The Rest

We have been looking at the 5 R’s of the end time for a few weeks. We saw the beauty of the rapture and how we will one day be reunited with the ones we have loved and lost. We saw the return when Jesus returned and dealt with the false prophet and the beast. We saw the reign of Jesus when he ruled on earth for 1000 years with us there with Him. We saw the rewards or lack thereof based on the throne we would stand before.

Today, we will end our journey as we look at the rest. A day is coming when you and I will enter into the perfect rest of our Lord and Savior. Right now, many of us are tired of the way things are going in this world. We are tired of the hate and division all around us. We need rest. Ultimate rest is coming when Jesus brings about the New Heaven and Earth.

Let us find hope in the peace and rest coming when we put our hope in Jesus.

A New Home (1-2)

Revelation 21:1–2 CSB

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

Why do we need a New Earth?

Last time, we saw in chapter 20:11, “the earth and heaven fled away.”

Heaven and earth are gone.

Satan, the beast, and the false prophet have been cast into the lake of fire.

All those who opposed God have been judged and cast into the lake of fire as well.

John now shares that he sees a new heaven and new earth.

Why do we need a new earth?

Everything that has a beginning also has an end. Since there was a point in time when this heaven (sky) and earth were created and began, there is a time when it, too, will end.

Even science points to the fact that the world as we know it will end.

Earth today is also twisted.

It is in utter chaos.

The world is filled with sexual immorality.

Many people are addicted to pornography, children are exploited, and the list could go on and on.

If these are not enough to show the corrupt nature of our world, then turn on the news.

The news is full of chaos.

We see hate, riots, deceit, and again, the list could go on and on.

We live in a corrupt world. It isn't good. It is terrible because people are evil.

This earth needs a makeover, and a day is coming when there will be a New Earth. We won’t have these problems in the New Earth, for there will be no more sin or temptation.

The earth will once again be perfect.

We know this because sin is gone.

When we look at the earth today, it can cause us to wonder and doubt the goodness of God as we see all the evil and chaos. However, this text reminds us of the hope that this will not always be the case.

Soon, there will be a new heaven and earth, and it will be perfect and peaceful.

Why do we need New Jerusalem?

If the New Earth were not enough, there will also be a New Jerusalem.

What was so special about Jerusalem?

It was the capital city of Israel.

It was also the great city that held the temple of God.

It was guarded and protected by walls.

The people of Israel took great pride in the city of Jerusalem. It was a city of incredible beauty and great honor.

New Jerusalem will be even more beautiful than the first.

Listen to this incredible description of our future forever home.

Revelation 21:10–14 CSB

He then carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, arrayed with God’s glory. Her radiance was like a precious jewel, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. The city had a massive high wall, with twelve gates. Twelve angels were at the gates; the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’s sons were inscribed on the gates. There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. The city wall had twelve foundations, and the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb were on the foundations.

This will be my home and your home and the home of every person who has given their life to Jesus.

A New Holiness (3)

Revelation 21:3 CSB

Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God.

God is holy. He is perfect, other than different. He is holy.

Because He is holy, He deserves all our honor and worship.

A day is coming when you and I, who know Jesus, will live with the perfect, holy God.

In this New heaven and earth, God will dwell with us.

God Dwells with Man

This will be the best part of our future home, living in the presence and holiness of God.

The true beauty of heaven is not the city of gold and all the jewels or even seeing the ones we have loved and lost.

The best part is forever being in the presence of Almighty Creator God, in seeing Jesus face to face.

There cannot be heaven without Christ. He is the sum total of bliss; the fountain from which heaven flows, the element of which heaven is composed. Christ is heaven and heaven is Christ. “Forever With The Lord”, Volume 19, Sermon #1136 - Philippians 1:23

Charles Spurgeon

Life Application New Testament Commentary The New Jerusalem / 21:1–22:6

This desire to be in the presence of God should be our strongest desire here on earth and the focus of all our worship.

The best part of heaven is Jesus. God’s dwelling place will once again be with man.

The relationship that was lost in the garden will finally be restored.

We will see Jesus face to face.

We will be with Jesus forever. No sin, no temptation, no pain, no suffering, just Jesus.

This will be a new holiness.

Right now, you and I have the Spirit of God living in us, which is excellent.

Scripture tells us that the Spirit is a down payment of what is to come.

2 Corinthians 1:22 CSB

He has also put his seal on us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a down payment.

2 Corinthians 5:5 CSB

Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

Ephesians 1:14 CSB

The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.

I don’t want to downplay how awesome it is for you and me to have the Spirit of God living in us. If the Holy Spirit is a downpayment, then how awesome is the New Earth going to be?

A day is coming when the Holy God will once again live among us.

Warren Wiersbe says it well:

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Twelve: All Things New! (Revelation 21–22)

Even though God dwells in believers today by His Spirit, we still have not begun to understand God or fellowship with Him as we would like; but one day, we shall dwell in God’s presence and enjoy Him forever.

When God makes all things new, we will get a new home, new holiness, and a new healing.

A New Healing (4)

Revelation 21:4 CSB

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

End of Suffering:

God will wipe away the tears from our eyes.

The world's creator, who breathed life into us, will wipe the tears from our eyes.

Some of us have cried lots of tears.

Some have cried so many that it seems we have no more tears to cry.

Even so, God will wipe away all those tears.

There will be no more death.

All of us have been touched by death in some way.

It is clear to see that our bodies get old. As they get older, they can do less and less.

We will have a new body, one that will not get old, that will not ache; it will be perfect. We won’t have to exercise anymore.

As we saw in our first sermon in this series, we will be reunited with our loved ones in a perfect body.

Crying will be gone.

We will have no reason to cry anymore.

We will be in the Presence of the Holy God.

You may have cried more than you can count, but you will never cry again when this day comes.

Pain will be gone.

Imagine life without pain and suffering.

Our lives clearly show that we face many pains: family, money, school, health.

Suffering is a part of life.

“We are promised sufferings. They were part of the program. We were even told, ‘blessed are they that mourn.’” C.S. Lewis

Philippians 1:29 CSB

For it has been granted to you on Christ’s behalf not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,

2 Timothy 2:3 CSB

Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 4:12–13 CSB

Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed.

John 16:33 CSB

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

In this life, we suffer and experience pain; in the new earth, we won’t

The curse reversed

This is a complete reverse of what happened in Genesis 3.

In Genesis 3 pain enters into the world because man rebelled against God.

In Revelation 21 pain no longer exists because of who Jesus is and what He did.

The curse is gone, finished, done for. There will be no more pain. Complete and total restoration has come for those in Christ.

There will be no sin in heaven, for those who are in heaven will not have it in them to sin any more.

J. I. Packer

Heaven will be the perfection we have always longed for. All the things that made Earth unlovely and tragic will be absent in Heaven.

Billy Graham

This is a perfect rest we get to look forward to.

What tears do you need to be wiped away?

Today, you may have many tears in your life. You may have sorrow upon sorrow. You may be hurting and need healing.

I am here today to tell you that a day is coming when you will receive perfect healing and rest.

All the tears you are crying are gone.

All the pain you feel is gone.

All the bad in this world is gone.

This, my dear friends, is the hope of our rest in Jesus. We will have a new home with a new holiness and new healing.

Conclusion

Today, I have for us a message of hope and rest. Hope, as seen in the Bible, is an assurance.

We know that for those in Christ, this is our future, and our future looks very bright.

I must share, though, that this is the future of those in Christ. Sadly, there are still those without Christ, and their future is not bright.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior?

Do you understand the hope that is in your future?

Invitation