Scripture References: Colossians 3:1-4; 1 Corinthians 2:9-10; Revelation 6:9-11; Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Revelation 21:4
Intro: Welcome to this sermon in our series on "Forever." We often hear, "We can't know what heaven is like, but it's better than you imagine." While well-intentioned, this view brings little comfort and contradicts Scripture. How can we obey Colossians 3 – to actively "set your hearts and minds on things above" – if heaven is unimaginable? The passage often used to support this vagueness (1 Cor 2:9) actually continues, saying God has revealed these things by His Spirit (v. 10). We can envision heaven based on God's Word, and we must.
Key Points:
- We Can Know Heaven: Scripture provides glimpses, enabling us to imagine and set our minds on our eternal hope. We don't know everything, but God has revealed much through His Spirit and Word. Dismissing heaven as unknowable is unbiblical.
- Distinguishing Two Heavens: Much confusion arises from failing to differentiate between:
- Present Heaven (Intermediate State): Where believers go immediately upon death. Jesus called it "Paradise" (Luke 23:43). Paul described it as being "with Christ" (Phil 1:23) and "present with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8). This is not our final, eternal home but more like a wonderful layover.
- Eternal Heaven (Final State): Our ultimate destination – the New Heavens and New Earth, inhabited in resurrected bodies after Christ's return.
- Glimpses of Present Heaven (Rev 6:9-11): This passage shows martyrs currently in God's presence:
- They retain their identity and memory from earth.
- They are conscious, rational, communicative, emotional, and unified.
- They are aware of events on earth and concerned about justice ("How long, O Lord?").
- They interact with God, ask questions (implying continued learning), and receive responses.
- There is a sense of time and anticipation ("wait a little longer").
- They seem to have form (given robes), though not their final glorified bodies.
- Awareness of Earthly Suffering: How can present heaven be paradise if inhabitants know about suffering on earth?
- God knows, yet His joy isn't diminished.
- Heavenly happiness likely comes from divine perspective, not ignorance.
- Jesus in heaven likely still feels compassion and grief.
- The promise of "no more tears" (Rev 21:4) specifically refers to the eternal state (New Earth), not necessarily the present heaven. (We don't have a definitive answer, but awareness doesn't preclude paradise).
- The Ultimate Hope: Resurrection (Preview): Our final destination isn't merely the intermediate heaven. The core Christian hope is resurrection – a resurrected life, in a resurrected body, with the resurrected Christ, on a resurrected Earth. Jesus' post-resurrection appearances give us tangible previews of this future. (More next week!)
Conclusion: Stop settling for vague ideas about eternity. Scripture reveals a present heaven where believers are conscious and with Christ, anticipating the future. But our ultimate hope is the resurrection and the restoration of all things in the New Heavens and New Earth. This tangible, earthy, resurrected future is what we're called to set our hearts on.
Call to Action: Challenge vague notions of heaven you've accepted. Begin actively setting your mind on "things above" by exploring what Scripture reveals about both the present heaven and the New Earth. Let the powerful, concrete hope of resurrect
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