Key Truth: Jesus brings to completion God’s redemptive goal to dwell with us in the New Heaven, New Earth and New Jerusalem which Christ prepared for us.  

Introduction:

What most shapes how you think about the future?

What impact does your thinking about the future have on how you live in the present?

“Whereas the builders of ancient Babylon (Gen. 11:1-9) sought to join earth to heaven with the self-deifying pride John saw repeated in contemporary Rome, the New Jerusalem which comes from God will truly join heaven to earth.”

Richard Bauckham, The Theology of the Book of Revelation

The Place Christ Prepared for Us: The New Heaven, Earth, and Jerusalem:

Revelation 21:1-8

“The new creation is marked, in part, by an absence of powers that oppose God and diminish life. The demise of the harlot brought an end to a power that reduced the creation and its people to mere commodities that could be bought and sold to satisfy the self-indulgent tastes of the powerful (18:11-19). The defeat of Satan, the beast, and their allies eliminated powers that dominated the nations and oppressed the faithful (19:19-21; 20:7-10). The resurrection of all the dead brought an end to death itself (20:14). Therefore, in the new creation there is an absence of death, mourning, crying, and pain, for all those marks of the former, fallen world have passed away, together with the sea from which the beast arose (21:1,4; compare 13:1). At the same time, the new creation is characterized by the presence of God who gives life. The anguished cry, “Where is your God?” will no longer be heard (Ps. 42:3), for in quick succession, a voice from the throne declares that God’s dwelling will be “with humankind”; he will dwell “with them,” and “God himself will be with them” (Rev. 21:3). Instead of the toxic waters of judgment (8:11; 16:3-4), God will invite them to drink freely from “the spring of the water of life” that flows from his throne (21:6; 22:1).”

Craig R. Koester, Revelation & the End of All Things

How does the trustworthy promise of the presence of God and all things being made new at the return of Christ affect how you live now?

Does is help shape your hope for the future and nourish your faithful obedience to love God and neighbor in the present?

Application: 

Revelation 21:1-8 teaches us that:

-Jesus brings to completion God’s redemptive goal to dwell with us in the New Heaven,
New Earth and New Jerusalem which Christ prepared for us

Benediction:

Revelation 22:6-7