New Jerusalem Descriptions
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
[ILLUS] When I first came to Emmanuel, groups from the church had been going to Staten Island, New York, every Summer to do Vacation Bible School for Coast Guard families.
I started to tag along because every good ministry endeavor needs some dead weight, and during one of those trips Bro. Larry Moring, my wife, Cheryl, and I went to see a beautifully constructed church.
On the front of the old massive building were big carvings of Peter, James, John, and Paul if I remember correctly.
Each carving included symbols that reminded the viewer of events from the lives of those Apostles.
It’s been so long ago that I can’t remember clearly, but maybe there was a rooster in Peter’s scene because the rooster crowed when Peter denied Christ.
Maybe there was a sword in James’ scene because James was beheaded for following Christ.
Maybe there was a scroll in John’s scene because John received The Revelation and saw the Lamb open the scroll.
Inside the building were more sculptures, more engravings, more stained glass, with more symbolism packed into everything.
Educated people could have spend hours in that place pointing out symbols and discussing their meanings.
So, after about fifteen minutes, Larry, Cheryl, and I left…
…but that building was one of the few places I’ve been in like that—a place where everything means something.
The holy city, the new Jerusalem that we read about in Revelation 21 will be like that; only everything in its design will be perfect because its designer is God (Heb. 11:10).
This is the city we seek (Heb. 13:14); the city that can only be entered by faith in Jesus Christ (Heb. 11:9); it’s the city that John sees in Revelation 21:9-27.
It is a picture of the church, the bride of Christ, the wife of the Lamb.
Revelation 21:9 says…
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
After that verse, we have the description of the New Jerusalem that will one day come down out of Heaven.
[PROP] What John saw in the description of the New Jerusalem encourages the church, the Bride of Christ, by showing her a glimpse of the eternal home she will share with her Bridegroom, Christ Jesus.
It also reminds the Bride of Christ of who she is and how she is to live until the Bridegroom comes.
[TS] I want us to focus on three NEW JERUSALEM DESCRIPTIONS this morning.
As we see Emmanuel Baptist Church in those descriptions over the last 75 years, let us thank God.
As we see were Emmanuel Baptist Church has fallen short of these descriptions, let us ask forgiveness.
And as we look to the next 75 years, let us pray that these NEW JERUSALEM DESCRIPTIONS would be accurate descriptions of this, His church.
But before we get to those descriptions, we must ask the Lord’s help…
[PRAYER]
MAJOR IDEAS
MAJOR IDEAS
NEW JERUSALEM DESCRIPTION #1: The New Jerusalem is described in terms of God’s glory (vv. 9-11).
NEW JERUSALEM DESCRIPTION #1: The New Jerusalem is described in terms of God’s glory (vv. 9-11).
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
[EXP] In Revelation 15 we are told that with the seven bowl judgments “the wrath of God is finished,” so it is fitting that one of the seven angels with the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues of judgment is the one to show John this marvelous city after Satan, sin, death, hades, and unrepentant sinners have all been banished to the lake of fire.
The time for rejoicing has come.
7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
In the Spirit, the angel carried John away and showed him the holy city, Jerusalem (Rev. 21:10).
Revelation started with John “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day,” (Rev. 1:10).
In Revelation 4:2 John wrote that he was “carried away in the Spirit...”
Revelation 17:3 says that John was “carried away in the Spirit…”
And now, of course, we have it again in Revelation 21:10 that John was “carried... away in the Spirit...”
The point of this is to remind us that John is not imagining these things. Nor is he hallucinating.
What John sees he sees by way of revelation from the Holy Spirit of God.
In other words, what John sees is absolutely real, and what is communicated to us about what he sees is absolutely true.
John saw the city coming down out of heaven from God reflecting and refracting the glory of God “her brilliance… like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper,” (Rev. 21:11).
When light reflects, it bounces off a surface.
Light bounces off a mirror, so we see ourselves in a mirror.
But as light enters our eyes, light is refracted so that an image is formed on the retina.
In other words, as light is refracted, our eyes make sense of what they are seeing.
In the same, the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven will allow us to comprehend the glory of God.
As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:12…
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
The glory of God refers to the perfection of God’s divine essence made manifest, made obvious to our understanding.
The manifestation of God’s presence among us in the New Jerusalem will be joyously more than we can comprehend, but this glorious city will help us to understand it.
The New Jerusalem will help us to understand the glory of God.
[ILLUS] Jesus performed an interesting miracle in Mark 8.
A blind man was brought to Jesus. Jesus took him by the hand and spit on his eyes. Then He laid His hands on the man, and asked, “Do you see anything?” (Mark 8:23).
The man looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around,” (Mark 8:24).
In other words, the man saw but didn’t see clearly.
Jesus laid His hands on the eyes of the man once again.
This time sight of the man was restored, “and (he) began to see everything clearly,” (Mark 8:25).
[APP] In the New Jerusalem, we will see the glory of God clearly, but until we are there, the church is to help the world understand the glory of God here.
Remember what the angel said in Revelation 21:9, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
The Bride, the wife of the Lamb, is the church!
And as the church exalts Jesus, the Lamb, it helps people understand the glory of God more clearly because Jesus is the glory of God!
6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
I thank God that for the last 75 years Emmanuel Baptist Church has endeavored to help the world see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
And I pray that if the Lord tarries and Emmanuel is given another 75 years, that it will continue to help the world see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
It is faithfulness in proclaiming Christ and faithfulness in living the way of Christ that will help others see the glory of God in Jesus Christ.
May that be the description of this, His church, when the New Jerusalem from Heaven comes down: We help others see the glory of God by exalting Jesus Christ.
[TS]…
NEW JERUSALEM DESCRIPTION #2: The New Jerusalem is described in terms of God’s presence (vv. 12-21).
NEW JERUSALEM DESCRIPTION #2: The New Jerusalem is described in terms of God’s presence (vv. 12-21).
12 It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. 16 The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. 17 And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements. 18 The material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; 20 the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
[EXP] There are three gates on each side of the city, which reminds us of the way the Israelites camped around the tabernacle in the wilderness.
We are told that each of these 12 gates has its own angel, each is made of a single pearl, and each has the name of a tribe of Israel inscribed on it (cf. vv. 12, 15, 21).
This city will be ornate with precious stones, streets of gold, and more sparkling wonders, but the most precious thing about it will be the presence of God.
The angel that spoke with John measured the city itself, and it was found to be a perfect cube.
16 The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal.
This an enormous city; no wonder Jesus said, “In My Father’s house are many rooms!” (John 14:2).
To give you some idea of the length and width of the New Jerusalem, 1,500 miles would be about from here to Canada, if we crossed the border north of Duluth, Minnesota on Highway 61.
To give you some idea of the height of the New Jerusalem, international treaties regarding space say that space begins at approximately 62 miles above the surface of the earth.
That’s only 1,438 miles short of the height of the New Jerusalem.
This enormous, perfect cube of a city is meant to remind us of the Holy of Holies, the Most Holy Place of God’s presence in the Tabernacle, which would later become the Temple.
This holy city Jerusalem with be a gigantic Holy of Holies in which God will dwell with His people forever.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
The people who dwell there with God will be God’s chosen people, the Israel of God, all those Jews and Gentiles who have stepped into the presence of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
I’ve already mentioned the 12 gates, each with the name of a tribe of Israel inscribed on it, but look at Revelation 21:14 again…
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
These twelve foundation stones with the names of the twelve Apostles represents the church.
With the gates, the foundation stones, and it cubed shape, we see that this city will be a ginormous Holy of Holies where all God’s people come together in His presence forever.
Anything that once divided us will be swallowed up by His glorious presence.
[ILLUS] The Gospel’s are full of miracles in which Jesus healed the body. He healed the blind, the lame, the deaf, the mute. He healed the lepers, the paralyzed, and the hemorrhaging.
Many human bodies found healing in the presence of Jesus.
Likewise, the church, the body of Christ, will find its complete healing in the New Jerusalem.
In that city, there will be no more ailments in the body of Christ because the body of Christ will be healed by the presence of God.
[APP] In the New Jerusalem, we will experience the presence of God fully, but until we are there, the church is to help its people and others experience the presence of God here.
As the church exalts Jesus, it helps its people to reconcile with one another in light of being reconciled to God through faith in Christ, and it invites others to experience the presence of God by trusting in Jesus because Jesus is the presence of God!
John 1:14 says that Word of God became flesh in Jesus and tabernacled among us. Matthew 1:23 says that He is Emmanuel, God with us.
Jesus is the presence of God, and His presence heals us!
His presence heals the soul of its lostness.
His presence heals the body of Christ of its divisions.
His presence heals!
I thank God that for the last 75 years Emmanuel Baptist Church has endeavored to help the world experience the presence of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
And I pray that if the Lord tarries and Emmanuel is given another 75 years, that it will continue to help the world experience the presence of God in the person of Jesus Christ.
It is faithfulness in proclaiming Christ and faithfulness in living the way of Christ that will help others experience the presence of God in Jesus Christ.
May that be the description of this, His church, when the New Jerusalem from Heaven comes down: We help others experience the presence of God by exalting Jesus Christ.
[TS]…
NEW JERUSALEM DESCRIPTION #3: The New Jerusalem is described in terms of God’s light (vv. 22-27).
NEW JERUSALEM DESCRIPTION #3: The New Jerusalem is described in terms of God’s light (vv. 22-27).
22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; 26 and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; 27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
[EXP] God’s light lights the New Jerusalem.
The presence of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit flood this city to the extent that the sun and moon are no longer necessary.
God’s glory shines brightly forever and ever, and the lamp of the Lamb eternally illuminates the city of God.
Verse 24 says “the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.”
All nations will be drawn to God’s light as His light bursts forth from His city.
And just as the wise men followed the light and brought gifts to Jesus, so the kings of the earth will follow the light and bring their glory to God.
The gates of this city will never shut to protect its people at night when the safety of light fades because the light in the city of God will never fade; in the city of God it will always be day by the light of God.
His light shining means that His people are safe.
We will dwell in eternal and absolute safety, the likes of which we cannot imagine.
[ILLUS] When I was younger, my parents divorced and went a little crazy at the same time.
All sorts of scary things happened to me and my sisters during that time, and many of them happened at night.
Our parents exchanged punches and threw ash trays in the hallway of our home one night.
I remember one night clinching my fists and screaming at my Dad to let my Mom go as he bear hugged her in the living room.
One night things were so crazy that we had to sneak out of the window of my bedroom and walk to the nearest gas station to call my grandmother to come get us.
Needless to say, I was very unsettled at night when all that was going on and I think some of that nighttime-anxiety has stayed with me even today.
Even today, I’m always concerned about someone getting into our house, and I ask myself, “What would I do?”
Well, if that happened now, I think I would send Cheryl to fight the bad guys with her undefeated crazy arms technique.
If you’ve not seen her crazy arms technique, just come on over tonight and experience it for yourself.
But if that didn’t work, well, I would get all four of our children together, point at the bad guys and say, “Do you know what those guys did? They took your Legos, your video games, and your snacks.”
I don’t know if you’ve ever fed limbs into a wood chipper, but that’s how I imagine my children running through those bad guys.
Now, I’m making light of all this, but in a truly dangerous situation at night, do you know what I would do first of all?
I’d turn on the light.
I’d turn on the light to see the danger.
I’d turn on the light to avoid the danger.
I’d turn on the light to stop the danger.
I’d turn on the light to be safe.
In the New Jerusalem, the light is always on because God is there, and God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
There will be no danger to see, avoid, or stop.
We will be absolutely and forever safe in the city of God.
[APP] In the New Jerusalem, we will live in the light of God fully, but until we are there, the church is to help others to live in the light of God here.
As the church exalts Jesus, it helps people to live in the light of God because Jesus is the light of God!
John 1:9 says that Jesus is the true light of God that came into the world to enlighten every man. In Jesus, the darkness of this world is already passing away and the true light is shining (1 John 2:8).
I thank God that for the last 75 years Emmanuel Baptist Church has endeavored to help people live in the light of God by exalting Jesus Christ.
And I pray that if the Lord tarries and Emmanuel is given another 75 years, that it will continue to help people live in the light of God by exalting Jesus Christ.
It is faithfulness in proclaiming Christ and faithfulness in living the way of Christ that will help people live in the light of God in Jesus Christ.
May that be the description of this, His church, when the New Jerusalem comes down heaven: We help others live in the light of God by exalting Jesus Christ.
[TS]…
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Let’s close with Revelation 21:27…
27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
The job of the church is to exalt Jesus Christ, to preach Christ Jesus crucified and resurrected. We preach the Gospel so that those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will respond in faith and be saved.
If only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life are permitted to enter the New Jerusalem, then how can we know that our names are written in the book of life? Here’s how...
Trust in Jesus, and your name will be found in the Lamb’s book of life.
Trust that He lived the perfect life of obedience to God that you should have lived.
Trust that He died the excruciating death on the cross that you deserved to pay the price for your sins.
Trust that He rose victoriously from the grave as proof that He forever defeated sin and death and forever made you right with God.
Trust that one day He is coming again to take you to live with Him forever in that
Trust that He has ascended to the Father’s right hand where He intercedes for you even now.
Trust that one day He is coming again to judge, to rule, and to take you to live with Him forever in the New Jerusalem.
One day the holy city, Jerusalem will come down out of Heaven… (Rev. 21:10).
One day the Lord Himself descend from Heaven with a shout… (1 Thess. 4:16).
One day there will be a midnight cry, “Behold, the Bridegroom! Come out to meet Him!” (Matt. 25:6)
Will you be ready?
Emmanuel’s Quartet is going to come and sing for us a song very familiar to us, but listen to the lyrics as they share with us Midnight Cry.
It is a song of comfort but also a song of challenge.
The signs are everywhere, but are you reading to meet Him in the air?
His return and our life in New Jerusalem is closer now than it’s ever been, but are you ready to hear the sound of His presence, the sound of His mighty rushing wind?