Things That Will and Will Not Pass Away

Title for the sermon this afternoon is The Things That Will and Will Not Pass Away.

The things that will and will not pass away. It's kind of an interesting concept to consider and to study through the scripture. I'd go back in my mind to my first job. I would say it's about 25 years ago now, in at least my first job in Spokane after Darla and I were married. I worked for a company where there was a supervisor on a crew that I was a part of, and the supervisor had this phrase that he liked to pull out every once in a while, and that phrase was, this too shall pass. He didn't say it all the time, but honestly, probably two to three times a week, because we're out on the job, he would pull out that phrase and say, this too shall pass. And it was usually at a time if we were facing an obstacle, you know, some challenge. You walk up the first of the week to a job and you kind of look around and see what the dynamics of this new job will be, and sometimes you ran on something that you would look at. One foot in front of the other, we're going to have to do this, but it's okay, because if we do our part, this too shall pass. And it won't be a permanent aspect to what it is we're dealing with on an ongoing basis. The time and the season of this will pass away.

Rather than all of us in the Church of God walk through challenges at various times in our life, and for each of us, I would say the challenges differ. And, you know, we might have similar challenges, but at the time that they present themselves in our lives are different for most all of us. The challenge you're going through at one particular time in your life is maybe different than the challenge the person who's sitting next to you is going through at this particular time in their life as well. And we face a variety of different challenges, health challenges. Certainly on a Church-wide scale, I see the prayer requests that roll in week after week, and there's health challenges that many people are facing because we are an aging Church. Many came in at much the same time decades ago, and there's many health challenges.

For others, there's financial challenges. For others, there's relationship challenges. There's marriage challenges. There's family challenges. All these various challenges that people go through at any given time. And whatever it is that you might be going through, I want to offer you the comfort and the encouragement of knowing that this too shall pass. This too shall pass. There's things in this life that come through in seasons, and it doesn't mean that we don't face them or that we don't have to put in the effort. But oftentimes, as what is true with a season, seasons come and seasons go. And the challenge when it's right in front of our face, or frankly punching us in the face, it's maybe all we can see in our perspective for the moment. But we need to know that with God by our side, walking through these things by His principles, we can be assured that these things also shall pass.

The Bible does not contain this phrase.

This too shall pass. I mean, it sounds like it would be a biblical term, and there's terms very similar to it, but as it's listed in that way, it's not contained in the Bible. But what we do have is the assurance from God in the Scripture that this is true, that there are things that will pass away. And what we also have the assurance of is that in their place there are things that shall remain. So I want to look at some of that today. Let's begin by turning to the book of Ecclesiastes. I thought it was interesting that the focus Scripture took us there. It's what was on my mind this week. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse 1. You probably know where we're going.

There's a famous song that's written after this section of passage in the Bible. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and verse 1. We have certain promises from God. It says, verse 1, To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.

I just jumped online, pulled up Merriam-Webster dictionary online. I wanted to see what it gave for definition on season. And it says, Season is a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature. That's what a season is. It's a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature. And God through Solomon inspires us to understand that for everything there is a season.

And there is a time for every purpose under heaven. Verse 2, he says, a time to be born and a time to die. Now, those are two very different times, two very different seasons. But, you know, we recently had a death and congregation and we recently had a birth. And these things are happening side by side, not the same in each person's life, but one person's season is going to be somewhat different at a given period of time than someone else's.

There's a time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted.

Spoken 8 inches of snow last night. If you've ever had a garden, it is not the time to plant a garden. Nothing's going to grow. Nothing. It's not the season. That season is past. So the point is, life rolls by in seasons and there's things that you have to do within the season that can only be done during that season. And once that window is passed, you can't necessarily go back and do it again. Babies. They're only babies so long, right? There is a season. I told myself when our children were small and you're getting up in the middle of the night and you're changing diapers, I comforted myself with, this too shall pass.

There's a season. Again, they don't stay babies forever, do they? Ginger and steward. Babies forever, do they? Ginger and steward. They're getting married. They're getting married as soon as you turn around. And yet that is another season and stage in life as well. Verse 4, a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, a time to dance, a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones, a time to embrace, a time to refrain from embracing. There's a time to gain and a time to lose, a time to keep, and a time to throw away.

We were displaced from our house with the mudslide and went to a rented place and there's some things we just threw away. And we were there for a year. And what happens in simply a year? Well, we moved and we said there's some things to throw away again right now. So I see there's certain advantages to moving from time to time. There's a time to throw away. Verse 7, there's a time to tear and a time to sow, a time to keep silence, and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time of war, and a time of peace. And so all these verses speak of the hopes and the joys of life, but they also allude to the challenges and the difficulties and certain trials that we would walk through at different times in our lives. And at different times what we understand is that this is a season. And there comes a time when that season too will pass. Now the good seasons, the good times, we like to just, if we could just freeze time, right, and if we could just hold on to that moment, we would love to live forever in that moment. It's a joyous, this is an exciting time. Maybe it's a birth of a child, it's a wedding, it's whatever it is, and if we could live in that moment, how wonderful it would be. But you see, time marches on, and we come into seasons as well of trial and difficulty, and at least from our human perspective, we think, I just want to get through this now as quickly as possible. And that's normal, that's a natural part of our human responses. But whatever the case is, God in His mercy provides opportunities for us to grow in His holy righteous character in both the good times and the difficult times, and He gives us seasons of life that we walk through, and you know, not every trial is from God. In fact, many are not. Many are self-inflicted. Many are the adversary that has put something in front of us, but the fact is, every trial is an opportunity for God to see how we'll respond, and if we'll grow in His character. And so we do have to walk through those seasons, and we grow, but we understand as well, in the difficulty as well as the good times, this too shall pass. Verse 9 says, what prophet has the worker from that in which he labors? Kind of comes back to the focus scripture and what was being referenced there. We won't turn to them, but there's many verses that say you can go out and you can work and labor, and in its toil, that goes to what? Well, you know, for a moment, and we do have to work to provide, but the things that we grasp for just in so many ways slip right through our fingers again, and it's vanity, Solomon says. And in fact, he describes the physical life as vanity, as a vapor. I went out early this morning, I wanted to clear the snow off the car, and, you know, like a wise man, I went out there in my sandals in my t-shirt, it just, you know, I'll just be out for a moment, and I'm taking my arm, just brushing all the snow off the roof, off the hood, and, you know, suddenly my body realizes it's cold. And I'm breathing out, and I'm seeing my breath come out, but it's a vapor, right? And it's there for a moment, and it's gone. It just dissipates. And in the eternal scheme of things, brethren, that is our life. It's temporary. It's like our breath in the cold air of the morning, and it just, it dissipates so quickly.

It doesn't mean we don't still do the things that God has given us to do by strength. It doesn't mean we don't still live life to the fullest. We must, and God would desire that we do so. But the point is, what will our focus be? And what is it that will be truly important to us?

What will we grasp for that is a legitimate thing that God would have us reach after? Verse 10 says, I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time, and he has also put eternity in their hearts, except no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. Solomon says, I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor. It is the gift of God. And so in this life we do work hard, we do produce, and that's a wonderful thing, and it's God's gift.

Life is God's gift, but also the point that Solomon is making is that it is temporary, and it passes away. You know, on the micro scale we look at seasons in our lives, and we read through, I would say, verse 3 through 8, is kind of the micro scale of slots within our life in which seasons come and seasons go, all right? And there's difficult challenges, and there's good seasons as well, and they pass away. But there's also another perspective that we see presented here as well. Verse 11 states that God has put eternity in our hearts. And I've kind of wondered over that scripture at times. It was as God has put eternity in our hearts.

In other words, He's created within us a desire and a yearning for the eternal, as in, by our very nature, by the spirit of man within us, we would have a yearning and a desire to carry on and to live forever.

He's put that within our hearts. And you can see it in our entertainment. You know, watch science fiction movies. It's about living forever in many cases or finding what it is you can find to extend your life. You know, I've kind of wondered at times because in terms of our medical advancements, it's just a matter of trying to grasp for life for as long as possible. And my point is that people make their own decisions on that, but God built it within us to yearn for and to grasp for life and to live for an important purpose.

Ponce de Leon, I spent part of my elementary years in school in Florida, so Florida State history, Ponce de Leon went looking for what? Well, according to the stories, right, the Fountain of Youth. And you go chasing after the Fountain of Youth. What will keep you young? Well, he went looking for the Fountain of Youth, and he found Florida instead. A lot of snowbirds go to Florida, so maybe there's something to that. But the point is, it's in our history. It's going all the way back in mankind.

It's in our projections looking forward. How can we grasp to and cling to life? God has put eternity in our hearts. Why? Well, because the plan and purpose of God and the purpose for our very existence is on an eternal scope. What God is doing, he is doing for eternity. Notice verse 14. This is a very interesting passage. Ecclesiastes 3 verse 14, it says, I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever.

And we should just think on that for a bit. We should roll that over in our minds and contemplate what that means. And we should think about it. I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever.

Nothing can be added to it. Nothing can be taken from it. God does it. That man should fear before him. So, brethren, what God builds is for eternity. He doesn't build for the temporary end. He builds for the eternal end. Now, you and I are temporary, this physical existence. And the physical things around us are temporary, but it is for a purpose towards an eternal end.

Well, God is building, he is building for eternity. His focus isn't to build for temporary and things that just simply transition away. And that's why God has put eternity in our hearts so that we might have the desire to yearn for him, to respond for him, and to seek after that which he has extended to us. Eternal life, as children of God in his family forever. The physical is corruptible. The physical is subject to decay.

And the fact is, everything physical at some point vanishes away. You can say that mountain has been there for tens of thousands of years, but even it is slowly eroding away under the forces of water and nature. So, on the macro scale, on the big picture, God would have us to understand that our physical life is also a season. And it is a season that will pass away.

Again, the micro scale was, within your life there are seasons which come and go. On the macro scale of eternity, our life, our physical existence, is a season. And this too shall pass. And so the difficulties of life, the challenges of life, the pains, the sufferings, the obstacles that people are facing that sometimes can be discouraging for us, brethren, there's coming a time when they're going to be a thing of the past, according to God's goodwill and purpose for us.

And I don't say that to be discouraging, I actually say it to be encouraging. Because, again, when you're in the midst of a trial front and center, sometimes that's all you can see. And we need to understand that this too shall pass. The Bible says whatever God does, it shall be forever.

It's permanent. It's undefiled. It's incorruptible. And it will never pass away. And God's desire is for us to be a part of that permanence as well. Let's go to 1 Peter chapter 1. I want to walk through a number of scriptures that show us the permanence of what God does, but also that contrasts the things that are passing away with the things that will remain. 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 3. It's my hope, brethren, that whatever you may be walking through in your life, that this can be of encouragement to you. 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 3, Peter says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. So what Peter's telling us is that those who come under the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, you now have an inheritance awaiting you. One that is incorruptible, one that is undefiled, that will never pass away. Again, the physical is temporary, but what God does is eternal. Verse 5 says, Speaking of us, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials for a little while, for a season.

There's a period, there's a time that we all walk through. Verse 7, That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, even gold will pass away, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom, having not seen, you love, though now you do not see him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Point is, the end result of what God is setting before us, if we remain steadfast, if we live according to what it is he's given us, is the salvation of your souls. That is not a temporary thing, brethren, that is an eternal thing. And that is where our focus and our perspective lies, as we walk through this physical life.

Again, these things that are incorruptible, the inheritance that will not fade away, the salvation of our souls. That's what we're living for today. 2 Corinthians 4, verse 16. 2 Corinthians 4, verse 16.

Again, the apostle Paul here says, Therefore we do not lose heart.

Ever become discouraged?

You ever wake up in the morning and say, I feel just as lousy as I did yesterday? And you're just, I can't take it anymore, it seems like.

Again, the verge of losing heart and becoming discouraged. Well, Paul here says, verse 16, Therefore we do not lose heart. It's not because the physical things aren't hard.

They are hard. But he says, Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. It's the inward man where we keep heart, where we keep encouraged, where we keep strength. Knowing that that is what is growing, even if on the outside we are declining.

Verse 17, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, for a season, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

So from the eternal perspective, Paul is saying that these afflictions in the flesh are light.

Now, if you're going through one, you're going to say, Just a minute, I beg to differ. Right? And we have brethren who are going through some very difficult challenges, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and it is very painful. And there are some that are, I would say, hanging on by a thread, physically, in the challenges that they go through. And so, how can you say light? Well, Paul's perspective here is not that your challenge is light compared to the flesh. It is your challenge is light compared to the weight of glory that God has in store.

As in, if you think it is bad now, and it is really hard now, as hard as it is, consider it is nothing compared to the glory that God has in store for you.

You must walk through this. At times, you must bear this.

You can't say, This too will pass, and go home and wait for it to pass. There are things in this life we walk through, but the perspective Paul has given us that should give us some hope is what God has in store is so much more incredible. It blows off the scale of what it is we're going through now, although this is hard.

And this is significant.

But the eternal things of God are so much more significant, brethren. And from that perspective, we must not lose heart.

We must not allow our faith to falter, even if our health or our emotions or our finances or whatever it is are faltering. We must not allow our faith. This is what God is doing.

Verse 18, While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

That's the perspective.

It's on the eternal things of God that we put our focus, especially at the times of trial and struggle.

Because knowing what God has in store is what will help bring us through. If you're just looking at the things that can be seen, you will become discouraged.

You will become beaten down.

Because those are temporary. Those things pass away. They're weak. They're corruptible. But the things of God which cannot be seen are eternal.

It is our salvation. It is what God has created us for. And indeed, those things give us hope. They will never pass away.

Again, verse 18. The things which are not seen, those things are the temporary, excuse me, the things that are seen are temporary, the things which are not seen are eternal.

Again, we look to those things.

God's glory that He has in store for us is great. Romans chapter 8 verse 13.

Romans chapter 8 and verse 13.

Paul says, For if you live according to the flesh, you will die. That's, again, the end result of putting all your eggs in the temporary basket, both physically and eternally. But if by the Spirit you put the death, the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. You do not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you receive the Spirit of adoption, by which we cry out, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Well, isn't that easy for Paul to say?

What does Paul know about suffering?

Let's see. Shipwreck, night and a day in the deep, three times, forty stripes, minus one, stone left for dead. He says, everything that I may have had, I count rubbish that I might serve God in Christ.

Paul understood suffering physically in the flesh. He understood calling out the God to have an ailment removed from Him, thorn in the flesh, whatever it was, we don't know that we could say for certain, but God said, my grace is sufficient.

So Paul knows what it means to walk through life and yet keep the eternal perspective. And I would say, in that way, he is qualified to say that, yes, these things may be hard, but compared to what God has in store, just hang on, that would be so much greater.

Verse 19, still in Romans chapter 8, Paul says, for the good, excuse me, chapter 8, for the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, or corruption, or a temporary nature. Not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope. Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. And I think it's evident, just turn on the news, the earth is groaning.

Verse 23, not that only, but we also, who have the firstfruits of the spirit, we even ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. Do you ever groan?

Because you live in this flesh, and you just, you yearn for God to send his son, and you yearn for a change.

Right?

And yet we continue to put one foot in front of the other until that time comes. Verse 24, for we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope.

Again, what is seen is temporary.

And that which is seen is not hope. Why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

And so our hope, brethren, must be in the things which we do not see. If it's in the temporary, you will be disappointed.

Your hope will be corrupted. It will pass away. But the eternal things of God is where the focus of our hope belongs and where disappointment will not come. The temporary is passing away.

It is a season.

First John chapter 2 verse 15.

First John chapter 2 and verse 15.

John says, Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away.

Yet it's temporary. And it's limited. There is a season. And this world and all that we know around us is passing away. And the lust of it says, But he who does the will of God abides forever. The things that will not pass away are the things of God.

God builds for eternity. He does not build for the temporary. Even if there are temporary things, they support the eternal purpose that God has established.

And these things will not pass away. God builds for the eternal. It's his desire for us to be a part of that eternal existence. And everything that does not fit into God's mold God's plan for eternity, brethren, will eventually pass away.

Look around the world. There's war. There's trauma. There's hurt. There's destruction. These things shall pass.

It's your first season. The day is coming when these things will be gone.

So that should give us encouragement as we walk through difficult seasons in our life and we have challenges and struggles. We remember that these things are temporary.

They are real. They are actual.

They are difficult, but they are also temporary. And the good things that God has in store, which are yet to come, are eternal if we remain faithful to the end.

Hebrews chapter 11 is an entire chapter of individuals who could actually see a perspective beyond what was right in front of their face. God allowed them to see it, and their lives physically was motivated in response to God by what He showed them. Let's just go there briefly. Hebrews 11 verse 15.

Hebrews chapter 11.

I think I actually want to back up maybe a couple verses from that.

Let's go to verse 13. Hebrews 11 verse 13.

This is an encouraging chapter to read if you're going through a trial.

Hebrews 11 verse 13. It goes through, it talks about Abel and Enoch and Noah and Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, all these individuals who acted upon what it was that God revealed from a perspective that was eternal, not simply right in front of them.

Hebrews 11, 13, it says, All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, they were assured of them, embraced them, confessed 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 called the mind the country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not starting to be called their Godfrey as a pre-preity for them. Our forefathers in the faith journeyed physically. They walked out of the land that they were, they sojourned, they dwelled in tents, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And they did these things physically, but it was for an eternal purpose that God set before them.

They had the vision, and as it says here, they could see that heavenly country which God had in store for them, the kingdom of God, the purpose that God had created to dwell in his family forever. And it motivated their actions along the way.

Hebrews 12 verse 1 says, Therefore, we also, since we're surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, all those of faith who have gone before us, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

And you know what? Not everyone's race is the same.

Not everyone's obstacles are the same. And there's times where you might look at your own life and you look at your neighbor's life and you say, you know, I would trade with them any day, right? There's times and circumstances where people would consider such things, but we each have a race that we are running. But what's the end? What's the result of remaining faithful even through these things? Verse 2, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and it sat down at the right hand of God. It says, For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

All throughout the book of Hebrews, we understand we have an advocate with the Father at the right hand of the Father. We have a high priest, we have a mediator, we have an elder brother, Jesus Christ, someone who lived this life. And you know what? He understands suffering. He understands suffering for righteousness' sake.

You know, none of us could look at what Jesus Christ endured and think, well, you know, he really doesn't understand. No, we have an advocate at the right hand of the Father who understands, who lived in the flesh and knows what it is that we go through. And here the author of Hebrews says that we should consider him lest we become discouraged, lest we become weary.

Because when we consider him, we see he overcame.

He now sits in glory at the right hand of God. And that is what God holds out to us if we overcome, that we will be in glory. And this season will pass away.

Lest you become discouraged, look to him. Consider what he went through. Verse 4, you have not resisted to bloodshed striving against sin. And we'll just leave it from that point. But what we go through is difficult, and what some people go through is extremely difficult. And some in the scriptures have died and had their bloodshed. I didn't read through all of Hebrews 11. You have the haves, and you say, hey, we like those people. Women had their dead, resurrected to life again. We like those stories. And then you come to others were killed, sawn in two, all sorts of things that took place. And we say, well, what was wrong with their faith?

Nothing.

They endured those things and willingly so, because they looked for a better resurrection. They saw the vision. They knew what God had set before them. And so it's what we look to as we walk through trial and struggle, frankly, as well. And we must not lose hope.

Rather than this coming a time when the season of difficulty will pass away completely. Whether it's a on the micro scale, a moment in your life. Whether it's on the macro scale, you're at a point in your life where that is the season, perhaps even for the rest of your life. There's coming a day when that season will pass away completely. And that which will remain will not pass.

And it will be the blessing of God.

Colossians chapter 3 and verse 1.

I always marvel when I read through the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. They're prison epistles.

You know, Paul is so upbeat and encouraging in these epistles. And he's under arrest. He knows he's going to be executed at some point. And the fact is, you know, these were probably written during his first imprisonment. All right. But not a very encouraging place to be. And yet he encouraged people and the brethren in the faith from that position. Colossians 3 verse 1. If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above. It's our focus.

The things of God, the eternal things, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on the earth. For you died figuratively, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ who is our life appears, then you will also will appear with Him in glory.

He tells us that Christ is our life. Well, when He walked the earth, He says, I am the truth, the way, and the life. Right? And nobody comes to the Father except through Me. Life to us comes by coming under the sacrifice of Christ. God then, as our Father, will give us life at the time of our resurrection. But He says, you know, you've died.

You've committed yourself to this glory. And when Christ appears, you will appear with Him in glory.

I hope that brings us encouragement, brethren, that the things of God are eternal.

And when you have that focus, you stop focusing so much on the temporary things that slip through your fingers, as was the focus scripture.

You know, we do need to maybe grab with one hand our provision for the day and be satisfied.

But as we are, you know, Americans, oftentimes we're trying to grab what we can grab with both hands and what we can scoop together with both hands and hold. And it's slipping through our fingers and it's falling off the edge of our hands. And if you're never satisfied, you're not seeking the things above.

Ties back into our focus scripture for the day. What is our focus?

The things which can be seen are temporary. They are subject to corruption. They're subject to decay, just as we physical human beings are. And all temporary things will eventually pass away. And their season will be done.

But the things of God are eternal. The things which cannot be seen are eternal. And they are the things which will not pass away. And they are the things which God has prepared for us, who love Him and endure to the end.

Let's conclude today in Revelation chapter 21.

Revelation 21. Again, the things which will pass away and will not.

Revelation chapter 21 verse 1. John says, 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.

And so this is speaking of a future time when the temporary things have now passed away. And he says, There's a new heaven, there's a new earth. And this is not subject to corruption or decay or the things that are subject to our temporary existence. This is the eternal things of God which are being established.

Remember, brethren, what God builds, He builds forever. It's from the eternal perspective.

Verse 2, he says, Then I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. This is the promise of the children of God to lodge and be with God forever. This is an eternal city, and He's not bringing it down to a corruptible, temporary earth.

These are things that shall not pass away. Verse 3, and I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them. They shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 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.

Why?

Again, for the former things have passed away.

What a beautiful picture.

What a beautiful picture, brother. No more pain. It's gone.

No more death.

No more suffering. No more crying. No more sorrow. The things of this corruptible, physical, temporary existence that plague us as mankind, even with God by our side, it's a part of our human condition.

Says it will be no more, for the former things have passed away. Verse 5, Then he who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.

And he said to me, Right, for these words are true and faithful.

The new things, the things that God brings, following the things that have passed away, are those that are eternal. It is our inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, that will not pass away. And we will dwell with God and with the Lamb forever.

Brethren, whatever season of life we find ourselves living in today, remember it's just for a season.

And this too will pass away. However, there's coming a day when the eternal things of God will be our reality, not the aches, not the pains, not the sorrows, okay? That may be the reality of our physical existence today, but there's coming a day where that will not be the reality. The eternal things of God will be the reality. So take hope in that blessed hope, the things which can be seen, brethren, are temporary.

The things which are not seen are eternal. So let you and I keep our vision focused squarely on the things of God, the eternal things of God. Those, indeed, are things which will not pass away.