Heaven – What It Is

TEXT

“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).

THESIS

Heaven is a Divinely prepared place and God has provided for men to receive it.

INTRODUCTION

1. God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:26).

     A. God is not flesh but rather Spirit (John 4:24).

     B. God is eternal (I Timothy 1:17).

     C. The flesh of men is dust and shall return to the dust (Genesis 3:19;  Ecclesiastes 12:7).

     D. The spirit of man never dies, he lives on (Ecclesiastes 12:7;  Matthew 22:32).

2. The ever-living spirits of men must have a home.

     A. Both the righteous and unrighteous shall not remain on this earth (Luke 16:19-31).

     B. All shall come forth from the graves (John 5:28-29).

     C. The righteous have considered themselves but  sojourners in this life and yearn for a Kingdom to come (Hebrews 11:13-16).

3. The city which those righteous pilgrims sought is Heaven.

     A. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.

     B. Heaven is a pure place for a pure people.

     C. Heaven is a precious place for a precious people.

DISCUSSION

I. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.

     A. Heaven has been prepared by God (John 14:1-3; Titus 1:2).

     B. God’s Word teaches all men how to be prepared.

          a. Eternal life is in the Son of God (I John 5:11).

          b. One gets into the Son by obeying the Gospel (Galatians 3:26-27).

NOTE: Salvation is also in the Christ (II Timothy 2:10). Salvation and eternal life are one and the same. Salvation is in the church Acts 2:47). Therefore, one cannot reject the Church of Christ and gain Heaven.

II. Heaven is a pure place for a pure people.

     A. Heaven is a place of absolute purity (Revelation  21:22-27).

     B. The Gospel calls us to pure lives.

          a. We become pure through obeying the Gospel (I Peter 1:22).

          b. The pure shall see God (Matthew 5:8).

          c. Only purity is accepted before God (James 1:27).

III. Heaven is a precious place for a precious people.

     A. Heaven is worth more than all the world (Matthew  16:26).

     B. God’s people are precious in His sight (Psalm 116:15).

          a. Psalm 37:31-33.

          b. I Peter 5:7.

          c. Hebrews 13:5.

     C. God has shown how precious by giving His only begotten Son (John 3:16)

John Rose