Begin Each Moment with God’s End in Mind

To tell and to share the greatest story that's ever been told. In Proverbs 29 and verse 18, it says, where there is no vision, the people perish. And so, those that are citizens of the coming kingdom of God, we need to have vision, and that's why God gives us these holy days. It kind of matches what Steve Covey said some years ago in that very famous book that he wrote about seven habits of highly effective people. He said that we need to begin with the end in mind. We need to begin with the end in mind. And this afternoon, if you think in a sense as we've been going through the holy days all through the year, that God has been telling us the story. But on the eighth day, that mega-day that Mr. Miller spoke about this morning, this is the exclamation point. This is not necessarily the end, but it's the beginning of eternity, of relationship with our Father and with His Son and with all of the saints of God that are welcoming to the heavenly New Jerusalem. I'd like to give you the title of my message up front.

Again, I've got to apologize. My wife loves me to give titles that are three to four words. This is kind of multiplied, but I'll say it slowly. It'll kind of match what we've been to so far. The title of my message is simply this. Begin each moment with God's end in mind. Begin each moment, each and every moment, with God's end in mind.

And speaking about that, we're going to unpack reading through Revelation 21 and 22. We're not going to be doing a lot of scripture hopping this afternoon, because the story is right here. It's about the end. But then the next beginning, for all that we heard about that John was mentioning about those that are going to be resurrected and brought up to know God the Father through Jesus Christ for the very first time.

And to recognize that that's what we're shooting for. So what I want to share with you right now is whatever you are going through right now, whatever you're going through it. I'm looking at the front row, doing a vision test.

I'm looking at you in the middle. And I'm talking to all of you that are at the very end. It's to recognize no matter what you are going through right now and or will, that God has already written the final chapter. You're included in it. So in a sense, you know, all of us growing up, we'd always kind of get a book and we'd want to sneak to the final chapter and read the end. Well, that's kind of what we're going to do, because we've been rehearsing everything up to that point during the year.

So we're going to get right to the end. But there are some key concepts that I'd like to share with you. We're going to unpack for a moment. I would hope that these five echoes, these five echoes of Scripture will come down to you when you need it during this year to set you on course. This is going to go very rapidly. There are five. But these are what I consider the great echoes of Scripture, which after all is the voice of God in print.

Number one, let us make man in our image. Let us make man in our image. And we actually understand as Christians that that's twofold. There is the physical creation and there is the spiritual creation to be made in God's image. He made us first in the kingdom of dust, but He's now allowed us through His Son. The Father allows us now to be this spiritual creation. Number two.

Number two. I shall be your God and you shall be my people. We're going to see that as we read through. That was the call to Abram. That was the call to Israel through Moses. And that's even the call to the Gentiles, through the words and the encouragement of God through the Apostle Paul. Number three. That is, we've been called to pilgrimage. You and I have been called to pilgrimage.

We're on a journey as much as ancient as Abram was, as Israel was. This is not our world. We're being called to something else. Remember this. I'll just do it once. We're just passing through. What were they passing through to? Join me if you would for a moment in Hebrews 11, because we're going to be talking about their end, what they had in mind. Hebrews 11. Notice what it says here in Hebrews 11. And let's put up the thought in verse 13. These all died in faith. These all died in faith.

Not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them. They were more real than the sun above, the moon that comes out at night, and the breath that we draw. They were assured of them. But having seen them afar off, were assured, embraced them, confessed them that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland, and truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better that is a heavenly country.

Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. So that's what we're going to be talking about today. We're going to be talking about that city that God has prepared for us.

We're going to meander and wander and stop a little bit, get back up and move through Revelation 21 and 22. I want to share something with you. This group, 140, 160 strong, whatever it is, you and I have been called to this moment right now on the eighth day. For such a time as now, the kingdom has come to you through the words that have been spoken during this festival, the fellowship that we've had, some of the mishaps that we have had during the feast that we've had to confront, had to overcome, and thank God that God gives us a thousand years during this week to retool, re-up, come back by His might, by His strength, by His power, and by His love.

Number four, I am holy, therefore you be holy. God is indeed the clarion and consistent call of Scripture from Leviticus to 1 Peter. I am holy, therefore you be holy. And we're going to talk about the outcome of that in just a moment. And number five, allow me to share that with you. God in Isaiah 46, 9 through 10 does exactly... He was way ahead of Mr. Covey. He says, I have declared the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end, and I will do my pleasure, I will do my purpose, and I will do it.

So let's have that confidence. A question. A question. Before Jesus died, He said, I go and I prepare a place for you. I just want to give that as an intro because we're going to be talking about what He's been doing all along. To begin with, join me if you would in 1 Corinthians 15. In 1 Corinthians 15, why does God the Father love Jesus Christ, His Son, so very, very much? In 1 Corinthians 15, and picking up the thought in verse 22, John left off here... I'm going to go a little bit further, but each one and his owner Christ the first fruits, afterwards those that are Christ at His coming.

Then comes the end. When He, that is speaking of Jesus Christ, sometimes you see the He's and the Him's, and you've got to identify who is being spoken about. Is it God the Father, or is it Jesus Christ? But it says here, then comes the end when He, that's speaking of the Christ, notice, delivers the kingdom to God, the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority.

And power. Amazing. What a transition. What a transfer. Here's Jesus Christ, the stone that breaks the kingdoms, brings the kingdom to this earth. All come to Jerusalem during that time, etc., etc. In a sense you would think that He is at the top, but then what He does, the wheel turns one more time as we now enter eternity. And before that He offers up. He surrenders once again, not only in death as a human being, but as the Lamb of God, the exalted Jesus Christ.

He raises up and lifts up all that is underneath Him, and He gives it to the Father. That is why God, the Father, and Jesus Christ have this love for one another. They have no problem upstairs loving one another. Sometimes it's down here, downstairs, where we try to figure them out too much, that we dissect them and we pull them apart, recognizing that the greatest love affair in eternity is the one by these two uncreated beings. The one that was God and the one that was the Word, the one that we now know under the New Covenant as God the Father and Jesus Christ. So this is what He's been about.

His Father's business. Not only when He was age 12 in the temple complex, but when you look at 1 Corinthians 15, remember this always, He is never through in being about His Father's business. The Father is the Chairman of the Board.

Jesus is the President. And boy, do they have a wonderful thing going. Join me now as we go to chapter 21. We're going to just read through it. It might not be any new truth. Hopefully there won't be any old error. So here we go. Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth passed away, and also there was no more sea.

When you think of Revelation 21, beg me to take you back or allow me, indulge me to take you back to Genesis 1. In the beginning was God, and He created what? The heavens and the earth. Remember Jesus' prayer when He said, if you pray to God above, this is how you ought to pray. Your will be done in heaven, in earth as in heaven. Now again at the end of Scripture you see this heaven and earth. God has always looked at heaven and earth being one. Some religions have people trying to escape earth to go to heaven, but God looks at earth and heaven as one all underneath His sphere.

And so I saw a new heaven and a new earth. Now it's very important when you look at the word new there. New there means completely different, completely different. In contrast to all that has been before, the word is kenos with a K. It's different. It's not just simply new and improved. I know all of us have experienced new and improved.

We go to the market, you see something new and improved, right? Might be toothpaste, but you also understand something else is new about it. The tube is smaller and it costs more, and therefore it's new and improved. That's not what God is talking about. This is bigger, this is greater, this is wonderment, this is fantastic. And it is so incredible that His Son died that you and I might experience it. For the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross. His wrists were nailed, not His hands. If His hands had been nailed, they would have been shredded. In Roman crucifixion you were nailed by the wrist.

And as I'll show you later, I believe those holes are still there. I haven't been up there yet, but I have this feeling. Because 31 times in the book of Revelation, He keeps on talking about the Lamb of God. He will forever be that Lamb of God that we will love and adore for what He and the Father did on our behalf. No, this is completely different. It says, passed away. The word there in the Greek actually means disappeared.

The world that we know, this terra firma, is dissolved, is taken away. And not only that, notice this one that we often look around, it says, and also there will be no more sea. No more sea. What does that mean? Understand this is apocalyptic. It's imagery, it's color, it's flavor, word-wise, but it has definite outcomes. It's not just woofy woofy. It really means something. In the ancient world, in the ancient world, the people of antiquity were scared of oceans, scared of seas.

A lot of the traffic to begin with until the Phoenicians and the Greeks came along, the people were basically coast huggers. They went around the coast, going down out into the deep. Well, that's where the monsters were. That's where the big fish were. That's where ships sank. There was a fear of going into the sea. What God is saying here through the language of the Bible that is used here in Revelation is, there's going to be no more barriers. Seas have created barriers between peoples, races, ethnic groups, linguistic groups, empires. There's going to be no more barriers.

Those, too, are going to be dissolved. Think of the barriers that you and I confront as we're going to go out this coming year. Seas and oceans that part families, part members within families, part congregants within a congregation, part our citizens when we think of the song that Mark sang the other night about the flag. Barriers. When you come up against those barriers this year, remember, not by your might, not by your power, but by God's Spirit, that you are to understand that you need to have no more seas.

No more seas. This is one of the great no-mores in the Scripture. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride, adorned for her husband. What a beautiful and what a wonderful picture. I've had, as a pastor, many an opportunity to marry people. You know, the guys come up and they stand here and, you know, the family's sat and the guy stands here and then they have some music. And normally, you kind of set off the bride, you know.

She's either walking downstairs or all of a sudden the doors open and to recognize normally when the bridesmaids come out, you know, they're taking picture. They kind of step for a moment, take a picture, and step and take a picture. But when the bride comes out, it's not 1001 and you take off. Take on the walk. No. The bride stands there for a moment and everybody rises and they look at the bride and there she is, framed in the doorway or whatever's happening.

There's what we call a moment. This is the moment and this is what is being said, where it says that it comes down from heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle or the dwelling of God with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself will be with them and be and be their God. There's one of those echoes that is coming down. God has always wanted to dwell. God's always wanted to dwell with his special creation that he made on the sixth day.

He created Adam. He created Eve and when he created Adam and he looked down at Adam and Adam woke with those eyes and those eyes opened up. God wanted to have that eye contact with them. He wanted to have that moment of wonderment with this creation. I will be yours and you will be mine. We will compact. In fact, I'm going to give you this paradise called Eden all around. I want to walk. I want to talk. I want relationship with you. I want to love you. That would come down later on to Israel where Israel would be his beloved, a firstborn people, Jeremiah 2 and verse 3.

And the tabernacle, when they were in the wilderness, the tabernacle would be right in the middle of all of the different encampments, right in the middle.

You didn't have to, you know, God was to be always in the middle of his people.

This is going to happen in the future in this new age. Not an age, that's a bad term. In eternity.

In eternity. He's going to tabernacle and God notice will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. Oh, I love that. It's like the pounding of the nail. Nor, nor not, no longer, no more. No more crying. And there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. They simply are no longer. Notice the intimacy.

Break it down a moment. Stay with me in verse 4, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Has your child ever come up when they were young, they were crying, and then I'd be crying on your shoulder?

Maybe your wife has been crying on your shoulder. Maybe you've been crying on your wife's shoulder, guys.

Women love to see men cry. They know there's something in us.

Those warm tears, salty tears. It says that I speak to each and every one of us, our God, our Father. Because this is about God. You have to understand when it's talking about God the Father and when it's talking about Jesus Christ. Right now, this is the Father coming down from heaven, and it says, and He, He shall wipe away every tear. He puts His finger. He makes it personal. He makes it intimate. He puts the touch on you and me.

And there'll be no more death. There'll be no more sorrow. There'll be no more barriers.

As John was speaking about the situation with him and Susan and their young one, I'll just share something what this day means to me. If I can get through it, it's not always good.

What I'm saying is that I had a brother named Flip. His real name is Phillip.

And he was my hero. Most big brothers are.

And the last time I saw Flip, my parents were taking him to the hospital. Something had happened to Flip. I didn't understand it. I was eight years old. He was nearly 13 years old.

And my mother had dresses both in bathrobes to kind of get ready. She was going to drop me off because Flip had to go to the hospital. And while I looked at him, beaming up at him, because I tend to be a smiley, friendly, beamer kind of person, I was looking at my big brother. But I was looking at him not with happy Robin, but seemingly must have been with concern. And my brother said, Robin, what are you doing? You're acting like you're going to never see me again.

I was dropped off.

I never saw my brother again. Amazing how those moments come at you.

I went to see my brother again. He was a much, much better person than I was.

God kept me on earth because I have so much work yet to learn about myself through him.

Every one of us in a sense out here have a Miller child, Robin's big brother.

I miss him. Susan knows that. Still comes at me sometimes. But on this day, there will be no more death. There will be no more sorrow. There will be no more seas. And we will all be under the toolage of God the Father and Jesus Christ. That's going to be so beautiful. And then it says here, then he who sat on the throne said, Behold, I will make all things new. And he said to me, Right for these words are true and faithful. And he said to me, This is the Father now. He said to me, It is done. Remember the echo? I will do it. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and I will give the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts there. Now we normally do think of Jesus' words in Psalms, excuse me, John 737, also in John 4 about the living water. But again, when it says all of this, this is still speaking at this point of the Father. So we have to understand the different conversations that are going in when he says that he is the Alpha and Omega. We often think of Jesus' proclamation about the Alpha and the Omega. Guess what? They are both the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. We often think, well, that's Greek, alphabet, from A to Z. But there's more to that, the Alpha and Omega. It's not just the beginning, it's not the end, it's everything in between. He is all in all.

Everything that is is accomplishing towards his purpose. Now notice what it says here in verse 7, He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

There it is. There's the echo. God never changes. What we hear in the Old Testament, we hear in the New Testament. Augustine of Hippo said back in the early fifth century that the New Testament is concealed in the Old Testament, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament. They are one ongoing story. Never changes. Simply extends and expands and becomes inclusive. Just as John was mentioning this morning about Ezekiel 37 with Israel. It's speaking at first in Ezekiel 37 of Israel and the house of Israel, but lest we make a mistake, Israel was a model for humanity, but it does not have a monopoly on God's attention. What God is doing with Israel extends, it expands, it becomes, because God wants everybody that has made what? In his image and his likeness to be in his family forever. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolatchers, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death. Join me if you would for a moment in 2 Peter 3. Why is that? Why is there this division at that time as eternity, as we enter into eternity with God the Father? Join me in Jesus Christ. Join me if you would in 1 Peter.

2 Peter, pardon me, 2 Peter, and join me in chapter 3.

In 2 Peter chapter 3, it says, Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, as is mentioned in Revelation 21, verse 1, 2, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look forward to the new heaven and the new earth and notice which righteousness dwells.

And that is why in that sense this is the eighth day. The eighth day and what that meant.

Some of you that are just coming into this way of life may not understand. You say, well, what do you mean the eighth day?

Is that it? That's all?

No, the eighth day has incredible significance throughout the scripture. Allow me just to take you down a journey of the importance of the term eighth and what happened on the eighth day. You might want to jot this down. We're going to unpack it rather rapidly so we can get to Revelation 22.

Number one, circumcision was performed on the eighth day.

Concentration of the firstborn son and animals was on the eighth day.

The priesthood, number three, the priesthood and the tabernacle were concentrated on the eighth day.

Number four, the original creation was framed and consist in this current heaven and earth in seven days.

Thus, eight is something outside of that initial material creation.

Why eight? It speaks of a new creation. It speaks of consecration. It speaks of setting apart.

And as we enter this eighth day, one day, it is that which is beyond the physical creation.

Even the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15 that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Do you know why? If we just stay in this earthly frame, or however God will do it, or glorify us, or whatever, we just don't have... We're doing pretty well right now. You're here. You've got the Spirit. But we don't have the total equipment yet to expand our lives. We don't have the total equipment yet to experience God. We just don't have it yet. He's going to give it to us. How many of you, just a question. You can confess on this one. It's not a bad confession. How many of you would like to meet your Heavenly Father up close and personal and stare into His face? I'm going to raise my hand just to... Okay, good. Some of you, we'll talk to you later. Okay, no, just a minute. No, is that just joking? But that's what the Scripture says. That the day has come in 1 John 3, it says, and we shall see Him face to face. We just suddenly have the equipment right now. So God not only created us in this kingdom of dust first, and now He's allowed us to be a spiritual creation before Him, but He's going to give us the glorified equipment.

To experience eternity, but what would eternity be without having that relationship with God and talking with the Father in person? And talking with the Lamb in person beyond that, where it says in Paul's epistle, it says that unapproachable light.

Begin with that end in mind.

And as you do, as you move towards that end, to recognize that moving towards that is not merely a destination. It's the way that you travel now. Because when we notice verse 13, it says here, in which righteousness dwells, there's going to be no unclean thing.

Verse 8, therefore, then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, Come, and I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife. That's you. That's me. This angel seems to be the same angel that perhaps spoke against Babylon and gave God's judgment on Babylon. But now He's showing the righteous judgment upon the righteous that have surrendered their lives in this lifetime, have surrendered their life because of the Lamb, and given their life to the Father, and given that life through every piece of life's chapters, whether it be green pastures, whether it be still waters, whether it be walking through the valley of the shadow of death, that we know that our Shepherd, as David said, my Shepherd, in whom I shall not want, is going to be with you this year, you that are in Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and wherever you are, you are not alone. Notice what it says here. Then it says, And He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and a high mount, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. Dear friends, fellow pilgrims, saints of the Most High, picture yourself not only watching this happen, but you're going to be a part of the happening. You're going to be a part of what comes down from heaven. I'm going to show you that in a moment. And it says here, where it says, Having the glory of God, her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Seemingly, God Himself is the source of light. He is the one that said, Let there be light. This is speaking of this heavenly Jerusalem coming down anew, as the other is dissolved, and it is totally radiant, totally radiant because of uncreated light. You can just jot down 1 Timothy 5.16, where it speaks about light that is you just can't touch. But not only that, I'm going to share a thought with you. It also says, jot this down later, homework, Philippians 2.15. It speaks about the radiance of the saints. I think this is a tufur. I think this heavenly Jerusalem is coming down or is now existing. Obviously, are you with me? Obviously, first and foremost, is about that uncreated light, that unapproachable light. But now, now, are you with me? You're going to have the new equipment. You're going to have the glorified bod, D. You're going to be able to experience God up close and personal. You're going to be a citizen of that kingdom experience of eternity, this new Jerusalem. Having the glory of God, her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Also, she had a great high wall with 12 gates and 12 angels at the gates and names written on them, which are the names of the 12 tribes of the children of Israel. Three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, three gates on the west, and now the wall of the city had 12 foundations, and on them were the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. Do you know what God's doing here, as this is written to that first century church that needed encouragement, that needed to know that every moment of theirs as they were under the Roman Empire, every moment of theirs had to begin with the end in mind? They look at this and we see this inclusion of that which happened in the Old Testament with the New Testament. We see the tribes of Israel mentioned. We see the names of the apostles mentioned. We notice that it speaks about the wall. The wall comes out of Isaiah 26 in verse 1. It speaks about the walls of salvation. You have to understand apocalyptic literature.

The walls of salvation. God is our fortress. God is our rock. The salvation is what gives us the protection and the security that we have. This is all invested in this New Jerusalem.

And notice—stay with me a second, please—notice the inclusion.

This is not the first garden that is barred by caribs where there was a door.

And the bouncers, the angelic bouncers, were at the door.

You didn't want to mess with caribs if you've ever read what a carib looks like.

But now we have an angel at all 12 gates. They've gone from being bouncers to a welcoming committee.

For you. For me. In that sense, we're going to meet these angels.

As we say in California, isn't that cool? We're going to meet them.

They're going to call us by name. You are a son of the living God. Thank you. You're here.

And others that we have not yet met, especially as John brought up the aspect of that great multitude of people that are yet to come up. And notice what it says here.

Now the wall of the city had 12 foundations on each of the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb.

But each of those apostles, those 12 layers of foundation are built upon what Paul said, no man can lay any other foundation than that of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3 and verse 11.

Verse 15, in he who talked with him, he had a golden reed to measure the city, its gates, and its walls. Now maybe you've never heard this before, so stand by for the next five minutes.

And the city is laid out as a square. Its length is as great as its breadth, and he measured the city with a reed. 12,000 furlongs. Its length, its breadth, its height are equal. And then he measured its wall, 144 cubits, according to the measure of a man. That is of an angel.

The construction of its wall was of jasper, and the city was pure gold like clear glass.

I've seen, and you have too, most likely seen many a sketch of what we call the New Jerusalem. We see this kind of golden cube, kind of circulating in space.

I think this speaks much more to something of a greater significance, if I can be daring enough to mention that. What we notice here is, and again you have to understand the sense of apocalyptic literature. And it's not wiffy, it's not cloudy, it really does have a significance when you boil it down and understand. I think God is speaking of something much bigger.

We're in eternity now. God's thrown out his measuring tape. There's something else that's being spoken about here. 12 times 12, and you see these numbers here, 12 times 12 is a cube.

A cube was a design of perfection in the minds of the Jews and of the Greeks.

The walls are multiple, 12 times 12, or 144 again. In other words, what is being described here is a perfect cube. Think of this for a moment, that Solomon's temple, the Holy of Holies, of which where was the presence of God. Remember where heaven touches earth, and God would set up shop and come down. But of course, at times he would come and he would go. The cloud would come and it would go. But we have something else happening here. God is getting across the aspect of holiness. Only righteousness, only his presence, only the presence of the Lamb, and only those that have given their life away, such as you and me, and through the grace of God, and through the model of Jesus Christ, and through his Holy Spirit that abides in us both the Spirit of the Father and the Son, that we have striven as much as possible to be holy as he is holy. And when we don't, and when I don't, and when you don't, he always waits at the porch.

He always waits for the return.

Let us go out from this fisight and know that we worship a loving God, a gracious God, a forgiving God. And he does what only he can do, but he asks us to strive as best as possible to be holy as he is holy. Verse 19, the foundation of the walls of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation was Jasper, the second sapphire, the third chausodony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonic. How would you like to read all these just off the cuff? The seventh chrysolite, the eighth barrel, the ninth topaz, the tenth caterel praise.

You agreed. The eleventh jacinth and the twelfth amethyst. Now notice this. This is a biggie. Verse 21. The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, the transparent glass. You know, men down through the centuries, and especially in the southwest where I'm from, we study about Coronado and De Soto and different of the Spanish conquistadores. They were always looking for El Dorado, El Dorado, the city of gold.

This is El Dorado. This is a city of value. And notice here what it says in verse 21.

Each of the gates had a what?

What did each gate have on it? Help me. Somebody, go ahead, please. A pearl. Isn't that interesting? That's when you're supposed to say, not, yes, that's interesting, because I'm going to explain it. What did Jesus say in his parables that there were those that gave up everything for what? That pearl of great price. Houston, we've landed. This is it.

Being a part of the heavenly Jerusalem.

And when God called us, maybe we didn't even know it existed, but it does.

And he wants you, and he wants me to exist in it.

Wow. Here it is. The pearl of great price.

And you're going to be a part of that. And you're going to see that.

You're going to see that landing.

And you and I, the most important thing, remember what I expressed about eternity?

Eternity is not a destination. It's a relationship.

It's a bonding.

How often have we gone to an airport and we say that we're waiting for a plane or we're waiting for the jet to arrive? My question to all of you is simply this. Are we waiting for the jet to arrive?

Or are we waiting for somebody to step off that jet?

That we love? And you're going like that? Oh, they're there. You know, if you haven't seen, you know, you get all excited. See, that's what the kingdom is like. And that's the kind of individual that's going to be in that kingdom.

It's not only that they love God because what He gives them, but because who He is.

God doesn't need your love, but He desires our love because God is life inherent. And yet He created us, just like He did to Adam, to go to eyeball to eyeball and to look at one another, to embrace one another spiritually, emotionally, physically. Every time you go to the airport from now on, I want you to remember that.

It's not that the plane has arrived, but it's that person stepping off of the plane of why you're at that airport, of why we're here. God has already given us so much that He doesn't need to give us anything more. He's already given us His Son. He's given us His truth of understanding through the Holy Scriptures. He wants to know that you truly love Him with all of your heart, and all of your mind, and all of your soul. Notice what it says here, though. But I saw no temple in verse 22. For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

This city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it. For the glory of God illuminated the land is its light. I AM the light of the world, as He said in the Scriptures.

And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the King of the earth bring their glory and honor to it. Again, think of this being written about 85 to 90 AD. To the peoples, especially when you understand that there is a large contingent of the saints in Asia Minor, but I'm sure this spread out to others. And the nations had come. This is speaking of the inclusiveness and the expansiveness of God's plan beyond Israel. Even to this day, the Jewish community, if you go up to East Cleveland, the Jewish community will always speak of the nations.

When you go to the book of Daniel, it talks about all nations, kindreds, tribes, and tongues.

This is speaking of the expansion and the inclusiveness of what the Kingdom is going to be like.

Everybody that is made in God's image.

White, black, brown, purple.

Whatever.

Israel was and always will be a model, but it does not have a monopoly on God's attention.

We are today, Galatians 6, 16, the Israel, the spiritual Israel of God. The nations are going to be saved, and it's not notices and its gates shall not be shut at all. By day there shall be no night there. The gates will not be closed.

Do you think the doors are closed today in Chicago at nighttime?

Do you think the doors are closed in Los Angeles at nighttime today?

For you that live around Philly or New York, I think they're closing their gates and their doors at nighttime.

Imagine a world where there are no walls, no seas, gates that are open.

Imagine that world and you begin with that end in mind every day and every moment of your life.

And allow that to be a much better compass than Columbus had when he came over to the Western Hemisphere.

A guy who didn't know where he was going, didn't know where he was when he got there, and didn't know how to describe it when he got back to Ferdinand and Isabella. I think we have a head start with the compass that God has given us, his holy word. And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations to it. But there shall be no means enter anything that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Chapter 22. We've got time. Chapter 22. We've got time. Chapter 22 in verse 1. And he showed me a pure river of water, of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. As Mr. Paz brought out to us one of the opening messages, we have now entered the garden experience, Eden in that sense. The heavenly Jerusalem is in a type, in a garden setting, to allow us to understand what is there by using physical terms to understand what is going to be there. It speaks of pure living water, thinking of John's message. Proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Never ever separate the Father from the Lamb.

If you're reading about the Father, look for the Lamb. If you're reading about the Lamb, look for the intro from the Father. Remember, they love one another. They have worked together for eternity. My Father works, and so do I. But always ultimately conjoined them together as the team that they are.

In the middle of its street, and on either borp of twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit. Every month, the leaves of the trees were for the healing of the nations. Imagine the healing that the nations need. Think of the developing nations and the challenge that they have every day. I think of our own dear brethren that in Southern California are all of our congregations, two circuits. As I'm sure some of you did, we were able to help our members, our brothers in Christ, in Zambia, and in Cameroon, and in different parts of... Over there, because we think we have inflation here, it has doubly impacted the world.

They were going to go to the feast, and they were already told ahead of time that they were going to have to cut back. They were going to have to ration eating during the feast. They were going to have to cut back a third. Now, after I get home, I'm going to have to cut back two thirds, having been here.

But what I'm saying is this. By your love, and you are all doing things even here, we did something very simple. We gave them funds that turned into where they could have chicken every day. Where they could have fresh fruit. That was kind of... I thought fruit grew everywhere over in Africa. But that they could have fresh fruit. Imagine a world that is going hungry. Not only spiritually, but emotionally and physically. And this kingdom, this city, that you and I are being called to be citizens of and be a part of forever.

We're in that sense going to be able to give people, through God's grace, fresh fruit, spiritually, every day. We're going to be able to dice up some chicken, as it were, spiritually, every day. Not to go hungry again. Not to go hungry again. Brethren, I'm telling you, you are going to be faced. It's only going to get more challenging. Satan knows that his time is short. I'm not setting dates, please. I'm not into dates. The only date I set anymore is with my wife.

And she might say no. So I don't set dates. But I do know this. We look at the world around us. You are going to be challenged every day, in every way, with the culture of this world, with the tsunami of humanism and secularism and atheism, anti-God, anti-Christ, for sure. And that's the world that we're going back into. That's why we have this huddle. To be bolstered up by the Word of God, by the Spirit of God, by the fellowship of God.

You know, these young adults down here I see here, you need one another more than ever to bond, to link. We that are recycled teenagers, you and me, we need one another. We need the unity that was mentioned in Psalm 135 today. We need the unity in our marriages. We need the unity in our extended families. We need the unity in our congregations. Don't put up with division. Don't put up with an idle word. In California, if we don't deal with a small fire, we have a brush fire and we lose a mountain.

And then we have mudslides. We have floods. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. There is only going to be unity, unity in the heavenly Jerusalem. You know, I'm sorry if I'm getting my voice going up again, but you know, when I stick my finger and I stick my heart in the Scriptures, I get a jolt of spiritual electricity, and I hope you do too.

There's nothing boring about God's way of life. There's nothing boring about God's revelation. And notice what it says here. And there shall be no more curse. There's another no more, no more curse. But the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it, and His servant shall serve Him. And they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.

His name, that seal. In the book of Revelation, there are two seals, or what we call in Greek, charagma, seal. There's the mark of the beast. There's the seal of the beast. But also, when you go to Revelation 7 and 14, there's the seal of God. That's the Holy Spirit. And when you remember the Third Commandment, the Third Commandment says, You shall not bear the name of the Lord your God in vain.

That's not talking about, and we ought not to use God's name and language wrongfully. But you are bearing the name of God. You have been called. Remember, how many of you have been... No, that's... When we were baptized, what was spoken over us? Do you, therefore, Robin Weber, repent of your sins? And do you... Robin... I'm not baptizing myself, but anyway... And do you, Robin Weber, accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?

Yes. Because you have repented of all of your sins, and because you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, I therefore baptize you, not into any church, sect, creed, and or denomination of this world. But I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit for the remission of your sins.

That's why it says here, they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their forehead. Your folks have got some good news for you. You're already on the way. You're bearing that name. And just as I bear the name Weber, I hope to leave it even in better stead than when I inherit it from two loving parents. That's what you do when you bear a name.

Then He said to me, verse 6, these words are faithful and true, and the Lord God of the Holy Prophet sent His message to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. Now notice this. This is important. Transition. Behold, I come quickly. What is happening here? It says that the angels start speaking, but all of a sudden in your Bible it's probably in red ink. That means Jesus interrupts. This is one of the seven Beatitudes of the book of Revelation. There's seven. This is number six. Jesus said, He kind of said, thank you very much, and behold, I come quickly. Blessed. Blessed.

I can find it. One second, please. Blessed is He who keeps the prophecy of this book.

Now I, John, saw and heard these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then He said to me, see that you don't do that. For this speaking to John, For I am your fellow servant and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book, and notice what His common is, worship God.

Give God glory. Give Him worth. Give Him honor. There's a point in this I'd like to share with you. An angel is a wonderful, spiritually created Son of God.

We are physically created and become a spiritual creation.

But the angel himself does right. Always direct the attention towards God. Again, remember how we've so often said during this festival, it's not about us. It's about God. This angel did not want to take any glory to himself. What is the lesson I'd like to share with you as we begin with the end in mind every moment? Don't be distracted or overwhelmed by anything but God. Don't be distracted this coming year and or overwhelmed by anything other than God. There will be distractions that will try to overwhelm you.

Worship God alone. Know who he is. Here's the homework assignment. Ready? Simple. Know who he is. Know what he is about. And I gave you those first five items in the beginning. And you be about doing it. What is the great anthem that we've had during the seven days plus one? I will go up to the mountain of the Lord. And he shall teach us his ways. And then we make that compact. And we will go forth and walk in those ways. Dear brethren, that is why we need to study the Word of God first and foremost above any printed material. We have wonderful printed material in the United Church of God, but never allow the Bible itself to be a stranger. Let me share a thought with you. May I? That's when you're supposed to nod. Okay, just asking. That was not rhetorical because I'm about to. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, what they do when it comes to counterfeit money, I have a question. What do you think they do? Do you think they study the counterfeit money? Got that one down. Got that one down. Got that. No, no, no. They allow who? Yes. Pardon? They study the real deal. They stay so focused on the real deal, the real material. They look at that puppy and they keep on looking at it to where it becomes embedded in their heart. They know it when they see it. They know it's not real with anything else. That is why we in this fellowship and those in the body of Christ, I raise the word of God high. Men and women have given their life and gone to the stake that you and I might happily, steadily, lovingly read the word of God. Let us not allow their sacrifice to be in vain. And let us appreciate the prophets of old, the kings of old, the people of old that have written this Bible for us. And it's one word, it's one book, it's one story that leads us to the gates with the pearls, with the angels, saying, Come, welcome from every direction, every child of God that seeks righteousness. That's what this is about as we enter this garden atmosphere. But allow me to go back for just a second. May I? That is simply this. So often we talk about the garden in the beginning and we talk about the garden at the end. We talk about the first Eden, we talk about the second Eden. But the first Eden, that that third Eden, that third Eden, would ne'er be possible unless there was a third garden, the connecting garden between Genesis and Revelation. And it was a garden outside the walls of Jerusalem in 31 A.D. It was a garden in which a bunch of men walked in and their rabbi said, I go to pray. And he went into the woods of the olive trees and he knelt. He knew what was coming the next day. After all, he was God in the flesh and he'd read the prophecies of what would happen.

And in that garden, that connective garden, and let us never forget it, it is in that garden. He sweated bullets and he sweated blood. And yet, knowing what, every Jew knew what crucifixion was, the Romans, the only way that you kept the Roman peace was through Roman brutality. They would line up sometimes hundreds, if not thousands, of Jews. No stretch. And line them up and crucify them along the way up to Jerusalem. Jesus knew what was coming. And he said, Father, if there's any way, any ability, please, please, please. Nonetheless, not my will, but your will be done. Without that experience, are you with me? And in that garden, you and I would never venture in because, only he is the door. He is the door. He is the gate. He is the one with the capital O that the Father has commissioned to be that door for you and me to enter. As you move away from this festival, recognize the one that guards that door, guards you and guards me with his love and with his protection, and grants the model of his existence that you and I, as we come forth, and as we will be tempted and we will be distracted, and we may wander for a while to recognize that Jesus Christ will come to us. And he will say, I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. I am that good shepherd. I am the door. You'll never walk alone. Stay with me. And even as we do that, Jesus said, if they've done it to me, they'll do it to you. And there are things that are going to be coming at us this year that we're going to think that it's just not, how can I do it? But here's what I say to you, and I know some of you have read the columns that I've written over the years, but I echo that column. Jesus himself said, it would never be easy. If they've done it unto me, they will do it unto you. It will never be easy.

Why isn't it easy? Because God's not making trinkets. He's making diamonds. And diamonds are jewels under pressure. No, no, no. It will never be easy. But he did say this. It will be worth it.

Hold that in your heart. Hold that down deep. And know that Jesus himself practiced what he preached. Allow us to conclude then.

Let's go to verse 12. Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me. To give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha. I am the Omega. I am the beginning. This is Jesus now speaking. And I am the end. I am the first. I am the last.

Another beatitude. Blessed are those who do his commandments. That they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city. Yes, the definition of those that are in the body of Christ are not only those that know Jesus, but keep his commandments.

It's not enough to know Jesus. You must model and surrender your own existence in covenant with his Father and follow that model of that second Moses, the law deliverer, who practiced what he preached unto death.

But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters and whoever loves and practices a lie. Dogs is bad language in the Middle East then and now. A dog is an epithet. It's like a curse. They're not going to be there.

But allow me to draw you to verse 16. I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things in the churches. Now stay with me. I'm going to break this down. I am the root and the offspring of David. But also I am the bright and the morning star.

It is in this little verse that we have the compilation of the Son of God, excuse me, the Son of Man and the Son of God. He is the Son of Man in that he is the offspring of David. He is in the line of David. God is true to his promises. But then notice what it says here about the Son of God. And I am the bright and the morning star. This appears a couple times.

What is it about the bright and the morning star? Is this like an astronomy test or what?

The bright and the morning star appears in the cold and the darkest part of night. I want you as my fellow pilgrims, please, to claim this promise. This is the word of God. The word of God is about promise. When you think you are all alone and the walls are closing in, it's dark in your life, dark mentally, dark emotionally, dark physically, dark companionship-wise, dark like you don't see a future. You remember that Jesus, your Savior, said that I am the bright and the morning star. Claim that promise. You just claim it. Don't be soft on God. He said, I am the bright and the morning star. David said, the Lord is my shepherd in whom I shall not want. We gain so little, as the book of James says, because we ask so little. Now be polite when we speak to our Father above. Be polite. But nudge the Christ a little bit when you're talking. You said right here that you would be the bright and the morning star, and I need you more than ever because life is not making sense. I'm being pulled back into the world. I'm swallowed and drowning in my own human nature. O Father, allow your Christ to appear and lock in as that bright and that morning star. And then notice the end. And the Spirit and the bride said, Come, and let him who hears say, Come, and let him, sounds like a pep rally, doesn't it? Come, and let him who hears say, Come, and him who thirsts, whoever desires, let him take away the water of life freely. It is by God's grace. It is by no renumeration that we can give. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book. If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the book of life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in the book.

Verse 20, he who testifies through these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen! So be it! Amen! Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

And at the very end, it says, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. How fitting that the last verse of Scripture speaks about the grace. Not only the unmerited pardon, but the sustaining grace that keeps us going by him dwelling in the temple of the heart. We read to know that we are not alone.

As we end this festival, I simply say this. As I said, how many sermons ago? Thanks for bearing with me.

Not only Thy kingdom come, but with all that we have experienced by God's grace and favor here in Walnut Creek, let us allow Thy kingdom in me to become more full. Now relax. We're going to sit here one song as we conclude. It's called The New Jerusalem. It's by Michael Card.