Sun. 23/11/2014
Quarter’s Theme: Discovering Life Foundation
Unit 1 Theme: Knowing Essential Ordinances/
Doctrines (Lessons 8-12)
LOYALTY CAMPAIGN MONTHS
LESSON 12
LIFE IN BLISSFUL HEAVEN
Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 183, 184
Devotional Reading: MATT. 5:1-12
Topic For Adults
ENDURE TO THE END
Topic For Youths
ARE YOU QUALIFIED?
Topic For Intermediates
HEAVEN, A PLACE TO BE
Scripture Lessons
Jn. 14:1-3; Rev. 21:1; 22:1-5
Memory Verse:
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God (Rev. 21:3) NKJV.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING
Sun. 23/11/2014
Reigning Forever With God
Rev. 22:1-5
Heaven is the abode of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Holy Angels. Those who will join these Beings in heaven are the true believers. There will be no more separation between God and believers, for God’s throne and that of Jesus are in the midst of heaven. The believers will be given permanent residency in heaven. Nothing will take Jesus or the Holy Spirit out of their sight. Rather, they will be forever living, serving and reigning with the Lord in heaven. There is no end to the time they will spend with God, for it is eternity, which is forever and ever.
Point of Emphasis: Heaven is a beautiful place to spend eternity.
Prayer Point: Lord, help me to make it to heaven at the end of my earthly sojourn.
BACKGROUND
If there is any comfort for the believers, it is that God has prepared a place for
them where they will spend eternity with God. This place is called Heaven in the
Bible. It is a place of unending joy, peace and bliss for the believers. This week’s lesson centres on the promise of heaven for Christ’s followers and the description of the place.
NOTES ON THE TEXT
- HEAVEN – JESUS’ FATHER’S HOUSE: JN. 14:1-3
The disciples must have been troubled about Jesus’ prediction of Peter’s denial (Jn. 13:38); Judas Iscariot betrayal and Jesus’ own departure from them. This situation, however, gave Jesus opportunity to drive home the point about God’s plan for the believers in the future. Jesus admonished the disciples not to be troubled about the fear of His going away from them and living them behind in this world of sorrow. All they need to do is to keep on believing in God and also in Jesus Christ. This means that all the truth they have known about God and those that Jesus has taught them must be believed, upheld and behaved.
In verse 2, Jesus gave the hint of where He was going, “My Father’s house”. Bible scholars believed that Jesus’ Father’s house is not any other place than heaven. That is the place Jesus was going. He said in that house there are many mansions or rooms. He reiterates the fact that what He was telling them is the truth with which He has been known for when He said that “if it were not so, I would have told you”. He also said that He needed to go before them to prepare a place for His followers. The figure here is taken from one who is on a journey, who goes before his companions to provide a place to lodge in and to make the necessary preparations for their entertainment.
Jesus told the disciples that after He has prepared the place for them, He will come back, both through rapture and His second coming and receive them to stay where He is also staying. From verse two, where He was going is heaven, His Father’s house and that is where He has promised all believers, that are able to stand in the truth of the Gospel to the end, to stay with Him, where they will have access to God on daily basis for eternity. In that place, there will be no more separation from one another among the believers, Jesus and God. All will live together forever. This is a wonderful time and place to look forward to by all believers in Christ.
- HEAVEN – A PLACE OF COMFORT: REV. 21:1 – 22:1-5
After the final judgment of all people at the Great White Throne (Rev. 20), God revealed to John the abode of the Redeemed, whose names have been found written in the Book of Life (Rev. 20:12,15). This final abode of believers is described as a new heaven and a new earth, for John did not know of any imagery with which to describe what he had seen. He had to use the imagery that was known to men. The impression he gave about heaven is that it is going to be a new place. The present heaven and earth would have been destroyed when the final judgment is made. John also describes this new heaven as the Holy City and New Jerusalem. This is in connection with the fact that Jerusalem is regarded as the peculiar dwelling place of God and to the Hebrews it became the natural emblem or symbol of the heavenly world.
This holy city, the New Jerusalem is described as descending from heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, representing the fact that God would truly abide with men (vv. 2-4) Because God will tabernacle or dwell with His people, all negative and unpalatable conditions that give tears, pain, sorrow, death etc. will all cease (v.4) for the former things have passed away. Believers will forever be with God in heaven. The light of the place is like most precious stone (v.11), the wall is great and high with twelve gates, with 12 angels manning each of the gates which shall not be shut, (vv. 12, 25) the foundation is adorned with all kinds of precious stones (vv. 19-21), it has no temple, God and Jesus are its temple (v. 22); it has no need of sun or moon to shine, but God’s glory will illuminate it, and Jesus will be its light (v. 23); nothing that defiles will enter it (v. 27), there is a river of water of life and the tree of life in it (Rev. 22:1-2); there shall be no more curse there (v.3), neither will there be night there (v.5). One recurring image of heaven is that believers will reign forever and ever with God.
CONCLUSION
John was able to describe heaven as his human brain can fathom. We should know that this description is just a tip of the iceberg. The Bible says eyes have not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). Heaven is a place of comfort, unending joy and peace. God is more than able to make good His promise of heaven to believers. This must strengthen our resolve to stay put in God to the end.
QUESTIONS
- Why did Jesus admonish the disciples not to be troubled?
- Where is Jesus’ Father’s house?
- Mention five things that will be in heaven.
- Mention five things that will not be in heaven.
- What is the recurring image in the biblical description of heaven?
FRENCH
DIMANCHE 23/11/2014
REGNANT A JAMAIS AVEC DIEU
APO. 22 :1-5
Le ciel est la demeure de Dieu, de Jésus-Christ, du Saint-Esprit et des Saints-Anges. Ceux qui se joindront à ces Etres dans les cieux sont les vrais croyants. Il n’y aura plus de séparation entre Dieu et les croyants car le trône de Dieu et celui de Jésus sont au milieu du ciel. On donnera aux croyants une résidence permanente dans le ciel. Rien ne fera échapper à leur vue Jésus ou le Saint-Esprit. Plutôt, ils vivront pour toujours, servant et régnant avec le Seigneur dans le ciel. Il n’aura pas de fin au temps qu’ils passeront avec Dieu car c’est l’éternité qui est à jamais.
Point essentiel : Le ciel est une belle place où passer l’éternité.
Axe de prière : Seigneur, aide-moi à arriver au ciel à la fin de mon séjour terrestre.