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Safely Home
Pastor Steve Anderson | 5.24.23

1 Corinthians 2:19  “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Three Heavens:

1) The sky above us/earth’s atmosphere (Matthew 6:26)

2) The stars and the realm of space (Matthew 24:29)

3) The “third heaven” or “paradise” 

2 Corinthians 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.

A Place Where God Resides

Revelation 4:1-5  After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also before (or in-front-of) the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. 

Jesus Is There

Romans 8:34. . . Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

The Holy Spirit Is There

Revelation 4:5 Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spiritsof God.

Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom, truth, understanding, counsel, power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord— 

Angels Are There

Revelation 7:11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” 

Redeemed Humans Will Be There

Revelation 7:9  After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, Who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 

A Place of ETERNAL Residence

John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

2 Corinthians 4:18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

A Place of Reward

 Everyone will be FULLY blessed, but we will NOT be EQUALLY blessed:

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 

1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 

A crown of rejoicing will be given for bringing people to Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

A crown of righteousness, for loving His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8) 

A crown of life, for enduring testing with love for the Lord (James 1:12) 

A crown of glory to elders who are faithful to their responsibilities in the church (1 Peter 5:4)

Revelation 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.

A Place of Rest

Hebrews 4:9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest . . . 

Revelation 4:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” 

A Place of Responsibility

Revelation 22:3 The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants (doulas….not angelos) will serve him. 

A Place of Reunion

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. 

Things That WON”T Be in Heaven:

Sorrow – Revelation 21:4

Curse – Revelation 22:3

Darkness – Revelation 21: 23, 25

Sickness – Revelation 22:2

Death – Revelation 21:4

Unbelievers – Revelation 21: 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. 

Notes:

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