Sermon – “Heaven—What Does It Look Like? What Will We Do?”

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 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. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying. 20 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the LORD, And their offspring with them. 24 “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,” Says the LORD.

Heaven. Part three previous titles have been. Do you think about having. My subtitle to date for heaven is what will what will it look like what will heaven looked like. What does the bible tell us about heaven what it will look like and what will we do there. What are we going to do when we get to heaven. That’s what so many peoples wondered over the years. Have a couple pictures. First one is like you know what are we going to do when we get there is what we’re going to do. We’re going to float around on clouds all day twenty four seven play and. Drum in our hearts right now. Saying we have wings and you know what. I don’t think that’s what we’re going to do there. I think that’s what hollywood. And those others like to make you think you’re going to do there. So i’m going to get into that i think what we will do there the bible tells us some of things we will do there. What will it look like well i want to share a couple more pictures with you. This is the great smoky mountains karen and i just visited those a couple weeks ago and they’re gorgeous beautiful. There’s a second picture. That is a beautiful waterfall that is abram’s waterfall. And it is about a two and a half. Strenuous hike. To get back to that thing. But it is gorgeous when you get there. Put the first one back up if you would. But when you look out over that isn’t that just awesome. It’s breathtaking in it. There’s no windmills there. But last week my focus was on what’s not going to be in heaven wasn’t it. Then by remember that. What wasn’t going to be there. We’ll see how this point works. What do you see there what’s that. A dead tree. That’s exactly what that is it’s a dead tree. And what i say last week wouldn’t be there. So here’s the problem. Our eyes have grown accustom to seeing the effects of sin and creation. Because we look at that and it is awesome is beautiful. It is a beautiful sight. While we were there. I don’t know how many times that week you know because i’ve been i’ve been working on this in my mind and reading. And i was like conny just. You know you look at that it’s so beautiful to look at those trees imagine that. Without the dead trees imagine that without that she goes i just can’t. I mean we always got into an argument over i’m like. But i want you to imagine she says i can imagine it and she’s right. We can imagine it. Because we’ve never seen it. You know an artist. Could paint us a picture. Without the dead trees. But it was. It would be nothing in comparison to what god has and place has in store. It would be nothing in comparison to. Creation without sin without the effects of sin. So we just can’t do it. There’s only been two people. That ever saw all creation without the effects of sin. And that was in adam and eve before they sinned. Before. All creation grown. Because of their sin. Adam and me. Indeed their children. Got to view the earth. Before the full effect of sin and taken place. So i am sure that it was probably a glorious sight. Because i’m sure the trees didn’t die overnight. It took time to same way as it did with adam and eve it took time. But they probably went out there to work their fields and like. What is that nasty thing there. That’s a weed. The effects of sin. So as i did tell you last week or i warned you last week i would probably use some of the same scripture. Because that scripture that revealed what wasn’t going to be there. Also reveal what is going to be there. So beginning with revelations twenty one. Elation. Excuse me twenty one verses one through five. Now i sall. A new heaven and a new earth. It is new. Those are key words they are new for the first heaven. And the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then i john saw all this the holy city. New jerusalem coming down out of heaven from god. Prepared as a bride to adorn for her husband and i heard a loud voice from heaven saying behold. The tabernacle of god is with men. And he will dwell with them. And they shall be his people. God himself will be with them and be their god and god will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death. No more sorrow no more crying. As i explain last week that his cry out crying. There will be no more pain. For the former things have passed away. Then he said. Then he was sat on the throne said behold i make all things new. And he said to me write for these words are true and faithful. And then from revelations. Twenty two verses one through five. And here are some of the things that are going to be there are some additional things. And he showed me a pure river. So there will be water there honey. He showed me a pure river of water of life. Clear as crystal. So when you looked into that. You could see right to the bottom it was beautiful gorgeous clearest crystal. Proceeding from the throne of god of the lamb. And of the lamb. In the middle of it streets and on either side of the river. Was the tree of life. Which bore twelve fruits. Each tree yielding its fruit. Every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse. No more dead trees. But the throne of god and of the lamb shall be in it. And his servants else serve him. They shall see his face and his name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there. They need no lamp no light of the sun. For the lord god gives them light and they shall reign forever and ever amen. May god had his blessings to the hearing and reading of his holy word. There are so many descriptions here. To help boost our imaginations. As to what heaven will be like what it will look like. It’s not just a symbolic place. It is real. I’ve tried to stress that it is going to be a real place it is a real place now because jesus said i go to prepare a place for you. He’s preparing it even now. That holy city that new jerusalem. What a. What a glorious sight that place is going to be. I didn’t. It’s a long scripture. Scripture to read it. But it says that the foundation of that place the foundation of its walls. Is adorned with all kinds of precious stones. Sapphires and jasper and many other stones. That’s the foundation of it. But it’s coming down out of heaven as. Adorned as a bride for her husband. A virgin bride adorned for her husband. Is the picture of purity in beauty. Completely pure and beauty. A bride on her wedding day. Is the day that she wants to look more beautiful than she has ever looked in her entire life. They put many hours into doing her hair doing her make up as she does makeup and just looking glorious for her husband. The new jerusalem is like that bride. Anything on pure unholy will never enter into that city. It is pure as that pure virgin bride. It is absolutely pure. Nothing sinful. Nothing on holy will ever enter into that city. In the parable matthew twenty four. The purple but the ten virgins. Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like the virgins of went out to wait for the bride groom the route waiting the bride groom here is ripped. Is crites it represents christ. In the church is the bride. So they’re out waiting for the bride groom you had the five wives in the five. You’ve heard that. But here in revelations. The city is the bride. The city is the. Prepared as the bride for her groom. So in this instance the groom is the church is kind of switched around here the groom is a church. The city is the bride prepared as prepared as a bride for its. Groom groomsmen. So that the church is to groom here or the husband. But what a holy and spectacular. Pure and awesome. Beautiful place. That new jerusalem is going to be. There’s going to be three gates on each side. Each gate made of one pearl. Wow. But the gates will be open. That we may enter in. Whenever we read the first two chapters of genesis. And then the last two chapters of revelation. Know there are many similarities. Genesis. Is a paradise it’s like a paradise. They got prepared for adam and eve. They had a beautiful garden there. Before sin they had a beautiful garden without any we were insects or. Diseases they had the tree of life there in the garden. There was a river that flowed through. The garden and god place man in the garden. And god walked with man in the garden. So there’s many similarities there he had a intimate relationship with man. But there is one glorious difference in comparing the genesis account of paradise. In the account that we just read revelations. And that is that holy city. That new jerusalem. There was no city in the garden. In god. In revelation. Will dwell with man. Every day for eternity. He will be there in the garden he came the visited walk with man. But in that new jerusalem he will dwell there. For all eternity is where revelation just told us. Every day. Always there. But that city. John said that city will be fourteen hundred miles wide. Fourteen hundred miles long and fourteen hundred miles high. It is a square. To out so if you do not count the heights if you just look at the footprint of the new jerusalem. Fourteen hundred miles by fourteen hundred miles that is one million nine hundred sixty square miles. That’s one floor. Los angeles is five hundred three square miles. Home kong is four hundred twenty six square miles kind of give you a little perspective there. In this massive city. If there were to be floors the i don’t know the scripture doesn’t say that. But if there were floors. Like we have today and. Picture of a building. If there were floors and if they were about the height of all fours we have now. There would be seven hundred forty thousand floors. Wow. But i don’t know the dhobi floors there. I’m not saying that we might walk through the gates and it might reach to the heavens. But we. You think about the height of that. Remember the tower of babel. They thought they were going to build a city to the heavens. God’s building and they were building the tower but god build the city. Fourteen hundred miles long and wide it’s going to reach to the heavens. Fourteen hundred miles. So whether there is floors or not it’s impressive. It’s beyond our imagination even. Yeah. Karen shaking her head. Drusilla more is regarded as a unique. Dwelling place of god and to the hebrews it became. Thus the natural emblem or symbol of the heavenly world. Verse three said. In chapter twenty one. And i heard a loud voice from heaven same behold the tabernacle of god is with men. He will dwell with them. And they shall be as people. God himself. Will be with them and be their god. Do we need to know anything else. God will be with them. God will be with us and will be our god verses four and five said they sell see his face and his name shall be on their foreheads there so be no more night there. They need no lamp no light of the sun for the lord god gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. He will be the light. He is the light and will be the light there. There will be no darkness. In the darkness there is fear. In the darkness there is sin. There will be no darkness there nothing but pure light. Because god’s presence is there. He will be there. That is the difference. In this place we call heaven. Is that new jerusalem. Is different from genesis. He will dwell with us. And you know what whenever we want to go before god there’s going to be new lines to wait. No launch. To wade in to go to see god i want to go see god today. You will have to wait in a lie. Because he is still on the present. We could all go. The same time with each our different questions. And one of the answers those questions. God was telling to us. He will be there with for each and every one of us. He will be there but wait there’s more. There will be that river of life. Clear as crystal flowing from the throne of god. And the lamb. Down the middle of. Down the middle of that great street. All you know by the way that streets may go. Most everybody’s heard of that streets made of gold streets of gold there’s a beautiful song now. Walk them streets ago. And we decided that rivers the tree the tree of life. Bearing twelve crops. Each tree yielding its crop every month. There will be no hunger there. So we will eat. That is something we will do there we will eat. When we get done plan our hearts will go eat right. Most everyone probably has read and knows the things that describe heaven. The streets of gold the trees the river and all those things and how splendid it’s going to be. Even a babe in christ knows these things. So i’m speaking to the choir when i talk about these things. How wonderful it will look how beautiful will be. When sin is removed and what it will look like absolute beauty. But what many believers. May be less informed about is what will we do there what war our lives be like there. Are we going to sit around and play the harp or warship all day twenty four hours a day for eternity. Now. Now there will be dimes we will. You know i hope i’ll be able to play some kind of instrument there. Because the only thing i can play here is a radio. Whatever. I hope i can play some kind of instrument for harper or piano or. Just drip banjo guitar. The. The prophet isaiah. Gives us great insight. Gives us great insight to what we will do there is a a sixty five. Seventeen through twenty five. For behold. And he is speaking you’re going to see as we get into this he is speaking of heaven the new creation. For behold i create a new heavens and new earth and the former shell not be remembered or come to mind. We won’t even think about this place. But be glad and rejoice. Forever in what i create for behold i create jerusalem. As a rejoicing. Wow. He is speaking di’s a about the new jerusalem. Because that’s what he’s talking about here. And her people. A joy. I will rejoice in jerusalem. And joy in my people. The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her. Nor the voice of crying out crying. No more cell an infant from their lives but a few days. Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days. For the child shall die one hundred years old you’re thinking wait a minute no more death. They’ll no longer be a child after one hundred years. But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be a curse. Now listen. Verse twenty one. Things we will do. They shall build houses in inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build in another inhabit they shall not plant another reed for as the days of the four as the days of the tree so shall be. The days of my people and my elect shall long enjoy the work of the. Hands. They shall not labor in vain nor bring forth children for trouble. For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the lord and their offspring with them. It shall come to pass. That before they call. I will answer. And while they are still speaking i will hear. I’m going to. Well finish it. And the wolf and the lamb selfie together. The lion shall lead strong. Like the ox. The dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not her. Nor destroy in my holy mountain. And all my holy mountain says the lord the wolf. Who would attack a lamb to day and have it for dinner. Will live down. Will eat with in-law down with the lamb. The child will play the servants. Then will not be heard but were really jumped out at me is before they call. I will answer a question comes into your mind. About the mystery of god. And before you can say. Father. What he’s going to answer you. That’s what that says to me before they call i will answer. Before they even asked me for you ask god’s going to give you the answer how a lujah. No more mystery. We will know. He will share his wisdom is understanding. With all of us verse twenty two said in my aleck shall. Long enjoy the work of their hands. You know i touched last week that our labors there will not be toil. They will not be toil they will be enjoyable. God says they will long enjoy. You know i can relate to the building the houses. I’ve built several houses. I’ve built about three houses not about i’ve built three houses. For my family and. I and we’ve enjoyed at. Of. Worked on many. Remodel projects over the years. And i enjoy it. I enjoy doing carpenter work. It was hard work it really is hard work. Takes a lot of time and it’s consuming. But it’s enjoy a bill. Whenever you’re finished building something building a house. You can step back. And you can look at what you’ve built. And say wow. You know thank you lord. Thank you for this blessing. And you can see the work of your hands. There is fulfillment there there is enjoyment there. You can plant something. You know. Planting is very rewarding. You can plant a seed in the ground and. Watch it grow and then you harvest the plant harvest the. The fruits of the vegetables. It’s reward you know you enjoy it you see that. Enjoy the fruits of your labor. But i’m also confident that these are not the only two jobs that are going to be there. They’re not the only two jobs are going to be there. Because think about it. When you build houses what do you need to put in those houses. Furniture. People furniture you need furniture for the house right. So there’s going to be furniture builders jewelry the vineyard. We’re not going to have to worry about them we. But we’re going to need help to harvest. And there’s many other things i think we will do. You know when you look at it from something from the opposite side. Today and says in today’s society. You know there’s. Coal has been pretty well the simulated in our country it’s really hurt a lot of coal miners. But the trickle down of that is affected many other industries. It’s affected the river walk because we haul coal. So. But in the opposite side of this. You build houses. There’s going to be a whole lot of things that go along with that. No i don’t have the scripture is a real clear is you know. Are we going to have electric to cut those boards i don’t know but we’re going to have a long time so by hand if we have to sell my hand right. Because going to be there for eternity. Yeah. If we saw have to sew by hand. Guess what we’re going to long enjoy. The work that we do. It will be very rewarding. That’s the whole point of this. It will be fulfilling. Whatever we do it will be fulfilling. That’s the key that’s what i’d say is stay in here. You will get great enjoyment and great fulfilling out of whatever work. You have to do. Whether it’s building houses. Repairing welter of we need repairing things. We’re going to be build mall new stuff. I don’t know what we’ll be doing but it will be rewarded or. Enjoyable revelations twenty one twenty fourth twenty six says. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk by. Walk in its light. And the kings of the earth. Bring their glory and honor into it. That is the city that you talk about the new jerusalem. Its gate shall not be shut at all by day there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. So you know there could be all kinds of commerce there. There could literally be all kinds of commerce and heaven. Because they’ll bring the honor and the glory of the nations. Into the city. To god. You know there might be those that write music there. There might be those that will sing. There might be those who will dance. Why do i say this because today there are people who love the right music right. There’s a lot of similarities between here what’s going to be there. People love to dance people love to play instruments. So i think that people will do those things they’re also. Here today. In this life we live. You know when we go to work if we work hard and we give them our best. If we’re honest. Then we are living a life of worship. When we help others. We are living a life of worship. When we are unselfish. To serve our families that is living a life of worship. When we are generous towards others that is living a life of worship. Let’s live a what a life of worship here. And now. Because our role here. Affects. What’s going to happen there. It would determine what’s going to happen there. How we live here. Determines how we will live there. What we do with the talents and the resources that god has given us. Matthew twenty five. Jesus said. For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them and into one he gave five talents in other he gave two. To another one. To each according to his own ability. And immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made five. More talons. And likewise he who had received. To gain two more. But he who had received one. Went and dug in the ground and hid his words money. And after a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five. Talents came and brought five other talents saying lord. You to deliver to me five talents look. I have gained five more talents besides these his lord said to him. Well done. Good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things i will make you ruler over many things and are into the joy of your lord. He who had received two talents came and said. You deliver to me two talents look. I have gained two more talents besides them. His lord said to him. Well done. Good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things i will make you ruler over. Many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. Then he who had received the one talent came and said lord. I knew you to be a hard man. Reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And i was afraid. And when he had your talent in the ground look. There is your talent. What is yours. But the his lord answered and said to him you wicked lazy servant. You knew that i reap where i have not sown and gathered. Not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money in with the bankers. And at my coming i would have received back my own with interest. So take that talent from him and give it to him who has ten for every one who has more will be given. And he who. And he will have an abundance. Brought from him who does not have even what he has will be taken away and cast that unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. We ought to be storing up treasures in heaven. Think about it this way. And in light of what we’ve learned at least in the last couple weeks. What do we know will happen to this present our earth. Poof. Description. Poof. It’s going to be destroyed. So what we ought to be focused on. Storing up treasures in heaven. Because nothing here on this earth is going to last. It will perish. Second peter three ten through thirteen. But the day of the lord will come as a thief in the night. In which the heavens will pass away with a great noise. And the elements that will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it. Will be burned up. Therefore therefore. Since the. Since all these things will be dissolved what manner of person ought you be in the holy conduct in godliness. Looking for in hastening the coming of the day of the lord. Because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire in the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless. We according to his promise. Look for new heavens a new worth in which righteousness dwells. That was the whole point of the saying. Get us to focus on heaven. Do you think about heaven or are you thinking about heaven yet. Ok. Good i’m seeing some heads not yes. Because that was the point. To get you to think about heaven. To think about storing up treasures there because this is all going to be dissolved. All these material things we see. Are going to be dissolved. So let’s invest in that which is to come. Because to invest in this world is a poor investment. It’s even worse invested in a bottom and worse then invest in an automobile. You bet. A car is not an investment. It is an expenditure. You know what and best in this earth is not an investment. It is an expenditure. Invest in that which will have rewards. And that is in heaven. Store up treasures in heaven. Do not light up for your church selves treasures on earth where mop and rust destroy. And with these break in a steeple. But light up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Where neither mof nor rust. Nor worth these break in is steal. For where your traitor is there your heart will be also. Where is your heart today. Heaven will be beautiful beyond your imagination. Is beyond what we can imagine right now. But i believe god’s word and i believe what he says i believe what he’s repair preparing. Is going to be absolutely. Wonderful. Splendid. Pure holy. Eternal. All those things. We will be productive there. Just remember that will have wonderful lives there. Every single day will be a wonderful day. We won’t grumble about what we have to do. Oh i didn’t want to do that job as a horrible job. Those are those words will not be uttered in heaven. We will enjoy it. We will love it. How many times did jesus say in his ministry. The kingdom of heaven is like the kingdom of heaven is like unto the kingdom of heaven is like. He has said he said it. Probably hundreds and hundreds of times. The kingdom of heaven is like. Why did he say this because he wanted people to think about it. Church. He wants us to think about it. That’s why i said what does have the heaven is like unto. Let’s think about heaven let’s set our minds on the things of heaven. Lets store tracers in heaven. Let’s live for him. Live for that which is to come.