The New Earth

"Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die"

Paul had a similar (but perhaps a differently motivated) tension (Philippians 1:21-24)
1. Paul was torn b/w life on earth w/his body vs. life in heaven w/o his body
2. Paul's motivation for staying was to serve and bear fruit
3. The motivation of many today is b/c they don't look forward to heaven

What motivates people to be saved?
1. Hell
(fear of hell gets more people than hope for heaven)
(but isn't the Gospel 'good news'?)
2. Help
(this is my testimony)
(but isn't God's Kingdom bigger than 'now'?)
3. Heaven
(very few people that I know have this testimony)
(sometimes we are bored by our thoughts about heaven)

Our goal is to clear up misconceptions about heaven to re-prompt this motivation

A. Our picture of heaven is distorted
- we imagine a disembodied existence in the clouds
- 'I could sing of your love forever'
- Even are hymns are suspect (When the roll is called up yonder)
- This is purely greek influence

B. When a believer dies, their spirits go to the present heaven
- Thief on the cross
- Absent from the body, present with the Lord
- Souls in Revelation (Revelation 6:9-11)
(consciousness, unity, time, awareness, temporary body, waiting, praying)
- Paul said this was 'better by far'
- This is life after death

C. God will create a new earth
- Revelation 21:1-4, 22-27
- Holy City will come down from Heaven with God
- Everything that made earth bad will be gone
- Everything that made earth good will be restored

Eternity should be exciting, but we haven't painted the picture very bright
Kids are the best commentators on Eternity

"I'll meet famous Christians"
"It will be like Florida"
"People will grow strawberries"

One of the best hymns on this topic: "This is my Father's World"
Satan didn't win and he's not taking the world with him. God will restore it.
God will restore 'far as the curse is found'