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. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. -Revelation 21:1-7
So many times we tend to think that God and Jesus are simply historical figures. We spend so much time and energy focused on the past of who Jesus was that we forget there is still a Jesus to come. In order to know the Jesus who is still to come, we must spend time in scripture and falling in love with the Jesus of the past. However, it is the language of a new heaven and new earth that will give our hearts passion.
This text reminds us that God was not only interested in pursuing Israel and Jesus the Jewish leaders and disciples, but rather that God is still interested in those that will follow Him still today. This is where the Holy Spirit comes into action and constantly points the people of today back to Jesus the son and God the Father. He is the beginning and the end and the end is yet to come. We are living in between. We live in the already and the not yet. The “already” is that Jesus has come, lived, taught, healed, given, died, and rose again. The “not yet” is that we still work out our salvation in fear and trembling as we wait in great anticipation for Christ’s return.
God pursued His people when he made covenant with them and revealed himself as the one and only God. God sent His one and only Son to Earth, that He might pursue ALL people. And even now the Holy Spirit is pursuing ALL people from the time of the apostles until Jesus returns.
I hope and pray that this theme in 2014 will be a time for spiritual renewal, seeking God, and Kingdom living. This will be a great experience for our church and we will become closer to one another as we pursue God. Please be in constant prayer for this theme and plan as a family how you can live out this theme during the course of this year.
“See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.”
-Isaiah 52:13
So many times we tend to think that God and Jesus are simply historical figures. We spend so much time and energy focused on the past of who Jesus was that we forget there is still a Jesus to come. In order to know the Jesus who is still to come, we must spend time in scripture and falling in love with the Jesus of the past. However, it is the language of a new heaven and new earth that will give our hearts passion.
This text reminds us that God was not only interested in pursuing Israel and Jesus the Jewish leaders and disciples, but rather that God is still interested in those that will follow Him still today. This is where the Holy Spirit comes into action and constantly points the people of today back to Jesus the son and God the Father. He is the beginning and the end and the end is yet to come. We are living in between. We live in the already and the not yet. The “already” is that Jesus has come, lived, taught, healed, given, died, and rose again. The “not yet” is that we still work out our salvation in fear and trembling as we wait in great anticipation for Christ’s return.
God pursued His people when he made covenant with them and revealed himself as the one and only God. God sent His one and only Son to Earth, that He might pursue ALL people. And even now the Holy Spirit is pursuing ALL people from the time of the apostles until Jesus returns.
I hope and pray that this theme in 2014 will be a time for spiritual renewal, seeking God, and Kingdom living. This will be a great experience for our church and we will become closer to one another as we pursue God. Please be in constant prayer for this theme and plan as a family how you can live out this theme during the course of this year.
“See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.”
-Isaiah 52:13
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