WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WHEN I GET TO HEAVEN?
Revelation 21:1-27
Introduction: This chapter gives a preview of our future home called Heaven. Heaven is just as real as Smithfield, NC. It will have as its inhabitants those who were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb of God. No matter how we try to describe this place, our imagination will not be to comprehend what the Lord has prepared for us. But it will be exciting to try to do so.
This past week I had been working on another message. I got a telephone call from Brother Fox. He told how serious his father was getting. I got a shower and shave and went to visit him. When I came in his room, he looked more tired and weak than I had seen him. But when I was talking with him, we rejoiced about heaven. He told me that he was ready to go.
As I talking with him, I thought of two songs. This is one of them.
Stepping Ashore
Oh, think to step on shore,
And find it Heaven!
To clasp a hand,
And finding it’s God’s!
To breathe new air,
And finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory
And finding you’re home!
The other was the song “I’m on the Winning Side.” I heard this song after Doctor Curtis Hudson died. I thought how much of a victory he must have felt when he knew he was dying of prostate cancer that he was on the winning side.
After I left Brother Fox’s house, I knew that I needed to preach a sermon about heaven.
Let’s look at three facts found in these verses about Heaven as a short introduction for the message.
1. Heaven is a huge place. Vs. 16
“And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
The heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, will be approximately an area from the East Coast to the Mississippi River and from the Gulf Coast to the Canadian border. But it will be that tall also. I can imagine how wide and long but the tall has got me stumped. But God said and that settles it and I suppose to live like it.
2. Heaven is a holy place vs. 27
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
`No Satan to deceive us. No having to vote down liquor trafficking. Nothing to remind us of the sorrows of life. It will be absolute holiness. Why? It is the home and abode of the Most High and Holy God.
3. Heaven is a happy place. Vs. 4
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
No memories of those things that brought tears to our eyes and grieved our hearts. All those memories will be gone.
With these simple thoughts in mind, let’s explore some things we are going to do when we get Home.
I. I WILL TAKE A SIGHTSEEING TOUR.
I enjoy going to places and looking around. I wander around Washington DC for weeks if I had the time, money and energy. But when I get to heaven, time, money or energy will not be a factor. What are some of the sights I want to see?
A. I want to see the BOOK with my name in it.
Vs. 27
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Philippians 4:3
“And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.”
It was recorded there the day I was born again. My race, creed or color did not place it there. My grandmother and her salvation did not place it. The One who saved me on May 10, 1972 placed it there.
B. I want to see the BOTTLE with all the tears.
Psalm 56:8
“Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?”
Psalm 126:6
“He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”
Job 16:20
“My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.”
God saw that tear that flowed down your cheek. He saved it in a bottle. We have all had heartaches. Until we die or the rapture takes place, we will have sorrow. Children bring sorrow and tears. Families bring sorrow and tears. Friends bring sorrow and tears. Christians bring sorrow and tears. But our Saviour has collected them.
I found this in Charles Spurgeon’s Treasury of David. “While we remain in this vale of misery, God keeps all our tears in a bottle; so precious is the water that is distilled from penitent eyes; and because he will be sure not to fail, he notes how many drops there be in his register. It was a precious ointment wherewith the woman in the Pharisee’s house (it is thought Mary Magdalene) anointed the feet of Christ; but her tears, wherewith she washed them, were more worth than her spikenard.” Abraham Wright
God is saving for something. It may be a sweet smelling offering to Him. Whatever reason, He saves them will be revealed to us. Think of the tears of the times you shed while soul winning or hear of a precious soul being saved. God saved those tears.
C. I want to see the BRIDE dressed for the wedding.
Revelation 19:7
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Revelation 21:2, 9
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
We are the bride that is adorn for her groom. In most wedding announcements you find in the newspaper, you read what the bride wore. It talks of the bride. Then at the end, it is almost like a postscript, she married Old Whatsocallit. When the bride comes down the aisle, everyone stands. But in this wedding, everyone will stand when the groom comes. The Blood of the Lamb of God will dress the church in a white spotless garment that is typical of the washing away of her sins.
D. I want to see my BROTHER I’ve never seen before.
Mark 3:35
“For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.”
Proverbs 18:24
“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
I will get to see some of my heroes. Men and women like D. L. Moody and Franny J. Crosby. When we get to Heaven, there will be many wonderful things to see: The Place, The Provision and the People but none as wonderful as the Person, our Lovely Lord Jesus.
II. I WANT TO SAY SOME THINGS.
Revelation 5:13
“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.”
Revelation 7:9-12
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.”
Revelation 19:1-6
“And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”
What more should I want to say when I get home. I will not be off key. I will not be out of step. I will enjoy worshipping the Lamb that ever liveth with all of the redeemed. I can only think of one thing that I can add to these words. It is simple “Thank you, Jesus.”
III. I WANT TO SING IN THE HEAVENLY CHOIR.
Revelation 5:9
“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation”
We will be singing about the redemption by His blood.
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Now ransomed from sin and a new work begun,
Sing praise to the Father and praise to the Son,
Saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
Refrain
Glory, I’m saved! Glory, I’m saved!
My sins are all pardoned; my guilt is all gone!
Glory, I’m saved! Glory, I’m saved!
I am saved by the blood of the Crucified One!
I don’t know all that we will be singing but we will have a good time doing it. I am pretty sure one of the songs will be this one.
AMAZING GRACE
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
IV. I WANT TO SHOUT ALL OVER GOD’S HEAVEN. Psalm 35:27
“Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.”
Psalm 47:1
“O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.”
Isaiah 12:6
“Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
As many of you know, I work with a Church of God of Prophecy pastor. His dad came to the camp meeting last year. One night business picked up and it got kind of noisy with the shouting. He went home and called his son and told him that they were kind of quiet then us Baptists.
I don’t shout much here. My shouting is usually running down my cheeks. But I’m anxious to shout about some things that won’t be in Heaven. What will not be in heaven? There will be no more adversaries, aggravation, agitation, annoyance, athlete’s foot, adultery, abortions or AIDS. There will be no more bunions, baldness, backaches, bitterness, broken bones, broken homes, beer, business meetings, bad breath, or bad debts. There will be no more cancer, cemeteries, confusion, crime, cussing, complaining, crying, car wrecks or crutches. There will be no more doctors, dope, and divorce courts, dandruff, dance halls, deceit, disappointments, death or devil. There will be no more evil, earwax, enemies or eyeglasses. There will be no more funerals, false teeth, fads, fear, failing, falling, fightings, fussing, feuding or faultfinding. There will be no more garbage dumps, gout, good-byes, gangs, gripping or guilt. There will be no more heart attacks, hearing aids, hernias, hatred, hospitals, hurricanes, headaches or high blood pressure. There will be no more insurance, insane asylums, Internal Revenue Service, Immorality, idolatry, incest, insects or itch. There will be no more jails or jealousy. There will be no more kidney stones or killings. There will be no more liars, liberal preachers, and long hair on men, liquor, lawyers or locks. There will be no more misunderstandings, mice, mosquitoes, and movie houses. There will be no more newspapers, nastiness, nudity or needs. There will be no more obscenity, opposition, obstacles or obituaries. There will be no more policemen, politicians, pornography, pain, pills, or problems. There will be no more queers, quarreling, quitting. There will be no more rock music, rebellion or roaches. There will be no more sickness, sorrow, snobs, snuff, sinus infections, sweat, selfishness, shacking up, stealing, stupidity, Satan or SIN. There will be no more tooth aches, tobacco, televisions, tears, or trials. There will be no more ulcers or undertakers. There will be no more vomit, violence or vengeance. There will be no more wayward children, wheelchairs, wigs, water bugs, whores, whoremongers, witches, or worldly churches. There will be no more X-rated movies. There will be no more yielding to sin or youthful lust. There will be no more zigzagging from the truths of the Bible.
There is enough stuff here to make a Lutheran shout.
Conclusion: What will you be doing when you get to heaven? Or a better question is this: If you died right now, do you know for sure that you are going to Heaven? The choice is yours to make. The Lord provided the way to heaven with the death of His only precious Son.
