October 22, 2006
Rev. Terry D. Campbell
The Connection @ Bradley

What's Heaven Like?
Philippians 3:20-21

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,²¹who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

Ask congregation: What is heaven like? (Let them answer several answers)
People think heaven is :
* Where good people go when they die.
* Where you might become an angel.
* Where we will get wings and play harps.
* Where we will rest and do nothing forever.
These are all misconceptions about heaven from popular culture, movies, TV. Tonight let's look into heaven using the God's written word, the Bible.

I. God is there in fullness.

If our citizenship is in heaven, ask-What is the one thing that makes heaven-heaven? (Let them respond) The thing that makes heaven-heaven is that God is there in fullness. Sure, God is here, but not in fullness experienced in heaven. In heaven God is face-to-face. Heaven has no value in and of itself. It is God who makes the place called heaven, heavenly.

We pray each week affirming, "Our Father, who art in heaven" and then affirm that God's will is done perfectly there. Heaven is the extension of the character of God. The kind of God-God is, determines the kind of heaven-heaven is.

We've never known perfect life-let alone having it forever. Not even when you were young and you got that gift you wanted so badly; not even when you were first married and "so in love" you almost exploded with joy; not even when your children or grand children were born and they were so precious and a miracle of God. Nothing we have known can in any way begin to match the complete life we will experience with God in heaven.

Now this brings up something interesting. In 1991 a Gallup poll showed that 78 percent of Americans expect to go to heaven when they die. However, many of them hardly ever pray, read the Bible, or attend church. They admit that they live to please themselves instead of God. I wonder why these people would want to go to heaven. In an article title, "Are We Ready for Heaven?" Maurice R. Irwin points out that only 34 percent of the American people who call themselves Christians attend church at least once a week.i Why do so many people who don't seem to care about God or doing God's will on earth, want to spend eternity doing just that? Wouldn't it be quite an adjustment for them-never having practiced or developed any skills?

II. Jesus is our best friend and key to everything.
"And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,"

Why is Jesus eagerly looked to? Jesus is THE name in heaven! Everything in heaven for us by Jesus' name-the Jesus Stadium, The Jesus highway, The Jesus Buffet.

Jesus said in John 14:2-6-"'In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴You know the way to the place where I am going.'" ⁵Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' ⁶Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"

Notice Jesus says that many people will be in heaven-some of your friends and some of your adversaries or down right enemies. There is room for everyone-everyone who will use the key to life with God-claiming and living through Jesus and His grace.

Let's look at Rev. 22:2-5-
The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Because of Jesus mercy.) ³No longer will there be any curse. (Jesus took care of that.) God's servants will serve Him. (Since there is no more curse, work will always be an invigorating joy and fulfilling pleasure.) ⁴They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. God will give them light. We will reign for ever and ever. All because Jesus made it possible for us. We'll never feel lonely again. We'll always feel full of total love-both being loved and loving-in the presence of the One who is love, by Jesus' gift!

III. It is a place of perfect life forever.
Heaven is home to those who trust Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. It is where we really belong! It's the only place we'll find perfect life. Rev. 21:4-"'He (God) will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'"

We will worship, work, think, and communicate, enjoying activity, beauty, people, and God. First and foremost, however, we shall see and love Jesus, our Savior, Master, and Friend.ii We'll be made complete in Jesus! "Jesus Christ,²¹who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

Joni Erickson Tada was 17 years old when she broke her neck diving into water too shallow. Joni is now in her late 50's. For over thirty years she has basically been a paraplegic-unable to use her legs or hands. She is superfine from the neck up-and a Christian. Her faith helped her work through all her anger, questions and grief. But she can't feel if she gets hurt on her body. The only way she knows something is wrong is that either her blood pressure or her temperature begin to rise. Many times she has had to have her secretary undress her to find out what the problem was. After one such time, as Joni was back in her wheelchair after great effort and energy, her secretary was heading out the door. The lady, who is also a Christian, stopped and commented to Joni, "I guess you can hardly wait for Christ to come and you get your new body." Joni's eyes filled with tears as she realized the struggle she had been going through in this world and that it's temporary because we have a big God with a great benefit package! One day, things will be DIFFERENT!

For all that we don't know about heaven, we do know that when we are there we'll be like Jesus. 1 John 3:2-"Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." Complete as Jesus and living through His grace! That, my friends, will be heaven!

What will you do now?
A priest was preparing a man for his long day's journey into night. Whispering firmly, the priest said, "Denounce the devil! Let him know how little you think of his evil!" The dying man said nothing. The priest repeated his order. Still the dying man said nothing. The priest asked, "Why do you refuse to denounce the devil and his evil?" The dying man said, "Until I know where I'm heading, I don't think I ought to aggravate anybody!" (Mikey's Funnies)

Is your citizenship in heaven? We must choose Jesus. I hope you already have and you know that heaven and God's presence are your destination. If you haven't, please tell the Lord you are giving Him control of your life tonight so He can fill you with new life and then direct your living from now on. His arms are open-Let us pray . . .Amen.