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The Garden Recreated · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Well, we've come to the end of this communion weekend, and for those of you who have been able to be here over the course of these days, you'll know that we've been following a theme, a theme that I've called in the garden.
0:14
What we've been trying to do is explore, first of all, Genesis 2. We tried to explore some of the features of Genesis 2, and then on Saturday, we went into Genesis 3 and tried to extrapolate some of the teaching in Genesis 3 that helped us to understand how the perfect world that God created was spoiled
0:42
by the disobedience of Adam and Eve. And of course, as Paul tells us, it was at that moment that sin came into the world and spread throughout the human race and gave rise to all kinds of evil and violence and mistrust and fear and darkness and shame and everything that we know to be bad.
1:11
That was not the world that God created. That's the world that was spoiled because we, in Adam and Eve, we chose to disobey. We saw some of the features of Genesis 3, but we saw at the end of that chapter that while God could have destroyed the world, he chose not to.
1:35
Rather, there is a note of hope, a glimmer of light at the end of that chapter. And we saw that that pointed forward to the coming of Jesus and his death on the cross, by which he would crush the head of the serpent.
1:54
And even though the serpent got to crush his heel, which we believe to be a reference to the cross, nevertheless, the cross was the decisive victory over what the serpent had done.
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That's why the cross is everything to a Christian. It's why what lies at the very heart of what I am tonight, and you are if you're a follower of Jesus, it's the cross.
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It's not what we do to try to win God's favor. That's of no use whatsoever.
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But a person who comes to see what Jesus has done on the cross and to receive his punishment as done on our behalf and to come to faith in Jesus, that's what a person who follows Jesus is all about.
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That's what lies at the very heart of what we are.
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And then we saw this morning at our communion service how the temptation, the Matthew 4 passage on the temptation of Jesus Christ, a passage we know so well, it refers to, it is a reenactment, if you like, or a reversal of Adam's disobedience.
3:15
And then again, it points towards the cross because the temptation had reference to Jesus in his ministry in preparation for his death on the cross at Calvary.
3:30
Now what we're going to do this evening is, if I was going to give a title to this service, it might be fast forward.
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And I'm not even sure how fast or how far forward we have to go because I don't know when chapter 21 of Revelation is going to take place.
3:52
And you don't know either. We don't know when the world will come to an end.
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The fact is that the Bible is not a collection of books.
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It's the story of the world from the beginning to the end.
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It has a sequence that winds its way from the first human beings to the final outcome.
4:18
If you take God out of the picture and try to make sense of the world without God,
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then there are two vast unknowns.
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One is the unknown of how and why humanity began.
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And then there is the unknown of how it will all end.
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You take God out of the picture, you have a massive question mark, or I should say you have two massive question marks.
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Why are we here?
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And when is it going to end or how it's all going to end?
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And so while much of the content of Revelation, I'm sure you've tried to read it and have been as puzzled as I have about much of the content,
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the symbolism and the visions that John saw,
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while it is hard to figure out, there are certain features of it that are clear.
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And one of them is that God will bring this present world to an end.
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And then he will usher in what is described as the new heaven and the new earth.
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And so the last two chapters of Revelation are the grand finale in which the whole of the Bible is summed up,
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in which the story comes to an end, in which the plan of God comes to fruition.
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And there is a plan of God.
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And we're either we're faced with one of two options this evening.
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You take God out of the picture and the whole of life is a series of random unrelated events that have no meaning whatsoever.
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Or you put God in the picture and you come to God's word and you see that God is responsible for the beginning of the universe.
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And he's responsible for the salvation of human beings in Jesus.
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And he has promised that a day will come when the world will come to an end.
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As we know it, he's also promised a recreation.
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And so it is not without significance that the Bible begins with,
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Genesis 1 is the answer to the first question.
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Revelation 21 and 22 are the answer to the second question.
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The world will come to an end, but only when and how God determines.
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God is in control.
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I want you to know that this evening in a world that otherwise is totally confused.
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And if you try to find the answer outside God,
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it will only lead to more and more confusion in your mind.
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The answer is not out there.
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The answer is here in what God has told us in the Bible and supremely in Jesus Christ, his son.
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And so therefore, I hope that if you're asking the question,
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what's it all about?
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And so you should be.
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What's the world all about?
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What's humanity all about?
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And what am I about?
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Then please look in the right place.
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It's not far away.
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It's right here.
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You don't have to go out there.
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It's here in your hand, in the pages of the Bible,
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in which God has made himself known to you
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and in Jesus Christ who has come into the world to rescue us
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and to bring us home to where we should be in God himself.
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So Genesis 1 and Revelation 21 are the bookends,
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the Bible's bookends, if you like,
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with Revelation 21 promising that whatever has happened to spoil this world,
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God has remedied it
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and will never allow the same thing to happen again.
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One thing that is different,
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well, there are many things different about the recreation to the original creation,
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but one thing is absolutely sure that there will be no chance of any further fall
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or any more separation.
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God has won the final victory
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and he is going to bring all of his plans to fruition.
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But you will have noticed as we read these two passages,
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the striking similarity between the terminology that's used here
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and what we've read before in Genesis 2 and 3.
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This is God's new creation.
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Now, I'm not going to go through this in detail.
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We don't have time tonight.
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What I want to do is very simply to pick out
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some of the features of what we have read
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and to try and make this as simple as possible.
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I'm going to do this by whittling it down to two things.
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The passage we've read amounts to a future promise in the first place.
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The promise of the new heaven and the new earth.
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That's the future promise.
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But then, secondly,
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you'll notice that passage contains
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meanwhile commands.
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Meanwhile commands.
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And that's because
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while it's all very well to look forward to what the Bible tells us
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about what God's going to do one day,
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it hasn't happened yet.
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That's the not yet of the Bible.
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We, meanwhile, are living in this life.
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We've got work to do tomorrow.
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We've got our duties to fulfill
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in our families and wherever we live
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and whatever our routines are.
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We live in the here and now.
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And so, whilst we do want to know
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as much as we possibly can
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about the future that God has promised,
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we can maybe talk about some of the things
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that are in this passage.
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Nevertheless, we, at the same time,
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we have to get on with life
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as God's people here in this world.
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And lo and behold,
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this passage gives us guidance.
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It gives us certain principles.
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And if we follow them,
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we will be blessed.
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That's what we all want, isn't it?
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We want to be blessed.
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You know what that word means in the Bible?
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I know we use it very glibly and casually sometimes,
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but I'm talking about the way the Bible uses it.
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The blessing of God is the happiness
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that God brings,
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the peace that only God brings.
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And it's a peace that can only be found
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in Jesus Christ.
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That's what Paul discovered
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when he came to faith in Jesus
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on the road to Damascus.
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He said, therefore,
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having been justified by faith,
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we have peace with God
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through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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And that's the blessing that God promises
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in the gospel.
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And tonight,
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Revelation 22
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gives us
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the way to peace.
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There is only one way,
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and that's in Jesus.
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So, first of all then,
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what does God promise
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in this chapter
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about the not yet?
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Well, he promises
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in chapter 21,
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one,
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a new heaven
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and a new earth.
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A new heaven.
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And I'm sure
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that whenever we've imagined this,
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we've tried to imagine
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what a new heaven
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and a new earth
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might be like.
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And you take some of the imagery
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in Revelation
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and you try to close your eyes
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and you try to picture
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what heaven might be like
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and you come up with
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streets of gold
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and trees
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and gates
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and gold
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and this
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and emeralds
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and all kinds of precious stones
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and all that.
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Please remember
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that Revelation
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is symbolic.
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And the descriptions
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that we have
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in Revelation
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are symbolic.
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The best way
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to understand Revelation,
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by the way,
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is to understand
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the Old Testament.
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So if you know
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your Old Testament,
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you will be able
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to grasp Revelation
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a lot better
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but only when you realize
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that there's very little
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in Revelation
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of literal description.
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It's symbolic.
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So anytime you pick up
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your Bible
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and you read Revelation,
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remember,
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symbol,
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symbol,
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symbol.
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Old Testament imagery
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and that applies
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to streets of gold
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and gates
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and all that kind of thing.
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It applies to
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what we read there
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about the new Jerusalem
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coming down.
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No, we didn't read it.
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It goes on.
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It's further on
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in chapter 21,
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the new Jerusalem
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with a high wall
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and the jasper
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and the clearest crystal
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and all the rest of it.
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All of these
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are symbolic
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but what they describe
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is something
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utterly,
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utterly,
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indescribably
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magnificent.
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and I believe,
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I personally believe,
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that the reason
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heaven isn't described
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in the Bible
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is because
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there is no
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capacity
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in language
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for God
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to tell us
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what it's going to be like.
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It's just impossible
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because we're so restricted
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by length
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and breadth
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and height
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and time
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and all of these things.
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We're so restricted
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but we're talking here now
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about a different order
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altogether,
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a different dimension
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and as soon as I say that,
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I don't even understand
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what I'm saying
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but God does.
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God is the God
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who is not limited
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by any dimensions
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or restrictions
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and so what God
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promises us,
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a new heaven
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and a new earth
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in which there will be
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perfect bliss
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and unbroken
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happiness
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for all
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his people.
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But it does appear
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that there will be
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a connection
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between
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the earth
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but not as we know it,
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the earth that has been
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cleansed
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and glorified
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and stripped away
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of all the evil influences
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and the impacts
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that have been
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on the earth.
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There will be
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this unification.
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It's interesting,
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isn't it,
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that it tells us
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that there'll be
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a new heaven
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and a new earth.
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There seems to be
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a promise
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of a unification
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of what now is heaven
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and what now is earth
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in perfection
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when God has brought
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this world
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as we know it
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to an end.
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Right now,
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heaven is separated
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from the earth
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but a time will come
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when that separation
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will disappear.
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It's also clear
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that heaven
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will consist
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of angels.
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Angels.
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Lots of angels
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in Revelations.
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There's angels
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all the way
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through the Bible.
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There are angels
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at the very beginning.
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There are angels
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all the way there.
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Angels at the birth
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of Jesus.
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Angels at the resurrection.
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Angels in the book
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of Acts.
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We know that they exist.
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We don't want to spend
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too much time on them
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because we don't want
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to obsess over it
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but we do know
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that God has created
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other rational beings
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and they have a purpose.
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They serve him.
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We don't see them.
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At least I've never
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seen one
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but we know
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that they are there
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and we know
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that they populate
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God's presence.
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But more immediately
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to us
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heaven will also
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consist of
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saints
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and by that
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I don't mean
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super Christians
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Christians who have
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earned a certain
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level
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in their lives
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by that
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I mean
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men and women
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boys and girls
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who have trusted
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and followed
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Jesus Christ
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and they have
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lived in this world
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and they have
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struggled
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and they have
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fallen sometimes
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and they have
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sinned often
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and yet
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they have
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followed Jesus.
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They have lived
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and died
16:40
as followers
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of their Savior
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and God
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has taken them
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from this world
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and he has
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transferred them
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into his
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presence.
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They're there now
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right now.
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When I leave
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this world
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I expect
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that I will not
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experience death.
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I expect
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that I will be
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taken immediately
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to the presence
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of God
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and that's
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what you should
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expect as well
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if you are a
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believer
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in Jesus.
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It's the only
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way to get there
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by believing
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trusting
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in Jesus.
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We'll talk about
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that a little bit
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later on.
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What is the
17:21
catechism says
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the souls of
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believers are at
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their death
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made perfect
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in holiness
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and they do
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immediately
17:27
pass into
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glory
17:29
and their bodies
17:30
being still
17:30
united to Christ
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rest in the grave
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until the
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resurrection.
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So God's
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promise is
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that the new
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heaven and the
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new earth
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will be populated
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by people
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his people.
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It's also clear
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that this
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heavenly earth
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or this
17:46
earthly heaven
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or whatever you
17:48
want to call it
17:48
the new heaven
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and the new
17:49
earth is
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indestructible
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or imperishable.
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The first earth
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was subject
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to failure.
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And then
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we also have
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to avoid
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trying to
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picture
18:03
heaven
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according to
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time.
18:06
We think of
18:06
eternity
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and we think
18:08
of well
18:08
it's going
18:08
to be so
18:08
long isn't
18:09
it?
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I mean
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even a year
18:11
and hour
18:11
experience is
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just so long
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or ten years
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or whatever
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and I can't
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imagine.
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Well that's
18:17
because we
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only think of
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things in
18:19
terms of
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our life.
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But remember
18:22
what I said
18:22
before that
18:23
we're talking
18:23
about different
18:24
dimension here.
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And so
18:26
let's try
18:27
and avoid
18:28
thinking about
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heaven
18:30
in terms
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of our
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measurements.
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So whatever
18:36
image you've
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had or
18:37
formulated in
18:38
your mind
18:38
is probably
18:39
wrong.
18:40
And not
18:41
only is it
18:42
wrong but
18:42
what God
18:43
has planned
18:43
is a million
18:44
times more
18:45
magnificent than
18:46
we can ever
18:47
imagine.
18:47
what we do
18:49
know about
18:50
the promise
18:51
is that the
18:52
dwelling of
18:53
God will be
18:53
amongst men.
18:56
The glory
18:56
of God
18:57
will take
18:58
the centre
18:58
place in
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this new
19:01
existence
19:01
and God's
19:03
people will
19:04
forever in
19:05
some kind
19:06
of magnificent
19:07
way
19:08
unspoiled by
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sin or
19:11
distraction
19:12
we will be
19:13
able to
19:13
worship him
19:14
in perfection.
19:15
There'll be no
19:16
more sea.
19:16
We read that
19:17
in chapter
19:18
20.
19:18
Again
19:18
symbolic
19:19
there'll be
19:20
no more
19:21
sea.
19:21
What does
19:21
that mean?
19:22
The sea
19:22
was a
19:22
symbol of
19:23
all the
19:23
changeableness
19:24
of life.
19:25
Remember
19:26
that this
19:26
vision was
19:27
given to
19:28
John.
19:28
He was
19:29
on the
19:29
island of
19:29
Patmos.
19:30
He was
19:30
surrounded
19:31
by sea.
19:32
Anybody
19:33
who's on
19:33
an island
19:34
as you
19:34
well know
19:35
knows about
19:36
the sea.
19:37
And so
19:38
the sea
19:38
would have
19:39
meant
19:39
something
19:40
very
19:40
meaningful
19:42
to
19:42
John.
19:44
And he
19:44
would have
19:45
got up
19:45
every day
19:46
and he
19:46
would have
19:46
seen how
19:47
changeable
19:47
things were
19:48
and it
19:49
was a
19:49
reflection
19:49
of how
19:50
changeable
19:51
life was.
19:53
But there'll
19:53
be no more
19:54
changeableness.
19:56
There'll be no
19:56
more disappointment.
19:58
No more
19:59
unpredictability.
20:00
There'll be
20:00
complete healing
20:01
in verse 2.
20:02
There'll be no
20:03
more curse.
20:03
Here,
20:04
those of you
20:04
who read that,
20:05
you'll remember
20:06
that.
20:06
That's a
20:07
reversal of
20:09
Genesis chapter 3
20:10
when God
20:11
cursed the earth
20:12
because of
20:13
Adam and Eve's
20:14
disobedience.
20:15
Now there's
20:16
no more
20:17
curse and
20:18
the throne
20:18
of God
20:19
and of the
20:19
Lamb will
20:20
be there.
20:21
They will
20:21
see his
20:22
face and
20:23
his name
20:24
will be on
20:24
their forehead.
20:25
Symbolism
20:26
once again.
20:27
I'm not
20:28
quite sure
20:29
how that
20:30
relates to
20:32
the reality
20:33
of heaven,
20:35
but we
20:36
will see
20:37
his face
20:38
and his
20:39
name will
20:40
be on
20:40
our foreheads.
20:42
There'll be no
20:42
more night.
20:43
It'll be a
20:43
different order
20:44
of things
20:45
altogether.
20:46
God and
20:46
sinners are
20:48
reconciled
20:49
forever.
20:50
The dwelling
20:50
of God is
20:51
with man.
20:52
We have a
20:52
new creation.
20:54
God has
20:54
made all
20:54
things new.
20:56
His word
20:56
is trustworthy.
20:58
His city
20:58
gleams with
20:59
perfect,
21:00
unimaginable
21:01
grandeur
21:02
and spectacular
21:03
beauty.
21:05
So I'm
21:07
out of words,
21:08
I'm afraid.
21:08
I don't have
21:09
any words
21:09
because I
21:10
don't even
21:11
know what
21:11
words that
21:13
I could
21:13
possibly bring
21:14
together to
21:15
do justice
21:16
to what God
21:17
has promised.
21:18
And I can't
21:19
go beyond
21:19
what is
21:21
in the
21:21
Bible.
21:22
So,
21:22
so much
21:23
for the
21:24
new heaven
21:24
and the
21:25
new earth.
21:26
Now,
21:27
let me just,
21:28
before we go
21:28
into this,
21:29
the reason
21:32
I believe
21:33
that there
21:34
will be a
21:35
new heaven
21:36
and a new
21:36
earth
21:37
is because
21:38
I believe
21:39
in the
21:40
present
21:40
earth
21:41
where I
21:42
live
21:43
and I
21:44
believe
21:44
in a
21:44
present
21:44
heaven.
21:45
And the
21:46
reason I
21:46
believe that
21:47
is because
21:48
God has
21:49
created it.
21:50
The ground
21:51
that I
21:52
stand on
21:53
is ground
21:54
that has
21:55
come into
21:55
being because
21:56
God has
21:57
created it.
21:58
My reality
22:00
owes its
22:01
existence
22:01
to God.
22:03
Now,
22:03
if you
22:04
believe that,
22:05
then it
22:06
shouldn't be
22:06
difficult for you
22:07
to believe
22:08
that God
22:08
one day
22:09
will create
22:10
another reality,
22:11
a new reality,
22:12
a renewed
22:13
existence.
22:15
It shouldn't
22:16
be difficult
22:16
because we're
22:17
talking about
22:18
the same God
22:18
who is capable
22:19
of anything.
22:21
And so,
22:21
the same faith
22:22
that believes
22:23
that I owe
22:24
my existence
22:25
to God
22:25
is the same
22:26
faith that
22:26
believes that
22:27
one day
22:28
he will
22:28
renew
22:29
this world
22:30
and he will
22:31
bring about
22:31
the new
22:32
heaven
22:32
and the
22:32
new
22:33
earth.
22:34
So much
22:35
for the
22:35
future promises.
22:36
What do
22:37
these passages
22:37
have to
22:38
tell us
22:39
about the
22:40
life that
22:41
I live
22:41
now?
22:43
Well,
22:43
it tells
22:44
us in
22:44
verse 6
22:45
in chapter
22:45
22,
22:48
the first
22:49
thing is
22:50
that my
22:51
words are
22:53
true.
22:53
And so,
22:54
God is
22:54
saying to
22:54
us,
22:55
believe
22:55
my
22:57
words.
22:59
Believe
22:59
my
23:00
words.
23:01
Verse 6
23:02
says this,
23:03
these words
23:03
are trustworthy
23:04
and true,
23:04
and the
23:05
Lord,
23:05
the God
23:05
of the
23:05
spirits
23:06
of the
23:06
prophets
23:06
has sent
23:07
his angel
23:07
to show
23:08
his servants
23:09
what must
23:10
soon take
23:10
place.
23:11
Now,
23:11
I can't
23:11
help connecting
23:12
this to
23:12
Genesis 3
23:13
that we
23:14
had last
23:14
night.
23:15
And particularly,
23:16
remember,
23:16
the conversation
23:17
that the serpent
23:18
had with the
23:18
woman,
23:19
with Eve,
23:20
and how he
23:20
attempted,
23:22
successfully,
23:23
sadly,
23:24
to undermine
23:25
the truthfulness
23:26
of God's
23:26
word,
23:27
and therefore
23:27
the trustworthiness
23:28
of God
23:29
himself.
23:30
And so,
23:31
these very
23:31
first attempts
23:32
to chip
23:34
away,
23:34
remember what
23:35
we were
23:35
seeing last
23:36
night,
23:36
to chip
23:37
away at
23:37
the
23:37
trustworthiness
23:38
of God.
23:38
Here is God
23:39
at the end
23:40
of the Bible,
23:41
and he's
23:42
saying to
23:42
us,
23:43
I assure
23:44
you,
23:45
I give
23:46
you my
23:46
word,
23:48
that my
23:49
word,
23:49
my promise,
23:51
is trustworthy
23:51
and true.
23:54
Now,
23:54
I know that's
23:54
all we've
23:55
got to go
23:55
on,
23:55
but the
23:58
Holy Spirit
23:59
has the
23:59
power to
24:00
implant these
24:01
words and
24:02
to assure
24:03
us of
24:04
their
24:05
truthfulness.
24:06
There's
24:07
something about
24:07
the word
24:08
of God,
24:08
there's
24:08
something about
24:09
the Bible
24:10
that resonates
24:12
with us,
24:13
isn't there?
24:14
There's
24:15
something about
24:15
it,
24:16
and in the
24:17
hands of the
24:17
Holy Spirit,
24:18
and I believe
24:19
that God is,
24:20
as we worship
24:21
him tonight,
24:21
we're coming
24:22
to meet with
24:23
him,
24:23
he's present
24:24
in this
24:24
building,
24:24
which means
24:25
that he
24:25
is working
24:26
in your
24:27
hearts,
24:28
and speaking
24:29
to you,
24:29
and bringing
24:30
this very
24:31
word,
24:32
and implanting
24:33
it in your
24:35
consciousness.
24:36
My word
24:37
is,
24:39
these words
24:39
are trustworthy
24:40
and true,
24:43
and so I
24:44
hope tonight,
24:45
and I would
24:46
ask you
24:46
tonight,
24:47
that instead
24:47
of doing
24:48
what Eve
24:48
did,
24:49
and doubting
24:50
God's word,
24:51
that you'll
24:51
just lay
24:51
hold upon
24:52
them and
24:52
trust them,
24:53
because they
24:53
are the
24:54
words of
24:54
God.
24:55
He tells
24:56
us,
24:56
in verse
24:56
13,
24:57
I am the
24:57
alpha and
24:58
the omega,
24:59
the beginning
24:59
and the
25:00
end.
25:01
I'm the
25:01
root and
25:02
the descendant
25:03
of David,
25:03
the bright
25:04
and morning
25:04
star.
25:05
Now,
25:06
he tells
25:07
us two
25:07
things
25:08
that we
25:13
are to
25:14
do.
25:15
One is
25:16
what we
25:17
should do
25:17
with God's
25:18
word,
25:18
and the
25:18
other one
25:19
is what
25:19
we shouldn't
25:20
do.
25:21
First of
25:21
all,
25:22
we must
25:22
not keep
25:24
quiet about
25:24
it.
25:25
Verse 10
25:26
it tells us,
25:26
and he
25:27
said to me,
25:28
do not
25:28
seal up the
25:29
words of the
25:29
prophecy of
25:30
this book,
25:31
for the
25:32
time is
25:32
near.
25:34
Now,
25:34
that's a
25:34
word to
25:35
the church.
25:36
Do not
25:37
seal up the
25:38
prophecy of
25:38
this book.
25:39
Let's just
25:39
spend a
25:39
moment thinking
25:40
about what
25:41
does he
25:41
mean by
25:41
this book.
25:42
He's just
25:43
been told to
25:43
sit down and
25:44
to write
25:45
what he's
25:45
seen,
25:46
so it
25:46
could mean
25:46
the book
25:47
of Revelation.
25:47
Then there's
25:48
another book
25:49
in Revelation
25:49
chapter 5,
25:50
the scroll
25:51
that was
25:51
in the
25:51
hand of
25:53
the one
25:53
who sat
25:54
on the
25:54
throne.
25:55
And if
25:56
you read
25:56
chapter 5,
25:57
it becomes
25:58
very obvious
25:58
that that
25:59
is the
25:59
will of
26:00
God,
26:00
the purpose
26:01
of God.
26:02
But if
26:03
it is,
26:03
whatever it
26:04
is,
26:05
it is
26:05
God's
26:05
message,
26:06
and I
26:06
take it
26:07
to mean
26:07
the Bible,
26:08
because the
26:09
Bible is
26:09
God's
26:10
complete,
26:11
perfect,
26:12
infallible
26:13
word.
26:13
And what
26:14
he's saying
26:14
to the
26:14
church is,
26:15
make sure
26:16
that you
26:16
do not
26:17
seal it
26:18
up,
26:18
don't
26:18
keep
26:18
quiet
26:19
about
26:19
it.
26:20
There
26:20
is
26:20
nothing
26:20
to be
26:21
ashamed
26:21
of.
26:23
And I
26:24
think if
26:24
ever there
26:25
was a
26:25
time when
26:26
we needed
26:26
to be
26:27
encouraged
26:27
not to
26:28
be ashamed
26:29
of that
26:29
we believe
26:30
in the
26:31
words of
26:31
the Bible,
26:32
it's
26:32
today.
26:33
Because
26:33
the whole
26:35
atmosphere
26:36
of the
26:36
world
26:37
outside
26:37
will tell
26:39
us,
26:40
well,
26:40
if you
26:40
want to
26:41
be a
26:42
Christian,
26:42
that's
26:43
fine,
26:44
just
26:44
keep it
26:45
to
26:45
yourself.
26:47
God
26:49
tells us
26:50
not to
26:50
keep it
26:50
to
26:51
ourselves.
26:52
God
26:52
tells us
26:53
there's a
26:53
whole world
26:53
out there
26:54
that needs
26:54
to hear
26:55
about
26:55
Jesus,
26:56
and a
26:58
world full
26:59
of darkness
27:00
and confusion
27:01
in which
27:01
his word
27:02
is the
27:03
only source
27:03
of light
27:04
there is.
27:06
So there's
27:07
no reason
27:07
to be
27:08
ashamed.
27:08
Like Paul
27:09
said once,
27:11
I am
27:11
not ashamed
27:12
of the
27:12
gospel of
27:13
Christ.
27:14
And we
27:15
might be
27:15
very tempted
27:16
to assume
27:18
that the
27:19
world is
27:19
hostile,
27:20
and to a
27:20
large extent
27:21
it is
27:21
hostile.
27:22
But remember
27:23
that the
27:23
world outside
27:24
contains all
27:25
kinds of
27:25
people.
27:27
It contains
27:27
some who
27:28
are deeply
27:29
hostile to
27:29
the gospel,
27:30
but it also
27:31
contains people
27:32
who are
27:32
asking questions.
27:34
And how
27:34
do you know
27:35
as God
27:35
leads you
27:36
and guides
27:36
you through
27:37
this world
27:37
that you
27:38
will not
27:39
come across
27:39
people who
27:40
are asking
27:42
those questions.
27:44
And you
27:46
might be the
27:46
means of
27:48
their coming
27:48
to know
27:50
Jesus.
27:52
We are his
27:53
witnesses.
27:53
We are his
27:54
ambassadors.
27:55
We are living
27:56
epistles.
27:57
He's told us
27:57
to let our
27:58
light shine.
27:59
Now I don't
27:59
mean that we
28:00
preach a sermon
28:01
to everyone
28:01
that we meet
28:02
and that we
28:03
use every
28:03
single,
28:04
every time
28:05
we sit
28:05
beside someone
28:06
and make a
28:06
pester of ourselves.
28:07
No, you're
28:08
asking God
28:08
to give you
28:09
the opportunity
28:10
by your
28:11
life and
28:12
by your
28:13
witness to
28:14
make known
28:16
what you
28:16
believe.
28:17
What was it
28:18
Jesus said
28:18
to the man
28:19
out of whom
28:20
he had cast
28:21
the demons?
28:21
Go and tell
28:22
the people
28:24
what God
28:24
has done
28:25
for you.
28:26
Go and give
28:26
them your
28:27
testimony.
28:28
So when people
28:28
ask you what
28:29
were you doing
28:30
at the weekend,
28:31
don't be ashamed
28:32
of saying I
28:32
went to church
28:33
at the weekend.
28:33
I go to church
28:34
every day.
28:35
Who knows,
28:35
they might close
28:36
up, it might be
28:37
end of conversation,
28:38
but you go to
28:39
church.
28:40
Well, which
28:40
church do you
28:41
go to?
28:41
Well, when
28:42
do you start
28:43
going to church?
28:43
And then as
28:44
an open door,
28:45
as a green
28:46
light, you
28:46
can tell
28:47
them what
28:48
God has
28:49
done for
28:49
you.
28:50
Do not
28:50
seal the
28:51
prophecy of
28:53
this book.
28:54
And of
28:54
course it's
28:55
a challenge
28:55
to the
28:56
church
28:56
collectively as
28:57
well.
28:57
That's why
28:58
we exist,
28:58
to make
28:59
Jesus known
28:59
in Stornoway.
29:02
And I'm
29:03
sure that
29:03
you're using
29:04
every means
29:04
to continue
29:06
that witness.
29:09
Then it
29:10
tells us
29:10
something else
29:11
in verse 18.
29:14
It says,
29:14
do not
29:14
add to,
29:18
if anyone
29:19
adds to
29:20
the words
29:21
of the
29:21
prophecy of
29:22
this book,
29:23
or if they
29:24
take away
29:24
from them,
29:26
God will
29:26
take away
29:26
his share
29:27
in the tree
29:28
of life,
29:28
in the holy
29:29
city,
29:29
which are
29:30
described in
29:30
this book.
29:31
And what
29:32
God is
29:32
saying to
29:33
John is
29:33
this,
29:34
that whatever
29:35
you do,
29:36
don't distort
29:38
or pervert
29:40
what I have
29:41
written and
29:41
said.
29:43
Don't
29:44
twist
29:45
my truth.
29:47
Again,
29:48
there is a
29:48
reference to
29:49
Genesis 3.
29:50
That's exactly
29:51
what the
29:51
serpent tried
29:53
to do with
29:53
Eve.
29:54
He tried to
29:55
distort what
29:56
God had
29:57
said.
29:58
And by so
29:59
doing,
30:00
he provided
30:01
the opportunity
30:02
for her to
30:03
take the
30:04
forbidden fruit.
30:06
And we are
30:07
being commanded
30:07
here that we're
30:08
not to make of
30:09
the Bible what
30:10
we want.
30:10
We're not to
30:11
interpret the
30:13
Bible according
30:14
to ourselves or
30:15
to suit ourselves.
30:17
We're to take
30:17
God at his
30:19
word.
30:19
And there's a
30:19
very important
30:20
reason why he
30:20
says that.
30:21
And the reason
30:22
is this,
30:22
because God
30:24
wants people to
30:25
come to faith
30:25
in him.
30:26
He doesn't
30:27
want people to
30:28
believe a false
30:29
gospel.
30:29
And there are
30:30
many false
30:30
gospels out
30:31
there.
30:33
He wants
30:34
people to
30:35
discover the
30:36
truth of
30:38
Jesus Christ
30:39
and that
30:40
truth that we
30:41
have in his
30:42
word.
30:44
The second
30:45
thing, and I'm
30:46
watching the time
30:47
and we're going
30:47
to bring things
30:48
to a close
30:48
very quickly,
30:49
this book
30:50
promises the
30:51
imminent return
30:52
of Jesus.
30:54
And so we're
30:54
to live in
30:55
that promise.
30:57
We're to live
30:58
in the promise
30:59
of the imminent
31:00
return of
31:01
Jesus.
31:02
Verse 12,
31:03
verse 7,
31:04
verse 20,
31:05
three times in
31:07
this chapter we're
31:09
told, I am
31:10
coming soon.
31:11
Behold, I am
31:12
coming soon,
31:13
bringing my
31:14
recompense with
31:14
me to repay
31:15
everyone for
31:16
what he has
31:17
done.
31:18
Now this was a
31:19
promise that goes
31:20
all the way back
31:21
to when Jesus
31:22
left the world in
31:22
the first place,
31:23
when he ascended
31:24
to heaven 40
31:25
days after rising
31:26
from the dead,
31:27
and the angel
31:28
promised the
31:28
disciples that he
31:29
would return,
31:30
in the same way
31:31
as he left the
31:32
world.
31:33
So you can
31:33
picture this one,
31:35
you can imagine
31:36
Jesus appearing
31:38
in the sky one
31:39
day.
31:39
I know, I know
31:40
how strange
31:43
that appears in
31:45
an unbelieving
31:46
world, and yet
31:48
that is the
31:49
promise that
31:50
Jesus gives,
31:52
in the same way
31:53
as he left the
31:54
world.
31:55
Well, what do
31:55
we know about
31:56
his coming?
31:57
It will be at a
31:58
time when we do
32:00
not know.
32:00
Don't believe
32:01
anyone that tells
32:02
you that they've
32:02
worked out.
32:04
Don't believe,
32:04
no matter how
32:05
plausible it
32:08
seems, don't
32:09
believe anyone
32:10
that tells you
32:11
that they've
32:12
worked out when
32:13
Jesus is going
32:14
to come again.
32:15
I think I read
32:15
somewhere even
32:16
recently that
32:17
somebody has,
32:18
the internet is
32:19
full of the
32:20
greatest nonsense.
32:23
Please don't
32:24
believe.
32:26
Anyone that
32:26
tells you that
32:27
they've worked
32:27
out.
32:29
You'll get
32:29
people who say,
32:30
I've studied
32:30
the Bible, I've
32:31
done the maths,
32:32
and I've got it
32:33
right this time,
32:34
and this is when
32:34
Jesus is going
32:34
to come.
32:36
Prophecies like
32:37
that, by the way,
32:38
go all the way
32:38
back hundreds of
32:39
years.
32:40
We even got it
32:41
wrong in the
32:42
17th century.
32:44
The Puritans
32:45
got it wrong even.
32:46
Some of the
32:47
Puritans that we
32:48
hold up in such
32:49
high esteem,
32:51
some of them
32:51
believed that
32:52
this year is the
32:53
year of the
32:54
millennium and
32:55
all that kind
32:55
of thing, and
32:56
they were wrong.
32:56
They were
32:57
completely wrong.
32:58
So don't
32:58
believe it.
32:59
Don't believe it
32:59
because the
33:00
Bible says that
33:01
the Son of Man
33:02
will come at a
33:03
time when you
33:03
do not expect,
33:04
like a thief in
33:05
the night.
33:06
It'll be a
33:07
surprise to
33:08
everyone and a
33:10
shock to many
33:11
people.
33:13
1 Thessalonians
33:14
chapter 4, he
33:15
says,
33:15
He'll come in
33:36
glory.
33:37
There was
33:37
nothing very
33:39
visibly manifest
33:40
about his first
33:41
coming, but there
33:42
will be in the
33:43
second coming.
33:45
He was born in
33:46
obscurity, but he
33:47
will come again in
33:49
splendor and
33:50
majesty, and every
33:53
eye will see him.
33:54
I am coming soon.
33:55
We're to live in the
33:57
light of that
33:57
coming.
33:58
You know, you get
33:59
people saying,
34:00
well, we're to live
34:01
each day as if it
34:03
was our last.
34:04
And I think that's
34:05
good advice.
34:05
I think we were
34:06
always to live in the
34:07
consciousness.
34:08
But I'm not sure
34:10
how possible it is to
34:11
do that on a
34:12
practical level.
34:13
We have to make
34:14
some plans for the
34:15
future, but we
34:16
must always, always
34:18
live in the light of
34:20
that promise that I
34:22
am coming soon.
34:23
We do not know when
34:25
he will come.
34:29
Lastly, this book,
34:33
says Revelation, says
34:34
God in Revelation, is
34:36
a message that
34:38
demands a response.
34:40
And I'm going to, I
34:44
want to think about
34:45
three things as we
34:46
bring things to a
34:47
close.
34:48
Three things that are
34:48
in, three responses,
34:51
three kinds of people
34:52
that God addresses his
34:54
words to in this last
34:56
chapter.
34:57
First of all, in verse
34:59
11, he says, let the
35:01
evildoer still do evil.
35:06
Let the evildoer still
35:09
do evil.
35:10
Now, at first sight, you
35:12
think, whoa, that's a
35:15
bit unexpected.
35:17
Because surely, surely,
35:19
surely, if this is a
35:20
message of good news,
35:22
surely the message would
35:24
be, well, turn from your
35:25
evildoer doing and
35:26
repent and come to
35:27
faith.
35:28
But that's not what it
35:29
says.
35:29
It says, let the evildoer
35:31
still do evil.
35:32
And the filthy still be
35:33
filthy.
35:34
And the right, but we'll
35:35
come on to that in a
35:36
moment.
35:37
Let the evildoer still
35:39
do evil.
35:40
What does that mean?
35:42
What is God saying in
35:45
these words?
35:45
Well, here's what I
35:47
believe he's saying.
35:48
He's saying this.
35:48
This is the end of the
35:49
Bible.
35:51
This is the end of my
35:52
message.
35:53
I've said everything that
35:55
I have to say.
35:57
I cannot, there is
35:58
nothing more to be said.
36:00
I've sent my son into
36:04
the world.
36:06
He has died on the
36:07
cross to secure your
36:08
forgiveness, your
36:09
salvation.
36:11
He's risen again as a
36:13
proof of who he is.
36:15
He has offered to you
36:16
eternal life by believing
36:19
in him.
36:21
If at the end of all of
36:23
that, I promise that you
36:24
will have eternal life,
36:25
you'll rise from the dead,
36:26
you'll come to heaven,
36:27
you will, that there
36:29
will be a new heaven and
36:30
a new earth if you
36:32
believe in Jesus.
36:33
And if at the end of all
36:34
of that, your answer is
36:39
no.
36:44
It's your call.
36:49
That's what I believe it
36:50
means.
36:51
It's a dramatic way of
36:53
saying it.
36:53
But if God can get
36:58
through to you in a
37:02
dramatic way, then so
37:03
be it.
37:05
He's using extreme
37:08
language to express and
37:10
to impress upon you the
37:13
seriousness of what you're
37:14
doing.
37:14
If your answer is still
37:16
no, he says, let the
37:21
evildoer still do evil.
37:23
That's a massively
37:26
serious thought, isn't
37:27
it?
37:29
I'll leave it with you.
37:31
But then he talks to
37:33
another group of people
37:34
and he says, they're
37:35
righteous.
37:36
They're righteous.
37:37
Now, there's nobody
37:38
righteous by themselves.
37:41
So don't get the
37:42
impression that there are
37:42
some people who have
37:43
somehow lived such a
37:45
great life that God
37:47
calls them righteous.
37:47
There's only one way in
37:49
which God will call you
37:50
righteous and that is by
37:51
faith in Jesus Christ.
37:52
Christ.
37:53
When a person comes to
37:54
faith in Jesus, then God
37:56
calls us righteous.
37:58
That's the way to be.
37:59
That's what the gospel is
38:00
all about.
38:01
That's what God promises
38:02
us in the death of
38:04
Jesus.
38:04
His righteousness.
38:06
Our standing before him.
38:10
And he says, let the
38:11
righteous still do right.
38:12
In other words, keep
38:13
going.
38:13
Keep going.
38:14
Keep persevering.
38:15
life can be so difficult
38:19
as believers, for
38:20
believers, in a world in
38:22
which so many things are
38:23
thrown at us and there's
38:25
so much sin in us still to
38:28
be warred with.
38:29
But just keep going.
38:30
Keep looking to Jesus.
38:32
Keep putting into practice
38:35
his word.
38:36
And then lastly, the very
38:41
last words of revelation
38:42
are these.
38:45
The one who is thirsty.
38:49
Verse 17.
38:51
Let the one who is thirsty
38:53
come.
38:55
Let the one who desires take
38:57
the water of life without
38:59
price.
39:00
I cannot think of any
39:04
simpler words in which
39:07
to explain the gospel,
39:09
the invitation of the
39:11
God.
39:11
Here is God.
39:13
These are not my words.
39:14
These are God's words.
39:15
And they're saying this.
39:17
Are you thirsty?
39:20
I'm not going to go into
39:23
the biology of what it
39:24
means to be thirsty.
39:26
We all know what it means
39:27
to be thirsty.
39:27
Are you thirsty?
39:33
God says if you are,
39:35
come and drink.
39:40
There are no more simple
39:42
words in the Bible.
39:43
The gospel, you cannot,
39:46
and this is why God is
39:47
saying don't complicate the
39:48
gospel.
39:49
Don't twist the gospel to
39:50
make it complicated.
39:51
Make sure that you keep the
39:52
words that I've, in which
39:54
I've explained the gospel.
39:55
Are you thirsty?
39:57
Then come and take and
40:03
drink.
40:04
It's God's gift.
40:06
You can't do anything to
40:07
earn it.
40:08
So don't try.
40:10
Just come and take it.
40:14
Without money and without
40:17
price.
40:21
Let's pray.
40:22
Our Father in heaven, we
40:24
pray that you will
40:25
that your word will dwell
40:31
in our hearts.
40:33
And we pray that your
40:34
word in the hands of your
40:36
Holy Spirit will have
40:37
an impact as we go away
40:40
from this place and
40:41
as we think more about
40:44
what we've, about what
40:46
your plan is.
40:47
This world is not a
40:49
random series of events,
40:50
but you will bring it to a
40:52
close and you will
40:54
bring about the new
40:56
heaven and the new
40:57
earth.
40:57
And Lord, our prayer is
40:59
that all of us, all of us
41:00
here tonight, all of us,
41:01
everyone without exception
41:02
will be there.
41:04
But nobody will be left
41:05
out.
41:06
Nobody will be on the
41:06
outside.
41:08
But that all of us will
41:10
take the water of life
41:12
that Jesus offers us in the
41:15
gospel.
41:16
In his name.
41:17
Amen.
41:23
Well, we're going to sing in
41:25
the traditional version of
41:26
Psalm 100.
41:31
It's on page 362 and it's
41:34
Heron Gate.
41:37
The reason this psalm came to
41:39
my mind is when I was
41:41
thinking of Revelation 21 and
41:43
22, that I thought of the
41:46
great company of people and
41:48
that consists of people in
41:51
the world from all nations
41:52
and tribes and languages who
41:54
have come to know Jesus.
41:56
And this is our prayer.
41:58
All people that on earth do
42:00
dwell, sing to the Lord with
42:02
cheerful voice and him serve
42:04
with mirth as praise force
42:05
tell.
42:05
Come ye before him and rejoice.
42:08
Psalm 100 and we'll stand to
42:10
sing.
42:10
Amen.
42:10
O people that on earth do
42:21
dwell, sing to the Lord with
42:27
cheerful voice.
42:30
And set with birth and space
42:37
forth tell.
42:39
Come ye before him and rejoice.
42:47
Know that the Lord is God indeed.
42:56
We are his flock he doth us feed.
43:13
And for his sheep he doth us take.
43:22
O enter then his gates with praise
43:31
approach with joy his course unto
43:39
praise God and bless his name always
43:48
praise.
43:49
For it is simply so to do.
43:57
For why the Lord our God is true.
44:07
His mercy is forever true.
44:15
His truth that all times firmly stood
44:24
and shall from age to age endure.
44:34
Our Father in heaven we thank you
44:36
for all your goodness and all the
44:38
privilege that belongs to us.
44:39
And we do pray that we may have the
44:43
grace and the strength to apply your
44:47
word into our lives as we let our
44:49
light so shine.
44:50
We thank you for the provision that
44:52
you make for us every day and for the
44:53
provision that has been made for us
44:54
next door in our fellowship.
44:57
Make us thankful for it all.
44:59
And we bless you for the hands that
45:01
prepared it and for all the goodness
45:03
that you have given to your church.
45:05
And now may grace and mercy and peace
45:07
from both from Father, Son, and Holy
45:10
Spirit.
45:11
Rest on and abide with each one of
45:13
us both now and always.
45:14
Amen.
45:15
Amen.
45:15
Thank you.