Heaven Study One

Heaven by Randy Alcorn

Matthew 13:44-52

Book Chapters 1-4

Heaven is worth giving up all earthly possessions for.

Christ gave his life so that we could live eternally with Him.

Christ is explaining the end times in a parable.

Hell is a real place, at the end there are people that will go to Hell.

The Honesty of the text, how real hell is. Christ gave His life so that I can spend eternity with Him. The people He is talking to understand what he is saying - but do they really. Would I have really understood

Questions

I. We need to always be focused on God, His ministry and our future life with Christ. Prayer, repentance, Bible study, basking in God's creation, pursuing holiness, finding that glimpse of Heaven each day. 

II. Completely distant from God God is all God, good, never ending

III. Are we willing to take up our cross? Deny self? What profit is the world to loose your life?

Hell and Heaven are real if we are not truly living out faith how then are we answering these questions. There are consequences for our sins.

IV. John 14:6; John 3:16; II Timothy 2:10; Acts 4:12; Acts 16:30-31; Psalm 3:8

"I am" verses

V. Earth is a glimpse of what is to come. If we don't see earth that way how then are we to anticipate Heaven?

Discussion Thoughts

Being a follower of Christ is a delight not a burden

v. 47 - some of every kind

There will be every tribe represented in Heaven

Diligently actively seeking truth

Truly setting our mind to do something - be diligent, step outside comfort

Understand Heaven based off scripture 

Hell - a fire that can never be quenched; v. 36 is the opposite of setting our mind on things above; use contrasting Heaven and Hell when presenting the Gospel

The Great God Who Saves

The Great God Who Saves

Sermon Link

Click here to read II Samuel 22:1-20

II Samuel 22 - Is a gross display of power

II Samuel 22 - Psalm 18

I. Learn a Lesson about Poetry

David uses poetry on purpose we should not just pass by the poetry. But truly read through and identify the purpose of using poetry.

II. A Lesson about Personalization

There are differences between II Samuel 22 and Psalm 18. Because II Samuel is a personal reflection for David Psalm becomes a song that others can sing. 

In Acts the apostles weren't just concerned with what they said but how they said it. 

The things we do and the way we do it matters. David was willing to do whatever through God to reach others in a way that connects with them. Understanding is not enough. Believing is not enough. David did not just know but had experienced salvation. Do you personalize the scripture?

III. Lesson about Prayer

Isaiah 64

We are in the same position as David, Do we see that?

If we lived in v. 5-6 we would live like v. 4 and 7

IV. Lesson about Danger

We have been fed a line if we live right nothing bad will happen. 

v. 5,6 is part of being a follower of Christ

Worship doesn't really have anything to do with our mood - no matter what God is worthy to be praised. This is fact, even when we aren't "into" the worship. 

Worship is engaging

V. Lesson about Perspective

When God hears our cry he comes racing to us. 

David was good at finding God in everyday life. There weren't giant miracles per say but David saw God in almost every little thing. 

David is living out faith - This is the way real way Christians talk

VI. Lesson about Praise

v. 20 WOW blows me away, David delighted God in what He did... Do I pursue delightment in God.

This poetry falls short of reality - Jesus came to earth from Heaven as a baby - He came as a common man.

Christ humbled himself (that alone is a thought provoking statement) and died on a cross.

Christs work is way more impressive than any other work. 

Luke 11:37ff

Luke 11:37ff

Four Corrections He Brings the Pharisee's

I. The nature of Righteousness

II. What religion is about

III. Understanding of Atonement

IV. Understanding of Knowledge

Are we as gracious as Jesus?

He has already had one bad experience with the Pharisee's and yet He gave them time. 

Is communion a spiritual obligation?

It is a HUGE BLESSING!

A Generation of Giant Killers

A Generation of Giant Killers

Sermon Link

Click here to read II Samuel 21:15-22

I. Because the need was great

II. Because the Lord is watching

III. Because the Word is true

IV. Because the cause is right

We don't battle against people today we battle the spiritual world.

The enemy is opposing God's anointed

IT'S ABOUT JESUS!

Global needs should motivate us. But not be the only focus.

The Lord is watching.

God sees, God knows, God rewards - let that be our motivation to serve - who cares about recognition.

Contradictions? No - possible answers in opposing

1. There could have been two Goliaths

2. Elhanan could have been another name for David

3. Cross reference

- I Chronicles 25: Hebrew reads that Elhanan killed a brother of Goliath

II Samuel 3:13

The cause is the Lamb/Light of God

The High Cost of Cheap Grace

The High Cost of Cheap Grace

Sermon Link

Click here to read II Samuel 21:1-14

I. Not knowning the seriousness of sin. 

God brought the sin of saul to light - not David. 

II. Not knowning the sobriety of atonement

We were redeemed with the blood of Christ

- Dont take that lightly

III. Not knowing the significance of repentance

David is not atoning for the sin 

- But david did see the signficance of the sin

IV. Not knowing the special nature of the promise

How precious John 3:16 truly is. Don't forget it. 

V. Not knowing the sorrow of death

Death is an enemy and is unnatural - death should be murded.

We may respond to the text negatively because of our belief of cheap grace.

The remedy of cheap grace is the Gospel.

We minimize the cross and the Gospel.

The Returning King

The Returning King

Sermon Link

Click Here to read II Samuel 19:8-43

I. Will you receive the King?

II. Will you repent?

III. Will you be rewarded?

IV. Are you in a relationship with Him?

Often our repentance is self focused not God focused.

Jeremiah 41:17

We are chimhams - we receive the blessing of God only because of Christ

- It is nothing we have done

II Samuel 17

Sermon Link

Click here to read II Samuel 17

We need to be warned about the truths of God's kingdom.

Four Major Thoughts

a. The Kingdom Pain

b. The Kingdom Protection

c. The Kingdom Provocation

d. The Kingdom Provision

God trusted Job not hated him. That is why He allowed what He did. 

Romans 11:33-36

God's kingdom is forever and will not fail?

- Be encouraged

You cannot deny the kingdom

Think kingdom not United States

- Be encouraged