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Riverside May 24, 2026
BACK TO BASICS
Heaven
Our Father who is in Heaven. Beautiful, beautiful Heaven. Home sweet home, my eternal home, my new address, where Jesus is and where He is preparing a place for me -just for me. It’s going to be wonderful there. 5 minutes after you die where will you be? Heaven can be your sure hope and destination.
I would like to speak to you about heaven today because if you are a Christian that’s where you end up and when I die, I’ll see you there. Imagine for a silly moment that there is no heaven, that when we die it’s all over, we’re annihilated, we end up just dust, insignificantly forgotten lumps of carbon. NAY, NAY. BUT there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. And you and I can have a sure hope of heaven after we die -or maybe Jesus will come back and take us there directly. Perfect. Fine with me.
What is heaven like? Oh, my friends. I wish I could relate to you in concise words when I have tasted of what heaven must be like. I wish that I could have you feel and sense what I have flashes of -of that place called glory, my eternal home, the sweet bye and bye.
I must admit that I have fleeting moments of what heaven will be like, of being in eternity with God, in a place called heaven. It’s an experience I have sometimes when I am in private worship but sometimes this occurs in public worship where my joy is overwhelming and the peace, I have, is breath taking.
It is in His presence that joy is unspeakable and His glory shines and I am overwhelmed. A ‘little foretaste of glory divine’. In His presence it is heavenly, it is holy, it is divine.
(old hymn)
Who can cheer the heart like Jesus, By His presence all divine?
(-what joy there is in His presence)True and tender, pure and precious, O how blest to call Him mine!
(Refrain)All that thrills my soul is Jesus, He is more than life to me;
(In His presence on earth and in heaven is joy unspeakable)And the fairest of ten thousand In my blessed Lord I see.
Come into the presence of God even now, and get a foretaste of glory, of heaven divine, of heaven itself
Tell me about Heaven. Now God, YHWH, El Shaddai, Jesus lives in heaven, that is where He, God, dwells. But God is omni-present, He is everywhere. We even speak amongst ourselves as Christians that God lives within us, in our hearts. And He does.
But God’s abode, God’s dwelling place is called heaven in English, ouranós (ore-an’-oos) in Greek, shiamim in Hebrew and Cielo (si-a’-low) in Spanish. And God’s abode is special, it’s heaven.
In 1 Kings 8:30: King Solomon’s prayer asks God to "hear from heaven, your dwelling place."
And God speaks to Isaiah who writes it down in Isaiah 66:1: God says -"Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool."
-Heaven is referred to by some as the Great Blue sky, as paradise, as Eden, as Elysium, even as Beulah land. But Jesus said most plainly in His prayer instructing the disciples on how to pray and talk to God -with these words in Matthew 6:9: "Our Father who is in heaven." Heavenly Father.
Heaven is real, it is not a fantasy, or a dream, or a just a hope. Heaven is where God lives. Not because I say so, but it is true and real because the Bible tells us so and because Jesus speaks of it often.
There are many popular concepts of heaven which are inaccurate myths. Popularized by cartoons and media we have them conveying disembodied spirits floating on clouds with wings and harps. Even in some churches we see heaven as an endless church service which to many ends up being boring after a million years.
Jesus described heaven primarily as a real, prepared dwelling place and a joyous, eternal celebration with God. Rather than giving a strict geographical blueprint, Jesus spoke of heaven using metaphors of a loving home, a great feast, and the ultimate reward for faith and perseverance.
Here are 5 Things Jesus Said About Heaven
When Jesus spoke about heaven, He didn’t describe it as a distant escape or a reward for rule followers. He talked about it as a home—a place where we would live with God.
Jesus said:
“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:2-3 NIV.
What’s Jesus saying? Well, I don’t think Jesus is saying that heaven is one giant apartment block. Instead, He’s using the imagery to tell His followers that heaven is God’s house, and there’s room for everyone there.
Here’s the point: Heaven is not just where God lives. It’s where He invites us to live with Him forever and there’s room for everyone.
-heaven is a happy place
Jesus didn’t give us a full blueprint of what heaven is like, but He did give us glimpses. And what He shared tells us something important. Heaven isn’t just about what we escape from. It’s about what we’re invited into.
Jesus said in:Matthew 22:2“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.”
Jesus often described the kingdom of heaven as a feast, a reunion, and a celebration. In other words, it is a place of joy, belonging, and love.
Heaven is where God dwells, which means everything will be good.
-Every injustice set right. Each tear wiped away. All wounds healed.
Here’s the point: Heaven will be a place of joy and celebration.
When people asked Jesus what relationships would look like in eternity, He gave them a surprising answer.
Jesus said in Matthew 22:30“At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”
That might sound disappointing or unsettling at first, especially if marriage has been a meaningful part of your life. But Jesus wasn’t saying relationships won’t matter. He said they’d be transformed. The closeness, love, and connection we long for will be fulfilled in ways we can’t fully grasp on this side of eternity.
In heaven, there will be no insecurity, loneliness, or loss. Every relationship will be whole, and every need for belonging will be met in the presence of God.
Here’s the point: Heaven offers more connection, not less—it just looks different than we might expect.
Have you ever wondered how to get to heaven? People asked Jesus that same question. His answer was simple, but it challenged a lot of assumptions.
Jesus said:
… “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 NIV
We don’t find heaven through being perfect or following a formula. We find it through knowing and trusting Jesus Christ.
Jesus didn’t point to a spiritual checklist or a set of religious achievements. He pointed to Himself. We don’t find heaven through being perfect or following a formula. We find it through knowing and trusting Jesus Christ.
Jesus also described the road to heaven as a narrow gate. He said:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14
Jesus invites us into heaven through trusting Him. Trust Him today
When Jesus talked about heaven, He didn’t only describe it as a place we go when we die. He often used the phrase “the kingdom of heaven” or “the kingdom of God” to describe something that was already arriving.
He said: … “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15 NIV
He also said: “... the kingdom of God is in your midst.” Luke 17:21 NIV
Jesus wasn’t just pointing to the future when He spoke about heaven. Every time He healed the sick, welcomed the outcast, forgave sin, or spoke truth with love, He was showing us what life in God’s kingdom looks like.
That same kingdom is still here and still growing. When we trust Jesus, we begin living eternal life now, not just after we die.
In my understanding, the Kingdom of Heaven started with Jesus’ ministry, was proclaimed by John the Baptist, and was fully established at Pentecost following Jesus’ resurrection. It continues today as a spiritual reality in believers’ lives, with a future, ultimate fulfillment in heaven. This dual aspect—present and future—defines the Kingdom as both a current spiritual reign and an eternal promise.
Here’s the point: Heaven isn’t just where we’re going. It’s something we begin to experience when we walk with Jesus now. Now, we can have a little foretaste of that glory divine that we’ll experience in Heaven.
Some people may view heaven as a really good safe fire insurance policy. Good to have, to avoid hell but not a daily thing to keep in mind. Well, frankly speaking, that doesn’t cut it -Christianity is a relationship with Christ who is preparing for us the most joyous, happy, safe, beautiful, pain and sorrow free place that we can imagine. In fact, we can’t even imagine how grand heaven will be for us.
Seven Things Jesus Said About Eternity
In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Heaven isn’t reserved for a select few. It’s open to everyone who will put their trust in Jesus.
Do you know where you will spend eternity?
