One Minute after You Die
Heaven is for Real, 9 November 2025
10 11 25
Heaven is for Real
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
One Minute After You Die
November 9, 2025
Revelation 21:1-4
Big Idea: Heaven is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
This is true whether it’s your wealth, your health, or your soul. When is the last time you seriously pondered death? The odds are pretty good we will experience it! Many deny the reality of death while others simply procrastinate creating a will, a password cheat sheet for loved ones, an advance healthcare directive, or developing a relationship with God.
Today we begin a two-week, pre-holiday series entitled “one minute after you die.” There have been many books and even movies that tell stories of people who have died and returned and their experiences. In fact, one in 25 USAmericans have had a near-death experience. Have you? Unfortunately, the stories lack consistency with one another so while they are fascinating, they’re not authoritative. I have not died—yet—so I can’t tell you exactly what happens one minute after you die…but the Bible offers glimpses of what is to come.
Paul wrote to a church in modern day Greece:
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
I’ve been to a lot of funerals. Many of them are filled with hope because of the faith of the deceased. Paul continues…
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17)
We typically call this place heaven, though technically there are at least three different biblical words that we translate heaven in English. To add to the complexity, the eternal home for followers of Jesus will not be heaven, exactly, but what is called the new heavens and the new earth. Genesis begins in a garden and Revelation ends in a city, the New Jerusalem. So, when we say “heaven,” we may be speaking of different places, times, or realities, but all beyond this life.
Author John Taylor notes,
Scripture consistently affirms that believers enter immediately into the presence of Jesus. Paul’s confidence was unflinching: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). He called it “better by far” to depart and be with Christ (Philippians 1:23). These verses leave little room for delay or unconscious “soul sleep.” From the earliest centuries of Christian theology to modern scholarship, the consensus has held that the soul of a believer goes instantly to be with Christ.
Theologians call this the intermediate state — a conscious, peaceful existence in God’s presence between death and the future resurrection. It’s “intermediate” not because it’s incomplete, but because it’s not the end of the story. The body, still under the weight of mortality, remains in the ground. Yet the soul experiences rest, awareness and worship in a reality more vivid than the one left behind. Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross confirm that immediacy: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Not “someday.” Today.
What is heaven like? Let’s begin by shattering a few myths. Heaven is not…
- Floating on clouds forever
- People becoming angels
- Our final home (there will be a new earth and New Jerusalem)
- For everyone (only those who say “yes” to Jesus and make him Lord)
- Where memories or individuality are erased
- Boring
Actually, Christians will spend eternity not in heaven, but on a new earth. Our scripture reading today says,
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’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
Words cannot express the beauty, the glory, the peace, the paradise. If you want a simple definition, heaven is where God dwells. Jesus taught his disciples to pray,
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)
Heaven is where God dwells. There are moments when heaven kisses earth, where God’s manifest presence is real, when you know the atmosphere has changed. Maybe you experienced that this morning as we were praising the LORD in song. Perhaps you witnessed justice served, the poor blessed, new life birthed, or were simply awed by the beauty and majesty of God’s creation. We often think of heaven as a place “up there” where we will go to escape “down here,” but that’s not exactly right as we’ll see in a moment. Let me say again heaven is where God dwells.
I love the question pastor John Piper posed several years ago:
“If you could have Heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?” – John Piper, “God Is the Gospel”
The best thing about heaven is God’s presence. Jesus said.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? (John 14:1-2)
The ancient Greek word for “rooms’ is “monai” which is not a final resting place but a temporary stop on a journey that will lead you somewhere else.
Jesus continues…
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:3-4)
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
It's important to note the thief on the cross beside Jesus at the crucifixion was not “saved” because he was a good person. He was given the death penalty, after all. What saved him, what gave him the right to enter paradise was his faith in Jesus Christ.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
This past week I was given a simple tool to engage in spiritual conversations with people. Many struggle to share their faith, either feeling awkward, unprepared, or simply fearful of rejection. Here’s a question you can ask anyone that doesn’t mention God, Jesus, the Bible, or church:
Do you believe there is life after death?
Listen to their response and see if it doesn’t create opportunities to share the good news, the gospel. Usually, heaven and hell enter the discussion, with the inevitable question, “How does one get to heaven?” It’s not by being good or even religious. Heaven requires perfection. Only Jesus was perfect, and therefore one can only enter heaven through Jesus. Judgment Day is coming for us all. When we say yes to Jesus, we are adopted into his family, we join his team. We begin a relationship with him in this life which will continue for eternity.
So What?
Many people believe heaven is where good people die and bad people go to the other place. The reality is we’re all bad. We’ve all sinned. We’ve all missed the mark. I don’t deserve heaven. Mother Teresa and Billy Graham don’t deserve heaven. The pope doesn’t deserve heaven. We all deserve eternal separation from God for our sins.
The good news—the gospel—is Jesus is LORD, he is good, he is perfect, and he died on the cross to pay the punishment we deserve. Hallelujah!
The goal of this life is not to go to heaven when we die, but rather to bring heaven to earth now, offering healing and hope to our broken world. Heaven is where God dwells, and we want Him to rule and reign here now in the renewal of all things. When Jesus rose from the dead, it was the “launching of God’s new world” (N.T. Wright).
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
If you’re ready, are you preparing others? Do they know Jesus?
If not, you can begin by saying yes to Jesus. Simply say, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If that’s you today, would you please tell me or one of our leaders? We want to celebrate with you and help you get started on your journey.
Heaven is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
For further study:
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
One Minute After You Die
November 9, 2025
Revelation 21:1-4
Big Idea: Heaven is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
This is true whether it’s your wealth, your health, or your soul. When is the last time you seriously pondered death? The odds are pretty good we will experience it! Many deny the reality of death while others simply procrastinate creating a will, a password cheat sheet for loved ones, an advance healthcare directive, or developing a relationship with God.
Today we begin a two-week, pre-holiday series entitled “one minute after you die.” There have been many books and even movies that tell stories of people who have died and returned and their experiences. In fact, one in 25 USAmericans have had a near-death experience. Have you? Unfortunately, the stories lack consistency with one another so while they are fascinating, they’re not authoritative. I have not died—yet—so I can’t tell you exactly what happens one minute after you die…but the Bible offers glimpses of what is to come.
Paul wrote to a church in modern day Greece:
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
I’ve been to a lot of funerals. Many of them are filled with hope because of the faith of the deceased. Paul continues…
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17)
We typically call this place heaven, though technically there are at least three different biblical words that we translate heaven in English. To add to the complexity, the eternal home for followers of Jesus will not be heaven, exactly, but what is called the new heavens and the new earth. Genesis begins in a garden and Revelation ends in a city, the New Jerusalem. So, when we say “heaven,” we may be speaking of different places, times, or realities, but all beyond this life.
Author John Taylor notes,
Scripture consistently affirms that believers enter immediately into the presence of Jesus. Paul’s confidence was unflinching: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). He called it “better by far” to depart and be with Christ (Philippians 1:23). These verses leave little room for delay or unconscious “soul sleep.” From the earliest centuries of Christian theology to modern scholarship, the consensus has held that the soul of a believer goes instantly to be with Christ.
Theologians call this the intermediate state — a conscious, peaceful existence in God’s presence between death and the future resurrection. It’s “intermediate” not because it’s incomplete, but because it’s not the end of the story. The body, still under the weight of mortality, remains in the ground. Yet the soul experiences rest, awareness and worship in a reality more vivid than the one left behind. Jesus’ words to the thief on the cross confirm that immediacy: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Not “someday.” Today.
What is heaven like? Let’s begin by shattering a few myths. Heaven is not…
- Floating on clouds forever
- People becoming angels
- Our final home (there will be a new earth and New Jerusalem)
- For everyone (only those who say “yes” to Jesus and make him Lord)
- Where memories or individuality are erased
- Boring
Actually, Christians will spend eternity not in heaven, but on a new earth. Our scripture reading today says,
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’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
Words cannot express the beauty, the glory, the peace, the paradise. If you want a simple definition, heaven is where God dwells. Jesus taught his disciples to pray,
“This, then, is how you should pray:
“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)
Heaven is where God dwells. There are moments when heaven kisses earth, where God’s manifest presence is real, when you know the atmosphere has changed. Maybe you experienced that this morning as we were praising the LORD in song. Perhaps you witnessed justice served, the poor blessed, new life birthed, or were simply awed by the beauty and majesty of God’s creation. We often think of heaven as a place “up there” where we will go to escape “down here,” but that’s not exactly right as we’ll see in a moment. Let me say again heaven is where God dwells.
I love the question pastor John Piper posed several years ago:
“If you could have Heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with Heaven, if Christ was not there?” – John Piper, “God Is the Gospel”
The best thing about heaven is God’s presence. Jesus said.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? (John 14:1-2)
The ancient Greek word for “rooms’ is “monai” which is not a final resting place but a temporary stop on a journey that will lead you somewhere else.
Jesus continues…
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:3-4)
Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5)
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
It's important to note the thief on the cross beside Jesus at the crucifixion was not “saved” because he was a good person. He was given the death penalty, after all. What saved him, what gave him the right to enter paradise was his faith in Jesus Christ.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
This past week I was given a simple tool to engage in spiritual conversations with people. Many struggle to share their faith, either feeling awkward, unprepared, or simply fearful of rejection. Here’s a question you can ask anyone that doesn’t mention God, Jesus, the Bible, or church:
Do you believe there is life after death?
Listen to their response and see if it doesn’t create opportunities to share the good news, the gospel. Usually, heaven and hell enter the discussion, with the inevitable question, “How does one get to heaven?” It’s not by being good or even religious. Heaven requires perfection. Only Jesus was perfect, and therefore one can only enter heaven through Jesus. Judgment Day is coming for us all. When we say yes to Jesus, we are adopted into his family, we join his team. We begin a relationship with him in this life which will continue for eternity.
So What?
Many people believe heaven is where good people die and bad people go to the other place. The reality is we’re all bad. We’ve all sinned. We’ve all missed the mark. I don’t deserve heaven. Mother Teresa and Billy Graham don’t deserve heaven. The pope doesn’t deserve heaven. We all deserve eternal separation from God for our sins.
The good news—the gospel—is Jesus is LORD, he is good, he is perfect, and he died on the cross to pay the punishment we deserve. Hallelujah!
The goal of this life is not to go to heaven when we die, but rather to bring heaven to earth now, offering healing and hope to our broken world. Heaven is where God dwells, and we want Him to rule and reign here now in the renewal of all things. When Jesus rose from the dead, it was the “launching of God’s new world” (N.T. Wright).
You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.
If you’re ready, are you preparing others? Do they know Jesus?
If not, you can begin by saying yes to Jesus. Simply say, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If that’s you today, would you please tell me or one of our leaders? We want to celebrate with you and help you get started on your journey.
Heaven is for real and Judgment Day is coming…are you ready?
For further study:
- Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright
- Heaven by Randy Alcorn
- The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight
- One Minute After You Die by Erwin Lutzer
- Remember Heaven by Matt McCullough
- Imagine Heaven by John Burke