5/15/22 Rev. 21:1-6 “Please, Don’t Be too Late!”

12 May 5/15/22 Rev. 21:1-6 “Please, Don’t Be too Late!”

5/15/22   Rev. 21:1-6      “Please, Don’t Be too Late!”

One of our many downfalls in our modern society, is that we have a tendency not to look ahead.  We don’t really want to speculate on the future.  At the same time, we also don’t want to look into the past to see where we have been.  The movement today is for schools to try to get rid of or alter history so that it’s more politically correct.  That is about the most narrow-minded thinking there can be.  What we have instead of looking forward or looking back, is a society where we only live in the here and now.  This is another disastrous way of looking at things as we can see by just looking at our country.  Many of you know that my birthday is on New Year’s Day.  I’m not that big into celebrating it for many reasons, one which is that it comes after New Year’s Eve which entails lots of drinking.  So, I’m just not into it that much.  But I kind of like the premise behind the holiday.  It is time get rid of last year and we do this by reflecting back, and then start to focus on this year by looking ahead.  This theme can be seen in many places.  For instance, we see it in our clean up week.  It’s time to get rid of all our old junk and in the process, we get ready for some new junk.  The 4^th of July is another one where we look back at all the things that this country stands for and we honor it.  Then we look ahead to all the places and things where we might go and do.  Today, I would like us to take a look back, then the here and now and finally forward.  Let’s see if we can study the past and learn about it as look forward to a very solid future.

I would like to begin with a story I’ve told before that is so appropriate for today.  This comes from Dan Martella.   Once upon a time there was a lighthouse that stood on a rocky stretch of coastline that was well-known for its shipwrecks. At first it was just a small hut with a small boat and a small team of volunteers that kept a watchful eye on the seas. And every time a ship found itself in trouble, they braved the stormy seas to bring them in.

Over time the lighthouse became a popular lifesaving station that people frequented.  Men and women, boys and girls joined by the hundreds and learned how to be effective rescue workers.  They fixed the place up. They made it bright and attractive. Over time the vision began to shift and it became more of a country club.  Professional lifesavers were hired to do all the work, while the members stayed inside to enjoy each other’s company.

One night there was a terrible shipwreck off the coast and multiple crews brought in load after load of cold, wet people. They were dirty and sick. They were from all over the world. Their skin was different colors and they spoke different languages. And the beautiful club house became quite a mess taking care of all those people.

The next week the board of directors met together and said, “This is not right. We should not be messing up sacred spaces.” So, they built a shower house outside the club so people could clean themselves up before coming in.  The next lifesaving station meeting was fractious.  The people said, “Look, we want to get out of the lifesaving business. We’ve got a very comfortable place here. We all know each other. We all know the club rules. Bringing outsiders inside messes everything up.

In that same meeting was a minority group who stood to say, “Lifesaving is the reason why we are here. That’s our mission, and everything we do around here ought to have something to do with lifesaving.”

The lifesavers were voted down, so they moved down the coast and built a modest lifesaving station. And a few years later, the same thing happened again. Lots of people joined. They fixed the place up. It got dirty every time shipwrecked people were brought in. And so, they turned the whole place into a members’ only country club.  And now there are a number of exclusive country clubs along that shoreline. And still shipwrecks happen all the time. And a lot of people die.  This is very similar to the situation you are going through right now with this divisive church split.  The eternal life of people you love may be at stake!

As we begin to look at this Scripture, we find a new heaven and new earth as the first heaven and first earth have passed away.  I would like us to notice that we have a relationship with the old earth and heaven.  This was the place where we were raised.  It has been our home for so many years.  And what a home it was.

For example, we have had many famines over the centuries.  Millions of people have died from starvation.  We have had sickness and plagues that have killed millions.  We have had war after war.  This so-called COVID-19 pandemic has been minor compared to some of our passed illnesses.  We have had natural disasters that have wiped out millions of people.  It seems that no matter where we turn, we find more ways and things that are killing us off at an alarming rate.  I don’t see that this will end anytime into the future unless Jesus comes back.  I could go on listing things here but I hope you get what I mean.  This old earth isn’t such a great place to live.  But we love it because right now it is the only place we have to live.

We also will get a new heaven.  Now heaven is a perfect place so why would God to make it new?  In God’s infinite wisdom, He will make everything new.  He cleanses earth and He will cleanse heaven.  He will do this because He has talked about it many times in the Bible.  Now I don’t know why this is but it is enough for me that God says that this will happen.  I’m not near smart enough to know or understand why this is but just that it is.  I know that God has never been wrong and He won’t be wrong here either.  I am totally for following the Bible in all we do.

There is a parallel here that I want to point out.  The UMC is the old earth.  There are so many things wrong with this old way.  The biggest problem with the UMC is that they don’t believe or follow Scripture.  They will tell you they do but they don’t in practice.  If you ever listen to them, they will only tell you about the good things of the Bible, the love.  They will not tell you and they will ignore all the judgment of the Bible.  They have become a country club that lines the ocean shore.  They are interested in following the world to where ever that may lead.  So far it has led to favoring abortions, supporting 54 different genders and leading their people down a very wrong road.  The UMC is on the path that will lead to destruction and that is Biblical.  Just as the Catholic church needed reform when Luther came along and the church of England needed reform when John Wesley came along, so it is today that the UMC needs major reform and Global Methodist Church has come along.   As strange as it sounds, the Global Methodist Church represents the status quo.  They want to slow things down a little before they leap into something that may not be Biblical.

But enough of that, let’s keep in mind some of the parallels we talked about or will talk about.  We have already talked a little about the new heaven and new earth.  God is going to start the world new.  There will be nothing of the old order of things for all will be new.  It’s like when you get a new car.  It is new.  There is nothing like it.  It looks new, feels new, acts new.  There is nothing quite like a new car and it’s the same way with our new heaven and new earth.  Have you ever wondered why everyone doesn’t get to heaven?  The only way to heaven and I repeat, the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ.  You have to be cleansed by Jesus as you confess your sins and ask Him to live in your heart as your Lord and Savior.  Just being in church doesn’t do it.  The reason for this is that heaven is a perfect place.  God will not let anyone in who hasn’t been cleansed by Jesus Christ.  He will keep heaven perfect for all of us who live in Jesus Christ.  This is basic Christianity 101.  You won’t find many in the present Methodist Church who will talk about this because they don’t believe it.  However, this comes straight from Scripture so I know, I know for a fact that this is true.

Jerusalem was for the Jews and Christians, their holy city.  The Temple was beautiful and tremendous.  It was the center of their world.  God will destroy it when the old earth passes away.  But God is not going to leave them orphans.  He is going to bring back a new Jerusalem.  And it will be mighty.  We read in other places that the new Jerusalem will be about 1200 miles long, 1200 miles wide and 1200 miles deep.  And it’s not going to be just on the surface.  It will be a solid city.

This is one of the things in Revelation that is really hard to believe.  So, what most scholars do is to try to explain it away like saying this is impossible.  Or they might try to insult our personal integrity by saying something like only a fool would believe in something like this.  They say the same thing about the resurrection and most of the miracles.  And by the way, this is how most instructors at our seminaries view things.  It was so disappointing to be in seminary because most of the teachers weren’t even believers.  Anyway, this new city will be tremendous.  It is really far, far beyond our imagination.

This will be your new home if…if you have asked Jesus to live in your heart as your Lord and Savior.  I can’t repeat this enough!  And as good as this will be, there is even more.  God will live with you in this city.  You will be with Him and He will be with you.  You will be one of His people and He will be your God.  You will have access to Him like you have never known before.

In our world today, most people have quit believing.  They would rather chase the things of this world where there is no satisfaction.  You will never know satisfaction unless you know Jesus.  This New Jerusalem will also be a perfect place.  There can be nothing bad there because, as we’ve seen, God won’t let evil in, not even a little bit.  He loves us as a people and won’t let the evil one torment us as the devil does in this world.

Now remember that this is the word of God so you know that it is true.  There is no falsehood here.  God will personally wipe every tear from your eyes.  There will be no more crying.  There will be no more death.  Your funeral will be the last one you ever attend.  Plus, there will be no more pain.  I know that there are several people listening today who have chronic pain.  This will be huge for you.  God then says that the old order of things will be in the past.

Everything will change when this happens.  There will be no more wars.  There will be no more poverty.  We will all have more than enough of anything and everything.  Plus, there will be no more church fights like we are in now.  The main problem with the present split in the UMC is that each side, each person, says that ‘I am right!’  They have demonstrations shouting out, “I am right. I am right.’  They also think everyone else is wrong.  They say, ‘I am right, so listen to me or I will quit.’  Wow!  I didn’t know that you could quit Christ.  It wouldn’t surprise me to find the many of the people leading the split aren’t even Christian.  Think about that for a minute!

God says, “I am making everything new.”  He does this because of the love He has for everyone.  You will be somewhat the same but also very different.  Most of the things we do now, will not be done in heaven.  You will never be bored because you will be doing the things you love to do and you will be doing them for the Lord.  Your mentality will change so that anything you do for the Lord will be the greatest thing you can do.  I can’t even begin to describe it.  As a matter of fact, it will be so great, so wonderful that I don’t think that anyone has ever been able to describe it.  This will be your new home forever.

Then He says that He is the Beginning and the End.  In other words, God has always been here and He always will be for infinity into the future.  There is so much hope, comfort and love in this one sentence.  Remember that this is true.  This is God talking and not some man.  Then He says, “To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.”

This is the best deal ever and it will also keep those who don’t believe out of heaven.  This is unfortunate but it’s the way it is.  Everyone has a chance to come to Christ.  Most people turn it down.  Just because you come to church doesn’t mean that you will get to heaven.  You have to come through Christ for there is no other way.  Several denominations tell us that there are many ways to heaven.  But this is not according to the Bible.  There is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ.  The UMC is fast becoming a church where you can believe what you want and it is ok with them.  Well, it may be ok with that church but it definitely isn’t the way to heaven.

And that is the crux of everything.  You can follow the ways of the world and many so-called Christian denominations, and you will end up in a place where you don’t want to be.  But you will think you are doing great until it’s too late.  Please don’t be too late.

Jesus Christ loves you, you more than you will ever know.  This passage tells you of the place He has prepared for you.  It is so good that it’s beyond words.  It’s beyond our imagination.  And it will be all yours if you just follow Jesus.  That is the best deal that you will ever get in this world.  Please, don’t be fooled by the other side.  Stand with Jesus and be alive.  And thank you Jesus for first loving us.  Let’s pray.