HOME How Heaven and the New Earth Satisfy

HOME How Heaven and the New Earth Satisfy Our Deepest Longings

Introduction

The Master Carpenter Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14: 1 -3

The Master Carpenter Not what they were expecting “On earth as it is in heaven…”

The Master Carpenter Where we go when we die The intermediate state “Paradise”

The Master Carpenter Where we go when we die The intermediate state “Paradise” “Heaven” The atmosphere above us The dimension where God resides

The Master Gardener Returning to the original creation and creation mandate. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. Gen 1: 31

The Master Gardener Returning to the original creation and creation mandate. Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living that moves on the earth. Gen 1: 28

The Master Gardener Returning to the original creation and creation mandate. The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. Gen 2: 15

The Master Gardener Returning to the original creation and creation mandate. The one missing command.

The Master Gardener Christianity is not Greek philosophy where the body/material universe is evil. Jesus ate fish after the resurrection.

The Master Gardener He had returned from the dead as the first ripe stalk of grain, thereby insuring the harvest that is destined to come.

The Master Gardener Of course, we would find the perfect second Adam in a garden spreading the good news of his resurrection (and our justification) and the reclamation of the entire human race and the world he created.

The Master Gardener At his ascension, Jesus returned to heaven in bodily form, still incarnate. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight… “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come again in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. ” Acts 1: 9, 11

The Master Gardener At his ascension, Jesus returned to heaven in bodily form, still incarnate. He is forever the God/Man

Seeing the City Abraham Saw …he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. Heb 11: 10 When you think of heaven do you think of New York City or a Thomas Kinkade painting? Imagine a city where there is nothing “accursed. ”

Seeing the City Abraham Saw …the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel. . . Rev 21 A 12, 000 stadia cube (about 1400 miles) Populated by those whose names are “written in the Lamb’s book of life. ”

Seeing the City Abraham Saw There will be a beautiful river running through the midst of the city. The water of life (Rev 22: 1 -2) There will be two trees of Life on either side of the river in the city. 12 kinds of fruit Leaves for healing of the nations

Seeing the City Abraham Saw The Lord God is its temple. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. . and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

Seeing the City Abraham Saw The Lord God is its temple. Night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. Rev 22: 5

All Things New Because we live in a sin-cursed world everything is decaying, winding down. For the creation was subjected to futility…in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption. . . the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. . . Rom 8: 20 f

All Things New But in heaven everything will be new everyday. Again! Learning, exploring, growing—all part of the worship to come!

The End of Your Bucket List Trying to build an identity here, based on your accomplishments or experiences is both foolish and futile.

Looking through the Thin Places Celtic spirituality The church The sacraments The word Fellowship

Nothing in Vain Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. How can that be?

Nothing in Vain God will scrub this universe with cleansing fire but will not completely obliterate it. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now eist are stored up for fire…the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 2 Peter 3: 7, 10

Nothing in Vain God will scrub this universe with cleansing fire but will not completely obliterate it. …. the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. . . 2 Peter 3: 6

Nothing in Vain God will scrub this universe with cleansing fire but will not completely obliterate it. It is impossible that the good creation he made should have to be scrapped because of Satan’s attack. I cannot believe in that world being annihilated upon which Jesus was born and lived and died…will not the blood of Jesus immortalize it? C H Spurgeon

Nothing in Vain The good you do now will somehow be transferred over to there. …each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it. . . If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 1 Cor 3: 14

Nothing in Vain The good you do now will somehow be transferred over to there. We will receive rewards. In heaven there will be no unfulfilled desires. J I Packer, Concise Theology

Nothing in Vain There will be different degrees of blessedness and reward in heaven. All will be blessed up to the limit of what they can receive, but capacities will vary, just as they do in this world. As for rewards…when God rewards our works he is crowning his own gifts. . . the essence of the reward will be. . . a deepening of relationship with the Savior. . . J I Packer, Concise Theology

Nothing in Vain Our contribution to the new Jerusalem should not be downplayed. J Richard Middleton, A New Heaven and a New Earth

Nothing in Vain Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God…Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 2 Pet 3: 11 -14

Nothing in Vain It shouldn’t be that much of a stretch for us to believe that somehow, and in some way unfathomable to us, God is using our work, our words, our lives, our prayers, to bring about the events that he has foreordained must happen before the Lord’s return.

Nothing in Vain It shouldn’t be that much of a stretch for us to believe that somehow, and in some way unfathomable to us, God is using our work, our words, our lives, our prayers, to bring about the events that he has foreordained must happen before the Lord’s return. …Jesus, whom the heaven’s must receive until the time for restoring all the things. . . Acts 3: 19 -21

The Eternal “Hello” Imagine never having to say “good-bye” and having “all the time in the world” to be with those you love, to meet new people you will love and learn from, to spend before the face of the One you have always longed to see.