HOW BEAUTIFUL HEAVEN MUST BE! (Rev. 21:1-8) (By Ron Halbrook)

I. THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN Rev. 21:1-8 A. Vs. 1 New Dwelling Place “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.” “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”  Heaven: God’s Present Dwelling Place, Man’s Future Dwelling Place (1 Pet. 1:4-5; 2 Pet. 3:13)

I. THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN Rev. 21:1-8 B. Vs. 2 Jerusalem: City of God, Place of Worship Place of Worship “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”  Heaven Filled With Praises to God (Rev. 5:9-13)  Heaven’s Beauty & Splendor “As A Bride”

I. THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN Rev. 21:1-8 C. Vs. 3 Dwell in Fellowship With God “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”  Enter God’s Tent, Share Blessings of His Family

I. THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN Rev. 21:1-8 D. Vs. 4 No Suffering “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”  Sin Brought Suffering & Death (Gen. 2:16-17)  Spiritual & Physical Death (Gen. 3:8, 24)  All Forms of Sin, Suffering, & Death “Passed Away”

I. THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN Rev. 21:1-8 E. Vs. 5 New Order Prepared by God, Promise True! “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.”  God Not False, Fickle, Forgetful (Num. 23:19; Tit. 1:2; 2 Pet. 3:9)  Hope Anchored in Promise of God & Victory of Christ (Heb. 6:17-20)

I. THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN Rev. 21:1-8 F. Vs. 6 Eternal Life “And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”  God’s Purpose Complete, Certain, Final  Alpha, God Always Has Been: Points to Origin of All Things  Omega, God Always Will Be: Points to Completion of All Things  Offers Eternal Life to All Who Will Receive

I. THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN Rev. 21:1-8 G. Vs. 7 For God’s Prepared People “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”  Preparation: Stand for Truth & Right at All Costs, Against All Odds  Only Prepared People Enter God’s Heavenly Family & Home

I. THE BEAUTY OF HEAVEN Rev. 21:1-8 H. Vs. 8 Hell’s Horror Vs Heaven’s Blessing “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”  Satan’s Dwelling Place  Cries of Anguish  Fellowship With Satan & Every Sinner  No Rest from Suffering  Inconceivable Punishment  Eternal Torment  For Weak, Wicked in Character

II. CHRIST SHOWS THE WAY TO HEAVEN A. Jn. 14:1-6 Christ: Only Way, Truth, Life B. Heb. 9:8; 10:19-20 His Death Opened the Way to Heaven C. 1 Cor. 15:23-26 Deliver His Kingdom to Heaven

III. MUST FIND & ENTER HIS KINGDOM A. Christ Proclaimed Kingdom Near  Matt. 4:17; 5:3 “At Hand”— Prepared Men to Receive It  Matt. 16:18-19 To Be Established Through Apostles’ Preaching  Mk. 9:1 People of His Time to See It  Matt. 28:18-20 Apostles to Proclaim Him as King

III. MUST FIND & ENTER HIS KINGDOM B. Kingdom Established In Jerusalem on Pentecost A.D. 33 on Pentecost A.D. 33  Acts 1:3-8 Apostles Wait in Jerusalem  Acts 2:30, 36 Preached Christ on His Throne  Acts 2:37-38 How to Submit to King Christ, Enter His Kingdom  Acts 2:41, 47 Many Entered His Kingdom

III. MUST FIND & ENTER HIS KINGDOM C. Contrast His Kingdom & Others  KINGDOM OF CHRIST  Christ: Founder, Head  Introduced by Preaching of His Apostles  Founded in Jerusalem  A.D. 33  Enter by Faith: Repent, Confess Christ, Baptized  OTHER RELIGIONS  Wrong Founder, Head  Introduced by Wrong Doctrines & Commandments  Founded Wrong Place  Wrong Time  Wrong Entrance: Baptism Only Faith Only

IF YOU DIE TODAY, WHERE IS YOUR DESTINY?  BEAUTY OF HEAVEN with God Forever  HORROR OF HELL with Satan Forever