Part 3 of "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!" series
Revelation 21
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
“Look, I am making everything new!”
-What does God want to make new in your life?
-What needs renovation, restoration, rejuvenation, even resurrection?
-Will you surrender that part of your life?
-however you come to God today, he extends his invitation to make all things new, really to experience the kingdom life
-this is the story of the gospels, the message of Jesus (turn from selfishness and sin and experience new life, new beginnings, living for and in and through and by God)
-Religion says “I obey/conform, therefore I am accepted”
-The gospel/good news/the story and message of Jesus and the New Testatment tells us is “I am accepted and loved by God through Jesus Christ, therefore I obey/conform!” (Romans 12:1-2)
-This is the story of the Prodigal son Luke 15 – younger son spoils his inheritance and then comes back to the Father humbled; Jesus is all about making things new!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Galatians 6:15 (NLT)
It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not (attend church, read our bibles, give 10% or 90%, etc.). What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.
Colossians 3:10 (NLT)
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.
-have you been/are you being transformed (learning to know your Creator and becoming like him)? Are things being made new in your life? Are you experiencing new life and new fruit?
Andrew Peterson song (based of Ephesians 5 words), All Things New
-let the words “He Makes All Things News” sink deep, deep in to your heart – What Does He want to make new in you today? In what ways are you and I just sleeping – and need to wake up, rise up?
Come broken and weary. Come battered and bruised. My Jesus makes all things new, all things new. Come lost and abandoned. Come blown by the wind. He’ll bring you back home again, home again. Rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, the light of the dawn is upon you. Rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, he makes all things new.
Come frozen with shame. Come burning with guilt. My Jesus, he loves you still, he loves you still. Rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, the light of the dawn is upon you. Rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, he makes all things new. The world was good, the world is fallen, the world will be redeemed, so hold on to the promise. The stories are true that Jesus makes all things new. The dawn is upon you. Rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, the light of the dawn is upon you. Rise up, oh you sleeper, awake, he makes all things new.
