5 Shocking Myths About Heaven Every Christian Should Know | Pastor Mark Finley

have you ever believed something and then after a while you've learned that the thing you believe wasn't true at all for centuries human beings believed that the earth was the center of the universe that the sun and planets revolved around the earth but then in the 16th century a free-thinking pole by the name of nicholas copernicus recognized through his scientific studies that the sun was the center of our solar system and the earth and planets revolved around the sun he dispelled that myth there are many myths that people believe thinking that they are true some of those myths are actually about bible truths that are extremely important five myths about heaven that people believe that they think are true that are not i want to dispel in this presentation here's myth number one now don't get too shocked myth number one people go to heaven immediately when they die most christians believe that if that's not what the bible teaches in ecclesiastes chapter 9 and verse 5 the bible says for the living know that they will die that's an eternal truth isn't it each one of us know that we'll die if unless jesus comes first for the living know that they shall die continuing but the dead know nothing how much did the dead know they know nothing we continue they have no more reward for the memory of them is forgotten in other words no more reward after they die of things that take place on earth for the memory of them is forgotten their love their hatred their envy have now perished nevermore will they have a share of anything done under the sun verse 10 whatever your hand finds to do do it with your might for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you're going so if the dead immediately went to heaven certainly there would be wisdom certainly there would be knowledge notice how the bible makes this truth plain in psalm 6 verse 5. david in psalms speaks about death and he says return o lord deliver me oh save me for your mercy sake for in death there is no remembrance of you in the grave who will give you thanks well if you went to heaven when you died certainly you would give god thanks in the grave certainly there'd be a remembrance of him psalm 115 verse 17 puts it this way the dead praise not the lord neither any that go down to silence then you might ask him what does happen when you die if you don't go to heaven immediately you don't go to hell at that point what what happens the bible is very plain 53 times the bible speaks of death as a sleep in fact you'll remember when jesus friend lazarus died jesus was going to the home of marion martha and lazarus there in bethany and as jesus arrived there shortly before in fact arriving jesus described to his disciples what had happened to lazarus and he said this john chapter 11 verse 11 and onward these things he said and that after he said to them our friend lazarus sleeps but i go that i may wake him up the disciples said lord if he sleeps he'll get well they thought that jesus was speaking about lazarus resting from some sickness or disease when jesus said he was sleeping then jesus said in verse 12 the disciples rather in verse 12 lord if he sleeps he does well verse 13 however jesus spoke of his death and they thought that he was speaking about taking a rest in sleep so when jesus said lazarus is sleeping he said then lazarus is dead jesus went to lazarus grave and he said lazarus come forth and lazarus came forth from the grave resurrected from the dead now if anybody could tell you about life after death it would be lazarus if anybody could write a book about life after death would be lazarus but lazarus said absolutely nothing why not because all during that time he was sleeping so it is a myth to believe that when we die we immediately go to heaven in fact the bible teaches that when we die we rest until the coming of jesus you remember what the bible says in 1 thessalonians chapter 4 verses 16 and 17 the lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel and the triumph in the trump of god the dead in christ shall rise first and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the lord in the air so when do we meet the lord in the air when jesus comes the second time so death is but a rest it's but asleep as the bible teaches until the coming of jesus so myth number one has to do with the idea you go to heaven when you die somebody says but wait a minute didn't jesus say to the thief on the cross that he would be with him in paradise well the truth of the matter is jesus didn't go to paradise that day because you remember jesus made that statement on the on the friday of his crucifixion but on sunday after his resurrection when mary rushed to him jesus said touch me not for i've not yet ascended to my father so if jesus didn't go to heaven on friday how could he have been assuring the thief that they'd be there that day together let's look at exactly what jesus said in luke chapter 23 for example jesus spoke to the thief and here jesus is dying on the cross the nails are driven through his hands and blood is running down his wrist there's a crown of thorns upon his head and blood's running down his face and as jesus is dying on that cross as he's breathing his last one thief looks over at him and it says if you're the son of god come down from the cross and take us down and the other thief says lord remember me when you come into your kingdom and what does jesus say in luke the 23rd chapter jesus said to him assuredly i say to you today you'll be with me in paradise you see it depends where you put the comma jesus did not say to the thief today was going to be with him in paradise he said i say unto you today in other words this day that i'm dying on the cross this day with nails through my hands this day that it doesn't look like i can save anybody i say to you today he made the statement that day that he the thief would be with him in paradise he gave the thief the assurance of eternal life that day but jesus did not go to paradise himself that day because he said to mary a few days later that he hadn't yet ascended to the father myth number one what is it we go up to heaven immediately when we die myth number two we are we go to heaven as spirit beings and that somehow there's this immortal soul that leaves the body and we're living up in heaven as spirit beings nothing could be further from the truth when we are in live in heaven with christ when he comes again we live in glorious immortal bodies notice what the bible says first corinthians chapter 15. first corinthians chapter 15. notice what the bible says we do not live in heaven as spirit beings we rather have glorious immortal bodies first corinthians 15 verse 51 behold i tell you a mystery we shall not all sleep again what is death it's a sleep and when you fall asleep there's no passage of time when we die we simply rest the next thing we know as believers in christ is that jesus is coming behold i tell you a mystery we shall not all sleep we shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet shall sound the dead will be raised incorruptible for this corruptable there we go must put on incorruption this mortal must put on immortality so when this corruptable is put on incorruption this mortal has put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying is written death is swallowed up in victory so we have a mortal body now subject to disease subject to death but we'll put on a glorious what immortal body now that is likened to the fact that when jesus was here he had a mortal body jesus became hungry he became thirsty he became tired the nails that they put through his hands really hurt the whipping on his back really hurt the crown of thorns upon his head really hurt he had a mortal body when christ was resurrected from the dead he had a body but it was an immortal body his his disciples could recognize him his followers knew him by his mannerisms by his voice he was recognizable what does the bible say about our glorious immortal bodies we do not live in heaven as spirit beings we have glorious immortal bodies there philippians chapter three notice what the bible says verse 20 for our citizenship is in heaven aren't you god we're just passing through this world our citizenship where is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for the savior the lord jesus christ who will transform our lowly body some translation say vile body that it may be conformed his glorious body according to the working by which he's able even to subdue all things to himself so we have a lowly body a mortal body a body that's subject to disease and suffering and death but we will receive when jesus comes again or when we're resurrected from the dead a glorious immortal body will recognize our loved ones in heaven and they will recognize us we're not ethereal spirit beings that just float there myth number two is that people live in heaven as spirit beings not true at all we live with glorious immortal bodies myth number three heaven is kind of up there someplace we don't know where it is well that's a half-truth jesus says in revel in john chapter 14 verse 1 to 3 let not your heart be troubled do you believe in god believe also in me in my father's house are many mansions if it were not so i go to i would have told you and i go to prepare a place for you and if i go and prepare a place for you jesus says i will come again to receive you unto myself so it is true that when christ descends revelation 1 7 every eye will see him when christ descends the righteous dead will be resurrected the righteous living will receive glorious immortal bodies when christ comes will be caught up in the sky to meet him in the air and travel through the illimitable realms of space to live with him forever it is true that we will be in heaven for that period of time but that's not the only truth the bible teaches matthew 5 verse 5 the meek shall inherit the earth what does it say in the book of peter when god created this world he created it originally in edenic splendor he created he carpeted it with living green the water was crystal clear the air was pure with no pollution the animals roamed this world with with just joy and gladness and there was no there were no venomous snakes and no carnivorous animals no animals that would attack human beings the the earth that god created was just a magnificent place now what does the bible teach about heaven in the future second peter chapter 3 looking there at verse 13. nevertheless we according to his promise look for a new heavens and what a new earth wherein righteousness dwells there'll be a new heavens and a new earth micah 4 verse 8 says the new the old dominion will be passed away and there'll be a new dominion that christ will establish the first dominion again so this earth will be made over like the garden of eden it's not that we're going to live up there at some place pie in the sky by and by certainly we go there temporarily but eventually at the end of what the bible calls the thousand-year millennium period at the end of that we're in heaven with christ during that thousand years but at the end of that thousand-year period revelation 21 john says i saw john says i saw it this is not make believe john says i saw a new heavens and a new earth and i saw the holy city new jerusalem descending out of heaven as a bride adorned for her children and john goes on to say there'll be no more sickness sorrow suffering heartache or death this earth becomes the center of the universe this earth becomes god's home his dwelling place god takes this planet and rebellion this pocket marked planet of sin and god takes it and he makes it over again and we live here with jesus forever and ever and ever three myths one myth number one we go to heaven when we die not true when we die we rest it's a twinkling of an eye we see jesus coming we come out of our out of the graves we receive glorious immortal bodies the righteous living receive glorious immortal bodies myth number two is that we are our spirit beings some kind of a soul leaves the body not true at all we are whole human beings mind body spirit we ascend to heaven with glorious immortal bodies myth number three that heaven is up there someplace this ethereal make-believe unreal place the truth of the matter is after being in heaven with jesus for that thousand-year millennial period at the end of that time the holy city descends and we descend with him in it and the meat shall inherit the earth and the earth is made over like the garden of eden because god created the world to be inhabited now here's myth number four heaven is gonna be really boring that's myth number four what does the bible say about heaven you look at isaiah 65. now the bible doesn't tell us everything we want to know about heaven the bible says i have not seen or ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things that god has prepared for them that love him so whatever music we can think of however fantastic it is the heavenly music is better whatever sights we've seen on earth there are more beauteous sights in heaven whatever tastes we've had on earth there are more glorious days in heaven whatever fellowship we've had on earth there's deeper fellowship in heaven whatever joys we've had on earth there are broader joys in heaven isaiah 65 says this speaking about heaven verse 17 god says behold i create new heavens and a new earth the former shall not be remembered nor come to mind isn't that joyous that the sorrows of this life the heartaches of this life will not not come to mind verse 21 they shall build houses and inhabit them they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them they shall not build in another inhabit they shall not plant in another eat for as the days of a tree so shall be the days of my people my long my elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands build houses and inhabit them have you dreamed of that special place maybe it's a dream home overlooking a beautiful crystal clear lake with crops that you've grown flourishing in abundance have you ever had that kind of thought past your mind heaven it's going to be a wonderful place i have a home in the city in the holy city where we can come to worship god every sabbath we'll have homes in the country beautiful dream homes magnificent gardens all of the wisdom of the ages will be there talk about gardening we will have gardening specialists and geniuses in the growing of crops that can describe to us just how those tomatoes grow just how those grapes grow just how those apples grow we'll travel from planet to planet and star to star and learn the vast technologies of civilizations never fallen by sin everything to expand the mind to stimulate the imagination the education will never end there will keep growing grasping for more knowledge boring not at all but one of the things i think will be the most amazing about heaven is the fellowship you know in matthew chapter 8 and verse 11 it puts it this way and they shall sit down oh i love that let's get the text exactly how it reads matthew 8 and verse 11. the scripture says and i say to you this jesus speaking that many will come from the east and west and sit down with abraham and isaac and jacob in the kingdom of heaven sit down with abraham isaac and jacob in the kingdom of heaven not run past sit down indicates fellowship we'll sit down with the great men of the ages we'll talk about abraham and how he stepped out by faith to leave his home and go out as god commanded we'll talk to daniel about his experience in the lion's den and faith of god delivering him we'll talk to david about his writing of the psalms and moses about going through the red sea and seeing the manifold it'll be an amazing time of fellowship with the great minds of the ages we will fellowship with minds that are so brilliant minds that are so amazing that they understand the great mysteries of the universe but most of all will fellowship with jesus will we actually see jesus face that's what the bible says look revelation chapter 22 see heaven is not going to be someplace that's boring every capacity expanded a time of growth and study and joy and happiness a time when sorrow flees away and dances away like a shadow will we see jesus and talk and fellowship with him revelation 22 and verse 3 and 4 there shall be no more curse but the throne of god and of the lamb shall be in it who's the lamb that's jesus and his servant shall serve him they shall see his face and his name will be on their foreheads they shall see his face think of what it's going to be like to take a walk with jesus through fields of waving grain and have jesus pick one of those grain heads and give it to you and say to you this was made just for you taste it think of what it's going to be like to walk with jesus and then pick a cluster of grapes off a grapevine and give it to you and the most succulent grapes you've ever eaten think of what it's going to be like to sit down with jesus and have him tell you the story of the cross and the fact that he was thinking about you on the cross and that heaven wouldn't be heaven if you were not there heaven is not going to be boring at all now here's the last myth that many people believe about heaven they believe that heaven is a figment of our imagination they believe that heaven you know heaven is not real at all it's just something that is a figment of our imagination so that we won't be so depressed in life look if you have any belief in the bible at all if the bible is an inspired book and it is the evidence of archaeology the evidence of prophecy the evidence of transformed lives the evidence of the unity of the bible you know the bible is written over a period of 1500 years from genesis to revelation and the bible is written by more than 40 different authors 60 books yet they don't conflict one another you can read about what moses said about heaven what isaiah said about heaven what jeremiah said about heaven what micah said about heaven what matthew mark luke and john said about heaven what paul said about heaven what jesus said about heaven and you see this beautiful puzzle picture in the puzzle coming together the bible has a cohesive unity the testimony of the bible indeed is that it is inspired by god and this inspired document speaks about heaven again and again and again if you believe that christ is the divine son of god jesus talked about heaven regularly he talked about the kingdom of god and jesus said let not your heart be troubled don't be worried don't be filled with anxiety don't be filled with fear let not your heart be troubled you believe in god believe also in me jesus said in my father's house are many mansions many mansions in other words there's room for you my friend in my father's house and many men if i were not so i would have told you i got to prepare a place for you and if i go to prepare a place i'm coming to receive you and myself jesus talked about heaven he talked about eternity he talked about living forever heaven is not a figment of our imagination you know in ecclesiastes 3 verse 11 it says god put eternity in our hearts every one of us knew that we were created for something better something better than war something better than rockets destroying the homes of the innocent something better than land mines blowing off the legs of children playing out in a field something better than the aids or or corona 19 coven 19 virus something better something better than heart disease something better than cancer something better than death we know that we created for something better something better than poverty and tears and sorrow deep within our hearts we know it god has placed eternity in our hearts and that longing for eternity is the reality that heaven exists see what if you longed for air but air didn't exist what if you were thirsty and long for a glass of water but water did not exist what if you were hungry and long for food but it didn't exist the fact that you have a desire for hunger indicates that food exists the fact that you have a desire for air indicates that air exists and the fact that we have this longing for eternity that we cannot shake this longing for eternity the fact of that indicates that there must be something beyond that is better human beings have longed for this through the years through the centuries five myths myth number one people immediately go to heaven when they die the bible teaches that we rest until the coming of jesus what significance would the coming of jesus have if we went to heaven immediately when we die myth number two we live in heaven as spirit beings the bible teaches something much better than that that we get these glorious immortal bodies that we recognize one another in heaven by our mannerisms by our features by the uniqueness of our personality and character myth number three that heaven indeed is just up there and we live a spirit be not at all yes we go up there but the earth is going to be made new more glorious than ever in the garden of eden myth number four heaven is boring and nothing could be further from the truth method number five myth that heaven is a figment of our imagination heaven is real deep within your heart do you desire one day to live with christ in heaven deep within your heart do you know that there must be something better deep within your heart are you longing for a place where there is joy and peace and happiness deep within your heart are you longing for love a love beyond what you could ever imagine the one who knows you best loves you most reach out to him right now in your own heart in your own way and say jesus i long to be in heaven with you let's pray together father in heaven thank you that heaven is real it's not make-believe it's not a figment of our imagination may we long for heaven and desire to be there with you and may the longing for heaven lead us to you the one who died for us the one who longs for us to be there the one who lives for us and the one who give us the strength and courage to walk through this life so that we can live with you forever in christ's name amen

Channel: HopeLives365

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Keywords: Heaven, Seventh day Adventist, SDA, Adventist, Adventists, Mark Finley, HopeLives365, Hope Lives 365, what is heaven, where is heaven

Id: UMxVRSfEd4U

Length: 26min 18sec (1578 seconds)

Published: Fri Jul 09 2021