The Inhabitants of New Jerusalem Rev.21:22-27
Intro: Do you ever think about what's next? There was a song years and years ago that had a line saying "is that all there is".
My oldest son when he was about to turn 16 and get his drivers license, said he did not want the "rapture" to happen until he got his license.
We often have goals or an event in our future that we are planning or highly expecting.
When my wife was first diagnosed with leukemia, we did not know just how much future we had. Would she be with us on our anniversary just a month away? She made it. Would she be with us on Thanksgiving? She made it. We decided to plan a large birthday party, would she make it or would it be a memorial service? She made it.
Praise the Lord she is still with us by God's Grace.
We live in the present day, tomorrow has its own worries, yet God in His Mercy and Grace has given us a picture into the future, something to look forward to. We all are looking to a future time. No matter who you are or what you believe, there is something in your future.
2 things we can say is in our future, death and taxes.
Heb.7:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb.7:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
As Christians, we do have plans to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus.
Will we be floating around on clouds playing on a golden harps? What will it be like? Will the battle of good vs evil still be raging?
No! the enemies of the Cross will no longer be fighting us, they will all be in a the hotter place.
So let us hear what John, the oldest living Apostle saw about our and the universe's future.
Revelation 21:
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 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.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
New heaven, New Earth and a New Jerusalem. Who will enjoy this new heaven, new earth and who will be living in this new city, the New Jerusalem?
What will it be like?
I. Rev.21:22 tells us that John saw no Temple there because "for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."
A - We may want to see Mom and Dad but greater more to see our Lord.
B.- There will be no Physical Temple. "for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."
1) The earthly temple hide the shekinah Glory of God
2) There will no reason to hide His Glory there
3) The Temple in a since was the meeting place
There we will always be with Jesus
C - God will be the light of that City
1) He is superior to the sun and moon
2) His light shines through all darkness -- no shadows
3) Darkness is often paralleled with evil -- no evil will found there
II. Only purified people will be there
A - Those that defile the body with sinful acts can not enter
B - Everyone there will have been cleanest from sin by the Blood of the Lamb
C - People there will not have a sinful nature. 1 John 3:2
III. We that inhabit that city will all be loveable by nature
A - Those that love evil (by nature ) and do evil with its hatred, lust, backbiting and disruption will not enter that city
B - Those that love justice, righteousness, fellowship and hospitality will have peace there in the presence of God
IV. Only the redeemed
A - Everyone there will have their names found in the Lamb's book of Life
B - Honesty and truth will be there
C - Only these that have truly repented and believed will be found there. The true overcomers
Concl. Not everyone you know will be found there. Not everyone sitting in Church every Sunday will be there.
Not every good doer will be there. On that day many will want another chance, now this maybe your last chance.
Matt.7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matt.7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matt.7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Today do you know Jesus, Does Jesus know you?
We don't do good works to develop a relationship with Jesus,
We do good works because of the relationship we have with Jesus.