The Church’s Promise
Our text today: Revelation 21:1-6 [+/-]
(These notes are abbreviated, and the full sermon was rather more complete. Watch this space for the time we can begin podcasting the sermon itself.)
21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
21:2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them;
21:4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”
21:5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
21:6 Then 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 as a gift from the spring of the water of life.
Today we’re going to talk about the hope that God has placed in us. I’m sure each of us has an idea, or an image, in our minds that comes up whenever we think of Heaven, of the dwellingplace of God, of the promise given to believers for eternal life. It’s appropriate for us to make sure that we are fit for heaven. We spend our lives, in a way, doing that. Those of us who work for justice, peace, healing, and equality do so, when we’re at our best, as ones who are mindful that Jesus taught us to pray for God’s kingdom to come, for God’ will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Ah, but that brings up the question: How is God’s will done in heaven? That becomes relevant for us if we are to even pray properly, and also if we are to recognize when our prayers have been answered.
The first thing we see in our passage is that heaven, and indeed when God is done with it, earth, is something new. There are those who look for God to come and set up an earthly kingdom of some kind, modeled after the kingdoms of this world. Peter says in his second epistle, We look for a new heaven and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
The second thing we see is that the church of God, designated here as the new Jerusalem, the bride of Christ, is in heaven already, and is not going to heaven. You went to heaven, in a certain way, the day you became a Christian and thus became a member of this Bride, this Body, this holy temple. In John’s vision the church is holy and complete, already belonging to God, every stone and precious pearl in place.
The third thing we see is that God does not bring the people of earth up to heaven, but brings heaven down to us. Where God is, is healing from sorrow and pain.
The fourth thing is, that God makes all things new. He doesn’t just renew what is old, bad, sinful, or wrong; he renews everything.
The fifth thing is, that God gives life freely as a gift to all who thirst for it.
May 12th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
[...] 6th, 2007 by therevr The Church’s Promise was the topic for the May 6 sermon at the Marbury Church of God. A brief excerpt: The first [...]
May 14th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
[...] April 22John 21:1-19 [+/-]John 21:1-19
“The Church’s Provision”April 29John 10:22-30 [+/-]John 10:22-30
“The Church’s Promise”May 6Revelation 21:1-6 [+/-]Revelation 21:1-6
“The Church’s Place”May 13Rev. 21:10,22-22 [+/-]Revelation 21:10
:5 [...]
[21:1]After this Jesus revealed himself again to the
disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself
in this way. [2]Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin),
Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two
others of his disciples were together. [3]Simon Peter said
to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will
go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that
night they caught nothing.
[4]Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore;
yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. [5]Jesus
said to them, "Children, do you have any fish?" They
answered him, "No." [6]He said to them, "Cast the net on
the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So
they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in,
because of the quantity of fish. [7]That disciple whom
Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When
Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer
garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself
into the sea. [8]The other disciples came in the boat,
dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from
the land, but about a hundred yards off.
[9]When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire
in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. [10]Jesus
said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just
caught." [11]So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net
ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there
were so many, the net was not torn. [12]Jesus said to them,
"Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared
ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
[13]Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and
so with the fish. [14]This was now the third time that
Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised
from the dead.
[15]When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to
Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than
these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love
you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." [16]He said to him a
second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said
to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to
him, "Tend my sheep." [17]He said to him the third time,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved
because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?"
and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know
that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
[18]Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you
used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but
when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and
another will dress you and carry you where you do not want
to go." [19](This he said to show by what kind of death he
was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him,
"Follow me." (ESV)
[22]At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at
Jerusalem. It was winter, [23]and Jesus was walking in the
temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. [24]So the Jews
gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you
keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us
plainly." [25]Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do
not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear
witness about me, [26]but you do not believe because you
are not part of my flock. [27]My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me. [28]I give them eternal
life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch
them out of my hand. [29]My Father, who has given them to
me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them
out of the Father's hand. [30]I and the Father are one."
(ESV)
[21:1]Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the
first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the
sea was no more. [2]And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband. [3]And I heard a loud voice from
the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is
with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his
people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
[4]He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death
shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor
crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed
away."
[5]And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I
am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down,
for these words are trustworthy and true." [6]And 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 from the
spring of the water of life without payment. (ESV)
[10]And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great,
high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming
down out of heaven from God, (ESV)