Heaven Will Be More Beautiful Than You Ever Dreamed Possible!

This is the Reverend Dr. Glenn Wilson of the Burt and Woden Iowa Presbyterian Churches.  This week we are talking about that miracle awaiting every believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior – the place we call heaven.  

Some folks have asked me -- what will we do for all eternity? The answer is, we’re going to help God run the universe. Do you remember the story Jesus told about the man of noble birth who gave his servants money to invest? One servant had doubled his money so the man said, “You will rule over ten cities.” The next servant had seen a 50% increase so his master said, “Rule over five cities.” And the man who hid his money had even that amount taken from him in punishment. (Luke 19:11-27). The story is a picture of what heaven will be like. We will use our God given individual and collective gifts and abilities in heaven. I can guarantee you this: No one will be sitting around on a cloud eating grapes and polishing his halo. No, God will have things for us to do, for He is a God of action.

Here are five things that will occupy us in heaven. We will 

Worship without distraction.

Serve without exhaustion.

Fellowship without fear.

Learning without fatigue.

Rest without boredom.

The best part of heaven will be seeing Jesus himself face to face. We will worship the Son of God and celebrate his great victory over sin while the endless ages of eternity roll on and on. The best music you’ve ever heard will pale compared to the music of heaven. The most awesome worship you’ve experienced on earth is but a dim reflection of the praise we will render around the throne of God.

Do you want to be sure you go to heaven? This is the most important question of all. Here is a wonderful truth: God has made it easy for you to go to heaven. He did the hard part when he sent his Son to die on the Cross for you. He paid the price for your sins so that you could one day stand before God in heaven. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He also said, “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved” (John 10:9 NASB). Jesus is not only the way to heaven, he is also the door to heaven. If you want to go to heaven, you’ve got to go through the door marked “Jesus Christ.” There is no other entrance.

Several years ago Dr. D. James Kennedy, pastor of the famous Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, FL, joined other evangelical leaders in a meeting with President Ronald Reagan at the White House. During the meeting Dr. Kennedy asked the president this question, “Suppose you were to die and found yourself standing at the door of heaven. If God were to say, ’Why should I let you into heaven?’ what answer would you give?”

Before I tell you how the president answered that question, let me ask how you would respond. Picture the scene. You are standing at the very gates of heaven. It’s more beautiful than you ever dreamed possible. This is where you want to spend eternity. This is where you belong. But before you enter, the Lord himself asks what possible reason you have to claim admission. You pause, knowing that all eternity hangs on your answer. What will you say?

Back to the White House. The President paused, thought for a moment, then replied, “Well, I guess I’d have to answer with John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” That is indeed a good answer because your only hope of heaven is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let me make this very personal. If you were to die today, do you know for certain that you would go to heaven? I’ve already said that this is too important to say “I think so” or “I hope so.” If you’re wrong, you’re going to be wrong for a long, long time.

What we need is solid ground on which to stand. And we have it in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our entire hope of heaven is wrapped up in what Jesus did when he died on the cross for the sins of the world and rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning. So make sure in your heart that you are going to heaven.  Discover the promise of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and live for Jesus in the here and now and then live with him in eternity.

This has been Pastor Glenn Wilson of the Burt and Woden Prebyterian Churches, have a Jesus filled day!