Sermon Notes "4/11/2010" How Beautiful Heaven Will Be - Pastor Lonnie Wilkerson

Pastor Lonnie’s sermon Sunday was titled “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be.”  The scripture was Revelation 21:1-22:6.  Pastor Lonnie read the scripture a verse at a time and expounded on it.  Some of the things he mentioned about heaven were:

In verse 1, it mentions there will be no sea in the new heaven and new earth.  Where else was the sea mentioned?  In the story of creation in Genesis 1:6-7 it talks about the separation of the water under the expanse from the water above it.  There’ll be no separation in Heaven.

Verse 2, talks about the church being prepared as a bride for her husband, Jesus.  All we have to do is come.

In verse 3, God says “I will be your God and you will be my people.”  Ruth, the Moabitess said something similar to her mother-in-law in the book of Ruth.

Verse  4 says there will be no more tears, death, mourning or pain—the old will be passed away.

Verse 5 says everything will be made new.

Verse 6 says “It is done!  I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end.”  Jesus on the cross said, “It is finished.”

Verse 7 tells us those who overcome will inherit all this and be God’s sons.

Verse 8 says that the cowardly, unbelieving, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, those who practice the magic arts, idolaters, and all liars will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur—the second death.

Verses 9 & 10 tell about John being shown the bride, and the Holy City, Jerusalem.

Verses 11-21 describe the city, its walls, gates, and foundations.  It is a 1500-mile cube.  9 billion people have lived on earth; with a 1500-mile cube, 20 billion people could each be given 75 acres on which to live, and there’s still lots of room.  The walls would be 200-feet-thick to protect the city.  The 12 foundations (12 children of Israel, 12 apostles) represent the new being built on the old.  They will be built of very colorful stones (the colors of super Hi-Def TV).  The gates will be made of pearl, thick enough to fit into a 200-foot-thick wall to hold things out and keep those inside safe.  Pearls are made by irritation, or suffering.

Verse 22 says there will be no temple, because God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple.

Verses 23 & 24 say there will be no need for the sun or moon because the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  The nations will walk by its light and kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.  When was the last time that happened?  During Solomon’s reign.

Verse 25 says there will be no night there.  What happens at night?  Lots of bad things.

Verse 26 says the glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.

Verse 27 says nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Chapter 22, verses 1-7 talk of the water of the river of life that runs through the main street of the city, and of the tree of life that bears 12 crops of fruit and whose leaves are for the healing of the nations;  there will no longer be the curse (from Genesis 3).  We are invited to come.  (Revelation 22:17)