You're listening to the Christ Our Cornerstone
podcast, a ministry of Christ Our Cornerstone
Church in O 'Neill, Nebraska. I'm Pastor Logan
Merrick, and it's our prayer that this message
strengthens your faith and draws you closer to
Christ. Let's dive in. We have talked about Genesis,
right, the fall, then we talked about from there
how Christ or how God made The first sacrifice
and we begin to see all the foreshadowings And
then uh last week I unpacked isaiah chapter 9
and what in the attributes god would be or christ
would be and so now I don't want to go to the
arrival of christ In the gospels because i'm
going to unpack that christmas eve We're actually
going to fast forward to the end So if you would
with me turn to Revelation chapter 21, we're
gonna unpack 21 and 22 and I can hear you guys
already. We're gonna unpack two chapters. Pastor
Logan, you can barely unpack three verses in
45 minutes. My wife was upset that my notes were
20 pages long in our printer. But I'm gonna work
through it quickly, as quickly as I possibly
can. My big idea that I am gonna unpack here
is When Christ returns he will fulfill the promises
of redemption bringing his people into the fullness
of worth and glory in his eternal kingdom so
Wednesday driving up and Micah decided to come
with me and as we're driving up We always have
really good conversation. He's always asking
me all these different questions Whether it's
sports related food related, you know, whatever
Well, we're having a really good discussion just
having A theological discussion. It's good discussions
and then I asked my guy said if you could if
god was here right now physically right here
I said he's here. But if he was right here where
you could see him What would be one question
you would ask him? And without I mean, he just
responded. I thought he would take some time
to think about it, but he just, boom, he was
on it. He said, and I said, you can't ask, will
I ever, can I have a million dollars or something
like that? And he said, oh, yeah, I would ask,
when are you coming back? And I said, why? He's
like, because don't you want to know when he's
coming back? And I said, well, sure, but When
I was a kid, I wanted to know when he was coming
back because it scared me to death. I wanted
to be able to get married, have children, right?
And so you want to put off Christ's return, and
then you get older and you're like, no, Jesus,
come now. Like, this is hard. And he was like,
I just want to know. I want to know when he's
coming back. It sounds good. And I'm like, yeah.
And then as I'm preparing for today, I'm like,
echoing Micah's question. Lord, when are you
coming? Please come. Come. Because what we're
going to see is some really mind -bending things
and just the second Eden. And so with that being
said, let's go ahead and let's dive in. If you
don't have a Bible, there's some in the back
that Lifeway provided for us as a gift. and so
feel free to take one if you don't have a bible
or you can read right up here and so let's go
ahead and go for it revelation 21 starting in
verse 1 then i saw a new heaven and new earth
this is john seeing the revelation of christ
for the first heaven and the first earth had
passed away and the sea was no more What you
need to know, this isn't in my notes, but Noah
actually asked me this when we were eating dinner
the other day, because Tracy was asking me what
I was going to preach on. And he said, isn't
it more of an allegory? It's not a physical thing.
I said, yes, that's correct. And so just so you
know, the sea is a representation of the chaos
of life. And so are all things allegory in Revelation?
No. there is going to be actually in this passage
we're going to see something that is both literal
and allegorical but in this moment he is saying
the sea was no more the chaos because the sea
in the scriptures represented not just a physical
sea but it represented the just the kind of chaos
of things verse two i also saw the holy city
the new jerusalem coming down out of heaven from
god prepared like a bride adored for her husband
Then I heard a loud voice from the throne look
God's dwelling is with himself Is with her sorry
God's dwelling is with humanity and he will live
with them They will be his peoples and God himself
will be with them and will be their God. You
should be highlighting that because that Points
us back to Eden where we were at the first week
of Advent He will wipe away every tear from their
eyes death will be no more grief Crying and pain
will be no more because the previous things have
passed away Does that verse? What does that verse
do to you? Like what do you what do you feel
when you read that when you hear that? Oh Anybody
else Peace Comfort How about a longing And so
you feel, when you read that verse, you should
feel the longing of the Old Testament saints.
Verse five, then the one seated on the throne
said, look, I am making everything new. And he
also said, right, because these words are faithful
and true. Then he said to me, it is done. I am
the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the
end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the
spring of water of life. The one who conquers
will inherit these things and I will be his God
and he will be my son. But the cowards, the faithless,
the detestable, the murderers, the sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and liars, their share
will be in the lake that burns with fire and
sulfur, which is in the second death. I'm gonna
pause for just a second. Last night, I saw this
video that just came up and Cory Booker, the
senator, politician, had said, preach. And it
was a video of this guy who is not even a theologian
or anything. He's just some guy is being interviewed
on this night show type thing. And the guy says,
you know, what's funny to me is conservatives
love to quote the Bible, but they never quote
Jesus. and he said because Jesus was a progressive
and Jesus is a modern -day liberal and so he
goes what I find funny is they want to put the
Old Testament things on buildings and in schools
But they don't want to put the words of Jesus
up on schools and everybody's applauding so I
Said hey, I would be all for putting the words
of Jesus on government buildings and in schools
Let's start with, go and sin no more. Let's go
with the Sermon on the Mount, all of it. And
then let's end it with these words right here
from Jesus. People, justice is real. The love
of Christ is real, and you can't have love and
justice be separate. They are together entwined.
And so, let's go through my first point. My first
point is this. The promise of a new creation.
So, as I told you guys, as I wrote up with Micah,
he's asking that question. And he says, you know,
I wanna know when Christ is coming back. And
Max Locato has this quote from When Christ Comes.
He says, for the Christian, the return of Christ
is not a riddle to be solved or a code to be
broken, but rather a day to be anticipated. And
Micah was not asking for how do we know when
he's going to return. He just wanted to know
when he's going to. Why? Because it's the anticipation
of it all. It's the desire and the longing in
his heart. Even at 11 years old, he knows things
aren't right. And he longs for what heaven will
be like. He wrote with me as I was listening
to that podcast and I'm going to share a little
bit about that podcast more on near -death experiences
and He was hearing how these people who have
seen heaven and near -death experience Physically
dead literally for four days Before they come
back to life that would be dead by the way The
things that they saw in heaven and the anticipation
that it causes this longing in our hearts. And
so John opens Revelation 21 with the words that
feel like the final deep breath of the entire
Bible. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.
This is not an escape, this is restoration. This
is what we've been longing for, right? This is
the promise of a new creation when everything
Christ redeemed will be finally made whole. So
he came there was the anticipation of the old
testament saints knowing that things weren't
right knowing they needed a savior He came and
he did the thing that had to happen and now we
wait in a second advent. That's what this is
We are in second advent where we are anticipating
and longing for his return Micah also asked me
dad. How would we know when jesus returns and
I said dude think about this It says trumpets
will sound and he will break the sky everyone
in the world We'll see Him. You could be like,
how is that possible? Well, when you think about
that the scriptures describe the fact that the
earth is God's footstool, that's not meant to
be alimorical. He is that big. Well, Pastor Logan,
that can't be if He can come into it. That's
what makes Him God. He stands outside of time.
He stands outside of our reality, but He can
also enter into time and His own reality. That's
a pretty cool guy there is no Marvel character
that is that cool So this is the promise of a
new creation to be made whole So we get this
new new Eden that's finally realized What John
sees is Eden returned and perfected not a fragile
garden that can be lost It's a kingdom that can
never be undone This is an Eden no longer vulnerable
to sin, no longer stalked by the serpent, and
no longer shadowed by shame. An Eden where God
does not merely visit, but He dwells. That's
the part that gets me so well. That's the part
that I sat in for minutes upon minutes as I soaked
in that, is the thought of God would come and
He would spend time with Adam and Eve and Eden,
but now this will be where He fully dwells. What
a concept. The ache of exile is now over, the
distance is gone, and the flaming sword is removed.
Brothers and sisters, this is home. This is what
you long for, all of us. So this is a worth fully
known in the presence of God. It is in this new
creation, worth is no longer questioned. measured
or defended, it is fully realized in the unbroken
presence of God Himself. So what do you notice
to be absent? What is absent in this new heaven
and new earth? You guys know it. It's right there.
Verse 4. What does it say? Pain. No more pain.
What else? No more death, no more crying, right?
No more mourning, huh? No more serpent, amen
to that. Amen to that. So this is not in my notes,
but I can feel the natural question arising in
some people. So does that mean when we go to
heaven, does that mean there is no more free
will? Can you still have do you still have the
ability to be able to sin in heaven? Yeah See
Judy was like that can't be no you do why won't
you Because think about this Adam and Eve were
in the presence And they do they knew the presence
of God they were in perfection, and they still
sent since so exist free will still exist So
why won't you? Timothy Keller said this he said
because those who us who have lived this life
know the sting of sin and Will never want to
return to that That is deep You may be thinking
back nah No, it's you won't want to sin because
you were in now the presence of all loving all
perfected God You won't want to leave it Adam
and Eve didn't know what it was like to leave
it We all know what it's like to not be in it.
We won't wanna leave it. You ever been into a
place where, you ever been in a moment, let me
ask you that, have you ever been in a moment
where you're like, I never want this to end?
Vacation, five years ago, I didn't have to worry
about money, I didn't have to worry about anything,
my kids just, we got to be in a really nice resort,
my kids, we went to Legoland, it was a lot of
fun. And I was just sitting there going, like,
counting my pennies, making sure that we didn't
overspend because we could save for it. My wife
will tell you, I go back to that all the time
where I'm like, if I could have that moment all
over again, just watching my kids have fun, not
worrying about a thing, and it was beautiful
the entire time we were there, that's a moment
I never want to forget. That's, it pales in comparison
to what heaven will be like. And I'll never want
to go back to the other way. So I hope that helps
answer questions. So this whole idea of no death,
no mourning, no crying, no pain, these aren't
poetic metaphors. This is real. This is permanent.
This is an erasure of everything that has wounded
us. This means bodies are remade without disability,
decay, or disease. I won't just throw my back
out just from sleeping or sneezing. It's mind's
free from anxiety and from shame souls no longer
fractured by sin Relationships no longer guarded
defensive or broken think about that for a moment,
too There are times where you feel like people
aren't safe to share things with you can't be
yourself around you know what I'm talking about
There are certain people you just know you have
to be guarded It will be no more. He can truly
be who God made you to be and relationships are
fully known. There's no more hiding with fig
leaves. There's no more pretending. There's no
more self -protection. We will finally be fully
ourselves because we will finally be fully His.
It's redemption fully known. Everything Christ
conquered at the cross. Seth or Seth? Sin, death,
shame, and separation will be fully realized
at His return. Redemption is now real, but incomplete.
Redemption then will be total. I'm gonna say
that again. Redemption now is real. We have redemption
of our sins through Christ and the cross, but
it is incomplete in that we are not fully realizing
perfection. So redemption then will be total.
What we experience now in part peace, healing,
joy, and freedom will be experienced then without
interruption or loss. This is why Advent always
looks forward. This is why when we go through
this time of the season, it's the longing in
our hearts for joy, peace, family, relationships.
We're longing for something greater. So we live
with an eternal perspective. John reminds us
that our worth is not anchored in our productivity,
our health, our success, our relationships, or
our circumstances. Our worth is anchored in what
is coming. Where all things will be made new.
Not some things, all things. Not spiritual things
only, all things. So we live now with hope. We
endure suffering without despair, and we grieve
without losing heart. We love without fear. Because
the story does not end in the dark. Church, this
world is not your final address. Yet we live
as though it is many times. We try to get as
many material things as we possibly can. We try
to live in such a way that we can Drink now and
eat now for tomorrow we die. Like we try to think
that this is all there is and it's not. You know
that in your mind but you don't know that in
your heart and your worth is being determined
here. Your worth is not being determined here,
it is being prepared. So the Eden that you long
for, the home your soul aches for, the love you
were made for, it's coming. And so this is the
promise of the new creation. Do I have this as
a line up here? Yep, so that's the first line.
That's this quote. Sorry, I shouldn't have done
that. Okay, I don't. So this is the promise of
a new creation. This is the destiny of the redeemed.
This is when the worth Christ purchased will
be fully finally and forever realized. Point
number two. Preparation of the New Jerusalem,
let's read nine through 21. Then one of the seven
angels who had held the seven bowls filled with
the seven last plagues came and spoke with me,
come, I will show you the bride, the wife of
the lamb. He then carried me away in the spirit
to a great high mountain. Noah, mountains. Sorry,
that's a he and I inside thing. I didn't notice
that until just now. And he showed me the holy
city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, arrayed with God's glory. Her radiance was
like a precious jewel, like a Jasper stone, clear
as crystal. The city had a massive high wall
with 12 gates, 12 angels. were at the gates.
The names of the 12 tribes of Israel's sons were
inscribed on the gates. There were three gates
on the east, three gates on the north, three
gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
The city had 12 foundations and the 12 names
of the 12 apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations.
The one who spoke with me had a golden measuring
rod to measure the city, its gates and its walls.
The city is laid out in a square. Its length
and its width are the same. He measured the city
with a rod at 12 ,000 stadia. Its length, width,
and height are equal. Then he measured its wall,
144 cubits, according to human measurement, which
the angel used. The building material of its
walls with jasper in the city was pure gold clear
as glass. The foundations of the city wall were
adorned with every kind of jewel. The first foundation
is Jasper, the second Sapphire, and the third,
Chalcedony, I don't know, I don't know. The fourth,
Emerald. The fifth, Sardinox. The sixth, Carnelian.
The seventh, Crystallite. The eighth, Burril.
The ninth, Topaz. The 10th, Chrysoprase. The
11th, Jason, I'm gonna skip down. These are a
lot of words that I can't pronounce. Verse 21,
the twelve gates are twelve pearls. Each individual
gate was made of a single pearl. The main street
of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.
Brothers, sisters, I can't even comprehend that.
Now, again, not in my notes, but I want to put
this out there. This is the mind -bending part
that I'm talking about. The question gets asked,
so how can all of the people who ever lived who
died and went to heaven, including those who
will also come after us, how are we all gonna
fit in this city? So this is the mind -bending
part of, do you remember last week when I said
imagine trying to, imagine being a two -dimensional
painting, that we live in a two -dimensional
painting, and we can step out of that two -dimensional
painting, see things in 4D, not 3D, see everything,
and then try to go back into that two -dimensional
painting and explain it. You don't really have
words for it, so here's the thing. What we know
of, this is what I was talking with my wife about,
what we know of as space, and I don't mean like
space up there, I mean like space from either
that wall or... Does not exist in the way that
we understand it now just like time does not
exist Outside of where we are God exists exists
outside of time. That's mind -bending on its
own Space as we know it is not the same thing
and so we are We will be spirit but also still
have bodies because we see that with Christ and
so Don't try to think of it as we live in this
cube We're all going to be in this cube together,
smashed together, because that's not how it's
going to be. It's like trying to explain a 40
image to a 2D person. So preparation of the New
Jerusalem. After John shows us the promise of
a new creation, he is then invited to look closer.
Come, I will show you the bride of the lamb.
What John sees next is not merely a city, it
is a people. The New Jerusalem is described like
a bride. It reflects the worth of those Christ
has redeemed. A home, not just a city. The New
Jerusalem descends from heaven prepared by God
himself. This is not humanity's finest architectural
achievement. This is God's craftsmanship. Every
measurement, every foundation, every gate, speaks
of intention, it speaks of order, it speaks of
permanence and beauty. This city is not temporary
housing, it is an eternal dwelling place. It
has to be good enough for God himself, right?
Where we live now is provisional, but where we're
going is permanent. It is secure and it's unshakable.
John describes these massive walls, these 12
gates, these 12 foundations. Names of the tribes
of Israel are written on the gates. Names of
the apostles are written on the foundations.
This isn't random symbolism. It is God declaring,
you are known, you are remembered, and you belong.
The city is built on covenant faithfulness. Old
Testament promises fulfilled. New Testament redemption
completed. Nothing here can be invaded. Nothing
here can decay. Nothing here can be lost. For
a people who have lived in fear instability persecution
and exile. This is profound comfort It's beauty
reflecting worth It's the city shines with gold
like clear glass adorned with precious stones
Jasper and sapphire and emeralds and amethyst
The imagery is overwhelming on purpose God is
not embarrassed by beauty He is the author of
it. And this beauty does not exist to impress.
It exists to reflect worth. God just loves beautiful
things. He loves to create. So the New Jerusalem
is beautiful because the bride is beautiful.
He looks upon us and says, we are worth it as
his bride. And so he creates and builds the most
majestically beautiful home he could ever think
of. I wanted so badly, when Tracy and I first
got married, I wanted so badly to own a home.
We were dirt poor as you guys, I've told you
guys many times. So we could never afford a home.
And then it got to the place where we thought
we would never actually own a home. We would
always be renters. And then when God blessed
us, the story of our home goes like this. I was
at, in this little rental house when we first
moved to Lincoln, we lived in the party area
of Lincoln for all the college students. And
so we were constantly surrounded by partying,
drinking, and overnight throwing up, which is
a story for another time. But Tracy was out with
friends, the kids had already gone to bed, and
I was just laying there. And I remember longing
for a home to put my family in because we all
couldn't fit in this town. And I felt the Lord
say to me, I want you to share and write down
exactly what you want in a home. And so I'm like,
I'm like, I don't care what the home looks like.
I always want it to be nice. But my wife has
specific things she's looking for. So I began
to write down and just ask God, Lord, can we
have, my wife really wants an old craftsman house.
but still in good shape that we don't have to
remodel the whole function. A two -car garage
and a basement that is finished and hardwood
floors throughout and just all this stuff. And
one of the things that broke my wife's heart
when we moved from the acreage that we had is
we had just planted apple trees and peach trees.
and we have planted one for each one of our kids.
And so they'd only been planted for six months
and we were moving and she was like heartbroken
over this because she was like, we'll never get
to see these trees, but sure, that we had planted
for our children. And so I say all these things,
I don't even tell Tracy, well, I kid you not,
about a couple of days later, we get a call from
our realtor, she's like, there's this house,
we've got to move quick, if we can get it, it's
about to come on market. As soon as we arrive,
we pull up, and my wife was also like, I want
these large trees, which I was just telling Mike
and Kenya about those trees. She's like, I want
mature trees that surround the house, whatever,
large lot. And when we pull up, my wife says,
this is it. And our realtor opens the door to
us, and she's crying, because she's like, this
is everything you've asked. My wife just, we're
walking through the house. She's like, this is
it, this is it, this is it. And then there's
a note that says, there's a tree in our backyard
in the very center. And it was a young peach
tree. I was not in my notes to ask the Lord for.
And then on the other side of our fence is a
blackberry bush. And my wife just begins to weep
because she's like, God does not forget anything.
She's like, and so. We come into our house, my
kids will tell you, when we pray at night together
as a family, we always talk about, we've lived
there nine years and it's still new to us every
time because it's just a thankfulness of what
we never thought we could have. And so when I
read this and I think about what God is preparing,
because I was like, Lord, this house is better
than what we could have imagined that you would
have given us to Stuart and he's building something
astronomically better. brothers and sisters,
because you and I were worth dying for and worth
making a home for. So, the New Jerusalem is beautiful
because the bride is beautiful and the bride
is beautiful because she was washed by the blood
of the Lamb. This is not earned worth, it's bestowed
worth. It was prepared by the Lamb. Notice that
John does not say, the city is built on our good
works, the city is furnished by our faithfulness,
and the city is complete by our endurance. No,
it is prepared by God, secured by Christ, and
sealed by the Lamb. Jesus told his disciples,
I go to prepare a place for you. That promise
is not forgotten, it is now being fulfilled even
now. It's hope for the struggling saint. This
means that when life feels unstable, chaotic,
and fragile, your true home is secured. Remember,
the sea is done away with, the place of chaos
is done away with, and when you feel unseen,
your name is already written. When your worth
feels questioned, your eternal dwelling is radiant
with glory. The New Jerusalem stands as God's
declaration, you are not forgotten, you're not
disposable, and you're not temporary. You're
being prepared for a place prepared for you.
Every detail, everything thought about. And so
church, Advent reminds us that we are a people
in between. We are a people in tension. We are
in the already and the not yet. We live in that
tension daily. We're in the saved but the not
yet home. We are in the redeemed but the not
yet restored. But take heart. Every tear, every
struggle, every moment of faithfulness is moving
towards something solid, secure, and glorious.
So brothers and sisters, hear this, your home
is being prepared, your worth is being revealed,
and the lamb himself will bring you there. Point
number three, presence of eternal light. So let's
read 22 through 27 if you would. I did not see
a temple in it that's crucial because the Lord
God, the Almighty and the Lamb. What does it
say? Or it's temple. Why doesn't it need a temple?
Because the temple is the dwelling place of God,
right? And they're already there. So the city
does not need the sun or the moon to shine on
it because the glory of God what does it say?
He illuminates it it is the lamp the lamp is
the lamb The nations will walk by its light and
the kings of the earth will bring their glory
into it That means they're gonna be casting their
authority at his feet its gates will never close
by day because it will never be night there.
Man, I don't know what reading this does for
you guys, but it gets my heart going pitter -pattern
and gives me chills. Its gates will never close
by day because it will never be night there.
They will bring the glory and honor of the nations
into it. Nothing unclean will ever enter it,
nor anyone who does what is detestable or false.
but only those written in the Lamb's Book of
Life. The glory and the honor of the nations,
by the way, Deuteronomy 32, can't go into all
of it, but I want this to land for you. Deuteronomy
32 is the giving away of the nations. It is God
to those that rebel. God says, hey, I'm going
to give these rebellious people, I'm going to
give these rebellious divine council members,
these angelic beings, I'm gonna give you different
regions. But you see that little old man and
that little old lady down there? That tiny piece
of land? They're gonna be mine and I'm gonna
create a large people group from it and a people
that will be mine. And through him, I will redeem
all nations. So when Christ died, he got back
the authority of the nations, but then the authority,
and the glory that those wicked nations are under
now become redeemed and all of the glory of what
was theirs is now God's. Does that make sense?
That's a powerful thought. So, the presence of
eternal light. John looks for something he expects
to find. a temple he's searching right that's
all we know we gather in a church we gather in
a temple we want to gather with the people of
god we want to gather with the people of god
worshiping god together because the presence
of god but he goes there isn't one there's no
temple this isn't a loss this is fulfillment
there's no temple because nothing separates the
temple what's meant as access but access at a
distance How does the Old Testament describe
the temple? We have veils, right? We have courts,
we have priests, and we have blood. In the New
Jerusalem, there is no need for mediation. We
actually don't need mediation now. Hello Catholic
Church. We go straight to Him, but now also we
will now go straight into His presence. God is
not behind a curtain like the Wizard of Oz. He's
not localized. He's not approached carefully.
He is present. What sin once shattered, Christ
has fully restored. The dwelling place of God
is with man and nothing stands in between. It's
a light without a source because God is the source.
There's no shadows, no night, no hiding. What
do we talk about in Genesis? Why do you think
that he talks about the light? because we went
into the shadows. This is not just illumination.
It is exposure without fear. The same light that
once revealed guilt now reveals glory. The same
presence that once would have undone us now completes
us because we are in Christ. There's nothing
hidden, nothing threatening. The gates are never
shut. There is no night to unlock out danger.
or to lock out danger. There's nothing unclean
enters, nothing false survives. All that remains
is what has been redeemed. This is safety without
suspicion, rest without vigilance. And so what
this means now for us, if this is where we are
headed, then fear does not need to get the final
word. You do not need to live your life in fear,
but live your life in expectation. Darkness does
not define you and neither does shame. It should
not own you. We are a people moving forward,
unfiltered, in the unfiltered presence, full
of light and with lasting peace. Our worth is
no longer measured by what we hide, but by the
one who brings us fully into the light and keeps
us there. So do you see why Paul continuously
preaches on, and John says it in 1 John about,
About love casting out all fear right and John
and Paul talks about what love is and what is
the manifestation of love and fear is not present
in it Do you see why here in Revelation why that
why that manifests that way? Because we here
do not need to walk in a sense of fear and destruction
Because we know where we're headed. We know the
roadmap and we know what lays before us. That's
why so many in acts We're literally going, please,
take my life. Let me die a martyr. I'm ready
to go to the other side. Because death isn't
final. It's merely a crossing over. So he gives
us the summary of an image. He says, there's
no temple, there's no shadows, there's no night.
There's only God, only light, and only life.
And in his presence, our worth is finally and
fully realized. And so do you see the link between
Genesis and Revelation? The theologian T. Desmond
Alexander said this. This should be right up
here for you. The very strong links between Genesis
1 and 3 and Revelations 20 through 22 suggest
that these passages frame the entire biblical
metastory. Point number four. There's only five
points. Provision from the throne. Let's read
22, one through five together. Then he showed
me the river of the water of life clear as crystal
flowing from the throne of God and the lamb down
the middle of the city's main street. The tree
of life was on each side of the river bearing
12 kinds of fruit producing its fruits every
month. The leaves of the tree are for healing
the nations. and there will no longer be any
curse. The throne of God and the lamb will be
in the city and his servants will worship him.
They will see his face and his name will be on
their foreheads. Night will be no more. People
will not need the lamp of a light or the light
of the sun because the Lord God will be given
the light, will give them the light and they
will reign forever and ever. So, I've got some
fun things to kind of share with you. So, John
has shown the center of everything. This idea
of a river, I said earlier that the sea is allegorical
for chaos. The river is actually literal and
allegorical. What does a river typically, unless
you're going down River Rapids, what do you,
if you're gonna go down a river, you just float,
right? You too. I mean, even here in Nebraska,
people get in those big metal things and they
float down it for a time of just ease and fun,
right? Rivers represent the calm and peace, but
it's also literal. If you'll remember, there
was a river in Eden. There's actually three rivers
in Eden, but there's one in particular. and it
flowed out of Eden and into everything else,
and it made everything else alive outside of
Eden. So, what John is saying is this, that river
isn't just an allegory, it is a real thing and
it flows from God. And so, it's not a battlefield,
it's not a throne of judgment, it's a river,
a river that flows from the throne. Life does
not trickle in heaven. It flows and it flows
from the throne. The same place from which authority
comes is the place from which provision comes.
Power and care are not separated in God. The
river is not earned, not fetched, not rationed.
It is given freely, continuously, and eternally.
So here's something I want to tell you. I don't
want you guys to hear me going, hey, every story
you have read in that imagined in heaven book
is real or whatever. It could be completely made
up, but I will tell you that John Burke, the
theologian and pastor who wrote it, he's done
a lot of looking and gatekeeping. And so for
the stories that are in there, but everything
that they tell, you can find in the scriptures.
And there's one story in particular where a young
lady, Who had grown up in the church her grandmother
had passed away and this one woman she had passed
away not a believer But when she passed away
when I say she passed away like she was she was
dead for some time and her grandmother visits
her in heaven and she goes into heaven and She's
the grandmother takes her to this river that
is flowing from this amazing city that she can
see off in the distance. And she's watching as
people pass through this river. And the woman
says to her grandmother, what is this and why
are people passing through the river? She says,
it's the river of life. And she's like, what
do you mean? She's like, you know, the grandmother
says, you know about the river of life. And she
goes, I don't know what you're talking about.
And she says, well. It's the river that we pass
through. And so for any, it's like a cleansing,
but it flows from the Father himself. And I was,
and as I was listening to John tell the story,
again, whether real or not, my biggest thing
was is my imagination took off and I'm going,
we're gonna be tubing in heaven. I'm joking,
but maybe not. But the thought of a river that
flows from God and waters all of the earth the
new earth What an incredible picture are you
guys picking it up or is it just like my uh?
Crazy imagination like I and in this talk about
the leaves. What are we seeing there? We're seeing
Eden It is being remade It is new So healing
here is not emergency care its wholeness So what
once a cherubim blocked with a flaming sword
To keep humanity out now the tree is open accessible
and generous There's no relapse. There's no decay
No return of the curse the curse is gone Because
it says no longer will there be anything the
cursed? This is the final word. There's no more
futility, no more striving against brokenness,
no more exhaustion for trying to survive a fallen
world. The work of redemption is not only complete,
it is fully enjoyed. Its face is lifted and names
restored. It says, they will see his face and
his name will be on their foreheads. This is
an identity fulfilled by the way. This is your
inheritance. This is you being called son and
daughter and being known by name So we are marks
not by shame any longer but by belonging It's
a light that never fades because there's no need
for a lamp and no Sun Because the Lord himself
as we've already talked about is our light and
the reign of God's people is not anxious rule
But joyful participation because it goes on forever
And so what this means for us now is this if
this is the end of the story then nothing you
are walking through now is wasted. Yes Everything
you're going through now every part of suffering
every anxious feeling every death you have walked
through everything everything is meant for the
good of God and Nothing will be wasted Your strength
may not may fail here, but the river does not
Your healing may feel incomplete, but the leaves
are already growing. Your worth may feel fragile
now, but it is rooted in a throne that cannot
be shaken. So it's a throne that gives life,
a river that never dries, a tree that always
heals. This is not survival, this is provision
and it flows. And it flows from the lamb who
was slain and now reigns forever. This is my
last point. Promise of Christ's return. Let's
look at six through 21 together Then he said
to me these words are faithful and true The Lord
the God of the spirits of the prophets has sent
his angel to show his servants what must soon
take place Look I am coming soon Blessed is the
one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this
book I John and the one who heard and saw these
things and when I heard and saw them Felt fell
down to worship at the feet of the angel who
had shown them to me But he said to me don't
do that I am a fellow servant with you your brothers
the prophets and those who keep the words of
this book Worship God so this angelic being John
goes to worship him and the angelic being goes.
No, I ain't the one worship God So you can see
how this angelic being Has a choice as we already
know if he's going to serve God or not and in
this moment This is what the rebels in Genesis
would have longed for the worship of man and
He's like no, I'm reflecting the one First ten
then he said to me don't don't seal up the words
of the prophecy of this book Because the time
is near Let the unrighteous go in unrighteousness
let the filthy still be filthy let the righteous
go on in righteousness and let the holy still
be holy how can let me ask you this brothers
and sisters before we finish this out how can
How can the time be near? How can the the coming
of Christ be soon if this was given 2 ,000 years
ago? What do you think Anybody have a clue? I'm
gonna say this. What does Peter say that time
is like to God? It's one day is like a thousand
years, right? Is that is that literal? No, it's
Time does not exist and so for them they're going
the time is soon like the he's gonna start breaking
the seals and for all we know I'm totally Don't
quote me on this and go, well, my pastor said,
because you won't find it in here. This is just
me trying to make sense of. I think that there
is a possibility that they kind of see through
a window, if you will, and they see all of time
happening at once. Does that make sense? So like
the beginning, the end, and all things in between,
I think they can see all of those things. They
don't control them like God does, but being outside
of time, I'm going, there's got to be something
there. They know, they don't know the exact time,
but they know that the time is coming. So, but
time doesn't exist. So that's up, but they know
like, it's going to be any time. And so verse
12, look, I am coming soon to my reward is with
me to repay each person according to his work.
I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the
last, the beginning and the end. Blessed are
those who wash their roads so that they may have
the right up to the tree of life and may enter
the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs,
the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers,
the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices
falsehood. We quote Jesus there, too, and put
that on political buildings and schools. I, Jesus,
have sent my angel to attest these things to
you for the church. I am the root. and the descendant
of David, the bright morning star, both the spirit
and the bride say, come, let anyone who hears
say, come, let the one who is thirsty come, let
the one who desires take the water of life freely.
I testify to everyone who hears the words of
the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to
them, God will add to him the plagues that are
written in this book. And if anyone takes away
from the words of the book of his prophecy, God
will take away his share of the tree of life
and the holy city, which are written about in
this book. He who testifies about these things
says, yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come Lord
Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone.
Amen. Let's wrap this up. The promise of Christ's
return. As the vision comes to a close, the tone
changes, imagery fades, the explanations stop,
and a voice speaks again and again, behold, I
am coming soon. Soon means certain. Soon is not
a date on a calendar, it is a declaration of
certainty. The same Christ who came humbly, who
lived faithfully, and who died willingly, and
who rose bodily is coming again. This is not
poetic hope, this is promised reality. The word
that holds until he comes. The final words of
scripture do not call us to speculate, but to
remain. To keep our robes clean, to endure, and
to stay awake. Not because our worth is fragile,
but because it is secure. We are not preparing
to earn a place, we are preparing because we
already belong to it. This is an open invitation,
but it's a closing door as well. The invitation
is still open now. Grace is still offered now.
Mercy is still available now. The water is still
free now. But the book ends with urgency because
time does not stretch on forever. So if you are
here this morning and you want a piece of this,
you want the inheritance of this. The thing that
my heart longs for and hopefully your heart longs
for, the time is coming and the time is now for
you to say yes. The time is now for you to answer
the invitation. There will be a moment when faith
becomes sight and preparation gives away to presence.
So what this means now is if Christ is coming,
then holiness matters. Then faithfulness matters,
then endurance matters. Not as fear -driven obedience,
but as hope -filled waiting. We live as people
who know the ending. It's the final word. The
Bible does not end with fear. It ends with a
prayer. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. This is longing.
And so the soul at once questioned, that once
questioned its worth now waits confidently because
the one who gave it worth has promised to return.
And so, you are not disposable, you are not homeless,
you are not hidden, and you are not forgotten,
and you are not temporary. Your worth was given
at the cross, revealed in the resurrection, and
will be fully realized when he returns. My brothers
and my sisters in this room, the book of Revelation
isn't about fear. It's not about the Antichrist.
He's merely a pawn in the story. Revelation is
meant to bring anticipation, not dread. It's
meant to make you excited, not fearful. The book
of Revelation is about Christ and the city he
is preparing. And it should draw out the anticipation
that the Old Testament saints had for Christ's
return. should be the same way every single moment
that your heart beats may you be praying come
lord jesus come every time you see brokenness
in front of you that you cannot fix it should
make you go come lord jesus come when you see
those hiding in the shadows of shame and guilt
may you say come lord jesus come and call them
out This is a time to no longer wait around.
Live faithfully, live wholly, live expectantly.
And if you've not made a decision to follow Christ,
I'm telling you right now is the time. Let's
don't play games. Because though we wait longingly,
you don't know what waits for you on the streets
when you go home. You don't know that your heart
will stop beating. in the next 30 seconds. And
so you either have, you either partake in that
inheritance or you don't. But that decision lies
with you. So if you would, bow your heads.