The Greatest Reality of Heaven: God's Presence (Revelation 21:3)
This sermon invites listeners to contemplate heaven not merely as a destination, but as an eternal dwelling with God Himself. It unpacks the profound implications of God's presence, exploring how this reality will shape our experience of joy, vision, worship, and service in eternity.
This sermon explores heaven's ultimate joy: the unhindered, immediate presence of God. It highlights five features of this eternal fellowship, including seeing, adoring, and serving Him, and even Him serving us.
Overview
Drawing from Revelation 21:3, this sermon emphasizes that the greatest reality of heaven is the unhindered, direct presence of God among humanity. The preacher asserts that this divine presence, rather than pearly gates or reunions, is what truly makes heaven "heaven" and fulfills the deepest longings expressed by figures like the psalmist and the Apostle Paul.
The sermon then outlines five distinct features of this eternal dwelling with God. First, believers will experience full, unhindered fellowship with Him, an intimacy far surpassing any spiritual connection possible in this life. Second, they will physically see God face to face, a privilege previously forbidden due to human sin, now possible as they are made pure and noncombustible in His blazing light.
Third, heaven will be a place of continuous adoration and worship, fulfilling God's desire for true worshipers, with a potential for varied roles in organizing this praise. Fourth, believers will actively serve God with their fully glorified creative capacities, and the extent of this eternal service is suggested to reflect their faithfulness in this life. The sermon concludes with the most astounding revelation: Christ Himself will serve believers at a heavenly table, a profound reversal highlighting His loving care.
Key points
- The supreme reality and joy of heaven is the unhindered, immediate presence of God among His people.
- Heaven will provide full and unhindered fellowship with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
- Believers, once glorified and purified, will be able to see God face-to-face, perceiving His blazing light without fear or consumption.
- Heaven is a place of perpetual worship and adoration, where God's desire for true worshipers is fully realized.
- Believers will serve God in heaven with their glorified creative capacities, and the extent of this service may reflect earthly faithfulness.
- The most astounding promise of heaven is that Christ Himself will gird Himself to serve believers at a heavenly feast.
In John MacArthur's words
“The best and the most glorious reality of heaven is God himself.”
“To have necessities supplied immediately from God is the state of the saints in glory.”
“Truly, I say to you, he will gird himself to serve and have them recline at the table and will come up and wait on them.”
Outline
- I. The Greatest Reality of Heaven: The Presence of God (Revelation 21:3)
- A. God's presence is what makes heaven "heaven."
- B. This fulfills the longing of the psalmist and the desire of Paul.
- C. All other attractions of heaven are secondary to God Himself.
- II. Features of Living in the Presence of God
- A. We will be with Him (Fellowship)
- 1. Full, unhindered fellowship with the Father and Son (1 John 1:3).
- 2. Jesus' desire for His own to be with Him where He is (John 17:24, John 14).
- 3. Always being with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).
- 4. No distance or sense of removal; immediate communion.
- 5. Earthly proximity to God in prayer offers profound joy.
- B. We will see Him
- 1. Overcoming the Old Testament reality that "no man can see the Lord and live" (Exodus 33, John 1:18, 1 John 4:12, 1 Timothy 6:16).
- 2. The promise: "The pure in heart...shall see God" (Matthew 5:8).
- 3. God reveals Himself cloaked in blazing light, fire, and glory (Psalm 104:2, Exodus 24:17, Psalm 36:9).
- 4. In our glorified, noncombustible state, we will perceive God's light without being consumed (Revelation 22:3-4).
- 5. Ezekiel's vision of God on the throne as a radiating, fiery, man-like figure (Ezekiel 1:26-28).
- 6. Christ will likely be the focal point of God's radiating glory.
- 7. We will be made like Him when we see Him (1 John 3, Psalm 17:15).
- C. We will adore Him (Worship)
- 1. Heaven is a place of continuous praise, honor, and adoration to God.
- 2. God seeks true worshipers (John 4).
- 3. Heavenly authority may relate to organizing worship (Luke 19:17-19).
- D. We will serve Him
- 1. Our occupation will be priestly service (Revelation 22:3, Revelation 7:15).
- 2. We will be creative, active, and working non-stop in glorified bodies.
- 3. The nature and extent of our eternal service will reflect faithfulness in this life (1 Corinthians 4:5, Daniel 12:3).
- E. He will serve us
- 1. The most astounding truth about heaven (Luke 12:35-40).
- 2. Christ will gird Himself to serve His faithful slaves at a heavenly table.
- III. Conclusion: The Promise of God Dwelling Among Men (Revelation 21:3)
Scripture references
- Revelation 21:3
- Psalm 73:25
- Philippians 1:21
- 1 John 1:3
- John 17:24
- John 14
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
- Revelation 21:22
- Revelation 21:23
- Matthew 5:8
- Exodus 33
- John 1:18
- 1 John 4:12
- 1 Peter 1:8
- 1 Timothy 6:16
- Psalm 104:2
- Exodus 24:17
- Psalm 36:9
- Psalm 42:1
- Psalm 42:2
- Hebrews 12:14
- Revelation 22:3
- Revelation 22:4
- Ezekiel 1:26
- Ezekiel 1:27
- Ezekiel 1:28
- Revelation 22:5
- 1 John 3
- 2 Corinthians 3:18
- Psalm 17:15
- John 4
- Luke 19:17
- Luke 19:18
- Luke 19:19
- Revelation 7
- Revelation 7:15
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
- Daniel 12:3
- Luke 12:35
- Luke 12:36
- Luke 12:37
- Luke 12:38
- Luke 12:39
- Luke 12:40
3 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.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
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.
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
1 And the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
17 And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.
27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.
5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
+ 15 more verses — Read Revelation of John 7 in full context →
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.
37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Insights
Heaven's deepest joy is found in God's immediate, unhindered presence.
True longing for heaven is often a longing to see God face to face.
Perfect holiness enables comfortable joy in God's unapproachable light.
Questions & answers
What is the greatest reality of heaven, according to the sermon?
The greatest reality of heaven is the unhindered presence of God among men, as described in Revelation 21:3. This divine presence is what truly makes heaven, rather than physical splendor or reunion with loved ones.
How will believers be able to see God in heaven, given that the Bible says no one has seen Him?
While scripture indicates no one has seen God and lived, Jesus promised the pure in heart would see God. In heaven, believers will be purified and made "noncombustible," enabling them to perceive God's blazing light and glory without fear.
What does the sermon say about service in heaven?
Believers will actively serve God in heaven with priestly service, operating in their fully glorified creative capacities. The nature and extent of this eternal service are suggested to reflect the faithfulness shown in this earthly life.
What is considered the "most astounding thing" about heaven in this sermon?
The most astounding thing is that Jesus Himself will gird Himself to serve believers in heaven, having them recline at the table while He waits on them, as described in Luke 12:35-40.
How does the sermon connect earthly spiritual experiences to heavenly joy?
The sermon suggests that the most profound joys on earth come from drawing near to God in secret prayer and contemplation. These experiences offer a foretaste of the full, unhindered communion that will define heavenly joy.
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