The scripture reading this morning comes right up front and comes from the book of Hebrews in the New Testament chapter 11. And just four verses, 8, 9, and 10, and then 16 of Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews 11 verse 8. By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place that he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith, He made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And then from verse 16, they were looking forward. I'm sorry, they were longing, longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. As we bring the study series on Heaven to completion, it seems fitting to draw together Some of the various lessons which seem in Scripture to be directly related to the subject of heaven. The Scripture itself making application. Bringing up the subject and making application. We've touched on those things all along the way. but it seemed good here at the completion to draw them together and present them all at once. The doctrines of heaven, the truths, the things we've learned about the hope are not given to us as mere dry entries for a theological dictionary. They are meant to stir us up. They are meant to motivate us. They are meant to harden us and strengthen us and perhaps convict us. But the doctrines are given, the truths conveyed to us for application, faith application. And the doctrines of heaven are personal. I think we've learned that heaven is about God himself, and it's about relationship with him. The benefits of heaven are not just advantages on a list. They are set before us by a God who is to be known and trusted. a God who is to be depended on. They're set before us by a God with whom we can relate and with whom we'll spend eternal life. Heaven is about being with God. With. With is such a prominent and important word in the doctrine of heaven. The blessings of heaven concern being loved. I talk about heaven being a topic that is personal. The blessings of heaven concern being loved. The restfulness of soul, the fullness of blessing that we find, is because it's all about being restored to God Himself in relationship Restored to God who is the blessing of heaven. God is the blessing of heaven. Not just a list of advantages. God Himself is the blessing of heaven. And so the impact of this hope on our faith and for application, the impact on our thinking, on our motivations, the impact on what we value, what we care about, what we choose, the impact on whether or not there will be courage or perseverance or joy, in contemplating heaven will have a very great deal to do with whether He is known. and believed concerning the word He gave for heartening us in it. It will have everything to do with knowing, trusting, depending on Him and what He has revealed, what He's made known for our hope in His promises. Heaven has faith impact when His Word about it is believed. And we've been told, we have been told so much. We've been told about the qualities of the heavenly realm, the qualities of His presence. Will we believe that the things of heaven are worthy as He has said they are worthy? We've been told that we must belong to heaven and not to the opposing kingdom. The whole thing set before us is, in fact, opposing kingdoms. And we've been told we must belong to heaven's kingdom, and not to what the scripture sometimes calls the kingdom of this world, or sometimes calls, or over which is the prince, Satan the deceiver. There is a conflict of kingdoms and a conflict of allegiances and competing values to consider. And we have been told to pour ourselves into, invest ourselves, lay up our treasures there and not here. We've been told to set our hearts upon heavenly things. And it's been a whole message saying, how do you define heavenly things? What's heavenly things? And again, to give some definition to that, the Scripture seems to be talking about setting our hearts and our hopes on God Himself, what He is, what He will be for us, what He has promised, what He Himself considers to be good, important, valuable, enduring, His character, His will, His purposes, His glory. To set your heart on heavenly things is to set your heart on that. What difference then will it make for application? I see at least five categories, but you could probably make 30, but I think I see at least five categories we could talk about. in terms of faith application. And again, I'm trying to draw in things that the Scripture connects directly, making point of application when it brings these things up. If we believe what God has said about heaven's hope, if we pour ourselves into that, we will, number one, turn from what belongs to the rival kingdom. We will weigh one thing against the other and reckon sin as worthless and by faith seek that which belongs to heaven. Number two, we will pour ourselves into active service of Christ's kingdom as the great cause and privilege that it is in view of the triumph and glory of His kingdom that's been portrayed to us. His kingdom of heaven, His kingdom for eternity. And the time factor is a big one in all these considerations. We pour ourselves now into a kingdom that has already begun. We're going to get into that later. Number three, we will persevere in this worthy service when the rewards are not immediate. And even when obedience would bring adversity. Number four, we will make choices of generosity, of selfless love, of sacrifice, learning even joy in these things. And number five, we'll have a foundation for strength so that we will better be able to endure hardship of any kind here. That's one attempt at putting together five categories. You know more work could be done on that. So number one, we will turn from what belongs to the rival kingdom. That, by the way, just in review again, that is a strong, strong, strong theme in scriptures making application for us when it brings up the topic of the inheritance, the topic of heaven. Very, very prominent. With regard to our salvation, the Apostle Paul spoke this way when he wrote to the folks at Colossae, saying he's rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. The contrasting kingdoms. And we know the one kingdom lasts forever. And just that contrast of kingdoms. To hold on to sin. If we were to hold on to sin and refuse to give it up, it would be an allegiance issue and a faith issue and an identity issue. To what do you belong? The words of Ephesians 5 really are unequivocal. And the passage gives sort of one of these short lists of the kind of things that bring God's wrath. Scripture summarizes a lot when it comes to those kinds of things. And it mentions impurity and greed and coarseness and folly and a number of, again, the short list of things that bring God's wrath. And when it speaks of such persons as still belong to those, It says, no such persons have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. This is all in Ephesians 5. Rival kingdoms. To what do we belong? To which kingdom? There are things that bring God's wrath. If we belong to those, there is no inheritance in this other kingdom. If we believe what God has said about the blessedness and worth of the inheritance, we will let go of our affection for worthless things. I love how that same passage, Ephesians 5, continues saying this. I love it. I just love it. It goes here. After saying, you know, these are the things that bring the wrath. If you belong to those, there's no inheritance in the kingdom. It goes on this way, though. You were, this is verse 8, you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth and find out what pleases the Lord. have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness. Fruitless deeds. We will weigh one thing against the other and find sin to be empty and heaven to be very full. Let me bring in also 1 Thessalonians 5, because it speaks of these ultimate outcomes, the contrast between being ready or not ready when Jesus returns. Ready or not ready when Jesus returns, that brings the heaven perspective into it. To which kingdom will we belong? Ready or not ready for what the scripture calls the day of the Lord. What's the lesson from Ephesians 5, beginning at verse 2? The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, peace and safety, destruction will come on them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman and they will not escape but you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You, are children of the light, children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then let's not be like others who are asleep. Let's be awake and sober for those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober. Putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another, build one another up, just as in fact you are doing. The categories. Appointed or not appointed unto wrath. Receiving salvation and looking forward to the day of salvation. There's a day of judgment. Same day is the day of salvation. And putting away those things that do not belong to the light. The truth about heaven helps us How could I put it? It weans us from such things in this world as have the appearance of value, but are empty and are temporary. Riches, power, pleasures are sometimes, well, so often sought after wickedly. Such things are the earthly advantages, but they are sought after at the expense, expense of purity, expense of loyalty to God, at the expense of love, at the expense of the well-being of others. Seeming benefits grasped after, but impure and greedy and disloyal, but they are desired in Scripture. the hope of the blessing of heaven is set before us as being better, more valuable, more enduring. Listen to the contrast in the New Testament book of James chapter five. To those who from their position of wealth and power just to get more luxury, just to get more self-indulgence, mistreated their workers and cheated them out of their wages. The New Testament book of James at chapter 5 says this, weep, wail, because of the misery that's coming on you. Your wealth has rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you." So one thing is set over against the other. Such things as endure and such things as perish. And then, in James 5, to those, even those who had been harmed by the oppression of those in that kind of situation of misusing their workers at that point, to those who believed, he says, be patient until the Lord's coming. Stand firm because the Lord's coming is near. the rescue, the salvation, the time when all things will be made right, set over against luxury and self-indulgence and strength is given even to those who are suffering. Do you remember the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' words, blessed are you who hunger now? That's from Luke, Luke 6, 21. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. I think it's this very context. There may be a situation in which the hunger now, the lack now is under some sort of oppression for the believer. But even though you would hunger now, you're blessed. You will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Believing now, investing hope in heaven now, even under hardship, is cause for joy. Number two, which seems like I'm going too slow, but the first one is such an important category. We will, believing what the Lord said about heaven, we will pour ourselves into the active service of Christ's kingdom as the great cause and the great privilege that it is in view of its triumph and coming glory. The kingdom of which Jesus is King has already come. It is more to be fulfilled, but it has already been inaugurated. It will culminate in heaven, but we serve already in the kingdom that will always be. We serve already in the kingdom that will always be. Last week we had said that the Bible instructions, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness is for now as well as then. The Scripture says, that was Matthew 6.33, Romans 12.11, the Scripture also says, never be lacking in zeal. Keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope. So many things point to the hope. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Why can we be patient under affliction? Because there's hope. The perspective of the coming hope gives context for the service now. And again, it comes up all the time in scripture. The Apostle Paul called upon the folks at Philippi Church to hold firmly to the word of life. And he said, so that I'll be able to boast on the day of Christ that I didn't run or labor in vain. He thought about his mission work in terms of the coming day and longed to rejoice on that day. Pressing on in mission work, the laboring had that day of Christ in view and the service to God's glory from a work that in his estimation was worth it. Even if his own earthly life, and you kind of have to go read the context of Philippians 2 for this, the Apostle Paul said in effect, even if in my earthly life, even if that is being poured out to death on your behalf, I am glad and I rejoice. In his whole sense of what he was functioning as a servant of the kingdom, It was alright that his life be poured out for it, looking toward the culmination. Here's a verse to take home with you. 1 Corinthians 15, 58. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Everything comes together for the glory of Jesus Christ. on the day when He returns. Your labors for His kingdom will not be in vain. We can pour ourselves into it. Number three is this. I think we will persevere in worthy service when the rewards are not immediate and when obedience even brings adversity. First of all, this matter of rewards not being immediate. There are many blessings that are immediate, right? We serve the Lord and His ways are inherently valuable and we taste that as we go. And so we experience that along the way. But isn't it also true that serving in the kingdom and sometimes the acts of obedience and the acts of mercy and of kindness and forgiveness, some of those don't bring immediate kinds of benefits. Sometimes only a clear view of the eternal value will maintain perspective for us and give us a hearty reason to do the right thing of faith. I think though, with the culmination in view, there is real strength to be had. for doing the right thing by faith. To do so, there's a courage that can be built, an eagerness about doing the right thing, even if it brings no immediate earthly benefit, seemingly. A courage to enter into that strong in view of the picture of the whole. And again, Scripture speaks of that, even under persecution. Jesus' words in Matthew 5 at verse 10 are these, Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness. Do you remember how it goes? Blessed are those. Blessed! Blessed are the persecuted, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. That's connection in application. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. There is a strength A blessedness, a sensation of blessedness, even under oppression. Rejoice and be glad, it says, because great is your reward in heaven. Have you ever seen someone carry themselves that way? With a gladness, a walking gladness, even under hardship. The next one is closely related. Number four is closely related to number three. We will make choices of generosity and selfless love and sacrifice because of the hope of heaven. We said this before, but remember the logic of Jesus' famous instruction, where your treasures are, there will your heart be also. Do you remember that part of that instruction had to do with generosity? where your treasures are. Part of that instruction had to do with generosity. And in effect, Jesus said, you don't have to be afraid to be generous. This was in a message before, but I'm drawing to that. You don't have to be afraid. And I just love Luke 12, 32. Your father's been pleased to give you the kingdom. That's the logic for generosity. Go ahead. Be generous. You don't have to be afraid your father has given you the kingdom. And that's that's a beautiful thing. There can be an attitude of generosity that banks on that. And where there can be in it in generosity, confidence, joy and generosity, your father has given you the kingdom. Self-sacrifice, love. There can be strength in it, joy in it. Listen to the words. It has to do with the kingdom. Luke 6, 35. Love your enemies. Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Your reward will be great. And you'll be children of the Most High, because He's kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. There's the logic of heaven. Be like He is. Your reward will be great. That's a self-sacrificial thing to love your enemies. Anyway, did you know that kindness never goes unnoticed in God's kingdom? Matthew 10.42, if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly, I tell you, that person will certainly not lose his reward. Hebrews 6.10, God is not unjust. He will not forget your work. and the love you've shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them, we can pour ourselves into the work of his kingdom here, now, knowing that none of it is forgotten. He is not unjust. He will not forget these things. Two more things. Number five, we will have a foundation for strength so that we will have a foundation for strength so that we will better be able to endure hardship of all kinds." And here I'm not talking just about such hardship as would come into the picture because we were being persecuted or something. I'm talking about hardship of all kinds. To know and to believe the truths that God has stated concerning heaven is strength. Romans chapter 8 reminds us that that for which we hope we do not yet have. I mean the ultimate fulfillment of it and all the relief and all the restoration of the human body and all that. Romans 8 reminds us who hopes for what he already has if we hope for what we do not yet have we wait for it patiently. The knowledge of heaven and the function of hope go together. You may have heard me say this before. I'm sort of hoping you remember that you've heard me say it before, but the experience of hoping. is based on something real that is the hope. And the scripture uses the word hope in both ways. It uses the word to describe our experience of anticipation for a longed for outcome. But it also uses the word hope objectively. There is a hope. We can hope because there is something for which to hope. And the second usage is the foundation for the first. You can only hope experientially if there is something. And so the scripture uses the word in both ways. To the Colossians, the Apostle Paul wrote, we thank God when we pray for you. We've heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, the love you have. The faith and the love, and here's the exact wording, the faith and the love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you've heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. That's the objective usage. Something about which they had heard. Something stored up for them. Out of the wellspring of that came faith and love. There was something stored up for them in heaven. The Apostle Peter called it an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. An inheritance kept in heaven for you. Hebrews calls it the promised eternal inheritance. Ephesians speaks of God's Holy Spirit as His seal of ownership, the promised Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance. I think even the most bewildering, listen carefully at this point, Even the most bewildering deprivations that we experience, hardships can be processed in view of the whole picture. Yes, the world continues under the burden. But God Himself laid upon it the discipline of toil and lack and loss and death. It came into the world when sin came into the world. But God Himself, in mercy, sent His one and only Son to bear, listen carefully, really the whole burden of it on behalf of all who will depend on Him And God the Father will wipe away every tear forever and ever and ever and ever as surely as he lives. I think we do have bewildering sufferings on the face of this planet. You can probably think of some. But even those shake-your-head sufferings can be processed in terms of this whole picture. That the burden of that suffering, the suffering of death, the suffering of disease, Jesus Christ, gave His life to bear the full scope of that discipline. And the Father will wipe away every tear. I don't mean that that's like an easy solve. But I think it's perspective. It's strength. Let's pray. Lord, we pray that the truth of the hope would bear its fruit. We know that You've revealed truth that it might bear fruit. We know that You send Your Spirit so that the Word comes to life in our hearts. We pray that it would. by Your grace, come to life in our hearts for the turning away from sin, for the pouring of ourselves into Your kingdom with hope and with courage, for generosity, for persevering in the ways that serve your kingdom, even when there are not immediate benefits, and for even strength when we are bewildered by suffering. And I pray that this congregation would be built up in Jesus' name, Amen.