WEBVTT 00:00:04.159 --> 00:00:06.540 You're listening to the Christ Our Cornerstone 00:00:06.540 --> 00:00:09.359 podcast, a ministry of Christ Our Cornerstone 00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:12.080 Church in O 'Neill, Nebraska. I'm Pastor Logan 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:14.160 Merrick, and it's our prayer that this message 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:16.500 strengthens your faith and draws you closer to 00:00:16.500 --> 00:00:22.140 Christ. Let's dive in. We have talked about Genesis, 00:00:22.579 --> 00:00:26.600 right, the fall, then we talked about from there 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:30.660 how Christ or how God made The first sacrifice 00:00:30.660 --> 00:00:33.560 and we begin to see all the foreshadowings And 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:37.159 then uh last week I unpacked isaiah chapter 9 00:00:37.159 --> 00:00:40.619 and what in the attributes god would be or christ 00:00:40.619 --> 00:00:47.899 would be and so now I don't want to go to the 00:00:47.899 --> 00:00:52.079 arrival of christ In the gospels because i'm 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:54.780 going to unpack that christmas eve We're actually 00:00:54.780 --> 00:00:58.060 going to fast forward to the end So if you would 00:00:58.060 --> 00:01:01.280 with me turn to Revelation chapter 21, we're 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:05.219 gonna unpack 21 and 22 and I can hear you guys 00:01:05.219 --> 00:01:08.760 already. We're gonna unpack two chapters. Pastor 00:01:08.760 --> 00:01:10.879 Logan, you can barely unpack three verses in 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:16.840 45 minutes. My wife was upset that my notes were 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:21.079 20 pages long in our printer. But I'm gonna work 00:01:21.079 --> 00:01:23.680 through it quickly, as quickly as I possibly 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:29.480 can. My big idea that I am gonna unpack here 00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:33.099 is When Christ returns he will fulfill the promises 00:01:33.099 --> 00:01:35.920 of redemption bringing his people into the fullness 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:41.319 of worth and glory in his eternal kingdom so 00:01:41.319 --> 00:01:46.599 Wednesday driving up and Micah decided to come 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:50.579 with me and as we're driving up We always have 00:01:50.579 --> 00:01:52.500 really good conversation. He's always asking 00:01:52.500 --> 00:01:55.579 me all these different questions Whether it's 00:01:55.579 --> 00:01:58.260 sports related food related, you know, whatever 00:01:58.260 --> 00:02:01.780 Well, we're having a really good discussion just 00:02:01.780 --> 00:02:06.319 having A theological discussion. It's good discussions 00:02:06.319 --> 00:02:09.080 and then I asked my guy said if you could if 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:11.900 god was here right now physically right here 00:02:11.900 --> 00:02:15.539 I said he's here. But if he was right here where 00:02:15.539 --> 00:02:19.460 you could see him What would be one question 00:02:19.460 --> 00:02:24.800 you would ask him? And without I mean, he just 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:26.560 responded. I thought he would take some time 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:31.080 to think about it, but he just, boom, he was 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:35.659 on it. He said, and I said, you can't ask, will 00:02:35.659 --> 00:02:37.319 I ever, can I have a million dollars or something 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:42.199 like that? And he said, oh, yeah, I would ask, 00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:47.740 when are you coming back? And I said, why? He's 00:02:47.740 --> 00:02:49.580 like, because don't you want to know when he's 00:02:49.580 --> 00:02:53.689 coming back? And I said, well, sure, but When 00:02:53.689 --> 00:02:55.789 I was a kid, I wanted to know when he was coming 00:02:55.789 --> 00:03:00.169 back because it scared me to death. I wanted 00:03:00.169 --> 00:03:02.810 to be able to get married, have children, right? 00:03:03.129 --> 00:03:04.930 And so you want to put off Christ's return, and 00:03:04.930 --> 00:03:06.550 then you get older and you're like, no, Jesus, 00:03:06.789 --> 00:03:10.370 come now. Like, this is hard. And he was like, 00:03:10.370 --> 00:03:11.969 I just want to know. I want to know when he's 00:03:11.969 --> 00:03:17.409 coming back. It sounds good. And I'm like, yeah. 00:03:17.650 --> 00:03:22.870 And then as I'm preparing for today, I'm like, 00:03:24.039 --> 00:03:26.219 echoing Micah's question. Lord, when are you 00:03:26.219 --> 00:03:29.879 coming? Please come. Come. Because what we're 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:35.240 going to see is some really mind -bending things 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:41.939 and just the second Eden. And so with that being 00:03:41.939 --> 00:03:45.539 said, let's go ahead and let's dive in. If you 00:03:45.539 --> 00:03:47.400 don't have a Bible, there's some in the back 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:50.520 that Lifeway provided for us as a gift. and so 00:03:50.520 --> 00:03:53.500 feel free to take one if you don't have a bible 00:03:53.500 --> 00:03:59.219 or you can read right up here and so let's go 00:03:59.219 --> 00:04:05.939 ahead and go for it revelation 21 starting in 00:04:05.939 --> 00:04:08.699 verse 1 then i saw a new heaven and new earth 00:04:08.699 --> 00:04:12.240 this is john seeing the revelation of christ 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:16.139 for the first heaven and the first earth had 00:04:16.139 --> 00:04:19.879 passed away and the sea was no more What you 00:04:19.879 --> 00:04:22.579 need to know, this isn't in my notes, but Noah 00:04:22.579 --> 00:04:24.720 actually asked me this when we were eating dinner 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:27.100 the other day, because Tracy was asking me what 00:04:27.100 --> 00:04:30.220 I was going to preach on. And he said, isn't 00:04:30.220 --> 00:04:33.819 it more of an allegory? It's not a physical thing. 00:04:34.420 --> 00:04:38.040 I said, yes, that's correct. And so just so you 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:41.839 know, the sea is a representation of the chaos 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:47.079 of life. And so are all things allegory in Revelation? 00:04:47.420 --> 00:04:49.910 No. there is going to be actually in this passage 00:04:49.910 --> 00:04:51.670 we're going to see something that is both literal 00:04:51.670 --> 00:04:55.370 and allegorical but in this moment he is saying 00:04:55.370 --> 00:04:58.709 the sea was no more the chaos because the sea 00:04:58.709 --> 00:05:03.569 in the scriptures represented not just a physical 00:05:03.569 --> 00:05:06.189 sea but it represented the just the kind of chaos 00:05:06.189 --> 00:05:09.350 of things verse two i also saw the holy city 00:05:09.350 --> 00:05:12.149 the new jerusalem coming down out of heaven from 00:05:12.149 --> 00:05:15.149 god prepared like a bride adored for her husband 00:05:16.430 --> 00:05:19.329 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne look 00:05:19.329 --> 00:05:24.069 God's dwelling is with himself Is with her sorry 00:05:24.069 --> 00:05:26.709 God's dwelling is with humanity and he will live 00:05:26.709 --> 00:05:30.949 with them They will be his peoples and God himself 00:05:30.949 --> 00:05:33.870 will be with them and will be their God. You 00:05:33.870 --> 00:05:36.470 should be highlighting that because that Points 00:05:36.470 --> 00:05:39.170 us back to Eden where we were at the first week 00:05:39.170 --> 00:05:43.430 of Advent He will wipe away every tear from their 00:05:43.430 --> 00:05:46.379 eyes death will be no more grief Crying and pain 00:05:46.379 --> 00:05:48.600 will be no more because the previous things have 00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:52.399 passed away Does that verse? What does that verse 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:55.819 do to you? Like what do you what do you feel 00:05:55.819 --> 00:06:00.699 when you read that when you hear that? Oh Anybody 00:06:00.699 --> 00:06:14.250 else Peace Comfort How about a longing And so 00:06:14.250 --> 00:06:17.509 you feel, when you read that verse, you should 00:06:17.509 --> 00:06:19.730 feel the longing of the Old Testament saints. 00:06:21.790 --> 00:06:24.389 Verse five, then the one seated on the throne 00:06:24.389 --> 00:06:27.750 said, look, I am making everything new. And he 00:06:27.750 --> 00:06:30.629 also said, right, because these words are faithful 00:06:30.629 --> 00:06:34.910 and true. Then he said to me, it is done. I am 00:06:34.910 --> 00:06:37.209 the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the 00:06:37.209 --> 00:06:41.149 end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the 00:06:41.149 --> 00:06:45.310 spring of water of life. The one who conquers 00:06:45.310 --> 00:06:48.410 will inherit these things and I will be his God 00:06:48.410 --> 00:06:53.350 and he will be my son. But the cowards, the faithless, 00:06:53.730 --> 00:06:57.370 the detestable, the murderers, the sexually immoral, 00:06:57.889 --> 00:07:01.470 sorcerers, idolaters, and liars, their share 00:07:01.470 --> 00:07:04.230 will be in the lake that burns with fire and 00:07:04.230 --> 00:07:06.670 sulfur, which is in the second death. I'm gonna 00:07:06.670 --> 00:07:11.209 pause for just a second. Last night, I saw this 00:07:11.209 --> 00:07:18.680 video that just came up and Cory Booker, the 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:24.759 senator, politician, had said, preach. And it 00:07:24.759 --> 00:07:29.660 was a video of this guy who is not even a theologian 00:07:29.660 --> 00:07:32.959 or anything. He's just some guy is being interviewed 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:37.459 on this night show type thing. And the guy says, 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:39.500 you know, what's funny to me is conservatives 00:07:39.500 --> 00:07:41.860 love to quote the Bible, but they never quote 00:07:41.860 --> 00:07:48.939 Jesus. and he said because Jesus was a progressive 00:07:48.939 --> 00:07:54.259 and Jesus is a modern -day liberal and so he 00:07:54.259 --> 00:07:57.839 goes what I find funny is they want to put the 00:07:57.839 --> 00:08:00.740 Old Testament things on buildings and in schools 00:08:00.740 --> 00:08:02.620 But they don't want to put the words of Jesus 00:08:02.620 --> 00:08:07.959 up on schools and everybody's applauding so I 00:08:07.959 --> 00:08:10.860 Said hey, I would be all for putting the words 00:08:10.860 --> 00:08:14.319 of Jesus on government buildings and in schools 00:08:14.360 --> 00:08:18.540 Let's start with, go and sin no more. Let's go 00:08:18.540 --> 00:08:21.120 with the Sermon on the Mount, all of it. And 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:24.100 then let's end it with these words right here 00:08:24.100 --> 00:08:35.840 from Jesus. People, justice is real. The love 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:40.080 of Christ is real, and you can't have love and 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:43.019 justice be separate. They are together entwined. 00:08:43.710 --> 00:08:47.669 And so, let's go through my first point. My first 00:08:47.669 --> 00:08:51.450 point is this. The promise of a new creation. 00:08:55.009 --> 00:08:58.169 So, as I told you guys, as I wrote up with Micah, 00:08:58.570 --> 00:09:02.909 he's asking that question. And he says, you know, 00:09:02.990 --> 00:09:06.230 I wanna know when Christ is coming back. And 00:09:06.230 --> 00:09:10.090 Max Locato has this quote from When Christ Comes. 00:09:10.409 --> 00:09:12.490 He says, for the Christian, the return of Christ 00:09:12.490 --> 00:09:15.090 is not a riddle to be solved or a code to be 00:09:15.090 --> 00:09:18.509 broken, but rather a day to be anticipated. And 00:09:18.509 --> 00:09:22.950 Micah was not asking for how do we know when 00:09:22.950 --> 00:09:24.830 he's going to return. He just wanted to know 00:09:24.830 --> 00:09:27.289 when he's going to. Why? Because it's the anticipation 00:09:27.289 --> 00:09:30.470 of it all. It's the desire and the longing in 00:09:30.470 --> 00:09:33.490 his heart. Even at 11 years old, he knows things 00:09:33.490 --> 00:09:36.590 aren't right. And he longs for what heaven will 00:09:36.590 --> 00:09:39.929 be like. He wrote with me as I was listening 00:09:39.929 --> 00:09:41.769 to that podcast and I'm going to share a little 00:09:41.769 --> 00:09:45.269 bit about that podcast more on near -death experiences 00:09:45.269 --> 00:09:51.450 and He was hearing how these people who have 00:09:51.450 --> 00:09:56.590 seen heaven and near -death experience Physically 00:09:56.590 --> 00:10:00.070 dead literally for four days Before they come 00:10:00.070 --> 00:10:03.490 back to life that would be dead by the way The 00:10:03.490 --> 00:10:06.539 things that they saw in heaven and the anticipation 00:10:06.539 --> 00:10:10.639 that it causes this longing in our hearts. And 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:13.580 so John opens Revelation 21 with the words that 00:10:13.580 --> 00:10:16.259 feel like the final deep breath of the entire 00:10:16.259 --> 00:10:20.200 Bible. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. 00:10:21.100 --> 00:10:24.740 This is not an escape, this is restoration. This 00:10:24.740 --> 00:10:28.100 is what we've been longing for, right? This is 00:10:28.100 --> 00:10:30.259 the promise of a new creation when everything 00:10:30.259 --> 00:10:32.879 Christ redeemed will be finally made whole. So 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:35.379 he came there was the anticipation of the old 00:10:35.379 --> 00:10:37.019 testament saints knowing that things weren't 00:10:37.019 --> 00:10:39.440 right knowing they needed a savior He came and 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:42.320 he did the thing that had to happen and now we 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:44.659 wait in a second advent. That's what this is 00:10:44.659 --> 00:10:47.519 We are in second advent where we are anticipating 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:52.019 and longing for his return Micah also asked me 00:10:52.019 --> 00:10:53.940 dad. How would we know when jesus returns and 00:10:53.940 --> 00:10:57.299 I said dude think about this It says trumpets 00:10:57.299 --> 00:10:59.700 will sound and he will break the sky everyone 00:10:59.700 --> 00:11:05.080 in the world We'll see Him. You could be like, 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:08.039 how is that possible? Well, when you think about 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:11.580 that the scriptures describe the fact that the 00:11:11.580 --> 00:11:15.200 earth is God's footstool, that's not meant to 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:21.139 be alimorical. He is that big. Well, Pastor Logan, 00:11:21.139 --> 00:11:24.080 that can't be if He can come into it. That's 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:26.440 what makes Him God. He stands outside of time. 00:11:26.580 --> 00:11:28.500 He stands outside of our reality, but He can 00:11:28.500 --> 00:11:33.919 also enter into time and His own reality. That's 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:36.019 a pretty cool guy there is no Marvel character 00:11:36.019 --> 00:11:41.500 that is that cool So this is the promise of a 00:11:41.500 --> 00:11:46.799 new creation to be made whole So we get this 00:11:46.799 --> 00:11:51.399 new new Eden that's finally realized What John 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:55.379 sees is Eden returned and perfected not a fragile 00:11:55.379 --> 00:11:58.379 garden that can be lost It's a kingdom that can 00:11:58.379 --> 00:12:02.649 never be undone This is an Eden no longer vulnerable 00:12:02.649 --> 00:12:05.190 to sin, no longer stalked by the serpent, and 00:12:05.190 --> 00:12:10.429 no longer shadowed by shame. An Eden where God 00:12:10.429 --> 00:12:13.190 does not merely visit, but He dwells. That's 00:12:13.190 --> 00:12:16.830 the part that gets me so well. That's the part 00:12:16.830 --> 00:12:21.549 that I sat in for minutes upon minutes as I soaked 00:12:21.549 --> 00:12:24.450 in that, is the thought of God would come and 00:12:24.450 --> 00:12:26.690 He would spend time with Adam and Eve and Eden, 00:12:26.730 --> 00:12:33.080 but now this will be where He fully dwells. What 00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:38.480 a concept. The ache of exile is now over, the 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:41.419 distance is gone, and the flaming sword is removed. 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:48.399 Brothers and sisters, this is home. This is what 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:53.940 you long for, all of us. So this is a worth fully 00:12:53.940 --> 00:12:56.919 known in the presence of God. It is in this new 00:12:56.919 --> 00:13:00.480 creation, worth is no longer questioned. measured 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:03.659 or defended, it is fully realized in the unbroken 00:13:03.659 --> 00:13:07.820 presence of God Himself. So what do you notice 00:13:07.820 --> 00:13:13.240 to be absent? What is absent in this new heaven 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:20.379 and new earth? You guys know it. It's right there. 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:27.379 Verse 4. What does it say? Pain. No more pain. 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:35.250 What else? No more death, no more crying, right? 00:13:35.669 --> 00:13:39.789 No more mourning, huh? No more serpent, amen 00:13:39.789 --> 00:13:45.809 to that. Amen to that. So this is not in my notes, 00:13:45.830 --> 00:13:49.389 but I can feel the natural question arising in 00:13:49.389 --> 00:13:54.210 some people. So does that mean when we go to 00:13:54.210 --> 00:13:57.429 heaven, does that mean there is no more free 00:13:57.429 --> 00:14:01.980 will? Can you still have do you still have the 00:14:01.980 --> 00:14:09.179 ability to be able to sin in heaven? Yeah See 00:14:09.179 --> 00:14:13.259 Judy was like that can't be no you do why won't 00:14:13.259 --> 00:14:18.240 you Because think about this Adam and Eve were 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:21.019 in the presence And they do they knew the presence 00:14:21.019 --> 00:14:23.039 of God they were in perfection, and they still 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:26.539 sent since so exist free will still exist So 00:14:26.539 --> 00:14:29.360 why won't you? Timothy Keller said this he said 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:32.320 because those who us who have lived this life 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:36.259 know the sting of sin and Will never want to 00:14:36.259 --> 00:14:42.779 return to that That is deep You may be thinking 00:14:42.779 --> 00:14:46.320 back nah No, it's you won't want to sin because 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:49.320 you were in now the presence of all loving all 00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:53.659 perfected God You won't want to leave it Adam 00:14:53.659 --> 00:14:55.179 and Eve didn't know what it was like to leave 00:14:55.179 --> 00:14:58.320 it We all know what it's like to not be in it. 00:14:58.659 --> 00:15:01.519 We won't wanna leave it. You ever been into a 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:04.960 place where, you ever been in a moment, let me 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:06.840 ask you that, have you ever been in a moment 00:15:06.840 --> 00:15:09.460 where you're like, I never want this to end? 00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:15.799 Vacation, five years ago, I didn't have to worry 00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:17.360 about money, I didn't have to worry about anything, 00:15:17.539 --> 00:15:21.159 my kids just, we got to be in a really nice resort, 00:15:21.259 --> 00:15:23.659 my kids, we went to Legoland, it was a lot of 00:15:23.659 --> 00:15:26.700 fun. And I was just sitting there going, like, 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:29.019 counting my pennies, making sure that we didn't 00:15:29.019 --> 00:15:33.299 overspend because we could save for it. My wife 00:15:33.299 --> 00:15:35.379 will tell you, I go back to that all the time 00:15:35.379 --> 00:15:37.120 where I'm like, if I could have that moment all 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.600 over again, just watching my kids have fun, not 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:41.480 worrying about a thing, and it was beautiful 00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:43.600 the entire time we were there, that's a moment 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:49.120 I never want to forget. That's, it pales in comparison 00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:51.580 to what heaven will be like. And I'll never want 00:15:51.580 --> 00:15:54.799 to go back to the other way. So I hope that helps 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:59.340 answer questions. So this whole idea of no death, 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:01.500 no mourning, no crying, no pain, these aren't 00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:03.860 poetic metaphors. This is real. This is permanent. 00:16:04.179 --> 00:16:07.220 This is an erasure of everything that has wounded 00:16:07.220 --> 00:16:11.100 us. This means bodies are remade without disability, 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:16.919 decay, or disease. I won't just throw my back 00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:22.679 out just from sleeping or sneezing. It's mind's 00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:26.059 free from anxiety and from shame souls no longer 00:16:26.059 --> 00:16:28.899 fractured by sin Relationships no longer guarded 00:16:28.899 --> 00:16:31.440 defensive or broken think about that for a moment, 00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:39.759 too There are times where you feel like people 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:42.480 aren't safe to share things with you can't be 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:45.120 yourself around you know what I'm talking about 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:48.700 There are certain people you just know you have 00:16:48.700 --> 00:16:55.169 to be guarded It will be no more. He can truly 00:16:55.169 --> 00:16:58.870 be who God made you to be and relationships are 00:16:58.870 --> 00:17:01.850 fully known. There's no more hiding with fig 00:17:01.850 --> 00:17:05.769 leaves. There's no more pretending. There's no 00:17:05.769 --> 00:17:08.730 more self -protection. We will finally be fully 00:17:08.730 --> 00:17:11.349 ourselves because we will finally be fully His. 00:17:13.150 --> 00:17:15.529 It's redemption fully known. Everything Christ 00:17:15.529 --> 00:17:20.140 conquered at the cross. Seth or Seth? Sin, death, 00:17:20.259 --> 00:17:22.900 shame, and separation will be fully realized 00:17:22.900 --> 00:17:26.660 at His return. Redemption is now real, but incomplete. 00:17:27.819 --> 00:17:30.619 Redemption then will be total. I'm gonna say 00:17:30.619 --> 00:17:34.259 that again. Redemption now is real. We have redemption 00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:37.119 of our sins through Christ and the cross, but 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:40.920 it is incomplete in that we are not fully realizing 00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:45.660 perfection. So redemption then will be total. 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:51.180 What we experience now in part peace, healing, 00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:54.019 joy, and freedom will be experienced then without 00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:58.240 interruption or loss. This is why Advent always 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:01.480 looks forward. This is why when we go through 00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:03.839 this time of the season, it's the longing in 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:09.460 our hearts for joy, peace, family, relationships. 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:15.240 We're longing for something greater. So we live 00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:18.420 with an eternal perspective. John reminds us 00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:21.000 that our worth is not anchored in our productivity, 00:18:22.019 --> 00:18:25.160 our health, our success, our relationships, or 00:18:25.160 --> 00:18:28.579 our circumstances. Our worth is anchored in what 00:18:28.579 --> 00:18:32.380 is coming. Where all things will be made new. 00:18:33.900 --> 00:18:38.440 Not some things, all things. Not spiritual things 00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:44.700 only, all things. So we live now with hope. We 00:18:44.700 --> 00:18:48.039 endure suffering without despair, and we grieve 00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:52.180 without losing heart. We love without fear. Because 00:18:52.180 --> 00:18:58.839 the story does not end in the dark. Church, this 00:18:58.839 --> 00:19:03.200 world is not your final address. Yet we live 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:06.900 as though it is many times. We try to get as 00:19:06.900 --> 00:19:09.839 many material things as we possibly can. We try 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:15.700 to live in such a way that we can Drink now and 00:19:15.700 --> 00:19:18.980 eat now for tomorrow we die. Like we try to think 00:19:18.980 --> 00:19:23.099 that this is all there is and it's not. You know 00:19:23.099 --> 00:19:24.799 that in your mind but you don't know that in 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:26.980 your heart and your worth is being determined 00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:30.000 here. Your worth is not being determined here, 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:34.039 it is being prepared. So the Eden that you long 00:19:34.039 --> 00:19:37.799 for, the home your soul aches for, the love you 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:43.599 were made for, it's coming. And so this is the 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:46.319 promise of the new creation. Do I have this as 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:51.519 a line up here? Yep, so that's the first line. 00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:54.319 That's this quote. Sorry, I shouldn't have done 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:57.299 that. Okay, I don't. So this is the promise of 00:19:57.299 --> 00:20:01.059 a new creation. This is the destiny of the redeemed. 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:04.400 This is when the worth Christ purchased will 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:09.180 be fully finally and forever realized. Point 00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:12.859 number two. Preparation of the New Jerusalem, 00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:19.019 let's read nine through 21. Then one of the seven 00:20:19.019 --> 00:20:22.079 angels who had held the seven bowls filled with 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:24.740 the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, 00:20:24.819 --> 00:20:28.779 come, I will show you the bride, the wife of 00:20:28.779 --> 00:20:32.640 the lamb. He then carried me away in the spirit 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:39.970 to a great high mountain. Noah, mountains. Sorry, 00:20:40.190 --> 00:20:43.910 that's a he and I inside thing. I didn't notice 00:20:43.910 --> 00:20:46.450 that until just now. And he showed me the holy 00:20:46.450 --> 00:20:50.130 city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from 00:20:50.130 --> 00:20:53.470 God, arrayed with God's glory. Her radiance was 00:20:53.470 --> 00:20:57.410 like a precious jewel, like a Jasper stone, clear 00:20:57.410 --> 00:21:01.150 as crystal. The city had a massive high wall 00:21:01.150 --> 00:21:05.650 with 12 gates, 12 angels. were at the gates. 00:21:05.869 --> 00:21:08.589 The names of the 12 tribes of Israel's sons were 00:21:08.589 --> 00:21:11.710 inscribed on the gates. There were three gates 00:21:11.710 --> 00:21:13.589 on the east, three gates on the north, three 00:21:13.589 --> 00:21:15.490 gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 00:21:16.089 --> 00:21:19.289 The city had 12 foundations and the 12 names 00:21:19.289 --> 00:21:22.329 of the 12 apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations. 00:21:24.609 --> 00:21:27.269 The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring 00:21:27.269 --> 00:21:29.950 rod to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 00:21:30.049 --> 00:21:34.019 The city is laid out in a square. Its length 00:21:34.019 --> 00:21:37.519 and its width are the same. He measured the city 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:43.799 with a rod at 12 ,000 stadia. Its length, width, 00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:46.940 and height are equal. Then he measured its wall, 00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:51.099 144 cubits, according to human measurement, which 00:21:51.099 --> 00:21:53.799 the angel used. The building material of its 00:21:53.799 --> 00:21:57.539 walls with jasper in the city was pure gold clear 00:21:57.539 --> 00:22:05.549 as glass. The foundations of the city wall were 00:22:05.549 --> 00:22:07.890 adorned with every kind of jewel. The first foundation 00:22:07.890 --> 00:22:11.329 is Jasper, the second Sapphire, and the third, 00:22:11.549 --> 00:22:14.650 Chalcedony, I don't know, I don't know. The fourth, 00:22:14.869 --> 00:22:20.190 Emerald. The fifth, Sardinox. The sixth, Carnelian. 00:22:20.369 --> 00:22:24.390 The seventh, Crystallite. The eighth, Burril. 00:22:24.849 --> 00:22:28.329 The ninth, Topaz. The 10th, Chrysoprase. The 00:22:28.329 --> 00:22:31.630 11th, Jason, I'm gonna skip down. These are a 00:22:31.630 --> 00:22:34.130 lot of words that I can't pronounce. Verse 21, 00:22:34.289 --> 00:22:36.890 the twelve gates are twelve pearls. Each individual 00:22:36.890 --> 00:22:40.029 gate was made of a single pearl. The main street 00:22:40.029 --> 00:22:43.029 of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. 00:22:43.710 --> 00:22:48.470 Brothers, sisters, I can't even comprehend that. 00:22:48.549 --> 00:22:52.430 Now, again, not in my notes, but I want to put 00:22:52.430 --> 00:22:54.769 this out there. This is the mind -bending part 00:22:54.769 --> 00:22:58.170 that I'm talking about. The question gets asked, 00:22:58.730 --> 00:23:04.200 so how can all of the people who ever lived who 00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:06.400 died and went to heaven, including those who 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:09.140 will also come after us, how are we all gonna 00:23:09.140 --> 00:23:15.519 fit in this city? So this is the mind -bending 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:19.460 part of, do you remember last week when I said 00:23:19.460 --> 00:23:23.740 imagine trying to, imagine being a two -dimensional 00:23:23.740 --> 00:23:25.640 painting, that we live in a two -dimensional 00:23:25.640 --> 00:23:28.960 painting, and we can step out of that two -dimensional 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:32.529 painting, see things in 4D, not 3D, see everything, 00:23:32.630 --> 00:23:34.609 and then try to go back into that two -dimensional 00:23:34.609 --> 00:23:39.730 painting and explain it. You don't really have 00:23:39.730 --> 00:23:44.529 words for it, so here's the thing. What we know 00:23:44.529 --> 00:23:47.430 of, this is what I was talking with my wife about, 00:23:47.529 --> 00:23:52.250 what we know of as space, and I don't mean like 00:23:52.250 --> 00:23:55.349 space up there, I mean like space from either 00:23:55.349 --> 00:23:59.160 that wall or... Does not exist in the way that 00:23:59.160 --> 00:24:01.759 we understand it now just like time does not 00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:06.140 exist Outside of where we are God exists exists 00:24:06.140 --> 00:24:08.759 outside of time. That's mind -bending on its 00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:13.039 own Space as we know it is not the same thing 00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:19.180 and so we are We will be spirit but also still 00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:22.099 have bodies because we see that with Christ and 00:24:22.099 --> 00:24:25.460 so Don't try to think of it as we live in this 00:24:25.460 --> 00:24:27.740 cube We're all going to be in this cube together, 00:24:27.859 --> 00:24:29.019 smashed together, because that's not how it's 00:24:29.019 --> 00:24:32.460 going to be. It's like trying to explain a 40 00:24:32.460 --> 00:24:38.079 image to a 2D person. So preparation of the New 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:41.759 Jerusalem. After John shows us the promise of 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:44.420 a new creation, he is then invited to look closer. 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:48.039 Come, I will show you the bride of the lamb. 00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:51.240 What John sees next is not merely a city, it 00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:54.700 is a people. The New Jerusalem is described like 00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:57.880 a bride. It reflects the worth of those Christ 00:24:57.880 --> 00:25:02.920 has redeemed. A home, not just a city. The New 00:25:02.920 --> 00:25:05.579 Jerusalem descends from heaven prepared by God 00:25:05.579 --> 00:25:09.819 himself. This is not humanity's finest architectural 00:25:09.819 --> 00:25:15.539 achievement. This is God's craftsmanship. Every 00:25:15.539 --> 00:25:21.410 measurement, every foundation, every gate, speaks 00:25:21.410 --> 00:25:26.509 of intention, it speaks of order, it speaks of 00:25:26.509 --> 00:25:31.069 permanence and beauty. This city is not temporary 00:25:31.069 --> 00:25:33.490 housing, it is an eternal dwelling place. It 00:25:33.490 --> 00:25:35.730 has to be good enough for God himself, right? 00:25:37.970 --> 00:25:39.950 Where we live now is provisional, but where we're 00:25:39.950 --> 00:25:44.150 going is permanent. It is secure and it's unshakable. 00:25:44.690 --> 00:25:47.109 John describes these massive walls, these 12 00:25:47.109 --> 00:25:50.049 gates, these 12 foundations. Names of the tribes 00:25:50.049 --> 00:25:52.250 of Israel are written on the gates. Names of 00:25:52.250 --> 00:25:54.089 the apostles are written on the foundations. 00:25:54.210 --> 00:25:57.710 This isn't random symbolism. It is God declaring, 00:25:57.950 --> 00:26:01.089 you are known, you are remembered, and you belong. 00:26:03.009 --> 00:26:06.549 The city is built on covenant faithfulness. Old 00:26:06.549 --> 00:26:09.109 Testament promises fulfilled. New Testament redemption 00:26:09.109 --> 00:26:13.630 completed. Nothing here can be invaded. Nothing 00:26:13.630 --> 00:26:18.700 here can decay. Nothing here can be lost. For 00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:21.839 a people who have lived in fear instability persecution 00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:30.759 and exile. This is profound comfort It's beauty 00:26:30.759 --> 00:26:36.220 reflecting worth It's the city shines with gold 00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:38.420 like clear glass adorned with precious stones 00:26:38.420 --> 00:26:42.259 Jasper and sapphire and emeralds and amethyst 00:26:42.259 --> 00:26:46.440 The imagery is overwhelming on purpose God is 00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:48.940 not embarrassed by beauty He is the author of 00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:54.500 it. And this beauty does not exist to impress. 00:26:54.680 --> 00:26:58.299 It exists to reflect worth. God just loves beautiful 00:26:58.299 --> 00:27:04.400 things. He loves to create. So the New Jerusalem 00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:06.319 is beautiful because the bride is beautiful. 00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:10.119 He looks upon us and says, we are worth it as 00:27:10.119 --> 00:27:12.759 his bride. And so he creates and builds the most 00:27:12.759 --> 00:27:16.440 majestically beautiful home he could ever think 00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:23.930 of. I wanted so badly, when Tracy and I first 00:27:23.930 --> 00:27:26.230 got married, I wanted so badly to own a home. 00:27:27.130 --> 00:27:29.450 We were dirt poor as you guys, I've told you 00:27:29.450 --> 00:27:31.829 guys many times. So we could never afford a home. 00:27:32.190 --> 00:27:34.990 And then it got to the place where we thought 00:27:34.990 --> 00:27:36.490 we would never actually own a home. We would 00:27:36.490 --> 00:27:40.289 always be renters. And then when God blessed 00:27:40.289 --> 00:27:45.170 us, the story of our home goes like this. I was 00:27:45.170 --> 00:27:48.130 at, in this little rental house when we first 00:27:48.130 --> 00:27:50.589 moved to Lincoln, we lived in the party area 00:27:50.589 --> 00:27:53.430 of Lincoln for all the college students. And 00:27:53.430 --> 00:27:57.430 so we were constantly surrounded by partying, 00:27:57.529 --> 00:28:02.390 drinking, and overnight throwing up, which is 00:28:02.390 --> 00:28:06.609 a story for another time. But Tracy was out with 00:28:06.609 --> 00:28:08.029 friends, the kids had already gone to bed, and 00:28:08.029 --> 00:28:10.069 I was just laying there. And I remember longing 00:28:10.069 --> 00:28:12.230 for a home to put my family in because we all 00:28:12.230 --> 00:28:16.089 couldn't fit in this town. And I felt the Lord 00:28:16.089 --> 00:28:23.130 say to me, I want you to share and write down 00:28:23.130 --> 00:28:28.329 exactly what you want in a home. And so I'm like, 00:28:29.670 --> 00:28:31.309 I'm like, I don't care what the home looks like. 00:28:31.329 --> 00:28:34.269 I always want it to be nice. But my wife has 00:28:34.269 --> 00:28:36.109 specific things she's looking for. So I began 00:28:36.109 --> 00:28:38.730 to write down and just ask God, Lord, can we 00:28:38.730 --> 00:28:42.549 have, my wife really wants an old craftsman house. 00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:45.380 but still in good shape that we don't have to 00:28:45.380 --> 00:28:49.299 remodel the whole function. A two -car garage 00:28:49.299 --> 00:28:55.839 and a basement that is finished and hardwood 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:59.240 floors throughout and just all this stuff. And 00:28:59.240 --> 00:29:03.099 one of the things that broke my wife's heart 00:29:03.099 --> 00:29:08.720 when we moved from the acreage that we had is 00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:11.640 we had just planted apple trees and peach trees. 00:29:12.140 --> 00:29:14.599 and we have planted one for each one of our kids. 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:18.900 And so they'd only been planted for six months 00:29:18.900 --> 00:29:20.960 and we were moving and she was like heartbroken 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:22.579 over this because she was like, we'll never get 00:29:22.579 --> 00:29:24.819 to see these trees, but sure, that we had planted 00:29:24.819 --> 00:29:28.579 for our children. And so I say all these things, 00:29:28.579 --> 00:29:31.180 I don't even tell Tracy, well, I kid you not, 00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:33.880 about a couple of days later, we get a call from 00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:35.220 our realtor, she's like, there's this house, 00:29:35.299 --> 00:29:37.720 we've got to move quick, if we can get it, it's 00:29:37.720 --> 00:29:42.430 about to come on market. As soon as we arrive, 00:29:43.029 --> 00:29:45.690 we pull up, and my wife was also like, I want 00:29:45.690 --> 00:29:48.829 these large trees, which I was just telling Mike 00:29:48.829 --> 00:29:51.730 and Kenya about those trees. She's like, I want 00:29:51.730 --> 00:29:53.829 mature trees that surround the house, whatever, 00:29:54.170 --> 00:29:57.369 large lot. And when we pull up, my wife says, 00:29:57.789 --> 00:30:02.750 this is it. And our realtor opens the door to 00:30:02.750 --> 00:30:06.349 us, and she's crying, because she's like, this 00:30:06.349 --> 00:30:10.230 is everything you've asked. My wife just, we're 00:30:10.230 --> 00:30:11.390 walking through the house. She's like, this is 00:30:11.390 --> 00:30:15.109 it, this is it, this is it. And then there's 00:30:15.109 --> 00:30:18.990 a note that says, there's a tree in our backyard 00:30:18.990 --> 00:30:21.470 in the very center. And it was a young peach 00:30:21.470 --> 00:30:25.630 tree. I was not in my notes to ask the Lord for. 00:30:26.329 --> 00:30:28.630 And then on the other side of our fence is a 00:30:28.630 --> 00:30:32.029 blackberry bush. And my wife just begins to weep 00:30:32.029 --> 00:30:33.990 because she's like, God does not forget anything. 00:30:35.109 --> 00:30:39.640 She's like, and so. We come into our house, my 00:30:39.640 --> 00:30:41.640 kids will tell you, when we pray at night together 00:30:41.640 --> 00:30:44.400 as a family, we always talk about, we've lived 00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:46.940 there nine years and it's still new to us every 00:30:46.940 --> 00:30:49.500 time because it's just a thankfulness of what 00:30:49.500 --> 00:30:52.480 we never thought we could have. And so when I 00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:54.480 read this and I think about what God is preparing, 00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:58.279 because I was like, Lord, this house is better 00:30:58.279 --> 00:31:00.039 than what we could have imagined that you would 00:31:00.039 --> 00:31:03.859 have given us to Stuart and he's building something 00:31:03.859 --> 00:31:07.599 astronomically better. brothers and sisters, 00:31:08.019 --> 00:31:11.220 because you and I were worth dying for and worth 00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:18.880 making a home for. So, the New Jerusalem is beautiful 00:31:18.880 --> 00:31:20.559 because the bride is beautiful and the bride 00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:23.079 is beautiful because she was washed by the blood 00:31:23.079 --> 00:31:27.279 of the Lamb. This is not earned worth, it's bestowed 00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:30.440 worth. It was prepared by the Lamb. Notice that 00:31:30.440 --> 00:31:33.319 John does not say, the city is built on our good 00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:35.980 works, the city is furnished by our faithfulness, 00:31:36.140 --> 00:31:38.819 and the city is complete by our endurance. No, 00:31:38.859 --> 00:31:41.700 it is prepared by God, secured by Christ, and 00:31:41.700 --> 00:31:46.400 sealed by the Lamb. Jesus told his disciples, 00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:49.519 I go to prepare a place for you. That promise 00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:51.819 is not forgotten, it is now being fulfilled even 00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:55.269 now. It's hope for the struggling saint. This 00:31:55.269 --> 00:31:57.670 means that when life feels unstable, chaotic, 00:31:57.809 --> 00:32:01.150 and fragile, your true home is secured. Remember, 00:32:01.769 --> 00:32:04.069 the sea is done away with, the place of chaos 00:32:04.069 --> 00:32:06.150 is done away with, and when you feel unseen, 00:32:06.309 --> 00:32:09.349 your name is already written. When your worth 00:32:09.349 --> 00:32:12.569 feels questioned, your eternal dwelling is radiant 00:32:12.569 --> 00:32:17.430 with glory. The New Jerusalem stands as God's 00:32:17.430 --> 00:32:20.269 declaration, you are not forgotten, you're not 00:32:20.269 --> 00:32:24.130 disposable, and you're not temporary. You're 00:32:24.130 --> 00:32:27.390 being prepared for a place prepared for you. 00:32:27.930 --> 00:32:33.269 Every detail, everything thought about. And so 00:32:33.269 --> 00:32:36.109 church, Advent reminds us that we are a people 00:32:36.109 --> 00:32:41.309 in between. We are a people in tension. We are 00:32:41.309 --> 00:32:43.730 in the already and the not yet. We live in that 00:32:43.730 --> 00:32:48.589 tension daily. We're in the saved but the not 00:32:48.589 --> 00:32:50.569 yet home. We are in the redeemed but the not 00:32:50.569 --> 00:32:54.349 yet restored. But take heart. Every tear, every 00:32:54.349 --> 00:32:57.089 struggle, every moment of faithfulness is moving 00:32:57.089 --> 00:32:59.970 towards something solid, secure, and glorious. 00:33:01.210 --> 00:33:03.509 So brothers and sisters, hear this, your home 00:33:03.509 --> 00:33:07.289 is being prepared, your worth is being revealed, 00:33:07.349 --> 00:33:16.690 and the lamb himself will bring you there. Point 00:33:16.690 --> 00:33:22.000 number three, presence of eternal light. So let's 00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:26.440 read 22 through 27 if you would. I did not see 00:33:26.440 --> 00:33:30.980 a temple in it that's crucial because the Lord 00:33:30.980 --> 00:33:34.599 God, the Almighty and the Lamb. What does it 00:33:34.599 --> 00:33:39.200 say? Or it's temple. Why doesn't it need a temple? 00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:41.960 Because the temple is the dwelling place of God, 00:33:42.160 --> 00:33:46.269 right? And they're already there. So the city 00:33:46.269 --> 00:33:49.009 does not need the sun or the moon to shine on 00:33:49.009 --> 00:33:51.730 it because the glory of God what does it say? 00:33:52.730 --> 00:33:56.250 He illuminates it it is the lamp the lamp is 00:33:56.250 --> 00:34:00.269 the lamb The nations will walk by its light and 00:34:00.269 --> 00:34:02.630 the kings of the earth will bring their glory 00:34:02.630 --> 00:34:06.470 into it That means they're gonna be casting their 00:34:06.470 --> 00:34:11.860 authority at his feet its gates will never close 00:34:11.860 --> 00:34:15.079 by day because it will never be night there. 00:34:16.699 --> 00:34:19.659 Man, I don't know what reading this does for 00:34:19.659 --> 00:34:21.699 you guys, but it gets my heart going pitter -pattern 00:34:21.699 --> 00:34:24.880 and gives me chills. Its gates will never close 00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:26.820 by day because it will never be night there. 00:34:27.639 --> 00:34:30.539 They will bring the glory and honor of the nations 00:34:30.539 --> 00:34:34.019 into it. Nothing unclean will ever enter it, 00:34:34.099 --> 00:34:37.119 nor anyone who does what is detestable or false. 00:34:37.550 --> 00:34:40.409 but only those written in the Lamb's Book of 00:34:40.409 --> 00:34:46.570 Life. The glory and the honor of the nations, 00:34:46.829 --> 00:34:51.110 by the way, Deuteronomy 32, can't go into all 00:34:51.110 --> 00:34:55.110 of it, but I want this to land for you. Deuteronomy 00:34:55.110 --> 00:34:58.750 32 is the giving away of the nations. It is God 00:34:58.750 --> 00:35:01.849 to those that rebel. God says, hey, I'm going 00:35:01.849 --> 00:35:06.510 to give these rebellious people, I'm going to 00:35:06.510 --> 00:35:09.099 give these rebellious divine council members, 00:35:09.260 --> 00:35:12.320 these angelic beings, I'm gonna give you different 00:35:12.320 --> 00:35:16.000 regions. But you see that little old man and 00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:19.239 that little old lady down there? That tiny piece 00:35:19.239 --> 00:35:21.900 of land? They're gonna be mine and I'm gonna 00:35:21.900 --> 00:35:26.039 create a large people group from it and a people 00:35:26.039 --> 00:35:29.239 that will be mine. And through him, I will redeem 00:35:29.239 --> 00:35:32.920 all nations. So when Christ died, he got back 00:35:32.920 --> 00:35:35.860 the authority of the nations, but then the authority, 00:35:36.250 --> 00:35:40.309 and the glory that those wicked nations are under 00:35:40.309 --> 00:35:44.530 now become redeemed and all of the glory of what 00:35:44.530 --> 00:35:46.989 was theirs is now God's. Does that make sense? 00:35:47.630 --> 00:35:53.170 That's a powerful thought. So, the presence of 00:35:53.170 --> 00:35:56.090 eternal light. John looks for something he expects 00:35:56.090 --> 00:35:59.050 to find. a temple he's searching right that's 00:35:59.050 --> 00:36:01.389 all we know we gather in a church we gather in 00:36:01.389 --> 00:36:03.610 a temple we want to gather with the people of 00:36:03.610 --> 00:36:05.750 god we want to gather with the people of god 00:36:05.750 --> 00:36:08.510 worshiping god together because the presence 00:36:08.510 --> 00:36:11.809 of god but he goes there isn't one there's no 00:36:11.809 --> 00:36:16.369 temple this isn't a loss this is fulfillment 00:36:16.369 --> 00:36:20.989 there's no temple because nothing separates the 00:36:20.989 --> 00:36:24.650 temple what's meant as access but access at a 00:36:24.650 --> 00:36:27.780 distance How does the Old Testament describe 00:36:27.780 --> 00:36:31.380 the temple? We have veils, right? We have courts, 00:36:31.639 --> 00:36:34.260 we have priests, and we have blood. In the New 00:36:34.260 --> 00:36:37.619 Jerusalem, there is no need for mediation. We 00:36:37.619 --> 00:36:41.480 actually don't need mediation now. Hello Catholic 00:36:41.480 --> 00:36:46.260 Church. We go straight to Him, but now also we 00:36:46.260 --> 00:36:50.159 will now go straight into His presence. God is 00:36:50.159 --> 00:36:53.760 not behind a curtain like the Wizard of Oz. He's 00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:56.900 not localized. He's not approached carefully. 00:36:56.900 --> 00:37:01.340 He is present. What sin once shattered, Christ 00:37:01.340 --> 00:37:03.599 has fully restored. The dwelling place of God 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:08.420 is with man and nothing stands in between. It's 00:37:08.420 --> 00:37:11.280 a light without a source because God is the source. 00:37:12.940 --> 00:37:17.599 There's no shadows, no night, no hiding. What 00:37:17.599 --> 00:37:20.840 do we talk about in Genesis? Why do you think 00:37:20.840 --> 00:37:25.769 that he talks about the light? because we went 00:37:25.769 --> 00:37:30.429 into the shadows. This is not just illumination. 00:37:30.590 --> 00:37:34.349 It is exposure without fear. The same light that 00:37:34.349 --> 00:37:37.190 once revealed guilt now reveals glory. The same 00:37:37.190 --> 00:37:40.469 presence that once would have undone us now completes 00:37:40.469 --> 00:37:44.150 us because we are in Christ. There's nothing 00:37:44.150 --> 00:37:47.710 hidden, nothing threatening. The gates are never 00:37:47.710 --> 00:37:51.769 shut. There is no night to unlock out danger. 00:37:52.289 --> 00:37:55.409 or to lock out danger. There's nothing unclean 00:37:55.409 --> 00:38:00.530 enters, nothing false survives. All that remains 00:38:00.530 --> 00:38:05.030 is what has been redeemed. This is safety without 00:38:05.030 --> 00:38:10.110 suspicion, rest without vigilance. And so what 00:38:10.110 --> 00:38:13.190 this means now for us, if this is where we are 00:38:13.190 --> 00:38:15.309 headed, then fear does not need to get the final 00:38:15.309 --> 00:38:17.670 word. You do not need to live your life in fear, 00:38:18.650 --> 00:38:22.420 but live your life in expectation. Darkness does 00:38:22.420 --> 00:38:24.780 not define you and neither does shame. It should 00:38:24.780 --> 00:38:27.659 not own you. We are a people moving forward, 00:38:27.920 --> 00:38:31.239 unfiltered, in the unfiltered presence, full 00:38:31.239 --> 00:38:35.159 of light and with lasting peace. Our worth is 00:38:35.159 --> 00:38:38.000 no longer measured by what we hide, but by the 00:38:38.000 --> 00:38:40.179 one who brings us fully into the light and keeps 00:38:40.179 --> 00:38:43.900 us there. So do you see why Paul continuously 00:38:43.900 --> 00:38:47.679 preaches on, and John says it in 1 John about, 00:38:48.840 --> 00:38:53.159 About love casting out all fear right and John 00:38:53.159 --> 00:38:55.820 and Paul talks about what love is and what is 00:38:55.820 --> 00:38:58.539 the manifestation of love and fear is not present 00:38:58.539 --> 00:39:03.400 in it Do you see why here in Revelation why that 00:39:03.400 --> 00:39:07.260 why that manifests that way? Because we here 00:39:07.260 --> 00:39:10.460 do not need to walk in a sense of fear and destruction 00:39:10.460 --> 00:39:13.239 Because we know where we're headed. We know the 00:39:13.239 --> 00:39:15.800 roadmap and we know what lays before us. That's 00:39:15.800 --> 00:39:21.179 why so many in acts We're literally going, please, 00:39:21.199 --> 00:39:24.400 take my life. Let me die a martyr. I'm ready 00:39:24.400 --> 00:39:26.820 to go to the other side. Because death isn't 00:39:26.820 --> 00:39:34.179 final. It's merely a crossing over. So he gives 00:39:34.179 --> 00:39:35.940 us the summary of an image. He says, there's 00:39:35.940 --> 00:39:38.119 no temple, there's no shadows, there's no night. 00:39:38.219 --> 00:39:41.099 There's only God, only light, and only life. 00:39:41.920 --> 00:39:44.920 And in his presence, our worth is finally and 00:39:44.920 --> 00:39:49.469 fully realized. And so do you see the link between 00:39:49.469 --> 00:39:54.670 Genesis and Revelation? The theologian T. Desmond 00:39:54.670 --> 00:39:57.510 Alexander said this. This should be right up 00:39:57.510 --> 00:40:00.429 here for you. The very strong links between Genesis 00:40:00.429 --> 00:40:03.690 1 and 3 and Revelations 20 through 22 suggest 00:40:03.690 --> 00:40:06.849 that these passages frame the entire biblical 00:40:06.849 --> 00:40:14.030 metastory. Point number four. There's only five 00:40:14.030 --> 00:40:18.559 points. Provision from the throne. Let's read 00:40:18.559 --> 00:40:23.380 22, one through five together. Then he showed 00:40:23.380 --> 00:40:27.179 me the river of the water of life clear as crystal 00:40:27.179 --> 00:40:31.460 flowing from the throne of God and the lamb down 00:40:31.460 --> 00:40:35.139 the middle of the city's main street. The tree 00:40:35.139 --> 00:40:38.159 of life was on each side of the river bearing 00:40:38.159 --> 00:40:41.019 12 kinds of fruit producing its fruits every 00:40:41.019 --> 00:40:45.019 month. The leaves of the tree are for healing 00:40:45.019 --> 00:40:48.219 the nations. and there will no longer be any 00:40:48.219 --> 00:40:50.800 curse. The throne of God and the lamb will be 00:40:50.800 --> 00:40:53.480 in the city and his servants will worship him. 00:40:53.960 --> 00:40:57.380 They will see his face and his name will be on 00:40:57.380 --> 00:41:01.599 their foreheads. Night will be no more. People 00:41:01.599 --> 00:41:04.480 will not need the lamp of a light or the light 00:41:04.480 --> 00:41:07.739 of the sun because the Lord God will be given 00:41:07.739 --> 00:41:11.079 the light, will give them the light and they 00:41:11.079 --> 00:41:14.980 will reign forever and ever. So, I've got some 00:41:14.980 --> 00:41:20.340 fun things to kind of share with you. So, John 00:41:20.340 --> 00:41:23.340 has shown the center of everything. This idea 00:41:23.340 --> 00:41:28.500 of a river, I said earlier that the sea is allegorical 00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:30.980 for chaos. The river is actually literal and 00:41:30.980 --> 00:41:34.039 allegorical. What does a river typically, unless 00:41:34.039 --> 00:41:37.420 you're going down River Rapids, what do you, 00:41:37.440 --> 00:41:39.260 if you're gonna go down a river, you just float, 00:41:39.579 --> 00:41:43.280 right? You too. I mean, even here in Nebraska, 00:41:43.380 --> 00:41:46.659 people get in those big metal things and they 00:41:46.659 --> 00:41:49.579 float down it for a time of just ease and fun, 00:41:49.860 --> 00:41:55.860 right? Rivers represent the calm and peace, but 00:41:55.860 --> 00:41:59.980 it's also literal. If you'll remember, there 00:41:59.980 --> 00:42:04.519 was a river in Eden. There's actually three rivers 00:42:04.519 --> 00:42:07.489 in Eden, but there's one in particular. and it 00:42:07.489 --> 00:42:09.590 flowed out of Eden and into everything else, 00:42:09.590 --> 00:42:12.269 and it made everything else alive outside of 00:42:12.269 --> 00:42:19.269 Eden. So, what John is saying is this, that river 00:42:19.269 --> 00:42:22.489 isn't just an allegory, it is a real thing and 00:42:22.489 --> 00:42:28.710 it flows from God. And so, it's not a battlefield, 00:42:29.829 --> 00:42:31.730 it's not a throne of judgment, it's a river, 00:42:31.829 --> 00:42:35.190 a river that flows from the throne. Life does 00:42:35.190 --> 00:42:39.320 not trickle in heaven. It flows and it flows 00:42:39.320 --> 00:42:42.880 from the throne. The same place from which authority 00:42:42.880 --> 00:42:45.239 comes is the place from which provision comes. 00:42:45.699 --> 00:42:49.199 Power and care are not separated in God. The 00:42:49.199 --> 00:42:53.159 river is not earned, not fetched, not rationed. 00:42:53.159 --> 00:42:56.300 It is given freely, continuously, and eternally. 00:42:56.340 --> 00:42:59.000 So here's something I want to tell you. I don't 00:42:59.000 --> 00:43:01.500 want you guys to hear me going, hey, every story 00:43:01.500 --> 00:43:05.539 you have read in that imagined in heaven book 00:43:05.539 --> 00:43:08.920 is real or whatever. It could be completely made 00:43:08.920 --> 00:43:11.219 up, but I will tell you that John Burke, the 00:43:11.219 --> 00:43:14.679 theologian and pastor who wrote it, he's done 00:43:14.679 --> 00:43:21.699 a lot of looking and gatekeeping. And so for 00:43:21.699 --> 00:43:24.239 the stories that are in there, but everything 00:43:24.239 --> 00:43:28.239 that they tell, you can find in the scriptures. 00:43:28.380 --> 00:43:31.480 And there's one story in particular where a young 00:43:31.480 --> 00:43:34.840 lady, Who had grown up in the church her grandmother 00:43:34.840 --> 00:43:38.280 had passed away and this one woman she had passed 00:43:38.280 --> 00:43:43.480 away not a believer But when she passed away 00:43:43.480 --> 00:43:45.380 when I say she passed away like she was she was 00:43:45.380 --> 00:43:50.960 dead for some time and her grandmother visits 00:43:50.960 --> 00:43:56.699 her in heaven and she goes into heaven and She's 00:43:56.699 --> 00:44:01.920 the grandmother takes her to this river that 00:44:01.920 --> 00:44:05.800 is flowing from this amazing city that she can 00:44:05.800 --> 00:44:10.559 see off in the distance. And she's watching as 00:44:10.559 --> 00:44:16.739 people pass through this river. And the woman 00:44:16.739 --> 00:44:19.940 says to her grandmother, what is this and why 00:44:19.940 --> 00:44:21.300 are people passing through the river? She says, 00:44:21.360 --> 00:44:22.820 it's the river of life. And she's like, what 00:44:22.820 --> 00:44:24.900 do you mean? She's like, you know, the grandmother 00:44:24.900 --> 00:44:26.619 says, you know about the river of life. And she 00:44:26.619 --> 00:44:28.139 goes, I don't know what you're talking about. 00:44:28.800 --> 00:44:32.260 And she says, well. It's the river that we pass 00:44:32.260 --> 00:44:36.019 through. And so for any, it's like a cleansing, 00:44:36.599 --> 00:44:40.519 but it flows from the Father himself. And I was, 00:44:40.860 --> 00:44:44.360 and as I was listening to John tell the story, 00:44:44.719 --> 00:44:48.320 again, whether real or not, my biggest thing 00:44:48.320 --> 00:44:50.519 was is my imagination took off and I'm going, 00:44:51.460 --> 00:44:55.880 we're gonna be tubing in heaven. I'm joking, 00:44:56.280 --> 00:45:02.030 but maybe not. But the thought of a river that 00:45:02.030 --> 00:45:05.530 flows from God and waters all of the earth the 00:45:05.530 --> 00:45:09.409 new earth What an incredible picture are you 00:45:09.409 --> 00:45:12.489 guys picking it up or is it just like my uh? 00:45:12.489 --> 00:45:15.590 Crazy imagination like I and in this talk about 00:45:15.590 --> 00:45:18.250 the leaves. What are we seeing there? We're seeing 00:45:18.250 --> 00:45:26.250 Eden It is being remade It is new So healing 00:45:26.250 --> 00:45:32.000 here is not emergency care its wholeness So what 00:45:32.000 --> 00:45:36.300 once a cherubim blocked with a flaming sword 00:45:36.300 --> 00:45:41.739 To keep humanity out now the tree is open accessible 00:45:41.739 --> 00:45:46.059 and generous There's no relapse. There's no decay 00:45:46.059 --> 00:45:50.400 No return of the curse the curse is gone Because 00:45:50.400 --> 00:45:52.679 it says no longer will there be anything the 00:45:52.679 --> 00:45:55.769 cursed? This is the final word. There's no more 00:45:55.769 --> 00:45:58.429 futility, no more striving against brokenness, 00:45:58.489 --> 00:46:01.590 no more exhaustion for trying to survive a fallen 00:46:01.590 --> 00:46:05.289 world. The work of redemption is not only complete, 00:46:05.449 --> 00:46:09.849 it is fully enjoyed. Its face is lifted and names 00:46:09.849 --> 00:46:13.409 restored. It says, they will see his face and 00:46:13.409 --> 00:46:16.110 his name will be on their foreheads. This is 00:46:16.110 --> 00:46:20.519 an identity fulfilled by the way. This is your 00:46:20.519 --> 00:46:23.159 inheritance. This is you being called son and 00:46:23.159 --> 00:46:28.500 daughter and being known by name So we are marks 00:46:28.500 --> 00:46:32.880 not by shame any longer but by belonging It's 00:46:32.880 --> 00:46:34.960 a light that never fades because there's no need 00:46:34.960 --> 00:46:38.280 for a lamp and no Sun Because the Lord himself 00:46:38.280 --> 00:46:40.360 as we've already talked about is our light and 00:46:40.360 --> 00:46:42.679 the reign of God's people is not anxious rule 00:46:42.679 --> 00:46:45.980 But joyful participation because it goes on forever 00:46:47.139 --> 00:46:49.980 And so what this means for us now is this if 00:46:49.980 --> 00:46:52.019 this is the end of the story then nothing you 00:46:52.019 --> 00:46:56.380 are walking through now is wasted. Yes Everything 00:46:56.380 --> 00:46:59.280 you're going through now every part of suffering 00:46:59.280 --> 00:47:02.440 every anxious feeling every death you have walked 00:47:02.440 --> 00:47:06.780 through everything everything is meant for the 00:47:06.780 --> 00:47:12.159 good of God and Nothing will be wasted Your strength 00:47:12.159 --> 00:47:15.559 may not may fail here, but the river does not 00:47:16.690 --> 00:47:19.570 Your healing may feel incomplete, but the leaves 00:47:19.570 --> 00:47:23.010 are already growing. Your worth may feel fragile 00:47:23.010 --> 00:47:26.469 now, but it is rooted in a throne that cannot 00:47:26.469 --> 00:47:30.090 be shaken. So it's a throne that gives life, 00:47:30.250 --> 00:47:32.849 a river that never dries, a tree that always 00:47:32.849 --> 00:47:35.809 heals. This is not survival, this is provision 00:47:35.809 --> 00:47:39.389 and it flows. And it flows from the lamb who 00:47:39.389 --> 00:47:41.949 was slain and now reigns forever. This is my 00:47:41.949 --> 00:47:46.380 last point. Promise of Christ's return. Let's 00:47:46.380 --> 00:47:50.420 look at six through 21 together Then he said 00:47:50.420 --> 00:47:56.079 to me these words are faithful and true The Lord 00:47:56.079 --> 00:47:58.500 the God of the spirits of the prophets has sent 00:47:58.500 --> 00:48:01.280 his angel to show his servants what must soon 00:48:01.280 --> 00:48:06.460 take place Look I am coming soon Blessed is the 00:48:06.460 --> 00:48:08.679 one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this 00:48:08.679 --> 00:48:11.980 book I John and the one who heard and saw these 00:48:11.980 --> 00:48:15.039 things and when I heard and saw them Felt fell 00:48:15.039 --> 00:48:17.900 down to worship at the feet of the angel who 00:48:17.900 --> 00:48:21.679 had shown them to me But he said to me don't 00:48:21.679 --> 00:48:24.699 do that I am a fellow servant with you your brothers 00:48:24.699 --> 00:48:27.159 the prophets and those who keep the words of 00:48:27.159 --> 00:48:31.159 this book Worship God so this angelic being John 00:48:31.159 --> 00:48:34.780 goes to worship him and the angelic being goes. 00:48:34.840 --> 00:48:40.679 No, I ain't the one worship God So you can see 00:48:40.679 --> 00:48:45.360 how this angelic being Has a choice as we already 00:48:45.360 --> 00:48:47.820 know if he's going to serve God or not and in 00:48:47.820 --> 00:48:50.579 this moment This is what the rebels in Genesis 00:48:50.579 --> 00:48:55.400 would have longed for the worship of man and 00:48:55.400 --> 00:48:59.260 He's like no, I'm reflecting the one First ten 00:48:59.260 --> 00:49:01.900 then he said to me don't don't seal up the words 00:49:01.900 --> 00:49:04.519 of the prophecy of this book Because the time 00:49:04.519 --> 00:49:09.059 is near Let the unrighteous go in unrighteousness 00:49:09.059 --> 00:49:11.599 let the filthy still be filthy let the righteous 00:49:11.599 --> 00:49:14.320 go on in righteousness and let the holy still 00:49:14.320 --> 00:49:16.699 be holy how can let me ask you this brothers 00:49:16.699 --> 00:49:19.059 and sisters before we finish this out how can 00:49:19.059 --> 00:49:26.059 How can the time be near? How can the the coming 00:49:26.059 --> 00:49:29.300 of Christ be soon if this was given 2 ,000 years 00:49:29.300 --> 00:49:43.179 ago? What do you think Anybody have a clue? I'm 00:49:43.179 --> 00:49:45.900 gonna say this. What does Peter say that time 00:49:45.900 --> 00:49:51.800 is like to God? It's one day is like a thousand 00:49:51.800 --> 00:49:56.519 years, right? Is that is that literal? No, it's 00:49:56.519 --> 00:49:59.679 Time does not exist and so for them they're going 00:49:59.679 --> 00:50:02.960 the time is soon like the he's gonna start breaking 00:50:02.960 --> 00:50:07.960 the seals and for all we know I'm totally Don't 00:50:07.960 --> 00:50:10.280 quote me on this and go, well, my pastor said, 00:50:11.239 --> 00:50:13.679 because you won't find it in here. This is just 00:50:13.679 --> 00:50:18.340 me trying to make sense of. I think that there 00:50:18.340 --> 00:50:21.699 is a possibility that they kind of see through 00:50:21.699 --> 00:50:25.579 a window, if you will, and they see all of time 00:50:25.579 --> 00:50:30.980 happening at once. Does that make sense? So like 00:50:30.980 --> 00:50:34.039 the beginning, the end, and all things in between, 00:50:34.039 --> 00:50:36.619 I think they can see all of those things. They 00:50:36.619 --> 00:50:39.739 don't control them like God does, but being outside 00:50:39.739 --> 00:50:42.400 of time, I'm going, there's got to be something 00:50:42.400 --> 00:50:44.539 there. They know, they don't know the exact time, 00:50:44.539 --> 00:50:47.460 but they know that the time is coming. So, but 00:50:47.460 --> 00:50:49.179 time doesn't exist. So that's up, but they know 00:50:49.179 --> 00:50:54.019 like, it's going to be any time. And so verse 00:50:54.019 --> 00:50:57.980 12, look, I am coming soon to my reward is with 00:50:57.980 --> 00:51:00.639 me to repay each person according to his work. 00:51:00.860 --> 00:51:03.599 I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the 00:51:03.599 --> 00:51:06.190 last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are 00:51:06.190 --> 00:51:09.550 those who wash their roads so that they may have 00:51:09.550 --> 00:51:12.929 the right up to the tree of life and may enter 00:51:12.929 --> 00:51:15.969 the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs, 00:51:16.090 --> 00:51:18.469 the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, 00:51:18.530 --> 00:51:21.570 the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices 00:51:21.570 --> 00:51:24.130 falsehood. We quote Jesus there, too, and put 00:51:24.130 --> 00:51:27.489 that on political buildings and schools. I, Jesus, 00:51:27.570 --> 00:51:30.210 have sent my angel to attest these things to 00:51:30.210 --> 00:51:35.170 you for the church. I am the root. and the descendant 00:51:35.170 --> 00:51:39.190 of David, the bright morning star, both the spirit 00:51:39.190 --> 00:51:42.829 and the bride say, come, let anyone who hears 00:51:42.829 --> 00:51:46.510 say, come, let the one who is thirsty come, let 00:51:46.510 --> 00:51:49.809 the one who desires take the water of life freely. 00:51:50.710 --> 00:51:53.710 I testify to everyone who hears the words of 00:51:53.710 --> 00:51:56.969 the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to 00:51:56.969 --> 00:51:59.710 them, God will add to him the plagues that are 00:51:59.710 --> 00:52:02.610 written in this book. And if anyone takes away 00:52:02.610 --> 00:52:05.349 from the words of the book of his prophecy, God 00:52:05.349 --> 00:52:07.550 will take away his share of the tree of life 00:52:07.550 --> 00:52:11.650 and the holy city, which are written about in 00:52:11.650 --> 00:52:14.610 this book. He who testifies about these things 00:52:14.610 --> 00:52:19.090 says, yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come Lord 00:52:19.090 --> 00:52:22.409 Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone. 00:52:22.449 --> 00:52:29.239 Amen. Let's wrap this up. The promise of Christ's 00:52:29.239 --> 00:52:31.880 return. As the vision comes to a close, the tone 00:52:31.880 --> 00:52:35.900 changes, imagery fades, the explanations stop, 00:52:35.980 --> 00:52:38.980 and a voice speaks again and again, behold, I 00:52:38.980 --> 00:52:43.960 am coming soon. Soon means certain. Soon is not 00:52:43.960 --> 00:52:46.239 a date on a calendar, it is a declaration of 00:52:46.239 --> 00:52:50.619 certainty. The same Christ who came humbly, who 00:52:50.619 --> 00:52:54.000 lived faithfully, and who died willingly, and 00:52:54.000 --> 00:52:59.360 who rose bodily is coming again. This is not 00:52:59.360 --> 00:53:02.920 poetic hope, this is promised reality. The word 00:53:02.920 --> 00:53:06.360 that holds until he comes. The final words of 00:53:06.360 --> 00:53:09.380 scripture do not call us to speculate, but to 00:53:09.380 --> 00:53:13.159 remain. To keep our robes clean, to endure, and 00:53:13.159 --> 00:53:15.820 to stay awake. Not because our worth is fragile, 00:53:15.900 --> 00:53:18.519 but because it is secure. We are not preparing 00:53:18.519 --> 00:53:21.460 to earn a place, we are preparing because we 00:53:21.460 --> 00:53:25.159 already belong to it. This is an open invitation, 00:53:26.019 --> 00:53:30.119 but it's a closing door as well. The invitation 00:53:30.119 --> 00:53:33.480 is still open now. Grace is still offered now. 00:53:33.920 --> 00:53:36.699 Mercy is still available now. The water is still 00:53:36.699 --> 00:53:40.539 free now. But the book ends with urgency because 00:53:40.539 --> 00:53:44.400 time does not stretch on forever. So if you are 00:53:44.400 --> 00:53:48.500 here this morning and you want a piece of this, 00:53:49.159 --> 00:53:53.239 you want the inheritance of this. The thing that 00:53:53.239 --> 00:53:55.619 my heart longs for and hopefully your heart longs 00:53:55.619 --> 00:53:58.940 for, the time is coming and the time is now for 00:53:58.940 --> 00:54:02.360 you to say yes. The time is now for you to answer 00:54:02.360 --> 00:54:07.000 the invitation. There will be a moment when faith 00:54:07.000 --> 00:54:10.639 becomes sight and preparation gives away to presence. 00:54:11.980 --> 00:54:14.559 So what this means now is if Christ is coming, 00:54:14.719 --> 00:54:18.119 then holiness matters. Then faithfulness matters, 00:54:18.239 --> 00:54:21.920 then endurance matters. Not as fear -driven obedience, 00:54:21.920 --> 00:54:24.900 but as hope -filled waiting. We live as people 00:54:24.900 --> 00:54:28.539 who know the ending. It's the final word. The 00:54:28.539 --> 00:54:31.219 Bible does not end with fear. It ends with a 00:54:31.219 --> 00:54:37.659 prayer. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. This is longing. 00:54:39.460 --> 00:54:42.019 And so the soul at once questioned, that once 00:54:42.019 --> 00:54:45.039 questioned its worth now waits confidently because 00:54:45.039 --> 00:54:48.079 the one who gave it worth has promised to return. 00:54:49.539 --> 00:54:54.880 And so, you are not disposable, you are not homeless, 00:54:55.579 --> 00:54:57.280 you are not hidden, and you are not forgotten, 00:54:57.340 --> 00:55:01.199 and you are not temporary. Your worth was given 00:55:01.199 --> 00:55:05.340 at the cross, revealed in the resurrection, and 00:55:05.340 --> 00:55:09.860 will be fully realized when he returns. My brothers 00:55:09.860 --> 00:55:17.079 and my sisters in this room, the book of Revelation 00:55:17.079 --> 00:55:23.639 isn't about fear. It's not about the Antichrist. 00:55:24.739 --> 00:55:29.659 He's merely a pawn in the story. Revelation is 00:55:29.659 --> 00:55:33.860 meant to bring anticipation, not dread. It's 00:55:33.860 --> 00:55:38.000 meant to make you excited, not fearful. The book 00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:40.340 of Revelation is about Christ and the city he 00:55:40.340 --> 00:55:44.960 is preparing. And it should draw out the anticipation 00:55:44.960 --> 00:55:47.800 that the Old Testament saints had for Christ's 00:55:47.800 --> 00:55:52.039 return. should be the same way every single moment 00:55:52.039 --> 00:55:55.739 that your heart beats may you be praying come 00:55:55.739 --> 00:55:59.519 lord jesus come every time you see brokenness 00:55:59.519 --> 00:56:02.519 in front of you that you cannot fix it should 00:56:02.519 --> 00:56:08.139 make you go come lord jesus come when you see 00:56:08.139 --> 00:56:11.679 those hiding in the shadows of shame and guilt 00:56:11.679 --> 00:56:16.360 may you say come lord jesus come and call them 00:56:16.360 --> 00:56:22.409 out This is a time to no longer wait around. 00:56:22.650 --> 00:56:26.289 Live faithfully, live wholly, live expectantly. 00:56:27.849 --> 00:56:30.050 And if you've not made a decision to follow Christ, 00:56:30.150 --> 00:56:34.230 I'm telling you right now is the time. Let's 00:56:34.230 --> 00:56:39.210 don't play games. Because though we wait longingly, 00:56:39.210 --> 00:56:41.949 you don't know what waits for you on the streets 00:56:41.949 --> 00:56:46.090 when you go home. You don't know that your heart 00:56:46.090 --> 00:56:51.070 will stop beating. in the next 30 seconds. And 00:56:51.070 --> 00:56:54.710 so you either have, you either partake in that 00:56:54.710 --> 00:56:59.030 inheritance or you don't. But that decision lies 00:56:59.030 --> 00:57:02.210 with you. So if you would, bow your heads.