No one goes to heaven by accident. Heaven is God’s prepared place for prepared people.
Sermon Title: THE NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH
Sermon Text: REVELATIONS 20:1-10 (ESV)
Sermon Series: LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS
By: PTR NESTOR SY
Sermon Notes:
REVELATIONS 21:1-4 ESV
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Heaven should be our goal for one primary reason – it’s forever.
“Satan labors to give people an inaccurate view of heaven. … Our enemy slanders three things: God’s person, God’s people, and God’s place—heaven.” – Randy Alcorn
I. HEAVEN WILL REQUIRE DESTRUCTION
REVELATIONS 20:11 ESV
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
REVELATIONS 21:1 ESV
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
HEBREWS 1:10-12 ESV
10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”
2 PETER 3:7,10 ESV
7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. …
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
dissolve | Greek: luó
“destroyed.”
This earth was designed by God to be temporary.
REVELATIONS 21:1 ESV
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
GENESIS 15:18-21 ESV
18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”
If we understand the temporariness of this world, then we should reorient our focus.
II. HEAVEN WILL BE A FRESH DESIGN
REVELATIONS 21:1-2,5 ESV
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
God has an endless capacity for creating so that everything is ever and always new.
prepare | Greek: hetoimazó
“made ready”
JOHN 14:2 ESV
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
REVELATIONS 21:18-21 ESV
18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.
III. HEAVEN IS MAN DWELLING WITH GOD
REVELATIONS 21:3 ESV
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
“Heaven is the place where God most fully makes known His presence to bless.”
Systemic Theology, by Wayne Grudem
1 THESSALONIANS 4:17 ESV
17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:8 ESV
8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
PHILIPPIANS 1:23 ESV
23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
While the place of heaven is beautiful, the Person of Jesus should be our greatest joy.
REVELATIONS 21:1-4 ESV
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
No one goes to heaven by accident. Heaven is God’s prepared place for prepared people.