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[0:00] The perfect city. Is there such a thing? Real estate's in the news a lot lately isn't it? Builders! Going broke and interest rates rocketing and a lack of housing. The building market's looking! Pretty shaky. I tell you today of some beautiful homes that are being given away in a perfect city.

[0:24] Can you believe it? The Bible tells us that's the case. The Lord Jesus says of this city, that he goes to prepare a place for us. He says, in my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. It's a city with many homes.

[0:45] There's plenty of space, plenty of homes available. There's no shortage of a home for all that will have a home in heaven. Our Lord has promised it. He says, I go to prepare a place for you.

[1:07] Think of this city. It tells us of this city. 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. Imagine that. A city without tears, without pain or death.

[1:36] It is a city where everything shall be made new. And he that sat upon the throne said, behold, I make all things new. Right, for these words are true and faithful.

[1:54] Don't you just love new things? I know it's not usually my car that I get into and it smells nice and new. But I know when I was working in a government job, you jump in the car and it just smells so new. Everything, it's only got 20 Ks on the clock and you think, wow, this is brand new.

[2:13] It just smells new, doesn't it? You think of heaven. Everything's going to be brand new. It's going to be, everything's just perfect. Perfect. This perfect city. Everything new.

[2:25] It's a city of great beauty. We read about it further in Revelation 21. It tells us of John, he says, he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. And her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. A city of great beauty.

[2:59] Now there's ways they rate cities, aren't they? Adelaide used to be near the top. Now it's not so near the top. But when you think Adelaide, I mean, what's Adelaide? But this is going to be beyond compare, isn't it? This great city. It's going to be a great city. It's going to have the glory of God.

[3:17] It's going to be like a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. We can't really capture it, can we? It's going to be a city with eternal lighting.

[3:32] And the city, it says, 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. Perfect eternal light.

[3:44] We see, as our word of God tells us, the Lord is the light, isn't he? He's the blessedness. He's the splendor of that great city. And his glory is going to light it up. And all of the dark shadows we experience here on earth will be long gone. A perfect city. It's a city with a perfect pure water supply. John writes, and he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Pure water. Now, I don't know about... Oh, he's taken it. I don't even have any Adelaide water to show you.

[4:27] But no, no, I don't need it. But, you know, we think Adelaide water, this is going to be pure water. It's the river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God. A pure water supply. Wow. You won't need a purer tap there. It's going to be pure, already pure. And it says, of this city, that 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.

[5:06] It's a city with abundant fruit. Now, I've tried for, I don't know, four years to grow a fruit tree. And I look at my mum and dad's garden. They've got this tiny little backyard.

[5:20] They've got stacks of fruit trees. And not just fruit trees, but fruit trees bearing fruit. I've got fruit trees that just, they don't even grow, let alone grow fruit. But this city is going to have abundant fruit. Think of it. Along either side of the river, tree, the tree of life, all manner of fruit every month. There's going to be no lack. Abundant fruit. It's going to be a city without hunger or thirst. It says, they shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. Imagine that. No hunger, no thirst.

[6:02] There won't be any need to even go shopping. It's just, everything's laid on. Everything's provided. Of course, it's a city that has no tears. For the lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them and shall lead them unto the living fountains of waters.

[6:22] And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. No sorrow, no tears, no parting, no sadness. It's a city with a great population. Revelation 7 tells us that John, after this, he says, I beheld and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number. Of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the lamb, clothed with white robes and palms in their hands. A great multitude, no man could number. All nations, all kindreds, all tongues will be represented there. Praise God. And we'll all be speaking the same language.

[7:07] There'll be no confusion there. A great population. It says they'll be clothed with white robes and palms in their hands and they'll be crying with a loud voice saying, salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne and unto the lamb. Revelation 22 5 says that there'll be no night.

[7:31] It says, and there shall be no night there. They need no candle, neither the light of the sun for the Lord God, giveth them light and they shall reign forever and ever. Imagine a city with no night.

[7:47] It's just so glorious and alive. It's a city with no sin. Revelation 21 27 reads, and there shall in no wise enter into it, anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. No sin. There'll be no crime, no fear, no danger, no one doing the wrong thing. Everything will be true and glad.

[8:25] Really, we cannot describe this perfect city, this perfect place. Paul says, but as it is written, I have not seen, neither have the ear heard, neither have answered into the heart of man the things which God have prepared for them that love him. We can't see anything that compares with the eye. We can't hear anything that compares with the ear, even our very heart. When we think of the breathtaking beauty that we have of our precious Lord and Saviour. He is the Rose of Sharon, the fairest of 10,000. He's the one altogether lovely. And we will see him. And our loved ones who have gone ahead are with him now.

[9:20] And they will stand, and we will stand, that know him, before that awesome throne of God, transcendent with incomparable light, that make the sun and moon superfluous, and we will see perfect angels in their holy radiance. The spirits of just men made perfect, clothed in white robes with palms in their hands, a picture of peace. And they'll be magnificent jewels, clear as crystal, a street of transparent gold. A heavenly city, there'll be wondrous trees growing beside a sparkling river of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches to him, that overcometh will I give, to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. It says there that they shall eat of the tree of life. Heaven is a place of everlasting life. And we don't have to wait till we cross over. We can have that everlasting life here on planet Earth, right here in Adelaide, by faith today. That everlasting life, it doesn't happen when you go through the grave. You know it beforehand. You have it now in the present tense possession.

[10:43] And we that know and have that eternal life, we have it forever, forever and ever. We will live forever and ever. Nobody ever grows old in that place. We'll have the tree of life there.

[10:56] We'll be in a thousand centuries from now, as young and as fresh as at the beginning. What a thought. What a thought. You know, it'll be that extreme makeover that so many try so hard to get and usually fail. But he'll give us that perfect extreme makeover and it will be forever.

[11:19] That will be forever in that blessed state. And John says, I heard a voice from heaven saying, Unto me right, blessed are they, the dead, which die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith of the spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them. Heaven is a place of rest.

[11:42] God's people will rest from their earthly labours. Richard Baxter wrote a book called The Saints' Everlasting Rest. And as his frame weakened during his last illness, people came and asked him how he felt and he whispered, I am almost well. Amen. I'm almost well. Because heaven is the place of wellness.

[12:08] It's the place of the perfect health. It's the saints' everlasting rest. They shall rest. All pain, all death, all sighing shall flee away. It's a city with perfect government.

[12:23] As much as we might try to vote a more perfect government, we know there's no government that can compare with this perfect government. And immediately says John, I was in the spirit and behold, a throne was set in heaven and one sat upon the throne. It's a city with perfect government because God's throne is there. It's where the king of kings is. And it says when a door was opened to him in heaven, the first thing John saw was a throne. A throne was set in heaven. Praise God. And we know who's seated on that throne. Amen. Our king. Your king. It's a place of perfect rule, of harmony, of happiness and of security. Heaven is supremely governed by God himself. There'll be no darkness, no hate, no sin, no unrighteousness, no sorrow or death. It'll be a place of love, of light, of holiness, of righteousness, of peace. And it's a city with perfect worship. It says of those in this city, of this place of heaven, it says they are there before the throne of God and they serve him day and night in his temple. And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. This is no king that's far and far away or remote. This king is going to come and dwell with us. He's left his throne of glory to come to take that cross and die there for us. Now he's risen alive and he's seated on the throne and he is deserving all praise. And it's house of the 24 elders that they fall down before him.

[14:12] They sat on the throne. They worship him, it says, that liveth forever and ever. And they cast their crowns before the throne saying, thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power.

[14:28] For thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created. The heavenly beings, the redeemed will give all praise and glory to God and the lamb. Perfect worship.

[14:42] It tells of perfect service. In Revelation 22 it reads, 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 and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads. A place of perfect service. Think of that. That we'll have a glad and useful activity to do. There might be sometimes strumming a harp but I'm sure there'll be lots of other good things.

[15:14] There'll be much service and we can render unto him. His servants shall serve him. We're going to give him worship and praise and thanksgiving for what he is and what he has done and he's going to give us something to do that's purposeful in heaven. And our praise is going to be unhindered by earthly distractions and weakness.

[15:35] A place of perfect service. It's a place where the ills of time shall be no more. As we've read, God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Praise him.

[15:47] And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain for the former things have passed away. We could gloss over that, couldn't we? No more pain.

[15:58] You know, we all have those moments, the spasms of pain, of discomfort. There'll be no more. No more. Hallelujah. No more heartaches, no more disappointments, no more headaches, no more sorrow. How can we comprehend such a place as this? God guarantees it. He promises it.

[16:18] And he says the former things are going to pass away. The trials and storms of this life, the dismay and distress we might seriously have, they'll be gone. Gone forever. Forever gone.

[16:33] Often we cry out why, that we carry a cross. I know of loved ones close to me, going through serious testings. There's hard and weary times. The storm clouds gather and darken the horizon of life.

[16:50] But with the eye of faith we can, that trusting soul can follow and see beyond the clouds and through the clouds to that day, that perfect day, when his promise shall be a reality.

[17:03] We can see that rainbow of glory and light beyond the dark clouds. And his promises guarantee and assure us of that home, that sweet home in that perfect city that you can know, you can know, assuredly know, because he is faithful who promised.

[17:21] All of the pain, the sorrow, the grief of earth are past forever, forever gone. And we will be in our heavenly Father's home as his sons and daughters.

[17:33] Glory will be changed, it tells us, into an incorruptible body. And Christ's likeness will be ours with our loved ones. What a blessedness.

[17:44] In heaven there'll be no sickness, no hospitals, no poverty, no cripples, no blindness, no death, no funeral songs, no crepe draped on the front door ever.

[17:54] There'll be no divorce, no broken homes, no orphaned children. There'll be no terror-stricken children because of drugs or drink in the home. In that day there'll be no prisons because sin is conquered and Satan is banished in the lake of fire.

[18:10] It's a prepared city. Every detail is worked out and perfected. All is taken care of. Everything you could imagine or need. And it will all be ready for you when you arrive.

[18:23] And this city will have no road maintenance program. I know we're talking about some roads with potholes and work going on and road closures and whatnot.

[18:33] There'll be none of that there. They'll never have to patch this road because it's going to have the purest gold. And there will be no water shortage as it's supplied from the very throne of God.

[18:45] There'll be no lack of food, the tree of life yielding fruit, fresh every month. There'll be no lighting problems for the glory of God and the Lamb will illuminate the city.

[18:56] There'll be no housing difficulties for in our Father's house are nanny mansions. There'll be no unemployment for his servants shall serve him. There'll be no undesirable neighbours.

[19:07] Think of that. Amen to that. There'll be no fearful or unbelieving or abominable or evildoers. They'll be excluded. We'll just have the glad fellowship of those who believe.

[19:21] There shall be neither tears nor death nor sorrow. The blessings of all of this for you, the citizens of this city, will be yours without payment of taxes.

[19:32] For the place is prepared. Everything is provided. There'll be no need to pay rent. For who pays rent? In his Father's house. And in heaven there is perfect security.

[19:44] Joy unspeakable and full of glory. And there are no disillusioned, care-worn faces. There's no need for fire insurance or any insurance. No need for pensions or social security.

[19:57] There'll be no undertakers, no funerals, no cemeteries. Nobody is ever bereaved. Youth will spring eternal while the joy flows like a river. There'll be no policemen needed, no courts, no jealousy, no hatred, no gossip, no lies, no hurts from others.

[20:15] It'll be a holy atmosphere. And war shall be no more. We don't have to worry about war breaking out because peace that passeth all understanding is going to be prevailing forever.

[20:27] And in that sanctified city, every spirit is sweet. Everyone is pure and considerate. Everyone is calm and courteous and kind. In heaven there is true holiness and perfect real worship and love.

[20:43] Perfect righteousness. No sin can enter there. And the devil is banished so we cannot be tempted. It's a place of unspeakable beauty.

[20:54] The wall of the new Jerusalem is Jasper. This glorious, colourful place. This foundation garnished with precious stones. And towering above those gates of pearl and walls of Jasper rise this living city.

[21:09] This city of the living God. 1,500 miles high. It was reckoned if it was constructed like a skyscraper, it could have 400,000 stories.

[21:20] Imagine that. The highest buildings on this earth will be nothing compared with this city. With this beautiful street paved with gold like transparent glass.

[21:34] What can we say? To describe it. To even consider what it would look like. This surpassing richness and glory.

[21:46] The value of any earthly gold. It's nothing to this beautiful city. God's eternal city. And the Bible describes the eternal home of God's people as a city of no mores.

[21:59] In Revelation 21. No more sea. No more death. No sorrow. No crying. No pain. No more temple. No more sun. No more moon. No more night.

[22:10] No more sin. In chapter 22 verse 3. No more curse. The very curse of this earth will be gone.

[22:21] And heaven is that place of perfect sight. Of perfect light. Nothing that stains or soils. A place without any heartaches. A place of reunions.

[22:32] Look at the beauty that God has placed on this earth. The delicate flowers when you might imagine or pass a garden with pretty flowers. Of the rose tinted clouds at sunset.

[22:43] Of the multicolored rainbows. Of billowing waterfalls you might look at. Or the bubbling brook you might glance at. Here on earth. The burning sunrise and sunsets across glimmering seas.

[22:59] And then in your imagination multiply that. A million times. And perhaps this is an inkling of the supernal beauties of heaven. Heaven is called a better country.

[23:10] The eternal home of all who believe. So take heart, saint. This is really just. It's just moments away. Who will be in the city?

[23:25] Who will be there? His servants. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. So the Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God. It tells how countless angels will be there.

[23:35] And it tells how there will be 10,000 times 10,000. And thousands of thousands. Countless angels. And there will be countless blood washed saints.

[23:48] John saw a great multitude of all nations. Who had washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. And I, John, saw the holy city coming down from God out of heaven.

[24:02] I heard a great voice out of heaven. Saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with man.

[24:12] And he will dwell with them. And they shall be his people. And God himself shall be with them. And be their God. Think of that communion of Adam and Eve in the garden.

[24:23] Then he appeared to the patriarchs of old. He dwelt in the holy of holies of the tabernacle. He was in Christ when Christ was in the flesh on earth.

[24:34] He dwells today in the church of God by his Holy Spirit. One day his actual dwelling place will be with his blood-bought people in that beautiful city. That perfect city.

[24:45] How do I access this city? John 14 tells us in the context of my father's house. There's many mansions.

[24:55] Thomas says, how did we get there? He says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.

[25:06] There's only one way to this city. Only one way. Heaven was closed by sin. When our first parents disobeyed God, we all inherited sinful natures.

[25:18] It says the wages of sin is death. But the Lord Jesus has made the way. He's paid the death penalty. He took it. Paid it in full. And it tells us, as many as received him, to them gave you the power to become the sons of God.

[25:33] Even to them that believe on his name. Friends, there's promises there that you can access this city. And there's free transportation to this city.

[25:43] He says, I will come again and I'll receive you unto myself. That where I am, there you may be also. Heaven is a place of great reward. It tells us that great is your reward in heaven.

[25:56] It tells us of pleasures forevermore in his presence. The Bible tells us, lay up for yourselves treasures. Not on earth. Not laying up treasures on this earth, but treasures in heaven.

[26:11] Treasures in heaven. Invest in souls. Invest in Bibles. Invest in missionaries. Invest in spreading the gospel around the world. Our Lord calls heaven the Father's house.

[26:22] And a Father's house is also the children's home. And when we think of the word home, it's the tenderest words of the English tongue. And every true heart turns towards home when the day's task is through.

[26:36] Friends, in God's good time, we will be there that know him. There was a small boy seated in a train heading between two big cities.

[26:46] And it was a hot, dusty day and very uncomfortable traveling in this train. And they were going through some desert land and the window view wasn't very interesting. And the little fellow, nevertheless, he sat patiently through watching the fields and fences go by.

[27:02] And there was a motherly lady that came and asked him. She leaned forward and asked him, asked this little boy, aren't you tired of the long ride and the dust and the heat?

[27:14] And the little lad looked up and he brightly replied, yes, ma'am, I am a little tired, but I don't mind it much because my Father is going to meet me when I get to the end of it.

[27:28] Friends, that's true for you, that know the Saviour, when the journey is a little tiring and wearisome, when it's difficult, at the end of the journey, your Father is waiting.

[27:41] Your Heavenly Father will greet you and meet you. He's waiting for you when you arrive. Sadly, though, not everyone will enter heaven. Now, I'm going to be talking about the other place tonight, so that's part two, part two tonight, because there is another place.

[28:01] Only those whose names are recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life will enter there. We must be sure of that, that our name is written down. And we must be among the number who are the blood-washed people.

[28:15] Self-righteousness will not avail. The good works of religious people will not merit heaven. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

[28:26] What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Friends, the people of heaven are a holy people, not by our own merit, but because he's made us holy.

[28:39] He's dwelling in us by his blessed Holy Spirit. And true holiness comes not by workings of our own, but a receiving of his work.

[28:51] There's telling testimonials of people who shared their last words, famous people. There's whole books of such stories. And just a few examples, there's a professor, Huxley.

[29:02] He was a famous agnostic. As he lay dying, suddenly he looked up at some sign invisible to mortal eyes and staring a while, he whispered at last, so it is true.

[29:19] This agnostic saw on his deathbed, so it is true. But it was too late for that man.

[29:30] There's another man, Francis Newport, he was the head of an English infidel club, and people gathered around his dying bed, and he said, you need not tell me there is no God, for I know there is one, and that I am in his angry presence.

[29:48] You need not tell me there is no hell, for I already feel my soul slipping into its fires. Wretches, cease your idle talk about there being hope for me.

[29:59] I know I am lost forever. In stark contrast, the evangelist Dwight L. Moody, he was awakening from sleep shortly before he died, and he said this, earth recedes, heaven opens before me.

[30:15] If this is death, it is sweet. There is no valley here. God is calling me, and I must go. And his son was there with him and said, no, no father, you are dreaming.

[30:29] No, replied Moody, I am not dreaming. I have been within the gates. I have seen the children's faces. And then just before he went, he spoke again and says, this is my triumph.

[30:42] This is my coronation day. It is glorious. What a contrast between the deathbed of the lost and of the saved. What about you today?

[30:55] Do you have plans for residents in that better country? Paul says of our citizenship being in heaven, our conversation, our citizenship as it being in heaven, that we look for the saviour there.

[31:07] It's possible for you to obtain this citizenship, but you must make application. Those who reside in this perfect place have put their trust in Christ.

[31:20] They've received that promise of salvation. It's offered. Thank God this citizenship application process is really just to say, save me.

[31:33] Trust him. It's the way to heaven. Some of us, an open air preacher once, can you tell me the way to heaven? And the quick witted preacher said, take the first turn to the right and keep straight on.

[31:45] Now it's the way of the cross, isn't it? It's trust in Christ. Turn to Christ. Thank God we face a real estate crisis just now, but there's free titles offered to homes of this city.

[31:59] You can have a title and no bank mortgage attached. It's paid in full. Amen? A title, a clear title that has your name on it.

[32:11] So that home of that perfect city, every child of God can know as he tells us, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me have everlasting life.

[32:25] And he says, behold, now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. Friends, obey God's Holy Spirit today. Trust Christ. Receive him as your saviour.

[32:39] Where your treasure is there, will your heart be also. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, where thieves break through or steal. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, where thieves do not break through nor steal.

[32:56] For where your treasure is there, will your heart be also. So let our hearts be taken up with eternal things. Let us seek those things which are above.

[33:07] Let us set our affection there on things above. Heaven is not only a real place, but it is our abiding place if we are his children.

[33:18] Moody again said, my interest is in heaven because I'm going to spend the rest of my life there. It is my eternal dwelling place. One day we will shout and sing, worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing.

[33:37] One day we will sing in that place of heaven. I urge you today, trust Christ, make heaven your home. Trust Christ now.

[33:48] Let us pray. Lord, we thank you for that perfect city. Lord, we thank you for that perfect city. Our loved ones who know you are there now in that glorious state of eternal joy.

[34:01] Lord, we pray each one might know that foretaste of heaven, of knowing eternal life here and now as we trust you, our Lord, and your great love that took you to the cross to pay our sin debt.

[34:15] Lord, we thank you that a clear title is offered to that home in that perfect city. And Lord, we pray that each one might know that assurance that we have it by faith.

[34:29]  Lord, we thank you. Bless each heart, each home. Lord, we praise you in Jesus' precious name. Amen.