Heaven and Hell

As I finish prepping a lesson for tonight I figure it's my last chance to post the message from last week. Here goes...

We've all heard many things about heaven and hell. Some of them might be true, some of them aren't. The Bible tells us these things (and many more) about heaven.

*It was created by God (Genesis 14:19)
*It cannot contain God (1 Kings 8:27)
*Everything in heaven worships God (Nehemiah 9:6)
*We must be "born-again" to enter (John 3:3)
*No sun (Revelation 21:23)
*No mourning, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4)
*We will experience eternal life there (John 3:16)

The most important thing, however, is not what heaven looks like. Rather, it is the fact that we will be able to worship God for all eternity with everyone who has ever walked the earth and trusted Jesus as their Savior. Wow!

(Some say that sounds like a boring existence...worshipping God 24/7. I say: "Sure, when you think about what worship on earth often looks like. But worship in heaven is beyond our wildest dreams.")

Now, the more depressing topic: Hell.

*Hell is often mentioned in connection with fire (James 3:6; Matthew 5:22; 13:49-50)
*It was not originally made for humans (Matthew 25:41)
*There will be tears (Matthew 13:42)
*It is separation from God (2 Thessalonians 1:9)
*It is forever (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:10)

Why is it important to know 'facts' about heaven and hell? The main reason is that I want to be sure everyone knows beyond a shadow of a doubt where they will spend eternity. Sure, heaven is a great reward for those who accept the gift of forgiveness from Jesus. But more than that, heaven is the culmination of a life lived worshipping God on earth. Hell is the culmination of finally receiving everything you deserve.

The question then arises...for which eternity are you living your life?