No More Tears (2)
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
What do we think heaven is like?
What do we think heaven is like?
Audio: Feeling Good - Michael Bublé | 2:00
Don’t know as much about heaven as we’d like. / Will be eternity with God/more wonderful than imagine.
Life doesn’t seem like heaven
Life doesn’t seem like heaven
Violence/war/natural disasters/refugees/ethnic cleansing/nationalism/broken politics/broken relationships/poverty/human trafficking/knife crime/physical, mental health/spiritual apathy, etc. / Feel anything but good. / Good news: not going to last forever.
Explanation
Explanation
The Covenant Relationship Restored
The Covenant Relationship Restored
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.
Wonderful? / God will dwell with us. / Live with him forever. / In covenant with us forever. / Intimate, covenant relationship before Fall, restored. / Every stain/black mark/smear of old creation gone > new creation/heaven/earth/totally pure, new, pristine holy city.
The tension of “now, but not yet”
The tension of “now, but not yet”
Not there yet! / Tension. / J: KofG = come. / Freed demons/healed sick/forgave sins/said receive KofG like child/KofG belonged to poor. / But: world touched by sin/disaster/disappointment > hearts full of sorrow. / World full of pain > we long for healing. / J ushered in KofG on earth. / Wherever people = obedient to God > Kingdom = reality. / But not yet fully realised. / God’s will ≠ complete reality.
Application
Application
Live out the Kingdom values
Live out the Kingdom values
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.”
How best live in tension?/ensure we/people experience “feeling good” of KofG now, awaiting final consummation? / Being obedient to God/living out Kingdom values:
Make space in KofG for margins/excluded. / Place for them, even though messy/chaotic.
Bring change by showing love, serving with gifts/talents. / Help them reach their potential/free them from whatever is weighing them down.
Help seek justice. / Supporting work amongst most marginalised: homeless/domestic abuse/human trafficking, etc.
Show God’s love. / Live out Kingdom values by loving God, opening ourselves up to his love and letting his love flow through us.
Community transformation
Community transformation
Imagine if all lived this way, all the time. / Many fully committed to living out Kingdom values. / Egs: Showing love/care to people each week. / Best way of living with tension. / Redouble our efforts. / Imagine schools/families/workplaces/neighbourhoods/community/country/world transformed. / What difference!