Setting Sail on a Quest(ion) about Heaven and Hell – “Heaven is for Real” (Part III)
Sermon Title: Setting Sail on a Quest(ion) – “Heaven is for Real”
Good News Statement: Jesus invites us to let go of what weighs us down
Preached: Sunday, June 15th, 2025 at Dogwood Prairie and Seed Chapel UMC
Pastor Daniel G. Skelton, M.Div.
Scripture (NRSVUE): Revelation 21:1-4 Heaven and Hell: two words that have captured the curiosity, imagination, and wonder of millions of people across several centuries. One of those words brings forth comfort and peace, an image of green pastures and still waters, and hope and eternal salvation. The other word subjugates fear, darkness, and a feeling of being at the lowest point. Today, we are given a choice. May the hearing and understanding of this scripture add a blessing to your life.
The New Heaven and the New Earth
21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them and be their God;
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”
Hymn #488, “No Night There,” in The New Church Hymnal.
This is the Word of God for the People of God; And all God’s people said, “Thanks be to God.”
The following Sermon Series will be drawn from the words of Biblical Scholar, Alan W. Gomes, who explores 40 Questions about Heaven and Hell in his book 40 Questions about Heaven and Hell.
Alan W. Gomes (edited by Benjamin L. Merkle), 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 2018.
Introduction:
In the ethereal[1] expanse of the cosmos, there exists a realm beyond mortal comprehension: it’s known as heaven. It is not a place dictated by religious dogma or mythical tales but rather a destination for all souls after their mortal journey concludes. In this celestial sanctuary, souls find themselves liberated from the constraints of physical existence: those who were tired, weak, and carrying heavy burdens have found rest (Matthew 11:28). They are met with an abundance of peace, harmony, and boundless opportunities for growth and fulfillment. Yet, amidst this infinite splendor, a conflict simmers—one not of divine decree, but of existential choice. Among the myriad of souls that populate Heaven, there exists a divergence in belief regarding its nature. Some perceive Heaven as a utopia, a paradise where individual desires reign supreme, and personal satisfaction is paramount. Others, however, hold a different perspective. They believe that Heaven’s true essence lies in collective goodwill, in the shared bonds of love, empathy, and compassion. Is that really what Heaven is like?
For some, the opposite of this heavenly celestial sanctuary is Hell: the abode of the “unredeemed dead.”[2] In its archaic sense, the term Hell refers to the underworld, a deep pit or distant land of shadows where the dead are gathered. From the underworld come dreams, ghosts, and demons, and in its most terrible precincts sinners pay—some say eternally—the penalty for their crimes. The underworld is often imagined as a place of punishment rather than merely of darkness and decomposition because of the widespread belief that a moral universe requires judgment and retribution—crime must pay. More broadly, Hell figures in religious cosmologies as the opposite of heaven, “the nadir[3] of the cosmos,”[4] and the land where God is not. Hell itself is the preeminent symbol of evil, alienation, and despair. Is that really what Hell is like?
Heaven and Hell: two words that have captured the curiosity, imagination, and wonder of millions of people across several centuries. One of those words brings forth comfort and peace, an image of green pastures and still waters, hope and renewal, grace and eternal salvation, empathy and compassion. The other word subjugates fear, worry, devastation, darkness, despair, and a feeling of being at the lowest point—walking in the shadows of the valley of death. These two words have caught the attention of both religious and non-religious persons throughout the ages: asking what is heaven like and what is hell like? Even those who have chosen to believe in the words of Jesus Christ wonder about heaven and hell: asking what do I need to do to be in heaven and what do I need to do to avoid hell? Heaven and Hell are two words that certainly have caught the attention of millions of people.
For the next few weeks, with the help of Alan W. Gomes, a professor of theology at Talbot School of Theology, we will be taking time to examine both Heaven and Hell from a biblical perspective. In his book, 40 Questions about Heaven and Hell, Gomes asks questions such as: “What should we conclude about those who claim to have seen heaven or hell?, What will the resurrected body be like?, What is hell like?, What is heaven like?, and How can a God of love send people to an eternal hell?” Most of us are familiar with the concepts of Heaven and Hell, but yet we still have questions. The time has come to examine a few of those questions as we explore the celestial sanctuary and dive into the abode of the unredeemed.
Body:
What is heaven? “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passin’ through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door. And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore…. Oh Lord, You know I have not friend like you. If heaven’s not my home then Lord what will I do? The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door. And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.” These words are from the famous song, “This World Is Not My Home.” If we are to believe this song, we shall live “eternally” in heaven—described as “glory land”—positioned “somewhere beyond the blue.”
These words should sound familiar. In the song “Do Lord,” famously sung by Johnny Cash on his 2003 album Unearthed, we hear these words, “I’ve got a home in Glory-land that outshines the sun… look way beyond the blue.” The hymn, “Jesus Thy Blood and Righteousness,” written by Nicolaus von Zinzendof, contains this line: “When from the dust of death I rise to claim my mansion in the skies.” Here’s another song for you: “Away in a Manger” notes this about heaven, “fit us for heaven to live with thee there.”
We sing about that day “when we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be,” in the hymn “When We All Get to Heaven.” In the African American spiritual “I Got Shoes,” a hymn about being set free, living a life on earth as life is portrayed in heaven, we hear these words sung by slaves working in the fields lit by distant moonlight, I got shoes so “Gonna walk all over God’s heaven;” I got a robe so “gonna shout all over God’s heaven;” I got wings so “gonna fly all over God’s heaven;” I got a harp so “gonna play all over God’s heaven;” and I got a song so “gonna sing all over God’s heaven” because it certainly will be a day of rejoicing.
We sing about heaven. We talk about heaven. We think about heaven. We wonder about heaven. We want to be in heaven, in the land way beyond the blue. But what is heaven? I began our message today by reciting some lyrics from hymns and songs that you may or may not know to remind you that throughout history, heaven has been portrayed or defined in many different ways, by many different people from varying backgrounds, using nouns, adjectives, and verbs. But, how do we know that what the people have said about heaven is infallible? Have any of you been to heaven? Have any of you talked to anyone who has been to heaven? Have any of you read something by someone who claims to have been to heaven?[5]
Last week we talked very briefly about Hell, and this week we will talk very briefly about heaven by looking at two questions: 1) What are the New Heavens and the New Earth? and 2) What is the New Jerusalem? After answering these questions, we will attempt to think about heaven in the sense that it is not just a real place we long to spend eternity but that it is a living and breathing gift and promise to us by God that lives within us. Heaven is our invite to return to Jesus.
Movement One: What the Bible Mentions About Heaven
Two weeks ago, we asked the question “What is heaven?” The Bible speaks a great deal about heaven. It mentions that “heaven” is what we might call the sky or atmosphere. Heaven is around us.[6] It speaks of “heaven” as this expanse space in which the celestial bodies are located, including the sun, moon, planets, and stars.[7] In Psalm 8:3, the psalmist wrote, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place…” Heaven is not just around us, but it is beyond us.[8] Lastly, the Bible mentions that “heaven” is God’s abode, “the place where God reigns, from which He governs the universe,” according to Pache.
Furthermore, the Bible associates heaven with Abraham’s bosom which is expressed in the New Testament in the story of the rich man and the poor man, Lazarus. Luke 16:22. The rich man ended up in Hades while Lazarus was taken by angels to “Abraham’s Bosom.”[9] Jesus tells one of the criminals being crucified with him that “Today you will be with me in Paradise,” in heaven.[10] In Revelation 21 John, while on the Island of Patmos, talks about a New Jerusalem, a place where the twelve gates were of twelve pearls and the street of the city was pure gold, as pure as transparent glass (Revelation 21:21). In several passages, Scripture refers to a place called “the heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews 12:22; 11:10, 14-16; 13:14). Paul speaks of this heavenly Jerusalem as “the Jerusalem above” (Galatians 4:25-26). Ultimately, this heavenly Jerusalem is going to descend from heaven as a city designated “the New Jerusalem” and abide on a new earth (Revelation 21:2, 10).
The Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible states that heaven is “the ultimate home of Christ’s disciples.”[11] The Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible similarly declares, “All believers will ultimately dwell in heaven in their resurrection bodies, which they will receive when the Lord comes for them from heaven.”[12] And among the definitions of “heaven” given in the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, the fourth entry reads, “The eternal home of the believer.”[13] Heaven is the location in which the believer seeks to be in because it is where God directly manifests His presence and in which He reigns.
Aside from these descriptions, the Bible also supplies us with several passages that potentially describe what heaven is like. For example John 14:2-4 quotes Jesus saying, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going” (ESV). The phrase “my Father’s house” is referring to “heaven” and in heaven there will be many rooms or dwelling places (mone) according to the Greek or “eternal dwellings” as Jesus states to his followers in Luke 16:9. The Apostle Paul shares the same thought in 2 Corinthians 5:1-8 when he states, “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling…” (ESV).
Another example comes from Matthew 6:19-21: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (ESV). Heaven is where your treasures will not be destroyed or taken or stolen. Heaven is safe, secure, and guarded by God.
Examining the last Book of the Bible, we find several verses talking about what heaven is like. Revelation 21:22-27 asserts, “And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (ESV). Heaven has no need of sun or moon because God’s glory through Jesus Christ—the Lamb—will provide heaven with light; the gates will never be shut by day nor by night because there is no day or night in heaven; and nothing unclean will be able to enter.
In the following chapter we read, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:1-5, ESV). In heaven is the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from God’s throne down the middle of the street. The tree of life with its twelve kids of fruits and leaves of healing for the nations is found on either side of the river of life. Servants will be worshipping, and people will see the face of Jesus.
Returning to our scripture passage for today we hear these words, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and be their God; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away’” (Revelation 21:1-4). In heaven, we dwell with God and God dwells with us. In heaven the old will pass away so that newness can spring to life. In heaven there will be no death, no mourning or crying, every tear will be wiped away, and there will be no more pain or suffering. In heaven there will be no hatred or disagreements, disapproval or condemnation. In heaven, joy will be felt, happiness will be expressed, and pure awe and gratitude will be upon our heart. In heaven love and unity will be all around us.
For some of you, these scriptural passages paint the exact image of what heaven looks like. For others, heaven may look a little different. You may be saying to yourself, “Heaven is the place where I will see my loved one again—whether that’s a spouse, a parent, a grandparent, a sibling, a child, or a family relative. Heaven is where I will hug my friend again, where my favorite pet will find me and rest upon my lap, and where I will see someone who was never forgotten. Heaven is where my life will begin.” Others may say, “It doesn’t matter who I see in heaven or what I see in heaven, for just being there is good enough for me.” Heaven is a real place. In the words of Todd Burpo, “Heaven is for real.” How would you describe heaven?
Movement Two: The New Heavens and New Earth
In addition to all of these descriptions, the Bible also tells us that there will be a day when “new heavens and a new earth” shall call us home. Both testaments mention the new heavens and new earth—specifically in Isaiah, 2 Peter, and Revelation. Peter tells us, “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). John depicts the fulfillment of that promise in the final two chapters of scripture, in which he “saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” (Revelation 21:1).[14]
The new heaven and new earth are built to have a more “permanent and enduring” character to them. I appreciate what Alan W. Gomes says about the new heaven and new earth, in his book 40 Questions about Heaven and Hell. He states, “The new heaven and new earth will be ‘heavenly’ in the sense that they will reflect and embody perfectly God’s presence and the complete execution of his will in all things. They will reflect his heavenly glory.”[15] A few pages later, Gomes asserts, “The barriers of sin, weakness, and corruption will no longer hinder our perfect fellowship with God…. We shall enjoy God completely”[16] in heaven. Robert L. Thomas elaborates on why we will be able to enjoy God completely: he claims, “[The] pains of this present life, such as sorrow, crying, disappointment, sickness, decay, and death [have no] place in the new earth.”[17] Essentially, sin and its corrupting effects are no longer even a possibility to keep us from God!
Furthermore, it’s important to note that the new heaven and new earth not only allow us to fellowship with God, put it is a place of community and relationships. Revelation 21:24 states, “The nations—people of many races, ethnicities, beliefs, cultural expectations, abilities, skills, and differences—will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.” Because the new heaven and new earth will be completely holy and in tune with God’s purposes, we shall experience none of the strife and disappointment that characterize our relationships in this present age. We will love one another and enjoy delightful and utterly satisfying fellowship with all for eternity, at the banquet table that God has prepared for us. In a way, we will live as Paul invited us to live: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).
I believe the Prophet Isaiah states it beautifully. Isaiah 65 shares the words of the LORD, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress…. The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain” (Isaiah 65:17-25).
The new heaven and new earth is not just a place that we long to dwell in. It is a place that sin is none existent, where we fellowship with God and others peacefully, where we enjoy God completely, where communities exist, where relationships thrive, where joy breathes, where gladness reigns supreme, and where kindness leads to love. Ultimately, the new heaven and new earth will be a new place to live eternally but it should be something that we live as if it exists in our present life.
Movement Three: The New Jerusalem
Aside from the new heaven and new earth, the Bible also talks about the “New Jerusalem.” The Bible mentions the “New Jerusalem” as such in only two New Testament passages: one toward the beginning of the Book of Revelation (3:12) and the other toward the end (21:2). The ancient city of Jerusalem was, of course, a place of great significance for God’s covenant people. In the Old Testament, Jerusalem was the place where God’s rule over his people and his presence among them was centered. In the New Testament, Jerusalem was the place that condemned, tortured, and put Jesus on the cross; however, none of those things conquered or defeated Jesus. Therefore, Jerusalem, much like the Old Testament, is still under God’s control in the New Testament.[18] But what does this New Jerusalem or “Heavenly Jerusalem” as the author of Hebrews notes, look like?
For starters, the dimensions of the city found in Revelation 21:16, if taken literally, would make it a massive cube 1,400 to 1,500 miles high. That’s about the distance from New York City to Dallas, Texas! Furthermore, from earth to space is about 62 miles above sea level.[19] This is cube is massive: large enough to hold God’s people. Some have said that the size of the cube doesn’t matter. What matters is who is invited to live eternally within the cube. According to Gomes, “The city’s dimensions speak not only of its immense capacity, but also reflect its ‘perfect symmetry’ and ‘splendor.’”[20]
Moreover, we are told in scripture that there will be streets of gold which are as transparent as glass, and twelve gates of pearl. Perhaps the reason for mentioning the twelve pearly gates, which contain the names of the twelve tribes, is to stress the “abundant entrance” to the city”—welcoming people from all directions (of life). Upon the foundation bedecked with jewels are the names of the twelve apostles. The walls, with their enormous size, demonstrate safety.[21] The New Jerusalem is not just some city. It is a city which comes down from heaven in real beauty and splendor. And the best part about this New Jerusalem is that you have the chance to live there for eternity. But the question you need to ask yourself is “What do I need to do to walk through one of those pearly gates built within one of those walls that is 1,400 miles high? What do I need to do?
Movement Four: “When We All Get To Heaven”
What does all of this mean for us today? First, it means that heaven is for real. Second, it means you have a choice to make: to seek a life worthy enough to experience the New Heaven and New Earth, the New Jerusalem, the Heavenly Jerusalem or to live a life that leads away from Heaven. And third, it means you have a question to answer, and that question is the question the rich man asks Jesus in the Gospels of Mark and Luke but instead Jesus is the one asking you the question: “What do you need to do to inherit eternal life?”
As a pastor, I enjoy when people ask me, “Pastor, what do I need to do to get into heaven?” Because I respond the same way that Jesus does, with a question: “What do you need to do to get into heaven?” So I ask you all today, “What do you need to do to get into heaven?” What do you need to do to walk through the pearly gates, stand upon the jeweled foundation, step onto the streets of gold, hear the streams of living water as you sit in the shade of the Tree of Life, see your name written in the Book of Life, and see Jesus face-to-face?
As a pastor, I can suggest several things. Luke 4:18 states, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed…” If you want to get into heaven, Jesus invites you to take care of those who are less fortunate than you. If you want to get into heaven, then you must be like “little children”—curious, not claiming to know everything about life, God, or Jesus, to look at life with wonder and amazement, to be willing to learn something new, to make the commit to explore your faith (Luke 18:15-17). If you want to get into heaven, then follow the words of Isaiah 1:17 which states, “…learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow.”
If you want to get into heaven, then remember what the author of Hebrews tells us about God’s word: “the word of God is living and active…” (Hebrews 4:12). This means we are not only called to read and study God’s word, but are also called to live out God’s word in our life—doing what God would do. If you want to get into heaven, then “pray without ceasing [and] give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:17—18). If you want to get into heaven, then do what Jesus told his disciples: “do not worry about your life” (Luke 12:22) and “come and follow me.” As Proverbs 3:5 reminds us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” If you want to get into heaven, then submit your life to the Lord.
Furthermore, if you want to get into heaven, then fully embrace the words of Paul who wrote to the Ephesians, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). Prior to this verse, Paul tells the Ephesians, “…put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). Essentially, shed the ways of the flesh and put on the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-23): be made new in likeness of God.
If you want to get into heaven, seek repentance of your sins, ask for forgiveness, and let go of those things that are keeping you from experiencing the fullness of Christ. If you want to get into heaven, then do what you can today to make sure that your faith is strong enough to make you well, that your faith is committed enough to lead to salvation, and that your faith is hopeful enough to get you to other side. If you want to get into heaven, then take time to be holy, worship the Lord, be in fellowship, and find ways to be the church—the hands and feet and body of Christ. If you really want to get into heaven, then do what you can every day to live out the two greatest commandments: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Mark 12:30-31).
Like I said, as a Pastor, I can suggest things, ways, and methods to get to heaven based on scripture and personal experience. However, what do you need to do to get into heaven? Do you need to seek forgiveness? Do you need to pray more? Do you need to read and study scripture more? Do you need to give thanks more? Do you need to trust Jesus more? Do you need to find a way to strengthen your faith? Do you need to do a better job with loving God and loving your neighbor? Do you need to care for your neighbors more? What do you need to do to make sure that your heart is right with God so that when the day comes for you to be called to the New Jerusalem it is a day of rejoicing and not a day of worry? What do you need to do?
Last week, when we talked about Hell, I provided you with a sermon demonstration involving weights and a backpack. The weights represent all the things that weigh us down in life—that potentially keep us from being able to experience the fullness of Christ. And the backpack represents us: the one withholding all of the “weight.” The more “weight” we take on the further we get from Christ. Now, thinking of how to get to heaven, we have to learn how to do the opposite: we have to learn how to let things go—to surrender all to Jesus. Let me explain.
A few minutes ago I shared several examples from scripture on what you could do to get into heaven. When you decide what you need to do, the weight will begin to become lighter. You decide to ask for forgiveness of your sins—remove a weight. You forgave someone for trespassing against you—remove a weight. You established a plan to read scripture or to pray more—remove a weight. You made it a priority to help those in need or simply reached out to someone to see how they were doing—remove a weight. Instead of getting frustrated and overwhelmed, you took a deep breath and paused—remove a weight. You gave thanks to God—remove a weight. You provided grace in a difficult situation—remove a weight. Instead of arguing with someone, you simply talked with them and not to them—remove a weight. Instead of blaming God for what happened, you trusted him and believed in him—remove a weight. You decided to do something good for someone else—remove a weight. You made the decision to follow Jesus Christ—remove a weight. You get the idea.
If you want to get to heaven, do what Jesus preaches, make your heart right with God, and remove the weight that is weighing you down.
Conclusion:
Heaven is real! Heaven, as scripture tells us, has pearly gates, streets of gold, foundations covered in jewels, the Tree of Life, the stream of living water, and the Book of Life. Heaven is the place where there is no sorrow or suffering, or tears, or pain, or death, or darkness. Heaven is timeless—there is no day or night—and it is always lit by the light of Jesus Christ. Heaven is the place where the treasures of our heart will be and where the Lord prepares a banquet for us. Heaven is more than we can fathom or fully understand while living on this earth. However, it is a place that God invites us to live for eternity, if we want to.
Through the teachings of Jesus Christ, we are given instructions—or better yet, methods—to get to heaven. And through these methods, we must do what we need to do so that we can make our heart right with God so that one day we will be welcomed home in the land that outshines the sun, to the place way beyond the blue, to the place where the weights of yesterday and today are no longer present. But before that day comes, the question that you all need to be asking yourself is, “What do I need to do to get into heaven?” When you begin living out what God tells you, heaven will not just be a place above you but it will be a place that lives within your heart.
Let it be so…
Closing Prayer:
Let us Pray… Dear God, we long for the day when we are welcomed into heaven—to a place that is so beautiful and joyous. But until that day comes, help us to live a life that gets us into heaven. Remove the “weight.” Set us free. And fill our heart with heavenly encouragement. In your name we pray, Amen.
Benediction:
Heaven is more than a place: it is a promise given to those who live a life seeking to make their heart right with God. What do you need to do today to get into heaven? The gates are open. May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; and May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit go forth making choices that lead toward a heavenly tomorrow. And all God’s people said, Amen. Amen. Amen.
[1] Ethereal: extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world.
[2] Carol Zaleski, “Hell,” Britannica Online, updated 16 May 2025 and accessed 28 May 2025: https://www.britannica.com/topic/hell/Greece-and-Rome
[3] Nadir: the lowest point in the fortunes of a person or organization
[4] Carol Zaleski, “Hell,” Britannica Online, updated 16 May 2025 and accessed 28 May 2025: https://www.britannica.com/topic/hell/Greece-and-Rome
[5] We may have said, at some point, “This tastes like heaven,” or “This looks heavenly,” or to quote the conversation between John and Ray Kinsella from the 1989 movie starring Kevin Costner, Field of Dreams: John asks, “Is this heaven?” To which Ray responds, “No it’s Iowa.”Then John replies, “Iowa? I could have sworn this was heaven.” Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella hears a voice in his cornfield tell him, “If you build it, he will come.” He interprets it as an instruction to build a baseball field on his farm, upon which appear the ghosts of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the other seven Chicago White Sox players banned from the game for throwing the 1919 World Series. When the voices continue, Ray seeks out a reclusive author to help him understand the meaning of the messages and the purpose for his field. (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097351/plotsummary/?ref_=tt_ov_pl)
[6] This is the air around us, in which we find clouds, birds, the wind, and so forth. For example the Bible refers to “the birds of the heavens” (1 Kings 21:24), “the rain from heaven” (Deuteronomy 11:11; Acts 14:17), and also snow (Isaiah 55:10), dew (Daniel 4:23), frost (Job 38:29), wind (1 Kings 18:45; Psalm 78:26), clouds (Psalm 147:8), thunder (1 Samuel 2:10), and hail (Revelation 16:21) from heaven. Heaven is that which is around us.
[7] Passages found in Genesis 1, Jeremiah 33, Nahum 3, Acts 7, and Hebrews 11 illustrate this use.
[8] Heave is out there where the finger of God created the cosmos; out there where about 300 billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy shimmer at night; out there where between 100 billion to 2 trillion galaxies seek exploration; and out there where curiosity reigns supreme. Heaven is truly out of this world.
[9] Alan W. Gomes (edited by Benjamin L. Merkle), 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 2018, pg. 67. Pache asserts that the Jews equated paradise with Abraham’s bosom, which refers to the place where the believing dead reside awaiting their resurrections
[10] Additionally, heaven is associated with the word “paradise.”[10] In the New Testament, one finds only three references to paradise: Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:3; and Revelation 2:7. Jesus mentions paradise in his promise to the thief on the cross, when he states, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).[10] Paul equates paradise with heaven even more explicitly in 2 Corinthians 12:2-3. In verse 2, he states that he was “caught up to the third heaven,” which in verse 3 he calls “paradise.” This word derives from the Persian root Pairi-daeza, which means “a park surrounded by a wall,” “a walled enclosure,” or “wooded park-like garden.” Coming into the Greek language as paradeisos, it carries the general sense of a “garden, park, or paradise.”
[11] Ibid., pg. 65.
[12] Ibid., pg. 65.
[13] Ibid., pg. 65.
[14] Alan W. Gomes (edited by Benjamin L. Merkle), 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 2018, pg. 201. As many commentators observe, the new heaven and new earth are a kind of heaven and earth. The Greek word translated “new” is kainos, which stresses the newness of quality and not just something that is more recent time.
[15] Alan W. Gomes (edited by Benjamin L. Merkle), 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 2018, pg. 201.
[16] Ibid., pg. 202
[17] Ibid., pg. 203-204. Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary, Chicago, Illinois: Moody, 1992. pg. 445.
[18] Needless to say, there is a potential third scripture passage that highlights a “heavenly Jerusalem” instead of a “new Jerusalem.” The writer of Hebrews notes in Hebrews 12:22-24, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” The heavenly Jerusalem, much like the New Jerusalem, the so-called Mount of Zion, is where God lives, where the spirits of the righteous are made perfect, where innumerable angels gather, where Jesus proclaims the new covenant, and where the blood of the Lamb is more powerful and more loud than the blood of Abel which cried out to the Lord from the ground (Genesis 4:10).
[19] The Kármán Line marks the official line between Earth’s atmosphere and ‘space’ and is defined as being 100 km (62 miles) above mean sea level.
[20] Alan W. Gomes (edited by Benjamin L. Merkle), 40 Questions About Heaven and Hell, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 2018, pg. 201.
[21] …and the inviolable nature to fellowship with God, which cannot be broken.