The Heavenly City — Jim Cymbala

Today's a difficult day for me because I'm preaching from the hardest book for me to understand totally in the Bible. And that's the book of Revelation. That's The last book in the Bible, correct? What's the first book?

What book has the most chapters? What's the longest psalm? Good. Don't read that one before you go to bed don't say. As we were saying earlier you get to about Psalm 35 and you'll be. But all of God's Word is profitable.

Some parts are easier to understand than others. There's historical narratives like we talked about last week Jesus in the synagogue on a Sabbath. There's poetry psalms Song of Solomon kind of there's Poetic literature like Proverbs.

There's doctrinal teaching like the book of Romans. There's lots of kinds of literature found in the Bible. Revelation is different than all of them. It's prophetic mostly. It's Apocalyptic it speaks about the end times and the end of the world.

Revelation as Apocalyptic Prophecy

If the world has a beginning it has to have an end only God is eternal so the book of Revelation Begins with John the same John who wrote the book of John who was one of the twelve disciples. He also wrote first and second and third John.

We find out in Revelation chapter 1 that because of the testimony of Jesus because his standing for Christ He was persecuted and ended up on an island called Patmos. For the cause of Christ. Some early Christians and leaders were killed some left alone.

Some were martyred some were persecuted. It depended what province and who is the Emperor and who stirred up trouble? But John now is a very old man, and he's writing this Revelation it's called the revelation of Jesus Christ that was given to John and John is on the island and he says that on the Lord's Day Sunday.

He is in the spirit and while he's in the spirit controlled by the Holy Spirit vision trance dream, we're not sure and He receives a revelation what is red revelation mean it means an unveiling. So that Something is covered and then you take off the cover and wow, that's a revelation to me.

I didn't know that was under there he has a revelation first of Christ himself and words are spoken to him and The Lord very direct to him. Take down what I tell you the visions I give you and make sure you Spread it out.

The Lord then follows by saying I'm Sending seven letters to seven existing churches. I want to write them a letter John. Take the letter down and make sure it gets there so chapters two and three include Seven letters written to seven churches and all the letters are different.

Why. Because each church is different you can't take the situation of one church and Say that's what God is saying to that church and transfer it to another church because every church is different and the messages vary some are commending the Saints some are commending and but I have this against you and Some are just like what's going on.

You have a name that you live, but you're really dead and The last letter is to a church. That's not hot nor cold, but Lukewarm and Jesus says I'm gonna vomit you out of my mouth. So this is serious business in the book of Revelation.

Revelation’s Visions of Judgment

What follows then is John is finds himself in heaven looking down on earth and Now there's a lot of disagreement by the commentators and the preachers and the teachers of what the next 17 Chapters really mean how does it what's the?

What's this mean on the ground? So there's seven Pages or scrolls that have to be open. There's the opening of seven different first there's four horsemen with riders on it and that has some meaning as it is shown to John and then there's seven of this opened up and each one gives you a new picture of judgment and trouble and fire and and Famine and pestilence and then there's seven trumpets.

Followed by seven bowls of wrath that are poured out. So the book of Revelation is God Settling matters on earth or earth that's been in rebellion against him. So then We get to the description of the final judgment not the judgment of Christians.

Which is at the judgment seat of Christ but the great white throne judgment where the books are opened up and everything that everyone has done who doesn't know Christ are opened up so that no one says an excuse or rationalization and There's the great white throne judgment.

So after this judgment is made. The scene moves to I'm obviously moving through it quickly. The scene moves to another vision or a site that brings in the end of time and the end of this earth. So our problem this morning this afternoon even as we begin is How do I describe and how do we receive from the Bible things that we can hardly imagine?

The Bible’s Linear View of History

All we have ever known in our lives is time. When you were born. What's today? What's next week when your grandmother died? Has the beginning has an end history. Especially in the Western world and according to the Bible is linear.

It's linear. It's not circular like some religions have it's not circular like Buddhism. It's linear and it's moving toward a goal and now Revelation 21 22 is telling us how it all ends. But again, it's so hard because what do you mean?

No time no minutes. No-seconds no end how what what is what what is that and It begins to describe things as I'm going to read here in a moment that we can only say God open our eyes and give us a revelation of Something of what that will be like.

Because it's not something we've experienced when Jesus talked about farming and he talked about a lost sheep. We could all relate to that. But this is in another world exactly another world. So let's read in in Revelation 21 about how it all ends.

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, let's just stop there for a second. So the heavens around our earth the The world the universe around us is now gone and there's this earth that we know with continents and oceans Pacific Atlantic and and and Argentina and Greenland and Europe and Asia.

It's gone no mass. But John sees a new heaven and a new earth and the Greek denotes. Not a renovation of this earth like fix it up. It's Finito, it's gone. There's a new heaven and a new earth. What does it look like?

Well, you can read it later, but we just know it's a new heaven and a new earth. And as he's looking by the way, it has no sea. Commentators differ about that. Let me just say something about this on the way to where we are those chapters that I told you with the opening of the scroll and the opening of the sounding of the trumpets and the seven bowls.

Commentators, let's say I have 15 Commentaries upstairs in my in my library just on the book of Revelation. They differ. One writer sees it this way. Now the writer says no it means that take for example Antichrist 666 what does that mean?

Did Antichrist already live? Is he still coming? Commentators were sure he was Hitler. You know who killing all the Jews God's people. No, he's not. It wasn't Hitler. It was this one. It was that one and and the views change.

Now the view that's held strong for the like last hundred years a certain view. For four hundred years before that Christians did not see it that way. So the book of Revelation I'm saying all this is for this.

Never fight with anybody about the symbolic language of Revelation. Because we're not sure. Great men and women of God who the Lord used in amazing ways saw it one way. Someone then saw it another way.

What are we gonna do fight? Why don't we just serve Jesus? Do I get a witness and spread the gospel and and love one another? Rather than what you think? No, that means that that means that that's what a lot of people do.

They fuss and fight and if you disagree with their view, you're like a heretic. But these are not primary things. This is not the virgin birth of Christ that he died on the cross that were saved by faith alone Through God's grace.

That's not this. The these are this is symbolism and I have discussions with pastors who come here and preach and we discuss it for at length Tony Evans and I were discussing it last time he was here and To be honest with you, I'm not sure of it myself some of it.

That's why I don't preach much on it. Because how can I stand in front of you and say let's say it the Lord when I don't know if it's let's say it The Lord. I know what it says, but what does it mean?

Comprende no comprende. So Just never get in a fight with anyone just love people. We're never gonna agree on everything. Do I get an amen on that on the primary things? Oh, yes. Yes, so He sees this new heaven and new earth and as he's admiring it or overwhelmed by it He sees go back.

Please to that first passage. I Saw the Holy City the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride. Beautifully dressed for her husband keep it there, please keep it back there.

The Holy City and the Presence of God

So now he sees a city. What's the city look like the description of it follows. I'm not gonna give it to you it's so overwhelming. He's naming every every beautiful stone gem diamonds, in fact the streets in heaven are made of gold auto and He Describes all that but he sees the city and he calls it the Holy City and it's the New Jerusalem has nothing to do with the city in Israel it's the New Jerusalem and it's coming down out of heaven and it's obviously where God's people are in this city and Going back to that passage again, sorry.

It's prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband like the church is the bride of Christ and Christ is the husband and Now it'll be consummated. The wedding will happen as we're all together now we read on.

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 and they will be his people and God himself Will be with them and be their God.

He will wipe away 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. 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. He said to me it is done. I The beginning and the end to the thirsty. I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.

Those who are Victorious will inherit all this the city and everything in it and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly. The unbelieving the vile that word comes from word means to pollute.

The murderers the sexually immoral those who practice magic arts. The idolaters and all liars. They will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death now before we close I'm going to give you the last words of Jesus found in the book of Revelation if you have one of those books where his Bibles where his words are in red.

These are the last Words, but let's just try to digest all of this. So we covered the fact that there's a new order of things. The old as we have known it is totally gone. There's a new heaven and a new earth.

A new earth with no sea for some reason commentators Disagree on what's the significance of that? They see the sea as separation and threatening water can be Tsunamis and all of that there'll be no sea and In this new heaven and new earth.

He sees the holy city coming down from above into this new heaven and earth. Configuration. Notice two things about this new Jerusalem. It's the city where we're gonna spend eternity. I Don't know if you like the country, but you're gonna live in the city.

How many don't mind living in the city when it's the new Jerusalem, yeah, I'll take that. We don't know what kind of houses condos whatever that's left silent in the Bible. Jesus said I go to prepare a place for you, but we have no Real clarity on how that will all be.

I just want to be there. So This holy city comes down and notice what characterizes the city. Two things. Number one, it's the holy city. There'll be nothing nasty in that city. No sin No filth. No pornography.

No violence. No lies No racism no prejudice No anger, it's holy. Holy is what God is. Remember? Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty. So the first thing about the city is the atmosphere is total purity and holiness.

Number two. Even though there's topaz and sapphires and all of that and the streets are gold. It seems that the greatest blessing it is not seems the greatest blessing of the city. That we're going to spend eternity in if you're a Christian is The fact that God is there his presence is immediate.

Four times in that verse it says. And God will dwell with them. God will be with them. He will be their God. They will be his people for the Lord himself will dwell. Let me ask a question how many here have ever been in a meeting or a time alone with with the Lord where you have sensed The beautiful presence of the Lord.

Just lift your hand. You've ever Felt the presence of the Lord that would be like one millionth of a bubble compared to what's waiting. All that we experience is the Holy Spirit making Jesus real to us.

That's all we experience and it's wonderful. It's beautiful. Am I right? Overwhelming sometimes you weep like a baby. That's nothing. That's zero. Compared to when we see him. We're gonna see his hands.

We're gonna see his face. We're gonna be Right there with him and him with us his glory. Can you imagine to live in the glory of God? To live in the presence immediate of Jesus. That's what makes heaven.

So Heavenly. It's not the furniture or the streets. It's that God is there. This is what God has always wanted when he created Adam and Eve. Sin came in the world. What did that bring separation? He came in the cool of the evening to have fellowship with them and they were hiding.

Why were they hiding. Because they knew they were naked. Why. Because they had sinned and now sin came in and polluted this whole world. Separation from God. He had to send his son Jesus. To bridge that separation and bring us to him.

His longing is come unto me not to church. Me I want to be with you when you love someone you want to be with them. That's why you get married. Because you want to be there with them. That's what he wants.

He wants to be with us. Is that amazing people like you and me he wants to be with us. That's how much he loves us. If you're happy about that, can we put our hands together and just clap so so the The beauty of heaven is he is there.

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place and We have services like that where God says I'm gonna just manifest myself a little bit, but that's nothing now compared to the overwhelming majesty Glorious presence of the Almighty.

I mean it's something we can't even imagine so It's the Holy City. And then the Bible tells us What the life is like in the city what happens in that city? Number one. Every tear is wiped away. There's no death.

Life Without Death, Mourning, or Pain

No sorrow. No crying. No pain forever. Again, I can say those sentences. Let's analyze them. But can any of us imagine that? First of all, he'll he cares so much about us that he makes a point. I'll wipe away every tear.

I know what you've suffered. I know you go to go through. Whether it's the hardships of life broken heart with your children your family. Whatever the thing might be someone hurting you someone's stabbing you in the back.

Figuratively I Know that you go through things that make you cry. I God will wipe away every tear. There will be no tears in the New Jerusalem. There'll be no death. Well that we're never gonna part from each other.

We're gonna hang out Forever. If you don't want to be Christian with Christians now here on earth, you really better check yourself. I suggest that. Because why would God punish you by sending you to heaven?

Where you're just going to be with believers? If your phone is your main thing in your life or entertainment and TV and movies and sports if that's your main thing. You're missing out on the atmosphere of heaven.

Heaven is God and us together. No more tears. No more death. No more separation. No funerals. No disease. No temptation, no devil no flesh to deal with. No sorrow no regret. No sadness of any kind no crying.

No pain mental pain mental anguish anxiety nervousness complexes gone. Praise God. Come on. Let's say amen to that. That's the promise of God. Notice this was so real to the early Christians that they went through a lot of stuff and never complained because heaven was real.

If heaven's not real to us if the New Jerusalem is a joke then everything that happens to you here. And they were putting getting put in prison and killed and as one of the martyrs said One of the martyrs said look you're gonna kill me.

I think they were burning this one to death and he said you can't touch the real me. Because when you have your way with me, you send me to be with my Jesus forever but if this world and your salary and your IRA and your Whatever is everything then everything shaking and rocking but they were like what was the company?

100 years 90 years 80 years. How long while I live and then that's waiting for me forever Forever forever. You don't know what to say. Amen. I don't like you either. How about that? Let me joking forever Forever.

Did you hear what I said forever no death no mourning listen no sadness. No crying no pain of any kind no stubbing of your toe. No mental anguish. No not sleeping at night. The question even is is whether we'll sleep.

But anyway we have The guarantee of that kind of life in the city. That's what it's gonna be like. Unless God is a liar and Jesus says you'll read in a moment with me unless Jesus is a liar. But he's not he's the truth so now We find out those who are in the city.

Those Who Enter the New Jerusalem

Let's close. Who's in that city? Well, this passage says those who are victorious. What's that mean? Notice the two plights of all mankind. Everyone, you know. Including you and every ancestor and every child and grandchild.

There's only two ultimate destinies in the city or outside the city. No third choice. No purgatory. No place that you can work yourself up to Acceptability into the city. So who's in the city those who are victorious?

What does that mean? Well, the people who are victorious are the ones who ran the race and kept on believing and Endured everything and said I'm going to that finish line and I'm keeping my eyes on Jesus.

And when I stumble I'll get up because he still loves me and I'm gonna keep trusting. Oh, that's not easy. Oh, I was going on a wrong road. He pulled me back by my scruff of my neck. I'm staying on that road.

I'll keep believing. I'll keep loving even though people are ugly as can be. I'll keep loving. I'm not gonna lose my cool because I got to make it to that city. I'm gonna keep trusting. I'm gonna keep praying.

I'm gonna keep in my word. I'm gonna keep fellowshipping with my brothers and sisters. They're not perfect, but neither am I but I'm not gonna let the devil rip me off that I don't finish the race. Come on, let's say amen.

I'm gonna I'm gonna be a victorious believer. That's who the Bible says is in the city. I didn't say that. I Just read to you from the Word of God. Who's outside the city who is forbidden to enter that Holy Jerusalem?

Number one the cowardly. It comes from the word to draw back seems to be the ones who start and then because of pressure and Persecution and peer pressure and what the family thinks and the people on the job and I got to fit in with everybody they draw back.

They're like those the seeds that were planted on the rocky ground shallow. They started out with flowers with plant life. But then when persecution Jesus said come came because of the word they drew back.

Because they had no depth. Those people are outside the city. The ones who draw back turn their back on Jesus throw them under the bus. No, no, no, you can't can't be in that city the next. Definition those outside the city are the unbelieving those are those who Either start believing and stop or they refuse to believe in what God has said about his son and what Jesus did on The cross even though millions and millions have had their lives changed by the power of Christ they refuse to believe that.

They're like the Pharisees who saw Jesus heal people. But they refuse to believe because it would have rocked their world and they liked the perks that they had going on in their little two-bit world.

They weren't about to think of eternity. They just thought about the here and now. Unbelieving Number three not in the city forever cast away from the city are the vile. That comes from a word to pollute.

Those are people who have been permeated by the culture all the filthiness of this world America included and that junk and Nonsense and filth they're permeated in their thinking their behaviors and includes unnatural vices and natural vices.

They're vile. They cannot go in that holy city. No, no, no, they practice vileness. They practice abominations to God. I know but my friend said what does it matter what your friend said? Look at me, please.

What does it matter what anyone says if it's God we all have to stand before? When wait, wouldn't you be most interested in what the Creator has to say? Who will determine all of our destinies. Wouldn't we be thinking about that every day?

Oh, no wonder Paul says live a life pleasing to God. After the vile. Those permeated by the pollution of this world the fornicators. I'm sorry the murderers. Murderers are those who have no respect for human life.

They justify taking human life whether it's a Hitler with the gas chambers and World War two or what however and That includes hate. Because Jesus said if you hate somebody you're a murderer even though you never drew a gun on them.

So no haters will be in heaven. No white haters black haters. Latino haters. They cannot come because it's a holy city. Because they're murderers in their heart. If you say you hate your brother, you're a murderer Jesus said.

So haters have no place. I know but that the guy's a pastor. I know but he's a hater. He's a hater. She's a hater. I know she sings in the choir. He's a deacon. He's a hater. Don't you get it? I'm reading the Bible to you.

Sexual Immorality and Pastoral Confrontation

Now. I'm not going by the system. We're used to I'm telling you what God says. Then on top of that no fornicators will come in the city those are people who practice sex Unrepentantly outside of marriage between a man and a woman people who practice sex who sleep around.

Outside of the marriage between a man and a woman they are called fornicators and their place will be outside the city forever. Now this Has you know Satan is very clever if you preach this or just read it from the Bible hater Judgmental.

Let's see. That's Satan. Trying to justify something God says is an abomination comprende no comprende so Long time ago. My wife came in my office and said Jim. I Need your help. I got an applicant for the choir and there's a problem so I came into the With her and I'm walking and I'm saying fill me in and she says well this girl was tested vocally vocal tests come first and she heard her voice is off the chart amazing voice and But there's a problem she's living with her boyfriend and According to God calls that fornication.

You say I don't see it that way. Hey, what can I tell you? I only work here. I'm just reading the Bible to you. I'm saying God calls it the sin of fornication. I May say amen, not not in a harsh way because we're all sinners.

So be easy on that. I don't ever like to be around Christians who when you're talking about something like this they go. Yeah. Amen. That's not the Spirit of Christ. Amen. So she came in I went into Carol's music room and she was sitting there.

I Said I hear there's a problem. What problem? What problem problem is you're living with your boyfriend and If you're gonna get up there and sing in the choir We would want to know if you're really a Christian and you want to follow the Lord.

I don't get it. We might get married one day. Oh, that's good news. But listen, God loves me right pastor. Yeah, he wants him to be happy, right? Yeah. Being with him makes me happy. So thus God says you go girl.

Right. Haven't you ever heard that reasoning if it feels good? It's got to be good. Because I'm the center of the universe whoever feels good to Jim Simba. That must be right. So I tried to reason with her she started to cry.

I was gentle. I try to read some verses to her. The works of the flesh are these things anyone who practices these things will never enter the kingdom of heaven. I Know it's quiet here because some of you have been under the influence of that fuzzy kind of thinking in the churches you've come from or your friends or what you watch on TV or the junk you read and You think that I'm coming like some dinosaur.

I'm not God's gonna remind you what I said today. God will remind you every one of us starting with me so as we're talking I Said look I'm gonna fight for you and I moved my chair up a few feet so I could Face her she was sitting in his her office.

I'm gonna fight for you. Like you're my daughter like you're my sue or my Chrissy my James. You can't do this, please don't do this. We'll get a place for you to stay you can stay with one of the choir members or a member of the church.

I'll call the guy. I've done this before. Let me call him. Let me explain to him. Let me make him an offer. He can't refuse. That sound like the Godfather, right. So no, let me talk to him. Here's my private number let him call me, please.

I'll do anything but don't do this and she went. You mean I can't be in the choir. I went the choir. Who cares about the choir? I'm talking about your soul. I'm talking about your eternal destiny. I'm talking about the New Jerusalem.

So there's a little Combativeness here in the atmosphere, but I'm gonna persevere. It doesn't matter what you think. Listen to me, sir. Listen to me, ma 'am I'm not peddling what you want to hear today.

I'm trying to preach the Word of God to you for the sake of your soul because I got to go to bed tonight and Make sure I don't have any blood on my hands that I told you some slippery new kind of Christianity.

There is none Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. Well, she cried. We prayed she took my number. No one ever called me. We never saw her again. And so it goes. But guess what on Judgment Day God will not be able to say to me at least in this case.

While you chief minister. You sold out to get her in your church and you told her what she needed to hear so you could just have her in The church listen, we were down in Florida during the pandemic. We had a minister come up to us who said listen talking to Carol he was in the music or Yeah over the music in his church praise and worship look so we just found out that our worship leader is sleeping around and and You know, it's not good.

So what do you feel pastor Jim Carol? We were thinking of not letting her be the leader but she could still be in the group. But not the leader, you know, that would look bad and I went. I I don't even know how to talk to you.

What book do you read? Do you read this book at all? That person needs help. They're not to be hated. They're to be pitied but we got to help that person forget worship leading we got to get him right with God.

Are you with me on this or? How many are with me. Just clap your hands. Okay, that's good. That's good. Thank you Jesus for helping me today. So then finally all the liars are kept outside the city people who love and practice a lie.

They're liars. What they seem to be they're not. They're players, you know a player. You know, you're a player. They'll all be kept out of the city. I'm just reading to you from the Word of God. Don't say he had an axe to grind or he's harsh.

I am gonna entreat you here in the name of the Lord. So what's this all mean? They those people are kept out of the city forever. Let me give you as we close the last words of Jesus Christ. Look up at the screen last words found in Revelation next chapter.

Christ’s Final Revelation: The Invitation to Come

Look, I'm coming soon. My reward is with me and I'll give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega the first and the last the beginning and the end. Blessed are those Who wash their robes that they may have the right to eat.

I'm sorry to the tree of life and may go Through the gates into the city outside. Jesus said are the dogs those who practice magic arts the sexually immoral the murderers the Idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

I Jesus have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David and the bright morning star the spirit the Holy Spirit and the bride say come and Let the one who hears say come and let the one who's thirsty come and the one who wishes to take the free gift of the water of life come.

Those are the last words of Jesus just about.