Then He who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.  And He said to me, Write, for these words are true and faithful.

Revelation 21:5

Christ is the Living Word of God.  The words that He speaks are, ‘true and faithful.’  It is important for us to be clear about these things because the world has many naysayers, who deny the Scriptures, and refuse to embrace the truth they reveal.  Against their refusal we proclaim, ‘All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.’  This inspiration extends to and includes what Christ has said about the future of civilization and the world.  This is why we are not fearful about the future.  While it is true that there are some terrifying, cataclysmic events predicted in the future, our consolation is, we know Him Who holds the future.  He has made promises in the past and we have read the history of how He fulfilled those promises.  We have experienced in our own lives His fulfillment of the promises He has given to those who rest by faith in Him.  Because of these fulfillments, we have every confidence He will fulfill His promises for the future.  Therefore, we believe that His words are ‘true and faithful.’  According to Peter in Acts 2, we are living in the last days.  The events described in Revelation will come to pass, yet we are not afraid.  Christ has made promises to us and Jesus never fails.

Our Glorious and Faithful God,
we rejoice that Your Word is forever sure.
We praise You that Christ will do all that He has promised
and that all shall be well.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’  And He said to me, ‘Write for these words are true and faithful.’

Revelation 21:5

Christ is not satisfied to merely renovate.  He makes all things new.  Our text reflects what He Who sits on the throne says.  We live in a tired, defective, care-worn world.  It will not always be so.  God gave John an insight into the future.  At the beginning of the chapter John wrote, ‘Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.  Also there was no more sea.’  He goes on to speak of seeing the ‘New Jerusalem’ coming down to the new earth.  He then speaks of Christ wiping away tears, and putting an end to death, sorrow, crying, and pain.  After all this, Christ says, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’   Christ does this for His redeemed people.  The next portion of the chapter includes a description of ‘the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’  These are those in whom Christ did a work of grace long before He made all things new.  He prepared them for this by making them new.  ‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.’  The work of redemption in the largest sense includes sanctification which is that work of God’s free grace that renews us in the whole person after the image of Christ.  It is that renewal which prepares us for the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem.  This all comes from Christ Who says, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’

Our Powerful, Creating God,
we rejoice that Your plan is to make all things new.
We praise You that You have done in us the work
that is necessary to prepare us to be part of that new creation.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

Revelation 21:4

We live in a world where all the things mentioned in our text are common.  All around us we behold death, sorrow, crying, and pain.  We shed tears often.  These conditions are the result of the entrance of sin and the perpetuation of it throughout the course of human history.  Regardless of how blindly optimistic the theorists are, we are, in fact, not getting better.  Who can fix what is broken; right what is wrong; straighten what is crooked, and address the issues which abound in the world?  Christ is the answer.  The verse before our text speaks of ‘the tabernacle of God.’  It says that this tabernacle will be ‘with man and He will dwell with them.’  Because the ’tabernacle’ is ‘He,’ we can only see in it a reference to Christ, Who is the living embodiment of God in a human dwelling or ‘tabernacle.’  Our text declares what He will do, ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’  Here is our hope for what shall be.  Here is the resolution of all the things that plague us.  Here is Christ, Who will wipe away every tear; put an end to death, sorrow, crying, and pain.   This is a future worthy of the hope.  We have hope in Christ Who has never failed to fulfill all that He has promised.

Our Gracious Savior and our never-failing God,
we rejoice that You have great things in store for us.
We praise You that You will do all that is necessary,
to right all the wrongs, and to fix what is broken.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burnign

A Hard Truth

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which  burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

Revelation 21:8

As we continue our consideration of the eternal state, and specifically, the things which God excludes from the Heavenly Kingdom, we arrive at a hard truth.  Not only  does God exclude certain things from heaven, but also, He excludes certain people as well.  We must embrace a Whole God, A Whole Christ, and a Whole Bible.  This means that there will be some exclusions from heaven.  Our text for today details who these people are, ‘…the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars….’  As surely as there is a heaven, there is also a hell.  As surely as there is a reward for righteousness, there is a punishment for unrighteousness.  This is the direct result of the Last Judgment, ‘The seas gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.  And they were judged, each one according to his works.’  Why is this important to those who are redeemed?  Remember, the people excluded from the Heavenly Kingdom are the predators, the users, the oppressors, and the manipulators.  These are those who have refused to repent.  These are those who are utterly out of Christ. It is Christ alone Who cleanses the soul from sin and fits us for Heaven.  Of every redeemed soul, the truth remains, ‘…and such were some of you….’ In additional to these reasons why God excludes these folk from His Presence, there is the fact that they are those who have been the great abusers of His little ones.  These are those for whom ‘it would be better…that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea….’  Christ is Loving, but Christ is Just.  He will repay evil, especially when it has affected His people.  ‘And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily….’  Let us today embrace a Just Christ Who is ever the Great Avenger of His little ones.

Our most Holy and Just God,
We praise You, that You make no errors in judgment.
We rejoice that You, ‘the Judge of all the earth, do right.’
Show us Your Way. Show us Your Glory.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning.

‘The Nation Of Those Who Are Saved’

And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.

Revelation 21:24

Who comprises the population of the Eternal Kingdom? John, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is very clear about who these people are. Our text summarizes it for us by describing them as, ‘the nations of those who are saved.’ How is it that they are ‘saved?’ John sets that forth early on in Revelation when, in his doxology he quotes the redeemed as saying, ‘To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God….’ It is the Redeemed who populate the Kingdom of Heaven. This is why we magnify the Grace of God. Our redemption is based wholly and solely upon the Grace of God. God Himself purposed it, planned it, executed it, has brought it unto fruition in everyone who has received it, and will see it through to its’ ultimate glorious conclusion. Salvation is, from start to finish, the work of God. All who populate the Kingdom of Heaven owe our presence there to the abundant, amazing Grace of the Sovereign God and His Saving Christ. It is a thing for which no human being can take credit. This is why we make much of Christ. This is why we disavow any goodness in ourselves. By Grace Alone; through Faith Alone; to God Alone be the glory. He is worthy and we are eternally glad.

Our Gracious Redeeming God,
we rejoice that You have made us Your Own,
by Free and Sovereign Grace.
We praise You, that we shall spend eternity
In Your Glorious Presence.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning