https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Our-Home.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n\tby Jeffrey W. Hamilton<\/p>\n\t
Text: II Corinthians 5:1-9<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I. God has promised us a place of rest – Hebrews 4:1-3<\/p>\n A. There are days when I turn over in bed and start to think about all the things I need\nto get done today.\n 1. Even though it is earlier than I need to get up, I end up rising anyway\nbecause the thought of all that work won’t let me rest.\n B. As Christians there are a lot of things we need to do and probably a whole lot\nmore we should do.\n
1. Jesus understood the pressing need – John 9:4-5<\/p>\n 2. We must work with all our might because we can’t work after we have\ndied – Ecclesiastes 9:10\n
3. We have to make the most of the little time we have – Ephesians 5:15-17<\/p>\n
C. But the effort isn’t burdensome because we can rest later – Revelation 14:13<\/p>\n
1. No more getting worn out by activity.<\/p>\n 2. No conflicts with desires of righteousness waging war against the desires of your own body, for sin\nwill no longer exist – Revelation 21:27\n
3. No discord with others, for all will be harmonious. – Revelation 22:3<\/p>\n
4. No tears – Revelation 21:3-4<\/p>\n 5. No hunger, no thirst. We can all eat from the tree of life and drink from the\nriver of life – Revelation 21:6; 22:1-2\n
6. No darkness – Revelation 22:5<\/p>\n
D. The vastness of eternity lies before us. Each moment brings us closer.<\/p>\n
1. Each of us must die – Hebrews 9:27<\/p>\n
2. We should be leaving life with unfearing certainty.<\/p>\n 3. There is a home awaiting for us where we can dwell with all the redeemed\nin fellowship.\n 4. We are convinced that there is a lovelier world not far away, just over the\nriver of death.\n E. Sadly, most people live their lives without this hope. Unlike the faithful –\nHebrews 11:13-17\n
F. We cannot lose our confidence – Hebrews 10:35-39<\/p>\n
II. The Promise – John 14:1-4<\/p>\n
A. The mansions are the eternal home for all who have faithfully followed Jesus.<\/p>\n B. Heaven is a real place, seen in the expressions: “in heaven,” “to heaven,” and\n“from heaven.”\n 1. We don’t know where it is, but we know it is the spiritual abode for the\nredeemed of earth\n
C. We long for home because this world isn’t complete – II Corinthians 5:1-9<\/p>\n
1. While we are in this world, we are not really home<\/p>\n
2. We live with Christ now – Romans 6:3-5,8<\/p>\n
3. Christ is with us – Matthew 28:20<\/p>\n
4. God watches over us – Psalm 23<\/p>\n 5. But Heaven is when we are actually with the Lord and can see him – Job\n19:26-27\n
D. Here we are just passing through to another land<\/p>\n
1. There is an appointed time to change – Job 14:14-15<\/p>\n
2. We are strangers here, we are foreigners just visiting – I Peter 2:11-12<\/p>\n
III. Who will be there?<\/p>\n
A. At the end, the kingdom is turned over to the Father – I Corinthians 15:24-25<\/p>\n
B. Only those born of water and the Spirit may be in the kingdom – John 3:5<\/p>\n
1. This is a reference to baptism – Acts 2:38<\/p>\n
C. Those in sin cannot be a part of the kingdom – I Corinthians 6:9-10<\/p>\n
1. That is why we must turn away from sin – repent – Acts 3:19<\/p>\n
2. Baptism washes away sin – Acts 22:16<\/p>\n D. The reason we have an entrance to the kingdom is by God’s grace and the fact that\nwe believe and accept God’s offer – Ephesians 2:1-10\n 1. All that God does for the sinner is a matter of God’s grace – a freely given\ngift\n
2. All that the sinner does in accepting God’s offer is a matter of his faith<\/p>\n a. Faith isn’t separate from works, it is shown by the works done –\nJames 2:18\n
E. Being saved, we then mature to become more like Christ – Ephesians 4:13-16<\/p>\n
IV. What will it be like?<\/p>\n A. How do you describe the beauties of a sunset to someone who is blind? How do\nyou describe sounds of a nightingale to someone who is deaf?\n B. How can God describe the beauties of His spiritual realm to people existing in\nphysical bodies?\n 1. God takes things we see as valuable and then says it is something like this,\nonly better – Revelation 21:16-21\n C. This world has it flaws and its struggles, but heaven is free from the corruption of\nsin. Though we are stained and scared by sin, the blood of Christ will purify us –\nRevelation 7:9-17\n D. I can’t tell you the fullness of heaven’s glory – I haven’t been there. And even if I\nhad the opportunity, I wouldn’t be able to tell you more because I would have no\nwords to describe it – II Corinthians 12:2-4\n E. What I do know is that is more wonderful than I can imagine and greater than I\nconsider myself worthy of obtaining, but my Lord and God has promised it to\neach of His children.\n
V. Are you going?<\/p>\n
A. To be with all the redeemed of all ages.<\/p>\n B. We cannot count the years of eternity, nor understand heaven’s grandeur, but is it\nyour hope, your desire to go home?\n
C. II Corinthians 5:1-9<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Corinthians 5:1-9 I. God has promised us a place of rest – Hebrews 4:1-3 A. There are days when I turn over in bed and start to think about all the things I need to get done today. 1. Even though it is earlier than I need to get up, I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[46],"class_list":["post-41238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-heaven"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":43754,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-am-glad-to-find-a-church-that-is-not-into-entertaining-people-to-get-them-in-the-door\/","url_meta":{"origin":41238,"position":0},"title":"I am glad to find a church that is not into entertaining people to get them in the door!","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 27, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Just found your site. Well done. I am glad to find a church that is not into entertaining people to get them in the door! To bad you are not close enough to attend. How about some audio and video of your teachings and sermons? Answer: Look under Audio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":46192,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-need-for-prayer\/","url_meta":{"origin":41238,"position":1},"title":"The Need for Prayer","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"by Brace Rutledge 2015 Fall Meeting","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62996,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/work-as-for-the-lord\/","url_meta":{"origin":41238,"position":2},"title":"Work as for the Lord","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 1, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Thessalonians 3:6-16 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Why should you work? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I had a friend that inherited a large sum of money before he was 18. There was enough cash available that he could live comfortably off the interest the money would generate for the rest of his\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":42079,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/ive-listened-to-the-entire-bible-during-my-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":41238,"position":3},"title":"I’ve listened to the entire Bible during my day","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 5, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I read your article on \u00a0Reading the Bible Cover to Cover. Permit me to share that I love listening to my audio Bible and have covered 50 to 100 chapters a day. I have since gone through the Good Book eleven times. By late Wednesday, March 5th, I'll complete\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20492,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-quit\/","url_meta":{"origin":41238,"position":4},"title":"I Quit!","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Mark 10:35-45 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We\u2019ve all seen people frustrated with a task. \u201cI quit!\u201d they yell as they storm off. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Funny thing ... Do you remember who it was? Neither does anyone else. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0However, there are times I ought to quit. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I can allow myself to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7211,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/angel-band\/","url_meta":{"origin":41238,"position":5},"title":"Angel Band","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 8, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 1:12-15 My latest sun is sinking fast, My race is nearly run; My strongest trials now are past, My triumph is begun. I know I\u2019m near the holy ranks Of friends and kindred dear\u2014 I hear the waves on Jordan\u2019s banks, The crossing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41238\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}