All Things New
Text: Revelation 21:1-8
Core Idea: One day, the King will come back to establish a new heaven and a new earth, and all who trust in Him will be welcomed. There, sin and death will be no more, and we’ll see the true King face to face. There, we’ll find our forever home in the King’s presence, and we’ll know that every step of the journey was worth it.
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we finished our short sermon series on Luke 1 – and through Zechariah’s song, we learned that Jesus truly is the greatest gift of Christmas because He is the horn of our salvation and the light of the world that rescues us from our sin and darkness. Now, as I was thinking about what to preach today, for some reason, I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to look at Revelation 21:1-8. For those of you who may not be familiar with this book, it’s the last book we find in the Bible – written most likely by John (one of the twelve disciples who wrote the Gospel of John and the letters of John). And this book recounts his dreams and visions that unveil the unseen spiritual war that’s taking place between the people of God and Satan. Even though Jesus had already won the decisive victory through His death on the cross, John tells us that the church will continue to be assaulted by His enemies. But we also learn that this conflict will only be temporary because Christ will one day return to destroy all evil once and for all and save His people. Then let me share why it’s appropriate for us to study this text today – two reasons. First, because Advent is a season to look forward to Christ’s Second Coming. As many of you know, Advent means “arrival” – and it typically involves a period of reflection and preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. But if you didn’t know, many Christians have actually used this as an opportunity to long for Christ’s Second Arrival as well. The Bible teaches us that Jesus came in humility as a babe lying in a manger to save God’s people through His death and resurrection – but the Bible also teaches us that Jesus will once again come in power as the triumphant King riding on the clouds to fully establish His Kingdom. Then as we wrap up this Advent season, may this passage help us grow in our anticipation for Jesus’ return. Second, because life is painful. Now, I didn’t plan this but through the providence of God, we talked a lot about suffering this year as we studied the Book of James together. If you remember, we were called to consider our trials pure joy knowing that God is testing our faith, producing perseverance, and making us more like Christ through our trials – and that we should ask for His wisdom because our God is always generous in the way He helps us. But let’s be honest – knowing this doesn’t change the fact that life is still hard. In fact, many of us feel exhausted because we’ve suffered for too long. We feel discouraged because it seems like God is nowhere to be found. And we feel hopeless because it seems like our pain will never end. But the text we’re about to read tells us otherwise – that God is sovereignly working to accomplish His purpose in us and the world even if we cannot see it, and that our pain will one day stop when Christ returns. Then as we usher in the new year, may this passage help us frame and interpret everything that we’ll face and experience in light of this future glory – that it’ll help us see all of our lives (our most painful memory, our most fear-inducing reality, our most discouraging experience, our most hopeless situation, our most distressing circumstance, our most daunting challenge, our most broken relationship) in light of this future reality. Then with that in mind, let’s open up our Bibles to Revelation 21:1-8. Let me read this for us.
1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be My children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Let me share three things from this passage:
· WHAT JOHN SAW
· WHAT JOHN HEARD
· THE ONE WHO SPEAKS
1) WHAT JOHN SAW
Now, in order to better appreciate this text, we must understand what happened in the story leading up to this vision. In Chapter 12, we read that there was a cosmic battle that took place in heaven. Revelation 12:7-9 says, “Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down – that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” But there, the dragon continued to wage war against the people of God – persecuting them with violence and hatred. I won’t go into all the details, but as the vision expanded, the enemy was depicted in many different forms (the beast, the false prophets, the prostitute, Babylon) – and their attacks became even more intense. It seemed like there was no hope for the people of God. Their enemy was too strong, and their defeat, in one sense, was imminent – until a rider on a white horse appeared. Revelation 19:11-16, 19-21, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True… His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood [isn’t that interesting? Even before the battle began, He was covered in blood], and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations… On His robe and on His thigh, He has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords… Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and His army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf… The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.” Now, isn’t that just crazy epic? The enemy has been defeated, and the King was victorious. And as the people of God waited on the King, this was what John saw – verse 1, “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.” If the enemies were destined for the lake of fire, this was what awaited the people of God – a new heaven and a new earth.
Now, there are two words for “new” in Greek – neo means “brand new” while kainos means “remade.” Here, John uses the word “kainos.” And this is important because it implies that when Jesus comes back, He won’t take us up to somewhere completely new – this mysterious celestial realm where God dwells. Instead, He’ll come down to transform and restore our world to the way it was supposed to be in order to dwell among us. Then how will He make it new again? First, by removing evil and sin. He will remove all the effects of sin that had brought pain, distortion, immorality, and death to His creation. When John says at the end of verse 1, “And there was no longer any sea,” it doesn’t mean that there won’t be any oceans in heaven. In the Book of Revelation, the word “sea” carried not so much a physical connotation but a theological one. For example, Revelation 13:1 says, “The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea,” which shows us that the sea was a clear symbol of evil – the distortion, disorder, and chaos that it brings. In other words, John was reminding us that in the new creation, evil will be no more – there will no longer be any sea. But that’s not all – John sees something else.
Verse 2, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.” Remember that in the OT, Jerusalem was undoubtedly called the city of God. It was established by God, and it was where His dwelling place was. But the old Jerusalem had defiled itself, rebelled against God, and ultimately crucified the Lord – and as a result, it had become spiritually a desolate place. Now, it would’ve been completely understandable if God had left the city – in one sense, they deserved that. But as we have learned over the last few weeks, our God is a God of tender mercy – which means that He’ll never treat us as our sins deserve. His patience will never run out because of His unwavering love for us – which is why the OT is full of prophecies that look forward to a day when Jerusalem will be renewed, cleansed, and glorified to become a place where nations will gather to worship God, a place where God will reign with His people. Then here, John was seeing that vision come to fruition – God’s promise was being fulfilled before his very eyes. Jerusalem was made new – and the people of God were dwelling in joyful communion with the Lord. And if that wasn’t enough, John adds this wonderful description in verse 2 – that Jerusalem was being “prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” In Ephesians 5, Paul reminded us that the church is the bride of Christ – and that we are being sanctified for the day of our wedding. Then when John sees that the new Jerusalem is coming down as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband, it means that the ceremony has started. We’re walking down the aisle toward our Bridegroom who’s standing at the front – waiting for us. The union will be made complete, and the feast will begin. Now, this is so important because it shows us that Jesus isn’t just our King – He’s also our Husband. He doesn’t just rule over us with power and wisdom – He also embraces us with mercy and love. Brothers and sisters, this is what awaits us. A day is coming when our joy will be made complete knowing that we will forever live in the fullness of His love.
Then let me ask you, “Do you truly believe that this is your future reality?” More importantly, “Are you living your life today in light of this future reality?” God has given us this vision through John because He wants to transform our view of life today. The truth is that in the midst of our struggles and suffering, we often lose perspective. But brothers and sisters, let this passage remind you that your life ultimately is a wedding preparation. In other words, your life is teaching you to have this single-minded devotion for your groom, to keep yourself pure for your groom, to live for the joy of your groom, and to long for life together with your groom. Then, brothers and sisters, I invite you to look at your circumstances in light of this future reality today. And as you do, I pray that the Spirit of God will give you the strength that you need to persevere – to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord.
2) WHAT JOHN HEARD
After seeing this incredible vision, John heard a loud voice from the throne that essentially helped him understand what this vision really meant – what it meant for the believers to receive a new heaven and a new earth, what it meant to enter this new Jerusalem. Listen to the words that John heard – verse 3, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.” This idea that God will be with His people and be their God has been proclaimed numerous times in the OT. For example, Leviticus 26:11-12 says, “I will put My dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.” And Ezekiel 37:21-23, “I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation. There will be one king over all of them. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God.” God had made an everlasting covenant with His people – a covenant that will not be broken. He said that His dwelling place would be with them – and that He would be their God and they would be His people. And here, John hears those words again – showing us that God’s faithfulness to His people has never wavered. In fact, this is the moment when the people of God will finally enter the fullness of His presence. We won’t just look at His back like Moses did, but we’ll actually see Him face to face. He’ll embrace us and hold us in His arms. As verse 4 says, “He will wipe every tear from [our] eyes.” He’ll look straight into our eyes and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! [I know that you have suffered much. But you have been faithful in all that I have given you. So,] I will put you in charge of many [more] things. Come and [let’s celebrate together]” (Matt. 25:21).
Brothers and sisters, do you have any tears? For some of you, you might actually say, “Do I have any tears left?” Do you have anything broken in your heart? Do you have anything that shattered your dream? Do you have anything that harmed you or grieved you? This text tells us that God Himself will wipe every tear from our eyes. He’s going to comfort every heart, calm every fear, relieve every pain, console every loss, and take away every sorrow. And He will graciously redeem all that has been broken. Nothing will be lost – all things will be restored and renewed in Him. I don’t know if you know Joni Eareckson Tada – she’s a quadriplegic who broke her neck as a teenager in a diving accident, but God used that incident to bring her back to Himself. Then listen to what she said in her radio program, “I always say that in a way, I hope I can take my wheelchair to heaven with me. I know that’s not biblically correct, but if I were able, I would have my wheelchair up in heaven right next to me when God gives me my brand new, glorified body. And I will then turn to Jesus and say, ‘Lord, do You see that wheelchair right there? Well, You were right when You said that in this world, we would have trouble because that wheelchair was a lot of trouble! But Jesus, the weaker I was in that thing, the harder I leaned on You. And the harder I leaned on You, the stronger I discovered You to be. So, thank you for what You did in my life through that wheelchair. And now,’ I always say jokingly, ‘You can send that wheelchair to hell if You want.’” Brothers and sisters, I pray that you would have the faith and courage to confess the same in your life today – and that in your weakness, in your pain and suffering, you’ll discover more of Him (more of His power, more of His grace, more of His love). But most importantly, may this future reality help us to take our eyes off of this world, off of our trials, off of our sufferings knowing that we will one day see Him and have Him in fullness – this is what we can look forward to. We’ll one day live in the fullness of His glory.
3) THE ONE WHO SPEAKS
After John hears about this wonderful future reality, the One on the throne assures him that this will surely happen. Verse 5, “I am making everything new! Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. It is done.” He proclaims that all that God had promised, all that He had purposed from the beginning will completely be fulfilled – in fact, He shares that it is done. All that John has seen and heard (the new creation, the perfection of God’s people, the joining of heaven and earth, God’s presence forever among His people, God’s comfort and care for His people, all sin removed, death made powerless) – from heaven’s perspective, you can basically consider all these things complete. It’s a done deal. Then how can He be so sure? How can He guarantee this? Well, He tells us why. Verse 6, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.” He’s the Creator and the Consummator. He’s the origin of all things and He’s the goal of all things. He’s the foundation of this glorious promise and the fulfillment of it as well. There’s nothing that can thwart His plans – and His plans will always come to fruition. Then let me ask you, “Do you know this God? Have you given your life to Him? Are you truly on His side?” I ask this with a bit of urgency because what He says next should impact all of us to the core – He tells us who is able to enter His Kingdom.
Verse 6, “To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be My children.” Let me make this clear – there’s nothing that you need to do to inherit this promise. You just need to be thirsty for the water of life. It’s for those who know that this world and its delights are empty and fleeting. It’s for those who perceive their need for forgiveness. It’s for those who humbly flee to Christ knowing that He is the living water that will never run dry. In other words, only the ones who thirst for the King, those who receive from Him His forgiveness, joy, and life will enter His Kingdom. Then let me ask you, “Are you thirsting for Christ – or are you thirsting for the things of this world?” I pray that you would thirst after the One who can give you eternal joy, not in the things that offer you temporary joy. Now, the amazing thing about this is that this gift is free. You know the way inheritance works. You don’t earn your inheritance. You don’t pay for your inheritance. You simply receive it – something that you didn’t have before becomes rightfully yours just because you’re a part of the family. That is the picture of heaven. Here, God will tell us, “Everything I have will be yours to enjoy” simply because He has graciously adopted us as His sons and daughters. We will have all things not because of anything that we have done but because of who we belong to.
Now, as much as this is a wonderful promise, the passage concludes more on a sobering note – verse 8, “But the cowardly [not in the sense that you’re timid but that you’ve deserted God in fear of persecution and pain], the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” This King is not just merciful to those who thirst for Him, but He’s also holy and just to those who reject Him, those who rebel against His authority. He says that they will be given over to hell. I know that it’s not popular in our culture to even mention the word “hell” – but the Bible makes it clear that this is an inescapable reality. Just as God’s people will enjoy the fullness of God’s grace as their inheritance, those who turn away from God will receive the fullness of God’s wrath as their inheritance. Then let me humbly speak to those who haven’t given their life to Jesus. Please know that I’m not trying to scare you into heaven. But if I can, I actually want to do just that, I want to do whatever it takes to make you believe because that’s how much I don’t want you to end up in hell. But I know that I can’t. I can’t make you believe. I can’t force you to trust in Jesus. In fact, only God can remove the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh – a heart that will believe, a heart that will submit, a heart that will worship the Lord, which is why I have been praying for you. Friends, I’m sure I’m not the only one praying for you – there are many in this community who are earnestly praying for you. Then I pray with them that God will open your hearts today so that you will respond with repentance – that you’ll receive this gift of grace and drink from the living water. Surrender your life to Him today. Don’t delay it because if you do, He will embrace you with love, He will wipe away your tears, and He will give you this everlasting joy that this world will never be able to offer.
Now, Christians, be assured that the things that we read in this passage are what truly awaits us. Our future is secure in Christ because all the promises of God in Scripture, all the joys that have been promised to His people have been purchased by Christ when He said, “It is finished” on the cross (Jn. 19:30). It’s that cry that makes our salvation possible and our future sure. He took our sin. He took our sorrow. He took our death so that we would have life and life to the full. But more importantly, God gives us this truth so that it will make a difference in our lives today. Know that our God is with you in all circumstances – and through all circumstances, He’s preparing you for a wedding. Of course, this doesn’t mean that our lives will be pain-free – in fact, we may experience more pain because of our faith in Jesus Christ. But know that every loss and every sacrifice will have been worth it because He’ll redeem it one day and use it for His glory. Then let’s fix our eyes on Christ today for He alone is the Author and Perfecter of our faith.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, one day, the King will come back to establish a new heaven and a new earth – and all who trust in Him will be welcomed. There, sin and death will be a distant and forgotten memory, and we will see the true King face to face. There, we will find our forever home in the presence of our King, and we will know that every step of the journey was worth it. Then I pray that you’ll anchor yourselves to this future reality so that it will transform the way you live your life today. As we usher in the new year, I pray that this truth will renew your hope and strength again.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) Read Revelation 21:1-4. Do you truly believe that this is your future reality? But more importantly, are you living your life today in light of this future reality? How does this perspective give you hope right now to faithfully follow Jesus in all that you do?
2) Verse 4 shares that He will wipe every tear from our eyes. Are you going through anything that is causing you to grieve today? Share with your group and spend some time praying for each other.
3) In verse 6, the One on the throne identifies Himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. What does that mean? How does this give you hope and assurance for your faith? Are you aware of His continual grace at work in you? If not, what gets in the way?