All Things New – Revelation 21-22
Dr. Kevin D. Glenn – Lead Pastor
The legend of the Fountain of Youth has endured for ages as men and women seek to turn back the clock. Today, you can visit and drink from a spring that feeds the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, Florida. While the spring in Florida is a gimmick, there are numerous options that promise to make us look and feel younger ranging from the sensible to the absurd.
There is a natural human fascination with newness, youthfulness, and everlasting life. According to Ecclesiastes, our obsession for the new is an expression of our hunger for the eternal. (Ecc 3:11).
This brings us to the end of the Apostles Creed, which declares that “We believe in the resurrection and life everlasting.” Our text is found at the end of the last book of the Bible. Perhaps the biggest reveal in the book of Revelation is not fear, or beasts, or angels and trumpets, but newness. How can an ancient text like Revelation, from an ancient faith like Christianity, inspired by God who is “older” than time itself effectively talk about renewal in a way that makes any sense for us today? How does renewal work in an old book that talks so much about the future?
Newness is a gift that has, is, and will eternally give to those willing to receive it.
1. Re-newed
• We think of newness in terms of youth. God describes newness in terms of quality.
• A Christian is someone who has received the truth as a living principle into their being and that truth is continually dawning on them - continually being “re-newed” in them.
2. Re-newed
• Every goal, every prayer, every decision, every request, all of life is arranged with Jesus as the end; not with Jesus as the means to some other end, but with him as THE start and finish.
• For Revelation, “the End” is not simply describing an event in time, but rather describing Jesus, the Lamb, as the true “End” of all things.
3. Re-newed
• Pessimism keeps you from
o Keeps you from being duped
o Keep you from legalism
• Optimism keeps you from
o Keeps you from falling victim to chance
o Keeps you from falling victim to society
o Keeps you from falling victim to Fear
• Gospel is realistic because it is immediately pessimistic, but eternally optimistic.
4. Re-newed
What does it mean for Christians that “Jesus is coming?”
• There is an assumption that Jesus has come and is already present. (1:12-20)
• The Christ who is present as Immanuel may “come” in local and contingent ways. (2:5, 16, 3:3)
• Christ, who is present will come in final defeat of evil and final redemption of his people. We are assured THAT the end will come but without knowing WHEN it will come.
• Jesus has come, is present, and will come again. The newness he’s bringing eternally can begin to renew you today.
Questions to Ponder
• Discuss “newness” as defined by quality, brilliance, strength, and freshness as opposed to short duration of time or simply being “young.”
• How does the idea that newness being about quality and not youth, challenge the boredom and lack of wonder present in the lives of many Christians?
• How do you respond to the statement, “For Revelation, ‘the End’ is not simply describing an event in time, but rather describing Jesus, the Lamb, as the true ‘End’ of all things.”
• What do you think of the idea that renewed realism consists of BOTH healthy optimism AND healthy pessimism? How could some complex issues in our culture be navigated better with a healthy dose of the optimism and pessimism described in the message?
• How might these visions of the New Heavens and New Earth lead people to be disinterested in the present world? Should this attitude be avoided? Why or why not, and how?
• How might these visions of the New Heavens and New Earth lead people to be more deeply engaged in the present world? Should this attitude be embraced? Why or why not, and how?
• How do you process the past, present, and future aspects of Jesus’ coming? How do these help us live in both patience and in expectation of his coming?
• Overall, how has your perspective toward the Apostle’s Creed been affected by this series? What have you learned? How have you been challenged? How have you been changed?
Bible Reference
Revelation 21-22
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.2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.3 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.4 ‘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.”5 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.”6 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.7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.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.”9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west.14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.15 The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls.16 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.17 The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick.18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.27 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.
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me.9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near.