Easter 5 This Heritage
This Heritage
May 6 Easter 5
Rev. 21:1-7, John 16:12-22 Acts 11:1-18
† In the Name of the Lord, Jesus Christ †
May this sermon, bring you Grace, Mercy and Peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!
A Comparison of Heritage…
A new hymnal sits in your hands today, a symbol our heritage. Not just any heritage – The Heritage. A heritage we share with literally millions around the word today, and millions of those who have gone before, and perhaps, millions that will look back to our time, and consider how we have honored that heritage, or dishonored it.
In days long past, a person’s heritage was something of which they were well aware. In part, one’ heritage is due to when and to whom and in which culture one was born. It has to do with one’s lot in life, the role that they have been given to live, or rebel against. Whether we accept the heritage, the lot in life that we have been dealt, or whether we rebel against it.
Consider the girl, whose court case made the front page news, the top story in every newscast towards the end of this week. Her heritage as an heiress of a 355 million dollars legacy, guaranteed that her incarceration would be noted, as people wonder what else she can do, to dishonor the heritage she was given.
In today’s reading from The Book of the Revelation, we see another heritage revealed – an incredible heritage in which we can share. It is the same heritage that those who compiled this hymnal, compiled it in view of – a heritage for those, whose lot in life, is governed by God, because we have been given His grace, and by it, we have overcome.
It is my hope, that as we realize the value of our heritage, as we realize the incredible blessings that await us, the peace of knowing our future in Christ, will allow us to live celebrating that heritage, no matter what lies across our path….
The incredible City
The people make the city – the bride
Look what God does!
As our passage begins, we see something quite incredible – a new heaven, and a new earth. That which existed before, had to end its existence, and in its place, a new creation of unbelievable splendor. Amidst this re-creation, a new city exists, a city that is described as the holy city, Jerusalem.
A bit about the city, for when we think of cities, we think of skyscrapers, and skylines, of traffic and freeways, of rich neighborhoods, and slums. A city in the thought of the people of John the apostle’s day, wasn’t all that, but it was the people, the polis.
And so this city – this group of people descend from heaven, adorned as a bride for her husband. Dressed in white, resembling their holiness, their perfection, their purity, the fact that are created for intimacy with only one.
It is God’s intent, that this city, that these people will be those whom He lives, where the relationship will be such that is proper, between God, and His people. For He will pour His love out on His people, can you picture the God, who created all that we see, all that we hear, and so much more, pulling out a handkerchief, to dry eyes of tears? Who ensures that there is true peace, that nothing no pain, nor grief, no more wailing not even death, can invade the peace and joy that will exist between God, and His people.
For it to come – that which is now- must pass!
Heavens and earth
2 Peter 3:13 – Only righteousness dwells therin..
The bride prepared - Eph 5:24
The springs of living water!
This new heaven, and new earth is incredible sounding, is it not? Can you imagine the joy, of everything perfect, most appreciably the presence of God, among His people? Look in the old hymnal – at hymns numbered 613-619 and you will see how our forefathers in the faith described the incredible new city. Similar words, and more can be found in the new hymnal, on pages 672-674, among other places. We can look forward, with great expectancy, and with great hope, to our heritage.
Throughout scripture, we hear of promises of this, the heritage that can be ours, in Christ. Romans 8 talks about the earth groaning for that day, and 2 Peter says,
13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:13 (ESV)
We are waiting for such a day, when God’s promise is made true, and we abide in His presence, amid the new heaven, and new earth. It is part of the nature of the peace that shall be present there, that only that which is righteous, only that which is just, can dwell there. This eliminates that which is unrighteous, and therefore sinful, and in the process eliminates all that which sin results in – either our own sin against God and others, or that which is caused by people sinning against us, and God.
SO how then, can we do we go from a group of unrighteous people, who live under the effects of our sin, those of our community, and the burden of the sins of the world? How are we transformed, from who we are, becoming the people that are pure, holy, and righteous? How do we gain, this heritage?
It is a heritage, and that is the key! It is beyond us! I cannot, on my own, by my own strength, gain the heritage of the Gates family. I am not a member of that family, it is not my heritage.
Yet, I do have the parker heritage, despite not being part of that family. I was made a part of that family, and given that heritage, when I became family. The stories of the Parker’s and the DeLuca’s are mine, by right.
In the same way – we become part of the city, the people pure, holy and righteous, because of someone else’s action.
Here is the action that causes it,
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. Ephesians 5:25-27 (ESV)
God, at work in Christ – changes our heritage – reconciling us, making us part of the people of God, reconciling us to himself, as Paul tells the Corinthians.
. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:16-19 (ESV)
Part of our heritage is that taking on the work of our family, the work of God – the ministry of reconciliation. I love the way Paul spoke of how he served in this ministry,
15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 (ESV)
It is DONE! More than Conquerors! We were the ones “selected”!
Jesus ends the passage saying the following,
6 And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
Which of you does this describe? Which of us is the conqueror? I mean – do any of us really look like the conquering hero type?
Yet we all are, if we remember what Paul taught in Romans,
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8:37 (ESV)
We conquer, not by our own strength, but by His. We are made ready for our heritage, by His blood on the cross. We are dressed, in garments spotless as a bride’s wedding dress, representing the righteousness, the holiness, the purity, poured out on us, in our baptism.
This is our heritage, given to us, in Jesus Christ.
May we live every day, celebrating the lot that has fell to us- to be the people of God!
Amen?
Amen!