Sermon – “Do You Think about Heaven?”

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” 40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence.

This morning my message titled. Do you think about heaven. And that’s a good question. And it’s actually do you think about heaven this is only part one. Because it’s probably going to take me a few weeks to get through all that i want to share. And since. Actually today was supposed to be a hymn saying but i thought well i need to bring the word. Also because this is a very important subject. Do you think about heaven what it will be like there. At do you have visions in your mind what you. Picture heaven to be. Do you ask what will we be like and have and what what wor bodies be like. What will the new heaven and what will the new earth be like. Do you ponder these things. Nod your head a little bit if you do you ever ponder these things if you don’t just go like that. Go yes or no. Ok. Have you thought about on this in the past month. Have you thought about it in the past week. You know think about it. We’re going to spend a lot of time there. Those who believe in christ. And are resurrected. You’re going to spend a lot of time there so we ought to be thinking about it. His words set your mind on things above. A man. So set your mind on those things think about those things. The said these topics will be discussed in him for probably the next few weeks i’m not sure how many weeks going to take. It might take a month i don’t know. But here’s a key as we look through this. We’re not going to be looking at the opinions of other people. What they think about have been. Their idea of heaven. We’re going to focus on what does the bible actually say about these things. What does the bible say what the new heaven and new earth will be like. What does the bible actually. Say that we will be like. When we are there in that place. So let’s begin with prayer. While we got to thank you and praise you for the opportunity to open your work today. I thank you for your presence here. In the power of your holy spirit not just pray the word your truth would be revealed today. I pray lord that every word spoken will be from you toward it you would encourage us that you would in the light in us if you would open our eyes up to the truce. That your words shares to us where we know that your. Your word reveals. These things to us lord and help us to grasp them help us to long for that which is to come in jesus’ name amen. Today i’m going to focus though on the bodies. The big game with. The bodies that we have here. What does the bible say about what will happen to these bodies that we now live in a lot of people refer to these bodies as. Paul refers to him as a tent. This is the tent in which the spirit and soul dwells. This earth suit. Whatever you want to call it. What does the word say you know we’ve grown accustomed to these bodies. I mean even with all the imperfection and all the flaws that we have. We’ve grown accustomed to it this is the body we know. Some don’t like our body so well and some like them better than others. What kind of body will we really have there. Can we really get a true image of what. That body will be like. Yes. The word tells us what it will be like and will there be similarities between this body in that new glorified heavenly body. The answers are found here in god’s word. Second corinthians. I’m going to be speaking. First about these bodies. What’s what will happen to these bodies first corinthians four verses sixteen through eighteen. The. Therefore do not lose heart. Even though our. Outward man is perishing. Yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light afic. Affliction. Is but for a moment. Is working for us. A far more exceeding any turn a weight of glory. While we do not look at the things which are seeing but at the things which are not seen for the what things which are seen are temporary. But the things which are not seen are eternal. Or light afflictions. Or but for a moment. And some people might say well you don’t know how long i have suffered. But i know that this entire life is but a moment. Does not the words say that our entire life span on this earth. Whether we live to be seventy or whether we live to be a hundred in two or but i missed. It is like a vapor. A blink of a not so it is but for a moment. So why should we set all of our time or. Have all of our focus on that which is only temporary. But for a moment. When we ought to be thinking only those things which are eternal. That last forever. The best way to envision eternity is that envision a ring a ring has no end. No end. It’s hard for us in our in our in our mortal minds to grasp eternity. Because we are so constrained by time. And i really don’t even like to say what will time be like there. Because we will be so structured by time there. Because it’s like a day will be like a thousand years or thousand years like a day. So we won’t be so worried and stressed about time. And that place. Those things are eternal. The outward man that paul is referring to of the course is this physical bodies this tent that we live in. And his choice of words could not have been better for he says that these bodies are. Perishing. So i want to get my little paintbrush out her small and paint you a picture. If you go to the market to buy groceries. And you take your cart and you’re going down through there and you go back to the meat aisle. And you go and you throw in some chicken and some steaks and stuff like that and you swing down by the fruits and vegetables and you throw pow them in there what are those items referred to or one of they called. Perishable items correct. If you take that chicken home and just throw it down their own account or leave it set there for about three days what’s going to happen. Is going to begin to spank. If you grab a group a but i had are a bunch of bananas and you set them there on your counter. They look nice and pretty in yellow but after about a week and a half. They get mushy. They get flat. You know and i think of tomatoes i know that to mate is. You know we grow so many to mate as if they drop on the ground. And that hot sun. What do they do. They shrivel they perish right into the ground. They will absorb right into the ground. From the dust we have came from the dust we shall go. Doesn’t that give you could now picture. It absolutely perishes. But now you take that same market buggy and. Go down the. Can dial and sort of throw in in canned green beans and canned vegetables or canned fruit and even canned me. And you can get some dried pasta and some dried beans and those items are. Non-perishable correct. They say that they will last for many many years some will last up to twenty five years on though that’s not eternity but. It’s a long long time for food. Now those crackers if you leave him set in a cupboard for about twenty years they might not taste fresh and crispy. But they’re still going to be there. They haven’t perished in the door back into the ground. So paul says that these bodies are perishable. That they will eventually just waste away and. Back into the ground they will go. You know proof of this that we are perishing. You know and i go to the mirror when i looked in the mirror the smore ning. Realize that that. Reflection in the mirror. Was not that eighteen year old that used to look back at me. But or look at it today is magnificent right but i have more gray hair than i used to have. I have more wrinkles you know i just look at my hands my hands are even older looking. And i’m not as fast as i used to be i’m not a strong as i used to be. And i’m saying what all of you can say to now these young ones and they look in the mirror they’re not quite realized and yet that. These bodies are perishing away. We’re wasting away. Day by day. Now my intent was not to make you feel bad today. It really wasn’t there i was in i just revealing the truth of what the word says. Paul’s want to say is that we are perishing the way. You know we can live to be a ripe old age. But these bodies will eventually perish. Hebrews not twenty seven says and it is appointed for men to die once but after this. The judgment. Also in first corinthians fifteen twenty two for as an adam all die. Now intentionally only give you part of that verse. These truths and facts are surely. Very disturbing to those that think that this life is all there is zero zero how say it to think that this life is all there is. Joseph bailey in his book. The view from the hearse. Tells of what he said to offer a woman hope this woman son was die. And he chose his words very carefully. Tried to. Trying to encourage or. And he says. It’s good to know isn’t it. That even though the medical. Outlook is hopeless. That we can have hope for children in such a situation is this. We can be sure that after that child dies. He will be completely removed from the sickness this thing that is attacking his body. And he will be happy. She said all if i could only believe that the woman replied. But i don’t believe it. She said when my son dies. I just have to cover him up with dirt and forget that i ever had him. How sad that is. But more often than not the woman’s. Words express. The hopelessness of many people in the world today. Many think that this life is all there is first corinthians fifteen nineteen. Says. If in this life. We have hoping christ. If only. I’m sorry. If in this life. Only we have hoping christ. We are of all the most pitiful men. If our hope is only in this world. We are most pitiful. There is good news. There is fantastic news for those who believe in jesus christ. Who have repented of their sins and put their hope in him. Or good news is found in the hope of the resurrection. We can look forward to the glorious bodies that we were see. When the lord returns. When the dead in christ are raising corruptible. When the greys are opened up. Verse fifteen of first corinthians fifteen share the hopelessness of thinking that this life is when his life is all there is. But the following verses reveals our hope verses twenty three twenty six. But first corinthians fifteen. By the way. If you want to really get a good understanding of what things will be like we be like. First corinthians fifteen is fantastic from beginning to end. Is share so many truths. There’s a lot of scriptural half in there today. But read the whole chapter if you will. But now christ is risen from the dead. Has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. First since by man came death by man also came the resurrection of the dead. Now. That is clear to point out that christ truly became a man by man came death by man also came the resurrection of the dead. Verse twenty two shares it. For as in adam all die. Even so in christ. All shall be made. Alive. But each one in his own order. Christ the first fruits. Afterward. Those who are christ. A man and those who belong to christ at his coming. Then comes the end. When he delivers the kingdom of god to the father. When he puts an end to all rule and all with or to and power. For he must reign. To way till he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. Glory to god. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. That is the death of these bodies it will be destroyed. You know like the part where it says he will put an end to all rule and all forty and all power upon this earth. No more silly presidential campaigns. They’re done they’re gone we will have to listen to that anymore. Man that’s worth saying a man right there. Thought about had my fill of it. The last enemy though that’s this is what we rejoice about the last enemy that will be destroyed is death. People tried to avoid death. Because they don’t understand what god has in store. Americans will spend tons and tons of money on dietary supplements just to try to maintain these bodies to live a little longer to avoid the enemy. To avoid the enemy of death. One hundred fifty million people use dietary supplements. In two thousand and six. American spent twenty two point four billion dollars or on supplements. To i mean i understand that we want these bodies to be as healthy as possible. That’s not a bad thing. But many do it to avoid death that was want to live a little longer. Want to live and as long as we all we want to live as long as we can. Yes there’s nothing wrong with that. Romans eight. The first verse eighteen and then twenty three thru twenty five. For i consider that the sufferings of this present time. Are not worthy. This into this they are not worthy to be compared with the glory which we see which shall be revealed in us. So all the things that we go through in this life. Is not worthy to even be compared with that which we will be revealed in us. Or glorified bodies will be a million times better. I know it’s hard to understand that. But they’ll be a million times better than what we have now. Verse twenty three. Not only that but we also. Who have the first fruits of the spear. Even we ourselves groan within ourselves. Eagerly waiting for the adoption the redemption of these bodies. The redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope. But hope that is seen is not hope for why does one hope for what he sees. But if we hope for what we do not see. We eagerly. Wait for with perseverance. Do we eagerly. Are we. Eager about that which is to come. Do we long for that which is to come. The redemption of these bodies for libyan’s three verses twenty and twenty one. As i said imo that the scriptures. Reveal the truth to us. For our citizenship. Is in heaven. We think we’re a citizen of the united states of america. But our true citizenship that one day it counts the most. Is in heaven. Is your name written in the land. Life. How’s that name written there. When you confess your sins when you repent and say jesus commanded to my heart your name is written in that land’s book of life that is our true citizenship. From which we also eagerly wait for the savior the lord jesus christ. Who will transform our lowly body. That it may be conformed to his glorious body. According to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself. Now a lot of the young kids have these things they call transformers. Right. I mean this transformer might look like some kind of a vehicle. And they’ll go. And it’s all a sudden a warrior. A transforms from one thing. Thing to another. Christ will transform. These lonely bodies. These mortal bodies. Into glorified in morkel uncorrupt. Bodies. Hey man i’m glad that got in a man because that ought to excite you. We will be transformed. We will be made like him. After his resurrection. That’s the key we will be made like him. That it may be conformed to his glorious body. So we know what he was like. So there’s no there it is it’s revealed. We will be like him. First corinthians fifteen again. Verses forty through through. Forty two through forty nine. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is soon in corruption it is raised in in corruption. It is soon in dishonor it is raised in glory. It is sown in witness it is raised in power. It is soon a knack. Body it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written. The first adam became a living being the last adam became a life giving spirit. Praise be to god. However the spirit is not first but the natural and afterward the spiritual the first man was of the earth. Made of the dust the second man is the lord from heaven. As was the man of thus. So also are those who are made of the dust and. As is the heavenly man so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man and thus. We shall also bear the image of the heavenly man. There again speaking the same thing we will bear the image of christ. We will be as he is our bodies will be made like his. At the resurrection. That leads to a question then. Will there be similarities with this body. In that body which will be. After the resurrection. So i have one last group to share with you in luke chapter twenty four. Now you must understand the disciples. This is after the resurrection and the. Women have brought word to the disciples that they went to the tomb and the tomb was empty. And the angel spoke to a woman said christ has risen. And they were in all gathered in a room they were behind locked doors. They were still afraid. So they’re behind locked doors. Luke twenty four thirty six. Now as they said these things they were discussing the things the events of happened that day. Jesus himself. Stood in the midst of them. And said to them. Peace to you. Now note he didn’t say that there was a knock at the door. There was no knock at the door. There they’re talking about all the things that happened. Jesus stood in the midst of them. But they were terrified and frightened as. One naturally would have been. And suppose they had seen a spear. And he said to them why are you troubled. And why do doubts. Arise in your heart. If you’re not believe in these things that i’m sure today why do doubts arise in your heart. Because this is god’s word and we know that god’s word is true. Behold my hands and my feet. That it is i myself. Handle me and see for the spirit does not have. Flesh and bones as you see i have. When he had said this he showed them his hands and his feet. But while they still do not believe for joy. And more when he said to them. Have you any food here. So they gave him a piece of world fish and some money comb. And he took and ate in their presence. Does that not reveal a lot about what our heavenly bodies or glorified bodies be like. And i’m not going to stand here and tell you. I know exactly how he entered into that room. He just did. He was able to with his glorified body. Nobody had to get up and open that door. He was there. And what does that word tell us. We will be made like him in the same image that we will be able to just go there. We want to leave from where we may be and. Go see the father too. Would just go. That’s what this words tell me is true. We will be like him and we know that he just appeared with the disciples and i’m those scientists and i’m not going to even try to figure out how that happened. It just happened that how long before star trek. Beam me up. Right. With god nothing is impossible. Don’t let doubts arise in your heart. Don’t let the devil put doubts in your heart say all this can’t be it’s impossible. Because nothing is impossible with my god. We know when philip. Was ministering. And then after he ministered there was a guy’s name with. The ethiopian. Was baptized. Bu. And philip was gone. He was in the next city. God can make anything happen. With god nothing is impossible. Does that help you understand what our new bodies are going to be like. There’s a pain a little bit of a picture. Christ showed him his hands. And what did he tell doubting thomas come. Feel where the. Feel where the nails were film outside. So he had a body. And did you recognize him. Yes. Now i know when he was walking on the road to amaze and. He caused it to not to be able to recognize him. But they recognize. Remember when they were in the boat fishing. And he was on the shore. They recognized the lord. So yes there are similarities. We will be recognizable. But they will be a million times better than what we have now. Praise the lord. Praise the lord i hope that encourages you out of. I said i didn’t want to get you down this morning i hope that encourages you to make you eager for that which is to come. And in the coming weeks i hope i can make you understand what heaven will be like and eager for that. Because that’s our true home amen amen.