Easter 5C, 2025

St. Matthew’s Lutheran, Cornwall

Revelation 21:1-7

SC, LP, Kingdom Come, Thy will be done

Many of us come to this season of Easter, and we think to ourselves. Hm, what is this? What is this business of the cross and resurrection? What is this business of death and resurrection? What is this? A good catechism kind of question, isn’t it?

See, often. We look at the cross and, out of that, we take these ideas of the justiifcation of the sinner, of the forgiveness of sin, of this idea that , because Christ took my punishment that smoehow and, for some reason, I don’t have to bear it? Is that… is that what this is? Friends, that is, well, forgive me for saying it, - that's a bit trite if that's all this is. IF that's all this is, then my hope is found, at best, in NOT having to suffer in the future. My GOSPEL is that the bad things I thought God wanted to do to me, Hes not going to do anymore. Friends, is that it?

Yeah, I uh, - no. I don’t think so.

See, what does that theology do? This is a good question for us. No? What does that theology do? It doesn’t DO much does it? But what does it do? It cheapens the cross, it warps out image of God. It skips over the resurrection. You see the problem?

Okay – I have a different picture for you. What was there on that cross? All sin. For He who knew no sin took ours, took it on Himself, became sin for us, - why? THAT IN HIM WE MIGHT BECME SOMETHING ELSE. The very righteousness of God. What was put do death through His death? That which now is, - the death which now reigns. What was buried in that tomb? Everyhtin wrong with the world. The condemnation of the Law against us, the voice of accusatiion, sin itself, guilt, shame, sorrow, death itself,. And the like. NO?

And what then is the resurrection? The new creation and life BORN from the dead. It is the righteousness and purity of God’s new Kingdom come invading into this world.

Hear with me again our reading from Revelation 21. This is your hope. Frineds THIS is your hope. And behold I saw – (now, this is after all of this has been said and done. After the war of God against sin and death and the devil had been won. After death had been killed and buried and put away into the grave. After Christ had vanquished the devil and the hellish enemy, and taken for Himself the very Keys of Death and Hell, and opened up the gates of bondage upon His faihtful saints in repose there. Bringing them up with Him to the throne of God in heaven. After all of this. After the dragon had been slain. After death and pain suffered and put away. After Christ had risen and ascended into His kingly reing. After the dead of all the earth had been raised – THEN , NOW, BEHOLD I SAW IT.

a new heaven and a new earth. Not the old ones , the ones separated frm one anothr. With heaven up there and earth down here. Not with God far away and apart from sinners. Not with the earth cloaked in the darkness and death, ruled under the reign of the devil. - no, but, - a new one. A new earth. A new heaven. Indeed, in fact, a heaven whch had come down to earth. A God who now dwelt together with His people. A sinless, painless, sorrow-less reality of glory eternal. Behld I saw it.

for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. For the former things had passed away. For the pain and the suffering and the diseases had passed away. The things which assail us all had passed away. The way of the wrld with its hate and its wars and the rat race of always trying to be enough – ALL THOSE THINGS WE DEAL WITH NOW, had passed away. Even – as He says, HEAVEN ITSELF as it now is, had passed away. The glories they had there with the Father in His throne room had passed away. A new, a greater reaity had now come. For the Holy Citiy, the new jeruslalem, the Kingdom of God fro which we pray HAD COME DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN. Had come down here upon the earth, out from the clowds, down from the Sky, as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,“See, the home of God is among mortals.He will dwell with themHe will be their God and they will be His people he will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more;mourning and crying and pain will be no more,for the first things have passed away.”5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new

All that was, all that is, - gone. All that will be. All that should be. HERE. Present. Current. Happening. HERE.

This is our hope. Not that God slighty fixes things up that could be better, not that He refines the imperfectinos of the current age. But that He wipes it all away. And in its place – puts perfection eternal. That death give way to life forever. That sickness be exchanged with health incurruptible. That sorrw – to joy. Faith to sight. Doubt to certiant,y fear to confidence, hate to love, - THAT GOD WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR.

This is our hope. Our hope is not heaven. Our hope is not avoiding hell. Our hope is the resurrection eternal, the resurrection universal. The love, the grace, the recreation of God unfurreled.

Friends, we ask ourselves what is this? What is this death and resurrectino? What is this goood Friday and this Easter? This is what it is. It is the putting away of what is. The exhcnage of what was. For the coming of what will bee. Indeed, - the presence of what in Christ, now is. The NEW. The new creation. The NEW life. The new self. The new heart. The new soul. The new everything.

And yet – in Christ, where He is, and when He comes, that future promse is NOW. And so He says

It is done. To anyone who is thirsty, I will give freely from the spring of the water of life

Listen,.. I know your ills and your hurts your doubts and your fears. I do. I get them. They make sense. They are burdens that so often feel too heavy to bear. Fears of which the end is always so utterly unclear. And so we groan, and we long for osmething new. Well, where is this new? Is it on the other side of judgment on the last day? No. - for that is what rose from the Grave. IN CCHIRST the new creation has come. Where He is, that proclamation has come. In Him and to Him God has bound all eternity. In Him and through Him He has bund His promises for you.

You who want this. Who wish for this, who seek this. - is that you? Where do you find it? In tomrrow? IT IS HERE TODAY.

Wherever Christ is, there is the promise fulfilled. Wherever Christ is there is the promise made good upno.

And where is He? - friend,s He is here.

Come and drink, you who are thirsty, who thrist and hunger for righteousnes.s who in death lnog for new and eternal life. Who in condemnation and guilt long for forgiveness and goodness. You who wish to be made into something new. - COME TO CHRIST – receive it, and enter into it, and become it. This He grants to you now, FREELY, RICHLY, ABUNDANTLY.

This is what He gives and does. This is His business.

This is His work. This is His Easter. This is the resurrection .

This is God’s Kingdom come, in the presents of His king, and in the Gathering of His people.

For in the place where He dwells with His people. Calls them His own, calls Himself their own – THERE HE IS MAKING ALL THINGS NEW.

And so we confess - in this Christian church the Holy Spirit abundantly forgives all sins—mine and those of all believers. On the Last Day the Holy Spirit will raise me and all the dead and will give to me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.

This is the Easter message - In the name of the F, S, HS, I Forgive you all of your sins. I proclaim you dead. I proclaim you risen. I proclaim you new. THIS – is most certainly true. This , Is the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ. This – is the Hope of Christ’s risen and eternal Kingdom.

F, S, HS, Amen.