Mars Hill Fellowship

MESSAGE |

Heaven Is ... God's Promise

SERIES |

Heaven Is ...

SCRIPTURE |

John 14:1-4

SPEAKER |

Pastor Joseph Ardayfio

KEY THEME |

I. In John 14, Jesus reassures His disciples that they do not have to fear eternal life because He is preparing a place in His Father’s house for those who believe on His name.

II.  The hope of God’s promise

1. Uncertainty of the future can cause us to lose hope, but when we know that we have a confirmed destination, it gives us hope. Jesus says to his disciples in John 14:1: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
2. While we wait in hope for Jesus’ return to the earth and our home in heaven, there will be many things that are happening around us. Jesus teaches His disciples not to worry about these things because they are the birth pains of what is to come. (Matthew 14:4)

III. The beauty of God’s promise

1. Christian folklore has diverted our attention away from the true beauty of God’s promise of a home in heaven. It is likely that one of our main images of heaven is big mansions and streets of gold.
2. In contrast, the ultimate beauty of heaven is our eternal presence with the Lord. In God’s presence, all things are restored to their rightful order: “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.” (Revelation 21:4)
3. When Jesus declares that “In my Father’s house are many rooms,” the focus is not on building literal rooms in heaven. Rather, Jesus is emphatically declaring that He desires for us to be present with him and has prepared space for us. We are not an after-thought.

IV. The assuredness of God’s promise

1. Jesus reassures his disciples that his promise is secure. If you believe in Him, you will have eternal life.
2. As God reveals in the book of Revelations, we all have a destination when we leave this earth. (Revelation 21:7-8)

V. The way to God’s promise

1. Pride causes people to not ask for directions or when they have directions, to ignore them. Adjusting God’s word and still hoping to get to your destination is foolish.
2. We have to be sure of two factors: (1) are we going to the right destination? and (2) do we have the right directions?
1. There are only two destinations, either the Father’s house or Satan’s palace. God doesn’t direct people away from the Father’s house. Rather, people rebel against God and choose to go to their own destination.
2. If our desire is to be in fellowship with God in Heaven, we have to make sure that we listen to God’s directions of how to get to heaven.
3. No amount of good deeds or who you know can get you to Heaven. Jesus says in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
3. It is irrelevant whether we think the route to heaven makes sense. God is Lord over all of the earth and has the right to set the path of how we get to heaven. 

Scripture Index:

John 14:1-4
Matthew 24:4-8
Revelations 21:2-4
Revelations 21:6-8