GEMS Registration

Summer Camp Registration

Pickleball Mondays at 1pm and Thursdays at 6:30pm

 

Worship Services: Sundays at 10 am

X Close Menu

All Things Made New

December 23, 2018 Series: Maranatha! (Advent & Christmas sermon series)

Topic: Restoration Scripture: Revelation 21:1–27

The portrayal of the new heaven, the new earth and the Holy City in this passage is a refreshing change from the grim scenes in earlier chapters of this book--visions of God's wrath poured out on the earth, of the powers of evil waging war against God and his followers, and Jesus returning to judge the living and the dead.  

Despite this, Revelation 21 may stir up sad memories for some people, since it is often read at funerals and burials.  However, God's promises in this passage give us hope in the midst of sorrow--he will make all things new, and will wipe every tear from our eyes.

There are three things to take note of about the new creation:  

  1. God will not annihilate everything and start over with a totally different creation, nor will he only save our souls and transport them to some spirit realm.  He will cleanse and restore this world, and he will cleanse and restore us as well, body and soul.  
  2. There will be an amazing closeness and intimacy between the Lord and his people--like that in a marriage, only perfected and without shortcoming.  Note that there will be no temple in the New Jerusalem.  The temple was the symbol of God's presence for the Israelites, but the temple will be obsolete in the new creation, since God will live with his people.
  3. There will be no night in the new creation.  Darkness is a symbol of evil, of danger, and ultimately of separation from God; when the Lord returns to dwell with his people, darkness will cease to exist.

To see this sermon in the context of the larger entire worship service, please open this bulletin.

More in Maranatha! (Advent & Christmas sermon series)

December 25, 2018

The Answer to the Promise

December 23, 2018

The Darkness Will Not Overcome

December 16, 2018

Good Judgment