What Will Heaven be Like? part 2

Rev 21:1-5

It is a place of worship.  A place where God is worshipped in the way that he is due.  Worship means bowing down, kiss towards, pay homage to, revere, hold in awe.  It also has confession of how worthy God is.  Heaven is a place where true worship happens, around the throne of heaven.  God in heaven is continually worshipped, and all the worship here on earth through his people and by his people, rises up to heaven and joins the worship in heaven in praising God.  Rev 4:10-11 "The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."  This is the worship of elders in heaven.  Rev 5:9 "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;" This is the worship of God by all nations.  Rev 8:4 "And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God..."  Here is the worship of saints on earth, their prayers ascending before the mercy seat in heaven, offered at the throne of God and answered from heaven.  Worship is performed in heaven by those on earth that worship in faith.  Heaven is a place of worship.  All true worship rises to heaven.   Serve, that is another meaning of worship.  What is it to cry and praise God for salvation, to fall before ones face before God, to bow down, that is worship. 

It is a place where the names of the saints, God's people, are written.  Luke 10:20 "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."   Daniel 12:1 "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince.......and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Phil 4:3 "And I entreat thee also, true yoke fellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel...and with other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life."   Heb 12:23 "To the general assembly and church of the firstborn which are written in heaven..."  One of the aspects of heaven is that the names of the saints are written there.  That is something worth rejoicing over.  


It is a place of rejoicing.  Luke 15:7  "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth..." Heaven is a place of rejoicing over the salvation of sinners. 

It is the treasure house of the saints..  Matt 6:20 "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal"  
 
Heaven is a place of "no mores"  It is mostly described in the negative, what won't be there.  There are so many positives that it is easier to describe what won't be there.  No more temple, the church is the temple and God will dwell with his people.  No more night, no darkness, no defilement (pollution, corruption, decay)  No more death, that great parting, the pain that doesn't lessen but you get accustomed to.  The last enemy, death, will be destroyed.  No more sorrow in heaven.  No more sadness. No more loss, no more disappointment. No let downs.  No more crying, no more pain.  It is easy to talk about these things but imagine the relief it will be to the people who do suffer pain, who live with pain.  It is a wonderful thing to look forward to a place where there is no more pain.  People suffer in this world, but in heaven there shall be no more pain.  

Will you be there?  are you going to be meeting with all the saints in heaven?  all too soon eternity comes.  If your sin is not forgiven, if you have not trusted Christ as your saviour how can you possibly get to heaven?  

Whilst we travel through the world we ought to cast our minds and senses to heaven.  if we would perceive the worthlessness of our fading life we must deeply be affected by the view of heavenly life.  There is no place for us except we renounce the world and become pilgrims on earth.  We come to God when we cast our anchor in heaven.
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The notes above were taken by myself from the sermon by Paul Dowling of Whiteabbey Congregational (Reformed) at Sermon audio

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=110161723385