Here are the songs we sang this Sunday. This shows the song name, the artist who performed the song, and the cd that contains the song. Holy, Holy The Livingstone Collective Portrait of Worship I Will Sing of My Redeemer Travis Cottrell Jesus Saves (Live) Child of God Vineyard Music Hungry Amazed(Featuring Jared Anderson) Various Artists Arise: A Celebration of Worship I Will Offer Up My Life - Matt Redman Blessed Be Your Name
A. The need for it the period between our death and the Second Coming of Christ 2 Cor 5:8, NLT Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord, 1 Cor 15:42, 44, 52, 53, NLT Our earthly bodies will be raised as spiritual bodies in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown when our mortal bodies have been transformed into immortal bodies
B. The conditions of life in that time 1. The state of our loved ones are they aware of and watching us? Heb 12:1, NIV Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
B. The conditions of life in that time 2. Our state during that time do we remember our lives on earth? Rev 6:9, NIV When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain They called out in a loud voice, How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood? Luke 23:43 Today you will be with me in Paradise
C. The form we will have at that time a spirit form rather than a physical body (our soul in heaven, our mortal body in the grave) Heb 12:23, NIV You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect
A. A new creation, a perfect world where sin and death have been obliterated Rom 8:20-21, NLT Against its will, all creation was subjected to God s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God s children in glorious freedom from death and decay
B. The first possibility: a renovated and transformed earth Acts 3:21, NLT For (Jesus) must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets Heb 1:11-12, NIV (The heavens) will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed
C. The likely possibility: a renewed or brand new heaven and earth as a single entity Heb 12:26-27, NIV Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. The words once more indicate the removing of what can be shaken that is, created things so that what cannot be shaken may remain 2 Pet 3:12-13, NLT On that day he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised Rev 21:1, NIV Then I saw a new heaven and new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared
A. What will we be? 1. Our glorified bodies 1 Cor 15:42, 44, ESV So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. 1 John 3:2, NIV Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is
A. What will we be? 2. Our absolutely perfect bodies we will see and hear and touch and feel Rev 21:4, NIV 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
A. What will we be? 3. We may very well enjoy meals in heaven Matt 8:11, NLT And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 22:29-30, NLT And just as my Father has granted me a kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom
A. What will we be? 3. We may very well enjoy meals in heaven Gen 2:9, 16, NIV The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. You are free to eat from any tree in the garden. Rev 22:2, NIV On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month
A. What will we be? 4. Animals in heaven Gen 2:19, NIV Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name Isa 6:9-11, ESV The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
B. What will we do? It will not be boring!! 1. Our primary activity will be worship enjoying and serving the triune God a. We will join the angels in being the priests of heaven Rev 7:15, NIV (The saints) are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple Rev 20:6, NIV Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection they will be priests of God and of Christ
B. What will we do? It will not be boring!! 1. Our primary activity will be worship enjoying and serving the triune God b. We will praise and glorify God constantly as we enjoy His presence Rev 5:13, ESV And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! Rev 19:6-7, ESV Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude crying out, Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory
B. What will we do? It will not be boring!! 2. We will rule with Christ Rev 1:6, 5:10, NIV He has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father Rev 20:4, NIV (The resurrected saints) will reign with him for a thousand years Rev 22:5, NIV And they will reign forever and ever
B. What will we do? It will not be boring!! 3. Everything that brings us joy now will be ours in heaven, but indescribably more everything we can t do now and don t have will be ours. a. Enjoy the rewards we receive for what we have done in this life b. Better and more interesting work c. More fun arts and entertainment d. Better parties/fellowship with God, the angels, and the saints of all history
A. Our primary relationship is with the Triune Godhead Ps 73:25, ESV Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire but you B. Yet Adam needed a companion in the Garden of Eden, and God never meant His created people to be alone Gen 2:18, NLT It is not good for the man to be alone
C. We will know and join our loved ones and friends in heaven 1. Some think we will remember nothing/no one from this earthly life Isa 65:17, NIV See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind
C. We will know and join our loved ones and friends in heaven 2. Yet too many passages do speak of knowing relationships with past loved ones 1 Thess 4:14, 17, NLT God will bring back with Jesus the believers who have died Then, together with them we who are still alive will be caught up in the clouds to meet them in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever 3. We will recognize each other in the same way the disciples recognized the resurrected Jesus during the appearances we will be like him (1 John 3:2)
D. There will be no marriage in heaven 1. No one will be married or have children Matt 22:30, NIV At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage 2. But we will all be the bride of Christ and be closer to each other than husbands/wives are now we will begin with the wedding feast of the Lamb and throughout eternity will be the bride of Yahweh/Christ (Rev 21:2, 9; 22:17)