You're listening to A New Beginning with Greg Laurie, a podcast made possible by Harvest Partners, helping people everywhere know God. Visit our website and learn more about Harvest Partners at harvest.org The reason for the unbridled worship in heaven is because now we know all things, all of our questions are answered, all of our pain is removed, all of our tears are dry. Okay, and it's going to be amazing. Sometimes we just can't hold back the joy.
When our favorite sports team wins the big game, when our young child takes his first steps, when you hear the words, you may kiss your bride. Well, when we get to heaven, we just may not be able to hold ourselves back from worship. Today on A New Beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us see what we'll be doing in heaven and what things will be different from this life and what things will largely be the same.
Fascinating insights ahead. Let's answer some often asked questions about the afterlife. Number one, what will our new bodies be like in heaven? Number two, will we know each other in heaven? Number three, will we be married in heaven? Number four, what will we do in heaven? And fifth and lastly, and this is often asked, do people in heaven know what's going on with us on earth?
All right, so let's go question by question. And by the way, in our last message, we discovered, of course, heaven is an actual place, not a state of mind. It's a real place. Jesus said in John 14, I've gone to prepare a place for you, Jesus tells us, and the rest of the Bible tells us, heaven is a city, heaven is a country, heaven is a paradise. Whatever you've experienced on this earth, the best of the best of the best doesn't even come close to the glory of heaven.
Why? Because earth at its best is a pale imitation of the real thing, which is heaven. Heaven is not a watered down version of earth, it's kind of the other way around. And so whatever you are thinking, it's gonna be far better than you ever imagined. All right, so what about these new bodies the Bible talks about? What will they be like?
Short answer, amazing. You will be given a new body, but it will still be you, it'll just be the radically upgraded version of you, okay? Here's what the Bible says. 1 Corinthians 15, our bodies now disappoint us, but when they are raised, they'll be full of glory.
They're weak now, but when they're raised, they'll be full of power. They're natural bodies now, but when they're raised, they'll be spiritual bodies. Listen to this, our new bodies that God will give to us later will be both different and at the same time, the same as our body here.
By that I mean, you are still you as I've already said, but again, a radically upgraded version of you. Okay, so Jesus says in John 14, in my Father's house are many mansions or dwelling places if it were not so I would have told you. If I go, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, you may be also. In my Father's house are many mansions. So what is this mansion referring to in John 14?
A couple of options. One, it may be our new body that God will give to us. 2 Corinthians 5, 1 in New Living Translation says, when this earthly tent we live in is taken down, when we die and leave these bodies, we have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself. We'll put on the new body like new clothes. Okay, so it could be a description of our new body, but it could be a house. I mean literally a house in heaven.
Why not? The idea is that it's a real place waiting for you. What it is exactly, I don't know, but it's going to be amazing. We know that. And you know, I'll tell you what, the thing is with life, as you get older, it seems like it goes more quickly, but here's the good news. Though your body is wearing out like a tent, which is not meant to last forever, God's going to resurrect it and your soul will live forever and your body will be resurrected. So now when we're in heaven, will we know each other in heaven? Do you think you're going to be more stupid in heaven than you are on earth? Maybe I should ask the question, well, do you know each other on earth? Well, then you're going to, of course, know each other in heaven. So I think when you get to heaven, yes, we'll see each other.
Yes, we'll know one another. We're told in 1 Corinthians 13, we will know as we are known. We'll know everything we know on earth except more.
We'll know everything we know on earth but with divine perspective now. Sometimes people have this mistaken notion that when you get to heaven, you have some kind of a brain wipe. It's almost like heaven's a giant lobotomy or something. No, I want to know. There's memories of earth in heaven.
Oh, that can't be true, Greg, because we would be sorrowful. You have perspective. See, I understand things now. How can I be rewarded for something I did on earth if there's not a memory of what I did on earth? So you're going to remember earthly things but now with perspective. There's no break in my love for my loved ones. Death breaks ties on earth but renews them in heaven.
We're the same people we were here. Here's one that sometimes asks, will we be married in heaven? Interesting question. All right, first of all, let's take a quick poll. How many of you are married? Raise your hand up, okay. How many of you want to be married in heaven? You want to continue to be married in heaven? How many of you would rather not be married in heaven?
There's a few hands going up. And some of you are not totally committed in that other question. Kelly, my wife's next to me. I do. Liars.
No. Okay, you will be married in heaven. Now let me return to that and I'll explain it in a moment.
You will be married in heaven. Okay, so one day a group of people called the Sadducees came to Jesus. Now the Sadducees were different than the Pharisees. The Sadducees did not believe in life beyond the grave. The Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection of the body. The Sadducees had a pretty bleak outlook. In fact, their name said it all. Sad. You see?
Right? Because that's a sad way to see life. So they thought they were going to trap Jesus with a question. Okay Jesus, we have a question for you. There's this woman who was married and her husband died and then she married the guy's brother and he died. Then she married another brother and he died and went on seven times in the resurrection whose wife is she? I would have asked, what is this woman cooking and feeding these men?
What's going on? The point of that is they thought, you know, oh if you are going to be together in the afterlife, who is going to be married to this person? And now Jesus sets a record straight and he says in Matthew 22, You are mistaken not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage.
You are like the angels of God in heaven. So they neither marry nor are given in marriage. Okay so let's say you have a really close marriage and you can't bear the thought of not being married to your spouse anymore. Well in heaven you will not have the same kind of relationship but it will be better.
It will be stronger. You will be closer but you will not marry or be given in marriage in heaven. But you will have the fully realized version of everything that marriage points to.
So you say you are contradicting yourself. You just told me we won't be married in heaven but earlier you said we will be married in heaven. You will be married in heaven.
Not to each other. You are the bride married to Jesus Christ who is the bridegroom. So you are married in heaven. Of all the things God could have chosen to show his love for the church and the church's love for him, God chose marriage.
And of all the witnesses God could have chosen to a lost world he chose marriage effectively saying hey non-believers check this out. See how this Christian husband loves his wife. That is how I love my church.
Hey check this out. You see how this wife loves her husband. That is how my church loves me.
So marriage is a beautiful symbol that will be fully realized in heaven. It will be different than it is now but trust me it will be better. Well today Pastor Greg is presenting the answers to five common questions people ask about heaven. All centered on how different life will be there than it is here. Let's continue.
Number four. What will we do in heaven? I think some people think heaven is going to be super boring. Well we know we will be worshipping and that is of course why I exist to bring glory to God. But Revelation 15 says I saw a glass scene mixed with fire and there stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast.
That would be the anti-Christ and his image and the number representing his name. They were holding harps. So there are harps in heaven. And God had given them and they were singing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb. So there will be singing in heaven and I think one of the reasons for the unbridled worship in heaven is because now we know all things. All of our questions are answered. All of our pain is removed.
All of our tears are dry. Don't misunderstand. This doesn't mean heaven is going to be a long worship service. Because oh it is going to be like a church service forever. No you are going to do other stuff. But you are going to be doing a lot of worshipping. And it is going to be amazing. But here is something else you are going to do in heaven. I guarantee this. You are going to be eating amazing food in heaven.
Come on. You want that don't you? Say well where do you get that? From the Bible. The only authoritative source in heaven. Revelation 19, 19. Then the angel said, blessed are those who were invited to the wedding supper. Let's remind you we are the bride of Christ. The wedding supper of the Lamb.
These are the two words of God. I like the word supper. In the south they call dinner supper. And I was raised by my grandparents for many years of my life. Stella and Charles McDaniel. I called my grandmother Mama Stella. And I called my grandfather Daddy Charles. And when my mom was running around with all of her guys and getting divorced and getting drunk and all that crazy stuff. She sent me to live with my grandparents.
And so there with them it was a very stable home. It was almost like being raised from someone from another century actually. My grandfather was quite a strict disciplinarian I have to say. But my grandmother was an amazing cook. She made everything from scratch.
She never served leftovers one time in her life. And we had all that good southern cooking. And if you know the southern cooking. You know fried chicken.
That was just incredible. Black eyed peas. Okra.
Collard greens. You ever try those before? Now these are the things my grandmother would make. But her crowning achievement was her biscuit. I have never had a biscuit anywhere like this. Like if a biscuit could be literally anointed by God. This is what I am talking about.
It was like so insane. It was a buttermilk biscuit. And when my grandmother was getting older I said to my wife Kathy. Watch Mama Stella make the biscuit. Learn the secret of the biscuit. Grasshopper.
You must learn it. And you know she did a pretty good job reproducing them. But no one could quite produce the biscuit that my grandmother Mama Stella made. And I just think you know when we get to heaven I am hoping to get some of those biscuits again.
I am going to find Mama Stella. But some of you don't connect to southern cooking. You are into Mexican food.
Ok. So you are thinking enchiladas and tacos and all those things. And then others are going no no no it is Italian food. Italian food. No it is you know pasta and pizza. I had pizza today.
Here is my problem. I love all those foods. Everything I love is fattening.
I don't love anything that is not fattening. I don't love kale salad. I don't even know what the point of eating salad is. To me eating salad is like practice. It is just like ok I can chew and swallow. Good. You know someone says I had a nice salad for lunch.
I am like what? It is just nothing. It is just lettuce and stuff you know. But whatever it is that rings your bell good chance it will be in heaven. And if it isn't there there will be something better there. I am into sushi. Ok. Sushi then.
Whatever you like it is going to be better than what you could ever dream of. And not only will you have that meal but you will be with people. The whole thing about having a nice meal is having it with someone you like to be with.
Right. Being with friends and family. Enjoying a meal together.
Well check this out. You are going to have some pretty amazing company. Matthew 8 11 says, in that day comes you will take your place at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
How is that for starters? Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to have a meal with. You can sit down at a table with Moses. Moses could you pass the manna? Elijah my meat is a little undercooked.
Could you give it a little more fire? Lot could you pass the salt? Oh Lot you are so sensitive. Get over it. You made it to heaven. Come on man. You have to know the Bible to get these jokes.
Ok. These are insider Bible jokes. But one of the things that I have enjoyed over the years is getting to meet a lot of wonderful men and women of God. And whenever I am around older people who have known the Lord for many years I pick their brains. You know I have gotten to know people like Chuck Swindoll, David Jeremiah, Dr. Dobson, Alan Redpath, and of course Billy Graham.
I think I drove Billy Graham insane with all of my questions. Because whenever I was with him I wanted to know everything about everyone. Because he was like Mr. History. You know he knew all these people I have read about. He knew Golda Meir the prime minister of Israel. He knew Muhammad Ali came over to his house for lunch. He knew every president going back to Truman. Bono from U2 came and visited him and read poetry to his wife Ruth. And his wife Ruth was as amazing as Billy was. She was just a wealth of Bible knowledge.
And it was so wonderful to be with them. He knew C.S. Lewis.
I mean I quote C.S. Lewis. He met C.S.
Lewis for Pete's sake. It is just amazing the people he knew. So I mean thinking of that think about meeting people of the Bible. Asking David what was it like to slay Goliath. You know Noah so how did that work being in that ark all that time. Or Moses when you parted the Red Sea give me some details about it. Esther what was it like to save the entire Jewish race. Deborah what was it like to lead all those people into battle.
Hey Mary Mary what was it like to carry Jesus in your womb and later have him in your heart. You know I mean don't you want to ask those questions. I do. Because when I'm around godly people I want details. I want information.
I want to learn from them. You'll have access to all these great men and women of God from the Bible who've gone before us to meet the Lord. And but of course it's being reunited with loved ones that we miss. How many of you have someone that was very close to you who has gone to heaven. Right now you have someone and that's pretty much everybody. So you think about those people don't you. And you think about being with them because one of the hardest things about death is communication is cut off immediately. And you want to communicate with them.
And it's so hard when you can't. And sometimes people want to try to talk to their loved ones and they'll go to mediums. Who will tell them I'm getting messages from your loved one right now and just understand that is never real.
It's either not real or it's demonic. But that you don't want to go there. You don't want to ever try to communicate with your loved ones in heaven.
And I'll hear people say well I sense my loved one who died is with me and they spoke to me the other day. Can I be blunt with you? No they didn't. They didn't speak to you. They're not guiding you. And they're not involved in your life right now. They aren't.
Okay I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you they were. I wish I could tell you that they're you know helping you right now.
No they aren't. They're in the other side. As David said of his son who died. He cannot come to me but I will go to him.
So they're not talking to you. They're not coming to you. But one day you will go to them. You will be reunited with them. If they died in faith. Biblical truth today on matters of eternity from Pastor Greg Laurie. The only information we can count on about the hereafter comes from the Lord Himself. And Pastor Greg will have more insight as he continues this message here on A New Beginning. It's exciting to know that we'll reunite with our loved ones in heaven. Those who put their faith in the Lord. But that's only if we've put our faith in the Lord.
Have you done that? Have you come to Jesus and asked him to forgive you of your sin? Here's Pastor Greg once again. Would you like to know that you will go to heaven when you die? Would you like to fill that big hole deep inside of you? Listen it's about a relationship with God and here's the good news. God loved you so much that 2,000 years ago he sent his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for your sins. And then to rise again from the dead. And now Jesus who died and rose is standing at the door of your life and he is knocking.
And he says if you'll hear my voice and open the door I'll come in. Would you like Jesus Christ to come into your life? Would you like your sin forgiven?
Would you like to fill the hole in your soul? Would you like to go to heaven when you die? If so just stop what you're doing and pray this prayer with me. You can pray it out loud if you like. You can pray it in the quietness of your heart if you choose. But pray this prayer. This is a prayer of asking Jesus Christ to come into your life. Pray these words. Lord Jesus I know that I'm a sinner.
But I know that you're the savior who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead. I turn from that sin now and I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Thank you for hearing this prayer and answering this prayer. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen. Hey did you just pray that prayer? If so I want to congratulate you and be the first to say welcome to the family of God. Yeah that's right and we want to help you get started in this new walk with the Lord. We want to send you Pastor Greg's New Believers Bible. It's an easy to understand translation and it features hundreds of helps, especially for new believers.
It'll answer many of your questions and help you build a strong foundation for your faith. We'll send it free of charge. So get in touch and ask for the New Believers Bible. You can call 1-800-821-3300.
Call anytime 1-800-821-3300. Or go online to harvest.org and click Know God. Well Max Locato is with us today. He's a best-selling author and pastor and a real wordsmith. His books are full of wonderful stories and quotable quotes. And we're happy to make available his newest on the end times called What Happens Next.
Max you talk about what it'll be like when we come into God's presence. And sort of as a metaphor you tell the story of your friend Joe Stoll, former president of Moody Bible Institute. Could you recall that story for us?
That's a great story. Greg do you know Joe? Oh yes, Joe's a great guy.
Great guy. Well many years ago Joe had the opportunity to do what you do often Greg. He went to the White House.
This is in the term of President George W. Bush. And according to the way Joe told me he was one of like a dozen pastors invited to visit with the president. And there was a reception and he was rehearsing in his mind what he was going to say when he met President Bush. And finally it was his turn and they were not close to the president. There was about 20 feet.
They had to walk to get across the room. And so in his mind he kept rehearsing, I'm Joe Stoll, I'm the president. Finally he extended his hand and he said, Mr. President, I'm Joe Stoll, I'm the president of Moody Bible Institute. And before he could say another word President Bush with that Texas quang slapped him on the shoulder and said, way to go Joe. And then marched him off. And so he called his secretary. She said, what was it like meeting the president? And he told her that story. And by the time he returned to Chicago to Moody Bible Institute she had made a t-shirt, had a t-shirt printed and placed on his chair in his office. He said, way to go Joe, George W. Bush.
That's great. But when he told me that story, I guess I was kind of touched with a word that was a little more from the Lord than from me. Because I said, you know Joe, you're going to someday stand before Jesus Christ. And he's not going to be in a hurry. And he's going to look you in the eyes and he's going to say, way to go Joe.
Well done, good and faithful servant. You know, Greg, you're going to hear those words. Dave, you're going to hear those words. And I know that maybe a person could go their whole life and never hear those words, even from an earthly father. But when we hear those words from our Heavenly Father, it will make it all worthwhile, all worthwhile. And that's what's waiting on us when we get home.
That's beautiful. You know, Max, the word revelation means the unveiling. And it's not God's desire to conceal but to reveal. And Bible prophecy is not given to scare us but to prepare us.
Yes. And I think whenever we raise the subject of end times, people immediately think of Armageddon, Antichrist, Mark of the Beast, etc. And that, of course, is all part of the story.
But they don't think about what you've just said. Because in the book of Revelation, we read about that final day when we'll stand before Christ. And what is revelation an unveiling of? It's an unveiling of Jesus Christ. That's a spirit of prophecy. It's Christ, honored and glorified and magnified. And so what I love is that you have a gift to encourage people, not only in your writing and your preaching, but privately.
How many times I can think of getting a text from you and it's a word of encouragement as you just shared there with Joe and with the rest of us. And you're going to be encouraged reading this brand new book that Max has just written called What Happens Next? It's about end times events.
Yeah, he gets into all the topics you're interested in. But it's a book that focuses on Christ and will be an encouragement to you. And we want to send it to you for your gift of any size this month. Whatever you send will be used to help us continue to reach people through the teaching and preaching on this program you listen to called A New Beginning. So order your copy right now of Max Locato's brand new book, What Happens Next? And be encouraged.
Yeah, that's right. It's a book you'll love reading. In fact, you'll be recommending it to friends. So thanks so much for your investment and be sure to ask for your copy of the brand new book by Max Locato, What Happens Next?
And today is our last opportunity to mention this. So get in touch right away. Just call us at 1-800-821-3300.
1-800-821-3300. Or go online to harvest.org. Hey everybody, I want to encourage you to join us for something we call Harvest at Home. It happens every Sunday at harvest.org and on our brand new app, Harvest Plus, which is available on your mobile TV devices. Download it now and you can watch Harvest at Home with Christians from around the world as we worship together and study God's word.
So again, join us for Harvest at Home at harvest.org or on Harvest Plus. Well next time, Pastor Greg helps us sharpen our focus on eternity. Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher, Greg Laurie. This is the day, the day when life begins. A New Beginning is a podcast made possible by Harvest Partners, helping people everywhere know God. If this show has impacted your life, share your story, leave a review on your favorite podcast app and help others find hope.
