Rev. David Holwick 2K
First Baptist Church
West Lafayette, Ohio
October 23, 1988
Revelation 21:22 - 22:5
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I. Decline of importance.
A. 71% of Americans believe in afterlife.
B. Yet rarely talked about.
1) Focus is totally on this life.
II. Reasons for decline.
A. Affluence.
1) "Pie in sky" used to be criticized.
2) Christians don't emphasize this anymore.
a) God will give you a Mercedes now!
B. Creeping paganism.
1) Death is the end, period.
2) Hospice, Death & Dying movement.
a) Valuable need.
b) But pagan approach.
3) 5 stages of attitudes toward death.
a) "Acceptance" is ultimate goal.
b) Philip Yancey watches small group of dying people -
they never talk about heaven. This would be
"denial."
C. Older images have lost their appeal.
1) Huckleberry Finn -
"All a body would have to do was to go around all day
long with a harp and sing, forever and ever."
[Walt Rice - 300,000 stanzas of "Just As I Am"].
III. Heaven should offer hope.
A. Without it, Christianity is meaningless.
1 Cor 15:19 -
"If only for this life we have hope in Christ,
we are to be pitied more than all men."
IV. Nature of heaven.
A. "Heaven" is temporary.
1) Living with Christ in outer heaven.
2) Lasts till Second Coming.
B. Emphasis is on transformed world.
1) Then our home is on New Earth.
2) Life in the New Jerusalem.
a) This is focus of Bible.
V. What heaven is like.
A. We will be changed to be like Jesus.
1) New bodies. Phil 3:20-21
2) New personalities (though still recognizable).
B. We will rule with Jesus.
1) Kings of world enter New Jerusalem. Rev 21:24
a) Not bad guys - nothing impure enters city. Rev 21:27
2) We are those kings! Rev 1:6, 22:5
C. Heaven is other people.
1) Community. Multitudes: Rev 7:9
2) No individualism.
a) We will see loved ones. (Dead in Christ rise first)
1 Thess 4:16
D. It will be a place of activity.
1) No boredom; things to do.
a) Not like cruising in Coshocton's Plaza parking lot.
2) Ultimate image is a vast city, not a park bench for
retirees at St. Petersburg, Florida.
E. All harmful things will end. Rev 21:4, 22:3
1) End of suffering and death and insecurity.
F. There will be continuity with this world.
1) Our home is on New Earth, not in New Heaven.
G. Worship will be central activity.
H. The presence of God will be focus of heaven.
1) He will rule on throne. Rev 22:3
2) He will be light of city. Rev 22:5
3) He will be temple. Rev 21:22
a) City is Holy of holies, contained in temple.
4) He will be source of our eternal life. Rev 22:1
a) River is a fountain in 21:6, a river here.
b) River flows from the throne.
c) River nourishes the tree of life.
1> The tree bears fruit which heals the nations.
5) We will see God's face.
VI. Most important question about heaven - are you going there?
A. Each person must make their own commitment.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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