Easter 5 2025

Revelation 21:1–8 (NIV84)

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Introduction:

Has there ever been a time in your when you wondered, dreamt, planned where you would live next?

Transition periods.

“Leaving the nest.” For college, deployment, establish a new home of your own.

Staying in the same area but living in a new apartment or home. (The average person will live in about 11 different places in their lifetime . . . Including college I am at 11 right now.)

Moving to a different area.

Down sizing.

Five times in my life I was surprised with an opportunity to leave our home and asked to move to another location, live in a different house, meet almost all new people, and adjust my life even though I was doing basically the same job. There were a lot of uncertainties. But there were also a lot of things I could be certain of.

Now that time is soon approaching again. But this time it should not be a surprise. When I retire, I will no longer graciously be provided a house to live in and my family and I will need to secure another place to live. “The world is our oyster.” in that we could theoretically live almost anywhere if we can afford it. I even saw an ad recently on how a person could live in Europe for as little as $1500 per month. But we don’t have passports so there is that . . . The other thing that will change, of course, is that we will no longer have our work to occupy our time or commitment.

Many questions arise when someone is considering moving.

Another aspect of moving is that sometimes, the person who is moving has limited choices on what the future will be.

In some cases, a person is convicted of a serious crime and his headed to the state pen for five to ten as it were.

In some cases, a person may be in the military and deployed without their input.

As we age, we should realize that in some cases, we may be almost forced to live in assisted living or a skilled nursing facility. Our life may be condensed to a single (or double) room with shared common areas. Failing strength and health could also severely restrict us in ways we would rather not think about.

And, of course, unless Jesus returns first, we all have to arrive at our heavenly home to be with the Lord forever. (See passages).

What will heaven be like? Will it be the best of what this life has to offer according to our current enjoyable activities?

Golf, Fishing, Hunting, Playing Cards, Tropical beaches. No one hopes to spend eternity shoveling snow and enduring freezing weather or hot humid days and nights filled with mosquitoes after all.

We may wonder also what our bodies will be like, our relationship with others in heaven (common belief that earthly marriage is for eternity even though Jesus says there is no marriage in heaven . . . Not just new marriage but “‘til death do us part” mean “until death and not beyond”. We may wonder how aware we will be before the Last Day of the passage of time and the events of the earth and if we can influence what is happening on earth as the Roman Catholics do with their position on the saints.

As Christians, we do well to search the Scriptures for answers about the future. But even then we may be left with more questions than answers. Because some of the passages about our future home are prophecy and as with prophecy, until it is fulfilled we leave ourselves in this position:

Matthew 13:16–17 (NIV84)

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

1 John 3:1–3 (NIV84)

1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

1 Peter 1:10–12 (NIV)

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

So does the Bible reveal information about a new home for Christians and if so, what does this mean?

Does the Bible reveal information about a new home for Christians?

Revelation 21:1 NIV

1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

Isaiah 65:17–19 (NIV)

17 “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. 19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.

2 Peter 3:12–13 (NIV84)

12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

Hebrews 11:10 (NIV)

10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

2 Corinthians 5:1 (NIV)

1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

417 I’m But a Stranger Here

Verse 3

There at my Savior's side -- Heav'n is my home.-- I shall be glorified; Heav'n is my home. There are the good and blest, Those I love most and best, And there, I, too, shall rest; Heav'n is my home.

Conclusion: We believe that we will exist after we die. This will be in a new home known as heaven. At first our souls will be there because our soul cannot die. On the Last Day our bodies will be raised, our body and soul will be reunited, glorified, and we will be with the Lord forever in heaven for all eternity.

What does the vision in Revelation tell us about our new home?

What does this mean?

“New heavens (skies) and earth.” Peter indicates our current earth but reconstituted. Luther interprets it this way. I don’t think my favorite rock formation at Devil’s Lake state park will be there or Mt. Everest, or other current geographical features. I do perceive it as a physical place.

“Holy City, the new Jerusalem.” Actual city or a symbolic picture of the Holy Christian Church.

“God will be with us”. Of course, God is always with us but in the beatific vision we will be intimately aware of him and bask fully in his love and comfort.

What won’t be there?

The cause and consequences of sin and the resulting sorrow. Later also impenitent sinners and any possibility of “new” sinners. Revelation 21:8 (NIV84)

8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

What will be there?

Want to get into an argument on social media? Tell someone that their beloved Fido may not be in heaven. The Bible is generally silent about pets (only one reference and that in Job. Job 41:5 (NIV84)

5 Can you make a pet of him like a bird or put him on a leash for your girls? and no reference to pets in heaven although it does allow for animals which can be taken as literal or figuratively but in either case I would say newly created.

Why worry about that? Revelation gives us this promise:

The water of life.

Our inheritance.

Sonship of God.

This to those who overcome. This last statement is in keeping with the overall message of the book of Revelation. Jesus Wins! Victory is Ours!

1 Corinthians 15:53–58 (NIV84)

53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 John 5:1–5 (NIV84)

1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Revelation 2:10 (NIV84)

10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

So rather than muse or even fret about our future home, be assured that those who have victory in Christ will enjoy it and rely on God’s promises that through faith in our victorious risen Savior, Jesus Christ, you have that victory!