Let’s Talk About Heaven: Our Renewed Heavenly Body

The following message from Pastor Greg Laurie is made possible by some special friends of this ministry. Pastor Greg wanted to see a special word of thanks to the harvest partners who make this ministry possible next time your online check out Pastor Greg's personal blog go to harvest data work will like to watch the story of someone who discovers they have superpowers like Superman and wonder woman for the character. My reading will really superpowers.

Pastor Greg Moore Jesus when we get to heaven will be the same person we are today, only better.

Much better you will be given a new body, but it will still be you just be the radically rated you and you see a package marked new group you by you get it home and tasted and it is new or well as believers, time when we are new and improved real today on a new beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie points out just how will change. Personally to heaven.

Some things will stay the same and so much will be radically did a cover story with the titled visions of heaven. It revealed that 76% of Americans believe in heaven and 71% of them believe it's an actual place, but after that the agreement began to break down 19%.have a look like a garden, 13% thought it was like a city 17% did not know, and those that did not believe in it sneakily wears. There was one now. Another poll done by the pew research Center had people talk about heaven and hell and define it.

Their definition was heaven is a place where people who help lead good lives are eternally rewarded and hell was a place where people who had led bad lives, and died would be eternally punished. So, right out of the gate. People have it wrong. That is not whatever it is that is not what hell is now, here's the problem.

People say they believe in the heaven, and that idea of heaven comes uniquely from the Bible. So if you're going to say you believe in heaven. You need to read the rest of what the Bible says right because the Bible tells us there is I have and we would not believe in the heaven there were not for the teaching of Scripture to say you believe in heaven, but then not read what the Bible has to say about it would be like, say, why believe in the land but I do not agree with the price for getting in and I would be with you on that and I do not believe that the location is accurate. So I'm in a go to where I think Disneyland is and I will enter the way that I want to enter Disneyland okay whatever. So you can end up with some lame golf course with one broken ride. I don't know but if you happen to make it to the Magic Kingdom. You gotta go in the Disney way. You don't go in at all.

If you try to just walk in the car shall be stopped, arrested by the Disney bleach will be put into the jail and and I don't know what happens after that but but the ideas that you have to do it the right way, you have to pay the admission price. While in the same way you say. Well I want to go to heaven and I'll do it my way. Well know you won't you do it God's way. All right, what's the admission price. Trust me when I tell you, you can't afford it. That's the bad news you can't afford the price to get in heaven. The good news.

The prices been paid.

Admission is free through Jesus Christ. That's how you get into heaven because it is done for us on the cross so as to good people going to heaven and bad people going to hell. Listen to this. There will be people in hell would be defined by some as good people, and in the same way there will be people in heaven who lived bad lives when we say that again there will be people in hell who would be identified by some as good people, and there will be people in the heaven lived bad lives but they repented of their sin.

How does this work being good doesn't get you to Kevin.

There's only one way to get to Kevin being forgiven.

Heaven is not for good people.

It's for forgiven people.

But then again you can be a good person, relatively speaking, but you're not good enough and you can think you would get to heaven in your own good works and of course you won't.

That's how you might end up in hell. Okay, so now let's answer some often ask questions about the afterlife number one what will our new bodies be like in heaven. Number two will we know each other in heaven.

Number three will we be married in heaven. Number four what will we do in heaven and for them.

Lastly, and this is often ask two people in heaven know what's going on with us on earth all right. So let's go question by question and by the way, in our last message let's talk about heaven, we discovered. Of course heaven is an actual place, not a state of mind. It's a real place. Jesus said in John 14. I've gone to prepare a place for you. Jesus tells us in the rest of the Bible tells us heaven is a city. Heaven is a country. Heaven is a paradise. It doesn't say it's like a city there is city in heaven doesn't seem to like country. It is a country that doesn't seems like a paradise. It is a paradise about get better than any city you've been to on earth it's better than any country you have ever visited and it is better than any paradise that you can imagine whatever you've experienced on this are the best of the best of the best doesn't even come close to the glory of heaven while because earth out its best, is a pale imitation of the real thing which is heaven. Heaven is not a watered-down version of earth it's kind of the other way around. And so whatever you are thinking this can be far better than you ever imagined. All right, so what about these new bodies. The Bible talks about what will they be like short answer Macy you know that people love these superhero movies you know you at the DC University of the Marvel universe. And there's just so many of them coming out and I will like to watch the story of someone who discovers they have superpowers like Spider-Man or Superman or wonder woman or whoever the character might be because they can fly they have superhuman strength they can do all kinds of amazing things will really you're getting have superpowers if you will one day in this new body that God is going to give you why because your resurrection body is going to be like the resurrection body of Jesus Christ. So let's think about that for a moment Jesus was crucified on a cross right he rose again from the dead three days later did he rise in a physical body yes or no answers yes and so in a physical body. Was he a different person or was he still Jesus will still Jesus even said to his disciples. It is I not another, to the point he still bore in his hand, and in this speed the marks of the crucifixion. Remember when he appeared to the disciples in the upper room. He extended his hands to Thomas, who was a bit doubtful and said go ahead a butcher hands, and the wounds in my hands, and of course Thomas didn't need any more proof so he was still Jesus, but he did things in this resurrected body that he did not do before.

Something he could've done that before, but he didn't.

So afterwards he did some unusual things like appearing in a room without using the door.

That's pretty cool about flying.

Jesus never flew well. He flew what you think the ascension is he does one write up to heaven, so why do I bring this up because the Bible tells us over in first John 32 or the children of God. It hasn't been revealed what we will be but we know when he's revealed. Listen, we shall be like him, for we will see him as he is by the way, Jesus ate in his resurrection body and I don't think it was like translucent ghetto we could see it go down a sword or something, but there probably was in a row body sit there give me some be bearers of this awesome just jot it down, but he was in a real body and will get to this a little bit more but you will be given a new body, but it will still be you will just be the radically upgraded version of you okay is that the Bible says.

First Corinthians 15 our bodies now disappoint us.

Can I get an amen on that.

But when they are raised will be full of glory their week now.

But when the rays will be full of power their natural bodies now, but when the rays will be spiritual bodies listen to this, our new bodies to God will give to us later will be both different and at the same time, the same as her body here.

By that I mean you are still you have already said, but again a radically upgraded version. Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here personally inviting you to join us for what we call Harvest at Home. It's a Bible study. It's a worship service.

It church in your home, you're not able to get out your church right now. If so, join us per Harvest at Home people are listening this from around the world listen to this. We have seen thousands of people make a commitment to follow Christ.

Join us this weekend harvest@home.o Pastor Greg is addressing a number of questions people have about heaven.

The first one.

What will our bodies be like an eternity. Let's continue with the biblical insight okay so Jesus says in John 14. In my father's house are many mansions are dwelling places therefore were not so I would've told you if I go I will come again and receive you on the myself there where I am, you may be also in my father's house are many mansions. So sometimes people say I can't wait to get them. I mentioned in heaven, but we actually go to mansions reminds him a story about minister in the New York cab driver that both died and went to heaven on the same day. So Peter meets him both in the cabdrivers first online and peters is walking the heaven.

I'm in charge of housing so I hear your cabdriver New York. I says yes sir he says all right well I got your house picked out for you. You see that mansion over there in the hill, that's yours all the cabdriver was so excited he ran off to his bench at the minister standing behind him stood a little taller whole because he was a famous preacher peters is. I hear your well-known minister.

Yes, I okay we see the little shack down there in the valley with the roof coming apart that your place will what you mean, that's my place. Why preach the gospel.

The minister said I taught the word of God. I was a holy man of God, yeah, whatever that your place. It doesn't make sense I should be given a better place. Bottom line when that cabdriver drove people prayed, but when you preach people's lap. He gets a man. It's a two-story, by the way, notice. So what is this mansion referring to in John 14 couple of options one and may be our new body that God will give to us.

Second Corinthians 51 the new living translation says this earthly tent we live in is taken down. When we die and leave these bodies we have a home in heaven. In eternal body made for us by God himself will put on the new body like new clothes. Okay so good be a description of our new body, but it could be a house.

I mean literally house in heaven, why not is not heaven. The city is not heaven, a country is not heaven. A place so we could have a house and by the way, were told over and Isaiah 6521 in the millennium that's in crisis ruling on the earth that we will all build our own houses okay so it might be an actual house and I love how Jesus says my father's house. So that suggests spaciousness, big place, but then he says in my father's house are many rooms that sort of suggests coziness right. I mean even if you're in a palatial estate, you can't live in 300 rooms at once you find a nice little spot sit down and front of a fire and have a cup of coffee or cup of tea or whatever you know so you know if the idea is that it's a real place waiting for you what it is exactly. I don't know but it's going to be amazing. We know that any tell you what, that the thing is this with life as you get older it seems like it goes more quickly and help his sister Billy Graham was once asked the question what is been your greatest surprise of life, and he said in response, the brevity of and there's a reason that it seems like time goes faster as you get older I read that they did a study on it and what it revealed was the reason it seems like time goes faster when you're older is because you get into routine right older people like to go to the same restaurant sit in the same spot in order the same thing over and over again, but when you're young you like adventure like things happening you like to try new things when you're older so much right and so their telltale signs are getting all you know you're getting old when you go to pull up the wrinkled socks are wearing and realize you're not wearing socks is not against you know you're getting old when your peacemaker opens the garage door accidental today plus another piece acres right okay so you know you're getting old when you bend down to tie your shoe and you wonder what else you can do while you're down there. Sen. I'm down here already is earning nothing and it is I don't want to come down here again so but to the point here.

Life goes by so quickly.

But here's the good news though your body is wearing out my content which is not meant to last forever got in a resurrected and your soul will live forever in your body will be resurrected so no one were in heaven will we know each other and have do you think you get anymore stupid in heaven then you are on earth.

Maybe I said I think are some of you know each other on earth will then your regular course know each other in heaven. In the same way you know on the Mount of Transfiguration. Remember Jesus was transfigured, he shine like the sun on one side was Moses and on the other side was Elijah. How do we know was Moses and Elijah with a worry little nametags hi I Moses. Moses was he holding the tablets Moses logical and burned up. No, I don't think so.

Somehow they were recognizable as they made this guest appearance if you will, on each side of Christ. So I think when you get to heaven yes will see each other. Yes, will know one another, were told in first Corinthians 13, we will know as we are known will know everything we know on earth except more will know everything we know on earth but with divine perspective.

Now, sometimes people have this mistaken notion that when you get to heaven you have some kind of a brain white like member that movie men in black they redo the little thing and they've forgot everything they saw. Putting people big when they're in heaven there just like it's almost like Evans a giant lobotomy or something. No, I want to know there's memories of earth and heaven so they can be to Greg because we would be sorrowful. Will you a perspective see I understand things now.

How can I be rewarded for something I did on earth. If there's not a memory of what I did on earth so you're going to remember earthly things. But now, with that supernatural perspective, there is no break in my love for my loved one that breaks guys on earth but renews them in heaven with the same people we were here to Greg Laurie great insights on what's to come.

When we reach our heavenly home.

Maybe these are questions you've wondered about Pastor Greg will have more answers as he continues this message, including some thoughts before we close today here on a new beginning. But if you missed any part of this insight you can get a replay@harvest.org, or download an MP3 for a spouse or friend. Just go to harvest.org and look for the message title. Let's talk about heaven part two or four CD copy.

Call 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300 and then were excited to make available Pastor Greg's book on the Jesus movement, the spiritual awakening of the 60s and 70s. The book is called Jesus, revolution, and your Pastor Greg. What would a real revival look like, and more importantly what's our part in bringing it to pass. Well I would say revival starts with you, Dave.

It starts with me. It starts with us. It starts with the person listening to me right now you notes are easy to point the finger into the church should do this and in the country should do that. Well, let the awakening begin with you. There's five take away truths that I saw on the Jesus movement five distinct features of it number one we came to church there was a sense of anticipation, we expected that we were going to hear from God, and you could send said anticipation in the air and open that show the book of acts we read of the early church. And it says they received the word with gladness in a lot of times we talked about the fact that we need anointed preaching true, but we also need anointed listening, giving our attention with intention. There was a sense of anticipation number two the word of God was proclaimed in every service at Calvary Chapel were I experience the Jesus movement. There was always a Bible study.

We always open up the word of God it wasn't about emotional experiences, though some have them but it was about.

What does the Bible say in the Bible was so relevant to our lives and always is but but we believe the Bible is something to say to us.

Number three. There was heartfelt and passionate worship. You know, and new worship choruses being born before our very eyes. Effectively, contemporary Christian music and contemporary Christian worship were starting at this moment and up to that point was not common to see drums and electric guitars and such insured sanctuaries, but that's our sons are coming to a sort of through that the musical culture of that day and also there was a sense that Christ could come back at any moment we believed in the return of Jesus Christ and that belief permeated what we said and did it.

I think it's so important for us to understand that the message of Scripture is Christ is coming back, so be ready in any theology that would cause you to not be wanting to see God return any theology that would cause you to not believe Jesus could come back is not a good theology because were told in verse John he that has the soap that is the hope of the return of Christ purifies himself, even as he is pure. So it has a spiritually purifying effect on your life and the last trait the filtrate was evangelism. We proclaim the gospel all the time people came to Christ in pretty much every one of our services will listen.

I think of a Christian would say I'm going to get into the word of God. Every day I'm at it, that sense of anticipation to what his word says I'm going to believe that Jesus could return at any moment and and I want to worship the Lord with fervor and I want to share the gospel.

I think you have a personal revival. I think the church focused on those things, they would have a revival so I don't think we can organize it, but I think we can agonize for it. And as I've said before, the theme of revival spreads the flame of revival.

So the more we learn about what God is done in the past can better prepare us for what he may want to do in the future. So I've written extensively about this.

In this book that is called Jesus revolution and also we have a special study guide that we prepared the comes with Jesus revolution to help you dig in even deeper. I will send this to you for your gift of any size whatever you sent will be used to further enable us to bring the gospel to people around the nation around the world and to teach the word of God, so order your copy of Jesus revolution. I pray it will cause a revolution in your life. Yeah, that's right.

Revival begins in the house of God and really glad to send you a copy of the book and the new study guide to thank you for your investment in these daily studies it's only through listener support that we can make these programs available and were so thankful to those who do support is regularly in fact, if you'd like to support us on a regular basis. When you're in touch. Ask about the special ways we think are harvest partners but was your first gift right now will send you Jesus revolution with our thanks writers had a new beginning.

Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300.

That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org and we won't be mentioning this much longer. So contact us soon. What we were talking about heaven today and what things will be the same and what things will be different when we get there faster. Greg closes with some thoughts on what will no in our eternal home by this association before but I only have five illustrations I returned to it. One of my grandkids might be playing with the toy in a brakes and all the head comes off and they're freaking out because you note headless stall is alarming in many ways even to me, Bob.

The dogs head came up. I'll fix it and then in turn the screw the witches on it all go away when I'm doing because it's not good thing to watch. I think that they had to screw back in saw say, well, don't worry about Obama that all their so unhappy I'll take don't worry about it will be okay but it'll be okay.

Why, because I know in a cupboard. I have five more of those dolls is I'm smart. I plan ahead so the reason I can see it's okay is because I know it's gonna work out better for them, and so on.

The same we were here in this life, and we see God what you doing guide wire to paying attention. Lord, where are you, Lord says it's okay we don't get your Nevin Youngman heaven and I know it's going to be okay. You'll see it one day.

So when you have and I have memory things under verse possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for past a great free daily email devotions and harvest.org