The King Invites Us To Reign With Him Part 1

One reason for us to Jesus phone number for the millennium. Heaven literally comes down to work in the form of the new Jerusalem. This spectacular city will house the redeemed of all the ages. It's what Jesus referred to when he said in my father's house are many dwelling places from the Moody Church in Chicago. This is going to win with Dr. Erwin Luzerne whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line vasculature. If the new Jerusalem comes down to earth does that mean that heaven will actually be here on our planet. As I'm sitting here and trying to visual attention that you just gave you know it's beyond our imagination isn't we think of what it is going to be like. But of course eventually it will be different than we think it's going to be. But what a future for the redeemed. But in answer to your question, I think it's yes the Bible says that we shall reign on the earth and the other reason that's important is because this earth is cursed and God is going to totally redeem it. The curse is going to be lifted.

Earth is going to be re-created and what a place it's going to be. I've written a book entitled the King is coming and were coming to the end of the time when we make it as an offer is an opportunity for you to have this resource to walk with God more closely for a gift of any amount. It can be yours. And thanks in advance for helping us as we continue to share the word of God.

Here is what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or you can write down this phone number 1-888-218-9337.

Let me give you that number again 1-888-218-9337. Now let's take out time to contemplate our future well till eternity. This is the last in a series of messages entitled, when he shall events that will surround the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and that future in which all of us shall be involved. If you're with us from the beginning.

You know that we suggested that it was best to look at the return of Christ into stages. First of all, Jesus Christ comes for his church.

And then there is the period of the great tribulation.

The rise of Antichrist. And then Jesus comes in the glorious appearing in stands on the Mount of olives in Jerusalem with his people. And then there's a thousand year reign of Christ, called the millennial kingdom at the end of that Jesus Christ delivers the kingdom to the father. The father again appoints the sun to rule and to reign, but also if you are with us last time. You know that we spoke about that terrifying judgment called the great white throne judgment when all the dead of all the ages who are unbelievers will be judged personally by God. Well, today we come to a very happy scene.

It's the story of the new Jerusalem that is the story of eternity of the story of heaven. There are three reasons why I'm preaching this. First of all to give us some kind of a glimpse into eternity and what heaven will be like. I realize it is very inadequate in some sense, it's like CAD to infants in the womb talking about but they will be doing once they are born under 25 years old. They have no idea minutes.

It's a whole different realm, but were going to try because the Scriptures invite us to try to understand eternity and our role in it.

Secondly, I hope that those of you are coming today with bird you're unemployed you're going through a time of distress.

Physically a lot of pain a lot of heartache. Remember that eternity is coming.

I want you to be encouraged. I want you to live with eternity in mind. Last night I called my mother as I always do on Saturday evening and my mother will be 102 years old and about a weeks time. And as I have frequently said and you probably heard me say at the age of 102.

She will tell you that she has no peer pressure all right know here but she asked me a question that she asks me every Saturday evening. She says what are you going to preach on tomorrow morning. I said mother. I'm going to speak about heaven and immediately she said oh that will be glorious. And then she began to quote a poem in German about the beauty and the glory of heaven. She's looking forward to heaven very very anxious and actually thinks that God apparently has forgotten her address so I want you to live for eternity. Even before your hundred and two. Another reason is that working to discuss who's in and who's out. Not everybody gets to live in the holy city, and this is not my decision. It's not my wisdom. It is God's. And were going to look at what God's word has to say about it many years ago when I was a lot younger, I memorize Revelation chapter 21 and 22 but I did so in the King James version of the Bible. So when I quoted verses from time to time you may notice a little bit of difference, not a difference in meaning, but may be a difference in word order in the older version signed to begin with Revelation 21, which is where you should turn to.

And if you're listening by some other means.

Please find your Bible, Revelation chapter 21 and I'll introduce the first few verses. John said I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea and I John this saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride aided born before her husband and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, then walk with them and they showed me his people, and he shall be their God, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain before the former things that pass away what a description. Let's begin right in verse one.

I saw a new heaven and a new earth.

Remember what we learned last time. It's during that period between the millennial kingdom and eternity. The new heaven and the new earth that you have the earth being totally destroyed theologians debate as to whether the Bible teaches it is going to be obliterated or simply remade by fire. Either way, this is a new heaven and a new earth a brand-new universe that is free from the taint of sin and and this new Jerusalem that comes down as a bride adorned for her husband. That new Jerusalem is the eternal state of the redeemed.

That is heaven. When my father died two years ago and when any one of us die right now we do not yet go there because we need our resurrected bodies and that the events that we been talking about need to take place and then we will be in that new Jerusalem that is coming down from God out of heaven as a bride. This bride very very beautiful. You know James Vernon McGee was an older Southern preacher that is sometimes still here on the radio.

Even though he passed away many years ago, but he used to say, you know, I believe that God does a miracle. He said because every bride is beautiful on her wedding day weld miracle or not.

This bride is certainly is full of laying adorned for her husband, the new Jerusalem sparkling beautiful scintillating beyond our imagination. Now before we asked the question of who is occupied in this building who lives in the new Jerusalem, before we do that, let me isolate for you. Some things that are going to be there and this is going to be very joyful for those of you who are soft you'll notice it says in verse four. Is it not that God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Actually, the Greek text says it like our translation says it that God will wipe away every tear as if to emphasize every single bit of sorrow every issue that causes you concern and then the text also says he will wipe those tears out of your eyes, as if God is getting at the very heart of what it is that troubled you here on earth so that you can put it away forever. It's not as if God necessarily takes a handkerchief and wipes are tears he gives us understanding. He takes away all causes for sorrow, so that whether it is because of the regrets that we have had, or may it be because some people learned in heaven that we hope would be there. Either way the sorrow is gone and it is gone forever.

Furthermore nor no death. The Bible says if you're a choir director. There is a possibility that you can continue your vocation in heaven if you're a funeral director you're going to have to be retrofitted for something brand-new whole idea.

There is no sorrow, no parting, no goodbyes, and then it says, no crying, no morning no grief and finally, for those of you who live with chronic pain. You want to underline this in your Bible, and there will not be any more pain for the former things are passed away.

Anybody happy because of that, no more pain. Well, that by way of introduction. Now let's get right down to the to the issue who dwell in the holy city, the new Jerusalem will the answer of course is God and his people. I quoted it a moment ago. Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself shall be their God. While you'll notice that the older translation say that the tabernacle of God is with men, and here we have the dwelling place well in either translation is good. The word actually is tabernacle because that's where God dwelt in the Old Testament times and so what the writer is really saying is, is that the tabernacle of God. The very dwelling place of God now is with people not to understand that. Let's keep in mind that in Old Testament times. You recall that, don't you God to set up the whole structure by which people could come to him.

There was what was known as the tabernacle there was an outer court was the holy Place where priests could freely go but then behind that there was the holy of holies, where the priest could go only on one day a year, the day of atonement. God was trying to signify to people that he was fixing a way by which he could connect with people who were sinners without himself being contaminated. That is the big story line of the Bible. How does God dwell with people when they are sinners and he himself not be affected by their sin. So God says even though I exist everywhere and would be localized in the holy of holies that's where my glory is going to be seen now that tabernacle of God is now with man that holy place the holy of holies was a Q in a moment were going to be finding out that the city of Jerusalem is a Q a much bigger Q why the connection. The connection is simply this, that we are going to be dwelling in the holy of holies throughout all eternity. In the very presence of God with no fear of being contaminated by sin because we will be holy and totally free of all sin. Forever anybody like that you don't like your sin, you have clapped. If you like it might not have clapped for them now imagine the presence of God directly. You see, that's why it says here that there is no temple in it for the I'm in verse 22 for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of that and the Lamb is its lamp. Just imagine for a moment, folks think it through. This will be our first experience with uncreated light as it has no need of the signer of the moon because after all, God is now the light and that light is uncreated. That's part of who God is and here we will be in light and of the Scriptures make it clear no need of the signer of the moon. All direct, immediate access to God with no barrier in between. No need for a mediator if I mentioned to you the name of Johnny Erickson, Todd, and you will remember that she is been a quadriplegic for possibly about 35 or 40 years.

She has suffered greatly but less millions and what she has learned to her suffering. But I remember her saying the thing that I look forward to when I get to heaven, she said, is not because I'll be able to park my wheelchair in the vestibule of heaven and be able to run to Jesus to worship him. She said what I will like the best and what will be most meaningful to me as instant continual communication with God without a hint of sin ever coming. That's what it's going to be like. Imagine the mind is so pure that you wouldn't mind if your wife and your family and your daughters and your children to every single thought, no guilt, no shame. Nothing but purity for the pure in heart shall see God. So God is going to dwell with his people in the new Jerusalem now very quickly will say a word about its size, or we could say the description. You'll notice in verse 18 we have another look at this beautiful city. He's taken to a great and high mountain, and showed the holy city, the new Jerusalem that came down from heaven and I having the glory of God, its radiance is like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great high wall with 12 gates, and at the gates all you know, did you notice that there in verse 12 Peter is not at the gate after all that text says that there are 12 gates, and 12 angels. They are there and you'll notice that the only gates are the names of the 12 tribes of Israel.

So you have a representative group from the Old Testament saints. Verse 14 the wall of the city has 12 foundations, and on them were the 12 names of the 12 apostles. So you have in this city.

Still, the distinction between Israel and the church. But at the same time. All of them together in the new Jerusalem, all the saints of all ages enjoying God and now a word about the size of the city. It says in verse 15, the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and its walls. The city lies foursquare, its length is the same as its whip. He measured the city with a rod, 12,000 stadia. That's an old system of measurement. I googled it last night to try to find out exactly how long it was and I discovered that there is disagreement because there were various measurements depending upon the country and the location of where you were and I generally it is said that this particular stadium might even be over a mile long. If that's true, then you have 12,000 miles or more 14,000 miles and you have it says its length and its width and its height are all equal. Can you imagine a city that would go from Colorado to the Atlantic Ocean and the from the northern part of the United States all the way to the Mexican border and then be Dean 100 miles high.

Think of the condos that are there. It's got plenty of room plenty and furthermore you know when it talks about streets.

We always think of streets needing to be horizontal. We go from here to there. Imagine this, we are going to be in glorified bodies. Everyone that's there is in a glorified body now.

The Bible says that we shall see Christ, and we shall be like him.

When we see him as he is the same kind of body that Jesus had you know what that means.

Think about it, it means that we will be able to go vertically just as easily as will be able to go horizontally so maybe the streets of the city are just as much up and down as they are across either way, it will not matter because at that time your thought, your desire to be somewhere will give you the strength to simply be there. It'll be that effortless.

That simple and just imagine you need no sleep ever.

Because your body is eternal like Christ's. Now as we continue want you to notice the materials of the city, but I'm not going to mention it.

If you or if there's a jeweler present be very interesting for you to read verse 18 and following where you have all of the different all of the different many jewels and precious stones that are mentioned, and may I say that this may all be symbolic. You have to remember that John was seeing the holy city come down from heaven and he had to put into words that he could understand and that we could understand. He had to do that so that we would get a glimpse of what it was like and so he writes all of those beautiful beautiful arrangements. The only comment I will make here is to remember that God is into unity. God is into architecture you look at the way in which this city is constructed and you realize that God is a builder. In fact, it says that Abraham look forward to a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker was God. So this is God's city built by him for his dwelling place, and for his people. Let's take a moment and ask ourselves what are the privileges of those who live within the city where the privileges will first of all, notice that there's going to be inequality. There's going to be quality. Now you'll notice it says that by its light verse 24 the nations will walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. That's that's dependent upon an ancient custom. When a king was submitting to his superior. He brought whatever he had and laid it at the feet of the superior king.

So you're going to have kings that are going to bring their glory and whatever they had on earth, and they're going to bring it and laid at the feet of Jesus. It says that the nations also. It speaks about they will bring their glory and their honor into it.

I imagine that even though the nations will be represented. In heaven there will be no nationalism there'll be no feeling of superiority. Obviously because of sinlessness and because were all there with a common purpose, namely the worship in the service of Jesus will my friend, this is Pastor Luther. What an opportunity we have is we study God's word to contemplate the future. The future that we know is coming. That is going to change everything and make all the trials that we experience here on earth look very small.

I've written a book entitled the King is coming in the book I delineate 10 different events that you and I will actually be involved in in one way or another were making this resource available to you and by the way, this is the second to last day that were making it available for a gift of any amount I want to thank the many of you who support this ministry.

It's because of you running to win is in 20 different countries of the world in three different languages. Thanks in advance for helping us for a gift of any amount. As I've mentioned, this book can be yours. Here is what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com. Of course RTW offer is all one word RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 now I'm going to be giving you that phone number again because you're looking for that pencil and you want to write it down, it's 1-888-218-9337 I tell you today with absolute confidence. The king is coming. We don't know exactly when he's going to come but we need to be ready at any time, and I believe that this resource will help you to be ready when he comes, you can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 in the new Jerusalem.

The saints will experience total joy and freedom will be in perfect health. Serving God together all in the blaze of no more night next time a final look at the believers eternal home and a clear picture of who gets to live there. Thanks for listening to our series on the return of Christ for Dr. Erwin lutes are this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the church