INTRODUCTION
SLIDE #1
Over the past few weeks we have been looking at the messages to the seven churches in Revelation.
In those letters, Jesus spoke of a great reward that awaited those who were faithful to Him.
Today, I want us to take a glimpse into the future to take the time to look at that wonderful inheritance that is awaiting us.
I think one of the problems we have is that we do not spend enough time thinking about the future, which means that we also do not spend enough time planning for the future. For far too many of us, we think that the future is now.
At some point, each one of us will no longer be here; we will ALL stand before our maker. It is important that we are ready for that day.
It is important that we understand without a doubt that there is more to this life, that we have a eternal future to consider.
As we look at Revelation 21:1-8 together today, we will see that if we are belong to Jesus that we have a wonderful, glorious future to look forward to.
Today, let us take a glimpse into the future!
SLIDE #2
First let us take a glimpse of the city of the future.
SERMON
I. A GLIMPSE OF THE CITY OF THE FUTURE. (1-2)
In the future, we will all have a new residence, for those who belong to Christ, the new city that we will move to will be awesome.
Where is the best place on earth you can think of living right now?
The city in the future of the child of God beats ANY PLACE you can think of!
Let us look at four things concerning our future city.
To do that, let us read Revelation 21:1-2 together.
SLIDE #3
Revelation 21:1 - 2 (NASB) 1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
The first thing we can see about the future city we will have the opportunity to live in is the fact that it is new!
SLIDE #4
1. The city will be new.
Verse one tells us there will be a new heaven and a new earth.
The new heaven and the new earth will not merely succeed the present universe in chronological sequence; they will be something brand new, fresh, never before seen. God must create a new heaven and a new earth because the first heaven and the first earth passed away. (MacArthur Jr.)
God originally created the earth to be suitable as mankind’s permanent home.
The entrance of sin, however, corrupted the earth and the universe, and God will destroy them (Rev. 20:11).
What lies ahead for the earth is not a nuclear or an ecological holocaust, but a divine judgment.
This passage echo’s Isaiah 65:17 and Isaiah 66:22.
SLIDE #5
The second issue concerning the city of the future is that is will be holy.
2. The city will be holy.
The new city will be a reflection of the God who resides in it.
Sin ruined the first earth, but holiness will reign in the new.
To be holy means to be separated for service to God. The first earth was destroyed because it was used for the purposes of man, whereas the second, the New Jerusalem will be set aside for the purpose and service to God!
This is a place where there will be no agenda except for God’s agenda.
The old Jerusalem, in ruins for twenty-five years when John received this vision, is too stained with sin, too much a part of the old creation to survive into the eternal state. The new Jerusalem is called the holy city because everyone in it is holy, since “blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection” (MacArthur Jr)
SLIDE #6
The third issue concerning the future city is that it will be beautiful.
3. The city will be beautiful.
When you look at verse 2 we see that the city will be made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
I have done a few weddings and in the course of doing those weddings I have yet to see a bribe who was not beautiful. Even if I wondered how they would look on the wedding day, they always glow with beauty.
Who wants to live in an ugly trashy city? Most people want to live in a place that is beautiful.
SLIDE #7
Finally we see why the city will be so beautiful, it is because the city will be the home of God.
4. The city will be the home of God!
The reason this city will be a place to what to be is because God Himself will reside with you in the city!
The city will take on the character of the God we so love and serve!
SLIDE #8
Now let us look at a glimpse of the joy of the future! EXPAND V3
II. A GLIMPSE OF THE JOY OF THE FUTURE. (3-5)
When you have a future with God, it will be a future full of GREAT joy.
Let us look at verse 3-5 now.
SLIDE #9
Revelation 21:3 - 5 (NASB) 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,£ 4and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” 5And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said*, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
Let us look at four reasons that our future can be full of joy!
SLIDE #10
First there will be no more tears.
1. There will be no more tears.
How many times have you been so sad that you were brought to tears? Ladies, do not answer that one.
The utter joy of living in God’s presence is indescribable; Revelation explains what will not be there. There will be no more tears.
All that would cause one to come to tears will be removed from this wonderful city.
All the sin that has caused tears in your life will not exist in this city!
I want you to think for a moment how wonderful it would be to know that you will never again suffer heartache.
SLIDE #11
Secondly there will be no more death.
2. There will be no more death.
I believe that death of a loved one can be one of the biggest sources of tears we face in life.
Imagine knowing that EVERYONE you are with in heaven will never die again; you will never be separated from them EVER again!
I want you to think of the pain we feel when we loose someone, now think of the joy of being able to never see a loved one suffer again, think of the joy of never being separated from them again.
WOW!
SLIDE #12
Thirdly there will be no more mourning!
3. There will be no more mourning.
If there is no death, no sin to destroy lives, no reason for sorrow, then there would be no need or call to mourning!
SLIDE #13
Fourthly there will be no more crying or pain!
4. There will be no more crying or pain.
The grief, sorrow, and distress that produce mourning and its outward manifestation, crying, will not exist in heaven.
The perfect holiness and absence of sin that will characterize heaven will also mean that there will be no more pain.
SLIDE #14
Isaiah 53:5 (GWT) 5He was wounded for our rebellious acts. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from his wounds.
We have two types of pain, physical and emotional. Many times the emotional pain is worse than the physical.
In heaven we will never have to deal with any of these issues again!
Let us now take a glimpse of our possible destines for the future.
SLIDE #15
III. A GLIMPSE OF OUR POSSIBLE DESTINIES FOR THE FUTURE. (6-8)
Let us now look at the two possibilities we all face for the future.
Let us read verses 6-8 for the possibilities.
SLIDE #16
Revelation 21:6 - 8 (NASB) 6Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. 7“He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. 8“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Our destiny is our choice; it is not an issue of fate, chance, or anything else other than our freewill choice.
SLIDE #17
1. A residency in a beautiful place in the presence of God.
All that has been described here can be yours if the choice is RIGHT!
We are told that those who overcome will inherit the things spoken of.
Do you want to enjoy this inheritance? Then you need to be a faithful child of God!
The place God has for you is a beautiful beyond description. Do you want a part of God’s place?
You do not have to take what is behind curtain, you can choose to take curtain number 2!
SLIDE #18
2. A residency in a bad place away from the presence of God.
I want you to think of the worst place on earth you can think of. Now realize this is not one fraction as bad as it will be in hell out of the presence of God.
You think the world is evil now, wait until you get a taste of a place that is totally void of goodness, love, peace, joy, and God.
When you take god out of the neighborhood, it goes down quickly.
Do you really want to live in a place where God it TOTALLY out of the picture?
Verse 8 says that if we choose to be in that group of people, that is what awaits us.
CONCLUSION
God has prepared a BEAUTIFUL place for you.
Do you want to inherit it?
The choice is yours, without Jesus as your Savior, your future is not bright at all.
I hope that a glimpse of the future will help motivate us to grow closer to the one who saved us!
