The Bible instructs us not to accumulate treasure here on earth. but to store up our treasures in heaven. How exactly do we do that? Today on Turning Point, Dr. David Jeremiah shares what the Bible says are the only two things that are eternal.
and how they become treasures in heaven when we invest ourselves in them. Here's David to introduce the conclusion of his message: What's up with heaven? We're trying to get you excited about heaven here on Turdy Point. And we're talking about some things that many of you know and many of you don't know. and some things that we're all learning together.
The Bible is filled with information about heaven. It's not all in one place. You have to study the scriptures and grab hold of these treasures. In fact, one of the things I'm most excited about is this new book that we've just finished is available now, is accompanied by a scriptural index. I've tried to get that in these recent books because I think it's so important.
This scriptural and topical index at the back of the book helps you to be able to use this book for more than just reading pleasure, but to find questions and answers at a moment's notice.
So be sure and get your copy of the Promise of Heaven. It's the resource for the month of October here on Turning Point, and it's yours for a gift of any size to Turning Point. Just ask for the book when you send your gift, and we'll make sure you get it. We delight in the opportunity to make it available. We are really, we're really focused on making heaven a priority for everybody in this fall season of 2025.
Don't forget we have a wonderful event coming up in December. We're going to the Eastern Caribbean on a cruise. We do this right after Christmas and over the holiday of New Year. Prepares our heart for the New Year, gets us all rested up and ready to face the challenges that are before us. There's still room for you.
We hope you will. Find out about it by going to davidjeremiah.org. There you will get all the information you need.
Well, here we go with part two of What's Up with Heaven. Open your Bibles and open your heart. Let's study together. As you work your way through the hundreds of mentions of the word heaven in the Bible, you soon realize. There's a difference between The word and how it's used.
In fact, the Bible specifically speaks of three. distinct heavens. The first heaven is the atmospheric heaven. the sky with its clouds. and birds and life-giving oxygen.
And God designed it to sustain life. This is what the Bible calls. The first heaven. And then there's a second heaven. The second heaven is the vast universe beyond our atmosphere, its outer space.
Filled with billions of stars and planets and constellations and meteors and galaxies. The book of Psalms praises God for the lavish display of His glory. Psalm 8 says, When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon, and the stars which you have ordained. What is man that you are mindful of him? and the Son of Man that you visit him.
Jesus predicted a coming day. when the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. These are all references to the second heaven. the stellar skies. We have the atmospheric heaven, we have the stellar heaven.
Here's the one that causes people a lot of questions when they read this passage of scripture. from 2 Corinthians chapter 12. Paul writes, I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in the body I do not know. Or whether out of the body, I do not know, God knows. Such a one was caught up to the third heaven.
And I know such a man, whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know. God knows how he was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words which it is not lawful for a man to utter. He was caught up into the Third heaven. And when we read that, when we've read it in the past, we've always wondered, what in the world is the third heaven? I didn't know there was more than one.
Now you know. There's the atmospheric heaven. There's the stellar heaven. And now there is the heaven where God lives. In these verses, Paul's not referring to the atmospheric heaven.
He's referring to the highest heaven, the very dwelling place of God.
Solomon spoke of this in 1 Kings 8:27. He said, But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain you. how much less this temple which I have built. Moses called this heaven the highest heaven.
Other Bible writers describe it as God's holy temple. And this is what God was referring to when his son Jesus said to the thief, Today you will be with me in paradise. Hebrews calls this place a better country Jesus referred to it as the Father's house. This is it. The heaven of heavens.
the highest heaven, paradise, the Father's house. This is the place where God dwells and where His throne radiates glory. Where angels fill the skies with praise, and where the redeemed of every age. will live forever. This is our future address if we know Jesus.
the highest heaven where God lives. the prominence of heaven and the plurality of it. Let's talk about this place called heaven. A key passage here is John 14, where Jesus said, Let not your heart be troubled. You 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 it to myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
Now, in the Bible, as you read the Bible through, and especially during this series as we focus on these passages, We're going to find a number of names for heaven. different things the Bible speaks of it about. It's pictured in many ways, and each picture suggests a little different aspect of it. When we say that heaven is a country We're talking about how vast it is. Heaven's a big place.
When we see it in the scripture and it's a city, we think of all the people that live there. When we see it compared to a kingdom, we think of how orderly and organized the government is. When we hear of paradise, we imagine all the beauty of heaven. My favorite description of heaven is The father's house. I love that.
I like the father's house. When Don and I were students at Dallas Seminary, We longed to be at home. But we were 1,050 miles from Cedarville, Ohio, where I lived. And believe it or not. There were occasions when we'd get off work on Friday get in my Chevrolet convertible.
and drive a thousand and fifty miles to be home for a few hours because we had to be back at work on Monday. And we look back on that now and think that was the craziest thing we ever did in our lives. Do you ever do any crazy stuff like that when you were younger? I mean, we don't. People ask me, do I do red eyes?
I don't even think about doing red eyes anymore. I used to do them all the time. When you're younger, you do stuff you would never do as you get older. And I can't imagine driving 1,050 miles two ways. Twice.
in a weekend. But you know why we did it? To get to the father's house. to get home. where we grew up, where I grew up, where my mom and dad were.
It's tough when you're that far away from home going to school, and we wanted to be home. That's the way it will be for heaven. Heaven will be. the father's house. When we get there as God's people, we're going to feel at home.
We're going to feel the joy and compassion. And it'll be wonderful.
Some people, according to Charles Ball, talk about heaven as they would about an imaginary place. They talk about it with tongue in cheek and a knowing smile, as if to say, Heaven. is a human invention. A never-never land, a realm of dreams, not to be taken seriously. Other people say that heaven Is a benevolent state of mind.
Have you heard people say that? Heaven is what you think about on this earth. You make your own heaven, they say. Heaven is not a place you go. Heaven is what you make out of what you're doing right now here on this earth.
Well All of that is untrue if you believe the Bible. The Bible speaks of a special place. not a figment of our imagination. not a feeling, not an emotion. Heaven is not the beautiful aisle of somewhere.
Heaven is not merely a thought form, it's not merely a projection of the best in ourselves. It's not a vision. Of a long-for utopia. It's not a pleasing hope or an invention of man. Our thoughts do not make heaven.
Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. Billy Graham wrote, heaven is a literal place. It is not an imaginary world or fantasy land to which dwell. God created heaven with its vast array of authentic characteristics. Jesus did not ascend to a lofty dream world following his resurrection.
Jesus returned to sit at the right hand of His Father in the place. called Heaven. Jesus said, I go to prepare a place for you. Heaven is a place. It is not a feeling.
It is not a thought pattern. It is not... how you deal with life on this earth. Heaven is the place that God has created for his people if they will trust. His word about how to get there.
This is what I want you to know.
So we've talked about the prominence of heaven in the Bible and in culture. We've talked about the plurality of heaven. How many of them are there? There are three. We've talked about the place called heaven.
Now let me just speak with you for a moment about the preciousness of heaven. Why is heaven so important to us? Why do we all need to get ready to go to heaven? Why is it that I say to you today, then my goal in this series is that nobody gets left out of heaven. I want you all to go to heaven.
I don't want one of you not to go. You may be the meanest person I ever met, but if you know Jesus Christ, you need to go to heaven. And that's the only way you're going to get there. First of all, heaven is precious because our Redeemer is there. I have a feeling That one we get to heaven.
and we see the golden streets. in the Pearly Gates. every other visual marvel. They will all fade into insignificance when compared with Jesus Christ. Imagine the moment that we see Jesus.
Right now, we don't see him with our eyes. We don't have the privilege of standing in his presence. The Bible says, though you do not see him, yet believing you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. If we rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. having not seen him, just imagine what it will be like when we actually see him.
He is in heaven in His human body. bearing the scars of our redemption in his hands and in his feet. And when we see him, we'll all be reminded that if we're there, we're there because of him. He's the only reason any of us can get to heaven. You can't get to heaven without Jesus and what he did on the cross.
I remember hearing someone say one time that if he could be in heaven and peek through a keyhole and see Jesus for a single second every thousand years, it'd be worth it.
Well, I don't know if that's true or not in terms of its reality. But we're not going to have that experience. I don't know how it works. I can't explain how. with all the myriads of people who will be in heaven.
Each of us can have a personal relationship with Jesus, but that's what the Bible says. We will know him. We will see him. We will be like him. And the Bible says the fellowship of Jesus in heaven Is the most precious thing about that place.
It's not the pearly gates. It's not the streets of gold. It's Jesus. When we get to heaven, Heaven will be heaven because that's where Jesus is. But secondly, Not only is our Redeemer in heaven, our relationships are in heaven.
Hebrews chapter 12 says there are several categories of people who will be in heaven. The city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. an innumerable company of angels. the General Assembly and Church of the Firstborn, And the description of the heavenly city was written to believers still on earth. And the description tells us that when we get to heaven, People of all ages are going to be there.
we are going to live in an eternal community with fellow Christians.
Now just think about this. We'll speak with people. From every era. of history. Friends from the past, the future, and the pages of Scripture.
I mean, I have a lot of questions for David, Joseph, and Daniel. I want to sit down with Paul and ask, what was your thorn in the flesh? Everybody's beated that for so long. I hope to meet C.S. Lewis and Charles Hatton Spurgeon, A.W.
Tozier. Other people who you've heard me quote from in my sermons over the years, who I have read and have been such a blessing to my life. And of course, heaven is precious because it reunites us with our loved ones, loved ones we've lost, parents, siblings, children, and friends. You know We kind of made a list of things people want to know about heaven. I'm kind of embarrassed to tell you that the most important question people want to know about heaven is: will animals be there?
I tell them I think dogs might make it. I'm not sure about the cats. I've written a book and there's a whole chapter in that book. How about Will animals be in heaven? Other people want to know about marriage because the Bible says that in heaven we are neither married nor given in marriage.
What does that mean? There's a lot of questions about heaven, but one thing we know: when we get to heaven, we're going to be with the people we love who are already there. My mom and dad are in heaven. My sister is in heaven. All of our grandparents are in heaven.
Donna's family is Little by little, dwindling, and she has a brother who's left, but her other brother is gone. When we get to heaven, we're going to see all those people because we know for a fact that they put their trust in Christ. and they will be there.
So, our Redeemer is in heaven, that's the first thing. Our relationships are in heaven, that's the second thing. Did you know that our resources are in heaven? The Bible says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who, according to His abundant mercy, has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. You and I, as children of the Lord, are due to receive an inheritance beyond anything we can imagine. Not because our names are in the phone book.
Well, because our names are in the Lamb's book. of life. You have an inheritance in Christ that will never be touched by inflation. It won't be lost in an economic crash. Its value will never decline or decrease.
And the Bible says it's reserved for you in heaven. And then the Bible says our residence is in heaven. Heaven is not just our future home, it's our true homeland. Think about what happens. and what it means to be a citizen.
If you've ever applied for a passport, You know the process. You have to fill out documents. provide your birth certificate, proof of your residency, and much more. Because a passport proves your allegiance. It tells the world.
This is where I belong.
Now imagine heaven using passports. On the day we were saved, heaven stamped our citizenship papers. Put it this way in Philippians 3.20, for our citizenship is in heaven.
Now I was born in Toledo. Ohio. I live in Southern California. I have a USA passport, but my real residence is in heaven. I'm a citizen of that land.
I'm currently here on earth on an assignment. I am an ambassador for the Lord Jesus Christ on planet Earth. But there's more. We're not just citizens of heaven. were children of the king.
We aren't just inside the door, we're inside the door, seated at the table. of the king of kings and lord of lords we actually outdo the angels in that regard because we have no record that the angels were at the table.
So when we get to heaven, We're not there as guests. We're there as sons and daughters.
So our Redeemer is in heaven. Our relationships are in heaven. Our resources are in heaven. Our residency is in heaven. And our reward is in heaven.
The Bible says when we get to heaven, We're going to have a reward ceremony. In fact, the Bible lays out five different rewards for which we can qualify.
Some people think. We shouldn't be worried about rewards. I've heard very spiritual people say, if you really love God, you wouldn't care about rewards. But the Bible speaks about motivation and rewards, and the Lord is one of the chief spokesmen. Jesus said that we should be motivated to serve Him.
When we get to heaven, we're going to get crowns. As rewards, and that we'll cast those crowns at the feet of Jesus in worship. And friends, I don't want to be standing in line empty-handed and not have a crown to cast at the feet of Jesus when the time of worship comes.
So I found out what those rewards are. Did you know there's one special reward for people who do what I do? The pastor's reward. There's other kinds of rewards. Everyone in this room is eligible for one of these heavenly awards, and you're just going to have to wait till I get to that sermon, and I'll tell you what they all are.
And then The Bible says that are riches. The riches that we have are in heaven. I know that you've read this passage during some of our stewardship teaching. But listen to Matthew 6. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth.
where moth and rust destroy. where thieves break in and steal. but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. We're neither moth Nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. What a statement.
But what does it mean? to lay up riches in heaven. How can you send resources to heaven. What are eternal riches? Let me explain what the Bible teaches about that.
The Bible says that there are only two things that are eternal. One of these days, everything's going to be wiped off this earth as this earth is renovated in preparation for the new heaven and new earth. But two things will last. the souls of human beings, and the word of God. If you invest yourself in those two things, You're sending riches to heaven.
I envision.
Some of you. Walking the streets of gold and having someone come up and say, You know what? Because you gave at Shadow Mountain. to the missions budget. I was saved in Thailand.
I was saved in South Africa. I was saved in many of the places where we have missionaries. I have a lot of questions about heaven myself. I don't know how God's going to divide up the awards, how He's going to reward everybody for what they did, but you know what? Don't worry about it because God will take care of it.
And when you help people get to heaven, if you lead people to Christ or you give money and they come to Christ. That's sending your riches to heaven. when you emphasize the importance of the word of God. and you study it and you teach it and you preach it and you learn it, most of all you live by it. You're sending riches to heaven.
So our Redeemer is in heaven. Our relationships are in heaven. Our resources are in heaven. Our residence is in heaven. Our reward is in heaven.
Our riches are in heaven. And finally, Our reservation is in heaven. Listen to me. You can't go to heaven if you don't make reservations ahead of time. You've got to make a reservation.
I mean I'm sure all of you have had the experience I've had going on a trip where you think you have a reservation in a hotel and you show up and they don't have it. You go in there, and they don't have a reservation, and they don't have any extra rooms, and so you're stuck, and you're running all over town trying to find a place to sleep. That's happened to me more than once. I'm okay with that now. I can deal with it, but that's not what you want to experience when you get to heaven.
You don't want to be without a reservation. When you get to heaven, God is going to say to you something like this. Why should I let you into my heaven? And if your reservation Ticket isn't stamped with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you will be denied entrance into heaven. The Bible says Jesus is the way.
the truth and the life. and no man goes to the Father or heaven. except through Jesus Christ. If you don't know Jesus Christ, you can't go to heaven. You say, well, Pastor, I grew up in a different tradition.
That's wonderful. I'm okay with that, but the tradition of any of us doesn't matter. All of us have traditions. The important thing is what does the Bible say? And what does God want us to know?
And God wants us to know that one day we will stand before God. and give an answer for why we should go to heaven. And the answer better be right. that you've put your trust in Jesus Christ. One of my great concerns is that we live around spiritual truth.
And if we're not careful, We don't realize what we're dealing with. You say, Well, I go to Shadow Mountain Church. That won't get you into heaven. Shadow Mountain Church has no way to get you into heaven. You say, Well, I've raised good children.
That's wonderful. Congratulations. But that won't get you into heaven. I've lived a good moral life. We need some more people to do that, but that won't get you to heaven.
There is no other way to go to heaven except by putting your trust in Jesus Christ and asking him to be your personal Savior and forgive your sin. And so, I want to ask you today: have you done that? Listen to me. I don't want anybody to be able to say. When they stand before God someday, I went to Shadow Mountain Church and nobody told me how to get to heaven.
I'm telling you today. If you put your trust in Jesus Christ, You punch your ticket to heaven. That's it. I mean, it's not complicated, friends. It is.
Important. That you understand the simplicity of the gospel. God loves you. Christ died for you. You're a sinner.
You can't get to heaven on your own. You need the efficacy of Jesus Christ. He came to make it possible for you to go to heaven. He Himself said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except. through me.
if you want to go to heaven. You have to do it by accepting Christ. There's been a lot of discussion about the things you do to go to heaven. No, you don't do anything to go to heaven. You accept what's already been done for you.
You accept what Jesus did for you on the cross, and He makes it possible for you to spend eternity with Him. We have some wonderful literature for those of you who make that decision. If you have trusted Christ as your Savior by listening to this program, ask for the information and we'll send it to you. It's absolutely free and it will help you get started in your walk because we do have some time that we have to spend between now and when we get to heaven and let's spend it wisely. We'll see you next time right here on Turning Point.
Thanks for listening. Our message today came to you from Shadow Mountain Community Church and senior pastor Dr. David Jeremiah. We always welcome your notes of encouragement, so please write us at TurningPoint PO Box 3838. San Diego, California, 92163.
Visit our website at davidjeremiah.org/slash radio. or call 800-947-1993. Ask for your copy of David's new book, The Promise of Heaven. 31 Reasons to Get Excited About Your Eternal Home. It's yours for a gift of any amount.
You can also download the free Turning Point mobile app for your smartphone or tablet. or search in your App Store for Turning Point Ministries to access our content. Visit davidjeremiah.org slash radio for details. This is David Michael Jeremiah. Join us tomorrow as we continue the series The Promise of Heaven on Turning Point with Dr.
David Jeremiah. I'm not sure if I'm doing this right or not.
