John 14:1-3
January 8th,
2012 AM
Pastor
Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (John 3:12)
A.
Most people have a hard time
believing heavenly things (John 3:12)
1.
They don’t talk about such a
place
2.
Talk more about hell, their
income, the economy, politics, their family, their problems, and their past
3.
Few talk much about their
future – maybe because they don’t have one!
B.
But a Christian… well, we
love to talk about the heaven (
C.
It’s where our treasure is
(Luke 12:34)! Because there is more to this universe than just what we can see,
hear, touch, taste and smell (Luke 12:15)
D.
A born again child of God –
someone truly saved from the righteous wrath of God – is going to a place that
is more real and eternal than this place!
E.
A place God calls, HEAVEN!
II.
Message
A.
Heaven is a Great Comfort to
Know About (John
14:1)
1.
Jesus in John 14 was walking
with His disciples to the
a.
He had spoken about His
upcoming death, and the crucifixion, and the will of God, and the resurrection
b.
And it scared the disciples
c.
So, He balances all the
troubling news with some good news – about a future that was in store for
believers – about a place that would make everything worthwhile
2.
And He talked about Heaven!
There is a Need for Heaven
a.
Our hearts yearn for a place
that’s better than “here”
b.
All the years of struggle,
and heartache, and sorrow need something that makes up for it all
3.
Death and the grave cannot
offer such a hope. In our modern time, most people just want to die – get their
life over with
4.
They try and find a way
“out” through drugs, drink, suicide, virtual gaming – they are all escapes, but
they offer no hope!
5.
Religions are only a pipe
dream
a.
People end up believing in
Nirvana – a place of non-existence
b.
Alternate realities and
multiple universes
c.
Spiritism
d.
But the heart needs
something more!
6.
Doctors can’t offer any hope
a.
Not to the terminal cancer
patient
b.
Nor to the parents whose
child is stillborn, or dies prematurely
7.
Philosophers can’t offer any
real hope – no future to look forward to
8.
Patriotism doesn’t offer
real hope! Many a soldier in time of war, fought on and risked everything
because they looked forward to going home to be with parents and wives and
children. But this world’s rewards are flawed
a.
Find that their wife has
divorced them and married someone else
b.
Discover that the world
around them doesn’t want them anymore
c.
Find out they have a ware
related disease that will cripple them for the rest of their lives
d.
Yep! They fought so hard to
get home, only to find a dead end!
9.
God says, there really is a
place called Heaven!
10.
And it makes Living for
Christ Worth Everything it may cost us!
B.
Heaven is more than just a
“belief” (John
14:1) – like believing in God
1.
It is a SURE hope –
something we confidently look forward to
2.
It is because of what Jesus
was accomplishing on the cross – He was opening heaven to anybody who wanted to
come!
3.
It is better than a miracle
(Luke 10:20)
4.
It is better than life
itself (Philp 1:21)
C.
What is this place called
Heaven?
1.
Normally refers to the sky
(Gen 1:20; 15:5) – where the birds fly, and where the stars are
2.
There are actually THREE
heavens (2Cor 12:2)
a.
The air
b.
The Universe – big!
c.
Where God lives – massive!
3.
When we talk about “heaven”
we are usually referring to the third heaven – the heaven above all heavens –
where God is!
4.
Jesus calls heaven “My
Father’s House”
a.
Many mansions – and that
means MANY
b.
It is unbelievable – Jesus
has to reassure them that it is more true than they could imagine (1Cor 2:9)
5.
That’s where I’m going!
Where God is!
6.
All because I have been
invited!
D.
What’s it Like in Heaven?
What’s it like in
God’s House?
1.
It is Pure and Holy (Isaiah
57:15)
a.
Perfect – I don’t believe
there is any dust there
b.
Pure, and clean, and bright
c.
No rust, no mould or mildew,
no stains, and no flaws anywhere!
2.
It is where God dwells (1Kgs
8:30; Mt 6:19).
a.
Heaven is a big place
b.
Yet, understand that heaven
cannot contain God – He is BIGGER than heaven itself (1Kgs 8:27)
c.
And yet, we will meet and
fellowship with GOD ALMIGHTY
1)
As God came and dwelt among
us 2,000 years ago
2)
So now can a person dwell
with God, forever and ever (Rev 21:3)
3.
Where Jesus is (John 3:13)
a.
I don’t know about you, but
that will be the best part
b.
I know GOD the father
because of Jesus
c.
I love God, because Jesus
made it possible for me to
d.
My life was changed because
of the perfect life of Jesus, now living in me
e.
He promises to take me to
Himself (Jn 14:3) – like a groom takes up his bride!!!
f.
And Jesus promises that we
will be with Him forever!
g.
I can’t wait to see Jesus,
and to be with Him forever!
4.
Angels fill heaven – 10,000
times 10,000 (Rev 5:11) – 100,000,000 – innumerable according to Heb 12:22!
5.
And yet, It’s been Prepared
for Us!
a.
We are not breaking in to
someplace that we don’t belong anymore
b.
We have been personally
invited
c.
AND, everything is now made
for us to enjoy!
6.
It’s a
a.
Everybody wants to vacation
in paradise!
b.
Very wealthy people get to
live in their own little paradise – Richard Branson – pay countless millions for
their bit of “heaven” on earth
c.
But we get paradise for free
7.
It is a Place of Rest (Heb
4:9)
a.
Are you over worked,
stretched beyond your abilities – worn out? Heaven will make up for all the
ulcers, all the sleepless nights, all the battles and failures – with perfect
rest!
b.
Not that you don’t do
anything
c.
But that you never are
stressed anymore – never hurried – never worrying – never fretting!
d.
You never read of an angel
in a hurry!
8.
All the Saints are there –
believers who have died before us:
a.
From Adam and Eve, to Abel,
to Enoch, to Noah, and his family, and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses, to
David, to Daniel
b.
To Matthew, James, Peter,
Paul, Martha, Mary, Joseph, Titus, Timothy
c.
Throughout the dark ages
d.
My grandmother is there!
e.
Countless millions and
millions of Bible believing Christians who had died are there right now!
f.
Good people aren’t there –
only sinners, saved by the shed blood of Jesus Christ
g.
Religious people aren’t
there – or all the Jews would have been there without Jesus
h.
The highly educated aren’t
there – only sinners who just believe what this Book says!
9.
It is full of shouting and
rejoicing (Rev 7:17; Luke 15:7)
a.
I don’t believe there is any
sleeping going on in heaven
b.
Heaven is the best party
every thrown – without rock music, without drink or drugs
c.
The prodigal, wayward,
self-willed son’s return to HIS father’s house is a picture of heaven (Luke
15:20-27)
10.
Our rewards are there (Luke
6:22-29)
a.
Only get rewards in heaven
when you put up with tough times here
b.
You see how that Jesus
promises to make everything up to us?
c.
Don’t be like the Pharisees
who worked so hard to get rewards and honour here… they fade away very quickly!
11.
These are just some of the
things that counter-balance all the stress and struggles of this life
E.
What’s NOT in Heaven?
The things that are NOT there will make it worth going!
1.
No Sin
a.
I mean no more sin! No
adultery, no lying, no hatred, no killing, no hurting, no ignoring, no
disrespect – no sin!
b.
No more temptation to sin
either!
c.
It is all locked out!
d.
Your flesh won’t be there
(1Cor 15:50-53; 2Cor 5:1,2,6-8)
1)
Your “robe of flesh will
fall off of you one day” and you will be changed! Isn’t that wonderful?
2)
Your soul and spirit will
go, but that part of you that is the most troubling, most burdened, and more
flawed, will die!!!
3)
Do have problems with your
tongue? Your eyes? Your hands? Your health?
a)
It won’t matter then!
b)
They will fall away one day!
c)
And you will get new ones –
that haven’t been sabotaged!
2.
No Satan (Luke 10:18)
a.
He’s not allowed in – used
to be there, leading the music of heaven! No he is down here, leading the music
of the world
b.
The great tempter of mankind
has been thoroughly cast out and locked out!
3.
No Sorrows, Sickness or
Death – no graves – no hospitals (Rev 21:4)
a.
Sadly, there will be some
tears in heaven – more about that next week
b.
But God will wipe them all
away
c.
But there will be no more
work, no sweat, no taxes, no warts, no ulcers, no cancer, no blindness or
dementia
d.
AMEN!
4.
No Sinners (Rev 21:8)
a.
Only people who LOVE God
will be there – love God like JESUS loved Him
b.
“Saints” are sinners who
have been forgiven and changed by the Holy Spirit in their lives!
c.
Have you been BORN AGAIN? If
you haven’t been, then you will never see heaven (John 3:3)
5.
No Shadows of Night (Rev
22:5)
a.
No fears will ever enter
your heart – nothing will scare you there!
b.
No shadows will ever cross
the sky
c.
No cloudy days, and no
darkness of night – ever! Only light!
6.
No Limits – this is what
everybody wants in this life, but will never have it!
a.
Go anywhere you want to go
b.
Eat anything you want to eat
c.
Do anything you want to do
d.
And know that it all pleases
God!
7.
I think heaven is going to
be awesome!
8.
Heaven Makes Living for
Christ Worth It! Wouldn’t you agree?
F.
How Do You Get to Go to such
a Place? (John
14:2-6)
1.
Not by your own merit
2.
ONLY Jesus can get us in –
“I go to prepare a place for you” (John 13:36; 14:4-6)
3.
He made it so that anyone
could go – as long as they do two things:
a.
Break – repent of their
stubbornness and self-centred and self-righteous pride. Approach God as a
wicked, sinful, rebellious sinner who hates being that way
b.
Believe – believe that Jesus
actually did do everything perfectly so that a sinner could change and be made
ready for heaven!
G.
Do You Want to Go to
Heaven? Do you
want eternal life now? Do you even know if you are going? You can have it right
now – full assurance!
1.
Paul knew where he was going
when he died (Philp 1:23)
2.
The thief dying on the cross
next to Jesus was told where HE was going when he died (Luke 23:42,43)
3.
A Christian, ANY
bible-believing Christian has Eternal Life NOW
a.
John 3:16; 10:27,28; 5:24;
11:26
b.
1John 5:13
c.
Knows exactly where they are
going when they die – no sin of presumption! Just the promise of God in this
Bible!
4.
Once you have been born
again, you become an heir of God, and joint heir with Jesus Christ (Rom 8:16,17)
– it is a done deal! You get heaven!
a.
That’s why a Christian does
not fear death – Why? Because they really will never die
b.
That’s why we don’t live for
the pleasures of SIN – it destroys and kills
c.
That’s why we live life NOW,
like we are going to live THERE tomorrow!
III.
Conclusion
A.
Are YOU going to heaven?
B.
Are you living like you have
eternal life right now? Or only religiously?
C.
The Christian has a sure
hope, all wrapped up in Jesus Christ. He proves there really is a heaven, and
hell
D.
Where will you be 30 seconds
after you close your eyes in death?
E.
Sinner! Don’t wait until it
is too late to get in!
1.
You don’t get eternal life
at death – that’s when you face the judgment
2.
You don’t get it in the Mass
– that is just a ritual
3.
You don’t get it through
doing good works, and hoping for the best
4.
You get it as a gift, when
you receive it as a thirsty sinner!
F.
Christian! Don’t Wait Until
Heaven to Enjoy Eternal Life
1.
I enjoy it right now!
2.
You can’t scare ME with
heaven?