I Am Making All Things New
Kingdom of God • Sermon • Submitted
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· 16 viewsReflections on the glory of the new heaven and the new earth, the new Jersusalem, and the kingdom.
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It’s been a tough week. It’s been one of those weeks that you don’t look forward to going through. I was in my office Wednesday morning and Sharon came running in sobbing with the news that Grandma Marge was gone. Many tears were shed that day. As the family gathered together at the house, every time a new member of the family would arrive it would start the grieving process all over again.
And yet, underneath all of the sorrow and grief was an eternal hope.
Even as Jim read just a moment ago:
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
We still sorrow, but we do not sorrow as other which have no hope. We have an eternal hope through Jesus Christ our Lord. Marge loved many things- She loved her family, she loved her church, she loved her Bible, she loved her skippo and later on her rummy-cube, she loved a good joke and she loved to tease, she loved to work, but most of all Marge loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
And that is why we do not sorrow as other who have no hope. We all know that Marge received Jesus Christ as her Savior through believing in Him alone for eternal life. She lived a consistent testimony and we all saw Christ living in her. And so we have hope, that this parting is only temporary. There is more to come.
We read about what that looks like in .
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21.1
I am blown away every time I read this passage. This is why we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. This is our hope. The eternal kingdom of God is every believer’s hope and it is Margie’s hope as well. Our hope is that one day God will make a new heaven and a new earth, and on that new earth the new Jerusalem come down, and God will dwell with us and we will dwell with Him. God Himself will be with us and be our God! That is incredible, I cannot even begin to imagine what that will be like.
And then we come to verse four. Where God promises to totally and completely finally and forever remove every single effect of sin. I cannot imagine! And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes- is that just the sad kind of tears, will there still be tears of joy- I don’t know), there will be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain- the former things will have passed away. You realize that everything we are going through right now at this moment is all a consequence of sin? Death, tears, sorrow, crying, pain- all because of sin. And all of these things are an outrage to God- they are not what God intends- he will wipe them all away fully and forever!
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Just before Marge passed away she was in the hospital. My family and I went and visited her while she was there. We talked and laughed and sang songs and we read Scripture together. I read for her. Now, Marge had memorized a lot of Scripture in her life- if you sat next to her in church you almost didn’t need your Bible because she would quote the Scripture right along with me as I read it. And when I got to v. 5 I read half of the verse- And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. When I got to the second half of the verse Marge quoted these words right along with me- Write: for these words are true and faithful. She believed that with all her heart. For most of the years of her life Marge clung to this hope and even through her last days on this earth she still believed with all her heart that these words are true and faithful. And now her faith has become sight!
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21.6
This is eternal life- God offers to all the water of life freely. God offers to be your God and for you to be his child. And you can have eternal life. But not everyone will have this eternal life.
Rev 21.8
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
For those who are still in their sins- and we have a whole list of them in verse 8- fearful, unbelieving, murders, idolaters, liars- they will have no part in the kingdom. God will not allow sin to be a part of eternal life with Him. So if you have never had your sins forgiven, if you have never been declared righteous by God from your sins- then the Bible says your part will be to be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death. Nothing unclean can enter into the kingdom.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
I know that Marge would want everyone here to be able to leave knowing that they have their sins fully forgiven, that they have the hope of eternal life. How do you know that you will inherit eternal life?
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
You must become a child of God.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1.
Did you know that the Bible teaches that not everyone is a child of God? Who is a child of God, how do you become a child of God? By receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior, by believing on his name. That’s the only way. The Bible says you do not become a child of God through blood- it doesn’t matter who your parents were that has nothing to do with becoming a child of God. It is not by the will of the flesh- you cannot become a child of God through your own will or ability- you cannot earn it yourself. It is not by the will of man- no person can sprinkle you with water and make you a child of God.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
What does the Bible mean by receiving and believing? If that is how you become a child of God do you think it is important enough to find out for yourself? I pray that you will do exactly that- if you don’t know that your sins are forgiven, if you don’t know if you are a child of God- will you ask for help? Will you find out what the Bible has to say about it? I know that is exactly what Marge would want.
Then you too can share in her hope.
I want to close by reading just a little bit more of that hope.
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Rev. 21.22-
1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22.1-
Folks these words are Faithful and True- We have an eternal hope in Jesus Christ our Lord.