“Heaven”
Memorial Service – March 1, 2008
Pastor Joseph C. Phillips, Jr.,
How do you describe the indescribable, give one a glimpse into glory…a taste of heaven? There is not enough ink in a pen or in a cartridge, nor do we have the time to do justice to such a vast topic. Surely, the only place to go for info, for the facts, the real deal is the Word of God. Which begins with God creating the heavens and it ends with a beautiful idyllic look at the new heaven. Surely, Eden in its original state must have been a micro-cosmos of heaven.
Only thirteen books of the bible do not mention heaven. It is a prepared place, the architect is God himself. Jesus said in John 14:1 “I go to prepare a place for you.” He’s been working on it for over 2000 years. Psalms 33:6 “By the word of the Lord the heaven’s were made” Psalms 19:12 says “the heavens declare (shout out) the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork.
Psalms 8:3,4 when I consider the heavens the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou art mindful of us and the son of man that thou visited us?”
Paul talks about the third heaven and being caught up into glory. II Corn 14:2 it’s from here that Jesus the son of God descended to the earth and it was into that city he ascended after his resurrection.
It was from here that the Holy Spirit descended on the Day of Pentecost, and it is here where Sister Wanda ascended just a short while ago. To be absent from the body is to present with the Lord. It is the abode the lair, the home of God and the place where all the saints will ascend at the appearing of the Lord Jesus. It will be our final abode, our address where we exchange the mortal flesh for an immortal spirit, where the terrestrial body will become celestial.
It has been called the land of no more. No more sickness, heartache and pain, no more loss or disasters, sorrow or grief, no more separation, tears or death, it’s a place where we will never get tired and never grow old. No burdens or disappointment reside there.
No sin, devil, no one does anything wrong or out of pocket. No road rage, accidents; you will never see a cemetery or funeral procession, funeral directors will have to get another job, no grave diggers or coffin makers up in glory. Nothing ever spoils there.
Flowers don’t die or lose their fragrance and the leaves are always green. No rain - Seattle, no thunderstorms or avalanches or erupting volcanoes earthquakes or tsunamis. No pestilences, no hurricanes no weather reports needed, no more germs or fevers, no hospitals; doctors will be out of work.
No policemen needed for there is no crime. No army or navy for God is our protection. No need for sun or moon for there is no night and the glory of God radiates with resplendent brilliance throughout.
It never gets too hot and never gets cold. No drunks or addicts up there, no immoral people no marriage or divorce, no illegitimate babies, no illegal’s, terrorist, prisons or jails. Doors have no locks, no bars or security systems any alarms. No thieves or robbers and no nanny cams no pornography, taxes, or war.
No deformities or handicaps, wheel chairs or artificial limbs. No one is blind or deaf, no PTSD. No pan handlers, or begging will be seen in the streets, no homelessness or destitute. No abuse, misuse or mental disorders. No Aids, herpes, cancer, diabetes stroke, Alzheimer’s, arthritis. It’s the land of no more…but surely there’s much more. If I were to stop here I would do you an injustice, but my words are limited by what I know.
There is much more. John was taken into the third heaven and he writes down what he saw while in glory. There were some things he could not reveal. The bible says “eyes have not seen and ears have not heard what God has provided for us” I Corn 2:9.
Heaven is where we meet God and experience what Moses could not look upon while down here on earth- the face of God and His glory. We will be surrounded by His glory.
Heaven, it’s been called paradise, utopia, Nirvana, Asgard, Valhalla, Zion, City of David, New Jerusalem, it’s a city and a country, the kingdom, the city of God, happy hunting grounds, the sweet by and by, house not built by hands, felicity, street are paved by gold, walls made of jasper, pearls and all kinds of precious jewels.
It’s a place of perfect praise, 24 elders sit on the throne representing the twelve tribes and twelve apostles. 24 represents all the redeemed of God for all times, before and after Christ, before death and after his resurrection, Jews and Gentiles. 24 hours in a day says it all its complete, it’s a place of perpetual worship, a place of blessing. The victorious Christ rules and reigns, the exalted, the venerable, inexorable, exonerated One is sitting on the throne.
God has two dwelling places they say, one in heaven the other in a meek and thankful heart. Even though we know that the heavens cannot contain God - because He is Omnipresent in I Kings 8:2.
A lot of misconceptions exist about heaven. We will not have to stand in line waiting on Saint Peter at the gate to get in. Our distorted views of harp playing, cloud riding and lazy living are false. Our views have become vague. “The vestiges of heaven have been prostituted, plagiarized, polluted and profaned” says Justin Cornwall.
Some authors, writers, naysayers and comedians have used heaven in connection with our dress, love lyrics and fiction divested and devoid it of its true concept. Food taste heavenly good, bathroom tissue is soft as heaven, perfume has a heavenly fragrance and chock full of nuts is a heavenly coffee.
Satan wants to secularize our terminology, make it common so that it loses its luster and its sense of reality and finality. The world minimize heaven by saying you make your own heaven and earth right here on earth. It is just an extension of this life. Other religions tell their folks that suicide bombers will have 70 virgins up in heaven. The world laughs and calls it pie in the sky, the place upstairs.
Song writers like Los Lobos says This must be Heaven” Marvin Gaye sang “Heaven Must Have Sent You From Above” Two country western songs state “Knock, Knock on Heaven’s Door” and “Heaven is a four letter word” Whereas Tavares sang “Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel” because she is here with me right now. One Google search turned up over 700 songs with heaven in its title.
Some literature suggests that the biblical doctrine of heaven has never received from a theological standpoint the same consideration that theologians have given to the doctrine of hell and eternal punishments. Few sermons are preached on heaven anymore, the encroachment of secularism and our pagan culture have distorted the picture. It’s more than a zenith place the apex but none of this can take away from its veracity and reality. “No amount of labeling lust as heaven in my arms says Cornwall can destroy God’s abode above.” We are not ignorant of Satan’s devices - II Corn 2:11 while the world may say one thing the saints need to portray what the bible says and means.
There are Seven Misconceptions
1. You make your own heaven and hell. What twisted ego thinks it’s big enough to create heaven. Man does not earn it, but we enter in if we adhere to God’s commands and demands.
2. It’s not an extension of this life, if that’s the case then who needs it?
3. It’s a place of inactivity. Where we sit on fleecy clouds strum harps and sing hymns of perpetual vacation.
4. One continual praise fest and worship service.
5. A place of sensual pleasure and gratification.
6. A place of complete knowledge when you get to heaven you will not know everything by osmosis or absorption
7. More than an association with good folk who went on ahead of us.
If these weak views and unscriptural concept run amuck among us is there no wonder people don’t get excited or often think of heaven. It’s more than just crossing over the Jordon.
The Greek word “Ouranus” and the Hebrew word “Shamain” both mean the heights, that which is raised up. Heaven has three spheres the atmosphere, the abode of the angels and the residence of God. Seven words in scriptures are used for heaven
Tabernacle
House
Temple
Sanctuary - Psalms 102:19
Throne of God - Hebrew 4:16
Glory - I Timothy 3:16
Most High
These seven words are used in place or and in connection with heaven and each refers to something tangible about God’s house and our abode. Its an actual and factual place prepared for us. A place of substance very few get homesick for heaven anymore. Most folk want to put off heaven as long as they can. Very few preach sermons that extol the virtues and joys of heaven.
It’s a place of beauty, rest, tremendous knowledge, service, stability, fellowship and love. If you want to dwell in the house of many mansions you must make your reservations in advance. You cannot cash checks on heavens bank without making a deposit. Heaven is a state of thankfulness, for having received what we did not deserve and for not receiving what we did deserve. The main object is not to get a man into heaven but to get heaven into a man.
Heaven is where we share God’s abode, it’s where we reside and abide when our work on earth is done. An old poem says:
Think of stepping on a shore
And finding it heaven
Think of taking hold of a hand
And finding its God’s hand
Think of breathing new air and finding its celestial air
Think of feeling invigorated and finding it is immortality
Think of passing from storm and tempest to an unknown calm
Think of waking up and find it heaven.
“A little girl taking an evening walk with her father when she looked up at the stars and explained oh daddy if the wrong side of heaven is so beautiful, what must the right side be” Charles L. Allen
Heaven is a place where we shall have our redeemed loved ones Not just for a little while but forever…
Here there are tears and many fears, BUT
It will be bright with morning light – In just a little while.
Here there are sighs and stormy skies, BUT
All cries will cease and there’ll be peace- In just a little while,
Here there are groans and hurt-heart moans, BUT
We’ll understand in God’s fair land- In just a little while,
The storms will rage with creeping age, BUT
We’ll have no care, no burdens bear- In just a little while.
Robert G. Lee
The main thing about heaven it’s not the glitter and gold, but the presence of God not his presents. A poem says that a man may go to heaven without wealth, fame and great name, without learning or culture without beauty and friends and ten thousand other things but he cannot go to heaven without Christ. There are many choices you don’t get to make in this life when you are born, when you will die and enter eternity, but the choice you do get to make is where you will spend eternity.
The story is told of a time when Albert Einstein was going on a train to an out of town engagement. The conductor stopped by to punch his ticket. The great scientist, preoccupied with his work, with great embarrassment, rummaged through his coat pockets and briefcase to no avail. He could not find his ticket. The conductor said, “We all know who you are Dr. Einstein. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it. Everything is okay.” The conductor walked on down the aisle punching other tickets. Before he moved to the next car, he looked back and saw Dr Einstein down on his hands and knees looking under his seat trying to find his ticket. He came back and gently said Dr Einstein, please don’t worry about it. I know who you are. Einstein looked up and said, I too know who I am, what I don’t know is where I’m going”
Are you going to heaven where we will dwell with God and be just like Him? Revelations 14:13 says blessed are the dead who die in Christ. Do you know where you are going when you leave this life? You can know with absolute certainty. Heaven is a gift that is freely bestowed upon those who are trusting Christ to save them. Have you come to Christ for forgiveness? Do you trust Him as your Savior and Lord? If you are then you can be guaranteed a place in heaven.
Pastor Joseph C. Phillips, Jr.,
Holly Park Community Church of the C&MA
