New Heaven and New Earth

Hello Friends,

It’s finally summer vacation! Schools out, pools are opening, the sun is shining, adventures are out there, dreams are ready to come true, memories are ready to be made, and fun is to be experienced every day! Oh, and there’s no homework!! Are you excited that summer vacation has finally arrived?! I bet some of your teachers have been ready for this moment for a few weeks (if not, a few months) now, and the time has finally arrived! Do you have any plans for this summer: staying home, going swimming, taking a vacation, going fishing, riding your bike, spending time with friends, creating memories with your family? Whatever it is that you decide to do, I hope that you have an unbelievable summer filled with happiness, adventure, and wonderful memories!

Speaking of summer, during the summer, as a church, we are going to embark on a quest answering questions about heaven. Have you ever heard of “heaven” before? Do you know who lives in heaven? Do you know what heaven is like? For many centuries, people all over the globe have asked questions and wondered about heaven: What is heaven like? Who is in heaven? Will my favorite toy be in heaven? Are the streets really made of gold that are as clear as glass? Will Jesus meet us at the gate? Will my pet be in heaven?

Revelation 21:1-7 tells us, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.“

There are so many questions about heaven. It’s exciting to wonder about heaven, even if we may never know everything there is about heaven. So, I thought today, I would simply introduce you to what John describes as the “New Heaven and New Earth.”

You know what I’ve noticed? Life can be tough. It is full of challenges and difficulties. And there are a lot of things that we need in order to face the hardships that come our way. For instance, tissues! Sometimes we feel sad, and need a tissue to dry our tears. Or you might get a cold and need that tissue to blow your nose. You might also feel sick and need medicine to help you get better. Or sometimes you get hurt, and you need a band-aid to patch things up. Or how about this? Flashlights! There are times when things get dark, or perhaps the power goes out. It’s important to have a flashlight ready to guide your way. Oh, and don’t forget about sustenance! We need snacks and plenty of water to keep us going.

Phew, this sure is a lot of gear to lug around! Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t need all of this? In fact, wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t face sickness, or sadness, or darkness at all? Well, guess what? I have some great news for you. Someday we won’t need tissues or band-aids or medicine or water, or even our favorite snack! We have some beautiful promises from God about how things will be in heaven. God tells us that He is going to make all things new. When we finish this life on Earth, a new home awaits us, better than anything that we can imagine now. God says that He will wipe away every tear. We won’t need tissues! There will be no more sorrow or sickness. There won’t be pain. We won’t even need the light of flashlights or the sun, because the light of Jesus will shine brightly. We won’t need water, because God will give us living water. All of these things that trouble us now will be gone. No burdens, no hardships at all!

Of course, we don’t know all of the details. We don’t know when we will go to heaven, and we don’t know exactly what it will be like. But we have the hope that it will be wonderful. It’s sort of like when you have a rough week at school, but you know there’s something special or fun waiting for you when you get to the weekend. You can think about that special thing and feel a little better when times get rough. It is the same way in our lives. Yes, we have joyous moments, and we want to make the most of every day. But sometimes things get hard. When those times come, we know that this world is not our home, and difficulties won’t last forever. God promises us eternal life with Him, free from all trials and pain. We can rest assured that something spectacular is waiting for us! So when we feel sad or encounter challenges throughout our life and even during the summer, we remember that there is hope in heaven. God will make all things new, including our lives!

Let’s say a prayer to thank God for the hope of heaven and a future with Him.
Dear God, Thank you for the hope of Heaven. We know you will comfort us with your peace and wipe away our tears. Help us to remember that when things are hard. Thank you for loving us. We love you, God! Thank you for Jesus. In His name, Amen!

Your Friend, Holy Spirit!

Message Inspired by Kristin Highley: https://ministry-to-children.com/heaven-childrens-sermon-revelation-21-new-heaven-and-new-earth