Emmanuel -- God is with Us

9-16-08

SCRIPTURE
Revelation 21:3-5 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe 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!"

OBSERVATION
It’s almost like the Bible ends with heaven crashing to earth and God saying; “I’ve been waiting so long to come down here and completely be with you.” The Bible begins with God walking in the Garden with Adam and Eve – His prized creation. Adam and Eve decide to go their own way, independent of their Creator (which separates them). God comes into the Garden and calls out to Adam and Eve “Where are you?” The rest of the Bible is a story about this God who desperately wants to be with His prized and loved creation – people (you and me). In fact our God goes to great lengths including sending His only Son, Jesus (who was called Emmanuel, which means, God With us) to make a Way for God to be with His people.

Then in verse 21 of the last book of the Bible…The Bible ends with God coming down. I think about Genesis (the beginning of it all) and God’s heart for people. It’s almost like God can’t get close enough to us. And then when He comes among us, as Jesus, what does He teach us? Jesus teaches us about the Kingdom of God. And what is the central prayer Jesus teaches us of the life of a disciple? “Your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.” So Jesus says: Things are a certain way in heaven. And when you obey God, and you do things as He desires them to be (because you love Him) then you are doing things as they are done in heaven. And so if I’m doing things as they are done in heaven…then by my actions, I’m bringing heaven to earth...now.

So when God comes down among us, and teaches us the central message of Jesus: That the kingdom of God is near, here, now… You, by your actions, can bring heaven to earth. The Bible is a story of an almighty God who wants to come down and live among us because He loves people (you and me) that much. And think of how many of our theological systems are built around us getting out of here. Is the dominant question, “How do I get into heaven?” Or “How do I get heaven here?”

It’s not that when we die (if we follow Jesus) we don’t go to heaven. It’s not that. Salvation is about the world to come, but salvation is also about making this world the kind of place that God can come to now?

Revelation 21:5 says "I am making everything new!" When we act, in this world, like; “Well it doesn’t really matter, it’s all going to burn and 'some glad morning, I’ll fly away'.” You come down front (at church) say a prayer and when you die, you’re out of here. Let’s be honest, what does that say about this life, we’re living, now? Over time what it says is that this life really doesn’t matter. Correct? And then we wonder why so many Christians feel powerless.

We pursue right living…because we understand that when we live in wholeness and health…
when we forgive each other
and we get rid of rage
and self-centeredness,
and bitterness
and lack of forgiveness.
When we have a heart like God’s, for those who are needy and marginalized…
When we live rightly, as it says in Psalm 14; “God is present in the lives of those who live rightly.” Love Wins!

Revelation 22:4 He will wipe 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!"

Our God is good and ultimately we believe that LOVE WINS!

APPLICATION
Look for ways, today, to bring Heaven to Earth and show that Love really does win.

PRAYER
It excites me, Father, to know that the story ends with You being with us: completely and forever.