“The Journey of a Lifetime: Will It Be Worth It All?”
Rev. 21:1-22:5
“Hang in there – it will get better!” “Just keep thinking of end results – you’ll be glad you did this.” “It will get worse before it gets better, but it will get better!” Ever get tired of these and similar responses? They all are meant to answer the same basic question: Is what I’m doing or going through worth it? Certainly Christian, on his difficult journey towards the Celestial City – towards Heaven - asked the question more than once: “Will it be worth it all?”
Just think of the difficulties Christian encountered in his journey of a lifetime. He had to leave his family, friends, and neighbors behind – they, in fact, mocked him. So he began the journey all by himself. He walked carrying a heavy burden of sin, care, and worry. Despair and despondency overwhelmed him. The monster of evil and all his spiritual forces wounded Christian during a heated, prolonged battle. Vanity Fair - the world system that despises God - pressured Christian through constant temptation – and eventually killed Christian’s faithful comrade. Giant despair imprisoned him in doubt and the great deceiver led him astray. Death stood before him and threatened to end his journey. For Christian, the journey was tough.
Does this sound at all like your life? Tough journey? Always a struggle here and a setback there? Loneliness? Burdens? Despondency? Battles with evil forces? Temptation? Doubt? Death? Bullying? Rejection? Ever wonder, “Will it be worth it all?” If only we could see the end, have some guarantee that the end of the journey will make the journey worth it. If only someone who’s concluded the journey could visit with us and reassure us.
There is One – and only One – who can do so. Only One has completed the journey; only One has conquered the last obstacle, the last enemy of death; Only One can visit with and reassure us. The One is Jesus. His residence, in fact, is Heaven. On the evening before His death He told his disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them; He was leaving for Heaven, by way of the cross, to make it ready for them – and for us! So this morning, as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, we can catch a glimpse of Jesus’ insights as to why Heaven will make the journey worth it.
Rev. 21 & 22 paint for us a PICTURE OF HEAVEN. The Christians in John’s day were undergoing great persecution; John himself had been sent into isolation to the Island of Patmos. The churches were asking, “Is it worth standing up for Christ? Is He worth dying for?”
Through the vision he received from Jesus, John emphatically said, “It does get better than this! It will be worth it all!” First, we discover that Heaven is CHARACTERIZED BY NEWNESS. “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. 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." (21:1, 5) Our world is so far fallen and Heaven is so grand that nothing in this world is worth keeping.
There will be a NEW BEAUTY – the image used in verse 2 is that of “a beautiful bride prepared for her husband” coming down from Heaven. Earthly brides are astonishingly beautiful. Can you imagine the heavenly bride? There is a heavenly beauty we cannot begin to comprehend.
There will also be a NEW ENVIRONMENT. Verse 3: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "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.” Heaven is a place filled with the perfect presence and fullness of God Himself! He appeared to Moses in a special way; He appeared to Israel in a special way through the cloud and pillar; He appeared to the High Priest in the Temple; He appeared to the world in Jesus; in heaven He will appear as Himself in the midst of His people. And that also means that our earthly companions will be there as well! We will be reunited with all those loved ones who’ve gone on before us – permanently reunited – never to be separated again! And we’ll all be in perfect eternal harmony with God. There can be no better environment.
Heaven will also contain a NEW HAPPINESS. All of the effects of sin – separation, destruction, unrest, turmoil, enmity, rage, unpredictability, sorrow, death – all the effects of sin will be gone forever. Forgiveness will be the rule of the day – our sins will be forgiven! Verse 4 puts it tenderly: “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." When was the last time you cried? The last time you were in pain? The last time you mourned? There is coming a day when “no more!” God doesn’t just wipe the tears – He removes them! Imagine: “Home – where no one ever has a heartache; Home – where no one ever gets angry; Home – where no one ever gets lonesome; Home – where no one gets tired; Home - where no one ever gets sick; Home – where no one ever dies; Home – where no one ever says ‘good-bye!’” God will make all things new!
And there will also be a NEW SATISFACTION: “6 To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.” Our needs will be met – continuously – by God Himself. Believe me, this newness will be worth it all!
John’s vision from Jesus also shows us that Heaven is CONSTRUCTED FOR ENJOYMENT. Verses 9-21 describe this new place in great detail. Time does not suffice to examine all the preciseness of this construction, but here’s what the imagery stands for. The gates and walls (12-14) signify Heaven is SECURE and protected. No one and no thing destructive or evil will ever enter. There will be no fear. The measurements (15-17) communicate Heaven is SPACIOUS. There is plenty of room for everyone who believes. That means there’s room for that still unbelieving mom, dad, brother, sister. Keep loving and witnessing! (18-21) The jewels portray the exquisite WEALTH of heaven. The most precious jewels and gems we know here on earth will be but the building materials of Heaven. The construction will make it worth it all!
Thirdly, Heaven is CONFIGURED FOR HEALTH (22-26). God’s glory is the LIGHT that illumines everything. Light produces life. That there is no darkness means there is nothing in Heaven that prohibits life and there is nothing that permits evil. Chapter 22:1-3 introduces the LIFE of Heaven, where there is healing, wellness and wholeness for all people and nations. War is over; disharmony is gone. There is peace. And John concludes Jesus’ portrait of Heaven with the promise of a glorious LIKENESS. We will see Jesus face to face and be like Him, for – as John said in his first Letter – we shall see Him as He is! The health will guarantee it is worth it all!
Have you ever been weary of life, tired of the struggle, discouraged by
the journey? Feast your eyes on Heaven and adopt a POSTURE OF HOPE. It will be worth it all! Live with AN AIR OF EXPECTANCY. No one here has a tougher journey than the Apostle Paul. 2 Corinthians 11:22 – “They say they are Hebrews, do they? So am I. And they say they are Israelites? So am I. And they are descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 They say they serve Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times without number, and death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jews gave me thirty- lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not. 27 I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of how the churches are getting along. 29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn
with anger?” Talk about a difficult journey! But did he quit? Did he give up? Did he give in? No! Listen: “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Rom. 8:18) “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Cor. 2:9). Expectancy!
Expectancy is waiting for the Bride to walk gloriously down the aisle; waiting nine long months for the baby to arrive; waiting for what seems like an eternity for the son to come home from the service. We are an expectant people – waiting for that heavenly meeting with the risen Lord Jesus Christ! Hymn-writer Fanny Crosby wrote over 6,000 gospel songs. Although blinded by an illness at the age of six weeks, she never became bitter. Someone once said to her, “I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when he showered so many other gifts upon you.” Fanny responded, “Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I should be born blind? Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior!” Later, while giving a testimony at a Bible conference conducted by the great evangelist D. L. Moody, Fanny introduced the hymn which she called he ‘soul’s poem’: “someday the silver cord will break, and I no more as now shall sing; but, oh, the joy when I shall wake within the palace of the King! And I shall see him face to face, and tell the story – saved by grace!” What a day that will be! We shall see Jesus face to face, in all His glory! We shall see Jesus in the beauty of His holiness and in the holiness of His beauty! We shall join ten thousand times ten thousand gathered around Jesus on His throne, singing, “Worthy is the Lamb to receive blessing and honor and wisdom and power and thanksgiving.” Thank You. Thank You. Thank You! Thank You for every tear; thank You for every trial; thank You for every sorrow; thank You for every burden; thank You for every battle! Thank You!” It will be worth it all!
We live with an air of expectancy in AN ATMOSPHERE OF GRACE. The strength for surviving the journey and entering Heaven comes from believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died and rose from the dead in order to save you from having to pay the penalty for your sins. The Bible tells us to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” Do you believe? The Evangelism Explosion method of presenting the Gospel uses this question: “HAVE YOU COME TO THE PLACE IN YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE WHERE YOU KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT IF YOU DIE TODAY YOU WOULD GO TO HEAVEN?” Have you? Do you care? Where do you stand with Jesus Christ? Are you prepared to live in eternity with Him? If you were to die tonight and you stood before Jesus and He said to you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” what would you say? There are only two ways to the entrance of Heaven. One is the performance plan. To earn your way in simply be perfect – never sin and always do what is right – always. That’s like saying a ball player must bat 1,000 to make it to the Hall of Fame. None of us qualifies under the performance plan. Therefore the only other key is to trust Jesus because He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me…I go to prepare a place for you – and he went by way of the cross and the tomb, but He rose and ascended into Heaven, so He could promise - and I will come again and take you to be with me where I am.” Friends, it’s all by grace. We do not enter Heaven because of our effort, our birth, our status, our race, our religion, or our heritage; we get in through the cross by grace and grace alone. Christian entered the Celestial City because he had the certificate of grace, acknowledging he did not make it on his own. His journey was worth it all. And ours can be as well.
There was a city located at the bottom of hill. On that hillside on the outskirts of the city stood a white cross. One day a small boy became lost in the city and a policeman came up and asked him, “Where do you live?” The boy did not know his address. After several other questions and answers he finally said, “Take me to the cross on the hillside, and I can find my way home from there.” The cross is the only road home to the Father. The road may be difficult and the journey may be tough, but it is the journey of a lifetime, for it leads to eternal life for eternity with Jesus. As Esther Rushtoi wrote in her hymn, “When We See Christ”, “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ; One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase, So bravely run the race ‘til we see Christ.” (1) Will you join Christian on the journey?
(1) Esther Kerr Rushtoi, © 1969 by Howard Rushtoi, assigned to Singspiration, Inc.
