Jesus talks about…
Heaven
John 14:1-7
April 28, 2019
Intro: This sermon series will be cover two part. This is part one and later in the year we will have part two. Jesus talked about a lot of things with the apostles so it will take us a lot of time to do the same thing.
You would think what Jesus says about things pertaining to His world in which we live would be important for us to consider. It absolutely is important for us. Let’s begin today by seeing what Jesus says
about Heaven.
Just for fun what are some things you think about Heaven?
Lets go to the source Himself, Jesus.
Jesus had just finished a very different Passover supper with the apostles as recorded at the end John 13, where He points out His impending crucifixion. Jesus knows that His friends are filled with fear, uncertainty and concerns. Basically, they are stressed. Jesus then encourages them with teaching about heaven.
Listen to John 14:1-7
14 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
Jesus was reading the room and that is what made Him says these things. He could see on their faces that what He said was troubling to them. Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Why would they be troubled? Because Jesus
said He was leaving. Let’s back up just a little bit more to John 13:33-37
33 Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
36 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” 37 Peter
*said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now?
Jesus and the apostles traveled together for about 3 years. We get the impression that this group was always together. Walked, talked, ate and slept as a group. That may or may not be exactly the case. But what is true they shared a lot of time and a lot of experiences together. Thinking about Jesus not being with them anymore was a very sad thought. Now, Jesus just said some confusing and concerning things to the apostles. He said that He would only be with them for a while longer. That was enough but he
mentioned that He would be with them for a while longer and then be gone. While they were processing that, Jesus said, “Where I am going you cannot come.” Notice how their minds follow Him. Jesus then says, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Jesus says, “Love one another.” What would your next question be? Did you say new command? Could you repeat that? I didn’t have my hammer and chisel ready to write that down. How important would that be for them to remember? I think huge.
But, Peter says, “Would you back up a just a minute? So, Jesus says, The new command is, “Love one another.” Peter says no, back up further. You said, “Where you are going, I cannot come.”
Jesus’ going away was a big deal but to Jesus how these believers loved others was more of a deal and He didn’t want them to focus on one over the other. It is light of this that Jesus continues in John 14. He tells them that they should not be distressed, worried or stressed. Jesus then says, You believe or put your trust in God believe in me. Why because I am preparing
and prepared for your future home. Where? Well,
Heaven of course.
Heaven is a Real Place
Jesus said that He was going to prepare a place for us There were already places ready in Heaven but Heaven is a place ready to receive more. There would be plenty of room for all who call on the name of the Lord. Heaven is mentioned many times in the Bible. The first time in the Old Testament is in Genesis many times. God called to Abraham from Heaven when Abraham
was about to sacrifice Isaac on the altar. God told Moses to tell the people that God spoke to him from heaven.
God met with Samuel to call him into service. God came to where he was and God came from His realm to Samuel’s.
Job declared that God, His witness and advocate were in heaven. Job 16:19
Ezekiel received his call from a vision in which he saw God in His heavenly temple.
In John 6:38 Jesus said He came from heaven. At Jesus Baptism, God spoke from Heaven. He also spoke from Heaven on the Mount of Transfiguration.
During the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
There have been many near death experiences where survivors say they have seen Heaven. I will always be a little skeptical of these stories but because of all of the biblical references it is possible. I believe that
Heaven is a real place not because of near death stories. I believe, because Jesus talked about Heaven so often.
What happens when someone, by faith, believes what Jesus says about Heaven? They also have to believe that God is alive. If God is alive Heaven is where God abides.
Heaven is where God Dwells
Jesus says in My Father’s house there are many dwelling places. Jesus is saying His Father lives where He is going.
Jesus lifts praise to His Father in Luke 10:21 “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,”. Since Jesus praises the Father as Lord of Heaven and earth it is no wonder that Paul says that God dwells in a realm not
made by man.
Acts 17:24 – The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;
Jacob, Ezekiel, Stephen, Paul and John got a glimpse of Heaven. When they did, they saw God. Some religions believe that life is a continual recreation
until we finally achieve perfection and then off to nothingness. Some believe that when we died it is all over. Some believe that we just achieve to spirits who float around in space. People have great imaginations. They think far out thoughts but it has no basis in fact. No one has told them or can tell them whether there is a heaven and what it is like. None of these ideas is even close to the picture of Heaven from the Bible.
But God tells us much about heaven in the Bible.. Number one is that it is a real place in which He dwells.
In the vision John recorded in the book of Revelation, he sees God in Heaven in all of His glory and power. By John’s account it is a beautiful, amazing and awe inspiring place. In Heaven John sees God with all authority over heaven and earth. Not only authority but taking action over all Heaven and earth to effect what happens here.
Heavenly Father is used 7 times in gospels. Using this phrase points out not only that God is above us and is Holy but that He dwells where only God can live. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. Heaven is the place where God abides and Jesus told the disciples that He too will live there.
That is really important to know that the Father and the Son are alive in heaven but what is even better Jesus says that all who believe will spend eternity there. Jesus says He will receive us to Himself where His
Heavenly Father lives.
I bet you are thinking, “Well, sign me up! That is where I want to be.” Slow you roll just a bit. Jesus also says…
Heaven is a Prepared Place for Prepared People
Have you ever wanted to go and sit with a US president? You know that you cannot just walk in to see him? Many have tried but unless you are one of his staff or have been vetted you cannot have any of his time.
We are aware of places that we cannot go without an invitation and we won’t get an invitation without having the right standing or money behind our name. Heaven is not like this. Though not just anyone gets into Heaven, all people are invited but not all can enter. It hard to enter but not exclusive. People have tried to buy their way in. Some try to barter their way in. A vast amount try to earn a way in. Heaven can only be received and we are can only be received into Heaven.
Terri’s father’s brother Jerry died this past week and she attended the funeral yesterday. Her cousin shared his salvation story with her and then Terri shared it with me.
Jerry’s daughter and Son-in-law have been caring for Jerry 5 or 6 years since he was paralyzed in a car accident. He moved in with them. She had to quit her job. They rearranged their home to accommodate Jerry’s wheel chair. They couldn’t leave him at home by himself which caused them to miss church. After a while the told Jerry that they needed to be in worship
every week and that he would have to come with them. He was happy to go with them. His son-in-law would have to miss Bible Study to bring him to church. They said that they would really like him to come to Bible study also. He did and told his daughter that he people.
Jesus shares the parable of the wedding feast from Matthew 22. The invitation went out to all of the friends of the bride’s family but those scoundrels didn’t want to come. The father then ordered his servants to
go out and invite anyone they could find to come to the banquet. The banquet was full but one person was not dressed in the right attire and was forcibly removed from the banquet.
This parable reminds us that the invitation to eternal life is extended to all but only those who are properly prepared can enter in. Jesus very strongly speaks of the Fathers love for us in John 3 but speaks very strongly about what is necessary to spend eternity with God in Heaven.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the
world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
God loves us and wants us to be prepared for eternity with Him.
We are not ready just because we were born.
We are not ready just because we were born in America.
We are not ready just because we do good things.
We are not ready just because our parents were Christians.
We are not ready just because we attend church.
We are not lost for any of these reasons either. This is what we all have in common we are sinners against God. Sin has brought a death sentence upon all of us. Jesus came to prepare us for Heaven. It is a real place.
It is the place where God provides for us. It is a place for prepared people.
We must place our faith, trust and complete belief that Jesus is the only way to eternity. Jesus told the disciples that they knew the way to where Jesus was going. They didn’t comprehend it all be they knew the way. Jesus was not a way, not a truth and not a life. He said He was the Way, the Truth and the Life to eternity with God in Heaven. It is prepared and He
wants us to be prepared for it. Challenge: Are you prepared? Yes?
Continue to grow and learn. You will spend all of eternity there.
Are you not prepared? Repent and receive Jesus death as cleansing for your sin. Terri’s uncle Jerry made this decision just a short while before his death and I bet he would tell us this…
Heaven is for real. God is here. I wish I would have not waited so long to surrender my life to Him.
Don’t you miss it. Now is the time to respond