A survey was taken
just a few years ago
00:00:06.97\00:00:10.17
where they asked
people of various ages
00:00:10.21\00:00:13.04
to describe what
they think heaven is like.
00:00:13.07\00:00:17.58
I want you to notice
these varying responses.
00:00:17.61\00:00:20.72
When a college student was
asked the question, he said...
00:00:20.85\00:00:24.69
That was his
perception of heaven.
00:00:33.66\00:00:35.86
When a middle
aged woman was asked
00:00:36.06\00:00:37.87
the same question, she said,
"Heaven is a state of mind..."
00:00:37.90\00:00:42.50
She wasn't able to
picture it as a real place.
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When a question
like this was asked to a
00:00:50.48\00:00:52.68
successful business
man, he responded by saying,
00:00:52.71\00:00:56.22
"Heaven in my house..."
00:00:56.25\00:00:57.99
To him, his heaven was
right here on this earth.
00:01:04.13\00:01:07.83
When another person
was asked this question,
00:01:08.26\00:01:10.70
such as a
skeptic, his answer was...
00:01:10.73\00:01:13.74
And finally, an elderly
couple responded by saying,
00:01:20.24\00:01:23.85
"We hope heaven
is a real place..."
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Well friends, I want to
tell you, we don't have to hope
00:01:36.49\00:01:39.03
that heaven is true.
00:01:39.06\00:01:40.56
We don't have to hope
that heaven is a real place.
00:01:40.60\00:01:43.77
Because the Word of God
gives us the absolute assurance
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that Jesus is
preparing a place for us.
00:01:47.74\00:01:50.97
Can you say amen?
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And so the question would be,
00:01:52.41\00:01:53.94
"Well then, what is
heaven really like?"
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Not according to the
traditions of the Middle Ages,
00:01:57.18\00:02:00.38
not according
to what man thinks,
00:02:00.42\00:02:02.55
but according to
what the Bible says.
00:02:02.58\00:02:05.45
And so, tonight we're
just going to open up Isaiah
00:02:05.49\00:02:08.52
and Revelation, and different
prophetic portions of the Bible,
00:02:08.56\00:02:12.69
and we're going to explore,
how does God describe this place
00:02:12.73\00:02:17.47
that we call heaven.
00:02:17.50\00:02:19.53
Now, tonight I've
given you a break.
00:02:19.63\00:02:21.40
Because every single text
that we're going to look up
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I've actually written
out on the screen for you.
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All these last 22
nights I've only given you
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most of the time the references.
00:02:30.21\00:02:32.15
This time
they're all written out.
00:02:32.18\00:02:34.22
But if you have your Bibles,
I would still encourage you to
00:02:34.25\00:02:37.19
follow along with me.
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So we're going to start in
Acts chapter 3 in just a moment.
00:02:39.59\00:02:42.86
but I want to show
you this picture of
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the U.S. Treasury building.
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Now if you've ever been
there, it's in Washington, DC.
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And I'm told that there are 1800
doors in this building alone.
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Can you imagine how
long it takes the janitor
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to clean this place?
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But the superintendent,
no doubt, has one master key
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that can open all 1800 doors.
00:03:04.48\00:03:07.15
But you know, God
has a master key as well.
00:03:07.45\00:03:11.12
And that master
key is the Bible.
00:03:11.35\00:03:13.96
Can you say amen?
00:03:13.99\00:03:15.32
And this book is
going to describe for us
00:03:15.36\00:03:18.03
what heaven is like
and why God has prepared it
00:03:18.06\00:03:22.00
for a people for which
He has unconditional love.
00:03:22.03\00:03:27.27
Acts chapter 3
gives us the promise
00:03:27.74\00:03:29.97
that there is a day
of restoration coming.
00:03:30.01\00:03:32.71
I'd like you to
follow along with me.
00:03:32.74\00:03:34.64
See, from the very
beginning when sin first entered
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this world, God has
given many different prophecies
00:04:02.37\00:04:06.31
promising that He would
one day restore all things
00:04:06.34\00:04:11.05
to the perfection
of the Garden of Eden.
00:04:11.08\00:04:13.88
And no matter what may
happen to me in this world,
00:04:13.92\00:04:17.12
no matter how awful
and chaotic things may be,
00:04:17.22\00:04:20.76
I have the promise
from the Word of God
00:04:20.79\00:04:23.46
that there is coming a time
when God will restore all things
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to be new again.
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See, when you go back
to the book of Genesis,
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you read that sad story
of how sin first entered.
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That when Adam and
Eve chose not to trust God
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and they ate of
this forbidden fruit,
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it turned this world over,
in a sense, to Satan's control.
00:04:44.35\00:04:49.42
In a sense, it opened
the door not only for sin,
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but everything
that comes with it.
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Suffering, and pain,
and sorrow, injustices,
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and all kinds of unfair things.
00:04:59.56\00:05:01.66
Mankind was
trapped in a world of sin.
00:05:01.70\00:05:05.90
In fact, it wasn't
too long after that,
00:05:06.23\00:05:08.54
if you read Genesis chapter 3,
00:05:08.57\00:05:10.51
from the beginning
God gave them a promise.
00:05:10.54\00:05:12.64
God said the Seed
of the woman would come
00:05:13.01\00:05:16.24
to restore all things.
00:05:16.28\00:05:17.91
You know who that
Seed of the woman was?
00:05:18.01\00:05:20.02
That's
referring to Jesus Christ.
00:05:20.58\00:05:22.62
And even all the way
back in the book of Genesis,
00:05:22.65\00:05:25.69
God instituted a
system of sacrifices.
00:05:25.72\00:05:29.52
Not as elaborate as in
the time of the Israelites.
00:05:29.56\00:05:32.69
But when Adam and
Eve saw an animal or lamb
00:05:32.73\00:05:36.10
that would have been slain,
to them it was a reminder of
00:05:36.13\00:05:39.70
how horrible sin is, of
what sin has done to this planet
00:05:39.73\00:05:44.67
by bringing death and woe.
00:05:44.71\00:05:46.74
But it was also an encouragement
00:05:46.78\00:05:49.18
that one day the true
Lamb of God would come.
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That the Seed of the woman
would pay the price for sin,
00:05:53.52\00:05:57.72
would give us His righteousness
so that we can live in a
00:05:57.89\00:06:02.29
perfect world once again.
00:06:02.32\00:06:04.46
And all that is possible because
of what Jesus has done for us.
00:06:04.49\00:06:08.66
Amen?
00:06:08.70\00:06:10.03
Happiness would be restored,
perfection would be restored,
00:06:10.07\00:06:14.07
joy would be restored
on the face of the earth.
00:06:14.10\00:06:18.04
And no matter what
happens in my life,
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that is always something
that I have to look forward to.
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Let's go to the book of
Hebrews 11:10 and notice
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some things
that God has written.
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Now I notice it's
raining rather hard outside.
00:06:32.85\00:06:35.16
Can you still hear
me with the mic on here?
00:06:35.19\00:06:37.43
No problem with sound? Okay.
00:06:37.46\00:06:39.23
Hebrews 11:10
00:06:39.33\00:06:41.50
The Bible says,
speaking of Abraham...
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See, Abraham knew this
world was not his home.
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Even though God had
promised to make out of him
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a great nation
from his descendants,
00:07:02.45\00:07:05.05
Abraham knew even
that nation would not last
00:07:05.09\00:07:07.72
forever on this earth.
00:07:07.76\00:07:09.42
Because Abraham knew
there was coming a time
00:07:09.59\00:07:12.73
when God would create a city,
00:07:12.76\00:07:15.23
when He would be the
builder and the maker.
00:07:15.33\00:07:18.43
And Abraham lived in
faith and trusted God
00:07:18.47\00:07:22.47
for when that time would come.
00:07:22.50\00:07:24.74
But, you know, that
promise is not just for Abraham.
00:07:25.17\00:07:27.91
That promise is for
every person who chooses
00:07:28.24\00:07:31.61
to put their faith in God.
00:07:31.65\00:07:34.25
In fact, you can go
all throughout the Bible
00:07:34.45\00:07:36.92
and you see these
different characters;
00:07:37.29\00:07:39.15
men, women, and children,
who were looking forward
00:07:39.19\00:07:44.06
to a better place.
00:07:44.09\00:07:45.46
Let's take a look at Moses.
00:07:45.59\00:07:47.23
Hebrews says this of Moses.
00:07:47.26\00:07:49.90
You understand
what that's saying?
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Even Moses understood
that he did not want to live
00:08:20.13\00:08:24.10
with this pagan empire of Egypt.
00:08:24.13\00:08:26.94
A nation that would pull
him away from the God of heaven.
00:08:27.47\00:08:30.77
He was willing to
let go of power, of fame,
00:08:30.81\00:08:35.91
fortune, all kinds of
fortune, to be able to go back
00:08:36.01\00:08:40.88
to God's people, the Hebrews,
to suffer in affliction.
00:08:41.22\00:08:44.92
To live almost in
slavery, he gave all that up.
00:08:45.39\00:08:49.76
And of course,
eventually the time came
00:08:49.79\00:08:51.49
when he killed two Egyptians.
00:08:51.53\00:08:53.19
And really, he was
banished for almost 40 years.
00:08:53.23\00:08:56.26
But then God used him
to set the Israelites free.
00:08:56.30\00:09:00.20
He gave up everything in
Egypt because He wanted to be
00:09:00.24\00:09:04.71
with the people of God.
00:09:04.74\00:09:06.07
Hebrews says he was
looking forward to the reward.
00:09:06.11\00:09:10.18
That reward
would have been heaven.
00:09:10.21\00:09:13.35
In fact, Hebrews
describes so many people
00:09:13.62\00:09:16.79
who were looking
forward to the heavenly country.
00:09:16.99\00:09:20.66
In Hebrews 11:13, the
Bible goes on to say...
00:09:20.89\00:09:24.89
Now you catch what
Hebrews is saying here.
00:09:57.86\00:09:59.96
You go back in this
verse, they all realized
00:10:00.00\00:10:03.50
they were
strangers and pilgrims here.
00:10:03.53\00:10:06.13
We realize that we were
not meant to live in a sinful,
00:10:06.27\00:10:11.57
sorrowful, woeful earth forever.
00:10:11.61\00:10:15.11
We ought to
say, "Amen," to that.
00:10:15.14\00:10:16.78
That was not God's plan.
00:10:16.81\00:10:18.91
We are
strangers, we are pilgrims.
00:10:18.95\00:10:21.65
We are not going to be in
a sinful place for eternity.
00:10:21.68\00:10:25.65
And so, just like these
characters in the Bible,
00:10:25.69\00:10:28.59
you and I look
forward to a heavenly country.
00:10:28.62\00:10:33.43
See, that means when
I turn on the television
00:10:34.03\00:10:36.36
and I see a terrorist
bomb that has gone off
00:10:36.63\00:10:39.40
in some part of
the world, I'm reminded
00:10:39.43\00:10:41.77
this world is not my home.
00:10:41.97\00:10:44.61
When I see pictures of
children lying in a cancer ward
00:10:45.07\00:10:49.74
dying of
leukemia, a seven year old,
00:10:49.78\00:10:52.68
it's a reminder that
this world is not my home.
00:10:52.71\00:10:56.85
This is not the way
that God designed it to be.
00:10:56.95\00:11:00.89
When I hear stories of
teenagers injecting heroine
00:11:01.36\00:11:04.73
into their vein, and snorting
cocaine up their nostrils,
00:11:04.76\00:11:09.10
destroying both mind and body,
00:11:09.13\00:11:11.90
ruining the
vigor of their youth,
00:11:12.00\00:11:14.17
it's a reminder to me
that this world is not my home.
00:11:14.20\00:11:19.01
When I see a picture of a young
couple lying in a maternity ward
00:11:20.38\00:11:25.28
sorrowful, dejected, and crying
00:11:25.65\00:11:29.15
because they lost
their baby in childbirth,
00:11:29.72\00:11:32.69
it's another sad reminder
that this world is not my home.
00:11:33.25\00:11:38.16
When you hear about a faithful
wife and mother of 25 years,
00:11:38.69\00:11:43.20
took care of her
husband, raised her children,
00:11:43.23\00:11:47.20
but after 25 years of marriage
her husband runs off with
00:11:47.24\00:11:51.44
the secretary, it's a reminder
that this world is not fair,
00:11:51.47\00:11:55.21
this world is not just,
and this world is not my home.
00:11:55.24\00:11:59.38
When I hear stories of
tsunamis and natural disasters
00:11:59.95\00:12:04.59
in all corners of the globe,
it's another reminder to me
00:12:04.62\00:12:08.42
that this world is
not my permanent home.
00:12:08.46\00:12:11.66
I am a stranger,
I am a pilgrim here.
00:12:11.69\00:12:14.56
I look forward
to a heavenly place.
00:12:14.60\00:12:17.53
Can you say amen to that?
00:12:17.57\00:12:19.23
And that's not a
promise just for me.
00:12:19.27\00:12:21.07
That is a promise for you and
all those who put their faith
00:12:21.10\00:12:24.47
in Jesus Christ.
00:12:24.51\00:12:25.87
This world is not our home.
00:12:25.97\00:12:30.21
When I see pictures of
children with distended bellies
00:12:30.81\00:12:35.35
living in poverty,
starving in India or Africa,
00:12:35.38\00:12:39.22
some other third world
country, it's a stark reminder
00:12:39.25\00:12:43.19
that this is not the
way God wanted it to be,
00:12:43.56\00:12:45.86
and this world is not my home.
00:12:46.19\00:12:50.03
Hebrews goes on to
say this, Hebrews 11:16...
00:12:50.80\00:12:54.67
I want you to think
about what that says.
00:13:07.52\00:13:09.58
See, the world may be
ashamed of God's people.
00:13:09.88\00:13:13.15
The world may say,
"Well, they're too religious.
00:13:13.62\00:13:16.62
They're fanatical.
00:13:16.83\00:13:18.16
They bring nothing
positive to the plate."
00:13:18.19\00:13:20.63
The world may look at
a single mother and say,
00:13:20.93\00:13:24.03
"She'll never
amount to anything.
00:13:24.07\00:13:26.03
She's never invented anything
for the good of society.
00:13:26.37\00:13:29.60
She doesn't have
a big bank account.
00:13:29.64\00:13:31.71
She hasn't created
a fortune 500 country,
00:13:31.74\00:13:34.91
or a fortune 500 business."
00:13:34.94\00:13:36.58
And the world may
be ashamed of her.
00:13:36.61\00:13:39.15
But God says, when
it comes to His people
00:13:39.18\00:13:41.88
who have suffered affliction,
who have suffered sorrow,
00:13:41.92\00:13:45.42
and gone through
all sorts of things,
00:13:45.45\00:13:47.66
though the world
may persecute them,
00:13:47.69\00:13:49.76
in the end God
will stand up and say,
00:13:49.79\00:13:52.13
"I am not ashamed of My people.
00:13:52.16\00:13:54.56
I am not ashamed of that
single mother who is struggling,
00:13:54.73\00:13:57.90
but has been faithful to God.
00:13:57.93\00:13:59.83
I am not ashamed of
that teenager who grew up in
00:13:59.87\00:14:02.60
very difficult situations,
but they've been as faithful
00:14:02.64\00:14:05.74
as they possible can."
00:14:05.77\00:14:07.31
The world may
reproach them, but my God says
00:14:07.34\00:14:10.48
He is not ashamed
of His people. Amen?
00:14:10.51\00:14:13.98
And He has
prepared a city for them.
00:14:14.02\00:14:18.25
The story is told of Marco Polo.
00:14:19.15\00:14:21.69
Now in your history
classes, I'm going to assume,
00:14:21.79\00:14:23.96
how many of you
ever heard of Marco Polo?
00:14:24.06\00:14:26.43
Can I see your hands?
00:14:26.46\00:14:27.80
Well he was the Italian explorer
that spend nearly 20 years
00:14:27.83\00:14:32.30
over in the Orient near China.
00:14:32.33\00:14:34.77
And when he came back
home, he had incredible stories
00:14:34.80\00:14:39.14
to tell, of which most
people did not believe him.
00:14:39.17\00:14:43.38
When he came back, he
tried to describe for them
00:14:43.58\00:14:46.21
about black rocks
that burned with fire,
00:14:46.25\00:14:49.98
but were not consumed.
00:14:50.02\00:14:51.79
They thought he was
lying because they had
00:14:51.82\00:14:54.49
never seen coal before.
00:14:54.52\00:14:56.62
He described for them cloth
that you could throw in the fire
00:14:56.86\00:15:01.30
but it would not get burned up.
00:15:01.33\00:15:03.50
And they thought he was
telling an incredible tale
00:15:03.63\00:15:06.33
because they had
never seen asbestos before.
00:15:06.37\00:15:09.84
He tried to describe for
them serpents ten paces long
00:15:10.21\00:15:15.28
with jaws big enough to
partially swallow a small man,
00:15:15.58\00:15:19.75
and they thought
he was making it up
00:15:19.78\00:15:21.68
because they had
never seen crocodiles.
00:15:21.72\00:15:25.29
He told them about nuts that
were as big as a man's hand,
00:15:25.52\00:15:29.99
and they thought that Marco
Polo was telling a big white lie
00:15:30.03\00:15:34.46
because they had
never seen coconuts.
00:15:34.50\00:15:37.67
And we are told that when
Marco Polo was on his death bed,
00:15:38.10\00:15:42.10
a devout religious man
tried to get him to, you know,
00:15:42.50\00:15:45.54
confess all these tales
he told so that he can be
00:15:45.57\00:15:48.91
right with God when he dies.
00:15:48.94\00:15:50.78
And Marco Polo
answered him and said,
00:15:50.81\00:15:53.18
"It's all true.
00:15:53.28\00:15:54.82
Every bit of it is true..."
00:15:54.85\00:15:57.29
See, his people couldn't imagine
it because they never saw it.
00:16:00.76\00:16:04.29
And in one reality,
that's true when it comes
00:16:04.73\00:16:07.00
to the kingdom of heaven.
00:16:07.03\00:16:08.36
The Bible does its
best to describe it
00:16:08.40\00:16:11.37
for us in human language.
00:16:11.40\00:16:13.27
But the truth is, the
half of it has not been told.
00:16:13.30\00:16:17.87
In 1 Corinthians 2,
notice what Paul says when he
00:16:18.44\00:16:22.91
kind of introduces this subject.
00:16:22.94\00:16:25.35
See, even the Bible warns us,
our eyes have never laid eyes
00:16:43.26\00:16:47.97
on the things of heaven.
00:16:48.00\00:16:49.34
We have never truly heard
what God has prepared for us.
00:16:49.77\00:16:53.58
We can't even
begin to imagine it.
00:16:53.61\00:16:56.64
Even as we read John's
descriptions in Revelation
00:16:56.85\00:17:00.42
in just a few minutes,
you find very clearly that
00:17:00.45\00:17:03.92
sometimes John was
at a loss for words.
00:17:03.95\00:17:06.45
I mean, he tried his
best in his human limitations
00:17:06.76\00:17:11.69
to try to put on
paper things that he saw,
00:17:11.89\00:17:16.10
things he never saw before,
and he's trying to describe it.
00:17:16.13\00:17:19.37
Can you imagine that?
00:17:19.40\00:17:20.74
I mean, the limitations of
human language and capability,
00:17:20.77\00:17:24.97
John and Isaiah,
and others in the Bible,
00:17:25.01\00:17:28.41
did the
absolute best they could.
00:17:28.44\00:17:30.75
But we have to understand,
00:17:30.78\00:17:32.35
the half has truly
not been told just yet.
00:17:32.91\00:17:36.42
We won't fully understand until
we see it with our own eyes
00:17:36.45\00:17:41.42
in the kingdom of heaven.
00:17:41.46\00:17:43.53
So let's begin with some things
that John said in Revelation 21.
00:17:44.03\00:17:48.56
Let's start in verse 1.
00:17:48.86\00:17:51.27
Now let me ask you a question.
00:18:16.02\00:18:17.43
The best way that John
could seemingly describe
00:18:17.86\00:18:21.16
the glories of heaven is
by comparing it to a woman,
00:18:21.20\00:18:26.40
a bride on her wedding day.
00:18:26.43\00:18:29.44
Now when you think back to
the day you were married...
00:18:29.94\00:18:32.94
For some that might be recent.
00:18:32.97\00:18:34.74
You know, for some that
may be a little farther back.
00:18:34.84\00:18:37.65
But I remember, we were
married about 19 years ago.
00:18:37.98\00:18:41.52
And you know, if there is
any day in a woman's existence
00:18:41.78\00:18:46.62
when she wants to
look her absolute best,
00:18:46.65\00:18:50.36
when she wants to look as
perfect as is humanly possible,
00:18:50.93\00:18:55.20
what day do you
suppose that's going to be?
00:18:55.23\00:18:57.07
That's going to
be her wedding day.
00:18:57.90\00:19:00.47
Because that's a
special day for the woman.
00:19:00.74\00:19:03.00
Now I know it's a
special day for the groom too.
00:19:03.04\00:19:05.71
You know, but you
know the old adage,
00:19:05.81\00:19:07.58
they say this is
the day for the bride.
00:19:07.61\00:19:10.85
You know, when
you think about it,
00:19:10.88\00:19:12.21
how much time do
you think a bride spends
00:19:12.95\00:19:15.58
preparing for her wedding day?
00:19:15.62\00:19:17.55
Picking out the dress and
everything she's going to wear.
00:19:17.59\00:19:20.49
You think they do
that in just an hour?
00:19:20.52\00:19:22.62
Probably not.
00:19:23.22\00:19:24.56
She gathers
together maybe her mother,
00:19:24.59\00:19:26.46
maybe all her
friends and bride's maids,
00:19:26.49\00:19:28.83
and they go shopping together.
00:19:28.86\00:19:30.57
And then on the
day of the wedding,
00:19:30.60\00:19:33.40
who do you think gets up
first, the bride or the groom?
00:19:33.74\00:19:36.50
What do you think?
00:19:36.54\00:19:37.87
Oh, it's going to be the bride.
00:19:37.91\00:19:39.27
The bride probably gets
up early in the morning,
00:19:39.37\00:19:41.94
has all her
girlfriends come along with her,
00:19:42.11\00:19:44.78
and for hours they will
spend time making the dress
00:19:44.81\00:19:48.78
just right, primping the hair,
00:19:48.82\00:19:51.55
maybe putting on
a little make-up.
00:19:51.59\00:19:53.46
Everything they can do
to get her as perfectly
00:19:53.49\00:19:56.93
beautiful as possible.
00:19:56.96\00:19:59.06
And what do you
think the groom does?
00:19:59.59\00:20:01.53
Well I can assure you he
doesn't get his guy friends
00:20:02.50\00:20:04.83
coming into the room
and helping him get his
00:20:04.87\00:20:06.87
hair ready, and
helping him get dressed.
00:20:06.90\00:20:08.70
I certainly wouldn't do that.
00:20:08.74\00:20:10.34
Now you know, us guys,
sure we want to look our best,
00:20:10.47\00:20:13.11
but we don't
quite bring everyone
00:20:13.14\00:20:15.44
into the room to help us.
00:20:15.48\00:20:16.88
Can you guys say amen?
00:20:16.91\00:20:18.45
You know, God made men
a little bit different.
00:20:18.48\00:20:20.45
We let women have their fun.
00:20:20.48\00:20:22.18
And so really,
the woman, the bride,
00:20:22.38\00:20:24.89
the whole day is the experience.
00:20:25.09\00:20:27.26
But if we're honest,
what part of the day is
00:20:27.89\00:20:30.29
the groom looking forward to?
00:20:30.33\00:20:32.03
See, you don't want to say.
00:20:32.89\00:20:34.23
He's looking
forward to the honeymoon.
00:20:34.26\00:20:35.86
But you know what?
00:20:35.90\00:20:37.23
That's okay,
because they're married
00:20:37.27\00:20:39.20
and they're husband and wife.
00:20:39.23\00:20:40.57
Can you say amen?
00:20:40.60\00:20:41.94
A bride beautifully
adorned for her husband.
00:20:41.97\00:20:45.57
That's how heaven is
described to you and me.
00:20:45.71\00:20:50.51
And so, if a bride goes through
such effort to prepare herself
00:20:50.61\00:20:54.68
for her husband, how
much effort is our perfect
00:20:54.72\00:21:00.26
Creator God putting
forth to prepare a place
00:21:00.29\00:21:04.79
that's for you and me?
00:21:05.13\00:21:06.56
That tells me how
much He must love us.
00:21:07.10\00:21:10.60
See, as the holy city
descends to the remade earth,
00:21:11.50\00:21:14.60
it's really meant to be the most
festive event in the universe.
00:21:14.64\00:21:19.14
God is coming to remake
this earth to live with us.
00:21:19.17\00:21:24.65
God has been
separated from us long enough.
00:21:24.68\00:21:27.42
He wants to be with us forever.
00:21:27.45\00:21:30.79
Revelation 21:14
John continues to describe
00:21:32.02\00:21:35.76
this holy city.
00:21:36.26\00:21:37.63
Now I don't know if
you've ever thought about this.
00:21:49.50\00:21:51.11
Just think
about it for a minute.
00:21:51.14\00:21:52.67
Why are the names
of the twelve disciples
00:21:53.54\00:21:57.25
on the foundations of this city?
00:21:57.28\00:22:00.72
What is that trying to
communicate to you and I?
00:22:01.58\00:22:04.79
I mean, think it through here.
00:22:05.59\00:22:07.09
Were the
disciples perfect people?
00:22:08.12\00:22:10.23
Far from it.
00:22:11.39\00:22:12.73
But why are their
names on that city?
00:22:12.79\00:22:14.66
Are they the
super spiritually elite?
00:22:15.26\00:22:18.63
I mean, these are men
that made serious mistakes.
00:22:19.33\00:22:23.37
I mean, Peter had
a terrible temper.
00:22:23.64\00:22:26.51
He denied Jesus three times.
One time with curse words.
00:22:26.81\00:22:31.21
James and John were
known as sons of thunder.
00:22:31.48\00:22:34.62
Thomas was doubting, didn't
have much faith sometimes.
00:22:35.45\00:22:39.39
Matthew used to be a
dishonest tax collector.
00:22:39.62\00:22:42.69
None of them, except
Judas, was highly educated.
00:22:42.72\00:22:46.29
Most of them were
fishermen or common laborers.
00:22:46.39\00:22:50.07
But yet, the grace of
Christ transformed them.
00:22:50.10\00:22:54.54
You see, the fact that these
faulty men are on the foundation
00:22:54.80\00:22:58.24
of this city, God is saying
to us, if they can make it,
00:22:58.27\00:23:01.54
so can we.
00:23:01.58\00:23:02.91
See, heaven is
not for, in a sense,
00:23:03.28\00:23:05.55
perfect people on our own.
00:23:05.58\00:23:07.18
We're only
perfect through Jesus.
00:23:07.22\00:23:08.88
Heaven is for sinners
who have given their lives
00:23:08.98\00:23:11.72
to Jesus Christ and
who have been changed.
00:23:11.75\00:23:14.42
The common ordinary person.
00:23:14.46\00:23:17.46
People who are struggling.
00:23:17.49\00:23:19.49
People who have not been
perfect throughout their lives,
00:23:19.86\00:23:22.86
but have been wise
enough to hand their lives
00:23:22.90\00:23:25.57
over to Jesus Christ to be
cleansed and to be changed.
00:23:25.60\00:23:29.57
And so, those disciples can
be changed by the love of Jesus.
00:23:29.60\00:23:33.48
That gives you and I hope
that we cannot fall so low
00:23:33.68\00:23:37.81
that Jesus can't
change you and I.
00:23:37.85\00:23:40.45
Heaven is a
place for you and me,
00:23:40.48\00:23:42.95
not just for the
super spiritually elite.
00:23:42.98\00:23:46.22
Can you say amen?
00:23:46.25\00:23:47.59
That's why their names
are on that foundation.
00:23:47.72\00:23:49.72
In verse 16 now it
describes the size of this city.
00:23:50.43\00:23:54.96
Now I want you
to think about this.
00:24:07.11\00:24:08.54
If it's laid out in a
square, it has how many sides?
00:24:09.38\00:24:12.18
Four sides.
00:24:13.11\00:24:14.45
Revelation goes on to describe
that there are three gates
00:24:14.48\00:24:19.19
on each side of the city.
00:24:19.22\00:24:21.46
Now if there's four
sides, you do the computations.
00:24:21.82\00:24:24.56
How many gates is that?
00:24:24.59\00:24:25.93
Twelve gates.
00:24:26.29\00:24:27.80
Now I want you to consider this.
00:24:28.13\00:24:29.76
In the ancient world,
how many gates do you think
00:24:30.53\00:24:33.74
most cities had?
00:24:33.77\00:24:35.10
Not many. It wasn't twelve.
00:24:36.40\00:24:38.14
See, most cities did
not want to have many gates.
00:24:38.67\00:24:42.21
You know why?
00:24:42.24\00:24:43.58
Because that's how they
wanted to keep the enemy out.
00:24:43.75\00:24:46.11
And the more gates you have,
the more you have to take guard,
00:24:46.15\00:24:50.32
especially during times of
war, and control who is going in
00:24:50.35\00:24:54.99
and who is coming out.
00:24:55.02\00:24:56.46
And if you have twelve gates,
you're going to have to be doing
00:24:56.49\00:24:59.33
a lot of watching.
00:24:59.36\00:25:00.76
Most cities had few gates.
00:25:00.80\00:25:03.13
But here in the first century
when Revelation was written,
00:25:03.73\00:25:06.63
John describes this
city as having twelve gates.
00:25:07.10\00:25:11.47
So what's the point of that?
00:25:11.84\00:25:13.78
See, what God is telling us is,
00:25:14.41\00:25:16.04
heaven's goal is
not to keep people out.
00:25:16.08\00:25:18.41
Heaven's goal is to get as
many people in as possible.
00:25:18.71\00:25:22.85
That's why there
are twelve gates.
00:25:22.95\00:25:25.25
Can you say amen to that?
00:25:25.29\00:25:26.96
See, churches sometimes
may try to shut people out.
00:25:27.12\00:25:30.99
Us as individuals
sometimes shut people out.
00:25:31.19\00:25:34.83
Because maybe
they're not the right color,
00:25:34.93\00:25:37.17
according to some people.
00:25:37.20\00:25:38.63
Maybe they speak a
different language.
00:25:38.67\00:25:41.60
Maybe they're a
difficult person.
00:25:41.70\00:25:44.47
Maybe they are not of
the right class of people.
00:25:44.51\00:25:47.58
And history has
shone where many churches
00:25:47.61\00:25:50.25
have shut people out.
00:25:50.28\00:25:51.91
But God wants His church to
be opening the doors for people
00:25:51.95\00:25:56.15
so they can have a
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:25:56.18\00:25:58.79
And if heaven's goal is to get
in as many people as possible,
00:25:58.82\00:26:02.39
that means that's
the goal for the church
00:26:02.42\00:26:04.73
of Jesus Christ as well.
00:26:04.76\00:26:06.09
Amen?
00:26:06.13\00:26:07.46
Now it doesn't mean
we lower our standards
00:26:07.50\00:26:09.06
or we don't preach the truth.
00:26:09.10\00:26:10.83
But we have to
understand our goal.
00:26:10.93\00:26:13.74
Our mission is to
bring people to Jesus Christ,
00:26:13.84\00:26:17.77
not to keep them away, like
the Pharisees of Jesus' day.
00:26:17.81\00:26:22.74
This city has twelve gates.
00:26:22.78\00:26:26.72
It goes on to say in verse 16,
00:26:27.22\00:26:29.82
"And he measured the
city with the reed..."
00:26:30.39\00:26:33.32
You say, "Great,
twelve thousand furlongs.
00:26:36.73\00:26:39.39
How long is that?"
00:26:39.43\00:26:40.96
That's not a
measurement that we use today.
00:26:41.00\00:26:43.43
But you know, when
you do the computations,
00:26:43.87\00:26:45.80
you know what that equals up to?
00:26:45.83\00:26:47.30
About 1500 miles
in circumference,
00:26:48.17\00:26:50.57
all four sides together.
00:26:50.61\00:26:52.27
So if it's a square
equal on all four sides,
00:26:52.31\00:26:56.11
that's about 375 miles per side.
00:26:56.14\00:27:00.68
This is not a small city.
00:27:01.05\00:27:03.89
God is obviously not
trying to keep people out.
00:27:04.29\00:27:07.42
If anyone misses out
on the kingdom of heaven,
00:27:07.46\00:27:10.43
it will not be because
God doesn't want them there.
00:27:10.46\00:27:13.90
It will be simply because
they rejected the free gift
00:27:13.93\00:27:18.17
of salvation.
00:27:18.20\00:27:19.80
Its length, its
breadth, its height are equal.
00:27:20.00\00:27:24.24
Now you know, a mathematician
took this description
00:27:24.91\00:27:28.51
and he was able to somehow
estimate that the New Jerusalem
00:27:28.74\00:27:33.25
could house two billion
people just on the ground floor.
00:27:33.28\00:27:37.09
And if it was a
multi-story city,
00:27:37.19\00:27:39.95
the possibilities are endless.
00:27:39.99\00:27:42.32
Now I'm not a mathematician.
00:27:42.52\00:27:44.19
I'm not sure how
he came up with that,
00:27:44.23\00:27:46.63
But obviously the point
is, God desperately desires
00:27:46.80\00:27:50.97
for people to be there.
00:27:51.03\00:27:53.60
Some won't
because of their choice.
00:27:53.64\00:27:55.74
But God has opened
the doors that anyone
00:27:56.24\00:27:59.24
has that opportunity,
through Jesus Christ.
00:27:59.34\00:28:02.81
Amen?
00:28:02.84\00:28:04.18
In fact, they
estimate it's about as big
00:28:04.21\00:28:06.95
as the size of
the state of Colorado.
00:28:07.35\00:28:10.69
I don't know if
you've ever been to Colorado.
00:28:10.89\00:28:12.45
I've driven through there.
00:28:12.49\00:28:13.82
It's a beautiful state.
00:28:13.86\00:28:15.19
That's about how
large the New Jerusalem is
00:28:15.22\00:28:18.99
according to the measurements
of the book of Revelation.
00:28:19.03\00:28:23.23
What a glorious
city that's going to be.
00:28:23.26\00:28:26.60
John continues in
Revelation chapter 21.
00:28:27.57\00:28:30.67
And now in verse 21
he describes the gates.
00:28:30.87\00:28:34.11
I don't want you to miss this.
00:28:34.14\00:28:35.61
Now is there any significance
to the fact that each gate
00:28:48.49\00:28:51.79
is made of one big pearl?
00:28:51.83\00:28:54.76
I want you to think about this.
00:28:56.16\00:28:57.60
In the gospels, who
is symbolized as the
00:28:58.63\00:29:03.54
pearl of great price?
00:29:03.57\00:29:05.57
Jesus is.
00:29:06.27\00:29:07.68
So these pearls symbolize
Jesus Christ; these gates.
00:29:08.04\00:29:12.41
And see, what it's reminding
me is, if I want to get into
00:29:12.45\00:29:15.48
that city, it's only going to
be through the blood of Jesus.
00:29:15.52\00:29:18.19
Amen?
00:29:18.22\00:29:19.55
It's not going to
be by my righteousness,
00:29:19.59\00:29:21.12
which I don't have.
00:29:21.16\00:29:22.66
It's not going to be
by my superior wisdom,
00:29:22.92\00:29:25.69
or your superior looks.
00:29:25.73\00:29:27.86
It's not going to be because
I lived in perfect obedience.
00:29:27.96\00:29:31.67
It's going to be because
I've given my life to Jesus.
00:29:31.70\00:29:35.74
His perfect righteousness
now covers my sins.
00:29:35.94\00:29:40.61
His perfect life is written
in my record book up in heaven.
00:29:40.64\00:29:45.91
Jesus is the
pearl. Jesus is the way.
00:29:45.95\00:29:50.09
Jesus is the truth, the life.
00:29:50.12\00:29:52.69
He is the gate, He is the door.
00:29:52.72\00:29:55.59
Can you say amen?
00:29:55.62\00:29:56.96
See, it's reminding us it's only
going to happen through Jesus.
00:29:56.99\00:30:00.36
Not through your good works,
00:30:00.46\00:30:02.03
not through what
you wear or don't wear,
00:30:02.30\00:30:04.27
not through what
you eat or don't eat.
00:30:04.30\00:30:06.47
Those things may
be all well and good
00:30:06.50\00:30:08.27
and good teachings from the
Bible that we should follow,
00:30:08.30\00:30:11.14
but that's not what
gains us access into heaven.
00:30:11.17\00:30:14.61
It is only the
cross of Jesus Christ.
00:30:14.64\00:30:18.65
In fact, I don't
have the verse here,
00:30:19.11\00:30:22.15
but you know, Jesus once
told a story or a parable
00:30:22.18\00:30:25.55
about a man who
went into a field.
00:30:25.95\00:30:28.49
And in that field he
noticed there was a great pearl
00:30:28.89\00:30:32.79
hidden in the ground.
00:30:32.83\00:30:34.46
And what did that man go and do?
00:30:34.90\00:30:36.90
He sold everything he had
in order to purchase that field
00:30:38.60\00:30:43.10
because he wanted
the pearl of great price.
00:30:43.14\00:30:45.77
You know what that tells me?
00:30:46.57\00:30:48.01
Jesus is telling you
and me through that parable,
00:30:49.04\00:30:52.38
there is nothing in this world
00:30:52.48\00:30:55.58
that is worth missing
out on the glories of heaven.
00:30:55.92\00:30:58.52
There is nothing in this
world, no person, no thing,
00:30:59.32\00:31:04.69
no cherished sin that is worth
missing out on the paradise
00:31:04.73\00:31:09.66
that God has
prepared for you and me.
00:31:09.70\00:31:12.50
If there's
something that stands between
00:31:12.87\00:31:16.30
you and Jesus, the
Bible implores us, let it go.
00:31:16.34\00:31:20.88
It's not worth it.
00:31:21.44\00:31:22.94
It would be a foolish
thing to trade for eternal life
00:31:23.81\00:31:28.22
in God's kingdom.
00:31:28.92\00:31:30.25
We should be willing
to give everything up
00:31:30.29\00:31:32.92
in order to spend
eternity with Jesus
00:31:33.29\00:31:36.93
in this heavenly country.
00:31:37.13\00:31:39.06
John goes on to say, "And
the street of that city..."
00:31:40.26\00:31:44.77
See, our Creator
God, our heavenly Father,
00:31:50.04\00:31:52.54
He's so rich, He
has so many resources
00:31:52.64\00:31:55.68
He makes the streets of gold.
00:31:55.71\00:31:57.61
And how much money do
you think that's worth?
00:31:58.05\00:32:00.12
I have no idea.
00:32:00.65\00:32:02.12
All I know is if they
made all the streets of Nixa
00:32:02.22\00:32:05.35
or Springfield of gold, how much
money do think that would take?
00:32:05.39\00:32:09.66
Millions, maybe
billions of dollars.
00:32:10.29\00:32:13.09
I'm sure you probably
wouldn't like the tax bill
00:32:13.13\00:32:15.26
when it came out,
because you know who
00:32:15.30\00:32:16.67
would be paying for that.
00:32:16.70\00:32:18.03
But God says the
streets of heaven are like gold.
00:32:18.17\00:32:21.24
It's a valuable place.
00:32:21.77\00:32:23.37
Why does God make it
so beautiful and glorious?
00:32:23.41\00:32:26.88
Have you ever considered that?
00:32:27.18\00:32:28.64
Why does God leave no
expense and effort undone?
00:32:29.28\00:32:33.92
You know why?
00:32:34.48\00:32:35.82
The city is so valuable
because you're valuable to God.
00:32:36.72\00:32:41.62
See, we live in a world
where sometimes there are people
00:32:42.82\00:32:45.83
who will tell you that
you're not worth anything.
00:32:45.86\00:32:48.56
Sometimes it's our family.
00:32:49.26\00:32:51.00
Sometimes it's our friends.
00:32:51.67\00:32:53.44
They'll tell us, "You'll
never amount to anything."
00:32:54.10\00:32:56.74
They'll tell you
that you're inferior,
00:32:57.37\00:32:59.31
that you're not special.
00:32:59.34\00:33:01.01
But you know what?
00:33:01.34\00:33:02.68
My Bible tells me
that God is not ashamed.
00:33:02.71\00:33:05.45
That He has
prepared a place for me.
00:33:05.81\00:33:07.72
And heaven is so
valuable because Jesus thinks
00:33:07.75\00:33:10.35
that you and I are valuable.
00:33:10.39\00:33:12.05
If He can give us
life, if He can lay His life
00:33:12.09\00:33:14.69
down on a cross, it
doesn't matter what the people
00:33:14.72\00:33:17.43
of the world says, my
Savior says I am valuable.
00:33:17.46\00:33:22.43
You are valuable.
00:33:22.46\00:33:24.50
See, my dad kind of
grew up in a family where
00:33:25.67\00:33:30.11
he wasn't always valued.
00:33:30.81\00:33:32.44
At least by his father.
00:33:32.47\00:33:34.58
His father always told him
he wouldn't amount to anything.
00:33:35.48\00:33:39.25
That his siblings
were better than he was,
00:33:40.28\00:33:42.92
because my dad
didn't have certain skills
00:33:42.95\00:33:45.85
that his father had.
00:33:45.89\00:33:47.62
And because of that, even
today my dad has a bit of an
00:33:48.12\00:33:51.26
inferiority complex at times.
00:33:51.29\00:33:54.13
But you know
what gives me courage?
00:33:54.86\00:33:56.46
My dad, a man who
quit school in tenth grade
00:33:57.23\00:34:00.10
to go into the army,
just barely got his GED,
00:34:00.14\00:34:04.34
when he gave his
life over to Jesus,
00:34:04.37\00:34:07.31
Jesus said, "He's valuable."
00:34:07.34\00:34:09.44
When he decided to
follow Jesus with all his heart,
00:34:10.01\00:34:12.81
all his mind, all his soul,
00:34:12.85\00:34:15.08
he worked for a place called,
Christian Record Services.
00:34:15.12\00:34:18.65
You've heard of that place
that ministers to the blind.
00:34:18.69\00:34:20.79
I used to work there myself.
00:34:20.82\00:34:22.46
And do you know, this man with
barely a high school education,
00:34:22.49\00:34:26.33
never been to
college a day in his life,
00:34:26.36\00:34:28.46
he raised more
money to help the blind
00:34:28.50\00:34:31.77
than anybody in the history of
115 years of that organization.
00:34:31.80\00:34:36.37
He raised two million dollars,
00:34:36.40\00:34:38.21
never had a
fundraising class in his life.
00:34:38.24\00:34:41.21
Why? Because when we give
our capabilities to Jesus,
00:34:41.44\00:34:44.71
He multiplies them.
00:34:44.75\00:34:46.15
When someone says
you're not worth it,
00:34:46.18\00:34:48.15
when someone says
you're not valuable,
00:34:48.18\00:34:50.29
don't you listen to them.
00:34:50.32\00:34:51.69
Because your God and your
Creator says you are valuable
00:34:51.72\00:34:55.29
and you are worth something.
00:34:55.32\00:34:56.86
That's why He prepared
the kingdom of heaven for you.
00:34:56.89\00:35:00.53
If that's not a
reason to say amen,
00:35:00.56\00:35:02.36
I don't know what is.
00:35:02.40\00:35:03.80
People want to know what
will our physical conditions
00:35:04.60\00:35:07.47
be in the new earth?
00:35:07.50\00:35:08.84
I mean, are we just going
to float around like spirits
00:35:08.90\00:35:13.04
on a cloud and
just strum a harp?
00:35:13.07\00:35:15.41
I certainly hope
not, because I tell you,
00:35:15.81\00:35:17.71
that sounds
awfully boring to me.
00:35:17.75\00:35:19.91
I want to do more than be
sitting on a cloud for eternity.
00:35:19.95\00:35:23.89
But you know, the
Bible answers that question.
00:35:24.42\00:35:26.59
Notice what it
says in Philippians 3:20
00:35:27.12\00:35:29.79
when it describes
Jesus' resurrected body.
00:35:29.82\00:35:33.03
The Bible says, "For
our citizenship is..."
00:35:33.66\00:35:37.17
Now what was Jesus' body
like when He resurrected?
00:35:51.41\00:35:54.55
Was He a spirit
that just floated around?
00:35:54.58\00:35:56.82
Not according to the Bible.
00:35:57.72\00:35:59.19
It says that His disciples
eventually recognized Him.
00:35:59.62\00:36:02.99
When He appeared to
them in the upper room,
00:36:03.49\00:36:05.66
what was it He
told Thomas to do?
00:36:05.69\00:36:07.73
He said, "Here, touch
the nail prints in My hand.
00:36:08.43\00:36:11.23
See the scars on My
side and in My feet."
00:36:11.80\00:36:15.14
He was a real
body of flesh and bone.
00:36:15.24\00:36:18.17
The difference is, it
was no longer a necessarily
00:36:18.21\00:36:21.14
human nature body, but
now it was a glorified,
00:36:21.18\00:36:24.38
a resurrected
body after the cross.
00:36:24.41\00:36:26.85
But they saw Him,
they could touch Him.
00:36:26.88\00:36:29.28
In fact, it even describes
that He actually ate some fish
00:36:29.68\00:36:32.39
with them along
the seashore one day
00:36:32.42\00:36:34.39
after they were done fishing.
00:36:34.42\00:36:36.69
So very clearly, we're not going
to be a spirit floating around,
00:36:36.93\00:36:40.60
but we have a body
of flesh and bones.
00:36:40.63\00:36:42.90
But this time it
is not tainted by sin
00:36:42.93\00:36:46.10
and by the
blemishes of this earth.
00:36:46.13\00:36:48.70
See, that tells me that
in heaven we're going to
00:36:49.10\00:36:52.34
recognize each other.
00:36:52.37\00:36:53.98
And I'm sure glad for that.
00:36:54.34\00:36:55.81
I want to
recognize Marquita. Amen?
00:36:55.84\00:36:58.31
But see, the difference is,
this time they're not going to
00:37:07.26\00:37:10.99
be tainted with sinfulness.
00:37:11.03\00:37:13.43
It's not going to have
the blemishes of all our
00:37:13.83\00:37:16.53
mistakes on this earth.
00:37:16.56\00:37:18.13
We have a glorified
body and character as well.
00:37:18.17\00:37:21.37
We'll recognize each other.
00:37:21.40\00:37:23.34
And I should hope so.
00:37:23.51\00:37:24.84
Because I want to
remember my family.
00:37:24.91\00:37:26.94
I want to remember
friends that I have known
00:37:26.98\00:37:29.14
who have chosen to follow Jesus.
00:37:29.18\00:37:31.51
If the disciples recognized Him,
then we're going to recognize
00:37:31.55\00:37:35.25
each other.
00:37:35.28\00:37:36.62
In Isaiah 33:24...
00:37:37.55\00:37:39.89
You know, John the
Revelator is not the only one
00:37:40.09\00:37:43.12
who was given
glimpses of heaven.
00:37:43.29\00:37:45.89
Even Isaiah, in the
Old Testament, was given
00:37:45.93\00:37:49.06
some pictures and descriptions.
00:37:49.10\00:37:51.67
Notice how he
describes the kingdom of God.
00:37:51.87\00:37:55.20
Now I've got to pause there.
00:38:09.88\00:38:11.75
There's a couple of things
in that verse I absolutely love.
00:38:12.32\00:38:15.76
Number one, you or I will
never again say, "I'm sick."
00:38:16.09\00:38:21.63
No more doctor's
offices, no more co-pays,
00:38:21.96\00:38:25.77
no more crazy
insurance premiums,
00:38:25.80\00:38:28.67
no more emergency rooms,
no more having to dial 911.
00:38:28.70\00:38:34.01
We will have a perfect
body in perfect health.
00:38:34.04\00:38:37.45
Never again an ache or a pain.
00:38:37.48\00:38:39.91
Never again a sickness.
00:38:39.95\00:38:42.38
I tell you what, that ought to
make you jump out of your seat.
00:38:42.42\00:38:44.59
Because I don't
ever... I hate being sick.
00:38:44.62\00:38:47.62
And you can ask my wife.
00:38:47.86\00:38:49.26
I can deal with it for two days.
00:38:49.86\00:38:51.79
After two days, I get mad.
00:38:52.36\00:38:55.23
After two days of being
sick, I get mad at the sickness
00:38:55.76\00:38:58.53
and I refuse to
believe I'm sick,
00:38:58.57\00:38:59.90
and I just go about my business.
00:38:59.93\00:39:01.54
I don't know if
that's a good idea or not.
00:39:01.74\00:39:03.64
Maybe it just makes me worse.
00:39:03.67\00:39:05.04
That's just my
stubborn German attitude.
00:39:05.07\00:39:07.04
I don't like to be sick.
00:39:07.08\00:39:08.41
In fact, I remember
a couple of years ago,
00:39:08.84\00:39:10.68
actually just a
year and a half ago,
00:39:11.15\00:39:13.11
I was at a pastor's
conference in Des Moines, Iowa.
00:39:13.82\00:39:17.19
Actually, you were there too.
00:39:17.22\00:39:18.65
And I remember at that
conference, it was about
00:39:18.89\00:39:20.96
half of a week long,
and one of the presenters
00:39:20.99\00:39:24.76
who came had just gotten over,
or I think actually still had
00:39:24.79\00:39:28.66
some sickness
and part of the flu.
00:39:28.70\00:39:31.17
And of course, when
you are in a small room
00:39:31.43\00:39:34.54
for hours upon
hours of meetings,
00:39:34.80\00:39:37.41
you're shaking
hands, you're sharing,
00:39:37.44\00:39:39.77
you're eating food
together, if somebody is sick
00:39:39.81\00:39:43.71
what's probably going to happen?
00:39:43.75\00:39:45.65
Some other people
are going to get sick.
00:39:46.28\00:39:48.28
And one after another,
this minister got sick,
00:39:48.32\00:39:51.35
and then another, and
some of them had to leave.
00:39:51.55\00:39:55.06
And by Wednesday when
it was supposed to be over,
00:39:55.09\00:39:57.99
I'm sitting in the morning
meetings and I'm realizing,
00:39:58.03\00:40:01.86
"You know what? I
don't feel very good."
00:40:01.90\00:40:04.57
I start leaning against the
back wall and I'm realizing,
00:40:05.20\00:40:08.00
"Man, if I'm ever
going to drive home,
00:40:08.04\00:40:10.04
well I better get some rest."
00:40:10.61\00:40:11.94
So I went back to my hotel room.
00:40:11.97\00:40:14.74
And I remember, as I
laid down I started realizing,
00:40:15.21\00:40:19.08
"Man, I have got the flu."
00:40:19.11\00:40:22.92
And you know what?
00:40:23.59\00:40:24.92
About a half an hour later
my colleague, pastoral colleague
00:40:24.95\00:40:29.49
who I was rooming with,
Joshua, he comes in the room.
00:40:29.52\00:40:33.09
You know what he says?
00:40:33.13\00:40:34.46
"I don't feel so good either."
00:40:35.10\00:40:37.07
And we thought,
let's lay down for an hour,
00:40:37.33\00:40:39.10
and then we're
getting out of here.
00:40:39.13\00:40:40.54
So we laid down for an hour.
00:40:40.74\00:40:42.34
And once we got
up, we were worse.
00:40:42.94\00:40:44.37
And we realized,
there's no way that we can drive
00:40:44.41\00:40:47.38
six hours back to St. Louis.
00:40:47.41\00:40:49.18
I thought, "Oh
my, what do I do?"
00:40:49.28\00:40:51.01
And so I went to the supervisor.
00:40:51.35\00:40:53.11
And it was hard to get
out of bed, let me tell you.
00:40:53.21\00:40:55.28
I went to the supervisor
and said, "Sir, please,
00:40:55.45\00:40:58.55
is there any way we can just
stay in the room an extra night?
00:40:58.65\00:41:02.42
Just let us sleep."
00:41:02.46\00:41:04.33
And he said, "Yes."
00:41:04.43\00:41:05.76
And so I remember,
for the next sixteen hours
00:41:05.89\00:41:08.26
from one o'clock to
early the next morning
00:41:08.30\00:41:10.87
I just felt like
death warmed over.
00:41:10.97\00:41:13.20
You know how that feels.
00:41:13.23\00:41:14.57
You've got a fever, your
skin is burning hot, but yet
00:41:14.60\00:41:17.81
you're still shivering with
the shakes like you're cold.
00:41:17.84\00:41:20.78
You can't get
comfortable no matter which way
00:41:20.81\00:41:23.24
you lie and turn over.
00:41:23.28\00:41:25.01
And the problem
was, Marquita was worried
00:41:25.05\00:41:27.52
and wondering where we are.
00:41:27.55\00:41:29.12
And so, I had left my
cell phone on the dresser
00:41:29.22\00:41:31.92
just on the
other side of the room.
00:41:31.95\00:41:33.62
But you know, I felt
so absolutely horrible
00:41:34.02\00:41:36.73
I could not even get
out of bed to go over
00:41:36.83\00:41:39.63
and answer that cell phone.
00:41:39.66\00:41:41.70
And so she called everybody on
the planet to come check on us
00:41:41.96\00:41:44.77
to see where we were
and what had happened to us.
00:41:44.80\00:41:47.40
And I tell you what, I will
never forget that night there.
00:41:47.54\00:41:50.34
Joshua was in his
bed, I'm in my bed.
00:41:50.37\00:41:52.81
It was like a sick ward.
00:41:52.84\00:41:54.44
Finally, the next morning we
felt good enough to drive home.
00:41:54.54\00:41:58.15
And we just barely
made that six hours.
00:41:58.18\00:42:01.48
And when we each
went into our homes,
00:42:01.52\00:42:03.69
our wives did the same thing.
00:42:03.72\00:42:05.29
They both saw us, quarantined
us to the bedroom and said,
00:42:05.32\00:42:08.52
"Don't touch the kids, don't
kiss them, don't hold them."
00:42:08.56\00:42:11.16
In fact, Marquita even slept on
the couch for a couple of days
00:42:11.19\00:42:13.43
because I was so sick she
didn't want to catch it herself.
00:42:13.46\00:42:16.13
I will never forget that.
00:42:16.23\00:42:17.57
And I tell you,
when I get to heaven,
00:42:17.60\00:42:19.23
never again am I
going to have flu again.
00:42:19.33\00:42:21.10
Can you say amen?
00:42:21.14\00:42:22.54
But you know the best
part about that verse is?
00:42:22.84\00:42:24.64
It's the last part.
00:42:25.51\00:42:26.84
Not only will we
be physically whole,
00:42:27.61\00:42:30.15
we will be spiritually whole.
00:42:30.95\00:42:33.38
Because those who dwell in
it have all their iniquities
00:42:33.98\00:42:38.62
totally forgiven and wiped away.
00:42:38.72\00:42:41.46
Because that's what
Jesus has done for us.
00:42:41.92\00:42:46.29
To me, that's one of
the best parts of heaven.
00:42:46.33\00:42:48.96
Isaiah 35:5 says...
00:42:49.43\00:42:53.17
No more
disabilities or infirmities.
00:43:07.65\00:43:10.75
You think that there will be
children who perhaps have been
00:43:11.05\00:43:13.72
crippled for life,
they're going to be out in the
00:43:13.76\00:43:16.56
fields playing together. Amen?
00:43:16.59\00:43:18.39
They're going to
be climbing up trees,
00:43:18.43\00:43:20.06
maybe they'll be
playing hide and seek.
00:43:20.10\00:43:22.23
Because there will
no longer be anything
00:43:22.26\00:43:24.40
deformed about their limbs.
00:43:24.43\00:43:26.13
Why? Because
Jesus has healed them.
00:43:26.17\00:43:28.90
Not just physically,
but also spiritually.
00:43:28.94\00:43:32.91
I'll never see
another child in a wheelchair.
00:43:33.17\00:43:36.81
You'll never see a
sick child lying in bed.
00:43:37.01\00:43:40.25
You'll never see
an adult needing a
00:43:40.28\00:43:42.45
mobile scooter anymore.
00:43:42.48\00:43:44.35
All that is going
to be done away with.
00:43:44.39\00:43:46.55
I'll never see a
child with down syndrome
00:43:47.16\00:43:50.19
or some kind of mental illness.
00:43:50.23\00:43:52.06
Because even
mentally and emotionally
00:43:52.09\00:43:54.23
all of us will be made whole.
00:43:54.26\00:43:56.97
Amen?
00:43:57.00\00:43:58.33
Revelation 21:4, God continues.
00:43:58.67\00:44:02.07
The former way of
life that we had known,
00:44:16.58\00:44:19.15
it will be all passed away.
00:44:19.19\00:44:22.46
Pastor Mark, you'll
never have to do a eulogy
00:44:22.99\00:44:25.16
at a funeral again.
00:44:25.19\00:44:26.53
And I can tell you, all
ministers will say amen to that.
00:44:26.56\00:44:29.76
No more death.
00:44:29.80\00:44:31.40
You know what that means?
00:44:32.03\00:44:33.37
No more will you ever
get one of those phone calls
00:44:34.47\00:44:37.97
in the middle of the night.
00:44:38.01\00:44:39.34
How many of you have
ever experienced that?
00:44:40.64\00:44:42.44
A phone call in
the middle of the night
00:44:42.48\00:44:44.35
delivering tragic news.
00:44:44.38\00:44:46.35
How many have ever
had to deal with that?
00:44:46.38\00:44:48.35
Many of us.
00:44:48.78\00:44:50.12
You know, I
remember my grandmother.
00:44:50.75\00:44:53.92
My mom's mom.
00:44:54.12\00:44:55.46
We called her, Grammy.
00:44:56.09\00:44:57.56
She basically grew up
with us. Or I grew up with her.
00:44:59.26\00:45:03.30
She lived with us
from the time I was a baby.
00:45:04.10\00:45:06.53
And if you can just
picture this 96 year old woman,
00:45:07.24\00:45:10.37
of course she wasn't always
96, but just this short, spunky,
00:45:10.41\00:45:15.38
fiery woman, that
was my grandma, Gram.
00:45:15.68\00:45:19.91
You know, and I
just remember she helped
00:45:20.32\00:45:22.38
to raise me as a little child.
00:45:22.42\00:45:24.29
And I tell you what, when
she could get excited about
00:45:24.69\00:45:27.16
something,
she'd let you know it.
00:45:27.19\00:45:28.59
Now when I met Marquita, she
loved Marquita, let me tell you.
00:45:28.62\00:45:32.93
And when we were dating, she
would regularly come up to me,
00:45:33.19\00:45:36.77
that is, my grandma, with
a $20 bill, and she'd say,
00:45:36.80\00:45:40.07
"You go take Marquita
out to eat on a date."
00:45:40.10\00:45:42.57
And see, Gram is not
someone you could easily
00:45:43.20\00:45:45.51
say no to, let me tell you.
00:45:45.54\00:45:47.08
And a lot of times I
didn't want to take it because,
00:45:47.24\00:45:49.71
you know, she
lived on a fixed income.
00:45:49.98\00:45:52.38
Social Security. She
didn't have a lot of money.
00:45:52.41\00:45:54.68
And I'd say, "No
Gram, I've got a job.
00:45:54.72\00:45:57.22
I'll use my money."
00:45:57.25\00:45:58.79
But boy, you say that to Grammy,
you know what she'd do to me?
00:45:59.12\00:46:01.72
You're going to
think I'm exaggerating,
00:46:01.82\00:46:03.16
but you can ask Marquita.
00:46:03.19\00:46:04.53
Man, she'd make a
fist and put it in my face
00:46:04.59\00:46:06.86
and she'd say,
"You take that money."
00:46:06.90\00:46:09.00
And I had to take it.
00:46:09.03\00:46:10.37
Now she didn't hit me
or anything, but she'd say,
00:46:10.40\00:46:11.83
"You take that money."
00:46:11.87\00:46:13.20
And if I didn't take it,
you know what she did next?
00:46:13.23\00:46:14.90
She'd grab my shirt
and stuff it down my shirt.
00:46:15.20\00:46:17.31
Marquita, do I exaggerate?
00:46:17.67\00:46:19.31
She has seen that happen.
00:46:19.51\00:46:20.98
That was just her
way of showing love.
00:46:21.01\00:46:23.18
She would never
hurt me in the world.
00:46:23.21\00:46:25.05
But you know, I remember when
she got to be about 95 or 96,
00:46:25.58\00:46:30.29
her diabetes caught up with her.
00:46:30.32\00:46:32.35
She had to go to the hospital.
00:46:33.86\00:46:35.59
And I remember she was
given the news by the doctors
00:46:37.66\00:46:40.13
that if she's going to survive,
she has to have one of her
00:46:40.16\00:46:43.43
legs amputated.
00:46:43.47\00:46:45.13
And that just took
the life out of her.
00:46:46.17\00:46:48.14
I can remember watching her
just bury her head in her hands,
00:46:49.20\00:46:52.47
and watching this
96 year old woman cry.
00:46:52.51\00:46:56.18
Because she knew
she was nearing the end.
00:46:57.18\00:46:59.88
I remember we went back
to western Pennsylvania,
00:47:01.38\00:47:03.52
and one morning the phone rang
at about 4:00 in the morning.
00:47:03.55\00:47:06.69
And I don't know
how to describe it,
00:47:07.09\00:47:08.96
but when the
phone rang I just knew,
00:47:09.26\00:47:11.69
I just knew
somebody was going to tell me
00:47:12.26\00:47:14.70
that Gram had died.
00:47:15.46\00:47:17.23
And that's what happened.
00:47:18.23\00:47:19.63
I can remember just
hanging up the phone...
00:47:20.37\00:47:22.14
It was my aunt who told me.
00:47:22.17\00:47:23.77
I can remember hanging up the
phone and just burying my head
00:47:24.84\00:47:27.61
on the couch downstairs, and
just started crying and weeping.
00:47:27.64\00:47:32.01
Because this was someone
who had been a part of my life
00:47:32.65\00:47:35.18
for all of my life.
00:47:35.22\00:47:36.79
And now she was gone.
00:47:37.12\00:47:38.62
But the thing I'm thankful
for is, before she died,
00:47:39.89\00:47:42.52
before she went to the hospital,
I had a couple of opportunities
00:47:42.89\00:47:46.96
to tell her about Jesus.
00:47:47.00\00:47:48.73
And even though
she lived a rough life,
00:47:49.56\00:47:51.60
she made some mistakes she
wished she had never chosen,
00:47:53.10\00:47:56.07
when I said, "Gram,
would you like to have
00:47:57.21\00:47:59.07
Jesus to be your Savior?
00:47:59.11\00:48:00.54
Would you like to
ask Him to forgive you?
00:48:00.58\00:48:03.24
To just come into your
life and wipe away your sins?"
00:48:03.28\00:48:06.75
I remember she said, "Yes, I
want you to pray that for me."
00:48:07.98\00:48:10.85
And as I grabbed
her hand and prayed,
00:48:11.59\00:48:13.92
during that prayer I could just
feel her hand squeezing mine.
00:48:14.49\00:48:18.16
And without words,
she was saying that meant
00:48:18.79\00:48:21.06
something to her.
00:48:21.10\00:48:22.66
I look forward to
seeing my Grammy one day.
00:48:23.37\00:48:25.83
I bet there's people you're
looking forward to seeing too.
00:48:26.47\00:48:29.30
I'll never have a phone
call like that again in heaven.
00:48:29.80\00:48:32.51
In the last chapter of
the Bible, Revelation 22,
00:48:33.17\00:48:35.94
John goes on and he says,
00:48:35.98\00:48:37.91
"And he showed me a pure
river of water of life..."
00:48:38.25\00:48:41.78
That tells me there is
something about the fruit
00:49:03.57\00:49:06.71
from the tree of life
that helps to heal us from sin.
00:49:06.74\00:49:10.18
Heals us physically, mentally,
emotionally, and spiritually.
00:49:10.21\00:49:16.08
See, the provisions that
God has made for you and me
00:49:16.12\00:49:20.19
to be totally healed of sin.
00:49:20.29\00:49:22.42
See, in heaven I'm
going to be loved by God.
00:49:23.49\00:49:25.86
You're going to
be cherished by God.
00:49:26.23\00:49:28.33
Can you think of a better place.
00:49:31.67\00:49:33.57
Here on this earth
we're not always loved.
00:49:33.60\00:49:35.57
And we're certainly
not always cherished.
00:49:35.60\00:49:37.84
And we're definitely
not always satisfied.
00:49:38.04\00:49:41.74
Then comes Isaiah 11:9.
00:49:42.94\00:49:45.08
This was my other
grandma's favorite verse.
00:49:45.81\00:49:48.52
Now my other
grandma, Grandma Esther,
00:50:01.03\00:50:03.70
she's the most
godly woman I ever met.
00:50:03.73\00:50:05.57
Never saw her lose her temper.
00:50:05.60\00:50:07.80
That's my dad's mom.
00:50:07.84\00:50:09.84
Every Thursday
night was grocery night.
00:50:10.27\00:50:12.41
And so mom and dad would drop
me off at Grandma Esther's house
00:50:12.87\00:50:15.91
while they went shopping.
00:50:15.94\00:50:17.31
And so I had such fun.
00:50:17.61\00:50:19.31
She had two cats; I
played with Calico the cat
00:50:19.35\00:50:22.22
and Pumpkin the cat.
00:50:22.25\00:50:23.89
And even Spotty the dog.
00:50:23.92\00:50:25.89
I loved them.
00:50:25.92\00:50:27.26
And what Grandma Esther
would do is, across the street
00:50:27.46\00:50:30.66
there was Jim
and Nina's Pizzeria.
00:50:31.26\00:50:33.86
And so we'd go over
and get a homemade pizza.
00:50:34.10\00:50:36.93
We'd eat together at the table
and she'd give me ice cream.
00:50:37.10\00:50:41.27
And yeah, I know, for
those of us that are really
00:50:41.47\00:50:43.77
health conscious,
you've got to remember,
00:50:43.81\00:50:45.57
you don't go to grandma's
house to be health conscious
00:50:45.61\00:50:48.11
when you're a kid, you know.
00:50:48.14\00:50:49.48
Pizza and ice cream
sounds good when you're
00:50:49.51\00:50:51.41
10 or 11 years old, amen?
00:50:51.45\00:50:53.21
And I remember we'd sit
at the table, and then we'd
00:50:53.31\00:50:55.82
read the Bible together.
00:50:55.85\00:50:57.35
And whenever she'd read
this verse, she would always
00:50:57.89\00:51:00.06
look at me and
she'd say, "Oh, David,
00:51:00.09\00:51:02.36
how wonderful that will be."
00:51:02.72\00:51:05.66
A day where
there's no violence anymore
00:51:06.29\00:51:09.50
in the world or
even in our homes.
00:51:09.60\00:51:13.30
Isaiah 65 describes some of the
things we're going to do there.
00:51:13.90\00:51:18.71
You think you're
going to be bored?
00:51:42.86\00:51:44.83
Build houses?
00:51:45.33\00:51:46.77
Plant vineyards and gardens?
00:51:47.54\00:51:49.74
I mean, I love this.
Because, you know what?
00:51:50.14\00:51:52.34
There's one gift
that God has not given me.
00:51:52.64\00:51:54.58
Well there's more than
one gift He hasn't given me.
00:51:54.61\00:51:56.64
But the one that
stands out the most, I am not
00:51:56.78\00:51:59.91
a mechanical
person, not naturally.
00:51:59.95\00:52:02.15
I am not good
at building things.
00:52:02.18\00:52:04.32
My wife knows that.
00:52:04.35\00:52:05.69
Now give me instructions,
I'll make my way through it.
00:52:05.72\00:52:08.19
But I probably
won't do it very fast.
00:52:08.22\00:52:10.16
Well, apparently in heaven God
is going to give me that gift.
00:52:10.53\00:52:14.40
And I can build houses.
00:52:14.63\00:52:16.53
So, Honey, I'm going to build
you the best house you ever had.
00:52:16.56\00:52:19.73
Because that's what the
Bible says I'm going to do.
00:52:19.83\00:52:21.50
Can you say amen?
00:52:21.54\00:52:22.87
Now people wonder, what
about fellowship and friends?
00:52:23.30\00:52:26.27
What are we going to
do with people there?
00:52:26.81\00:52:28.54
Is it going to be
stiff, stilted conversations?
00:52:28.94\00:52:32.61
I don't think so.
00:52:33.01\00:52:34.35
Jesus answers this question.
00:52:34.55\00:52:36.18
Matthew 8:11
00:52:36.85\00:52:38.19
Jesus says, "And I say
to you that many will come
00:52:38.55\00:52:42.56
from the east and the
west, and sit down with Abraham,
00:52:42.59\00:52:46.19
and Isaac, and Jacob
in the kingdom of heaven.
00:52:46.29\00:52:50.13
Now think about what that means.
00:52:50.67\00:52:52.17
People who have been
saved from all the ages,
00:52:53.34\00:52:55.94
all different
centuries, all cultures,
00:52:56.67\00:52:59.17
we're going to have eternity
to hear their testimonies.
00:53:00.01\00:53:04.85
Even people I grew up with.
00:53:05.11\00:53:07.12
Even people whose
names aren't in the Bible.
00:53:07.45\00:53:09.22
That's not just limited to
the characters of the Bible.
00:53:09.25\00:53:12.75
And we're going to have great
fun together and fellowship.
00:53:12.99\00:53:16.02
Now one of the things I love to
do, I hope you won't take this
00:53:16.52\00:53:18.76
the wrong way, I
love to play basketball.
00:53:18.79\00:53:21.26
And so I determined,
in heaven I already know
00:53:21.46\00:53:24.10
who my heavenly
basketball team is going to be.
00:53:24.13\00:53:26.50
And the great thing about
heaven and basketball there is,
00:53:26.53\00:53:29.17
nobody is going to
fight, nobody is going to curse,
00:53:29.20\00:53:31.47
nobody is going to get upset.
00:53:31.51\00:53:32.97
We're truly going
to have fun. Amen?
00:53:33.01\00:53:34.91
So I'm going to reveal to
you here in Nixa who my heavenly
00:53:34.94\00:53:37.61
basketball team is going to be.
00:53:37.65\00:53:38.98
I wrote it down
this afternoon, okay.
00:53:39.01\00:53:41.02
These are the
five people on my team.
00:53:41.22\00:53:42.78
So I've got these folks.
00:53:42.82\00:53:44.15
You're just going to
have to pick somebody else.
00:53:44.19\00:53:45.52
Here's who I want.
00:53:45.55\00:53:46.89
I want Sampson
because he's a strong guy.
00:53:46.92\00:53:50.29
I want Jehu because he's quick.
00:53:50.66\00:53:53.66
I want David because he's
full of courage and tenacity.
00:53:54.10\00:53:58.40
I want Adam because he's tall.
00:53:58.70\00:54:01.04
And I want Paul because he never
quits and he never gives up.
00:54:01.14\00:54:05.21
So that's going to be my
heavenly basketball team.
00:54:05.24\00:54:07.78
You've got some others
to choose from as well.
00:54:08.04\00:54:10.31
But you think
what else this means.
00:54:10.55\00:54:12.38
I can go to Moses.
00:54:12.71\00:54:14.05
"Moses, what was it
like to cross the Red Sea?
00:54:15.12\00:54:17.79
What was it like to look up
there and see hundreds of feet
00:54:19.05\00:54:22.06
of a wall of water?
00:54:22.09\00:54:23.73
Were you scared?
00:54:24.29\00:54:25.66
What was it like, Moses, to get
the Ten Commandments from God?"
00:54:26.39\00:54:30.37
I can ask Daniel, "What
was it like to be thrown
00:54:31.00\00:54:34.30
in that den, not knowing
if your life would be spared?
00:54:34.34\00:54:37.67
What's it like to look
into the eyes of a lion?"
00:54:38.57\00:54:41.21
I can ask Peter and
Paul what it was like to take
00:54:42.14\00:54:44.51
the gospel to the world?
00:54:44.55\00:54:45.88
Even to heal people?
00:54:45.91\00:54:47.58
What was it like when you
guys were the center of a riot?
00:54:47.62\00:54:50.49
What were you experiencing?
00:54:50.79\00:54:52.42
But you know what's best of all?
00:54:53.42\00:54:54.96
I can see Jesus.
00:54:55.92\00:54:57.59
And for the first time in
our lives we can go to Jesus,
00:54:58.39\00:55:03.43
not separated by a wall,
00:55:04.07\00:55:06.90
not having to get on our
knees in a bedroom and pray
00:55:07.40\00:55:10.24
to something we can't see.
00:55:10.27\00:55:12.07
I'll be able to go
to Jesus face to face
00:55:12.97\00:55:15.54
and say, "Thank You."
00:55:15.71\00:55:17.35
Thank You for what
You've done for me.
00:55:18.51\00:55:21.22
Thank You for saving me.
00:55:22.82\00:55:24.35
Thank You for
allowing Your perfect hands
00:55:24.45\00:55:27.79
to be nailed to the cross."
00:55:27.82\00:55:30.16
And I'll be able
to give Jesus a hug.
00:55:30.76\00:55:33.19
And I'll be satisfied.
00:55:34.00\00:55:35.80
And He will be able to
receive my appreciation
00:55:36.40\00:55:39.10
for the first time face to face.
00:55:39.13\00:55:42.40
That is the
absolute best part of heaven.
00:55:42.44\00:55:45.77
And then lastly, did you know
we still go to church in heaven?
00:55:46.51\00:55:50.61
Think about it, we're
still going to worship Him.
00:55:51.38\00:55:53.82
That's why Isaiah 66 says...
00:55:54.02\00:55:56.22
And that makes sense.
00:56:02.89\00:56:04.23
Is God still our
Creator in heaven?
00:56:04.26\00:56:06.09
Yeah.
00:56:06.13\00:56:07.46
Is He still our
Redeemer? Indeed.
00:56:07.50\00:56:10.07
So whatever worship is
going to be like there,
00:56:10.10\00:56:12.80
I'm telling you, I
want a front row seat. Amen?
00:56:13.20\00:56:15.70
So if you want a front row seat,
you better get there before I do
00:56:15.97\00:56:18.87
on the first Sabbath
service, or whatever it is that
00:56:18.97\00:56:21.94
we're going to do in
the kingdom of heaven.
00:56:21.98\00:56:25.18
Lastly, John starts to wind down
and he says in Revelation 21,
00:56:25.88\00:56:30.29
"And I heard a loud
voice from heaven, saying..."
00:56:31.35\00:56:34.36
You see, friends, when
you realize what Jesus has
00:56:52.17\00:56:54.31
done for you, there's nothing
in this world worth missing out
00:56:54.34\00:56:58.98
on the glories of heaven.
00:56:59.01\00:57:00.38
You're so valuable, He
created that place for you.
00:57:01.28\00:57:04.52
I'm so valuable, He
carried the cross to Calvary.
00:57:05.55\00:57:09.72
We mean so much to Him that
He opens up the door of eternity
00:57:10.66\00:57:16.33
to you and me.
00:57:17.17\00:57:18.50
And so, that should
cause us to say in our minds,
00:57:19.30\00:57:21.97
Lord Jesus, may there
be nothing that stands
00:57:22.00\00:57:26.54
between you and me.
00:57:27.24\00:57:28.64
May it be our
prayer tonight to say,
00:57:29.44\00:57:31.25
"Lord, I'm asking You
to save me in Your kingdom.
00:57:31.28\00:57:34.65
Lord, help me to
follow You with all my heart.
00:57:35.62\00:57:38.29
Lord, help me to make
the decisions that I know
00:57:39.55\00:57:44.09
that I need to make."
00:57:44.86\00:57:46.49
Heaven is not a place
that any of us want to miss.
00:57:47.00\00:57:51.13
Hi, I'm Pastor Dave.
00:57:51.53\00:57:53.74
And this is my family.
00:57:53.77\00:57:55.14
My wonderful wife, Marquita,
and my two beautiful daughters,
00:57:55.17\00:57:58.77
Melanie and Emily.
00:57:58.81\00:58:00.28
Thank you for joining us today.
00:58:00.31\00:58:02.44
We pray that you have been
blessed by today's presentation.
00:58:02.74\00:58:05.88
If you would like to give a
donation to keep this series
00:58:06.21\00:58:09.25
on the air, or purchase
the Discover Prophecy series,
00:58:09.28\00:58:13.19
visit our website
or contact us at...
00:58:13.22\00:58:17.06