Dr. Roger W. Thomas, Preaching Minister
First Christian Church, Vandalia, MO
Your New Home’s Waiting!
John 14:2; Revelation 20:1-4, 10-27; 22:1-5
Introduction: What would your dream house be like? If money were no object, what would your dream house include? Perhaps, it would be like Bill and Melinda Gates’ cottage on Lake Washington not far from Seattle.
Gates, the billionaire founder and owner of Microsoft began constructing his dream house shortly he and Melinda married in the mid 90’s. The $60$ plus project included 66,000 square feet (that’s about one and half football fields). That is just the house, not the property! The modest little starter home has seven bedrooms, twenty-four bathrooms, six kitchens and six fireplaces. The 11,500 square foot family quarters include a four-car garage and a nanny’s apartment. The guest wing comes complete with a theatre, formal dining room, and conference facilities.
Revelation 21-22 describes something much better. Through a marvelous word picture, our text describes the heavenly home the Lord has waiting for those whose names are written in the Book of Life. What’s that home like? Revelation 21 describes it.
First, the home is new. I grew up in old farmhouses, both of which were torn down shortly after we moved out. I have lived in one brand new house and a couple which were only a few years old. There is certainly something exciting about moving into a brand, spanking new home. Nobody else has lived in it. You get to put the first scratches on the woodwork and the first stains in the carpet. Repeatedly in Revelation 21, the Lord says he is making something new.
The Bible uses two different words that are rendered "new" in English. One emphasizes new in time, like a new car verses and older car. The second word, used here, can describe something that is newer, but it adds the dimension of “quality.” Newer isn’t always better, but in this case it certainly is. Your heavenly home is new, fresh, and sparkles with the best of everything you can imagine.
Your heavenly home is more than new. It was designed by the very finest architect and built by the best contractor. Jesus said, “I am going to prepare a place for you.” Hebrews says that the saints of old dreamed of a city “with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10). Our text says the heavenly city came down out of heaven from God (Rev 21:2, 10). This is not something that man could build. This home was not the product of the latest architectural fad. It didn’t come from Frank Lloyd Wright. It is not the latest makeover featured on “This Old House” or HGTV’s “Before and After.” This is not a “do it yourself” project! This is God’s doing, pure and simple!
When we were buying one of our first houses, our realtor gave us the short course on house purchasing. I have heard it a thousand times since. The first three rules of home buying are “location, location, location.” How do you spell location: n-e-i-g-h-b-o-r-s! Your new home is in the best location with the finest of neighbors. God himself will live next door. You don’t get any better than that. Not only that, but also all of the negative elements have been removed. This is point of the rather strong statements in the text. “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” (Rev. 21:8). “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” (Rev. 21:27).
Our heavenly home will be spacious. Bill Gates’ 66,000 square feet will be an efficiency apartment by comparison. Actually Revelation emphasizes more the size of the city than the individual residences in it. But a big city means big space for lots of people. The New Jerusalem, as John names it, is described as a cube 1500 miles wide, tall, and deep. That’s hundreds of time larger than the biggest man made metropolis. Even that I suspect is merely symbolic for something on a scale that extends beyond anything we can imagine. This was especially true for ancient folk.
Ancient walled cities were actually fairly small. They were often more like large forts or castles. Only the rulers, the military, the very rich, those in charge of civic affairs, and other VIP’s actually lived within the city proper. Most folk lived outside the walls. In times of danger or invasion, everyone would leave their homes and head to the city for protection. But this city is big enough for everyone to live inside the walls.
This brings us to another prominent feature of your new home—security. The days are long past when people routinely left their doors unlocked all of the time—even in Vandalia. If you lived in a big city, you might have multiple locks on every door. Security matters. Your heavenly home won’t need locks, electronic monitors, or security lights. The city has huge walls, but the gates will be open day and night.
The beauty of the home defies description. The foundations are marked with jewels of untold value. Bible scholars are actually unsure of the identity of some of the precious stones mentioned. Civilizations have used different terms for such gems through the centuries. Single pearls form each of the twelve gates. The streets are paved with gold so pure that it is almost transparent. Crystal pure water flow through the city. Parts of the portrait sound like a garden or oasis. The descriptions intentionally evoke images of the Garden of Eden.
But the most important feature of this new dwelling will be the quality of life. We all know that fresh paint, new carpet, expensive furniture, and landscaping fresh out of Better Homes and Gardens doesn’t make a house a dream home. If that were so many funeral homes and mental hospitals might top the list.
Psychologists tell us that there are a few basic human needs that spell the difference between a quality life and a desperate existence. Our heavenly home will have everything we need, plus! We need food to eat and fresh water to drink. Heaven abounds with the tree of life and the river that flows from the throne of God. Healing abounds. Sickness and disease are gone! We need a sense of security and safety. What could be better than this: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He 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” (21:3-4).
We need to belong and feel loved and cared for. No doubt about that there! We need to feel esteemed and valued. In Revelation God himself says, “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son” (21:7). In 22:4, it says they will see God’s face and his name will be on their foreheads. We also need to do something that provides a sense of worth and accomplishment. Psychologists call this “self-actualization.” Revelation 22:3 reads, “No longer will there be any curse. [A reference to the endless toil and futile labor that followed Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden.] The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him” (Rev. 22:3). In heaven we will fulfill the very purpose for which we were originally made!
Conclusion: All that I have described is available to anyone and everyone. The welcome mat is out. He has left the light on for you. “Whosoever will may come.”
We don’t get to choose heaven. We choose Jesus and heaven is thrown in!
***Dr. Roger W. Thomas is the preaching minister at First Christian Church, 205 W. Park St., Vandalia, MO 63382 and an adjunct professor of Bible and Preaching at Central Christian College of the Bible, 911 E. Urbandale, Moberly, MO. He is a graduate of Lincoln Christian College (BA) and Lincoln Christian Seminary (MA, MDiv), and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary (DMin).
