Heaven in our destination when we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!In John 14 Jesus tells us He is going to prepare a place for us in His Father's abode, where there are many mansions. In John 14:6 He tells us how to get there -- THROUGH HIM!
The Bible is the most beautiful book ever written. It tells us some things about heaven and all are awe-inspiring. What a day of rejoicing that will be!
The Bible does not say a lot about heaven. Reinhold Niebuhr once said, "The Bible tells us very little about the temperature of hell, or the furniture of heaven."
But it tells us enough to get us excited. In John 14 Jesus says He is going to prepare a place for us. And LET ME EMPHASIZE THIS FACT -- In John 14:6 He tells us how to get there -- through HIM! There is no way that human language can capture the majesty and the grandeur of heaven.
The Bible does tell us though, everything you and I need to know. We can see great insight into the very heart and the essence of what heaven is really all about. Turn with me to Paul's letter to the Philippians, the third chapter; and let's take a look this morning at verses 17-21. This is the Word of God. Paul writes to those early Christians in Philippi:
Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their God is their physical being, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on early things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
There is a story about the two guys who were dying to know if there would be baseball in heaven. They made a pact with each other. The first one to die, he would try to come back and communicate to the other person whether or not there was baseball in heaven. Well, one of them dies; and sure enough the remaining friend one night hears a familiar voice, "Jim! It's Fred! I've come back to tell you whether or not there is baseball in heaven. I have some good news and some bad news for you. The good news, there is baseball in heaven. The bad news, you are the starting pitcher tomorrow night."
What is heaven like? Probably a better place to begin is to ask ourselves the question, "Will we be ready for what heaven is like?" In the third chapter of Philippians, Paul has spent a lot of time talking with those early Christians about what eternal life in Christ is like. In verses 17-19 of our text, he hones in on the fact that the reality of heaven ought to impact the way you and I live in the world as Christians. In fact, he urges those early Philippian Christians to model their lives after him, and after other Christians who are living godly lives.
Then he warns the Philippians, 'Don't model your life after some Christians inside the church, who call themselves Christians,' but who in reality Paul says, 'are enemies of the cross.' These are men and women within the church but they are enemies of the cross; not because they deny the existence of heaven; but because they have been perpetrating a myth. The myth that there are other ways to heaven other than through the cross of Jesus Christ.
Friends, let us be clear here this morning. There is no other way to heaven than through Jesus Christ and his once and for all sufficient, perfect, sacrificial death on the cross. Not Ron Scates, not the Presbyterian Church, but Jesus says, 'I am the way. I am the road. No one comes to the Father, but by me.'
But there in that Philippian church, and in the church right here, there are those Christians who in reality are masquerading as Christians, who are enemies of the cross. 'Oh, there are all kinds of ways other than Christ to get to heaven.'
Paul says, their destiny is not heaven but destruction. Their god is their gut. And Paul says they have fallen into what we might call the Jerry Springer Syndrome: They glory in their shame.
If there is a just criticism of some Christians that they are so heavenly-minded that they are not earthly good, then just the opposite is true for these folks. Their minds are totally focused on this world. They have forgotten, or they have lost that transcendent vision of a godly, Christ-centered life.
Now remember that Paul is writing to Christians here. He is not saying that the way you and I live determines whether we merit heaven. No, not at all. You and I are saved solely, totally by grace alone, through faith in Christ. But what I think Paul is saying here when he urges them to model their lives after him and after other godly Christians, is that the way you and I live our lives here on earth, has an impact on us as we make the transition into heaven.
Think about it. If you are going to spend eternity with a God that you do not passionately love right now; if you are going to spend eternity subject to a God who in this life, you continually refuse to surrender all of your life to; then at best heaven is going to be somewhat of a wearisome place, if not a miserable place. Our lives lived here on earth are to be lived in preparation for life in heaven. We are to seek out men and women of integrity, and authenticity, and compassion, and courage, and faithfulness; and then pattern our lives after them. Seeking to live in ways here and now that glorify God through eternity. So ask yourself a question. Who or what is your life modeled on?
Let's get back to the original question. What is heaven? In verses 20 and 21 of our text, Paul gives us some great insights into what heaven is really all about. In verse 20, the first thing he tells us, he reminds us to check our spiritual passports as Christians. He says, 'Our citizenship, is not in this world. Our true citizenship is in heaven.' This earth is not our real home.
If you are a Christian, ask yourself this, 'Am I a pioneer, or am I a homesteader?' A pioneer is never settled. They are always moving on. They know that wherever they are is not their home. They are always heading toward a final destination. They are just passing through. But so many Christians have, in relationship to this world, become homesteaders. They have circled the wagons. They have sunk down roots. They invest themselves so much in this world, that they have almost totally forgotten where their true home is.
Where is your true home? It is not here. If you are a Christian, you are at best a resident alien. You are a sojourner. You and I need to remember that this world is not all there is.
In September when Anne and I are in Scotland, I don't think we are going to be confused about Scotland being our home. At every turn we are going to be reminded that we are tourists. We are just passing through. We are just resident aliens there, and we will only be there for a short time.
Let me confess, I like this world. I am in no rush to get to heaven. I need to be reminded that I am a resident alien. I am a sojourner. I am just passing through. This is not my home.
Max Lucado tells a story about flying home to San Antonio one evening and as the wheels of the plane hit the runway, he said all through the plane you could hear the unfastening of seatbelts. As the voice came over the intercom saying, 'Please remain seated with your seatbelt fastened until the plane comes to a complete stop,' he said, no one was paying attention. People were already out of their seats, opening the overhead compartments, getting their stuff out. Why? Because they were home. Their final destination was not that plane. They wanted to get off of that plane, and get out, and get home with those they love. He said he didn't see any of the stewardesses having to struggle to pull people out of their seats, with people going, 'Wait a minute. I want to stay on the plane for a few more hours. The food is really good. These seats are so comfy, I want to stay.' No. They were home. They wanted to get off of that plane.
Why then, as Christians, are we so clutching when it comes to this world? This is not our true home. By the way, if you are a Christian when you die, where do you go? You don't go to heaven. When Jesus died He didn't even go to heaven. He went to hell. He went to hell to close the gates of hell for all who place their trust in him. But if you are a believer, when you die you don't go to heaven either. Where do you go?
Paul says that Christ one day will return, and take you and me home to heaven to be with him. If you don't remember anything else about this sermon, remember this. This is the most important thing about heaven: that you and I will be with Christ.
Join me as we pray:
Father we thank you that as we pass through this world as sojourners you are our companion, you are our pioneer and perfecter of our faith. We follow hopefully in your footsteps. Lord, give us a healthy appreciation of the beauty and wonder of this world. May we pour ourselves out, living for you; binding up the wounds of those who are hurting, ministering to the poor. But also may we be so fueled by the reality that this is not the last word. This is not our true home. We are here to do what we can. But our destiny is eternal life with you. Through Jesus Christ our Lord and him alone. Amen.
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