When New Becomes NEW

Scripture Reading: Revelation 21:3-5

We live in an age where when something breaks we throw it out. My grandpa, now with the Lord, came from the era when something broke, you repaired it back to its new condition. You know we really don't see many "fix it" shops anymore. Throw away technology has done away with those. So as a culture we are inundated with stuff that replaces its former name bearer. Everything is upgraded, but nothing is really new. King Solomon made this wise assessment when he proclaimed there is nothing new under the sun. Even though Solomon would have been blown away with a digital camera or an IPhone, the principle he expressed still remains true.

In today's reading, there is a phrase that I believe is mostly overlooked not so much intentionally, but relationally. The phrase, "the former things are passed away," is so astounding in its concept and reality. We read that and we superficially know that Heaven will be much better than anything we experience on Earth, but do we stop and think of the details? I believe personally that if this phrase was no where to be found in the Scriptures that our hope would be of a lesser state than what it is.

Think about this. If something is really "new," how does it become so? Can you have something that is new when remnants of the old remain? Well, we know that Paul tells us that the new man of Christ is dwelling in us, but the old man of sin still remains. We are becoming "newer" everyday, but we are not totally new. That does not mean we're sort of saved or that we are half partakers of glory, I just mean that we are not completely and totally what we shall be in Glory. Why? Simply because the former things (future past tense in our understanding today) are not passed away yet. We still struggle with sin, our bodies still get sick and easily succumb to failure, our world is on the brink of war where it is not so engaged already, our societal morals are gone, and we could go on being depressed describing what's wrong in life. It all points back to this verse and the hope is found in it. So how does the state of being truly "new" change our perspective on life today and eternity someday?

First, the most obvious point is that being "new" eradicates the old. This is not an oversimplification. Oh no friend this is the culmination of hope in a few words. Imagine never visiting a hospital again, never gazing at a casket, never getting hot and sweaty, never worrying if you can make the bill payment, never concerned where your kids are or what they are watching, never fretting over what might happen in a fallen world. No sickness or pain for the old body is gone. No more troublesome thoughts because the mind is perfectly in tune with Christ. No more fear of enemies because now we are immortal. Never fearing separation of death because all that ended when God closed the book on this thing called Sin, or simply the former things.

Second, a different set of rules, environment, and relationship now apply. We live by societal norms. We tend to dress according to the way our environment dictates. We tend to be less than ourselves for fear of relational disembarrment. Not so in Heaven. Christ is the rule, He is Just and Fair, and the creator of those two adjectives. Our environment will be fresh and without defilement. The finest of gold most prized on Earth is the most basic element of Heaven. Our relationship to Christ as Brother and Savior will have just begun in its literal state never to end. All the saints of all the ages of this world will be most eager to swap stories of Divinity in action. Best of all, your new found family and friends will never be gone from your side. What a contrast to what we have now. The same old muggy hot air. The same old decaying moral governments. The same old cloak and dagger trying to impress techniques on people....all gone to usher in the New.

Thirdly, it completely forms the foundation of all we hope in. Paul tells us if we have hope of Christ in this life only we are the most miserable people to have ever lived. I firmly believe that if Heaven were only half of what it is described to be, you and I may fairly have some reservations about in Whom we are trusting. Suppose you were in your new Heavenly home and you called one morning on the Apostle James. You greet him and notice he is rubbing his neck. You ask him what's the matter. He replies, "well it where that sword severed my head on Earth, oh I am not complaining, but still it is a bit sore." You would wonder. If earthly conditions follow us, then quite frankly there is no end to the doubt that could arise in us. Christ has to eradicate completely all that was in the past to make the future glorious. If there was no guarantee of complete change, then there would be no reason to trust in Christ as Savior. This change, both inwardly and someday outwardly makes Jesus Christ the unparalleled difference from all the "help" of this world.

Fourthly and finally, God's "New" never gets old again. I like to look at old cars. Echoes of former glory. What once sat brand spanking new on a showroom floor in 1952 somehow doesn't have the identical lustre in 2008 that it once had. This is the greatest part of this truth--everything in glory stays exactly in its fresh new state a million years from the day it was created. What on earth have we that so compares?

I wished I could convey the great meaning of this phrase in words. I know it in my soul as you who are believers also do. To possess something that is truly new, and not an upgrade will in itself be wonderful.

"The former things (all that we know and are used to right now) will be gone." If you do not trust in Christ in this life, the life you face will not only be far worse than your nightmares can conjure, but you will face it completely alone. No ending, no reprieve, no hope. Is this world really worth living for? Right now as you read, its foundations are losing their footing and about to slide into sea of eternal despair. God has His hand of salvation stretched out, take it while you still can.

Christian, we are facing and will face the most difficult times. If this verse was never written, our hope might as well be forgotten. But it was written! One day, this mortality will be put on immortality, and things like death, disease, heartache, abuse, finances, worry, and all that we deal with will disappear. Not pie in the sky theology. Bed rock truth that will not fail, simply because God wrote it and thus it is so.

Every Life A Purpose

Do you play the Piano?  Maybe you know someone who does.  The photo you see at the left is from my church's Grand Piano played every Sunday.  We are looking at part of the Resonator Board (where the sound is produced) plus we can see some of the strings.  A Grand Piano has over 200 strings of various widths and lengths.  When the hammer strikes on the strings that note is produced.  Suppose you had a piano like this one and most of your strings sounded, but a few did not.  They did not because they were not there.  That would be a huge problem as no song could be played correctly without all the notes in all the octaves present.  Each string has its own place, design, sound and purpose.  The Bible tells us that we are just as important as all of these strings.  In 1st Corinthians 12, Paul tells us that each member of Christ's church is like a member or part of the human body.  We can't all be eyes lest we have no feet to walk.  We cannot be all hands lest we do not have ears to hear.  The verse that sums up what I am trying to say is verse 27, "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." The phrase, "members in particular," is so vastly important for Christians to understand.  We tend to compare ourselves to anyone we deem successful and/or spiritual.  The truth is, contrary to some opinion, there is no part of the body of believers more important than others.  When I think of someone "high" on the spiritual ladder, I think of two people...(there are many more)....Jacqueline Henderson (now with the Lord) and Dr. Billy Graham.  The two have nothing in common as far as ministry goes.  Jackie, as she was known, spent long hours every week keeping a little church decorated for every occasion so God's people would have a nice place to worship in.  Billy Graham has preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to more people than any man in human history.   Jackie was responsible for making sure the bulletins were neatly displayed and the flowers were arranged nice on the communion table.  Billy Graham has possibly more than several million souls that he has won to Christ.  Doesn't seem to be much similarity between the two, the choice of who is more important in the kingdom should be obvious, but it isn't.  

The fact is both are of equal importance.  The body of Christ cannot function without behind the scenes souls like Jackie, nor can it spread the Good News without those like Billy Graham.  In God's eyes both are dear and equally important.  Would God bless a hard working, eloquent speaker, and then forget the hard work an unknown servant does?  Never.  Perhaps you serve in a small ministry.  Maybe no one but God knows what you do.  Maybe no one ever thanks you or recognizes what you do.  Take cheer, its hard, but you haven't seen the Master yet.  Nor do you know of the rewards He has for those who truly do things for His glory only.  

Know this, no piano plays correctly without all its strings.  Whether you're a tiny short high string, or a deep sounding bass note, God is depending on your faithfulness and its He who is conducting the concerto.