What is Heaven Like?
INTRODUCTION
A. "That which makes hell so full of horror, is, that it is below all hopes; and that which
makes heaven so full of splendor, is, that it is above all fears. The one is a night without
the return of day; the other is a day free from the approach of night."
B. There is no feeling like coming back home after a long trip.
1. Heaven is our home.
2. "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Phil. 3:20).
a. We need to live like heaven is our home.
1) We need not become entangled with the things of this world.
2) There is no sense in obtaining great things; this world is temporary while
heaven is eternal.
3) We are not to lay up treasures on this earth where things decay, but we are to
lay up our treasures in heaven (Mt. 6:19-20).
b. Are you laying up your treasures in heaven?
C. This evening, we want to examine our home in heaven.
HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF COMFORT
A. The Scriptures affirm this fact.
1. Abraham told the rich man that Lazarus was comforted in Paradise (Lk 16:25).
2. Rev. 7:15-17.
B. All the evil we know in this world will not exist in heaven
1. There will be no pain, sickness, sin, nor death.
2. Are you going to be comforted in heaven?
HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF PRAISE
A. Rev. 7:9-17.
B. Those in heaven continually worship God--the worship of God never ceases day or night.
1. It never ceases to amaze me that those who don't care much about worship want to go
to heaven.
2. My friend, if you don't enjoy worship, don't go to heaven, you'll be miserable!
C. Praising God is a blessing--that's a blessing which will be continually ours in heaven.
HEAVEN IS AN ETERNAL PLACE
A. The Scriptures teach that heaven is an eternal place.
1. The righteous shall go into eternal life (Mt. 25:46).
2. "We know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from
God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor. 5:1).
3. Heaven is the "everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:11).
B. The expression says, "All good things must come to an end"--not heaven.
C. There is no end to the bliss and the joy of heaven.
HEAVEN IS A PLACE WHERE THE LORD IS
A. The Scriptures teach that the Lord is in heaven.
1. Over and over Jesus referred to God the Father as his Father who is in Heaven (e.g., Mt.
10:32-33).
2. "We shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:17).
B. Some say that we will live on earth.
1. That's not what 1 Thess. 4:17 teaches.
2. I don't want to live on earth; I want to live with Jesus, and I will be able to do so in
heaven.
HEAVEN IS A PREPARED PLACE
A. The Scriptures teach that heaven is a prepared place.
1. "I go to prepare a place for you" (Jn. 14:2).
2. The King will tell those on his right, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Mt. 25:34).
3. "God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them" (Heb.
11:16).
B. I take great pride in being prepared.
1. I must always be on time.
2. I must study my sermons a great deal.
C. Heaven is a place which is prepared.
1. Heaven is not a last minute idea.
2. Heaven is a prepared place.
HEAVEN IS A PLACE TOO GREAT FOR WORDS
A. 2 Cor. 12:1-4.
B. Illustration about Marco Polo, Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations, #4974.
C. Paul could not repeat all he saw; no doubt much glory and splendor awaits us in heaven.
HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF REST
A. The Scriptures teach that heaven is a place of rest.
1. Rev. 6:11.
2. Rev. 14:13.
B. I like to rest, and in heaven we will be able to rest eternally.
HEAVEN IS A LARGE PLACE
A. Jn. 14:1-2.
B. There are many dwelling places in heaven--there's room for everyone who wants to go there.
1. The sad thing is that not everyone will go there.
a. "Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few
who find it" (Mt. 7:14).
b. "They have not all obeyed the gospel" (Rom. 10:16).
2. These are some of the saddest words in all of Scripture.
CONCLUSION
A. Illustration about girl walking through cemetery, Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations,
#4969.
B. Jesus told his disciples that they should rejoice that their names were written in heaven
(Lk. 10:20).
C. Is your name written in heaven?