Home: What is Heaven Like Right Now?

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Good morning, cross gates family, what a joy it is to be in the house of Lord today. We are here to lift high the name of Jesus in this place and give him the praise and the worship and the adoration that he alone is deserving of. So let's lift high the name that is above every other name as we sing to him, let's declare who he is right here. (upbeat music) ♪ Oh he shapes every idol ♪ ♪ He reigns with our idol ♪ ♪ Oh he goes by the name of ♪ ♪ Jehovah, Jehovah ♪ ♪ He speaks into nothing ♪ ♪ And darkness was running ♪ ♪ Oh, he goes by the name of ♪ ♪ Jehovah, Jehovah ♪ ♪ So call us, they call the name ♪ ♪ Call the name ♪ ♪ Call the name Jehovah ♪ ♪ All our praise, all our praise ♪ ♪ All our praise belongs to him ♪ ♪ All praise your heart ♪ ♪ His goes will be silent ♪ ♪ He's fighting for Zion ♪ ♪ Oh, he's no other God like ♪ ♪ Jehovah, Jehovah ♪

♪ His arms in the tide ♪ ♪ His eyes are like fire ♪ ♪ He's no other God like ♪ ♪ Jehovah, Jehovah ♪ ♪ Jehovah, Jehovah ♪ ♪ Call the name, call the name ♪ ♪ Call the name of Jehovah ♪ ♪ All our praise, all our praise ♪ ♪ All our praise belongs to Him ♪ ♪ Call the name, call the name ♪ ♪ Call the name Jehovah ♪ ♪ All our praise, all our praise ♪ ♪ All our praise belongs to Him ♪ ♪ Come and bless Him, hear Him walk ♪ ♪ Hope and peace ♪ ♪ Jehovah and peace ♪ ♪ He finds true battles ♪ ♪ Jehovah, John, right between me ♪ ♪ Jehovah, Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ He finds true battles ♪ ♪ Jehovah, Jesus Christ ♪ ♪ He finds true battles ♪ ♪ Jehovah, John, right between me ♪ ♪ Jehovah, John, me with peace ♪ ♪ Call the name, call the name ♪ ♪ Call the name, call the name ♪ ♪ Jehovah ♪ ♪ All our praise, all our praise ♪ ♪ All our praise belongs to Him ♪ ♪ Just call the name ♪

♪ Call the name ♪ ♪ Call the name ♪ ♪ Jehovah ♪ ♪ All our praise ♪ ♪ All our praise ♪ ♪ All our praise ♪ ♪ Be honest to me ♪ ♪ Oh, praise ♪ - Give me praise, come on, hallelujah. - Amen, we are so excited about being today in God's presence with you. We're starting a new series today called "Home About Heaven" and the Lord is here, man. He's speaking to us, He's turning our faces up. I happen to meet man, a lot of visitors this morning, going into the first service and even for you before this one. So if you're here today and you're new to this fate family or this worship gathering, we're so honored that you're here today. As a matter of fact, church family, can we welcome the guest in the house and tell them how glad we are that they are here, come on. Man, so many great churches in our area that you choose to be here today means a lot to us. The only thing we ask of our guests is that you take a moment to fill out that connect card and the seat back in front of you. And at some point, if you will, as you leave today, drop it off in the red bucket. There'll be some people standing with those red buckets.

It'd be a huge help just connecting the dots in your spiritual journey. If you would, just take a seat for a second. We don't normally do that, but we wanna make sure we recognize some people in room. On the backside of that connect card, by the way, is also a place to put prayer requests. And here's just the truth. I've never met a person that didn't need prayer in some way, shape, form, or fashion. So here's our commitment. If you will put down your prayer request on that connect card, even in the course of this service, drop it off as you leave, we will pray over it. And by the way, we hear the testimony of ways that God answers those prayers and moves on behalf of people. We would love to be a part of that being true for you. Drop them off in the red buckets as well as you leave, which is a reminder to us in our faith family of our first fruits, giving way to go church family for being faithful in that. And encourage if you do that online and make time to do that as an act of worship. Now, I had you to be seated for a second 'cause we don't wanna move past moments where even our nation rightly recognizes. And so this week, we will recognize on Veterans Day, those that have faithfully served or even currently serving our country to provide man

the awesome freedoms and opportunities that we have. Now, what I know is, is those that do that don't wanna be recognized for that. But we need to, if you allow us as a faith family to recognize man because of your faithfulness and serving, we get to do things like we're doing right now. So I would ask of you, would you give us an opportunity to honor you if you have or currently are serving, would you stand right now? Right now, would you stand so that we can recognize you for your service? Come on. (audience applauding) Come on, let 'em know, that's right. Awesome, awesome. Y'all can remain standing. Hey, the rest of us, let's stand with them. We can go ahead and stand with them. For real, thank you, thank you, thank you for that. Now, we're here this morning to meet with the Lord. So I wanna encourage you, I know it's easy to run into the room and not quite be ready to really commune with the Lord. So let's do this, turn your face toward the heavens. Just welcome his presence for a moment. Ask for the clarity of the kingdom of God today. Ask the Lord that he would speak to you. So Lord, we're here for you and we need you now. We need you to come and take these truths and apply them to our heart in such a way

that you might be glorified and our lives might be changed. And so I pray against any way the enemy wants to keep a haze over these truths, God. Today, we're gonna understand what it means to be your kids, what it means to be a part of your forever family. We're gonna go ahead and look from this room, this moment through your word into the promise of heaven and what it means for all of us that are in Christ. So we welcome you even now in Jesus' name. Amen, let's worship him together. And church hymns, we continue to worship. Ask the Lord to grow your all, to allow yourself to be more overwhelmed at his goodness and his salvation and his holiness. How great our God is and let's worship him. (upbeat music) ♪ Who thought I'd find you at the lowest place? ♪ ♪ Who thought you'd feel me in the car? ♪ ♪ Oh, who knew you'd make good on my mistakes? ♪ ♪ 'Cause you're nothing like I thought you were, you're better ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ No one like Him ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ I call you show of perfection ♪ ♪ 'Cause what a kind of God was for the lost? ♪ ♪ They say it's over for the sinner ♪

♪ But are you the same? ♪ ♪ No, it's not, no, it's not ♪ ♪ You say it ♪ ♪ No, it's not, no, it's not ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ What a God, what a God ♪ ♪ If the highest place I reach is at your feet ♪ ♪ Then I've done it all with the best thing that I've seen ♪ ♪ Is your glory, then I've seen it all ♪ ♪ Your love has changed my life forever satisfied ♪ ♪ God, you are my everything ♪ ♪ If the highest place I reach is at your feet ♪ ♪ Then I've done it all with the best thing that I've seen ♪ ♪ Is your glory, then I've seen it all ♪ ♪ Your love has changed my life forever satisfied ♪ ♪ God, you are my everything ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ Then I pray, oh, it must feel your heart ♪ ♪ And never see your name ♪ ♪ I still have it all ♪ ♪ No treasure of his mind ♪ ♪ Good and sad is mine ♪ ♪ God, you are my everything ♪ ♪ Oh, God, you are my everything ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪

♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ If the one word is the only thing you speak ♪ ♪ Worthy is the lamb who was saved ♪ ♪ Holy holy is He ♪ ♪ Just seeing a new song ♪ ♪ To him who sits on heaven's mercy ♪ ♪ Worthy is the lamb who was saved ♪ ♪ Holy holy is He ♪ ♪ Just seeing a new song ♪ ♪ To him who sits on heaven's mercy ♪ ♪ Holy holy is He ♪ ♪ Holy holy is the lamb who died on my knee ♪ ♪ Who was and is and is to come ♪

♪ With all creation I see ♪ ♪ Praise to the King of kings ♪ ♪ Who will haunt my everything ♪ ♪ And I will adore you ♪ ♪ I will adore you ♪ ♪ Holding rainbows of living color ♪ ♪ Flashes of lightning rolls of thunder ♪ ♪ Let's sing in order strength and glory and power be ♪ ♪ To you the only wise King ♪ ♪ Holy holy holy is the lamb who died on my knee ♪ ♪ Who was and is and is to come ♪ ♪ Lord, with all creation I see ♪ ♪ Praise to the King of kings ♪ ♪ Who will haunt my everything ♪ ♪ And I will adore you ♪ ♪ Oh yeah, now I'm holding on ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ Fill with wonder ♪ ♪ All I should wonder ♪ ♪ At the mention of your name ♪ ♪ Jesus, your name is power ♪ ♪ Red and living water ♪ ♪ Sigh to harvest me to dream ♪ ♪ Holy holy holy is the lamb who died on my knee ♪ ♪ Who was and is and is to come ♪ ♪ Lord, with all creation I see ♪ ♪ Praise to the King of kings ♪ ♪ You are my everything ♪ ♪ And I will adore you ♪ ♪ Holy holy holy is the lamb who died on my knee ♪

♪ Who was and is and is to come ♪ ♪ Lord, with all creation I see ♪ ♪ Praise to the King of kings ♪ ♪ You are my everything ♪ ♪ And I will adore you ♪ ♪ Who is and is to come ♪ ♪ Holy holy holy is the lamb who died on my knee ♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] ♪ To love ♪ ♪ With all creation I see ♪ ♪ Praise to the King of Kings ♪ ♪ You are everything ♪ ♪ And I will adore you ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ To love ♪ ♪ To love ♪ (upbeat music) (audience applauding) - So Lord, we do look upon you. Even now, for His song, we just heard, Lord, and through the scripture, where they are you. Where they are you to be rightly sung to, who lived for, to be experienced right now, God. And I'm asking, by the power of your spirit, through your word, would you show us what will be true for all eternity, for those that have put faith in you, Jesus Christ? And what's true for those that have went ahead of us? Would you turn our minds toward homes in such a way that you might be glorified?

And if we had lived with such radical confidence that it would make us distinctly different on earth. So we just love you. We love you back. Thank you for loving us first. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen, let's give Him praise one more time. Come on. Come on. (audience applauding) May I get you a seat as you do, just a couple quick things to note. One, if you're a note taker today, man, you better be ready. Get your pen ready, 'cause I got tons of passages of scripture, several quotes, things like that. Most times you can take your phone and put it to that little tap tag and it will download the notes for you. Today would be a day to do that. As you do that, a couple things to note in our faith family. One is at the end of this month, November 29th, that Sunday night, we have our second annual Christmas tree lighting, baby. It's gonna be awesome. There you go. Hey, if you missed it, man, everybody in Rankin County came last year. It was awesome. So it's on the front porch that Sunday,

not 6 p.m., we've worked with the city to make it safe and do some awesome stuff. There'll be things for everybody. It's not long, man. We just take some time, make 'em memory. We like the Christmas tree together. The reason we did that is 'cause we wanna create atmospheres for our city to remind us ultimately what Christmas is all about. It's about crossed. So it'll be awesome, awesome, great time to invite somebody on that note, by the way, when you leave today, we've made these for you. You can pick 'em up around the next step center. There's other places around you'll find 'em. It's just a simple invite card. I used it this week. We just made it. It has our vision statement helping people find hope. But so you can take a moment during the week and look at somebody and say, "Hey, why don't you come to church with me?" Why don't you come to nine, 10, 30? Here's the truth. The invite still works. And on the other side of your invite, you don't know what God's been doing in the life of a person that Jesus loves and died for. So pick up some of those and be bold in your invitation. Now today, we're starting a three-week journey

in a series called "Home About Heaven." And I have never in my preaching life felt more insufficient and also inspired, baby. So I at one point this week for this message alone, I had eight pages of scripture. So you're looking like dear Lord, yeah, I know. And there ain't a service after you. We're gonna be here a minute, all right? So I laugh a little bit, all right? But the truth is today is really setting the stage. Let me give you a layout of the next few weeks. Today, we're gonna talk about heaven the place. Just what is heaven right now? What will heaven be like forever? Specifically the place. Today is an introduction. Next week, I'm gonna talk about us as people. What does it look like for a person that is already there in the presence of Jesus Christ, men that's put faith in Christ and has already passed away? What would that mean for all of us when Christ returns? What will our bodies be like? What will our relationships be like? All the things that I know to tell you about, okay? And then the third week, we're gonna talk about the purpose of heaven. What does it mean to be alive a million years from now worshiping Jesus? And we're gonna debunk some of the myths

about sitting on a harp, sitting on a harp, sitting on a cloud, playing a harp. You sit on a harp, that was gonna be very uncomfortable. All right, that's funny. Sitting on a cloud, playing a harp. That's not true, you won't find it in the scripture. But what will we do forever in the presence of God? So let me get a huge disclaimer statement, okay? While I am very, very biblically confident in the finished work of Jesus Christ will be in His presence forever for all times. Beyond that, I'm gonna share even today in the next two weeks a lot of things that I believe the best I know how according to God's word about the details of heaven, what our relationships will be like, what our purpose will be like forever. But I say this, a million years from now in heaven, if you wanna come up to me and tell me, hey, dude, you was wrong about that? I'm cool with that, okay? I'm all right with missing it. I just don't wanna miss heaven, right? And so here's my encouragement to us. Let our curiosity land in God's word. Let us begin to believe what God has for us. And what we're really trying to do is what Paul and encourage the church in Colossae to do in Colossians three verses one and two. And he said, "Since then, you have been raised across." Now, if that's true for you, this is a promise for you,

meaning as Jesus taking you from dead in your trespasses and sin and raised you to newness in life, if that's true, set your hearts on things above where Christ is, and you're gonna find out where Christ is in a moment, seated at the right hand of God and set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. So what Paul was encouraging the church then to do, set your mind, set your heart on Jesus' cross who is ruling and reigning in heaven, set your mind on things above. And here's the truth. Everything in this life is trying to lower your eyesight. Everything here on earth is trying to keep you from having a heaven-word mindset because if by the power of the Spirit, we're captured by a truth that will be true a million years from now, it changes how we live. If the enemy can keep us ingrained in life just merely in an earthly way, we won't live for a heavenly purpose. But if the Spirit of God lifts our eyes in these weeks and assures us of what is to come, watch out world, that we will live powerfully for the kingdom of God. By the way, with that first thought, isn't it interesting? You can go all over planet earth. And if you start talking about heaven or whatever version they might say is out there somewhere, even different faith backgrounds, that there's something in the posture of humanity. When we start thinking about heaven, we look up.

Do you ever notice that? So is that just some kind of thing that we do or is it intrinsic in the fact that God has hardwired? Let me give you a thought. Even look at the moment when Jesus ascended. Acts one verses nine through 11. And when he said these things, talking about Jesus, and they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. So imagine Jesus in resurrected states, giving them the great commission. Go make disciples change the world. He's lifted up in their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven, as he went, the whole two men stood by them and white robes and said, men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? You know what the angels were saying? I believe it's two angels in this moment. They're going, hey guys, you got to get your head back down here a little bit 'cause we got work today. 'Cause you know, they're having a Gomerpile moment. Go away. (congregation laughing) I love what I heard one preacher said. I think they would have died right there, you know, looking into heaven, looking at what Christ had accomplished and that he had headed home. Headed home says in the same way, as you saw him go into heaven, he's coming back basically,

that there's something inside of us as human beings that long to look up. Let me tell you why, let me give you a principle. I think it's because heaven is true north. Heaven is true north. You say, what do you mean by that? Well, just like a compass, if you hold it in your hand, can only turn toward true north. It doesn't have an option, it can only turn toward that. I believe that God has hardwired into the human heart, a compass that points to home. We know in here, do you not feel it? We know in here that this is not home, that we long for the far country. We long for the presence of our father. And I believe we look northward because of that. Interestingly, even Satan himself, bad guy, longed to have that authority. Listen what it says about him in Isaiah 14, 13. "in your heart, I will ascend to heaven. "Above the stars of God, this is the enemy saying, "I will set my throne on high. "I will sit on the Mount of the Assembly "and the far reaches what of the North. "I will send above the heights of the clouds. "I will make myself like the most high." So Satan was trying himself to establish his throne on high in the North. Now, am I saying that heaven, the place, is somewhere in the Northern expanse of space

or in some dimension out there that is Northward? Well, possibly. What I am saying, and I think the scripture says, consistently is this, heaven is our true North. Heaven is the longing of every human heart. See us Lewis said it powerfully when he said, "If I find in myself and is a desire "which no experience in this world can satisfy, "the most probable explanation is that I was made "for another world, that you and I were made "for more than merely here. "We were made for him. "We were made to be home with him." So what can we learn about heaven? Today is introductory, okay? I'm gonna leave a lot of things unsettled today and that's quite all right. Come back the next two weeks and bring somebody with you. What else, though, can we learn about heaven today? Heaven has always been God's home. Heaven has always been God's home. Our God is not homeless. That our God's not floating merely in space somewhere. I love this about God. Listen, God, the Father was the first home builder. Come on. To any of those that are carpenters and home builders, that you have something inside of you that mirrors and reflects the nature of God, that God being always omnipresent from all time,

from everlasting, created for himself, home. Says in Isaiah 66 one and two, "Thus says the Lord heaven is my throne, "and the earth is my footstool." You know God's big when the earth is footstool. Come on, right? But heaven is his throne. Heaven is his home. What is this house that you build for me and what is this place of my rest? All these things my hand has made. And so all these things came to be declares the Lord that God himself built heaven for himself and for those that know him and love him. Can you imagine? You've ever been into a home that was just awesome. Like, you know, I'm talking about the flow and the intricacies and the feel of it. Do you walk into it? You know that great detail went into every turn where the rooms are, how the things feel as you embrace it. If that's true, that human beings can put something together that so captures our attention and even our affection and elicits a response. Can you imagine what God built? Can you imagine the flow and the feel of home and heaven in the presence of God himself? I love that it says earth that heaven is my throne. You ever been to somebody's house? Come on now, this is football season

which I know is a depressing thing for many in the room. I get it, all right, heaven's coming, all right. Here's the truth though. You ever been to somebody's house maybe watching a game and this is what I do as a dude. If I'm at somebody else's house, when I walk into a setting that everybody's gonna sit, I think what chair is his chair? 'Cause the last thing the dude wants to do is go sit in the guy's chair and he comes and stands over and you're going like, that's my chair. The last thing you want to do is to offend somebody by that, here's what I want you to know. God has a chair in heaven that nobody else gets to sit on. Hallelujah, that he rules and reigns from his throne in his house, he has a chair and rightly has established all rule, all dominion, all authority from heaven, yet God being so big still makes himself known on earth, yet rules from heaven. Seated in the seat of authority in heavenly places. I love what it says Psalm 11, three, it says the Lord is in his holy temple. You don't ever have to wonder if God's home. He's home, God's not absent. Man, you anybody seen where God is? No, he's ruling reigning from home. The Lord's throne is in heaven. He is seated in his chair, watching over all things as the supreme one. Man, come on, right? That's why we look up.

That's why the Psalmist says in Psalm 123 one. That's why we have this upward posture. Let me tell you, why not merely because we're drawn toward home, but we're drawn toward Him. The greatest longing of every human heart is to be reconnected into right communion and fellowship with God forever. There's something right about us picturing our God at home in heaven. Speaking of that, what's that like right now? When we think about heaven, what do we think about? What is it like? Now, I want to give us a few truths. The present heaven is still fully home. The present heaven, meaning heaven right now is fully home. It's not some secondary heaven. It's not some second-class heaven. It's not some waiting place heaven in that sense. Listen to me, heaven right now is fully home. You say, "How do we know that?" Well, listen to what the Scripture says about it. How about the moment when Stephen's about to go home? When Stephen's about to be stoned for the faith, about to be the first martyr. And the Spirit of God says, "Man, I will let you see something." At seven verse 55, he says, "But he, Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed where? Into heaven and saw the glory of God." He wasn't worried about who had rocks in their hands. He wasn't worried about those that was out to kill him. He's like, "I'm seeing heaven. I'm seeing the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God

and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God." The Spirit of God opens Stephen's eyes to see straight into heaven. Listen, a real place, not merely a fault or not merely a state of mind, but a real place where God was making his presence known. I love what one of the best theologians Wayne Grudem said of this, that Stephen did not see mere symbols of a state of existence. It was rather that his eyes were opened to see a spiritual dimension of reality, which God has hidden from us in this present age, a dimension which nonetheless really does exist in our space-time universe and within which Jesus now lives in full resurrected body, waiting even now for the time when he will return. So what does that mean for us if you just slow down to second? Heaven's out there right now. It's a real place where Jesus in resurrected state rightly rules and reign. Paul had this moment pretty awesome. Second Corinthians 12 verses 2-3-4, speaking of the present state of heaven. I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago was caught up into the third heaven, whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know God knows, and I know that this man was caught up into paradise. Whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know God knows, and he heard things that cannot be told which man may not utter. And I love Paul's humility. He's pretty terrible at hiding his identity. So I know a guy, you are the guy. He had a moment where God listened to me, allowed him to move past the first heaven, which is just the sky, physical clouds where you see the birds fly past the second heaven, which is space, the cosmos, the universe out there into the third heaven, where he was in the presence of God in a place called paradise.

Paul said, when I got there, there was things I too profound for me to articulate, that I experienced things that I wouldn't be able to share. God so gave him a glimpse. And let me tell you something, some of us might be in the room going, like God, I love that, right? You know, that God has revealed to us more in his word than any of us believe or live. If the script sure to listen to me is filled with these pictures and promises of the heaven that exists right now and the heaven that is available to anybody through the finished work of Christ, even to come. The scripture is revealing to us our home for those that have put faith in him. I'll tell you one of my favorite moments in the Bible is the thief on the cross. You talk about making it in by the skinny old teeth, baby, right? Hanging on the cross in that moment, the Spirit of God is so moved. This is the God man, and he ain't got it figured out. He couldn't articulate it when he got to heaven. I'm sure he didn't know all that happened, but he knew that this is no normal man. So in Luke 23 verse 42, he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Hey, wherever you're going, it's where I want to go. Come on. He said, wherever you're heading, I want to head there too. And what does Jesus say to him? And Jesus said to him, truly, I say to you today, not tomorrow, not a million years from now. Today, thief, today, thief, you will be with me in paradise. I want you to get this. When Jesus came home, he said, I brought somebody home with me. He didn't walk in to heaven alone. Come on. Don't you know, if there's ever been a gala moment, there's the thief walking and go, you might want to fill me in on a few things. Glad I'm here. Didn't know what I was saying when I said, let me come to your kingdom with you. He made it home. I love what John Calvin said a long time ago. He said, we ought not to enter into curious or subtle arguments about the place of paradise. Let us rest satisfied with knowing that those that have been engrafted by faith into the body of Christ are partakers of that life and thus enjoy after death a blessed, joyful rest until the perfect glory of the heavenly life is fully manifested by the coming of Christ. Let's rest assured that paradise is paradise. Paradise is the full nessof Jesus's presence. You say, Kyle, how do you know that is true? Well, because of what Paul

says in 2 Corinthians, verse chapter 5, verses 6-8, but we are always of good courage. Man, we got courage facing hardship. We got courage facing hard times. We got courage in the face of death. Why? Why do we have that kind of courage, that conviction occurs? We know that while we are at home in the body, when we're here in this physical frame, we're away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. Right now I'm walking by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, but we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord, because heaven right now is fully home. It's where God resides. It's where people of faith and cross pass away and they enter into the presence of Jesus' cross called paradise. Now that right now, the present heaven is fully home. But here's something awesome, but it's not the full consummation yet. The future heaven is the final home. The future heaven is the final home. While the present heaven is still fully home, because that's where God is making his presence known, it's not what God has in store yet. It's not our final home. The Lord has promised us something more from the beginning of Scripture to the close of Scripture. He leaves these hints for his forever family of what that experience will be like. I love what he says in Isaiah 65, 17, "See, I will create." He didn't contract it out. Come on. That God didn't contract it out. He goes, "See, I will. I will create new heavens and new earth. The former things will not be remembered nor will they come to mind," which is pretty crazy. What he's saying, even for those that have went before us that are experiencing paradise, fully home, presence of God, when what's the come comes, they're not going to look back and go, "Man, do you remember?" They're going to be like, "Well, they're going to be so consumed with the new heaven and new earth. They want to space in their mind to move backwards, because they're only looking forward." We'll be so captured by what is. It'd be hard to even imagine what once was. Now, this is merely an Old Testament idea. It's a New Testament idea as well. 2 Peter 3.13 says, "But keeping with his promise," not ours. God's promise to his people. We are looking forward and imitate what I feel like the enemy has robbed us of. I don't think there's enough followers that are looking forward. I don't think there's enough followers that are looking forward. Are we looking forward to what's to come? Looking forward to a new heaven and a new Earth where roaches the Earth, where roaches the Earth. There's a forever home coming to his forever family. There's a forever home coming to his forever family,

the renewing of all things. And earth that will one day be experienced that's untainted by the curse of sin, a new heaven that all of God's family will move into together. There's gonna be a move in day, in the new heaven, meaning those that have went before us, then those that he comes to get, we're all gonna move in together. That's gonna be awesome, right? You ever seen it when the college students invade the dorm spaces, you're like, this has got crazy, y'all, right? Can you imagine when God listened to me, gathers to himself from every nation, tribe and tongue, that it gathers to himself people from past, man, the forefathers of our faith, those that have went before us recently, those that even in the future as long as he carries, comes to no cross, there'll be a grand opening of the new heavens and the new earth. Now I know you like grand openings, I've seen you when somebody opens up a Chick-fil-A, right? Opens up a chicken salad chick, man, you sleep about all night. So you might be one of the first, I love it. Don't get me into the amusement park world, man, if I open up a new park area in Disneyland, man, people will plan the next six months of their lives, you know? And listen to me, and all those things are not even,

that's not bad, but it's just, it's a shadow of the longing of our soul. We're longing from when God makes, listen to me, heavens and earth new, the grand opening of God's forever home for his people is coming. That's what Revelation 21 verses one through three tells us, when I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth that passed away, and the sea was no more. Does that mean there won't be an ocean? No, no, he's saying the divide, what kept us apart? And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. In this new reality, heaven and earth, this is what's coming, will join together. There'll be no separation dimensionally, spatially. Man, it'll be interlocked. No separation between heaven and here on earth, Jerusalem, serving as the capital city and all will be as it was promised with God and his people forever. For today, just know this, there's a place coming, a new heaven and a new earth that will no longer be marked by the curse of sin, beauty that is unmistakable and unimaginable, but with that being said, let's imagine for a second.

Now, I can't imagine what the new heavens will be like 'cause I haven't been to the present heaven. I can see what the scripture says, the dazzling beauty and the things. God gives us some ways of explaining those things that we try to see into it, but man, it's just glimpses. But I have lived on earth, and I've seen some things that's moved me. I've seen sunsets and sunrises, the grandeur and the glory of creation. By the way, in a sin-cursed world, man, the thing about it in a place that's tainted by the curse of sin, and yet still all inspiring, right? Still moments we go, wow. Nobody's ever stood at the edge of a grand canyon and thought how great they are. You stand in the midst of that and you think, man, there's something majestic and beautiful. If you've ever stood at the shores of the ocean and saw the expansive beauty of oceans that are out there, man, in creation, wildlife, and things in which God has created. If you ever made it to the mountains anywhere and stood in the sea, snow on top of a mountain range and thought of yourself, man, who made that with their hands? Who designed, there must be a designer. And yet, in a world that is still underneath, man, the curse in which we broke it, it says in Romans, man, that this earth is longing, groaning to be renewed, to finally be clear what God intended.

Even now, man, anybody grateful for the fall, y'all? Hallelujah, right? Some crisp mornings and leaves turning. I'll ask my favorite time of year and not even close. And that we long, listen, there's something beautiful about seasonal changes and you might be saying, well, hold up, Kyle, listen, you know, when you get to heaven, it's gonna be, the thermostats gonna be set on 72 with a light breeze. Because hear me now, heaven's not static, it's not boring. It's beautiful. It says in the Ezekiel 34, 26, and 27 about heaven. And I will make them in the places all around my heel, a blessing. And I will send down the showers in their season. He said, "Cow, is it going to rain in heaven?" Yeah, not the kind of rain that we're afraid of and run from, but the kind of rain that refreshes, that renews. They shall be showers of blessing in the trees of the field, shall yield their fruit in the earth, shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land in the same way that we're going to see next week and I live in a whole lot on the table. If there's a resurrected body to come, I like realize, but see perfectly real ears, but hear clearly, come on now. Hands with strength that never fails, legs that are strong and never give up. In the same way, that's true for us and we'll see way more about that. Next week, there's an earth coming, listen to me, that has strength and beauty like nothing we've ever seen before, like nothing we can ever imagine. Hey, the best of what we've experienced now only gets better.

The best of what we've experienced now only gets more beautiful. Yet Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2.9, "But as it is written, what no eye has seen, nor ear heard nor the heart of man imagined." I got a pretty big imagination. And yet no man, no woman, no artist. Nobody's ever captured a glimpse of what's to come. Nobody, no wordsmith has ever been able to articulate in the manner in which God has that will be made manifest one day. Think about that. None of God's children in which He's graced with great creative powers and designs and has ever drawn a picture in which they go, yep, that's it. Nobody ever just wrote a song that could sing and connect to the beauty of what God has in store. The heaven, the place, will be better than anything we've ever thought of. It'll be better than the best of things we've experienced here. But the last thing to say about heaven, right now, in heaven, that is to come. And I have not said it or thought about it where my eyes didn't like. Best part about heaven is where Jesus is. My best friend. [MUSIC] That's why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5, just first day, again, yes, be of good courage. We'd rather be away from the body and be at home with the Lord. We long for him. We know the pain and the absence of losing those that we love here on Earth. Because many times those people, they will make home feel like home, right? Still this from Adrian Rogers, I heard him preaching about this. He said, but when I travel and I come home, I never come home and hug the lamp.

And I always think about that person that makes home home, right? I want to say something to you. What makes heaven home is him. It's always been him. It's why Paul would say to the church in Philippi, verse 22 and 23. If I live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. If I'm here, we've got stuff to do. This is what made Paul so radically impactful for the kingdom of God. He's like, dude, if I'm breathing again today, watch out Satan. Because there's somebody to share the good news with. There's a disciple to be made. There's a church to be planted. There's kingdom work. But if I'm not here, that just means I'm home. Hallelujah. Yet which I shall choose, I cannot tell. I'm hard pressed between the two. my desire is to part, to part, to be with Cross. I promise you this to depart far better because we're finally home Paul didn't merely want to be in heaven Paul wanted to be with him hey by the way and Jesus wants us there that's why Jesus said in john 14 went through three I love this Jesus is not looking to us like future house guests he don't want you ever had a house guest you didn't want you're like man he's about time to leave ain't it it's great separate was good games over jesus don't look like that to us that's why he said in john 14 one through three letting out your heart speed trouble believe in god believe also in me in my father's house don't you love how jesus talks about having in my father's house or mini rooms if it were not so i would i have told you that i go to prepare a place for you gonna get your room ready and if i go and prepare a place for you i will come again and take you to myself that where i am you may be also i love what jesus starts in our salvation he completes

and bringing us home now i'm telling you i and i know a lot of people that i love deeply they've lost loved ones and and this last year for katie my wife brother david miss katie and myself we we've grieved the loss of brother steve gains who's the pastor that i came to know cross-under a dad to my wife best friend brother david miss katie and at his funeral service they played a clip of him singing at gardener first baptist way back when and i've i've just been captured with this song and we're gonna sing it together in a moment but i want you to think about what you're singing when you day because this is true what a day that will be when my jesus i shall see when i look upon his face singing to him the one who saved me by his grace when he takes me by the hand and leaves me through the promised land what a day glorious day that will be let's stand and sing it together in faith let's believe it so what a day that will be when my jesus i shall see when i look upon his face the one who saved me by his grace when he takes me by the hand and leaves me through the promised land what a day glorious day that will be now for all of us that are followers of jesus crossed that's our song it's so true it's true for a lot that's already went ahead of us they're looking at his face even now hallelujah but i've been struck by this i did probably too much reading in a lot of the series but one of the several great books about heaven written by randy alcorn he had a statement that sunk down in my soul he said for christians once you see this this present life is the closest they will come to hell the pain that we experience here for the follower of cross man the anguish the mourning the lamenting this is closest we'll ever get to hell but for unbelievers it's the closest they'll come to heaven So I ask one simple question. Are you ready for heaven this morning? Are you ready for heaven? Now some in the last service came in, not ready, and left ready. [APPLAUSE] For those of us that are in cross, what a day that will be. For those right now that you're not sure you can be, here's the promise of the gospel.

Jesus lived the life that you and I could not live. Died the death you and I deserve, defeated death, in his resurrection so that he might extend to you this very morning the opportunity by faith to reach out and say, Jesus, I've sinned against you. Thank you for dying for me. I believe in your resurrection would you make me a part of your family now so that I could spend a eternity with you in heaven as the simplicity of the gospel. Jesus has done it. Have you ever come to believe it? Just bow your heads for a moment. Followers of Christ just celebrate. Celebrate, celebrate. Hey, if you're here right now and I'm just going to ask you to be honest, I promise I won't embarrass you. I would never do that. But if you're here this morning and you're like, Kyle, I don't know that I'm ready for heaven. I don't know that I've ever had a moment that I put faith in the finished work of Christ. I don't know that I've ever had a season that I've really looked upon Jesus and asked him to become my Savior and my Lord, that if I were to stand before God and he were to ask me, why should I let you into my heaven? I don't have a good answer. If you're here and you want to though, but nobody else looking around, I mean this, nobody else looking around, here's your bold first step.

If you want to receive the gift of salvation, be made ready for heaven, right now, this is what I want you to do. I want you to look at me and raise your hand, say, Kyle, I need that, but you've got to be bold enough to do it, say, I want you to look at me and raise your hand, say, Kyle, I need that gift of salvation. Hallelujah to do. Anybody else be bold, now it's not the time. Anybody else, I need it, I need it, I want it, got it. Say, I need it, I want it, awesome. I, for those that looked, looking to me won't save you, but I can get you to him, get you to him right now. If you mean it in your heart once you say something like this, Lord, in your heart, you're not talking to Kyle, you're talking to Jesus Christ. Say, Lord, I confess my brokenness. I'm turning from it, I'm trusting in your finished work on my behalf. Save me, I want to follow you. If you meant that this morning, and I really believe, serve love you did, on behalf of the Father, I want to say welcome to the family of God, church family, can we let them know how excited they are? [APPLAUSE] All right, listen, here's your bold next step, but you got to take it, OK? If you did, if you just prayed and meant that in your heart to him, you got to take next steps, OK? Well, Lord, it's going to meet you.

What we've put together simple is just the next steps box. And if you'll come to the next step center, all you got to do is walk out of the room. All you got to say to somebody or you can grab somebody here in a second and say, I need a box. We'll take it from there. What we want to do is help solidify what Jesus just did in your life, because the enemy wants to pluck this up from you, wants to keep you from trying to walk in this newfound life and Christ. But you're not going to let him. You're going to be bold in it. I'm going to pray for us, and then we're going to sing one song. We're almost done getting you out of here plenty of time. Here's what I like to say. But God allows heaven to come to earth sometimes. Moments that we believe for things here. Glimpses of what will be ultimately true here on earth. Anybody got anything in your life that you need help, you need healing, you need some encouragement. Our prayer leaders here, and I say this, we're not trying to get through his services just to get done with him, we're trying to get to God. If you got things you would allow us to, we'd love to pray with you about anything in your life right now. Father, we love you. Thank you for your presence this morning. I pray for anybody here that just needs some help or some hope. God, you've given the courage to come

prayed for, we'd be honored to do that. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] And through the darkness you will be in kindness, tore through the shadows of my soul. The work is finished, the end is written. Oh, Jesus Christ, my living hope. You could imagine so great a mercy, what heart could fathom, such boundless grace. The God of ages stepped down from glory to where my sin and there my shame. The cross has stolen, I am forgiven. The king of peace tells me his own. Beautiful Savior, I'm yours forever. Oh, Jesus Christ, my living hope. See, hallelujah. We praise the one who sent me free. Hallelujah. And that's lost in strength only. You have broken every chain. There's salvation in your name. Jesus Christ, my living hope. In came the morning that sealed the promise, your very body began to breathe. And out of the silence, the roaring lion declared the grave has no claim on me. Come on, let's declare that this morning. In came the morning that sealed the promise, your very body began to breathe. And out of the silence, the roaring lion declared the grave has no claim on me. Oh, Jesus Christ, He's a living glory. And out of you, you have beaten the one who sent me free. Hallelujah. And that's lost in strength only. You have broken every chain. There's salvation in your name. Jesus Christ, my living hope. See, hallelujah. We praise the one who sent me free. Hallelujah. And that's lost in strength only. You have broken every chain. There's salvation in your name. Jesus Christ, my living hope. Oh, Jesus Christ, my living hope.

Cross case, please extend your hands to receive this blessing. Servants of the King, I bless you today with an ever-growing and constantly developing perception of Heaven's focus priority for every person in your life's order. attention to specific people whom the Father desires to bless. I bless you with Spirit-led curiosity compelling you to ask for and listen to Holy Spirit's promptings. Expect that many of these promptings will seem to stand in contradiction to what you observe in this person's life. The Father is showing you how he sees this person in future tense, so do not let their present character cause you to miss your sacred privilege of speaking those things that are not into existence. You were bought with a price for the purpose of executing Heaven's priorities on Earth as they already are in Heaven. Do not let the enemy steal your assignment of blessing the people around you. Instead capture your Father's voice, conjugate what Heaven is saying into words that paint a picture of the Father's plans for a person stuck in the presentness of their condition. Start practicing exactly where you are, allowing Holy Spirit to mature your expression of blessing. The Word of God through you will become quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword as it severs worldly entanglements and demonic strongholds. Be blessed as you release Heaven's blessings on others in Jesus name. Church family before you go we have one that is going to walk through the waters of baptism so let's hang out for just a second we're going to celebrate with him. Church this is my buddy Jeffrey. I'm standing up here trying to hold it together so I can fall apart right now but the Lord has been moving through our food pantry this last week and so our food pantry was meeting Thursday and Jeffrey found his way here to cross gates and just needed needed some help and a couple of days prior to that he was at a barbecue restaurant and two ladies led him to the Lord at that barbecue restaurant. I didn't bring his Bible in here but he said a few days prior to that someone had given him a Bible and if you saw the Bible you would know that that Bible meant a lot to whoever gave it to him because it is tattered it is marked up it is highlighted in it is all of the things but somebody gave him that Bible

and today Jeffrey says hey I have read that and I believe that and I have placed faith in the most high key today so I talked to his mom on the phone and his mom said Thursday morning she said hey you know it's a mom right so she thinks about her kids a lot she said I prayed for Jeffrey today Thursday well Thursday Jeffrey and I met and man what a way that that that God cooperated with his mom's prayers right the prayers of a mom well and then he finds himself here today and so man we are super excited Jeffrey to celebrate this moment with you man what a day and so the Bible says Jeffrey that if you confess me before man I will confess you before my father in heaven so today Jeffrey what is your confession Jesus is my Lord. Amen. So on that confession Jeffrey it's my privilege to baptize you my brother in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit buried in death raised the wall. Thank you for coming this morning have an awesome week and we'll see you Wednesday. [Music]