Adrian Rogers - A Guided Tour Through Heaven
Be finding Revelation chapter 21. We're making our way now through to the end of the book. And today we're taking a guided tour through Heaven. Many of you have visited Yosemite, one of the most magnificent natural parks in all of America and really in all of the world. And a woman, I'm told, visited Yosemite, and she came up to one of the guides, and this is what she said. She said, "If you only had one hour to see Yosemite, what would you do"? He said, "Madam, if I only had one hour to see Yosemite, I would go over and sit down on that rock and cry for an hour, if I only had one hour to see it". Now we have just a few moments to take a guided tour through the place called Heaven. And maybe we ought to just sit and cry rather than listen to the preacher, but don't do it. We're going to think today about Heaven.
Now our guide is going to be an angel. Look if you will in Revelation 21 verses 9 and 10, "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, 'Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.' And he carried me away in the spirit into a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God". And so the guide said to John, "John, I'm going to give you a guided tour through Heaven," and he did. And so we're going to just eavesdrop and trail along on this guided tour. You know sometimes people make fun of us for believing in Heaven. They talk about, "Pie in the sky when we die".
Well, I like pie. I'm having the main course down here, but I'm looking forward to the dessert. I'm looking forward to going to Heaven. Now some people just sneer and they say, "Well, you Christians are so heavenly minded you're no earthly good". May I suggest that it's just the opposite? Many of us are so earthly minded we're no good to Heaven or Earth. And the Bible says this, and put in your margin Colossians 3 verses 1 and 2, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things of the earth".
We are to be heavenly minded. And what did Jesus tell us in Matthew chapter 6 and verses 20 and 21, "But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:" now listen to this, "for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also". If your heart is not in Heaven it's because your treasure is down here. And may I say it is not your treasure that God wants. God doesn't need anything. It is your heart that God wants. So where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
And by the way, if you want to know how rich you are, you add up everything you have that money can't buy and that death can't take away. What treasure do you really have in Heaven? Now as we take this guided tour through Heaven, I want to remind you that the book of the Revelation is crammed with symbols. It is full of symbolism. And so, as we look, many of the things that we see are symbols and prophecies of the greater glories of Heaven that the human mind cannot comprehend unless God puts it in symbols. If you were to try to teach a child about nuclear physics, I'm talking about a five or six-year-old, about nuclear physics, you would have to use analogies. You'd have use illustrations and things that perhaps the child could understand in the little way, because he's a little child. We are like children.
And friend, when we talk about Heaven, there's no way that we're going to intellectually understand it all, so God has condescended to our weakness and given us some glorious symbols. So first of all, as we take our guided tour, I want us to see the geography of Heaven, the geography of Heaven, and learn that Heaven is a material place. Now when I say a material place, I mean it is a place, P-L-A-C-E; it is real. It is not some gaseous, mysterious, ephemeral, now-you-see-it, now-you-don't, smoke and mirrors. Heaven is a place, a real place. Now you say, "Pastor, why do you say that so firmly"? Because friend, we need to understand the reality of Heaven.
Look if you will in the first two verses now, Revelation chapter 21 verses 1 and 2. John said, "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 John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband". Now what John is seeing here is a new Heaven and a new Earth. And it corresponds to the Heaven and the Earth that you and I now see today. Heaven is a real place. What did Jesus say in John chapter 14 verse 2? "I go to prepare a," what? "A place for you". He didn't say, "I go to prepare a state of mind". "I go to prepare a place for you".
Now you think about it. We're going to have resurrected bodies. There is a real, literal resurrection of the body. The body is coming out of the grave. Where's it going to go? There has to be a place for that. If I have a resurrected body, I have to have a resurrected place to walk around on. You say, "Pastor Rogers, you're too materialistic". No, no, I'm not talking about materialism; I'm talking about reality. The Bible says, and put this verse down, Hebrews chapter 11 verses 9 and 10, speaking of Abraham, "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, and heirs with him of the same promise".
That is, old Abraham never built him a house out of stone or brick or mortar. He lived in tents. And the Bible tells us why, "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God". The Apostle Paul one time took a sojourn to Heaven. He took a trip to Heaven while he was still in the ministry here on this earth. And he describes it. Put this verse down: Second Corinthians 12 verses 2 and 3. He said, "I knew a man in Christ," now he's speaking of himself in the third person; he said, "I knew a man in Christ about fourteen years ago," now listen to this next phrase, "whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell".
Paul said, "I don't know when this thing happened to me whether I was still in my body or whether I'd left my body and gone up there". "I cannot tell: God knoweth, such a one caught up to the third Heaven. And I knew such a man, whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth". Now what is Paul saying? Paul said, "Look I was caught up to the third Heaven. Whether I was in this body or in my spirit I don't know". What does that tell me? It tells me you can go to Heaven in your spirit or you can go to Heaven with a body. Now, Jesus is there in a resurrected body. What happened to His body when He walked out of that grave? They saw Him, they touched Him, they felt Him. Where did He go? He went to a place, a place. Heaven is real. It is more real than Memphis, Tennessee. If you have a loved one in Heaven, they are in a real place. This is the geography of Heaven.
Now the Bible calls it, "New Heavens and a new Earth" because this present Earth and this present atmosphere are going to be burned up. Put in your margin Second Peter chapter 3 verses 10 through 13, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat". The Greek word literally is internal or fever heat. "The Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved," unloosed, "what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new Heavens and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness".
Now what is God going to do with planet Earth? Planet Earth is destined for fire. It is stored with fire. The word here, "reserved under fire," literally means, the Greek word literally, "stored with fire". And you know that is true. Now we know about the atomic nature of the universe. We know that everything has molecular fire in it. This pulpit is stored with fire. This paper is stored with fire. These clothes are stored with fire. This carpet is stored with fire. The seat that you're on is stored with fire. Everything is packed with fire! And even our Earth itself has a molten core very much like the shell of an egg, packed with fire. And the atmosphere, all of that is stored with fire. And one of these days God will unleash the power of the atom that He holds together by His mighty power. And the entire atmosphere, the atmospheric Heavens and this Earth are going to be dissolved and burned up, but they will still remain.
Now you say, "Wait a minute Pastor". No, when God made this earth, He gave it an eternality. Now don't check me out. What happens is this; God is going to take it and there's going to be a great meltdown. And He's going to take that material and make with it new Heavens and a new Earth. It is the same thing when that old automobile goes into the junkyard and they squeeze it and bring it down and compact it and put it in the furnace and out comes a new automobile. That new automobile you're driving may be part of an old automobile that's just been through the furnace and been through the fire. The word new here is the word kainous. It's the same word that is used when Paul speaks to the Corinthians in Second Corinthians 5 verse 17, and he says, "If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature".
Well, I'm the old Adrian made new. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature". Now the old man did not dissappear, was not evaporated, but I am transformed, I have been purged by the blood of Jesus Christ. The old world, the old Heaven's going to be purged by fire and it's going to be new Heavens and a new Earth. All right. Now why does the Bible call this, and by the way, when we're taking a tour through Heaven, we're only going to be able to see the capital city. I mean, folks, we've just got a short time for our tour. And so we're going to see the new Jerusalem. And the Bible speaks of the new Jerusalem as coming down from God out of Heaven as a bride adorned for her husband. And then again the angel in our Scripture, Revelation 21 verse 9 and 10, said, "I will show you the Lamb's wife". And then he shows the new Jerusalem.
Now you say, "Now wait a minute. Is the Lord married to a city"? What's he talking about here? Well, when you talk of a city, you could talk of the place or the people. Let me give you an example. I might say, "Memphis is a beautiful city". And it is. But I might say, "Memphis is a wicked city". And it is. See? Now, one time I'm talking about the place, another time I'm talking about the people. That's what God is doing here in the book of the Revelation. But put it down now. We're talking about Heaven, and we're talking about the geography of Heaven, and we're saying that Heaven is a material place. We'll be there in resurrected bodies, and friend we will walk around, and there has to be a place for your resurrected foot to stand. Abraham looked for a city that had foundations whose builder and maker is God.
Now here's the second thing I want you to see. Not only the geography of Heaven, but I want you to see the government of Heaven; Heaven is a majestic place. Why? Because God will rule in majesty there. Look if you will now in Revelation 21 beginning in verse 3 to verse 8, "And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men.'" Now in the Old Testament God dwelt in a tabernacle, in a tent, but now the dwelling place is with men, "and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them," Bul, think of that. No longer do we pray, "Our Father which art in Heaven". God said, "I'm right here with you".
"And God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And 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 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.' And He saith unto me, 'It is done. I am Alpha and Omega,'" that's the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet. To us it would be, "I am A and Z," "the beginning and the end, and I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. 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".
Who is saying this? Jesus. And you say, well, a preacher is "a fire and brimstone preacher". Don't say that with a sneer, because you're talking about Jesus. These are the words of Jesus, talking about fire and brimstone. Now why is Heaven such a majestic place? Because the King rules there in majesty. God is dwelling with His people and we need to learn some things about Heaven therefore. When the Lord rules in majesty there are some "no mores". For example, there's going to be no more sorrow. Look if you will in Revelation 21 verse 4 here, "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be do more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away".
I'm looking forward to that. I've been so heartbroken many times to stand by the open grave. I've been so many times in the hospital to watch people writhe in pain. I've been so many times to see mothers cry over wayward children. I've seen those tears. And friend that's a part of the ministry. In the ministry you see the best. And sometimes you see the worst. And over and over and over again, I have seen it. Day after day, week after week, the news comes in. There are tears. There're tears. A philosopher said that, "Man is the only creature when he is born he can do nothing for himself except cry".
Seems like we're born crying, we live crying, we die crying. But there's coming a time when God is going to turn every tear to a telescope, every hurt to a hallelujah, every Calvary to an Easter. There'll be no more tears, there'll be no more sighing, there'll be no more crying, there'll be no more dying, there'll be no more funerals, there'll be no more death, there'll be no more disease. These things are gone. And I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to it. There'll be no more sorrow. And I tell you why there'll be no more sorrow: because there'll be no more sin. Look in Revelation 21 verse 8, "But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcereres, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death".
Skip, go on down to Revelation 21 verse 27. God is speaking about this city and He says, "There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh an abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life". Now you know what has messed up planet Earth? Sin. Sin. Everytime you see any sorrow, everytime you see any tear, any heartbreak, any sickness, any pain, behind it all ultimately is sin. Now I'm not saying your personal sin, if you're sick. It may be true, that may not be true. But I'm saying we live in a world that has a curse on it and it is the curse of sin.
I was telling some people about when our little boy Philip died, one of those mysterious crib deaths, Joyce and I sorrowed, turned to the Lord, gave our hearts to the Lord, renewed our hearts and our devotion to the Lord because we needed Him so much. And I had been visiting in the hospital an old curmudgeon, an old man, he was very cynical. He seemed to hate God and didn't care for the things of God. And I'd been trying to win this man to Christ. He was a man, not a member of our church. I didn't know him. Nobody gave me his name. I just saw him and walked up to him, began to witness to him. And day after day as I was in the hospital I'd go in and see this man.
Somehow he'd learned that our baby had died. And I went back in the hospital after we had had the funeral, and he saw me. Said, "What're you doing here"? I said, "I came to see you". He said, "Are you still serving God after what He did to you"? I said, "Let me tell you something, mister, I'm not bitter at God. You know who I'm bitter at? I'm bitter at Satan. Satan has a greater enemy today than he has ever had in me. Because I know behind all sickness, all sorrow, all pain, all suffering, all death, is sin"! And God says, "In My Heaven, no more of that! You're not coming in here. You're not going to get in here. You're not going to ruin My Heaven". Because the King rules in majesty.
Now I want you to see not only the geography of Heaven and the government of Heaven, but I want you to see, friend, the glory of Heaven. Oh, I wish we had more time for our tour. But look now in Revelation 21 beginning in verse 9 through 21, "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials," or bowls, "full of the seven last plagues, which talked with me, saying, 'Come hither, and I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.' And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem," by the way, this is only the capital city of Heaven, "the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God, having the glory of God. And her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone".
Exegetes believe this is a diamond he's talking about, "clear as crystal; and had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the chidren of Israel: and on the east three gates; and on the north three gates; and on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he talked with me, and he that talked with me had a golden reed," or rod, "to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare". It's just as, this way, this way, and this way, it's all the same.
"And the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper, the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, a chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus, the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass".
Now folks, what God has done now has just gone through the lexicons of the world and taken the things that we say are indescribably beautiful and used them as a symbol, I believe, and a prophecy of the greater glories of Heaven. Now, I want you to think of some things with the letter "s". First of all, think of the source of the city. It comes down from God. You can read that it descends from Heaven in Revelation 21 verses 9 and 10. That means that it's already up there. It's already a place and that's where, for example, the resurrected dead that were resurrected with Jesus after His resurrection, the firstfruits, they're already there. So, it is a place, already there. And now, it comes down out of Heaven. This is the source of the place. Remember what Jesus said in John 14 verse 2, "I go to prepare a place for you". Well, that place is prepared. And now the source of the city is that it comes down from Heaven.
I want you to notice the sights of the city. It shines with the very glory of God. You don't need the moon. You don't need the sun. The glory of God will lighten. It has walls and gates. They are breathtaking in beauty. The city has walls of jasper. The city itself is a city of gold. Can you imagine, just imagine the brilliance, the glow of the glory of God, the colored jewels, the verdant greens, the sky blue, the red, the gold, the violet, and other colors. Gold that is so pure, it's translucent. See the shimmering walls of this city.
Now what are those walls there for? The walls are not there to keep us in, because the gates are open. The walls are not there to keep the wicked out; they are in Hell. These walls are there for the glory of God. And in a very real sense they are monumental walls because on these walls are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and then in the foundation, the twelve apostles. And is that not an amazing thing in Revelation 21 verses 12 and 13 you see the names written therein are the names of the tribes of the children of Israel. And then, in verse 14 you see the twelve apostles. What is this? You know there's coming a time when Jew and Gentile are going to be together. There's coming a time when we will be one in the Lord Jesus Christ like we have never been before. And we will be one in Jesus in such a wonderful way, and I look forward to that. The sights of the city.
Think of the sounds of the city. Well, if Jew and Gentile are together, what are we going to be singing? What is our song? Well, I have to reverse back to Revelation 15 verse 3, "And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb". Now today our Jewish friends look to Moses, and we look to Jesus. But we're going to be singing in Heaven the song of Moses and the Lamb, which is the song of redemption. It is a wonderful song. Music in Heaven's going to be great. I heard Dr. Lee, former pastor of this church, one time say that, "Our best music here on earth will sound like a bumble bee in a bottle compared to the music that's going to be there".
And I tell Bro. Whitmire, he's pretty good right now, but in Heaven he's going to be way down compared to me because the last will be first up there. And I'm going to be leading one of Heaven's choirs. Oh friend, won't it be wonderful to praise the Lord? These are the sounds of Heaven. And think, not only the sounds of the city but think of the size of the city. Look again in Revelation 21 verses 15 and 16. He talks of this city and it's foursquare. And the Bible says, he measured the city with a rod and it's twelve thousand furlongs. You know how far that is? That's fifteen hundred miles. Fifteen hundred miles this way, fifteen hundred miles that way, and fifteen hundred miles straight up! This city towers up, up, up, up. It is the city foursquare.
Well, what does the foursquare remind us of? The Holy of Holies in the Temple. There was a Holy of Holies in the Temple of only twenty cubits. You could put it just about on this platform and still have plenty of room left over. It was just a small room. You didn't need any more than that because in the Holy of Holies when the high priest went in to worship the Lord and put the blood on the Mercy Seat, he was in there alone with God in this little cubicle, a foursquare cubicle. And now we see the Holy of Holies, it's fifteen hundred miles this way, fifteen hundred this way, fifteen hundred straight up.
What is God telling us? Well, friend, there is so much room in this new city. And then only God the Father knows how many stories and strata there is in this city. You know sometimes people talk and say, "Well there won't be room in Heaven for all the people who've ever lived". Friend, the ground floor in Heaven will have room for a hundred billion, and everybody'll have his own ranch. I'm telling you, Heaven is going to be a magnificently glorious place. This is the size of the city. And think of the sanctuary of the city. Look if you will in Revelation 21 verses 22 and 23. And John said, "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it". That's the sanctuary. "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof".
You see, that Old Testament temple was only a picture, a prophecy, of the Lord Jesus Christ. It had a gate. Jesus said, "I am the door". It had an altar. Jesus shed His blood for us. It had a laver. We're now cleansed by His Word. It had a table of bread on it. Jesus is the Bread of Life. It had a golden candelabra in that old temple. Jesus said, "I am the light of the world". Incense was burned but Jesus said, "I am your High Priest". He is the temple. He's the One that all of this was talking about. And I want to tell you something friend, when I come in from a trip, do you know what I do when I come in the door? I just run over and hug the television and kiss the lamp and; no I don't do that. I head for one girl; she's the one I want to see.
And friend, I'm grateful for streets of gold and walls of jasper and all of that. But it's Jesus that makes Heaven, Heaven. It's Jesus that makes Heaven, Heaven. Jesus is the sanctuary of Heaven! All of these Old Testament prophecies, all of these things, they're just prophecies of something all the more glorious. And so, I'm talking, friend, about the magnificence of Heaven. It is a magnificent place. But let's move on quickly. And I want you to see the godliness of Heaven, the godliness of Heaven. Heaven is a made-new place. And if you're not made new, you're not going to be any part of it.
Look in Revelation 21 verses 24 through 27, "And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: and there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they that are written in the Lamb's book of life"! Now Heaven is going to be a place where there are multiplied millions and billions of people. Say, "Who's going to populate Heaven"?
Every little aborted baby will be there for one thing. And the saints of all of the ages will be there. And the nations of the world are going to be there. But nobody is going to be there above the age of accountability who has not received Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior and Lord. You just won't be there. The old song says, "Everybody talking about Heaven ain't going there". Friend, Heaven is a made-new place. Second Corinthians 5 verse 17, "If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation. Old things are passed away".
And Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. A man dreamed one time that he stood outside the gates of Heaven and saw people trying to get in. And one man knocked at the gate and the voice within said, "Who is it that seeks entrance into Heaven and what is the password"? And the man said, "I am a humanitarian". And he said, "What is the password"? He said, "The password is charity". The voice within said, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I never knew you". Another man knocked, "Who is it that seeks entrance into Heaven? What is the password"? He said, "I am a moral man". "What is the password into Heaven"? He said, "It is honesty". The voice said, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I never knew you".
Another knock. "Who is it that seeks entrance into Heaven and what is the password"? He said, "I am a religious man". "What is the password into Heaven"? He said, "Ritual". The voice within said, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. I never knew you". Finally one came and knocked at the gate of Heaven in this dream and said, the voice within said, "Who is it that seeks entrance into Heaven and what is the password"? And the man said, "In my hand no price I bring. Simply to Thy cross I cling". And the voice within said, "Open wide the gate and let him in, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven". Have you ever come to the cross? Have you ever repented of your sin? Have you ever really, I mean honestly, trusted Jesus? Not trusting your humanitarianism, not trusting your charity, not trusting your religion, not trusting your membership in this church, but trusting in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The last thing I want you to see is the gladness of Heaven, the gladness of Heaven. Heaven is a meaningful place. Now look in Revelation chapter 22 verses 1 through 5, "And he showed me a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, there were the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and no need, and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever".
Now, holy angel, could you just take us for a walk down the main street of Heaven? We just want to go down there. What are we going to see when we go down the main street of Heaven? We're going to see some glad people. They're people of deep satisfaction because they're drinking from the crystal river. And what does this river symbolize? That our deepest needs are going to be met. Look in Revelation chapter 22 verse 17, "And the Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' And let him that heareth say, 'Come.' And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely". Every thirst that you have that is God-given will be satisfied in Heaven. But not only a place of satisfaction, it's a place of sufficiency.
Revelation 22 verse 2 tells us there're trees there and the fruit of these trees are, each fruit ripening, one fruit this month, another another month, another another month. You ever heard of The Fruit of the Month Club? Friend, when you get there, here are these trees. Now what is this? It's just a symbol that God is talking, not only of satisfaction, but sufficiency. The Bible says, "For the healing of the nations". "Pastor, is there going to be sickness in Heaven"? No. But this word here actually is the word we get our word "therapeutic" from. The glow of health will be upon everyone there in Heaven. And it's a place also not of only satisfaction and sufficiency, but of service. Look in Revelation chapter 22 verse 3. And the Bible says there, "And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him".
Now let me tell you something, and I'm running out of time so listen very carefully. Heaven is not a great big retirement home. Don't get the idea now when you go to Heaven you're going to sit on a fluffy cloud, roll around the clouds, wearing a woolly robe and a rusty halo and plucking a harp. You're going to serve God like you have never served Him! And who knows what God has for us to do when we get to Heaven? "His servants shall serve Him". And then, and I must stop, it's a place of incredible sight.
Notice in Revelation 22 verse 4, "And they shall see His face". I'll never forget the day down in Merritt Island years ago when the choir sang "It will be worth it all when we see Jesus". I said, "Yeah. It surely will". "They shall see His face". Jesus said in John 17 verse 24, "Father, I pray for those that You've given Me that they may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory". With this I close. "Dear Adrian Rogers, I hope you're doing very well. I just wanted to write you a few lines for the first time to tell you how much I enjoy your sermons. You're the best teacher and preacher I believe that I have heard".
Well, I don't agree with him, but I like to hear that. "Your presentations are so plain and easy to understand. I accepted Christ as my Savior about two years ago. Since then I have read the entire Bible three times, taken eight Bible study courses, mostly through mail. I've not been watching your program very long, but ever since I first listened to you on Sunday a.m., every Sunday morning I sit waiting for your program with my Bible and pen and paper".
Now listen to this. "You see, I can't do much anymore. God is my strength and salvation every day. Praise the Lord. I am an inmate in the Arkansas State Pen on death row. I look forward to that great and glorious day when Christ comes to take His saints up into Heaven. I got my dad listening to your shows also. He even records them. I just wanted to give my thanks to you for all your wonderful preaching. With all my heart I say thank you". I wrote him back and I said, "Friend, you're not on death row. You're on life row, because Jesus said in John 11:26, 'He that lives and believes in Me will never die.'"
Aren't you glad for our Gospel? Aren't you glad for a Gospel that could take a poor lost sinner, deserving Hell and Hell-bound, and save him by His glorious grace and take him to Heaven? What God has done for this man on death row, God'll do for you. You may step out of a big office into Hell while he steps out of death row into Heaven.
Bow your heads in prayer. If you're not certain that you're saved, would you pray a prayer like this?
Oh God, I need You. I want to be saved. I want Heaven in my heart now, and I want to go to Heaven when I die. Thank You, Jesus, for dying for me. Thank You for Your shed blood on the cross. Thank You that You paid my sin debt with Your blood. Thank You, Jesus. Now by faith I receive what You've done for me. Come into my heart. Come into my life. Forgive my sin. Cleanse me. Save me, Jesus.
Pray that from your heart. "Save me, Jesus". Did you ask Him? Then thank Him by faith. Don't look for a feeling; don't ask for a sign. Just say:
Thank You for doing it. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You, Jesus. Thank You for saving me. And now Lord Jesus, make me bold. Help me not to be ashamed of You. Give me the strength to make it public. In Your name I pray, Amen.