We must be careful not...
Illustration
Object:
We must be careful not to take this passage too literally. That is true of much of the book of Revelation. All we can be sure of is that there will be a great change -- and it will be for the good of all believers. It seems like there will only be room for the "chosen" ones. As Jesus said, the road is narrow and the way is hard and only a few will pass through. Some people -- even Christians -- feel that a loving God would not allow any of his creation to be lost forever (some call it universal salvation).
If it is true that only a few will make it to this new heaven and earth, then it would seem we have a great responsibility to reach out to the world and preach the good news so that few will be lost. It is our responsibility -- with God's help. Every year is another opportunity to fulfill this responsibility.
We know that God is already living with us in our hearts, but this passage seems to say that he will be living in a new tabernacle that he has given us. A tabernacle is different from a temple in that it goes with us wherever we go -- wherever God sends us. It is not stationary.
There won't be any more crying. That will be mainly because there will be no more death, which is our greatest fear -- and pain. Our Lord will make everything new. The old order will pass away. Complete change will be seen if we look in our spiritual mirror.
The main difficulty I have with this passage is that it is in the now. It is not some future dream. The things God does for us are beyond our imagining. God became a part of us in our baptism and will always be with us as long as we don't force him out -- which he has given us the power to do. We may already be part of this new earth as long as we don't move.
It is the old things that will pass away. There are some things in our life that we would want to pass away and others that are so much a part of us that we want them with us always. Every Sunday we should see both the old that we want to leave behind us and the new that we will always want to be with us. Those thoughts should stay with us all week and not just on Sunday. We should look at a New Year as a new opportunity to strengthen God's Spirit in us.
If it is true that only a few will make it to this new heaven and earth, then it would seem we have a great responsibility to reach out to the world and preach the good news so that few will be lost. It is our responsibility -- with God's help. Every year is another opportunity to fulfill this responsibility.
We know that God is already living with us in our hearts, but this passage seems to say that he will be living in a new tabernacle that he has given us. A tabernacle is different from a temple in that it goes with us wherever we go -- wherever God sends us. It is not stationary.
There won't be any more crying. That will be mainly because there will be no more death, which is our greatest fear -- and pain. Our Lord will make everything new. The old order will pass away. Complete change will be seen if we look in our spiritual mirror.
The main difficulty I have with this passage is that it is in the now. It is not some future dream. The things God does for us are beyond our imagining. God became a part of us in our baptism and will always be with us as long as we don't force him out -- which he has given us the power to do. We may already be part of this new earth as long as we don't move.
It is the old things that will pass away. There are some things in our life that we would want to pass away and others that are so much a part of us that we want them with us always. Every Sunday we should see both the old that we want to leave behind us and the new that we will always want to be with us. Those thoughts should stay with us all week and not just on Sunday. We should look at a New Year as a new opportunity to strengthen God's Spirit in us.
