Sermon Devotional: Behold I Make All Things New
Sermon Title: Behold I Make All Things New
Scripture: Revelation 21:1-8 (ESV)
And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5
At last, we come to the final two chapters of John’s Revelation. After the confounding and sometimes troubling images of the earlier chapters, Revelation 21 and 22 invite us to exhale fear and uncertainty and describe for us what God has intended from before the foundations of the earth. In this beautiful passage, John is given the privilege of witnessing the culmination of God’s salvation plan for creation. Jesus, the victorious one, declares, “Behold, I am making all things new” (21:5). What is Christ the King making new?
John sees “a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more” (Rev 21:1). In the new heaven and the new earth the sea is gone. In the Jewish mind, the sea represented chaos and was the birthplace of evil. John tells us that there is no more chaos, no more evil!
Then John “saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (21:2). The bride, the people of God, the Church, may now be gathered together “from every nation, tribe, people and language” (7:9). This is the joyous and long-awaited wedding day of the bride and the Groom. “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (19:6-7). In the new Jerusalem, the visible and forever union of the Creator and his beloved creation has begun.
From the throne, John hears a loud voice saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (21:3). What can be more joyous than God’s perfect design and desire to dwell in a new community with, and in new relationship to, his creation? In his last hours on earth, Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come. He said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (Jn 14:16). And the Spirit did come and dwells within us bringing truth, comfort, guidance and much more to God’s people. And how thankful we are that God the Spirit is with us as we wait for Revelation 21 to become our reality! But in the new Jerusalem, God will dwell face to face with his church and he himself will care for his people. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:4).
In our current experience living in a broken, fallen world, it can be difficult to even imagine a world of no pain, sorrow, tears, heart break, death or mourning. Everywhere we look, there are natural disasters that cause panic, disorientation, loss and chaos. It is even more difficult to see the harm and evil we inflict on each other through violence and war, subjugation, trafficking, greed, idolatry, and deception. However, finally, in the new heaven and new earth, our holy, triune God lovingly and personally dwells with his people and brings about a completely new order. No evil, no tears, no death. Only right relationships with the living God.
“Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” The Lamb declares, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end” (21:6). His work is completed. The new heaven and new earth have been established. The bride and the Bridegroom are forever united. The new Jerusalem is resplendent. All chaos and evil are banished. God dwells with us and we with God.
Consider—
╬ Jesus, the victorious one, declares, “Behold, I am making all things new” (21:5). What is Christ the King making new? Consider the scope of this statement. What does “all things” include? Does this inspire you to gratitude and worship?
╬ The words of verse 8 are sharp contrast to the glory of God dwelling with his people in the new reality. “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Rev 21:8). A choice must be made by every individual. Knowing the gravity and the eternal consequence of this choice, to whom are you graciously sharing the hope of the new heaven and the new earth?
╬ God Most High, thank you for these words that paint such a glorious picture of what our eternal home will be. May God the Spirit inspire us to eagerly anticipate this new reality. Until that day, may the love of Christ compel us to truly be the voice, the hands and feet of Christ in our homes, our neighborhoods, our work and our world. May all glory and praise be yours, through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Scripture: Revelation 21:1-8 (ESV)
And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5
At last, we come to the final two chapters of John’s Revelation. After the confounding and sometimes troubling images of the earlier chapters, Revelation 21 and 22 invite us to exhale fear and uncertainty and describe for us what God has intended from before the foundations of the earth. In this beautiful passage, John is given the privilege of witnessing the culmination of God’s salvation plan for creation. Jesus, the victorious one, declares, “Behold, I am making all things new” (21:5). What is Christ the King making new?
John sees “a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more” (Rev 21:1). In the new heaven and the new earth the sea is gone. In the Jewish mind, the sea represented chaos and was the birthplace of evil. John tells us that there is no more chaos, no more evil!
Then John “saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (21:2). The bride, the people of God, the Church, may now be gathered together “from every nation, tribe, people and language” (7:9). This is the joyous and long-awaited wedding day of the bride and the Groom. “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (19:6-7). In the new Jerusalem, the visible and forever union of the Creator and his beloved creation has begun.
From the throne, John hears a loud voice saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (21:3). What can be more joyous than God’s perfect design and desire to dwell in a new community with, and in new relationship to, his creation? In his last hours on earth, Jesus promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit would come. He said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (Jn 14:16). And the Spirit did come and dwells within us bringing truth, comfort, guidance and much more to God’s people. And how thankful we are that God the Spirit is with us as we wait for Revelation 21 to become our reality! But in the new Jerusalem, God will dwell face to face with his church and he himself will care for his people. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:4).
In our current experience living in a broken, fallen world, it can be difficult to even imagine a world of no pain, sorrow, tears, heart break, death or mourning. Everywhere we look, there are natural disasters that cause panic, disorientation, loss and chaos. It is even more difficult to see the harm and evil we inflict on each other through violence and war, subjugation, trafficking, greed, idolatry, and deception. However, finally, in the new heaven and new earth, our holy, triune God lovingly and personally dwells with his people and brings about a completely new order. No evil, no tears, no death. Only right relationships with the living God.
“Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” The Lamb declares, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end” (21:6). His work is completed. The new heaven and new earth have been established. The bride and the Bridegroom are forever united. The new Jerusalem is resplendent. All chaos and evil are banished. God dwells with us and we with God.
Consider—
╬ Jesus, the victorious one, declares, “Behold, I am making all things new” (21:5). What is Christ the King making new? Consider the scope of this statement. What does “all things” include? Does this inspire you to gratitude and worship?
╬ The words of verse 8 are sharp contrast to the glory of God dwelling with his people in the new reality. “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Rev 21:8). A choice must be made by every individual. Knowing the gravity and the eternal consequence of this choice, to whom are you graciously sharing the hope of the new heaven and the new earth?
╬ God Most High, thank you for these words that paint such a glorious picture of what our eternal home will be. May God the Spirit inspire us to eagerly anticipate this new reality. Until that day, may the love of Christ compel us to truly be the voice, the hands and feet of Christ in our homes, our neighborhoods, our work and our world. May all glory and praise be yours, through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.