Reservation in Heaven

Welcome

GOOD AFTERNOON everyone, I want to THANK YOU for COMING OUT to REMEMBER the LIFE of GLORIA KRAMER today

MOTHER

GRANDMOTHER

SOMEONE WHO WAS DEARLY LOVED.

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(T) AGAIN THANK YOU all for COMING TODAY...

W/ DEATH (esp. of LOVED ONES),, WE’RE REMINDED HOW FLEETING WE ARE...

WE ALL KNOW IT’S COMING…BUT WE’D LIKE to DENY it AS LONG AS WE CAN...

ONE CAN THAT ALWAYS GETS KICKED DOWN the ROAD...

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WITH DEATH,, THERE is LOSS...

NO LONGER HAVE THEM W/ US...

WE’LL MISS THEM @ UPCOMING EVENTS, ETC.

(T) BUT DEATH DOESN’T HAVE to BE FEARED…& I WANT to SHARE W/ YOU TODAY,, HOW YOU CAN FIND HOPE.

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Share SHORT PASSAGE from GOSPEL of JOHN chapter 14

JESUS ADDRESSING DISCIPLES,, WHO WERE TROUBLED...

EVE of JESUS’ DEATH,,

THEY KNOW JESUS = LEAVING,, BUT AREN’T SURE HOW...

JESUS FORETOLD HIS BETRAYAL BY JUDAS,, & HIS DENIAL BY PETER...

WE CAN ALL IMAGINE for THESE GUYS who FOLLOWED JESUS for 3.5 YEARS THAT THIS WAS HARD NEWS to HEAR.

(T) BUT THEN: JESUS SAYS THIS:

John 14:1–6 (ESV)

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

JESUS BEGINS: "DON’T BE TROUBLED”

IN my FATHER’S HOUSE—THERE ARE MANY ROOMS...

I GO to PREPARE a PLACE FOR YOU.

HEAVEN = HOUSE

W/ INDIVIDUAL DWELLINGS for JESUS’ FOLLOWERS.

YOU DON’T HAVE to BE TROUBLED…BECAUSE JESUS WAS GOING AWAY FOR a PURPOSE...

&& HE’S GOING to COME BACK for HIS FOLLOWERS...

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BUT DISCIPLES DIDN’T GET IT...

“JESUS,, HOW CAN WE FOLLOW YOU THERE?”

“WE’VE FOLLOWED YOU EVERYWHERE ELSE…BUT IF YOU’RE LEAVING,, HOW CAN WE FOLLOW?”

WE DON’T HAVE the ADDRESS in OUR GPS...

BUT JESUS REPLIES,, “I AM the WAY”

**YOU DON’T HAVE to WORRY ABOUT GETTING LOST,, BECAUSE I’LL TAKE YOU THERE”

THE HOPE of HEAVEN & the GIFT of SALVATION... THESE AREN’T THINGS to BE ACHIEVED…BUT RECEIVED...

**AND THEY’RE RECEIVED THROUGH FAITH in CHRIST,, FOR HE is THE ONLY WAY…NO ONE COMES to the FATHER,,EXCEPT THROUGH HIM...

JESUS SPOKE THESE WORDS,, ON the EVE of HIS DEATH..

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THE NEXT DAY,, JESUS WENT TO THE CROSS...& HE DIED for US...

JESUS = SINLESS,, the ONLY ONE WHO SHOULDN’T HAVE DIED...

YET HE UNDERWENT the SHADOW of DEATH,, FOR US.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD LAID DOWN HIS LIFE for the SHEEP...

Psalm 23:1–6 (ESV)

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

DEATH DOESN’T HAVE to BE a REASON FOR FEAR…IT DOESN’T HAVE to BE a FOREBODING SHADOW...

>>> FOR JESUS WENT,, to PREPARE a PLACE FOR US… <<<

A PLACE FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVE HIM BY FAITH...

SO THAT on the DAY of OUR DEATH,, WE ARRIVE THERE in HEAVEN,, AND THERE’S a RESERVATION FOR US...

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APOSTLE PETER WRITES CONCERNING THIS HEAVENLY INHERITANCE:

1 Peter 1:3–9 (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

THIS = HOPE for BELIEVERS…ALL WHO HAVE RECEIVED CHRIST as LORD & SAVIOR… & IT’S a LIVING HOPE.

LIFE = UNCERTAIN...

LIFE has TRIALS & TROUBLES

ENCOURAGEMENT: “IF” YOU’RE a BELIEVER…YOU’VE GOT a HEAVENLY INHERITANCE.

Our heavenly inheritance is:

IMPERISHABLE

UNDEFILED

UNFADING

KEPT in HEAVEN for us

&& WE’RE BEING GUARDED by GOD’S POWER THROUGH FAITH UNTIL the DAY WE OBTAIN it!

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IT DOESN’T FLUCTUATE W/ STOCK MARKET

IT’S NOT RISKY, THERE’S NO CHANCE of BANKRUPTCY

DOESN’T ROT, RUST, GET EATEN AWAY...

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FOR THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE HOPE, YOU CAN BE SAVED TODAY…BY GRACE…THROUGH FAITH...

Romans 10:9–10 (ESV)

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

THE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE = A GIFT to THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED the SAVIOR BY FAITH...

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IF YOU PLACE YOUR FAITH in the SAVIOR...

TRUSTING in HIM for RIGHT-STANDING BEFORE GOD…

NOT of WORKS/INHERENT RIGHTEOUSNESS....

BELIEVING CHRIST DIED FOR YOU & WAS RAISED....

TURN FROM LIFE of SIN,, PROFESS CHRIST as LORD,,

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*YOU CAN HAVE HOPE TODAY...

**IF YOU DON’T HAVE HOPE or HAVE QUESTIONS…I’D LOVE to TALK to YOU AFTER the SERVICE**

CLOSE in PRAYER

**Turn service back over to rick?? to conclude

KING DAVID: VALLEY of the SHADOW of DEATH,,

BECAUSE of JESUS DEATH’S SHADOW = GONE,, FOR DEATH = ENTRANCE to GLORY