HEAVEN
The search of all men is for happiness. To some it is happiness to have a nice home; to another, it is happiness to have a fine automobile; to another, it is happiness to have a prominent position.

To the Christian, none of these things give the happiness which they seek. The Christian has placed his hope and aim higher, and he is looking forward to eternal happiness in heaven. This lesson is aimed at raising our hopes to a higher plane and causing us to be more concerned with making heaven our home.

Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:11-12, that we should consider ourselves happy when we are privileged to suffer for the name's sake of Christ, for when we do so, great is our reward in heaven. Many are they whose blood has been shed for the name of Christ, yet through this suffering there shall come the eternal reward.

The Bible Teaches That…
1. WE SHOULD LAY UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also " (Matthew 6:19-21).

In this passage, Jesus taught in such a way as to leave no doubt. His desire for us is that we seek those things that are above and not the things upon the earth. If only men and women could be brought to a realization of how short life is and how transient the things we possess materially, they would be more concerned with an eternal reward.

Do not place your trust in the things of this earth. Some day you must leave them. If they are the only things in which you have your trust, you will go into eternity unprepared to meet your Maker. Do not let this happen to you.

The Bible Teaches That…
2. THERE IS A PLACE OF MANY MANSIONS WHERE JESUS HAS GONE TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR HIS DISCIPLES. In John 14:1-4, we read: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” Jesus left no question in the disciples' minds but that He would return after He had gone to the Father. In Acts 1:10-11, when He ascended out of their sight, two men in white apparel said: “…Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

The Bible Teaches That…
3. OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN. In Philippians 3:20-21, we read: “For our conversation (citizenship, American Standard Version) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.”

In this passage it is pointed out that our citizenship is in heaven. We then as citizens of the heavenly kingdom are to be waiting and looking for our Saviour to come, that we might be changed and rewarded.

The Bible Teaches That…
4. WE SHOULD SEE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE ABOVE. In Colossians 3:1-2, we read: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” As we have already noted in this lesson, our treasure is not to be on earth, but rather in heaven, and there it is that we should lay up treasures.

The Bible Teaches That…
5. AFTER THIS EARTH PASSES AWAY THERE WILL BE NEW HEAVENLY HOME FOR THE FAITHFUL OF GOD. John wrote in Revelation 21:1-4, we read: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I, John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.”

We can hardly think of such a place with our human vision. It is difficult to conceive of a place where so many of the sad things, which we see today, shall be no more. Yet knowing that the word of God tells us such a place exists, then we should read and study and serve God in such a way that this place shall be our eternal dwelling place when this life is over.

In Revelation 22:1-5, we have another description of heaven. Read this reference from your Bible, as some of the questions will be about that passage. In it, John describes in other terms the wonderful place called heaven. I want to go there, don’t you?

CONCLUSION:
After studying about heaven and getting a glimpse of what it is like, then we should be willing to do whatever God wants us to do in order that we might go there.

Study your Bible, read it daily, and then as you learn what God wants you to do, do it with all your might that you may lay up treasures in heaven, and then when Jesus comes to claim His own, you will be among that number whom He shall reward with everlasting life.

Section 1 - Fill in the blanks.

Question 1
"Rejoice and be exceedingly _____; for great is your reward in _____.''

Question 2
"Lay not up for yourselves _____ on earth, where moth and rust corrupt and where thieves break through and _____. But lay up for yourselves treasures in _____, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

Question 3
In My Father's house are _____ _____; I go to prepare a place for you.

Question 4
For our conversation (_____) is in _____, from whence also we wait for the Saviour.

Question 5
And I was a new _____ and new _____.

Section 2
TYPE IN 5 THINGS WHICH WE HAVE DUE TO SADNESS WHICH WE WILL NOT HAVE IN HEAVEN (REVELATION 21:1-4)

Section 3
LIST 3 THINGS THAT SHALL BE IN HEAVEN IN REVELATION 22:1-5.

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