Today.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.
For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,
and there was no longer any sea.
I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride,
beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
Look, God's dwelling place is now among the people,
and he will dwell with them.
They will be his people,
and God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death,
or mourning,
or crying,
or pain.
For the old order of things has passed away.
He who was seated on the throne said,
I am making everything new.
Then he said,
Write this down,
for these words are trustworthy and true.
He said to me,
It is done.
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the beginning and the end.
To the thirsty I will give water without cost,
from the spring of the water of life.
Those who are victorious will inherit all this,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my children.
But the cowardly,
the unbelieving,
the vile,
the murderers,
the sexually immoral,
those who practice magic arts,
the idolaters,
and all liars,
they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
However,
this is the second death.
One of the seven angels,
who had the seven bowls,
full of the seven last plagues,
came and said to me,
Come,
I will show you the bride,
the wife of the Lamb.
And he carried me away in the spirit,
to a mountain,
great and high,
and showed me the holy city,
Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God.
It shone with the glory of God,
and its brilliance was like that of a precious jewel,
like a jasper,
clear as crystal.
It had a great high wall with twelve gates,
and with twelve angels at the gates.
On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.
There were three gates on the east,
three on the north,
three on the south,
and three on the west.
The wall of the city,
had twelve foundations,
and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The angel who talked with me,
had a measuring rod of gold,
to measure the city,
its gates,
and its walls.
The city was laid out like a square,
as long as it was wide.
He measured the city with the rod,
and found it to be 12,000 stadia,
about 2,200 kilometers,
as wide and as high as it is long.
The angel measured the wall,
with using human measurement,
and it was 144 cubits thick,
about 65 meters.
The wall was made of jasper,
and the city of pure gold is pure as glass.
The foundations of the city walls were decorated
with every kind of precious stone.
The first foundation was jasper,
the second sapphire,
the third ajit,
the fourth emerald,
the fifth anx,
the sixth ruby,
the seventh chrysolite,
the eighth beryl,
the ninth topaz,
the tenth turquoise,
the eleventh jacinth,
and the twelfth amethyst.
The twelve gates were twelve pearls,
each gate made of a single pearl.
This great seat of the city was of gold,
as pure as transparent glass.
I did not see a temple in the city,
because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it,
for the glory of God gives it light,
and the Lamb is its lamp.
The nations will walk by its light,
and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it.
On no day will its gates ever be shut,
for there will be no night there.
The glory and honour of the nations will be bought into it.
Nothing impure will ever enter it,
nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,
but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life,
as clear as crystal,
flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
down the middle of the great street of the city.
On each side of the river stood the tree of life,
bearing twelve crops of fruit,
yielding its fruit every month.
And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
No longer will there be any curse.
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city,
and his servants will serve him.
They will see his face,
and his name will be on their foreheads.
There will be no more night.
They will not need the light of a lamp
or the light of the sun,
for the Lord God will give them light,
and they will reign
forever and ever.
Well, let's pray.
Our Father God, we thank you
for this vision given to John
hundreds of years ago,
written down for us today,
so that we can read it
and hear it
and be blessed.
Father,
would you please, by your Spirit,
shine the light of your Spirit
upon your Word
and upon our hearts,
so that what we see
in these words
will fill us with joy
and praise
and lead us
to be a people of worship.
Please help us.
Amen.
It's like being hit
by one wave
after another.
We just about manage
to resurface
and draw breath
when another wave
comes crushing down upon us,
tossed and churned
by the relentless pressures
and hardships of life,
sinking deeper and deeper
in despair.
It's easy to lose hope,
isn't it?
And to doubt God's goodness.
In those times,
we wonder
where God is
and does God even care?
Life's struggles
can really overwhelm us.
But whatever our personal suffering
is today,
and every one of us here
has a story to tell.
Whatever it is,
listen to God's voice.
Verse 5.
He who is seated on the throne,
God who has supreme authority
and absolute power
over all things,
who knows all things
and sees all things,
who sees us
where we are today.
Listen to what he said.
I am making
everything
new.
Then he said,
write this down,
for these words
are trustworthy
and true.
These words,
the words,
I am making
everything new
is what we all
need to hear.
Write these words
on your heart.
This is the word
that is going to
sustain us
in times of struggle.
It's the word
that's going to keep us
in times of opposition.
It's the word
that's going to
strengthen us
when we want
to give up.
So in your struggle
and suffering
today,
hear God
speak to you.
I
am making
everything
new.
Well, you say,
when will everything
be made new?
Well, as we've already
heard this morning
as John has led us,
it is
to come.
We've been given
a wonderful vision
here in chapter 21
of what to expect
when the risen
Lord Jesus returns.
Look at verse 1.
Then I saw
a new heaven
and a new earth.
Well,
why is there
a new one?
Because
the first heaven
and the first earth
had passed away.
This is God's
promise to restore
and renew
all things.
It's the
longed for
new creation.
It's a world
where,
look at the rest
of verse 1,
where there was
no longer
any sea.
All through
revelation,
the sea
has represented
the dark
forces of evil.
So in making
everything new,
it will mean
the end of all
the devastation
and all the
destruction
we see around us.
no more waves
crashing down
upon us.
In fact,
it's a world
where,
look at the end
of verse 4,
the old order
of things
has passed away.
the things
that trouble
us today
will all
be washed
away.
No more
sin,
no more
suffering,
and no more
Satan.
Instead of death,
there is life.
Instead of sorrow,
there is joy.
The world
and our bodies
will never
perish
and never
spoil
and never
fade.
here in this
new creation,
nothing bad
happens,
nothing will
ever break.
So hear God's
word to you
today.
I am making
everything
new,
not revamped
or refurbished
or upcycled
or recycled.
No,
this world
will be
renewed
and restored.
and the
day is
coming
when we
will shout
out in
excitement,
the old
has gone
and the
new
has come.
Well,
to help us
see and
understand
what we
can expect
to come,
we are
given three
word pictures
filled with
images and
symbols.
We're told
that the
new creation
will be like
a marriage
filled with
joy.
It'll be like
a city
shining with
glory.
It'll be like
a garden
flowing
with beauty.
So one by
one we're
going to
look at
these three
big pictures,
a marriage,
a city
and a
garden.
And as
we do,
they are
going to
sustain
you and
keep you
and strengthen
you as
we walk
through this
broken world.
so first
big picture,
a marriage
filled with
joy.
A marriage
filled with
joy.
We've been
created for
relationship,
not just our
relationships with
each other,
but ultimately
with God.
The primary
reason we
were made,
why we
exist,
was to know
God and to
enjoy him
forever.
So it's
no surprise
that the
new creation
is pictured
as a
marriage.
Look at
verse 2.
I saw
the holy
city or
the new
Jerusalem.
Now,
holy city
here in
its context
is used
to describe
God's
people.
So when
we see
the city
here,
it's
God's
people,
the new
Jerusalem.
They're
coming down
out of
heaven from
God,
prepared as
a bride.
So the
people are
now the
bride,
being
beautifully
dressed for
her husband.
Brides
take forever
to get ready
for their
wedding,
don't they?
The lads,
the suit is
on in five
minutes.
But the
bride,
well,
six hours
later and
the hair
still isn't
right.
You see,
she's
getting
prepared,
beautifully
dressed for
her husband
because this
is the day
when they
will say
their vows
and be
committed
forever.
Well,
God's
people,
you and
I,
the church,
are being
made
beautiful
by God.
In fact,
he has
already
clothed
us with
the beauty
of Christ.
He has
taken the
dirty stain
of sin
and has
placed it
with his
purity
and he
calls us
to live
holy lives.
You see,
our life
on earth
right now
is all
preparation
for our
ultimate
wedding day.
God is
using the
struggles
and the
trials
that we
go through
to make
us more
beautiful.
Sometimes
they hurt.
Sometimes
they're
painful.
But in
the hands
of God,
the suffering
we face,
the opposition
that we
endure,
are all
God's
means of
making us
holy,
making us
ready,
making us
more beautiful
for the
wedding that
is to
come.
Each day
we live
is
preparation
for that
great
day.
And so
when the
new
creation
begins,
a wedding
will take
place.
In a
Christian
marriage,
one of the
signs of
commitment
when you
get married
is that
you move
in together.
You live
in the
same house.
You're
one.
Well,
in the
new
creation,
God
comes to
move in
with us
and we
get to
move in
with him.
Look at
verse 3.
And I
heard a
loud voice
from the
throne
saying,
look,
look what's
happening.
God's
dwelling
place is
now among
the people
and he
will dwell
with them.
They will
be his
people and
God himself
will be
with them
and be
their
God.
This is
the longing
and desire
of God
to be
with us.
Yes,
God is
with us
now by
his
spirit,
but we
can't
see him.
But the
day is
coming when
he will
be with
us.
We will
walk with
him,
we will
eat with
him,
and we
will be
there
forever.
It's a
marriage
that will
never ever
break.
Verse 7,
those who
are victorious,
that is,
those who
are trusting
in Christ
will inherit
all this,
and I
will be
their
gods,
and they
will be
my
children.
This is
the promised
commitment
of God.
This is
what awaits
God's
people.
We are
being made
beautiful.
God is
preparing us
through all
the waves
and troubles
of life
so that
we can
move in
with God.
Now,
this marriage
is going
to be
filled
with
eternal
joy.
Look what
marks
this
marriage.
There
will be
no more
tears.
Look at
verse 4.
He will
wipe away
every tear
from their
eyes.
life
hurts.
And living
in this
broken
world will
mean we
shed
many
tears,
disappointments,
broken
dreams,
shattered
lives,
and they
all take
their toll
and we
cry,
longing for
that pain
to pass,
for the
hurt to
be over.
Well,
like a
loving
husband
comforting
his bride,
God
himself
will
wipe
away
every
tear.
He
will
remove
all
that
hurts
and all
that
pains
and all
that
frustrates
so that
our tears
are no
more.
But more
than that,
not only
no more
tears,
but no
more
death.
Look at
the rest
of verse
four.
There
will be
no more
death
or mourning
or crying
or pain.
Death
is what
always
hurts
the most.
Death
takes
from us
those we
most love.
It steals
our joy
and laughter.
It breaks
us and
destroys
us.
But in
the new
creation,
there will
be no
more
death,
no more
sad news
to tell,
no more
hospitals
to visit,
no funerals
to attend,
no more
mourning
or crying
or pain.
He who
was seated
on the
throne
said,
I am
making
everything
new.
One day
these words
will become
a reality
the new
creation
will be
like a
marriage
filled
with joy.
So write
these words
on your
heart.
Listen to
these words
because they
will sustain
you.
So,
picture number
one,
a marriage
filled with
joy.
But he
takes us
very quickly
to another
picture,
a city
shining
with glory.
Look at
verse 9,
the middle
of verse 9.
He says,
come,
I will
show you
the bride
and the
wife of
the Lamb.
So he's
saying,
look,
come and
look at
this
marriage,
this wedding
we've been
talking about.
Verse 10,
and then he
carried me
away in the
spirit to a
mountain
great and
high and
showed me
the holy
city,
Jerusalem,
coming down
out of
heaven from
God.
So he
changes from
one image,
the image
of a
marriage,
and now
we jump
to a
city,
the place
where God
dwells with
his people.
And look
how this
city is
described
in verse
11.
It
shone
with the
glory of
God,
and its
brilliance
was like
that of a
very precious
jewel,
like
jasper,
clear as
crystal.
You go
into Cork
City this
evening,
and you'll
see the
light shining
brightly.
It's very
nice,
actually.
Go and
have a
look.
Their neon
lights are
inviting and
enticing.
They offer
the good
life,
the free
life,
the be
whoever you
want
life.
But walk
the streets
as I
did last
Friday
evening,
and in
within the
space of
a few
yards,
you'll
experience
homelessness,
addictions,
violence,
crime.
They advertise
success,
wealth,
and fame,
but in
reality,
they're filled
with fear
and hate.
Cities are
divided socially
and racially.
They're places
where terrorism
happens and
riots take
place.
But the
city of
God,
verse 11,
is shining
with the
glory of
God.
God is
present in
the city.
This is
God's city
and he is
reflecting his
glory, his
character in
all its
brilliant beauty.
Like a
precious jewel
reflecting light,
so God is
filling his
city with
the light of
his grace
and goodness
and justice
and mercy.
God's very
present means
his glory
is ruling
and shining
and being
enjoyed by
the people
of God.
But not
only that,
this is a
city where
God receives
all the
glory.
Look over
at verse
23.
verse 23.
The city
does not
need the
sun or
the moon
to shine
on it,
for the
glory of
God gives
its light
and the
lamb is
its lamp.
Just as
the sun
and moon
bring light
in the
darkness,
so God's
presence,
his glory
shatters
and dispels
the darkness.
His greatness
shines so
brightly that
the nations
are attracted
and enticed
by his
glory.
Verse 24.
The nations
will walk
by its light
and the kings
of the earth
will bring
their splendour
into it.
Nations,
the people
who have
trusted in
Christ and
followed with
Christ and
persevered with
him, will
walk into
that city.
Rather than
seeking the
fame and
honour for
themselves,
they come in
their droves to
give thanks and
praise to God
for their
salvation.
Verse 26.
The glory
and honour
of the
nations
will be
brought into
it.
There's no
war or
fight against
God here.
The people
aren't rebelling
or rejecting
God's
good rule.
Instead,
they're coming
together to
worship God
who saved
them and
kept them.
And this is
the city that
we will one
day walk
into ourselves.
Even right
now as we
have gathered
today, we
have walked
through that
door, we
have gathered
together to
worship God
just a
taste, a
tiny taste
of gathering
together from
all the
nations to
say thank
you God
for my
salvation and
thank you
for keeping
me.
It's a
city with
no more
fears.
Look at the
building plan
that we've
been given.
Sorry, this
flicker is
not.
No more
fears.
Look at
verse, go
back to
verse 12.
We've been
given all
this description
of what the
city looks
like.
Beginning of
verse 12, it
had a great
high wall.
In fact, we're
given the
measurements of
these walls.
Jump down to
verse 16.
the city was
laid out like a
square as
long as it
is wide.
He measured
the city with
the rod and
found it to
be, well it
works out about
2,200
kilometres in
length and
as wide and
as high,
walls 2,000
kilometres high,
symbolism here.
Amazing.
What's it
telling us?
Well it's
only telling us
that this city
is secure.
No harm can
come to the
people in
this city.
No danger
threatens them.
Who's going to
scale these
walls?
No more
fears.
The cities of
this world are
vulnerable,
destroyed by
the madness
of men.
Missiles and
bombs have
reduced the
cities of
this world
to rubble.
Cities
aren't safe.
But in the
new creation
we will be
secure forever.
No gangs,
no crime,
no armies
are needed.
No police
will be
required.
No more
fears.
And no
more divisions.
The city
isn't just
about walls.
It's also
full of gates.
Did you see
that?
Let's look
back at
verse 12
again.
It had a
great high
wall with
twelve gates.
Why so
many gates?
Verse 13.
There were
three gates
on the east,
three on the
north,
three on the
south,
three on the
west.
Well,
why so many?
Because God's
people from
all over the
world are going
to be there.
People are
going to come
from the
north,
the south,
the east
and the west.
People from
every tribe,
nation,
people and
language.
And they'll
all be
gathered as
one new
people.
The people
of God.
And there
will be
people from
Carigoline
Baptist
Church.
And people
who've been
reached through
polo and
through rock
and through
rooted.
And through
the friends
and contacts
that we've
had as we've
shared the
gospel and
as they have
trusted Christ,
they too
will come
streaming through
the gates.
And there'll
be no more
division
because they
are just
one people.
No racism,
no refugees,
all as
one,
all at
peace.
He who
was seated
on the
throne said,
I am
making
everything
new.
One day
these words
will become
a reality.
The new
creation will
be like a
city shining
with glory.
So listen
to these
words.
they will
keep you.
So,
a wedding
filled with
joy,
a city
shining with
glory,
and then
his picture
of a
garden
flowing
with
beauty.
He takes
us to a
beautiful
garden,
chapter 22,
a garden
that in
some ways
is reflected
of the
garden of
Eden,
but yet
so much
better.
It's a
garden
of life.
Verse 1,
then the
angel showed
me the
river of
the water
of life,
as clear
as crystal,
flowing down
from the
throne of
God and
of the
Lamb.
You see,
picture it
here,
God is
the source
of this
life,
not just
physical
life,
but life
in all
its
fullness,
flowing
down from
God,
verse 2,
down the
middle of
the great
street of
the city,
and on
each side
of the
river stood
the tree
of life.
So this
cascade
of water
from God
representing
life,
flowing in
through the
city,
giving water
to the
tree of
life,
which
itself,
the end
of verse
2,
is bearing
twelve crops
of fruit,
yielding its
fruit every
month.
It's a
garden
filled,
overflowing
with life.
We're
constantly
searching for
life.
The problem
is we
invest in
the wrong
places.
if I
had more
money,
a better
job,
then I
would have
life.
If I
had better
health and
weren't so
sick,
then I
would have
life.
If I
had the
partner that
I so
desire,
then I
would have
life.
But no,
we must
look to
the source,
to the
one,
the person
who is
life in
and of
himself,
and in
God we
are completely
filled,
and fully
satisfied.
He is
all we
need.
You see,
God is
the water
we thirst
for.
God is
the fruit
that we
long to
taste.
In the
garden,
all our
searching and
longings will
be over
because we
will have
access to
life in
all its
abundance.
But not
just a
garden of
life.
it will
be a
garden of
healing.
What's
so stunning
about this
garden?
Not just
the abundance
of life in
the fruit
tree,
but look at
the end of
verse 2.
And the
leaves of
the tree
are for
the healing
of the
nations.
Fruits
that
satisfies,
leaves
that heal,
death.
This is
what we
long for.
You see,
the garden
of this
world is
full of
disease and
decay and
death.
As
gardeners who
are tasked
with looking
after the
world,
we fail.
Rather than
helping,
we so often
end up
hurting.
And we
carry with
us not
just physical
wounds,
but emotional
scars.
Things that
hold us
back and
keep us
down.
But here
in this
garden,
at last
the nations
will be
able to
come and
we will
be healed
of all
of our
hurts,
all our
sins and
all our
scars,
will be
remembered
no more.
This
is a
garden
of
everlasting
beauty.
Marked
by the
absence
of two
things.
Did you
see what's
missing
in the
garden?
them?
No
more
curse,
verse 3.
No
longer
will there
be any
curse.
The
world is
under the
curse of
God.
Why?
Well,
because of
our
disobedience,
because of
the choices
we've
made and
well now
we live
with thorns
and thistles
all around
us.
Every step
we make
is a
sting or
a prick.
And one
day the
curse will
be lifted
and the
blessings will
flow like
a waterfall.
Disobedience
will end and
we will live
pure,
obedient lives
forever
more.
No more
failing,
no more
falling,
no more
sin.
The curse
gone and
blessing
forever.
But also,
look what
else is
missing,
verse 5.
There is
going to
be no
more
night.
No more
night.
Night means
darkness.
And
darkness as
we've seen
is the
realm where
sin and
evil rule,
but night
will be
no more.
the seductive
ways of
Satan will
be no
more.
There will
be no
more
deceiving,
no more
tempting,
no more
accusing,
no more
dragging us
down.
Instead,
we will
live in
perfect
harmony
with God
as he
called us.
And he
who is
seated on
the throne
said,
I am
making
everything
new.
And one
day these
words will
become a
reality.
The new
creation will
be like a
garden flowing
with beauty.
Listen to
these words
and they
will strengthen
you.
Isn't
this the
Christmas gift
we all so
desperately
want?
isn't
this the
Christmas
gift we
would long
for our
friends and
family to
open,
to understand
and realise?
this.
Well,
the good
news is
this
marriage of
joy,
this city
of glory,
this garden
of beauty
is assured
and guaranteed
to all.
It is
open to
all
who will
trust and
walk with
Christ
today.
Look at
verse 27,
the end
of chapter
21.
nothing
impure
will ever
enter it.
Nothing
impure will
ever be part
of that
marriage or
will enter
the city or
will enjoy
the garden.
Nor will
anyone who
does what
is shameful
or deceitful,
but only
those whose
names are
written in
the Lamb's
book of
life.
You see,
the invitation
is for all
who will
come to
Christ,
who will
make us
pure,
who will
make us
ready and
make us
right.
This is
our hope,
this is
our joy.
Listen to
his words,
I am
making
everything
new.
let's
pray.
Amen.
Our
Father God,
how we
need for
our eyes
to be
lifted,
to see the
glory that
is to
come.
Amen.
We pray
that we
will
take
these
words.
Amen.
We pray
and ask
that you
will
impress
these
words
deep
in
our
life
so
that you
will
sustain
us,
strengthen
us and
keep
us.
That we
can know
that through
every
struggle
it is
all but
preparation
for the
great
marriage
to come.
to know that we can share of a great city to come
where everything will be put right
and that together we can enjoy a garden filled with life
Father help us to share this story
to tell this story to others this Christmas
help us we pray in Jesus name
Amen
well we're going to sing
we're going to sing about heaven
and the glory that is to come
let's