1

Everything I Wanted to Know about Heaven but was Afraid to Ask DR. ROGER BARRIER

S-Luke 16:19-31

JOKE: PINOCCHIO Peter getting ready for annual vacation. Jesus volunteers to sit in for him in the pearly gates. Peter: Just introduce yourself, get to know them and send them to the supply house for their wings and a

crown. On the third day a bewildered old man approached the registration desk where Jesus is working. “I am a simple carpenter. Once I had a son. Very special child unlike any other in whole world. Born in a

unique way. Went through an incredible transformation in his lifetime—even though he had holes in his hands and feet. Been gone a long time—His story is told all over the world.”

By this time Jesus is standing with His arms outstretched. Tears well up as he embraces the old man: “Dad?” Man squints: “Pinocchio?” •SLIDE #: Last Sunday, in our “Lessons from New Testament Personalities” series, we studied the story of

the Rich Man and Lazarus. The Rich Man had a lot to teach us about Hell. This morning we will see that Lazarus has a lot to teach us about Heaven.

•SLIDE #: READ AND TELL STORY OF LUKE 16:19-31. (they know each other; they are conscious; they remember previous lives in Heaven; own destiny Comfort versus pain •SLIDE #: WHAT IS “ETERNAL LIFE?” A relationship John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you

have sent.” Know Christ. Time in Heaven: stops at event horizon of a black hole Time could have run backwards just as easily as forwards 90 seconds to Heaven answering Daniel’s prayer. Angel dispatched at beginning of prayer takes 90 seconds

to read his prayer 15 MINUTE WIDOWS •SLIDE #: WHAT WILL WE DO EVERY DAY? WILL WE WORK IN HEAVEN? What picture of heaven did you grow up with? At times I’ve pictured each of us with little chubby angel

bodies and wings flying around with harps for eternity. A few times in my life well-meaning Sunday School teachers taught us that we better get used to singing

church songs because that’s what we are going to do forever in heaven. We are going to spend all of our time worshiping God

An eternal church service. Boring. Like the Far Side cartoon of this guy with angel’s wings on a cloud who has just gotten to heaven, and the

caption says, “I should have brought a magazine.”

2

Now I am a grown-up. As I’ve studied what the Bible says about heaven, I realize that heaven is not an eternal church service, with us floating around in diapers and a harp. It is anything but….

Most people, because we have a hard time imagining how work could possibly be part of heaven. We

connect heaven with no work, and our whole lives we spend preparing for retirement, the ultimate conclusion to our life where we don’t have to work and can do what we want to do. We may not expect to get angel’s wings when we get to heaven, but we expect to be handed Bermuda shorts, maybe a hammock so we can live out the rest of our days in eternal rest.

Matthew 25:23: 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you

in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' The reason we have difficult time thinking about work as a part of heaven is that we have never experienced

work apart from the curse. The Bible says that we have all been gifted by God uniquely, and that good work is when we use our gifts

and strengths. That is when work is compelling and fun. My guess is that what we are good at here, we will be really good at there, and will be able to express it without the curse, without frustration.

•SLIDE #: "WILL WE BE ABLE TO SEE AND KNOW OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

MEMBERS WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN?" Without a doubt. Many people say that the first thing they want to do when they arrive in heaven is see all their friends and

loved ones who have passed on before them. In eternity, there will be plenty of time to see, know, and spend time with our friends and family members.

In I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul comforted believers with the teaching that they would be reunited with them

in heaven. 1 Corinthians13:12: 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. I will one day be reunited with my Grandfather—face to face. We will recognize each other. Play basketball with great grandpa Ancestors from France: tax collectors and accountants during French Revolution One alive at signing of the Magna Charter in 1016. Farrell Ray and Gary Courtney •SLIDE #: CAN PEOPLE IN HEAVEN SEE US? Probably Not: Julie and I vehemently disagree on this point. Fifth Seal: Revelation 6:9: Martyrs under the altar in the present Heaven crying for God to bring justice and

destruction on those who martyred them and are still killing. The Bible does not specifically say whether or not people in heaven can look down on us who are still on the

earth. It is highly unlikely that they can. Why? First, they would sometimes see things that would cause them grief or pain, namely, acts of sin and evil. Second, people in heaven are so preoccupied with worshipping God and enjoying the glories of heaven that

it does not seem they would have significant interest in what is happening here on earth.

3

“Light and Momentary troubles” puts a perspective on our suffering. •SLIDE #: WHERE WILL WE LIVE IN HEAVEN? In the Father’s house are many mansions. Tacked onto the Father’s house. When we trust Christ we are given a lot in Heaven. That is the foundation. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15: talks about this judgment, “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver,

costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames (3:12-15).

Our actions on earth send up the materials we will use to build our house with. Matthew 6:19: Store up treasures in Heaven that will be there for you when you arrive. Send money on ahead so we will have resources to build and live with. Ground at foot of cross is level: But jobs, responsibilities and resources are not. PAVEMENT STORY: A man spent the first half of his life getting rich. Greatly distressed when heard he

could not bring it with him to Heaven Pleaded for exception. Finally God relented. “When you die you can take everything you can fit into an airline

overhead bag.” Spent the second half of his life accumulating gold, then he died. Approached the Pearly Gates dragging his suitcase, an angel said, ‘No one is allowed to bring anything into

Heaven.” “I received special permission from God. Angel surprised: asked Peter: “Yes, God OKed this bag.” Angel curious: Do you mind if I look inside?” “Not at all.” Angel peeked in and quickly looked up with an expression of bewilderment: sputtered: “Pavement?” •SLIDE #: WILL THERE BE MARRIAGE IN HEAVEN? Definitely Not! Matthew 22:24-30: Test—no marrying and giving in marriage in Heaven: like the angels. No gender Husband: “If I die first, will you remarry?” “Probably not. We’ve had such a good marriage. Wouldn’t want to spoil it. House? Bedroom? Sleep in same bed? Golf clubs. “Oh No! She’s left handed. This does not mean that a husband and wife will no longer know each other in heaven. This also does not

mean that a husband and wife could not still have a close relationship in heaven. What it does seem to indicate, though, is that a husband and wife will no longer be married in heaven.

Julie replace me with a dog •SLIDE #: WILL ANIMALS BE IN HEAVEN? WHAT ABOUT OUR PETS? Do you love your pets? So does Jesus Christ. He made them (Genesis 2:19-20).

4

Part of God’s first creation before sin included all sorts of animals. God valued the animals so much that he let Adam name each one.

Balaam’s donkey talked Snake talked to Eve. Get to Heaven: meet up with your old dog, Rex. Hug: “Why did you have to neuter me? Only some dogs go to heaven. Dogs like Golden Retrievers and Labs, and cocker spaniels. Some dogs don’t go to Heaven: dogs that bark excessively, dogs that can’t figure out how to be house

broken; dogs that weigh under 10 pounds. Animals that won’t be in heaven include hermit crabs and snakes and rats and cats. •SLIDE #: WHAT HAPPENS TO BABIES WHO ARE ABORTED / MISCARRIED / OR

HAVE DIED AT A VERY EARLY AGE? IS THERE AN AGE OF ACCOUNTABILITY? It’s clear that God has a special love for children. Matthew 18: 1-4, 10 •SLIDE #: WILL BOYS BE BOYS AND GIRLS BE GIRLS IN HEAVEN? There is nothing in the Bible that indicates people will lose or change their gender in heaven. They become "like the angels." However, this does not mean people are genderless. The masculine, not

neuter, pronoun is used many times to describe angels (and HE was like...HIS appearance was like, etc.). So there is no real indication that the angels are genderless beings.

In the book of Revelation (chapters 21-22), it seems that God is making things not just like they were in the Garden of Eden, but even better. Remember that gender is not bad--it is actually a good thing. God created Eve because Adam needed someone to complement him. Marriage (impossible without different genders), the model relationship between a man and a woman, is a picture of Christ and the church. The church is the bride and Christ is the groom (Ephesians 5:25-32).

There were 3 men who died and before God would let them into heaven, he gave them a chance to come

back as anything they wanted. The first guy said " I want to come back as myself, but 100 times smarter. So God made him 100 times

smarter. The second guy said "I want to be better than that guy, make me 1000 times smarter. So God made him

1000 times smarter. The last guy decided he would be the best. So he said "God, make me better than both of them, make me

1,000,000 times smarter. So God made him a woman!! •SLIDE #: WILL WE REMEMBER OUR EARTHLY LIVES WHEN WE ARE IN HEAVEN? Probably most of it; but probably not all of it. Our human spirit is eternal; it seems that the sinful parts of our lives will be cleansed from memory. Isaiah 65:16-17: wipe out bad memories and cleanse the rest.

5

The memories that will be cleansed are the ones that involve sin, pain, and sadness Revelation 2:14 declares, “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.”

•SLIDE #: "WHAT WILL WE LOOK LIKE IN HEAVEN?" 1 John 3:2: “When he appears we shall be like him.” Philippians 3:20-21: But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, [who] will

transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. And Jesus, after His resurrection, told them to touch Him and to watch Him eat, demonstrating that He was

not merely a spirit. Rather, it’s more likely that just as a natural body is fitted for this present life in our physical universe, the

spiritual body will be that which will best suits us for the eternal existence. Jesus’ resurrected body was capable of entering locked rooms at will (John 20:19). Our earthly body limits us

in ways (and/or dimensions) that our spiritual body will not. He ate food. He maintained his gender identity as a man. He wore clothes. In other ways, his new body was different. It took a while for people to recognize him. If you have heard the

story of the two on the road to Emmaus So, what do we learn about our heavenly bodies from Jesus? Well, in many ways there is continuity,

similarity. Jesus did have a physical body, that could be touched. Question: "What age will everyone be in Heaven?" The Bible does not specifically answer this question. Will babies and children who die still be babies /

children in Heaven? What about elderly people? Some have guessed that babies are given a resurrection body (1 Corinthians 15:35-49) that is “fast-

forwarded” to the “ideal age,” just as those who die at an old age are "re-wound" to the ideal age. This would indicate that there won’t be any children or elderly people in heaven.

What is the ideal age? Some guess 33 since that is approximately the age Jesus was when He died. First John 3:2 declares, "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

•SLIDE #: WHY WOULD I WANT TO GO THERE? Martin Luther. Heaven is boring No. Anything but boring. I know why I don’t want to go to Hell. But is the only reason to go to Heaven to keep from going to Hell? Participate with God in energizing His creation. Rule as Kings over nations and worlds advancing His

Kingdom If that is true, than some will complete their life work, their dreams, and be able to work on things that they

knew they would never be able to do on this planet. It is hard to even imagine that kinds of things that will be invented, works of art created, and new discoveries

that will take place. Building model airplanes Loved ones rejoice! Ambiance. Paradise means “Park.”

6

No more sickness, sorrow, tears Enter into the joy of the masters happiness. The Master: Unquestionably: Begins when we first meet Jesus and come under the influence of His kingdom and ends

with us singing His praises and bowing to His Lordship. Revelation 5:11-14 Philippians 2:9-11 •SLIDE #: WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP THE KINGDOM OF GOD COME ON THE EARTH? God is not waiting to break the curse. He is doing it even as we speak. •SLIDE #: No more broken relationships No more broken planet No more broken people No more broken relationships with God No more broken bodies Kingdom of God is any where the influence and presence of Jesus is felt and enjoyed. •SLIDE #: HOW CAN I BE SURE I AM GOING THERE? Stunning news: King died in his sleep. “Where has he gone?” asked a shrewd advisor.” “Why, to Heaven.” “No,” said the shrewd advisor. I served the king for many years. He loved to travel and would talk about his

trips extensively. Every detail was planned and anticipated. But, I never heard him say a word about travelling to Heaven. This was one trip for which he made no preparation. I am most sure that he has not gone to Heaven.”

John 3:16 says For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life. Who will be in heaven? Everyone who believes that Jesus Christ died to take away the penalty of their sin

and trust in Him as their Savior. It is through faith alone that you can know you will be in heaven with God, your creator.

TWO QUESTIONS •SLIDE #: WHAT IS THE FIRST THING I WILL SEE WHEN I DIE? Light at end of the tunnel Jesus John 14:6 Joy Wallace, an Anglican priest in London tells a story about a woman in her church who went through a

serious surgery. Since she was so old, no one expected her to survive. Fortunately she survived. AS she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the blurred image of her doctor dressed in his white

Doctor’s jacket. She smiled and said, “Hello, God.”