FACE - TO - FACE  WITH  JESUS

READ: Revelation 21:1-7 & Revelation 22:1-5

In the New Testament we can see the difference the presence of Jesus in our lives makes as walk through this world.  

When think about coming face to face with Jesus the first thing that usually comes to our minds is that we will all stand before
Him on the Day of Judgement.  II Corinthians 5:10 –  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that
every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.     

This an appointment that we do not know when it come, but we will all show up for it on time.  Those who have been found to
be faithful will enter into life eternal and the disobedient to everlasting punishment.

Galatians 6:7-8 –  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8. For he
that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life
everlasting.

In the Scriptures we can see Jesus through the eye of faith.  But there will come a time when we will meet Him face- to- face;
the faithful will live with Him and the Father forever.

In our lesson today we will talk about Heaven and the joys of Heaven– LIVING FACE - TO - FACE with Jesus.

God motivates us in many ways, but the three that stand out the most are:
1. The fear of punishment
2. The promise of reward
3. And the amazing love He has and continues to heap upon us.

We want to consider the promised reward of heaven.  A proper understanding of Heaven should motivate us to make the
necessary preparations to go there to live in the presence of God forever.

There is no doubt that the concept of Heaven is taught in the Scriptures.  Job poses this question, “If a man die, shall he live
again?”  Job 14:14.

David speaks of living forever in Psalms 21:4-6 & Psalms 23.  We read in Psalms 121:8 –  The LORD shall preserve thy
going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Daniel says this, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some
to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2.

Jesus, talking about the judgement being like a Shepard dividing his sheep and goats out of his flock. Jesus states that some will
be given everlasting life, while others will be given everlasting punishment.

Matthew 25:31-34 – When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit
upon the throne of his glory: 32. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from
another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the
goats on the left. 34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:    

Jesus says in John 14:2 – In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you.
He also said in John 14:6 –  I am the way,  the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  

To paraphrase the words of Jesus in John 14, He said, “If you believe in God, believe in me.”  Then He says, “if you believe
in God, If you believe in Me, then you can believe in heaven.”

There is a God; He sent His only Son to this earth to be the sacrifice for the sins of man.  Making it possible for man to become
the children of God and to be recipients of that promised reward; a place in the Father’s abode.

There is no doubt that the Bible teaches us, that beyond this life, immediately beyond the grave; we will be resurrected either to:
1. Eternal life in heaven or eternal condemnation in hell.
2. Eternal joy or eternal torment.      

Regardless of what some might believe, the are no other destinies, or options.  Only two possibilities: HEAVEN OR HELL.  

Just what living with God will be like; it is difficult to describe; difficult to understand.  In fact, the whole concept of eternal life
and what we can expect seems to be beyond our ability to express.

There is no way we can comprehend how long forever is.  How long is eternity?  It is like trying to measure the distance to the
stars in inches.  The is simply no way we can properly comprehend it.

Jesus says, “In my Fathers house are many mansions.”  Does God live in a house?  Is our place in heaven going to be a
mansion?  The type of  mansion like we refer to when we see a large fine home?  The answer is NO it is not.   Jesus is simply
describing the grandest thing our human mind can comprehend.

What is Heaven and what is it like?  Just what does it mean to live face-to-face with Jesus?   Lets look as some things that may
help us to understand a little more about heaven.

LIVING WITH JESUS IS A FELLOWSHIP; HEAVEN IS A COMMUNITY:

Hebrews 11:10 –  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.          

Abraham looked for a permanent abode a heavenly country, his hopes and expectations were placed on the world to come.  It
was his faith in this which was demonstration of things not seen, and this moved him to obey the commands of God.
Hebrews 12:22 – But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to
an innumerable company of angels,

These verses along with our text in Revelation, refer to heaven as a city.  In Hebrews 11:10 Abraham said, “Searching for a
city whose founder, creator and maker is God.”  In Hebrews 12:22 heaven is referred to as the city of God, the heavenly
Jerusalem.  It is where God dwells; a city of which He is the designer and builder.   In our text in Revelation 21 &22 says
heaven is a holy city, a new Jerusalem.

Yes, I understand that the new Jerusalem is symbolic of the Church, but life in the Church is only a shadow of what heaven will
be like.  

Ask yourself this question: Why do we live in communities today?  When this great country was being settled, when people
traveled west across this great land, why did they settle in communities?  For protection; For the services; For the social
fellowship, togetherness, oneness.  God created us for such togetherness and oneness.  

In heaven, the city of God, the creator of the universe is our protector.  The provisions include eternal life provided by the tree of
life and the river of life.  He is the LIGHT of that city.  The fellowship includes living in the presence of God and with the saved
of all ages.

WHAT A FELLOWSHIP!  WHAT A COMMUNITY!  WHAT A CITY!  There is I want to be.  How about you?

LIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS MEANS THAT WE WILL BE AT HOME:

Once again in John Chapter 14, Jesus says, “Heaven is a home; a place in the Father’s house.”  The Greek word for
mansion (mon-ay) means an abode, a residence, a staying.  The act or place of.  Literally, the Greek word means a dwelling
place.  

Now do not look for a two- story brick, or a house by the ocean, or a log cabin in the woods, nor some penthouse apartment
over looking the park.  
Heaven is not a HOUSE, but a HOME.  There is a big difference.

Home is where loved one are.  Home is a place of security.  Home becomes a place of refuge.  There is a sense of permanence;
John says of Heaven: The Gate ; The Door is never shut.  Home is where we are accepted as we are.  Home is where there is a
sense of belonging.  

God wants us to know that in heaven we will be at home.  Always welcome; Always accepted; Because we are sons. His
children.  In Revelation 21: 1-7, John said, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of
God is with men, He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be
their God.”     They will see His face.

That’s HOME.  A house not made with hands; eternal in the heavens.  At home with God.  That’s where I want to be.  How
about you?

    IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS, THERE IS ALWAYS JOY AND HAPPINESS :    
Listen to the words of Jesus in Matthew 25.  “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few
things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Verse 23.  

Perhaps heaven, our living face to face with Jesus can best be described by what is not going to be there.  Lets go back once
more to Revelation 21:4-5 –  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. 5. And he that
sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and
faithful.

· He will wipe away our tears.
· There will be no sorrow; no more crying.
· No more death.
· No more mourning.
· No more pain; for the former have passed away. Behold all things are made new.

Indeed, heaven is a state of endless joy, peace, and happiness.  That is what we all long for isn’t it?   

IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS THERE’LL BE NO MORE SIN .. NOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN:

Heaven is a place .. a life .. where sinning is over.  This is symbolically represented by white robes.  In heaven there will be no
more sin.  No more guilt; nor more shame.  In heaven we will have a clean conscience.  Made permanently clean by the blood of
the lamb.

Sin is responsible for all that’s bad in life.  ALL PAIN, ALL SORROW, ALL SADNESS.  ALL OUR TROUBLES &
TRAILS.  ALL OF LIFE’S UGLINESS IS A RESULT OF SIN.

Either our sin or the sin of others, going all the way back to Adam.
But in heaven there is: NO MORE SIN; NO MORE REMORSE; NO MORE REGRET; NO MORE GUILT.

We will be: SINLESS; SHAMELESS & BLAMELESS; FOREVER.      

The Scriptures tell us that ... Nothing ... Not one thing.  No one impure or unclean will ever enter heaven’s gate.  Nothing that
defiles or causes an abomination or a lie.  But only those who have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  

Sin and sinners will not be in heaven.  Only those who have had their robes washed clean by the blood of the Lamb,  Jesus
Christ.  

HEAVEN IS A PLACE OF REALITY:

We will meet Jesus face-to-face.    Revelation 22:4 –  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their
foreheads.  


If you would for a minute think about the most awe-inspiring site you have ever seen.  Maybe, the Grand Canyon, Pikes Peak,
the Giant Redwood Trees, Standing on the beach of the Atlantic Ocean and seeing the morning sunrise, or seeing the sun go
down on the Pacific Ocean.  Every time I fly in an airplane and you are up above the clouds look out, it is breath taking.   

If we are in awe at God’s creation, His handiwork in this world, what will it be like to see Him face-to-face and behold the beauty
of heaven.

Think about what will happen when we see Jesus and living in presence the Father and His Son.  Seeing and enjoying the beauty
of what He has prepared for us in heaven.

HEAVEN IS ATTAINABLE:
Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you.  I will come again so that where I am you may be also.”  Then Thomas said,
“we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?”     

Remember what Jesus said in John 14:6 –  I am the way,  the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by
me.    

Peter said in II Peter 1:10, “make your calling and election sure.”  

The question is, Do we want to, do we want to life face-to-face with Jesus?

You see: Heaven is for:

· Those washed in the blood of the lamb.
· Those whose names are in the lamb’s book of life.  
· Those who walk in the light as He is in the light.
· Those who keep on keeping on.

Jesus said in John 14:23 –  If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him.  

Jesus is saying, “You give me a home...a house...a place of abode in your heart in this life, and I’ll give a home in my
place of abode, HEAVEN, a place in my Father’s house.

What do we need to do to become a child of God ?  Accept Jesus for who He is, the Son of God.  By accepting His way ... His
Truth, His Word ... His life ... as the only way to heaven.       Thomas S. Bloss