1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,320 Welcome to anybody that is joining us here in our sanctuary for the first time or if you're joining us online for the first time 2 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:10,840 We are so glad you're here to worship with us here at Hosanna. I 3 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:17,520 Am pastor Nathan and this morning in our study of Revelation. We are moving past 4 00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:20,080 the Millennial Kingdom of Christ 5 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:26,920 Past the final great white throne judgment, which is the final judgment of the wicked 6 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:29,440 into eternity 7 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,240 Into a time that some refer to as the eternal state 8 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:41,360 Revelation chapter 21 is is where we get into the final phase in the culmination of everything heaven 9 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:44,120 paradise forever 10 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:51,560 You know since there has been a God's people. I think there's been a preoccupation with heaven 11 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:58,000 It's the expected end for all believers. It's our hope. It's what we look forward to 12 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:06,280 It's what we can't wait for the hope of heaven is is built into the the very fabric and identity of all Christians 13 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:13,280 And it's such an important truth that it's something that as believers we should think about often 14 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:17,060 Heaven should be something that occupies our thoughts often 15 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:21,480 We should be some people that are eagerly looking forward to this, you know 16 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:26,440 Some of us remember when we were kids and we knew we were going to Disneyland on Saturday 17 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:28,680 Wow, what kind of week was that right? 18 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,720 Especially the night before oh my goodness 19 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:39,360 Couldn't even sleep the excitement was so exciting. Well heaven is is is quite a bit more than Disneyland 20 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:45,320 Okay, and it's quite a bit more to look forward to it should elicit excitement and joy and 21 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:48,120 anticipation in God's people 22 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,680 But sadly the the culture we live in today 23 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:59,640 Is is really a culture of self gratification. It's a culture of indulgence and 24 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,040 unfortunately 25 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,040 the culture that we live in 26 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:08,440 Has such a grip on many Christian believers 27 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,280 such a hold on them 28 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:17,440 Has such a grip in so many churches that it has made those Christian believers and those churches very worldly 29 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:23,160 And it has made them so worldly that the concept of heaven has become something that's eh disinteresting 30 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,160 and that's really what a 31 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:29,160 the influence of the world has on us as 32 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:34,800 The world will put before us all the things in the trinkets and all the stuff we think is gonna make us happy 33 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,120 We lose sight we lose focus we lose 34 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,960 enthusiasm for heaven and what's to come before us I 35 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,200 Read one guy said it's time to go to heaven 36 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:51,040 I read one guy said it seems that the less one holds to the things of this world 37 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,480 The greater their anticipation of heaven will be 38 00:02:55,120 --> 00:03:02,140 But the more immersed and gripped by the things of this world the less we tend to think about heaven at all 39 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,480 You know we can find ourselves consumed with passing things 40 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,240 temporary things things that are 41 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:16,800 But a vapor in the big picture of eternity and and like Mark Twain when he was told about heaven 42 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:21,800 We could find ourselves saying what he said you take heaven. I'll go to Bermuda 43 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:29,000 But the question that that a lot of us have is what does heaven like when we start thinking about heaven 44 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:33,960 What is it like what happens there? What's it gonna be like? What's the experience of heaven gonna be like? 45 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:35,960 I mean really gonna be like 46 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,000 sometimes it's caricatured as as 47 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:39,360 people 48 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:45,400 Sitting on clouds playing harps for eternity, right and they go that's it. That's heaven 49 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,400 Well, that's not the picture of heaven, but we should know 50 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:54,680 And we should want to know and we should look forward to knowing what heaven is 51 00:03:54,800 --> 00:04:00,720 We should look forward to being there because it is our home. That's what the Bible says about heaven for believers 52 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:07,060 It is our home Paul the Apostle said our citizenship is in heaven 53 00:04:07,060 --> 00:04:11,500 And heaven is our home because that's where our father is 54 00:04:12,220 --> 00:04:14,220 That's where our Savior is 55 00:04:14,260 --> 00:04:18,700 That's where our Comforter is the father the son and the Holy Spirit 56 00:04:19,580 --> 00:04:27,020 the Godhead three in one God Almighty and so today we're gonna start in Revelation 21 looking at 57 00:04:27,380 --> 00:04:33,700 Heaven and looking at the eternal state and what scripture has to teach us about this that we would be people 58 00:04:33,700 --> 00:04:37,020 excited about what's to come in heaven to 59 00:04:37,660 --> 00:04:41,100 Look at this time when God makes all things new 60 00:04:41,860 --> 00:04:45,860 But first we're gonna spend time in worship as we do and I just encourage all of you today 61 00:04:46,900 --> 00:04:48,900 Forget about everything but God 62 00:04:50,260 --> 00:04:52,260 Focus on him 63 00:04:52,500 --> 00:04:55,660 Focus on the eternity that waits us with him 64 00:04:56,420 --> 00:04:58,420 because it is gonna be glorious and 65 00:04:58,420 --> 00:05:04,440 Everything he's done in our lives is in preparation of this time the word that we have to study 66 00:05:04,820 --> 00:05:08,900 Reveals to us what is to come that we would be people that live for him today 67 00:05:08,900 --> 00:05:15,020 But live in anticipation of the eternity that we're gonna have in his presence and it's gonna be glorious 68 00:05:15,900 --> 00:05:17,900 Father we thank you so much 69 00:05:18,740 --> 00:05:23,220 We're so excited for who you are God. We're so excited for heaven Lord and 70 00:05:23,220 --> 00:05:30,220 Yet God I know many of us and then myself Lord. I would confess Lord. We have times where heaven isn't maybe as exciting as it should be 71 00:05:30,220 --> 00:05:36,060 Lord that we don't think about it enough or look forward to it in a way that that would indicate our 72 00:05:36,420 --> 00:05:42,020 Enthusiasm for what is to come God and Lord we just say forgive us Lord for for being distracted 73 00:05:42,900 --> 00:05:46,860 But Lord today as we enter into Revelation 21 and looking at eternity 74 00:05:47,540 --> 00:05:52,260 Looking at the forever that waits those who know you that have called you their Lord and Savior God in Christ 75 00:05:52,260 --> 00:05:54,260 Lord and Savior God encourage us 76 00:05:54,540 --> 00:05:56,060 inspire us 77 00:05:56,060 --> 00:06:01,100 It just fill us Lord with joy and anticipation for what is to come 78 00:06:01,540 --> 00:06:05,580 That we would be people who live in this world in this time 79 00:06:06,620 --> 00:06:08,620 Knowing it's temporary 80 00:06:08,940 --> 00:06:10,940 Knowing it's but a vapor 81 00:06:11,100 --> 00:06:13,100 knowing its passing 82 00:06:13,700 --> 00:06:17,660 So that Lord we wouldn't invest our everything into this world 83 00:06:17,660 --> 00:06:23,020 But we would invest our everything into the one to come Lord. We love you so much. We thank you be glorified 84 00:06:23,020 --> 00:06:25,660 We love you. It's in Jesus name. We pray amen 85 00:06:26,180 --> 00:06:32,060 We are going to jump into our Bible study today. We are in Revelation chapter 21 86 00:06:33,500 --> 00:06:36,700 And as we said in the intro what this is all about is our home 87 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:39,500 You see our home 88 00:06:39,660 --> 00:06:41,260 your home 89 00:06:41,260 --> 00:06:43,260 Christian is heaven 90 00:06:43,940 --> 00:06:45,460 It's not here 91 00:06:45,460 --> 00:06:48,660 It's not this earth. It's not this time. It's heaven 92 00:06:49,460 --> 00:06:51,460 Our home is there and that home is 93 00:06:52,180 --> 00:06:55,620 infinitely greater than anything this world will ever have for us 94 00:06:55,620 --> 00:07:00,420 You know, it's why Paul said to live is Christ to die is gain 95 00:07:01,940 --> 00:07:03,620 You know, you might think death is gain 96 00:07:03,620 --> 00:07:08,900 How is that gain because this physical life here on earth is not the end-all of everything 97 00:07:09,700 --> 00:07:13,700 The next life heaven is what awaits those who believe in Jesus Christ 98 00:07:13,700 --> 00:07:15,700 and it is definitely gain 99 00:07:16,260 --> 00:07:21,700 You know heaven is a big topic in Revelation. The book of Revelation mentions heaven 55 times 100 00:07:22,500 --> 00:07:24,500 It's also a big topic throughout scripture 101 00:07:24,500 --> 00:07:26,500 It's mentioned hundreds of times 102 00:07:26,500 --> 00:07:33,700 But the first mention of heaven in Revelation is found in Revelation chapter 3 verses 11 through 12 as 103 00:07:34,020 --> 00:07:37,700 Jesus was writing to the church in Philadelphia. This is what he says 104 00:07:38,340 --> 00:07:40,340 I am coming soon 105 00:07:40,340 --> 00:07:44,260 Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown 106 00:07:45,220 --> 00:07:50,820 The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my god and he will never go out again 107 00:07:51,780 --> 00:07:56,740 I will write on him the name of my god and the name of the city of my god the new Jerusalem 108 00:07:57,140 --> 00:08:02,500 Which comes down out of heaven from my god and my new name 109 00:08:04,340 --> 00:08:06,740 Now the second mention we're not going to go through all 55 110 00:08:06,740 --> 00:08:14,420 I promise but the second mention of heaven in Revelation we then find in chapter 4 after the seven letters to the seven churches are completed 111 00:08:14,980 --> 00:08:17,620 John writes this he goes after this I looked 112 00:08:18,420 --> 00:08:20,660 And there in heaven was an open door 113 00:08:21,140 --> 00:08:27,860 The first voice that I heard speaking to me like a trumpet said come up here and I will show you what must take place after 114 00:08:28,580 --> 00:08:29,700 this 115 00:08:29,700 --> 00:08:34,820 Now we've mentioned this a number of times in our study of Revelation, but what he says after this there 116 00:08:34,820 --> 00:08:37,860 It's referring to after the church age 117 00:08:38,740 --> 00:08:43,140 You see chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation are letters to seven real churches of the time 118 00:08:43,460 --> 00:08:49,540 But they're also letters to the church throughout the church age and so after this he says 119 00:08:49,860 --> 00:08:52,180 We see that John was then called up to heaven 120 00:08:52,980 --> 00:09:00,740 From where from the perspective of heaven he then observes and records the events of the seven year tribulation that takes place on the earth 121 00:09:00,740 --> 00:09:05,860 It's one of the reasons why we believe and I believe that the church is raptured prior to the tribulation again 122 00:09:06,100 --> 00:09:13,140 I know there's different interpretations of that and I still love you. Okay, but I believe that we're raptured prior to the tribulation 123 00:09:13,140 --> 00:09:15,220 This is one of the supports for that 124 00:09:15,940 --> 00:09:23,140 But then from heaven John then observes the the the playing out of the seven year tribulation upon the earth 125 00:09:23,860 --> 00:09:27,940 Then he records the second coming of Jesus Christ at the end of that tribulation period 126 00:09:27,940 --> 00:09:33,860 Then he records the millennial reign of Christ on earth the thousand year reign of Christ here upon this earth 127 00:09:34,340 --> 00:09:38,500 Then he records at the end of revelation 20 final judgment on the wicked 128 00:09:39,220 --> 00:09:41,220 And now we come to chapter 21 129 00:09:41,700 --> 00:09:44,340 a whole new episode in the story 130 00:09:45,460 --> 00:09:49,700 Of everything a whole new episode in the eschatological timeline 131 00:09:50,500 --> 00:09:57,140 But really we are leaving time as we know it and understand it and entering into what some of us might not 132 00:09:57,140 --> 00:10:03,060 Entering into what some refer to as the eternal state the forever we talk about in heaven 133 00:10:03,780 --> 00:10:06,180 Now what is the eternal state? 134 00:10:06,820 --> 00:10:13,060 Well, revelation chapter one in chapter chapter 21 and 22 kind of get into this and really tells us 135 00:10:14,260 --> 00:10:18,500 That its existence in and on the new heaven and new earth for eternity 136 00:10:19,220 --> 00:10:21,220 with God in his presence 137 00:10:21,220 --> 00:10:28,680 It's a time when all sin and evil and wickedness and suffering and selfishness 138 00:10:28,820 --> 00:10:33,460 And and and the death of the first creation is completely gone 139 00:10:34,180 --> 00:10:37,460 Death that was the result of sin is gone forever 140 00:10:38,740 --> 00:10:42,500 Now some have questions about eternity when we talk about it 141 00:10:42,500 --> 00:10:46,740 And so we're going to answer or try to answer a couple of those today in our study of God's word 142 00:10:46,740 --> 00:10:49,380 And one of the big questions of eternity that comes up is 143 00:10:49,380 --> 00:10:53,940 When we are there are we going to experience time the way we experience it here? 144 00:10:54,740 --> 00:10:58,900 And that's a great question. That's a big question people have about eternity 145 00:10:59,860 --> 00:11:07,300 To answer that I start with our understanding of God. You see on one hand the Bible teaches us that God is timeless 146 00:11:08,740 --> 00:11:10,740 God created time 147 00:11:12,180 --> 00:11:15,140 God is therefore not subject to time 148 00:11:15,140 --> 00:11:19,940 We know that based on based upon physics modern physics 149 00:11:20,420 --> 00:11:24,500 Based upon the theories of relativity by einstein that that time 150 00:11:25,220 --> 00:11:32,260 Is relative time is not fixed right time is something that has physical properties physics has learned 151 00:11:33,460 --> 00:11:35,780 Time is affected by or changes 152 00:11:36,580 --> 00:11:38,580 Is changed by mass 153 00:11:38,980 --> 00:11:40,980 It's changed by acceleration 154 00:11:40,980 --> 00:11:45,720 It's changed by acceleration. It's changed by gravity 155 00:11:47,220 --> 00:11:51,060 Right physics tells us that time as we understand it speeds up 156 00:11:51,700 --> 00:11:57,300 And slows down based upon things that can affect it. And so therefore physics teaches us that time 157 00:11:58,900 --> 00:12:05,060 Exists because matter exists. Okay, that's that's all the physics we're going to get into today. Okay 158 00:12:07,300 --> 00:12:09,300 But God is not matter 159 00:12:09,300 --> 00:12:13,220 Right God is not matter God created all matter 160 00:12:14,020 --> 00:12:16,020 And thus he created time 161 00:12:16,740 --> 00:12:21,060 And thus he exists outside of time and so time 162 00:12:22,020 --> 00:12:24,340 began when God created the universe 163 00:12:25,300 --> 00:12:30,820 Prior to that God just existed. That's the picture scripture gives us. He just existed 164 00:12:32,340 --> 00:12:35,060 What did he exist in where did he exist? 165 00:12:35,060 --> 00:12:42,020 What was it like there? Well, we got finite minds and I tried to ponder that for a couple days this week in studying this and found out 166 00:12:42,420 --> 00:12:46,100 My little itty bitty brain can't really comprehend timelessness very well, right? 167 00:12:47,380 --> 00:12:52,980 It's funny because of our finite minds we could really only grasp the concept of God's timelessness by using 168 00:12:53,700 --> 00:12:54,740 words 169 00:12:54,740 --> 00:12:58,740 In our language that define things based upon our understanding of time 170 00:12:59,540 --> 00:13:03,380 Right. We use words to describe this timelessness of God like time 171 00:13:03,380 --> 00:13:06,740 We use words like he is eternal. He is infinite. He is everlasting 172 00:13:07,380 --> 00:13:11,780 In fact psalms chapter 90 verse 2 says this before the mountains were born 173 00:13:12,340 --> 00:13:16,660 Before you gave birth to the earth and the world from eternity to eternity 174 00:13:17,300 --> 00:13:19,300 You are God 175 00:13:19,700 --> 00:13:22,420 And you'll notice there it says not you were God 176 00:13:23,220 --> 00:13:25,220 You are God 177 00:13:25,220 --> 00:13:28,980 You are presently existing as God from eternity to eternity 178 00:13:28,980 --> 00:13:33,540 Yeah, I don't fully get it either right, but it's just he always was 179 00:13:33,940 --> 00:13:36,020 He always is he always will be 180 00:13:36,740 --> 00:13:43,060 Right somebody put it this way to understand eternity to eternity. It's once upon a time 181 00:13:43,540 --> 00:13:45,540 to happily ever after 182 00:13:46,900 --> 00:13:48,900 Imperfect description, but still 183 00:13:49,860 --> 00:13:54,020 So God is timeless, but God's creation everything God created 184 00:13:54,020 --> 00:14:01,860 Exists under the influence of time exists in a moment by moment linear fashion, right? 185 00:14:03,220 --> 00:14:05,220 We know time exists 186 00:14:05,460 --> 00:14:12,100 And we know how it operates that time exists in a in a linear fashion. We we understand within the concept of time. There is 187 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:14,640 causality, right? 188 00:14:14,900 --> 00:14:19,060 You do something then something happens, right? That's the concept of time 189 00:14:19,060 --> 00:14:21,620 You have degradation that exists within time 190 00:14:22,580 --> 00:14:26,980 The concept of time allows for the existence of a thing called entropy 191 00:14:27,700 --> 00:14:33,060 If you don't know what entropy is it's just the idea in physics that everything goes from order to chaos 192 00:14:34,340 --> 00:14:37,060 And some of us is like, oh, that's what the inside of my car does 193 00:14:37,940 --> 00:14:41,460 Order to get that's what my house my bedroom, right? We we get it 194 00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:44,100 Our room is our room 195 00:14:44,100 --> 00:14:50,580 Order to get that's what my house my bedroom, right? We we get it our bodies entropy, right? 196 00:14:50,580 --> 00:14:55,780 We go from order to chaos, right? Wouldn't it be great to work out one time and you're permanently in shape? 197 00:14:56,820 --> 00:14:59,300 Doesn't happen. You have to keep going 198 00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:04,340 And you might work out for years and years and years and years and years and then stop and guess what happens? 199 00:15:05,060 --> 00:15:09,800 Order to chaos, right? It exists within this this existence 200 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:13,800 Now the question then is well, will we experience time? 201 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:16,360 in eternity 202 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:18,760 We don't really know definitively 203 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:21,560 Is is my best answer? Okay? 204 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:27,720 But I will say this that the body tells the bible tells us that we will have glorified bodies 205 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:30,360 that when we've 206 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:36,920 Left this state of existence that we're going to have glorified bodies and the indication scripturally is that those bodies are 207 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:40,120 physical that they have mass in some way 208 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:46,520 But we're also told that those those glorified bodies have no entropy. They don't experience entropy 209 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,080 There's no order of chaos. There's no death. There's no decay 210 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:55,160 There's no degradation that the bodies are perfect without sickness without disease. They never get old. They're immortal 211 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:02,360 They're created to exist in the full presence of god in all his glory 212 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:06,520 All his glory and so therefore some people go well 213 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:12,940 If we're existing with god in god's presence in all his glory and his glory includes his timelessness 214 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:16,600 Well, then therefore maybe we're timeless as well 215 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:23,720 Some will point to uh details in revelation chapter one and chapter 20 or 21 and 22 216 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:31,480 Where it's indicated that that in this eternal state the cycle of day and night are done away with there is no night 217 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:36,360 It tells us in chapter 22 because there's no need for the sun and the moon god is the source of light 218 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:40,120 And he just illuminates everything so there is no cycle of of day and night 219 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:46,440 And so some people go well that indicates that the progression of time has ceased for us in eternity 220 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,440 And therefore we are timeless 221 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:53,560 Others however will point to scriptures like revelation chapter 8 verse 1 222 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:58,360 That says there was silence in heaven for about a half an hour 223 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:00,360 That's duration 224 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:07,080 They'll point to revelation chapter 6 verses 9 and 10 when we saw the martyrs the tribulation saints that were under the altar in heaven 225 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:13,880 It tells us in heaven and they say how long oh lord until you avenge our blood indicates duration 226 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:19,400 And then in revelation chapter 22 verse 2 which is definitely during this eternity 227 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:25,560 It says the tree of life was on each side of the river bearing 12 kinds of fruit producing fruit every month 228 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:27,560 So it seems to be an indication of time 229 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:36,040 So we know god in in his nature. He is timeless. He is outside the sphere of time 230 00:17:37,480 --> 00:17:44,360 Right, that means he sees eternity past and eternity future in one glance. He sees it all at the same simultaneous 231 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:46,520 moment 232 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:52,520 The passage of time is of no consequence to god from his timeless perspective 233 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:58,280 Meaning one second is no different to god than a billion years 234 00:18:00,360 --> 00:18:02,360 It's no different 235 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:07,160 But the eternal state when we enter the eternal state 236 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:11,960 It's not us becoming exact in nature as god 237 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,880 Like we're not becoming god when we get to heaven, right? 238 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:18,360 Some cults teach that 239 00:18:18,360 --> 00:18:26,120 But biblically we don't so while god would continue in his timeless nature because he is god almighty 240 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,520 That doesn't necessarily mean that we will become timeless. We don't become god 241 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,280 We're not becoming the same as him in nature 242 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:40,120 And so this new heaven and this new earth that revelation 21 is talking about it could still have time because there is mass 243 00:18:40,360 --> 00:18:42,360 We're going to see as we study through this 244 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,080 It could be similar to what we experience now 245 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:49,800 It could be different in some way. We may experience time in a completely different way 246 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:55,240 In a way, we can't comprehend now, so that's my answer about that. Okay 247 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:00,120 One of the other big questions about eternity people have is well, what is it going to look like? 248 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:02,840 What's it going to be like? 249 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:06,840 You know sitting on a cloud playing a harp forever. That sounds kind of boring 250 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:10,040 Is that really what it is, you know? 251 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:13,720 Interestingly, we're not going to see that happening 252 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:14,760 um 253 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:20,680 Interestingly enough with all that the bible has to say about heaven. Um, there's not a tremendous amount of details 254 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:27,800 About what it looks like there are specific details in in revelation 21 and 22 get into it. There's a new heaven 255 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:30,600 Verse one, there's a new earth 256 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,920 Verse one, there's a new jerusalem verse two. Those are the big 257 00:19:35,540 --> 00:19:37,560 Details physical details if you will 258 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:40,280 We do know that there's no night 259 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,600 We're going to learn in chapter 22 that there's a tree of life and there's a river running down the middle of this city 260 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:46,680 Right. There's some details 261 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:52,200 But those details the new heaven the new earth the new jerusalem tell us something interesting about heaven 262 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:55,720 About the eternal state is that there's going to be a new creation 263 00:19:57,880 --> 00:19:59,880 There's going to be a new creation 264 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:04,520 Wherein dwells the permanent full and total presence of god among his people 265 00:20:05,320 --> 00:20:06,280 and so 266 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:14,060 Chapter 21 and 22 really point out seven specific things that are that are notable differences between creation 1.0 and creation 2.0 267 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,320 All right verse 1 tells us that there's no more c 268 00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:23,080 Verse 4 tells us in chapter 21 that there's no more death grief crying or pain 269 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,600 Chapter 22 verse 3 says there's no more curse 270 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:30,200 Chapter 22 verse 5 so there's no more night 271 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:35,480 Now that's not an exhaustive description by any means but it's a glimpse it's a glimpse 272 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:39,800 And you'll notice it's kind of more about what's not there than what is 273 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:43,320 Paul got to see heaven or at least part of it 274 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:47,640 And in his writings, he says I was prohibited from even writing it down 275 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:54,360 I was prohibited from even describing it. In fact, there are no words in the english language to describe what I saw 276 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,200 But we're going to look at revelation chapter 2 277 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:03,400 But we're going to look at revelation chapter 21 in in two parts actually three parts 278 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:05,800 But the first eight verses we're going to look at in two parts 279 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:10,360 So we'll look at some today and some next time verses one through four today verses five through eight next time 280 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:12,760 which really focuses on 281 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:16,200 What eternal life looks like in eternity? 282 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:20,520 It really focuses on that word zoe that we talked about in a previous study that life 283 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:26,200 That that that peace that bliss that contentment that is being in heaven being in god's presence 284 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:32,840 really verses one through eight our description of what that looks like in heaven and then later we'll get into the new 285 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,640 Jerusalem which is a major major feature of 286 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:41,880 heaven which is the new Jerusalem the capital of the redeemed in the attorney eternal state 287 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:48,200 Which is the bulk of revelation 21 and into 22. So read with me revelation 21 verse 1 288 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:52,840 Says then I saw a new heaven and a new earth 289 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:56,600 For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more 290 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:04,760 I also saw the holy city the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from god prepared like a bride adorned for her husband 291 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,600 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne look 292 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:12,840 God's dwelling is with humanity and he will live with them 293 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:18,680 They will be his peoples and god himself will be with them and will be their god 294 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:23,160 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes death will be no more 295 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:26,280 Grief crying and pain will be no more 296 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,040 Because the previous things have passed away 297 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:35,640 It's a very hopeful picture it's a beautiful picture 298 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:39,640 And it opens there with then I saw 299 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:45,160 Right. How many times have we read that phrase in john's revelation of jesus christ? 300 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:50,920 Then I saw it's throughout the whole book because john is the ultimate spectator, right? 301 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:56,200 He is the ultimate spectator. He is the recipient of this amazing vision from jesus christ 302 00:22:56,360 --> 00:22:59,400 And he's the one that's been told to to not only witness it 303 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,760 But to write it down as that has been unfolded in successive parts 304 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:07,400 And so he's writing down everything he's been witnessing throughout this entire revelation 305 00:23:08,120 --> 00:23:12,520 And as i've mentioned before, um, I think it's it's best to read it 306 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:21,020 Or I think it's it's best rather than to try and squeeze these verses into some symbolic non-literal interpretation 307 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:23,800 I personally believe that the proper 308 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:28,220 Or the best hermeneutic which is the method of biblical interpretation 309 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:34,220 The best best way to to interpret the bible is to start with a literal interpretation 310 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:39,000 And so even with this section, I believe it's best to assume that what john says here is literal 311 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,960 That what he writes is what he saw 312 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,520 What he's witnessing here. He's writing down what's going to happen 313 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:50,360 And so we're gonna deal with it that way now 314 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:56,600 I do understand that there are some major disagreements on whether this should be read symbolically or literally 315 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:01,800 You could spend countless hours online reading different points of view on this 316 00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:08,280 Um, some of that comes through the description of jerusalem's size when we get into that in a couple weeks 317 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:13,880 What we're going to see is that he describes the new jerusalem in very detailed dimensions, right? 318 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:20,200 And some people go well if you put those dimensions on the earth, that's impossible. Therefore it has to be symbolic 319 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:23,560 To which I say did you miss 320 00:24:24,360 --> 00:24:26,360 new earth 321 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,280 Right, you're making assumptions anyways, we'll deal with that when we get there 322 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:35,400 But people fight over this it must be one or the other it must be symbolic or it must be literal 323 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,200 And I simply say why can't it be both? 324 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:47,080 Why can't it be both? Why can't it be a literal event a literal place a literal object that also has symbolic meaning, right? 325 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:49,980 Is that something so unnatural to our understanding? 326 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:54,280 How many of you are wearing a wedding ring 327 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:57,480 It's a literal thing, right 328 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:00,840 Does it also carry great symbolic meaning 329 00:25:01,780 --> 00:25:03,320 absolutely 330 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:05,640 What about the flag every country flies? 331 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:08,840 Is it a literal thing? 332 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,560 Yes, does it also carry great symbolic meaning? 333 00:25:12,500 --> 00:25:14,280 absolutely 334 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:18,680 And so I believe that what we're seeing here is both literal and it carries great symbolic meaning 335 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:22,040 So he starts out he goes then I saw a new heaven 336 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:24,760 a new heaven 337 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:30,760 Now that word new means what you think new means right? It's new. It's different. It's it's it's it's different than what was previous 338 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,880 Right, it's brand new but that word heaven in the greek is this word 339 00:25:34,500 --> 00:25:41,880 Oranos oranos and the word in the greek simply means the heights or the elevated place 340 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:43,960 That's what this word in the greek means 341 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:50,440 This word in the greek however is used to describe heaven in various meanings throughout scripture 342 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:53,100 Now we've mentioned this before but biblically 343 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:57,960 And in jewish thought the concept of the word heaven 344 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:02,520 Heaven referred to three major things right three major places if you will 345 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:07,480 Biblically and this word oranos and and in jewish thought as well 346 00:26:08,360 --> 00:26:15,480 The first heaven or what was called the terrestrial heaven referred to the sky in the atmosphere around the earth, right? 347 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:17,960 They would refer to that as a heaven 348 00:26:18,360 --> 00:26:20,680 For example in matthew chapter 6 verse 26 349 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,200 Jesus says observe the birds in the sky 350 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,000 The word sky is oranos 351 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,120 That's the word that is translated heaven. Okay 352 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,080 In isaiah 55 10 353 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:35,560 He says for just as rain and snow fall from heaven 354 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:38,920 Now does rain and snow come from outer space? 355 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,720 I mean, I guess if like there's a big icy comet that crashes into us 356 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:49,640 But the idea there is it's referring to the sky right the first terrestrial heaven in the understanding 357 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:54,360 Then there was this idea that everything outside of our atmosphere that we would call space 358 00:26:54,360 --> 00:27:01,400 Where the moon and the stars and the heavenly bodies resided that was considered the second heaven or the celestial 359 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:07,800 Heaven and so for example in psalm chapter 19 verse 1. It says the heavens declare the glory of god 360 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:10,840 It's not talking about the sky the atmosphere of the earth 361 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:14,840 It's talking about space the the firmament if you will is one of the other ways to put it 362 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:21,160 But then in second corinthians chapter 12 verses 2 through 4 paul the apostle speaking of himself says this 363 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:26,040 I know a man in christ who was caught up to the third heaven 14 years ago 364 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,800 Whether he was in the body or out of the body. I don't know god knows 365 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:37,080 I know that this man whether in the body or out of the body. I don't know god knows was caught up into paradise 366 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:43,160 And heard inexpressible words, which human being is not allowed to speak and we've referenced this already, right? 367 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:49,960 This third heaven or this idea of what he's referring to as a third heaven was was under the 368 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:55,880 Heaven was was understood to be the the spiritual realm the the transcendent realm 369 00:27:56,280 --> 00:28:01,400 Beyond this creation where god lived is also the place where angels dwelt 370 00:28:02,120 --> 00:28:08,520 Is also the place where dead believers go at this time in the chronology of history, right? 371 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,200 The bible tells us to be absent from the body to be present with the lord, right? 372 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:17,880 Well in our understanding of time prior to the end of all things when a believer dies today 373 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:21,160 There in this heaven with god is the idea scripturally 374 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:23,880 Now this greek word oranos 375 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:31,160 Then refers to the sky the atmosphere refers to outer space and it refers to this spiritual transcendent realm 376 00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:37,560 The word was also used in plural ways to just refer to everything above the planet earth, right? 377 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:42,360 So it was it was used to say everything above the actual physical planet 378 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:45,880 And this is how it's used here in revelation 21 one 379 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:52,600 It's used specifically when it says new heaven. It's referring to the sky the atmosphere space 380 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,360 It's the idea of terrestrial and celestial heaven altogether 381 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:00,520 And then he goes on to say I saw a new earth 382 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:07,800 And earth in the greek was referring to the physical planet that we're on in contrast to sky or space 383 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:10,600 As the habitation of humanity and so there's a new 384 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:12,280 heaven 385 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:14,280 and a new earth 386 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:18,360 In verse 1 in revelation 21 it says for the first heaven and the first earth 387 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:21,400 passed away 388 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:25,880 Now that word passed away literally means to cease to exist 389 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:29,660 To cease to exist biblically 390 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:37,000 This is supported in first corinthian 731. It tells us for this world in its current form is passing away 391 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:43,080 And then in second peter chapter 3 verses 10 through 13 it says but the day of the lord will come like a thief 392 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:48,600 And on that day and that day word day is referring to epoch era time frame 393 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:51,240 The heavens will pass away with a loud noise 394 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:55,320 The elements will burn and be dissolved in the earth and the works on it will be disclosed 395 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:58,280 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way 396 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:02,280 It's clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 397 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:05,560 As you wait for the day of god in haste and it's coming 398 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:10,280 Because of that day the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat 399 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:16,920 But based on this his promise we wait for a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells 400 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:20,280 So when we put all that together 401 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:27,320 Well, we see in verse 1 of revelation chapter 21 when he says then I saw a new heaven and new earth this glimpse of eternity 402 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:30,360 Is giving us the picture that eternity 403 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:33,720 Is going to have a recreated universe 404 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:35,960 And a recreated physical earth 405 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:40,120 There's going to be a physical recreation of some some kind here 406 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:44,600 A new heaven being everything that is not the planet earth, right? 407 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:48,440 So referring to sky and referring to the space and all of that the universe 408 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:53,240 And a new earth referring to a physical planet that will exist in that new universe 409 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:59,320 And as we're going to see later that new earth is inhabited by a redeemed humanity 410 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:02,120 Headquartered in the universe 411 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:07,560 And a new earth is being headquartered in a physical capital city called new jerusalem 412 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:11,800 Which exists as part of this new earth in this new heaven 413 00:31:12,840 --> 00:31:16,840 And you go what about the third heaven, right? The spiritual transcendent realm 414 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:21,400 Well, it doesn't specifically talk about that, but it still exists 415 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:26,600 I believe it's gonna still exist and it will exist but the idea is when we get to eternity 416 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:28,920 Heaven 417 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:33,320 One term all of it is is heaven it's paradise. It's 418 00:31:33,940 --> 00:31:41,740 Perfection meaning the new earth the new sky the new space the existence spiritual realm. It's all existing together in perfection 419 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:46,040 But the picture is that there's no separation between them anymore 420 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,720 There's no separation and we're going to get to that in a moment here 421 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:52,920 But heaven is not some 422 00:31:52,980 --> 00:31:57,420 Disembodied existence sitting on clouds playing harps floating in nothingness 423 00:31:57,420 --> 00:32:05,020 Heaven is everything being perfect. None of it stained by sin in any possible way as god originally intended everything to be 424 00:32:05,500 --> 00:32:11,660 We saw a glimpse of this and we see a glimpse of this in the book of genesis before the fall in the garden of eden, right? 425 00:32:12,140 --> 00:32:14,140 a perfect paradise 426 00:32:14,220 --> 00:32:20,780 Where god dwelt in his full presence with man and they walked together and they had perfect unbroken fellowship 427 00:32:22,380 --> 00:32:24,380 But that perfect existence 428 00:32:24,380 --> 00:32:26,380 Was broken 429 00:32:27,740 --> 00:32:32,940 Now the perfect existence is what was intended right we see that in genesis we see that in the garden of eden 430 00:32:32,940 --> 00:32:35,740 It's a perfect existence in a perfect paradise created by god 431 00:32:37,100 --> 00:32:38,380 Obviously 432 00:32:38,380 --> 00:32:41,820 Adam and eve were able to dwell in the presence of god and so they had 433 00:32:42,380 --> 00:32:46,380 Glorified bodies to some degree that were able to dwell in the presence of god 434 00:32:46,380 --> 00:32:50,620 They were free from the curse. They were free from sin and death. They were free from all of that 435 00:32:50,620 --> 00:32:53,820 And they were in perfect fellowship with him in his presence at all times 436 00:32:55,580 --> 00:33:01,340 But as we spoke about in a previous study if you'll remember biblically death the concept of death 437 00:33:02,220 --> 00:33:09,100 Biblically is always more than just physically ceasing right death is more than just this physical body dying 438 00:33:09,100 --> 00:33:13,260 It's not the expiration death biblically is the idea of separation 439 00:33:14,060 --> 00:33:18,220 Right. We looked at that sin entered the world and it's separating 440 00:33:18,220 --> 00:33:21,820 Sin entered the world and it separated man from god 441 00:33:22,780 --> 00:33:28,380 God said the day you eat of that fruit you will die now. They ate the fruit. Did they drop dead right there in that moment? 442 00:33:29,020 --> 00:33:30,860 No 443 00:33:30,860 --> 00:33:32,360 now 444 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:34,360 degradation entered in 445 00:33:35,020 --> 00:33:41,340 I believe that that was when entropy was introduced to the universe because at that point the body then started to decay 446 00:33:43,020 --> 00:33:45,020 So did creation 447 00:33:45,020 --> 00:33:51,580 So did the world so did everything god created it started to decay the result of sin was death 448 00:33:53,420 --> 00:33:58,060 But what he meant more than just physical death is that we are we are separated spiritually now 449 00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:03,900 Right, we know that when sin entered the world god's total perfect 450 00:34:04,060 --> 00:34:08,220 Holy and righteous presence was no longer able to be there with them in the garden 451 00:34:09,260 --> 00:34:11,260 He had to kick him out 452 00:34:11,260 --> 00:34:18,960 And then everybody born from them forward was born with this cursed corrupted sin nature 453 00:34:21,180 --> 00:34:25,580 And we've seen god tell moses even right like my total perfect presence 454 00:34:26,140 --> 00:34:32,300 I it'll burn you up. It'll destroy you. I I can't be with you in the way. I was in the garden anymore 455 00:34:33,500 --> 00:34:36,780 There was a veil a separation introduced by sin 456 00:34:36,780 --> 00:34:42,220 And so those bodies those perfect bodies that I believe they had in the garden then began to decay and physically die 457 00:34:42,220 --> 00:34:45,500 and you know again that was passed on to everybody born since and 458 00:34:47,260 --> 00:34:50,700 And then we talked about under previous studies so that when the physical body dies 459 00:34:50,860 --> 00:34:56,780 That's not the end that just means that your soul is separated from the physical body and your soul goes on 460 00:34:57,500 --> 00:35:00,700 Your soul continues to live it continues to have consciousness 461 00:35:02,140 --> 00:35:04,140 The question is where does the body go? 462 00:35:04,140 --> 00:35:07,500 It's going to be in the lake of fire forever and we talked about that 463 00:35:08,940 --> 00:35:11,980 That when the bible talks about the second death it's referring to death in the context of eternal separation from god 464 00:35:13,020 --> 00:35:15,020 eternal separation from life 465 00:35:14,760 --> 00:35:32,760 Interview 466 00:35:15,260 --> 00:35:22,700 And contentment and peace and joy eternal separation from that instead cast into suffering in the lake of fire revelation 20 talks about and so 467 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:35,800 about. And so you have to understand this idea that the 468 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:41,500 very notion of separation from God in any way, the very notion 469 00:35:41,500 --> 00:35:46,400 of any type of veil between us and him, the very notion of 470 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:51,060 being disconnected on any level is done away with in eternity 471 00:35:51,060 --> 00:35:57,740 completely. It's completely done away with. Heaven is presented 472 00:35:57,740 --> 00:36:03,360 repeatedly throughout Scripture, not as going to heaven. As a 473 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:05,160 matter of fact, if you do a search for that, you'll find out 474 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:07,240 that nowhere in Scripture does it ever talk about going to 475 00:36:07,240 --> 00:36:12,560 heaven. It refers to heaven in the context of being with 476 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:18,240 Christ. That's heaven. That's ultimately what heaven is and 477 00:36:18,240 --> 00:36:21,840 what it means. Heaven is a complete dissolution of 478 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:25,520 division. It's a complete destruction of separation between 479 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:29,760 us and our Creator in every single way. Now we're going to 480 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,080 get and talk about that in a little bit of what that means 481 00:36:32,080 --> 00:36:35,320 because the idea here is that the first heaven and the second 482 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:38,080 heaven and the third heaven, those are just ways for people 483 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:42,400 to understand sky and all of that. But in the new earth, in 484 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:44,880 the new heaven, and the transcendent realm, it's all 485 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:48,320 going to be together at the same time. It's all heaven. And we 486 00:36:48,320 --> 00:36:51,380 and our glorified bodies are going to be able to interact 487 00:36:51,380 --> 00:36:53,320 with all of it in the same time. I'm getting ahead of myself. 488 00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:57,640 Okay, let's deal with this idea of separation because I believe 489 00:36:57,640 --> 00:37:01,600 it's hinted at in verse one. It says, in the sea was no more. 490 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:05,640 There's a new heaven. There's a new earth. In the sea was no 491 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:09,000 more. And you go, doesn't that seem like an out of place 492 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:13,000 detail a little bit? That we're talking about a new universe. 493 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:15,840 We're talking about a new earth. Later on, we're going to see 494 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:18,680 where God comes to dwell with us, his people, his redeemed 495 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:22,960 who have new glorified bodies. And then, oh, by the way, 496 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:28,960 there's no ocean. What's the idea here? It's a weird detail. 497 00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:32,520 But again, reading literally in view of the fact that there's 498 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:36,240 literally a new universe and literally a new earth, that it 499 00:37:36,240 --> 00:37:39,280 is simply saying that this new physical earth will have no 500 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:43,800 ocean upon it anymore. No sea. The new earth will be quite 501 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:48,160 different from this one. Right? We understand that this world 502 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:51,960 that we live in now is quite a watery world, right? And so much 503 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:56,320 about this earth depends on water, right? Two-thirds of this 504 00:37:56,320 --> 00:38:01,520 earth is water. Most of our current bodies are water. Most 505 00:38:01,520 --> 00:38:06,560 of plant and animal life is water. And this earth is the 506 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:09,680 only planet that we're aware of that has enough water needed to 507 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:15,240 sustain life. Right? Everybody always gets excited. We found 508 00:38:15,240 --> 00:38:20,280 something that might be a molecule of water on Mars. 509 00:38:20,280 --> 00:38:25,720 Therefore, aliens. Is it a molecule of water? We don't know, 510 00:38:25,720 --> 00:38:28,560 but it might be. Therefore, aliens. Right? They get all 511 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:30,920 excited about that. But it's because water. Water is 512 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:33,720 essential to life here in this creation. You know, we know if 513 00:38:33,720 --> 00:38:41,080 you don't drink water, you could physically die. Some of us are 514 00:38:41,080 --> 00:38:48,160 like, so does water, right? No. Water is water. Okay? Here, I'm 515 00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:53,760 not here to get on that soapbox. Okay. So. But then in eternity, 516 00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:56,720 it says, it gives us this detail. There's no sea. Right? We know 517 00:38:56,720 --> 00:38:59,760 there's water because in Revelation 22, 1, it tells us 518 00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:01,960 that there's the river of the water of life flowing through 519 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:05,200 the center of the city. Right? So we know there's water in the 520 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:08,960 new thing, but there's no sea. There's no sea. And it's like, 521 00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:11,960 why bring this up? What is the detail? I mean, I believe one, 522 00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:15,680 yes, it's to illustrate that the new earth, right? The biosphere, 523 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:19,440 the how the ecologies work together, it's gonna be radically 524 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:23,000 different, profoundly different from this first earth, very 525 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:26,440 similar in the way of how Paul demonstrates in 1 Corinthians 526 00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:30,560 15, how radically different our glorified physical body will be 527 00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:35,080 different from our current physical body. But again, it 528 00:39:35,080 --> 00:39:40,520 doesn't mean it can't also have symbolic meaning. Now and in 529 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:48,320 John's time, the physical sea, in a lot of ways, provides 530 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:52,920 natural barriers between peoples and between nations and between 531 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:57,560 just so much, you know, and in the sea in John's time, 532 00:39:58,200 --> 00:40:01,760 symbolically represented this type of division between the 533 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:05,160 peoples, you know, it was seen as this place of just just 534 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:11,880 tumultuous, unpredictable, just chaos in danger. But it was this 535 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:15,480 thing that like, you know, separated out the peoples. And 536 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:18,200 so it could be symbolic of this, the reality on the new earth is 537 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:22,840 that there's no separation. There's no separation anymore. 538 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:26,120 There's no separation between peoples, there's no separation 539 00:40:26,120 --> 00:40:30,280 between people and God, right? Verse three, in Revelation 21, 540 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:33,560 it says, God's dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with 541 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:38,520 them. That's the point. There's no separation anymore, just as it 542 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:41,920 was in the garden. A relationship that was made 543 00:40:41,920 --> 00:40:45,560 possible in the garden because they had uncursed bodies, a 544 00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:48,280 situation that will be possible again for us because we will 545 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:52,200 have uncursed bodies, we will be in our glorified bodies. Now 546 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:55,280 what's an interesting note here is when we think of these 547 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:58,520 existing physical bodies, right, one of the physical limitations 548 00:40:58,520 --> 00:41:01,800 of this body in this creation is we are limited to this earth, 549 00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:09,320 aren't we? Right, can we fly? Not on our own. We need 550 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:13,200 technology to fly, right? We're separated from the terrestrial 551 00:41:13,200 --> 00:41:17,800 heaven, if you will. And if we go too high into that terrestrial 552 00:41:17,800 --> 00:41:23,120 heaven without heaven, without protection, we suffocate. What 553 00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:25,480 about the celestial heaven? We're separated from that, 554 00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:30,480 aren't we? Like you just watch some like space horror movie to 555 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:33,320 get an idea of what happens, right? Oh, when people are 556 00:41:33,320 --> 00:41:37,560 unprotected in space, you die. You turn into an ice cube, right? 557 00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:39,880 So you have to have astronaut suits and spaceships and stuff. 558 00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:44,360 But we've been able to, through technology, make it that far. 559 00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:49,400 But we can't get to the third heaven, can we? Not physically, 560 00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:52,920 not on our own. And then like I mentioned earlier, God told 561 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:56,960 Moses, right, even if you could, you'd all burn up. This body 562 00:41:56,960 --> 00:42:01,720 that you currently have, a part of this creation, it cannot be 563 00:42:01,720 --> 00:42:04,480 in the full presence of God. You can only be in the afterglow 564 00:42:04,480 --> 00:42:08,000 of God. You can only be in God's presence spiritually, but not 565 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:13,160 in the totality of His presence. But our new glorified bodies, 566 00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:15,200 man, they're gonna have different capabilities, scripture 567 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:19,440 seems to indicate. Remember Jesus after His resurrection? He's 568 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:21,640 the first fruit, the Bible tells us, of all who will be 569 00:42:21,640 --> 00:42:23,560 resurrected. What do we know about Jesus after His 570 00:42:23,560 --> 00:42:28,240 resurrection? He was able to appear and disappear at will. 571 00:42:28,240 --> 00:42:33,560 You know what we call that? Teleportation. I'm like, that's 572 00:42:33,560 --> 00:42:38,840 kinda cool. I could just with a thought be anywhere. Jesus' 573 00:42:38,840 --> 00:42:40,840 glorified body was able to do that. He was able to pass 574 00:42:40,840 --> 00:42:45,040 through walls, it says, pass through doors. Meaning that He 575 00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:49,080 had a physical body, but that physical body also existed on a 576 00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:52,720 dimension that we don't physically or don't currently have 577 00:42:52,720 --> 00:42:56,560 the ability to interact with. What exactly that means? I'm not 578 00:42:56,560 --> 00:43:01,040 sure, but we see it. He was still able to interact with the 579 00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:04,640 physical, he was still able to eat and drink and sit, but he 580 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:10,320 had this other abledness in his resurrected body. I think our 581 00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:14,880 resurrected bodies are gonna be similar. Philippians 3.21 says 582 00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:17,400 this, He will transform the body of our humble condition into 583 00:43:17,400 --> 00:43:20,520 the likeness of His glorious body, but the power that 584 00:43:20,520 --> 00:43:26,080 enables Him to subject everything to Himself. Then in 585 00:43:26,080 --> 00:43:30,600 Matthew 22.30, we read Jesus telling the Pharisees, or the 586 00:43:30,600 --> 00:43:33,040 Sadducees, I mean, for in the resurrection, they neither 587 00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:36,960 marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 588 00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:40,920 Now, the primary context of that section is that the angels 589 00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:43,160 don't worry about themselves and who they're married to, and 590 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:46,040 that they just serve God. That's the primary context of the 591 00:43:46,040 --> 00:43:50,040 section there, that people are asking this difficult question 592 00:43:50,040 --> 00:43:51,840 about marriage, and he's going, look, in heaven, there's gonna 593 00:43:51,840 --> 00:43:55,240 be no marriage, right? There's gonna be this perfect, 594 00:43:55,520 --> 00:44:00,680 beautiful preoccupation with God. I don't have time to get 595 00:44:00,680 --> 00:44:03,080 into all the other nuances. Are we gonna know our loved ones in 596 00:44:03,080 --> 00:44:07,440 heaven? I believe so, but it's gonna be different. But if you 597 00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:12,160 put Philippians 3 and Matthew 22 together, it bears asking the 598 00:44:12,160 --> 00:44:15,600 question, will we be no longer limited the way we are in these 599 00:44:15,600 --> 00:44:18,920 physical bodies, limited in our ability to travel, to move 600 00:44:18,920 --> 00:44:22,920 through creation? Will we be able to just kind of freely move 601 00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:25,720 through the first and second and the third heaven, since they're 602 00:44:25,720 --> 00:44:28,600 all together, one in eternity, right? They're just one together. 603 00:44:28,600 --> 00:44:31,480 God's presence is with us. Are we gonna be able to, like the 604 00:44:31,480 --> 00:44:34,840 angels who dwell in the transcendent heaven, also be 605 00:44:34,840 --> 00:44:37,560 able to appear on the physical realm and move seamlessly 606 00:44:37,560 --> 00:44:43,920 between? Possible. Pretty beautiful. There's no more 607 00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:48,760 separation in that sense. And so, like I said, the physical 608 00:44:48,760 --> 00:44:52,600 sea was also symbolic of this unpredictable, dangerous things. 609 00:44:52,600 --> 00:44:55,520 And the sea is often used biblically, symbolically to 610 00:44:55,520 --> 00:44:58,720 represent wickedness and changeability and all of that. 611 00:44:58,720 --> 00:45:02,360 And so, the idea is that the new earth will not be a place of 612 00:45:02,360 --> 00:45:06,840 separation. There'll be perfect unity, perfect fellowship with 613 00:45:06,840 --> 00:45:09,960 God and His presence at all times. We won't be limited the 614 00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:13,960 same way we are now. It'll be a perfect paradise, a place for us 615 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:16,480 to enjoy, just as Adam and Eve were called to in the garden. 616 00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:22,720 Enjoy this place. There will be no sin, no temptation of sin, 617 00:45:22,720 --> 00:45:24,960 right? It's just gonna be this beautiful, beautiful existence 618 00:45:24,960 --> 00:45:27,440 and it won't be a place of fear. There'll be no unrest, no 619 00:45:27,440 --> 00:45:31,760 turmoil, no chaos. Basically, it's everything that was messed 620 00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:37,200 up by sin is restored by God in the end. Everything that was 621 00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:42,000 messed up is restored. And we call it the end, but it really 622 00:45:42,000 --> 00:45:47,600 is a beginning of eternity. Beautiful. Now, we're gonna deal 623 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:51,120 with verse two when we get to verse nine and deal with the 624 00:45:51,120 --> 00:45:54,000 New Jerusalem. But verse three, he says, then I heard a loud 625 00:45:54,000 --> 00:45:57,440 voice from the throne. He said, look, this voice said, look, 626 00:45:57,440 --> 00:46:01,120 God's dwelling is with humanity and He will live with them. They 627 00:46:01,120 --> 00:46:03,600 will be His peoples and God Himself will be with them and 628 00:46:03,600 --> 00:46:06,320 will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their 629 00:46:06,320 --> 00:46:09,920 eyes. Death will be no more. Grief, crying and pain will be 630 00:46:09,920 --> 00:46:15,520 no more because the previous things have passed away. That 631 00:46:15,520 --> 00:46:20,480 is really what heaven is all about. As cool as 632 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:26,640 teleporting is gonna be, that's not what heaven's about. As 633 00:46:26,640 --> 00:46:29,280 interesting it is to ponder, you know, the realities of what 634 00:46:29,280 --> 00:46:32,800 is the glorified body gonna be? That's not what it's about. 635 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:37,280 It's about being with God. It has always been God's desire 636 00:46:37,280 --> 00:46:41,360 to spend time in close fellowship with His people. That 637 00:46:41,360 --> 00:46:45,760 has always been God's desire but sin has been in the way since 638 00:46:45,760 --> 00:46:50,480 the fall. So, throughout God's word, what we see is in the Old 639 00:46:50,480 --> 00:46:56,320 Testament, God set up a dwelling, right? The word is here 640 00:46:56,320 --> 00:46:59,120 in the Greek when it says God's dwelling is with humanity. That 641 00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:03,840 word literally means in the Greek, tabernacled. It's 642 00:47:03,840 --> 00:47:07,520 referring to a temporary dwelling place, a tent, right? We 643 00:47:07,520 --> 00:47:10,480 see that in the Old Testament. God set up a dwelling. God set 644 00:47:10,480 --> 00:47:15,120 up a tabernacle wherein His presence dwelt there with His 645 00:47:15,120 --> 00:47:18,480 people. However, it was behind the veil. It was in the Holy of 646 00:47:18,480 --> 00:47:21,280 Holies there with the Ark of the Covenant. It tells us that 647 00:47:21,280 --> 00:47:24,640 He appeared in the form of a pillar of fire and smoke to guide 648 00:47:24,640 --> 00:47:29,520 His people day and night. Then eventually, there was a temple 649 00:47:29,520 --> 00:47:32,640 and we know God's glory dwelt in the temple again behind the 650 00:47:32,640 --> 00:47:35,840 veil in the place where where God's glory was and it was a 651 00:47:35,840 --> 00:47:40,560 place. It was a resistance of separation. God wanted to be 652 00:47:40,560 --> 00:47:42,800 with His people but He couldn't be there in His full glory so 653 00:47:42,800 --> 00:47:48,080 there was the veil. And then to remind everybody of why the veil 654 00:47:48,080 --> 00:47:50,800 was there, once a year the high priest would get to go behind 655 00:47:50,800 --> 00:47:54,400 that veil into the presence of God to make the sacrifice, the 656 00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:58,640 atonement to cover the sins of the people. But man, if He 657 00:47:58,640 --> 00:48:02,800 wasn't prayed up and ready, right? You remember they tied 658 00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:08,000 the the bale, the bale, bell. So they're like listening, okay, 659 00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:12,960 He's still moving around. Jingle, jingle, jingle. Thump. 660 00:48:12,960 --> 00:48:16,800 No more jingle. They had a rope around his ankle. Pull him 661 00:48:16,800 --> 00:48:20,640 out. We need a new high priest, right? Who wanted to sign up 662 00:48:20,640 --> 00:48:26,400 for that job? That guy just got struck down dead. Anyways, 663 00:48:26,400 --> 00:48:31,360 because God's presence was so holy but God had such great 664 00:48:31,360 --> 00:48:35,600 desire to be with His people. And so that separation that 665 00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:39,120 existed, it required sacrifices and ritual and cleansing and 666 00:48:39,120 --> 00:48:43,280 all of this and and there was always this separation. And then 667 00:48:43,280 --> 00:48:45,840 to finally bridge that gap, God sent His own son into the 668 00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:49,600 world. The Bible says His name is Emmanuel, God with us, Jesus 669 00:48:49,600 --> 00:48:54,160 Christ. The word of God, the word that was God, the word that 670 00:48:54,160 --> 00:48:58,000 is God came and and clothed Himself in flesh, came and 671 00:48:58,000 --> 00:49:03,440 dwelt among us, it says, tabernacled, same word, where He 672 00:49:03,440 --> 00:49:09,040 lived a perfect life, veiled by flesh, but then He died as the 673 00:49:09,040 --> 00:49:13,040 atonement, the permanent atonement for sin. We read in 674 00:49:13,040 --> 00:49:15,760 that story as the veil in the temple was then torn top to 675 00:49:15,760 --> 00:49:20,160 bottom, right? Symbolizing that spiritual access is available 676 00:49:20,160 --> 00:49:26,800 to everybody now. Not yet a physical presence, but a 677 00:49:26,800 --> 00:49:30,800 spiritual access to God available to everybody. And 678 00:49:30,800 --> 00:49:32,880 then it tells us that God Himself through those who put 679 00:49:32,880 --> 00:49:36,240 their faith in Him comes to dwell inside us spiritually, 680 00:49:36,240 --> 00:49:39,440 the Holy Spirit who dwells within His people, right? We 681 00:49:39,440 --> 00:49:42,960 have glimpses of this relationship with God now, but 682 00:49:42,960 --> 00:49:47,600 they're just glimpses of what's to come in heaven. 683 00:49:47,600 --> 00:49:51,040 Eternity, in eternity, God's dwelling is in an entirely 684 00:49:51,040 --> 00:49:56,000 different sense. No more veil, no more ritual, no more 685 00:49:56,000 --> 00:50:01,280 separation, no more cloth tent, no more structure, not even 686 00:50:01,280 --> 00:50:05,280 God being clothed or veiled in flesh in a sense, His entire 687 00:50:05,280 --> 00:50:14,240 presence, His full glory, His total existence dwells with us. 688 00:50:14,240 --> 00:50:19,360 His entire presence, and again, that's something hard to wrap 689 00:50:19,360 --> 00:50:23,120 our minds around because we can't fully understand the three 690 00:50:23,120 --> 00:50:25,840 in one, and Christ has a physical body, and yet He's God 691 00:50:25,840 --> 00:50:28,720 at the same time, but we're gonna get it when we get there. 692 00:50:28,720 --> 00:50:35,760 I know we are. The Bible says we see so many things now, like 693 00:50:35,760 --> 00:50:41,760 through a smoked glass. We see things like, ugh, I can kind of 694 00:50:41,760 --> 00:50:45,040 make it out, but I can't really fully understand. Why? Because 695 00:50:45,040 --> 00:50:50,320 there's still separation, but in eternity, it'll be gone. It's 696 00:50:50,320 --> 00:50:53,520 God in His pure and full presence, dwelling with and 697 00:50:53,520 --> 00:50:58,640 dealing directly with His people. Yes, today, it's a 698 00:50:58,640 --> 00:51:02,880 little bit different, but then it'll be one-to-one, face-to-face, 699 00:51:02,880 --> 00:51:05,920 visible, a tangible relationship, as verse three says. 700 00:51:05,920 --> 00:51:09,360 God will be with us, and this is an experience I think every 701 00:51:09,360 --> 00:51:14,800 believer longs for. We all long for that. We all look forward 702 00:51:14,800 --> 00:51:18,400 to that. I mean, that's that life, that eternal life, that 703 00:51:18,400 --> 00:51:22,880 zoe we've talked about. That's the thing we're looking forward 704 00:51:22,880 --> 00:51:28,800 to, and it's difficult at times now to walk in and to reconcile 705 00:51:28,800 --> 00:51:32,160 the relationship we have today with what is effectively an 706 00:51:32,160 --> 00:51:39,760 invisible God. Sometimes it's hard to deal with that. That 707 00:51:39,760 --> 00:51:42,160 happens to be incidentally one of the big critiques and 708 00:51:42,160 --> 00:51:46,480 slanders that non-believers have about Christians. Oh, you 709 00:51:46,480 --> 00:51:52,320 believe in your big, invisible God in the sky. And I think in 710 00:51:52,320 --> 00:51:56,960 this life, we'll never be completely satisfied. Completely 711 00:51:56,960 --> 00:51:59,200 satisfied. I don't think that'll happen until we see the face of 712 00:51:59,200 --> 00:52:02,720 God, and that's why we long for heaven. That's why we look 713 00:52:02,720 --> 00:52:06,960 forward to this time. Knowing that a new heaven and a new 714 00:52:06,960 --> 00:52:10,480 earth and the eternal state that awaits us, a state without 715 00:52:10,480 --> 00:52:15,040 tears, a state without death, without separation, without 716 00:52:15,040 --> 00:52:19,520 grief, without pain, in perfect peace, in perfect joy, in 717 00:52:19,520 --> 00:52:24,240 perfect contented bliss, it should cause us to yearn for 718 00:52:24,240 --> 00:52:30,160 home, to yearn for home, for it is truly an existence where 719 00:52:30,160 --> 00:52:35,840 all that former stuff has passed away. Same phrase, ceased to 720 00:52:35,840 --> 00:52:41,920 exist. So, you know, all the faith experience that we can 721 00:52:41,920 --> 00:52:45,440 experience here now as Christians, all the different 722 00:52:45,440 --> 00:52:47,840 stuff we go through, we have times of worship, right? We're 723 00:52:47,840 --> 00:52:50,640 like, oh, so wonderful, right? We have times of fellowship and 724 00:52:50,640 --> 00:52:53,120 gathering together, you know, here at church and our community 725 00:52:53,120 --> 00:52:56,480 groups. We have these moments, right, where, you know, we've 726 00:52:56,480 --> 00:52:58,400 all had them, right? You all say, wow, I feel so close to 727 00:52:58,400 --> 00:53:02,320 God, right? Like things seem to be clicking spiritually, 728 00:53:02,320 --> 00:53:04,560 right? And everything is just, you know, that wonderful, you 729 00:53:04,560 --> 00:53:09,600 know, awesome. Those are great, but those moments are not meant 730 00:53:09,600 --> 00:53:14,240 to fully satisfy us. They're meant to give us a taste. 731 00:53:15,520 --> 00:53:20,080 They're meant to give us a glimpse of what's to come. And I 732 00:53:20,080 --> 00:53:26,080 pray for all of us this morning that if the world has a grip on 733 00:53:26,080 --> 00:53:33,680 you in any way, a grip that has maybe led you to not be so 734 00:53:33,680 --> 00:53:38,080 excited about heaven, because while there's something here 735 00:53:38,080 --> 00:53:42,240 that's temporary, that's, oh, it's exciting, the new shiny 736 00:53:42,240 --> 00:53:47,520 thing, but it's sinful. It doesn't glorify God. I pray that 737 00:53:47,520 --> 00:53:51,680 if the world has a grip on you like that, that it would be 738 00:53:51,680 --> 00:53:56,240 loosened this morning, that God, to the power of his Holy 739 00:53:56,240 --> 00:54:00,320 Spirit, would break that hold on your life, that you would 740 00:54:00,320 --> 00:54:10,240 again be exuberant about the hope of heaven, about the 741 00:54:10,240 --> 00:54:13,200 paradise to come, that you would see all of this, everything 742 00:54:13,200 --> 00:54:19,520 in this life around us is just temporary, but a vapor. That 743 00:54:19,520 --> 00:54:22,720 doesn't mean we don't be diligent and we don't be wise 744 00:54:22,720 --> 00:54:25,600 and we don't, you know, do what we gotta do and take care of 745 00:54:25,600 --> 00:54:34,080 our business, but it is not the end all. That new shiny thing, 746 00:54:34,080 --> 00:54:37,360 that new car, that new house, those better clothes, that new 747 00:54:37,360 --> 00:54:43,280 purse, that new video game, that new computer, those things 748 00:54:43,280 --> 00:54:46,000 that we find ourselves enslaving ourselves to debt to 749 00:54:46,000 --> 00:54:50,800 get and enslaving ourselves to just, we're just so consumed 750 00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:54,320 with these things and they're all temporary. They're all 751 00:54:54,320 --> 00:55:01,040 temporary. And all they do is occupy us so that we lose sight 752 00:55:01,040 --> 00:55:03,840 of what is ahead. 753 00:55:03,840 --> 00:55:05,840 Now, yeah, there's nothing wrong with saying I would like a car 754 00:55:05,840 --> 00:55:12,240 that starts. Awesome. There's nothing wrong with having a new 755 00:55:12,240 --> 00:55:16,720 vehicle. That's not what I'm saying. A new house, and none of 756 00:55:16,720 --> 00:55:20,560 those things are wrong in and of themselves, but if they 757 00:55:20,560 --> 00:55:24,960 occupy your heart and your mind and they're the point of your 758 00:55:24,960 --> 00:55:31,200 living, you're missing out. You're missing out big time on 759 00:55:31,200 --> 00:55:37,200 what God has for you. And if you don't know Jesus Christ as 760 00:55:37,200 --> 00:55:40,080 your Lord and Savior this morning, whether you're in our 761 00:55:40,080 --> 00:55:44,320 room or watching online, I pray, I pray that the picture of 762 00:55:44,320 --> 00:55:47,360 what is to come for those who have embraced salvation, 763 00:55:47,360 --> 00:55:52,560 embrace Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior by faith, the 764 00:55:52,560 --> 00:55:56,960 hope of a future without pain, without tears, without grief, 765 00:55:56,960 --> 00:56:00,880 without sorrow of any kind, but instead, embrace the hope of 766 00:56:00,880 --> 00:56:05,840 a forever, an eternity with perfect joy and happiness and 767 00:56:05,840 --> 00:56:09,040 contentment and perfect fellowship with your Creator who 768 00:56:09,040 --> 00:56:12,320 loves you in a way you'll never fully understand, I don't think 769 00:56:12,320 --> 00:56:16,560 until we get there. But a love which you can get a taste of in 770 00:56:16,560 --> 00:56:21,200 this life by your God. I pray that all of that would lead you 771 00:56:21,200 --> 00:56:26,800 to repentance for the sin that you've committed in your life. 772 00:56:26,800 --> 00:56:30,320 It would lead you to cry out for your Creator, your Creator, 773 00:56:30,320 --> 00:56:36,160 God Almighty, Jesus Christ for salvation, for forgiveness. 774 00:56:36,160 --> 00:56:38,160 Because without that forgiveness, without that 775 00:56:38,160 --> 00:56:42,320 mercy, without that grace, without that salvation, 776 00:56:42,320 --> 00:56:46,960 judgment is coming. And we've studied that already in 777 00:56:46,960 --> 00:56:50,160 Revelation that that judgment will be severe and that 778 00:56:50,160 --> 00:56:54,480 judgment will be eternal. But it's not an eternal death, it's 779 00:56:54,480 --> 00:56:57,200 not an eternal suffering, it's not an eternal separation from 780 00:56:57,200 --> 00:57:03,040 God that He wants. He would rather have a perfect fellowship, 781 00:57:03,040 --> 00:57:09,120 joining, being united with you forever. And as a matter of fact, 782 00:57:09,120 --> 00:57:13,920 in His mind, in His, He's preparing the place. And He 783 00:57:13,920 --> 00:57:20,160 can't wait for you to get there. But if you hold on to your sin, 784 00:57:20,160 --> 00:57:25,840 you're holding on to that separation. And if you die 785 00:57:25,840 --> 00:57:28,560 holding on to that sin, you will be forever, permanently 786 00:57:28,560 --> 00:57:33,760 separated. And that is not what God wants. 787 00:57:35,760 --> 00:57:39,120 God's desire is for you to be saved from this body of sin and 788 00:57:39,120 --> 00:57:43,440 death, to be saved from the judgment to come and to be part 789 00:57:43,440 --> 00:57:47,520 of the new heavens and the new earth, the paradise that awaits 790 00:57:47,520 --> 00:57:52,160 those who call Him Lord and Savior. 791 00:57:52,160 --> 00:57:57,920 What could be better? Amen? Let's pray. 792 00:57:57,920 --> 00:58:02,080 Father, we love you so much. 793 00:58:06,560 --> 00:58:14,400 God, we so often get distracted by the things of this world. 794 00:58:14,400 --> 00:58:21,440 And Lord, I know you know, it's balancing the reality of 795 00:58:21,440 --> 00:58:24,480 taking care of the business that you've put before us, to be 796 00:58:24,480 --> 00:58:27,040 wise stewards of what you've given us in this earth, our time, 797 00:58:27,040 --> 00:58:31,440 our talents, our resources, the life you've called us to live 798 00:58:31,440 --> 00:58:33,680 after getting saved and becoming your children. And you 799 00:58:33,680 --> 00:58:36,560 said while you are going, while you are living, while you are 800 00:58:36,560 --> 00:58:42,960 working, while you are doing whatever it is this life has 801 00:58:42,960 --> 00:58:46,960 put in front of us, you said, preach the gospel. 802 00:58:46,960 --> 00:58:48,960 Tell others about the hope of heaven. Tell others about the 803 00:58:48,960 --> 00:58:54,000 salvation available to them. Share with them what it's like 804 00:58:54,000 --> 00:58:56,960 to live handling your business but not consumed by these 805 00:58:56,960 --> 00:59:00,960 things. Share with them what it's like to know that there's a 806 00:59:00,960 --> 00:59:04,960 future promise, there's a future heaven that transcends in every 807 00:59:04,960 --> 00:59:08,960 possible way anything good that we think the things of this 808 00:59:08,960 --> 00:59:14,960 world will give us. Tell people about that. Lord, help us to be 809 00:59:14,960 --> 00:59:18,960 those people. Help us to live our lives looking forward to 810 00:59:18,960 --> 00:59:22,960 heaven with great eagerness and great excitement and great 811 00:59:22,960 --> 00:59:28,960 enthusiasm. Help us to be people, God, that are looking 812 00:59:28,960 --> 00:59:34,960 forward to the paradise that awaits. Always knowing, God, in 813 00:59:34,960 --> 00:59:40,960 humility that we didn't earn it. We don't deserve it. But 814 00:59:40,960 --> 00:59:46,960 through faith in Jesus Christ, it has been granted to us. And 815 00:59:46,960 --> 00:59:50,960 that God, while we're in this journey towards that perfection, 816 00:59:50,960 --> 00:59:56,960 that we would be people who live lives of gratitude. Living 817 00:59:56,960 --> 00:59:58,960 lives that say, God, I just want to be who you're calling me to 818 00:59:58,960 --> 01:00:02,960 be and live how you're calling me to live. And that's what 819 01:00:02,960 --> 01:00:04,960 Jesus Christ is calling me to be. He's calling me to be how 820 01:00:04,960 --> 01:00:08,960 you're calling me to live. And that includes our priorities and 821 01:00:08,960 --> 01:00:12,960 that includes our stuff and that includes our money and that 822 01:00:12,960 --> 01:00:20,960 includes our time. Because, God, we believe you. We believe 823 01:00:20,960 --> 01:00:28,960 your word. We believe eternity is coming. Help us to live like 824 01:00:28,960 --> 01:00:34,960 you. Give us peace. Give us joy. Give us now what we have 825 01:00:34,960 --> 01:00:38,960 access to through the life that is in you. But let us not 826 01:00:38,960 --> 01:00:42,960 forget, Lord, it is a glimpse of what is to come. We love you 827 01:00:42,960 --> 01:00:46,960 so much. God, I pray for those that may have heard this 828 01:00:46,960 --> 01:00:50,960 message and don't know you. That in the quietness of their 829 01:00:50,960 --> 01:00:54,960 own heart, they would just cry out to you and say, God, I need 830 01:00:54,960 --> 01:01:08,960 you. But they would say, God, save me. God, forgive me. Be my 831 01:01:08,960 --> 01:01:16,960 God. Be my Savior. I believe in you. I believe in who you are. 832 01:01:16,960 --> 01:01:23,960 I believe in Jesus. And then, God, may they be full of the 833 01:01:23,960 --> 01:01:29,960 Holy Spirit, the guarantee of our inheritance, the promise 834 01:01:29,960 --> 01:01:32,960 given, the seal put upon their heart that they are yours now 835 01:01:32,960 --> 01:01:37,960 and forever. May they learn of you every single day, God, and 836 01:01:37,960 --> 01:01:41,960 grow in this walk in relationship and how to be in this life 837 01:01:41,960 --> 01:01:46,960 people who are citizens of the next. And as a church, God, 838 01:01:46,960 --> 01:01:50,960 that we would grow together in support of one another, support 839 01:01:50,960 --> 01:01:54,960 of your work and your kingdom, God, that we would be people 840 01:01:54,960 --> 01:01:57,960 who hold one another up and hold one another accountable in 841 01:01:57,960 --> 01:02:00,960 God, that we would together collectively endeavor to glorify 842 01:02:00,960 --> 01:02:07,960 you in this time because we know we're going to live in your 843 01:02:07,960 --> 01:02:14,960 glory forever. Thank you, Jesus. We love you so much. It's in 844 01:02:14,960 --> 01:02:20,960 your name we pray. Amen. Let's worship, guys.