously Singing, With Heartbells All Ringing, Oh, Won’t It Be Wonderful There?
I want you to know this … HEAVEN IS GOING TO BE WONDERFUL
I. THE PEACE HE SHARED BROUGHT HAPPINESS (vs. 1)
“Let not your heart be troubled”
A. A STRONG FAITH-are you like these disciples? Is your heart troubled this morning? Hear the words of our Lord: Let Not your heart be troubled… “LET NOT” Jesus was saying Don’t allow Fear & Worry to flood your heart! (these were not just hollow empty words…as if to say, don’t worry about it! Jesus was not some cold emotionless leader that could not relate. But he was as the scripture says, touched with the feelings of our infirmities! Hey, our Lord’s Heart was troubled over the thought of Judas betrayal. The Bible says “he was troubled in spirit” (13:21).
Jesus said: Ye believe in GOD…remember he was speaking to Jews. Jews who believed in the God of the O.T. They believed in the beginning God created… Jesus said YE BELIEVE IN GOD BELIEVE ALSO IN ME! Jesus was saying the answer to your heart trouble is STRONG FAITH in God & Faith in ME!
B. A STRONG FOCUS- “ye believe in God, believe also in me”These disciples who were troubled over the news that they had just been given and needed to turn their HEART in the ONLY direction that could give them some relief. They needed to FOCUS their FAITH on GOD. Focus their faith in God who knows and understands what they are going through! Dear child of God, when life crumbles in around you! When you are Overwhelmed with feelings of hurt and misery, FOCUS YOUR FAITH IN GOD! He knows what they were going through!
Here Jesus turns their bitter circumstances to a beautiful city.
II. THE PLACE HE SHARED ABOUT HEAVEN (vs.2) “In my Father’s house”
(I want us to jump over to Revelation 21…Here in John 14, John gives us but a glimpse of Heaven House! That is has many mansions! But in Revelation 21, John goes into greater detail on the subject of Heaven.)
A. JOHN GIVES THE INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY OF HEAVEN
Revelation 21:1-21And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. did you know in the Bible: 1. HEAVEN is called a CITY-for all of you city folks wondering heaven is going to be some slow paced, cloud floating place where we are all strumming harps! Heaven is called a City!
2. HEAVEN is called a COUNTRY- Luke 19:12 “A certain nobleman went into a far country…” Hebrews 11, those heroes of the faith declared plainly that they were Looking for a Country! 3. HEAVEN is called a KINGDOM- 2 Peter 1:10-11Call it what you will.a. It’s HEAVEN because it’s: PREPARED By GOD! Can you imagine the Beauty that awaits the child of God? GOD who made this world in 6 days… has been up in Heaven some 2000 years since he made the statement “I go to prepare a place for you” I have a feeling Heaven is going to be a Wonderful Place!
b. It’s HEAVEN because of the PRESENCE of GOD!3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of Godis 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.(as much as you & I want to see almighty GOD, HE desires to see you & I. One of these days, we’re going to a place where He dwells.
c. It’s Going to be HEAVEN because of the ABSENCE of GRIEF. 4And 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 former things are passed away.(Oh listen, one of these glad days, we are going to say good bye to a world that’s waist deep in sadness and sorrow! I sat at the bedside of many heart broken souls who weeped as their loved ones were dying. I have heard one too many parents cry out of a broken heart because their baby boy or baby girl has gone out into sin and wrecked their lives! I heard ladies cry over a husband that has walked out and abandoned them! But one of these days, GOD is going to wipe away all tears!
B. JOHN SPEAKS OF THE IMPRESSIVENESS OF THE CITY
1. The MEASUREMENTS are Impressive- Rev. 21:15-17 John said it’s 1500 square miles this way…that way…!It’s the city built four-square.
2. The MATERIALS are Impressive- (Rev. 21:18-21) *The Walls were made of Jasper. *The Gates were made of solid pearls. * The Streets were made of Gold.(On earth “man walks on God and worships Gold! In Heaven we’re gonna walk on Gold and Worship God.”)
III. THE PARTICULARS HE SHARED ABOUT HEAVEN
(Have you ever thought about WHAT we are going to do in Heaven?) Billy Graham said that when he gets to heaven he's going to sleep the first ten thousand years. And you know, it kind of sounds appealing to me because I really don't sleep much down here
A. THERE’S GOING TO BE SINGING IN HEAVEN- Revelation 5:9And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and
people, and nation;Oh the singing that’s going to take place in Heaven. To sing the song“Amazing Grace” how sweet the sound…(and there He is)
To sing “Oh What A Savior” and see Him there as the Redeemed of God raise their voices to sing Praise unto Him! In heaven there’ll be no more dead heartless singing.
B. THERE’S GOING TO BE SHOUTING IN HEAVEN
Revelation 19:1And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:(you want to know WHY they’re shouting? Because that aweful time of Tribulation is finally over! That old devil that has hounded us has been chained in the bottomless pit for a 1000 years! The Thunder of Judgment has calmed and Justice has prevailed. That’s why they’re shouting! That’s why they’re saying AMEN!)
ILL- Have you ever been in a service where there was shouting? The other night up on Sand Mtn. when that young lady began to sing:
His heart was broken, mine was mended
He became sin, now I am clean.(About that time- a teenage girl began to shout! Whoooooo! …..! you want to know WHY people are truly shouting? Because they realize it is Truly the Grace of God they are not in hell!...)The cross he carried bore my burden.
His life for mine, his life for mine
How could it ever be?
That he would die, God's son would die
To save a retch like me
What love divine, he gave his life for mine.
C. THERE’S GOING TO BE A SUPPER IN HEAVEN
D. THERE’S GOING TO BE SERVING IN HEAVEN (Rev. 7:15)
ILL- John Jasper was a slave in the south who, after the Civil War, became the pastor of the Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia. Somebody asked him if there had been five preceding Mount Zion Baptist Churches. And he said, "No." And they said, "Well, why did you call it the sixth?" He said, "We just like the name."
Well, John Jasper pastored this great church. And he was speaking to his congregation one day on heaven, and the joys that will await us on the other side. He tried to describe those beauties; the joys of heaven and the glory which will be our portion. His vivid imagination and his emotions were caught up. And as he opened his mouth to speak, he couldn't say a word. He tried several times. And the great crowd sat there in silence. He tried again, and they could see his big Adam's apple working up and down, but still no sound.
Then they saw the tears as they began to seep out of the corners of his eyes and roll down his cheeks. Still, as he would try to articulate, not a sound could be made. Finally, he shook his head and waved his crowd toward the exits. But the great audience just sat there as if enthralled. After several attempts to no avail, he walked back to the side of the pulpit and had his hand upon the door which led to his study. And again he waved the crowd toward the exit, but still they sat there.
Seeing that they wouldn't leave, he composed himself and walked back toward the edge of the pulpit. And leaning over it, he said something like this: "Brothers and sisters, when I think of the glory that shall be revealed in us; when I think of the marvelous provisions of God's amazing grace; when I think of the things which eye have not seen, neither hath ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man to even imagine the things that God hath prepared for his own, I can visualize that day when old John Jasper's last battle has been fought and the last burden has been borne. I can visualize that day when this tired servant of God shall lay down his burdens and walk up to the battlements of the city of God. Then as I stand outside the beautiful gate, I can almost hear the mighty angel on guard say, 'John Jasper, you want your shoes?'"
And I'm going to say, of course I want my shoes; my golden slippers to walk the golden streets of the city of God, but not now.
"Then I can hear the mighty angel as he says, 'John Jasper, do you want your robe?'"And I'm going to say, of course I want my robe; the robe of linen clean and white which is the righteousness of the saints, but not now.
"Then the angel will say, 'John Jasper, do you want your crown?'"And I shall say, of course mighty angel, I want all the reward that's coming to me, but not now.
"And I can hear him as he says, 'John Jasper, would you like to see Moses, the great law-giver who led God's people out of bondage on the way to the promised land?'"And I'm going to say, of course mighty angel, I want to hear Moses sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, but not now.
"Then the angel will say, 'John Jasper, wouldn't you like to seeElijah, the great prophet who called down fire from heaven? Wouldn't you like to shake hands with John, the beloved disciple who leaned on the Master's breast at the Last Supper? Wouldn't you like to shake hands with Paul, the great apostle to the Gentiles and the greatest church planter and soul winner of all time?'"
And I'll say, of course mighty angel, I want to know and to shake hands and to commune with those, the saints of God, who have won the incorruptible crown. Yes, I have some loved ones over there I want to see too, but not now. You see, mighty angel, first of all, before anything else, first and foremost, I want to see my Jesus."
But finally, let me mention,
IV. THE PASSWORD HE SHARES FOR HEAVEN- page 6 If there is one word above any other that will swing open the eternal gates, it is the name of Jesus. It’s not “membership” or “baptism” or “good works”. The Password is going to be JESUS! Do you know HIM as your Lord & your Saviour? Jesus said : Anyone who tries to climb up some other way is a thief and a robber. (Jn. 10:1)
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: and no man cometh to the Father or gets into the Father's house, but by me."
You see, dear friend, Jesus Christ is not just A GOOD WAY to heaven. He's NOT even THE BEST WAY to heaven. He is the only way to heaven.
Conclusion:
HEAVEN is going to be a WONDERFUL PLACE!
ARE YOU GOING?
HAVE YOU THE PASSWORD?