How We Will Relate to Others in Heaven B

What is inviting about heaven to Paul is going to be all those who have come to Christ, who were going to be there to welcome and to rejoice with you are our crown of rejoicing.

You are what makes heaven so heaven is the culmination of your salvation, the place where you finally will be perfect. Glorified with your perfect Savior forever.

Well, Paradise is John MacArthur's focus today as he puts the finishing touches on his series called when we all get to heaven perhaps the most important question this study is helping answer is this how does your future glory affect the way you're living today. How should you live in light of eternity. Consider those issues right now. As John MacArthur looks at the pure joy you will experience in heaven. And here's the lesson we're talking in this study about glorification were talking about the future for those who are saved, who have been justified are being sanctified and will be glorified in the last couple of discussions about our future salvation. We have been kind of launched from first Peter chapter 1. This little phrase fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ live your life fixed on the future.

Another way of saying that is Colossians 3. Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth. Another way of saying that the words of the apostle Paul, very wonderful words which really summed up his whole approach to life. This one thing I do. I love it when people can reduce it to one forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I live with a view to being called up face-to-face with the Lord Jesus. I live with a heavenly perspective.

That's what we're to do, where to live with a fixed hope were to live in the light of hope. Let the things that happen in this world fall where they well they are not worthy to be compared with that glory which awaits us the sufferings of this life are trivial. They are meager, they are insignificant compared to the weight of glory. And we talked about all that which God has for us in his presence. Now that brings us to the remaining issue of what's going to be like, what will heaven be like, and I don't have any inside scoop on this folks.

All I know is what the Bible says but there's a lot more there than maybe you thought on the surface. Let's ask what about family. People always asked this question will we will be still be married in heaven, will there be marriage in heaven, will there be family in heaven will let me take you to that. Just a couple of passages I think I can help you to understand at first Corinthians chapter 7 is a good place. Paul in this chapter. Verse 29 he says them. The question comes up, should you marry or should you not marry. This is the debate. He says if you're married, stay that way. But look back in verse 26 I think then that it is good in view the present distress it's good for a man to remain as he is not married and it's good stay that way. Life is less complicated. But if you're bound to a wife verse 27 dosing to be released. If you release from the wife don't seek a wife. If you have literally been divorced, don't necessarily seek to be remarried, but if you should marry verse 28 heaven send and if a virgin should marry, she's not sin, that is to say if a divorced person remarriage and has remarried and is biblical grounds, not a sin, and that the Virgin Mary's is not a sin. Yet such will have trouble in this life and I'm trying to spare you. That's the that's the part of the marriage sermon you never preach at the wedding. Just don't do that in that environment you going to have trouble.

He doesn't mean by that that it's wrong to marry you, doesn't mean by that that it's something less than the best. It is the grace of life. After all, it is the best gift that God gives to humankind in shared joys of life, but it does multiply your problems. I tell young people a lot of times are only thing worse than wishing you were married is wishing you weren't there is trouble. He says in verse 29. This I say, brother, and the time has been shortened so that from now on. Those who have wives should be as though they had none. Those who weep as though they did not weep and those who rejoices, though they did not rejoice in those who by as though they did not possess.

He saying it's good if you can stay as free from worldly connections on all fronts as possible.

But in verse 31, and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it for the form of this world is passing away which documents talk about marriage marriage is part of the schema record schema part of the scheme here, but it's for here and it's passing away, if you will turn again to Matthew chapter 22. Perhaps a more familiar portion of Scripture to most of us, the Sadducees, who believe. There is no resurrection or a better way to say that his who don't believe there is a resurrection other came to Jesus and they question them so they want to ask what they think is going to make him look stupid make him look ridiculous. Oh so you believe in resurrection to you and they immediately assume then then there's going to be families in heaven because people are going to be raise in their still to be married in the servants have family so they said teacher if a man dies. Having no children, his brother's next of kin shall marry his wife and raise up an offspring to his brother. That's what the Old Testament says that that was a law, the Old Testament, that if a man didn't have a child, a single brother could marry the wife took to give perpetuity to the family and carry on the line. Now this is their hypothetical scenario, there were seven brothers first one married and died having offspring left his wife to his brother.

Now get seven brothers. The oldest one marries and then he dies and so the second one marries her and he dies third marries her and he dies down to the seventh know what if I was number three. I don't think I'd marry her.

This is a fatal pattern and I can promise you if I was number four, five and six and seven. I'd be out of town, but finally, mercifully the woman dies before she can do more damage and so they asked what they think is this great question in the resurrection, therefore whose wife of the seven shall she be. They all had her.

I think they've gotten and he said to them, you're mistaken we go again, not understanding the Scripture or the power of God so much power that that kind of existence is far beyond anything that you would ever know in this life. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven like the angels they don't marry, they don't reproduce. Does this mean that where does this mean that when we get to heaven wrong to be sexless. Sort of like eternal mules and are we not get to be men and are we not to be women know you will be you.

You will be you.

The angels are spirits. They are neither male nor female, although when they did appear, and were given a body. It was a male body, but we will be like them in the sense that they do not cohabitate and they do not reproduce. This was part of the schema here. Genesis 127, 28, be fruitful and multiply. We will be who we are. Jesus Christ will forever be the Son of Man son of God, he will be a glorified man will be glorified.

Men will be glorified women. We will be recognized for who we are and this is abundantly clear in Scripture that when we get to heaven.

We maintain who we are, in fact, in first Corinthians 15 I love this phrase this mortal shall put on immortality.

This corruptible shall put on incorruption, and that is a way of saying this mortal and this corruptible becomes immortal and incorruptible. This is a transformation of this person who remains who he is, that eternal spirit given a body fit for eternity.

Listen what it says in its Canada. This kind of a shaded statement, but in Genesis 25, eight, it says that Abraham breathed his last died in a ripe old age and old man satisfied and he was gathered to his people. He was gathered to his people doesn't mean he was buried in the family cemetery. It means that he was collected with his people. David said when his little son died, you cannot come to me, but I will go to him.

He wasn't saying when to visit the grave.

His hope and his joy was found in the conscious reality that he would see that little one again in her reunion. A real reunion where there would be recognition and true fellowship. Isaac Genesis 3529 breathed his last died was gathered to his people again. It's the same I guess an interesting phrase gathered to his people, and it appears a number of times actually a safari member. I think it's also on the 49th chapter or the end of Genesis. Yes, here the 12 tribes of Israel and this is what their father said to them, when he blessed them. Jacob, he blessed them every one with the blessing appropriate to me charge them a set of them. I'm about to be gathered to my people see the numbers 2024 you see in Judges 210 to be gathered to his people and again I mentioned David first Samuel 1223 seconds I'm at 1223 I cannot, he cannot come to me, but I shall go to him.

Look at some New Testament texts look at Matthew chapter 8 Jesus and the chapter 8 of Matthew and down verse 10 says truly I say to you, have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. Commenting on the on the faith of this man in Capernaum Centurion and I say to you that many shall come from East and West and recline at the table with Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

You know Abraham ago know Isaac and Jacob say what are they going to ever got have name tags how you how how we interact. You will have perfect knowledge.

You will have transcendent knowledge and you will know them, you know, on and in the 17th chapter of Matthew, endnote, Peter, James and John with Jesus the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah appeared and they knew them. They knew them and so there is clear evidence of personhood and identity literacy little that we get into the amazing story Jesus tells in Luke 19 about Lazarus and the rich man and their self-consciousness and their awareness, by the way, in Luke 10 just think I'll add this rejoice.

He says in this, that your names are recorded in heaven, you're not a floating nondescript eternal spirit. You are a person and personhood is indicated by a what a name you will be you. There and everybody else will be who they are and we will enjoy fellowship being together you say well if were not married and we don't have family and marriage and family are so wonderful and so enriching sure and the best of marriage and the best of family is a faint illustration of the blessing of heaven. Whatever's good about family and marriage will be infinitely glorious on all accounts in relationship to everyone in heaven. By the way, when you get to heaven you.

You may have a name, a little bit different because it tells us in Revelation 217 that you're going to have a new name. I love this verse to him overcomes which is a way of describing the saved John uses it back at the end of first John, that our faith overcomes the world a says to whoever overcomes I will give a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it. So this is a wonderful personal identity, a new name be given in glory, which no one knows you be amazed how many people have asked me what is that name John amazing. I don't know what name is there. There are other indications of this new name.

Toward the end of the third chapter as well.

In verse 12, so we are going to be persons where going to be self-conscious were going to know each other. We're going to recognize and have wonderful wonderful reunions. Let me give you great text that kind of maybe is the most helpful.

One.

First Thessalonians 4. First Thessalonians 4 and here is this rapture text that is so critical.

Verse 13 we don't want you to be uninformed brother about those who are asleep, which is a wonderful way of speaking of death because for the believer. It's nothing more severe than sleep don't grieve as if you had no hope for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not proceed or go before those who fallen asleep. The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel with the trumpet of God.

The dead in Christ shall rise first and we are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. Why did they need comfort and how does this comfort them because they were concerned about the believers that died verse 13 we don't want you to be ignorant about those who fallen asleep so that you grieve and don't have any hope what's going in your grief.

Hope is going in your grief and the hope that end, your grief is the hope of what being rejoined with them being reunited with them. The hope of reunion. I think the apostle Paul specifically anticipated this in first Thessalonians chapter 2 back up a couple chapters, there Paul looked toward heaven just the terrible suffering in this world made him keep his eyes on heaven. He constantly was aware he could die any day in and for him to live is Christ and the die was always gain.

He lived with the hope of heaven and when he spelled out what really attracted him to heaven sure seeing the face of Christ. But look what he says in chapter 2, verse 19, who is our hope and joy crown of exaltation.

What appeals to me about heaven, what, what's going to be the crowning joy.

There is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming. You are our glory and joy. What is inviting about heaven to Paul is going to be all those who have come to Christ, who were going to be there to welcome and to rejoice with him. You are our joy and crown of rejoicing. You are what makes heaven so attractive, he says in second Corinthians 114 where your reason to be proud as you also are our hours in the day of our Lord Jesus when I come to the face-to-face in the day of our Lord Jesus, which is the day when we are taking the to see him your presence there is going to be my joy.

And remember, Luke 16 purchase friends remember purchase friends for eternity with your money. Use your money for evangelistic purposes. So you purchase friends for eternity so that so wonderful they may receive you in to the eternal dwellings to be there to welcome you. What a glorious, glorious picture. This is, this fellowship may be a good way to kind of wrap up our thoughts about it is in the 21st chapter of Revelation. You see this magnificent picture of our fellowship in heaven. I saw a new heaven and new earth, which is the final eternal state. By the way, the final state is called the new heavens and the new earth in Scripture first heaven and the first earth what we know is passed away and there's no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the tabernacle of God.

Listen to this is mom men. It doesn't say it's among floating spirits. It doesn't say it's among transcendent beings.

Although there is transcendence and although we will be eternal spirits, but we will be men. We will be people in heaven only.

We will be different.

We will have a body like the resurrection body of Christ as we saw the differences in our study of first Corinthians 15 and it says the tabernacle of God. God pitches his tent among us. He will dwell among them, they shall be his people, and God himself shall be among them. That's a picture of the marvelous reunion and fellowship in the glories of heaven.

Join me in word prayer father is just so staggering to contemplate the glory before us so wonderful to fix our hope on the grace to be revealed at the time when we see you face-to-face.

We are awed by this going all the way back to our wretchedness and our sinfulness. Why would you ever be so gracious as to give us eternal glory may be glory for a little while and then we go out of existence. Maybe a few nice benefits. Then it's over, but to lavish us with unending limitless goodness and lovingkindness forever and ever is so far beyond anything we can imagine that we can't comprehend your grace. We are reminded of the words of Paul to the Ephesians that we will be raised up with him seated with Christ in order that in the ages to come he might show the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us. What kind of God are you who is so kind as to take unworthy sinners than to give us everlasting bliss and joy in unfolding adventure that never is dull, always rich, incomprehensible to us is such generosity in the light of that were compelled to love you to obey you to proclaim you to honor you to serve you with all our strength. We thank you for the hope the blessed hope that captures our hearts that is not a wish. It's not a fantasy is not fiction.

It's not a feeling it's not some kind of tug it's truth and we know it's real because Jesus conquered death and because he lives forever so will we together with him in your presence.

For this we offer you are praise and shall forever in Christ you been listening to John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary and for 52 years now. The Bible teacher with grace to you is current study is titled when we all get to heaven. John, I love these messages on heaven and I've always like to hear you teaching about heaven and you keep taking us back to all the biblical information that's given about heaven therein. I find that the older I get, the more I long for heaven, and yet heaven seems far away. Sometimes when we're here on earth because we get bogged down in all the mundane issues of life to having you stay heavenly minded in the midst of such a file world. Well, I think you do by being biblically conscious. Setting your affections on things above another things on the earth, and I think also the older we get, the more people that I have loved and been loved by are in heaven, the more attraction there is.

You know that now would act in a way today that you didn't know yesterday because your father went to heaven.

That's right yesterday and all of a sudden heaven has a new attraction.

Somebody that you love and will be joined together with but I think it's not just the fact that we know people who were there. I think the attraction of heaven is based on a full understanding of what heaven is. Just think about the fact that the Lord has given you an inheritance undefiled. That will not decay reserved for you in heaven. And the Lord is preparing a place for you a room in his father's house and he's going to take you there to share all the glories of his own eternal inheritance with you personally. You have to think of heaven, not so much in the physical elements of it. Although we get the beautiful picture of the book of Revelation of the jeweled city in the cube that is golden streets that are transparent and all that but I think that's just a way to help us understand the grandeur of the place. But what heaven has to offer primarily is the presence of Christ and the absence of sin and evil. If you hate your sin if you're weary of the struggle that heaven has an attraction for you. I want to encourage you to get this series we just done along with the book, the glory of heaven. You can get the series when we all get to heaven. Three CDs you can order them from grace. You will send them along to you or you can download the MP3 files at GT why.org that's right. And both of these resources will help you pursue godliness by showing you the glorious future reward that belongs to all who follow Jesus Christ to order when we all get to heaven or the book, the glory of heaven. Contact us today to get the three CD album great for putting into the hands of a friend, call 855 grace or go to our website. GT why.org this John said. You can also download the lessons from when we all get to heaven, free of charge at our website.

GT why.org. In fact, all John sermons the audio and the transcripts from over 52 years of ministry are available for free@gtwhy.org and if you'd like to purchase the revised, expanded edition of the book glory of heaven. The cost is 1250 and shipping is free. Also, like many of our books. The glory of heaven is available in Spanish to order yours in English or in Spanish.

Call 855 grace or go to GT why.org for John MacArthur and the entire staff time. Phil Johnson reminding you to watch grace to you. Television this Sunday. Check your local listings for channeling times and then be here next week when John begins a study that is sure to deepen your worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. John is titled that series. Rediscovering the Christ of Scripture. Join us for another 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on Mondays, grace to you