You Only Go Around Twice!
2021 The Best is Yet to Come • Sermon • Submitted
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Nine-year-old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned in Sunday School.
'Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt . When he got to the Red Sea , he had his army build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then he radioed headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved.'
'Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?' his mother asked.
'Well, no, Mom. But, if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!'
You wouldn’t believe me if I told you the truth joke.
What people think about heaven and eternal life now.
Isaac Asimov
Boring
Disembodied
Meaningless
God’s Original Plan for the earth and people did not get foiled by the Devil and Adam.
8 The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.
Jesus came to redeem the entire world.
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
kosmos includes the entirety of Creation.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
“In the beginning God created the UNIVERSE and all that is on this earth.”
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
Heaven
Present heaven.
God’s Dwelling Place with His angels and redeemed people.
8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
God’s Throne where He rules from and Jesus is seated at His right hand.
7 Let us go into His dwelling place; Let us worship at His footstool.
49 ‘Heaven is My throne, And earth is the footstool of My feet; What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord, ‘Or what place is there for My repose?
Our Intermediate Experience.
8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.”
Like a Layover on a plane. Still you. Still have a destination, but it’s a layover.
b. New Heaven.
31 and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.
17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.
13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
26 And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! 27 I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!
kainós compared to néos.
As distinct from néos, “new in time,” kainós means “new in nature” (with an implication of “better”). Both words suggest “unfamiliar,” “unexpected,” “wonderful,” and the distinction fades with time. The NT has kainós for “not yet used” in Mt. 9:17, “unusual” in Acts 17:21, and “new in kind” in Mt. 13:52; Eph. 2:15; 2 Jn. 5; Heb. 8:13 (though an aspect of time is also present in 2 Cor. 5:17; Heb. 8:13,etc.).
Resurrection bodies.
Eating and drinking.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;
Continued Individual identity.
Restored reality of Eden.
We will walk and be with the Lord forever.
Questions to consider:
Discuss with someone how this view of heaven changes your thoughts about the future.
What are some things you look forward to enjoying in heaven?
If you reap what you sow, what are you sowing in this earthly body that you will reap in heaven?