North Anderson Baptist Church
Revelation 5:9-14 NIV
Dear friends, we have been looking at the “Home” for a good while now in these messages. We have included in the home: the personal home you have with your family, the home of the family of God, the church, and then we have talked about the home we have in heaven with God. Today, we are going to look at the scripture found in Revelation 5, regarding the worship in which we will participate in our heavenly home.
Remember, Revelation is about Jesus and the end times when the last days are recorded. We are told about the Lord of lords and the King of kings and John tells us of the seven churches and then for those who believe it, we see the rapture of the church and the tribulation of all who are still alive on earth. Also, we will see the triumph of our King, the Lord Jesus Christ, as He returns for the second time to redeem the rest of mankind who have come to believe and to place judgment on those who have rebelled against God Almighty. And finally, we see the New Heaven and the New Earth where all who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will dwell in their “New Home” with the Lord forever and ever. Within the beginning of the Revelation, John writes what he personally sees in heaven, regarding the worship by not only the heavenly beings but eventually all others created, by a loving and compassionate God.
We will focus on two thoughts this morning:
Singing is a part of worship and why would I want heaven to be my home?
Singing is a part of worship
9 “And they sang a new song…”
In our men’s Bible study this last Thursday morning we were studying in Amos and the comment was made “in the context of regarding false worship,” that someone came into a morning worship service of a church late and heard the congregation singing and made the comment, “Good, they are still singing, we haven’t missed anything yet.” From this comment it seems as if the singing part of the service really isn’t important or even a part of worship at all and evidently had no meaning for the couple.
What do you think about that?
Is the singing part of the worship of God?
Or, is it just the preaching part of the service which is the real worship of God?
What does the Bible mean when it says “And they sang a new song?” What is a “new song?” What is an “old song?” Once in a while Kiley or Steve or Nancy will have the congregation sing a “new” song that we have never sung, is that what they are talking about? Could it be the “new song” is not a song we sing here on earth but the song of the redeemed once we get to heaven and celebrate the holiness and righteousness of the great God who has redeemed us through the blood of Jesus Christ?
The new song is about not what God will do for us here on earth or a song about looking forward to what is done in heaven or experienced there or received there, but the actual worship, in person, of the One who made our salvation possible, celebrating who and how and His sacrifice that was made.
Notice in the earlier part of this chapter, and even in chapter 4, we see worship of the Lord God and the Lamb of God of those in heaven around the throne who bow before God and we hear recitations about who God is and His worthiness. Plus, the worship has to do with recognizing the only One worthy who can open the scroll, the Lamb, and all those around the throne bowing unto Him in reverence and worship. After that, then singing to the One who is worthy, who was slain, who has received power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor and praise. Singing is not only from the 24 elders, and the four living creatures, but the myriad of angels and then, all living beings in heaven and on the earth, under the earth and on the sea. Singing a new song must be an unbelievable worship experience! So, when you sing in a worship service, it should be an integral part of your worship. If you say, “I don’t sing” and I see a few who choose not to, you will be singing in heaven, so you might as well begin practicing here while you wait to go.
Revelation 21:3-7 NIV
1 Peter 1:3-6 NIV
Some people might say, “Heaven is where my folks are and I want to be where they are.” Others might say,“I don’t want to go to hell, so I will just go to heaven.” If those are your reasons for going to heaven, then I have news for you, you are not going to be there when you die.
The only reason a person should want to go to heaven is to be with their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ and to be with the Father because Jesus died for their sin and rose from the dead to give them eternal life!
For many of us here today, that is the reason why you want to go to heaven. Now, the reason of going to see your folks and missing hell, are reasonable, as additions to the first and primary purpose of wanting to go to heaven, and they can still be a part of the reason you want to go to heaven but it is secondary.
Some people think that heaven will be their home because God is a loving God and He will include them in heaven because of His love. Wishful thinking for you my friend! God is a God of love, but why would God want you in heaven if you have ignored Him and pushed Him away all your life? Why would God want you to be in heaven when you have lived nothing but an unrighteous and rebellious life?
Just because you have a background in church from your childhood days, or your family was really religious when you were a kid or even if you have a spouse who loves Jesus, none of those reasons make sense in you going to heaven. The Bible sets the condition whereby one can be in heaven.
Hear this clearly. Only if you are personally saved, and you have trusted, by faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and declared Him Lord over your life, and have believed that Jesus died on the cross for your sin and He was buried and then after being in the grave for three days, that He arose from the dead and is alive forevermore, then can you be saved and go to heaven when you die!
There is no other way to get to heaven! Narrow, yes, but it is essential to follow the narrow way of the cross to find your life in heaven for eternity.
A Sunday School teacher asked the children in her class, “How many of you would like to go to Heaven?” All of the children raised their hand except one little guy named Derrick. The teacher diplomatically inquired why he didn’t want to go to Heaven. Derrick replied, “I’am sorry, Mrs. Spellman, but my mommy told me to come home right after Sunday School.”
Raymond McHenry
There are two scriptures that help me think about why I want to go to heaven. I have placed them in this section. The first is the passage from Revelation 21:3-7. There are so many things in this passage that help me to see why I want to go to heaven. Let me list them:
1. God will dwell with me and I will be Him
2. He will be my God
3. He will wipe my tears away
4.There will be no death in heaven
5. There will be no mourning in heaven
6. There will be no pain or crying in heaven
7.God will make everything new
8. God’s words are trustworthy and true
9. God says He is the Beginning and the End
10. I will be able to drink of the water of life
11. I am an overcomer as well as a son of God
Then from the second passage, 1 Peter 1:3-6, I see some wonderful truths that make me want to go to heaven. Let’s look at them:
1. I have the mercy of God
2. God has given me His new birth
3. I have been given a living hope because Jesus rose from the dead
4. I have been given an inheritance which can never
a. perish
b. spoil
c. fade
d.And it is kept there in heaven waiting for me to possess it
5. I have been shielded by God’s power by faith until the coming of my final salvation which I will experience when the final day comes
6. I can rejoice and will in all that He has done for me
My dear friend, God wants us to realize how great heaven is! Heaven will be the new home for all who are saved by grace. It will be our dwelling place forever and ever and God will dwell with us and be our God. There will be worship there which consists of many things but one thing for sure we know is that we will sing a new song to the Lord Jesus for what He has done while He was here on this earth redeeming His creation from sin. We know that some will choose not to want to go to heaven and therefore they will choose to be separated from Jesus for eternity.
What will you do? Will you choose heaven or hell? It really is your choice. Why would you want to go somewhere where God is, whom you have maligned, cursed, ignored and blasphemed most of your life? Yet, God, who is full of mercy and grace, is willing even now to forgive you of your sin and rebellion and hatred against Him if you would but believe by faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God with all you are. Confess your sins and repent and turn from your sins, and believe He died for your sins and rose from the dead then you shall be saved. (Romans 10:13) “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
If you want a home in heaven, come forward and turn your life over to the Lord. We will pray with you and lead you as God draws you to Himself.
The Rev. G. H. C. MacGregor once related how an old Aberdeen minister was comforted a century ago by a little personal incident. He had always feared death, and was powerless to comfort others facing it. Toward the end of his life he moved house. Yet when the furniture had all gone the old preacher lingered in the home where his children had been born and where his sermons had been prepared. At last his servant came to him and said: "Sir, everything's gone; and the new house is better than this one. Come away!" It preached to him a lesson which he never forgot. God has prepared for His children a home "much better than this,"—"a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."—Sunday School Chronicle. One Thousand Evangelistic Illustrations.
Our home in heaven is much better than this one. Won’t you come and go with me?