“Do not store up for
yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where
thieves break in and steal. But store up for your selves treasures
in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not
break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.” Matthew
6:19-21
In an increasingly dark and
dangerous world, we are looking for a safe place – not just to hide our stuff,
but a safe place for ourselves and those we love.
Jesus gives some comforting
insights on Heaven in these several short verses.
I. HEAVEN IS A SURE PLACE – V. 20 – “in
heaven”
You might occasionally have
doubts about the existence of Heaven and wonder if it is just the product of
wishful thinking. How can I be sure there really is a Heaven?
Because of Jesus’ Preaching
Jesus preached and talked about
Heaven. Like in these verses, for example. Nearly 120 times He referred to
Heaven.
Because of Jesus’ Promise
Jesus said, in John 14:1-4, “Do not let your hearts be
troubled. Trust in God; trust ealso in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms;
if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place
for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you
to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place
where I am going.”
According to
this promise, Jesus is there right now getting Heaven ready for you. He is
preparing a place just for you!
Heaven is for SURE! It is more real than this world you
live in – of sight and sound and touch – because this world will pass away but
Heaven is forever!
There are not
disaster drills in Heaven! No armies or police, or FBI either. There is no need!
“Then I saw “a new
heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed
away, and there was no longer any sea. saw the Holy City, the
new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride
beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from
the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he
will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with
them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of
things has passed away. ”He who was seated on the throne said, “I
am making new!” Then he said, “Write
this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. ”He said to
me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To
the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of
life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will
be their God and they will be my children. 8But the cowardly, the
unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice
magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery
lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:1-8
That sounds like a
safe secure place to me!
Then John the Revelator goes
on to describe the walls around this city that are 200 feet thick and 1,400
miles high.
Talk about a gated community! Those
sound like some secure walls to me!
Heaven is a SURE PLACE AND IT IS A SECURE PLACE!
III. HEAVEN IS A
SPECIAL PLACE – “WHERE YOUR TREASURE
IS…..”
Heaven is special because of the special things we
already have there:
My name is written there, my
God is there, my Jesus is there, my citizenship is there, my hope is there, my
reward is there, my friends and loved ones are there and I keep adding more
treasures!
It is true you can’t take it with you but you can send it
ahead!
Heaven is a SURE place! It is a SECURE place! And it is a SPECIAL place
that gets more special as we put our treasures there! I believe that! You
believe that!
"Imagine stepping onto a shore and finding it's Heaven.
Imagine taking hold of a hand and finding it's God's hand.
Imagine breathing new air and finding it's celestial.
Imagine feeling invigorated and finding its immortality.
Imagine passing from storms and tempest to an unknown calm.
Imagine waking up and finding it's home."
Imagine taking hold of a hand and finding it's God's hand.
Imagine breathing new air and finding it's celestial.
Imagine feeling invigorated and finding its immortality.
Imagine passing from storms and tempest to an unknown calm.
Imagine waking up and finding it's home."
Jesus is preparing Heaven for you!
Heaven is for people who are prepared!
Are you preparing for Heaven?