Our message this afternoon is in the form of a question, who goes to heaven? Please have your Bibles ready to turn to a number of scriptures. If you watch the local TV news, you would think that everyone who dies goes to heaven and that all babies become angels in heaven when they die. listening to today's newscasters promote into heaven every Hollywood celebrity, no matter how vile and unholy their lives have been, and every politician, no matter how absolutely corrupt and dishonest they may have been, one might get the idea that there is no such place as hell. The overall question I want to try to answer in this message is, who will go to heaven? To answer this question, I want us to consider three important related questions. The first is, who will not go to heaven? God's word makes crystal clear that there are some people who will absolutely not go to heaven. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 6, 9, and 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verses 9 and 10 is one biblical list of persons who will not go to heaven. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers. nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God." Let's just look at these a little bit here. Verse 9 says, the unrighteous will not be in heaven. The only people who will be in heaven will be those who are there in the righteousness of another. And I put a capital A on that word, another. Second Corinthians 5 21 says where he has made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him that is in Christ. Fornicators and adulterers won't be there who are fornicators. ALL WHO PARTICIPATE IN ANY FORM OF SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE. THAT'S A FORNICATOR. THERE WON'T BE ANY SODOMITES IN HEAVEN. THERE WON'T BE ANY. THAT'S WHAT IS MEANT HERE BY EFFEMINATE AND ABUSERS OF THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND. NOT GONNA BE ANY HOMOSEXUALS IN HEAVEN. This passage also says that no drunkards shall be in heaven. What is a drunkard? That word's a no-no anymore. You can't say that. People are sick. Those people are sick. They have an alcohol problem. The Bible calls them drunkards. What is a drunkard? A drunkard is simply a person who gets drunk. America is a drunken nation. All you have to do is see these news stories about the royal celebration down at the Power and Light thing after the ball games. Bunch of drunks jumping up and down and sloshing their beer on everybody else. You take your life in your hands when you get out on the highways after 10 o'clock at night and increasingly all day long. Revelation 21.8 gives another list of people who won't be in heaven. Let's turn to that one. Revelation 21 and verse 8. Revelation 21.8 says, but the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Now these people who are called fearful, they are those who are afraid to let loose of everything else and entrust their eternal destinies into the hands of Christ. They are afraid to trust Christ. Fearful. The abominable that are listed here are idol worshipers. and all the vile practices that go with that. There won't be any liars in heaven. I wonder if you've ever told a lie. The Bible says there won't be any liars in heaven. Psalm 917 says that all nations that forget God shall be turned into hell. Listen to Psalm 917. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God. All nations that forget God will not be in heaven. Throughout time, whole nations have ruled out God and God has then given them up. Our own beloved nation has forgotten God. And today we are doing everything we can to remove the last vestiges of our Christian heritage from our nation. We've forgotten God. Not all religious people will be in heaven. Turn to Matthew 24, 50 and 51. Matthew chapter 24, verses 50 and 51 says that there won't be any hypocrites in heaven. I have people say, well, there's too many hypocrites in the church. I wish we had a lot more hypocrites in the church because They might hear the gospel in the church and not go to heaven, go to hell with all the hypocrites. Matthew 24, 50 and 51 says, the Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Not going to be any hypocrites in heaven. Their portion is in hell. Many a preacher won't make it to heaven. Did you hear that? Many a preacher won't make it to heaven. I believe that a great majority of today's church members won't be there. Satan and his workers, such as Antichrist and the false prophet, won't be in heaven. THEY WILL BE, ACCORDING TO REVELATION 20 AND VERSE 10, CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. AND THE DEVIL THAT DECEIVED THEM WAS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, WHERE THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET ARE, AND SHALL BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOREVER AND EVER. WHO WILL NOT BE IN HEAVEN? REVELATION 20, 14 AND 15 SAYS, that those whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will not be there. Let's turn to Revelation 20, verses 14 and 15. Revelation 20, verses 14 and 15. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire. So you see there's a lot of people that are not going to make it to heaven. These are some of those that we've read in these verses this afternoon. What a solemn thought this is. Next, let us consider the question, who will go to heaven? Who will go to heaven? Only the saved will go to heaven. The society of heaven is the very best society. It's made up of the nations of them that are saved. Let's turn to Revelation 21 verse 24. Revelation 21 verse 24. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it, that is the New Jerusalem, and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. Only those who have been purchased by and washed in the blood of Jesus Christ can enter heaven. Only blood-bought and blood-washed sinners can enter into heaven. Turn to Revelation chapter 5 And verse 9, Revelation 5, 9, and in this verse, the inhabitants of heaven are singing. Revelation 5, 9. And they sung a new song saying, thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou was slain. and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation." This is a blood-washed throng in heaven that is singing that. Only blood-bought sinners will be in heaven. The redeemed of all the ages will be there. The antediluvian saints, I like those two-dollar words that somebody has come up with. Antediluvian means pre-flood. The antediluvian saints will be there. The post-diluvian saints will be there. Saved members of the churches will be there. The tribulation saints, all of these will be in heaven. Put another way, those in heaven will be those who have been justified by faith in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. People don't go to heaven because of their own obedience to God. They go because of the obedience of Jesus Christ. When they trust in that obedience and are justified. The saved who go to heaven will make up an uncountable multitude. Turn to Revelation 7 and verse 9. Revelation chapter 7, verse 9. Brother, you talk about a thrilling thing. We're in the minority here, but there's going to be an uncountable multitude up there. Revelation 7, 9. After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, AND BEFORE THE LAMB CLOTHED WITH WHITE ROBES AND PALMS IN THEIR HANDS." The Lord Jesus says in Matthew 7, verse 14 that FEW are going to heaven. Now, what do we have here? Do we have a conflict in the scripture? Of course not. There is an answer to that. Turn to Matthew chapter 7 and verse 14. We want to look at the words that the Lord Jesus said here before we comment on this. Matthew 7, 14. The Lord Jesus says here in Matthew 7, 14, Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Now how do we make correspond this uncountable multitude in heaven and the few that shall be saved? on the earth? I believe the answer is obvious. It means the Lord Jesus meant few in each generation will be saved. But overall, over all the generations of time, there will be a great number that no man can number that will go to heaven. And it's true that multitudes have gone there before us. Abel, was the very first person to go there. Have you ever thought about that? Abel was the first man to go to heaven. He entered heaven. Why? Because he trusted in the blood sacrifice while he lived on this earth. But how long Abel was alone there in heaven, we do not know. But in time, others followed him there. I'd never thought about Abel being alone in heaven, but he was for a while. There will be other beings in heaven. The angels of God will be there. Millions upon millions of them. As a matter of fact, I tried to count them up. You take your calculator and you do it sometime. From Revelation 5.11, we find that there will be 100 million angels plus millions besides. Now let's turn to that, Revelation 5.11, and I'll show you what I mean. Revelation 5.11, And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand. Multiply that on your calculators. In addition to that, thousands of thousands. That's a lot of angels. Turn next to Revelation 4, 7 and 8. This passage tells us that the beasts are there, or literally the living creatures. Maybe these beasts or living creatures are the same as the cherubim, and seraphim that are mentioned elsewhere. Revelation 4, 7 and 8. And the first beast, or living creature, was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle, and the four beasts had each of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within. And they rest not day and night, saying, holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come now hold that thought and look at Isaiah 6 verses 2 & 3 Isaiah chapter 6 verses 2 & 3 this tells us of the seraphim who never rest, saying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts." Isaiah 6 verses 2 and 3. Above it stood the seraphims. Each one had six wings, with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory." They were doing the same thing that those beasts are said to be doing in Revelation 4, 7 and 8. Next, look at Revelation 4 and verse 4. Revelation chapter 4 and verse 4 says that the 24 elders are there. I don't have time to go into who these are. I have an idea. I have a theory, but I'm not going to get into that. But we're just pointing out that these are some other beings that are in heaven. Revelation 4.4 says that the 24 elders are there. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats. And upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold. God is in heaven. Of course. Isaiah 37, 16, if you'll turn to that. Isaiah 37, 16 says that God is in heaven dwelling between the cherubims. Isaiah 37 and verse 16. Oh, Lord of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubim. Thou art God, even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth, Thou hast made heaven and earth. As we saw in our previous message, Christ is there in heaven. In John 14, 3, the Lord Jesus says to His people, If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am there ye Maybe also. You know, people say a lot of terrible things when they're under stress and grief. One time I heard about a mother who lost a precious child in death. And this woman said to someone who was trying to comfort her, and this person that told me this was close to that person, this woman said, If my dead child is not in heaven, then I don't want to go there. But you know, I understand that people say things in stressful situations like that, but this statement is nothing short of idolatry. It's setting up an object that rivals Christ. That's idolatry. Not even our dearest relatives can take precedence over Christ. in our affections. You know, you can't even be a Christian if you don't know that. Remember what the Lord Jesus says in Luke 14, 26. Let's turn to that. Luke 14, verse 26. Luke 14, 26. The Lord Jesus is speaking. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." The main person that saved people want to see in heaven is their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who will go to heaven? I submit to you that the elite society of the universe will be there. I'm nothing and nobody on this earth, but I'm going there. Are you? This brings us to the third question. Will we know each other in heaven? In answering this question, we shall note, first of all, that in heaven, there will be a reunion. And this reunion is constantly going on as new saints arrive in heaven. each day. Now, when we get to heaven, we will first be united with Christ our Savior. That's what we're looking for, isn't it? To see our Savior, first of all, and to see Him face to face. In Philippians 1.23, the Apostle Paul spoke of his longing for this union with Christ. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better." Is that the reason you want to go to heaven? That's the reason I want to go to heaven. I want to see my Savior. I want to be united with Christ. But after seeing Christ in heaven, there will be nothing better for Christians than seeing one another. Christian fathers. and mothers, and wives, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and infants. Several times the Old Testament says that when saints of God died, they were, quote, gathered to their people, unquote. When Abraham died, Genesis 25.8 says that he was gathered to his people. Let's turn to that, Genesis 25.8. Genesis 25 and verse 8. Then Abraham gave up the ghost and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. Now what does that mean? It did not mean that he was buried with his family. He was buried after it was said that He was gathered to His people. Now here's an example that's a little bit clearer than that perhaps. Genesis 49, 33. Genesis 49 and verse 33 says that when Jacob died He was gathered to His people. It says that Jacob died but He wasn't buried FOR 40 DAYS AFTER THIS STATEMENT. THEY WERE PUTTING HIS BODY THROUGH THAT MUMMIFICATION THING THAT THE EGYPTIANS ALWAYS DID. LOOK AT GENESIS 49 AND 33, AND WHEN JACOB HAD MADE AN END OF COMMANDING HIS SONS, HE GATHERED UP HIS FEET INTO THE BED, AND YIELDED UP THE GHOST, AND WAS GATHERED UNTO HIS PEOPLE. THIS HAS TO MEAN THAT ABRAHAM, JACOB, AND OTHERS were reunited with their saved loved ones in heaven. We will see our saved mothers and fathers and friends there. We will be gathered to them. Our Christian friends and loved ones who have died are not lost to us. I think a lot of times about Dear friends that I've had through the years that are gone, they've gone to heaven. They're not lost to me. I'm going to see them again. When we who are saved arrive in heaven, there will be a great reunion with our saved loved ones and friends. All Christians who have gone on to heaven before us are waiting there to welcome us when we arrive. Parents will be there to meet their children. It's kind of reverse in my family. My brother died 20 years before his parents died. He was waiting for them instead of them waiting for him. Husbands will be there to meet their wives after a long period of absence in many cases. Brothers will rush to each other saying, I have found you at last. There's an old hymn that says, friends will be there I have loved long ago. Oh, that will be glory for me. That reunion will be far different from when we held our loved one's hands while they closed their eyes in death. How unlike the sad and lonely evenings when we missed those loved ones so. How unlike our tearful visits out to their graves, once we get there, we'll never part from those loved ones and friends again. Saved people who have died can die no more, as the Lord Jesus says in Luke 20, 36. In heaven, the saved will be reunited, never to shed another tear, never to say goodbye again. and Christians most assuredly will know each other in heaven. The very essence of reunion is the recognition of each other. I want us to look here at five biblical reasons by which we know that Christians will recognize each other in heaven. You know I'm not one of those like I have read in preparation for this sermon people just set out and they say what they want to believe, but they don't give any scriptures to back it up. Let me give you some scriptures. I believe these are very convincing scriptures. Five biblical reasons we shall know, we shall recognize and know each other in heaven. Number one, we shall recognize and know each other in heaven because our knowledge will be increased in heaven. We certainly won't know less in heaven than we know now. If we know our brothers here, we're going to know them in heaven. 1 Corinthians 13, 9 and 10 says that in heaven we will have perfect knowledge. Listen to 1 Corinthians 13, 9 and 10. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." Our perfect knowledge will ensure that we know each other in heaven. I could mention other verses, you know there's a verse about there we shall know even as we are known. The second biblical reason we shall know each other in heaven is because of the teaching of our Lord Jesus in Matthew 8, 11. I hope everyone will turn to this scripture because it's so very important to this point. Matthew 8, 11. The Lord Jesus has a great teaching here. And it answers this question, will we know each other in heaven? Matthew 8, 11. And I say unto you that Many shall come from the east and west and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." Brother, that's a blockbuster along the lines of what we're talking about here. According to the Lord Jesus here, Abraham who lived on this earth is still Abraham in heaven. Abraham has not lost his identity. Abraham lived 1,900 years before Christ came the first time. That's 4,900 years ago from this present time. But in heaven, the Lord Jesus says, people are going to come from the east and the west and sit down with him and with Isaac and with Jacob. So these men have not lost their identities. They will be recognized as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now, under this same reason, let me give you another example. Look at Luke 16.22 here. Luke 16.22a. I want to go just as far as the mention of Abraham. Luke 16.22. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." You know that's the story about Lazarus and Dives, the beggar and the rich man. In this life, Lazarus had, as far as we're told, only the companionship of dogs. But in heaven, Lazarus became the companion of Abraham, because it says he was carried into Abraham's bosom. In Bible culture, the bosom, or the chest, was the place of close fellowship. You know, John was leaning on the Savior's breast. Why was he doing that? That's the place of close fellowship. They lay down when they ate. They didn't sit in chairs like we do. And this spoke of a place of honor and delight as well. In Abraham's bosom, which is another name for heaven here, we will have the most intimate fellowship with those who have gone to heaven before us. That's why it's called Abraham's bosom. We'll not only know our saved friends and loved ones, We will know saints that we've never seen. We will see Noah there and we'll know him as Noah. Can't wait to talk to him about the flood. We will see John the Baptist there and we'll know him as John the Baptist. The apostles will be there. Think about sitting down and having a conversation with Paul. Paul, I want to talk to you about the book of Romans. I've only got about three million years to spare, but I'll talk to you about it. Think about having a conversation with Paul or Peter or John. We'll see those Christians whom the Roman emperors fed to the wild beast. We'll see those Christians whom the Roman church pulled apart on the rack and burned at the stake. And we'll know those people. We'll see the Waldensees and the Paulicians and the Vaudois and the Anabaptists whom the Catholics so relentlessly pursued and burned and drowned. We'll see them and we'll know them. We'll see our Baptist forefathers, John Gill, John Bunyan, Charles Spurgeon, John Leland, Isaac Backus, Benjamin Keech. We'll see George Whitfield and Jonathan Edwards and the Puritans. We'll see those Baptist missionaries whom the communist Chinese shot for their witness of Jesus. And we'll know them and they will know us. I can think of many dear church members that I pastored through the years that I shall see again in heaven. And I'm going to know them. No one's going to have to introduce me to Paul or David or Silas or Stephen or Mary, because we'll all know each other there. There will be a great crowd in heaven. We've already seen a couple of times today, a multitude without number. I love being in crowds up until yesterday. I always loved going to the Oklahoma football games. I love being in crowds, 80,000 people standing up and screaming. Doesn't make sense, but it's fun. And you know what? However, you can be in a crowd and be lonesome if you don't know anybody in that crowd. You ever been lonesome in a crowd? Society without acquaintance is not comfortable. Last spring, Lindy and I visited the great Japanese city of Osaka. We did not know a single soul in that city. And there was a certain loneliness about that. Not knowing anyone, even in the midst of a great crowd, that won't be the case in heaven. There we shall recognize and know everyone. A third biblical reason we shall know each other in heaven is because of what happened at the transfiguration. We read about the transfiguration in Matthew 17, 1-4. Let's turn to that. Matthew 17, verses 1-4 tells us about the transfiguration. And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John, his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias, or Elijah, talking with him, with Christ. Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elijah, Elias or Elijah. Now at this transfiguration, Moses had been dead for nearly 1500 years. Elijah had been gone from this earth. about 800 years. And yet Peter, James, and John knew those men when they saw them. They knew Moses and Elijah, even though they had never seen them before. Moses and Elijah, who had been in heaven for hundreds of years, knew each other when they stood there with the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration. A fourth biblical reason we know that we shall know each other in heaven is because the Apostle Paul longed to see his Thessalonian converts in heaven. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 2, 19 and 20. 1 Thessalonians 2, 19 and 20. Here Paul describes his converts in Thessalonica as his hope joy and crown in the presence of the Lord at his coming first Thessalonians 2 19 and 20 for what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing are not even ye the converts of Paul at Thessalonica, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming, for ye are our glory and joy. So Paul says here that in heaven, his hope, joy, and crown will be his converts. Now here's the question, how, if Paul will not know these converts who have gone to heaven, how can he desire or expect them to be his hope and joy and crowned when he sees the Lord. He has to know them. A fifth biblical reason we shall know each other in heaven is because Christians will retain their names in heaven. At the transfiguration Moses had not lost his name neither had Elijah. Revelation 3.5 says that the Lord Jesus Christ will not blot out the names of overcomers from the Lamb's book of life. Let's turn to that. Revelation 3 and verse 5. He promises not to blot out the names of the overcomers. Revelation 3, 5. He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name, out of the book of life, but I will confess His name before my Father and before His angels." Think about it. Christians in heaven will have the same body, the same character, the same personality, and the same name. We will know each other in heaven. Now, in conclusion, let each one listening to me today, ask himself, am I a Christian? Will I ever see my saved loved ones again? Am I going to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in heaven? Oh, my friend, do not rest until you can answer this question in the affirmative. And what must you do to be among those in heaven? God's Word says you must believe savingly in Jesus Christ. Listen to John 3, 16, 17, and 36. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. And he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Let us pray. Our Father, we're thankful today for heaven and for the hope of seeing Christ and being with Him there. and for the hope of seeing our loved ones who've been saved and have gone on before us in death. The hope of seeing them and knowing them there and knowing all the other saints of all the ages that are saved. How we rejoice in the hope of heaven. We pray that we would go from here today rejoicing and looking for the time when we're in heaven and setting our affection on things above. instead of on things on the earth. Father, we pray that Jesus Christ would get all the glory and honor for this message today. And it's in his name that we pray. Amen.