Inhabitants of Heaven Revelation 7:9-10

Family PIC

“Most of us find it very difficult to want “Heaven” at all, except in so far as “Heaven” means meeting again our friends who have died…

…One reason for this difficulty is that we have not been trained: our whole education tends to fix our minds on this world. Another reason is that when the real want for Heaven is present in us, we do not recognize it.” C.S. Lewis

And they (the creatures and the elders before the Lamb) sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” Revelation 5:9-10

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-10

God’s love for the nations "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt 28:18-20

God’s love for the nations And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. Mark 16:15

God’s love for the nations “…You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

God wants Us involved! His Word

God wants Us involved! His Word His Great Commission

God wants Us involved! His Word His Great Commission –His authority and presence go with us

God wants Us involved! His Word His Great Commission His glory

God wants Us involved! His Word His Great Commission His glory –His glory is magnified as He uses us - because He does not need us

“God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshippers for himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts, and join His global purpose.” Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad

“…the church is bound to engage with the Lord of Glory in His cause. It is our unspeakable privilege to be caught up with Him in the greatest movement in history – the ingathering of the elect ‘from all tribes and tongues and peoples and nations’” John Piper Let the Nations Be Glad, p. 223