Scriptures: Ps 45; Revelation 4: Mth 4: 17- 25
Intro: Today I’m preaching the first of 2 sermons about Heaven because this is a subject that we all need to consider and “The Kingdom of heaven” was a central theme in Jesus ministry and teaching. ”Everybody wants to go to Heaven but nobody wants to die!” but I hope to show you today that you don’t have to wait until you die before you can experience something of Heaven.
(1) WHAT DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT TELL US ABOUT HEAVEN ?
A definition of heaven
The Oxford Dictionary defines heaven as: ‘a place regarded in some religions as the adode of God and the angels, and of the good after death, often characterized as above the sky.’ the OT Hebrew word and NT Greek word for heaven mean ‘the dwelling place of God.’
1. The first and last books of the NT have most to say about heaven. In Mth ‘heaven’ is used 74 times and in Revelation 53 times. It’s like the NT is book-ended by heaven. It’s a key subject in the Bible so it’s important for us to think about Heaven. Hopefully we will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord. If we get to know a little about heaven now it won’t be such a shock to us when we get there. E.G. I’ve been singing a little chorus lately, ’Oh oh ow ow ow heaven is in my heart.
2. The Book of Revelation is primarily the revelation of Jesus Christ and His rule from Heaven and His sure victory over all His enemies and our enemies. It was a series of revelations given to the Apostle John when he was imprisoned on the island of Patmos during a time of extreme persecution of Christians by the cruel Roman Emperor Nero. Many Christians were being killed for their faith in Jesus Christ and these revelations were a great encouragement to them as they are today to us as world events and our lives at times are so pressured. Revelation 4 and 5 set the scene in heaven as John is called to witness it. Three things dominate the scene:
1. THE THRONE OF GOD THE FATHER: (Rev 4:1-4) When you visit the place of rulership of any Emperor, King or ruler the seat of the ruler is most important. There the ruler surrounded by his top advisors makes decisions and judgements which are carried out by the forces of that ruler throughout his country or realm. When we visited the Doge’s Palace in Venice a few years ago we saw where he ruled from in the magnificent counsel room; in the Czar’s Palace in St Petersburg the Romanov autocratic Emperors ruled over the immense Russian Empire. There the throne room was magnificent and dominated by the Czars imperial throne. The first thing John saw in Heaven was God’s throne. The throne represents the supreme power and authority of the Heavenly Father. It speaks of the everlasting security and confidence that we can place in God Almighty the King of all Kings and ruler over all rulers of earth and heaven. Around the Father and His throne are the 24 elders seated on their thrones and the 4 all-seeing winged creatures. All these worship the Father.
2. THE SEVEN FLAMING TORCHES represent the seven-fold Spirit if God proceeding from God.( Rev 4:5) Again the Spirit is depicted as seven eyes of the Lamb sent out into all the earth.(Rev 5:6) An insight into the meaning of these seven functions of the Spirit is given in Isaiah 11:2-5) where is listed: The Spirit of the Lord; the spirits of wisdom; understanding; counsel; might; knowledge and the fear of the Lord. All these rested on Jesus and now since Pentecost are to work through us. Our creed says The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son and Jesus said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you shall be my witnesses in all the earth.”
3. The LION and the LAMB: Jesus is the all conquering lion of Judah who overcame death and is seated in heaven above every name that can be named in heaven and earth and under the earth but he is also the crucified Lamb of God slain from the from the foundation of the world(Rev 5:6 and 13:8) His sacrifice is eternally able to save us from sin and sickness and evil and He causes us to triumph as followers of the mighty Lion of Judah.
(2) HOW DID JESUS TEACH US ABOUT HEAVEN?
A. Jesus announced the Kingdom of Heaven then illustrated it with demonstrations of the power of heaven. We see this at the beginning of all 4 gospels.
e.g. In Mth 4:17 He proclaimed “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ In other words the ‘man from heaven’( was telling the people I have brought the life of heaven with me and I’ll show you how it works. In verse 23 it says, ‘Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people… those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics and paralytics and he cured them.’
After demonstrating the K of H by many healings and miracles Mathew sums up in 9:36 by saying, ‘When Jesus saw the crowds he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then Jesus said to his disciples. “The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.”
B. He then sent out the 12 to do as he had done: Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go proclaim the good news. The Kingdom of heaven has come near. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.
C. In Mathew 13 Jesus told 7 parables all about the Kingdom of Heaven: the sower; weeds among the wheat; the mustard seed and the yeast; the hidden treasure and the pearl and the fishing catch. So we can see both from Jesus own ministry, that of his disciples and his teaching that the Kingdom of Heaven was central. You could say the prime purpose of Jesus coming was to announce, demonstrate and teach people about heaven breaking in to our fallen world so that we could be restored to live again as sons and daughters of the living God.. the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
D. That’s why Jesus taught his disciples to pray: ‘Our father in Heaven…your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven…’
E. Then He died to save us, rose to give us new life and ascended again to Heaven that we might be seated with him and He sent the Holy Spirit from heaven that we might continue his ministry to make disciples of all nations.
(3) TODAY WE SENSE SOMETHING OF HEAVEN
Ÿ When we pray and feel our prayers are heard and answers come.. prayer breakthroughs
Ÿ When we worship and sense the angels of heaven assisting our praise
Ÿ When evil is confronted and justice is achieved such as when the poor are helped.
Ÿ When the gospel goes forth and people come to faith in Christ and we and the angels rejoice
Ÿ When people are healed and when miracles happen
Ÿ When we take communion and really sense we are sharing the heavenly banquet e.g. a 4 year old pastor’s daughter asked her mother for some bread and water because she wanted to share communion with Jesus in her room. Later her mother asked her how she got on and the daughter said, “Mummy I went to heaven with Jesus: you know you can go there anytime!”
