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May 4, 2003 |
"Heavenly Joy" Series |
Pastor Brian Shimer
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"Heaven's Rewards"
Revelation 4 and 7:9-17
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I. |
When Karen and I were with my dad the weekend he died, we were
impressed
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| with the weight of the presence and love of God in the room. The glory of God was there. We were singing hymns, reading the Psalms, praying around the hospital bed, as my dad labored to breathe. His eyes would be distant, unfocused. But then he would focus and point as if seeing someone he knew. One moment he was there with us, and the next, he had gone. His body lay there just the shell that had held the man. It was "ichabod." The glory had departed.
Gone from us meant present with the Lord. Dad left to enter the realm of light we have yet to see. He was greeting by my grandparents Faith and Harlie Power, by his parents Chester and Cora Bell, by other friends who had preceded him in death, and by others whom he may not have known during his life, but who had prayed for and watched him. Perhaps even by David whose Psalms my Dad admired, and even the Apostle Paul from whose epistles Dad has preached for laity Sunday in the Presbyterian church in Turlock, California. And Jesus greeted dad -- as Dad was welcomed home.
All this and more happened for Dad and in the 21 years since, he has gone on learning and growing in Christ. Others have arrived "home" to heaven whom he has been there to greet, like my mom and many friends. Beyond that, who knows what wonders he has beheld, beyond the wonder of beholding the greatness and majesty of God.
I know Dad knows what is happening in my life. He may never have met his grandchildren, but I am certain has observed their development. I know he glimpsed Anna's senior recital from heaven. For he and mom are not in the shadowlands now, they are in the light.
We do a disservice to those who have preceded us in death. We talk about them as if they are now in the dark and we are in the light, when really the reverse is true.
We are God's team supposedly carrying out his kingdom purposes on earth. The focus of heaven is earth. Those before us are a great crowd of witnesses, a heavenly audience watching with keen interest our lives. We are in the arena. We are in center court at Wimbledon. This is the Olympics and a universe is watching us.
All of heaven we read in Luke 15, rejoices when someone comes to Christ. How could they do so if they did not know what was happening? No, those gone before us are in the light, they are "in the know" and it is we who are in the dark. You don't become ignorant when you go home with Christ, you become enlightened. Heaven's joy is not based on being uniformed but in having an accurate perspective.
Dad and mom loved music and the music in heaven will be "out of this world!" Music originated there in the heart of God.
Music and worship fills the heavenly courts. The four living creatures John describes, which Ezekiel had also seen, are leaders in worship. And when I say worship if you think: "How boring" you are not thinking of heaven. Perhaps some Sundays I miss what God has for us here in planning and so worship does not take us where God intends. Perhaps you are not prepared to worship, and so miss out on the joy of His presence. But in heaven there will be no such difficulties The 24 elders are so caught up in worship they fall before the throne of God and cast down their crowns! That has not happened here, I am certain, you will experience worship like you have only imagined it could be.
And what choirs in heaven! I imagine Mom and Dad are in heaven's choir. The little ensemble described in Revelation 5 is made up of 100,000,000 angels! And they are only the "worship team" for they are joined by all in heaven and on the earth and in the sea praising God! If you have ever been bored in church, it is not because God is boring or worship is boring, it is because we missed it and perhaps you missed God here. But you won't miss it there. But what else will you and I experience? Is heaven worship for eons or something more? Or is worship the 'more' that we just don't get yet?
There is much to talk about with this subject of heaven. And it is a needed topic.
It was CS Lewis, the great author of the last century, who said: 'It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one."
The other world he was speaking of is heaven.
The Christian professor AW Tozer spoke of heaven as our "long tomorrow" and said,
"We do well to think of the long tomorrow."
But before I go on. Let's answer one question. How do I know if I am heading to heaven? The only key to entrance is faith. And by faith I do not mean just a belief in your head that God sent Jesus to die for you. Faith in the Biblical sense is faith not just assented to but acted upon. Have you trusted Jesus for your salvation? **Can you say: "yes I have" (A Time of turning) Are you resting your life, your living, breathing, walking around life upon Him? (witness of HS, Fruit- character) Faith is love and you love Jesus most and best so trust him as your Lord, day by day. (Desire)
Of Himself, Jesus said, He is the good Shepherd, He is the Way to the Father. And the Father is in Heaven.
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II. | The passages of Scripture Grace read paint a picture of heaven -- it is a place. |
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"Do you think heaven is a geographical place?" a man at the Mason-Star rest home once asked me years ago with a smirk. I told him it is not "geo-graphical" for that is something on the earth. But is it a place? Indeed. More tangible than anything you name solid in your life.
Scripture says heaven is a God-created location that predated earth. A place that is still under construction, for Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you." Talk about a reward-- the place itself. And it is a vast place. We will talk more about that when we come to the joys there.
In Revelation 4 John sees a door standing open in the heavens, and is swept up to be given a glimpse of heaven. Shall we join him there? And as we go, what can we see of the rewards God has in store for you and me. Think of it - not just a welcome into the place where God dwells, but rewards as well.
John sees that God's throne is there. See it? Magnificent in color, like Karen's design there on the wall and so much grander! That throne shows that God is the creator of and ruler of heaven. He is not waiting for our vote -- God is God, we have the privilege of bowing before Him.
We find men, called elders, worshipping God, casting their crowns around his throne there. Those crowns picture ruling authority. Heaven is not about playing harps and sitting on clouds, but about service with responsibilities that exceed those here on earth. The Lord says, "Because you were faithful with little, I will place you over much." Remember the story of the men with the talents? The master says: "Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things I will put you over many things" (Mt 25:20-21).
God will reward so generously. Jesus promised his disciples: "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." (Mt 19:29) And elsewhere Jesus said, "When the son of Man comes in all his glory…He will reward each person according to what he has done" (Mt 16:27).
He will reward everyone's life labor. Remember Paul recorded this thought "At that time each will receive his praise from God." (1 Corinthians 4:5). God will praise You for the deeds you have done in this life.
Some may say: "Not me. I won't be rewarded."
I was studying this, this week, and the enemy was whispering… "You won't get any rewards, you know! You are worthless." The problem with lies is when they feel true. But Jesus reminded me: "You're a sheep not a goat."
And then Jesus took me to that passage where it says he will be rewarding us for things we do not remember doing. "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you/ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me' (Mt 25:37-40).
If we trust Jesus - there are rewards. We can forfeit them through sin, through a life that is not lived in relationship with God. But, as we trust Him, serve Him, our labors are bearing fruit and will be rewarded in heaven.
We see these ruling elders in heaven with great authority, sitting on the Lord's right and left. They have been placed over much.
These elders give God the glory for their places of service at the end of the chapter, caught up in worship, casting their crowns before Him.
In the Revelation 7 we see this scene of people from every nation, tribe, and language, who have come out of the great tribulation and are wearing white robes, a symbol of reward and a picture of the righteousness of their actions for Christ. They have washed their robes in the blood Jesus shed for them and thus cleansed them.
In this glimpse of heaven we see them holding palm branches in their hands. Where did they get them? I tell you I was not thrilled that there would be palm trees in heaven, but the fronds symbolize victory! If Palm trees are there, are there other trees too? Gardens even? Why not? This is heaven! And this chapter tells us there are even springs of water. I wonder if mom and dad have gone swimming?
As with those elders in chapter four, this great multitude here are given a great privilege, it says, "they serve God day and night in the temple." Now to serve does not mean boring. To serve is implies responsibilities, duties, effort, and creativity to do the work well. The work of heaven will be work with lasting accomplishment, unhindered by decay and fatigue, and enhanced by unlimited resources.
What a place of promise heave is! "No more hunger or thirst" "no more scorching heat" "every tear wiped away" -- the sufferings of earth will end there. This does not mean there will be no happy tears in heaven, or no emotion. I see evidence that there is plenty of emotion. One hardly shouts Hallelujah without joy. And I cannot imagine seeing my folks again without tears of joy! And what will it be like to see Jesus as He really is?
Heaven is a place of the unhindered presence of God. No longer will we be seeing as through a glass dimly, but will see face to face, we will know as we are now known.
This passage pictures this presence in the shepherding love of the lamb. "The Lamb will be their shepherd and lead them to springs of water." Even in heaven, Jesus will be leading us to places of refreshment, and we will be covered by God's protection. We will be following Jesus, and learning from him even in heaven.
The old chorus is true: "Heaven is a wonderful place. Filled with glory and grace. I wanna see my Savior's face. Heaven is a wonderful place. I wanna go there."
Hey men, could you help me? Gail play a base C and Low G one after the other.
"Heaven - is - a wonderful - place; filled - with - (now C and B) glory - grace"
"I (C) wanna see (B) my Savior's Face (A)" "Heaven (G) is a wonderful (A- B)
place"C "I wanna Go there" (G G A B)
Now, the rest of you, you will sing with them. Gail, I will need to hear a middle E and then D#. "Heaven-place" C "Filled (E) with glory and grace" (D#) I wanna… (E-D-F)
"Heaven…place" E-D-C
A Wonderful Place..
What's your favorite descriptive word? Heaven, Scripture says, is better.
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II. | Imagine - joy, light, music, praise, peace, no more tears, the sheltering presence
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of God and rewarded besides because of being faithful in small things; because of being wise or productive; because of sacrifices made; because of giving a cup of cold water; because of showing kindness to the undeserving…
Perhaps the statements we make to people: "another star in your crown" is not far off. But I think we are making an understatement. Perhaps God gives another crown! With such glory ahead of us -- keep serving those around you in love!
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