Our Goal—Heaven

TEXT: Revelation 21:10-12,18-23; 22:1-2

OBJECTIVE

The students will understand that our goal is Heaven. They will be able to describe some of the characteristics of Heaven.

BIBLE LESSON OUTLINE

Introduction: Use the In-Class activity depicting earth, Heaven and the cross as a bridge to open your lesson.

Progression of Events:

1. Jesus came to earth as a baby.
2. Jesus died and returned to Heaven to prepare a place for us.
3. Give a description of Heaven, using gold page of Wordless Book.
4. Tell who is in Heaven.
5. Tell who is not in Heaven.
6. Describe how long it will last.

Climax: We will spend all eternity in that beautiful place called Heaven.

Conclusion: Heaven is a wonderful place; we don't want to miss it.

Response: Have each student describe some of the characteristics of Heaven.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

John, the author of the Book of Revelation was one of the Lord's Apostles. The book was probably written about 96 A.D. while John was exiled on the Isle of Patmos, about 37 miles southwest of Miletus off the western coast of Asia Minor. It is a mountainous island covering only 15 square miles—10 miles from north to south and 6 miles at it widest point in the north. During Roman times, Patmos was a place of political banishment. John was sent there about 95 A.D., and it is thought he was released about 18 months later.

The Book of Revelation is a book of great hope as well as a book of warning to those who reject the Lamb of God, especially the last two chapters. These chapters are a description of a vision that John had of the final consummation of creation. Eternal life for the righteous and eternal death for the wicked are both described.

The City will measure 1500 miles long, wide and high—it is completely square. One of our miles is equal to eight furlongs. Compared to our country, the City would stretch from the Canadian border to the Mexican border, and from the Pacific coast almost to the Mississippi River.

IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES

• Prepare Wordless Books for each of your students (see Patterns). Familiarize yourself with the explanation for the gold page given under Special Unit Instructions and use this as you teach your lesson.
• Prepare a flannelgraph (see Patterns) or chalktalk showing earth and Heaven with a gap between. To bridge the gap, Jesus died on the cross, creating a way by which we have access to Heaven. If drawn as a chalktalk, you may wish to have your students draw in the cross as a bridge. Explain that sin is on the earth and it separates us from Heaven. The only way to bridge the gap is by having the Blood of Jesus, shed on the cross, applied to our hearts. Close the gap with the cross.
• Bring some sparkling pins with jewels or stones, or a piece of crystal, to illustrate what the foundations and streets of Heaven will look like.
• Make a shadow box depicting Heaven, either ahead of class time to use as a teaching aid, or with your students as an in-class project. Draw a sketch of Heaven (or use the pattern provided for the memory verse visualized). Cut hinged doors or windows in various places on the sketch. Assemble a group of stickers, pictures cut from greeting cards or other sources, showing things which we will find in Heaven. These should include a picture of Jesus, angels, bells, children, flowers, trees, a River of Life, crown, etc. Mount your sketch on a backing and paste in a shadow box. Then open the hinged areas and paste in the pictures you have collected.
• Have your students make individual posters illustrating the steps to salvation as you introduce them in class. Dirty heart: we have all sinned. Cross: Jesus paid the price for our salvation by dying on the Cross. Praying hands (see Patterns): We tell God we're sorry for the sinful things we have done. Clean heart: Jesus cleanses our heart and comes in to live there. (Add sticker of Jesus in the clean heart if you wish.)
• Give your students an opportunity to draw the way they envision Heaven, or something that will be in Heaven. Do a chalktalk on some of the things that would spoil Heaven. You might want your students to get involved by letting them draw the items they mention.
• Bring a notebook covered with gold foil to represent God's Book in Heaven. Put each student's name on a page. You might also want to put names of famous Bible characters on some pages, and review why their names were included among those who will be in Heaven.

Special Unit Instructions:

Begin your explanation of the Wordless Book with the gold page, which stresses the beauty of Heaven. First show the children the whole book, asking them if they have ever seen a book without pictures or words. Explain that the colors of this book tell the most wonderful story in the world.

Ask them if they have ever looked at the last page of a book first to find out the ending of a story. Then look at the last (gold) page together, and tell them this page is to remind them of Heaven. Describe Heaven as God's home, filled with glory and the shining brightness of God, the streets of gold, etc. Bring out that there is no sadness or sickness in Heaven, and that everyone there will always be happy. The most wonderful thing about Heaven is that Lord Jesus, will be there.

Help them understand that God made Heaven because He loves them, and wants them to be with Him in Heaven someday. Jesus promised, "I go to prepare a place for you," our memory verse for this week.

QUESTIONS

1. How do we get to Heaven?
2. Will everyone get to Heaven? Why or why not?
3. Why do you want to go to Heaven?
4. What are some of the things you will find in Heaven?
5. What are some of the things you won't find in Heaven?
6. Who are some Bible people we will see in Heaven?
7. Why is it important to go to Heaven?
8. What do we say to Jesus when we want our sins forgiven?
9. What will Jesus do when He hears us?
10. In the Bible Jesus tells us how to get to Heaven. He says, "I am the way." What does this mean?
11. Will there be things that make us cry in Heaven? Why?
12. Jesus gave His life for us so that we can go to Heaven.
13. What must we give Jesus in return?

PRE-SCHOOL SUGGESTIONS

• Make a crown for each child. Explain that the Bible tells us that in Heaven we will wear crowns. The crowns may be made of construction paper or you can make them out of wallpaper samples if available. Your children might like to stick on "jewels" made of foil.
• Emphasize that Heaven will be full of their favorite things, colors, people, etc.—things that make them happy. Ask them to tell you what some of these are. Show a smiling face and a sad face, explaining that we will see only smiling faces in Heaven. Show a BandAid, bringing out that we won't need these in Heaven because there will be nothing to hurt us. Give them a flashlight, asking if they have ever been afraid of the dark, and telling them that Heaven will never be dark. Share a basket of grapes or other seasonal fruit, and describe the tree with twelve kinds of fruit.
• Bring a picture of Heaven for each child (see Patterns). Let them paste cotton balls around it for clouds.
• The shadow box described under In-Class Activity is something pre-schoolers enjoy. They love to take turns opening the doors and windows to discover what is inside.
• Young children are able to understand the Wordless Book and will enjoy telling you what the different colors stand for.
• Let your students "build" Heaven. Provide strips of gold foil for your streets, Fisher Price or Playmobile people for the citizens of Heaven. Mansions can be made from small boxes covered with gold or silver foil paper. The Leggs stockings containers in silver, or sprayed with silver or gold paint, make good domed roofs.
• Run off a simple picture of Heaven (see Patterns). Allow students to apply glitter to the drawing. Glitter sticks work well for small children. You can also provide stickers of angels, crowns, and Jesus for each child to put on his paper.

REVIEW IDEAS

There are many reviews that can be purchased on the Wordless Book and Heaven.

Put on a short skit showing three boys planning a baseball game on Saturday. One boy is caught stealing during the week, so he has to stay home on Saturday while the others go to play ball. Compare this to our goal of making Heaven. If we do something wrong (such as stealing) we will not make our goal.

Show a large picture of a familiar place (the coast, a zoo, Yellowstone Park, or some well-known spot near you) and ask how many have been there, and how many would like to go there. Then show a picture of Heaven, asking the same questions. Mention that God has made Heaven a very special place, and only certain people will get to go there. Hold up a map of your city, saying that this map will help us to find your house. Then hold up the Bible, explaining that it is our "map" to Heaven. If we want to be among the people who are permitted to go there, we must follow God's map, doing just what it tell us to do.

Use a variety of objects to illustrate things that will be in Heaven and things that will not be there. Have a large drawing of Heaven on one side. In front of it, place a crown, harp, angel (Christmas ornaments are a good source for some of these objects), picture of Mom and Dad, a picture of Jesus, etc. On the other side, put a garbage can. Into it, put objects symbolic of things that will not be in Heaven. These could include tissues (no tears), Band-Aids (no hurts), light bulb (no darkness), crutch (no injuries), thorns (nothing to make hurts) or weeds (nothing to spoil).

Teach your group the song, "Heaven Is for Kids." This is available on record or tape.

Put together a brief skit of a prospector looking for gold. Show how diligently he seeks it, and his great joy in finding it. Then compare this to those who are seeking the Lord—they will eventually receive treasures in Heaven. This will lead into a description of the streets of gold, gates of pearl, etc.

Getting ready for Heaven can be dramatized by packing a suitcase. Mention each article as you place it in the suitcase, telling why it is needed. Be sure you pack your Bible! Then talk about getting ready for Heaven, telling what is needed for that ''trip."

Have two puppets discussing Heaven, bringing out what was learned in class.

SUPPORT MATERIAL

• "The Bible Story" by Arthur S. Maxwell
• "Barney's Barrel" — Living Stories, Inc., (This is a flash card story on Heaven using the Wordless Book.)
• Wordless Book Visualized — Child Evangelism Fellowship, Inc.
• "What Happens When We Die?" — Carolyn Nystrom (Children's Bible Basic Book)
• "Jesus, I Heard You've Got a Big House" — Gaither Music Book with record, Impact Books, Benson Music Company
• "Where is Heaven?" — Sandra Ziegler (book), Standard Publishing
• "Heaven Has a Floor" — Evelyn Roberts