How did Jesus’ resurrection on SUNDAY relate to His death on GOOD FRIDAY?
Through the Resurrection…
“. . . God . . . has caused us to be born again unto a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
unto an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you,
who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for [it].” (1 Peter 1:3-5)
I. HEAVEN – WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE? (Revelation 21-22)
A. Heaven is a physical place, and heaven will come to our renovated earth (Rev 21:1-3,23-26; 22:1-3; Isaiah 25:6-9; 65:17-25).
B. Heaven is, above all, the presence of God and of the Lamb (Rev 21:3,22-23; 22:4)!
C. Heaven is the absence of anything and everything evil and painful (Rev 21:4-8,27; 22:3)!
D. Heaven is a place of unimaginable glory (Rev 21:9-21) and ever-increasing joy (Psalm 16:11)!
II. HEAVEN – WHAT WILL WE BE LIKE?
A. Still finite creatures (Rev 22:1-2)
B. Sinless – like Christ (Rev 21:8,27; Romans 8:29; 1 Thess 5:23-24).
C. Satisfied – in God (Rev 21:6; 22:17; John 4:13-14; 6:35; 2 Thess 1:10)“The fountain that supplies the joy and delight which the soul has in seeing God is an infinite fountain. [Our] understanding may extend itself as far as it will, it does but take its flight into an endless expanse and dive into a bottomless ocean. It may discover more and more of the beauty and loveliness of God but it will never exhaust the fountain. We can never by soaring and ascending come to the height of the love of God. We can never by descending come to the depth of the love of God, or by measuring know the length and breadth of it. Let the thoughts and the desires extend themselves as they will; here is space enough for them in which they may expand forever and ever! How blessed therefore are they that do see God – who are come to this exhaustless fountain. After they have had the pleasure of beholding the face of God millions of ages, it will not grow a dull story. The relish of this delight will be as exquisite as ever!” — Jonathan Edwards
III. HEAVEN – WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?
A. The joy of discovering.
If God’s purpose in everything He does (and has ever done) is to magnify His glories for the enjoyment of His people, and if His glories can be fully enjoyed and magnified only when they are seen and known, and if most of what God has done and is doing is yet unseen and unknown by us, then…
B. The privilege of administering & ruling (Gen 1:28; Rev 22:5; 1 Cor 6:2-3; Rev 21:24-26; Lk 19:12-27).
C. The pleasure of worshiping God and delighting in Him in all that we do (Rev 4-5; 7:9-17; 11:15-17; 19:1-7; 22:3c; etc.)
IV. HOW DOES THE ASSURANCE OF OUR FUTURE ETERNAL INHERITANCE CHANGE US NOW? It motivates us…
A. To persevere and have hope in our current trials and suffering (1 Cor 15:58; 2 Cor 4:16-18).
B. To purify ourselves from sin (2 Peter 3:11-14; 1 John 3:2-3).
C. To lay up treasures there, not here (Matt 6:19-21; Col 3:1-6; Phil 3:17-21).
D. To love the Savior who is coming back (Rev 22:17,20; Phil 3:20; 2 Tim 4:7-8; 1 Pet 1:8-9).
E. To proclaim the glorious gospel of Jesus to those who don’t yet know Him.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
1. In your Christian life to this point, have you spent much time thinking about life in the new heavens and the new earth? Do you think there is a very strong longing for this in your heart? If it has not been strong, why do you think this has been the case?
2. What are some ways in which you have already stored up treasure in heaven rather than on earth? Are there more ways you could do that in your own life now? Do you think you will?
3. Sometimes people have thought that they would be bored in the life to come. Do you feel that way yourself? What is a good answer to the objection that the eternal state will be boring?
4. Can you describe at all what you think you will feel like when you finally stand in the presence of God and see him face-to-face?
And the Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”
And let the one who hears say, “Come.”
And let the one who is thirsty come;
Let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost…
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:17 & 20