Sermon #1873 — Miscellaneous Sermons

 

            Title:                           No Tears in Heaven

 

            Text:                           Revelation 21:4

            Subject:                     Heavenly Blessedness

            Date:                          31st Annual Sovereign Grace

Bible Conference — Danville, KY

Friday Evening — September 3, 2010

            Readings:     Fred Evans and Clay Curtis

            Introduction:

 

Last week Bro. David Collier buried his wife, Patty, after watching her suffer for many weeks, as her heavenly Father collapsed the tent of flesh in which she walked on this earth. This morning I spoke to our good friend, GodÕs faithful servant, Bro. Tommy Robbins. He told me the doctors have informed him that he has from a few days to a few weeks left on this earth. I have a good many friends who have just recently died or are expected to die very soon. — Needless to say, thoughts about death have been on my mind almost incessantly. — What blessed thoughts those are! I try to deliberately think about death every day.

á      Soon I must lay aside this body of flesh and sin, this earthly tabernacle.

á      When I die, my most earnest prayers will be answered.

á      The things that concern me, when I think about dying, those things that give me fear and apprehension, really should not give me any concern at all. — My sins are gone. Christ took them all away. His blood has washed away my sins! — I have all the righteousness God requires. Christ is my righteousness. — The Church of God is safe and in good hands. — My family is GodÕs, not mine. He is an infinitely better Husband and Father, Provider and Protector than I am!

 

But what will it be like to depart from this world and be with Christ? What will it be like to see our Savior face to face?

 

ÒFace to face with Christ, my Savior,

Face to face — what will it be,

When with rapture I behold Him,

Jesus Christ Who died for me?

 

Only faintly now I see Him,

With the darkened veil between,

But a blessed day is coming,

When His glory shall be seen.

 

What rejoicing in His presence,

When are banished grief and pain;

When the crooked ways are straightened,

And the dark things shall be plain.

 

Face to face—oh, blissful moment!

Face to face—to see and know;

Face to face with my Redeemer,

Jesus Christ Who loves me so.

 

Face to face I shall behold Him,

Far beyond the starry sky;

Face to face in all His glory,

I shall see Him by and by!Ó

 

I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoy thinking about the glory and bliss that awaits GodÕs elect on the other side of the grave! LetÕs read about it.

 

(Revelation 7:9-17) ÒAfter this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and [about] the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, [be] unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.Ó

 

Ò13¦ And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes

 

(Revelation 22:1-6) ÒAnd he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, [was there] the tree of life, which bare twelve [manner of] fruits, [and] yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name [shall be] in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.Ó

 

Ò6¦ And he said unto me, These sayings [are] faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.Ó

 

(Revelation 21:1-5) ÒAnd 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. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 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. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.Ó

 

My text tonight is found in verse 4, Revelation 21:4. The title of my message is — No Tears in Heaven.

 

(Revelation 21:4) ÒAnd God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.Ó

 

Grace Alone

 

Did you notice, in the passages we read, that in heaven the subject of every song, the them of every word of praise, the thing that occupies every heart and mind is GodÕs salvation, the salvation of our souls by Christ?

á      Salvation by GodÕs Election!

á      Salvation by Blood Atonement!

á      Salvation by Divine Providence!

á      Salvation by Free Grace!

 

Every saved sinner has learned by the effectual teaching of God the Holy Spirit what Jonah learned in the whaleÕs belly. Every sinner who has experienced GodÕs omnipotent, saving operations of grace gladly confesses with Jonah, ÒSalvation is of the Lord!Ó For believing men and women, that blessed fact of grace, that universal declaration of Holy Scripture cannot be stated too fully, too frequently, or too emphatically.

 

Salvation is, in its entirety, the work of GodÕs free and sovereign grace in Christ. That is the foundation upon which we build all our doctrine. That is the hermeneutic principle upon which we interpret Scripture, because it is the hermeneutic principle laid down in Scripture.

 

Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No part of salvation can be, in any measure, attributed to the will, worth, or works of man. The language of Inspiration could not be more emphatically clear in this regard (2 Timothy 1:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 11:6).

 

(2 Timothy 1:9-10) God Òhath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.Ó

 

(Ephesians 2:8-9) ÒFor by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.Ó

 

(Romans 9:16) ÒSo then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.Ó

 

(Romans 11:6) ÒAnd if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.Ó

 

Be sure you understand this: — Salvation involves all that is required to bring a sinner from the ruins of the fall into the glory of heaven. There is no aspect of salvation, no part of the package, neither on this side of eternity nor on the other, which depends upon or is in any way, or to any degree, determined by man.

á      GodÕs election of some to salvation is the election of grace.

á      Divine predestination is Òto the praise of the glory of his grace.Ó

á      Our redemption by the precious blood of Christ, that redemption which purchased and secured for us the forgiveness of all sin forever, was effectually accomplished for us Òaccording to the riches of his grace.Ó

á      We are Òjustified freely by his grace.Ó

á      We were born again by the power of GodÕs grace. — Our faith in Christ is the gift and operation of the grace of God.

á      We are sanctified by that same free grace.

á      If we persevere unto the end, it will be by that grace of God which keeps us in grace and faith, being sealed by his Holy Spirit, Òunto the redemption of the purchased possession,Ó — that is to say , Òuntil the day of our resurrection.

á      When, at last, we stand before our God and Savior in heaven, we shall possess all the glory of our heavenly inheritance forever, as Òheirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ,Ó by free grace alone.

 

When our great God and Savior says, ÒTime shall be no more,Ó when he makes all things new, when he presents us before the presence of his glory with exceeding great joy, holy, unblameable and unreprovable, without any trace of sin upon us, when he, when he who made all things for himself brings forth the headstone and puts it in the place of everlasting pre-eminence and glory before heaven, earth and hell, we will shout with Zerubbabel, — ÒNot by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hostsÉcrying, Grace, grace unto it!Ó

 

Because this great and glorious thing we call salvation is all of grace, from start to finish, we are assured that it shall be equally, fully and perfectly possessed by all who are the heirs of it. So thorough, so complete, so full is GodÕs salvation that when it is finished, there will be absolutely no regrets, no sorrows and no tears in eternity for GodÕs elect. Difficult as that may be for us to grasp, it is plainly revealed in Holy Scripture.

 

Revelation 21:4 ÒAnd God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.Ó

 

Hold your hands here in Revelation 21 and turn back to Isaiah 25:8.

 

Isaiah 25:8 ÒHe will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.Ó

 

After asserting that our Lord Jesus Christ will, at his second advent, Òswallow up death in victory the prophet Isaiah gives us this great and glorious promise: — ÒAnd the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.Ó

 

LetÕs compare these two texts for just a minute. In Revelation 21:4, we are told that ÒGod shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.Ó

 

Now, notice the very slight, but very significant difference in the way the two texts (speaking of the same promise) are worded. Isaiah tells us that God will wipe away Òtears from off all faces.Ó He promises us that God will wipe tears from the faces of all who possess eternal life with Christ in everlasting glory. But in Revelation 21:4, the apostle John tells us that ÒGod shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.Ó

 

By divine inspiration, he gives an added touch of grace. He tells us that our God is not only going to wipe tears from the eyes of all his people, but also that ÒGod shall wipe away ALL TEARS from their eyes!Ó

 

Put the two texts together and you have the glorious promise of God in the gospel to every believing sinner. It is just this: — WHEN OUR GREAT AND GLORIOUS GOD IS FINISHED WITH ALL THINGS, HE WILL HAVE SO THOROUGHLY AND COMPLETELY SAVED ALL HIS PEOPLE FROM ALL THE EVIL CONSEQUENCES OF SIN FOREVER THAT THERE WILL NEVER BE A TEAR IN OUR EYES AGAIN!

 

Who can grasp the fulness of that promise? It is too great, too broad, too incomprehensible for our mortal brains. Yet, it is gloriously true! Our great God shall, in heavenÕs glory, remove us from all sin, remove all sin from us, and remove us from all the evil consequences of sin.He will remove us from every cause of pain, sorrow, regret and grief. He will bring us at last into the perfection of complete salvation and every desire of our hearts will be completely gratified.

 

Proposition: GodÕs salvation is so perfect and complete that when he is finished, we will not even have the slightest tinge of sorrow for anything.

 

Weeping on the Way

 

 

First, our text implies that there is much weeping in the way to heaven, and there is. — Faith in Christ brings deliverance from all curse and condemnation, but not from pain and sorrow.

 

There are many things which believers suffer in this world along with other men. Because the world is a world of sin, it is a world of sorrow.

á      Physical Pain and Sickness — Bethany

á      Domestic Troubles — David

á      Financial Losses

á      Bereavement

 

There are many things that bring tears to our eyes about which the world knows nothing.

á      Inward Sin

á      Unbelief

á      Anger

á      Rash Speech

á      Injured Pride

á      Coldness of Heart

á      Lack of Resignation

á      Spiritual Darkness and Emptiness

 

There are even some precious tears which we shed here that will be dried on the other side of Jordan.

á      Tears of Repentance

á      Tears of Sympathy

á      Tears of Concern

á      Tears of Longing for ChristÕs Presence

 

Present Comfort

 

GodÕs people do and must experience much sorrow in this world; but, secondly, I want you to see that even now, our heavenly Father does much to dry our tears. The believerÕs life is not a morbid, sorrow-filled existence. Not at all! But we do have our sorrows. Yet, even in the midst of sorrow our Lord gives us great comfort (Isaiah 43:1-6).

 

Isaiah 43:1-6 ÒBut now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. (2) When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. (3) For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. (4) Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. (5) Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; (6) I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.Ó

 

á      He gives us a measure of resignation to his will.

á      He teaches us to trust his providence.

á      He reminds us of his gracious purpose.

á      He causes us to remember his promises.

á      He blesses us with the sense of his presence.

á      He floods our hearts with the knowledge of his love (Ephesians 3:19).

 

(Ephesians 3:14-19) ÒFor this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God

 

á      He reminds us of the cause of our pain (Hebrews 12:5-12).

 

Hebrews 12:5-12 ÒAnd ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: (6) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (8) But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (9) Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? (10) For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. (11) Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (12) Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.Ó

 

ÔTis my happiness below

Not to live without the cross;

But the SaviorÕs power to know,

Sanctifying every loss.

 

Trials must and will befall;

But with humble faith to see

Love inscribed upon them all,—

This is happiness to me.

 

God in Israel sows the seeds

Of affliction, pain and toil.

These spring up and choke the weeds

That would else oÕerspread the soil.

 

Trials make the promise sweet.

Trials give new life to prayer.

Trial bring me to His feet,

Lay me low, and keep me there.

 

Did I meet no trials here,

No chastisements by the way,

Might I not with reason fear

I should prove a castaway?

 

Bastards may escape the rod,

Sunk in earthly, vain delight;

But the true born child of God

May not, must not, if he might!

 

á      The Lord God graciously causes our hearts to be fixed upon better things (Colossians 3:1-3; 2 Corinthians 4:15-18).

 

Colossians 3:1-3 ÒIf ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (3) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.Ó

 

2 Corinthians 4:17- 5:1 ÒFor our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternalÉ. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.Ó

 

No More Tears

 

Yet, in heavenÕs glory our God will wipe all tears from our eyes. Impossible as it is for us to imagine, there is a time coming when we shall weep no more, when we shall have no cause to weep! Heaven is a place of sure, eternal, ever-increasing bliss; and the cause of that bliss is our God! — Heaven is a place of joy without sorrow, laughter without weeping, pleasantness without pain! In heaven there are no regrets, no remorseful tears, no second thoughts, no lost causes, no sorrows of any kind!

 

Listen carefullyÉ — If God did not wipe away all tears from our eyes, there would be much weeping in heaven.

á      Over Past Sins!

á      Over Unconverted Ones, Forever Lost!

á      Over Wasted Opportunities!

á      Over Our Unkindness and Lack of Love to Our Brethren Here!

á      Over The Terrible Price of Our Redemption!

 

But God will wipe away all tears from our eyes.

á      ÒThere shall be no more death!Ó

á      ÒNeither sorrow!Ó

á      ÒNor crying!Ó

á      ÒNeither shall there be any more pain!Ó

á      ÒFor the former things are passed away!Ó

 

Our great God shall, in heavenÕs glory, remove us from all sin, remove all sin from us and remove us from all the evil consequences of sin. — He will remove us from every cause of grief. He will bring us at last into the perfection of complete salvation and every desire of our hearts will be completely gratified.

á      We will be like Christ.

á      We will be with Christ.

á      We will see Christ.

á      We will love Christ perfectly.

á      We will serve Christ unceasingly.

á      We will worship Christ without sin.

á      We will rest in Christ completely.

á      We will enjoy Christ fully.

á      We will have Christ entirely.

 

This world is not my home,

IÕm only passing through;

A stranger here, I must go on,

My home is now in view!

 

There is no resting place

In all the earth for me;

But Christ in heavÕn prepares a place

Of rest, sweet rest, for me!

 

My journey soon shall end,

My Lord will come for me;

HeÕll take me home to be with Him

For all eternity!

 

My soul, be of good cheer!

With such good hope as this,

What sorrows here can be compared

To heavenÕs endless bliss?

 

ÒForever with the Lord!Ó

Amen! So let it be!

With Christ IÕll live for evermore

In immortality!

 

(Revelation 21:4) ÒAnd God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.Ó

 

Application

 

Will you be among the blessed company of the redeemed? Will you be with Christ in glory?

 

á      You will only enter into glory if you are worthy of heaven.

 

Revelation 21:27 ÒAnd there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the LambÕs book of life.Ó

 

á      You can be made worthy only by the merits of Christ.

 

á      If you are worthy of everlasting glory, you shall have all the glory of heaven itself, without degrees, perfectly.

 

á      Trust Christ and all the glory of Christ in heaven is yours!

 

(Isaiah 55:1) ÒHo, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.Ó

 

(Isaiah 55:3) ÒIncline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.Ó

 

(Isaiah 55:6-7) ÒSeek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.Ó

 

(Micah 7:18-20) ÒWho [is] a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth [in] mercy. 19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, [and] the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.Ó

 

(Revelation 21:4) ÒAnd God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.Ó

 

AMEN.

 

 

 

 

 

Don Fortner

 

 

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