Let’s Talk About Heaven | How We'll Be Different

You are listening to a new beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God this at our website and learn more about harvest partners@harvest.org will like to watch the story of someone who discovers they have superpowers like Superman and wonder woman character might be 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 new body, but it will still be you just be the radically upgraded version of you and using a package marked new group you by home in case it is a new roof. Well, as believers, the time when we're new legal today on a new beginning. Greg Laurie points out just how will change personally when we get to heaven formation. We can trust God to the 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 with 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 have lead good lives are eternally rewarded and hell was a place where people would lead bad lives, and died would be eternally punished. So, right out of the gate. People have a 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 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 that 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 what I 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 height or no, 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. You try to just walk in the car shall be stopped, arrested by the Disney police 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 will 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 in the 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 and have 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 seem like a paradise 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.

Why, because earth at 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 we all 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 going 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 hands and in his feet. 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 if the goalie had 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 number fluently you flew what you think you sent to this he does one write up to heaven, so why do I bring this up because the Bible tells us over in first John 32 were 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 me errors piece 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. It'll 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 race 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, you know, there's nothing like hearing the word of God worshiping the Lord together. I will encourage you to join us for something we call Harvest at Home every Saturday and Sunday harvest.org you join Christians literally from around the world as we worship and we study the word of God together. So join us for Harvest at Home and harvest will 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 he will say I can't wait to get them. I mentioned and have what 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 welcome to heaven.

I'm in charge of housing so I hear your cabdriver New York. I says yes sir he says all right what I've 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 is vented. The minister standing behind him stood a little taller whole disease. He was a famous preacher peters is. I hear your well-known minister. Yes, I okay will you 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 true 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 any internal 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 get our house and by the way, were told over and Isaiah 6521 in the millennium that's in Crites's 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 to 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 have in 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 is with life as you get older it seems like it goes more quickly and know this is true. 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. That's not a good leader 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 when 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.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 to be more stupid in heaven then you are on earth.

Maybe I said, I think some of you know each other on earth will then your go up 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 worried little nametags hi I Moses. Moses was he holding the tablets after Moses logically 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 just 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 they have and you have some kind of a brain, wipe a like member that movie men in black they would do the little thing and they've forgot everything they saw people doing 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 owe that to be true 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 ones breaks guys on earth but renews them in with the same people we were here. Greg Laurie great insight 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 he closed today your own new beginning. Pastor Greg a lot of new believers who join us each day for studies and many of us know the new believer in our circle of influence.

One of the most important things are new believer needs to learn right after they come to Christ.great question about the way the things that I'll share with you right now are things you probably heard before, but you never outgrow these things you never move beyond these things, and in fact please are some principles we share with people who have just accepted Christ like what we do harvest Crusade and all those people come forward on the field we've had, sometimes 3000, 5000 people there and the counselors walk up to them in and they share these things with them and let me just share them bravely with you. We tell the new believer that they need to read the Bible, we offer them what is called the new believers Bible. It's a special edition of the Scripture and the new living translation with thousands of notes that I wrote that will encourage them but we told them that you need to read the Scripture each and every day. Jesus said low on the volume of the book I've come if you want to know Jesus. You need to read the word of God. Scripture says study or exert yourself to show yourself approved on the God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. So start by reading the Bible and by the way, you need to read the Bible every day every day and every night, too, for that matter every day should have the word of God is an important part of it. Never till.

We told new believers to pray. Prayer is just talking to God. It's communing with God and spending time in the presence of God. The Bible tells us pray about everything and don't worry about anything. And the peace of God that passes all human understanding, will guard and protect your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. The Bible also says we should pray without ceasing, and so we encourage people start praying. Just be honest to God.

Be truthful with God.

Open your heart to God. Number three. We encourage new believers to become a member of a church to join a church to attend that church on a regular basis because we need each other as Christians, we can't do this alone. You're not meant to do life alone and this is why the Bible says in the book of Hebrews. Don't first take the assembling of yourselves together is the manner of some is what encourage and exhort one another daily, and so much more. As we see the day of the Lord approaching. I know it's fun to watch services online and we have online service every weekend called Harvest at Home but nothing takes the place of being a part of a local church and finally we encourage new believers to share their faith.

Tell others about Jesus. Now at first is going to be a bit awkward and challenging. But the more you do it the better you'll get at it, but it's just sharing the good news.

You know like if we find a good restaurant we see a movie. We like we might make a recommendation to a friend hey I found a killer burger all you got a check this out. This movie is amazing or whatever were so quick to recommend movies and burgers, but we never talk about Jesus and yet he's changed our lives and he saved our soul so Jesus said, go to all the world and preach the gospel and we we cringe at that why I'm not a preacher, will you can share it conversationally, you can share it on social media you can share the gospel in so many ways, but I deal with all of these topics and more in a book I've written called the new believers guide to effective Christian living. I would like to send you a copy of this book at no charge. Let me explain will give it to you for your gift of any size. So whatever you can share with us will take that money and put it to good use in reaching other people with the message of the gospel in the teaching of the word of God so wanted to order your own copy of the new believers guide to effective Christian living and will rush it to you whatever you can do to support this ministry is greatly appreciated.

Janice right and here's how to reach us. You can call 1-800-821-3300. That's a 24 hour phone number 1-800-821-3300 or just go online to harvest.org and again. The book is called the new believers guide to effective Christian living. What we've been talking about heaven today and what things will be the same and what things will be different when we get there. Pastor Greg closes with some thoughts on what will know in our eternal home by this association before but I only have five illustrations I returned to it, but 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 know headless doll is alarming in many ways even to me, but put the dogs head chemo. I'll fix it and then in turn the screw. The witches started. I'll go away when I'm doing because it's not good thing to watch. I can get.

They had to screw back in sansei 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 is I know in a cupboard. I have five more of those dolls is I'm smart and 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 that we seek God what you doing guide wire to paying attention. Lord, where are you, Lord says it's okay we use in 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 of things on earth, but with new beginning for podcast, made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God if this show has impacted your life. Share your story leverage you on your favorite podcast and help others find help