Are You Going to Heaven?
 

Bible reference - 1 Peter 1:3-9

A  We have been doing a series of sermons about being a Christian and how we handle the essential requirements of our faith: The Joy of Repentance, Our Atoning Sacrifice, Dealing With Guilt, In God We Trust. Tonight's lesson is about the reward that awaits us.

B. Several times over the last year the question has been asked, "Who in this room is going to heaven?"

1. When asked if you are going to heaven people are hesitant to say yes.
            a. Some say it is arrogance to assume we will go to heaven.
            b. Some hear the question as, "Am I worthy to go Heaven?"
            c. Some wonder if they truly have the faith

2. My lesson today is going to deal with the promise that Jesus made to the apostles, His disciples, and to us.

Jesus promised us heaven for our faith

A. Matt 10:32 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven."

B. Paul in Romans 10:9-10 said, That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

C. Peter said. 1 Peter 1:8-9 "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

D. The listing of the scripture that promises us heaven could continue all day. Surely at this point we will accept the promise of salvation.

Is a public display of our belief that we are going to heaven a sign of "Arrogance" or a "Holier than Thou" attitude. We are not ashamed to talk about our faith.

A. Matt 18:2-4 He called a little child to him. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

B: To believe that you are going to heaven is the belief of a child.

            A child doesn't question if he is worthy of his reward. He accepts the promise and believes it.

            That is the faith of a child Jesus talked about.

C. We do not hide from non-Christians that we believe in Jesus.

D. In our hearts we would stand and be counted as Christians even in the face of adversity

E. Can we no less stand in front of fellow Christians and say I believe in the promise of God and am going to heaven?

F. I do not consider it arrogance to state a firm belief in salvation.

             If I did not believe I could not stand before you this evening.

Am I, or are we "worthy of Heaven".

A. No. We are sinners. In Luke 18:19 Jesus said, "No one is good-except God alone."

B. Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

C. Rom 6:3-5 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

And now the really great part of tonight's lesson. Let's answer the question about how strong is your faith.

John 6:28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

A. We all feel occasional weaknesses of faith.

            1. When the world is getting us down.
            2. At the death or illness of a loved one

B. Do we say "If there is a God, Why...?" No.               We say "Why does God Allow....?"

            1. The very way we make the statement is actually a statement of our belief in God, himself.

            2. We can go to Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways      acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

            3. Even in our moment of not understanding God's ways, we still acknowledge his existence.

            4. Therefore I conclude that you have faith.

C. Do you pray?

            1. We do not erect stone idols and ask them for help.
            2. We do not sit in a group prayer and think it is a waste of time
            3. We are not just blowing words to the wind
            4. We pray because we believe God hears us. Even if we don't get the answer we seek in the time or the way we asked.
            5. The very act of prayer "in the name of His Son, Jesus". Is a statement of faith.

D. Do you go to church?

            1. Obviously you are hearing my voice so the answer is yes.
            2. Do you come just to feel sociable
            3. Last week maybe you just came for the dinner at Betty's Restaurant.
                        a. You don't have to sit through all of this just for a great meal as my brothers presence at the dinner portion only attests to.
            4. When you don't come to church do you feel guilty or that something is missing?
            5. If you truly did not believe I am sure you could find something more fun to do - ball game, TV - fishing
            6. Therefore I conclude that you have some faith.

E. Do you read the Bible?

            1. Do you read on your own or as part of a study group
                        a. Sunday Bible study,
                        b. Wednesday Bible study
                        c. Sunday night Bible study
                        d. One on one Bible study
            2. Why do you read the Bible?

                        a. Is it a fascinating novel, a real page turner? I enjoy reading a good action novel more.
                        b. Is the Bible easy to understand? It's close to Shakespeare for understanding and give a slight edge to the Bard for all that.
                        c. Is it a quick read that can be read like a small paperback? Takes most people months or even years to read through it
                        d. Why do we read it? Because it's God's word. And we acknowledge our desire to learn from it.

 

            3. Therefore I conclude that you have some faith.

F. If we have confessed Jesus as the Son of God and expressed our faith in God himself now let us remember the assurance of Heaven.
            1. How many in here think that David is in Heaven?
                        a. Read the Psalms of David. His faith goes up and down in extremes like a roller coaster (before they had roller coasters.)

                                    What did tornadoes sound like before trains were invented?
                        b. Did he not commit the murder of Uriah because he lusted after Bathsheba?
                        c. Is he in Heaven?

 

            2. And Moses for the sin of Pride was denied crossing over to Jordan but was not refused heaven.

            3. The story of Menasseh 2 Chron 33

                        a. Menasseh re-established the idols that his father Hezekiah had destroyed.

In verse 10: The LORD spoke to Menassah and his people, but they paid no attention. So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Menassah prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Menassah knew that the LORD is God.

 

                        b. Do you think he was forgiven?

            4. Have you ever talked about heaven without saying Peter at the Pearly Gates. I think it is a given that we believe Peter is in heaven.

                        a. Jesus #1 disciple denied him three times before the cock crowed.
                        b. Peter had faith in the boat when he started to walk on water towards Jesus. He sank when his faith failed him.

 

            5. I ask "Have you murdered somebody to sleep with their spouse? Have you let your wife erect a stone idol to worship in the house?

                         Have you ever stood in public and said "I know Him not" 3 times? Have you ever said you were as great as God? Of course not.

 

            6. If you have not done these things, then is your sin so great that God cannot forgive you and will deny you heaven?

 

            7. Peter was still his #1 Apostle.

 

G. Jesus gave us the parable of the Prodigal Son.

            1. As children of God we are the Prodigal Children of God. And when we repent of our lost way His forgiveness and Joy are unlimited.
           

            2. We are now back to his promise of salvation. Should we not also feel the Father's arms about us as he welcomes us to His kingdom?
           

            3. If we are forgiven our sins - does that not include our entrance to heaven?

I am not stating that we cannot loose our salvation. We can fall from Grace. In 1 Thess 5:19 Paul even states. "Do not put out the Spirit's fire".

A. We can loose our salvation, but not because of His actions

 

B. Prov 29:1 "A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will be suddenly destroyed–without remedy."

 

C. We do not know when the end will come for each of us. We must strive to remove sin from our lives, and we must also ask for repentance for the sins that will be forgiven.

 

D. There are sins that are unforgivable.

 

E. Jesus himself listed two sins by implication that may not be forgiven.
            1. Matt 18:5-6 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea".
            2. Matt 12:31 "And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."

F. 1 John 5:16-17 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

G. 1 John 5:21 Closes with the admonition, "Dear children, keep yourselves from idols."

H. We can loose our salvation, but not because of His actions. And the sins are not those of a casual or a forgetful sinner.

We do not consciously sin. We do not intentionally break the law of Christ. My lesson today is to reinforce our hope. To demonstrate that the faith we have does express itself in our daily lives. The promise of salvation is not because we are perfect but because we believe in Jesus and ask for forgiveness.

 

So if anybody asks, "Who in this room is going to heaven?" Do not hesitate because you think it is arrogance, or that you are not worthy, or that you question if you actually have the faith.

1 John 2:1-2 But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense-Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Eph 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.

A quote I found in a small devotional books states,

"Faith is not a sense, nor sight, nor reason, but simply taking God at His word."