"Heaven?"

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place
Pulpit Series Volume 17 Issue 8 03/11/2007

Friends, there is a glorious dwelling place provided by Christ for all those who believe and trust in Him. This world is not their resting place: they are pilgrims and strangers in it. Heaven is their home…. They like the hymn writer so wonderfully proclaims, have a mansion just over the hillside!

In our Father's house are many mansions John 14:2
God provides a heavenly home in heaven for all who by faith have run to Christ. In Father's house are many mansions… It’ll bless God if heaven were to be very, very full.

By rights this shouldn’t be a long message because I can only tell you a little bit about heaven…. Who here on this earth can explain the full nature of the glorious inheritance of the saints?

Who can describe the glory which is yet to be revealed? Words fail, language falls short. Mind cannot conceive fully, and tongue cannot express perfectly, the things which have been prepared for the sons and daughters of God Almighty.

John said, I John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

The Bible only reveals a very little about our future home. We get but a small glimpse, just a peek under the veil. How could it be any more? We’re not able to understand much more than that. We are yet too earthly.

We get more of idea about what won’t be in heaven, than what will be. There will be no more night and no more curse. Death will be cast into the lake of fire, and all tears shall be wiped away, never again will we hear, "I’m not feeling well!"

No corruption! No taxes! No fading! No withering! No devil!
No curse of sin! No sorrow! No tears! No sickness! No death!

Praised God Almighty, no more disagreements, no more misunderstandings among believers. I’m sure we’ll blush to find how childish and blind we’ve been here on earth

Christ gave Himself for the Church, that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing Ephesians 5:27

Think about it… an eternal good-bye to sin!

Do you long for a world in which you don’t need to be always watching and warring? We’ll have it perfectly in glory.

There remains a rest for the people of God Hebrews 4:9
The daily, hourly conflict with the world, the flesh, and the devil, will all come to an end: the enemy shall be bound; the warfare shall be over; the wicked one will trouble us no more. the weary will be at rest. There will be a great calm.

Are you burdened by a feeble body?
Is your spirit willing, but often hampered by poor weak flesh?

We shall no longer have to mourn over cracks in all our earthen vessels.

Jude 24 Now to him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with great joy

Praise God, we’ll see all the saints we have read about in the Bible. Those in whose steps we have tried to walk. We shall see the apostles, prophets, patriarchs martyrs, reformers, missionaries and ministers, of whom the world was not worthy.

We’ll see the faces of those we’ve known and loved in Christ on earth. We’ll see them more bright and glorious than they ever were.

Best of all we’ll see them without hurry and anxiety, and without feeling that we have only met to part again.

In glory there is no death, no parting, no farewell!
I Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
I Thessalonians 4:17 We shall ever be with the Lord

Our eyes will see the hands and feet which were pierced with nails, and that head which was crowned with thorns. Where He is, there will the sons of God be.

Friends we are dying in a dying world; all that is before us is yet unseen: the world to come is to us mostly unknown! But Christ is there and that is enough.

If there is rest and peace in following Jesus here on earth, there’ll be far more rest / peace when you see Him face to face.

If you have found it good to follow the pillar of cloud and the fire in the wilderness, how much better to sit down with Christ in the promised land.

If you are not yet among the heirs of glory, I feel sorry for you. You are missing so much! Oh, that you would hear Him call out your name - run to Him and get your life in order.
Mark 9:44 their worm doesn’t die and the fire is not quenched.

If you are an heir of glory, you should rejoice. For you can bear your cross without murmuring: your light affliction is but for a moment!

The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which is soon to be revealed.

As a believer you shouldn’t be cast down by your circumstances: the eternal part of you is safe! You can look calmly on death: it simply opens a door between you and your inheritance.

You don’t have to sorrow excessively over the things of the world, over partings and bereavements,- over losses and crosses: the day of gathering is before you; your treasure is beyond reach of harm. Matthew 6:20 lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust does corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal..

Friends glory in, hope in, rejoice in your inheritance. If you are a child of God: Heaven will be your possession. Luke 10:20 rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Revelation 20:12,15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works…. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:1-4 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away….

Revelation 22:3-5 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

I Peter 1:3-9 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

II Timothy 1:12 I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Matthew 24:36-38 But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be….Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord will come.

James 5:7-8 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draws nigh.