Hope and Joy: A Vision of Heaven
Summary
In this sermon, I had the privilege of speaking about the profound and awe-inspiring reality of heaven. Heaven, much like hell, is beyond our full comprehension, yet the Bible provides us glimpses to guide our lives. Our current existence is a "middle life," a journey towards either an infinitely better or worse future. For those in Christ, the struggles and pains of this world are the only ones they will ever endure, as a glorious future awaits them. In contrast, for those outside of Christ, this life is as good as it gets.
We explored Revelation 7, where the Apostle John, while suffering in prison, was given a vision of heaven. He saw a vast, innumerable multitude from every nation, standing before the throne of God, clothed in white robes, and holding palm branches—a symbol of joy and victory. This vision was a reminder that despite feeling alone or discouraged, believers are part of a vast, redeemed community.
The people in heaven have been through tribulation and suffering, yet they are now in a place of joy and worship. They have been cleansed, having washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, symbolizing the purification from sin through Jesus Christ. This cleansing is not achieved through suffering but through faith in Christ's sacrifice.
In heaven, believers will serve God as they always wished they could, without the limitations of fatigue or sin. Christ will lead them into ever-increasing joy, guiding them to springs of living water, symbolizing ongoing, fresh discoveries of God's glory. Heaven is not static but a dynamic, eternal relationship with Christ, filled with new delights.
Finally, in heaven, all wounds will be healed, and God will wipe away every tear. The source of tears will be removed, and all the burdens and battles of this life will be no more. This vision of heaven provides strength and hope for enduring the trials of this world, reminding us that our true home is with God.
Key Takeaways:
- Our current life is a transitional phase, leading to either eternal joy or eternal suffering. For those in Christ, the pains of this world are the only ones they will ever experience, as a glorious future awaits them. This perspective encourages us to endure present struggles with hope. [01:53]
- The vision of heaven in Revelation 7 reveals a vast, redeemed community from every nation, standing before God in joy and victory. This reminds us that despite feeling alone or discouraged, we are part of a larger, victorious body of believers. [05:31]
- The people in heaven have been through tribulation but are now in a place of joy. Their cleansing comes not from suffering but from faith in Christ's sacrifice. This emphasizes the importance of coming to Christ for purification and salvation. [10:20]
- In heaven, believers will serve God without the limitations of fatigue or sin, experiencing ever-increasing joy as Christ leads them to new discoveries of His glory. This dynamic relationship with Christ ensures that heaven will never be boring or static. [28:55]
- All wounds will be healed in heaven, with God wiping away every tear and removing the source of pain. This promise provides comfort and hope, encouraging us to endure present trials with the assurance of ultimate healing and joy. [36:12]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:21] - Introduction to Heaven
- [01:01] - Middle Life Perspective
- [02:09] - Contrast of Life with and without Christ
- [03:20] - John's Vision of Heaven
- [04:56] - The Vast Multitude
- [06:19] - Joy and Victory in Heaven
- [09:29] - Tribulation and Suffering
- [12:17] - The Cleansing of the Saints
- [14:52] - Being at Home in Heaven
- [26:16] - Serving God in Heaven
- [29:10] - Ever-Increasing Joy
- [36:12] - Healing of All Wounds
- [38:48] - Encouragement to Endure
- [40:53] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Reality of Heaven
Bible Reading:
- Revelation 7:9-17
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Observation Questions:
1. What did John see in his vision of heaven according to Revelation 7, and how does this vision provide comfort to believers? [03:53]
2. How are the people in heaven described in terms of their appearance and actions? What do these descriptions symbolize? [06:19]
3. What role does the Lamb play in the vision of heaven, and how is this significant for understanding the nature of heaven? [07:23]
4. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the white robes and palm branches held by the multitude in heaven? [06:34]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of "middle life" as described in the sermon influence a believer's perspective on current struggles and future hope? [01:01]
2. In what ways does the vision of a vast, redeemed community from every nation challenge or encourage our understanding of the global church? [05:31]
3. What does the cleansing of the saints in heaven through the blood of the Lamb teach us about the nature of salvation and purification? [17:41]
4. How does the promise of God wiping away every tear in heaven provide comfort and hope for those enduring trials on earth? [36:12]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current struggles. How does the promise of a glorious future in heaven help you endure these challenges with hope? [01:53]
2. Have you ever felt alone in your faith journey? How does the vision of a vast, redeemed community in heaven encourage you to see yourself as part of a larger body of believers? [05:31]
3. What steps can you take to ensure that your faith in Christ's sacrifice is the foundation of your life, leading to purification and salvation? [10:20]
4. In what ways can you serve God more fully in your daily life, inspired by the promise of serving Him without limitations in heaven? [28:55]
5. Consider a wound or pain in your life. How can the promise of ultimate healing in heaven motivate you to seek comfort and healing in Christ now? [36:12]
6. How can you actively participate in the global mission of the church, knowing that heaven will be filled with people from every nation and language? [05:31]
7. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to experience the joy and new discoveries of God's glory. How can you pursue this in your relationship with Christ this week? [29:10]
Devotional
Day 1: Life as a Journey Toward Eternity
Our current life is a transitional phase, leading to either eternal joy or eternal suffering. For those in Christ, the pains of this world are the only ones they will ever experience, as a glorious future awaits them. This perspective encourages us to endure present struggles with hope. [01:53]
"For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come." (Hebrews 13:14, ESV)
Reflection: What is one struggle you are currently facing that you can view through the lens of eternity? How does this perspective change your approach to it today?
Day 2: The Global Community of Believers
The vision of heaven in Revelation 7 reveals a vast, redeemed community from every nation, standing before God in joy and victory. This reminds us that despite feeling alone or discouraged, we are part of a larger, victorious body of believers. [05:31]
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands." (Revelation 7:9, ESV)
Reflection: How can you connect with and support a fellow believer from a different background or culture this week, celebrating the diversity of God's kingdom?
Day 3: Cleansing Through Faith, Not Suffering
The people in heaven have been through tribulation but are now in a place of joy. Their cleansing comes not from suffering but from faith in Christ's sacrifice. This emphasizes the importance of coming to Christ for purification and salvation. [10:20]
"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." (Isaiah 1:18, ESV)
Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you are relying on your own efforts rather than Christ's sacrifice for cleansing? How can you shift your focus to faith in Him today?
Day 4: Serving God in Ever-Increasing Joy
In heaven, believers will serve God without the limitations of fatigue or sin, experiencing ever-increasing joy as Christ leads them to new discoveries of His glory. This dynamic relationship with Christ ensures that heaven will never be boring or static. [28:55]
"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16:11, ESV)
Reflection: What is one way you can serve God today that brings you joy and aligns with your gifts, even amidst earthly limitations?
Day 5: The Promise of Ultimate Healing
All wounds will be healed in heaven, with God wiping away every tear and removing the source of pain. This promise provides comfort and hope, encouraging us to endure present trials with the assurance of ultimate healing and joy. [36:12]
"He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken." (Isaiah 25:8, ESV)
Reflection: What is a specific hurt or wound you are carrying that you can bring to God today, trusting in His promise of ultimate healing?
Quotes
Your future life will not be as it is now think of it this way your life today is a kind of middle life that's what it is because all of us are on the way either to something that is infinitely better or we are on the way to something that is infinitely worse. [00:00:57]
For a person outside of Christ this life is as good as it's ever going to get but for a person who is in Christ uh your pain in this world is the only pain you will ever experience your struggles in this world are the only struggles you will ever endure this is as tough as it gets for you because your future is absolutely glorious. [00:01:48]
The Apostle John who penned this Revelation that was given to him was suffering in a brutal prison on an island called Patmos and on a particular Sunday he tells us that he was in the spirit that is God's spirit Came Upon him and the spirit of God gave to him this glorious glimpse of Heaven itself. [00:02:47]
He saw a great multitude after this I looked and behold a great multitude try and picture this now as John saw it a great multitude and it's so many that no one could number them and they come see their faces from every nation and from every tribe and from All Peoples and from all languages. [00:03:49]
This vast Multicultural crowd of people who've been redeemed by Christ through the gospel they are in the presence of Jesus and he sees something else he notices that they are clothed in white robes and they have palm branches in their hands so John is struck not only by how many they are but he's also struck by how clean they are. [00:06:09]
They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb now here's the second really important thing you need to know about people in heaven they are all people who needed to be washed every one of them they've washed their robes in other words all of them came to a place of knowing and understanding that they needed in some way shape or form to be washed. [00:15:00]
In heaven you will serve God as you always wished you could verse 15 they are Before the Throne of God and they serve him day and night in his Temple friends every Christian serves Christ but no Christian serves Christ as we would want to serve Christ none of us does every Christian knows what it is to worship but have you ever really worshiped as you would like to worship. [00:26:40]
In heaven, Christ will lead you into ever increasing Joy I'll try to take this in look at what it says verse 16 the lamb in the midst of the throne will be their Shepherd and he will guide them into Springs of Living Water now you may think well Heaven is a wonderful place where I'm going to discover all kinds of marvelous things. [00:29:06]
The great joy of heaven will be that the Lord Jesus himself will lead you into ever increasing Delight he'll lead you into it so what is being described here is not a static kind of experience but a living relationship and a life of ongoing new fresh Discovery that's why you can never be bored in heaven. [00:30:44]
In heaven lastly all your wounds will finally be healed verse 17 God will wipe away every tear from their eyes every tear notice that it's one word I underlined I you want to underline just about all the words in this passage every and literally what this says is every tear out of their eye as if not only were the tears being removed but the ducts as well. [00:36:06]
All that produces tears in this world as far as you are concerned the baggage that you carried and you sought to make progress by Faith through your life in this world but in some sense there was baggage that you carried and you never quite completely shook it off no baggage there it's gone. [00:36:45]
The Temptations that you battled you made progress sometimes you had great failures that caused you such disappointment no battles now the pain that you suffered the questions you fa fac John sees the glory of Heaven and the presence of Jesus and the glory of the new creation but like a drum beat alongside the description of that Glory you have in the scriptures this almost Relentless statement of what will not be there. [00:37:08]
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