I’ve been teaching the Bible to adults for over 40 years and during that time, by the INpowering of the Holy Spirit, I’ve been privileged and blessed to lead countless individual Bible studies and extended series, including inductive studies of many Bible books. I’ve taught the Gospels, including an 86-week deep dive into Luke’s Gospel. I’ve taught through Acts and Romans, the Minor Prophets, and big chunks of the Pentateuch. I’ve even taught Revelation and End-Times Prophecy on two separate occasions. The small groups I’ve taught in the past and the large group I now teach have been active, involved, engaged, and hungry to learn more about God’s Word. But never have I had more interest in a particular study than what I am seeing now with this series. Nothing before has piqued the interest of adults like the topic of Heaven.
Why you may ask. The answer I keep hearing to that question is, “we’ve never heard this before.” The modern church has all but abandoned the topic of Heaven in its sermons and lessons. Preachers don’t preach about it; teachers don’t teach about it, and many seminaries don’t cover it. I don’t recall a single lesson ever being taught on this subject in nearly seven years of Seminary classes. Oh, we talked about eschatology plenty, but we never seemed to make it around to Heaven. The professors always ran out of time talking about other topics.
Randy Alcorn wrote what I consider to be the foremost work of our time on the topic of Heaven. It is certainly not for the faint of heart. I’ve seen the eyes of serious Bible students roll back in their heads trying to wade through the magnitude of his epic tome. Still, I highly recommend that you read it if you are a serious student of the Word and want to know much more about what is in store for God’s people. If you want to know about the eternal home for those who know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
In this series, we will endeavor to lift the essentials from the pages of Alcorn’s masterful work and present them in a way that everyone can comprehend and embrace. In so doing, it is my heart’s desire to see God’s people become excited, energized, and enthused by God’s Word. I yearn to see them empowered and INpowered to new heights to advance the Gospel like never before. For I believe, visualizing Jesus enthroned in the New Heaven on the New Earth will be a glorious sight to behold. Realizing your place on the New Earth will give you new hope and inspire you onward to even greater works for our Lord.
God’s Word gives us a glimpse of what’s to come, it doesn’t give us a crystal-clear vision of what Heaven will be like. But what the Bible does tell us; is fascinating, awe-inspiring, and motivating. It is captivating and compelling. I can’t wait for you to join us on this journey through God’s Word as we unpack what God has to tell us about our Eternal Home.
Climb aboard, fasten your seat belt, and enjoy the ride. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. But God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, through His Word.
Weekly Study Sessions
Week 1: What is Heaven?
Week 2: Is the Present Heaven Our Eternal Home?
Week 3: The Resurrection of Earth
Week 4: The Resurrection of Believers
Week 5: The Resurrection of our Deeds
Week 6: Seeing the Earth Restored
Week 7: Seeing God Face to Face
Week 8: Dwelling with God
Week 9: Worship on the New Earth
Week 10: Ruling on the New Earth
Week 11: Relationships on the New Earth
Week 12: Animals on the New Earth
Week 13: Living in Light of Eternity
YouTube Video Channel
Follow this link to go to the YouTube Playlist for the Zoom audio/video recordings of each class session. I think you will find them helpful in your independent study of God’s Word for this exciting study.
May God richly bless you as you embark on this exciting journey through His Word!
Blessings,
Eric
