Sermon Tone Analysis

HEAVEN - SEEING THE UNSEEN

THE PRESENT HEAVEN PT.2

Sunday January 26, 2020

Scripture Reference: 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Intro.

A. Last week we began talking about The Present Heaven.

We are trying to answer the question that many people have which is "What happens to me when I die?"

We are seeing that the Bible reveals to us that when we die we do go to Heaven, but it is not the Heaven that will be our eternal residence which the Bible calls the New Heaven and New Earth.

I noted last week that there is no biblical evidence for the idea that there will be a place we can go after we have died if we did not die as followers of Christ and get our lives right with God so that we can eventually go to Heaven.

That idea comes very close to what is call Universalism which believes that everyone no matter who they are what they have done or what they believe will eventually end up in heaven.

1.

The biggest problem I see with the idea of Universalism is that it would seem to discredit Jesus because Jesus talked a lot about Hell and he spoke of a judgment to come for those who were not trusting in God.

Nothing in the words of Jesus can be used to justify the idea of a purgatory and certainly if the opportunity of a second chance to come to faith in God existed would it make any sense whatsoever that Jesus would not speak to it?

B. I finished the message last week addressing the question "Will we have physical bodies in the Present Heaven or will we be spirit beings?

Once again I see the preponderance of evidence from the Bible shows us that we will not be spirit beings but that we will be physical beings, but I also believe those physical bodies will not be like the ones we have now.

One of the reasons I say this is because Revelation shows us scenes in Heaven where those now in Heaven see what is going on down on earth.

I can't see what is going on in Heaven right now with the eyes I have now, but it seems that when we enter the Present Heaven we will have greater capabilities than we have now.

Trans.

So let's talk some more about what life will be like in the Present Heaven.

I. WILL THE PRESENT HEAVEN BE A PHYSICAL PLACE?

We already answered the question of whether or not we have physical bodies so the answer to this next question will be obvious but I want us to talk about it any way.

A. Is The Present Heaven A Physical or Non-Physical World?

1.

If God gives us a new physical body when we die and enter the Present Heaven it certainly makes sense that we will need a physical world to live in with that body.

[] This reminds me of an episode of Star Trek Next Generation.

Two of the characters in that episode found that their bodies were "phased" in a transporter incident.

Now if you are not a star trek fan I can't take time to explain what a transporter is but I don't think you need to understand this illustration.

When these two were phased they were in the physical world, but they were not physical.

They saw and heard everything that was going on but they had no way to communicate and being in this non-physical state they could pass through matter.

My point in all of this is that they were extremely frustrated because they were around all these people and things but they could not communicate or interact with them.

This is what life would be like if we were physical beings in a non-physical place.

We would to use the old expression, like a fish out of water.

This would definitely not be Heaven.

1.

For some it seems that referring to Heaven as a physical place somehow makes it less sacred.

It is as though we are viewing physical and spiritual things as exact opposites.

One pastor objected to the idea of Heaven being a physical place by quoting Jesus' word in John 4:24 "God is Spirit."

I totally agree God is Spirit, but that does not make Heaven a non-physical place.

Here is something to consider, Heaven is a created place God is not created.

God made Heaven for us and since God created us as physical beings it only makes sense that the place God created for us will be physical.

2. Now I realize that we are treading through some rather deep theological grass right now, but what have I been saying from the very beginning about this series?

I have been saying that we need to have an accurate picture of Heaven based on what Bible says, not simply based on what I have come to believe or want to believe.

The reason this discussion is important is so that we do not find ourselves ascribing to that false theology John addressing 1 John of Gnosticism.

To believe this way, that physical things are evil and spiritual things are good is to believe that God created evil since He created these physical bodies.

As a spiritual being I get to choose what I do with this body.

My body is not evil it is what I do with it that can make it good or bad.

3.

Here is further evidence that the Present Heaven is a physical place.

Let's look at the words of Jesus to the thief on the cross.

And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."

Luke 23:43 (NLT) The key word here is the word "paradise" what does that word mean?

The Greek word here refers to a park.

It was a word used to describe the gardens of Persians kings.

Here is a photo (show Photo) of a garden King Cyrus built back in 550 BC.

Guess what he called this garden?

Paradaisia and I think you can guess what that name means.

Now think about this, here is a thief who has been condemned to die for his crimes and here he hangs on a cross.

Then Jesus tells him that very day he would be with him in a place fit for kings!

Friends that ought to cause us to just about if not in fact, jump out of our skin!!

We are no better than this thief and yet God is going to take us from this broken and sinful world and place us in a place fit for kings!

PRAISE THE LORD!!

4. Now some believe the Jesus was just speaking in the language of allegory.

That He was not speaking of an actual place, but the fact is there is no evidence to support that idea.

If we are not going to be physical beings how do enjoy such a place?

Imagine seeing the flowers but not being able to smell them.

Imagine seeing a banquet table filled with all the wonderful foods we enjoy but not being able to smell the food or taste the food?

Here is another example from the Bible.

"Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.

To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God." Revelation 2:7 (NLT) Here we are told that the Tree of Life that was in the Garden of Eden has been restored in Heaven.

Now let me ask you to consider a question that I bet most of us never have thought of, I know I never did.

After the fall was Eden destroy?

The Bible seems to indicate that it was not, but that in fact it was restored and is now a part of Heaven.

If Jesus' words to the thief are true then it would appear that when we die we will experience the Eden that Adam and Eve were placed in.

Trans.

Now I want us to move along to consider one more question before we conclude our discussion on the subject of the Present Heaven.

II.

WHAT WILL OUR LIFE BE LIKE IN THE PRESENT HEAVEN?

Here I want us to look at three more questions before we leave this discussion of the Present Heaven.

#1 Will we remember things from earth when we are in Heaven?

#2 Do people in the Present Heaven see what is happen in our lives today?

#3 Do people in Heaven pray for us?

OK let's take these questions one at a time.

A. Will We Remember Things From Earth When We Are In Heaven?

1.

I want to say once again that in this study I have been doing on Heaven I have had a lot of ideas and notions about Heaven discredited.

It seems that I have accumulated a lot of excess baggage along the way on my spiritual journey when it comes to Heaven.

This question addresses one of the concerns I had about life in Heaven.

I can't say where this idea come from but I have believed for a long time that when we got to Heaven basically our memories would be wiped clean.

I believed that I would not remember anybody or anything, but that really does not square with the Bible.

Let me remind you of what that youth pastors wife said in my first message.

"When I was seven, a teacher at my Christian school told me that when I got to Heaven, I wouldn't know anyone or anything from earth.

I was terrified of dying.

I was never told any different by anyone.... It's been really hard for me to advance in my Christian walk because of this fear of Heaven and eternal life."

2. Let's see what the Bible says.

"When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony.

10They shouted to the Lord and said, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?" Revelation 6:9-10 (NLT) The scripture tells us that these people who were martyred for their faith remembered what happened to them.

Once again if we use the reasoning God has given us we would have to assume that if we remember this we would remember other things as well.

Let's go back to the story of the rich man and Lazarus "But Abraham said to him, 'Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing.

So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish."

Luke 16:25 (NLT) Notice that Lazarus is being comforted and the only reason he would need to be comforted was if he remembered the things that had happened to him.

Even beyond that were the very words Abraham said to this man.

He said to him "remember".

How could he do that if his memory had been wiped clean?

3.

Last week I said I believe there will be two judgments, one to determine where we will spend eternity and one to determine our rewards.

Paul said this in 2 Corinthians "For we must all stand before Christ to be judged.