New Heavens and New Earth

The Bible begins with the words, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1)  The Bible ends with a similar theme in Revelation 21:1.  John writes, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea."  These two verses place every other teaching in the Bible into the context of creation and God's redemptive work of recreation!

God is a creator!  We learn about this characteristic of God even before we come to know him as a sovereign Lord and savior in the biblical story.  Genesis 1-2 tells the story of God's original creation.  Every aspect of our physical world was "spoke" into existence.  God said, "Let there be light," and there was light." (1:3)  By the power of God's word, this beautiful planet flowered and flourished.  Then, God created man and woman and crowned them with his image (1:27).  And this was "good" (1:10, 12, 18, 22, 25), "very good"  (1:31).  In fact, God even "blessed" his special creation (1:28).

Then came the fall and the curses in Genesis 3.  Paradise was lost.  The beauty of God's original creation was beat down by Adam and Eve's sin.  But God was not overcome by their sin!  Man would know God as a redeeming savior--a friend of sinners!  Following Genesis 3, God's plan of redemption, restoration, and recreation becomes the crimson thread of Biblical revelation.  God is a creator, but also a redeeming, restorer, and re-creator!

In the New Testament, Jesus pointed to a day when all things would be made new.   He said, "I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matthew 19:28)

Paul spoke of a personal transformation (Romans 12:1-2) and new creation in 2 Corinthians 5:17.  He writes, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"  Again in Galatians 6:15, Paul writes of this new creation in Christ which is produced by God's Spirit!  

Peter wrote of a new heaven and a new earth in 2 Peter 3:13 echoing the words of the prophet Isaiah when he declared, "See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind." (Isaiah 65:17)  

All of God's story (of which we are a part) culminates in the new heavens and new earth.  In Christ, we have received a "first fruits" or down payment of that new creation promised.  In Christ, we can live above the curse and walk in the blessings of God.  In Christ, we can experience restoration and redemption.  What a bright future we have as Christians!  

In the beginning God created, but in the ending God will create again.  And in the meantime, God is creating something special in you!  Blessings on a great week!  Pastor Tom

Messiah is coming!

This Christmas season, we will focus on the first advent of Christ and His soon return.  I've been looking forward to this series for some time.  The Bible has a lot to say about end times events.  I am planning on three sermons - "Signs of the Second Coming", "The Rapture of the Church", and "The New Heavens and the New Earth."  

Without a doubt, the Bible teaches us to believe in a beginning and ending to human history as we know it.  How close are we to the end?  Is Jesus planning to return soon?  Get ready in December for the sermon series "Messiah is Coming!"  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says,  "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." 

Check out current or future sermons online at http://www.newlifecolumbia.org/new_life_media.aspx