[0:00] Take your Bibles and turn to the Gospel of John. John chapter 19.
[0:14] This morning we're going to read three different passages, two here in John, and then we're going to skip to Revelation 21.! So John chapter 19, verse 28.
[0:30] Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, I am thirsty. A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips.
[0:53] And when he had received the drink, Jesus said, It is finished. And with that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
[1:04] Then chapter 20, and verse 24. John 20, 24.
[1:15] Now Thomas, called Didymus, one of the twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, We have seen the Lord.
[1:26] But he said to them, Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.
[1:38] A week later, his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, Peace be with you.
[1:48] And then he said to Thomas, Put your finger here. See my hands? Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.
[2:01] Thomas said to him, My Lord and my God. Then Jesus told him, Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
[2:15] Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in his name.
[2:35] Then turn to Revelation chapter 21. Verse 1. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.
[2:50] For the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
[3:05] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
[3:20] He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. He will wipe every day. For the old order of things has passed away.
[3:32] He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new. And then he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.
[3:43] He said to me, This is the second death.
[4:23] It is finished. It is done.
[4:34] What God starts, he finishes. What he begins, he ends. He is the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end.
[4:46] He's the first cause. He's the end goal. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory, both now and forevermore.
[4:58] Amen. When you complete a task, there's a sense of satisfaction, isn't there? Sense of accomplishment. The bigger the task, the bigger the sense of accomplishment and triumph.
[5:15] Maybe it's a race to cross the finish line. It's over. It's over. Maybe it's a home makeover project that you've been stumbling over for five years in your home and stepping around.
[5:30] And finally, the last drop of paint goes on it and your wife says, It's finished. It's finished. And you share in that sense of accomplishment. Or maybe it was your first baby after nine months of carrying that child.
[5:47] And then 20 hours of intense labor and it's done. It's done. Or the end of your formal education from high school, university, grad school.
[5:59] I did it. It's over. Your retirement from 40 to 50 years in the workplace, it's done. These things give us tremendous sense of triumph.
[6:15] But whatever that might be for us in these tasks, they're just faint glimpses into the heart of our God. And this morning we're going to consider two of his triumphant cries of completion.
[6:27] It is finished. It is done. One's past. The other's future. One is heard from the cross.
[6:38] The other's heard from the throne. But both are recorded by the Apostle John. One from his gospel. The other from the revelation of Jesus Christ.
[6:49] The first, it is finished. The other, it is done. And both are just oozing with encouragements for us in the here and now. Who live between the it is finished and the it is done.
[7:04] So may the Lord draw near and teach us this morning. The first is our Savior's triumphant cry when he accomplished our salvation on the cross. It had been six hours of agony there.
[7:17] Just hanging by nails on a Roman torture rack called the cross. And the Lord Jesus, knowing that all was now completed.
[7:31] Finished. Done. And so that the scriptures would be fulfilled. He said, I am thirsty. And they hoisted up a sponge soaked with wine vinegar on a stick and gave it to him to suck liquid from.
[7:45] And when he had received the drink, Jesus said, it is finished. And with that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
[7:57] Who can tell the triumphant sense of satisfaction in the heart of Jesus to be able to utter that word? It's just one word in the Greek.
[8:09] Finished. It's finished. After all, this is why he came. Into the world in the first place, isn't it? It's why he took on a human nature, a body and soul like ours.
[8:24] Why he left heaven's glory and came into this veil of tears. We have his words recorded for us in Hebrews 10. When that happened, as he's coming into the world, this is what he was saying to his father.
[8:38] Sacrifice and offering you did not desire. But a body you prepared me. And here I am. I've come to do your will. Oh, my God.
[8:49] That's why he's here. To do the father's will. A will that included being damned for his people on the cross. God's will was made clear to his son in that eternal plan of salvation.
[9:06] And just at the right time, 2000 years ago, he came at just the right time. He came on the rescue mission of love with the command to die as a sacrifice, to purchase people for God, to win a bride for himself.
[9:23] And Jesus was nothing but willing as he left heaven's glories to come and fulfill the father's assignment. And so he humbled himself. He became a dependent fetus in the womb of the virgin.
[9:37] He was born, nursed, fed, brought up like any other baby boy in Galilee. The mission had begun. Now it must be finished. And so he obeyed every command of God.
[9:49] Never once disobeying his parents as a young boy or at any point in his teen years and growing up. Never once failing to love God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself.
[10:00] Why? Because he wanted to be that spotless, pure lamb that was qualified to make a sacrifice to take away the sins of his people.
[10:11] At age 30, he walked up and down the dusty roads of Palestine for three years, taking his saving message to the people, often worn out with exhaustion.
[10:25] And then up early the next morning to meet with his father. On one occasion, he was catching his breath. He's weary and exhausted, and he sits down at noon alongside of a well.
[10:38] And there he entered into kind and respectful conversation with an immoral Samaritan woman who was poor and needy spiritually.
[10:53] And he told her that the real satisfying water of life is not to be found in that well or in anything below, but is to be found in him, Jesus himself.
[11:06] And when the disciples came back with food, they had gone into the city to buy some food. And when they came back, they urged him to eat something. But he said, I have food to eat that you know nothing about.
[11:19] And they're wondering, did someone bring him lunch? And he says, no. No. No. My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
[11:33] What is food? Is it not a thing of delight? Will you not sit down to a meal this afternoon and enjoy the food? Is Jesus telling us that his delight is to do the will of the father and he finds pleasure in finishing his work?
[11:52] What is food? Is it not that which keeps you going? And could Jesus be saying to us, the thing that keeps me going day after day on this mission is to finish the work that the father gave me to do?
[12:10] So for this, he endured all the misunderstandings and hatred of his enemies. And just hours before his arrest, he comes to the end and he's he's praying to his father. John 17 for I have brought you glory.
[12:25] On earth by completing the work you gave me to do. So that's how he glorified God on earth. He completed the work. He finished the mission.
[12:37] And so he was arrested, bruised and beaten, spit upon, whipped, crowned with thorns, beard pulled out, face smashed beyond recognition and then nailed on a cross and hung up to die.
[12:57] But that's not all. There was more to suffer before it was finished. There was the punishment of God for the sins of his people that had been imputed to him and that he was now carrying to the cross, the place of punishment, not just man's cruelty, but the very wrath of God that our sins deserved and would have sunk us into hell forever and ever.
[13:24] There was the curse of a holy God, the desertion, the separation from him. And oh, how he was tempted to to quit, to not finish.
[13:40] You see that in the Gethsemane, we heard it in the Sunday school hour in Gethsemane, he's tempted not to finish. He he he. Steps back, he's he reels when he sees.
[13:54] The wrath of God that's put into his cup. And he says, Father, if it's possible, take this cup from me. But nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. And of course, after three sessions of prayer, there was no answer.
[14:07] There was no other way. He must drink it. Tempted to quit before he'd finished. And there on the cross, he's all hell breaks loose.
[14:17] This is the hour and power of darkness. And. And they're tempting. These demons are tempting Jesus to quit, to not finish. And through their human agents.
[14:29] Four times we read of the temptation to stop short of the finish line. First, those just passing by. And there's these three crosses and they say to the one in the middle to Jesus, come down from the cross and save yourself.
[14:45] You see, come down and save yourself. The religious leaders, he saved others. But he can't save himself. Let this Christ, this king of Israel, come down now from his cross that we may see and believe.
[15:01] Then the soldiers get in on the act. The sign says, king of the Jews. If you are the king of the Jews, then save yourself. And then one of the thieves hanging beside him.
[15:13] Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us. What a temptation to prove to one and all at that scene that day just who he was. He really is the king.
[15:24] He really is the son of God. But his father's mission was to save us, not himself. And if he saves himself and comes down from the cross, he can't save us.
[15:38] He must finish the work. So he hung there, appearing to be the most helpless, pitiful sight of human weakness, unable to even save himself.
[15:51] When in fact, he was saving. A people that are more than men can number. The temptation. To not finish.
[16:07] When all he would have had to do is just signal and 10,000 angels would have come to deliver him. But he died alone for you and me. Wondrous love. Wondrous commitment beyond telling.
[16:20] What a finisher. All that he might be able to return to heaven and say, Father, I brought you glory by finishing the work you gave me to do.
[16:34] That was the joy. For which he endured the cross. Scorned its shame. Despised its mockery.
[16:45] And then sat down at the right hand of God on high. The joy. Same father. I finished the work.
[16:57] And so at noon, the sun stopped shining and strange darkness covered the whole land for three hours. A darkness matched only in the heart of our savior. As he felt the unspeakable for forsakenness and torments of hell, the punishment for our sins.
[17:12] And after those three dark hours, he then did cry. It is finished. And he bowed his head and dismissed his spirit. Just one word in the Greek.
[17:27] But what comforts flow to believers from that one word? This is a triumphant, victorious cry. We're worshiping God for this victory on Calvary.
[17:38] But it sure didn't look like victory. It didn't look like triumph that day, but like rather like a horrible defeat. As the blood streaked body of Jesus hung limp and lifeless.
[17:52] It looked like he was the loser. And Satan and evil was the big winner. Like Jesus had failed miserably. But this cry of triumph says, look again.
[18:05] Look again. Don't judge the Lord by feeble sight. Listen to what he says and learn from it. We walk by faith, not by sight.
[18:17] Things aren't as they seem at Calvary. It is finished. The cry of triumph. Wonderful good news in this victory cry.
[18:29] All that the father gave him to do. To do whatever was needed to save his people. Done. Finished. And if finished, that means that he left nothing undone.
[18:42] He left nothing for us to do. To merit our salvation. To win God's favor. No, he did all of that. When he said, it is finished. So there is no obedience that you must come up with.
[18:56] In order to earn God's favor. No, he did all the obeying necessary to win God's favor. For eternity. When he was obedient to all his commands.
[19:09] Even obedient to the death of the cross. So there is no sacrifice for you to make. To earn salvation. He made the only sacrifice that could ever satisfy God.
[19:21] The sacrifice of a pure lamb. And there is nothing to pay for sin. Because Jesus paid it all. It is finished. It is finished.
[19:32] Paid in full. By Jesus Christ. There is no more wrath to suffer. That too is finished. For if God put all the wrath that sinners deserve into the cup.
[19:44] And he drank it to the bottom. He finished the cup. Well then there is nothing left for us to drink. And there is therefore now no condemnation. For those who are in Christ Jesus.
[19:56] No more curse to bear. Because he became a curse for us. To set us free from the curse. It is finished. All the work needed. To make you right with God.
[20:07] To reconcile you to God forever. Finished. What good news comes to us from that cry on the cross. That sinner friend. Here is the end of your working for salvation.
[20:19] It is found in the finished work of Jesus. But you must take that Jesus. You must stop running away from him. As he comes bringing eternal life to you.
[20:32] And you fight against him. And you go your own way. You must stop that. You must turn around. And you must come. And with the hands of faith.
[20:43] Take this Jesus and the eternal life that he gives. And that faith is not a work. You are not earning your salvation by your faith. You know what faith is? It is the empty hands that say.
[20:54] I have nothing. Nothing to commend myself to. I only have emptiness to receive you and eternal life as an absolute free gift.
[21:06] Faith is human helplessness resting upon an all sufficient savior who finished the work for sinners who will but repent and believe on him and have everlasting life.
[21:21] He is offering himself to everyone here this morning. He is saying take me. I am yours if you will have me. Oh take him today. He means it.
[21:32] It is finished. It is finished. And his resurrection from the dead is heaven's amen. To Jesus cry on the cross.
[21:45] How do we know? How do we know? How do we know? That he suffered enough to earn our salvation? How do we know that he paid enough to take all my sin away?
[22:01] And he satisfied God's justice enough for me to never have to be condemned and to know anything of God's punitive wrath.
[22:11] How do we know that? Because three days later God raised his son from the dead. And 40 days later he he raised him to heaven and he seated him at his own right hand in heaven.
[22:25] Pleased with his son. If Jesus hadn't suffered enough and hadn't finished the work would God have exalted him? No he'd have rejected him as the failure that he was.
[22:36] It was because he finished the work that Jesus is exalted by God to the highest place. And given a name that at that name every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is God.
[22:50] He's Yahweh. He's Lord. To the glory of God the Father. The resurrection is God's testimony that the salvation work is finished.
[23:01] It's finished. It's finished. Every word is to be established by two or three witnesses. Jesus says it's finished. And heaven adds its voice in the resurrection and says amen.
[23:16] He's finished it. Now believe on him sinner. Now take him. Life is in him. Well that's good news. Good news from the empty tomb.
[23:27] I'm echoing the good news from the cross. Now turn to Revelation 21 where we find the second triumphant cry. This time not from the cross but from the very throne of God.
[23:40] And so as you're turning we're fast forward. We're fast forwarding to the end of this age. Christ has returned. All men have been judged as chapter 20 closes.
[23:54] And then we have these words found in Revelation 21. 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.
[24:05] I saw the holy city. The new Jerusalem. Coming down out of heaven from God. Prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying.
[24:17] Now the dwelling of God is with men. And he will live with them. They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
[24:30] There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. For the old order of things is passed away. He who was seated on the throne said. I am making everything new.
[24:43] Then he said write this down for these words are trustworthy and true. And he said to me it is done. I am the alpha and the omega.
[24:55] The beginning and now the end. It's done. Triumphant cry. Completion. Comes from him who was seated on the throne.
[25:09] Now in the book of Revelation that's usually a reference to the father. God the father. And yet we remember that the Lord Jesus Christ has now been exalted where?
[25:21] To the throne of God. On his throne. Right there at his right hand. The picture is of a bench. And they're both sitting on that same throne. He has been exalted to the father's right hand.
[25:33] And the whole work of salvation. Jesus argues doesn't he. That what. He does is what the father's doing. And what the father's doing. He's doing.
[25:45] And so. Who is it that speaks from the throne? It is done. Well. In chapter one. Jesus is spoken of as the alpha and the omega. The first.
[25:56] And the last. And. That's who's speaking here. So. Is it the father? Is it Jesus? They. They work. In concord. And. What's important is what they say.
[26:08] What is it that's said from the throne? Well. They say it is done. What's done? Well.
[26:19] The old order of things is done. The old order has passed away. And I'm making everything new. And. That is done. Everything new.
[26:33] Now we live then between the it is finished of the cross and the it is done at the end of the age. And those two have been separated now by some 2000 years. But one day the full salvation that God has planned will be accomplished.
[26:48] It will be completed and all that Christ accomplished by his finished work on the cross. Will then be applied and worked out. To the ends of the universe.
[27:00] What Christ accomplished when he said it is finished. Will now have affected all of this change throughout the universe. When God says it's done. It's over.
[27:12] Now there's still much to be completed. A glorious unfolding of God's salvation planned. And it's all purchased by the finished work of Jesus Christ.
[27:25] It's what he won for his people. By his death and resurrection. And because Christ is risen. That means he's alive. He's well. And he can bring to pass this great plan of redemption.
[27:40] From all eternity planned. He can bring it to completion. He can come back again. Dead people in the tomb don't come back. But he can come back because he's alive. And he can finish what he began.
[27:53] The total transformation of the universe. Making everything new. So when Jesus rose from the dead. It was not just a solitary resurrection. When Jesus rose from the dead.
[28:04] He set in motion. In motion a whole new creation. Colossians 1 18 calls Jesus the firstborn from the dead. Now the firstborn is the honored son.
[28:17] And Jesus is the honored son. We're adopted sons. He's the one and only son. From all eternity God's son. But he's the firstborn from the dead. As Pastor Jason said.
[28:28] He's the first one to rise from the dead. Never more to die. But he's not going to be the last one. To rise from the dead. Never more to die. He's the first one.
[28:40] First Corinthians 15 says. That he's the first fruits. Of a full harvest. To come. When a farmer went into the field in those days. For the feast of first fruits.
[28:52] What did he do? Well he found those. A couple arm loads of sheaves of grain. And cut them. And brought them in. And they celebrated before the ward. Why?
[29:03] Just because this is all there is? No. Because this represents. What's still in the field. To be brought in. This guarantees. There's more of the same. To happen. As the whole harvest happens.
[29:15] And Jesus is the first fruits. And he ensures. And guarantees. That there will be a harvest. Of many more. Paul puts it this way.
[29:26] In first Corinthians 15 20. But Christ has indeed. Been raised from the dead. The first fruits of those. Who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man. The resurrection of the dead.
[29:37] Comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die. So in Christ. All will be made alive. That is all who are in Christ. Will be made alive. But each in his own turn.
[29:49] Christ the first fruits. And then when he comes. Those who belong to him. And then the end will come. That's it. It's over.
[30:00] It is done. The first resurrection morning. Was the dawning of a new creation. Now it's the same creation.
[30:11] But it's. Without the curse. Without sin. It's this creation. Restored. Renewed. And regenerated. Isaiah speaks of it.
[30:23] Our text here. In verse 1. Speaks of it. This new heaven. And this new earth. It's new. It's not like. There's continuity with the old earth.
[30:33] But it's different. Wondrously different. Isn't it? Jesus refers to it. In Matthew 19. Verse 28. At the renewal. Of all things. At the regeneration.
[30:45] Of all things. When the son of man. Sits on his glorious throne. It's the same word. For regeneration. Of the world. All things. That is used of.
[30:57] People who are regenerated. By the word of truth. They're born again. People are born again. And at the. Born again. The new birth.
[31:09] The regeneration. And renewal. Of all things. When the son of man. Sits on his throne. So it's all to be made new. When Jesus returns. It's all to.
[31:20] Go through. A transformation. That will leave it. So far different. From this. Old order of things. That we. Presently see. The world in.
[31:31] Peter spoke of it. In Acts 321. When speaking of Jesus. He said. He must remain in heaven. Until the time. Comes for God. To restore everything. As he promised.
[31:42] Long ago. Through his holy prophets. To reconcile. All things. To restore. To regenerate. All things. So that restoration.
[31:55] Began with the first coming. Of Christ. His finished work. Of death and resurrection. Sets the whole thing. In motion. It guarantees. The whole new creation. For he rose from the dead.
[32:06] As the first fruits. Of the new humanity. There's a whole new race. For this new world. The old humanity. Is found in Adam.
[32:17] And he failed. The new humanity. Is found in Christ. They're the ones. To occupy the whole new world. Forever. And ever. And so this new race. Is restored.
[32:27] In Jesus Christ. Through his finished work. His death and resurrection. Applied. To them. By faith. Believers. You were once spiritually dead.
[32:38] In your trespasses and sins. Which means you didn't give a rip. About God. When it came. Push came to shove. What you cared about. Was yourself. You were dead.
[32:48] Toward him. He didn't influence. The way you thought. And the things you loved. And the things you chose to do. No. You were. You were as good as dead to him. But when.
[33:01] You were dead. In trespasses and sins. He made you alive. With Christ. You see. There was a resurrection. There was a regeneration. Of your spirit.
[33:12] That was once dead. And now is alive. And now that resurrection life. Of Jesus. Flows through you. So that. God is the most important. Most important factor. In your life. And pleasing him.
[33:22] Is the goal. That you have. Each day of your life. You see. There's a change. That's come. And that's how people. Are brought. Into this new humanity. Into this new creation.
[33:33] What does 2nd Corinthians 5. 17. Say we are. If anyone is in Christ. He's a. New creation. He's part of this new creation. That Jesus came.
[33:44] And started. By being. The first to rise. From the dead. To be the one. With the highest honor. To die no more. And now there's. A whole. Bunch of people.
[33:56] Who are. Being regenerated. And having his resurrection life. Living. In them. Our Lord begins. The making of everything new.
[34:07] By making sinners new. And then it will follow. Be followed up. By making the rest of creation. New. Everything. Everything. Everything. But this.
[34:19] Outworking of salvation. Is not complete. Then is it. It's not finished. It's only just begun. And. What do you find. Isn't that what you find. Every.
[34:30] Every day. You struggle. With an enemy inside. The flesh. And it's always suggesting. To do the very opposite. That the Holy Spirit. Wants you to do. Clearly.
[34:41] All of God's. Christ's enemies. Have not been put under his feet. Yeah. This world. It still. Allures you. And pulls you. In a different way. Than God.
[34:53] And. The devil. Still suggests to you. Things that are. Not to be done. Not to be thought. Not to be loved. We're not there yet.
[35:04] Are we? All things new. Pain is still with us. Some of you. Even as you're sitting there. You're in physical pain. Some of you are in emotional pain.
[35:17] You're hurting. Well. That's not going to be. There in the new creation. So. We're not there yet.
[35:31] Tears. Those cheeks of yours. I can't tell which ones. But I know some of them. Were stained with tears this week. That's not supposed to be there.
[35:44] Death is still with us. Very much still with us. As we were just reminded. In the. Death of our sister Sharon. And what is all this?
[35:56] It's eloquent testimony that. It's not done yet. The old order of things. Is still with us. Very much with us.
[36:07] It is not all been. Made new. And yet. A day is coming. When he will make everything new. And he will say. It is done. And it will be done.
[36:19] Every sad tear. Gone forever. Gladness and joy. Will overtake them. And sorrow and sighing. Will flee away. No more death. No more separation. But rather resurrection. And reunion. Forever.
[36:30] With those who have gone. To be with Jesus. No more pain. But resurrection bodies. Like our Lord. Lord. For we're citizens of heaven.
[36:41] And we. We look for a savior from there. Who by his power. That enables him to bring all things. Under his control. Will transform our lowly bodies. So that they may be like his glorious body.
[36:54] In an instant. In the twinkling of an eye. We will be changed. Seeing him will be made like him. Never to sin again. In thought. Word. Or deed. Or motive. We're groaning for this.
[37:07] Aren't we? We tasted the first fruit of the spirit. We got a taste of spiritual life. The streams on earth.
[37:17] We've tasted more deep. We'll drink above. And so we're groaning for this. That's what. That's what Paul says in Romans 8. We ourselves who have the first fruits of the spirit. Groan inwardly.
[37:29] As we eagerly wait for our adoption of sons. The resurrection. The redemption of our bodies. And even nature is going to get in on the act. Isn't it? A new heaven.
[37:40] A new earth. It was because of man's sin. That the creation was cursed. And frustration and decay were introduced into the natural world.
[37:55] And even so. When man is redeemed. The creation is to be redeemed along with him. The whole thing. Everything is to be made new.
[38:06] So the whole creation is now groaning. As one in the pains of childbirth. Right up to the present time. It's still groaning. Waiting in eager expectation for the sons of God.
[38:17] You and I who are the children of God. To be revealed. Right now the world does not know us. Because it did not know him. But when he returns. Then they'll see who he is. And they'll see who we are.
[38:28] And the creation is groaning. Waiting for that day when it will be seen. Who are the sons of God? What a precious identity they have. And it's groaning.
[38:39] Because that's when the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay. And brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. Can you think of that? That the trees are eagerly waiting.
[38:51] To clap their hands. Because when Jesus returns. The flowers are straining their necks. Waiting in anticipation. To shine with brilliance in the light of the glory of Jesus Christ.
[39:05] Their creator when he comes. The mountains and hills are looking forward. To the sons of God being revealed. When the earth will no longer be soaked with the blood of the innocent.
[39:19] And when Jesus comes. He will totally destroy. The devil and his works. So chapter 20 tells us of Revelation. That the devil. And his servants will be cast into the lake of fire.
[39:33] And brimstone. Where they will be tormented day and night forever. And all whose names were not written in the book of life. Will also be cast into the lake of fire.
[39:44] And then the wicked will cease their troubling. And the weary will be at rest. There will be nothing to trouble. Us for all eternity. Nobody to tempt us. Nobody to persecute us.
[39:57] Nobody to mock us. To cause us fear. To spoil the perfect shalom. Perfect peace. Everything as it was meant to be. The new heavens and the new earth will be the home of righteousness.
[40:10] There won't be one unrighteous one there. And all of this will happen just as Jesus said it would. And when it does. Then will be fulfilled that triumphant voice.
[40:22] From the throne that says it is done. It is done. And through the endless ages we will sing. Amen. Hallelujah. For the Lord God omnipotent reigns.
[40:34] Let us rejoice and be glad. And give him glory. God. It is. It is. It is. It is interesting to compare God's order in the first creation. And his order in the second creation.
[40:46] In the first creation. Which did he make first? Mankind? Or all the rest of creation? Well all the rest of creation. Wasn't it? It is like God set the table.
[40:57] And then he made man and invited him to the table. But in the new creation it is just opposite. How is God beginning this new creation?
[41:08] He is beginning with men and women. Boys and girls. Making them new creatures. And then when he comes and it is seen. Who the children of God are.
[41:19] Then he will change all of creation. And make it all new. So the lesson from this is that. What's going on right now is that.
[41:31] God is gathering a people. You see. He's gathering the new humanity. For the new creation. That's what's going on now. It's a person thing. The nature thing will come later.
[41:42] Right now. He's gathering sinners to Jesus Christ. To be one of those who will enjoy. This everything new world. That is coming. Now is the time to get into Christ.
[41:58] Now is the time to join the new humanity. Destined for this glory. Don't miss it. For anything. Andrew Peterson has a song.
[42:11] I think that captures what I've been trying to say. Do you feel the world is broken? We do. Do you feel the shadows deepen?
[42:24] We do. But do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through? We do. Do you wish that you could see it all made new?
[42:37] We do. Is all creation groaning? It is. Is a new creation coming? It is.
[42:49] Is the glory of the Lord to be the light in our midst? It is. Is it good to remind ourselves of this? It is.
[43:04] Because we live before the old order has been made new. We are still in the old order. And we can get tired of waiting.
[43:18] We get tired of death. And mourning. And crying. And tears. And pain. And struggle. And the curse. That we live with. In this fallen world.
[43:30] It is broken. And so it is good for us to remind ourselves that the new creation is coming. And that is what this word in Revelation does.
[43:41] Doesn't it? It reminds us of this. A time is coming when he will make all things new and say it is done. Will you be inside? Oh, what comfort for us.
[43:55] Another way we remind ourselves of this is by gathering week by week. What day do we gather on? It is the day of resurrection.
[44:06] It is the day that Jesus rose from the dead never more to die. And started the new creation. The first domino has fallen.
[44:17] And it is going to keep falling. Men and women. Boys and girls. Brought from death to life. Joining this new humanity. And when Jesus comes.
[44:28] The whole world will be made new. It is coming. It is good to remind ourselves of this. And we owe it all to the finished work of Jesus Christ. Because on the cross he said it is finished.
[44:41] And we owe it all to his resurrection. That is God's amen. That it is finished. Take this savior. He is the only one I am sending. It guarantees.
[44:51] The death and resurrection of Jesus. Guarantees that coming. New creation. So if Jesus is not risen. Then there are no new creatures in Christ.
[45:03] Who are living with a new resurrection life. If Jesus is not risen. Then there is no new creation to come. Where everything will be made new. Just more of the same.
[45:14] The old order of things. Oh but he is risen. He is risen. Indeed. And he is making new creatures. I was told this week. Of a boy.
[45:26] Who became a new creature in Christ last week. It is happening. It is happening here. It is happening in China. In France. In Kenya.
[45:37] In the Philippines. All over the world. He is gathering the new humanity. In Christ. And he is coming back to finish his new creation. And just as surely as it was said from the cross.
[45:48] It is finished. It will one day be said from the throne. It is done. It is done. So we wait in hope. But it is a living hope. For the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
[45:59] From the dead. His death was victory. His resurrection was victory. And he shares that victory with us. His redeemed people. Join that people today.
[46:11] You do it by coming to Christ. And receiving him. Turning from your way. To receive him as Lord and Savior. Amen. And so he shares his victory.
[46:26] So death. Where is your victory? And death. Where is your sting? The sting of death is sin. The strength and power of sin is the law. But God gives us the victory.
[46:37] He gives it to us. He gives it to any. Repenting. Believing sin. He gives us the victory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore. My brothers.
[46:49] Let nothing move you. Stand firm. Yes. It's hard to wait. For the new creation. That's coming. But the resurrection has happened.
[47:02] The first domino has fallen. So wait in hope. Don't be moved. It's coming. Is anyone worthy?
[47:13] Is anyone whole? Is anyone able to break the seal? And open the scroll? The Lion of Judah. Who conquered the grave. He's David's root.
[47:23] And the lamb who died to ransom the slave. Is he worthy? Is he worthy? Of all blessing and honor. And glory.
[47:35] Is he worthy of this? If so say he is. He is. Let's pray. Worthy the lamb that was slain.
[47:48] that by his death he might purchase men for God and by his death and resurrection might start a new creation that will one day be finished when everything is made new.
[48:08] We give you praise, our Father, Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Finish then your new creation, pure and spotless let us be.
[48:19] Let us see your great salvation perfectly restored in thee, changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place, till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.
[48:37] And we pray in Jesus' name, amen.