October 25, 2010

“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved……” II Peter 3:11a

Guys always remember the first car they owned.

My first car was a 1956 Mercury Monterey. It was ten years old when I got it and had plenty of rust spots, but it ran great! Of course, I only paid $100 for it.

I loved that car. I worked an after school job to support it and fix it up. Little did I realize how much support a ten-year old high-mileage eight-cylinder car would require, but I was soon to find out.

Over the time I owned that one hundred dollar car I spent hundreds of dollars and way to much attention and time on it. It always needed something!

Honestly compels me to confess that there were several times when I had to decide whether to pay my tithe or spend money on my Mercury. I am ashamed to admit I made the wrong decision a couple of times.

Each time I honored my car above the Lord, it developed a problem that would cost me extra money. I always paid for my improper priorities. That first vehicle was not only transportation it became a teaching tool.

One rainy night I agreed to do a favor for my co-worker and run him home after work. Even though it was a bit out of my way, he was my friend and I had a car. Because it was a little out of my way I decided to take a short cut not thinking that the short-cut would require me to travel under a railroad viaduct.

I underestimated the amount of rain that had fallen overestimated my driving skills. Remember those public service ads where they caution you against driving into standing water? I didn’t. And as soon as I hit the water I knew I had made a bad decision. When the water lifted my car off the payment and it began to float momentarily, I rued my decision. As my Mercury settled back down to the pavement and the water started streaming in under all four doors, my heart sank – as much as my car had.

My point in sharing this painfully embarrassing story is the lesson I learned. It is the truth that Peter shares in this Scripture portion. Those material things which steal much of our time and money and affection never lasts. All those things wear out, rust out, break down, get damaged, wrecked or stolen and our investments are lost. Even if they manage to last we will some day trade them or sell them or die and leave them behind.

Peter wisely admonishes us to value things that last forever and the only things that last forever are people and relationships. Since you and I are eternal, we should live like it and put a priority on preparing for eternity.

If you think you can wait until you get to Heaven to live heavenly, you are in for a rude awakening. If you are planning to live forever – act like it. Love God supremely and live in love toward His commands and His people. Your journey to Heaven begins today.

October 24, 2010

“HAPPILY EVER AFTER?”

Week Six – “Home, Sweet, Home!” Revelation 21

"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. 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, "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. 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." Revelation 21:1-4

The late comedian George Goebel once said, “Sometimes I feel like the world is a tuxedo and I am a pair of brown shoes.”

C. S. Lewis made a similar statement with a little more definition, “If nothing in this world satisfies me, perhaps it is because I was made for another world.”

We have some very gracious hosts in our fellowship who welcome you to their home and will treat you with such grace that you feel like part of the family, but as gracious as they are their home is not your home. After a relaxing and enjoyable evening you return to your home. Despite their hospitality gifts, your home still feels more like home to you than theirs does.


There are a couple of good reasons why we don’t fit real well in this world:

1) Paradise Lost
2) Kingdom Lost

The Bible refers to this longing for a spiritual home. Here are a few examples:

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” John 14:1-2

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.” Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:13-14, 16

This world is not our home! We do not fit here! God has designed and destined us for a “happy ever after” place! Revelation 21 and 22 gives us a great view of Heaven, our “happy ever after” place. Today we get to peak into our future home.

I. The Dimensions of the City, Vv. 15-17

To gain an appreciation for just how marvelous Heaven will be we need to understand the nature and dimension of the city that will be its capital. The New Jerusalem is the crown jewel of the new creation of God. The New Jerusalem is not all of Heaven but it is the capital city of Heaven.

“The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using.” Rev. 21:15-17

You may not be a big city person, but you’d better make an exception for Heaven because it is ONE BIG CITY! Even bigger than Texas!

Why do you think this is revealed to John? Why do we need to know how big the Holy City will be?

Could it be God wants us all to know that there is plenty of room for us in Heaven and for everyone who will trust in Jesus! And remember, this is just the New Jerusalem. Heaven is even bigger than this!

So, how big is it? It is pretty mind-boggling! Check this out!

The city is cubic in its shape – 12,000 stadia x 12,000 stadia x 12,000 stadia! A stadia = a furlong = 660 ft. Do the math on that and it figures out to 1,500 miles long by 1,500 miles wide by 1,500 miles high. So, this city would cover 2,250,000 square miles.

If this city were placed in the United States it would stretch from Canada to Mexico and from New York City to Oklahoma City and as high as a 800,000 story building!

Again, that is not all of the Heaven that is just the Holy City!

I have got to believe that in an area that big – there would have to be a golf course!

Not only is the Holy City huge, but it is unbelievably beautiful! Once you walk into it you would not only be overwhelmed by its size but also amazed by its sheer beauty!

II. The Description of the City

a. The Pearly Gates, vv. 12-13, 21

This city is accessed through gates of pearl! And not just one gate but 12 of them! And not just pearls but 240 feet high pearls!

Why pearls?

For one, pearls are beautiful!

Secondly, pearls are the product of irritation, pain, and discomfort. Could it be that every time we enter that city through those gates of pearl we will be reminded of the suffering and pain it took to get there? Both His suffering and ours.
b. The foundation of precious stones, Vv. 19-20

c. The streets of gold, v. 21b

d. The Lamb is the Light, v.23

e. The river of life and the tree of life, 22:1-2

This is a pretty impressive place, wouldn’t you say? How can you not be impressed with a place where the pavement is pure gold!

III. The Distinctions of the City, Vv. 4, 8, 27

Heaven is certainly distinguished by the amazing wonders that will be revealed in Heaven. The splendor of what He has prepared for us will be daze and amaze! When people talk about Heaven or write about Heaven these are the things they concentrate on! And rightly so! Never has there been anything like this before!

But equally impressive are the things that WON’T be in Heaven! The Apostle John. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit focuses on three significant things that won’t be in Heaven and those three things make it a distinctive place.

a. Sadness Is Absent, V. 4

How many of you have had a really good day recently? I am talking about a really care-free joyous day?

Every day in Heaven will be like that! Every second, every minute, every hour and every day will be better than your most perfect day on earth!

Kleenex will have no place in Heaven! God will wipe away all tears AND every reason and every cause of sadness. The only tears possible in Heaven might be tears of joy!

b. Sinfulness Is Absent, V. 8

Heaven is a perfect place – a holy place!

This is quite a list of undesirables! I find it interesting that those types of people mentioned at the end of this verse you would expect to be banned from Heaven, but notice the “cowardly” and the “unbelieving” – interesting….

c. Self-Righteousness Is Absent, V. 27

No one in Heaven will be able to say, “I deserve to be here!”

No one in Heaven will be able to claim, “I earned my way here!”

As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “For it is by grace you are saved…..”

Heaven will be eternally magnificent based on what is there! And more importantly – WHO is there!

But Heaven will also be incredible because of who ISN’T there!

This world is not your home! Your home is being prepared for you!

You are being prepared for your home!

· What needs to be done in your heart?
· If you find yourself being to comfortable in this world you may not fit in the next.

What are you doing to prepare others for their eternal home?

HEAVEN IS TOO GOOD TO MISS!

This morning we have been reminded why!

I want to close with one more amazing truth about Heaven:

“3And 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. 4He 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."

WHILE WE ARE IMPRESS WITH THE SPLENDOR OF PEARLY GATES AND GOLDEN STREETS - GOD IS EXCITED ABOUT BEING WITH YOU!

October 23, 2010

When I recall the most beautiful and awe-inspiring sights I have seen in my life, there are several that leap to the forefront of my memory.

Not counting the births of my children and grandchildren, the most beautiful image I have is the view of Lake Tahoe from about 1,500 feet above it in the Sierra Mountains. We had hiked up a trail to a place called Eagle's Nest and there was a serene, placid, mirror-like mountain lake with the higher snow-capped peaks reflected in it. And then, turning in the other direct about a quarter of a mile below was Lake Tahoe. Overwhelmed with the natural beauty of it all and in complete sensory overload I had to exclaim, "Oh, God, you are just showing off!"

Augmenting remarkable beauty surrounding me was an awareness of the things that were not there - nothing artificial, no pollution, no loud noise, no urban sprawl, no congested traffic - just raw natural God-created magnificence!

As John reveals his vision of Heaven in Revelation 21 and 22 he elaborates on all it splendor but also casually mentions several things that won't be there which will also add to its beauty!

In verse 4, John tells us that there will be no sadness there!

"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."

Heaven will be a joyous happy place! God Himself will wipe away ALL tears and their will be no more tears because there will be no reason for sadness! All suffering will be banished! There will be no death, no pain, no evil - NOTHING but holiness, healthiness and happiness!

Secondly, there will be no sinfulness in Heaven!

"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." 21:8

No evil or malicious or impure people will be allowed into Heaven. One of the reasons there will be no suffering or pain is because the people who cause much of those things won't be anywhere near the place! John specifically lists the types of people who will be excluded from paradise! These are the people your Momma told you to stay away from! In Heaven, they won't be there!

Third, there will be no self-righteousness there!

"Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.' Rev. 21:27

Only those whose names are in the Book of Life will be allowed entrance into Heaven. And the only way to get your name written down in to confess your sinfulness and receive the righteousness of Christ! No one who makes it into Heaven will be able to say, "I deserve to be here." All who get into the Holy City are there because of the mercy of God through the grace of Jesus Christ!

Heaven is an awesome eternal place! In our human intellect and finite understanding we are incapable of conceiving its magnificence. And it is amazing because of what is there but also because of what is NOT there!

No sadness will be there!

No sinfulness will be there!

No self-righteousness will be there!

Will you be there?

October 22, 2010

"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." Revelation 21:5

Shakespeare once said, "Brevity is the soul of wit."

That being true, John the Revelator, is a genius! He says a lot in just this one brief verse.

Let's take a few minutes to reflect on what he tells us.

Our God is seated on the throne!

What does that mean to us? Everything!

It means He is sovereign - fully in control. He is large and in charge! Nothing happens in this universe without His permission or approval. When the world seems chaotic - like now - it is controlled chaos because He is omnipotent!

If you know Him as your Father and if you are committed to Jesus as your Savior, you don't have to worry! God has given you an abundant life now - His grace, His guidance, and His guardian angels! And He has guaranteed you an eternal life! The best part of the eternal life is that He will be there and in control!

Our God is making everything new!

How do you improve on perfection? God can! And He does! In Reve;ation 21 we see that God makes a new Heaven and a new earth! This is the REAL new world order!

Our God is so great and so dynamic and so intelligent and so creative that, though He never changes, He is always getting new ideas and better ideas and has the power to tweak and improve His creation! That is why we can spend eternity and never get bored!

So that tells us that as good as it is now - it will only get better! Always!

For you and me, the best news of all is that He made us new and He renews us every day!

Third, God is trustworthy and true!

Wow! It is good to know that Someone as powerful as God is trustworthy. We know in our world power corrupts. We are accustomed to leaders who become corrupted by power once they are trusted with that power by their people. God is not like that! Praise His Name!

What that means is that you can depend on Him - always! It means you can hope in Him - always! It means that you can commit to Him - safely! It means what was true yesterday will be true today - and tomorrow! There is a constant in the universe! There is an anchor - a sure foundation for all of time and eternity!

Get your heart and mind around this little piece of good news! Rejoice in this knowledge of God! Give Him praise and honor today! Walk in peace, and confidence and security today. Live in hope of tomorrow!

God is on the throne!

October 21, 2010

"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. 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." Rev. 21:3-4

Who is the most impressive person you have ever met? God knows them all!

What is the most impressive thing you have ever witnessed? God allowed it to happen!

Where is the most impressive place you have been? God created it!

For a God Who knows all, does all, and created, how do you impress Him? What impresses Him?

Looking at Revelation 21 and 22 it is impossible to not be impressed by the glorious vision of Heaven! But I can't help notice two things that impress God.

First, it is relationship that impresses God! In the midst of all that splendor and glory it is people that excite God! He gets to dwell with them and they will dwell with Him! They will belong to Him and He will belong to them!

Think about how important relationship is to God! I am amazed at how much He values relationship with you and me! In the beginning He created a beautiful earth where He could dwell with man. And in the midst of that glorious creation which He had pronounced "good" - He crafted a paradise called Eden

After sin ruined paradise He began to form a nation of people He could call His people and He prepared a place for them to be with Him after they came to the end of their earthly journeys.

Now John tells us in this portion of Scripture that God wasn't content with Heaven, He will create a new Heaven and a new earth! He wants the best for His people!

Second, it is restoration that impresses God!

Heaven will be a place where paradise is restored. All that sin spoiled will be restored! A perfect place and a perfect relationship with a perfected people! What the first Adam lost the Second Adam restored through His sacrificial death and resurrection!

"God will wipe away every tear". Tears are the result of relationships gone bad or relationships rejected or relationships interrupted by death. Strained relationships strain the human spirit and cause tears to fall. Out Heavenly Father drying those tears is symbolic of the restoration that God will finally bring to His Universe! This is the REAL "new world order". God's order will be restored. His Kingdom will finally come and His will will be perfectly done for ever more!

So, while you and I are busy being impressed by Heaven God will be busy being impressed with us!

AWESOME!

October 20, 2010

"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." Revelation 21:3

Sunday we are going to preview Heaven based on the snapshot John gives us from this great portion of Scripture. Even though he struggled to find adequate words to describe what he saw, what he tells us sure sounds good!

As grand and magnificent as Heaven is, what makes Heaven eternally satisfying is that God is there! And His Son, Jesus is there! And the people of God are there!

The home you grew up in wasn't so much about the dwelling you lived in or the material possessions you had, it was about who lived there. Your parents were there! Your siblings where there. Love was there - unconditional love. Security was there. Acceptance was there. Encouragement and validation were there. Guidance and discipline were there. All of your emotional, physical and relational needs were met there.

If you happened to enjoy those things in a nice building in a fashionable neighborhood, that is all the better. But it wasn't the house that was significant it was the home!

Likewise, before we being the tour of Heaven, I want to focus on the main thing that makes Heaven, well - heavenly. It is relationships! It is being loved by God and by God's people. It is meeting Moses and Noah and Abraham and David and Daniel and all the other great heroes of the faith! It is never having to say good-bye again to family and friends. It is having those relationships that have added so much joy and value to our earthly life taken to new dimensions! Pure joy! Pure love! Pure trust! Perfect knowledge!

Heaven is a real place! Heaven is an unbelievably magnificent place! We can't conceive of it with human minds but even when we behold it we will struggle to comprehend it!

But far more significant than the splendor of the place will be the people who will be there!

Are you onen of them?

October 19, 2010

"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." Rev. 21:3

The late and great C. S. Lewis once said, "If nothing in this world satisfies me, perhaps it is because I was made for another world."

It is hard for me to find a shirt that fits. Here's why, my neck is pretty big, my arms are short, I am big through the shoulders and I am longer from the waist up than I am below the waist. So, to get a shirt that fits my neck then the sleeves are usually too long. If I get one with an athletic cut it fits me in the neck and shoulders but tends to be too short and I can't keep it tucked in. So, it seems I am destined to spend my days on planet earth tucking in my shirt-tail or rolling up my sleeves. My kingdom for a comfortable shirt!

For a believer, living in this world often feels like a tight pair of shoes - it just doesn't fit. We don't fit it and it does not fit us. It doesn't fit our vision or our values.

In this Scripture, John reminds us why that is so. This world is not our home. We were designed for eternity and for paradise and this world is neither eternal nor is it holy. As believers, we walk with Jesus and as we do He changes us and conforms us to His image. The more that happens the less this world fits.

Since Adam and Eve, who were designed for Paradise, were evicted from Eden there has been a longing in the human spirit. This latent and yet powerful desire has shaped every human culture and every political, social and economic system since that time. Wars have been fought over competing ideas of paradise or utopia. That is the source of the current conflicts we face with the war on terror abroad and the political strife at home.

This world is not our home. It will never fit right. Even though we spend our time, energy and money trying to add to our comfort level, it still never quite fits.

Christ never called us to fit into this world. He calls us to allow His World and His Spirit and the trials in this world to FIT US for His eternal Kingdom that He is preparing for us!

Are you devoting all your efforts to fit into this world or are you being shaped for His? How will you know the answer?

By the comfort level you have in this world. The less comfortable the fit, the more fit is your soul!