Monday, March 19, 2012
Back to the Future
Men I am teaching a 6-message series on End Times prophecy next week during our spring break. Topics include: Rapture, Glorification, Tribulation, Great White Throne Judgment, Millennial Kingdom, and Heaven (Eternal State). One of the keys to teaching is great illustrations so I am throwing this out there to any of you who have taught this before or who have some killer illustrations you can send my way. Thanks ahead of time for your input. You can post to the P to P blog or email me at wcostello23@gmail.com. Thanks guys.
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Heaven quotes and anecdotes:
ReplyDeleteThis is a MOST compelling description of the eternal state. It was perspective shaping for me:
The things written here are what we won’t see in heaven…
“When we get to heaven there will be nothing that is abrasive, irritating, agitating, or hurtful. Nothing harmful, hateful, upsetting or unkind. Nothing sad, bad, or mad. Nothing harsh, impatient, ungrateful or unworthy. Nothing weak, or sick, or broken or foolish. Nothing deformed, degenerate, depraved or disgusting. Nothing polluted, pathetic, poor or putrid. Nothing dark, dismal, dismaying or degrading. Nothing blameworthy, blemished or blasphemous or blighted. Nothing faulty, faithless, frail or fading. Nothing grotesque or grievous, hideous or insidious. Nothing illicit or illegal lascivious or lustful. Nothing marred or mutilated, misaligned or misinformed. Nothing nasty or naughty, offensive or odious. Nothing rancid or rude, soiled or spoiled. Nothing tawdry or tainted, tasteless or tempting. Nothing vile or vicious, wasteful or wanton!”
The things written here are what we will see in heaven…
“Wherever your eyes turn you will see nothing but glory and grandeur and beauty and brightness and purity and perfection and splendor and satisfaction and sweetness and salvation and majesty and marvel and holiness and happiness.
We will only see all that is adorable and affectionate, beautiful and bright, brilliant and bountiful, delightful and delicious, delectable and dazzling, elegant and exciting, fascinating and fruitful, glorious and grand, gracious and good, happy and holy, healthy and whole, joyful and jubilant, lovely and luscious, majestic and marvelous, opulent and overwhelming, radiant and resplendent, splendid and sublime, sweet and savoring, tender and tasteful, euphoric and unified. Why will it be all of these things? Because we will be looking at God (Matt. 5:8; John 17:24; Heb. 12:14; Rev. 22:4).”
From the book One Thing by Sam Storms, pgs. 178-179
Also, random Heaven quotes:
Unredeemed souls would feel unhappy in heaven. The heavenly atmosphere would be a hell for an unredeemed soul. (J.C. Ryle??)
"For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven." (Randy Alcorn, Heaven, 28)
"As surely as God is eternal, so surely is heaven an endless day without night, and hell an endless night without day." ~ J.C. Ryle
Randy Alcorn
Theologian A. A. Hodge: Heaven will prove the consummate flower and fruit of the whole creation and of all the history of the universe.
Finally Home
When engulfed by the terror of the tempestuous sea,-
Unknown waves before you roll;
At the end of doubt and peril is eternity,-
Though fear and conflict seize your soul:
But just think of stepping on shore-and finding it Heaven!
Of touching a hand-and finding it God's!
Of breathing new air and finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory-and finding it home!
When surrounded by the blackness of the darkest night,
O how lonely death can be;
At the end of this long tunnel is a shining light,
For death is swallowed up in victory!
But just think of stepping on shore-and finding it Heaven!
Of touching a hand-and finding it God's!
Of breathing new air and finding it celestial!
Of waking up in glory-and finding it home!
Heaven poem from a former student of mine:
Heaven
The only place where time has no measure
Where my heart stores all its treasure
Where pain & sorrow seize to exist
Where nobody raises a fist
The only place where I would give my life to be
Where the deaf hear and the blind see
Where rust cannot destroy
Where all have joy
The only place where I can look into His eyes and see Him face to face
Where I will praise and worship Him for all His mercy and grace
Where the scars on His body tell of an awesome price
Where my life's love is Jesus Christ
(Brian Overholtzer)
Hell
ReplyDeleteThis story is true and happened a few years ago at my church:
A Sunday school teacher was teaching little kids about hell. She asked the kids to describe what hell is like. One 5 year old boy replied, “It’s like the sun is on the ground.”
Look up Edwards descriptions in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."
Also, refer to Jack Hughes' preaching book and his organization of Thomas Watson's quotes. Seriously.
J. I. Packer on Judgment
“Why,” asks J. I. Packer, “do men fight shy of the thought of God as a Judge? Why do they feel the thought to be unworthy of Him? The truth is that part of God’s moral perfection is His perfection in judgment. Would a God who did not care about the difference between right and wrong be a good and admirable Being? Would a God who put no distinction between the beasts of history, the Hitlers and Stalins (if we dare use names), and His own saints, be morally praiseworthy and perfect? Moral indifference would be an imperfection of God, not a perfection. But not to judge the world would be to show moral indifference. The final proof that God is a perfect moral being, not indifferent to questions of right and wrong, is the fact that He has committed Himself to judge the world.” (Knowing God, p. 130)
The return of Jesus. This taken from some notes of mine.
ReplyDeleteThe return of Christ
Write the date you would like the Lord to return. NO way! You can’t do that. Right? Some have a date, and it is far off.
Reasons we wrongly say “wait”
1. “I want to get married, go sky diving first”- I haven’t done enough, much to do.
2. Youth usually
Reasons we wrongly say “come”
1. “I am old, finished and ready for you now”- I’ve done it all
2. Old usually
3. I am sick, tired of suffering.
The youth say wait. The old folks say, come. Which is better? NEITHER! Are these good reasons? Whose interests are these? The motives are wrong.
Good reasons to say “wait”
1. Get more people saved
2. Get more accomplished
Good reasons to say “come”
1. So that God is glorified, will in heaven and earth same
2. Sin be done away with
From George, posted by Will.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to eternity always has me thinking of application now, emphasis on pursuing holiness now, as we’re being fitted for heaven’s glory. A borrowed illustration I’ve used in the past came to mind, highlighting Numbers 15:38ff.
In the forests of northern Europe and Asia lives little animal called the ERMINE, known for his snow-white fur in winter. He instinctively protects his white coat against anything that would soil it. Fur hunters take advantage of this unusual trait of the ermine. They don’t set a snare to catch him, but instead they find his home, which is usually a cleft in a rock or a hollow in an old tree. They smear the entrance and interior with grime. Then the hunters set their dogs loose to find and chase the ermine. The frightened animal flees toward home but doesn’t enter because of the filth. Rather than soil his white coat, he is trapped by the dogs and captured while preserving his purity. For the ermine, purity is more precious than life. The Lord wants His people to keep themselves separated from the filth of this world at all cost. In (Numbers 15:38,40) the Lord told the Jews to put a blue thread on the borders of their clothes. When they saw the blue, they were to remember God's holy purpose for their lives and to keep a distance from sin. Do we remind ourselves often of our high and holy purpose for living? The best way to live in the world is to live above it.- Henry G Bosch (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
Also, along those lines, check out this sermon by JC Ryle, I’m sure it will stimulate more thoughts and direct you to more precious biblical truth regarding life in Heaven! : )
http://www.biblebb.com/files/ryle/suppose_an_unholy_man.htm