Heaven: What's Next in Our Great Adventure

A Glimpse of Our Eternal Home

Bible Passage: Isaiah 65:17-25, Revelation 21:1-9

Summary: Both passages depict a profound transformation in the heavens and the earth, promising a future reality where suffering, pain, and death are abolished, and God's people dwell in His eternal presence.

Application: This sermon addresses the longing for hope and the assurance that believers have an eternal home where all things are made new. It encourages Christians to look beyond their present struggles toward the fulfillment of God's promises for a perfect future.

Teaching: The teaching centers on the nature of heaven as described in Scripture. It highlights the joy, peace, and completeness found in being in God's presence, affirming the reality of the new creation and encouraging believers to live in light of this future promise.

How this passage could point to Christ: In both Isaiah and Revelation, we see Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise. It is through His redemptive work that we are assured of a new creation and eternal life with Him, marking the culmination of God's salvation plan throughout history.

Big Idea: Our hope in Christ assures us of a beautiful new home where we will live fully in God’s presence, free from pain and sorrow, motivating us to endure and proclaim this truth.

Recommended Study: As you prepare for this sermon, consider using your Logos library to explore the historical context of Isaiah's apocalyptic vision and its fulfillment in Revelation. Pay attention to the different descriptions of heaven in both passages, and look into the original Hebrew and Greek terms used for 'new creation' to better understand their implications. Examining commentaries on eschatology could also provide insights into the role of the church in the present age in light of this promised future.

1. Promise of Renewal

Isaiah 65:17-19

You could emphasize how God promises a transformative renewal of existence—a new heavens and a new earth—illustrating His commitment to eradicate past sorrows. This sets the stage for recognizing how through Christ, believers receive a foretaste of this transformation, evoking a longing for permanent joy and communion with God, eradicating former pains.

2. Prosperity Restored

Isaiah 65:20-23

Perhaps focus on the detailed transformation where longevity, peace, and fruitfulness portray heaven's restored order. Christ enables this hope of restoration, where present brokenness is replaced by perfect harmony. Encourage believers to trust in Christ's finished work, aligning their present lives with the future order of God's kingdom.

3. Peaceful Reconciliation

Isaiah 65:24-25

Highlight the immediate response of God to His people's prayers and the harmonious coexistence in creation. Stress that through Christ, the peace between the Creator and creation will be fully reconciled. Apply this to how believers can have confidence in their relationship with God now, as a reflection of what’s to come.

4. Presence Assured

Revelation 21:1-4

Lead with the powerful imagery of a heaven where God dwells among His people, wiping away tears, and abolishing death. Through Christ, this is an assured future that inspires endurance amidst suffering, anchoring our hope in His promise of eternal life and wiping away every pain we face today.

5. Proclamation of Newness

Revelation 21:5-9

Consider emphasizing God's declaration of making everything new, sealed by Christ's redemptive power. It’s a call for living with the hope and certainty that stem from Christ’s words, understanding that His victory over death guarantees our future in this pristine creation, empowering us to proclaim this truth boldly.

Heaven Awaits: The Promise of Transformation

Bible Passage: Isaiah 65:17-25, Revelation 21:1-9

Summary: These passages illustrate a vivid hope for believers, painting a picture of a world devoid of anguish and filled with divine communion. The focus is on God's unfailing promise of not just a physical renovation of creation, but an entire experiential shift where righteousness reigns and God dwells intimately with His people.

Application: This sermon offers a powerful reminder that regardless of current trials or suffering, there is a glorious future awaiting believers, where every tear will be wiped away. It encourages Christians to persevere through earthly struggles, fueled by the knowledge of their eternal home established in Christ's victory.

Teaching: The teaching emphasizes the reality of heaven as not merely a place, but a new existence characterized by God's presence and righteousness. It encourages believers to embrace this transformative hope, allowing it to impact how they live and interact with the world today.

How this passage could point to Christ: Christ is the embodiment of this promise; His sacrificial love ensures that believers have access to the new heaven and earth. His resurrection signifies that this future reality begins now, through His presence in our lives, empowering us to spread His love and hope.

Big Idea: Living with hope in our eternal home allows us to find strength and purpose in the present, transforming our earthly struggles into opportunities for greater reliance on God's grace and the joy of future fulfillment.

Recommended Study: As you prepare, consider examining the theological themes of hope and restoration found in both Isaiah and Revelation. Use your Logos library to delve into commentaries that discuss the historical context of these prophetic visions. Investigate the differences in the languages used to portray visions of heaven and consider how this can deepen your understanding of God’s transformative promises.

1. Joyful Renewal Promised

Isaiah 65:17-19

You could focus on the joy and gladness in Isaiah’s vision of a renewed creation where former things are forgotten. Emphasize that even in today’s struggles, believers have a tangible hope in a future filled with rejoicing. Highlight the Christocentric theme by discussing how Christ’s resurrection is the first step towards this new creation. This joyous transformation calls Christians to find peace in God’s promise of renewal.

2. Peaceful Life Assured

Isaiah 65:20-25

Perhaps you could unpack the profound peace and longevity promised in these verses, illustrating a complete transformation of life as we know it. Emphasize that through Christ, this promise becomes personal and certain, inviting believers to live without fear of death or pain. Help your audience see earthly struggles as temporary, deepening their reliance on God’s eternal provision and grace.

3. Dwelling with God

Revelation 21:1-4

Consider describing the imagery of the new heaven and earth as the culmination of God’s redemption plan, where He dwells with humanity. Encourage believers to feel the comfort in knowing that God himself will wipe away every tear, transforming every sorrow. Connect this vision to Christ’s role as Immanuel—God with us—who makes this eternal communion possible.

4. Eternal Transformation Affirmed

Revelation 21:5-9

Maybe reflect on God’s declaration, "I am making everything new," as a present and future reality through Christ. Invite believers to internalize this transformation as part of their identity now, moving them to reflect hope and renewal in their daily lives. Stress that the assurance of this eternal home shapes their mission and purpose in the present world.

Christians often talk about living with God “in heaven” forever, but in fact the biblical teaching is richer than that: it tells us that there will be new heavens and a new earth—an entirely renewed creation—and we will live with God there. . . . There will also be a new kind of unification of heaven and earth. . . . There will be a joining of heaven and earth in this new creation.1323 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology

Wayne Grudem