SCRIPTURE: Matthew 6:1-34 (Page 1146); 1 Kings 8:22-36 (Page 420)
SERMON: Heaven										   29 July 2001

INTRODUCTION: HEAVEN & HELL (7/29/01 & 1/28/01)

  I. USAGE: THREEFOLD

A. SKY
1. birds of heaven (Gen.2:19; Ps.8:8; 79:2; 104:12; Jer.7:33; Mk.4:3)
2. dew of heaven (Gen.27:28,39; Dt.33:28; Dan.4:15)
3. frost of heaven (Job 38:29)
4. clouds of heaven (1Kngs.18:45; Ps.147:8; Mt.24:30; 26:64)
5. winds of heaven (1Kngs.18:55; Ps.78:26; Mt.24:31)
6. rain of heaven (Gen.8:2; Dt.11:11; Acts 14:17; Jms.5:18; Rev.18:6)
7. lightning of heaven (Job 37:3,4; Rev.18:6)

B. SPACE
1. host of heaven (Dt.17:3; Jer.8:2; Mt.24:29)
2. lights of heaven (Gen.1:14,15,16; Ezk.32:8)
3. stars of heaven (Gen.22:17; 26:4; Ex.32:13; Is.13:10; Heb.11:12)
4. rulers of heaven (Is.14:12f; Dan.12:3; see Rev.2:28; 22:16; see Gen.1:16; Ps.136:9)

C. SPIRIT (see Col.1:16)
1. heaven of heavens (Dt.10:14; 1Kngs.8:27; Neh.9:6; Ps.68:33; 148:4; Eph.4:10; see Amos 9:6)
2. the third heavens (2Cor.12:2)
3. high and lofty place (Is.57:15; see 6:1f; see Ezk.1:26 with Rev.1:13f; 4:1f)
4. the highest (Mt.21:9; Mk.11:10; Lk.2:14; see Ps.148:1)

 II. BASIC IDEA: SEPARATION (see Gen.1:6-8; see Is.66:1; Acts 7:49)

A. HEAVEN/S & EARTH (Gen.1:1; Dt.4:26; 30:19; Ps.121:2,etc.; Jer.23:24; Acts 17:24; see Heb.12:26; 2Pt.3:13; Rev.21:1)

B. HEAVEN, EARTH, SEA (Gen.1:1,2; Ps.146:6; Acts 4:24; 14:15; Rev.5:13; 10:6; 14:7; 21:1)

C. SEA & DRY LAND (Hag.2:6=>Heb.12:26)

D. THE SEPARATION OF SIN (Gen.3:24; Rev.2:7; 2Cor.12:2,4; see Eccl.5:2; Mt.6:9,10)

III. ENCOURAGING SIGNS: MOVEMENT

A. DESCEND: HUMILIATION
1. cast down: punishment (Is.14:12f; Lk.10:15,18; Rev.12:7f; see Dan.4:14f)

2. come down: service (Jn.1:14,51; Phil.2:5f; Rev.10:1; 20:1; see Heb.1:14)

B. ASCEND: EXALTATION (Acts 1:9f; 2:33,34f; see Mk.16:19; Jn.3:13; Rev.11:12)

(completed on reverse)
SERMON: Heaven										   29 July 2001

IV. GOOD NEWS: REUNION

A. IN THE PRESENT
1. Heavenly Relationship
a. Before the Cross (Lk.23:43; 2Cor.12:2,4; Rev.2:7; Ex.25:31; 1Kngs.6:29f; Ezk.40:16ff; with Ex.25:18; Ps.80:1; Is.37:16; 1Kngs.6:23; and Gen.3:24)

b. After the Cross (Heb.12:18f,22,23f; see 9:11f; 10:19f; see Eph.2:18f)

2. Heavenly Citizenship (Phil.3:20; see Heb.11:16,10f(Jn.14:2f); see 12:22f; Gal.4:25,26; Rev.3:12; 21:1f; see Eph.2:6)

3. Heavenly Kingdom (Mt.25:1; 2Tim.4:18; Jms.2:5; 2Pt.1:11; see Mt.6:9,10; see Col.1:13; Acts26:18)

4. Heavenly Ambition (Mt.6:9,10,19f; Col.3:1f; see 2Cor.5:9,1f)

5. Heavenly Home (Heb.11:9f(1Pt.2:11); Mt.6:19f; 2Cor.5:1;4:16f; Phil.1:23

6. Heavenly Creation (Rev.21:1f(Is.65:17; 66:22; 2Pt.3:13); see 2Cor.5:17; Gal.6:15; see Mt.28:1; 1Cor.16:2; Rev.1:10)

7. Heavenly Life (Mt.19:16; Jn.3:15,16,36; Rom.2:7; 6:23; 7:14; see Heb.4:10,11; Rom.8:18f; Rev.22:3; 21:4)

B. IN THE FUTURE (Phil.1:23; 2Cor.5:6,8; Rev.6:9; 20:4-6; see Lk.16:22; see 1Pt.4:1; Rom.6:7)

C. IN THE END (1Cor.15:47-50; 1Th.4:16f; Phil.3:20,21; see 1Jn.3:2f; 1Cor.13:12)

  V. FOLLOW CHRIST INTO HEAVEN! (Heb.9:24(12:1,2); Mk.8:34,35; 10:14,21,24,28; Rom.8:16f; 2Pt.1:11(2Tm.4:18),1f; Rom.5:1-5; see Eph.2:5; Col.3:1f; Phil.3:20,21; Heb.11:8f; 1Pt.2:11,21; see Heb.10:19(9:11f); 25; 12:22f)

Heaven is the dwelling place of God, separated from the curse on the visible creation because of man’s sin.  God is life and the giver of life in Christ and by the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, to be with Him in heaven is to have true life as pictured in eating from the tree of life.  So flee from the wrath to come and run to the joy to come! (Heb.12:1,2)  Turn from Satan, sin, death and hell to Christ, righteousness, life and heaven.  Follow Christ into heaven by faith in Him.  Follow in His steps by faithfulness to Him in obedience to His commandments.  Persevere in following Him by pressing on through persecution for the sake of righteousness.  And be equipped for and sustained in this journey, and anticipate and enjoy your destiny, in the public worship of God.  Follow Christ into heaven in faith and through faithfulness in life and worship.