Jody and I sell real estate, and we advise buyers on how to choose a home, mostly of course according to location, how it fits into their lifestyle, and according to their budget, and future plans.

We advise sellers on how to prepare their home to sell, what it’s value is, and what it should sell for, and how much it should be listed for, and all three could be different figures.

It’s the same with our final, eternal home. How do we choose which home would be best for us, how does it fit into our lifestyle, and what are we doing to prepare for that big day.

One of the major things in purchasing real estate is the advice I give them in observing the potential neighborhood. A potential buyer should visit the neighbors, deciding where the best neighborhood is according to the current residents.

I advise them to visit at various times of the day and night, who knows maybe the people right next door party loud and long every night, and that is something that could ruin your life.

If you choose the wrong place for your eternal life, that will definitely ruin your life, your eternal life, so we need to choose very carefully which place we really want to move on to when this life is over.

The other, and most important part of our advice giving, is the preparation given to become a homeowner vs a renter, In fact I have automatic emails that go to people we are trying to help that cover a period of three years. It can take that long to prepare for the purchase of a home, getting financing ready, and learning how to make the right choice.

Everyone here tonight knows how to choose where we are going for eternity, and we do the choosing, not God.

Heaven; you might be surprised who lives there, remember the thief on the cross? At the very last moment of his life he chose paradise. There is another famous person who apparently chose paradise at the last moment; Jeffery Dahmer.

Apparently, he had been raised as a Christian, obviously fell away, but when in prison, he repented and returned to his Christian faith, so it’s very possible you will have him for a neighbor if you choose heaven, and on the other hand, if you choose hell, again, he may be your neighbor because his repentance may not have been a true repentance but you won’t know it, you will be alone in the dark, in pain, regretting that decision for all eternity. The point is, we can’t choose by who our neighbors will be, remember the verses:

Matthew 7:22 – 23 ” Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23″And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Matthew 25:40 – 41…  40 “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ 41″Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;…

So again we choose heaven or hell, not by our neighbors, not by our preferences, but by our lifestyle and choices we make.

How do we choose Heaven?

Matthew 4:10

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'”

I really could stop here, there is only one way and that is to serve God

The Greek word here is λατρεύω (latreuō ) to serve, especially for hire, but also of service with or without pay. To render service to God, especially with reference to sacrifice; hence, to worship

Want to go to heaven? Let’s make one thing perfectly clear, we cannot earn our way into heaven, it is a free gift from God, through the work of the cross, if we accept it by the evidence of our actions.

I think grandma Bond said it best, and I loosely quote “Do not to pay any attention to what a person says, but to his actions, which speaks volumes”.

But does scripture confirm that?

Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

However, listen to this final verse:

10  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

1 John 2:4   He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Matthew 28: 18 – 20  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Serve God, and that means follow His commands, know His word, Share His word, and Defend His Word.

We do it voluntarily, with or without pay, we do it with a true heart and true desire to serve Him, and Him only …  EVEN if it means living in rags, earthly comfort has no meaning, no importance, where we serve also has no meaning nor importance, as long as we choose to serve God, whether it be in Nirvana or Nineveh.

Nirvana is a place of Bliss, joy, pleasure, such as a paradise, however Nineveh the place Jonah was commanded by God to go was the place of a horrible people known as the Assyrians:

We go where we are called, not because it looks like a nice save vacation spot, nor because we might make money, we go, do, and say what God instructs us to do, and don’t worry, He will direct your paths if you allow Him to do so.

2 Timothy 1:     

7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.  

8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us, and called us with a 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,

And continuing in 2 Timothy 1

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

Mark 9:43

If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.

How do we choose Hell?

Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Matthew 7:23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matt 25:41 – 46

41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:       

42 For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.      

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.,

Romans 1: 19 – 25

19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.       

23 And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:  

25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:             

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.        

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

So we choose heaven or hell by our actions and lifestyle, and with that understood, and understanding how we make the choice, exactly what is the choice?

The descriptions of heaven and hell in the bible are symbols, or symbolic of a thing greater than we can imagine.

Now let me offer one example of a symbol, this ring I wear on my finger represents a commitment of loyalty to my wife, but it also is symbolic of my love for her, but it is nowhere near the reality of the truth.

So when we read of heaven, these are symbols to help us understand it is a desirable place, but nowhere begins to describe the reality of heaven, it is beyond our ability to imagine it. And it is the same with the symbolic references to hell, we cannot imagine, it is humanly impossible to imagine it’s genuine horror.  Just the idea alone that we would know for eternity, a conscience thought for eternity, that we are there by choice, we made the decision, we had the information available to us, but chose to ignore it, and this decision would haunt us every moment without cease for all eternity. No wonder there is great weeping and biting of nails. No sleep from it, no rest from those thoughts, just on going forever and forever and forever.

HEAVEN

Heaven is a real place where the people of God will live one day. In fact, heaven is where God and the angels live. John 14:1-3 even says that Jesus is in heaven preparing us a place to live.

Let me just describe it by reading from scripture:

Revelation 21: 1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia  in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Footnotes:

Revelation 21:1 Isaiah 65:17

Revelation 21:4 Isaiah 25:8

Revelation 21:16 That is, about 1,400 miles or about 2,200 kilometers

Revelation 21:17 That is, about 200 feet or about 65 meters

Revelation 21:17 Or high

Revelation 21:20 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain

HELL

Luke 16:24

So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

What is Hell?

Matthew 25: 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:    

Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

2 Thessalonians 1:9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Matthew 13:50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

SO WHAT IS HELL LIKE?

There are two descriptions of hell in the Bible. One is of a burning fire. Jesus often used the word GEHENNA to describe hell. Gehenna was the dump outside Jerusalem that was always on fire. Jesus said hell was a place of worms, maggots, fire, and trouble. From that we get the image of a lake of fire and the concept of perpetual burning. The evil ones there are full of remorse and torment (see Mark 9:43-48).

Jesus also said that hell would be “outer darkness.” He said that some in His day “will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12, see also Matthew 22:13). Here the image is one of terrible loneliness. There will be separation from God and man. Those who are consigned to hell will be put out into the inky blackness of eternity, with nobody to turn to, nobody to talk to, and they will be constantly alone. They will suffer the remorse of knowing they had the opportunity to come into heaven with God but turned it down.

The Bible speaks of a lake of fire reserved for the devil and his angels (see Matthew 25:41). Human beings were never intended to go into hell. But the ones who choose to reject God will one day follow Satan right into hell.

There will be no exit from hell, no way out, no second chance. That is why it is so important in this life to receive the pardon that God extends to all men through the cross of Jesus Christ.

So those are our choices

There are only two, the path to each are very clear, and laid out for us, we choose each and every moment of our lives which path we will continue on…

Think long and hard…no more pain, no more tears, no more growing old, walking on streets of pure Gold…  or…

Eternal shame and regret in pure blackness and in pure misery, and pain, forever, and ever and ever

As the song says; what will you choose?

You are very blessed, for you have heard the truth, you know the way, and the ultimate reward or punishment of your choice, and if  you aren’t on the right path, you can get on it right now, you can start tonight, if you haven’t already made the correct choice, you can come forward and we will pray with you if you’re unsure.