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Thank you very much. Thank you. You Well, good morning everyone, welcome to Mountain Baptist Church take your song books and turn to song number 42 Song number 42 in your song books and we'll sing my latest Sun is sinking fast Has anybody heard this before? Anybody sung before? Oh, the speed notes. Okay. That's it All right. Well if you would stand We'll sing song number 42 My latest sun is sinking fast My race is nearly run My strongest trials now are past My triumph is begun Oh come angel band Come and around me stand Oh bear me away on your snowy wings To my eternal home Oh bear me away on your snowy wings To my eternal home I know near the holy ranks Of friends and kindred drear For our waves on Jordan's banks The crossing must be near Oh come angel band Come and around me stand Oh bear me away on your snowy wings To my eternal home Oh bear me away on your snowy wings To my eternal home I've almost reached my heavenly home My spirit loudly sings Thy holy ones Behold they come I hear the noise Of wings Oh come angel band Come and around me stand Oh bear me away on your snowy wings To my eternal home Oh bear my longing heart To him who bled and died for me Whose blood now cleanses from all sin And gives me victory Oh come angel band Come and around me stand Oh bear me away on your snowy wings Come and around me stand Oh bear me away on your snowy wings To my eternal home Oh bear me away on your snowy wings To my eternal home And let's pray heavenly father lord again we just want to thank you And praise you for your word for this day for our church For the grace and mercy that you've bestowed upon us I pray lord now that you would just be with us During the service and fill our passage with your power and spirit we love you For it's in Jesus name we ask all but amen Alright if you would take your mountain baptist's Psalms hymns and spiritual songs books Their blue folders And we're gonna sing A special June song Out of the Psalm books I think we're gonna sing this every Sunday Morning just to start off our week really well we're gonna sing Psalm 139 and so this will be the June Psalm I'm not joking about that we may actually do it Alright we'll sing Psalm 139 Surely thou will slay the wicked Surely thou will slay the wicked O God Depart from me therefore ye bloody men Depart from me therefore ye bloody men Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee For they speak against thee wickedly And thine enemies Take thy name in vain And thine enemies Take thy name in vain Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee Do not I hate them For they speak against thee Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee I hate them with perfect hatred I hate them with perfect hatred I count them mine enemies Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee O Lord that hate thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee O Lord that hate thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee O Lord that hate thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee O Lord that hate thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee O Lord that hate thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I grieve with those that rise up against thee I think, I'm pretty sure I grieve with those that rise up against thee Yeah we are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord So that is our memory verse for the week I have no idea on the birthdays, whose birthday is this week Do we have any this week? Elizabeth. Elizabeth? Okay, when is her birthday? What day? The 5th? What's today? Today's the 4th. Okay, so tomorrow. Okay. Is that it? And then, what's that? Yeah, yeah, okay. So we'll sing happy birthday to Elizabeth. How old's Elizabeth gonna be? Four. Wow. So happy birthday, and we'll sing happy birthday to you here in a minute. And did we have any anniversaries? Yes, we need to sing to the McShays. So you got to find you got to find your wife. So we'll sing happy anniversary to you guys. And then on the pregnancy list there, we have Tiara Alesco, we have Amanda Spina, Jennifer Simes, and now we have Alyssa, the Ford family, on there as well. And so, just being a prayer for all these ladies on the pregnancy list. Being a prayer for them just aren't feeling well. My kids, some of them have been dealing with kind of like a head cold type thing. And so, Anna actually had a fever last night, but I think it was just probably from the head cold type stuff. But we're being cautious with that. We don't bring our snotty kids with everybody else as much as we can. But the Alescos aren't feeling well, so being prayer for them specifically. And I know that the Russells, I think they, the stomach bug finally hit them. And so hopefully that's, hopefully a stomach bug is over after that. So, but just being a prayer for everybody that's still trying to get over sicknesses, prayer for people with allergies, that we don't die, you know. But anyway, just being a prayer for all those in our church when it comes to that type of stuff. So, the offering box in the back there, you have the, and the mother baby rooms for the mothers and babies only. Who's reading this morning, Brother Joseph? I had you reading Ephesians 3, yeah. So, not that the bulletin would have helped me with that. That's all me right there. But Ephesians 3 is what we're going to be reading. Brother Dave's going to sing one more song before we get into that. But don't forget the birthday and the anniversary. All right. Take your song books and turn to song 380. Song 380 in your song books. Just lost another page. Song 380. We'll sing He Was Not Willing. But before we do that, we need to sing happy birthday to Elizabeth. And how old are you going to be? Four? Wow. You are getting so big. All right. And your birthday's tomorrow. I'm sure you're excited about that with all the cake and presents. So, all right. You want to stand up? There you go. Perfect. All right. And we'll sing happy birthday to Elizabeth. Ready? Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, God bless you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday. And we, oh, actually, no. We got to sing happy anniversary to the McChase. How, when was your anniversary? What? It seems like the 20th. It was a little while ago. How many years have you been married? Six. Amen. Praise the Lord. Awesome. All right. Well, you guys want to stand up? Do we usually stand up for anniversaries? I don't know. You think so? Yeah, yeah. Oh, there we go. There we go. Okay. I was giving you a way out. All right. Here we go. We'll sing happy anniversary to the McChase. Ready? Happy anniversary to you. Happy anniversary to you. Happy anniversary, God bless you. Happy anniversary to you. Happy anniversary, yes. There you go. Okay. Okay. See, see, I have, I've been gone for a little while. Okay. All the sicknesses and stuff. Great. Awesome. Well, happy anniversary. Happy birthday. And we'll get Brooklyn next week. Lord willing, if she's here. And so we'll sing He Was Not Willing song 380. He was not willing that any should perish. Jesus enthroned in the glory above. Saw our fallen world pitied our sorrow, poured out his life for us wonderful love. Perishing, perishing, thronging our pathway. Hearts break with burdens too heavy to bear. Jesus would say, but there's no one to tell them. No one to lift them from sin and despair. He was not willing that any should perish. Cold in our flesh with his sorrow and pain. Came he to seek the loss. Come for the mourner. Heal the heartbroken by sorrow and shame. Perishing, perishing, harvest is passing. Reapers are few and the night draweth near. Jesus is calling the haze to the reaping. Thou shall have souls, precious souls for thy heart. Plenty for pleasure, but little for Jesus. Time for the world with its troubles and toys. No time for Jesus. Feeding the hungry, lifting lost souls to eternity's joys. Perishing, perishing, heart, how they call us. Bring us your Savior, O tab of a hem. We are so weary, so heavy laden. And with long weeping, our eyes have grown dim. He was not willing that any should perish. I can live longer at ease with a soul going down. We're lost for the lack of help I might give. Perishing, perishing, thou was not willing. Master forgive and inspire us anew. Banish our worldliness. Help us to ever live with eternity's values and view. All right, if you would take your songbooks and turn to Ephesians chapter number three. Ephesians chapter number three. We'll have brother Joseph read that for us. Seem confused. Ephesians chapter three. And if you found your place there, if you say amen. For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if you have heard of the discretization of the grace of God which is given given me to you word, how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery as I wrote afore in a few words. Whereby when you read you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. That Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. Whereof I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles and the unsearchable riches of Christ. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ. To the intent that now is unto the principalities and powers and heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. According to the eternal purpose which which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. In whom we have boldness and that access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that you faint faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth his names. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with my might by a spirit in the inner man. That Christ might dwell in your hearts by faith that you be rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breath and length and depth and height. And to know the love of Christ which pass pass passive knowledge that you might be filled with all all the fullness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. And unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end. Amen. Let's pray. Lord Father thank you for this time that we're able to gather again here this morning. Lord thank you for your pure and holy word. I ask you be with Pastor Robinson and advise this morning in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. So you're there in Ephesians chapter 3 and I wanted to preach a sermon it's entitled where do believers go when they die? Where do believers go when they die? So when it comes to salvation obviously we understand that salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ and we get eternal life and that we'll live forever and that we'll never die we'll never go to hell or anything like that but where do we go when we die? And you say well we all know that we go to heaven right? Well yes but there's a lot of weird doctrines out there and there's a lot of weird thoughts as far as that goes so you may think that that's a an easy yes we go to heaven right? And that is the answer you know the answer is that believers go to heaven when they die okay? But I just want to show you some scriptures on this and show you some passages on this so if someone says hey you know actually when you die you just sleep and you don't you're not conscious or you know or I don't know you know a lot of people what what they think as far as where you go obviously Jehovah Witnesses think that don't think that we go to heaven or whatever but they also think that Jesus is Michael the Archangel so we don't really take what they say seriously with any with any gravity but I do want to show some verses on this and in Ephesians chapter 3 here notice what it says in verse 14 and 15. Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 14 and 15 it says for this cause I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named okay? So we know that we're the family of God because we're children of God and I'm going to be getting some other verses on that but the idea here is that notice that the family of God is in heaven and in earth right now right? Because there's obviously saved people right now that are in the family of God that are here I mean we're here right and we would consider ourselves in the family of God but there are those that have already you know died and gone on to heaven and there's many verses that I don't have in this sermon that you could correlate to this I was just thinking about the fact of I don't have the the verse about the rapture where it says you know basically where it talks about the dead and Christ shall rise those that sleep in Jesus shall he bring with him and the idea of him basically bringing all the loved ones all those that are saved that are in heaven with him right now with him and then obviously they're gonna get reunited with us and all that. So this is just a sermon to kind of hit on that now one thing that I kind of want you to keep in mind as we go through here is where is God where is God right now as far as where his throne is at go to a Psalm 11 Psalm 11. Psalm 11. So I just want you to keep this in the back of your mind that God is on his throne so obviously you know you have God the Father but then you have Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father and where is that though and Psalm 11 verse 4 here clearly states where it's at Psalm 11 verse 4 it says the Lord is in his holy temple the Lord's throne is in heaven his eyes behold his eyelids try the children of men in Isaiah 66 verse 1 it says thus saith the Lord the heaven is my throne the earth is my footstool okay so where is the throne of God it's in heaven right now okay so I you know time would fail me to show you of all the places where people are standing before the throne of God you think about the 144,000 before they come down to the earth they're literally on Mount Zion standing before singing before his throne and so there's gonna be many ways that you can prove that believers are in heaven and that's the place where they go but one the Bible states that the whole family is either in heaven or an earth and obviously those that are that have passed away those that have that have died physically they're in heaven okay and if we're still alive guess what you're on the earth right now so now go to Matthew chapter 7 Matthew chapter 7 Matthew chapter 7 and you won't see a lot of verses stating you know what must I do to go to heaven what must I do you know you know or you shall go to heaven when you die you know we use that terminology because we think of the place of where you're going to go but the Bible doesn't use that as much as as the fact of you're saved you have eternal life you're never gonna die you know and all that because I do believe that there's there's a that the place isn't as important as where God's at right and the idea that we're gonna be with the Lord forever and wherever the Lord's at is where we're gonna be because there's gonna be a final state of a map of things and I'll get that at the end of the sermon as far as where everything like when all the dust settles and everybody you know that's an unbeliever is cast into the lake lake of fire what's the final state of affairs where are we gonna be for all eternity and you can understand why God uses the terminology not necessarily you know like you're going to enter into heaven as much as you're going to the kingdom of heaven right because the kingdom can move places depending on where you're at in time right but the idea here is that you know entering into the kingdom of heaven knows what says in Matthew 7 verse 21 it says not everyone that says unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven so obviously he's talking to about false prophets here and how they're not going to go to heaven they're not going to enter into the kingdom of heaven but what is the case what causes you to be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven you have to do the will of the Father right we'll go to John chapter 6 John chapter 6 John chapter 6 and verse 39 so it's not wrong what I want to say here is that it's not wrong to say that we're going to have them you know believers are going to heaven when they die and the reason I'm preaching the sermons because there's verses on this that believers go to heaven when you die but the focus isn't as much of the place as it is what you're getting as far as salvation you're getting eternal life and that I you know say well why why does Jesus just bring up eternal life never die all this because he's explaining salvation right and the most important thing to understand is that you have everlasting life you'll never perish you'll no wise be cast out you know these these principles as far as the state of being if you will of of your soul and your spirit and your and yourself that is you know paramount with understanding salvation and all that but the place as far as we're going I believe it's clear that it's heaven but some people have weird ideas like I said some people believe that a believer just basically loses consciousness and it's not until the resurrection that they're awake they're there they they that they're conscious again which is ridiculous okay time would fail me but I'm going to show you some passages on how ridiculous that is because they'll say those that sleep in Jesus it's talking about the body my friends it's clear as the nose is on my face that when it's talking about people sleeping in Jesus it's talking about the body it's not talking about the soul or the spirit okay now John chapter 6 verse 39 it says and this is the will this is the Father's will which has sent me that of all which he have given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day so if you want a verse on not losing your salvation there's a good one right there because Jesus isn't going to lose anything therefore you can't lose it but it says in verse 40 and this is the will of him that sent me that everyone would see at the Sun and believe it on him may have everlasting life and I'll raise him up at the last day so what's the will of the Father that you believe on the Sun and if you believe on the Sun what do you have everlasting life and if you do the will of the Father what are you gonna do you're gonna enter into the kingdom of heaven okay now obviously you don't enter into the game of heaven until you die right so we have eternal life right now but we're not in the kingdom of heaven yet but what I'll show you is that when we die obviously world will be immediately escorted into the kingdom of heaven okay and it's just by faith now this gets into the aspect of one of the most famous verses in the Bible and we use all time out soul winning is in John 3 3 which it says except the man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God right and but how are you born again that's the question is the fact that the Bible says but as many as received him that them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name which were born not of the will of the flesh nor the will of man you know but it and I'm sorry not the will of the flesh nor the will of man not a blood that's the one I'm missing not a blood nor the little flesh nor will man but of God so how are you born again by faith you're all of the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus whosoever believe that Jesus is the Christ is born of God so and again who's in heaven the family right which those that are believers are children of God and the Bible talks about you say well you know Jesus is the only begotten Son of God yeah but we're adopted we're adopted into the family and we are a part of family and it says that he's not ashamed to call his brethren so Jesus isn't ashamed to call his brethren and you know the Bible teaches that salvation is by faith alone and that we're the family of God and that that family is in heaven right now or it's here in on the earth right because obviously we're still you know here and people are getting saved and people are you know obviously I believe on a daily basis you know and that people are getting saved and being added to that family okay now go to Ecclesiastes chapter 3 Ecclesiastes chapter 3 now what goes to heaven though right so the Bible says that obviously if you believe on Christ then you'll enter into the kingdom of heaven but what goes there right now okay now obviously well holistically you know when the resurrection happens be in heaven right you know as far as soul body and spirit but right now when someone dies as a believer okay and obviously if they're not a believer then they go to hell right I mean that's there's two places there's heaven there's hell okay and they are polar opposite as they can be in there as far as part as they can be you know if I make my if I send up in heaven behold thou art there if I make my bed in hell behold thou art there higher than heaven deeper than hell right these are the the biggest extremes that you can get is heaven and hell and you say well you know is heaven up where the clouds are at no we'll get to the fact that heaven obviously the heavens you know as far as there's the heavens where the birds fly and where the clouds are at the atmosphere and all that then you have the heavens where the sun moon and stars are at or the heaven that's where the sun moon stars are at but then you have the third heaven that's where God's throne is at and that's what we're talking about being okay so you see these people that are just like they they're there's an astronaut in space holding up a sinuses I don't see God here it's like well you haven't gone far enough okay go out past all the sun moon and stars and then tell me but you know obviously you know they can they're gonna die and go to hell because the fool has said in his heart there is no God but Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse 21 what I want to show you is that it's our soul and our spirit that goes to heaven okay it's our soul and spirit that goes to heaven and I'm going to show you places in the Bible where it talks about people's spirits and their souls being in heaven okay so obviously our body and Ecclesiastes hits on this because it's basically talking about how like us there's no difference between us and an animal like a beast that uses in this passage because all go to the dust so when you think physically speaking what we see is the same right it doesn't matter if you're an animal if you're a person or whatever or if you're saved you're not saved same thing happens to everybody you die your body goes to dust the earth it's the same all the way across the board but there is a difference when it comes to the spiritual realm okay and this is what you can't see and so in Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse 21 knows what it says it says who know what the spirit of man that go with upward and the spirit of the beast that go it downward to the earth okay now I know that you may want to believe that your dog went to heaven okay I know there's a movie called all dogs go to heaven a cartoon maybe but that doesn't mean that it's actually factual okay now I don't really know what happens to the spirits of animals do they get you know maybe they get regenerated into other animals I don't know you know we don't we don't really know the mechanics of what God is doing with the animals and my kids will often ask me that you know you know animals that have died you know what we see them again or whatever and I'll say this there will be animals in heaven I mean there's at least horses in heaven and there's there definitely creatures in heaven that are that are considered beasts which the Bible uses the term beast just means an animal but there's the four beasts that are that are mentioned in Revelation which are the seraphims and they have they have different faces of like the face of a lion and all these different things so I believe there will be animals in heaven now will it be your pet you know like that came up to heaven and all that stuff I don't I don't see that in the Bible actually I see the fact that there's obviously difference between animals and human beings okay and the spirit of man go with upward and knows what says in Ecclesiastes chapter 12 and verse 7 Ecclesiastes chapter 12 and verse 7 Ecclesiastes chapter 12 verse 7 says then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it now I preached a sermon on this when it comes to the spirits basically all the spirit the spirit is what gives life okay if you think about how God breathed into the nostrils of Adam and he became a living soul in the fact that there's a difference between just being a soul and a living soul and the idea is that that if the spirit the separation of soul and spirit you say well they're the same well then the Bible wouldn't say in a Hebrew chapter 4 and verse 12 that for the word of God is quick and powerful and sharp and any two edges sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit so if they're the same then you couldn't divide them they are hard to divide but I believe that if someone dies without Christ their spirit leaves both their soul and their body when someone that saved eyes their spirit leaves their body because the body without the spirit is dead okay but it remains with the soul and that goes and returns unto God they gave it okay and so when it comes to the spirit here we'll see that our spirits will be with us in heaven you know you know our spirit will be there but also our soul will be there but let me show you a verse on this Hebrews chapter 12 Hebrews chapter 12 that that there's people in heaven right now right now there are spirit the spirits of saved people in heaven right now again how do you how do you enter the kingdom of heaven by faith by believing on the Sun that's simple but just to show you some verses on this if someone asks you like well show me in a verse where someone's in heaven you know right now where there's a believer in heaven well Hebrew chapter 12 verse 22 and I don't know about you but Hebrew chapter 12 written a little while ago okay this isn't the resurrection Hebrew chapter 12 verse 22 it says but ye are come unto Mount Zion and unto the unto the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of angels so where are they at where are we coming to here well Mount Zion you say well that could be talking about the physical Mount Zion unto the city of the living God you say well you know it could be caught talking about that the heavenly Jerusalem okay now this is very clear that we're talking about heaven now because it says the heavenly Jerusalem because talked about Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with their children but Jerusalem which is above is the mother of us all okay so there's two different Jerusalem's there's a physical then there's the spiritual or the the heavenly Jerusalem or what the Bible called New Jerusalem and so where we at we're in heaven at this point verse 23 to the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all notices into the spirits of just men made perfect I don't believe that there's an accident there why saying spirits of just men made perfect because right now no one has ascended into heaven besides Jesus Christ he's the first fruits and at this point no one is physically ascended into heaven no one physically has a physical you know or has it that I guess the bodily resurrection a bodily is there now Jesus does but it says the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling and that speak it better things than out of Abel so where are we at we're in heaven where Jesus is at and we're there and heavenly Jerusalem and who's there the Church of the Firstborn the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn who who's that the spirits of just men made perfect so we're dealing with saved people that are there in heaven and they're generally assembled right because what is that what is the church mean it means an assembly it means a congregation and it even says the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn so all believers are generally assembled in heaven right now before the throne of God before Jesus and they're caught there the spirits of just men made perfect okay so there's a verse for you how about Revelation chapter 6 Revelation chapter 6 you say okay I see their spirits but what about their souls well Revelation chapter 6 and verse 9 Revelation chapter 6 and verse 9 I'll show you where their souls that are in heaven and this is before Jesus comes in the clouds I mean this is and this is also a great proof too that he hasn't come yet because we're talking about souls in heaven we're not talking about like bodily okay so in Revelation chapter 6 and verse 9 it says and when he had opened the fifth seal I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held so we talked about people that are alive like as far as physically alive that literally said literally said they've been slain right there they died for the Word of God okay but their souls are underneath the altar and there and notice what it says here in verse 10 and they cry with a loud voice saying how long Oh Lord holy and true does thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth so where we at well the altar we're talking about the altar that's in heaven we have an altar to eat at which they have no right right we have an altar that they have no right to eat at which served the tabernacle right that's what it says in Hebrew chapter 13 that altar is in heaven what also we're talking about well there's the altar of incense and you think about the the coals of the altar you know they're talking about fiery coals that are upon the altar in heaven and where Isaiah is seeing the glory of God and and all that but we're talking about being in heaven and they're basically crying out saying how long until you avenge our blood on them that are upon the earth so you have these these these these people the souls of them that are up in heaven basically crying out to God saying how long until till you basically judge them and avenge our blood which means that Jesus hasn't come yet which lines up perfectly right because when the six seals open you have the Sun and moon darken and you see the stars falling from heaven and then it says that people are fleeing from the face of the lamb and you know from the face of him that says on the throne or from the wrath of the lamb for the great day of his wrath has come then you see in chapter 7 that that there's this great multitude that's found in heaven before the throne of God and at that point you are dealing with a bodily presence okay because you have the resurrection okay but before this we still have people in heaven but it's their souls that are there okay that they are crying out to the Lord and basically you know wanting God to avenge them and for the people that killed them to basically have a recompense go to Acts chapter 7 Acts 7 Acts chapter 7 so if anybody ever said well how do you know people are in heaven right now well it talks about the family that's in heaven right now in Ephesians chapter 3 it talks about the fact that there's the spirits of just men made perfect right now the General Assembly and Church of the First Board it talks about souls that are going to be underneath the altar that are going to be crying out for God to avenge their their blood that was spilled that was shed on this earth Acts chapter 7 verse 54 notice what it says here this is the this is the story where Stephen is stoned and where Stephen just got done preaching this hard sermon again you know to the Jews but in verse 54 it says when they heard these things they were cut to the heart and they gnashed on him with their teeth but he being full of the Holy Ghost looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God so we see here that we're talking about being in heaven obviously he's looking into heaven and Jesus is standing at the right hand of the Father the right hand of God and also it says in verse 57 then they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and ran upon him with one accord and cast him out of the city and stoned him and the witnesses laid down their their clothes at a young man's feet whose name was Saul and they stoned Stephen calling upon God saying Lord Jesus notices receive my spirit so we see that what what is he receiving his spirit okay so and it says and he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their charge and when they had said this he fell asleep so when it says he fell asleep he's talking about the body right when it talks about Lazarus sleeping right and obviously they thought when Lazarus died that you're dealing with like taking a breast okay but sometimes in the Bible talks about that he slept with they slept with their fathers you know or they you know they took basically their body is sleeping okay and that's usually used for believers but I'll say this is that even unbelievers it talks about the resurrection of the unjust so the there's gonna be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust and the fact that even those that are in hell right now that the souls that are in hell are gonna be reunited with their bodies and there's gonna be the resurrection of the unjust and they're gonna be judged according to their works and be cast into the lake of fire okay but go to Psalm 32 Psalm 32 so we see that the destination the place for believers when we die is heaven okay it's our spirit and our soul that goes there so our spirit and soul because obviously the body we were waiting on the resurrection we're waiting for Jesus to come and then our bodies will be resurrected as well but it's our spirit and our soul that goes there and here's why okay and I believe this is a reason why a lot of people don't understand salvation they don't understand when we say that once you're saved are always saved and that when we're saved we're saved from all our sins and then the question is okay well why do we keep sinning then right because obviously we're all still sinners it's because the body the flesh still has sin but the soul and the spirit is completely without sin okay so here's why right now if you if I believe or dies why it's the soul and the spirit that go to heaven because the soul and the spirit of what's completely cleansed from sin okay the body is not okay and that's why you know the body dies okay because sin when it is finished bringeth forward death the wages of sin is death so it makes sense that the body dies because the flesh it says in my flesh dwells no good thing it's no longer I to do it but sin to dwell within me but let me just show you a few verses showing you that both our spirit and our soul are purified okay so I've showed you that hey what goes to heaven the spirit and soul why does it go to heaven right and go to Psalm 32 I'm also going to be getting into the fact that Old Testament people in the Old Testament and people before the Old Testament they went to heaven okay because I don't know if you know this but Psalm 32 is in the Old Testament isn't it okay so this is not a New Testament doctrine that when you get saved your spirit and your soul are purified this is all the way across the board from the very beginning Abel was a believer and his spirit and his soul were purified this is why Enoch you know it says that he pleased God and it says without faith is impossible please and that means he believed that's why you know he had the special case where he was just translated he didn't even see death right he just went to heaven and didn't have to even go through the whole physical dying process okay but in Psalm 32 in verse 1 here Psalm 32 in verse 1 it says blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man unto whom the Lord impudeth not iniquity notice this and in whose spirit there is no guile okay now guile iniquity transgression you know it uses these different terms to kind of describe the same thing but this is why when Jesus if you remember Nathaniel came up to Jesus and Jesus said behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile in whom is no guile what's he talking about the spirit because why because his sins are forgiven how are they forgiven well in Romans 4 it quotes this passage but before it quotes that it says but the him that worketh not believed on him to justify the ungodly his faith is kind of righteousness even as David described the blessedness of him that blessedness of him blessedness of righteousness man I'm gonna butcher that even as David described the blessedness of him man why am I messing that up so hold on one second Romans chapter 4 blessed blessed as David described blessedness the blessedness of the man unto him God impudeth righteous without works man that was the struggle bus right there so and then he goes on to quote Psalm 32 okay so when it comes to this we're talking about believers and believers it talks about how their spirit has no guile now the New Testament touches on this as well because the Bible says if we say that we have no sinner it says we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us right so physically speaking we can't say we're sinless but it says it says whosoever is born of God doth not sin right it says because he's born of God right and it says for a seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he's born of God right so whosoever whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin and it says whosoever is of God sinneth not right whosoever born of God sinneth not so when it comes to spiritually speaking our sins are as far as the East is from the West he has forgotten our iniquities he will remember them no more physically speaking we're dealing with those on a daily basis right the body every day we should be dying daily to self we need that you know confess our sins before him so that we can physically be right with God right but spiritually speaking we're completely cleansed from sins so that's why when we die give up the ghost if you will well what goes to heaven and a lot of times I'll ask people that's when we go through the gospel I'll say okay well you know if you died what goes to heaven is it your body no it's your soul words your spirit right so if you're showing your spirit is completely sinless why wouldn't it go to heaven right when you're trying to explain the fact that salvation is by faith and that it's eternal life so we see that the spirit has no guile when you're a believer what about the soul go to 1st Peter chapter 1 1st Peter chapter 1 and verse 9 1st Peter chapter 1 and verse 9 like I said the soul and the spirit are very well linked it's hard to you know sometimes it's hard to differentiate between those two but there is a there is a difference and we are a triune being if you will of soul body and spirit but in 1st Peter chapter 1 and verse 9 notice what it says in verse 9 receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls so that's the end game of believing is that your your soul saved right so that's that's what happens when you believe is your soul is saved but notice what it says in verse 22 it says ye seeing you have purified your souls and obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently being born again not a corrupt will see but of incorrupt about a word of God which liveth and abideth forever so our soul has been purified by obeying the truth and what's what's obeying the truth obeying the gospel which is believing the gospel who has believed our report right you know they have not only made the gospel for Isaiah says Lord who has believed our report and faith comes by hearing here by the Word of God so when it comes to our souls being purified how's it purified by faith and that's how we receive salvation of our souls is by faith so when a believer dies it's their spirit and soul that goes to heaven we see multiple places where it's talking about spirits or soul being in heaven why is that the case because when you believe that's what's cleansed when Jesus comes in the clouds then all our bodies will be reunited at the resurrection and then we'll have there's a natural body and there's a spiritual body right there's the the celestial body right the terrestrial and celestial and so we are waiting for that but at the moment no believer has a spiritual body only Jesus at the moment he's the first fruits of the resurrection and we're waiting on that go to John chapter 11 John chapter 11 this is why Jesus can say to believers you'll never die okay because that's believers we never do die spiritually speaking okay because some people could get confused at that and say well you know Jesus says you'll never die but you but then they died it's like well that person must not be a believer if this is talking about physical death and no one's a believer because everybody has died all the Apostles died right everybody died back then and obviously the only one that's that's Jesus was dead for three is three nights but obviously he resurrected and he's in a spiritual body and but none of us are you know our bodies still have sin and we'll all die unless Jesus comes back in our day okay but John chapter 11 verse 25 knows what it says here Jesus said unto her I am the resurrection of the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die believeest thou this she says unto him Lord yea Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God which should come into the world so she says yes I believe that I'll never die why because we're talking about the soul and the spirit rarely do I ever get any you like people that don't understand this when we're out soul winning and I ask when I say so when it says that you you're given everlasting life right he that believeth on the Sun hath everlasting life is that talking about your soul and spirit is that talking about your body and everybody just like it's your soul in your spirit of course it's not the body so that's why you know obviously believers can die but the question is is where does our soul where does that spirit go John 6 you can turn every one John 6 he says that in the kind of the opposite direction if you will like he says here you'll never die in John 6 51 it says that you'll live forever okay so it says in verse 51 it says I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever and the bread that I will give it is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world and later on in verse 58 it says the same thing he that eateth of this bread shall live forever now obviously he's not talking about the physical body just as much as it the woman at the well when he says if thou knowest the gifts of God and who said it did he give me to drink that would have asked of him and he would have given the living water and it talks about you drink this water you're gonna thirst again but whosoever drinketh the water that I shall give him shall thirst and in John 6 it says you'll never hunger never thirst right we're talking spiritually speaking because even in the passages dealing with everlasting life it talks about the fact that it's gonna spring up in his belly as a fountain of living waters okay and we're talking about we're talking about the soul it is cold up here it's going on can't feel my hands at the moment so when we're dealing with this that's why there's there's hundreds of passages stating that you have everlasting life you'll never die you'll you'll never perish and it's talking about the soul in the spirit now ultimately you know it applies to the body too because our body when the resurrection happens we'll never die either right holistically we'll live forever right but you know in the time frame that we're in here in the earth our bodies could die right but to be you know to be asked for the bodies to be present with the Lord I'll show you but even in John 8 it says in verse 51 barely barely I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shall never see death this is how that works is why that makes sense okay is because you know they'll they'll never see death spiritually speaking you'll never taste of the second death you'll never be hurt of the second death the Bible says he that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death who is he that ever come with the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God this is the victory that ever come to world even our faith so it's by faith that we overcome and it's by faith that will not be heard of that second death will never perish will never go into condemnation John 524 one of my favorite verses which is our memory verse for last week right it's very very saying to you he that hears my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not go into condemnation but is passed from death and the light and notice how that is passed from death unto life and that's used a lot in the Bible it's talking about the soul and the spirit so knowing that where would you go you know where's the only place that you could go when if you die as a believer is the heaven right there's only two places to go there's heaven there's hell and go to go to Mark chapter 12 Mark chapter 12 and I'll just say this in John 8 you know one of my favorite passages is where Jesus is stating that Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it okay and that's an interesting statement right is that he's like Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it right and they're like you're not even 50 years old and has not seen Abraham and he says before Abraham was I am right so the idea there is that obviously Jesus created Abraham but the idea is that you know Abraham saw his day you know he rejoiced to see my day and he saw it right so how did he see it okay we're talking about Jesus day when he's he comes to the earth in the flesh and all that how did he see it if this soul sleep thing exists okay so you say what's soul sleep well basically people believe that believers are just unconscious spiritually speaking until the resurrection now that may be an oversimplification and there may be someone out there be like that's not exactly what we believe I don't care it's dumb doesn't it's not real it's not biblical okay but okay if Abraham saw Jesus's day that means he had to be conscious he had to be able to see it okay but where was he at well according to some people he was in a compartment in hell called paradise called Abraham's bosom okay which is ridiculous okay yeah okay so he saw through the earth and he saw like Jesus's day or it makes more sense that he's in heaven and he could see from heaven where he's at but also this is that Abraham is stated to be alive during during Jesus's ministry which is technically Old Testament okay notice what says in Mark chapter 12 verse 26 because listen eternal life applied to Abraham and he is the father of all them to believe because he's the example of what we need to believe but then you know obviously Abel believed Noah believed and they're all alive they were all alive before the resurrection okay notice what it says in Mark 12 verse 26 and as touching the dead that they rise have you not read in the book of Moses how in the bush God spake unto him saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob he is not the God of the dead but at the living ye therefore do greatly err so during Moses talking to the bush right and obviously he's talking to God but the burning bush Jesus saying that Abraham was alive then Isaac was alive then Jacob was alive then well if you're talking physically speaking they weren't alive but if you're talking spiritually speaking that makes sense so guess what they were alive back in the Old Testament and people that believe this doctrine of like well people went to this holding chamber in hell called paradise what they say and the reasoning behind it is is that they can't go to heaven because they still have sin now I want you to think about that what has sin where what's down there right let's say that place exists okay what's down there is their body down there or is it their soul and their spirit right so if their soul and spirit has sin then they'd be dead okay because the wages of sin is dead right they'd be where the dead's at and that's why they try to say is like well he went to the dead and that he went to basically to the Old Testament Saints and he preached to them because who wouldn't believe right or you're down in hell you see people burning out every like and he comes out you need to believe on me it'd be like of course but the idea here is that it doesn't make any sense because Abraham Isaac and Jacob were alive Abraham you know is stated to be alive and he stated that see Jesus day so when it comes to people in the Old Testament going to heaven it makes perfect sense because in Psalm 32 it says their spirit has no guile at the burning bush Abraham Isaac and Jacob were alive do I need to tell you about Elijah and Moses and how they appeared to Jesus and talked to him on the Mount of Transfiguration by the way still Old Testament because Jesus hadn't died on the cross yet now go to Job chapter 1 let me just show you a clear place where it state where it's showing believers being in heaven and you say this is a simplistic sermon sure okay where do believers go when they die they go to heaven okay but there's a lot of strange doctrines out there and it's good to have verses to say okay I know a verse in Hebrews 12 that says their spirits of just men made perfect in heaven I know Revelation chapter 6 talks about souls being in heaven okay and you just have verses that'll state okay these people are in heaven this makes sense it's the soul and the spirit that's in heaven they're not just unconscious okay and Job chapter 1 verse 6 here this happens twice but for sake of time I'm going to show you the first time this happens but it says in verse 6 here it says now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them now if you looked at some newer version it may say angels there but that is one not what the original says anyway but I you know I'll say this if it's if this is supposed to be angels unto which of the angels said he at any time thou art my son this day have I begotten me they'll be like well sons of God can be angels no they can't angels it literally states that that he never called him his son right or sons okay but the sons of God are talking about believers in Genesis 6 when it talks about the sons of God came to the daughters of men daughters of women daughters of men daughters of men and they married and all this stuff that's believers sons of God are talking about believers so believing men married unbelieving women is what happened before the flood it's not angels procreating with uh these half hybrid you know Nephilim things you know that they that people want to say but uh it says that the sons of God presented themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them notice that it's not like what they want you to think is like the angels are coming before the Lord and and Satan's kind of with them right no the sons of God are presenting themselves before the Lord and Satan's also coming among them okay so you got Satan kind of coming into the myth mist he didn't like come with them it's not his entourage okay but it says that Satan came among uh came also among them and the Lord said on Satan whence comest thou then Satan answered the Lord and said from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it so where's the Lord at in heaven right it says the heaven is my throne the earth is my footstool that it says that the Lord's throne is in heaven so if you're going to present yourself before the Lord where are you presenting yourself before the throne and it's in heaven which makes sense because then he's saying whence comest thou which means from where right from where do you come right and he states from going to and fro through the earth and walking up and down in it so obviously he's talking about a place that where he's not at at the moment and then it goes on to say and the Lord said unto Satan hast thou considered my servant job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and upright man one that fearth God and escheweth evil then Satan answered the Lord and said doth Joe fear God for not and I don't want to go through the whole story here but basically he's accusing job saying he's going to curse you to your face all of this right you say why do you bring this up because go to revelation chapter 12 I'll show you a place that Satan the devil is still going into heaven accusing the brethren to this day and it's not until he's cast out which is going to mark off which is going to start you know basically the beginning of sorrows and start off the end times if you will is when Satan's cast out of heaven but as of right now Satan is still accusing the brethren night and day let me show you that here in revelation chapter 12 and verse 7 it says and there was war in heaven Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought and his angels and prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven and the great dragon was cast out that old serpent called the devil and Satan which deceived the whole world and he was cast out into the earth and his angels were cast out with him and I heard a loud voice saying in heaven now has come salvation and strength in the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ notice this for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night you say well no Satan was cast out when he was cast out in the garden of Eden well how is he accusing the brethren night and day before our God if that's the case okay which lines up perfectly with Job right because in Job he's coming among them and what's he doing he's accusing Job because God is saying well hostile you know consider my servant Job and he's accusing him he's accusing everybody it doesn't matter if it's the most upright person on the earth which Job was at the time he's accusing him and saying that he'll curse thee to thy face okay now how does somewhat okay so let's say we understand that where is the place where a believer goes to heaven what goes there the spot the the spirit and the soul goes there right why does it go there because the spirit and soul has been purified from sin it's completely sinless the body dies because the body still has sin okay but how do you get there we're actually just saying a song about that right so the song that no one has heard besides his penis about basically angels uh you know escorting us there okay go to luke chapter 16 luke chapter 16 in verse 22 now uh when jesus comes in the clouds it does talk about his angels gathering together his elect so even at the resurrection angels are involved when it comes to uh basically the the transportation if you will of either getting to the lord getting to heaven but notice what it says here in luke 16 and verse 22 it says it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into abraham's bosom the rich man also died and was buried now abraham's bosom is not not a place it's a body part okay so and this is why later on it says that basically abraham's talking to the rich man it's not like abraham's nowhere to be found in this story abraham's literally the one talking lazarus isn't even talking in the story and he basically talks about how abraham with lazarus and his bosom is speaking to the rich man okay now this shows you something one angels are the one out of transportation which lines up with the rapture and just other things as well and that the fact that the angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation the the angels are were made to to be ministers to us okay but also shows you that when we go to heaven we're reunited with saved family members and comforted right notice that he's embracing abraham right abraham's embracing him and so this is a comfort that when we die you know we get to embrace loved ones from time past and obviously those that believe right because it talks about not sorrowing as others which have no hope right because if we believe that jesus christ that he jesus christ is risen from the dead you know and obviously in the rapture those which died before us will he bring with him but the same thing even before jesus comes in the clouds when we die we'll be reunited with loved ones okay obviously believers okay and so uh it shows us a couple things there when it comes to where we go when we die is that well we're going to heaven but we're going to to loved ones that are there already and by the way abraham you know going back to that soul sleep thing how's abraham talking to anybody if he's unconscious i mean the rich man is not unconscious is he he's in hell in torments lazarus is over there being comforted and abraham they're having a conversation so this sermon is is one to show you just some passages on heaven and showing that hey that's where we go when we die if you're a believer but also you know just kind of putting the bed a lot of this false doctrine when it comes to soul sleep or well no you don't really go to heaven yet and by the way did you see anything about purgatory in any of these verses right there's nothing there's nothing no other place that you go to besides heaven if you're a believer or hell if you're an unbeliever okay so go to second corinthian chapter 5 verse 6 now i believe that it's instantaneous that we are in heaven now you say well but the angels are carrying us doesn't take a long time listen it talks about the cherubim which are a kind of angel right i mean the devil is called a cherub and so it talks about them moving like lightning okay so angels can move really really fast okay so when it comes to them carrying us you know to heaven it's not like it's like this like all right we're gonna get there you know it's like i know you've probably seen like movies where there's angels they're just like flapping with big stork wings you know but when you see angels in the bible they're there right and it's like a flash of lightning okay so you know i know that's what i picture listen when i picture the the lazarus being carried to abraham's bosom i picture like angels carrying him and there's a kind of flapping in the wind you know trying to get there it's not reality okay so um but in first st christian chapter 5 verse 6 it says therefore we are always confident knowing that whilst we are in the body we are absent from the lord when we walk by faith not by sight we are confident i say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the lord so the spirit without the body is dead and when you give up the ghost you know just like just like uh uh steven says you know you know the lord jesus received my spirit steven yes steven says lord jesus received my spirit the same thing happens when a believer dies is that the angels carry your soul your spirit to heaven if you're here for the rapture then then our body is going to be carried up with them too and we're going to be changed in the moment twinkling of an eye but we're going to be carried and brought up into the clouds with the lord and so to be absent from the body to be present with the lord essentially right to be absent from the body and to be present with the lord uh how about in uh in philippian chapter 1 it says uh i'm in a straight betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with christ which is far better so when paul's talking about to me to live is christ and to die is gain if i die it's far better because i'm going to be with christ where's christ he's seated at the right hand of the father expecting until his enemies be made his footstool okay so when paul's dying he's expecting to go to heaven he's expecting to go to be with the lord to be asked about the body is to be present with the lord uh go to second corinthian chapter 12 second corinthian chapter 12 let me just show you a place where someone literally is stated going to heaven okay in second corinthian chapter 12 verse 1 and for sake of time but i'm not going to go physically this one but in revelation chapter 4 when john is receiving this vision about the end times there's 24 elders standing that are that are seated before the throne of god that are believers we don't know who they are exactly but there's 24 elders that are there that they're there before the throne okay so and that's before the resurrection that's before you know the bodily resurrection that is and so that that's just another place showing people before the throne and believers before the throne second corinthian chapter 12 verse 1 it says it is it is not uh it is not expedient for me doubtless to glory i will come to visions of revelations of the lord i knew a man in christ above 14 years ago whether in the body i cannot tell whether out of the body i cannot tell god knoweth such in one caught up to the third third heaven now what paul's talking about here as far as being in the body or out of the body i think it may be more so like was i physically there talking to this person was i you know like in a vision obviously he's an apostle so god will speak to them and dreams and visions and all that stuff when you're looking at a passage a lot of times you can take away the parentheses which is giving you more information and look at that i knew a man in christ in christ above 14 years ago such and one caught up to the third heaven so he's saying i knew a man that was caught up to the third heaven and it says in verse three there it says i knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body i cannot tell god knoweth how that he was caught up into paradise and heard unsearchable or unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a man to utter so what are we talking about we're talking about heaven and that place is where paradise is at okay so paradise is there not in hell by the way it's in the third heaven okay so people are like well you know this place called you know they were down in abraham's bosom which is paradise show me in the bible where paradise is is located in hell i'll show you two places where where paradise is actually in heaven and another place where it talks about going to paradise and it doesn't really give a location but it just talks about it but uh so we see here that this man was caught up to the third heaven and this is why you know when we're talking about god in the beginning created the heaven and the earth and then basically he made the heaven where the birds in the air and the the clouds are at right the atmosphere in the earth that's called heaven but then there's the heavens the heaven of as far as like the sun moon and stars right the host of heaven and you think of outer space but then there's the third heaven and that's where god's throne is at that's where paradise is at so when you're talking about going to heaven and listen i used to think this too it's like well if i went up into the clouds am i going to find the throne yeah you watch the cartoons right like you know the the the the coyote dies you know he gets run over and then he floats up into the clouds and then there's this pearly gate and it's just like up in the clouds in this blue sky you know it's like that's not reality though okay the third heaven is past the sun moon and stars past outer space you're like that's far away yes it is right i mean for us humanly speaking understanding that that's far away that's why higher than heaven now i can't tell lower than hell right it's talking about the idea of like the greatest golf fix between anything is heaven and hell so when abraham said there's a great golf fix between us i mean there's no greater golf that that's out there so uh and then the ultimate state here and you say well why isn't it just say in the bible go to revelation chapter 21 and we'll be done why doesn't it just say over and over again if you believe on me you'll go to heaven if you believe on me you'll go to heaven why is why is that not the focus as far as the physical place of being there the focus is more so on you have everlasting life you'll never die right you'll enter into the kingdom of heaven the kingdom of god and it'll talk about the kingdom right because ultimately when all the dust settles there's gonna be a new heaven and a new earth and what i'm going to show you is that heaven is actually brought down basically everything that's in heaven right now is going to be brought down to the new earth okay and we're going to be there forever in this new earth new heaven new earth right but there's it's no longer going to be like people dwelling on earth and people in like the third heaven you know what i mean and there's a separation between us no they're just going to be everybody's going to be here on the new earth and everything's being brought down okay so that could be a big reason why it's not just saying like you'll be in heaven forever you'll be in the third heaven forever because technically he's going to renew everything and that stuff's coming down okay so notice what it says here in revelation chapter 21 of verse 1 and by the way i don't think it's wrong if you said hey listen you'll be in heaven forever you'll live in heaven forever because technically heaven's coming down to earth right you know the the the place and everything that's there moving locations so i mean it's not not really that wrong to say but i always like to use biblical terminology and uh you know try to stick with that because then you don't you're not going to mess up if you're just quoting the bible okay in revelation 21 verse 1 it says and i saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea so we see obviously a big difference with the new earth is that we don't have eighty percent of the the world being filled with water as far as the oceans are concerned it says night john saw the the holy city new jerusalem coming down from god out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband so what what's this new jerusalem that's the heavenly jerusalem right mount zion you know that's that's in heaven where the general assembly church of firstborns at like it says in hebrew chapter 12 that it says is coming down from god out of heaven okay it says in verse three and i heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the tabernacle of god is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and god himself shall be with them and be their god and god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away and he that sat upon the throne said behold i make all things new and he said unto me right for these words are true and faithful and he said unto me it is done i am alpha and omega the beginning and the end and i will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of right life freely he that overcometh shall inherit all things and i will be his god and he shall be my son and again how do you how do you uh overcome you know overcome with the world is he that believes that jesus is the son of god it's by faith alone in jesus christ that's how you overcome and that's how these things you're going to inherit all things but notice that it's coming down out of heaven and obviously you could read the rest of the story they're dealing with new jerusalem what it's going to look like all of that but another way to show this too is where was paradise in second corinthians chapter 12 in the third heaven right it says that he was caught up to the third heaven and then it reiterates it says he was caught up into paradise well in revelation 2 in verse 7 it says he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit says unto the church is to him that overcometh well i give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of god go to revelation 22 so you're in revelation 21 go to revelation 22 in verse 1 where is that tree of life well it's in that new jerusalem that came down from heaven okay and so again this is the final state of where everything's at revelation 22 in verse 1 it says and he showed me a pure river of water of life clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of god and of the lamb in the midst of the tree of it and on either side of the river was there the tree of life which bare 12 manner of fruits and yielded her fruit every month and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations and there shall be no more curse but the throne of god and of the lamb shall be in it and his servant shall serve him and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads and there shall be no night there and they need no candle neither the light of the sun for the lord god giveth them light and they shall reign forever and ever that's the final state of affairs is the fact that the throne comes down to the new earth heaven comes down to new new jerusalem comes down to the new earth the kingdom of god is was in the third is in the third heaven right if you think about the kingdom of heaven is in the third heaven right now it's going to be relocated down to the new earth now you say i don't like that relocation well then you're not going to like the fact that he relocates hell from the center of the earth to outer darkness which is the lake of fire death and hell brought out the dead which are in them and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire which is the second death and after that is when he brings paradise new jerusalem down out of heaven and you say i don't like the way you're saying that that's what the bible says okay and all this all that i'm saying with this is that yes you die right now god forbid obviously hopefully we live a long time but as believers if we were to die you know to be absent from the body to be present with the lord and where i will be is in heaven in paradise in that third heaven before the throne of god in the presence of the lord and i'll be with the family of god that's in heaven and then ultimately the whole family of god all that's in heaven is going to be everything's going to be renewed and basically god's throne and everything is going to be down on earth in the new earth and the new heaven a new earth is where we're going to rule and reign for a thousand forever but i just want you to think about this even if even if jesus can't comes back in our day we still have a thousand years before that happens okay because jesus has to reign for a thousand years before the new heaven and new earth right so i'll say this we're all going to go to heaven okay so all believers that are in this building right now whenever we die we're going to go to heaven you say well what if jesus comes back well we're going to heaven because you know we're going to be up in heaven obviously we're going to rule and reign with him for a thousand years but at the same time you know during that resurrection time before he sets up his kingdom before he destroys before we come down on white horses with him we're going to be in heaven okay to come out of heaven if there's a door opened in heaven and we're coming down on white horses that means we had to be there so it's not wrong when you go out and say listen if you believe on christ you're going to go to heaven there's nothing wrong with saying that okay and even if you say listen you'll be in heaven forever i mean technically heaven's coming down to earth for all eternity so i don't think that it's technically wrong to say but you know some of you think well technically you know it's going to be the new earth where the final state of everything's going to be but i hope that makes sense there are some verses on that as far as where we're going to go location wise but let's end with a word of prayer there how they follow we thank you for today thank you for your word and just pray to you to help us to obviously understand anything that we can when it comes to you know heavenly things and i think a lot of stuff we won't know until we get there obviously but just thank you and praise you the fact that by believing on you that's where our home will be and we love you and pray in jesus christ name amen so by the day we'll come and sing one more song and then we'll be dismissed all right take your song books and turn to song 392 song 392 in your song books and if you would stand we'll sing a soul winner for jesus song 392 i want to be a soul winner for jesus every day he does so much for me i want a the losses to leave his erring way and be from bondage free a soul winner for jesus a soul winner for jesus oh let me be each day each day a soul winner for jesus a soul winner for jesus he's done so much for me i want to be a soul winner and bring the loss to christ that they his grace may know oh i want to live for christ ever and do his blessing well because he loves me