The Perfect Church

The past two weeks we studied the letters to the seven churches, written with pen and ink by the Apostle John, just as Jesus told him to write them.  Some of it was not a pretty sight.  

The seven were:  Backslidden, Rich, Called, Polluted, Proud, Positioned, and Passe’. 

Frankly, it was tough to get through some of that; it hurts a pastor’s heart to think of a church – any church – as being less than what Jesus called us to be. 

But today we are focusing on a different view – a church that is perfectly what God wants.  And that view begs a question we have all pondered:

I wonder what Heaven is like?

Perhaps your child has asked you that question.  Maybe when you visited the doctor and he said he’d like to do more tests, you began to think…what if it’s cancer, or my heart?  Maybe someone left a pamphlet about the afterlife on your front door.  Somebody started the question moving within you.  Today we’re going to investigate it; we are going to look at what’s going on in Heaven.

Revelation 4:1-11
Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast.  The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.”  And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it.  The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow.  Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them.  They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.  From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder.  And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames.  This is the sevenfold Spirit of God.  In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.  In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back.  The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.  Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out.  Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”  Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever).  And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.  For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.” 

Some folks will only come to church to be baptized, married, and buried.  Dr. Adrian Rogers calls it hatched, matched, and dispatched.  (The first time they throw water on you, the second time rice, and the last time, dirt!) 

They have the same attitude as Dolly in that comic strip, The Family Circus.   The family is sitting in church, and Dolly, with a bored expression on her face, asks her mom:  How much longer till we goeth home?

Friend, when you come to stand in the presence of holy God, the transcendent, King of glory, the resurrected LORD of all, somehow the thought of how long it's going to take, or if the Baptists will beat us out to the cafeteria; these things ought not to be. 

So…let’s dig-in to what John saw in this unveiling of Jesus Christ, the answer to our question, what is Heaven like?

Heaven is a Holy Place

When Isaiah had his eyes opened to see the glory of God filling the temple, he saw the angels flying back and forth, crying Holy, holy, holy.  Isaiah's reaction was to shrink away.  Isaiah knew himself.  He said, I'm a man of unclean lips -- I can't say what I'm seeing here.  God is different from man; He is beyond description.  And, like Isaiah, we know ourselves; we wonder how God will deal with we (who are unholy) in His holy place.  But this wonder, even trembling and fear, prepares us for standing in a holy place.  Standing before Almighty God will change your perspective on life! 

Paul recorded ^{(2 Corinthians 12:4-5)} that he'd been lifted-up to the third heaven.  Like John, Paul couldn't utter appropriate words to describe what he'd seen.  How unspeakable, how wonderful, words cannot say. 

Marco Polo went to the far east in the thirteenth century.  The reports of his discoveries were not believed by everyone.  On his deathbed he was urged by some to recant, and withdraw the tales he'd told about the wonders of China.  But his reply was, I have not told half of what I saw.   How can you tell the wonder of God's holiness in mere words?  You cannot.  You simply let your song lift your heart to Him.

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;

Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Heaven is a Holy Place Full of Majesty

The crowns and beasts speak of the royal nature of our God. 

·       The lion represents nobility.

·       The calf is strength. 

·       The man indicates wisdom, and

·       The eagle speaks of grace and speed. 

·       The twenty-four elders are the leaders of worship in every age. 

In Old Testament times there were twelve tribes of the Jewish nations.  Added to this group are the twelve apostles of the New Testament.  These elders, leaders of the worshipping community in every age, take off their own crowns, symbols of authority, and, along with the angels, bow down to the only truly majestic one in the bunch, King Jesus.

If you are Billy Graham, or a murderer on death row who is converted at the last hour, there will come a time when we will all bow before the throne to worship.  ALL the saints adore Him, but, saint or hardened sinner, Scripture declares every soul will bow before Jesus someday.

For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”  Romans 14:11

It is not a wrong thought to begin to practice that here.  Our worship ought to include bowing before God.  Sometimes I think we Methodists don't do much of that because the Catholics are doing it!  In heaven, therefore, the Catholic saints will be way ahead of us!

Holy, holy, holy!  all the saints adore Thee,

Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;

Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,

Who wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

Heaven is a One-of-a-Kind Place

This is a dark world.  On every hand the evil that is prevalent in our day attempts to push Jesus to the side , to trivialize the Gospel.  When John looked at the throne, one thing he noticed was that there was only ONE SEAT.  This is a solitary seat because there is only one Jesus! 

Many have tried to include Jesus in their life.  They try to make room for Him among all the other stuff, people, and interests we have.  The reality is that Jesus IS life.  When it comes to living or not, you don't make room for breathing; it happens, or you don't!  It’s the same with Jesus…you have life in Him, or not.

There is another, lesser throne.  It is the one in each of our hearts.  And on that throne there is also room for only one.  It is more than important who is sitting on that throne – it is that way because the choice determines everything about where you will spend eternity.  The problem with sitting on that throne yourself is that the responsibility is too big.  It is so big, that the shadow it casts blocks out any view of God.  And anything that gets in-between you and God separates you from His loving care.  You embrace Him fully, or you go it alone.  He has given us that choice; it’s called free-will.

The Old Testament story of Jacob illustrates this.  Jacob was second in line to his father's estate, so he decided to take matters into his own hand.  He sat on the throne, he decided he wanted to be in charge.  Eventually, he messed up and had to leave the very place he'd called home. 

Twenty years later Jacob came back home, but not until he wrestled with this issue of who's in charge.  One night he wrestled with the angel of the Lord, and Jacob finally said, I'm not leaving this place, or letting go of you until the matter of who's going to sit on the throne of my heart is settled.  In that pre-dawn struggle, Jacob got himself off the throne of his heart, and allowed God control.  It was a life-or-death matter, and once Jacob got out of the way, he could see the glory of the Lord. 

With our hearts and voices as one, put away the sinful eye of man and see that there is none but Jesus Who should sit on the throne of your heart!  He is a one-of-a-kind, unique God, who inhabits a one-of-a-kind, unique place called Heaven.

Holy, holy, holy!  tho' the darkness hide Thee,

Tho' the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;

Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,

Perfect in pow'r, in love, and purity.

Heaven (above all else) is a Place of God’s Mercy

Only mercy can evoke true praise. 

It is only the saved sinner who can look back and see that he deserved Hell, and was handed Heaven! 

What has God been merciful over?

·       Creation was an act of mercy

·       God's patience over sin is an act of mercy

·       God's Word which reveals Himself is an act of mercy and

·       the CROSS was the supreme act of mercy.

What shall we do about His mercy?

Praise!

If the God of all mercy chose to come to earth, die, go to Hell, and suffer the penalty for all our sins, what an incredibly small thing it is for us to return praise.

Holy, holy, holy!  Lord God Almighty!

All Thy works shall praise Thy name, in earth, and sky, and sea;

Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Joni Eareckson Tada is the beautiful young woman who became a quadriplegic through a diving accident when she was seventeen.  Once, according to a magazine article she was in a worship service where everyone was asked to kneel in prayer.  She was unable to do so, and began to cry silently because she really did want to kneel before her Lord.  Through her tears she prayed, Lord Jesus, I can't wait for the day when I will rise up on resurrected legs.  The first thing I will then do is to drop on grateful, glorified knees and worship You. 

This, then, is the real test of worship; does it -- whatever we do, and however we do it -- does it come from the heart?  Do we recognize that it can never be enough?  Do we offer our best, despite the inadequacies of our human condition?  Are we in the worship service to be pleased by a fine choir, soloist, neatly constructed and cleverly presented sermon?  Are we in the worship for the entertainment value?  Or are we there (here) to please God, bow before Him, and cry Holy, Holy, Holy?  This is why God placed the “wonder” in your soul about what Heaven (the place of God) is like.  And He placed more than wonder there…you also have want.  It is undeniable…give people a choice between Heaven and Hell…Heaven wins every time!

A test

What are you going to DO about what you have experienced here today? 

Will there be any difference about the way you spend this week? 

Paul Rees said:  

If you can leave your church on Sunday with no feeling of discomfort, of conviction, of brokenness, of challenge, then for you the hour of worship has not been as dangerous as it should have been.

Another pastor wrote:

If worship does not change us, it has not been worship.

·       Are you challenged to live in worship this week? 

·       Are you different because you've been here? 

·       What will you do in response to the mercy of a holy, majestic, unique God?

This church is not perfect because you are here…and I am here…and neither of us is perfect, or worships perfectly.  But what makes this a holy, majestic, one-of-a-kind place of mercy, perfect in power, love, and purity, is Jesus, Who is also here.

What is over-the-top incredible is that the reason Jesus is here is because of you.  And me.  He is waiting for us to break out in joyful worship, lifting our hands in praise, ready to charge the gates of Hell with the Good News that Jesus saves, and nobody is too good or too bad to come to this altar and offer Him that worship.

·       You can do that right now as we sing. 

·       You can come offer praise by bringing your offering, or bringing your commitment to join with us here as a member of this church, in its prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. 

·       You can come in any need you have to be prayed for, loved, and welcomed. 

·       You can come here because you are not perfect, and you need to be forgiven and have treasure in Heaven, God’s holy, majestic, one-of-a-kind place of mercy, perfect in power, love, and purity. 

·       You can come because Jesus said so!

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation 

Some images in public domain The Scripture Says, Joshua Washington website

Sources:

The Holman Bible Dictionary,  Trent C. Butler, Gen Ed.,  (Nashville, Holman Bible Publishers, 1991), 1421

Moody Monthly,  (March 1993), 32

Adrian Rogers, Our Worship: The Church in the 21st Century, (1992 Southern Baptist                Pastor's Conference, Prestonwood Baptist Church)