1. Heaven A Common Conviction

2. What People Believe Nine out of ten people in the United States say they believe in heaven. “Every culture has wrestled with the question of an afterlife, and most have come to a similar conclusion: the bad end up in Hell, the good go to Heaven” 94% believe in God, 86% believe in heaven, 70% believe in hell

3. Other Cultures “Valhalla” : Battle all day, remade at sunset, feasting all night “Avalon”: The Fortunate Isle “Spirit Land”: The place of endless Spring and Summer The Muslim Heaven: Comfortable homes, silk couches, delights of food, wine and women

4. Common Theories Materialism: Nothing survives the death of the body. Death ends all for me. Seldom held before the 18 th century, materialism is now a strong minority view in industrialized nations. Paganism: A vague, shadowy semi-self or ghost survives and goes to the place of the dead, the dark, gloomy underworld.

5. Reincarnation: The soul survives and is reincarnated into another body. After the soul has fulfilled its destiny, learned it lessons and become sufficiently enlightened, it reverts to a divine status or is absorbed into the divine “all”. Pantheism: Death changes nothing, for what survives death is the same as what was real before death, all separateness, including our earthly body, time, and this world is an illusion.

6. What we can conclude All cultures sprang from Noah and his family (Genesis 10) Men and women are made in the image of God and have a spiritual yearning (Ecclesiastes 3:11) All can see that there is a God, we are accountable to Him and that there is an afterlife (Romans 1:20)

7. The Atheist’s Dilemma “Heaven doesn’t exist, hell doesn’t exist. I’m not happy about the fact----that’s the end of life” They do not like the idea of God—for that brings accountability and judgment Yet they do not like the idea that death is the final end

8. The underlying problem of Atheism is that it denies the glory of God which the heavens declare every day (Psalm 19:1), and it cannot by its very nature offer any hope.

9. Heaven in Our Image? Most cultures have invented “gods” who are in the image of men. And most cultures invented an afterlife that fit the personal likes or values of that culture The American Indians wanted a place of perpetual hunting, the Vikings of perpetual war and feastings, and the Muslims, unlimited wine, women and song

10. Is Heaven my favorite hobby? “Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven” (Matthew 6:20) “Glory and honor and immortality, eternal life” (Romans 2:7) “At home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8) “Where Christ is” (Colossians 3:1) “Be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23)

11. What is Missing? I find it significant that when the apostles or Jesus spoke of heaven, they did not stress unlimited recreation, earthly pleasures and so on. Rather, the entire stress was seeing God or Christ and being with them

12. Things or Him? “For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him” (Ecclesiastes 2:25) “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God” (Psalm 42:2)

13. The Eternal Amusement Park? Would actually become old and boring after a while We need to be grateful that God did not design heaven according to what men and women think would make them happy What makes life here rewarding is not the earthly pleasures—but the relationship with God

14. The Mistake Where heaven is presented as some sort of physical paradise where we can go about our business and avoid contact with God Physical pleasures cannot satisfy the soul— even when cleansed of all negative side effects

15. Heaven is better than….. Unlimited feasting Hunting and fishing all the time Perpetual glory in battle or sports Always doing your favorite earthly thing Solitude with your favorite book An eternally wonderful marriage

16. Prepared to Answer “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account (reason) for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15) How clear and accurate is our own conception of heaven? Or do we have a rather vague and fuzzy view of eternal life?

17. Matthew 8:10-12 A place of great joy, festivity, warmth A place with great company Far from being shadowy, cold, antiseptic or silent “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; in Thy right hand are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11)

18. Luke 14:16-19 “It reminds us that the things which make men deaf to the invitation of Christ are not necessarily bad things in themselves. One man went to his estate; the other to his business. It is very easy for a man to be so busy with the things of time that he forgets the things of eternity” God is trying to keep us from missing out!

19. Revelation 14:13 Heaven is comfortable (Luke 16:25) The “rest” of eternal life is not boredom or eternal inactivity There is a rest from toil, sorrow, pain, mental anguish, frustrating and pointless activity No more restless thoughts, no more anxiety

20. Matthew 25:21 “Well done, good and faithful slave— enter into the joy of your master” Heaven and being in the presence of God will not be an awkward existence for the faithful God wants us to be at ease and know we are welcome

21. The Company Matthew 8:11 Hebrews 11:38 Revelation 21:27 Matthew 25:41

22. The Possibilities “This means that the chief obstacle to progress will have been completely removed. Now it would seem to me that minds unobscured by sin will make better progress than minds obscured by sin” What will be the level of happiness, satisfaction and growth without sin getting in the way?