What does the future hold? 00:00:01.36\00:00:02.70 Where can we find certainty in a world of uncertainty? 00:00:02.73\00:00:05.60 The Book of Revelation provides hopeful answers for today, 00:00:05.63\00:00:09.34 tomorrow and forever. 00:00:09.37\00:00:11.24 Join Mark Finley, 00:00:11.27\00:00:12.77 author and world renowned speaker 00:00:12.81\00:00:14.81 on a journey into the future 00:00:14.84\00:00:16.51 with Revelation's Ancient Discoveries. 00:00:16.54\00:00:19.75 Welcome to Revelation's Ancient Discoveries. 00:00:24.19\00:00:27.79 When you begin reading the Bible 00:00:27.82\00:00:29.26 in the Book of Genesis, 00:00:29.29\00:00:31.06 in Genesis 1 and 2 we've got a perfect world, 00:00:31.09\00:00:34.43 but then there is the sad drama of sin, 00:00:34.46\00:00:37.53 the fall of Adam and Eve. 00:00:37.57\00:00:39.90 And throughout the Bible men and women 00:00:39.93\00:00:41.50 who go along for a new world, and when the Bible ends 00:00:41.54\00:00:44.81 in Revelation 21 and 22, God reveals that new world, 00:00:44.84\00:00:49.64 that new world blossoms forth 00:00:49.68\00:00:51.65 in all its beauty and magnificence 00:00:51.68\00:00:54.45 and the reign of sin is over. 00:00:54.48\00:00:56.42 In this presentation, 00:00:56.45\00:00:58.45 we're going to look at Revelation 00:00:58.49\00:01:00.62 and the final conflict between good and evil, 00:01:00.66\00:01:04.13 and its climax with the triumph of Christ 00:01:04.16\00:01:07.03 in the glories of heaven. 00:01:07.06\00:01:08.40 Let's pray. 00:01:08.43\00:01:09.76 Father in heaven, we thank You so much 00:01:09.80\00:01:12.40 that You're in charge of this world, 00:01:12.43\00:01:13.84 sometime we only see the ugliness, 00:01:13.87\00:01:16.71 we see the dark side, 00:01:16.74\00:01:18.37 but we know the light is bursting forth, 00:01:18.41\00:01:20.88 soon Christ will come. 00:01:20.91\00:01:22.64 And one day soon time will fade into eternity, 00:01:22.68\00:01:26.35 so grant to us a vision of hope 00:01:26.38\00:01:30.12 as we study Your new world in Christ's name, 00:01:30.15\00:01:33.59 amen. 00:01:33.62\00:01:35.19 Our topic in this presentation 00:01:35.22\00:01:37.16 is Revelation's World of Tomorrow. 00:01:37.19\00:01:41.90 You know a survey was taken not long ago 00:01:41.93\00:01:44.67 on people's attitudes toward heaven. 00:01:44.70\00:01:47.77 And one man said this. 00:01:47.80\00:01:49.44 He said, "Heaven-man, that's pie in the sky. 00:01:49.47\00:01:53.58 Out there somewhere, it's unreal, 00:01:53.61\00:01:56.24 I just can't fathom it." 00:01:56.28\00:01:58.35 Somebody else put it this way. 00:01:58.38\00:02:00.72 Heaven is a state of mind, it's an inner peace, 00:02:00.75\00:02:04.79 it's a state of calm. 00:02:04.82\00:02:06.45 Somebody else said, "Heaven, it's my house. 00:02:06.49\00:02:09.49 It's worth three million. 00:02:09.52\00:02:11.39 My chariot that's my Jaguar and the angels, 00:02:11.43\00:02:15.40 they are my kids." 00:02:15.43\00:02:16.77 Now I don't know about if you'd say 00:02:16.80\00:02:18.13 your angels are your kids or not, you know, 00:02:18.17\00:02:20.24 but I don't know if your house is worth three million either. 00:02:20.27\00:02:23.74 But you see people have this distorted idea about heaven. 00:02:23.77\00:02:28.94 One young millennial said this, "Heaven is... 00:02:28.98\00:02:32.88 Are you so out of touch 00:02:32.91\00:02:35.18 that you still believe in those fairy tales?" 00:02:35.22\00:02:38.72 A couple who had gotten older said, 00:02:38.75\00:02:40.99 "We hope heaven is a real place. 00:02:41.02\00:02:43.59 You see the older we get the more we long for it. 00:02:43.63\00:02:47.63 We just hope 00:02:47.66\00:02:49.50 that what we're taught in our childhood is true." 00:02:49.53\00:02:53.74 You know when you look at the subject of heaven, 00:02:53.77\00:02:57.11 there is so many different ideas, 00:02:57.14\00:02:59.87 so many different ways that people understand heaven, 00:02:59.91\00:03:03.75 but yet the Bible is very clear. 00:03:03.78\00:03:06.48 What is heaven? Is heaven a real place? 00:03:06.51\00:03:09.88 Will we have real bodies? 00:03:09.92\00:03:11.95 Will we know one another in heaven? 00:03:11.99\00:03:14.32 What'll we do through the ceaseless ages of eternity? 00:03:14.36\00:03:17.69 Will we sit on a cloud, and play a harp, 00:03:17.73\00:03:21.86 and simply float through the cosmic atmosphere? 00:03:21.90\00:03:28.27 What really is heaven all about? 00:03:28.30\00:03:31.24 What really is heaven like? 00:03:31.27\00:03:33.88 Now this as among other subjects, 00:03:33.91\00:03:36.88 truth is stranger than fiction. 00:03:36.91\00:03:39.15 Heaven is more magnificent, it's more glorious, 00:03:39.18\00:03:42.75 it's more exciting, more thrilling, more real 00:03:42.78\00:03:46.52 than we could ever imagine. 00:03:46.55\00:03:49.09 Heaven is a real place. 00:03:49.12\00:03:50.63 Now the key to understanding heaven 00:03:50.66\00:03:53.06 is to understand Revelation 21. 00:03:53.09\00:03:55.56 And Revelation 21:1 says, 00:03:55.60\00:03:58.63 "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, 00:03:58.67\00:04:02.74 for the first heaven and the first earth 00:04:02.77\00:04:05.31 are passed away." 00:04:05.34\00:04:06.78 Here is the key to understanding heaven 00:04:06.81\00:04:10.08 that God created the world once in its Edenic splendor. 00:04:10.11\00:04:14.62 And that one day God is going to recreate again 00:04:14.65\00:04:18.62 this Edenic splendor on earth. 00:04:18.65\00:04:20.92 In fact, you remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5, 00:04:20.96\00:04:24.09 He said, "The meek shall inherit the earth." 00:04:24.13\00:04:27.66 And so, if you understand 00:04:27.70\00:04:29.60 that heaven is not some fantasy world, 00:04:29.63\00:04:32.30 heaven is not some make believe world, 00:04:32.33\00:04:34.87 heaven is not some world of dreams, 00:04:34.90\00:04:38.11 but heaven is a real place. 00:04:38.14\00:04:40.64 It is a recreated earth that you and I will live on. 00:04:40.68\00:04:45.18 Now each of the prophets from Genesis to Revelation 00:04:45.21\00:04:49.95 pointed men and women forward 00:04:49.98\00:04:52.42 to the new heavens and the new earth. 00:04:52.45\00:04:54.46 When God created the world, He created it beautiful, 00:04:54.49\00:04:58.66 the Garden of Eden. 00:04:58.69\00:05:00.23 What is heaven? 00:05:00.26\00:05:01.60 It's heaven, it's Eden restored, 00:05:01.63\00:05:04.57 it's the world recreated in Edenic splendor. 00:05:04.60\00:05:08.24 Once again clear crystal water will flow, 00:05:08.27\00:05:12.87 once again the birds will sing, 00:05:12.91\00:05:15.74 babbling brooks will dance through the landscape. 00:05:15.78\00:05:19.15 Once again the sky will be blue and the sun will shine, 00:05:19.18\00:05:22.95 and there will be green verge on the hillside. 00:05:22.98\00:05:27.09 As you look at this world, we see pollution, 00:05:27.12\00:05:30.26 but in that world of Eden the fruit was pure, 00:05:30.29\00:05:34.90 uncontaminated, no pesticides, no GMOs, 00:05:34.93\00:05:40.17 you know, it was a natural diet 00:05:40.20\00:05:42.90 that God gave to us in the beginning, 00:05:42.94\00:05:45.51 and the trees were so amazingly loaded with fruit 00:05:45.54\00:05:49.58 that they were bowed over, 00:05:49.61\00:05:51.68 and Adam and Eve lived off the products of the land. 00:05:51.71\00:05:55.65 Animals didn't have any fear of human beings in that land, 00:05:55.68\00:06:00.49 the elephant and the horse, the zebra and the lion, 00:06:00.52\00:06:05.89 all the animals together were joyous and happy. 00:06:05.93\00:06:09.86 And Adam and Eve experience that joy 00:06:09.90\00:06:13.50 as Jesus taught them about the garden. 00:06:13.54\00:06:16.24 There was love, and joy, and companionship. 00:06:16.27\00:06:19.37 It's difficult for us to imagine really, isn't it 00:06:19.41\00:06:22.08 what heaven will be like? 00:06:22.11\00:06:24.01 And it's difficult for us to imagine what Eden was like? 00:06:24.05\00:06:27.25 When you think about it, 00:06:27.28\00:06:28.92 living in a land where there is no fear, 00:06:28.95\00:06:31.52 living in a land where there's no worry, 00:06:31.55\00:06:33.66 living in a land where there's no anxiety, 00:06:33.69\00:06:36.09 living in a land where there's no pain, 00:06:36.12\00:06:38.49 where there's no suffering, 00:06:38.53\00:06:40.23 where there's no death, no flower dies, 00:06:40.26\00:06:43.43 no fruit rots, no babies are born dead, 00:06:43.47\00:06:47.50 no bombs drop, 00:06:47.54\00:06:49.24 no children with their legs blown off 00:06:49.27\00:06:51.61 because they've stepped on a landmine. 00:06:51.64\00:06:53.44 You know, you just try to grasp that, 00:06:53.48\00:06:55.51 you just try to think about that. 00:06:55.54\00:06:57.51 And what must it have been like for Adam and Eve 00:06:57.55\00:07:01.95 to walk through Eden with the perfumed air, 00:07:01.98\00:07:05.15 no air pollution, and breathing the flowers, 00:07:05.19\00:07:07.82 just so energetic and eating the fruit 00:07:07.86\00:07:10.69 so health giving and never in argument disappointment. 00:07:10.73\00:07:15.06 But then the Bible says, 00:07:15.10\00:07:17.03 "That an intruder suggested to Eve 00:07:17.07\00:07:19.53 that sin would bring greater happiness than obedience." 00:07:19.57\00:07:22.87 And she bought into that lie and when she did, 00:07:22.90\00:07:26.57 and gave the fruit to Adam, and he ate, 00:07:26.61\00:07:29.94 the sad drama of sin began. 00:07:29.98\00:07:34.48 And as it began, heartache and suffering, disappointment, 00:07:34.52\00:07:39.12 and tears and pain entered in to the human family, 00:07:39.15\00:07:44.29 in the human race. 00:07:44.33\00:07:45.73 Adam and Eve were expelled from that garden. 00:07:45.76\00:07:48.96 But down through the ages, men and women, 00:07:49.00\00:07:52.03 the prophets of God were part of the royal line of faith. 00:07:52.07\00:07:56.60 They looked forward to the day 00:07:56.64\00:08:00.08 that there'd be a new heavens and a new earth. 00:08:00.11\00:08:02.24 They look forward to the day that Eden would be restored. 00:08:02.28\00:08:06.65 And God has put that desire in every one of our hearts. 00:08:06.68\00:08:09.52 Watching this telecast today, 00:08:09.55\00:08:11.92 you know, that we're made for something better than this. 00:08:11.95\00:08:16.02 You read the headlines and you see 00:08:16.06\00:08:17.39 a terrorist break into a church, 00:08:17.43\00:08:20.66 and begin going pew by pew shooting people, 00:08:20.70\00:08:24.73 and you see a seven-month-old baby 00:08:24.77\00:08:27.44 with bullets in its head killed in the arms of a mother, 00:08:27.47\00:08:32.11 you see a pregnant woman shot, 00:08:32.14\00:08:34.34 you see young people shot and retiree shot. 00:08:34.38\00:08:37.71 Or you turn on the news and you hear 00:08:37.75\00:08:39.48 about terrible conflict in the Middle East, 00:08:39.51\00:08:42.72 and a child steps on a landmine, 00:08:42.75\00:08:44.82 and blows off its legs, and lies bleeding to death. 00:08:44.85\00:08:49.16 And you read in the newspaper about a drunk man 00:08:49.19\00:08:52.33 that comes home and beats his wife, 00:08:52.36\00:08:54.23 and her nose is broken, and blood drips down, 00:08:54.26\00:08:57.23 and she wipes it with her tongue. 00:08:57.27\00:08:59.90 And you read about India or Africa 00:08:59.93\00:09:03.17 and children starving to death and what happens? 00:09:03.20\00:09:06.14 Deep within your heart you know that's not right. 00:09:06.17\00:09:09.44 Deep within your heart you know 00:09:09.48\00:09:11.31 we were made for a better world than this. 00:09:11.35\00:09:14.32 We were made for something better than poverty, 00:09:14.35\00:09:17.75 made for something better than suffering, 00:09:17.79\00:09:20.26 made for something better than heartache, 00:09:20.29\00:09:22.72 made for something better than pain, 00:09:22.76\00:09:25.29 made for something better than death. 00:09:25.33\00:09:27.26 And the royal line of faith down through the centuries, 00:09:27.30\00:09:31.23 generation after generation 00:09:31.27\00:09:33.44 look forward to that better world. 00:09:33.47\00:09:35.70 Abraham looked forward to it. 00:09:35.74\00:09:37.87 The Bible says in Hebrews 11:12, 00:09:37.91\00:09:40.18 "For he, Abraham, waited for the city 00:09:40.21\00:09:43.31 which has foundations, 00:09:43.35\00:09:44.95 whose builder and maker is God." 00:09:44.98\00:09:47.82 As he journeyed through this world, 00:09:47.85\00:09:49.88 Abraham cried out for a new world. 00:09:49.92\00:09:53.62 Moses brought up a child of Egypt 00:09:53.66\00:09:57.13 and the Bible says, 00:09:57.16\00:09:58.59 Hebrews 11:24-26, "By faith Moses, 00:09:58.63\00:10:02.90 when he became of age, 00:10:02.93\00:10:04.27 refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 00:10:04.30\00:10:08.00 choosing rather to suffer affliction 00:10:08.04\00:10:10.11 with the people of God 00:10:10.14\00:10:11.74 than to enjoy the pleasures of sin, 00:10:11.77\00:10:14.31 for a season, 00:10:14.34\00:10:16.04 esteeming the reproach of Christ 00:10:16.08\00:10:18.31 greater than the treasures of Egypt..." 00:10:18.35\00:10:20.52 What did he do? "He looked to the reward." 00:10:20.55\00:10:23.42 Why is it that Moses could step out 00:10:23.45\00:10:26.29 of the Egyptian luxury and pleasure? 00:10:26.32\00:10:28.89 Because he looked for the reward, 00:10:28.92\00:10:30.69 he was looking toward heaven. 00:10:30.73\00:10:32.86 In the Bible ends, Hebrews 11:13 and 14 00:10:32.89\00:10:37.23 with these words, 00:10:37.27\00:10:38.60 "These all died in faith, 00:10:38.63\00:10:41.50 not having received the promises," what promises? 00:10:41.54\00:10:45.41 The promise of eternal life, the promise of heaven. 00:10:45.44\00:10:48.68 "But having seen them afar off were assured of them, 00:10:48.71\00:10:53.42 they embraced them and confessed them 00:10:53.45\00:10:56.05 that they were strangers 00:10:56.08\00:10:57.75 and pilgrims on the earth." 00:10:57.79\00:11:00.36 You and I are strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 00:11:00.39\00:11:03.43 You're walking, you're going shopping one day 00:11:03.46\00:11:06.06 at one of the great grocery stores, 00:11:06.09\00:11:07.76 you get out of your car and you see a friend, 00:11:07.80\00:11:09.46 and they say, "Where you going?" 00:11:09.50\00:11:11.27 And you say, "Well, I'm on my way to heaven, 00:11:11.30\00:11:12.70 I'm just a pilgrim, a stranger stopping off 00:11:12.73\00:11:14.67 to get a little food here." 00:11:14.70\00:11:16.04 Now you better not say 00:11:16.07\00:11:17.41 that someone could think you're crazy, right? 00:11:17.44\00:11:19.01 But it's really true, isn't it? We are what? 00:11:19.04\00:11:21.74 We are pilgrims and strangers on the earth. 00:11:21.78\00:11:25.58 This is not our home. 00:11:25.61\00:11:27.68 This is not our permanent dwelling place. 00:11:27.72\00:11:31.19 We are here for a short momentarily minute of time. 00:11:31.22\00:11:35.69 Hebrews 11:13 and 14, "For those who say such things 00:11:35.72\00:11:39.49 declare plainly that they seek a homeland." 00:11:39.53\00:11:43.26 Whoever you are watching this telecast, 00:11:43.30\00:11:46.23 I know that you're seeking a homeland. 00:11:46.27\00:11:48.67 You're seeking something better than we have. 00:11:48.70\00:11:52.04 You're seeking a place where love reigns. 00:11:52.07\00:11:54.54 You're seeking a place where joy reigns. 00:11:54.58\00:11:56.85 You're seeking a place in eternity 00:11:56.88\00:11:59.08 where we'll never fear death again, 00:11:59.11\00:12:00.98 a place where every talent can be expanded 00:12:01.02\00:12:04.19 and every capacity can be developed, 00:12:04.22\00:12:06.79 a place where we can travel from star to star 00:12:06.82\00:12:09.56 and to world to world 00:12:09.59\00:12:11.16 and explore the vast technologies of civilizations 00:12:11.19\00:12:15.23 that have never fallen by sin. 00:12:15.26\00:12:17.73 In Hebrews 11:16, it says, "But now they desire a better, 00:12:17.77\00:12:21.77 that is, a heavenly country." 00:12:21.80\00:12:23.24 There is something better than this, what do you say? 00:12:23.27\00:12:25.64 Something better than aging, something better than death, 00:12:25.67\00:12:28.74 something better than sorrow, something better than tears. 00:12:28.78\00:12:31.91 The Bible says, "They desire something better, 00:12:31.95\00:12:34.68 something better, a heavenly country." 00:12:34.72\00:12:37.49 Hebrews 11:6, "Therefore God is not ashamed 00:12:37.52\00:12:40.39 to be called their God, 00:12:40.42\00:12:41.89 for He has prepared a city for them." 00:12:41.92\00:12:45.69 Whatever struggle you go through in life, 00:12:45.73\00:12:48.33 whatever sorrow you go through in life, 00:12:48.36\00:12:50.70 whatever pain you go through in life, 00:12:50.73\00:12:52.87 here is what keeps us going. 00:12:52.90\00:12:55.87 God has prepared for us something better. 00:12:55.90\00:12:59.51 God has prepared something beyond our wildest dreams, 00:12:59.54\00:13:02.78 something beyond our fondest imagination, 00:13:02.81\00:13:05.78 something beyond what is. 00:13:05.81\00:13:08.35 He takes us beyond time to eternity, 00:13:08.38\00:13:10.85 beyond the sin of this world to the glory of the next world. 00:13:10.89\00:13:15.56 1 Corinthians 2:9 puts it this way, 00:13:15.59\00:13:18.79 "But as it is written: Eye has not seen, 00:13:18.83\00:13:22.26 nor ear heard, 00:13:22.30\00:13:23.90 nor have entered into the heart of man 00:13:23.93\00:13:26.13 the things that God has prepared 00:13:26.17\00:13:28.50 for those who love Him." 00:13:28.54\00:13:30.04 Whatever scene you've ever seen, 00:13:30.07\00:13:32.67 the most magnificent sunset, 00:13:32.71\00:13:34.84 God's artistry is far better, 00:13:34.88\00:13:37.15 the most fantastic field or garden 00:13:37.18\00:13:39.55 with all these multi colored flowers in it, 00:13:39.58\00:13:42.22 reds, and purples, and greens, and yellows. 00:13:42.25\00:13:44.89 God has something more fantastic 00:13:44.92\00:13:47.82 more that eyes have ever seen, more than ear has ever heard. 00:13:47.86\00:13:51.16 Have you ever been to a concert, 00:13:51.19\00:13:53.09 maybe a classical concert of Mozart or Beethoven, 00:13:53.13\00:13:57.20 you sit back just amazed. 00:13:57.23\00:13:59.63 Maybe you go on to the Hallelujah Chorus 00:13:59.67\00:14:02.24 and you sit there 00:14:02.27\00:14:04.04 "King of kings and Lord of lords" 00:14:04.07\00:14:06.64 and you sit there at Handel's Messiah, 00:14:06.68\00:14:10.18 and you just are thrilled. 00:14:10.21\00:14:12.41 But the Bible says, 00:14:12.45\00:14:13.78 "Eye has not seen or ear have heard the things 00:14:13.82\00:14:17.29 that God has prepared for those who love Him." 00:14:17.32\00:14:18.99 You think you've seen music down here, 00:14:19.02\00:14:20.62 wait till you hear heavenly music, 00:14:20.66\00:14:21.99 the heavenly choirs, the heavenly orchestras, 00:14:22.02\00:14:23.96 just fantastic. 00:14:23.99\00:14:25.33 You think you have seen the beauty 00:14:25.36\00:14:27.63 of artistry down here. 00:14:27.66\00:14:29.10 Wait till you see what God has prepared. 00:14:29.13\00:14:31.77 Probably though, 00:14:31.80\00:14:33.34 the most significant thing that we're going to experience 00:14:33.37\00:14:35.27 in heaven is the depth of love. 00:14:35.30\00:14:37.44 You know, every human being has been created for love. 00:14:37.47\00:14:41.44 And a couple has a baby and as they have that baby, 00:14:41.48\00:14:45.78 they hold their first child in their hand 00:14:45.81\00:14:49.08 and they just express such love for that child. 00:14:49.12\00:14:53.69 But that love is just a miniature of the love 00:14:53.72\00:14:58.09 that we would experience in the new heavens 00:14:58.13\00:15:00.96 and the new earth. 00:15:01.00\00:15:02.33 Or think of the love, or the bondedness, 00:15:02.36\00:15:04.20 the fellowship that friends have. 00:15:04.23\00:15:06.53 When you and I fellowship in heaven, 00:15:06.57\00:15:09.90 we will have love beyond human capacity. 00:15:09.94\00:15:13.34 There will be a capacity to love 00:15:13.38\00:15:16.08 that we do not experience now. 00:15:16.11\00:15:18.65 You think you love your children now, 00:15:18.68\00:15:20.65 you think you love your husband or wife now, 00:15:20.68\00:15:23.08 when we are living in that new earth 00:15:23.12\00:15:25.62 without these bodies of selfishness... 00:15:25.65\00:15:28.49 You know Jeremiah 79 says, 00:15:28.52\00:15:30.79 "The heart is deceitful above all things 00:15:30.83\00:15:33.73 and desperately wicked." 00:15:33.76\00:15:35.10 So sin narrows our capacity to love, 00:15:35.13\00:15:38.60 sin shrinks our capacity to love, 00:15:38.63\00:15:41.67 sin dumps down that capacity to love. 00:15:41.70\00:15:45.11 So whatever capacity that we have to love now 00:15:45.14\00:15:47.28 is very, very small. 00:15:47.31\00:15:49.04 But in heaven, 00:15:49.08\00:15:50.41 we're going to have this huge capacity to love 00:15:50.45\00:15:52.91 that is going to be incredibly amazing. 00:15:52.95\00:15:55.62 And we will love in ways that we never know 00:15:55.65\00:15:58.19 and experience love in ways that we never know. 00:15:58.22\00:16:01.56 Heaven, fellowship is indeed 00:16:01.59\00:16:05.66 the closer than any fellowship on earth. 00:16:05.69\00:16:08.23 And think of the fellowship 00:16:08.26\00:16:09.60 we're going to have with angels, 00:16:09.63\00:16:10.97 and think of the joy we're going to have with Jesus, 00:16:11.00\00:16:13.87 and think of the love and the peace 00:16:13.90\00:16:16.10 we're going to experience. 00:16:16.14\00:16:18.14 There will be no feeling like the feeling 00:16:18.17\00:16:21.84 and no emotion like the emotion, 00:16:21.88\00:16:24.31 no sentiment like the sentiment 00:16:24.35\00:16:26.72 of being embraced by God, 00:16:26.75\00:16:28.55 of being loved by Jesus, about having Jesus 00:16:28.58\00:16:32.09 put His arm around us and say, 00:16:32.12\00:16:33.86 "My child, I am so happy that you're here in eternity. 00:16:33.89\00:16:38.16 My death on the cross was for you. 00:16:38.19\00:16:41.36 Heaven's fellowship is going to be closer 00:16:41.40\00:16:44.17 than anything we can imagine." 00:16:44.20\00:16:46.00 Let's go to the Book of Revelation 21:2 00:16:46.03\00:16:51.14 and see just how these last day events 00:16:51.17\00:16:56.75 at the end of the 1,000 year millennial period will resume, 00:16:56.78\00:17:01.98 "Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, 00:17:02.02\00:17:05.99 coming down from God out of heaven, 00:17:06.02\00:17:08.92 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." 00:17:08.96\00:17:13.90 John says I looked up and as I looked up, 00:17:13.93\00:17:16.73 I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, 00:17:16.77\00:17:20.04 coming down from God out of heaven. 00:17:20.07\00:17:23.27 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, 00:17:23.30\00:17:25.97 "Behold the tabernacle of God is with men 00:17:26.01\00:17:29.48 and He will be with them and they shall be His people 00:17:29.51\00:17:33.58 and He shall be their God." 00:17:33.62\00:17:35.58 Here is a cosmic announcement. 00:17:35.62\00:17:37.69 You know I love the way it's put 00:17:37.72\00:17:39.55 in Revelation 21, 00:17:39.59\00:17:43.76 and here in the last book of the Bible, 00:17:43.79\00:17:46.39 Revelation 21 puts it this way. 00:17:46.43\00:17:50.83 Revelation 21, it says, 00:17:50.87\00:17:55.10 "Behold, I saw a new heavens and a new earth 00:17:55.14\00:17:59.61 and a great voice out of heaven saying, 00:17:59.64\00:18:02.21 'The holy city descends from heaven.'" 00:18:02.24\00:18:04.98 Now notice, hears a great voice out of heaven. 00:18:05.01\00:18:07.62 Here is a solemn announcement. 00:18:07.65\00:18:10.19 Here is an announcement that goes 00:18:10.22\00:18:13.32 and echoes through the whole universe 00:18:13.36\00:18:15.66 of the great voice out of heaven says, 00:18:15.69\00:18:18.03 "Behold the tabernacle of God is with men." 00:18:18.06\00:18:21.40 What's the tabernacle of God? 00:18:21.43\00:18:23.63 In the ancient tabernacle, 00:18:23.67\00:18:25.67 this is where the dwelling place of God was, 00:18:25.70\00:18:28.30 this is where the Shekinah glory of God was. 00:18:28.34\00:18:31.11 Now the tabernacle of God, 00:18:31.14\00:18:33.48 the cosmic control center of all the universe, 00:18:33.51\00:18:36.68 the tabernacle of God descends from heaven to earth. 00:18:36.71\00:18:40.98 And there is an announcement that goes out 00:18:41.02\00:18:42.68 before the whole universe, God is moving. 00:18:42.72\00:18:45.15 You see, now, our solar system goes in circular 00:18:45.19\00:18:51.03 and it is revolving around other solar systems. 00:18:51.06\00:18:55.43 And you know in the Milky Way Galaxy, 00:18:55.46\00:18:57.50 there're about a 100 billion 00:18:57.53\00:19:00.04 rather 100 million other galaxies, 00:19:00.07\00:19:02.70 billions and billions of stars. 00:19:02.74\00:19:05.24 And when you look at the universe, 00:19:05.27\00:19:08.58 it's all revolving and it's all revolving 00:19:08.61\00:19:11.58 around some cosmic center, 00:19:11.61\00:19:13.62 one galaxy, the next galaxy, the next galaxy 00:19:13.65\00:19:17.32 all in motion thousands 00:19:17.35\00:19:19.82 and tens of thousands of miles an hour 00:19:19.85\00:19:22.62 in vast limitless space. 00:19:22.66\00:19:26.76 But yet they revolve around a cosmic control center 00:19:26.80\00:19:31.40 and that cosmic control center is the throne of God. 00:19:31.43\00:19:34.84 And what's going to happen, the holy city? 00:19:34.87\00:19:36.71 God's going to move, 00:19:36.74\00:19:38.07 the whole center of the universe 00:19:38.11\00:19:39.44 is going to move 00:19:39.47\00:19:40.81 and God's going to take this sin-pocked world, 00:19:40.84\00:19:43.71 this polluted world, this planet rebellion. 00:19:43.75\00:19:46.55 He's going to make it over again 00:19:46.58\00:19:48.25 and He's going to bring His holy city down here, 00:19:48.28\00:19:50.85 and the whole geographical center 00:19:50.89\00:19:53.29 of the universe is going to change, 00:19:53.32\00:19:55.32 and this remade earth 00:19:55.36\00:19:56.96 is going to be the new center of the universe 00:19:56.99\00:19:59.46 with the tabernacle of God, 00:19:59.49\00:20:01.83 and you and I are going to be princes and princesses. 00:20:01.86\00:20:04.57 We've got royal blood in our veins, 00:20:04.60\00:20:06.33 and we're going to travel from star to star 00:20:06.37\00:20:08.74 and from planet to planet, 00:20:08.77\00:20:10.44 telling the story of His goodness and His love. 00:20:10.47\00:20:13.58 God has something amazing plan for you, my friend, 00:20:13.61\00:20:16.41 that holy city will descend, 00:20:16.44\00:20:18.88 God is going to move, 00:20:18.91\00:20:20.42 and this earth will be the center 00:20:20.45\00:20:22.88 of a new cosmic universe, 00:20:22.92\00:20:25.42 and you and I will be 00:20:25.45\00:20:26.79 part of the honor convoy of heaven. 00:20:26.82\00:20:29.66 The Bible tells about that holy city, 00:20:29.69\00:20:31.33 Revelation 21:14, 00:20:31.36\00:20:33.53 "Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, 00:20:33.56\00:20:37.00 and on them where the names 00:20:37.03\00:20:38.37 of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." 00:20:38.40\00:20:40.57 Wait a minute, hold it here. 00:20:40.60\00:20:43.41 Did God make a mistake? 00:20:43.44\00:20:45.21 Whose names are on there? 00:20:45.24\00:20:46.78 The 12 apostles, 00:20:46.81\00:20:48.78 the 12 apostles on the 12 foundations. 00:20:48.81\00:20:52.11 I mean, one of those apostles was Peter and he denied Jesus. 00:20:52.15\00:20:56.32 And one of those apostles was James and John, 00:20:56.35\00:20:59.09 and they had these evil tempers. 00:20:59.12\00:21:01.16 And one was Matthew who was so exacting, 00:21:01.19\00:21:04.29 and one was Philip and Andrea, 00:21:04.33\00:21:06.49 you didn't know what they were thinking, 00:21:06.53\00:21:07.86 they didn't say much. 00:21:07.90\00:21:09.23 I mean who were those people whose names were on the gates? 00:21:09.26\00:21:14.74 They were sinners, 00:21:14.77\00:21:16.30 redeemed by the grace of Christ. 00:21:16.34\00:21:18.71 They were men just and people just like you and just like me. 00:21:18.74\00:21:24.25 Why does God put their names on the foundation? 00:21:24.28\00:21:28.02 Why does God put above the gates 00:21:28.05\00:21:30.92 the names of the children of Israel, 00:21:30.95\00:21:33.42 like Issachar and Manasseh? 00:21:33.46\00:21:35.66 And do you look at those names 00:21:35.69\00:21:37.26 of the children of Israel, Reuben, 00:21:37.29\00:21:39.59 they could have been tried in a court of law 00:21:39.63\00:21:43.43 for robbery, thievery, adultery, murder, 00:21:43.47\00:21:47.27 but yet their names are on the gates, why? 00:21:47.30\00:21:49.87 Why the apostles, the names on the foundations? 00:21:49.90\00:21:52.81 Because God is saying to you and me, 00:21:52.84\00:21:54.44 if they can make it so can you. 00:21:54.48\00:21:56.21 What God is really saying 00:21:56.24\00:21:57.58 is that these followers of Christ 00:21:57.61\00:21:58.95 were people with their faults, but their names 00:21:58.98\00:22:01.78 are on the foundations of the holy city, 00:22:01.82\00:22:03.65 the apostles, the names of the nations Israel 00:22:03.69\00:22:06.39 and the names above the gates, why? 00:22:06.42\00:22:08.42 Because God is saying to you, don't give up. 00:22:08.46\00:22:11.49 God is saying to you, hang on. 00:22:11.53\00:22:13.76 God is saying to you, 00:22:13.80\00:22:15.56 if their names can be on those gates, 00:22:15.60\00:22:17.47 if they were redeemed by the grace of Christ, 00:22:17.50\00:22:19.80 justified by the blood of Christ, 00:22:19.83\00:22:22.04 forgiven by the blood of Christ, 00:22:22.07\00:22:24.11 delivered from condemnation by the blood of Christ, 00:22:24.14\00:22:27.38 if they were sanctified by the blood of Christ, 00:22:27.41\00:22:29.78 if they were transformed by the blood of Christ, 00:22:29.81\00:22:31.81 the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, 00:22:31.85\00:22:35.55 "If any man or woman is in Christ, 00:22:35.58\00:22:37.75 they are a new creation. 00:22:37.79\00:22:39.35 Old things are passed away 00:22:39.39\00:22:41.46 and all things have become new." 00:22:41.49\00:22:44.73 Jesus was saying, if they were there, 00:22:44.76\00:22:46.86 you can be there too. 00:22:46.90\00:22:48.36 God is saying to us, if they can make it, 00:22:48.40\00:22:51.37 you can make it too. 00:22:51.40\00:22:52.73 Hold on, brother, hold on, sister, 00:22:52.77\00:22:55.00 this is no time for giving up, 00:22:55.04\00:22:57.24 this is no time for dropping out. 00:22:57.27\00:22:59.54 Somebody, somebody is watching this telecast, 00:22:59.57\00:23:03.21 and you are thinking, 00:23:03.24\00:23:04.85 "The journey is long, the mountain's high, 00:23:04.88\00:23:08.28 the road's rough. 00:23:08.32\00:23:09.65 I'm going to give up, 00:23:09.68\00:23:11.02 I'm going to throw in the towel, 00:23:11.05\00:23:12.39 Christianity is not worth it." 00:23:12.42\00:23:13.76 And Jesus is saying to you, "Hang on." 00:23:13.79\00:23:15.96 Jesus is saying to you, "You can make it." 00:23:15.99\00:23:18.19 Jesus is saying to you, "I'm going to be by your side, 00:23:18.23\00:23:20.76 I'm going to support you. 00:23:20.80\00:23:22.16 You can live in this holy city. 00:23:22.20\00:23:24.17 You can be with me travel from star to star 00:23:24.20\00:23:26.67 and planet to planet. 00:23:26.70\00:23:28.04 You can give your witness of my redeeming grace." 00:23:28.07\00:23:31.31 Now the Bible tells about the city, 00:23:31.34\00:23:32.97 Revelation 21:16, 00:23:33.01\00:23:34.91 "The city is laid out as a square, 00:23:34.94\00:23:37.15 its length is as great as its breath." 00:23:37.18\00:23:40.25 The Bible goes on, 00:23:40.28\00:23:41.62 you see Heaven's goal 00:23:41.65\00:23:43.18 as the Bible as it describes the city. 00:23:43.22\00:23:45.59 You see, heaven's goal is to get as many people 00:23:45.62\00:23:48.16 in this city as possible. 00:23:48.19\00:23:50.33 Now there is something unusual about this city 00:23:50.36\00:23:54.00 that we just read about that has a square. 00:23:54.03\00:23:57.20 When you excavate as an archaeologist, 00:23:57.23\00:24:00.94 when you excavate ancient cities in Israel, 00:24:00.97\00:24:04.54 most of those cities have very few gates, 00:24:04.57\00:24:08.24 maybe two gates, 00:24:08.28\00:24:10.35 maybe three gates, very few gates. 00:24:10.38\00:24:14.28 Why do you think 00:24:14.32\00:24:16.25 that the ancient cities had so few gates? 00:24:16.28\00:24:19.29 Do you have any idea why? 00:24:19.32\00:24:21.52 Because gates would allow the enemy access to that city. 00:24:21.56\00:24:27.66 So you have very few gates 00:24:27.70\00:24:29.36 because if you have a lot of gates, 00:24:29.40\00:24:30.77 you got to guard a lot of gates with your armies. 00:24:30.80\00:24:33.57 So the ancient cities would have few gates. 00:24:33.60\00:24:36.07 But you know what? 00:24:36.10\00:24:37.44 God's city has more than a few gates. 00:24:37.47\00:24:42.51 The holy city has not one gate, not two gates, not three gates, 00:24:42.54\00:24:47.68 how many gates does the holy city have everybody? 00:24:47.72\00:24:50.09 Twelve. Why twelve? 00:24:50.12\00:24:51.45 Because God wants to get people in, 00:24:51.49\00:24:52.82 He doesn't want to get people out. 00:24:52.85\00:24:54.69 Now more, it says the city is like a what? 00:24:54.72\00:24:57.53 What do we read in the text? 00:24:57.56\00:24:58.96 The city is like a square, so four sides, 00:24:58.99\00:25:03.16 three gates on the North, three gates on the East, 00:25:03.20\00:25:05.87 three gates on the South, three gates on the West. 00:25:05.90\00:25:08.94 Three in the Bible is a symbol of the trinity, 00:25:08.97\00:25:12.54 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:25:12.57\00:25:14.54 Four in the Bible is a symbol of universality. 00:25:14.58\00:25:17.68 So what does God say? 00:25:17.71\00:25:19.45 Three gates on the East, everybody in the east 00:25:19.48\00:25:21.35 or you from Asia, or you from China, 00:25:21.38\00:25:23.39 there's room for you, come in. 00:25:23.42\00:25:25.19 Three gates on the South, 00:25:25.22\00:25:26.55 all you from the southern hemisphere, 00:25:26.59\00:25:27.92 the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit saying, 00:25:27.96\00:25:29.29 "Come on in, there's room for you." 00:25:29.32\00:25:31.06 Three gates on the West, 00:25:31.09\00:25:32.43 "Are you from the West, you come on in." 00:25:32.46\00:25:34.10 Three gates on the North, 00:25:34.13\00:25:35.70 "Oh, you from the northern hemisphere, 00:25:35.73\00:25:37.33 North America, Canada, you all come in." 00:25:37.37\00:25:40.20 What is God saying 00:25:40.24\00:25:41.67 in the architecture of the holy city? 00:25:41.70\00:25:44.17 He is saying there is a gate for you, it's open for you, 00:25:44.21\00:25:48.24 you come in to that city. 00:25:48.28\00:25:50.65 The 12 gates were 12 pearls, 00:25:50.68\00:25:53.21 each individual gate was a pearl. 00:25:53.25\00:25:55.18 Jesus Christ is the pearl of great price. 00:25:55.22\00:25:57.52 And Jesus is saying 00:25:57.55\00:25:58.89 through the very architecture of the gates, 00:25:58.92\00:26:01.32 My perfect life as a translucent pearl 00:26:01.36\00:26:05.49 invites you to receive 00:26:05.53\00:26:07.23 My grace and My love and My righteousness, 00:26:07.26\00:26:09.43 the gates of heaven are open for you. 00:26:09.46\00:26:11.47 Here's an incredible good news, my friend, 00:26:11.50\00:26:13.94 The gates of heaven are not shut. 00:26:13.97\00:26:16.24 The gates of heaven are not shut. 00:26:16.27\00:26:18.44 The gates of heaven are open for you. 00:26:18.47\00:26:20.78 Eternity is open for you. 00:26:20.81\00:26:22.94 God has prepared something for you 00:26:22.98\00:26:25.28 beyond what you could ever imagine. 00:26:25.31\00:26:28.22 The Bible describes the city, Revelation 21:21, 00:26:28.25\00:26:31.92 "God's not poor, 00:26:31.95\00:26:33.56 the street of the city was pure gold 00:26:33.59\00:26:35.69 like transparent glass." 00:26:35.72\00:26:37.06 Somebody says, wait a minute, 00:26:37.09\00:26:39.09 that's a waste to make streets of gold. 00:26:39.13\00:26:41.53 It's not a waste 00:26:41.56\00:26:42.90 because you're that important to God. 00:26:42.93\00:26:44.87 It's not a waste because He has everything. 00:26:44.90\00:26:46.94 It's not a waste because He owns the world. 00:26:46.97\00:26:49.64 You see God Himself 00:26:49.67\00:26:52.77 says, there is nothing too little to give you. 00:26:52.81\00:26:56.14 He loves you so much that He paved streets with gold 00:26:56.18\00:27:00.12 just to show you how much He cares and you're worth. 00:27:00.15\00:27:03.89 Whoever you are, 00:27:03.92\00:27:05.35 you can make it through one of those gates. 00:27:05.39\00:27:07.59 Whoever you are, you can walk through those gates. 00:27:07.62\00:27:10.46 Whoever you are, 00:27:10.49\00:27:12.19 you can live in heaven with Him 00:27:12.23\00:27:14.06 through all eternity. 00:27:14.10\00:27:15.43 Now He measures the city and He measures with the reed, 00:27:15.46\00:27:18.57 and it's 12,000 furlongs. 00:27:18.60\00:27:20.24 Now that's a little difficult 00:27:20.27\00:27:22.17 for our modern minds to comprehend, 00:27:22.20\00:27:25.67 we don't measure things in furlongs. 00:27:25.71\00:27:28.54 A furlong was about an 8th of a mile, 00:27:28.58\00:27:31.28 12,000 furlongs is about 1500 miles. 00:27:31.31\00:27:35.42 So the city is about 375 miles on a side. 00:27:35.45\00:27:39.39 Now somebody says, "Wait a minute, 00:27:39.42\00:27:41.76 "You gonna be able to fit everybody in that city." 00:27:41.79\00:27:44.33 Well, if you got to see 375 miles on a side 00:27:44.36\00:27:47.43 and that you know if you just build 00:27:47.46\00:27:49.20 on the horizontal you can fill, 00:27:49.23\00:27:51.83 put millions, and millions, and millions 00:27:51.87\00:27:53.47 of people in the city. 00:27:53.50\00:27:54.84 I mean you take for example New York City 00:27:54.87\00:27:56.87 is just 20 miles across not even in a square. 00:27:56.91\00:28:00.08 And you've got, you know, 15 to 20 million people there. 00:28:00.11\00:28:03.11 So you get a city 375 miles on one side. 00:28:03.14\00:28:05.71 Don't worry about it, 00:28:05.75\00:28:07.08 you've got millions and millions of people. 00:28:07.12\00:28:08.75 But look, God can build multiple stories. 00:28:08.78\00:28:11.85 God can built in the sky if He needs to. 00:28:11.89\00:28:14.29 And not only will we have city homes 00:28:14.32\00:28:16.69 but we got the whole new earth, 00:28:16.73\00:28:18.29 we'll have country homes, don't worry about it. 00:28:18.33\00:28:20.73 There's enough room for you, my brother, 00:28:20.76\00:28:22.86 there's enough room for you, my sister. 00:28:22.90\00:28:24.83 God is something incredibly prepared, 00:28:24.87\00:28:26.74 its length, and breadth, and height are equal. 00:28:26.77\00:28:28.54 Now there's another one that's interesting, 00:28:28.57\00:28:30.37 its length and breadth, you know, 375 miles on a side, 00:28:30.41\00:28:32.81 but its height is equal. 00:28:32.84\00:28:34.41 In other words, the city is so amazing, 00:28:34.44\00:28:36.54 it goes 375 miles up in the sky. 00:28:36.58\00:28:39.25 You say I can't figure that out. 00:28:39.28\00:28:40.75 I can't either, but don't worry about it, 00:28:40.78\00:28:42.18 it's still true because God set it, right? 00:28:42.22\00:28:44.35 So this city is going to be so incredible, 00:28:44.39\00:28:46.92 it's going to be so amazing, far beyond. 00:28:46.96\00:28:50.06 What was our text that we read, 00:28:50.09\00:28:51.69 eye has not seen nor ear heard anything 00:28:51.73\00:28:55.53 that God has prepared for those that love you 00:28:55.56\00:28:57.83 far beyond our wildest imaginations. 00:28:57.87\00:29:00.34 No artist can paint a picture of it. 00:29:00.37\00:29:02.40 No musician can describe it in music, 00:29:02.44\00:29:06.17 beyond what you can even think or imagine, 00:29:06.21\00:29:08.98 it's beyond your wildest dreams, 00:29:09.01\00:29:11.95 the beauty, the joy of this new heavens 00:29:11.98\00:29:15.72 and new earth, the beauty of Eden made over again. 00:29:15.75\00:29:20.42 Isaiah 35 puts it this way, 00:29:20.46\00:29:23.73 "The wilderness and the wasteland 00:29:23.76\00:29:25.93 shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice 00:29:25.96\00:29:29.96 and blossom as a rose." 00:29:30.00\00:29:32.23 Just think of the beautiful flowers, 00:29:32.27\00:29:35.04 the perfumed air, 00:29:35.07\00:29:37.01 the beauty of Eden will be restored, 00:29:37.04\00:29:40.74 everything that brings joy, 00:29:40.78\00:29:43.18 everything that brings gladness walking down those paths, 00:29:43.21\00:29:47.82 smelling the magnificence of the flowers, 00:29:47.85\00:29:50.82 looking at their reds, and the pinks, and the yellows 00:29:50.85\00:29:54.86 and the oranges, and the greens, 00:29:54.89\00:29:57.46 nothing that we could possibly see 00:29:57.49\00:30:00.06 or imagine here on earth, 00:30:00.10\00:30:02.26 the most beautiful garden would ever hold a candle, 00:30:02.30\00:30:06.50 ever be a small reflection of the beauties of heaven. 00:30:06.53\00:30:10.41 What do our physical condition be on this new earth? 00:30:10.44\00:30:14.31 Will I kind of float by on a cloud 00:30:14.34\00:30:17.51 and be some kind of ethereal fantasy being 00:30:17.55\00:30:22.52 and will I go beep, beep 00:30:22.55\00:30:24.42 and my wife flow by another cloud 00:30:24.45\00:30:26.29 and she'll go beep, beep and I'll say, 00:30:26.32\00:30:28.09 "Is that you, Darling, 00:30:28.12\00:30:29.72 over there in that kind of cloudy figure?" 00:30:29.76\00:30:32.59 Will we know one another in heaven? 00:30:32.63\00:30:35.06 What will heaven be like? 00:30:35.10\00:30:36.53 The Bible helps us, Philippians 3:20 and 21, 00:30:36.56\00:30:40.50 "For our citizenship," that's where we really belong, 00:30:40.54\00:30:43.91 "is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait 00:30:43.94\00:30:47.34 for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:30:47.38\00:30:49.78 who will transform our lowly body." 00:30:49.81\00:30:52.68 So our bodies are corrupt with sin, 00:30:52.71\00:30:55.62 they are mortal bodies, they are lowly bodies, 00:30:55.65\00:30:58.62 subject to disease and death 00:30:58.65\00:31:00.39 that it may be conformed to His glorious body. 00:31:00.42\00:31:04.49 When Jesus lived on earth, did He have a real body? 00:31:04.53\00:31:09.26 Was Jesus hungry at times? 00:31:09.30\00:31:12.13 Did Jesus get tired at times? 00:31:12.17\00:31:15.34 When the nails were driven through Jesus' hands, 00:31:15.37\00:31:17.97 where those real hands? 00:31:18.01\00:31:19.97 Did His hands really experienced pain? 00:31:20.01\00:31:22.41 When they put the crown of thorns 00:31:22.44\00:31:23.78 on His head, was it real? 00:31:23.81\00:31:25.25 So Jesus had a real body. 00:31:25.28\00:31:27.45 When He came out of the grave in the resurrected body, 00:31:27.48\00:31:31.22 was that body different? 00:31:31.25\00:31:33.09 It was a glorified body 00:31:33.12\00:31:34.92 that could not experience aging, 00:31:34.96\00:31:36.93 it could not experience hunger or pain. 00:31:36.96\00:31:40.36 So Jesus had a glorious body, what does the Bible say? 00:31:40.40\00:31:43.63 It says that Christ will transform our lowly body 00:31:43.67\00:31:48.74 that it may be conformed to His glorious body. 00:31:48.77\00:31:51.87 So Christ has this glorious resurrected immortal body. 00:31:51.91\00:31:57.18 When He walked with the disciples 00:31:57.21\00:32:00.95 on the road to Emmaus and as He walked with them, 00:32:00.98\00:32:06.55 He had a real body. 00:32:06.59\00:32:07.96 He talked with them, He fellowshipped with them. 00:32:07.99\00:32:10.79 The Bible says, "That their eyes were hold in 00:32:10.83\00:32:13.86 that they didn't recognize Him." 00:32:13.90\00:32:15.90 But when they came that evening to sit down 00:32:15.93\00:32:19.37 and Jesus broke the bread 00:32:19.40\00:32:21.67 that they would all share together. 00:32:21.70\00:32:24.11 Now evidently, Jesus in His immortal body 00:32:24.14\00:32:28.21 still enjoy the eating of food, 00:32:28.24\00:32:30.28 we will too in our immortal bodies. 00:32:30.31\00:32:32.81 So, but when Jesus broke that bread, 00:32:32.85\00:32:36.28 He had unique mannerisms. 00:32:36.32\00:32:38.59 Nobody broke the bread like Jesus. 00:32:38.62\00:32:41.76 And as He broke that bread, they recognized Christ 00:32:41.79\00:32:44.56 at that moment by His unique mannerisms. 00:32:44.59\00:32:47.56 Do you remember also that in the garden 00:32:47.60\00:32:51.07 after Christ's resurrection, Mary comes to Jesus, 00:32:51.10\00:32:55.10 and at first through the mist she does not recognize Him, 00:32:55.14\00:32:58.84 she thinks He's the gardener, and Jesus says, "Mary, Mary, 00:32:58.87\00:33:04.35 and as He calls her name 00:33:04.38\00:33:06.35 nobody could speak her name like that." 00:33:06.38\00:33:08.88 Jesus knew her name. 00:33:08.92\00:33:12.02 She recognized His voice. 00:33:12.05\00:33:14.39 So Jesus was recognized in His glorious body 00:33:14.42\00:33:17.23 by His unique mannerisms, 00:33:17.26\00:33:19.03 He was recognized in His glorious body 00:33:19.06\00:33:21.00 by His voice. 00:33:21.03\00:33:22.36 And you remember, He descended into the room 00:33:22.40\00:33:25.53 where the disciples were met as they were praying, 00:33:25.57\00:33:28.37 they were afraid of the Jews the Bible says, 00:33:28.40\00:33:30.64 and they recognized His physical form. 00:33:30.67\00:33:34.04 So Jesus was recognized 00:33:34.08\00:33:35.54 by these three things in heaven. 00:33:35.58\00:33:38.65 Will we recognize one another? Sure. 00:33:38.68\00:33:41.38 Jesus doesn't want to redeem or save some spirit being, 00:33:41.42\00:33:45.99 He wants you, He created you 00:33:46.02\00:33:48.02 with the uniqueness of your personality. 00:33:48.06\00:33:50.49 And although sin will be gone, you'll still remain 00:33:50.53\00:33:53.76 that is the special one that Christ created. 00:33:53.80\00:33:58.83 Your personality will remain, 00:33:58.87\00:34:00.74 the uniqueness or your mannerisms will remain, 00:34:00.77\00:34:03.41 you will have this amazing body that is immortal 00:34:03.44\00:34:06.88 will recognize one another by our unique mannerisms, 00:34:06.91\00:34:10.05 by our voice intonations, 00:34:10.08\00:34:11.68 by our individual personalities, 00:34:11.71\00:34:14.68 it will be incredible 00:34:14.72\00:34:16.52 as you and I see one another as we were meant to be. 00:34:16.55\00:34:19.75 You know husband, 00:34:19.79\00:34:21.12 you may think your wife is beautiful now, 00:34:21.16\00:34:23.63 but wait till you see her like she would have been 00:34:23.66\00:34:27.70 if she never were defiled by sin at all. 00:34:27.73\00:34:30.80 You know, some people say to me, 00:34:30.83\00:34:32.80 "Well, look I'm going to buy this magic formula, 00:34:32.83\00:34:35.90 I'm going to put this wrinkle cream on my face 00:34:35.94\00:34:38.54 and I'll never get a wrinkle." 00:34:38.57\00:34:39.91 Well, my dear sister, 00:34:39.94\00:34:41.31 you can put as much on as you want 00:34:41.34\00:34:42.98 if it makes you feel better, 00:34:43.01\00:34:44.41 but you're going to a place where you're going to be remade 00:34:44.45\00:34:47.45 and you will not have one wrinkle. 00:34:47.48\00:34:49.32 And you know some guys that are getting little older 00:34:49.35\00:34:51.15 like me and they bend over say, "Oh, my back." 00:34:51.19\00:34:53.36 You know, here's what the definition of aging is. 00:34:53.39\00:34:55.72 You bend over to tie your shoe 00:34:55.76\00:34:57.76 and you say what else can I do when I'm down here. 00:34:57.79\00:34:59.73 You see, that's the definition of aging, you see. 00:34:59.76\00:35:03.20 And, you know, but when God recreates you, 00:35:03.23\00:35:07.34 no wrinkle cream you're going to need. 00:35:07.37\00:35:09.40 You're not going to need any back adjustments 00:35:09.44\00:35:12.54 crack, crack, crack. 00:35:12.57\00:35:13.91 You know, they adjust your back. 00:35:13.94\00:35:15.54 You're not going to need to worry when you bend over 00:35:15.58\00:35:17.68 and no more arthritis or rheumatism, 00:35:17.71\00:35:19.98 but we are going to grow into the beauty 00:35:20.02\00:35:23.05 of what we were meant to be when we were created by God 00:35:23.08\00:35:26.15 in the Garden of Eden. 00:35:26.19\00:35:27.52 You think your husband is muscular now man. 00:35:27.56\00:35:30.46 Wait till you see him in the glorious 00:35:30.49\00:35:32.79 of the new heaven and the new earth. 00:35:32.83\00:35:34.40 You see the Bible says the first dominion, 00:35:34.43\00:35:36.46 this is Micah 4:8, 00:35:36.50\00:35:37.83 "The first dominion will be restored, 00:35:37.87\00:35:40.10 and God is going to bring us 00:35:40.14\00:35:42.14 to that new heavens and the new earth." 00:35:42.17\00:35:44.04 Everything we would have been, everything we could have been, 00:35:44.07\00:35:47.81 everything we should have been, 00:35:47.84\00:35:49.84 the physical bodies that we could have had, 00:35:49.88\00:35:52.61 the minds that we could have had. 00:35:52.65\00:35:54.95 You know, 00:35:54.98\00:35:56.48 it is the intelligence of a person 00:35:56.52\00:35:58.79 is determined by the forebrain. 00:35:58.82\00:36:01.12 You know, the brain is about three and a half pounds 00:36:01.16\00:36:02.82 of rubbery grey substance and in the forebrain 00:36:02.86\00:36:05.43 we have our brain cells. 00:36:05.46\00:36:06.80 You know the brain has about a hundred... 00:36:06.83\00:36:09.13 I used to say 14 billion 00:36:09.16\00:36:10.60 until I talk to a neurophysiologist. 00:36:10.63\00:36:14.04 You know, we got billions and billions of brain cells, 00:36:14.07\00:36:16.57 we don't even know how many. 00:36:16.60\00:36:17.97 And when you look at the brain, 00:36:18.01\00:36:19.91 the forebrain determines intelligence or IQ, 00:36:19.94\00:36:22.88 and the brains in our body may be three and half pounds. 00:36:22.91\00:36:26.65 But look, think about Adam, 00:36:26.68\00:36:29.15 what about Adam, when he wasn't defiled with sin. 00:36:29.18\00:36:31.52 How tall could he have been? 00:36:31.55\00:36:33.39 Maybe twice as tall, little more than we are today. 00:36:33.42\00:36:36.22 What kind of brain would he have 00:36:36.26\00:36:37.66 if our brains are three and a half pounds 00:36:37.69\00:36:40.06 and if somebody has an IQ of 120, 115-120 00:36:40.10\00:36:43.97 they say maybe that's average, 130 that's bright, 00:36:44.00\00:36:46.80 140, that's off the chart, 150-160 that's genius. 00:36:46.84\00:36:50.61 Well, they got these three and a half pounds 00:36:50.64\00:36:52.01 of rubbery grey stuff, 00:36:52.04\00:36:53.38 this is a little brain, with the brain cells. 00:36:53.41\00:36:55.01 You know how big Adam's brain probably was, 00:36:55.04\00:36:57.98 if he was twice as tall as men living, 00:36:58.01\00:37:00.62 his brain was probably 25 pounds. 00:37:00.65\00:37:03.45 That means that his IQ 00:37:03.49\00:37:05.65 would have been probably a 1,000 or 1,200... 00:37:05.69\00:37:07.69 I mean the intelligence is so vastly 00:37:07.72\00:37:10.86 greater than ours. 00:37:10.89\00:37:12.23 Now if Adam was twice as tall as men living 00:37:12.26\00:37:14.03 you know we had a scientist and he took 00:37:14.06\00:37:17.07 a little slide really and he computed it. 00:37:17.10\00:37:19.03 Adam's average gait, 00:37:19.07\00:37:21.00 average gait of walking 00:37:21.04\00:37:23.34 if he's twice as tall as men living 00:37:23.37\00:37:24.74 could be about 25 miles an hour, 00:37:24.77\00:37:26.84 that's his average gait of walking. 00:37:26.88\00:37:28.98 I mean, look, we have no comprehension 00:37:29.01\00:37:32.65 of what God has in store for us. 00:37:32.68\00:37:36.92 Isaiah 33:24, "The inhabitant will not say, 00:37:36.95\00:37:41.02 'I am sick,' the people who dwell in it 00:37:41.06\00:37:43.73 will be forgiven their iniquity." 00:37:43.76\00:37:46.06 No more stomachaches, no more headaches, 00:37:46.09\00:37:49.16 no more backaches, no more knee aches, 00:37:49.20\00:37:51.80 the inhabitant will not say, I am what everybody? 00:37:51.83\00:37:54.14 Sick. 00:37:54.17\00:37:55.50 What is it going to be like to live in a world 00:37:55.54\00:37:58.77 where there is no sickness? 00:37:58.81\00:38:01.24 The eyes of the blind will be opened. 00:38:01.28\00:38:04.41 The ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 00:38:04.45\00:38:07.78 The eyes of the blind opened. 00:38:07.82\00:38:09.15 You know, for many years 00:38:09.18\00:38:11.35 my wife and I would visit a hospital 00:38:11.39\00:38:15.02 that was especially for the physically handicapped, 00:38:15.06\00:38:18.03 and would often go there, 00:38:18.06\00:38:19.79 and teach Bible, and there were those who as... 00:38:19.83\00:38:22.20 I remember Doris, 00:38:22.23\00:38:23.57 she was blind and could not see, 00:38:23.60\00:38:26.47 she was paralyzed 00:38:26.50\00:38:28.40 and couldn't use her hands or feet, 00:38:28.44\00:38:31.31 all she could do is hear, 00:38:31.34\00:38:32.77 and we would sing a song to her and say, 00:38:32.81\00:38:34.44 "You can smile when you can't say a word, 00:38:34.48\00:38:36.31 you can smile when you cannot be heard, 00:38:36.34\00:38:38.01 you can smile anytime, anywhere." 00:38:38.05\00:38:39.61 And Doris would smile, you know. 00:38:39.65\00:38:41.92 I remember little Jimmy, 00:38:41.95\00:38:43.59 he came in to our Bible classes on a board with wheels, 00:38:43.62\00:38:47.66 he had no legs and he pulled himself 00:38:47.69\00:38:49.32 along the floor in these wheels. 00:38:49.36\00:38:51.23 And I remember Joanie, 00:38:51.26\00:38:52.59 she was paralyzed from her neck down, 00:38:52.63\00:38:55.66 couldn't use her hands, 00:38:55.70\00:38:57.03 she had polio when 1948 she got Bulbar polio, 00:38:57.07\00:39:00.97 was the longest living person in an iron and lung. 00:39:01.00\00:39:04.14 She would lie in that iron and lung, 00:39:04.17\00:39:05.94 and put her Bible above her head, 00:39:05.97\00:39:07.51 and turn the pages with her tongue, 00:39:07.54\00:39:09.68 and she had memorized large passages of the Bible. 00:39:09.71\00:39:13.08 And I'd visit her, and she'd say, 00:39:13.11\00:39:14.48 "Pastor Mark, I'm studying the Bible with 21 people." 00:39:14.52\00:39:18.12 And I'd have them filling out the lessons, 00:39:18.15\00:39:19.85 they're over there in the third drawer, 00:39:19.89\00:39:21.82 pull out the lessons and read me the questions 00:39:21.86\00:39:23.43 and the answers, and I'll tell you 00:39:23.46\00:39:24.79 if they're right 00:39:24.83\00:39:26.16 because she had memorized everything. 00:39:26.19\00:39:27.53 Just amazing, she refused to be down on herself, 00:39:27.56\00:39:31.07 refused to be sympathetic for herself. 00:39:31.10\00:39:34.04 She was this woman with this indomitable, 00:39:34.07\00:39:36.57 courageous spirit. 00:39:36.60\00:39:38.21 And I remember we would go there and I'd say, 00:39:38.24\00:39:40.44 "What do you want me to teach in Bible class today?" 00:39:40.48\00:39:44.78 They would say, "Pastor, teach us about heaven, 00:39:44.81\00:39:47.12 teach us about the time that the eyes of the blind 00:39:47.15\00:39:49.28 will be open, the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 00:39:49.32\00:39:51.42 Pastor, teach us about heaven." 00:39:51.45\00:39:52.79 I say, "Well, didn't I teach about that last week? 00:39:52.82\00:39:55.39 Didn't I teach about that..." 00:39:55.42\00:39:56.96 They said, "Pastor, teach us more 00:39:56.99\00:39:58.39 because we forgot." 00:39:58.43\00:40:00.40 So often we forget. 00:40:00.43\00:40:02.76 We forget the glories of heaven. 00:40:02.80\00:40:05.07 We forget the reality of eternity. 00:40:05.10\00:40:08.17 We forget that we're simply pilgrims here 00:40:08.20\00:40:11.07 but that God has something incredibly better for us. 00:40:11.11\00:40:14.21 The Bible says, 00:40:14.24\00:40:15.58 "The lame shall leap like a deer, 00:40:15.61\00:40:17.41 the tongue of the dumb will sing." 00:40:17.45\00:40:20.25 Just think of what it's going to be like, 00:40:20.28\00:40:22.48 the eyes of the blind's open, 00:40:22.52\00:40:23.85 the ears of the deaf unstopped, 00:40:23.89\00:40:25.22 the lame leaping and joyously running 00:40:25.25\00:40:27.92 through the glorious fields and flowers of heaven. 00:40:27.96\00:40:31.09 There is joy and happiness everywhere. 00:40:31.13\00:40:34.43 No crying children, no children crying out for food, 00:40:34.46\00:40:39.27 no children whose parents have died 00:40:39.30\00:40:42.54 and are orphans because all of us there 00:40:42.57\00:40:45.27 will be part of the larger family of heaven. 00:40:45.31\00:40:47.88 All of us there will be in a society 00:40:47.91\00:40:50.65 where love reigns. 00:40:50.68\00:40:52.01 The Bible says, Revelation 21:4, 00:40:52.05\00:40:54.42 "God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, 00:40:54.45\00:40:57.69 there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying." 00:40:57.72\00:41:02.09 God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 00:41:02.12\00:41:04.03 There may be a pain in your heart today, my friend, 00:41:04.06\00:41:06.56 there may be sorrow in your life today, 00:41:06.59\00:41:09.83 but God is going to wipe away every tear from their eyes. 00:41:09.86\00:41:14.97 There will be no more pain, for the former things 00:41:15.00\00:41:18.34 are passed away, even the memory of heartache, 00:41:18.37\00:41:22.71 even the memory of sorrow, 00:41:22.74\00:41:25.45 even the memory of pain will be gone, 00:41:25.48\00:41:29.22 death a thing of the past, 00:41:29.25\00:41:31.25 sorrow a thing of the past, crying a thing of the past, 00:41:31.29\00:41:35.06 pain a thing of the past forever gone, forever gone. 00:41:35.09\00:41:39.59 The Bible says, Revelation 22:1, 00:41:39.63\00:41:41.83 "He showed me a pure river of water of life, 00:41:41.86\00:41:43.67 clear as crystal, 00:41:43.70\00:41:45.03 proceeding from the throne of God 00:41:45.07\00:41:47.17 and from the lamb. 00:41:47.20\00:41:48.87 In the middle of its street 00:41:48.90\00:41:50.24 and on either side of the river, 00:41:50.27\00:41:51.61 was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, 00:41:51.64\00:41:54.84 each tree yielding its fruit every month. 00:41:54.88\00:41:58.28 And the leaves of the tree 00:41:58.31\00:41:59.65 were for the healing of the nations." 00:41:59.68\00:42:01.35 Now this is little confusing. 00:42:01.38\00:42:03.12 This is Revelation 22, 00:42:03.15\00:42:06.89 why does the Bible say the leaves of the tree 00:42:06.92\00:42:10.43 were for the healing of the nations? 00:42:10.46\00:42:13.66 Because in Revelation 22, 00:42:13.70\00:42:16.63 the nations have been healed, right? 00:42:16.67\00:42:20.60 There is no sickness 00:42:20.64\00:42:22.67 the Bible said that in Revelation 22, 00:42:22.70\00:42:24.84 you see this word healing, 00:42:24.87\00:42:26.21 you know what it means in the original language, 00:42:26.24\00:42:28.91 it's up building or restoration. 00:42:28.94\00:42:32.01 So the leaves of the tree are for the up building, 00:42:32.05\00:42:35.62 the leaves of the tree 00:42:35.65\00:42:37.25 are for the restoration of the nations. 00:42:37.29\00:42:40.52 What does that mean? 00:42:40.56\00:42:42.19 We go and take the tree of life every month. 00:42:42.22\00:42:45.69 Now when you and I come out of the grave, 00:42:45.73\00:42:48.73 I will come out of the grave with a glorious immortal body, 00:42:48.76\00:42:52.70 but about six feet. 00:42:52.73\00:42:54.24 My wife will come out of the grave 00:42:54.27\00:42:55.87 about the size she is, 00:42:55.90\00:42:58.04 but when Adam comes out of the grave 00:42:58.07\00:43:01.08 with his mortal body, 00:43:01.11\00:43:03.45 he will come out may be twice as tall as me, 00:43:03.48\00:43:05.61 maybe 13 feet. 00:43:05.65\00:43:07.62 But you know what? 00:43:07.65\00:43:08.98 As you and I eat of the tree of life, 00:43:09.02\00:43:11.15 we will be fully restored and grow, and grow, and grow 00:43:11.19\00:43:14.19 until our perfect size 00:43:14.22\00:43:17.13 that we would have been in and will continue 00:43:17.16\00:43:19.79 to grow mentally in our capacity 00:43:19.83\00:43:22.96 because when we come to heaven, 00:43:23.00\00:43:24.33 we're not going to know everything 00:43:24.37\00:43:25.70 so as we eat the tree, as we study in heaven, 00:43:25.73\00:43:28.47 we're going to grow mentally, we're going to grow physically. 00:43:28.50\00:43:31.37 So what this is talking about 00:43:31.41\00:43:33.71 is the total restoration of humanity 00:43:33.74\00:43:37.25 certainly there is no sickness, 00:43:37.28\00:43:38.81 certainly there is no suffering, 00:43:38.85\00:43:40.18 but isn't there a lot of growing 00:43:40.22\00:43:41.55 to do in heaven? 00:43:41.58\00:43:42.92 We're all going to grow continually 00:43:42.95\00:43:44.69 to be like we would have been in that Garden of Eden. 00:43:44.72\00:43:47.39 We're going to be loved by God, cherished by God, 00:43:47.42\00:43:50.06 embraced by God, satisfied by God. 00:43:50.09\00:43:54.43 The Bible says that heaven is indeed a real place. 00:43:54.46\00:44:00.64 Isaiah 65:17, 00:44:00.67\00:44:02.60 no make believe world, 00:44:02.64\00:44:03.97 "For behold, I create new heavens 00:44:04.01\00:44:05.47 and a new earth, 00:44:05.51\00:44:06.84 and the former shall not be remembered 00:44:06.88\00:44:08.61 or come to mind." 00:44:08.64\00:44:09.98 What's God going to do? 00:44:10.01\00:44:11.35 Just like it says in Revelation, 00:44:11.38\00:44:12.85 create a new heavens and a new earth. 00:44:12.88\00:44:15.78 What are we going to do 00:44:15.82\00:44:17.15 through the ceaseless ages of eternity? 00:44:17.19\00:44:18.62 Will it be boring? 00:44:18.65\00:44:19.99 Isaiah 65:21 and 22, 00:44:20.02\00:44:22.39 "They shall build houses and inhabit them, 00:44:22.42\00:44:25.39 they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them. 00:44:25.43\00:44:28.66 They shall not build another inhabit, 00:44:28.70\00:44:31.37 they shall not plant and another eat, 00:44:31.40\00:44:34.17 for as the days of a tree shall be 00:44:34.20\00:44:36.30 the days of My people, and My elect shall long enjoy 00:44:36.34\00:44:40.08 the work of their hands." 00:44:40.11\00:44:41.74 You may live in a little apartment now. 00:44:41.78\00:44:45.41 You may live now in a two room apartment. 00:44:45.45\00:44:49.05 You may be struggling to pay your rent. 00:44:49.08\00:44:51.82 You may have a little shabby home now, 00:44:51.85\00:44:54.06 but the Bible says they'll build houses 00:44:54.09\00:44:55.72 and inhabit them. 00:44:55.76\00:44:57.09 Have you had your dream home? 00:44:57.13\00:44:58.59 Your dream home by the side of a lake, 00:44:58.63\00:45:01.60 your dream home overlooking a field 00:45:01.63\00:45:03.50 with beautiful gardens? 00:45:03.53\00:45:05.53 Have you ever longed for that? 00:45:05.57\00:45:07.54 One day you can have that home, you'll have your apartment 00:45:07.57\00:45:10.04 in the city in the New Jerusalem 00:45:10.07\00:45:12.27 and your dream home in the country. 00:45:12.31\00:45:13.64 Somebody says, "Well, Pastor, 00:45:13.68\00:45:15.01 I'm not sure I don't know how to build it." 00:45:15.04\00:45:16.38 Don't worry, the greatest architect 00:45:16.41\00:45:17.75 of the ages will be there. 00:45:17.78\00:45:19.11 Somebody says, "Pastor, I don't have enough money to fund it." 00:45:19.15\00:45:20.62 Don't worry, the Bible says that the cattle 00:45:20.65\00:45:23.02 on 10,000 hills are God's 00:45:23.05\00:45:24.59 and the silver and gold is God's, don't worry, 00:45:24.62\00:45:27.52 you will have all the support you need, 00:45:27.56\00:45:29.12 the greatest architects, the greatest builders, 00:45:29.16\00:45:31.09 the greatest designers. 00:45:31.13\00:45:32.79 Heaven is going to be amazing, isn't it? 00:45:32.83\00:45:34.90 You know what I think. 00:45:34.93\00:45:36.50 Often we make heaven too far away, 00:45:36.53\00:45:39.07 we make heaven too fantasyfull, 00:45:39.10\00:45:41.20 we make it too ethereal, but it's a real place 00:45:41.24\00:45:45.14 with real people, with real bodies. 00:45:45.17\00:45:47.78 It's a real place where the Bible says 00:45:47.81\00:45:50.75 that we'll have real gardens 00:45:50.78\00:45:53.52 and we will eat the fruit of them. 00:45:53.55\00:45:56.32 You think the fruits going to be puny like we see it now? 00:45:56.35\00:45:59.55 You think the apples 00:45:59.59\00:46:00.92 are going to need to be sprayed 10 times. 00:46:00.96\00:46:03.73 In fact some apples are sprayed 10 times with pestilences, 00:46:03.76\00:46:07.10 you think that's going to happen up there? 00:46:07.13\00:46:08.90 Not at all, I can imagine 00:46:08.93\00:46:11.73 maybe apples what size? 00:46:11.77\00:46:15.27 Three times as big. 00:46:15.30\00:46:16.91 Maybe I mean, when you think of it. 00:46:16.94\00:46:19.44 I mean, how many people it's going to take 00:46:19.47\00:46:21.34 to carry a watermelon in heaven, 00:46:21.38\00:46:24.15 I mean, and a banana. 00:46:24.18\00:46:27.08 I mean, wow. 00:46:27.12\00:46:28.52 Banana may be that long. 00:46:28.55\00:46:30.49 I mean think of the fruit sizes in heaven 00:46:30.52\00:46:33.42 and think of the taste. 00:46:33.46\00:46:35.06 You know, one of the fantastic things 00:46:35.09\00:46:37.06 that we can't even imagine is our taste buds 00:46:37.09\00:46:41.53 are defiled by sin, aren't they? 00:46:41.56\00:46:43.77 So we don't have the taste buds that we had in Eden, 00:46:43.80\00:46:47.80 neither does the fruit taste as good as it would in Eden. 00:46:47.84\00:46:52.84 So if you get a strawberry the size of an apple 00:46:52.87\00:46:57.05 and you get taste buds like Adam and Eve had... 00:46:57.08\00:47:00.58 I mean, wow, that's all I can say is, "Wow." 00:47:00.62\00:47:04.22 That's going to be incredibly amazing, isn't it? 00:47:04.25\00:47:07.06 Now what about fellowship and friends? 00:47:07.09\00:47:09.12 Will we spend time 00:47:09.16\00:47:11.03 with one another and friends in heaven? 00:47:11.06\00:47:14.50 Matthew 8:11 says, 00:47:14.53\00:47:16.40 "I say to you many are going to come from the east 00:47:16.43\00:47:19.27 and the west, 00:47:19.30\00:47:20.64 and they're going to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, 00:47:20.67\00:47:22.84 and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." 00:47:22.87\00:47:24.67 You know often when I'm speaking 00:47:24.71\00:47:27.18 to a large audiences in big auditoriums, 00:47:27.21\00:47:30.25 after the meeting I try to go to the door 00:47:30.28\00:47:31.85 and shake people's hand. 00:47:31.88\00:47:33.21 I shake their hand hello, hello, hello, you know, 00:47:33.25\00:47:35.85 you're trying to shake people's hand, 00:47:35.88\00:47:37.45 they're all over the place. 00:47:37.49\00:47:38.89 And, "Oh, Pastor, can we take a picture?" 00:47:38.92\00:47:40.52 Yes, and I'm smiling, you know, 00:47:40.56\00:47:41.92 but I don't get to know people well. 00:47:41.96\00:47:44.49 You know I see them for a little while, 00:47:44.53\00:47:46.96 but they pass by. 00:47:47.00\00:47:48.96 But what does Scripture say? 00:47:49.00\00:47:50.63 In heaven we'll sit down 00:47:50.67\00:47:52.73 with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. 00:47:52.77\00:47:54.70 Imagine what it's going to be like. 00:47:54.74\00:47:56.40 That one day you're working in your garden, 00:47:56.44\00:47:59.24 one day you're picking a beautiful bouquet of flowers, 00:47:59.27\00:48:02.21 and you look over there, and you say, 00:48:02.24\00:48:03.85 "Hey, I think that is that, could that be Moses." 00:48:03.88\00:48:08.68 And you pick one of those large bananas 00:48:08.72\00:48:11.95 and it's weighted down on your shoulder, 00:48:11.99\00:48:14.02 and you walk over and say, 00:48:14.06\00:48:15.39 "Moses, how would you like to share a banana?" 00:48:15.42\00:48:18.03 Or you pick a strawberry the size of an apple, 00:48:18.06\00:48:20.76 "Moses, you want one of my strawberries? 00:48:20.80\00:48:23.06 Moses, I was admiring your watermelons. 00:48:23.10\00:48:26.70 And Moses, I never saw 00:48:26.74\00:48:28.07 a fruit like that before, what's that?" 00:48:28.10\00:48:29.44 He explains you some new exotic heavenly fruit 00:48:29.47\00:48:32.57 and you sit with Moses and say, 00:48:32.61\00:48:33.94 "Moses, tell me what it's like to go up on the Mount Sinai 00:48:33.98\00:48:37.41 and hear the thunders roar and to the thunderings of God 00:48:37.45\00:48:41.18 to receive the Ten Commandments. 00:48:41.22\00:48:42.78 Moses, do you have time." 00:48:42.82\00:48:44.39 And Moses says, "This is eternity, 00:48:44.42\00:48:45.79 I get all the time in the world, sit down." 00:48:45.82\00:48:47.39 And he talks to you about what it's like to go on Sinai. 00:48:47.42\00:48:50.29 One day you're walking down the road of heaven, 00:48:50.33\00:48:52.93 you're admiring the flowers in somebody's garden 00:48:52.96\00:48:55.43 and you say, "By the way, sir, what's your name?" 00:48:55.46\00:48:57.63 "My name's Daniel." 00:48:57.67\00:48:59.50 "What's your name?" "Daniel." 00:48:59.53\00:49:01.40 "Are you the Daniel in the Bible?" 00:49:01.44\00:49:02.77 "Yeah, I am." 00:49:02.80\00:49:04.14 Can we sit and tell me 00:49:04.17\00:49:05.51 where you really scared in that lion's den. 00:49:05.54\00:49:06.88 I mean, tell me about those lions, Daniel. 00:49:06.91\00:49:09.04 And Daniel looks at you and says, 00:49:09.08\00:49:10.65 "Tell me your story. 00:49:10.68\00:49:12.38 You lived in the last hours of earth's history, 00:49:12.41\00:49:14.92 tell me your story my child, tell me what it was like 00:49:14.95\00:49:18.99 to be faithful to Christ down there." 00:49:19.02\00:49:22.46 And then you see Paul and you say, 00:49:22.49\00:49:24.39 "Paul, tell me what it was like to preach 00:49:24.43\00:49:26.46 and to share your love and grace? 00:49:26.49\00:49:28.70 Isn't heaven going to be wonderful? 00:49:28.73\00:49:30.67 I don't want to miss it, do you? 00:49:30.70\00:49:32.30 I don't want to miss it with fellowship." 00:49:32.33\00:49:34.97 And then one day, one day you meet Jesus 00:49:35.00\00:49:38.57 and one day you walk, and talk, and fellowship with Jesus. 00:49:38.61\00:49:42.14 And the Scripture says, "That we walked with Him 00:49:42.18\00:49:46.01 and we see His face 00:49:46.05\00:49:47.88 and the glory of Christ amazes us." 00:49:47.92\00:49:52.05 We see how good, and kind, and compassionate He is, 00:49:52.09\00:49:54.42 and Sabbath comes. 00:49:54.46\00:49:55.96 Isaiah 66:23, "From one Sabbath to another, 00:49:55.99\00:50:01.33 all flesh shall come to worship before Me, 00:50:01.36\00:50:03.70 "says the Lord God. 00:50:03.73\00:50:05.07 They come from the east and the west, 00:50:05.10\00:50:07.37 they come from the north and the south, 00:50:07.40\00:50:09.70 and they come to worship on the Bible Sabbath, 00:50:09.74\00:50:12.67 and all the brothers and sisters, 00:50:12.71\00:50:14.44 all the family of heaven comes, 00:50:14.48\00:50:16.61 and we enter that holy temple, we enter that New Jerusalem, 00:50:16.64\00:50:21.55 and we sing praises to His name, 00:50:21.58\00:50:24.05 and we sing worthy is the lamb 00:50:24.09\00:50:26.49 that was slain to receive riches, 00:50:26.52\00:50:28.56 and honor, and glory forever, and ever, and ever. 00:50:28.59\00:50:32.33 And then on the way out that Sabbath 00:50:32.36\00:50:33.96 Jesus reaches out to us. 00:50:34.00\00:50:36.73 And Jesus says, "My child, 00:50:36.77\00:50:39.27 can I spend some time with you this week?" 00:50:39.30\00:50:42.57 We've only seen Him in a distance, 00:50:42.60\00:50:45.44 we've never been this close to Him before 00:50:45.47\00:50:48.38 and we say Jesus do you have time?" 00:50:48.41\00:50:49.84 And He said, "My child, this is eternity. 00:50:49.88\00:50:52.05 I want to tell you how much I love you. 00:50:52.08\00:50:53.88 I want to tell you how much I care for you." 00:50:53.92\00:50:56.32 And that week you and I take a walk with Jesus. 00:50:56.35\00:50:59.55 We are by our self, 00:50:59.59\00:51:00.92 you have your walk, I have my walk. 00:51:00.96\00:51:03.19 He comes to you on one day and comes to me on another, 00:51:03.22\00:51:06.09 and we walk through a field of flowers more beautiful 00:51:06.13\00:51:08.50 and Jesus say, "You see those flowers, 00:51:08.53\00:51:10.97 I planted them there just for you 00:51:11.00\00:51:13.34 because I knew you'd like them." 00:51:13.37\00:51:15.00 The Bible says and I heard a loud voice 00:51:15.04\00:51:17.11 from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God 00:51:17.14\00:51:19.11 is with men and He will dwell with them. 00:51:19.14\00:51:21.24 Christ dwells with us, they shall be as people, 00:51:21.28\00:51:26.25 God Himself shall be with them and be their God." 00:51:26.28\00:51:29.02 The Bible says in the Book of Revelation, 00:51:29.05\00:51:30.99 "They shall see His face, we shall see Jesus, 00:51:31.02\00:51:35.09 and will walk with Him, we'll talk with Him, 00:51:35.12\00:51:37.06 we'll fellowship with Him." 00:51:37.09\00:51:38.43 He'll say, "You see that field waving grain is just for you." 00:51:38.46\00:51:42.20 Thy I know your taste buds, 00:51:42.23\00:51:43.83 there is no other variety like it, I planted it for you. 00:51:43.87\00:51:46.84 You see those flowers, I knew you'd enjoy them 00:51:46.87\00:51:49.60 and we hear the angel chorus is singing. 00:51:49.64\00:51:53.04 And then Jesus says, 00:51:53.07\00:51:54.74 "Is there anything more that I can do for you. 00:51:54.78\00:51:58.11 Is there anything more that would make you happy? 00:51:58.15\00:52:00.75 And we fall on our knees and we say, 00:52:00.78\00:52:03.18 "Jesus, all this is wonderful, but you are enough. 00:52:03.22\00:52:07.06 You are enough Jesus. 00:52:07.09\00:52:08.62 You're all that I want." 00:52:08.66\00:52:11.06 Heaven is too good to be missed. 00:52:11.09\00:52:14.60 Have you given your all to Jesus? 00:52:14.63\00:52:16.97 Have you given your everything to Jesus? 00:52:17.00\00:52:19.63 Listen as CA sings right now. 00:52:19.67\00:52:22.87 Do you love God more than anything 00:52:32.81\00:52:39.72 Do you love God 00:52:39.75\00:52:45.83 Do you love God more than anything 00:52:45.86\00:52:51.93 Do you love my God 00:52:51.97\00:52:59.61 Love is all that He ask in return 00:52:59.64\00:53:06.85 For all that He has given 00:53:06.88\00:53:12.99 Love will be the endless theme 00:53:13.02\00:53:19.36 Throughout the courts of heaven 00:53:19.39\00:53:26.20 Do you love God more than your car or home 00:53:26.23\00:53:33.27 Do you love God 00:53:33.31\00:53:39.18 And do you love God more than 00:53:39.21\00:53:43.72 All you want to 00:53:43.75\00:53:46.29 Do You love my God 00:53:46.32\00:53:52.49 Do you love God 00:53:52.53\00:53:54.76 more than your family Really, 00:53:54.80\00:53:59.63 really love Him If you do, 00:53:59.67\00:54:05.21 just let the whole world know 00:54:05.24\00:54:09.38 That's all He asked 00:54:09.41\00:54:13.68 Of you 00:54:13.72\00:54:19.85 Do you love God more 00:54:19.89\00:54:23.29 Than that car or home 00:54:23.32\00:54:26.80 Do you love God 00:54:26.83\00:54:32.50 And do you love God more 00:54:32.53\00:54:36.10 Than everything you own 00:54:36.14\00:54:39.11 Do you love my God 00:54:39.14\00:54:44.71 Tell me do you love God more 00:54:44.75\00:54:50.09 Than your family 00:54:50.12\00:54:52.09 Really, really, really love Him 00:54:52.12\00:54:56.29 If you do, 00:54:56.32\00:54:58.46 just let the whole world know 00:54:58.49\00:55:03.16 That you love the Lord 00:55:03.20\00:55:05.17 Come on, let the whole world know 00:55:05.20\00:55:08.00 Let him know that you love the Lord 00:55:08.04\00:55:12.54 Let the whole world know 00:55:12.57\00:55:19.15 Let the whole world know 00:55:19.18\00:55:25.72 Let the whole world know 00:55:25.75\00:55:32.59 That's all 00:55:32.63\00:55:35.96 He ask of you 00:55:36.00\00:55:41.94 Jesus died so that one day 00:55:55.25\00:55:59.29 you could live in heaven with Him. 00:55:59.32\00:56:01.86 Jesus came to this earth for one reason 00:56:01.89\00:56:04.99 because you were too precious to be lost. 00:56:05.03\00:56:09.26 And right now, He's speaking to your heart, 00:56:09.30\00:56:12.20 wherever you are watching this telecast, 00:56:12.23\00:56:15.70 Christ is speaking to you, 00:56:15.74\00:56:18.07 that warmth you feel in your heart, 00:56:18.11\00:56:20.38 that conviction you feel in your mind 00:56:20.41\00:56:23.14 is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. 00:56:23.18\00:56:25.81 Christ wants you in heaven 00:56:25.85\00:56:27.18 more than you can possibly imagine. 00:56:27.22\00:56:30.02 You know in your heart 00:56:30.05\00:56:32.19 whether you've ever accepted Christ before, 00:56:32.22\00:56:34.19 whether you're a Christian or not, 00:56:34.22\00:56:36.09 you know in your heart 00:56:36.12\00:56:37.99 that you long for something better. 00:56:38.03\00:56:40.20 You long for this new world that there is in Christ. 00:56:40.23\00:56:43.06 And right now wherever you are, 00:56:43.10\00:56:46.10 you can make an eternal decision and say, 00:56:46.13\00:56:48.84 "Christ, I'm giving my life to You, 00:56:48.87\00:56:52.41 I want to live with You forever." 00:56:52.44\00:56:54.14 He accepts you right now. 00:56:54.18\00:56:57.28 And will give you that assurance 00:56:57.31\00:56:59.98 that eternal life is yours in Christ. 00:57:00.02\00:57:01.68 Let's pray. 00:57:01.72\00:57:03.05 Father in heaven, right now men and women, 00:57:03.08\00:57:06.02 and boys and girls by the hundreds, 00:57:06.05\00:57:07.56 thousands are coming to You, Your arms are open, 00:57:07.59\00:57:11.93 You accept them. 00:57:11.96\00:57:13.29 Thank You, Jesus, for the hope and the assurance 00:57:13.33\00:57:16.40 that we can live with You in heaven forever 00:57:16.43\00:57:18.57 in Christ's name, amen. 00:57:18.60\00:57:20.80 God bless you, my friend, 00:57:20.84\00:57:22.97 as you continue to walk 00:57:23.00\00:57:24.91 with Jesus now and forever more. 00:57:24.94\00:57:29.24 Amen. 00:57:29.28\00:57:30.61