Have We Lost Sight Of Heaven

Introduction

There is a nation for season of the wings per se with her and life or praise.

I like Ed’s thoughts about the ultimate sacrifice, providing the ultimate freedom. That is a great thought on this Memorial Day weekend in regard to the memorial that we observe every first day of the week. Something wonderful to keep in mind.

This week marks our third year with you. It’s hard to believe it’s been three years since we left Auburn, Alabama to come be a part of the Decker Prairie Church. I have this thought. They say that the honeymoon for a preacher with a congregation lasts about two years. But here it’s been three years, and for me, it’s just getting better and better and better. And so my question is who are you people really? And when are you going to allow the real you to come out? No, let’s let this go on indefinitely. But I have very much enjoyed my three years here, and I’ll say this don’t let this get out everywhere. More than I’ve enjoyed any local work anywhere. And that has to do with the kind of people that you are and what a joy it is to preach sermons here and to teach classes.

And Mike’s done a wonderful job. I’ve enjoyed so much listening to Mike for the last month every Sunday morning. I’ve only had to concentrate on the sermon that I was going to preach. Thank you, Thad, who’s not here today because he’s at home with Carissa, but for giving me that opportunity to listen for a change during a Bible class. But, Lord willing, next Sunday morning, I’ll be teaching 2 Corinthians and have material for you at that time. Oh, and by the way, what I said about letting the real you come out, at least wait two weeks because my parents will be here next week. So stay on your best behavior for at least one more week before the ugliness comes out. I really believe the thoughts of this morning’s lesson can be rather substantial in the effect that they have on your life.

I hope you never look at, I never do, each Sunday as just another Sunday and just some more sermons. I never look at it that way. I think every opportunity to look at some subject or some passage in the Word of God is the potential for great impact in our lives. And sermons hit people differently, and I’m not saying this particular one is going to be the one that wows you or anything like that, but I say it has the potential to change the way that you think and the way that you live. I’ve mentioned Brother Al Day just recently. And he was that older brother in the church at Pinecrest when I first started working there right after Sherry and I got married 24 years ago.

And he prayed, and I’ll not forget this when he prayed in his prayer, Lord, you know we want to go to heaven. We just don’t want to go right now. And oh, what happened there? Let’s get rid of that briefly. We don’t need that. All right. We want to go to heaven. We just don’t want to go right now. Do you ever think like that? I know I’m speaking to some people this morning who are thinking that way. One day in the future, when I’ve grown old and seen great grandchildren, then maybe it’ll be time when the body is totally given out to go to heaven and reap the reward of having served the Lord. And so I think this thought, especially when we are younger, and we seem to have life out in front of us.

1. This Was Not Paul's Attitude About Going to Heaven

But we have this thought. If we do, I want you to think seriously about the things I’m going to present this morning. This was not Paul’s attitude about going to heaven. I want to look at some passages with you quickly. Some of these will be familiar in Philippians chapter 1. He said, For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Can we say that? For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which to choose. But I am hard pressed from both directions. Yes, there is something that pulls Paul here, but it’s his work. Having the desire to depart and be with Christ.

For that is very much better. And I definitely want us to focus on the end of verse 23. Is that the way we look at going to heaven? That whatever life is here now, that is going to be very much better. This is what would enable Paul to say at the end of 1 Corinthians, that one word verse in the Greek Maranatha, which means Lord come. Lord come. I’m ready for what follows. The Lord’s return. And in that passage where he talks about groaning in this earthly tent, and talking about leaving this earthly dwelling, he says to do so would mean that he would be at home with the Lord. That’s where home was to the Apostle Paul was going home to be with the Lord.

He says, We walk by faith and not by sight in that text in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 7. To be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord. And then we know as death approached what he said.

I have fought a good fight. I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day, and not only me, but all those who love his appearing. Alright. We’re not going to be looking at any passage this morning and dissecting it and looking in depth at any text. We’re taking all these passages that Paul is speaking about heaven and going there and how he desires that more than anything else. And we’re going to be asking ourselves, does that reflect my thinking? Do I look at leaving here and going to be at home with the Lord the way the Apostle Paul did? And if we struggle with that, and I’m assuming there are people here this morning who are struggling with that, or have struggled with that, then one of two things is likely true.

Either we don’t understand properly what heaven is going to be, or, andor we have a skewed view or perspective of our life here. One of those two things are true. Either we have too great of an affection, a misplaced affection, a wrong perception of this life here and now, and or we just don’t understand heaven. And so this lesson is designed to address both of those things. Oh, I got a little ahead of myself there. Let’s go back to Philippians chapter 3. There’s one more passage there that I want you to look at in Philippians chapter 3, if you’re still in Philippians 1, he talks about those who are enemies of the cross of Christ, who’s in this destruction, whose God is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.

You see, I think that becomes part of the problem here. We set our minds on earthly things, we can find ourselves to be enemies of the cross of Christ. If our God becomes our appetite, our desire to consume this world and the things that it affords. But he says in verse 20, our citizenship. And this is a perfect time to talk about this verse as we’re looking at Memorial Day weekend and how proud we are to be in Americans and those who provided the freedoms and all the wonderful things we enjoy. That’s perfectly appropriate. But as Christians beyond that, not citizens of the United States of America, first and foremost, we are citizens of heaven. From which we eagerly wait. Okay. Yes, we’re waiting. I know that.

But are we eagerly waiting for a Savior? The Lord Jesus Christ. That’s Maranatha, 1 Corinthians 16, 22. We eagerly await for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of his glory. Now I want to tell you that is wonderful. Whether you stop to look at that and appreciate that, what he’s talking about there, this lowly thing, the conformity of this humble state in conformity with the body of his glory by the exertion of the power that he has, even to subject all things to himself. We’re going to have something going on when that transformation takes place. And so we want to go to heaven, but we don’t want to go right now as often the sentiment.

2. Reasons for the Delayed Desire to Go to Heaven

My question is, heaven, have we lost sight of the prize? And again, it is the prize that the New Testament talks about this. It’s the ultimate prize. As Christ paid the ultimate price, the ultimate sacrifice that provides the ultimate freedom. He did so that we might one day obtain the ultimate prize. Heaven. Having lost sight of it. And I want to talk briefly about the reasons I think that contribute to what I will call the delayed desire to go to heaven. We want to go to heaven. We just don’t want to go right now. I want to go there one day, but if you ask me if I wanted to leave today, well, let’s push that off a week or a well, let’s go down three or several years.

What do I write down? Well, that was easy for Paul to say he didn’t have any kids. Paul talks about this desiring to depart and be with Christ, but he wasn’t married, he didn’t have children, and perhaps that’s why he was so eager to go. Well, he does talk about in 1 Corinthians chapter 7, the one who is married is distracted concerning the things of the world. The husband is concerned about pleasing the wife, or at least he ought to be, and the wife is concerned about pleasing the husband, and she ought to be. And so, being single, he could provide this undistracted service to the Lord. But there’s more than that in Paul’s desire to go to heaven. We need to have the proper perspective about our families.

Especially when those family members are not members of the Lord’s body. Remember when Jesus’ family was outside, they thought he’d lost his mind. And they’re outside waiting to talk to him, and he says in Mark chapter 3 Hey, your family’s outside, they’re telling him, wait, waiting to see you. And he says, Behold, my mother and my brothers. Everyone who does the will of God is my mother, my sister, and my brother. And that teaches us something very important about the right perspective in regard to our earthly family. That really the most significant thing is our spiritual family. It’s an added blessing when your physical family is also your spiritual family, to be sure. But really, it is the spiritual focus that we need to have. And it’s a spiritual focus that will lead us to prize heaven for what it is.

I think there’s something else that contributes to this delayed desire of heaven, and that is it’s the fear of the unknown. I mean, what’s heaven going to be like? I mean, we’re given some small glimpses. Perhaps if we were told everything, we couldn’t take it all in. It can’t adequately be described in words. It’s going to exceed description. But we’re given enough incentive, I’m assured of that. But perhaps this is all, because this is all we’ve ever known. I mean, I was born into this world, and I’ve been this person who has hearing and sight, and I’ve seen all these things. This is what I’m comfortable and familiar with. Maybe that’s what contributes to this delayed desire. And after all, we carved out a pretty nice niche for ourselves here.

And maybe that’s part of the problem. If we didn’t have so much materially, maybe we would be a little bit more looking forward to what’s next. And I think that’s one of the reasons why the gospel does well in Africa and the Philippines. You’re talking about people who have far less materially. They don’t have 2,000 square foot houses that they live in, maybe not even indoor facilities. They certainly don’t have air conditioning. And they don’t have an ample supply of food and credit cards to go buy it. They don’t have all of the amenities of life that we have. And so they’re thinking a little bit more about something better beyond. And we’re pretty comfortable here. But I’ve got to tell you. Heaven is going to exceed this.

Many fold. I compare it a lot of times to the Queen of Sheba coming to see the kingdom of Solomon. She had heard the stories of the glory of Solomon’s kingdom and all of its splendor, and she had to see it for herself. And so here she comes with her entourage to Solomon to see the capital and to see the temple and to see all that Solomon had done with all of his wealth. And when she got there, what did she say? She said, the half has not been told me. Ever since I studied that verse a long time ago, I said, now that’s going to be heaven. When we get there, our response is going to be, the half has not been told me. It’s going to so far exceed even our most wonderful thoughts about it.

But you see, we can see what this world offers. And admittedly, it’s tantalizing at times. It offers its reward right now. No waiting. No patience necessary. No self-control or self-denial is required, only indulgence. This world is here for the taking, so indulge. We’ve got to become convinced that this reward, this prize, is worth waiting for. And here’s the there’s another issue here. This delayed desire. Because we understand, unless we’re here when the Lord comes, like it’s described in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, we’ve got to die first. And that’s also something that’s unknown and doesn’t look like a lot of fun to endure. The threshold of death, the steam of death we read about in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. And I just got to tell you, frankly, I’m not looking forward to the prospect of it either.

I mean, it’s a point of man wants to die, but after this, the judgment, death is the result of sin. I know it’s not the ideal. Boy, looking really forward to that moment. Oh no, it’s not the ideal. But if we would look at it as merely an exodus, as merely a momentary pain and departure to what is incredible, unfathomable, on the other side. What did the psalmist David say in Psalm 23? Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. I need to put that in my sermon, I am with you, that I preached not very long ago. We can walk through the valley of the shadow of death because the Lord is with us.

I think there’s one more thing. Earthly pleasures are compelling. I mean, there’s some fun and enjoyable times to be had here. I mean, we all get excited and know the thrill of young people like riding roller coasters, and some of us like sports and ball games and big sporting events. Today is the running of the Indianapolis 500. I know most of you don’t care. But I grew up in Indiana, and I got to go to that race several times, and I gotta tell you, TV does not do it justice. Being there is incredible. The first 80 laps of the race are phenomenal. Especially the first two or three laps. It is, it’s a rush or a thrill. I can’t begin to describe it. You have to be there.

You might never get a chance to go, so I’m telling you. But there are sporting events, there are concerts, there are all kinds of fun things that we can do, and we get satisfied in some of these pursuits, but we have to remember how temporary all of this is, how short-lived it is, and how inferior and unsatisfying it is compared to what is promised. And so I want to share with you to hopefully fuel your desire. To have the attitude of the Apostle Paul to part and be with Christ is very much better. But God gives us some assurances about heaven. And I will say this too that even at its best, life here can be overrated in our minds. And I’ll tell you who’s promoting all of that is the devil.

3. This Is Not the Ideal Place for Us

He wants you to think that this life is where you need to focus all of your attention and all of your affection. Get everything out of it that you can. Get enough money so that you can have the house you want and the car you want and the vacations that you want. And people do all of that kind of stuff, and they’re still unhappy. You can stuff the whole world in, and it’s not going to be enough. What a tragic choice if you lose your soul. What have you profited? Jesus has.

It doesn’t matter whether somebody in this church makes double what you do or triple. You’re still doing pretty good. As I’ve mentioned to you many times. And yet, even if even if we’re doing pretty good compared to most of the people in the world, there’s still a lot of tough things. Sorrows, troubles. And some have more than others. The poor Hens family. Man, they’ve had it. They’ve had a lot of physical troubles related then to material troubles. And we pray for them and try to serve them, but there’s still pain and disappointment. And why does life keep dumping on me? Ultimately, if you live long enough, life’s going to dump on you in some way. This is not the ideal place for us. The ideal is yet future.

And I think even if you’ve built up something pretty good for yourself, a hurricane, you can come up there and wipe it all away. Or tornado. I’d say in Alabama, they’re still talking about those tornadoes. I mean, for years, I mean, there have been tornadoes in Alabama, but not like recent years that have killed loved ones and destroyed homes. And the longer you live, the more you will see death and heartache and misery and suffering. And when people die. Solomon says it’s better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting. The living take it to heart. Lord, make me to know my end. He said, I’ve always liked Psalm 39. Let me know how transient I am. Let me perceive just how short-lived I am.

And the reason why I like that verse in Psalm 39 is that David’s not been here for 3,000 years. How transient is that? He’s not only lived and died and gone, he’s been gone for three millennia. Surely they, the evil, make an uproar for nothing. They amass riches, but who will gather after them? It is that same person, David, who says in Psalm 42, and this really relates to my question this morning. Have we lost sight of heaven? He is the one who is who says, actually, it’s a maskle of the sons of Koran, but this certainly represents David’s thinking as well. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

When shall I come and appear before God? David says that in Psalm 63 in verse 1, O God, thou art my God, I shall seek thee earnestly. My soul thirsts for thee, my flesh yearns for thee in a dry and weary land where there is no water. How are we going to develop that desire and longing for God? To be with him, to enjoy a relationship with him. I think sometimes people, yes, in the body of Christ, struggle to feel that way. How do we feel like Psalm 42 or David in Psalm 63 when he echoes the same thing? As a dry and weary land where there is no water, as I would want a drink of water in that part state, my soul thirsts for you.

4. We Must Come to Grips With Our Vaporhood

Oh God, how can I capture that? I’ll tell you’re not going to capture that until you first get a right perspective about this life that David refers to in Psalm 39. We must come to grips with our vaporhood. I don’t know if that’s a word or not, but I’m making it up. Stephen, I don’t know, put it in your vocabulary. Expand it even more. This life is a vapor that appears for a short time and vanishes away. We’ve read that how many times in James chapter 4. I’ll tell you just go away for six years and come back. That’s all it takes. I was in Alabama for three. Came back here, been up here, decorated. Every now and then, like last night, I’m over in the Baytown area and visiting with people that worship with and work with.

They’ve changed. Those people over there. See, we were talking about this last night. Well, they look older. I wonder what they said about us on the way home. I haven’t changed a bit, right? Just six years. And people come and go. How brief our lives are. Several years ago we went to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Don’t know why we were there, actually. We went through those bathhouses, the Fordyce Bathhouse, and you looked at all the, you know, they were attracted to those hot baths and everything. Jack Dempsey practiced there in Hot Springs. It’s the boyhood home of Bill Clinton. And I thought about as we walked up the hills, you know, Bill Clinton walked up these hills. And have you seen pictures of Bill Clinton lately? He’s looking old.

It’s vaporhood, folks. I urge you, as aliens and strangers, to abstain from fleshly lust which wage war against the soul. 1 Peter 2 and verse 11 says, we are sojourners here, alien strangers. We’re not here for very long. And all those people that used to go to those bathhouses and all those pictures of all of those people are all gone. They were here, they had their splash, part of the fun, and now they’re gone. I’ll tell you this. Two things here. There’s not a single earthly tire relationship. Not family. However good and how wonderful it is, there is not one earthly tie that is comparable to the relationship that heaven’s going to be about.

There’s no earthly tie that’s worth losing your soul. An adulterous marriage, it’s not worth it. Because the ultimate relationship is not any spouse here, or family relationship here. Because it ultimately will have its trying days and disappointments and troubles, no troubles here. And no earthly joy or pleasure is comparable to heaven’s reward. And I don’t know how good it can get here. Some will experience more happiness here than others, more temporary fleeting moments of thrill. But however good it is, I guarantee you. These are the assurances of Scripture as they talk about the prize and the treasure of heaven. None of it is going to compare to what will be. There will be no less than stellar moments in heaven.

5. Have We Lost Sight of Heaven? How Can I Know?

No weariness, no tiring of being there, no feeling bad. No unhappy moments. No longing for the former days of earth ever. No regrets about having served God in one’s life here. It’s hard for us to imagine unending bliss. But it’s not that far away. Now, the final part of this lesson this morning, have we lost sight of heaven? How can I know? If that’s happened to me, perhaps you’ve already perceived it. Let me give you some clues. Romans chapter 8 says that we are to walk by the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The heart set on the flesh is hostile toward God, but our minds are set on the Spirit. That’s the key to this. But what would be an indication that my mind is not set on the spirit, but on the flesh?

Let me give you some examples. You just absolutely don’t get anything out of Bible study. Constantly daydreaming, hard to focus. Distracted during worship. Man, is he going to be done soon so we can go eat? Rather be elsewhere. But I’re not supposed to be here. If those are the kind of thoughts that you’re having, you’ve lost sight of heaven. You’ve lost sight of heaven if you find yourself mostly in the company of unrighteous people. I realize we can’t go out of the world, and we do need to have association with lost people so that we can shine as lights in the world. But when we have a choice, and we always choose mostly the company of unrighteous people, we are likely not focused on the prize.

You see, this association is the most important. That is.

And what you want rather than what might be a benefit to someone else and might make better things better for them. The person who has lost sight of heaven will become really focused on themselves. And I’ll tell you what else will be true. They will not be praying much. Because, see, the spirit realm is just not going to be that important. And so prayer will diminish. How much are you praying? That could well be an indication. And then flowing out of all of those things, what will inevitably follow is that you’ll find yourself committing transgression and trying to justify it. How can I know if I’ve lost sight of heaven? Well, I conclude this morning with this thought. How would you describe heaven in just a few words?

Conclusion

To me, as I look at what the Bible says about our reward, it will be unceasing thrill. A thrill every moment. Can you imagine it? This life has its thrills, they’re momentary here and there, and we’re excited, and we share it and we talk to other people about them. Can you imagine an existence that is unceasing thrill?

You see, this business of receiving forgiveness of our sins because we’ve done wrong, yes, that’s a part of right religion before God, but there is a reward and a hope attached to all this. That is motivation for leading the paths of sin and serving as a servant of Jesus Christ because we have been promised an unfathomable reward. That’s why being in Christ is described as unfathomable riches. To me, the very least of all saints, Paul says, has been a trust of the unfathomable riches of Christ. That’s what I get to preach every Lord’s Day, get to talk to you about the unfathomable riches that are in Christ. And you must not forget that the ultimate of that is yet future. And it’s not very far. What if it’s really close?

Like really close. Are you ready? And can we help you to get ready? If so, won’t you come always hand? When the trumpet of the Lord shall have his time shall be no more. And the holy race will fly to fair. When the sailors shall gather on the other shore, and the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. When the roll when the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there. When the roll is called yonder, I’ll be there. When the roll is called up yonder, when the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be dead.

And the glory of resurrection. When shall gather to their home beyond the skies.

Let the prophet all his wondrous love and care when all of life is over and the work on earth is done and the role is called of yonder I’ll be there.

When the role is called up, yonder I’ll be there.

When the roll is called when the roll is all of yonder I’ll be there.