The Second Coming and Heaven 02
February 13, 2022

Homesick: Are you looking to Heaven?

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10 (NLT)

The Second Coming and Heaven 02 | Mick Veach | Lead Pastor | first aired on 02.13.2022

I. Introduction

Read Scripture

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

5 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. —2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

A. Heaven a topic so important that most of us have staked our life on its reality. I am amazed at the lack of teaching on heaven. We teach and preach (and argue) about eschatology. We want to know the meaning of the following:

  1. Various views of the rapture
  2. Various views of the millennium (Rev. 20 and God’s reign on earth for 1,000 years)

B. 78% of Americans believe that heaven is a reality and that they are headed there

  1. famous boxer Joe Louis had a profound statement about Heaven: “Everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die.”
  2. The famous Peter Pan said, “To die will be an awfully big adventure.”

C. We all have a terminal disease—Mortality. Current death rate 100%!!! Unless Christ returns we will all die.

  1. 3 people die every second
  2. 180 every minute (13,500 will have died during this service)
  3. If the bible is true; 250,000 people die every day with only two possible destinations—heaven or hell!!!
  4. Psalm 39:4-5 David says that his life is but a breath.

D. The purpose of this series is to enlighten about Heaven so that your daily life will be enhanced.

  1. You are on a journey; we are tempted to continuously look forward to something that will fulfill—Quick fixes.
  2. We are homesick—we were created for something much grander than this current state.

E. Have you ever been homesick? It is a terrible feeling and can be overwhelming. We were created for home and today we will at the medicine for homesickness.

II. How to stop from being Homesick (desire for Heaven)

A. Understand

Reveal Answer
your home is

  1. You will only be contempt in your home. But it is necessary to understand a little about your home.

    a. When I describe a nation that I travel to; it will never be fully understood until you see it.
    b. The bible gives us descriptions of heaven:

    1. Garden,
    2. City and a kingdom

  2. Hebrews 11:16—the heroes of the faith understood where their home was—eternity.

    • Hebrews 11:13—this earth was a journey for them; they were aliens and strangers.

  3. Risk is the norm for those who understand what lasts.

    a. John and Betty Stam in China
    b. We have much more to gain than loose when we move to the transition

  4. At this home (heaven) you will not:

    • Have an unending church service

Key Point—This place you live is not your home, heaven awaits you.

B. Understand the

Reveal Answer
of being Home

  1. In 2 Cor. 4:16-5:10, Paul gives us 3 advantages:

    a. Troubles and struggles finished—4:17
    b. Live forever—5:1
    c. Rewards—5:10

  2. Things to look forward to:

    a. New bodies — I Cor. 15:50-54
    b. Custom Built Home — John 14:1-3
    c. Great food/Party — Rev. 19:9
    d. Reunited with love ones — I Thes. 4:13-17
    e. Live on the New Earth — Rev. 21
    f. No more sin and Suffering -Rev. 7:16-17
    g. Extravagant worship — Rev. 5:11-14; 7:9-12
    h. Being with God — I John 3:2; John 14:3

  3. In 1 Cor. 2:9-10, Paul quotes Isaiah 64:4 and says that “no eye has seen no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.”

    a. Some argue that this communicates that we can’t know what God has in store for us in heaven.
    b. Actually it is saying without the Spirit’s help, we cannot know the things of God.
    c.. God has not shown us exhaustively but accurately (heaven mentioned 559 times in the bible.

Key point—Invest in what lasts, you won’t be disappointed

C.

Reveal Answer
on Home

  1. Col. 3:1, Paul commands us to “set our hearts on things above”.

    a. Why—We have decided to be in God’s stuff (…your life is hidden in Christ… 3:3).


b. “Zeteo” means to seek, search, or quest

  1. Luke 19:10—seek
  2. Mt. 18:12—searched for lost sheep
  3. Luke 15:8—lost coin

c. Some will argue that you can be too heavenly minded for any earthly good—Don’t worry most are too earthly minded that they are of no heavenly or earthly good.

  1. Aim at heaven and earth will be thrown in.
  2. Aim at earth and you will get neither.

  1. What will last for eternity? —Gal. 6:7-8

    a. Not your cars, degrees, trophies or business
    b. But every service to the needy, every dollar given to the hungry, every investment in missionaries

  2. Satan will battle for your focus—John 8:44

    a. Satan hates the new earth and new earth as much as a deposed dictator hates the new nation and government that replaced him
    b. Satan is currently the god of this ages and does not want to give it up—2 Cor. 4:4

  3. Resist the spell of Naturalism

    a. This is the belief that the world is only to be understood in scientific terms. Nothing can spiritual or supernatural is possible.
    b. Naturalism tells us this is the real world but scripture declares that the real world has yet arrived.
    c. In Narnia, the Queen hates Aslan and wishes to conquer Narnia and tries to have everyone believe that anything beyond their senses (imagination) is fantasy.

Key Point—Whatever has your heart, has your attention!

III. Application

A. We are homesick today because we are broken and only the new earth and new heaven will restore:

  1. Relationships
  2. Society
  3. Aspirations

B. Questions to ask yourself today:

1. Do I daily reflect on my own mortality?
2. Do I daily realize there are only 2 destinations Heaven or hell and that everyone I meet will go to one or the other?
3. Do I remind myself daily this is not my home? - John 16:33

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