Anticipating the Joys of Resurrection Life
Summary
The theme of today's message is the happiness of heaven, specifically the joy of the resurrection life we will share with Christ in the new heaven and new earth. The aim is to heighten our anticipation of heaven, countering the misconception that life in God's hands is less fulfilling than life in our own. This misconception can lead to a diminished view of heaven, even among Christians, who may fear it will be dull or boring. However, the best experiences in this world are merely a foretaste of the joys to come.
In Revelation 21, we see a vision of a new heaven and a new earth, a place where God will dwell with His people. This new creation is not entirely different from our current world but is a renewed and perfected version. The joys we experience now in music, art, and relationships will be magnified in the resurrection life. The new earth will be a fit place for God's children, free from the effects of sin and death.
The framework for understanding this future life is simple: add, subtract, divide, and multiply. "Add" refers to the continuity of life; we will have resurrection bodies like Christ's, living in a renewed creation. "Subtract" means the removal of all pain, death, and sorrow. God will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more mourning or crying. "Divide" signifies the separation of evil from God's people. Only those who have been redeemed and made holy through Christ will inhabit the new creation. Finally, "Multiply" speaks to the ever-increasing joy and knowledge of God that will characterize our eternal life.
In this new life, the relationship between Christ and His people is likened to a bride and groom, pointing to a deep, joyful union. The joys of heaven will accumulate, becoming richer over time. This is an encouragement to those who are hesitant to commit fully to Christ and to those who feel weighed down by life's pressures. The promise of eternal joy and fulfillment in Christ is worth any cost or hardship we face now.
Key Takeaways:
- The best experiences in this life are just a foretaste of the joys to come in the resurrection life. Our current joys in music, art, and relationships will be magnified in the new heaven and new earth. [02:36]
- In the new creation, God will remove all pain, death, and sorrow. He will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more mourning or crying. This is a promise of complete healing and restoration. [15:11]
- The new heaven and new earth will be a place where evil is separated from God's people. Only those who have been redeemed and made holy through Christ will inhabit this new creation. [23:26]
- The relationship between Christ and His people in the new creation is likened to a bride and groom, pointing to a deep, joyful union. This relationship will be the source of ever-increasing joy and knowledge of God. [31:15]
- The promise of eternal joy and fulfillment in Christ is worth any cost or hardship we face now. The anticipation of this joy can give us strength to endure the challenges of this life. [36:24]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - The Happiness of Heaven
[00:37] - Satan's Strategy
[01:17] - Live Your Best Life Now?
[02:12] - Misconceptions About Heaven
[03:19] - Good, Better, Best
[03:56] - Revelation 21: A New Heaven and Earth
[05:28] - Add: Continuity of Life
[07:10] - New vs. Renovated
[09:17] - The Promise of a New Creation
[10:34] - Joys of the New Earth
[12:24] - Climbing Mount Everest
[14:13] - Heaven and Earth United
[15:11] - Subtract: No More Pain or Death
[18:03] - No Regrets in Heaven
[20:16] - Perfect Relationships
[23:26] - Divide: Separation of Evil
[25:24] - Grace and Forgiveness
[28:02] - Redeemed People
[31:15] - Multiply: Ever-Increasing Joy
[33:44] - The Bride and the Bridegroom
[36:24] - Encouragement for the Journey
[39:51] - The Last Mile to Joy
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Revelation 21:1-8
- Luke 24:39
- Romans 8:21
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#### Observation Questions
1. What does Revelation 21:1 describe about the new heaven and new earth? How does this vision contrast with our current world? [04:35]
2. According to the sermon, what are the four key concepts (add, subtract, divide, multiply) used to understand the future life in the new heaven and new earth? [05:28]
3. How does the sermon describe the resurrection body, and what biblical reference supports this description? [06:27]
4. What does Romans 8:21 say about the creation and its future state?
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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "adding" in the new creation challenge common misconceptions about heaven being dull or boring? [02:12]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the removal of pain, death, and sorrow ("subtract") will impact our experience in the new heaven and new earth? [15:11]
3. How does the idea of "dividing" evil from God's people in the new creation reflect God's ultimate plan for redemption and holiness? [23:26]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between Christ and His people in the new creation, and how does this relate to the concept of "multiplying" joy? [31:15]
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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt that life in your own hands was more fulfilling than life in God's hands. How does the promise of the new heaven and new earth challenge that belief? [00:37]
2. The sermon mentions that the best experiences in this life are just a foretaste of the joys to come. How can this perspective change the way you view your current joys and struggles? [02:36]
3. Consider the promise that God will wipe away every tear. How does this assurance affect your approach to current pain or sorrow in your life? [15:11]
4. The sermon describes a future where evil is separated from God's people. How does this vision influence your understanding of holiness and redemption in your daily life? [23:26]
5. How can the anticipation of an ever-increasing joy in Christ motivate you to endure current hardships or challenges? [36:24]
6. The relationship between Christ and His people is likened to a bride and groom. How can this metaphor deepen your personal relationship with Christ today? [31:15]
7. What practical steps can you take this week to live with a greater anticipation of the joy and fulfillment promised in the new heaven and new earth? [37:33]
Devotional
Day 1: The Foretaste of Eternal Joy
In this life, we experience moments of joy through music, art, and relationships, but these are just glimpses of the greater joy that awaits us in the resurrection life. The new heaven and new earth will magnify these experiences, offering a perfected version of the joys we know now. This anticipation should inspire us to look forward to the future with hope, knowing that the best is yet to come. The joys of this world are not the end but a preview of the eternal happiness we will share with Christ. [02:36]
Isaiah 35:10 (ESV): "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
Reflection: What is one joy in your life that you can see as a foretaste of heaven? How can you let this anticipation shape your perspective today?
Day 2: The Promise of Complete Restoration
In the new creation, God promises to remove all pain, death, and sorrow. Every tear will be wiped away, and there will be no more mourning or crying. This is a promise of complete healing and restoration, where the brokenness of this world will be no more. As we live in a world filled with suffering, this promise offers hope and assurance that God will make all things new. We can find comfort in knowing that our current struggles are temporary and that a future of peace and joy awaits us. [15:11]
Revelation 7:17 (ESV): "For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
Reflection: What is one area of pain or sorrow in your life that you can entrust to God, knowing He promises complete restoration in the future?
Day 3: The Separation of Evil
The new heaven and new earth will be a place where evil is separated from God's people. Only those who have been redeemed and made holy through Christ will inhabit this new creation. This separation signifies a world free from sin and its consequences, where God's people can live in perfect harmony with Him. It is a reminder of the importance of redemption and the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice. As we navigate a world filled with evil, we can hold onto the hope of a future where righteousness reigns. [23:26]
2 Peter 3:13 (ESV): "But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."
Reflection: How can you actively pursue holiness in your life today, knowing that the new creation will be a place of righteousness?
Day 4: The Joyful Union with Christ
The relationship between Christ and His people in the new creation is likened to a bride and groom, pointing to a deep, joyful union. This relationship will be the source of ever-increasing joy and knowledge of God. As we anticipate this union, we are encouraged to deepen our relationship with Christ now, experiencing the joy and fulfillment that comes from knowing Him. This union is a promise of intimacy and love that will grow richer over time, offering us a glimpse of the eternal joy that awaits. [31:15]
Ephesians 5:25-27 (ESV): "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."
Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a deeper relationship with Christ today, preparing for the joyful union that awaits in eternity?
Day 5: The Strength to Endure
The promise of eternal joy and fulfillment in Christ is worth any cost or hardship we face now. The anticipation of this joy can give us strength to endure the challenges of this life. As we encounter difficulties, we can find encouragement in the knowledge that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed. This perspective helps us to persevere, knowing that our ultimate reward is eternal life with Christ, filled with joy and fulfillment beyond measure. [36:24]
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."
Reflection: What is one challenge you are currently facing, and how can the promise of eternal joy in Christ give you strength to endure it today?
Quotes
The best that you can enjoy in this world, the very best that you can enjoy as a Christian in Jesus Christ in this world, is only a foretaste of the joys that are to come. When a couple are going to get married, they're planning their reception, they go for a tasting. [00:02:38]
Life in the new heaven and the new earth is not going to be less than the life that we have, and it is not going to be other than the life that you have here and now. It is going to be more. It is you. You are the one who's going to live this life. [00:05:58]
When God has removed sin and all its effects from His people, then He will remove all of the effects of sin that came through the people on the planet. And this new earth will be a fit place, a rehabbed place, a glorious place for God's children to share their life in resurrection bodies. [00:10:07]
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. So here we're being told what is gone, what you won't see, what's been subtracted. [00:15:05]
No more death. Nobody in the new heaven on earth will ever die. No one will grow old, no one will become sick or ill. There will be no need for hospitals or for emergency services. You will have been at your last funeral, and you will never be at another. [00:15:30]
The new heaven and the new earth will be a place where evil is separated from God's people. Only those who have been redeemed and made holy through Christ will inhabit this new creation. God will separate all that is evil from His people and from His creation. [00:23:26]
In heaven, every Christian will be made perfect in repentance, perfect in forgiveness, perfect in love, perfect in humility. Perfect repentance means that none of us will have blind spots. Everyone will take complete ownership of what is ours and complete repentance from the heart with no evasions. [00:20:23]
The relationship between Christ and His people in the new creation is likened to a bride and groom, pointing to a deep, joyful union. This relationship will be the source of ever-increasing joy and knowledge of God. Christ is the bridegroom; He brings His people into such a union with Himself. [00:31:15]
The joys of heaven will accumulate, and then he says this: think of what that will be like when you have been in heaven for a million, million ages. And he says of God's people, their knowledge will increase to eternity, and with their knowledge, their holiness. [00:35:04]
However hard it is for you to come to faith in Jesus Christ, and there are folks in our congregation thinking about this right now, for whom it may be very hard and very costly, however hard it is for you to come to Him in faith and in repentance, however costly it may be for you to confess Jesus Christ as your Savior and your Lord, I promise you, you cannot ultimately lose. [00:36:24]
In Christ, you are on the last mile of your journey to inherit the new heaven and the new earth, and you will find strength for your journey as you anticipate the joy that lies ahead. Father, thank you that in your grace you add, subtract, divide, and multiply. [00:39:51]
Grant we pray that we may live well on earth because we have great thoughts of heaven, and these things we ask in Jesus' name, and everyone together said, Amen. [00:40:34]
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