WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.759 Yes, heaven is a beautiful place. 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:10.320 And I'm so excited about this new series on heaven for several reasons. 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:19.440 One, we hear very little about heaven talked about or preached about in the church. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:23.280 But in our culture, there's a lot said about heaven. 00:00:23.359 --> 00:00:25.760 There's been several books written about heaven. 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:30.000 I'm going to just give you some nippets of those books. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:35.200 But I want you to know that heaven is a real place. 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:44.560 In fact, I want you to turn with me to Psalms 33 and then 2 Corinthians 12. 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:48.640 Those are going to be our uh kicking off verses. 00:00:48.719 --> 00:01:01.039 I'll be all over the scriptures today because the title of the message today, and I'm telling you, I again, I can't, I'm I've been enjoying this study so much. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:12.640 But the title of the message today is Why Heaven is such an important place for Christians. 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:18.319 Why heaven is such an important place for Christians. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:21.120 Does everyone have their uh outline? 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:24.480 And I I hope uh several people have commented on that. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:42.000 If you love the back for notes, because I I give you a lot more than uh because by the time I turn in this outline on Tuesday afternoon or Tuesday night or at the latest Wednesday morning, uh then I still got three more days of hours of studying. 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:44.959 And so, and God said, Oh, I needed to put that. 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:47.040 Ooh, I needed to put this. 00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:57.920 And so uh I the hardest thing for preachers and teachers, I know my wife, she can do a whole book in 45 minutes. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:01.200 And uh, did you do Ecclesiastes this morning? 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:08.800 Uh and some of you ladies watch her every morning, I know, and and uh so she's doing a fantastic job. 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:12.479 I I I don't tell her, but I listen to her a little bit. 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:21.520 Uh uh, and I just I'm amazed uh at uh her ability to uh take the scriptures. 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:32.080 In fact, I I tell everyone when I have a theological question, uh I usually go to two people, one of my mentors that's still alive, Dr. 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:35.360 Ron Hawkins, and then I go to Susan. 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:45.439 Because I know if I can satisfy or have the answer for her, I'm not worried about anybody else. 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:56.879 Because she's got such an analytical mind, and uh she'll ask me some of the hardest questions, and sometimes I'll just look up and say, that's a mystery, I don't know, and you don't either. 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:00.240 But uh most times she does have a good answer. 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:16.800 But in Psalms 33, and this series is probably gonna take me at least six weeks because there's so much, because let me let me I wrote a few questions down before we look at the scriptures. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:23.439 Is hey, if there is a heaven, then there must be a hell. 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:27.520 And what is purgatory? 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:29.759 Is that a real place? 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:34.400 Or is it an intermediate location on the way to heaven or hell? 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:40.080 Now, this sounds sacrilegious, but won't heaven be boring? 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:55.680 There's a popular image in our culture that heaven seems to be all of us having a harp and flying around on clouds playing a harp? 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:02.080 Or we're walking down streets of gold and going through pearly gates? 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:07.759 It's almost like it's a fantasy instead of a real place. 00:04:09.039 --> 00:04:15.280 What changes will human beings undergo before they enter heaven? 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:21.519 Will they inhabit, will they inhabit bodies as they do on earth? 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:24.639 If so, what kind of bodies? 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:34.959 What is the connection between how I live here on this earth and what heaven will be like? 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:50.480 I know I'm not saved by my words, but surely, and I love this next statement, how faithfully I live as a Christian has some bearing on my eternal existence. 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:53.839 Actually, a lot. 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:57.920 And then the New Testament talks about rewards. 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:01.600 What are the rewards and how are they given? 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:06.800 In fact, we'll spend a whole sermon on rewards. 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:11.120 And then where exactly are we going to live in heaven? 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:15.920 Jesus said, hey, he's going to prepare a place for us, so what is that place? 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:21.839 These questions and more, like what happens to the planet Earth? 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:24.240 Is the millennial part of heaven? 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:28.240 Do children before the age of accountability die? 00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:30.079 Do they go to heaven? 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:40.800 All these questions, I call them kind of mysteries sometimes, of heaven, I hope to attempt to answer. 00:05:41.120 --> 00:06:10.480 So I'm telling you, you in the next, after these next six weeks, you will be able to have such a hunger and a desire for heaven that you'll want to, hey, live so faithfully for Christ that we literally are trying to bring the future of heaven to this earth. 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:12.399 And guess what? 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:19.199 That is exactly the way we are to live when Jesus in his prayer said, Thy kingdom come. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:21.839 That's what it's supposed to be. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:24.800 We're supposed to be a preview. 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:26.959 Uh-oh, listen to this. 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:33.040 We are supposed to be a preview of what heaven's gonna be. 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:34.959 Is that not good? 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:37.839 Is that not good? 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:46.879 So in Psalms 33, verses 13 and 14, the Lord looks from heaven. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:49.839 He beholds all the sons of men. 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:51.199 Verse 14. 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:58.560 From the place of his habitation, he looked upon all the inhabitants of the earth. 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:02.560 Now turn with me to 2 Corinthians 12. 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:05.279 2 Corinthians 12. 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:17.839 Paul, if you remember, had the opportunity to go to a place called paradise. 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:25.439 Listen to what it says in 2 Corinthians 12, verse 2. 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:41.360 I know a man in Christ who 14 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. 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:48.399 And I know such a man, whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know. 00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:49.920 God knows. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:59.360 How he was caught up into paradise and heard in expressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:11.680 In other words, he was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell. 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:13.439 Wow. 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:15.519 Wow, folks. 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:17.920 Unbelievable. 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:27.920 So I was thinking about all these things, and today we're gonna look at, if you have your outline, we're gonna look at four things. 00:08:28.079 --> 00:08:38.799 We're gonna look at the prominence of heaven, then we're gonna look at the plurality of heaven, and then the place called heaven, and then the preciousness of heaven. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:51.200 And if some of you get your coffee every Saturday morning with me and uh follow my little five to six, seven-minute devotion for the week, we looked at that. 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:58.879 I gave you a little uh, should I say, taste of what I was preaching this morning, and I always do that. 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:05.200 And we looked at why heaven is so precious to the Christian. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:16.399 So I was I found this cute little story when a Sunday school teacher quizzed her class, it was fifth graders. 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:20.240 Remember that show, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:21.759 Remember that? 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:25.440 I watched it twice and I didn't watch it anymore. 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:29.519 Because I was not smarter than a fifth grader. 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:34.879 I couldn't believe they were asking those kind of questions to fifth graders, to be honest with you, but they did. 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:42.559 Well, this was a fifth grade class, and so she asked her her students, how do you go to heaven? 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:44.480 How do you get to heaven? 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:47.039 She got all correct answers. 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:51.759 One says, you don't go to heaven by being good. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:56.080 The other said, you don't go to heaven by giving your money. 00:09:56.399 --> 00:10:00.080 And another one said, you don't go to heaven by being nice. 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:03.840 Well, then she asked, How do we go to heaven? 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:08.000 And all of a sudden there was a visiting little fifth grader. 00:10:08.639 --> 00:10:17.679 He raised his hand before anybody else, and he was visiting the class, and he shouted out, You go to heaven when you're dead. 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:20.480 You gotta be dead. 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:23.519 Pretty good answer. 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:24.960 Amen. 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:28.000 You gotta be dead. 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:32.080 And that was the correct answer. 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:41.200 Unless Jesus Christ returns to take us out of this world through the rapture of the church, every one of us in here will die. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:43.120 We've gotta die. 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:46.799 And as it is appointed unto man, once to die. 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:49.519 And after this, the judgment. 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:51.200 Hebrews 9 27. 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:53.759 So we all know that we're gonna face that. 00:10:53.919 --> 00:11:04.159 But now listen, do you realize that means more than 6,000 people every hour pass away from life to death? 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:09.919 In fact, it's two people every second die. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:13.759 Two, four, six, eight, ten. 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:15.440 Just like that. 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:20.799 Which means 151,000 people die every day. 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:23.360 Is that not staggering? 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:25.840 Is that not staggering? 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:31.279 And a Harris poll said this 82% of Americans believe in heaven. 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:33.840 Here's the sad part. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:36.000 63% believe they're going. 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:38.240 That's real. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:42.159 And that's a pretty uh deficit there. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:43.840 But there's a little talk. 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:51.440 Now listen to the polls from Barner and Gallup's organization tells us, and I was reading this and it staggered me again. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:53.120 Here's what it says. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:55.440 And I cannot believe this. 00:11:55.759 --> 00:12:05.120 Little difference between the morals and lifestyles of Christians and non-Christians in today's society. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:14.240 In other words, you claim to be a Christian, but you don't live a different lifestyle than the non-Christian. 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:15.840 That's what that means. 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:19.039 Now that breaks my heart, folks. 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:21.840 Kids, that breaks my heart. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:27.200 That means when you go to school, that you fit in with non-Christians. 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:30.240 And I'm not saying you ought to not be friends with non-Christians. 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:34.080 You ought to be friends so you can share Jesus and lead them to Christ. 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:38.799 But you ought to have something different than a lost person. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:44.639 You ought to be a light that's set on the hill that cannot be hid, Matthew 5, 16. 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:50.240 And here's the thing: they should be able to detect the difference pretty quick. 00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:52.320 Pretty quick. 00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:58.559 And that's why I wear my Jesus is awesome band everywhere I go. 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:00.399 Turned over. 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:01.600 Get that thing right. 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:03.120 Jesus is awesome. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:04.559 Because it does two things. 00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:12.639 First of all, when I look down and see that, that means my attitude, my actions ought to be honoring to Jesus Christ. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:16.879 Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, you do all to the glory of God. 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:19.120 1 Corinthians 10, 31. 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:28.320 So it makes me aware of how I portray my Christianity to a lost world. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:32.480 Same way, adults in your work arena. 00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:34.080 Same way. 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:37.840 You ought to be different than the non-Christians. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:41.279 But Barner says there's little difference, if any. 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:42.879 Why is that? 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:55.279 I really believe because we don't understand the, hey, the importance of heaven and heaven being brought to this earth through us being lived out. 00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:00.320 And that's exactly what he meant when he prayed his Lord's Prayer. 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:15.200 So today, I want us to really take a serious look of heaven because Ecclesiastes 3.11 literally says that in our hearts as Christians, we have a desire for eternity. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:16.960 Amen? 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:23.279 You ought to have a yearning desire, according to Ecclesiastes 3.11, for eternity. 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:29.519 And if we do, it shouldn't make a difference in who we are and how we live. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:33.200 And that's what we're going to be talking about this morning. 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:40.080 And as we begin pursuing, we see the truths of heaven. 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:52.799 One of the things that I saw, Susan was talking about Ecclesiastes Day, when I went through the book of Ecclesiastes, what I saw with Solomon was that Solomon had come to the conclusion. 00:14:53.039 --> 00:15:09.440 And by the way, let me just say this: if you and I are not pursuing the things of heaven and understanding the things of heaven so that we can live those type of characteristics out in our lives here on earth, then we try to create our own heaven. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:14.799 And the tragedy of that is we do it through worldly things. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:18.399 And that's exactly what Solomon tried to do. 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:31.200 He tried to decide, he was the wisest, the most wealthiest, that he was going to try everything the world had to offer, and I call it the wine through through wine, wealth, and women. 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:35.519 The three W's that run through the book of Ecclesiastes. 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:49.200 But when he had tried all of that, and wealth means power as well, after he tried all that, he said, all of this is futility, all of this is vanity of vanities. 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.120 It's useless. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:14.480 We try to create our own utopia. 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:18.320 And we're all guilty. 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:21.120 You want it, you get it. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:28.320 But only for a season. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:35.519 So let's look at number one, the prominence of heaven. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:40.240 While heaven is not being talked about, hey, it is popping up in the culture. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:45.519 In fact, let me give you a couple of titles of the books, Five People You Meet in Heaven. 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:51.440 Now, when I started reading the review of that book, the only problem with that, it really doesn't talk about heaven. 00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:59.600 In fact, what I saw in this book was written by Mitch Alban, was on the New York Times bestseller. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:03.120 So I had to read the review of it. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:07.759 For more than a year, it was on the New York Times bestseller. 00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:08.640 All right? 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:10.079 Now here's what it said. 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:10.880 Watch this. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:12.720 But it has nothing to do with heaven. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:21.279 It has to do with evaluating how you and me created people on earth when you meet them in heaven. 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:28.720 In other words, when you get to heaven, you meet somebody, you're going to be reminded of how you treated them. 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:30.960 Treated them. 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:33.200 Huh. 00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:37.519 Now, huh, that's pretty, that's that's a thought. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:39.279 That's a good thought. 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:51.680 But that has nothing to do with heaven because if you're living for Christ and you're trying to be all that God wants you to be, pleasing to Christ, you're gonna treat people like you'd like to be treated. 00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:53.119 Isn't that what Jesus said? 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:55.839 Do unto others, you have them do unto you. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:56.960 Amen. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:11.119 And then there's the great series, and several of you older folks read these books, Left Behind by Tim LaHay and his partner. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:14.720 I think there were 11 or 12 volumes, honey. 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:16.960 Oh, she couldn't put them down. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:18.880 Great series. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:24.319 If you want to read about heaven, you ought to read The Left Behind series. 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:30.799 And then the book that Billy Graham sanctioned. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:39.680 And the title of that book, Heaven is for Real, by an evangelical author, Randy Alcorn. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:46.640 And it was published in 2004, sold 100,000 copies in the first two weeks. 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:54.160 So heaven is mentioned in the scriptures. 00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:55.359 Are you ready for this? 00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:57.119 500 times. 00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:04.240 Both the Old Testament and New Testament words for heaven refer to a high and lofty place. 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:09.039 Heaven is a consistent theme throughout the Word of God. 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:16.559 It is discussed in our culture, but the average Christian has little knowledge about heaven. 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:20.160 But you won't after these next six weeks. 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:21.119 I promise you. 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:22.799 You're going to be so excited. 00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:24.880 I'm going to answer your questions. 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:30.880 So that brings me to point number two: the plurality of heaven. 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:49.519 Now, if Paul just, we just read in chapters 12, 1 through 4, if Paul was caught up to the third heaven, that also must mean there's a first and second heaven. 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:50.480 Amen. 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:53.279 Sounds reasonable to me. 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:57.279 So let's look at the first heaven. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:06.720 The first heaven we see in Isaiah 55, verses 9 and 10, we could call the heaven the atmosphere heaven. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:11.119 A place mentioned numerous times in Scripture. 00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:24.240 Verse 9 says, for as the heavens in Isaiah 55, for as the heavens are higher than the earth, and then he goes on, for as the rain and the snow come down from heaven. 00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:33.359 This heaven is the atmosphere surrounding the earth, the domain of clouds and birds, according to also Genesis 1.20. 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:35.599 So that is the first heaven. 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:44.880 We go out and we look up, we're looking at the first heaven where the rain comes, where the snow comes, where the clouds are, where the birds are. 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:51.920 And then we have the second heaven in Genesis chapter 1, verses 14 through 17. 00:20:52.160 --> 00:21:12.240 This heaven is mentioned early in the book of Genesis and is the domain for the hey, heavenly bodies such as the sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, and the galaxies, besides our own galaxy. 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:15.039 There's a lot more galaxy than just ours. 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:23.680 And this we see is referred today as outer space. 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:30.319 Outer space where satellites and planetary space probes travel. 00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:32.640 The outer space. 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:34.880 That's the second heaven. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:44.400 And then we come to 2 Corinthians 12, 2 through 4, right here, the third heaven, where Paul describes being caught up to the third heaven. 00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:46.240 He didn't say where it was. 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:50.559 In fact, he seemed not to know. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:56.720 He says, whether in the body I do not know, whether, hey, or whether out of the body I do not know. 00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:59.759 We can only assume it was a place beyond the atmosphere. 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:08.640 And the stellar heavens, the dwelling place of God, which he calls paradise. 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:11.519 Now think about that. 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:15.279 And I got to thinking about it, all right? 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:19.839 So I did a little more research on the third heavens. 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:21.359 But it's paradise. 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:23.359 And then I got to thinking about that. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:26.960 What did Jesus say to the thief on the cross? 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:31.519 Today, thou shalt be with me, what? 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:33.359 In paradise. 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:46.559 So we know that no doubt the third heaven is the place where you and I will spend an eternity with Jesus. 00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:48.160 And that got me exciting. 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:51.680 I got to looking at more, and I thought about that. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:59.680 And Jesus put it this way: Jesus said to his disciples to pray, our Father in heaven, Matthew 6, 9. 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:03.759 And then in Matthew 5, 16, to your Father in heaven. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:08.799 And then Psalms 11, 4 says, the Lord's throne is in heaven. 00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:14.559 So in this third heaven, we know it's where Jesus is, and his throne is. 00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:54.559 And where will we abode? 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:57.440 In the third heaven. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:00.720 We will abode in paradise. 00:24:01.200 --> 00:24:03.119 That's where we're going to be. 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:05.839 Which brings me to the third point. 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:08.400 The place called heaven. 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:10.480 Turn with me to John 14. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:11.839 You'll love this. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:22.799 John 14 is a classic text on the subject of heaven where we learn from Jesus Christ Himself as He raised the subject to His disciples. 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:27.039 In fact, he is having a major conversation with His disciples. 00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:35.039 He's literally telling them that He's about to finish his mission here on earth and go to heaven. 00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:53.039 And boy, when He tells them that, oh my goodness, especially Thomas, they get so upset because they had never totally comprehended that Jesus had come to this earth not to live, but to die. 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:54.960 They didn't get it. 00:24:55.119 --> 00:25:06.720 They thought he was coming to this earth to overthrow the Roman tyranny and the government and set up a kingdom on earth so that they could live forever, happily ever after. 00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:09.759 That's what they ultimately thought. 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:16.880 So when Jesus said, hey, it's about time, it's about over, I'm going away. 00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:21.279 Man, they just they they had a breakdown. 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:23.680 They had a, I call it a blowout. 00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:33.359 And Thomas, especially, and we see that's the settings of John 14, and notice how Jesus opens up. 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:37.759 He knows they're upset, but he also knows they have not totally understood. 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:42.480 So he's trying to explain it and give them comfort and listen to what he says. 00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:44.720 Let not your heart be troubled. 00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:45.599 Amen. 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:47.519 Listen, can I say something right here? 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:48.960 Let me interject something. 00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:56.880 When you are in a difficult situation and you feel like you heard Benji talk about faithfulness, how God is faithful, and it's so true. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:26:06.799 But when you feel like you just lost everything, that the bottom has fallen out, and you don't know where to turn, you don't know what to do, I've got a good word for you. 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:09.440 Let not your heart be troubled. 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:18.559 Because God's in charge, Jesus is hey, there, he'll never leave you comfortless, John 14, 18 here. 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:19.440 Never. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:22.880 So he tells them right out right out of the shoot. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:24.240 Let me tell you what he says. 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:26.720 Hey guys, I got it. 00:26:27.599 --> 00:26:28.960 You don't have to worry. 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:30.160 I got it. 00:26:31.359 --> 00:26:32.880 I'm gonna take care of you. 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:35.039 In fact, let me tell you what I'm gonna do. 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:36.400 Just calm down. 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:37.519 You be comforted. 00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:40.720 Hey, I'm going away, but let me tell you why I'm going away. 00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:42.640 I'm going away because guess what? 00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:43.599 I got a job to do. 00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:45.519 And you know what that job is? 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:50.400 I've been talking to you about, hey, hey, as a believer that I'm the way. 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:57.680 And if you see verse 6, he finally has to answer, you know, in verse 5, Downton Thomas says, Where are you going? 00:26:57.839 --> 00:26:59.119 We don't know where you're going. 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:06.160 You know, he's so sure he has forgotten everything Jesus has been teaching him for three years. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:09.359 Sound familiar? 00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:11.200 Yes. 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:14.559 And then he says, guys, don't be troubled. 00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:16.160 Listen, here's what I'm gonna do. 00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:18.400 Thomas, you don't have to be upset. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:23.599 I'm going back to heaven so that I can prepare a place for you. 00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:29.599 I'm going back to the Father's house and prepare a house for you. 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:33.759 And where I am, you'll be able to be also. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:38.240 And don't forget, I am the way, the truth, the life. 00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:40.960 No man cometh unto the Father except by me. 00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:42.240 Verse 6. 00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:44.079 Woo! Amen. 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:46.720 He says, Thomas, I got this. 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:47.920 Chill out. 00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:58.640 So the next time you're about to blow every gasket you got, chill out. 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:01.359 He's got this. 00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:02.880 Can I get an amen? 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:05.599 He's got this, folks. 00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:07.119 He's got it. 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:09.279 Isn't that beautiful? 00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:12.480 Hey, he says, I'm gonna take care of you. 00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:23.119 And while we know heaven is referred to in Jesus' parables by many metaphors like country, city, kingdom. 00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:27.599 I like to picture best here, my father's house. 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:35.759 I remember when we were doing all that traveling for almost 14 years at Liberty University, every weekend, all over the country. 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:36.880 All over the country. 00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:37.759 Every weekend. 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:41.599 I preached 42 to 45 weekends out of every year. 00:28:41.839 --> 00:28:43.759 That's a lot of preaching, folks. 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:48.160 And that's after teaching and running a seminary all week. 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:50.319 He said, Well, you work seven days a week. 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:51.119 Yes, I did. 00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:53.279 But it didn't seem that way to me. 00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:57.039 Because it was fun and it's my calling, and that's who I was. 00:28:57.200 --> 00:29:00.559 But when people talk to me about today, well, God has blessed you. 00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:01.440 Yes, He has. 00:29:01.519 --> 00:29:02.480 But let me say something. 00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:04.720 I worked hard. 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:09.039 Nothing is given that doesn't cost. 00:29:10.160 --> 00:29:10.720 Hello? 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:12.160 Young people, listen to me. 00:29:12.319 --> 00:29:14.960 There's no such thing as a free lunch. 00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:18.480 Young couples, you gotta you gotta pay your dues. 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:19.680 You gotta work hard. 00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:25.279 But if you work hard, keep God first, see you open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing. 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:29.920 And Susan was right there by me working just as hard. 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:35.839 So we both don't know what it means to kind of goof off. 00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:39.119 But I'm trying. 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:42.000 I'm really trying. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:46.480 I told Rick the other day, I said, hey, I'm gonna goof off more. 00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:48.160 You gotta work, boy. 00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:56.160 But that's just my DNA. 00:29:56.319 --> 00:29:58.400 That's who I am, that's who I was. 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:05.440 Anybody in here that's successful, you worked hard. 00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:08.400 It didn't come easy. 00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:19.119 So, with that said, now, in this perspective, you got to realize, but we were traveling all over, and one of the favorite places, probably our number one place. 00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:22.160 We lived in Virginia at our house. 00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:24.319 We went when we were back up there this summer. 00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:32.240 We spent about three weeks in Virginia, took RV and just went up there and visited all our old timey friends that were still alive. 00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:46.960 And but we went to our old home outlooking, and it was a beautiful apple orchard, the Blue Ridge Mountains in the backyard, and uh it's just gorgeous, gorgeous. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:54.319 150-year-old mansion on the hill, out our back window in a big, big valley. 00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:55.599 Just gorgeous. 00:30:55.759 --> 00:31:21.759 And we used to go and go and go and go, but on Sunday nights, coming back, driving back, or flying back, we'd be I'd be thinking about, I'm gonna be back, and in the morning I'm gonna wake up in my house overlooking those beautiful apple trees and the mountain, out on my porch, drinking my coffee. 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:29.119 Oh that's about right. 00:31:30.720 --> 00:31:32.240 But it was home. 00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:37.119 It was home, and I was looking forward to going home. 00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:41.680 Well, ladies and gentlemen, we're going home. 00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:46.640 And this home will be for an eternity. 00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:49.839 We won't leave and come back. 00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:54.559 You know, when you're born, when you're born, you get an address. 00:31:54.640 --> 00:32:00.559 You have to get, you know, you have an address and a place of birth and where you live. 00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:02.400 Well, I got news for you. 00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:08.240 Except a man be born again, he shall not see the kingdom of God. 00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:10.240 John 3, 3. 00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:17.599 So we're gonna, hey, if you're born again, you got a place, you've got an address, and it's called heaven. 00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:22.319 And you'll never have to worry about it fading away. 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:25.279 You'll never have to worry about moving away. 00:32:26.319 --> 00:32:28.880 And you'll be there for an eternity. 00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:30.480 Is that not awesome? 00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:32.079 Is that not awesome? 00:32:33.359 --> 00:32:39.920 Well, fortunately, we don't have to worry about losing our home in heaven. 00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:42.880 So, where exactly is the place called heaven? 00:32:43.119 --> 00:32:52.559 We can say with certainty because the Bible, hey, hey, we cannot say with certainty because the Bible doesn't say so, but Ephesians 4.10 says this. 00:32:53.279 --> 00:33:02.559 He who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might feel all things. 00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:07.039 Notice what it says, above all the heavens where Christ ascended. 00:33:07.119 --> 00:33:15.119 And in Acts chapter 1, verses 10 and 11, the disciples were gazing up into heaven where Jesus had gone. 00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:25.759 Now, if language means anything, and it does, we must assume that Jesus' destination was up. 00:33:26.880 --> 00:33:29.359 Now, let me tell you what I found that's very interesting. 00:33:29.519 --> 00:33:30.880 Boy, this is good. 00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:36.240 I saw, because I think I can pinpoint where the third heaven is, I think. 00:33:36.880 --> 00:33:38.720 And I got excited. 00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:40.079 I really did. 00:33:41.519 --> 00:33:45.279 In Isaiah chapter 14, verse 13. 00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:48.400 Here's what it says. 00:33:49.119 --> 00:33:51.599 We kind of get a little different perspective. 00:33:51.839 --> 00:33:59.200 Addressing God, here's what Satan says: I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. 00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:09.360 I will sit, I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north. 00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:11.119 Hmm. 00:34:11.280 --> 00:34:12.719 I got to thinking about that. 00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:18.239 Regardless of where you are on the globe, north is always pointing in the same direction. 00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:19.519 Would you not agree? 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:22.159 That's how compass works. 00:34:22.239 --> 00:34:23.519 That's exactly right. 00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:34.400 So it may be reasonable to conclude, look right here, that heaven is somewhere in the northern heavens beyond the, hey, range of the astrometers' most powerful telescopes. 00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:35.760 They can't even see it. 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:44.559 In fact, they have made the statement that they don't even have a clue what could be out of the outer space. 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:46.719