• Last week we took a peek inside the New Jerusalem as the Apostle John describes it in Rev. 21-22.

• More specifically we took a swim in the River of Life. • This morning, I want to continue examining our

future address in heaven. • And, look at its impact on our journey here.• Jesse Duplantis’ I Saw Heaven• It was exhilarating to read about our destiny. • The sounds, the colors, the beauty & the music are

all beyond human description. • Everything there breathes life—no death there!

• Jesse was taken to his future home.• God gives us the desires of our heart.• Knowing that heaven is our future should put joy in

your heart and light a fire under you to continue working for the Lord until you arrive there.

• To live by faith in this present age, it really helps to have a clear view of the age to come.

• Where you are headed should impact where you are.

• Let me explain what I mean by that.

2 Peter 3:10-14 – 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, He will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.

13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth He has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight.

• Did you catch the correlation Peter draws between looking forward to heaven & living a holy life here?

• Many times we get lost in the fire and the judgment and lose the real message of this passage.

• Knowing that this world is only temporary, we should not become too attached to it.

• Our view of heaven should impact our life here.

• We should always view the temporary though the lens of the eternal.

• Have you ever heard, Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good?

• The assumption is that if we are so consumed with heaven, we will not be focused on our work here.

• I believe this is more of reference to those who are what I call spooky spiritual.

• You know the type. • They really are no good for anything here.

• Not what we are talking about.

• Because we don’t want to be spooky spiritual, we shy away from being heavenly minded.

• I never liked that saying because it clouds us from a major source of encouragement on this side of heaven.

• C.S. Lewis once wrote: Because we love something more than this world, we love this world better than those who know no other [world].

• He understood that it is only when we view this world through the lens of the age to come will we be able to live a life of faith here.

• If you think about it, if this is all there is, we might as well eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (1 Cor. 15:32).

• But it is only as we look beyond the uncertainty of this world to the certainty of heaven will we ever find the faith to finish strong.

• This is a component that is often missing.

• Earlier in Rev, John is taken to heaven & records 1 of the most vivid descriptions of heaven we have.

Revelation 4:2-11 – 2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and Someone sitting on it. 3 The One sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled His throne like a rainbow. 4 Twenty-four thrones surrounded Him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.

5 From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. 6 In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. 7 The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. 8 Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out.

Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the One Who always was, Who is, and Who is still to come." 9 Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the One sitting on the throne (the One who lives forever and ever), 10 the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the One sitting on the throne (the One who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, 11 "You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created all things, and they exist because You created what You pleased."

• We are granted a glimpse of a worship service in heaven.

• We will someday experience one like this one in our future.

• Notice that God is the central figure around Whom everything revolves.

• It is much like the sun in our solar system. • Everything revolves around the central star. • God receives the worship of everyone present

regardless of how great or small they are.

• Even though heaven is incredibly beautiful and glorious, heaven will not be known for its beauty.

• Rather, heaven is the place where the Lord dwells. • Like our sun, He is the irresistible center of gravity.• Even though heaven is where all eyes will be on the

Lord because He is the only object of worship. • There will be another reason our eyes will be on

God.• Finally, we will be able to see Him face to face and

see His unparalleled beauty.

• As we read last week:Revelation 22:3-4 – No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants [that’s us] will worship Him. 4 And they will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads.

• No longer will we be looking through a glass dimly, but we will see Him in His full glory (1 Cor. 13:12).

• We will truly know and experience Him as He really is and not as someone else has told us He is like.

• Ever since Adam & Eve left the Garden of Eden, men have longed to see God face to face.

Exodus 33:18-23 – Moses responded, "Then show me Your glorious presence." 19 The Lord replied, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will call out My name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. 20 But you may not look directly at My face, for no one may see Me and live." 21 The Lord continued, "Look, stand near Me on this rock.

22 As My glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove My hand and let you see Me from behind. But My face will not be seen.“

• Moses asked to see the face of God, but God told him that no man can see His face and live.

• But, in heaven, every barrier to an open face to face relationship with God will be removed.

• As I closed last week:

• Heaven is not home because what is there.

• Heaven is home because of Who is there—Jesus!

• Popular culture paints a totally different picture of heaven.

• It seems to make it a sterile, passionless place.

• It makes it out to be a place where we are rather bored while floating on clouds and playing harps.

• We dealt with the boredom issue last week. • Boredom is rooted in selfishness, and there will be

absolutely no selfishness there! • Heaven will be a place of continual excitement,

discovery, anticipation, gratitude and worship. • It will not be boring!!• What all we will be doing there, I cannot say. • But, this I do know, it will be an experience that we

cannot express in human terms.

• Popular culture also gives the idea that we will not know or be close to people we love here on earth.

• Where do they base that thinking?• The irony of it is that is closer description to hell

than heaven. • If you are close to someone here, think about how

close you will be there when both of you are perfected in Christ.

• Our relationships here are mere shadows of the intimate relationships we will have there.

Revelation 22:3 – No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him.

• What are we called in heaven? • Servants! • We are called that because we are to serve. • Servants serve. • That’s what they do. • Look at Jesus’ example:

Philippians 2:7 – But [Jesus] stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. (AMP)Mark 10:45 – For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.

• Jesus set the example for us. • He came to serve—to be a servant. • He chose the nature of a servant. • That is what we will be in heaven and should be

here.

• Look at how the early disciples viewed themselves:James 1:1 – James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.2 Peter 1:1 – Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:1 – Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.

• They got it. • They could have boasted in their accomplishments

and in their titles. • But, they chose to only call themselves—servants.

• It is only in losing our lives will we find it. • It is only when we are willing to lay down our lives

for the King, will we find fulfillment, peace and joy in this life.

• But, this is our destiny and purpose. • We are to be servants of the King and to one

another.• Jesse’s conversations with King David, Abraham,

Jonah and Paul.

• You might be thinking, If heaven is a perfect place, what need will there be for us to serve one another?

• There will be no needs there. • Everything we could ever want or need will be

supplied. • But, need is not a prerequisite for serving or for

blessing others. • Some of the greatest blessings in life come from

those things that we do not particularly need. • Music is a good example of that. • Its benefit does not come in the fact that we need it

to live, but in that it makes life more beautiful.

• The fact that we will have no need in heaven is what will give meaning to our service of others.

• It is the fact that we do not have to serve one another that will make it so significant.

• The same is true on this side of heaven as well. • Understanding that need is not a prerequisite for

serving should give clarity to how you can potentially be a blessing to others.

• Why do you volunteer or pay your tithes?• Need? No—because you are a servant!• Do you now see how being heavenly minded can

impact your life here on earth?

Conclusion• When you are working in the Lord’s harvest fields

here on earth, and you grow weary, look up. • Look higher than the row in front of you. • Look to heaven and be refreshed to continue until

you reach the end. • It will encourage you to finish and to finish strong! • You are to begin the rest of your journey with the

end in sight. • Others do not remember how fast you started, they

only remember how strong you finished.

Then, you will hear the words, Well done, My good and faithful servant. You were faithful in the little I gave you on earth. I will now put you in charge of much here. Enter into the joy of your rest.