Pastor Elio Marrocco's "The Reality of Heaven" sermon at New Life Christian Church on May 13, 2012. You can learn more about New Life Christian Church here: http://www.newlifecc.ca

1. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
Text: Colossians 3:1

2. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
Colossians 3:1 (NLT)
“Since you have been raised to new life
with Christ, set your sights on the
realities of heaven, where Christ sits at
God’s right hand in the place of honor
and power.”

3. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
1. It’s where God lives and rules.
Psalm 123:1
“Lord, I look up to You, up to heaven,
where You rule.”

4. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
1. It’s where God lives and rules.
2. It is a real place.
John 14:2
‘In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it
were not so, I would have told you. I
am going there to prepare a place for
you.’

5. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
1. It’s where God lives and rules.
2. It is a real place.
Matthew 6:20
“Store up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where moths or rust can’t
destroy it, and where thieves can’t
break in and steal it.”

6. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
1. It’s where God lives and rules.
2. It is a real place.
3. Heaven was designed for us.
Matthew 25:34 (NIV)
“Come, you who are blessed by My Father;
take your inheritance, the kingdom
prepared for you since the creation of
the world.”

7. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
1. It’s where God lives and rules.
2. It is a real place.
3. Heaven was designed for us.
Ephesians 1:5
“God’s unchanging plan has always been
to adopt us into His own family by
bringing us to Himself through Jesus
Christ and this gave Him great

8. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
1. It’s where God lives and rules.
2. It is a real place.
3. Heaven was designed for us.
Ephesians 1:10 (LB)
“This is God’s purpose: that when the time
is ripe he will gather us all together
from wherever we are – in heaven or
on earth-to be with him in Christ

9. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
1. It’s where God lives and rules.
2. It is a real place.
3. Heaven was designed for us.
Hebrews 13:14 (NLT)
“For this world is not our home; we are
looking forward to our city in heaven,
which is yet to come.”

10. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
II. Where is heaven?
Psalm 53:2 (TEV)
“God looks down from heaven at people on
earth to see if there are any who are
wise, and who worship Him.”

11. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
II. Where is heaven?
III. What is heaven like?
Job 11:7-8
“Can you understand the mystery
surrounding God almighty? They are
higher than the heavens and deeper
than the grave. So what can you do
when you know so little? And these
mysteries outreach the earth and the

12. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
II. Where is heaven?
III. What is heaven like?
1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)
“No eye has ever seen, and no ear has
heard, and no mind has ever imagined
what God has prepared for those who
love Him.”

13. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
THINGS YOU WILL NOT FIND IN HEAVEN:
• No sickness
• No sadness
• No suffering
• No sin
• No death

14. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
THINGS YOU WILL FIND IN HEAVEN:
• Reunion with every other believer
Hebrews 12:22-23
‘…
you have come to Mount Zion, to the city
of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to countless thousands of angels in a
joyful gathering. 23
You have come to the
assembly of God’s firstborn children,
whose names are written in heaven...

15. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
THINGS YOU WILL FIND IN HEAVEN:
• Reunion with every other believer
Hebrews 12:22-23
... You have come to God himself, who is
the judge over all things. You have come
to the spirits of the righteous ones in
heaven who have now been made
perfect.’

16. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
THINGS YOU WILL FIND IN HEAVEN:
• Reunion with every other believer
• We’re going to have rewards
• There are responsibilities.
• Heaven is Rest
• There will be rejoicing

17. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
II. Where is heaven?
III. What is heaven like?
IV. How do I get to heaven?
Romans 1:17 (LB)
“The Good News tells us that God makes us
ready for heaven—makes us right in
God’s sight-when we put our faith and
trust in Christ to save us...

18. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
II. Where is heaven?
III. What is heaven like?
IV. How do I get to heaven?
Romans 1:17 (LB)
... This is accomplished from start to finish
by faith. As the Scripture says it, ‘The
man who finds life will find it through
trusting God.’

19. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
II. Where is heaven?
III. What is heaven like?
IV. How do I get to heaven?
John 3:16 (KJV)
“For God so loved the world, that He gave
His Only begotten Son, that whosoever
believes in Him should not Perish but
have Everlasting Life.”

20. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
II. Where is heaven?
III. What is heaven like?
IV. How do I get to heaven?
A – I admit I need a savior.
B – I believe in Jesus dying for me.
C – I confess my sin to God.
D – I depend on His promises.

21. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
I. What is heaven?
II. Where is heaven?
III. What is heaven like?
IV. How do I get to heaven?
V. How should I live if I’m going to
heaven?

22. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
V. How should I live if I’m going to
heaven?
1. Don’t be distracted by temptation.
1 Peter 2:11 (LB)
“You are only visitors here on earth. Since
your real home is in heaven, keep
away from the evil pleasures of this
world; they are not for you, for they
fight against your very souls.”

23. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
V. How should I live if I’m going to
heaven?
1. Don’t be distracted by temptation.
Hebrew 11:15-16 (LB)
“If they had wanted to, they could have
gone back to the good things of this
world. But they didn’t want to. They
were living for heaven...

24. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
V. How should I live if I’m going to
heaven?
1. Don’t be distracted by temptation.
Hebrew 11:15-16 (LB)
... And now God is not ashamed to be
called their God, for He has made a
heavenly city for them.”

25. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
V. How should I live if I’m going to
heaven?
1. Don’t be distracted by temptation.
2. Don’t be discouraged by trouble.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (LB)
“This is why we never give up.... These
troubles and sufferings of ours are,
after all, quite small and won’t last
very long…

26. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
V. How should I live if I’m going to
heaven?
1. Don’t be distracted by temptation.
2. Don’t be discouraged by trouble.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (LB)
…Yet this short time of distress will result in
God’s richest blessing upon us forever
and ever! …

27. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
V. How should I live if I’m going to
heaven?
1. Don’t be distracted by temptation.
2. Don’t be discouraged by trouble.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (LB)
…So we do not look at what we can see
right now, the troubles all round us,
but we look forward to the joys in
heaven which we have not yet seen…

28. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
V. How should I live if I’m going to
heaven?
1. Don’t be distracted by temptation.
2. Don’t be discouraged by trouble.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (LB)
…The troubles will soon be over, but the
joys to come will last forever.”

29. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
V. How should I live if I’m going to
heaven?
1. Don’t be distracted by temptation.
2. Don’t be discouraged by trouble.
3. Focus my energy on what will last.
Colossians 3:2 (LB)
“Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend
your time worrying about things down
here.”

30. THE REALITY OF HEAVEN
V. How should I live if I’m going to
heaven?
1. Don’t be distracted by temptation.
2. Don’t be discouraged by trouble.
3. Focus my energy on what will last.
Philippians 3:14 (CEV)
“I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of
being called to heaven. This is the prize that
God offers because of what Jesus Christ has
done.”