At a Wednesday evening church meeting a very wealthy man rose to give his testimony.       “I’m a millionaire,” he said, “and I attribute it all to the rich blessings of God in my life. I can still remember the turning point in my faith, like it was yesterday:

      I had just earned my first dollar and I went to a church meeting that night. The speaker was a missionary who told about his work. I knew that I only had a dollar bill and had to either give it all to God’s work or nothing at all. So at that moment I decided to give my whole dollar to God. I believe that God blessed that decision, and that is why I am a rich man today.” 

             As he finished it was clear that everyone had been moved by this man’s story. But, as he took his seat, a little old lady sitting in the same pew leaned over and said: “Wonderful story! I dare you to do it again!”

The Bible does teach about storing up treasurers in Heaven (Matthew 6:20), so if we are storing our treasurers there, what is it like?

I remember in high school taking a photography class and learning to develop film. It was really fun. Remember the old “one step” cameras? We would take the picture and then watch as it developed. Today, I wish to develop the picture of Heaven.

My theme today is: Heaven is for real. As you look forward to Heaven, use your imagination, grounded with the Bible.

Let’s read Rev. 21:1-4:

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

 Let’s review:

We have talked about:

1) Heaven is for real.

a. The Bible talks about Heaven in many places.

b. Isaiah 65; John 14:1-6 as well as Revelation chapters 21-22 are all about Heaven.

2) Present Heaven versus future Heaven

a. We talked about the Heaven we enter right away and the Heaven for all eternity.

b. It is encouraging that there is no soul sleep. We go straight to Heaven when we die. (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21)

c. We can read about this in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) as well as Rev. 6:9-11.

3) Will we have homes in Heaven?

a. In John 14:1-6 as well as Isaiah 65:17-23 we read about homes in Heaven.

b. But we read about more than homes in Heaven, we read about whole estates.

c. We read about farms and orchards and land and much more.

d. In Revelation chapters 21-22 we read about a city and a garden.

4) Will Time exist in Heaven?

a. We know that we will not be God, only God is God.

b. There are many references to time in Heaven.

5) Will Heaven be boring?

a. Remember that we will have resurrected bodies (see 1 Cor. 15)

b. We will have purpose.

c. We will have jobs and hobbies; Heaven will not be boring.

6) Will we know everything in Heaven?

a. It seems that we will not know everything.

b. Only God is omniscient.

c. We talked about 1 Cor. 13:8-13 and knowledge. It seems that the gift of knowledge will no longer be needed. This is more about a spiritual gift having to do with knowledge. The spiritual gifts will no longer be needed.

d. If we knew everything, maybe Heaven would be boring, but we won’t.

e. I was at the Turnaround Pastors’ program a few years ago when one of the leaders suggested that I likely have the spiritual gift of knowledge. For me knowledge is like a drug. To me, it is addictive. I get a thrill out of studying and learning new things. It is as if something clicks in my brain when I learn new things.

f. Is seems evident that we will continue to learn.

7) Do dogs and animals go to Heaven?

a. We do see descriptions of animals in Heaven and Psalm 104:30 references animals being restored.

Now, take a moment and imagine Heaven. There is nothing wrong with that. In chapter 2 of Randy Alcorn’s book titled, “Heaven” he writes about imagination. We must be careful of thinking that Heaven will be whatever you imagine it to be, but we can use our imagination. God loves us and does want to lavish blessings upon us in all of eternity.

Randy Alcorn writes:

We cannot anticipate or desire what we cannot imagine. That’s why, I believe, God has given us glimpses of Heaven in the Bible— to fire up our imagination and kindle a desire for Heaven in our hearts. And that’s why Satan will always discourage our imagination— or misdirect it to ethereal notions that violate Scripture. As long as the resurrected universe remains either undesirable or unimaginable, Satan succeeds in sabotaging our love for Heaven.

 As C. S. Lewis said,

“While reason is the natural organ of truth, imagination is the organ of meaning.” In the words of Francis Schaeffer, “The Christian is the really free man— he is free to have imagination. This too is our heritage. The Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.”

Schaeffer always started with God’s revealed truth. But he exhorted us to let that truth fuel our imagination. Imagination should not fly away from the truth but fly upon the truth.

We have looked at Scripture, now let’s imagine:

 Ask the following as questions of the congregation:

1) What is your dream house? Do you want to live on a farm or in a city?

2) What is your dream job? We will work in Heaven?

3) What is your favorite hobby? If you could do anything in the world what would it be? Golf? Motorcycle riding? Running? Fishing? Hunting? Woodworking? Cooking? Bird watching?

4) What are your interests? History? Geography? Sports? News? Politics? Science? Philosophy? Art? Music?

5) What is the most beautiful things or place you have ever seen?

6) Other thoughts on Heaven?

Alcorn continues:

Schaeffer always started with God’s revealed truth. But he exhorted us to let that truth fuel our imagination. Imagination should not fly away from the truth but fly upon the truth. If you’re a Christian suffering with great pains and losses, Jesus says, “Be of good cheer” (John 16: 33, NKJV). The new house is nearly ready for you. Moving day is coming. The dark winter is about to be magically transformed into spring. One day soon you will be home— for the first time. Until then, I encourage you to meditate on the Bible’s truths about Heaven. May your imagination soar and your heart rejoice.

 I hope you can now picture Heaven, at least a little better.

 Do you know Christ?

Luke 9:23

 God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)
Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

1

Today we talk about learning so let’s start with fun:

What is a math teacher’s favorite sum?
Summer!

Teachers who take class attendance are absent-minded.

*Teacher: ‘Craig, you know you can’t sleep in my class.’
Craig: ‘I know. But maybe if you were just a little quieter, I could.’

*Stressing the importance of a good vocabulary, the teacher told her young charges, “Use a word ten times, and it shall be yours for life.” From somewhere in the back of the room, came a small male voice chanting, “Amanda, Amanda, Amanda, Amanda, Amanda, Amanda, Amanda, Amanda, Amanda, Amanda.”

*Pupil: I don’t think I deserved zero on this test!
Teacher: I agree, but that’s the lowest mark I could give you! 

*What do you call a teacher without students?
Broke…oh wait, that’s a regular teacher

*Teacher: You copied from Fred’s exam paper didn’t you ?
Pupil: How did you know ?
Teacher: Fred’s paper says “I don’t know” and you have put “Me, neither”!

*The little boy wasn’t getting good marks in school. One day he made the teacher quite surprised. He tapped her on the shoulder and said …”I don’t want to scare you, but my daddy says if I don’t get better grades, somebody is going to get a spanking.”

Physics Teacher: “Isaac Newton was sitting under a tree when an apple fell on his head and he discovered gravity. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Student: “Yes sir, if he had been sitting in class looking at books like us, he wouldn’t have discovered anything.”

How long are we supposed to learn?

We learn all of our lives, but do we learn in Heaven or do we know everything?

Let’s read: 1 Cor. 13:8-13:

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

My Theme: Be encouraged we will continue learning in Heaven because we will continue having new things to learn. Also, our learning will not impair our ability to love.

1. We will not be omniscient.
   1. As we talk about this idea we must understand that in Heaven we do not become God.
   2. Only God is omniscient. Omniscient means to know everything.
   3. So, let’s take an excursus into the idea of love and 1 Cor. 13. In 1 Cor. 13:8 we read about knowledge being done away with. What this means is that the spiritual gift of knowledge or “Word of knowledge” will be done away with. Why do we need the spiritual gift when we are with Jesus in reality? Also, we must understand that the Corinthians elevated certain spiritual gifts above others. They liked the showy gifts. They liked tongues as it was a showy gift, they must have liked knowledge as it was a showy gift. I believe we still struggle with this today. I like the showy gifts as well. But Paul is saying they go away in Heaven, at least in the sense as being spiritual gifts.
   4. We can’t take this passage to mean that in Heaven we know everything. What we can say is that still in Heaven love remains.
   5. Love is most important. Love carries on for all eternity. The spiritual gifts do not need to continue in Heaven, but love will always continue.
   6. Paul is NOT talking about natural human love. He is talking about a love that only God can give. This is love that a human being can only express when he or she has been touched by God’s grace and enabled by God’s Spirit.
   7. Love in this special way will continue in Heaven.
   8. I like what the Life Application Study Bible says:
      1. When Paul wrote of knowing “everything completely, just as God now knows me completely,” he was referring to when we must see Christ face to face. God gives believers spiritual gifts for their lives on earth in order to build up, serve, and strengthen fellow Christians. The spiritual gifts are for the church. In eternity, we will be made perfect and complete and will be in the very presence of God. We will no longer need the spiritual gifts, so they will come to an end. Then, we will have a full understanding and appreciation for one another as unique expressions of God’s infinite creativity. We will use our differences as a reason to praise God! Based on that perspective, let us treat each other with the same love and unity that we will one day share.[1]
   9. Of course this may make us think about what the spiritual gift of knowledge is. I like what one wrote: The spiritual gift of knowledge is also known as the “word of knowledge” or “utterance of knowledge.”  The Greek word for this gift is Gnosis and it simply means knowledge and understanding.  The Scriptural emphasis in 1 Corinthians 12:8is on the ability to speak this knowledge to others in a given situation.  In the opening passages of 1 Corinthians, Paul spoke of knowledge and recognized that the highest form of knowledge among men is the Gospel of Jesus Christ (i.e. the testimony about Christ, cf. 1 Corinthians 1:4-7).  What we can conclude then is the gift of knowledge is an understanding of the things in this world and in our lives that is founded in the Gospel and rooted in the Scriptures.  This gift is closely related to the gift of wisdom which is alluded to by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.
   10. The Holy Spirit gives this spiritual gift to some believers to bring about understanding and to inform the church or individual believers.  The person with this gift is usually well-versed in the Scriptures and often has much committed to memory.  They can retain the truth and communicate it effectively at the appropriate times.  The gift of knowledge allows a believer to relate the Scriptures, and particularly the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to all aspects of life in this world.  They can see how it connects to every situation and circumstance and how the reality and truth of the Gospel is to inform every decision a Christian makes.[2]
   11. There is more we could say about this, but let’s talk about Heaven.
   12. So, in Heaven we will still learn. We simply will NOT need a spiritual gift. Additionally, as we look at verse 12 Paul writes about Heaven like a mirror. Corinth was known for their Corinthian bronze mirrors but even the best mirrors were not a good reflection. Then Paul says we will know fully.
   13. Randy Alcorn gets into great detail writing: The apostle Paul wrote: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (1   Corinthians 13: 12, emphasis added). The italicized words are based on two different Greek words: ginosko and epiginosko. The prefix epi intensifies the word to mean “to really know” or “to know extensively.” However, when the word is used of humans, it never means absolute knowledge.[3]
   14. I have to agree. We can look at other scriptures which talk of learning in Heaven.
2. We will still learn
   1. Learning is not from sin. Sin and our fallen world may make it difficult to learn. Maybe our minds will work faster in Heaven, but there will likely still be a learning process.
   2. 1 Peter 1:12 shows Angels don’t know everything and they long to know more.
   3. Ephesians 2:6-7 indicates that God will show us more knowledge in Heaven: And God raised us up with Christand seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷ in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
   4. Think of how much we will have to learn being in the New Jerusalem with the new Garden of Eden and dwelling with God.
   5. Think of how much we can have to learn being with the prophets of the Old Testament.
   6. Think of how much we will have to learn being with your great great-great-grandfather and grandmother.
   7. Think of how much we can learn about each other when we do not have sin in the way impairing our thinking.
   8. Without learning it could be quite boring for us as we were created to have purpose and learning and purpose go together.
   9. Imagine studying history next to a historian or the people themselves. I love Revolutionary War history, imagine studying while talking to George Washington, or John Adams, or Patrick Henry. Imagine studying physics with Einstein or Isaac Newton. Imagine studying music with Bach.
   10. Or maybe you love to hunt or fish or play sports, I know there will be new techniques to learn.
   11. Maybe you love old cars or machines, I know there would be more to study.
   12. The Scriptures talk about books in Heaven as well as scrolls and so it seems that they will remain.
   13. I do come back to the beginning Most of all love always remains. We can learn without needing a spiritual gift. We can learn and love at the same time.

Close:

Be encouraged we will continue learning in Heaven because we will continue having new things to learn. Also, our learning will not impair our ability to love.

Martin Luther said, “If God had all the answers in his right hand, and the struggle to reach those answers in his left, I would choose God’s left hand.” Why? Because it’s not only truth we want, it’s also the pleasure of learning the truth.

We continue painting a picture of Heaven. Next week we complete the picture.

Do you know Christ?

Luke 9:23

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

[1] Tyndale House Publishers (2011-08-01). Life Application Study Bible NLT (LASB: Full Size) (Kindle Locations 154921-154926). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

[2] http://www.spiritualgiftstest.com/spiritual-gift-of-knowledge

[3] Alcorn, Randy (2011-12-08). Heaven (Alcorn, Randy) (Kindle Locations 5951-5955). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Intro:

Sometimes I get up to preach and I bet you look at your clock. We don’t have a clock in the sanctuary, but I can assure you I am also mindful of the time I preach. Before he was called as their pastor John MacArthur filled the pulpit at the church he currently serves. He preached something like an hour and a half that Sunday, or close to it. He thought he wouldn’t be invited back. The next Sunday he was invited back and he noticed a big clock on the back wall had been added. He has been there some 47 years, since 1969 and still preaches about an hour. You can hear his sermons on the radio or the computer called “Grace to You.” I know I have preached long, but never that long.

We are very mindful of the time; I know I am. I remember looking at my watch when I was at the orthodontist and they asked if I had somewhere to be. I was in seventh or eighth grade. I had nowhere to be. I began regularly wearing a watch when I was in 1^st grade. My parents and teachers thought it was great that I was very good at telling the time and watching the time. Whether it was good or not, I don’t know, what I do know is I probably became obsessive about time. I am very detail oriented. I still watch the time, all the time. I still plan according to time, a lot. I have this mental plan, based off of the time, in my head.

So, when we think about Heaven, do you think there will be time? Can you imagine existence without time? From birth we are limited by time. Is time evil? Is time part of our existence because of sin?

Let’s talk more about Heaven and time.

My theme:

There will be time in Heaven but we will not be limited by it.

1. Whether encouraging or discouraging, there will be time in Heaven.
   1. I don’t know whether you hate time or not. If you hate time, don’t be discouraged yet. If you like time, then maybe this is encouraging.
   2. Think about this, without time:
      1. We can’t cook, right?
      2. We can’t play sports because there is time.

• We can’t play music because we must keep notes, right?

1. There are other things that we need time for such as planting and harvesting and even assignments that have a due date. How many of us are procrastinators?

1. It appears from certain passages that there will be time in Heaven. Let’s look at a few:
   1. Heaven’s inhabitants track with events happening in time, right down to rejoicing the moment a sinner on Earth repents (Luke 15: 7).
   2. Martyrs in Heaven are told to “wait a little longer” when they ask “how long” before Christ will judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge the martyrs’ blood (Revelation 6: 10-11). Those in Heaven couldn’t ask “how long” or be told “wait a little longer” unless time passes in Heaven.
   3. Paul spoke of Heaven in terms of “the coming ages” (Ephesians 2: 7). He speaks not just of a future age but of ages (plural).
   4. God’s people in Heaven “serve him day and night in his temple” (Revelation 7: 15).
   5. The tree of life on the New Earth will be “yielding its fruit every month” (Revelation 22: 2). There are days and months both in the present and eternal Heaven.
   6. God says, “The new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure   before me.  .  .  . From one New Moon to another and from one   Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me” (Isaiah 66: 22-23). New Moons and Sabbaths require moon, sun, and time.
   7. God said, “Summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis   8: 22). This wasn’t the result of the Curse; it was God’s original design.
   8. We’re told that “there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Revelation 8: 1).
   9. The book of Revelation shows the present Heaven’s inhabitants operating within time. The descriptions of worship include successive actions, such as falling down at God’s throne and casting crowns before   him (Revelation 4: 10). There’s a sequence of events; things occur   one after another, not all at once.
   10. The inhabitants of Heaven sing (Revelation 5: 9-12). Music in Heaven requires time. Meter, tempo, and rests are all essential components of music, and each is time-related. Certain notes are held longer than others. Songs have a beginning, middle, and end. That means they take place in time.[1]
2. Some think we won’t have time and they think we won’t have time because God does not have time, but remember we will not become God in Heaven.

• God created time in Genesis 1:1, long before sin entered the world.

1. Be encouraged we will not be limited by time in Heaven.
   1. The discouraging thing now is that we are limited by time.
   2. Right now we have a certain amount of time for rest and a certain amount of time for play and a certain amount of time for work.
   3. We are watching the clock because we want to get our work done in time to play or spend with family before we must sleep.
   4. Honestly, there are many days, okay, almost every day that I look forward to my girl’s bedtime. They can be exhausting, they are exhausting. At the same time, I try to get home before their bedtime to spend time with them.
   5. We are also limited by death. Eventually, we all die. That is another limitation of time.
   6. In Heaven, we won’t have the limitation of death. Death shall be no more (Rev. 21:4).
   7. In Heaven, we will work and not grow weary. Working grew tiresome after sin (Genesis 3:19).
   8. Imagine, not having to think about being tired when we work. If you like cutting down trees you can do that as long as you want without being tired. We will have new bodies.
   9. Imagine having the benefits of time without the weaknesses. Imagine having the ability to MEASURE time, but not feel the negative effects of time?

So, in Heaven, we will have time without the limitations of time.

Rejoice, hallelujah, heaven will be beyond your greatest imaginations.

I have been watching time closely since first grace. But I have had the effects of time on my life for my whole life. In fact, sometimes, in the right lighting, you may notice my gray hair.

I have been painting a picture of Heaven. I hope your picture of Heaven is getting more focused.

Do you know Christ?

Luke 9:23

God created us to be with him. (Genesis 1-2)

Our sin separated us from God. (Genesis 3)

Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Gen 4-Mal 4)

Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)

Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. (John – Jude)

Life that’s eternal means we will be with Jesus forever. (Revelation 22:5)

[1] Alcorn, Randy (2011-12-08). Heaven (Alcorn, Randy) (Kindle Locations 5042-5043). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.