THE FLAMES OF HEAVEN

Text: Revelation 21:1–3
Topic: What would happen if heaven crashed into Earth
Big Idea: The flames of heaven will illuminate, expose, and refine our lives on Earth.
Keywords: Blessings; Christian service; Day of the Lord; Heaven; Judgment, divine; Light; Meaning of life; Stewardship
Introduction:
Revelation 21:1–3
John is giving us a glimpse, a picture, of the end of the world.
If heaven were to crash into Earth tomorrow, would that be a good thing for the church? Would that be a good thing for you?
Transition: I want to work through three icons (images) that the Scriptures give of heaven. The image of light.
Revelation 22:5; 1 Corinthians 4:5
If heaven were to crash into Earth, everything would become exposed—our actions, our motives, our thoughts, etc.
Luke 12:2
To live "in the light" means having the awareness that everything we do matters.
God exposes our faults simply by showing up in his own perfection.-
Illustration: Bell used to have a neighbor that followed a very strict diet, and his discipline exposed Bell's lack of discipline.- Luke 5:4–8 The image of dirt.
Matthew 25:19–30
The image of dirt is the image of someone who's been giving something valuable, but buries it instead of using it.
God has given each of us many gifts, and we are expected to use them.-
Illustration: Bell describes a young girl who wasn't able to participate in a tutoring program because there weren't enough volunteers.-
Illustration: Bell describes a young boy from Michigan who wasn't offered a pair of mittens until New Year's Eve.
So the question simply becomes: What have you been given? The image of fire.
1 Corinthians 3:10–15
God as a "consuming fire" evokes images of refinement, not destruction.
In the presence of God, everything impure is burned away.
Heaven crashing into Earth would reveal what we have done with our lives. Conclusion
These images are not telling us to look busy, or focus on doing the correct number of good things.
These images are an invitation for us to ask very difficult questions about what we have been doing with our lives.