Heaven s Ultimate Reward Grade Levels: 1, 2 Objective: To portray heaven as a real and beautiful place, where Jesus wants to take us when He comes again. In This Lesson Plan: Audio Story: The First Vision (11:23 minutes) - Summary (for teacher) - Introduction (to read to students before playing the audio) - Discussion questions (after playing the audio) Story Time: A Glimpse of Heaven (read to the students) - Discussion questions - Class activity - Worksheets (2) + Teacher s KEYS Class Project Ellen G. White Quotes DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (after playing the audio) 1. Why do you think God gave Ellen White the vision about heaven? 2. What are some possible reasons that people get discouraged on their way to heaven? 3. How many days did it take to get to heaven? What do you think the people saw on the way there? 4. How would you feel if Jesus placed a crown on your head? What would you say to Him? AUDIO STORY The First Vision (11:23 minutes) SUMMARY (for teacher): A few weeks after the Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844, Ellen White joined some friends for morning worship. While they prayed, Ellen White was given a vision. There was a long path with a bright city in the distance. Then she saw Jesus and the angels coming on the clouds. The dead in Christ were resurrected. God s people ascended to heaven where Jesus placed crowns on their heads and gave them harps of gold. They marched over the Sea of Glass to the glittering gate and entered the Holy City. INTRODUCTION (to read to students before playing the audio): Have you ever tried to imagine Jesus second coming? Have you ever wondered what heaven will be like? Ellen White was shown a glimpse of heaven through a vision. It was so beautiful and bright that when she came out of her 1
vision, she commented on how dark it was, even though it was daytime. Would you like to know what she saw? And what was it like to meet Jesus face to face? DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (after reading the story) 1. What do you think it ll be like when Jesus comes again? 2. Is there someone special you d like to see again? 3. What do you think you ll like best about Heaven? 4. Where is the Tree of Life mentioned in the Bible? 5. Can you imagine Jesus serving your meal? What would you say to Him? CLASS ACTIVITY According to Revelation 21:19, 20, the twelve foundation stones of the city walls include the following jewels: jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst. Find pictures of these precious stones in an encyclopedia or online, and bring them to class. Or if you know someone who collects precious stones or a jeweler who has access to them, invite him/her to come and show them to the students. WORKSHEETS A Peace of Heaven (Recognition Puzzle) Directions: Circle the pictures of what you might see in heaven. Draw an X through the pictures of what you won t find in heaven. Answer: Circled Angel, Jesus, Friends, Mansion, Healthful food X-d Boy Crying, Flooded house, Army Tank, Kids fighting STORY TIME A Glimpse of Heaven Would you like to hear about my first vision? It was certainly very exciting! I was just 17 then, only a teenager, but I really loved Jesus and wanted to do His will. The day I had the vision I was having morning worship with some ladies. As we prayed, I felt God s presence surrounding me, and before I knew it, I felt as if I were rising up, up, up right out of the house, out of the United States, and clear out of the world. It was kind of like a dream, but much more real. In the vision, God showed me a glimpse of what it would be like in heaven. It all started with a little black cloud in the eastern sky. Somehow we all knew it was Jesus coming. As the cloud drew closer, we saw a huge rainbow arched across the top, and the bottom of the cloud looked like fire and flames. Ten thousand angels hovered around the cloud singing a beautiful song. In the center of the cloud sat Jesus. His hair was white, and it curled down to His shoulders. Many crowns rested on His head. His feet looked like fire, and His right hand held a sharp, curved sickle the kind pioneer farmers used to cut wheat. His left hand held a silver trumpet, and His eyes oh, how can I tell you about His eyes? They looked right through us, knowing everything about us. Suddenly we felt unworthy as we remembered all the bad things we had done. Our faces turned white, and we cried out, Who can stand before you? Are we good enough? The angels hushed their singing and a terrible silence hung in the air. Through that awful silence we felt Jesus loving eyes looking at us and heard His voice answer, My grace is sufficient for you. Then we knew that although we were not good enough, He was covering us with His goodness. How glad we were! Jesus had erased our sins as He had promised, and we were free! We were saved! The angels burst out singing more joyfully than ever, and the 2
My New Home (Rebus) Directions: See if you can figure out the following message about what Jesus is doing for you and me. The pictures and letters help you sound out the words, but you will have to spell them out correctly. Answer: Jesus is preparing a beautiful home for you and me. (Students may need help with the correct spelling.) CLASS PROJECT Create a bulletin board on heaven by having each student draw a picture of heaven using some of the descriptions they heard in the story. You could also have them include an animal that they d like to have as a pet in heaven. Place the pictures on the bulletin board with the words: I ll see you in heaven or Let s meet by the Tree of Life. cloud began moving toward earth again. Jesus lifted His silver trumpet and blew it hard. Then He shouted toward the earth, Awake! Awake! Awake! Ye that sleep in the dust arise! Suddenly the whole earth shook and graves cracked open. Those who had died loving Jesus began to come out of their caskets. Their bodies were perfect and well. People who had lost arms and legs were astonished to find them back again. Old ladies looked young. Wrinkled skin smoothed out. Praises to Jesus filled the air! We entered the big white cloud and began moving through space toward the Holy City. We traveled for seven days, passing various planets that we used to know as stars when we were on earth. During the trip, we spent our first Sabbath together. Jesus was the speaker. What a great Sabbath that was! Just outside of heaven we stopped to stand on a sea of glass. Jesus placed crowns on our heads. The crowns were covered with stars one for each person the owner had won to Christ. He also gave us palm branches to wave as we entered the city and golden harps, which we all knew how to play. Wearing our pure white robes, we made a beautiful sight marching across the glass sea to the city gate. When we reached it, Jesus took hold of the gate made of a single huge pearl and swung it back on its hinges declaring, You have washed your robes in My blood and stood for My truth. Enter in! What was heaven like? I can t begin to tell you all of it. I know that I saw more gold than I d ever imagined there could be. The first thing we saw was God s throne. It was a glorious golden throne which had a lovely clear stream of water pouring right out from under it. The water flowed into a shining river lined with trees. One tree was quite different from the rest. It had two trunks, one on each side of the river, yet it was all one tree, for the branches grew together at the top. Both trunks were golden and you could see through them like glass. The tree was loaded with fruit I d never seen before. The fruit looked delicious, all gold and silvery. Then Jesus led us back down to earth again. He stood on top of a huge mountain that flattened under His feet into a big wide plain. Suddenly we saw something in the sky. To our 3
amazement, the Celestial City was coming down the whole city with its four walls of many-colored precious stones, its twelve pearly gates, and the special angels guarding the gates. As soon as the Celestial City landed on the big, flat plain, we began to look around. We saw silver houses on the plain, each held up by four silver pillars set with pearls. These were to be our homes! As I watched, some people went into their homes, took off their crowns and put them on a golden shelf inside the doors. They then went out into the garden, but I can t explain what they were doing. It wasn t digging and weeding as we do here. No, it was much different, and no one stopped to stretch his back or wipe his forehead. Whatever the work was, it was fun to do and the people didn t get tired. Nearby I saw a field of flowers. I ran to pick them and then stopped, realizing that they would never die. They ll never fade! I cried. Oh praise God for that! The flowers were perfect, the way God had first made them. No bugs, no thorns, no dead petals. Next I saw a field of bright green grass with silver and gold reflections. A lion, a lamb, a leopard, and a wolf were lying peacefully together on the field. When we passed them, they got up and began to follow us, but I wasn t afraid. I knew they were tame and would never hurt anything. After walking through some woods not dark woods as we have here on Earth we reached the temple sparkling in the light. It stood on seven see-through glass pillars decorated with huge white pearls. Inside we found our own names written on stone tablets. I wish I had heaven s language to tell you all we saw in the temple. Our language just doesn t have words to describe some things. When we finally came out of the temple, Jesus left us and returned to His city. Soon we heard Him calling across the fields, Come, My people. Come to supper. You ve suffered for Me and done My will. Now I Myself will serve you. Hurrying back to the city, we passed through the gates and stopped to stare at a table miles and miles long. Our eyes were so strong now that we could see the other end of it. On the table were fruits from the lovely two-trunked Tree of Life, manna (like the children of Israel ate in the wilderness), almonds, figs, pomegranates, grapes, apples, and many other kinds of fruit. I could hardly wait to sit down, but when I 4
asked Jesus if I could have some fruit, He answered kindly, No, not now, Ellen. Those who eat this fruit will never go back to earth again. You must go back and tell others what you have seen and encourage them. In a little while, if you are faithful, you shall eat this fruit and drink the water from heaven s fountain. ELLEN G. WHITE QUOTES The most exalted language fails to describe the glory of heaven or the matchless depths of a Savior s love. Early Writings, p. 289 We lose much by not talking more of Jesus and of heaven, the saints inheritance. The more we contemplate heavenly things, the more new delights we shall see, and the more will our hearts be brimful of thanks to our beneficent Creator. The Faith I Live By, p. 236 The conflict is over. Tribulation and strife are at an end. Songs of victory fill all heaven as the ransomed ones take up the joyful strain, Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and lives again, a triumphant conqueror. The Acts of the Apostles, p. 602 To dwell forever in this home of the blest, to bear in soul, body, and spirit, not the dark traces of sin and curse, but the perfect likeness of our Creator, and through ceaseless ages to advance in wisdom, in knowledge, and in holiness,... ever increasing in capacity to know and to enjoy and to love, and knowing that there is still beyond us joy and love and wisdom infinite such is the object to which the Christian s hope is pointing. Maranatha, p. 324 If we could have but one view of the celestial city, we would never wish to dwell on earth again. Maranatha, p. 355 Even in this life we may catch glimpses of His presence and may taste the joy of communion with Heaven, but the fullness of its joy and blessing will be reached in the hereafter. Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 602 5