Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:1-2

In keeping with his In keeping with his promise we are looking promise we are looking forward to a forward to a new heaven new heaven and a new earthand a new earth, the home , the home of righteousness. of righteousness. 2 Peter 2 Peter 3:133:13

To me, to live is Christ To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.... I and to die is gain.... I desire desire to depart and be to depart and be with Christwith Christ, which is , which is better by farbetter by far. .

Philippians 1:21, 23Philippians 1:21, 23

Truly I say to you,Truly I say to you, todaytoday you will beyou will be with with me me in Paradisein Paradise..

Luke 23:43Luke 23:43

… …the time has come for my the time has come for my departuredeparture. I have fought the good . I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me righteous Judge, will award to me on on that daythat day. .

2 Timothy 4:6-82 Timothy 4:6-8

““the time has come for my the time has come for my departuredeparture” ” ((analousisanalousis, to loosen) , to loosen)

1. Loosening ox from yoke or cart.1. Loosening ox from yoke or cart.

2. Pulling up tent stakes for travel.2. Pulling up tent stakes for travel.

3. Untying ship from dock, to let 3. Untying ship from dock, to let sail.sail.

4. Unchaining a prisoner. 4. Unchaining a prisoner.

5. Solving a problem.5. Solving a problem.

If any righteous man among If any righteous man among the Christians passes from the Christians passes from this world, this world, they rejoice and they rejoice and offer thanks to Godoffer thanks to God, and they , and they escort his body with songs escort his body with songs and thanksgivingand thanksgiving as if he as if he were were setting out from one setting out from one place to another nearbyplace to another nearby..

Aristides, Aristides, AD 125AD 125

Since the children have flesh Since the children have flesh and blood, Christ too shared in and blood, Christ too shared in their humanity so that their humanity so that by his by his death he might destroy him who death he might destroy him who holds the power of deathholds the power of death—that —that is, the devil—and is, the devil—and free those free those who who all their lives wereall their lives were held in held in slavery by their fear of death.slavery by their fear of death.

Hebrews 2:14-15Hebrews 2:14-15

God will destroy the shroud that God will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; covers all nations; he will swallow he will swallow up death foreverup death forever. The Sovereign . The Sovereign Lord will Lord will wipe away the tears from wipe away the tears from all facesall faces; he will remove the ; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the disgrace of his people from all the earth. earth.

Isaiah 25:7-8Isaiah 25:7-8

The trumpet will sound, The trumpet will sound, the dead the dead will be raised imperishable…thenwill be raised imperishable…then the saying that is written will the saying that is written will come true: “come true: “Death has been Death has been swallowed up in victoryswallowed up in victory. Where, . Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” O death, is your sting?”

1 Corinthians 15:551 Corinthians 15:55

Let us greet the day which Let us greet the day which assigns each of us to his own assigns each of us to his own home, which snatches us from home, which snatches us from this place and sets us free from this place and sets us free from the snares of the world, and the snares of the world, and restores us to Paradiserestores us to Paradise and the and the kingdom. Anyone who has been kingdom. Anyone who has been in foreign lands longs to return to in foreign lands longs to return to his own native land.... his own native land.... We regard We regard Paradise as our native land.Paradise as our native land.

CyprianCyprian, AD 250, AD 250

Then I saw a Then I saw a new heaven and a new heaven and a new earth…new earth…God will wipe God will wipe every every teartear from their eyes. from their eyes. There will be There will be no more deathno more death or mourning or or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away….things has passed away….No No longer will there be any curselonger will there be any curse. .

Revelation 21:1,4; 22:3Revelation 21:1,4; 22:3

Then I saw…a new earth… I saw the Then I saw…a new earth… I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. . . . And I down out of heaven from God. . . . And I heard a loud voice from the throne heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with with menmen, and he will live , and he will live with themwith them. They . They will be his people, and God himself will will be his people, and God himself will be be with themwith them and be their God.” and be their God.”

Revelation 21:1-3Revelation 21:1-3

In the beginning God created the In the beginning God created the heavens and the earthheavens and the earth. .

Genesis 1:1 Genesis 1:1

Behold, I will create Behold, I will create newnew heavens and heavens and a a newnew earth earth. . Isaiah 65:17Isaiah 65:17

““As the As the new heavens and new heavens and the new earththe new earth that I make that I make will endure before me," will endure before me," declares the Lord, "so will declares the Lord, "so will your name and your name and descendants endure." descendants endure."

Isaiah 66:22 Isaiah 66:22

In keeping with his promise In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earthnew heaven and a new earth, , the home of righteousness. the home of righteousness.

2 Peter 3:132 Peter 3:13

Then I saw a Then I saw a new heaven and new heaven and a new eartha new earth, for the first , for the first heaven and the first earth heaven and the first earth had passed away. had passed away.

Revelation 21:1Revelation 21:1

I know that my Redeemer I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end lives, and that in the end he he will stand upon the earthwill stand upon the earth. . And after my skin has been And after my skin has been destroyed, yet destroyed, yet in my flesh I in my flesh I will see Godwill see God; I myself will ; I myself will see see him with my own eyeshim with my own eyes—I, —I, and not another. How my and not another. How my heart heart yearnsyearns within me! within me!

Job 19:25-27 Job 19:25-27

Then he will say, “Depart from me, you [people] who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Jesus, Matthew 25:41

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus, Matthew 13:40-42

[God] will wipe every tear from [God] will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or death or mourning or crying or pain… I am the Alpha and the pain… I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without costdrink without cost from the spring of from the spring of the water of life. the water of life.

Revelation 21:4-6Revelation 21:4-6

Calvin Miller:Calvin Miller:

I once scorned ev'ry fearful thought of I once scorned ev'ry fearful thought of death,death,

When it was but the end of pulse and When it was but the end of pulse and breath,breath,

But now my eyes have seen that past the But now my eyes have seen that past the painpain

There is a world that's waiting to be There is a world that's waiting to be claimed.claimed.

Earthmaker, Holy, let me now Earthmaker, Holy, let me now depart,depart,

For living's such a temporary For living's such a temporary art.art.

And dying is but getting And dying is but getting dressed for God,dressed for God,

Our graves are merely Our graves are merely doorways cut in sod.doorways cut in sod.