There's No Place Like Home

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Introduction

Given the range of activities today, I’ve prepared a shorter message.
We’ve been busy of late:
We had paintball with the teens last Saturday
We had revival this past week (Wonderful time) - btw: If you missed it, you missed it. And if you could have been here, but chose to miss it, shame on you.
Homecoming today - w/ inflatables, wonderful singing & food.
I’m pleased with what has transpired & I’m excited about what is coming - but what is most important is what’s happening right now:
NOT the revival services that we had - for we can’t live off past blessings
NOT for the physical food to come - for we cannot live by bread alone:
But just as Jesus said ‘but by EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD!’
Today I want to preach on a simple thought which is ‘There’s No Place Like Home’
I’m sure you remember Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz clicking her heals together repeating this phrase ‘There’s no place like home’
There is no place like home - and I believe that to be the same for your home church. (Zach / Dillon could testify to this)
I’ve preached & sang at all sorts of different churches - some good churches, some not so good. But there is no place like your home church.
There’s a comfort & familiarity to it.
(Ill.) I am what you call a ‘homebody’. There’s no where else I’d rather be than home. Some people like to travel, see the world - I’d rather stay at the house. That’s just the way I am.
But I’m not talking about an earthly abode today. I’m talking about a place that Jesus spoke of in John. 14.
Joh. 14:1-3 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
I don’t know about you - but I’m going to that home one day! And I’m excited about it!
So for a few moments today, I want to preach about this home, because ‘There’s No Place Like Home!’
The first of the two points that I have for you today is that It’s an Unblemished Home

I. It’s an Unblemished Home

No Sin (v27a)
Sins that are Before Me
I’m tired of living in a sin-sick world!
I’m tired of living in a world that celebrates sin!
Sins of nakedness & fornication - constantly on the television
Kardashian trash, The bachelor / Bachelorette - sleeping with everybody all the time. Or hearing the LORD’s name used in vain
I’m tired of driving down the road or going to Wal-mart and seeing mostly naked people running / strutting around thinking they’re something.
Or how Being queer is the new cool ‘in’ thing
Not too long ago, we understood that was sin! Now it’s not only excused, but celebrated - Pride Month, Pride Flag - but my Bible tells me:
I’m tired of living in a world that rewards sin!
Cheating, Gambling - ‘City Perks’ on every corner. (Ill.) I had to explain what a City Perk was to bro. Ray Dombeck the other day)
Porn is a 97 billion dollar a year industry - 13 billion in the US alone!
These are just a few of the sins that are Before us - but what about those sins that Beset us
Sins that Beset Me
Whether it be pride, ungodly anger, vanity, contempt, foolishness. Paul said: Rom. 7:22-24 “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
In this world, we have to deal with all these sins - all this wickedness that is before our face - all that beset us, but not in our Future Home! No, that’s an unblemished home!
No Sickness (v4)
No Covid
No Pandemics, no epidemics, NO VACCINES NECESSARY
Guess what - Heaven doesn’t require a vaccine card to get inside!
No Covid there - there’s no flu there, there’s not even the sniffles!
No Cancer
No more wicked diseases that eat up the body from the inside.
No Heart Attacks or strokes,
No tennis elbow’s or bum knees
No headaches or heartaches, no sore throats, chills or fevers
No blindness or palsy, none that are deaf or dumb
No Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, PTSD or depression
Many of those things have affected us either first or second hand in this land - but not in Heaven! There’s no sickness in that home that Jesus has gone to prepare!
No Sorrow (v4)
All of the things that brings us heartache - all of the trials that we face
Every casket that we grieve over.
Every loved one that’s lost in sin
We’ll never suffer another broken heart in that Heavenly Home! God will wipe away our tears
There’s no sorrow in that Home!
No Satan (v20:10)
Rev. 20:10 “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Boy I like that verse!
(Ill.) I went down to the groves Friday night to see what Ashteroth was up to. (Y’all will get that later), and I noticed something - St. Mary’s scored a touchdown and I started clapping - then I heard someone say ‘Way to go Devil’s!’ I literally spend my days fighting that old serpent & lamenting the ways in which he’s beguiled me and my country - I HATE THE DEVIL!
And do you know what? Satan will not be in Heaven! Thank God for that!
It’s an Unblemished Home - nothing wrong with that place! It’s hard for us to imagine, but it’s going to be perfect! Secondly, It’s a Unique Home

II. It’s a Unique Home

The Cornerstone (v3; 22)
Do you know what’s not there? Politicians! Just King Jesus!
Peter preaching in: Act. 4:10-12 “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Yes, church we’re going to see Jesus! He’s not the meek Lamb who willing was led and crucified - He’s the mighty King Jesus!
We’re going to get to lay our head in His bosom, and crowns at His nail-scarred feet!
I met Jesus 21 years ago
I’ve spent hours to Him in prayer
I’ve preached about Him countless times
I’ve led others to Him
But there’s coming a day when I’m going to see Him face to face!
(Ill.) We went to that walk-thru play in Parkersburg a couple years ago - where you go and try to get a glimpse of Hell, then they lead you up to another room - you walk through a narrow passage then I looked out and I saw a man (actor) portraying Jesus, and I was just overcome! I walked up there with tears and just hugged that guys neck - boy that was just a glimpse of the joy that I’m going to experience when I see my Jesus!
Make no mistake - Jesus should be in the midst of every home - but in that home, He’ll be present physically
The Companions (v24)
You know that we’re going to be reunited with all those in Christ who’ve gone on before!
Those husbands & wives, mommas & daddies, grandma’s & grandpa’s, sons & daughters - we’re going to see them again! And the best things about it is, we’ll never part again!
I love reading out of 1Th. 5:13-18 “And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Aren’t you glad for the promises of God?!?
We have companions there in that Home!
The Constants
There are some things that you can count on for sure there. Things that will never change.
The Light (v23-24)
Darkness will never creep into Heaven - we’ll forever enjoy the light of Christ!
We talk about the hilltops & valley’s here on earth, but church, there’s no valley’s in Heaven! No need for it! No lessons to be learned & no sorrows to endure!
We’re there where the light will forever shine!
So we see the light, another constant we find in v20:5
The Length (v20:5)
(Ill.) I’m 47 years old now - it seems like yesterday:
That little boy would sit on my lap on the recliner.
That little girl was small enough to sleep on my chest.
Just a bit before that I was tossing ball with my dad on the side of the house after he got off work
Or going to the swimming pool with my momma
Yes, just a short time ago - but in reality it’s been years - and they just keep going by faster! I’m far closer to cashing a social security check than I am to when I cashed my first paycheck.
One day before you know it, my children will be discussing who will preach my funeral. James said it right in Jam. 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
But over yonder - that’s another story entirely! Time and it’s effects will be a thing of the past! We’ll be there forever & ever & ever!
The Choice (v6-8)
It’s a Free Home (v6)
I go up to Sistersville and I pass some mansions. Homes I will never be able to afford. But I believe that what Jesus has gone to prepare will make those look like cardboard shacks!
And do you know what? It doesn’t cost me a thing! Because Jesus paid it all!
Listen to me - there’s only one way to enter into that home that I’m speaking about today. You can’t earn it. You can’t buy it. It’s paid for by Christ and is acquired through faith!
You and I in our natural state are sinners in the eyes of God - by nature & practice.
But Jesus knowing our helpless state left the glory of Heaven and suffered the penalty for our sins upon the Cross. The Just for the unjust.
And the Bible tells us in Rom. 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Rom. 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rom. 3:22 “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”
It’s a free home - to all who CHOOSE to believe (put their faith) in the LORD Jesus Christ
And for those who do - we have a new family
It’s a New Family (v7)
We now have a Heavenly Father - and brothers & sisters in the faith, who we’ll enjoy eternity with in Heaven
But lastly we see here:
There’s a Fate for those Outside (v8)
God being Holy and Just, cannot excuse sin without punishment. All those who die in their sins will experience a place called the Lake of Fire. Though the thought is terrifying, I don’t say that to scare you, I tell you this simply as a warning… You can heed it or ignore it, but the consequence will be yours to bear either way.
But I am going to Heaven - and I hope you’ll join me!
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