Ultimate Grace

Picture of Black Canyon

I want to introduce you to you probably one of my top five places in the entire world. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison. I thought about trying to describe it to you but the truth is no matter how descriptive the words there is no way I can put my experience into words.

No matter what I say if one has not experienced it for themselves they will not have the same perspective as I do....And Well....

That’s ok…as a matter of fact it is expected…it does not take away from the beauty of the canyon…nor does it take away from my perspective....In order to really appreciate such beauty one must experience it for themselves.

When we are on our Christians Journey we also have a perspective that is different from another. Thats ok…our job is to live out our journey and focus on who God is and what God wants from us.

It’s really a beautiful thing when you think about it…God using differnt perspectives of the same truth to accomplish the Mission to save the world! Wow.

Today’s passage is Johns perspective of what God is doing. John is doing his best to explain to us what God is showing him…but just like the black canyon we all have a different perspective.

This does not take away from the beauty of this description…nor does it take away from Johns perspective…but it does give us something to look forward to....He is doing his best to create for us a comparable experience to his own.

We all need to be reminded about the beauty of our Journey of Grace....As we exercise and appreciate God’s grace in our lives we are moving to a day where all thing will be made new…and all of the ways our world and humankind have been marred will be made remade the ways they were always intended.

As I read I want you to close your eyes and imagine what those who were reading this for the first time must have been feeling and thinking.

Revelation 21:1-6

Revelation 21:1–6 (NLT)

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.

What stirs up in you as you hear this passage…shout out a phrase....

What a wonderful picture John paints for us. John on Patmos in exile is taken to a place were he sees the New Jerusalem with his own eyes....Lets explore a little about what he sees

John sees a place were sin does not separate us from God....It has none of the trappings of this world. This is what is meant when John says there is no sea…sea signifies the separation between people and God.

John sees a place where the consequences of sin are no more…every tear will be wiped away, no more pain.

John sees a palce were people are not only content but satisfied…Every appetite and thirst will be satisfied by God

What John is describing is about as perfect as it gets. In a day in which it seems that everyone is looking to get something from another the idea that we can simply rest in the perfection of God is liberating.

Think about it…for a moment…no more worries that a conversation could be taken out of context, no more worry that someone will take what I have, no more worry period becuase the sin that separates us from God is no more.

As I think about this promise to us I not only get a longing for TNJ to come but I ask the question why wait? Why wait for this to become reality?

God wants to empower us to live as if it is already in process?...I am convinced that God wants to empower us to live as if it is happening right now.

I am not suggesting that this has already happened it obviously has not…but we do not have to give into the terribleness of this world.

The power of the ressurection is at work in our life right now and we do not have to live as though we are separated from God because we are not.

God dwells with us now

God does not wish us to be slaves to past sin

God does not doom us to continual Sin

The living water is available to us through the Holy Spirit.

We can live as if we dwell in the New Jerusalem in the power and presence of Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

Living as if we already have our citizenship in the new Jerusalem is not about ignoreing the evil, pain, and current reality.

It is about choosing hope for today not waiting for hope for tomorrow. Its about choosing victory over defeat, celebrate healing over pain, and choose optimism over current reality and Good over Evil.

Yes we can choose Love over Fear, Peace over Conflict, and Understanding over Judgment.

When we choose these things we experience a sneak peak of The New Jerusalem, and we share coming attractions to those we are in relationship with.

All of these are possible through the Holy Spirit and can bring about a sense of contentment that is missing in our world.

That is Ultimate Grace…living as if…what was promised has already come to pass…our journey can be beautiful and full instead of dreary and incomplete.

Let’s choose the New Jerusalem instead of this Old World. Today many of us are struggling to experience God’s presence in our lives…we have been overcome by the evil around us and are in need of more...

Today maybe you can begin to change this by living in the New Jerusalem....Now. This is where our Journey of Grace will lead us…will you begin this journey?

James Altar/Time of silence

Communion Team

Lords Prayer

Communion