How Many Ways Are There to Heaven?
Notes
Transcript
How Many Ways Are There to Heaven?
Apologetic Message Series for Relentless Youth
Prepared by Kevin S. Johnson
House Party Invite
House Party Invite
Formal invite to my party. There will be everything you could ever want there. Elaborate. See You Then!
No Date - No Time - No Location - Just Description of Event to Take Place.
How would you Arrive?
3 Key Points
3 Key Points
1. What is “Heaven?” Is it real?
1. What is “Heaven?” Is it real?
2. What purpose does “Heaven” have in my life? Now or to come.
2. What purpose does “Heaven” have in my life? Now or to come.
3. What does the Bible say about Heaven
3. What does the Bible say about Heaven
What is “Heaven?”
What is “Heaven?”
What is “Heaven?” Is it Real?
Heaven - The Abode of God and the Angels
Dwelling place whose inhabitants are Spirit in nature Deuteronomy 26:15 “Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven”
Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.’
Opposite of earth. Primary residents are embodied
Heavens - Sky | Air | Space
Genesis 1:1 “God Created the Heavens” First
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 2:19 “...Bird of the Heavens”
Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
What purpose does “Heaven” have in my life now, or to come?
Revelation 21:1-3 New Heaven - New earth.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
What’s the purpose of new earth if we will only live in Heaven?
Heaven is not our home. It’s God’s Home. But we are welcomed and will be there for a time. Heaven is for the dwelling of spiritual bodies. We will be given a NEW body, that will have access to both heaven and earth. But our assignment on earth is restored completely after judgment.
Earth will be cleansed by fire. Not done away with. Just the wicked works of man and the curse of sin. First by the flood (baptism in water) but ultimately by Fire (baptism by the spirit) 2 Peter 3:10
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Good Works will carry over into eternity beyond judgment and fire.
Revelation 21:1-5 paints a picture of our future. In it the heaven and earth we inhabit pass away. In their place are a new heaven and earth. And then the New Jerusalem, later described as the bride of Christ (Revelation 21:9) descends from heaven to earth. Finally, the announcement from the throne of God is that he will now dwell among us.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
This chapter in Revelation is similar in many ways to the description of Eden, the initial home of humanity. It seems like our end is a return to our beginnings, to what we were created to be in the first place.
If this view of Revelation 21:1-5 is correct, then it would appear that our abode in heaven is temporary. And that our permanent home is on a newly recreated earth.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
What does the bible say about heaven
Our reward is “IN” Heaven. But not necessarily “Heaven” itself
James 1:12 Crown of Life - IN Heaven
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
How many ways are there to Heaven?
How many ways are there to Heaven?
Heaven is the Abode of Yahweh.
John 14:6 - “No one comes to the father except through me”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
There’s ONE WAY. Period. The end.
There’s ONE WAY. Period. The end.
Heaven is Real - Heaven is Eternal - And there is only ONE other option
Heaven is Real - Heaven is Eternal - And there is only ONE other option
“How well I have learned that there is no fence to sit on between heaven and hell. There is a deep, wide gulf, a chasm, and in that chasm is no place for any man.” ~ Johnny Cash
“Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Mt 13:40–43).
Outside of Christ - there is no in between - indecision IS decision.
What is your decision?
What is your decision?
Without access to heaven through the son, we will not receive our reward, which is the crown of life!