We can turn back to our reading in the book of Revelation, chapter 21.
! We can read again at verse 3.
! Verse 3 to verse 5 will be our main focus this evening.
Revelation 21 at verse 3.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.
He will dwell with them, and they will be his people.
And God himself will be with them as their God.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more.
Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more,
for the former things have passed away.
And he who was seated on the throne said,
Behold, I am making all things new.
Also he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.
Are you someone who browses property websites when you see a house for sale?
Looking at it and thinking, I wonder what it's like.
Perhaps you've seen a house advertised for sale as you've been driving past,
and you want to know a bit more about it.
How big's the garden out the back?
What's it like inside?
Maybe especially if you know the people who were living in it.
You're wondering about it.
And especially maybe, how much?
How much is it being sold for?
Why do we do that?
Curiosity?
Or maybe we're just nosy.
We just like to know what that place is like.
How much it's being sold for.
Maybe you are interested in buying it.
Maybe you want to show an interest in it that way.
But very often it's just a case of, I just want to see what it's like.
I've done it myself.
I'm sure many of you have as well.
But what about when it comes to inquiring about our eternal home,
our eternal dwelling?
Have you looked into that?
Have you had any thoughts of what kind of place it is?
What it will be like?
Will it be worth going there?
How do I get there?
How much does it cost?
Because here in the book of Revelation,
we find for us an insight into what that place will be like.
We see who will be there.
We see a little of what it will be like.
What kind of place it will be.
And it will be our eternal home.
Our everlasting home.
And how interested are we in that compared to the homes in which we have in this world?
You could say it's described in two main ways for us.
As we look at the forever home, as we could call it.
Two different ways we could describe it.
Not in terms of what it looks like,
but more who will be there.
And especially as we look at it this evening,
we see is God the one that we are looking for?
Because our everlasting home will be one of two different kinds.
A place with God
or a place without God.
That's the way it's described.
It's described in this chapter itself as well.
A place with God
or a place without God.
As we're looking at it this evening,
we want to think about it in that way of a place with God.
God's presence is a wonderful thing.
And it's to have that promise.
We have that promise so often through Scripture
that God will be with his people.
That he is with us always.
But how much do we look for that presence?
How much do we long for that presence?
How much do we always want to know God with us?
Well, if we do.
If we have God as our hope and God as our trust,
putting our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
we have this hope that at the end of the day,
we will be with him forever.
As Psalm 23 says,
For in God's house forevermore
my dwelling place shall be.
When you consider God's presence,
God's promises in that way of being with his people
in the Old and in the New Testament,
very often as you look at them,
there's a sense of there's more to come.
There's more ahead for us.
And here in the book of Revelation,
we are given an insight into what that more is.
Because as you look through the Old and the New Testament,
you find that where he is with his people,
there is sin,
there is falling away from God,
there is chaos,
there is destruction,
there are all of these things that spoil that relationship with God.
But we are thankful that there is more to come.
The finale,
if you like.
And yet,
as we look at it here in Revelation,
it still really is incomplete to us,
because John,
who wrote this,
couldn't even describe it in a way
that we could fully understand and appreciate.
He was trying to describe the things that he was seeing
as you read on into the latter part of the chapter,
the walls,
the gates,
all of these things,
they're described with precious jewels and pearls and gold
and all of these things.
It's remarkable how it's described.
And yet we can't fully appreciate it.
Neither could John himself.
But what we have is an insight into a place we should long to be,
and a place that we are looking at
with eyes of faith through Jesus Christ.
So we have that hope.
The book of Revelation as a whole is
maybe sometimes a difficult book to follow.
It has many visions and symbolisms
that are often difficult for us to understand.
And sometimes we can just maybe shy away from it.
We can just turn away from it.
But too many people see it as almost just fiction.
Make-believe.
It's just made up.
Like a movie that has a far-off land
that just isn't real.
Yet that's not what it is at all.
As one author describes it,
we are not carried into some never-never land of fancy,
but into the ever-ever land
of God's eternal values
and judgments.
An ever-ever land.
And Revelation chapter 21
is a very familiar chapter maybe to many of you.
It's a very comforting passage of Scripture.
You very often hear it read at funerals,
especially funerals of believers,
because there are great comforting words
in this chapter.
And yet despite maybe a familiarity with it,
there's just a sense of awe
because it's indescribable.
What is heaven going to be like?
We don't fully appreciate.
We don't fully understand.
If we could even have an insight
into the greatest palace in this world,
if we were to have a walk around,
even if you went around Buckingham Palace,
for example,
it would be nothing compared to this.
It would be nothing compared to what God has prepared
for his people.
And so John is giving us a little insight.
And he's giving it,
as he often does,
as the Scriptures often do,
in the midst of comfort,
but also warning.
We are told this will be a place of rejoicing
for the Lord's people
with the presence of God there.
But it comes in the midst of warning,
just like it does so often in Scripture.
For example, in Isaiah,
the book of Isaiah,
you have great warnings
throughout the book of Isaiah.
They are going to be taken into captivity.
There is disaster coming upon them.
But in the midst,
you have comforting verses as well,
verses of hope.
So in the midst of Isaiah warning the people,
there's also comfort,
as he says in Isaiah 35, verse 10,
the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Sion with singing.
Everlasting joy shall be upon them,
upon their heads.
They shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Very similar to the words
that we have in verse 4 here.
So Isaiah is writing in the midst of warning.
Great words of comfort.
And the same could be said
for this book of Revelation as well.
We have these great comforting words
in chapter 21,
but they follow chapter 20, verse 13,
where it says there,
in verse 13,
And the sea gave up their dead who were in it.
Death and Hades gave up their dead who were in them.
And they were judged,
each one of them,
according to what they had done.
This warning,
this warning of judgment
into the deeds that they have done.
But for those who are a people of faith then,
that's what brings us then into chapter 21.
This great hope
of an everlasting place
with God.
A place we will see under three headings.
A place that God dwells.
A place that God dispels.
And a place that God seals.
A place that God dwells first.
We often have that question.
We hear it's a question asked,
whether it's young or old,
doesn't matter what age we are.
What kind of place will heaven be?
Where is heaven?
We don't know all the answers.
We don't know everything for sure.
But in verse 3 to 5,
we are given some insight into that question.
And verse 3 reminds us
that it's a place that God
will dwell with his people.
He is going to be ever present
in this new Jerusalem.
Verse 3 says,
There is a sense of belonging together,
of being together.
A place where God will dwell
ever with his people.
And what he announces here
in Revelation 21
has very much Old Testament language
behind it as well.
The fulfillment of it.
Because often through the Old Testament
you see that phrase,
I will be their God
and they will be my people.
It's repeated a number of times
throughout the Old Testament.
Genesis 17, verse 8,
I will give us an everlasting possession
to you and your descendants after you
and I will be their God.
Jeremiah 32, verse 38,
They will be my people
and I will be their God.
It's that constant refrain
that as a people are faithful
towards God,
they will be his people.
He will be their God.
There is this relationship
that is right and that is good.
But in these ones,
it never lasts.
There's no lasting peace.
It comes so often to an end
because of the disobedience
of the people.
They reject him,
they turn away from him
and then the pattern begins again.
But what Revelation is showing us
is a day is coming
when those patterns will stop
and that God will dwell
with his people forever.
And there's reminders of that
in the Old Testament as well.
Ezekiel has a great reminder to us
a number of times in Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 37, verse 27, 28,
this is looking more
to that eternal nature
of God dwelling.
My dwelling place will be with them.
I will be their God
and they will be my people.
Then the nations will know
that I, the Lord,
make Israel holy
when my sanctuary is among them forever.
So he is reminding them
there will be an eternal dwelling.
And Ezekiel 48, 35,
the last verse of that book
of that vision says,
and the name of the city
from that time on will be,
the Lord is there.
If you were at the prayer meeting
on Wednesday evening,
you will remember that verse,
I hope.
The Lord is there,
Jehovah Shammah.
Shammah.
That's what it means.
One of the names of the Lord
that we looked at.
The Lord is there.
God will dwell with his people.
It's an eternal dwelling.
It's not something temporary,
which is what we have in this world
and what we have always had.
As you go through the scriptures,
whether you're looking
at the children of Israel
in the wilderness roaming around,
in their tents at times,
then cities being made,
villages and towns.
We think of our own island,
how homes have changed
over the year from huts
and small, just stone-built homes
to black houses,
to modern homes that we live in now.
Accommodation,
places we live is always evolving,
always changing.
And yet nothing that we have here
is permanent.
They are always only temporary.
And what we have here
is not just a renovation of something,
it's a new build,
a new heaven and a new earth
made perfect by God.
A place Abraham in the Old Testament
was looking towards,
as Hebrews says,
Hebrews 11 verse 10,
for he was looking forward
to the city that has foundations,
whose designer and builder is God.
God dwelling with his people.
A prepared place,
as Jesus describes it in John 14.
Let not your hearts be troubled.
Great comfort in these words as well.
Believe in God,
believe also in me.
In my Father's house
are many rooms.
If it were not so,
would I have told you
that I go to prepare a place for you?
Prepared by the Lord himself.
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again
and will take you to myself,
that where I am,
you may be also.
It's a place the Lord desires
his people to be forever.
It is a place that God will dwell
with his people.
Some of you maybe have visited,
the privilege of maybe visiting St. Kilda,
a place I would love to go one day.
Maybe you've seen images
of what it was in the past
if you've not been able to visit it.
Fascinating place,
a place where people lived
in what must have been
very difficult conditions at times.
And yet when you see it,
whether you've been there
or when you see the images of it,
you see it was once a community,
once a village,
once a place that people,
families dwelled together.
But it changed.
Times changed.
It's no more like that.
There's people go out there
to work now.
But it's very different
to what it was.
Same as we look around our island,
we see homes.
We even find places
where villages used to be
but are no more.
And yet they've all got a history
and yet the people
are no longer there.
But is God there?
Yes, he's still there.
He's still wherever his people are.
Times change.
People change.
Places change.
But God doesn't.
And what God has
is a prepared place
for his people.
A place that he will dwell
with his people.
Is that the place
that we are looking for?
Is that the place
that we are longing for?
When our attention,
our thoughts
are so often caught up
in the things
that we have in this world,
let's remember
that there is another place
to come.
A place of God's making.
A place where God will dwell.
And where he longs to dwell
with his people.
When you think of how Jesus
has gone to prepare a place.
We know that he went
to prepare a place
as we were remembering
last Lord's Day
through giving.
Through paying.
We could never
afford this home.
Not just because of
the way it's described
and all its jewels
and gold
and pearls
and all of these things.
We could never afford them.
But more than that,
we could never afford it
in what Jesus
has done for us.
But he goes
to prepare
a place.
So God dwells
in this place.
But we see also,
secondly,
God dispels here as well
in verse 4.
He will wipe away
every tear
from their eyes
and death
shall be no more.
Neither
shall there be mourning
nor crying
nor pain anymore
for the former things
have passed away.
God
dispels.
what does God
dwelling with his people
mean?
We have God
with us here.
But while we are
in this earth,
there's a sense
of
an incompleteness.
not in the sense
that God
doesn't care
for us.
He does.
But an incompleteness
because we are
still sinners.
We are still
in a fallen world.
And because of that,
we are a suffering
people.
But as we put
our trust in God,
we know that he is
concerned for us.
That he has a love
towards us.
And that is
God's desire
is for us
to know
his comfort.
But there is
still
suffering.
We don't need
reminded about
that much
because
we all know it.
We all go through it.
We're reminded
in different ways
throughout this world.
And yet God
still has his people
of concern
for others.
You may have heard
of the dwelling
places in Uganda
an organization
I'm sure many of you
are familiar with.
Looking out for
street children
in the cities of Uganda
like Kampala.
And when you look
at the work
that they do
among orphans,
children who are
abandoned
and out on the street,
they are trying
to give them
a better life
and help them
in their pain,
in their sorrow,
in their loss.
And they are trying
to dispel
that idea
that they cannot
be helped.
The idea
that their lives
are just going
to be always
full of pain.
And they have
behind it,
behind their work
is the scriptures,
the word of God.
Their text
is taken
from Isaiah,
Isaiah 58,
verse 12.
And your ancient
ruins shall be rebuilt.
You shall raise up
the foundations
of many generations.
You shall be called
the repairer
of the breach,
the restorer
of streets
to dwell in.
Restoration
is behind it.
And their motto
is until every child
has a chest
to rest his head
on and a place
to call home.
That's their longing.
And yet the reality
is that that's not
always what happens.
Tears,
sorrow,
death,
mourning,
crying,
all these things
still happen.
There is still
that sorrow
and sadness.
And the reality
is not just
for the children
of Kampala.
It's for people
far and wide.
Have you read
the bulletin sheet
today for the
Lewis Christian Conference?
The speaker
who's going to be there,
Reverend Dr. Robert Smith.
Paragraph there
says this,
Dr. Smith
has faced
extraordinary
family tragedies.
After losing
his first wife
to lupus,
he subsequently
lost two of his sons.
His oldest son
died of cancer
and another son
was murdered
during a gang attack
at the supermarket
where he was working
that evening.
Tragedy,
sorrow,
grief that many of us
have never experienced
to that extent.
And yet here
he is coming
to minister,
to preach
the gospel.
Because it says
there as well,
Dr. Smith
has spoken publicly
about his grueling
spiritual journey
of processing
this murder,
noting
that he ultimately
chose to extend
forgiveness
to the young man
who shot
his son.
Grace
in the midst
of grief.
God gives us
grace
in this world
as we go on.
But he gives us
grace
preparing us
as his children
for a place
of rest.
A place
where he'd
dispel
all of these
things as described
for us
in verse 4.
It's a wonderful
verse.
He will wipe
away every tear
from their eyes.
There's that
personal nature
to it.
He,
not a servant,
not somebody else,
he will wipe
away every tear
from their eyes.
death
shall be
no more.
Neither
shall there be
mourning
nor crying
nor pain
anymore.
All of these
things
that cause
us grief
and hardship
and sorrow
so often
dispelled.
Dispelled
by him.
Maybe you're
here tonight
as a believer
and you still
have a great
sense of this,
the burden
of this world
upon you.
Sin,
grief,
disappointment.
All of these
things,
because we live
in a fallen
world,
can still
linger with us
and it can
leave us
anxious.
Does it
worry how
you feel
or how it
affects you
on a day-to-day
basis?
Your relationship
with the Lord?
Maybe your
relationship
with others?
Well,
you can come
to God's
word and
find here
comfort.
Comfort
that all
of these
things
will be
dealt
with by
him.
He
will wipe
away every
tear.
He
will dispel
death.
It shall
be no more.
No more
mourning,
crying,
pain.
All these
former things
have passed
away.
Maybe you're
seeking here
this evening.
You don't
believe in
God,
but you'd
love comfort.
You'd love
a sense of
there's better
in this life
and there's
better to
come.
Well,
where is it
found?
It is found
in the Lord
Jesus Christ,
the one
who prepares
a place
for his
people.
And you
can come.
You can
all come.
Believer,
non-believer,
seeker,
wherever you
are this
evening,
you can
come to
these words
and you
can find
comfort in
these words
because they
are great
words.
They are
wonderful
words.
They are
God
speaking.
And you
see here
he is
speaking
with a
loud voice
as it
says in
verse 3.
I heard
a loud
voice from
the throne
saying,
God
is speaking
here.
God is
speaking to
us.
He is
the one
who has
all of
these
things
in his
hands.
He is
the one
who says
he will
dwell.
He is
the one
who says
he will
dispel.
All of
these things
are in
his hands.
And so
we can
look to
him.
We can
put our
trust
in him.
The third
and final
thing we
see here
is that
God
seals.
God's
seal is
on all
of this.
In
verse 5.
And he
who was
seated on
the throne
said,
Behold,
I am
making all
things new.
Also he
said,
Write
this down
for these
words are
trustworthy
and true.
This
comes back
to the
fact that
this is
not a
fairy tale.
This is
not never
never land.
This is
the ever
ever land
of God.
These
words are
trustworthy
and these
words are
true.
God's
seal is
on it.
It is
the word
that comes
from the
throne.
A loud
voice from
the throne
saying,
This is
a royal
seal.
It is
the one
who sits
on the
throne
that
delivers
these
words.
They
are
trustworthy
and they
are
true.
In
Corinthians
Paul
speaks
about
having
been
purchased
through
Jesus
Christ.
2
Corinthians
1
verse
21.
Now
it is
God
who
makes
both
us
and
you
stand
firm
in
Christ.
He
anointed
us,
set
his
seal
of
ownership
on us
and put
his
spirit
in our
hearts
as a
deposit
guaranteeing
what is
to come.
He
has set
his
seal
on
his
people.
When
you are
trusting
in him
he
owns
you.
He
has
ownership
over you
and he
has put
a
spirit
in your
heart
as a
deposit
guaranteeing
what is
to come
which is
what we
have
here.
These
words
are
trustworthy
and
true.
God
will
dwell
with
his
people.
God
will
dispel
all
of
these
things
because
his
seal
is
on
it.
You
maybe
have
heard
of the
royal
seal
of
approval.
If you
look it
up you
find
it's
a
royal
seal
that's
given
to
suppliers
to
the
royal
family
very
often
these
days.
From
chemists
to
chocolate
companies
to
cars
to
clothing
they
grant
the
royal
seal
of
approval.
Well
here
we
have
as a
people
we
are
told
that
God
from
his
throne
in
heaven
puts
his
royal
seal
on
his
people.
Again
in
Corinthians
Paul
describes
it
in
this
way
for
it
is
not
the
one
who
commends
himself
who
is
approved
but
the
one
whom
the
Lord
commends.
The
one
whom
the
Lord
commends.
We
are
approved
by
God.
So
if you
put your
trust
in
him
you
are
approved.
Do
you
want
to
be
in
this
place?
Do
you
long
to
be
in
this
place?
Because
it is
a place
that we
can dwell
eternally
with
God.
Remember
the
alternative
is
without
God.
But
here
we
have
with
God.
The
words
of
Jesus
as he
says
well
done
good
and
faithful
servant.
You
have
been
faithful
over
a
little
I
will
set
you
over
much.
Enter
into
the
joy
of
your
master.
That's
the
words
of
entering
into
his
kingdom,
into
heaven,
into
his
glory
forevermore.
We
can
be
nosy
as to
what
other
people's
homes
look
like.
We
can
look
them
up
online
and
see
what's
around
them,
what's
inside
them,
what's
the
price.
But are
you
as
keen
to
find
out
about
this
place?
To
know
more
of
this
place?
To
realize
the
hope
that
there
is
in
this
place?
When
you go
back to
the
beginning
of the
book of
Revelation
chapter
3,
there's a
verse
there that
says,
behold,
I stand
at the
door and
knock.
So God
is standing
on the
outside of
your
home,
knocking,
wanting
to come
in.
If anyone
hears my
voice and
opens the
door,
I will
come in
to him
and eat
with him
and he
with me.
It's almost
like that
sense of
God wants
to see
where we
live,
where we're
at,
and he
wants to
dwell with
us here.
But then
as you
come to
this
passage,
it's as
if he's
saying,
now,
come and
see where
I live,
come and
see where
I dwell,
and come
and join
me here.
So that's
the way we
see life.
He knocks
at our
door and
wants to
come in
and dwell
with us
here,
that we
might have
that relationship
with him,
that he
might see
our homes.
But he
longs for
us then
eventually
to come
and abide
with him,
to dwell
with him
in his
home,
in the
place that
he has
made,
the place
that he
has
prepared.
What
compares
our home
here
or what
he has
done
for us?
There is
nothing that
will compare
to this
place,
this place
that John
couldn't even
put into
words.
what we
need this
evening is
as Kenny
was saying
to us
this morning
in the
children's
address,
help us
see,
help us
understand
our need
of this
place.
Help us
understand the
way to
this place
that is
through faith
in the
Lord Jesus
Christ,
that as
you put
your trust
in him,
you can
dwell in
this place
secure
forevermore
as Psalm
23
describes.
I think
I have
used this
before,
words of
Richard Baxter,
but I love
just the way
they tie in
with the
whole theme
of heaven.
And I will
leave you
with them
again this
evening as
we think
of how
God
dwells,
how God
dispels,
and how
God
seals
all of
these
things.
Richard
Baxter
once said,
Christ
leads me
through no
darker rooms
than he
went through
before.
He that
unto God's
kingdom
comes must
enter by
this door.
Come,
Lord,
when grace
hath made
me meet,
thy blessed
face to see.
For if thy
work on
earth be
sweet,
what will
thy glory
be?
Then I
shall end
my sad
complaints
and weary
sinful
days,
and join
with the
triumphant
saints that
sing my
Saviour's
praise.
My knowledge
of that
life is
small,
the eye
of faith
is dim,
but tis
enough that
Christ knows
all,
and I
shall be
with him.
is that
what you
want?
Our
eyes of
faith
are small,
our eyes
of faith
are dim,
but surely
it is enough
that Christ
knows all.
Do you
want to
be with
him?
Don't just
be curious
about this
house.
this house
is yours
if you
put your
trust in
the Lord
Jesus
Christ.
May you
know the
way to
him and
his dwelling
place with
you now,
but that
hope
forevermore.
Let us
pray.
Lord,
our
gracious
God,
we can
echo
with the
words of
Richard
Baxter
that our
knowledge
of that
life is
small,
our eyes
of faith
are dim,
but help
us to
know that
in Christ
who knows
all we
have enough
and that
we would
have that
hope to
be with
him.
Lord,
we thank
you that
your word
reminds us
that although
there are
many struggles
in this
world,
though there
are many
times of
mourning and
grief,
that it is
also a
world that
is passing
by,
but a
world that
you are
showing us
that is
better to
come,
that is
greater
ahead,
a new
heaven and
a new
earth prepared
for all
your people,
a place
where you
will dwell
with each
of your
people
forevermore.
Lord,
give us
eyes to
see,
as we
ask all
in Jesus
name.
Amen.
We're
going to
conclude by
singing to
God's
praise in
Psalm 73a,
the Sing
Psalms
version,
Psalm 73a.
We'll
sing from
verse 23
down to
the end
of the
psalm.
Psalm 73a,
at verse
23.
Yet I
remain with
you continually,
by my
right hand
you hold
me as
my guide,
you lead
me with
your
counsel to
the end,
and take
me into
glory to
abide.
Psalm 73a,
verse 23,
to the end
of the
psalm.
Psalm 73a,
verse 23,
to the end
psalm.
Psalm 73a,
verse 23,
yet I
remain with
you continually,
by my
right hand
you hold
me as
my guide,
you lead
me with
your
counsel
to
the
end,
and take
me into
glory to
my
life.
In
heaven
room,
how I
and
you
alone,
on
earth
there
is no
one else
whom I
adore.
Oh,
oh,
my
heart,
make
heal
and
pleasure
me.
God
is
my
strength
and
for
shall
ever
go.
Those
who
are
far
from
you
will
be
God
down,
all
those
who
are
unflictful
you
destroy,
all
that I
know
near,
and
sheltered
in my
heart.
I
will
be
torn,
me,
so
Lord,
I
will
revive
with
joy.
after
the
benediction,
I'll
go to
the
door to
my
right.
We'll
close with
the
benediction.
Now may
grace,
mercy,
and
peace
from
God,
Father,
Son,
and
Holy
Spirit
rest
upon
and
abide
with
you
all
now
and
forever
more.
Amen.
Thank you.