The Joshua Victor Theory

Sermon Outline We believe that those who have believed in Jesus Christ, have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb of God, are standing together at God’s throne worshipping. Continuing the song of praise they began in this life—salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb. Alone can save. Distinct beings in heaven—separate classes of angels, four living creatures, and the saints and elders (humans gone to heaven). Contrast to sentimental notion that we become angels when we die. Saints clothed in white—through the tribulation, washed in the blood. They serve God day and night in His temple God shelters the saints: no hunger, thirst, no scorching heat. The Lamb is the Shepherd. Interesting merging of metaphors—the Lamb of God was Jesus as the sacrifice for our sins. But as the Shepherd, He leads and cares for His flock. Psalm 23, guiding them to springs of Living Water. God is w...

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. The sermon text is from Revelation, chapters 21 and 22, St. John’s vision of the New Jerusalem. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. In today’s reading, we experience the visual feast that God revealed to John. The vision of the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. We peer into the future in this text that is overflowing with vivid and colorful images that express the vibrancy of heaven. Heaven will not be dull or drab or boring, as so many wrongly assume, but will be a paradise greater than Adam and Eve knew in Eden. In Revelation we encounter a spectacular vision of the new heavens and new earth, and all the images of this paradise spill over each other like a sparkling, tumbling, rushing waterfall, pouring over the reader with cool, life-giving freshness. Much like a glimpse into a kaleidoscope provides a rush of colors and moving ima...

Have any of you ever thought, as a child or as an adult, that heaven might actually turn out to be boring? I think as a child I had thought like that, but have long since abandoned such a notion. Yet I've heard it crop up again in various places, even among adults, which has caused me to ponder, "Why do people think that heaven will be boring?" Some of the images that no doubt lead to such a notion include: floating around on clouds playing harps and/or singing hymns to God for eternity. Maybe this picture of heaven seems almost as bad as getting stuck at choir practice for eternity :) First off, I'd like to poll the readers here of what suggestions they have for the root cause behind the notion that heaven will be boring. (Ok, you with the short attention span :) --if you've lost interest already, please skip down to my third point and PLEASE read the sermon [it's not mine! :) ] ) Secondly, I propose my theory: I think that much of this fear of a boring aft...