Title: All Things New
Text: Revelation 21: 1-7
Date: January 2, 2011
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Happy New Year! This is the first day of the week; the first Sunday of a new month, the first Sunday of the New Year and the first Sunday of a new decade. This time of year gives us fresh thoughts of "newness." But there is coming a day, when TRULY, all things shall be made new.
Revelation 21: 5: And he that sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new."
WHO IS SPEAKING?
The eternal Son of God, King Jesus. He says, "Behold, I make all things new.' What things? All things.
I. A NEW CREATION
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 Peter 3: 10: The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with great noise, and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up…13: Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
and there was no more sea.
The sea is symbolic of falsehood--Rev 13: 1-the beast rose up out of the sea--on his heads the name "blasphemy". In Rev 17: 15: the harlot (anti-christ religion) sat upon the waters-"the waters…are peoples, and multitudes, and nations and tongues."
Yet, in the new creation there will be only ONE PEOPLE--CHRIST'S PEOPLE, ONE NATION (HOLY NATION), SPEAKING ONE LANGUAGE-- Isa 6:3, "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory." Rev 21: 27
Think on this: No briars, no scars of sin--only a perfect creation as was Eden before the fall. Who shall make this new creation? He that sits upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new!"
II. NEW JERUSALEM
Revelation 21: 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.
This city is the Lord's people--made up of those God the Father chose in Christ, those sanctified by the Spirit of God in the new birth through the gospel, those prepared by the Lamb who was slain in her room and stead, who trust Christ alone!
Notice: "Holy"--"New"--"Coming Down Out of Heaven"
When our Lord Jesus Christ returns again, he shall come together with the spirits of just men made perfect, their bodies shall be raised to meet their spirits and those who are yet alive shall be changed--to put on incorruption--made perfect with all the saints of God. So it is Paul says,
Philippians 3: 20 For our conversation {citizenship} is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
"Prepared as a bride adorned for her husband"
Illustration: Your wedding day--your bride
The glory of Christ's bride, the church, every believer individually--is God our Husband, the Lamb.
Revelation 21: 9: And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 Having the glory of God: and her light [was] like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
[Notice this jasper stone--clear as crystal--Turn back to Rev 4: 2-3]
Revelation 4: 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and [one] sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone:...
He says, "Behold, I make all things new!"
Isaiah 54:5: For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called
Christ is the husband who presents his bride to himself
Ephesians 5: 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish….30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32: This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Isa 61:10: I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
III. NEW COMMUNION
Revelation 21: 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.
In the midst of this world of tribulation, the Lord is with us in Spirit now. He dwells in each of his newly created children and his children dwell in him.--"I will never leave you, nor forsake you." As we meet together to worship him--he declares, I am there in the midst of you.
But meditate upon this precious thought--God himself shall be with us forever. Uninterrupted communion forever! Perfect conformity to Christ forever! Perfect commitment to our God forever!
Revelation 21: 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.
FORMER THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY
V1: No more sea--no more division of any kind
V4: No more death, no sorrow, no crying, no pain--these are the result of sin, of the flesh--no more sin.
· Revelation 21: 22-27
· Revelation 21: 3-5
"Believer, you are not passing away--the former things are passing away.
IV. BLESSED DIVINE ASSURANCE
Revelation 21: 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. -God who cannot lie, said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
Revelation 21: 6: And he said unto me, It is done.
Rev 1:19: Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
1. He hath saved us--
Eph 1:3:…the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Christ Jesus came and "by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. "IT IS FINISHED"
2. He is saving each of his children
2 Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1: 5: Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
3. He shall save us--
Ephesians 3: 10: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
'Salvation is of the Lord!'
· He planned it.
· He purchased it.
· He performs it.
· He preserves it.
· And he perfects it.
· He alone shall have the praise of it, 'That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord' (1 Cor. 1:31).
Revelation 5: 6:…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.
HAS GOD'S GRACE MADE YOU THIRSTY?
Those who do not believe on Christ have no part in this new creation.
· But if you rely solely upon Christ
· Bringing nothing but a plea for mercy and grace
· Without money and without price
He promises, "I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." Christ Jesus our King has overcome this world. Faith merely trusts him to deliver.
And he promises. Revelation 5: 7: He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. Amen!