Sermon Tone Analysis

Eternity-Where will you spend eternity?

Do you remember the Y2K scare?

Where were you when Sydney Australia brought in the new year amidst scare of annihilation of the human race due to computer malfunction, power plants shutting down and automation coming to a sudden halt?

In Sydney Australia, at the stroke of Midnight, Dec 31, 1999, (a date the artist formerly known as Prince wrote about) elaborate fireworks erupted over the Sydney harbor to the delight of more than 1,000,000 people.

It was the display to end all displays.

It was designed to outdo every other new years celebration on planet earth.

The natural beauty of the harbor was brilliantly illuminates on that mild summer night down under.

But there was one feature, one phrase that seemed out of place.

Suspended from the giant arch of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, amidst the exploding rockets and the deluge of light pouring like a waterfall from the roadway, hung one word: ETERNITY.

Like a message from heaven flashed across the world stage to billions of souls, it shone like a beacon from beyond warning all who saw it time was passing by and we are creatures of eternity.

A sobering one word sermon.

Eternity

A word none of us can grasp

After we have watched Louie Giglio’s illustrations of the universe, the galaxies, the stars and the size and scope of some of those stars and galaxies, none of us can comprehend the size and shape and scope, the height, length, breath, depth, of God’s universe.

Imagine if you were present with God on the day the universe was created.

Imagine watching as God spoke the world into existence.

Now imagine being with him when He tears it apart.

When the earth and the sun cease to exist.

21:1

Before the new heaven and new earth, the old must be destroyed.

Isaiah wrote about it in

2 Peter 3:10

This destruction will occur right before the great white throne judgement in

You will be there.

You will be with God at the Great White Throne Judgment when the world, the universe goes up in smoke.

By the spoken word He will break down every atom.

Amazingly John uses the same word here when he states God will wipe away every tear: the same word God will wipe out the earth.

Gone! Abolished!

Extinct!

Finished!

New Heaven and a New Earth

But there will be a new heaven and a new earth.

Not a redo, not a make over, not a flip or flop but a remake.

You will be at the Great White Throne when God says, give me a new heaven and a new earth

Isaiah 6

God will put it back together again as you watch.

What all the Kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t do, God will do in your presence.

The Greek word here is kainos.

Kainos denotes something new in time and new qualitatively, superior to the old.

A perfect place a perfect environment.

I Can Only Imagine...

You will see it, with your own eyes.

What Will Be There

1.

The Holy City Jerusalem

2. God Himself will be there dwelling among His people

3. Righteousness

What won’t be there?

, , 22:3

Also, no more sea, no more tears, no more death, no more mourning, no more crying, no more pain, no more thirst, no more wickedness, no more temple, for God is with the people, no more night, no more closed gates, no more curse.

Author Steve Lawson writes the following will not be present:

Funeral homes, hospitals, abortion clinics, divorce courts, brothels, bankruptcy courts, psychiatric wards, treatment centers.

There will be no pornography, teen suicide, AIDS, cancer, talk shows, rape, missing or exploited children.

No drug problems, drive by shootings, no racial tension, no prejudice.

There will be no misunderstandings, no injustice, no depression, no hurtful words, no gossip, no hurt feelings, no worry, no emptiness, no child abuse.

There will be no wars, no financial worries, no emotional heartaches, no physical pain, no spiritual flatness, no relational divisions, no murders, no casseroles or fruitcake.

There will be no tears, no suffering, no separations, no starvation, no arguments, no accidents, no emergency departments, no doctors, no nurses, no heart monitors, no rust, no perplexing questions, no false teachers, no financial shortages or crises, no hurricanes or tornadoes, no bad habits, no decay, no locks.

You wont need to confess sin, apologize, or straighten out strained relationships.

You’ll never have to resist temptation or Satan again.

Revelation Describes the New City Rev 21:10-14

Read when you have a moment.

The glory of God is there, the Wall of Jasper, The Twelve Gates, the Twelve Foundation Stones, the Street of Gold, a River of Life, the Tree of Life.

Nothing but the best!

No cinder blocks, no shag carpeting, no cheap imitations.

Just the Lord God and His perfect peace.

Colossians

You should feel the heavenward pull.

Our feet are on earth, but our hearts should dwell with God.

Three Identifiable Groups in Heaven

Angels

Church age believers

All other people of God from other ages.

All, who by God’s grace have trusted in the person and promises of God will be in heaven.

Who Won’t Be There

Rev 21:8

Will you be there?

Do you feel the heavenward tug?

Eternity

The single word Eternity was written in lights and placed on the bridge.

But Why?

Arthur Malcolm Stace (9 February 1885 – 30 July 1967),[1] known as Mr Eternity, gained fame as a reformed alcoholic who converted to Christianity and spread his message by writing the word "Eternity" in copperplate writing with chalk on footpaths in and around Sydney, from Martin Place to Parramatta for about 35 years, from 1932 to 1967.

Here is His story:

Arthur Stace was born in Redfern, New South Wales, in inner west Sydney on 9 February 1885.[1]

The fifth child of William Wood Stace, from Mauritius and Laura Stace (née Lewis), a child of alcoholics, he was brought up in poverty.

In order to survive, he resorted to stealing bread and milk and searching for scraps of food in bins.

By the age of 12, Stace, with virtually no formal schooling, and working in a coal mine had become a ward of the state.

As a teenager, he became an alcoholic and was subsequently sent to jail at 15. Afterwards, he worked as a "cockatoo" or a look-out for a Two-up "school".

In his twenties, he was a scout for his sisters' brothels.

In March 1916, at age 32, whilst working as labourer he enlisted for World War I with the Australian Imperial Force 19th Battalion 5th Brigade AIF, entering with the 16th Reinforcements, service number 5934.

He suffered recurring bouts of bronchitis and pleurisy, which led to his medical discharge.

Early years[edit]Stace was born in Redfern, New South Wales, in inner west Sydney on 9 February 1885.[1]

The fifth child of William Wood Stace, from Mauritius and Laura Stace (née Lewis), a child of alcoholics, he was brought up in poverty.

In order to survive, he resorted to stealing bread and milk and searching for scraps of food in bins.

By the age of 12, Stace, with virtually no formal schooling, and working in a coal mine had become a ward of the state.

As a teenager, he became an alcoholic and was subsequently sent to jail at 15. Afterwards, he worked as a "cockatoo" or a look-out for a Two-up "school".

In his twenties, he was a scout for his sisters' brothels.

In March 1916, at age 32, whilst working as labourer he enlisted for World War I with the Australian Imperial Force 19th Battalion 5th Brigade AIF, entering with the 16th Reinforcements, service number 5934.

He suffered recurring bouts of bronchitis and pleurisy, which led to his medical discharge on 2 April 1919.

Conversion to Christianity[edit]Stace converted to Christianity on the night of 6 August 1930, after hearing an inspirational sermon by the Reverend R. B. S. Hammond at St. Barnabas Church, Broadway.

Inspired by the words, he became enamoured of the notion of eternity.

Two years later, on 14 November 1932, Stace was further inspired by the preaching of evangelist John G. Ridley MC,[5] on "The Echoes of Eternity" from : For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Reverend John Ridley's words, "Eternity, Eternity, I wish that I could sound or shout that word to everyone in the streets of Sydney.

You've got to meet it, where will you spend Eternity?"