We're continuing in our study of the book of Revelation, and we are ready to begin chapter 21 in our consideration together, and as background for what we're going to look at, I'd like you to turn to Matthew chapter 7. Look at a couple of verses for me before we go over to Revelation chapter 21. Matthew and the seventh chapter. Jesus Christ is the speaker on this occasion. This is part of the section of the Word of God that we know as the Sermon on the Mount. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 of Matthew, because Jesus gave it on a mountain. Verse 13, Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it. But Jesus sets it down here. is very simple and very clear. He divides all humanity into two groups. The groups are divided on the basis of having entered one gate or the other. They are traveling on one road or the other, and they are moving toward one destiny or the other. All the options are condensed into two. Two gates, two roads, two destinies. The broad gate leads to a broad road. The end of that broad road is destruction. And the majority of humanity is traveling the broad way, having come through the broad gate. They're on their way to destruction. But there are few who find the narrow, small gate. They travel the narrow road, and the end is eternal life. Now, if you come over to Revelation chapter 21, at the end of chapter 20, verses 11 to 15, we had pictured very clearly the final destiny of those who came through the broad gate, traveled life on the broad road, and have ended up in destruction, eternal suffering in hell. That was the subject. of chapter 20 of Revelation, verses 11 to 15. Now, when we come into chapter 21, we will have the final destiny of those who entered the narrow gate, traveled the narrow road and now come to the climax eternity in the glorious presence of God. Of course, as it's presented in the Scripture, Jesus Christ is the gate. He said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me. He said that he was the door. He's the one by which you must enter to have eternal life. When a person comes to believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Believe that he died for them. They enter that narrow gate. They are born again. made new creatures in Christ, their life is changed and they travel a narrow road. Living in obedience to the word of God, manifesting the beauty of his character in what they do. That road ends in eternal life, and I just want to know it will become clear at the end of our study, but I want to remind you at the beginning, there is no such thing. as traveling the broad road on your way to eternal life. Everyone on the broad road came through the broad gate and is on their way to hell. You must come through the narrow gate, live on the narrow road. To end up in eternal life, some people like to deceive themselves into thinking, well, yes, I came through the narrow gate, of course, I believe. Now, I'm not evidencing in my life and I'm living in sin and the beauty of his character is not seen in my life. But of course, you realize I really came through the narrow gate. I'm just living on the broad road. Jesus makes no allowance for that. Everyone on the broad road is going to the end of the broad road, which is hell. Only those on the narrow road have come through the narrow gate. The end is the glory of God's presence. When we come to Revelation chapter 21, we have moved into the realm of what we call eternity. We make that distinction because there are no other time marks made for us. The kingdom of God on Earth began with the return of Christ and the establishing of his throne on the Earth. Then after a thousand years, first part of Revelation chapter 20, there was a rebellion on the earth and the final destruction of the wicked. Now the kingdom goes on with some changes, but there are no other marks after another thousand years, this will happen or after fifty thousand years, this will happen. There are no other timelines for us like that. We are into eternity. But eternity is just not a non-identifiable blob. You know, some people think, well, you know, Christ will come, the wicked will go to hell, and all the righteous will enjoy his presence, and that's it. But when we move into eternity, there are some clear connections made with this life and the past. Now, the changes are so overwhelming, it's hard for us to grasp them. But it's not as though there's just this big blob called eternity. There are clearly defined activities set forth for us, and much of this is related to this present life. We'll see that as we move into chapter 21 and chapter 22. Note how chapter 21 of Revelation begins, And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer What you have in the first eight verses of Revelation chapter twenty one is the summary overview of the final destiny of the redeemed people of God. And really, that completes the book of Revelation in that sense, because will happen beginning with verse nine and go on down to verse five of chapter twenty two. is an elaboration of what is told you in these first eight verses of chapter twenty one, particularly the description of the New Jerusalem, the New Jerusalem as the dwelling place of the redeemed is presented in the first eight verses. Then we'll get an elaboration in its description. Down through chapter twenty two, verse five, which completes the heart of the book of Revelation, the rest of the book being an epilogue or a conclusion. In chapter 21 begins with a new heaven and a new earth. This is necessary because the first heaven and the first earth passed away. We saw back in chapter 20, verse 11, when the great white throne is established, heaven and earth fled away from before that throne. Now that heaven and that earth are replaced with a new heaven and a new earth. This event was anticipated Previously, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, turn back to the book of Isaiah. Well, look at chapter sixty five of Isaiah. There is no more heartening and encouraging consideration for us as believers in Jesus Christ than to contemplate the eternal destiny that God has prepared for those who love him. It is glorious beyond description. And yet there is description given to us but a description that is so glorious that it's hard for us to grab on to and picture. How would you draw out with an artist rendition of what is described in Revelation 21 and the first part of 22? It goes beyond what we can do. In Isaiah chapter 65 and verse 17, God says, For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind." Oh, here we're told it's God's plan to replace the present earth and the present heavens. We're talking about the heavens that are associated with this earth, the atmospheric heavens, the stellar heavens. We're going to make new ones. Over in chapter 66 of Isaiah, verse 22, for just as the new heavens and the new earth which I make will endure before me, declares the Lord, so your offspring and your name will endure. So the prophets had foretold and prepared the way for the coming of the new heavens and the new earth. Now, the timeline for that was not set down until we got into Revelation chapter 20 and now chapter 21, where we find out the first or preliminary phase of Christ's kingdom was a thousand years in duration to complete God's plan and program of dealing with sin in the creation. Now, after the thousand years is over, sin has been totally removed from the earth. All sinful beings, angels as well as human beings, are cast into the lake of fire. We have a new heavens and a new earth prepared. Now, there is some question. Is this new heavens and new earth? Is this just this old heavens and old earth redone? 2 Peter 3, verse 13, says that this earth will be burned up by fire and redone. There is some disagreement over whether the new heavens and new earth will be this present earth and heavens burned up by fire and redone, renovated, or God calls into existence a totally new earth and new heaven. In my study, I haven't been able to resolve the question. As I've tried to search through the scripture on it, I don't know that you can finally decide. I have no problem with this new heavens and new earth being the old earth and heavens redone, but I don't have any problem if they are newly created by God either. Either way, the end result is the same. And there is a connection with what went before, because these are a new heaven and a new earth, replacing the old heaven and the old earth. So by very name and identity, there is a connection. We're talking about a heaven and an earth, an old one and a new one. God could have given it a totally different name, but he names it in the context of that in which we live and are familiar. It's a new heaven and a new earth, so there will be similarities. Even though the glory associated with it goes beyond description, similar to what we have with our glorified bodies. The analogy Paul uses in first Corinthians 15, it's like a seed in the ground. It's just a seed, you can't even conceive the glory that will come from it. So it's like our heavenly body, same but different. So there's earth similarities, but differences. One difference that is marked out, interestingly, at the end of verse one of chapter twenty one is In the new earth, there is no sea. I don't know why there's no sea in the new earth, why he draws that point out. And I did some reading on it in case there might be one or two people smarter than me. And I found a lot of people smarter than me, but I didn't find anyone who knew any more about this subject than I did. The problem is the scripture doesn't say any more about it than this. There is no sea in the new earth. Why did he pick that point out? I don't know. Some say, well, because the sea divides the earth. and wants to make the point there will be no more division and the sea is associated with turmoil and storms and there won't be any more of that. And that's all fine. But you have to remember, in Genesis one, God created the great bodies of water dividing the land, and that was before the fall. So I don't want to make the seas just associated with a fallen world. So if they are representative of the removal of division, I want to realize that the world before the fall had these some of these divisions. I just don't know why there is no sea, but we will have a world without the sea there. In fact, there's only one body of water specifically mentioned, and that is the river that will throw from the throne of God in the New Jerusalem that we'll see when we get into chapter twenty two. Verse two, I saw the holy city. New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. Now, again, this is a new Jerusalem, but it's associated with the old because it is called Jerusalem. So even though it is a city different, it is a city that has a connection. Because it is Jerusalem, but it's the new Jerusalem. So you see the connection again with the old. It's called the Holy City. The old Jerusalem was called the Holy City, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. Isaiah 52.1, called earthly Jerusalem, the Holy City. Matthew chapter 4, verse 5, referred to the earthly Jerusalem as the Holy City. Calling it the Holy City, New Jerusalem connects it to the Old Jerusalem. And all the promises given regarding Jerusalem find their ultimate fulfillment and realization in the New Jerusalem and the eternal kingdom in which we will rule and reign. It's the Holy City, New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. Coming down out of heaven. There is discussion here. Does the New Jerusalem come into existence at this point or has the New Jerusalem existed prior to this and now it is coming down to earth? Again, I don't know that there is an absolute resolution to this. My personal view is probably the New Jerusalem existed prior to this in heaven and now it is being brought to earth. I tend to view this as the place that Christ was referring to in John 14, when he said, In my Father's house are many dwelling places. I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also. The place prepared for our dwelling is the New Jerusalem. I take it that would be our dwelling in glory. That's why some commentators believe that during the millennium, the New Jerusalem is suspended above the earth. As the dwelling of glorified saints who will rule over a physical creation, whether it's suspended above the earth during the millennium or not, I don't know. I have no problem with it being in existence during the millennium in heaven, the presence of God. Now it comes down out of heaven to the earth. It is depicted as a bride made ready for her husband. Adorned like a bride. So there is a beauty and a splendor. Associated with this city that's conveyed by the picture of a bride, we think of the bride is beautiful. Rarely do you hear anybody say, wasn't the groom beautiful? Everybody says, wasn't the bride beautiful? Was nice. The groom could come, but the bride is the focal point. She's beautiful. She's attractive. She's the focus. He's standing up here in a black suit that would be suitable for a funeral, but she's here in a beautiful gown. There's something about the bride. It's beautiful. It's splendid. That's the picture here. Now, this has a connection back to chapter 19, verse seven. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to him for the marriage of the lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. Then when you come over to chapter 21 verse 9, the end of verse 9, come here and I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb. Then he carries him away in the spirit and shows him the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven. On chapter 19, verse 7, the bride prepared there for the wedding was adorned in white linen, which were identified as the righteous acts of the saints. We noted there, it seemed to indicate it's referring to the church and believers who are part of the church who have received their rewards at the Bema seat, the judgment seat of Christ, and are clothed in the righteous deeds that they have done. Now you have the city identified as a bride because this is the bride city. It's the dwelling place of the bride. The New Jerusalem is the city that is the bride city. It is the city where the bride will reside. I don't think that the bride in the city are synonymous because of the identification in chapter 19 and also over in chapter 22, verse 17. The message given in the book of Revelation, according to verse 16, is for the churches. The verse 17 and the spirit and the bride say come. And let the one who hears say come. So here the bride is associated with the spirit and with others who hear and respond to the message concerning Christ. They join together in inviting people to come to Christ. So, again, it's a personal activity and the bride here is involved in the personal activity of invitation of the Holy Spirit, the personal activity of the one who hears who joins in saying come. So it seems, according to chapter 19, verse 7 and chapter 22, verse 17, the bride is a personal being. Joins in inviting others to come to Christ, whereas in chapter 21, particularly, we focus on the city which will be adorned as a bride. It's called the bride because here the bride dwells. This is the bride city back in chapter 21, verse three. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, The tabernacle of God is among men and he shall dwell among them. They shall be his people. God himself shall be among them. This is the number one outstanding characteristic of the New Jerusalem. That will be our dwelling place for all eternity. It is the place where God resides. And so we would identify the New Jerusalem as heaven. Because heaven is where God manifests His presence most fully. And the New Jerusalem is where God resides. Now, God is omnipresent. He is everywhere. But He manifests His presence most fully and clearly in heaven. Now, the New Jerusalem is the place where God will reside. The tabernacle of God is among men. The word tabernacle. takes us back to the Old Testament, all the way back to the book of Exodus. And we have the tabernacle in the wilderness. When Moses brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, they built a tabernacle, which was a center of worship. And in this tabernacle, there was a focal point. There was the Holy of Holies as the most sanctified place in this worship center. And there was the Ark of the Covenant with the mercy seat and the chair of him stretched out above the mercy seat. And there above the mercy seat, God manifested his presence. So the tabernacle was the place which represented the presence of God in the Old Testament tabernacle. It symbolized the presence of God among his people. Remember, in John's Gospel, chapter one, verse 14, Concerning the birth of Jesus Christ in the human race were said, and the word referring to Christ became flesh and dwelt among us. That word translated dwelt is the word tabernacle. The word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we beheld his glory. Glory is of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus Christ was God dwelling among men. Now we come to the full realization of all of this. The new Jerusalem will come down on the new earth. And you really have heaven coming to earth. The fullness of the manifestation of God's presence will take place in this city. He shall dwell among them, they shall be his people, and God himself shall be among them. It's remarkable. Earlier, the tabernacle was seen in heaven, back in chapter 13 of Revelation, verse 6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, note this, to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. And there you note the association of the tabernacle and the people dwelling in the tabernacle. He blasphemed his tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Those who dwell in heaven, dwelling in his tabernacle, they are identified together. The tabernacle being in heaven, being the residence of the people of God. In chapter 15, verse 5, After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened. The tabernacle was in heaven. That was the place of the dwelling of God. Now God is moving his residence to the new earth. Heaven now is on earth, the new earth. Remarkable scene. Back in chapter 21, verse 3, he's dwelling among men. He shall dwell among them. They shall be his people. God himself. You have the emphasis here. God himself shall be among them. You stop and think. You and I are going to have freedom of life in the very presence of the eternal almighty God. That's why it's repeated, what, four times in verse three. This is God who's dwelling now among men. What will it be like? Glorious, splendid. Let's get some details. Well, one thing that's encouraging for me to know is everything negative is removed. It's put this way in verse four. He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes. Not every tear is put in the singular. They could translate it literally. He shall wipe away every single tear or some translations have it. He'll wipe away every tear drop. He doesn't say he'll wipe away all their tears. It's true, but it shows down to the last single tear. Every single tear will be removed. You see the infinite compassionate love and mercy of our God. Every tear, take a note of. And it's wiped away. There will no longer be any death, mourning, crying or pain. The first things have passed away. So the first earth has passed away and all the things associated with the first earth. Things of the fall from Genesis three on all done now, some take this, he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes and I think go down the wrong road. I mentioned it to you because some of you have asked me about it. They say, well, we've had the thousand year millennium. Now we begin eternity. Now God wipes away the tear. This means that Christians who were judged and found not to be as faithful as they should have been crying through the thousand year millennium because of their unfaithfulness. But now that the thousand year millennium is over, now their tears are wiped away. Well, it makes for some moving preaching, but it doesn't fit the context, because what are you going to say at this point? For the thousand years of millennium, glorified saints have been dying because now, he says, there'll be no death. They've been experiencing pain, mourning. No, the point is all the things associated with the old life and the old earth are gone. We have a new heaven and a new earth, and there will be never anything that would cause even a tear in this new earth. There'll be nothing. to bring pain or sorrow. There'll be no death. You know, no matter how good your life is now, no matter how pleasant, you can't escape times of sorrow and difficulty and pain. Say, they have the good life. But you know, death touches them. Friends, family die. They will die. They get cancer. They get heart disease. They have this and that. It happens to them. We can't escape it in this world, that in the new earth there won't be anything like that. It will never come into play there. An encouragement. Will we have another fall? Could there be another fall into sin or something like that in the new earth, in the new heaven? No. This verse tells us that. In this new earth, new heaven, there won't be anything like that ever that comes into this new creation. Tremendously encouraging. You ought to encourage us right now. No matter what the difficulty you go through now, no matter how hard your life may become, no matter how deep your grief may be, if you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you can look beyond it. Coming a day when you're going to wipe away every tear. No matter what the pain, no matter what the cause of the pain, there'll come a day when it'll all be glory. All the joy of the blessing of His presence. That gives believers a stamina and ability to endure that the world does not have. We have to keep our focus beyond this life. I'm not minimizing the pain and the grief that some are called to go through in this life. What I'm saying is for believers in Jesus Christ, it's temporary. It's like something that happens that for 45 seconds causes you tremendous pain. Then it's over. Well, you know, in 60 years, you probably won't even remember it unless you wrote it down with a date. Why? Well, it seemed so painful at the immediate moment. But you know, in the context of the 60 or 80 years of my life, it's just hard to remember. When you put the pain of these years, the context of the hundreds of billions of infinite years of eternity, what does it amount to? Put into perspective. So it gives us the ability to endure because we look beyond. It's temporary. It's transitory. It's passing. The first things have passed away. Look at verse 5. He who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. The one on the throne declares, I am making all things new. We have the new Jerusalem. We have the new heavens and the new earth. Everything associated with them is new. Marvelous. New heavens, a new earth suitable for the very presence of the eternal God. Heaven and earth have blended together. Remarkable. He said, right, for these words are faithful and true. I think of the words he just said, particularly in the first five verses of chapter twenty one. You know, they go beyond what finite minds can grab onto. There are things here that my mind has difficulty grappling with. You know what God says to John, write it down. These are faithful and true words. These promises are rooted and founded in the very character of God. You can write it down. It's settled. Faithful and true are these words. Psalm 119 verse 89 says forever, O Lord, your word is settled in heaven. That forever settled word is the word we have here. So I don't understand it all. I can't lay out all the details and fill in the spaces, but I tell you, I know what it says here. And these are faithful and true words. And someday I'm going to experience it. If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, someday you will experience it. And it can seem so far and distant and removed when you're going through the trial and the pain and the difficulty of this life. But you can write it down. The character of God stands behind it. Verse 6, He said to me, It is done. You see, the finality with which God deals with things, it is done. It's a settled matter. God has spoken. I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and last letters of the alphabet, the beginning and the end. In other words, I am the eternally sovereign God. I have control over everything. Nothing falls outside the bounds of his sovereign power. He's the eternal God. The I am. He's the one who's speaking. That settles it. That's why it's faithful and true. That's why it is done. Now, in this midst, there is given a very gracious promise, I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. You know what? to enjoy the fullness of all that He is unfolding, just drink of the water of life. It's a free gift, no cost. Note that. Underline, I will give. Underline the last two words, without cost. I will give without cost to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life. And that thirsting is a picture of the spiritual hunger Go back to Isaiah 55, verse 1. God's plan of salvation for fallen human beings has always been the same. He gives it as a free, no charge gift. Man's plan has always been the same. I'm going to earn it. I'm going to deserve it. I'm going to work for it. You can't have it that way. That's the broad gate, the narrow gate. is the free gift. Verse one of Isaiah 55. Oh, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. You have no money. Come buy and eat. Come buy wine and milk without money, without cost. Buy it at no charge. It's free. You can have it. You have that spiritual thirst and hunger. When Jesus said in the Beatitudes, Matthew, chapter five, verse six, Blessed is the one who hungers and thirsts after righteousness. He will be satisfied. Have spiritual longing and desire to result of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit that makes you aware of your bankrupt condition, that you are spiritually destitute and lost in your sin. You have that inner craving and longing For the salvation that only God can give you. You repent of your sin and place your faith in the Savior. And you are redeemed. You drink of the water of life. Look over in John's Gospel, chapter 4. Jesus used this picture. Talking with the woman of Samaria at the well. In verse 10. Starts the conversation. The woman of Samaria came to draw water from the well of Jacob. Jesus said to her, give me a drink. That starts the conversation. Jesus said in verse 10, if you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you, give me a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. Shouldn't understand what you're talking about, you don't even have a bucket. Verse 13, Jesus said, Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. But the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. She still says, give me some of this water. I won't have to come back to the well anymore. He goes on to further explain and deal with her. You know, we have opportunities through the day to pick up people on their spiritual need. Only time you have with someone to get a drink, nothing like a glass of cold water. So do you ever hear of the water that satisfies your thirst once for all forever? How Jesus picked up the woman at the well, the water that quenches your spiritual thirst. Look in chapter seven of John. Verse 37, on the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If any man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, you see what it is to drink, believe in him. Partake of the provision God has made for you. He who believes in me, as the scripture said, from his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water. But this he spoke of the spirit whom those who believed in him were to receive. To Jesus Christ is the provision, the living water in him, you have eternal life when you believe back to Revelation in the twenty second chapter, verse 17. We read the first part of this verse earlier. The Spirit and the bride say come, let the one who hears say come. You note what our role and responsibility is today. Along with the Holy Spirit, the bride says what? Come. The one who hears say come. Those who hear and respond to the message of Christ, believe in Him, they join in reaching out and inviting others to come. Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. We're talking about eternal destinies. We're talking about entering the broad gate, entering the narrow gate. Invitation of God is gracious today. Here is living water. Drink of it. No cost, no charge. Free to you. What do you mean drink of it? Realize that you are a lost sinner and my son, Jesus Christ, died to pay the penalty for your sin. Believe in Him and you partake of the life that I've provided. Look back in Revelation 7. Verse 16, "...they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun beat down on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes." And we'll see the water of life flowing from the throne of God in the New Jerusalem as chapter 22 opens up. It's there to portray in a tangible, physical way the abundant provision that God has made for us that we freely partake of the water of life without restraint. Back in chapter 21, verse 7, he who overcomes shall inherit these things. I will be his God and he will be my son. We haven't heard about the overcomer for a while. Back in chapters two and three. The seven churches had seven promises to the overcomers. First John, chapter five, verse four and verse five says, who is he who overcomes? But he who believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, an overcomer, one who overcomes the world is one who believes in Jesus Christ. And the promise here in verse seven, he who overcomes shall inherit these things. I know that. The New Jerusalem, God says in verse 5, I am making all things new. Now, the one who believes in Jesus Christ is an overcomer. He will inherit all these things. The New Jerusalem, all things made new. They become His possession. He inherits them. I was reading an account of D.L. Moody, the evangelist in the last part of the last century, and in the Great Chicago Fire. His house and all his possessions were burned up. Someone met him shortly after that and said to Mr. Moody, I understand you lost everything in the fire. Mr. Moody said to him, you heard wrong, and he turned him to Revelation 21 and he read him this portion is that you understand I lost nothing in the fire because I have everything stored up in glory. What a beautiful perspective. He had his eyes fixed where they belong. You're going to inherit everything that God makes new. That belongs to me. And I should be fretting over the passing things of this life? This passing world? What does it matter? What a travesty. We raise our children. And we give them more instruction and put more pressure on them to earn a living, to get the right kind of house, to build this up, and we want them to know what we're going to... What does that all matter? What inheritance do they really have? If they don't have Christ, they have nothing. If they have Him, they have everything, even if they have nothing in this world. Come, think about what you have as a believer in Jesus Christ. Everything that God makes new in the new heavens and the new earth. That's your inheritance. I can't even conceive of it. We're going to get something of a description beginning in verse nine and following, and it goes beyond what an artist could put down. It's glory and splendor that transcends anything we know. That's all my inheritance. That's what matters. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, Jesus said. That's what counts. I will be his God, the end of verse 7. He will be my son. There's a relationship of intimacy here. I have inherited from my Heavenly Father all that he has made new for me. What a destiny. Any wonder we're to live as strangers and pilgrims here? We are to live in light of eternity? In light of this kind of truth, shouldn't the life of a believer be radically different? than that of an unbeliever. Shouldn't the focus of our life, the concerns of our life, be radically different? Contrast, verse 8, we forget. So you want to realize the difference. Two gates, two ways, two destinies. Contrast what we're talking about. You're going to inherit all things that God makes new. But for the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable murderers, immoral sorcerers, idolaters, liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." Don't go sentimental. Oh, I really believe when it's all worked out, God's going to do this for everyone. That would mean that the Word of God is not faithful and true. That would create a problem. God brings reality into this so we realize the contrast. Do you realize the redemption you have? In Christ, this list is similar to the list you have in first Corinthians, chapter six, verses nine and 10, where no immoral people and so on will have any part in the kingdom of God. Similar to the list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5, verses 19 to 21 concludes with those who practice such things shall have no part in the kingdom. There are people who will be closed out of this glorious scene who are going into the lake of fire. Just look at the list here. The cowardly. The cowardly would refer to those who either did not believe because they were afraid of the consequences or made a profession of faith, but pulled back under pressure. We're talking about some people being confronted with the gospel, and one of the things holding them back was tremendous cost involved. family, friends would disown them, would have nothing to do with them if they believed in Jesus Christ. Well, for the cowardly, those who thought the cost was too great, Mark chapter eight. Let me just read it to you quickly. Mark eight thirty four, he summoned his disciples and said to them, if anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. There is no bargaining point. You want to become a follower of Christ, you take up the cross. What will it cost you? It will cost you everything. Whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Hebrews 10 38 says we are not of those who shrink back to destruction. They made a profession, but under the pressure of persecution, they have turning back from Christ. That's a sign you don't belong to him. The cowardly will be in hell. You think, oh boy, I couldn't suffer the loss of my family. I couldn't stand to be disowned. I couldn't stand the loss of this or that. Keep in mind what it costs you not to go through the narrow gate. Everything, the cowardly, the unbelieving, word that means unbelieving or unfaithful. And it would obviously involve those who don't believe in Christ, but it seems unfaithful fits the context here. Those who by their life demonstrated they weren't really redeemed. They may have made a profession, but they did not follow through. They were not faithful. The abominable, ugly word means those who practice the vile things of the pagan world. In Titus chapter one, there is a reference to those who profess to know Jesus Christ in Titus chapter one, verse 16. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny him being detestable. It's related to the word that we have, abominable, in our Revelation passage. Disobedient, worthless for any good deed. People profess to know Christ. By their deeds, they show they don't. They do abominable things. People that claim to have come through the narrow gate, but retraveling the broad road. People claiming to be saved, but living abominable lives. Be sure, those practicing abominable things are on a road that ends in the lake of fire. Don't be deceived. That's the way it is. The God who cannot lie says so. Murderers. Murderers are listed here because a murderer kills others. They have disregard for the life of fellow human beings. That life which is a manifestation of the image of God according to Genesis 9.6. Murder is such a serious offense because it strikes at the very image of God in man. It is a reflection of man's attitude toward God. Why are murders multiply? They say human life is cheap. You know why? People have no regard for Almighty God. And man is made in the image of God. And when they strike at man, they are striking at the very image of God. And it is a manifestation of their attitude toward the God who created man in his image. They're on their way to hell. Immoral persons. We could spend some time here. The word we get pornography, related kind of words, immorality of all kind. Hebrews chapter 13, verse four, says in marriage, the bed is honorable. The sexual relationship in marriage is what God intended. But. Adulterers and fornicators, God will judge. You know, it's become commonplace. We will live together openly now. It's an acceptable lifestyle. Homosexuality, an acceptable lifestyle. Keep in mind, Almighty God has not changed. People living those kind of lifestyles are on the broad road to the lake of fire. Immoral persons will be in the lake of fire. Does that mean a Christian could never commit immorality? No, it doesn't. Does it mean a Christian could not live a life of immorality? Yes, it means that. David committed immorality. David committed murder. Is that the characteristic of David's life? No, it's like a large blot on David's life. It's totally out of character. He's the man after God's own heart, except in the matter of Bathsheba and the matter of murder. But immoral persons, we have people living immoral lifestyles, homosexual lifestyles, claiming to be Christians today. The word of God is authoritative. Immoral persons have their part in the lake of fire. You may be living in immorality. You know it. Nobody else may know it. Note where God places you. Immoral persons will not be part of the kingdom, they'll be part of the lake of fire. You can fool others. You don't fool Almighty God. He's the sovereign God who knows all. Sorcerers. It's associated with idolatry and magic. We get the word pharmacology from this. Some relate it to drugs and think that drug activities involved here, but it's related to the idolatry, magic, sorcery, all of that kind of activity. Idolaters wouldn't have time to turn to it, but you can jot down Ephesians 5, 5, Colossians 3, 5, Ephesians 5, 5, Colossians 3, 5. Greed is idolatry, so don't think of people bowing down before an idol they made. Greed is idolatry. People who have replaced God with something else are on their way to the lake of fire. And all liars. That's a little bit unnerving. Puts together in there a lot of people. All liars have their part in the lake of fire. And incidentally, we're going to see a list like this two other times before the book is closed. And liars are included in all three lists given. We sort of play it down. You can say one thing and say another thing over here. It becomes politically acceptable. You just assume it'll be a lie. You don't assume that they will do what they say. Well, characteristic of liars, they're on their way to the lake of fire. Their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Now, we'll go back to describe the new Jerusalem. You see, brought in here, God says, I'll give you the water of life at no cost. The overcomer will inherit all the glorious new things I create. But I want to remind you, there is a lake of fire. There will be people in the lake of fire. Here are the kinds of people that will be in the lake of fire. Why would you not drink of the water of life? We read Matthew 13, Matthew 7, verses 13 and 14, the broad gate, the narrow gate, the broad road, the narrow road, destruction, life. In that context, Jesus Christ goes on to say, many will say to me in the judgment day, Lord, Lord, did we not do all these things in your name and cast out demons in your name and do many mighty things in your name? And I will say to them, I never knew you. You who practice lawlessness depart from me. You're cursed. Amazing, isn't it? Right up till the judgment day, I'm going to be filled to think I made it. I've done all this for the Lord." And he's going to say, I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness. You see, you can't be living a life characteristic of the broad road and be on your way to life. Are you saved by what you do? No. But if you have been saved by the grace of God, you are made a new creature in Jesus Christ. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Behold, new things have come. If that has not happened in your life, you are on the broad way to destruction. Am I trying to be the authority for your life? No. I simply want to be sure that you understand what God has said in his word. We're talking about eternal destiny. We're talking about where you will spend every moment of every day for all eternity in the lake of fire. In the glorious presence of God in the New Jerusalem, there could not be any greater contrast. Have you ever entered the narrow gate? Have you ever recognized how sinful and lost you are? Turn from your sin and cast yourself on the mercy of God. God, I am a sinner. Be merciful to me, the sinner. I believe Christ died for me. I have no hope, but that you'll save me because He died for me. I believe in Him. If by God's grace you are enabled to do that, you will be cleansed from your sin. You enter the narrow gate. You're now on the narrow road and you'll walk in obedience to the spirit. You won't be perfect, but the beauty of God's character will be produced in your life and you will be different. What gate have you come through? What road are you on? What destiny is yours? Really, the only questions that matter in life, where will you spend eternity? Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your grace. We who have been redeemed by that grace are overwhelmed with the glory that is before us. What a glory that goes beyond what we can conceive in these finite minds. But, Lord, we lay hold of these promises that come from the one who is faithful and true. The one who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. You, the eternally sovereign God, have promised that we will inherit all the things that you make new. Lord, it's overwhelming that we fallen sinners should be so redeemed. We give you the praise and glory. Lord, may we live our lives in this sin-cursed world. May we endure the suffering and the pain without complaints, without discouragement, without despair, because we are a people on the road to glory. We are a people who will spend eternity in the glory of your presence. May our suffering and our difficulty in trials be muted and mellowed by that realization. Lord, I pray for those who are here who have yet to drink of the water of life. Maybe they're a regular part of this congregation. Lord, I pray by your grace you will convict them of their sin. Convict them of the reality of their lost condition. Perhaps they're self-deceived. Lord, open blinded eyes to see and believe that they might experience the power of the gospel in making them new in Christ. We pray in his name. Amen.