Message topic: I want to go to heaven.
Scripture text: John 14: 1-7
I do not believe that it is any surprise to you to hear me saying that my intention is to go to heaven and spend eternity there: but do you know the reason why? There is but one and only one reason, I do not want to go to hell, just like you.
I am sure that no rational person wants to go to hell. Hell will be much worse than we can conceive, the punishment will be awful, the remorse will be terrible: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth as we find in (Matthew 8:12) where their worm diets not, and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9: 48): who would want to go to such a terrible place? Becoming a Christian to keep out of hell may not be a very high motive, but it is the only motive.
Heaven will not be a crowded place.
There will be plenty of room in heaven, our heavenly father will make provision for all who will be saved: Jesus said in my father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you may be also, (John 14:2-3)
There are many mansions over there. I want to be there in one of them throughout a never-ending eternity, the city is foursquare, and the length is as large as the breath: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs, (1500 miles) the length and the breath and the height of it are equal. (Revelation 21: 6.)
There are other reasons why you and I want to go to heaven:
Heaven is a beautiful place.
The beauty of heaven is beyond compare. This old world in which we are now living is a beautiful place, there are days when you look from a horizon on a clear day when the sun is shining, you can hear the birds singing from the tree tops as a cool gentle wind is blowing and you feel like going to sleep on the green grass in the medio, as the gentle stream flows by.
Yet all the beauty of this world cannot be compared to what God has in stored for us: this world is marred by sin and death: there will be no sin in heaven, which is the cause of death, here we have pain and sadness, there will be no pain or sadness in heaven: here we have tears and broken hearts, there will be no tears in heaven, and hearts will never be sad and broken.
Here we must be separated from those whom we love dearer than life, there will be no separation in heaven. and God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes; there shall be no more death, nether sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are pass away (Revelation (21:4) the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day; for there shall be no night there (Revelation 21: 25). We will find comfort and rest in heaven:
Here we have sadness and torment day after day and sadness has become our companion; we will know what sweet rest is in haven, we are in the midst of the fight now but rest will come when we enter the gates of heaven.
We have been invited to heaven: It a wonderful thought to know that God has invited whosoever will to heaven, listen to the gracious invitation: and the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say Come, and let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely (Rev. 22: 17)
Come now. And let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; and though they be red like crimson. they shall be as wool (Isaiah: 1: 18) how can we spurn this invitation of God?
Heaven is a place of companionship.
Heaven will be sweet because of its endearing companionship. To think of being with characters such as Abraham, Moses, and Paul! ought to be inducement enough to cause us to want to go to heaven
Blessed be Christ! To think what it will be! And we shall meet our faithful brethren and loved ones who have gone on before.
Heaven is the place of God’s abode.
Listen to what 1ST John (3;1-3) is telling us about heaven: behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is, and every man that hath this hope in him purify himself even as he is pure.
Why should we want to get to heaven?
We learn that the beauty of God’s creation was lost after the sin of the first man Adam: but God in his love for mankind whom He created in His own image have created a new heaven and earth.
John in Revelation (21: 1-4) tells us of a glimpse of heaven and what he saw which he describes in these words: I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there were no more sea.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband: and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Are you eager to be in the presence of God the All Mighty, the one that there is no other like him in in heaven and earth, the one who causes all things to come about out of nothing because of his love?
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Heaven is not a mystical place, it is the holy dwelling place of the Lord most high, and although we cannot even begin to compare splendor, the bible gives us a beautiful description of the place in which those who have received Jesus as Lord will spend eternity.