New Creation

New Creation

Revelation 21:1–8 NIV 

1. GOD’S PURPOSE IN CREATION: TO POUR OUT HIS GLORY.“

God chose to create the heavens and earth so His glory could come pouring out from Himself in abundance. He brought a physical reality into existence in order that it might experience His glory and be filled with it and reflect it— every atom, every second, every part and moment of creation. He made human beings in His own Image to reflect His glory, and He placed them in a perfect environment which also reflected it.” —Jonathan Edwards 

2. TO “REVERSE THE CURSE” GOD WILL CREATE A NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH!

Revelation 21:1 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. 

3. THE BEST THING ABOUT THE NEW CREATION IS IMMANUEL, “GOD WITH US.”

Revelation 21:2-4 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘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.”

“What God did in Jesus, coming to an unknowing world and unwelcoming people, He is doing on a cosmic scale. He is coming to live forever in our midst; a healing, comforting, celebrating presence.  Heaven and earth were joined together in Jesus; heaven and earth will one day be joined fully and forever.” —N.T. Wright 

4. JESUS IS MAKING EVERYTHING NEW, AND FREE TOO!

Rev 21:5-7 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.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 

5. WARNING: APART FROM FAITH, REBELS DON’T QUALIFY.

Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” 

6. IN THE MEANTIME, WE WAIT WITH EAGER HOPE.

Romans 8:18–24 NLT Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.