What is Heaven Really About? A Look Beyond Mansions and Golden Streets

[00:05:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
I forgot the whole list.
[00:05:37] I forgot the whole list.
[00:05:42] I forgot the whole list.
[00:05:46] I forgot the whole list.
[00:05:51] Good morning church!

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Welcome to worship this morning.
[00:06:07] We're so glad that you are here to worship with us, to come together.
[00:06:11] And this is World Communion Sunday.
[00:06:14] That might not mean a whole lot to you, but it's
[00:06:17] A tradition that started a number of years ago helping us to remember that we are the body of Christ all over the world.
[00:06:26] And obviously every Sunday we're the body of Christ and all throughout the week we're the body of Christ throughout the world but it's a day to remember that.
[00:06:34] And often we sing or do things from other languages or other communities, other cultures just to remind us that as the body of Christ we are bigger than this space right here.
[00:06:47] Our choir and the praise team have been working on some songs in Spanish, partly for World Communion, but also because we realize that we have a number of people in our congregation that Spanish is their first language, and although they speak English well, how great is it to sing something that is in somebody's original language?
[00:07:06] And how great is it that you can leave this space and say to one of your coworkers or somebody that you meet somewhere that you know that that is their first language to say, hey, on Sunday we sang this song.
[00:07:16] It goes, Santo, Santo, Santo.
[00:07:18] And what light will brighten up when you have some kind of connection with somebody, just a possibility of stepping into somebody else's shoes.
[00:07:27] So if you don't, I'm not going to teach it right now, I don't have a lot of time.
[00:07:31] If you know a little bit of Spanish, sing a few words here and there, mumble them along, and then join in on the English.
[00:07:36] We're going to go Spanish and then English and Spanish and then English.
[00:07:40] And we'll keep doing it over some weeks and I'll teach you the parts to it.
[00:07:43] It's really easy.
[00:07:44] The first words, obviously, will be Santo, Santo, Santo.
[00:07:48] I know you can get that one.
[00:07:49] Will you stand and let's join together.

[00:07:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
We're singing in Spanish first.
[00:08:19] Next slide.
[00:08:20] Go to the other slide.
[00:08:52] Santo, santo, santo, santo, santo, Mi corazon te adora, Mi corazon te salve en si, Santo eres tu.
[00:09:47] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[00:09:49] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.
[00:10:00] Good morning.

[00:10:01] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Welcome to Worship at Williamson Chapel.
[00:10:05] I'm Pastor Wes Smith, co-pastor along with my wife, Pastor Tony Ruth, and we are so excited to see you at worship this morning.
[00:10:11] If you're joining us online, we want to welcome you as well as we worship together.
[00:10:15] If you're a guest here, we are so glad that you're with us this morning on your way out after worship.
[00:10:20] If you have questions about how to get involved in life here at Williamson Chapel, look for a greeter with a blue welcome name tag and they can help you
[00:10:30] Get connected here at Williamson's Chapel.
[00:10:33] So now as we continue worship, I'm going to invite you to take a deep breath.
[00:10:43] This morning as we worship God and continue our series, answering questions that some of you submitted.
[00:10:51] Today we are, this is the first of three weeks where we're talking about resurrection and heaven.
[00:10:59] So just a joyful, inspiring sermon from Pastor Tony this morning.
[00:11:05] We are just so blessed to be with you in worship.
[00:11:07] And then as we come together to receive at the table, let us worship God.

[00:11:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.
[00:11:17] Bless God's holy name.
[00:11:19] Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget God's benefits, who forgives all our iniquity, who heals all our diseases.
[00:11:29] Bless the Lord, O my soul.
[00:11:31] Who redeems our life, who crowns us with steadfast love and mercy.
[00:11:37] Bless the Lord, O my soul, who satisfies us with good as long as we live, so that our youth is renewed like the eagles.
[00:11:46] Bless the Lord.
[00:11:48] Let us pray.
[00:11:49] Gracious God, with grateful hearts we gather to bring you praise.
[00:11:53] May your praises fill the whole earth.
[00:11:56] We are thankful for your mighty works, for the tender care you give.
[00:12:00] We praise you with our voices, our bodies, our instruments, ourselves.
[00:12:06] We join all creation and give you praise.
[00:12:09] In the name of your Son, our Lord, all of God's children said, Amen.
[00:12:14] Praise my soul, the King of heaven.
[00:12:16] Page 66.

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
The Gospel of the Apostles
[00:12:56] Alleluia, Alleluia

[00:14:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[00:14:22] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.

[00:15:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
As we prepare to do the work, join with me in the prayer for illumination.

[00:15:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
God of all power, open our ears, our eyes, and our hearts with the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
[00:15:28] Help us to hear your voice, to see your ways, and to receive with joy your truth.
[00:15:36] In Jesus' name, Amen.

[00:15:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Our scripture reading this morning comes from chapter 4 of the book of Revelation and John's really initial vision.
[00:15:52] John of Patmos was on the island of Patmos and had a vision first of Jesus.
[00:15:59] Who gave him seven messages for seven churches in Asia Minor, what is modern day Turkey now.
[00:16:06] And then in chapter 4, after these seven messages in chapter 4, John is called up in the Spirit into heaven.
[00:16:16] And this is what John sees in that vision.
[00:16:19] This is Revelation chapter 4, verses 1 through 11.
[00:16:23] Hear now the word of God.
[00:16:26] After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open.
[00:16:31] And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.
[00:16:40] At once I was in the Spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne.
[00:16:47] And the one seated there looks like Jasper and Carnelian.
[00:16:51] And around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald.
[00:16:54] Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes with golden crowns on their hands.
[00:17:04] Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder.
[00:17:09] And in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God.
[00:17:15] And in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
[00:17:21] Around the throne and on each side of the throne are four living creatures full of eyes in front and back.
[00:17:29] The first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle.
[00:17:40] And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside.
[00:17:46] Day and night, without ceasing, they sing.
[00:17:49] Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and is and is to come.
[00:17:57] And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever.
[00:18:11] They cast their crowns before the throne, singing, You are worthy, our Lord and God.
[00:18:18] To receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created.
[00:18:27] This is the word of God for all people.

[00:18:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Thanks be to God.
[00:18:50] Clap your hands all ye people and shout unto the Lord For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised O sing and shout with all your hallelujah Clap your hands and sing unto the Lord Clap your hands Clap your hands
[00:19:12] and Recompense, Recompense, Recompense, Recompense
[00:19:24] Alleluia!

[00:19:43] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Clap your hands and sing unto the Lord!
[00:19:44] Clap your hands!

[00:19:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:19:59] Amen.

[00:20:39] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Let your hands clap your hands Let your hands clap your hands Let your hands clap your hands

[00:21:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Sing and shout!
[00:21:17] Sing and shout!
[00:21:22] Sing and shout!

[00:21:29] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Allelu!

[00:21:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Clap your hands and sing unto the Lord!
[00:21:31] O clap your hands, all ye people, and shout!

[00:21:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Well that was great.
[00:22:02] And now I gotta go.
[00:22:13] Can I pray for you?
[00:22:15] Can we all pray?
[00:22:17] Is it okay?
[00:22:17] Okay, sorry.
[00:22:23] Just give me a second.
[00:22:26] So earlier this week, Connor and Nicole Donahue welcomed a new little boy into the world, and he was born at 22 weeks.
[00:22:36] He's in a NICU.
[00:22:38] And Connor's here, and John, and Jamie, and Grace, and
[00:22:44] I want to pray, so can we all pray with me?
[00:22:47] Let's do that.
[00:22:57] Lord, we praise you for we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
[00:23:05] You knit every one of us together in our mother's womb.
[00:23:09] Intentionally and beautifully and perfectly, just as you want us to be.
[00:23:17] And God, you did that same thing for John Connor.
[00:23:24] And you are still doing it, God, and for that we're grateful.
[00:23:29] We're grateful for every breath that you have put into his lungs and for every breath that will come.
[00:23:37] And we are so very thankful for the blessing and the privilege of living in a place where we have incredible medical care.
[00:23:46] And we're so thankful for all the people that have gone before that learned all the best ways to take care of preemie babies, babies that are born so soon.
[00:23:57] Lord, and we are so very well aware that
[00:24:01] 100 years ago, things that are possible now are impossible.
[00:24:06] And so we believe you are a God who is always creating possibility.
[00:24:12] And we believe that this child is your child.
[00:24:15] And so we pray for him.
[00:24:18] and we pray God that you would continue to hover over him as you hovered over creation at the very beginning and you would put breath in his lungs one breath at a time and that you would continue knitting him together and that you will bless the hands of every nurse and every doctor who attends to them to him and I pray God that they may be your hands for his well-being and his healing in every way and his continued creation
[00:24:43] Lord we pray that you will give strength on weary days to Connor and Nicole that they would feel your hand undergirding them and strengthening them and I pray that you would do that for all who love them.
[00:24:55] This is your child Lord he is yours and just as we are all yours we give thanks for the gift of life and for the miracle it is and may we never not ever stop giving thanks for it.
[00:25:10] Please, Lord, we pray for this child, your child, that he may grow in you always.
[00:25:20] Form him, Lord, we pray, one breath at a time, in the name of Christ.
[00:25:26] Amen.
[00:25:28] Okay, now.
[00:25:32] Okay, so.
[00:25:35] We're still tackling your questions.
[00:25:38] And they're hard questions and today your hard questions are about heaven.
[00:25:44] Heaven and resurrection and what happened when Jesus died and was raised again.
[00:25:50] You know, easy stuff.
[00:25:54] Someone posted this week, it's Pastor Appreciation Month, and someone posted and said a sign that said, Pastor Parking, you park here, you preach.
[00:26:05] And I'm just telling you that I might not have parked here this morning.
[00:26:10] So, but the Lord shows up and the Holy Spirit gives us what we need, so for that we are thankful.
[00:26:15] I'm reminding you of our ground rules that we are, as we're tackling these call your curious questions.
[00:26:23] The first ground rule is that we're going to engage with some humility.
[00:26:27] We're going to recognize what we don't know, that our understanding is limited, that we don't have all the information, and sometimes we're going to get it wrong, and that's okay.
[00:26:37] Someone might see this differently than we see it, and that's okay.
[00:26:41] This is, as John Wesley would say, not stuff that is essential for your salvation, okay?
[00:26:47] What we believe about what heaven looks like, it's not going to keep any of us from heaven or from getting in.
[00:26:52] That's all going to happen on the grace of God anyway, okay?
[00:26:55] So that's the first thing.
[00:26:56] The second thing is we're going to stay grounded in the Scripture.
[00:26:58] Not in what we heard in a song somewhere that we liked that made us feel good.
[00:27:02] Not in what we heard from somebody at a funeral when somebody said something really, really bad.
[00:27:06] It was terrible theology.
[00:27:07] We're going to stay grounded in God's Word.
[00:27:11] We're going to stay grounded in what the Scripture actually tells us about these things that they're asking our questions about.
[00:27:16] And we're going to wrestle while trusting that God is good and that God has all the answers and God can manage all our doubts and questions.
[00:27:23] God is not looking for all of us to be perfect in our faith.
[00:27:27] God likes a good wrestle, so we're going to wrestle with some trust.
[00:27:32] So today, we're talking about specifically, what is heaven according to the Bible?
[00:27:40] Most of your questions, like this question, there's just lots of speculation.
[00:27:47] The Bible is remarkably, friends, non-specific about some of this.
[00:27:51] And it's really frustrating, because we want God to be really clear about it, and we go thinking the Bible says something that we heard one day years ago, and then we go into it and we find out, well, it doesn't actually say that.
[00:28:02] So, we just have to wrestle with that.
[00:28:04] I read this week, I went back and read a sermon by John Wesley, who was the founder of the people called Methodist.
[00:28:11] And he wrote a sermon called The New Creation, and in that sermon, this is what he said about it.
[00:28:16] He said, Our knowledge and understanding of heaven is short and imperfect.
[00:28:21] Thanks John.
[00:28:23] It's short and imperfect.
[00:28:25] We cannot truly conceive of it and Scripture offers very little about what it is except to speak of worship and all things being new and the dwelling of God.
[00:28:38] Which is helpful, right?
[00:28:40] So the question that someone in our congregation specifically asked that is leading to this sermon is this.
[00:28:46] They asked, if after the crucifixion and when we're in paradise, if that is the third heaven with God, then what are the first and second heaven?
[00:28:56] And some of you are scratching your head and going, I was not raised Baptist and I had no idea there was more than one heaven.
[00:29:01] Like, what are you talking about up there, right?
[00:29:04] So, what you need, the word that is, when the scripture uses the word heaven, a lot of times it talks about heavens, with an S on the end of it.
[00:29:14] Heavens, more than one, heaven.
[00:29:17] So this, friends, is a scriptural deep cut, and it's worth answering the question, so I'm going to answer the question, but I'm probably going to confuse you in the process, and that's going to be okay.
[00:29:26] So, here's what I want to tell you.
[00:29:28] 2 Corinthians 12, verse 2, Paul writes this.
[00:29:33] He says,
[00:29:43] So someone got called up into the third heaven, maybe embodied, maybe just spirit, we don't know.
[00:29:48] What are we supposed to do with that?
[00:29:52] Revelation 21 says, 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.
[00:30:03] So heaven, as the scripture uses that word, effectively is the place where God dwells.
[00:30:09] Any place that God dwells.
[00:30:12] And for years, scholars and believers have sort of postulated that when the Bible talks about heavens, third heaven, and the dome in the sky, that it's like layers.
[00:30:22] And this is all speculation on human beings' part.
[00:30:24] It's not like there's a chapter and verse in the Bible that says, okay, so the third heaven is this, and the second heaven is this, and the first heaven is this.
[00:30:32] This is all just us trying to wrap our mind around
[00:30:36] Some of the things that lack some clarity.
[00:30:38] And this is what the teaching generally has been.
[00:30:41] The third heaven is the place where God's throne room is set.
[00:30:44] What we read in Revelation chapter 4.
[00:30:47] And this is place where the fullness of God and all God's glory dwells.
[00:30:53] And this heaven it is unchanging and it is perfect.
[00:30:56] And in the scripture we get glimpses of it like in Revelation or in Isaiah when Isaiah receives his call.
[00:31:03] He is worshiping in the temple and he sees the throne room of God.
[00:31:07] He sees just the hem of God's robe.
[00:31:10] So that's the third heaven.
[00:31:11] The second heaven is the vaulted expanse of the sky.
[00:31:19] So think like the starry skies.
[00:31:21] When you look up, everything that you can see, all in the heavens.
[00:31:25] Think of it like Psalm 19 verse 1.
[00:31:29] The heavens are telling the glory of God and the firmament that proclaims his handiwork.
[00:31:34] Or in Genesis 1 when it says that God created a dome in the sky and he placed the lights, the sun and the moon, in this vaulted dome.
[00:31:47] That's the second heaven.
[00:31:49] And it's the place where theoretically it will be transformed at the end of all things.
[00:31:54] The heavens will be transformed.
[00:31:57] And then there's the first heaven which is the earth and it's the place that God from time to time comes to choose and chooses to come and dwell for periods of time.
[00:32:06] So think about the Israelites traveling in, wandering in the desert and they were led by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.
[00:32:14] That was the presence of God.
[00:32:15] Or when they built the tabernacle and then the temple, the presence of God would come and dwell in the Holy of Holies and then he would leave.
[00:32:22] or Jesus came and took on flesh so this is this earthly place that is the first heaven and this heaven is subject to decay and will ultimately be destroyed at the end of all things and be replaced with something new a new Jerusalem
[00:32:40] Now remember, this is just all speculation.
[00:32:43] The Bible is a whole lot more concerned about the nature and the character of the kingdom of heaven than it is with an actual place and what that place looks like in terms of its physical structure.
[00:32:57] Jesus talks a lot about the kingdom of heaven.
[00:33:00] And he talks about bringing that kingdom of heaven here on earth.
[00:33:05] And he says the kingdom of heaven
[00:33:07] is a place where humility is honored.
[00:33:11] Matthew chapter 5, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[00:33:17] He also says the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure.
[00:33:21] It's a treasure hidden in a field that someone would sell everything they have to buy because it's so wonderful.
[00:33:28] The kingdom of heaven is a place where there aren't tears and there aren't pain.
[00:33:33] It's like this.
[00:33:35] The Bible talks about heaven, it says, heaven's like this.
[00:33:38] It's all simile and metaphor, right?
[00:33:41] It just doesn't have anything concrete about it because it's hard.
[00:33:45] So friends, between the three heavens thing and the revelation thing about creatures covered with eyes all over their bodies and ripples and peals of thunder, you may be asking yourself, hang on, where's my mansion in the Calvary, Freedman, and Jerry's?
[00:34:05] Because I thought that's what heaven was.
[00:34:08] Isn't that what heaven's supposed to be?
[00:34:09] A place that's sort of like this one, but without crying and things.
[00:34:13] It's like a big family reunion, right?
[00:34:16] Where we all see our loved ones and the things that hurt us in this life are gone.
[00:34:21] Well, friends, as much as I'd like to have calorie-free Ben and Jerry's,
[00:34:28] That's just not important, I don't think, at the end of all things.
[00:34:31] It feels important now, but I don't think at the end of all things it's actually that important.
[00:34:35] And while all of us are looking forward, very much looking forward, to being reunited with loved ones, the reality is that as wonderful as those things will be, they are not the primary focus of heaven.
[00:34:49] What do you mean, Pastor?
[00:34:51] What do you mean telling me that I am not the center of the universe, not now and not then either?
[00:35:00] So why do we think of heaven as mansions and things like that?
[00:35:03] Why is it that that's like in the Zeitgeist?
[00:35:05] Why do we think that's there?
[00:35:06] Well, that's rooted in Scripture.
[00:35:09] True, John 14, Jesus says, In my Father's house there are many rooms.
[00:35:14] And I go and prepare a place for you.
[00:35:17] And Revelation talks about a new Jerusalem that is going to come down out of heaven and describes it with brilliance and glory.
[00:35:23] And he talks about it about like gold on the streets.
[00:35:26] And we get fixated and stuck on the gold on the streets, not realizing that what he's trying to get at is he's trying to describe something that is so brilliant and beautiful that I need to describe it in terms that we think are brilliant and beautiful here on earth now.
[00:35:46] We think about that in terms of ourselves.
[00:35:50] And we ask things like, I wonder where in town my place will be.
[00:35:55] Like, am I gonna have a mansion just over the hilltop like we sang in that song when I was a kid?
[00:36:01] Am I gonna have a place by the lake?
[00:36:04] I'm just wondering, does everybody from my family have to live in my house?
[00:36:11] Can we kick some of them out?
[00:36:16] I mean, I wonder, is my house going to be big?
[00:36:22] Where am I going to sit?
[00:36:24] Am I going to have a place?
[00:36:25] And what we're really asking when we ask all those things, friends, is am I going to have the place that I belong?
[00:36:30] Will I belong?
[00:36:33] Will I matter?
[00:36:33] Will I be thought of?
[00:36:36] We think in those terms because we can wrap our minds around that and it's worldly things and it helps us make sense of things.
[00:36:43] We think about it as a physical place.
[00:36:45] Heaven is a physical place and it does have a physicality and we're gonna address that in a couple of weeks but we think about it in physicality like we know now and what God says means when he says, I go and prepare a place for you, it's less about a physical place and more about a place with him, about belonging with him.
[00:37:06] None of this is bad, or even, we just need to sort of expand our vision of it, I think, a little bit.
[00:37:12] Because when we reduce heaven to being about our individual mansions, or only about being reunited with our beloveds, then what we do is we reduce God's redemptive end game, God's purpose, to being just about us and not about everything, all of creation.
[00:37:33] God's purpose for us is relationship with God and with one another.
[00:37:38] Not just life after death, but relationship with God in a redeemed creation of heaven and earth.
[00:37:47] In other words, heaven is not about us.
[00:37:50] It's about all of creation.
[00:37:52] And it's not simply about what God does for us.
[00:37:57] It is also about what we do in response to what God does for us.
[00:38:02] So what does God do?
[00:38:05] Well, the primary thing that we all know about heaven is that in heaven there's no more weeping and mourning and God takes away all the tears.
[00:38:12] In heaven, all the things that cause people suffering on earth are gone.
[00:38:19] Disease, death, hurricanes, earthquakes, betrayal, deceit,
[00:38:28] Lies, addictions, all of it is gone.
[00:38:32] And all of that is very personal.
[00:38:34] And we can and should think of it as those things that are very personable.
[00:38:38] But we also should not diminish it by making it about just those things.
[00:38:42] You see, God's end purpose is cosmic.
[00:38:45] Justice.
[00:38:47] The end of systems of injustice and oppression.
[00:38:50] The end of the suffering of all people.
[00:38:53] The end of abuses and violence and all the sins that are conceived in the human heart.
[00:39:00] The end of all the blaming and finger pointing and all the stuff that we like to do here on earth and all our hustle.
[00:39:10] And to top it all off, there is this very beautiful picture
[00:39:16] An incarnational picture of the God of the universe bending down to every one of us to wipe away the tears from our eyes.
[00:39:30] So, that's part of it.
[00:39:35] But above all other things, heaven is about dwelling.
[00:39:41] Abiding, having a place of belonging with God.
[00:39:47] With God.
[00:39:50] Fully restored, fully redeemed relationship with God.
[00:39:56] God offers us a place to dwell with Him forever.
[00:40:00] It's more than just a living space over at God's house.
[00:40:02] It's not like you just got a room at God's house.
[00:40:05] You're actually dwelling with God.
[00:40:07] John Wesley describes it this way in that same sermon.
[00:40:11] He said, to crown all there will be a deep and uninterrupted union with God.
[00:40:19] A constant communion with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, through the Spirit.
[00:40:25] A continual enjoyment of the three-in-one God and all the creatures in Him.
[00:40:34] So we're going to get to hug our loved ones or not?
[00:40:37] Well, I hope so.
[00:40:38] Because I think that's got to be part of what heaven is.
[00:40:40] If it's about restoration and about redemption, then us being able to embrace those that we love, who have gone on before, that's got to be part of the story.
[00:40:50] I hope that I'm gonna get to hug my daddy.
[00:40:53] But I also think, and this is the hard part about being a believer, I also think that might not be our major focus.
[00:41:02] I don't know that I think it'll actually be the most important thing that's happening in heaven.
[00:41:08] Because what's actually happening in heaven is not just that we're being embraced by those that we love that have gone on, but that we're being embraced by God himself.
[00:41:18] God Himself is wrapping us within Himself in all of His goodness and His love and He's covering all of that stuff that has kept us from feeling that place of belonging, that ache that's in us that, you know, let's just be real, was there when our loved one was here and it was there when they were gone too.
[00:41:38] That we're all still looking at that thing that nothing here on earth can fulfill.
[00:41:44] God wrapping us in God's own self.
[00:41:49] God's purpose in creation is way more about knowing God and being known by God than it is about anything else.
[00:41:55] And friends, we aren't the center of that.
[00:41:57] God is.
[00:42:00] So what's the primary activity of heaven?
[00:42:02] Well, according to the Bible, pretty consistently, the primary activity of heaven is worship.
[00:42:10] The throne room
[00:42:12] It's a vision in Revelation 4.
[00:42:14] There's a throne room and God's at the center, sparkling with brilliant beauty.
[00:42:18] And around the throne there is something like a sea of glass, it's clear as crystal.
[00:42:24] And around the sea of glass there are 24 elders.
[00:42:27] And they represent the 12 disciples and the 12 apostles.
[00:42:30] In other words, I'm sorry, the 12 tribes and the 12 disciples.
[00:42:34] In other words, the fullness of the covenant that God has been making in the world.
[00:42:37] and also around this throne in these 24 hours they the elders they all have on these crowns they're all wearing golden crowns and they're all also these four living creatures covered with eyes it's a weird image and it's sort of reminiscent of what you read in ezekiel right and and these four creatures represent all of creation and they have all these eyes because they're trying to tell us that these creatures have full insight and knowledge and understanding about what god has been doing in the world and who god is
[00:43:08] And day and night, the scripture says, without ceasing, they praise and adore God, holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty, who is and was and is to come.
[00:43:19] And they do it over and over and over again.
[00:43:22] And then the elders, they take off these golden crowns.
[00:43:26] They take off all these things that would make them something.
[00:43:30] You know, we think gold would make us really powerful, right?
[00:43:34] When everything, like I was looking this week, gold futures were going up.
[00:43:38] because everybody's scared because we know gold's gonna be all right right we think gold is the most valuable thing and they take the they take these golden crowns whatever makes them worthy of praise on earth their power their authority their accomplishment and they just throw them at the throne of god i've always loved that image it's so evocative to me because i can hear can you hear it the metal clanking across the glass
[00:44:03] As these crowns, these things that would make us so important, are just tossed at the bottom of the throne of God, worthless as compared to the worthiness of God.
[00:44:17] You are worthy, our Lord and God, they sing.
[00:44:20] to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created and in chapter 5 goes on to talk about how the Lamb of God stands looking like a lamb who was slain stands right in the center of the throne room of God
[00:44:37] The Lamb is the Lamb of God, Jesus, who is the Christ.
[00:44:40] And the 24 elders all sing, You are worthy, for you were slaughtered, and by your blood you ransomed for God saints of every tribe and tongue and language and people and nation.
[00:44:51] Worthy is the Lamb.
[00:44:54] In other words, worship is the primary activity of heaven because what everybody in heaven is going to know is that God created and redeemed it all.
[00:45:06] and all things have been made new including our humanity by the hand and the power of the God who is God, who was God, who will be God and who alone is worthy of the focus of heaven's activity.
[00:45:25] Matthew chapter 22 verses 1 through 14 tells us, Jesus tells us, that the kingdom of heaven is like a king
[00:45:34] who prepared a banquet table for his son, a wedding banquet for his son.
[00:45:39] And they invited all the most important people in town.
[00:45:42] And some of them were gonna come, but some of them had other things they needed to do.
[00:45:46] Because, you know, sometimes we think we've got other things we need to do.
[00:45:50] and the the king is just upset about this and so he says well they go out to every street corner and invite everybody invite them all to come everybody shout it out on the street corner everybody is invited to come and they're all given a place at the table of god and the problem in this parable as jesus tells it is that before jesus's death and resurrection not everybody that comes has the right wedding clothes on
[00:46:19] Revelation tells us that Jesus will clothe us with his own wedding robe and make us a seat at the table with our name on it, a place that we can belong, and not just you and me, but people of every tribe and every tongue and every nation.
[00:46:39] It won't just be your grandma that you loved.
[00:46:42] It won't just be your child that you loved.
[00:46:46] It will be a table that is for everyone and there will be a place for people who have last names that are Arabic and Hebrew and Swahili and French and German and Spanish.
[00:46:58] People that have names of languages we haven't even discovered yet and people that know only their name by sign.
[00:47:09] There will be a multitude clothed in white in the throne room of God who join the chorus that worships the Lamb who sits on the throne and Jesus will be in the midst of it all.
[00:47:21] Friends, the table where we gather today, this is a foretaste of a heavenly banquet.
[00:47:27] It is a place where people of every tribe and tongue and nation gather with our eyes, focus solely on the one who sets the table for us and comes to dwell with us and invites us, more importantly, to come and dwell with him forever and ever.
[00:47:43] This is a preview of heaven.
[00:47:45] And while there is, friends, a seat with your name on it, and friends, I hope my daddy's sitting next to me
[00:47:55] But I'm also excited that there will be people I've never met.
[00:48:00] And together we'll be doing the one thing that we were all created to do.
[00:48:03] Worshiping God who is Father and Son and Holy Spirit again and again over and over and over again.
[00:48:11] Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come.
[00:48:18] In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, what a reason to worship.
[00:48:24] Amen.

[00:48:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him.
[00:49:12] who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.
[00:49:17] Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.
[00:49:23] Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart.
[00:49:30] We have failed to be an obedient church.
[00:49:33] We have not done your will.
[00:49:35] We have broken your law.
[00:49:38] We have rebelled against your love.
[00:49:40] We have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy.
[00:49:47] Forgive us, we pray.
[00:49:48] Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
[00:49:53] Amen.
[00:49:55] I invite you now to say your own prayers of confession in silence.
[00:50:14] Hear the good news.
[00:50:15] Christ died for us while we were yet sinners.
[00:50:17] That proves God's love toward us.
[00:50:21] In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
[00:50:24] In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
[00:50:31] Glory to God.
[00:50:31] Amen.
[00:50:31] I invite you now to stand and to share signs of peace and reconciliation and love with one another.
[00:50:37] Let's pass the peace.

[00:51:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Peace.

[00:51:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Friends, as forgiven and reconciled people, one of the things that we do is we offer.
[00:51:35] So God gives us this beautiful redemptive thing, right?
[00:51:39] He gives us life and He forgives our sins and He offers us newness and He promises He's going to wipe all the tears away from our eyes.
[00:51:47] And we receive it with so much gratitude.
[00:51:51] And then we offer ourselves back in return.
[00:51:54] So today on World Communion Sunday, as we're thinking about the way the church around the world offers that message to all the world, we come and we bring our offerings as part of our worship.
[00:52:05] We understand this to be everything that we give, not just the money that we would put in an offering plate, but also our time and our talents and our forgiveness and the grace that we offer other people in a place that we make at our table for the stranger.
[00:52:20] We offer all of that at Thanksgiving to God as a response to what God has done for us.
[00:52:26] So today, as we receive Communion, we're going to invite you, instead of passing the plates, we're going to invite you to come and leave your gift at the altar.
[00:52:34] To do it, to really reinforce to yourself, this is an act of your worship.
[00:52:39] This is something I leave at the altar of God and I'll let God take it and do whatever God is going to do with it to build up the kingdom of heaven so that the world might know the people that feel like they don't have any place would know that there is a seat at the table of God for everybody.
[00:52:56] So when you come up whether you're scanning to give or you're putting in the offering plate think about your offering and what you bring and leave it at the altar to the glory of God.

[00:53:08] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Friends, please remain standing for the great message.

[00:53:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
The Lord be with you.
[00:53:16] And also with you.

[00:53:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Lift up your hearts.

[00:53:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
We lift them up to the Lord.

[00:53:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

[00:53:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

[00:53:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
It is right and a good and joyful thing always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth.
[00:53:35] In love you made us for yourself, and when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, your love remained steadfast.
[00:53:45] You bid your faithful people cleanse their hearts and prepare with joy for the Easter feast.
[00:53:51] That, renewed by your word and sacraments and fervent in prayer and works of justice and mercy, we may come to the fullness of grace that you have prepared for those who love you.
[00:54:03] And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn.

[00:54:11] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are

[00:54:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Holy are you and blessed is your son Jesus Christ, whom you sent in the fullness of time to redeem the world.
[00:54:59] He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in our likeness.
[00:55:05] He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
[00:55:10] He took upon himself our sin and death and offered himself a perfect sacrifice for the sin of the whole world.
[00:55:18] On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread,
[00:55:23] gave thanks to you broke the bread gave it to his disciples and said take eat this is my body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me when the supper was over he took the cup he gave thanks to you
[00:55:50] and gave it to his disciples and said drink from this all of you this is my blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me and so in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ's offering for us
[00:56:19] as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

[00:56:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

[00:56:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and wine.
[00:56:43] Make them be for us the Body and Blood of Christ.
[00:56:46] that we may be for the world the body of Christ redeemed by his blood by your spirit make us one with Christ one with each other and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet through your son Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit in your holy church all honor and glory is yours almighty God now and forever
[00:57:26] And now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray as Jesus has taught.

[00:57:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

[00:58:00] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.

[00:58:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
You may be seated.
[00:58:07] Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one.
[00:58:12] The bread that we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
[00:58:16] The cup over which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ.
[00:58:22] Friends, the Lord has opened his table to all of us.
[00:58:26] And he's made a place at his table for all of us.
[00:58:29] Whether we feel worthy of it or not, he offers us his own glory and invites us to come.
[00:58:35] So whatever your background, wherever you're from, know that you have a place at the table, at the Lord's table, and you are invited to come and feast.
[00:58:44] We receive, as our tradition in the Methodist Church, by intention.
[00:58:47] You receive a bit of bread in your hand and then you dip it into the juice.
[00:58:52] If for any reason you're uncomfortable with receiving in
[00:58:55] We do have individual communion, just let your server know.
[00:58:59] We also have a gluten-free station, so if you need to receive gluten-free elements, just come down to the center, to the very center here to receive.
[00:59:08] The Lord's table is ready for us all.
[00:59:10] It's a preview of the great banquet table to come, so may you remember all those people who joined you at the table, those who have gone before you and those who will come long after you, gathered here in this great place.

[00:59:34] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy, Deuteronomy
[01:00:19] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[01:00:44] Amen.

[01:00:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

[01:01:14] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Amen.
[01:01:16] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[01:01:43] Amen.
[01:01:55] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[01:02:11] Amen.
[01:02:30] Let us pray.
[01:02:50] In Jesus' name we pray.
[01:03:18] Amen.
[01:03:22] Let us pray.
[01:04:06] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[01:04:28] Amen.
[01:04:34] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[01:04:54] Amen.
[01:05:11] In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
[01:05:41] Amen.
[01:05:43] Let us pray.

[01:06:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us.
[01:06:21] Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit to give ourselves for others.
[01:06:26] In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
[01:06:28] Amen.

[01:06:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Our closing hymn is When We All Get to Heaven.
[01:06:33] We sang this a couple weeks ago and some of the choir got outraged because we didn't sing it the right way.
[01:06:40] So we're going to sing it the right way and we're going to have a lot of fun doing it.
[01:06:43] So will you stand and join with us?

[01:07:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
The love of Jesus, sing His mercy and His grace.

[01:07:17] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
In the mansions bright and blessed, everywhere as a place.

[01:07:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
How we walk the pilgrim pathway, clouds will overspread the sky.
[01:08:10] Let us then be true and faithful, trusting, serving every day.

[01:08:26] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Just one glimpse of Him in glory will the doors of life repay.

[01:08:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
One word to the Lord!
[01:09:14] Jesus, we'll sing and shout until the day we leave When we all will be on the way to heaven For a day of rejoicing and a day to live When we all will see Jesus, we'll sing and shout

[01:09:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
We appreciate the choir and sharing their gifts with us and Pastor Kerry and Dawn for leading us in worship.
[01:09:59] What an amazing group of talented folks.
[01:10:03] And their willingness to share their gifts.
[01:10:04] They put a lot of work into this.
[01:10:06] So we are grateful for them.
[01:10:08] So just a couple of quick announcements before we go.
[01:10:12] If you have the Church Center app,
[01:10:15] and you're connected that way if you go to the app and click on the bottom right hand side it says more and it'll bring up some options at the bottom there it says volunteer for meaningful service
[01:10:26] And you click that and you are taken to a page where you can sign up to serve at several different local missions with some members of the staff, Pastor Tony Ruth and myself, Kevin Ward, who is transitioning now to be full-time missions.
[01:10:45] We announced this past week that we are looking for a new director, full-time director of youth ministry.
[01:10:52] So Kevin will be full-time mission staying here with us at Williamson's Chapel.
[01:10:57] But you'll get the opportunity if you sign up to serve with some other folks here at the church.
[01:11:02] I looked at that list.
[01:11:03] We got some folks signed up already for different mission agencies here in Morrisville.
[01:11:09] So take a look at that.
[01:11:10] If you don't have the Church Center app, download that app and it'll give you an option to you can find Williamson's Chapel.

[01:11:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
And if you haven't, but you don't know how to use it, Pastor Monica today at 4 o'clock in room A204, so in the other building on the second floor, room 204, is doing a How to Use Church Center.
[01:11:28] So if you are like, I would love to use that thing, but I'm confused.
[01:11:32] Solution.
[01:11:33] 4 o'clock today.
[01:11:34] Call Pastor Monica.

[01:11:36] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
In our Methodist DNA, a movement started by John Wesley, is serving.
[01:11:41] Missions.
[01:11:43] Applying our faith in helpful and practical ways that help people out in the world.
[01:11:48] Also in our Methodist DNA is eating.
[01:11:51] So we're going to invite you to join us on Wednesdays at 5.30 for dinner's done in our fellowship hall.
[01:11:59] Meals prepared.
[01:12:00] Well, arranged and prepared by Carrie Jones, served by volunteers from different mission agencies.
[01:12:06] What you pay, a portion of what you pay goes to those mission agencies that change week to week.
[01:12:11] So Wednesday at 5.30, wonderful opportunity for good food and good fellowship.

[01:12:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Now friends, may the Lord bless you and keep you.
[01:12:21] The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
[01:12:24] The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
[01:12:27] In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.