Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Session 84: Heaven
Heaven! A whole lot to look forward to. Sadly, many who believe that they are going will never find it. People have their own ideas about heaven, but many of those are not based on the scripture. Heaven is a place of perfect fellowship with God. Much of our time will be spent in worship. (John 14:2-3;Rev. 21:1-8) Adoration! We will adore Him! That is my greatest anticipation! We will be able to see Jesus!!! The tomb is empty. He is ALIVE! Heaven is a place of perfect peace and protection. There will be no sorrow, sickness, sin, fear, or death. (Heb. 4:9-11;Rev.21:22-27) No more worrying or stress. Never late, we will be on time. What a grand time. We will enjoy the satisfaction of work and service without the frustration. We can't even comprehend what this will be like. Everything will be at perfect peace. Fellowship in eternity with those you love. Won't it be great to pull up a chair beside Paul, and Noah, or Peter? This you don't want to miss!! All of our needs will be met. We will not lack for anything! Anybody want to go? Heaven...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
I'm waitin for Paul
A few years ago when I was part of an adult Sunday school class, we were asked what heaven is like. The response from anther adult blew my mind. Their response was “heaven is what you want it to be, you know like what ever makes you happy”.
I wonder how many youth know exactly what heaven will be like or even looks like.
Love in Christ
Heather
Heather you are spot on. Since being with you guys this year and teaching adult the past 4 years, I'm convinced our kids are more Doctrinally sound than our adults.
John, here goes;
This maybe splitting hairs, but in order that our kids stay Doctrinally pure, I think we need to explain about the 2 Heavens.....huh?...."When a Christian dies, he or she enters into what theologians call the intermediate state, a transitional period between out past lives on Earth and our future resurrection to life on the New Earth. Usually when we refer to "Heaven", we mean the place that Christians go when they die. When we tell our children 'Grandma's now in Heaven,' we're referring to the intermediate Heaven." [Heaven(pg41)-Randy Alcorn]
When we die believers will not go where we will live forever with Christ. We will go to an intermediate Heaven and live with Him until we return for our resurrected bodies. It is an intermediate place until God makes all things New, on the New Earth. The New Earth is where we will live forever with God Himself. So the questions What is Heaven like? and What will Heaven be like? has 2 different answers. The current Heaven will be relocated to a New Earth (Rev 21:1) Similarly John, what we refer to as Hell will also be relocated. It will be cast into the eternal lake of fire. (Rev 20:14-15) So this weeks study answered a question from last week.
What will Heaven be like? God could have taken Adam & Eve to Heaven to visit, instead He came down to walk with them in their world (Gen3:8) "Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the East, in Eden, the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground-trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food" (Gen 2:8-9)God Himself prepared the first home and it now groans for redemption just as we do. It will pass away with fire, then He will prepare a New Earth for us, and He will come down to live with us.
My week has been made a lot brighter since studying this lesson.
Man what a wonderful thought. Not only did God come to earth in man form to dwell with us. He then, left that the Holy Spirit could dwell within those that accept him. And He's coming back to dwell with us forevermore. God enjoys our company so much, He'd rather be no place else. What if we felt the same way about Him? How humbling!
I'm in total agreement with your thoughts this week Paul. Good job.
To what do you attibute, the lack of doctrinal stability, when speaking of our adults?
Good Question John. We discussed this in a meeting last night. I think we look too much like the world. We have bought into the American culture that I deserve a big house and 2 SUV's, my kids deserve the best clothes, newest phones, and music devices, my wife needs to dress just like all her friends including whatever nip, tuck, or augmentation that may require. Well, all that and more cost a lot of money. So now my wife and I have to work a lot. I don't have time to study and read for myself. I barely have time to make a Sunday morning service, that's why I stay home Sunday evening and Wed. So, I basically believe whatever I hear from my SS Teacher and Preacher, because I know they study. And I get a lot of good information from T.V. That Joel O'Steen is great!
It is not my fault, if I don't take this job that keeps me away from fellowship, I might loose everything I have. I have to provide for my family!
So I have decided to worship creation instead of the creator. I'm not willing to loose my Tahoe, much less my life for Him.
Jesus said you will know them by their fruit, and I think I see what he means.
One more point. As I reflect on today, Good Friday, I can't help but be pleased with the preordained plan of God that He knew this lesson would fall this Sunday. When we think about the Passover, He took the 3rd cup, the cup of redemption, and said drink this in remembrance of me. Not the lambs you use to slaughter for atonement, but Me. And when speaking of the 4th cup, the cup of Fellowship, He says I will not drink this cup until I am with you again.
This is a symbol of what Heaven will be like. God's creation (Eden) will be renewed. We will work the ground, as God planted the Garden, not of the sweat of our brow, but with the joy of our heart. We will dine and fellowship with Him. Imagine the intimacy with your spouse shared with all (not in a sexual sense). The trees will bear their fruit once a month and the leaves will be for our healing. We will be given a white rock with a new name on it that Christ Himself picked out for us and only Christ will know. All because of what happened on this Sunday, over 2000 years ago.
P.S. I promise I will not blog next week!
What a great lesson this week… We can only imagine what Heaven will be like. I think we take for granted how marvelous and amazing this earth is and to imagine a place more beautiful than this. I like the quote after the Sparks video “All this and Heaven too”.
I began a tradition of having all the greenway (McMillan Creek Greenway) trail ceremonies on Good Friday. I had an opportunity yesterday to witness to over 100 people. I told them we have these ceremonies on Good Friday as a reminder to take time over this weekend to think about what Jesus did for you. I read the following which came from Gotquestions.org
“It is finished!” (John 19:30). Jesus’ last words meant that His suffering was over and the whole work His Father had given Him to do, which was to preach the Gospel, work miracles, and obtain eternal salvation for His people, was done, accomplished, fulfilled. The debt of sin was paid.
All that and we get a room in heaven too.
Crystal
Post a Comment