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Sermon: Wonders of Heaven (Part 2)

Don Ruhl

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Wonders of Heaven (Part 2) 

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • November 25, In the year of our Lord, 2012

Scripture Reader and Reading: Dennis Peugh – Revelation 21.22–27

Song Leader and Song Suggestions: Kevin Michael – “When We All Get to Heaven,” and others about heaven

 

Prelude: 

  1. From last week:
  2. The pleasant sounds of heaven:
    1. Well Done
    2. Inexpressible Words
    3. Angels Rejoicing
    4. Heaven Worshiping God
    5. God Singing

Persuasion: 

  1. Jesus Serving Us

    37 “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them” (Luke 12.37).

  2. Sitting on the Throne of Jesus

    42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has (Luke 12.42–44).

    21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Rev 3.21)

    5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever (Rev 22.5).

  3. Seeing Our Loved Ones Again

    13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep 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 will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will 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 (1Th 4.13–18).

  4. Serving God

    15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev 7.15–17).

  5. Singing

    3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:

    “Great and marvelous are Your works,
    Lord God Almighty!
    Just and true are Your ways,
    O King of the saints!
    4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
    For You alone are holy.
    For all nations shall come and worship before You,
    For Your judgments have been manifested.”
    (Rev 15.3, 4)

    1. Most people believe singing is the primary activity of heaven, but
    2. the text I just read to you,
      1. is the only passage in the Book of Revelation that pictures us singing.
  6. Fulfilling the Family Promise of God

    3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying,

    “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and
    He will dwell with them, and
    they shall be His people.
    God Himself will be with them and
    be their God”
    (Rev 21.3).

  7. God Wiping Away Our Tears
    1. We saw this in Revelation 7.17
    2. Revelation 21.4

      4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away”  (Rev 21.4).

    3. The context shows tears of sadness.
      1. What sadness could we possibly have?
      2. Would it be for those who missed out on heaven?
      3. Yet, the experience of God wiping away your tears
        1. so overwhelms us that we soon forget
        2. the sadness and
        3. we concentrate on the wonders of heaven.
  8. Experiencing the True Tree of Life

    2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations (Rev 22.2).

  9. Seeing God’s Face

    4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads (Rev 22.4).

Exhortation: 

  1. Someone says, “Don, I just want to get to heaven.”
    1. Amen, but why do you want to go there?
    2. I would guess for two major reasons:
      1. You know there are good things there.
      2. You do not want to go to hell.
        1. Therefore, if we just go to heaven and thus avoid hell,
        2. we are happy, and whatever God has in store that is fine with us.
          1. Yet, as I have shown you,
          2. He has told us some things about our experiences in heaven.
  2. Since heaven goes on for eternity,
    1. obviously, I have not shown you very much.
    2. I have not even shown you everything in the Bible.
      1. However, it is enough to know that we want to go there, and
      2. what we know about hell is enough that we do not want to go there.
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