The Real Heaven - What's Heaven Like?, Part 2

Are you tired of the injustice in the evil world ever simply just get fed up with all the suffering and the bad things that happened to good and godly people will if were honest, I think we all wonder if the scales are everything to get balanced. If God really cares if you struggle with this like I do at times. I've got some good news for you. There isn't always going to be injustice.

There is a day everything gets put right. Talk about welcome to this Thursday edition of living on the chip chip survival teacher centered actual discipleship program early today.

Chip continues his series. The real have the Bible actually said you ever wondered what heaven really like the person you're in for a real treat to presents us with heaven little just before we get started, let me encourage you to try using chips message notes while you listen. Please free notes contain trips outlined Scripture references and much more. Quick download when you go to LivingontheEdge.org just click now both you have a Bible open out of the book of Revelation chapter 22. Let's join chip for part two of his message. What's heaven like I've already lost both my parents, my wife had cancer, she came through it, but I've had some really big windows of losing people that really really really matter early on one of my sons was in emergency room and we didn't know if he would make it. I want to tell you that the hope that God gives to us in heaven and Christians is this is another is that there really is a place where you will be reunited and it gives you tremendous perspective and tremendous hope we do grieve and there is great loss, but our whole lives don't have to fall apart when you're a follower of Christ is so bamboo heart attack And you're ushered by angels immediately or near God's presence, your conscious you participate in this great worship you come to see some things are happening on earth you don't know everything you meet some people. You understand that they see you. You see them you know one another and in seventh. You'll be joined by all living Christians, when Jesus raptures the church from the earth to be judged for rewards at the bema seat of Socrates five $0.10 per we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

And that's not for your sin that's been forgiven. That's for what did you do with your life rewards and then fast-forward from giving you a quick overview. There's a lot that happens between chapter 6 in the chapter 19 but let's go all the way over to chapter 19 because this is something that Jesus talked about with his disciples in chapter 19 there's a thing called the marriage supper of the Lamb. So shortly before the context is God's judgment is occurring were up in heaven. The tribulations coming to an end. This can be this great battle called Armageddon. But before that chapter 19 there's what's called the marriage supper of the Lamb.

All the New Testament Christians are going to now the bride with the bridegroom so we pick it up. Chapter 19. After this I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude in heaven. Hallelujah, salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments, and is talking about those judgments and any skips down to verse six he says that her the great sound like a multitude like you were rushing waters like loud peels of thunder and shouting hallelujah for the Lord our God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory to the wedding of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready.

Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints, and then the angel said to me, blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper, the Lamb and added these are the true words and so we have this experience with God and any you know, again we get things so mystical.

Jesus said to the disciples, I'm gonna come back. There's going to be this time I won't eat of it again until in my kingdom and what we can find it shortly after this meal and I don't know what's can be like that. It's got a great he's gonna come and he's going to do something that down deep in your heart, in my heart and everyone's heart really really really really want to see happen and it's our greatest frustration and yet when we talk about it. We often have this sort of intellectual thing that pushes back away from it. Because what happens now is that we always talk very rightly about God's compassion and God's love but God is just the definition of justice is people get what they deserve. Retribution and all through revelation which I had time to discuss your chapter by chapter by chapter by chapter and God extends and says will you let me forgive you. We let me forgive you when you let me forgive you. Come on, come on, let me forgive you and people stiff arm stiff arm stiff arm stiff arm stiff arm not only stiff arm, but there evil and they attacked the things of God. What what's happening now is 26 million kids.

People are our slaves in our world. I mean can you imagine we talk about education and technology and how mankind is made progress. And yet in the last century, 50 million people in Russia were killed by Stalin was with a friend who went and did some missionary work that was.

I mean, you talk about outside the box is a place in Africa where there's a lake and people they come silently in the night across the lake and they steal the kids out of these Hudson homes and I go back over the lake in the near border and they sell all the kids you talk about a missions trip he got with a group of people that go back over and they steal them back, and it's gruesome and it's hard and they're armed and people die, I want to get there is evil there's something built into our heart because you made in the image of God about justice, I want you to see that as you're in heaven talking with family after you've enjoyed an amazing meal with your Savior. You will wait God's judgment of the earth at the end of the tribulation. You will be bodily resurrected and then you will rain and judge with Christ for a thousand years on the earth. Notice chapter 20. Are you still with me revelation it says I saw thrones that were seated and those to be given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image not received the mark on their foreheads or on their hands and notices they came to life and they reigned with Christ a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have a part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will might circle the word rain with him for a thousand years God made promises. And unlike us.

When God makes a promise with you read it in the older New Testament he's going to keep it. He made this outrageous promise to David about a descendent of yours will be on the throne forever.

He made this outrageous promise, regardless of the geopolitical issues that happened in the world to Abraham about a piece of land and about a nation and what he would do for that nation and those Jews and those people, not just by ethnic background like heart relationship of what he would do for them. And Jesus comes back and you can read a little bit before because it's harsh and the judgment.

And there's a battle ready mix everything right and then for a thousand years on this earth.

There's those people who made it through that. There's asked New Testament saints, there's Old Testament saints, and for a thousand years all those promises and all those rewards it's lived out and I read this and uniting brokering the Bible so a group is a real skeptic and sometimes as I early on lease read the Bible. I there's things puzzled me. Let God. I mean, obviously I don't need to know but I mean why a thousand years.

Why Christ why on the earth. Okay, I get fulfill your promises. I get that but just sort sort of from a philosophical standpoint I thought to myself. My parents were schoolteachers and around our table. It was education every night you pushed in the plates and great books great authors what was happening in the news that was just what they did at our house and so I grew up with all that and a part of the educational system is that if we could just educate everyone in all the world. If we if people just could think rightly if we could create an environment that's healthy and unpolluted both intellectually and emotionally and in the environment. If all of that see man is basically good and what we need to do is have enough time enough technology enough education to help people learn to do what is right, then mankind would really and well, that's been a core philosophy of why we do what we do and what we've used. Basically our technology in every generation is to kill more more more people and us try to be on the throne to be in control and it's interesting, at least from a philosophical standpoint you have a thousand years in perfect environment where Jesus is King and he rules and people who came out of that they marry and have children. Satan is locked up so there's no evil, for a thousand years. At the end of a thousand years. God releases Satan and demonic activity for one last time to tempt and it is amazing significant population out of a perfect environment with the best education great relationships with the thousand year track record turn away from the God who loves them to sit on their own throne and rule their own lives and I just thought is not like God just to say you know what, let me let me explain to you the heart of man member Jesus when people were asking some questions and he denied them accident and you understand I understand within the heart of man. We all basically think were little bit better than we are that we think were a lot better than we are. And yet you find people living in desperate situations and you read of stories when under the right circumstances and amazing duress is almost unthinkable. What the human heart. You read the stories of what happened in Nazi Germany and we all think that's those other evil people that's in the heart of human beings when threatened, and control power read and God says I'm going to deal with that.

In fact, there's going to be justice. In fact, finally, you will witness the justice of God at the judgment of Satan, Angels and the wicked dead at the great white throne and there's a cataclysmic end to it all and this is what he says and I saw a great white throne and him was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence. There was no place for them. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before the throne and the books were opened.

And another book was opened, it was called the book of life and the dead were judged according to what they had done record in the books and the sea gave up its dead. Death and Hades gave up instead each person was judged according to what he had done and then death and Hades were thrown to the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. And if anyone's name was not found in the book of life, he was thrown like a fire and you know it's interesting we gotten so sophisticated and I hear people talk about you know those old days somewhere, somehow, were people talk about you know damnation in hell and people don't talk about that anymore. The Bible does, but CS Lewis, the great atheist, agnostic who came to Christ and wrote Narnia and many other things near Christianity's perspective. It is so right on.

He said what people don't understand is hell. The lock is on the inside of the door. Everyone it was in hell once to be there this and that God is just anyone who long seeks for wants to be with God all, he's loving. He sent his son opportunity. He's forgiven Hellas for a place to say I don't want you God and so God says I will be done to people say, oh God, help me. Your will be done and if you've ever been around people who been through, I mean gnarly nasty ugly, violent divorce, but II me on his visceral I mean there's name-calling and there's attorneys and I mean it's it's it's been a steel which wanted others kids. I mean it's ugly ugly ugly ugly. That's the weight is between mankind and God.

It's not like there's a group of people in hell going all I want to be there. I want to be there. Want anything to do with God or light or goodness in God's mercy and grace to you and your dignity mind gives us the freedom to choose and love or to reject and you can be in heaven and you realize that the things that bugged you way more than just bugged you that viscerally was so wrong it was so evil they will become a day when every wrong will be made right in the be justice. There was forgiveness offered, but there's justice every wrong is made right once and for all. Everything is now fair and we all wanted fair human history as we know it has come to a close sticking your breath away. And then there's this moment were out of the sky, a new heaven and new earth. Look at verse one of chapter 21 then I saw heaven a new heaven and a new earth, for the first earth in the first heaven and passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, now the dwelling of God. This is the this is his point. Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. Now, okay, let's stop what you've experienced is what theologians call the intermediate state.

What were now going to talk about is what your experience will be like for ever and ever and ever.

Heaven, two words is a country in a city they look for country they hope for a city whose architect is God.

Jerusalem comes down God does this massive thing where he makes a new earth. New heaven new galaxies last time only to speak, and it happens as no big deal and then will be the city. It's a huge city of 20 stories high and then nobody gates that are open and the be kings and countries and commerce and art and books to be written and songs to be sung in jobs to be created, and nations that come together in treaties and life and work in you doing what you were designed and made to do at a level like never before. Just as my body will be resurrected so the earth will be restored partly apostle Paul says we have natural or earthly bodies.

Okay, they fit for this earth in a fallen situation where you have spiritual bodies that will fit the new heaven and new earth. So this earth is to be just like you can be resurrected well will still be able to recognize you. You still have your personality, you have your memories. So with the earth. My new body.

Warts can be like it's can be like Christ. First John three says we do not know what we will be like. But this is what we know when we see him we will be like him not. We don't become God working have the same kind of spiritual body that he had what was his like Jesus resurrected body ate and drank it had flashing blue bone had new capabilities that this is a different view of heaven. I mean, this is like you have meals together. Jesus said can I have another piece of fish. Since this is spirit have flesh and bones that this is not some floating around. This is a new earth, a perfect earth, a perfect environment give a supernatural body you eat, drink, you'll talk you have activities you run, you walk but there's some new capabilities.

Jesus went through walls and he was this placement.

It was this place. This will be like Star Trek unspiritual steroids do. I know exactly what it's like I don't. But here's the deal, God gives us hints and include everything that you love most about.

The earth has been just a tiny little hint of what God is like. He wants to deep meet the deepest longings of your heart. The best relationship. The best marriage.

The best moment with the kid. The best moment autolock the most amazing sunrise best hike you've ever had the best deal you've closed the best shot you've made all those are tiny little taste of a creature made in the image of God and God wants you to now get to experience what's that like in a perfect environment, no sin, no false motives. No comparison. Well city a lot like the new you. Second, it's can be a lot like the old earth. The new heaven and the new earth is familiar follow along. Genesis chapters 1 and two. God visits the earth.

Jesus came to the earth.

There's a new heaven and a new earth you like it when Milton their center court in the Bible center court.

Even in all of revelation. They keep talking about what what's happening on the earth. God made mankind in a perfect environment and the perfect environment was the earth. It's now a tainted corrupted fallen earth and is going to be a new earth were you thrive. The old earth passed away not annihilated cleansing, but the things that you love most about this earth will be there exponentially better improved like the old me, passed away so the old earth passes what the Scripture says if any man. If anyone is in Christ, right the old things passed away behold all things become new will. My old ship passed away, but there's a lot that looks a lot like Bill Chip right the same with the earth. The best the new earth is good to be new, better different, but with continuity from the old earth. And here's a little phrase as I studied this is help me the most of sinking about heaven.

That's where I want to be where I want to do in my life now. What positions me for the greatest possible experience as man was so was the earth right in essence, as man went disobedience and sin. So when the earth groans for that day redemption as man will be so will be the earth. There's two really big questions you should be asking yourself. Question number one is do I know for absolute certain if I had a massive heart attack. The moment I opened my car door in the parking lot do I know for certain that I have trusted what Christ work is done for me by faith in his grace received forgiveness so that I would instantaneously be ushered by angels to heaven because there is an alternative that the Bible talks about and it would break God's heart.

He's going to extraordinary lengths.

Second question you to be asking yourself, us as believers is there's only one throne in heaven.

There's only one throne and the universe. And there's two things that are pictured on the throne the Majesty the glory, the holiness and the power of God and the work of the Lamb. Christ and the question all of us to ask ourselves since written to be worshiping around that in our priorities in time and energy in dreams will be aligned around who God really is. Then how we doing now because you're raining your reward. Your experience is directly related to how you live that today and the byproduct by the way is, since God created life to work that way when that's true those relationships with other people those relationships with things. The peace in your life. The longings that you want now all that is aligned when he's not just a God you believe in, but is the personal Lord in your life really cares about you coming is like someone created and made things.

Imagine if you would like a maze, and he says here's an open book test. Here's all the ways here's where to go and by the way, you can stop here. It's awesome when you get here, it's even more awesome. And by the way, the end beyond your wildest dreams.

I don't want anyone to miss it. So here's the test here's the book here's the map and a lot of people just say I'd rather do it like this and then we can figure out why when we hit walls and go over cliffs and relationships break down and money evaporates and depression comes up in life seems just out of control say God where are you open book. My might. Let me help you. Let me today.

I think you and I need to have a very private and personal talk that you need to have a very private and personal talk with the God who made all that there is who sent his son specifically for you because he wants to be with you. We talked about life being sort of an open book test, and God wants you to pass and this is it like some little test. This is about life and death.

This is about time and eternity in God would say to you at this moment as you're listening to my voice he has you listening right at this moment because he is God and he knew where you would be and how you would get this message and what would be happening in your life and here's what he wants to say to you, would you let me forgive you, would you let me love you.

Would you be willing to open your hands and your heart and say I believe today Lord Jesus that you are the king of kings and the Lord of lords that you're the Messiah and Savior, who is coming into the world that you died in my place to forgive my sin and that you offer me eternal life if I will believe today. I am mindful of that very simple but transformational truth that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever would believe would trust in him wouldn't perish but have everlasting life and in your heart of hearts, and wherever you're at, whatever you need to do if you need to pull the car over if you need to stop the workout if you need to just do what ever right now you need to turn to God and say, Lord God Almighty, I ask you to forgive me, based on Christ's work. I believe he died and rose for me personally come into my life right now. Make me your son make me your daughter and that I pray for the power and the grace to follow you all the days of my life. The Bible is clear those who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Call upon him today if you prayed with Chip.

I hope you'll take a minute and call us at 1-888-333-6003. We love to talk with you and get a free resource in your hands that'll help you understand what you just did and where to go from here if you'd rather go to our website LivingontheEdge.org we'll find that same resource on the new believers tab just want to help you get started on your new journey of faith as we wrap up today's program. I just have to say.

Isn't it awesome the salvation God offers, and I just have to stop and say thank you so much for those of you who pray for those of you who support the ministry that allows us this amazing privilege to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Well let me add my thanks to those of you who make this broadcast possible for your prayers and financial support. If you've been listening for any length of time you know how much we appreciate your partnership because of your generosity. Living on the Edge was positioned to create several brand-new resources helping people make significant spiritual progress even in the midst of this challenging time during the month of June. The time of our midyear match. God is prompted us to continue to trust them for what's next. So in the center of uncertainty were taking bold steps to continue speaking God's truth to a hurting world. If you'd like to help us do that any gift you give in the next few weeks will be doubled dollar for dollar. So now would be a great time to partner with us to send a gift. Just visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org or give us a call at 1-888-333-6003, which will be back tomorrow to continue the series, the real heaven Bible actually says sufficiently close to join us that all this debris thing. Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge