Revelation Ch21v1-Ch22v5 - All Things New

Today.

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.

I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem,

coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride,

beautifully dressed for her husband.

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.

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.

He who was seated on the throne said,

I am making everything new.

Then he said,

Write this down,

for these words are trustworthy and true.

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 without cost,

from the spring of the water of life.

Those who are victorious will inherit all this,

and I will be their God,

and they will be my children.

But the cowardly,

the unbelieving,

the vile,

the murderers,

the sexually immoral,

those who practice magic arts,

the idolaters,

and all liars,

they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

However,

this is the second death.

One of the seven angels,

who had the seven bowls,

full of the seven last plagues,

came and said to me,

Come,

I will show you the bride,

the wife of the Lamb.

And he carried me away in the spirit,

to a mountain,

great and high,

and showed me the holy city,

Jerusalem,

coming down out of heaven from God.

It shone with the glory of God,

and its brilliance was like that of a precious jewel,

like a jasper,

clear as crystal.

It had a great high wall with twelve gates,

and with twelve angels at the gates.

On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

There were three gates on the east,

three on the north,

three on the south,

and three on the west.

The wall of the city,

had twelve foundations,

and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The angel who talked with me,

had a measuring rod of gold,

to measure the city,

its gates,

and its walls.

The city was laid out like a square,

as long as it was wide.

He measured the city with the rod,

and found it to be 12,000 stadia,

about 2,200 kilometers,

as wide and as high as it is long.

The angel measured the wall,

with using human measurement,

and it was 144 cubits thick,

about 65 meters.

The wall was made of jasper,

and the city of pure gold is pure as glass.

The foundations of the city walls were decorated

with every kind of precious stone.

The first foundation was jasper,

the second sapphire,

the third ajit,

the fourth emerald,

the fifth anx,

the sixth ruby,

the seventh chrysolite,

the eighth beryl,

the ninth topaz,

the tenth turquoise,

the eleventh jacinth,

and the twelfth amethyst.

The twelve gates were twelve pearls,

each gate made of a single pearl.

This great seat of the city was of gold,

as pure as transparent glass.

I did not see a temple in the city,

because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it,

for the glory of God gives it light,

and the Lamb is its lamp.

The nations will walk by its light,

and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it.

On no day will its gates ever be shut,

for there will be no night there.

The glory and honour of the nations will be bought into it.

Nothing impure will ever enter it,

nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,

but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life,

as clear as crystal,

flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

down the middle of the great street of the city.

On each side of the river stood the tree of life,

bearing twelve crops of fruit,

yielding its fruit every month.

And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

No longer will there be any curse.

The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city,

and his servants will serve him.

They will see his face,

and his name will be on their foreheads.

There will be no more night.

They will not need the light of a lamp

or the light of the sun,

for the Lord God will give them light,

and they will reign

forever and ever.

Well, let's pray.

Our Father God, we thank you

for this vision given to John

hundreds of years ago,

written down for us today,

so that we can read it

and hear it

and be blessed.

Father,

would you please, by your Spirit,

shine the light of your Spirit

upon your Word

and upon our hearts,

so that what we see

in these words

will fill us with joy

and praise

and lead us

to be a people of worship.

Please help us.

Amen.

It's like being hit

by one wave

after another.

We just about manage

to resurface

and draw breath

when another wave

comes crushing down upon us,

tossed and churned

by the relentless pressures

and hardships of life,

sinking deeper and deeper

in despair.

It's easy to lose hope,

isn't it?

And to doubt God's goodness.

In those times,

we wonder

where God is

and does God even care?

Life's struggles

can really overwhelm us.

But whatever our personal suffering

is today,

and every one of us here

has a story to tell.

Whatever it is,

listen to God's voice.

Verse 5.

He who is seated on the throne,

God who has supreme authority

and absolute power

over all things,

who knows all things

and sees all things,

who sees us

where we are today.

Listen to what he said.

I am making

everything

new.

Then he said,

write this down,

for these words

are trustworthy

and true.

These words,

the words,

I am making

everything new

is what we all

need to hear.

Write these words

on your heart.

This is the word

that is going to

sustain us

in times of struggle.

It's the word

that's going to keep us

in times of opposition.

It's the word

that's going to

strengthen us

when we want

to give up.

So in your struggle

and suffering

today,

hear God

speak to you.

I

am making

everything

new.

Well, you say,

when will everything

be made new?

Well, as we've already

heard this morning

as John has led us,

it is

to come.

We've been given

a wonderful vision

here in chapter 21

of what to expect

when the risen

Lord Jesus returns.

Look at verse 1.

Then I saw

a new heaven

and a new earth.

Well,

why is there

a new one?

Because

the first heaven

and the first earth

had passed away.

This is God's

promise to restore

and renew

all things.

It's the

longed for

new creation.

It's a world

where,

look at the rest

of verse 1,

where there was

no longer

any sea.

All through

revelation,

the sea

has represented

the dark

forces of evil.

So in making

everything new,

it will mean

the end of all

the devastation

and all the

destruction

we see around us.

no more waves

crashing down

upon us.

In fact,

it's a world

where,

look at the end

of verse 4,

the old order

of things

has passed away.

the things

that trouble

us today

will all

be washed

away.

No more

sin,

no more

suffering,

and no more

Satan.

Instead of death,

there is life.

Instead of sorrow,

there is joy.

The world

and our bodies

will never

perish

and never

spoil

and never

fade.

here in this

new creation,

nothing bad

happens,

nothing will

ever break.

So hear God's

word to you

today.

I am making

everything

new,

not revamped

or refurbished

or upcycled

or recycled.

No,

this world

will be

renewed

and restored.

and the

day is

coming

when we

will shout

out in

excitement,

the old

has gone

and the

new

has come.

Well,

to help us

see and

understand

what we

can expect

to come,

we are

given three

word pictures

filled with

images and

symbols.

We're told

that the

new creation

will be like

a marriage

filled with

joy.

It'll be like

a city

shining with

glory.

It'll be like

a garden

flowing

with beauty.

So one by

one we're

going to

look at

these three

big pictures,

a marriage,

a city

and a

garden.

And as

we do,

they are

going to

sustain

you and

keep you

and strengthen

you as

we walk

through this

broken world.

so first

big picture,

a marriage

filled with

joy.

A marriage

filled with

joy.

We've been

created for

relationship,

not just our

relationships with

each other,

but ultimately

with God.

The primary

reason we

were made,

why we

exist,

was to know

God and to

enjoy him

forever.

So it's

no surprise

that the

new creation

is pictured

as a

marriage.

Look at

verse 2.

I saw

the holy

city or

the new

Jerusalem.

Now,

holy city

here in

its context

is used

to describe

God's

people.

So when

we see

the city

here,

it's

God's

people,

the new

Jerusalem.

They're

coming down

out of

heaven from

God,

prepared as

a bride.

So the

people are

now the

bride,

being

beautifully

dressed for

her husband.

Brides

take forever

to get ready

for their

wedding,

don't they?

The lads,

the suit is

on in five

minutes.

But the

bride,

well,

six hours

later and

the hair

still isn't

right.

You see,

she's

getting

prepared,

beautifully

dressed for

her husband

because this

is the day

when they

will say

their vows

and be

committed

forever.

Well,

God's

people,

you and

I,

the church,

are being

made

beautiful

by God.

In fact,

he has

already

clothed

us with

the beauty

of Christ.

He has

taken the

dirty stain

of sin

and has

placed it

with his

purity

and he

calls us

to live

holy lives.

You see,

our life

on earth

right now

is all

preparation

for our

ultimate

wedding day.

God is

using the

struggles

and the

trials

that we

go through

to make

us more

beautiful.

Sometimes

they hurt.

Sometimes

they're

painful.

But in

the hands

of God,

the suffering

we face,

the opposition

that we

endure,

are all

God's

means of

making us

holy,

making us

ready,

making us

more beautiful

for the

wedding that

is to

come.

Each day

we live

is

preparation

for that

great

day.

And so

when the

new

creation

begins,

a wedding

will take

place.

In a

Christian

marriage,

one of the

signs of

commitment

when you

get married

is that

you move

in together.

You live

in the

same house.

You're

one.

Well,

in the

new

creation,

God

comes to

move in

with us

and we

get to

move in

with him.

Look at

verse 3.

And I

heard a

loud voice

from the

throne

saying,

look,

look what's

happening.

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.

This is

the longing

and desire

of God

to be

with us.

Yes,

God is

with us

now by

his

spirit,

but we

can't

see him.

But the

day is

coming when

he will

be with

us.

We will

walk with

him,

we will

eat with

him,

and we

will be

there

forever.

It's a

marriage

that will

never ever

break.

Verse 7,

those who

are victorious,

that is,

those who

are trusting

in Christ

will inherit

all this,

and I

will be

their

gods,

and they

will be

my

children.

This is

the promised

commitment

of God.

This is

what awaits

God's

people.

We are

being made

beautiful.

God is

preparing us

through all

the waves

and troubles

of life

so that

we can

move in

with God.

Now,

this marriage

is going

to be

filled

with

eternal

joy.

Look what

marks

this

marriage.

There

will be

no more

tears.

Look at

verse 4.

He will

wipe away

every tear

from their

eyes.

life

hurts.

And living

in this

broken

world will

mean we

shed

many

tears,

disappointments,

broken

dreams,

shattered

lives,

and they

all take

their toll

and we

cry,

longing for

that pain

to pass,

for the

hurt to

be over.

Well,

like a

loving

husband

comforting

his bride,

God

himself

will

wipe

away

every

tear.

He

will

remove

all

that

hurts

and all

that

pains

and all

that

frustrates

so that

our tears

are no

more.

But more

than that,

not only

no more

tears,

but no

more

death.

death.

Look at

the rest

of verse

four.

There

will be

no more

death

or mourning

or crying

or pain.

Death

is what

always

hurts

the most.

Death

takes

from us

those we

most love.

It steals

our joy

and laughter.

It breaks

us and

destroys

us.

But in

the new

creation,

there will

be no

more

death,

no more

sad news

to tell,

no more

hospitals

to visit,

no funerals

to attend,

no more

mourning

or crying

or pain.

He who

was seated

on the

throne

said,

I am

making

everything

new.

One day

these words

will become

a reality

the new

creation

will be

like a

marriage

filled

with joy.

So write

these words

on your

heart.

Listen to

these words

because they

will sustain

you.

So,

picture number

one,

a marriage

filled with

joy.

But he

takes us

very quickly

to another

picture,

a city

shining

shining

with glory.

Look at

verse 9,

the middle

of verse 9.

He says,

come,

I will

show you

the bride

and the

wife of

the Lamb.

So he's

saying,

look,

come and

look at

this

marriage,

this wedding

we've been

talking about.

Verse 10,

and then he

carried me

away in the

spirit to a

mountain

great and

high and

showed me

the holy

city,

Jerusalem,

coming down

out of

heaven from

God.

So he

changes from

one image,

the image

of a

marriage,

and now

we jump

to a

city,

the place

where God

dwells with

his people.

And look

how this

city is

described

in verse

11.

It

shone

with the

glory of

God,

and its

brilliance

was like

that of a

very precious

jewel,

like

jasper,

clear as

crystal.

You go

into Cork

City this

evening,

and you'll

see the

light shining

brightly.

It's very

nice,

actually.

Go and

have a

look.

Their neon

lights are

inviting and

enticing.

They offer

the good

life,

the free

life,

the be

whoever you

want

life.

But walk

the streets

as I

did last

Friday

evening,

and in

within the

space of

a few

yards,

you'll

experience

homelessness,

addictions,

violence,

crime.

They advertise

success,

wealth,

and fame,

but in

reality,

they're filled

with fear

and hate.

Cities are

divided socially

and racially.

They're places

where terrorism

happens and

riots take

place.

But the

city of

God,

verse 11,

is shining

with the

glory of

God.

God is

present in

the city.

This is

God's city

and he is

reflecting his

glory, his

character in

all its

brilliant beauty.

Like a

precious jewel

reflecting light,

so God is

filling his

city with

the light of

his grace

and goodness

and justice

and mercy.

God's very

present means

his glory

is ruling

and shining

and being

enjoyed by

the people

of God.

But not

only that,

this is a

city where

God receives

all the

glory.

Look over

at verse

23.

verse 23.

The city

does not

need the

sun or

the moon

to shine

on it,

for the

glory of

God gives

its light

and the

lamb is

its lamp.

Just as

the sun

and moon

bring light

in the

darkness,

so God's

presence,

his glory

shatters

and dispels

the darkness.

His greatness

shines so

brightly that

the nations

are attracted

and enticed

by his

glory.

Verse 24.

The nations

will walk

by its light

and the kings

of the earth

will bring

their splendour

into it.

Nations,

the people

who have

trusted in

Christ and

followed with

Christ and

persevered with

him, will

walk into

that city.

Rather than

seeking the

fame and

honour for

themselves,

they come in

their droves to

give thanks and

praise to God

for their

salvation.

Verse 26.

The glory

and honour

of the

nations

will be

brought into

it.

There's no

war or

fight against

God here.

The people

aren't rebelling

or rejecting

God's

good rule.

Instead,

they're coming

together to

worship God

who saved

them and

kept them.

And this is

the city that

we will one

day walk

into ourselves.

Even right

now as we

have gathered

today, we

have walked

through that

door, we

have gathered

together to

worship God

just a

taste, a

tiny taste

of gathering

together from

all the

nations to

say thank

you God

for my

salvation and

thank you

for keeping

me.

It's a

city with

no more

fears.

Look at the

building plan

that we've

been given.

Sorry, this

flicker is

not.

No more

fears.

Look at

verse, go

back to

verse 12.

We've been

given all

this description

of what the

city looks

like.

Beginning of

verse 12, it

had a great

high wall.

In fact, we're

given the

measurements of

these walls.

Jump down to

verse 16.

the city was

laid out like a

square as

long as it

is wide.

He measured

the city with

the rod and

found it to

be, well it

works out about

2,200

kilometres in

length and

as wide and

as high,

walls 2,000

kilometres high,

symbolism here.

Amazing.

What's it

telling us?

Well it's

only telling us

that this city

is secure.

No harm can

come to the

people in

this city.

No danger

threatens them.

Who's going to

scale these

walls?

No more

fears.

The cities of

this world are

vulnerable,

destroyed by

the madness

of men.

Missiles and

bombs have

reduced the

cities of

this world

to rubble.

Cities

aren't safe.

But in the

new creation

we will be

secure forever.

No gangs,

no crime,

no armies

are needed.

No police

will be

required.

No more

fears.

And no

more divisions.

The city

isn't just

about walls.

It's also

full of gates.

Did you see

that?

Let's look

back at

verse 12

again.

It had a

great high

wall with

twelve gates.

Why so

many gates?

Verse 13.

There were

three gates

on the east,

three on the

north,

three on the

south,

three on the

west.

Well,

why so many?

Because God's

people from

all over the

world are going

to be there.

People are

going to come

from the

north,

the south,

the east

and the west.

People from

every tribe,

nation,

people and

language.

And they'll

all be

gathered as

one new

people.

The people

of God.

And there

will be

people from

Carigoline

Baptist

Church.

And people

who've been

reached through

polo and

through rock

and through

rooted.

And through

the friends

and contacts

that we've

had as we've

shared the

gospel and

as they have

trusted Christ,

they too

will come

streaming through

the gates.

And there'll

be no more

division

because they

are just

one people.

No racism,

no refugees,

all as

one,

all at

peace.

He who

was seated

on the

throne said,

I am

making

everything

new.

One day

these words

will become

a reality.

The new

creation will

be like a

city shining

with glory.

So listen

to these

words.

they will

keep you.

So,

a wedding

filled with

joy,

a city

shining with

glory,

and then

his picture

of a

garden

flowing

with

beauty.

He takes

us to a

beautiful

garden,

chapter 22,

a garden

that in

some ways

is reflected

of the

garden of

Eden,

but yet

so much

better.

It's a

garden

of life.

Verse 1,

then the

angel showed

me the

river of

the water

of life,

as clear

as crystal,

flowing down

from the

throne of

God and

of the

Lamb.

You see,

picture it

here,

God is

the source

of this

life,

not just

physical

life,

but life

in all

its

fullness,

flowing

down from

God,

verse 2,

down the

middle of

the great

street of

the city,

and on

each side

of the

river stood

the tree

of life.

So this

cascade

of water

from God

representing

life,

flowing in

through the

city,

giving water

to the

tree of

life,

which

itself,

the end

of verse

2,

is bearing

twelve crops

of fruit,

yielding its

fruit every

month.

It's a

garden

filled,

overflowing

with life.

We're

constantly

searching for

life.

The problem

is we

invest in

the wrong

places.

if I

had more

money,

a better

job,

then I

would have

life.

If I

had better

health and

weren't so

sick,

then I

would have

life.

If I

had the

partner that

I so

desire,

then I

would have

life.

But no,

we must

look to

the source,

to the

one,

the person

who is

life in

and of

himself,

and in

God we

are completely

filled,

and fully

satisfied.

He is

all we

need.

You see,

God is

the water

we thirst

for.

God is

the fruit

that we

long to

taste.

In the

garden,

all our

searching and

longings will

be over

because we

will have

access to

life in

all its

abundance.

But not

just a

garden of

life.

it will

be a

garden of

healing.

What's

so stunning

about this

garden?

Not just

the abundance

of life in

the fruit

tree,

but look at

the end of

verse 2.

And the

leaves of

the tree

are for

the healing

of the

nations.

Fruits

that

satisfies,

leaves

that heal,

death.

This is

what we

long for.

You see,

the garden

of this

world is

full of

disease and

decay and

death.

As

gardeners who

are tasked

with looking

after the

world,

we fail.

Rather than

helping,

we so often

end up

hurting.

And we

carry with

us not

just physical

wounds,

but emotional

scars.

Things that

hold us

back and

keep us

down.

But here

in this

garden,

at last

the nations

will be

able to

come and

we will

be healed

of all

of our

hurts,

all our

sins and

all our

scars,

will be

remembered

no more.

This

is a

garden

of

everlasting

beauty.

Marked

by the

absence

of two

things.

Did you

see what's

missing

in the

garden?

them?

No

more

curse,

verse 3.

No

longer

will there

be any

curse.

The

world is

under the

curse of

God.

Why?

Well,

because of

our

disobedience,

because of

the choices

we've

made and

well now

we live

with thorns

and thistles

all around

us.

Every step

we make

is a

sting or

a prick.

And one

day the

curse will

be lifted

and the

blessings will

flow like

a waterfall.

Disobedience

will end and

we will live

pure,

obedient lives

forever

more.

No more

failing,

no more

falling,

no more

sin.

The curse

gone and

blessing

forever.

But also,

look what

else is

missing,

verse 5.

There is

going to

be no

more

night.

No more

night.

Night means

darkness.

And

darkness as

we've seen

is the

realm where

sin and

evil rule,

but night

will be

no more.

the seductive

ways of

Satan will

be no

more.

There will

be no

more

deceiving,

no more

tempting,

no more

accusing,

no more

dragging us

down.

Instead,

we will

live in

perfect

harmony

with God

as he

called us.

And he

who is

seated on

the throne

said,

I am

making

everything

new.

And one

day these

words will

become a

reality.

The new

creation will

be like a

garden flowing

with beauty.

Listen to

these words

and they

will strengthen

you.

Isn't

this the

Christmas gift

we all so

desperately

want?

isn't

this the

Christmas

gift we

would long

for our

friends and

family to

open,

to understand

and realise?

this.

Well,

the good

news is

this

marriage of

joy,

this city

of glory,

this garden

of beauty

is assured

and guaranteed

to all.

It is

open to

all

who will

trust and

walk with

Christ

today.

Look at

verse 27,

the end

of chapter

21.

nothing

impure

will ever

enter it.

Nothing

impure will

ever be part

of that

marriage or

will enter

the city or

will enjoy

the garden.

Nor will

anyone who

does what

is shameful

or deceitful,

but only

those whose

names are

written in

the Lamb's

book of

life.

You see,

the invitation

is for all

who will

come to

Christ,

who will

make us

pure,

who will

make us

ready and

make us

right.

This is

our hope,

this is

our joy.

Listen to

his words,

I am

making

everything

new.

let's

pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Our

Father God,

how we

need for

our eyes

to be

lifted,

to see the

glory that

is to

come.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

We pray

that we

will

take

these

words.

Amen.

We pray

and ask

that you

will

impress

these

words

deep

in

our

life

so

that you

will

sustain

us,

strengthen

us and

keep

us.

That we

can know

that through

every

struggle

it is