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Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Heaven is a place, just as much a place as is Freehold, Iowa. That's the first thing you should know.
I begin this sermon with two statements that I believe to be almost universally true: Everyone wants to know about Heaven and everyone wants to go there. Recent polls suggest that nearly 80% of all Americans believe there is a place called Heaven. I find that statistic encouraging because it tells me that even in this skeptical age there is something deep inside the human heart that cries out, “Jesus is waiting for me."
I. Where is heaven?
There are three things I can tell you in answer to this question. The most important fact is that heaven is a real place. Listen to the words of Jesus on the night before he was crucified:
John 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.
When was heaven created? 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.
When was heaven created? 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.
The Bible also tells us that heaven is the dwelling place of God. His throne is there, the angels are there, and the Lord Jesus Christ is in heaven. Philippians 3:20 says very plainly that “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” That’s why Jesus told the thief on the Cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
Third (and I find this fact fascinating), the Bible hints that heaven is not as far away as we might think. Because heaven is a real place, we sometimes think it must be outside our present universe-which would mean that it is billions and billions of light years away. However, it’s very clear that the early Christians understood that they would pass immediately from this life into the presence of Christ in heaven. How can that be possible if heaven is beyond the farthest galaxy? Hebrews 12:22-24 tells us something amazing about what the gospel has done for us:
12:22-24 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things that that of Abel.
We’re not that far from heaven.
We’re not that far from the angels.
We’re not that far from our loved ones in heaven.
We’re not that far from God.
We’re not that far from Jesus himself.
Heaven is a real place, it’s where Jesus is right now, and it’s not far away from us.
II. What is heaven like?
This question came from one of our junior high students. I would answer by saying that the Bible doesn’t give us a great deal of information. What we have are images and pictures of heaven and comparisons with life on earth.
What is heaven like? Here are some biblical facts about heaven. It is …
– God’s dwelling place (Psalm 33:13).
– Where Christ is today (Acts 1:11).
– Where Christians go when they die (Philippians 1:21-23).
– The Father’s house (John 14:2).
– A city designed and built by God (Hebrews 11:10).
– A better country (Hebrews 11:16).
– Paradise (Luke 23:43).
Most of us have heard that heaven is a place where the streets are paved with gold, the gates are made of pearl, and the walls made of precious jewels. Those images come from Revelation 21-22, which offers us the most extended picture of heaven in the entire Bible. If you ask me if I believe those things are literally true, the answer is yes and no. Yes, they are literally true but no, heaven won’t be anything like we imagine. It will be much greater.
Here’s a delightful legend that makes the point very well:
I love the old story of the rich man who, on his death bed, negotiated with God to allow him to bring his earthly treasures with him when he came to heaven. God’s reaction was that this was a most unusual request, but since this man had been exceptionally faithful, permission was granted to bring along just one suitcase. The time arrived, the man presented himself at the pearly gates, suitcase in hand– BOTH hands, actually, since he had stuffed it with as many bars of gold bullion as would fit. St. Peter said, “Sorry, you know the rules–you can’t take it with you.” But the man protested, “God said I could … one suitcase.” St. Peter checked, found out that this one would be an exception, prepared to let the man enter, then said, “OK, but I will have to examine the contents before you pass.” He took the suitcase, opened it, saw the gold bars and asked quizzically, “You brought PAVEMENT?”
[Note: This story is from the sermon “Heaven” by Dr. David Leininger, March 30, 1997]
When John writes about a street paved with gold, I do not doubt his words. He simply reports what he saw in his vision. Thus his words are literally true. They are also meant to tell us that the things we value so highly in this life will be used to pave the roads in heaven.
A City Built By God
Heaven is a real place filled with real people. The Bible pictures it as a great city filled with all of God’s people.
What would such a city look like? It would be a city with …
No pollution for the skies would always be crystal clear.
No crime or violence for no criminals would ever enter.
No greedy politicians, no drug pushers, no child molesters.
No potholes and no power outages either.
It would be filled with abundant parks, rivers, rolling meadows, and flowing streams. Lining the streets would be flowers in constant bloom, fruit trees of every kind, every species of plant life growing free from pestilence and disease.
The gates would be made of pearl, the walls of jasper, the streets of gold. Precious stones would lie on the ground like playthings: emeralds, rubies, diamonds galore.
On every hand there would be children laughing, bright conversation, music floating from every direction.
In the city that God builds, there are no tears, there is no sorrow … no regret … no remorse. Bitterness gone forever, failure left far behind, suffering redeemed and rewarded. There are no eyeglasses, no braces, no wheelchairs, no false teeth, no bald heads, no hearing aids, and no crutches. There are no more hospitals, no more nursing homes, no paramedics, no CPR. Doctors have to find a new job, they aren’t needed anymore. Aspirin gone, accidents over, cancer disappeared, heart attacks banished, AIDS a distant memory. In Heaven no one grows old and feeble.
There is one other thing you won’t find in heaven. There are no cemeteries in the city God builds. Why? There are no funerals … for in that glad city no one ever dies.
If you make it to that city, you live forever, never to die again. Either you believe in Heaven or you don’t. It’s either a real place or it isn’t. This is Heaven-where all our best dreams finally come true.
I'll have more to say on this.
I want to encourage you to post your visions of what Heaven will be like.
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