TGP: Worshipping Our Glorious God

Intro: Decoding Worksheet

Split into 2 teams

Give teams decoding worksheet and see who can solve it the fastest.

Revealed a little at a time

God revealed through HS

Not full until eternity

Essential Doctrine: New Heaven and New Earth

When Christ returns and the children of God are revealed, the creation itself will be made new. Like the resurrected bodies Christians will one day receive, the physical world itself will undergo a similar transformation, so much so that the Scriptures describe it as a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13). Scripture describes the new earth as a city (Rev. 21:10-11, 21-26) and as a physical place that will include eating and drinking (Luke 22:18; Rev. 19:9). Best of all, Christ will be all and in all, and we shall see Him face to face.

Essential Connection:

In this unit, we read about the events which occur at the end of human history. While these events are frightening for unbelievers, those who believe in Christ as Lord and Savior will join Him in victory, when He makes all things new.

Summary

The old heaven and old earth will pass away.

God will create a new heaven and a new earth completely empty of sin and its effects.

We will see God’s face, and He will live among us.

God’s glory will radiate throughout the new holy city.

Main Point: When Jesus returns, He will make all things new and live with His people forever.

Three Reasons that Jesus is Coming Again:

The Lord is coming again to renew His creation

Revelation 21:1–5 (ESV)

1 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. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

What we’ve been waiting for

A new Heaven, and a new earth

Heaven coming down to earth

The earth resurrected

Verse 4: no tears

Q. How will God dwelling with us in Heaven be entirely different from the way He dwelled among humans in the past?

Walking with Adam and Eve (Gen 3:8)

Cloud by day, fire by night (Ex 19:16-18)

Tabernacle ( Ex. 40:34)

Solomon’s temple

Jesus

Indwelling of HS

New creation > physical dwelling

A new nearness

Q. What attributes of God are revealed to you in verse 4?

Compassion

Kindness

Loving

Main Point: When Jesus returns, He will make all things new and live with His people forever.

Three Reasons that Jesus is Coming Again:

The Lord is coming again to renew His creation

The Lord is coming again to reveal His glory

Revelation 21:22–27 ESV

22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

No temple

Gates upon

Lamb’s light

Q. What are the implications of there being no temple in this city?

No boundaries

Q. What is implied by the gates of the city remaining open at all times?

Protection

Main Point: When Jesus returns, He will make all things new and live with His people forever.

Three Reasons that Jesus is Coming Again:

The Lord is coming again to renew His creation

The Lord is coming again to reveal His glory

The Lord is coming again to reside with His people

Revelation 22:1–5 (ESV)

e1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

Q. Where has the tree of life appeared before? Why is it important that it’s in the new city?

Eden

The undoing of the curse

Q. What does it tell you that we’ll see God’s face in the new city?

Sin reversed

Christ Connection:

This present age will come to an end when Christ returns to fulfill His promises and reign with His people for all eternity. The relationship lost in the garden when Adam sinned will be gloriously restored when the garden city is unveiled and God wipes away every tear from every eye.

Q. How does knowing you’ll one day see God’s face affect your understanding of Him?

Q. How does knowing God will one day wipe your tears give you hope in the struggles you’re facing?

Q. How can these passages help you live with joy and anticipation?