Eternal Worth - Revelation 21-22 (Advent Week 4)

You're listening to the Christ Our Cornerstone

podcast, a ministry of Christ Our Cornerstone

Church in O 'Neill, Nebraska. I'm Pastor Logan

Merrick, and it's our prayer that this message

strengthens your faith and draws you closer to

Christ. Let's dive in. We have talked about Genesis,

right, the fall, then we talked about from there

how Christ or how God made The first sacrifice

and we begin to see all the foreshadowings And

then uh last week I unpacked isaiah chapter 9

Isaiah 9 · chapter mention

and what in the attributes god would be or christ

would be and so now I don't want to go to the

arrival of christ In the gospels because i'm

going to unpack that christmas eve We're actually

going to fast forward to the end So if you would

with me turn to Revelation chapter 21, we're

Revelation 21 · chapter mention

gonna unpack 21 and 22 and I can hear you guys

already. We're gonna unpack two chapters. Pastor

Logan, you can barely unpack three verses in

45 minutes. My wife was upset that my notes were

20 pages long in our printer. But I'm gonna work

through it quickly, as quickly as I possibly

can. My big idea that I am gonna unpack here

is When Christ returns he will fulfill the promises

of redemption bringing his people into the fullness

of worth and glory in his eternal kingdom so

Wednesday driving up and Micah decided to come

with me and as we're driving up We always have

really good conversation. He's always asking

me all these different questions Whether it's

sports related food related, you know, whatever

Well, we're having a really good discussion just

having A theological discussion. It's good discussions

and then I asked my guy said if you could if

god was here right now physically right here

I said he's here. But if he was right here where

you could see him What would be one question

you would ask him? And without I mean, he just

responded. I thought he would take some time

to think about it, but he just, boom, he was

on it. He said, and I said, you can't ask, will

I ever, can I have a million dollars or something

like that? And he said, oh, yeah, I would ask,

when are you coming back? And I said, why? He's

like, because don't you want to know when he's

coming back? And I said, well, sure, but When

I was a kid, I wanted to know when he was coming

back because it scared me to death. I wanted

to be able to get married, have children, right?

And so you want to put off Christ's return, and

then you get older and you're like, no, Jesus,

come now. Like, this is hard. And he was like,

I just want to know. I want to know when he's

coming back. It sounds good. And I'm like, yeah.

And then as I'm preparing for today, I'm like,

echoing Micah's question. Lord, when are you

coming? Please come. Come. Because what we're

going to see is some really mind -bending things

and just the second Eden. And so with that being

said, let's go ahead and let's dive in. If you

don't have a Bible, there's some in the back

that Lifeway provided for us as a gift. and so

feel free to take one if you don't have a bible

or you can read right up here and so let's go

ahead and go for it revelation 21 starting in

verse 1 then i saw a new heaven and new earth

this is john seeing the revelation of christ

for the first heaven and the first earth had

passed away and the sea was no more What you

need to know, this isn't in my notes, but Noah

actually asked me this when we were eating dinner

the other day, because Tracy was asking me what

I was going to preach on. And he said, isn't

it more of an allegory? It's not a physical thing.

I said, yes, that's correct. And so just so you

know, the sea is a representation of the chaos

of life. And so are all things allegory in Revelation?

No. there is going to be actually in this passage

we're going to see something that is both literal

and allegorical but in this moment he is saying

the sea was no more the chaos because the sea

in the scriptures represented not just a physical

sea but it represented the just the kind of chaos

of things verse two i also saw the holy city

the new jerusalem coming down out of heaven from

god prepared like a bride adored for her husband

Then I heard a loud voice from the throne look

God's dwelling is with himself Is with her sorry

God's dwelling is with humanity and he will live

with them They will be his peoples and God himself

will be with them and will be their God. You

should be highlighting that because that Points

us back to Eden where we were at the first week

of Advent He will wipe away every tear from their

eyes death will be no more grief Crying and pain

will be no more because the previous things have

passed away Does that verse? What does that verse

do to you? Like what do you what do you feel

when you read that when you hear that? Oh Anybody

else Peace Comfort How about a longing And so

you feel, when you read that verse, you should

feel the longing of the Old Testament saints.

Verse five, then the one seated on the throne

said, look, I am making everything new. And he

also said, right, because these words are faithful

and true. Then he said to me, it is done. I am

the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the

end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the

spring of water of life. The one who conquers

will inherit these things and I will be his God

and he will be my son. But the cowards, the faithless,

the detestable, the murderers, the sexually immoral,

sorcerers, idolaters, and liars, their share

will be in the lake that burns with fire and

sulfur, which is in the second death. I'm gonna

pause for just a second. Last night, I saw this

video that just came up and Cory Booker, the

senator, politician, had said, preach. And it

was a video of this guy who is not even a theologian

or anything. He's just some guy is being interviewed

on this night show type thing. And the guy says,

you know, what's funny to me is conservatives

love to quote the Bible, but they never quote

Jesus. and he said because Jesus was a progressive

and Jesus is a modern -day liberal and so he

goes what I find funny is they want to put the

Old Testament things on buildings and in schools

But they don't want to put the words of Jesus

up on schools and everybody's applauding so I

Said hey, I would be all for putting the words

of Jesus on government buildings and in schools

Let's start with, go and sin no more. Let's go

with the Sermon on the Mount, all of it. And

then let's end it with these words right here

from Jesus. People, justice is real. The love

of Christ is real, and you can't have love and

justice be separate. They are together entwined.

And so, let's go through my first point. My first

point is this. The promise of a new creation.

So, as I told you guys, as I wrote up with Micah,

he's asking that question. And he says, you know,

I wanna know when Christ is coming back. And

Max Locato has this quote from When Christ Comes.

He says, for the Christian, the return of Christ

is not a riddle to be solved or a code to be

broken, but rather a day to be anticipated. And

Micah was not asking for how do we know when

he's going to return. He just wanted to know

when he's going to. Why? Because it's the anticipation

of it all. It's the desire and the longing in

his heart. Even at 11 years old, he knows things

aren't right. And he longs for what heaven will

be like. He wrote with me as I was listening

to that podcast and I'm going to share a little

bit about that podcast more on near -death experiences

and He was hearing how these people who have

seen heaven and near -death experience Physically

dead literally for four days Before they come

back to life that would be dead by the way The

things that they saw in heaven and the anticipation

that it causes this longing in our hearts. And

so John opens Revelation 21 with the words that

feel like the final deep breath of the entire

Bible. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.

This is not an escape, this is restoration. This

is what we've been longing for, right? This is

the promise of a new creation when everything

Christ redeemed will be finally made whole. So

he came there was the anticipation of the old

testament saints knowing that things weren't

right knowing they needed a savior He came and

he did the thing that had to happen and now we

wait in a second advent. That's what this is

We are in second advent where we are anticipating

and longing for his return Micah also asked me

dad. How would we know when jesus returns and

I said dude think about this It says trumpets

will sound and he will break the sky everyone

in the world We'll see Him. You could be like,

how is that possible? Well, when you think about

that the scriptures describe the fact that the

earth is God's footstool, that's not meant to

be alimorical. He is that big. Well, Pastor Logan,

that can't be if He can come into it. That's

what makes Him God. He stands outside of time.

He stands outside of our reality, but He can

also enter into time and His own reality. That's

a pretty cool guy there is no Marvel character

that is that cool So this is the promise of a

new creation to be made whole So we get this

new new Eden that's finally realized What John

sees is Eden returned and perfected not a fragile

garden that can be lost It's a kingdom that can

never be undone This is an Eden no longer vulnerable

to sin, no longer stalked by the serpent, and

no longer shadowed by shame. An Eden where God

does not merely visit, but He dwells. That's

the part that gets me so well. That's the part

that I sat in for minutes upon minutes as I soaked

in that, is the thought of God would come and

He would spend time with Adam and Eve and Eden,

but now this will be where He fully dwells. What

a concept. The ache of exile is now over, the

distance is gone, and the flaming sword is removed.

Brothers and sisters, this is home. This is what

you long for, all of us. So this is a worth fully

known in the presence of God. It is in this new

creation, worth is no longer questioned. measured

or defended, it is fully realized in the unbroken

presence of God Himself. So what do you notice

to be absent? What is absent in this new heaven

and new earth? You guys know it. It's right there.

Verse 4. What does it say? Pain. No more pain.

What else? No more death, no more crying, right?

No more mourning, huh? No more serpent, amen

to that. Amen to that. So this is not in my notes,

but I can feel the natural question arising in

some people. So does that mean when we go to

heaven, does that mean there is no more free

will? Can you still have do you still have the

ability to be able to sin in heaven? Yeah See

Judy was like that can't be no you do why won't

you Because think about this Adam and Eve were

in the presence And they do they knew the presence

of God they were in perfection, and they still

sent since so exist free will still exist So

why won't you? Timothy Keller said this he said

because those who us who have lived this life

know the sting of sin and Will never want to

return to that That is deep You may be thinking

back nah No, it's you won't want to sin because

you were in now the presence of all loving all

perfected God You won't want to leave it Adam

and Eve didn't know what it was like to leave

it We all know what it's like to not be in it.

We won't wanna leave it. You ever been into a

place where, you ever been in a moment, let me

ask you that, have you ever been in a moment

where you're like, I never want this to end?

Vacation, five years ago, I didn't have to worry

about money, I didn't have to worry about anything,

my kids just, we got to be in a really nice resort,

my kids, we went to Legoland, it was a lot of

fun. And I was just sitting there going, like,

counting my pennies, making sure that we didn't

overspend because we could save for it. My wife

will tell you, I go back to that all the time

where I'm like, if I could have that moment all

over again, just watching my kids have fun, not

worrying about a thing, and it was beautiful

the entire time we were there, that's a moment

I never want to forget. That's, it pales in comparison

to what heaven will be like. And I'll never want

to go back to the other way. So I hope that helps

answer questions. So this whole idea of no death,

no mourning, no crying, no pain, these aren't

poetic metaphors. This is real. This is permanent.

This is an erasure of everything that has wounded

us. This means bodies are remade without disability,

decay, or disease. I won't just throw my back

out just from sleeping or sneezing. It's mind's

free from anxiety and from shame souls no longer

fractured by sin Relationships no longer guarded

defensive or broken think about that for a moment,

too There are times where you feel like people

aren't safe to share things with you can't be

yourself around you know what I'm talking about

There are certain people you just know you have

to be guarded It will be no more. He can truly

be who God made you to be and relationships are

fully known. There's no more hiding with fig

leaves. There's no more pretending. There's no

more self -protection. We will finally be fully

ourselves because we will finally be fully His.

It's redemption fully known. Everything Christ

conquered at the cross. Seth or Seth? Sin, death,

shame, and separation will be fully realized

at His return. Redemption is now real, but incomplete.

Redemption then will be total. I'm gonna say

that again. Redemption now is real. We have redemption

of our sins through Christ and the cross, but

it is incomplete in that we are not fully realizing

perfection. So redemption then will be total.

What we experience now in part peace, healing,

joy, and freedom will be experienced then without

interruption or loss. This is why Advent always

looks forward. This is why when we go through

this time of the season, it's the longing in

our hearts for joy, peace, family, relationships.

We're longing for something greater. So we live

with an eternal perspective. John reminds us

that our worth is not anchored in our productivity,

our health, our success, our relationships, or

our circumstances. Our worth is anchored in what

is coming. Where all things will be made new.

Not some things, all things. Not spiritual things

only, all things. So we live now with hope. We

endure suffering without despair, and we grieve

without losing heart. We love without fear. Because

the story does not end in the dark. Church, this

world is not your final address. Yet we live

as though it is many times. We try to get as

many material things as we possibly can. We try

to live in such a way that we can Drink now and

eat now for tomorrow we die. Like we try to think

that this is all there is and it's not. You know

that in your mind but you don't know that in

your heart and your worth is being determined

here. Your worth is not being determined here,

it is being prepared. So the Eden that you long

for, the home your soul aches for, the love you

were made for, it's coming. And so this is the

promise of the new creation. Do I have this as

a line up here? Yep, so that's the first line.

That's this quote. Sorry, I shouldn't have done

that. Okay, I don't. So this is the promise of

a new creation. This is the destiny of the redeemed.

This is when the worth Christ purchased will

be fully finally and forever realized. Point

number two. Preparation of the New Jerusalem,

let's read nine through 21. Then one of the seven

angels who had held the seven bowls filled with

the seven last plagues came and spoke with me,

come, I will show you the bride, the wife of

the lamb. He then carried me away in the spirit

to a great high mountain. Noah, mountains. Sorry,

that's a he and I inside thing. I didn't notice

that until just now. And he showed me the holy

city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from

God, arrayed with God's glory. Her radiance was

like a precious jewel, like a Jasper stone, clear

as crystal. The city had a massive high wall

with 12 gates, 12 angels. were at the gates.

The names of the 12 tribes of Israel's sons were

inscribed on the gates. There were three gates

on the east, three gates on the north, three

gates on the south, and three gates on the west.

The city had 12 foundations and the 12 names

of the 12 apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations.

The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring

rod to measure the city, its gates and its walls.

The city is laid out in a square. Its length

and its width are the same. He measured the city

with a rod at 12 ,000 stadia. Its length, width,

and height are equal. Then he measured its wall,

144 cubits, according to human measurement, which

the angel used. The building material of its

walls with jasper in the city was pure gold clear

as glass. The foundations of the city wall were

adorned with every kind of jewel. The first foundation

is Jasper, the second Sapphire, and the third,

Chalcedony, I don't know, I don't know. The fourth,

Emerald. The fifth, Sardinox. The sixth, Carnelian.

The seventh, Crystallite. The eighth, Burril.

The ninth, Topaz. The 10th, Chrysoprase. The

11th, Jason, I'm gonna skip down. These are a

lot of words that I can't pronounce. Verse 21,

the twelve gates are twelve pearls. Each individual

gate was made of a single pearl. The main street

of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

Brothers, sisters, I can't even comprehend that.

Now, again, not in my notes, but I want to put

this out there. This is the mind -bending part

that I'm talking about. The question gets asked,

so how can all of the people who ever lived who

died and went to heaven, including those who

will also come after us, how are we all gonna

fit in this city? So this is the mind -bending

part of, do you remember last week when I said

imagine trying to, imagine being a two -dimensional

painting, that we live in a two -dimensional

painting, and we can step out of that two -dimensional

painting, see things in 4D, not 3D, see everything,

and then try to go back into that two -dimensional

painting and explain it. You don't really have

words for it, so here's the thing. What we know

of, this is what I was talking with my wife about,

what we know of as space, and I don't mean like

space up there, I mean like space from either

that wall or... Does not exist in the way that

we understand it now just like time does not

exist Outside of where we are God exists exists

outside of time. That's mind -bending on its

own Space as we know it is not the same thing

and so we are We will be spirit but also still

have bodies because we see that with Christ and

so Don't try to think of it as we live in this

cube We're all going to be in this cube together,

smashed together, because that's not how it's

going to be. It's like trying to explain a 40

image to a 2D person. So preparation of the New

Jerusalem. After John shows us the promise of

a new creation, he is then invited to look closer.

Come, I will show you the bride of the lamb.

What John sees next is not merely a city, it

is a people. The New Jerusalem is described like

a bride. It reflects the worth of those Christ

has redeemed. A home, not just a city. The New

Jerusalem descends from heaven prepared by God

himself. This is not humanity's finest architectural

achievement. This is God's craftsmanship. Every

measurement, every foundation, every gate, speaks

of intention, it speaks of order, it speaks of

permanence and beauty. This city is not temporary

housing, it is an eternal dwelling place. It

has to be good enough for God himself, right?

Where we live now is provisional, but where we're

going is permanent. It is secure and it's unshakable.

John describes these massive walls, these 12

gates, these 12 foundations. Names of the tribes

of Israel are written on the gates. Names of

the apostles are written on the foundations.

This isn't random symbolism. It is God declaring,

you are known, you are remembered, and you belong.

The city is built on covenant faithfulness. Old

Testament promises fulfilled. New Testament redemption

completed. Nothing here can be invaded. Nothing

here can decay. Nothing here can be lost. For

a people who have lived in fear instability persecution

and exile. This is profound comfort It's beauty

reflecting worth It's the city shines with gold

like clear glass adorned with precious stones

Jasper and sapphire and emeralds and amethyst

The imagery is overwhelming on purpose God is

not embarrassed by beauty He is the author of

it. And this beauty does not exist to impress.

It exists to reflect worth. God just loves beautiful

things. He loves to create. So the New Jerusalem

is beautiful because the bride is beautiful.

He looks upon us and says, we are worth it as

his bride. And so he creates and builds the most

majestically beautiful home he could ever think

of. I wanted so badly, when Tracy and I first

got married, I wanted so badly to own a home.

We were dirt poor as you guys, I've told you

guys many times. So we could never afford a home.

And then it got to the place where we thought

we would never actually own a home. We would

always be renters. And then when God blessed

us, the story of our home goes like this. I was

at, in this little rental house when we first

moved to Lincoln, we lived in the party area

of Lincoln for all the college students. And

so we were constantly surrounded by partying,

drinking, and overnight throwing up, which is

a story for another time. But Tracy was out with

friends, the kids had already gone to bed, and

I was just laying there. And I remember longing

for a home to put my family in because we all

couldn't fit in this town. And I felt the Lord

say to me, I want you to share and write down

exactly what you want in a home. And so I'm like,

I'm like, I don't care what the home looks like.

I always want it to be nice. But my wife has

specific things she's looking for. So I began

to write down and just ask God, Lord, can we

have, my wife really wants an old craftsman house.

but still in good shape that we don't have to

remodel the whole function. A two -car garage

and a basement that is finished and hardwood

floors throughout and just all this stuff. And

one of the things that broke my wife's heart

when we moved from the acreage that we had is

we had just planted apple trees and peach trees.

and we have planted one for each one of our kids.

And so they'd only been planted for six months

and we were moving and she was like heartbroken

over this because she was like, we'll never get

to see these trees, but sure, that we had planted

for our children. And so I say all these things,

I don't even tell Tracy, well, I kid you not,

about a couple of days later, we get a call from

our realtor, she's like, there's this house,

we've got to move quick, if we can get it, it's

about to come on market. As soon as we arrive,

we pull up, and my wife was also like, I want

these large trees, which I was just telling Mike

and Kenya about those trees. She's like, I want

mature trees that surround the house, whatever,

large lot. And when we pull up, my wife says,

this is it. And our realtor opens the door to

us, and she's crying, because she's like, this

is everything you've asked. My wife just, we're

walking through the house. She's like, this is

it, this is it, this is it. And then there's

a note that says, there's a tree in our backyard

in the very center. And it was a young peach

tree. I was not in my notes to ask the Lord for.

And then on the other side of our fence is a

blackberry bush. And my wife just begins to weep

because she's like, God does not forget anything.

She's like, and so. We come into our house, my

kids will tell you, when we pray at night together

as a family, we always talk about, we've lived

there nine years and it's still new to us every

time because it's just a thankfulness of what

we never thought we could have. And so when I

read this and I think about what God is preparing,

because I was like, Lord, this house is better

than what we could have imagined that you would

have given us to Stuart and he's building something

astronomically better. brothers and sisters,

because you and I were worth dying for and worth

making a home for. So, the New Jerusalem is beautiful

because the bride is beautiful and the bride

is beautiful because she was washed by the blood

of the Lamb. This is not earned worth, it's bestowed

worth. It was prepared by the Lamb. Notice that

John does not say, the city is built on our good

works, the city is furnished by our faithfulness,

and the city is complete by our endurance. No,

it is prepared by God, secured by Christ, and

sealed by the Lamb. Jesus told his disciples,

I go to prepare a place for you. That promise

is not forgotten, it is now being fulfilled even

now. It's hope for the struggling saint. This

means that when life feels unstable, chaotic,

and fragile, your true home is secured. Remember,

the sea is done away with, the place of chaos

is done away with, and when you feel unseen,

your name is already written. When your worth

feels questioned, your eternal dwelling is radiant

with glory. The New Jerusalem stands as God's

declaration, you are not forgotten, you're not

disposable, and you're not temporary. You're

being prepared for a place prepared for you.

Every detail, everything thought about. And so

church, Advent reminds us that we are a people

in between. We are a people in tension. We are

in the already and the not yet. We live in that

tension daily. We're in the saved but the not

yet home. We are in the redeemed but the not

yet restored. But take heart. Every tear, every

struggle, every moment of faithfulness is moving

towards something solid, secure, and glorious.

So brothers and sisters, hear this, your home

is being prepared, your worth is being revealed,

and the lamb himself will bring you there. Point

number three, presence of eternal light. So let's

read 22 through 27 if you would. I did not see

a temple in it that's crucial because the Lord

God, the Almighty and the Lamb. What does it

say? Or it's temple. Why doesn't it need a temple?

Because the temple is the dwelling place of God,

right? And they're already there. So the city

does not need the sun or the moon to shine on

it because the glory of God what does it say?

He illuminates it it is the lamp the lamp is

the lamb The nations will walk by its light and

the kings of the earth will bring their glory

into it That means they're gonna be casting their

authority at his feet its gates will never close

by day because it will never be night there.

Man, I don't know what reading this does for

you guys, but it gets my heart going pitter -pattern

and gives me chills. Its gates will never close

by day because it will never be night there.

They will bring the glory and honor of the nations

into it. Nothing unclean will ever enter it,

nor anyone who does what is detestable or false.

but only those written in the Lamb's Book of

Life. The glory and the honor of the nations,

by the way, Deuteronomy 32, can't go into all

of it, but I want this to land for you. Deuteronomy

32 is the giving away of the nations. It is God

to those that rebel. God says, hey, I'm going

to give these rebellious people, I'm going to

give these rebellious divine council members,

these angelic beings, I'm gonna give you different

regions. But you see that little old man and

that little old lady down there? That tiny piece

of land? They're gonna be mine and I'm gonna

create a large people group from it and a people

that will be mine. And through him, I will redeem

all nations. So when Christ died, he got back

the authority of the nations, but then the authority,

and the glory that those wicked nations are under

now become redeemed and all of the glory of what

was theirs is now God's. Does that make sense?

That's a powerful thought. So, the presence of

eternal light. John looks for something he expects

to find. a temple he's searching right that's

all we know we gather in a church we gather in

a temple we want to gather with the people of

god we want to gather with the people of god

worshiping god together because the presence

of god but he goes there isn't one there's no

temple this isn't a loss this is fulfillment

there's no temple because nothing separates the

temple what's meant as access but access at a

distance How does the Old Testament describe

the temple? We have veils, right? We have courts,

we have priests, and we have blood. In the New

Jerusalem, there is no need for mediation. We

actually don't need mediation now. Hello Catholic

Church. We go straight to Him, but now also we

will now go straight into His presence. God is

not behind a curtain like the Wizard of Oz. He's

not localized. He's not approached carefully.

He is present. What sin once shattered, Christ

has fully restored. The dwelling place of God

is with man and nothing stands in between. It's

a light without a source because God is the source.

There's no shadows, no night, no hiding. What

do we talk about in Genesis? Why do you think

that he talks about the light? because we went

into the shadows. This is not just illumination.

It is exposure without fear. The same light that

once revealed guilt now reveals glory. The same

presence that once would have undone us now completes

us because we are in Christ. There's nothing

hidden, nothing threatening. The gates are never

shut. There is no night to unlock out danger.

or to lock out danger. There's nothing unclean

enters, nothing false survives. All that remains

is what has been redeemed. This is safety without

suspicion, rest without vigilance. And so what

this means now for us, if this is where we are

headed, then fear does not need to get the final

word. You do not need to live your life in fear,

but live your life in expectation. Darkness does

not define you and neither does shame. It should

not own you. We are a people moving forward,

unfiltered, in the unfiltered presence, full

of light and with lasting peace. Our worth is

no longer measured by what we hide, but by the

one who brings us fully into the light and keeps

us there. So do you see why Paul continuously

preaches on, and John says it in 1 John about,

About love casting out all fear right and John

and Paul talks about what love is and what is

the manifestation of love and fear is not present

in it Do you see why here in Revelation why that

why that manifests that way? Because we here

do not need to walk in a sense of fear and destruction

Because we know where we're headed. We know the

roadmap and we know what lays before us. That's

why so many in acts We're literally going, please,

take my life. Let me die a martyr. I'm ready

to go to the other side. Because death isn't

final. It's merely a crossing over. So he gives

us the summary of an image. He says, there's

no temple, there's no shadows, there's no night.

There's only God, only light, and only life.

And in his presence, our worth is finally and

fully realized. And so do you see the link between

Genesis and Revelation? The theologian T. Desmond

Alexander said this. This should be right up

here for you. The very strong links between Genesis

1 and 3 and Revelations 20 through 22 suggest

that these passages frame the entire biblical

metastory. Point number four. There's only five

points. Provision from the throne. Let's read

22, one through five together. Then he showed

me the river of the water of life clear as crystal

flowing from the throne of God and the lamb down

the middle of the city's main street. The tree

of life was on each side of the river bearing

12 kinds of fruit producing its fruits every

month. The leaves of the tree are for healing

the nations. and there will no longer be any

curse. The throne of God and the lamb will be

in the city and his servants will worship him.

They will see his face and his name will be on

their foreheads. Night will be no more. People

will not need the lamp of a light or the light

of the sun because the Lord God will be given

the light, will give them the light and they

will reign forever and ever. So, I've got some

fun things to kind of share with you. So, John

has shown the center of everything. This idea

of a river, I said earlier that the sea is allegorical

for chaos. The river is actually literal and

allegorical. What does a river typically, unless

you're going down River Rapids, what do you,

if you're gonna go down a river, you just float,

right? You too. I mean, even here in Nebraska,

people get in those big metal things and they

float down it for a time of just ease and fun,

right? Rivers represent the calm and peace, but

it's also literal. If you'll remember, there

was a river in Eden. There's actually three rivers

in Eden, but there's one in particular. and it

flowed out of Eden and into everything else,

and it made everything else alive outside of

Eden. So, what John is saying is this, that river

isn't just an allegory, it is a real thing and

it flows from God. And so, it's not a battlefield,

it's not a throne of judgment, it's a river,

a river that flows from the throne. Life does

not trickle in heaven. It flows and it flows

from the throne. The same place from which authority

comes is the place from which provision comes.

Power and care are not separated in God. The

river is not earned, not fetched, not rationed.

It is given freely, continuously, and eternally.

So here's something I want to tell you. I don't

want you guys to hear me going, hey, every story

you have read in that imagined in heaven book

is real or whatever. It could be completely made

up, but I will tell you that John Burke, the

theologian and pastor who wrote it, he's done

a lot of looking and gatekeeping. And so for

the stories that are in there, but everything

that they tell, you can find in the scriptures.

And there's one story in particular where a young

lady, Who had grown up in the church her grandmother

had passed away and this one woman she had passed

away not a believer But when she passed away

when I say she passed away like she was she was

dead for some time and her grandmother visits

her in heaven and she goes into heaven and She's

the grandmother takes her to this river that

is flowing from this amazing city that she can

see off in the distance. And she's watching as

people pass through this river. And the woman

says to her grandmother, what is this and why

are people passing through the river? She says,

it's the river of life. And she's like, what

do you mean? She's like, you know, the grandmother

says, you know about the river of life. And she

goes, I don't know what you're talking about.

And she says, well. It's the river that we pass

through. And so for any, it's like a cleansing,

but it flows from the Father himself. And I was,

and as I was listening to John tell the story,

again, whether real or not, my biggest thing

was is my imagination took off and I'm going,

we're gonna be tubing in heaven. I'm joking,

but maybe not. But the thought of a river that

flows from God and waters all of the earth the

new earth What an incredible picture are you

guys picking it up or is it just like my uh?

Crazy imagination like I and in this talk about

the leaves. What are we seeing there? We're seeing

Eden It is being remade It is new So healing

here is not emergency care its wholeness So what

once a cherubim blocked with a flaming sword

To keep humanity out now the tree is open accessible

and generous There's no relapse. There's no decay

No return of the curse the curse is gone Because

it says no longer will there be anything the

cursed? This is the final word. There's no more

futility, no more striving against brokenness,

no more exhaustion for trying to survive a fallen

world. The work of redemption is not only complete,

it is fully enjoyed. Its face is lifted and names

restored. It says, they will see his face and

his name will be on their foreheads. This is

an identity fulfilled by the way. This is your

inheritance. This is you being called son and

daughter and being known by name So we are marks

not by shame any longer but by belonging It's

a light that never fades because there's no need

for a lamp and no Sun Because the Lord himself

as we've already talked about is our light and

the reign of God's people is not anxious rule

But joyful participation because it goes on forever

And so what this means for us now is this if

this is the end of the story then nothing you

are walking through now is wasted. Yes Everything

you're going through now every part of suffering

every anxious feeling every death you have walked

through everything everything is meant for the

good of God and Nothing will be wasted Your strength

may not may fail here, but the river does not

Your healing may feel incomplete, but the leaves

are already growing. Your worth may feel fragile

now, but it is rooted in a throne that cannot

be shaken. So it's a throne that gives life,

a river that never dries, a tree that always

heals. This is not survival, this is provision

and it flows. And it flows from the lamb who

was slain and now reigns forever. This is my

last point. Promise of Christ's return. Let's

look at six through 21 together Then he said

to me these words are faithful and true The Lord

the God of the spirits of the prophets has sent

his angel to show his servants what must soon

take place Look I am coming soon Blessed is the

one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this

book I John and the one who heard and saw these

things and when I heard and saw them Felt fell

down to worship at the feet of the angel who

had shown them to me But he said to me don't

do that I am a fellow servant with you your brothers

the prophets and those who keep the words of

this book Worship God so this angelic being John

goes to worship him and the angelic being goes.

No, I ain't the one worship God So you can see

how this angelic being Has a choice as we already

know if he's going to serve God or not and in

this moment This is what the rebels in Genesis

would have longed for the worship of man and

He's like no, I'm reflecting the one First ten

then he said to me don't don't seal up the words

of the prophecy of this book Because the time

is near Let the unrighteous go in unrighteousness

let the filthy still be filthy let the righteous

go on in righteousness and let the holy still

be holy how can let me ask you this brothers

and sisters before we finish this out how can

How can the time be near? How can the the coming

of Christ be soon if this was given 2 ,000 years

ago? What do you think Anybody have a clue? I'm

gonna say this. What does Peter say that time

is like to God? It's one day is like a thousand

years, right? Is that is that literal? No, it's

Time does not exist and so for them they're going

the time is soon like the he's gonna start breaking

the seals and for all we know I'm totally Don't

quote me on this and go, well, my pastor said,

because you won't find it in here. This is just

me trying to make sense of. I think that there

is a possibility that they kind of see through

a window, if you will, and they see all of time

happening at once. Does that make sense? So like

the beginning, the end, and all things in between,

I think they can see all of those things. They

don't control them like God does, but being outside

of time, I'm going, there's got to be something

there. They know, they don't know the exact time,

but they know that the time is coming. So, but

time doesn't exist. So that's up, but they know

like, it's going to be any time. And so verse

12, look, I am coming soon to my reward is with

me to repay each person according to his work.

I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the

last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are

those who wash their roads so that they may have

the right up to the tree of life and may enter

the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs,

the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers,

the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices

falsehood. We quote Jesus there, too, and put

that on political buildings and schools. I, Jesus,

have sent my angel to attest these things to

you for the church. I am the root. and the descendant

of David, the bright morning star, both the spirit

and the bride say, come, let anyone who hears

say, come, let the one who is thirsty come, let

the one who desires take the water of life freely.

I testify to everyone who hears the words of

the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to

them, God will add to him the plagues that are

written in this book. And if anyone takes away

from the words of the book of his prophecy, God

will take away his share of the tree of life

and the holy city, which are written about in

this book. He who testifies about these things

says, yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come Lord

Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone.

Amen. Let's wrap this up. The promise of Christ's

return. As the vision comes to a close, the tone

changes, imagery fades, the explanations stop,

and a voice speaks again and again, behold, I

am coming soon. Soon means certain. Soon is not

a date on a calendar, it is a declaration of

certainty. The same Christ who came humbly, who

lived faithfully, and who died willingly, and

who rose bodily is coming again. This is not

poetic hope, this is promised reality. The word

that holds until he comes. The final words of

scripture do not call us to speculate, but to

remain. To keep our robes clean, to endure, and

to stay awake. Not because our worth is fragile,

but because it is secure. We are not preparing

to earn a place, we are preparing because we

already belong to it. This is an open invitation,

but it's a closing door as well. The invitation

is still open now. Grace is still offered now.

Mercy is still available now. The water is still

free now. But the book ends with urgency because

time does not stretch on forever. So if you are

here this morning and you want a piece of this,

you want the inheritance of this. The thing that

my heart longs for and hopefully your heart longs

for, the time is coming and the time is now for

you to say yes. The time is now for you to answer

the invitation. There will be a moment when faith

becomes sight and preparation gives away to presence.

So what this means now is if Christ is coming,

then holiness matters. Then faithfulness matters,

then endurance matters. Not as fear -driven obedience,

but as hope -filled waiting. We live as people

who know the ending. It's the final word. The

Bible does not end with fear. It ends with a

prayer. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. This is longing.

And so the soul at once questioned, that once

questioned its worth now waits confidently because

the one who gave it worth has promised to return.

And so, you are not disposable, you are not homeless,

you are not hidden, and you are not forgotten,

and you are not temporary. Your worth was given

at the cross, revealed in the resurrection, and

will be fully realized when he returns. My brothers

and my sisters in this room, the book of Revelation

isn't about fear. It's not about the Antichrist.

He's merely a pawn in the story. Revelation is

meant to bring anticipation, not dread. It's

meant to make you excited, not fearful. The book

of Revelation is about Christ and the city he

is preparing. And it should draw out the anticipation

that the Old Testament saints had for Christ's

return. should be the same way every single moment

that your heart beats may you be praying come

lord jesus come every time you see brokenness

in front of you that you cannot fix it should

make you go come lord jesus come when you see

those hiding in the shadows of shame and guilt

may you say come lord jesus come and call them

out This is a time to no longer wait around.

Live faithfully, live wholly, live expectantly.

And if you've not made a decision to follow Christ,

I'm telling you right now is the time. Let's

don't play games. Because though we wait longingly,

you don't know what waits for you on the streets

when you go home. You don't know that your heart

will stop beating. in the next 30 seconds. And

so you either have, you either partake in that

inheritance or you don't. But that decision lies

with you. So if you would, bow your heads.