Synopsis: John’s vision of the New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem is both a window into our future and a mirror revealing our present identity in Christ. The blessings that will one day be perfected in eternity have already begun in the Church through the work of Jesus Christ. God already dwells with His people, is making all things new, satisfies our deepest thirst, and has made His Church His holy dwelling place. Yet we still await the day when these realities will be experienced without sin, suffering, or death. The Christian life is living today in light of the glorious future Christ has guaranteed.

Text: Revelation 21:1-22:5
Date: August 9, 2026

Introduction

Mirror/Window: Today we approach one of my favorite passages in scripture, Revelation 21. This passage famously is an image for us of Heaven, as it will be after Christ returns to this earth. There is a way to preach this passage that leaves us breathless and gasping for the joys of what is to come. In that sense some people view this chapter as a window that we can look through into a different world, and see the joys of Heaven. Others however interpret this passage quite differently. They don’t see this as a window to glimpse into heaven, but they see it as a mirror that reveals what is already true about ourselves, the Church. It is not just that Christ will be King in heaven, but rather He is King now. It is not just that you will reign alongside Christ in heaven, but you do reign alongside Christ now, in this Kingdom. Which one is it? Is this chapter a window into the future, or a mirror to see ourselves accurately?

I Believe: I believe, and I will aim to show, that the answer is both. This chapter is so complex and so interconnected to so many other passages in both the Old and New Testament, that one sermon can never do it the full justice it deserves. But the main idea of this passage might be summarized this way: What God finishes in eternity, he has already started in his church.

Two Aims: And so, today I am aiming for two interlocking goals. On the one hand, I want to ravish your heart with images of heaven that will form a true eternal perspective inside of you. I want to make you hungry for heaven. I want to cause you to remember that the scriptures we are sojourners here in this world and we will not be home, until we are home with Christ in heaven. At the exact same time, I want us to see that nearly everything that is described in this wonderful chapter about Heaven, is using language that in some way and some degree is true of us as the Church right now. I want us to see that the Church, and the average Christian, is far more glorious and wonderful and empowered in this life than we ever imagined.

Main Idea: What God finishes in eternity, he has already started in his church.

Meaning & Application

THE NEW EARTH

John presents these ideas to us in the imagery of Christ renewing this world. Our text neatly divides into three sections. With each section we evaluate a smaller and smaller section of this new world Christ will create. First, let’s consider verses 1-8, and John’s Description of the New Earth.

Revelation 21:1–8 “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. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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. 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.” 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.” 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. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.””

Big Picture: Quite a lot is being described in those verses. If I could summarize it, John describes a time in the future after Christ returns and holds his Great White Throne Judgment that we discussed last week. In this description he describes the end of this world as we know it as a kind of transformation. The idea is that God is going to transform and renew this Earth. And that Heaven will one day merge with this Earth in such a way that all sin, and all pollution, and all suffering, and all death will ultimately be expunged. Our eternity in heaven, will not be floating in some cloud out in the ether somewhere, but it will be right here, on this soil, with physical human bodies, in community, with God at the center of it. In short, Heaven is going to be everything you ever felt you were made for, only perfected, and infinite, and wonderful.

Three Insights: Let me draw out three observations in this text that reveal that John is speaking both about out ultimate heavenly reality, and our current Christian experience.

Dwelling Place (3): First, verse 3 states:

Revelation 21:3 “… 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.”

Already: The term used for “dwelling place” in that verse is often translated “tabernacle.” It is the same root word that is used by the same author in the Gospel of John 1:14 when he says that Christ “dwelt among us”, or “tabernacled among us.” Isn’t it true Christian that God has already made his dwelling with us. The Christian is one who walks with God, and delights in God, and experiences God, because God has granted us the Holy Spirit in order that he might dwell with us now. We are his people now. This is not just spiritual language, it is our reality.

John 14:17 “… You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

Not Yet: And yet, there is coming a day, when that reality will be made sight. Christ dwells with us now through the invisible Holy Spirit, but he will dwell with us in eternity in the flesh. We will behold the radiance of Christ’s physical face. He will walk with us not in spirit, but physically.

All Things New (5): In verse 5 Christ says:

Revelation 21:5 “…Behold, I am making all things new.”

Already: Already, is it not true that Christ is making all things new now. The Apostle says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that:

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

What Paul mean when he says this is that when a person believes in Christ, the sins and the sinful patterns and the hopeless situations that once defined their life are gone, and new thing is created. This is your story. Many of you were hopeless about your life circumstance, Christ gave you hope. Many of you were sowing seeds of death, God gave you life. Many of you were searching for truth. Christ, who is the truth, gave Himself to you.

Not Yet: And yet, there is coming a day when the flesh that continues to plague us in this life, and hold us back from a full and sinless life in Christ, will be separated from us forever. What we experience in part now, we will embrace in full then.

To the Thirsty (6): In verse 7, Christ says:

Revelation 21:6 “… To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.”

Already: That language is full of biblical imagery. When Christ spoke to the woman at the well, do you remember what he said? He said that he would give her “living water.”

John 4:14 “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

And then again in John 7:38:

John 7:38 “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ””

When you walk with Christ, Christ flows through you like a fountain of living water, not only producing spiritual health in you, but bursting out of you and bringing joy and love and life and light to everyone around you. This is the mark of the Christian.

Not Yet: And yet, there is coming a day when we will nourish ourselves with the food and drink of Heaven. Our experience of Christ will be so full and immeasurable that we will be like sponges fully soaked in water, that to simply touch the sponge with the gentlest of touches, water will gush out. We will be full and overflowing with living water.

Is this passage a window into our future, or a mirror revealing who we really are in Christ? I believe it is both.

What God finishes in eternity, he has already started in his church.

THE NEW JERUSALEM

In the first eight verses we looked at what John describes as the New Earth, but now we zoom in just a little bit, and we consider what John describes as the New Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:9–27 “Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

Big Picture: This is stunning imagery, and it becomes all the more stunning when you understand the language. John envisions a heavenly version of Jerusalem coming out of heaven and descending down upon the Earth. Do not miss verse 9, where John is told that he will be shown the “the wife of the lamb.” And then he is shown Heavenly Jerusalem coming down out of the sky. This is common language to Revelation. Who is the bride of Christ? It’s the Church collectively. And so this city is a metaphor for the Church. There are four observations of this city that help us understand what John is getting at.

Size: First, the size of the New Jerusalem. Verse 16 describes the city as a perfect cube, each length being 12,000 stadia. in modern measurements, 12,000 stadia is about 1,500 miles. So the image John is using, is of a city coming down out of heaven that is roughly the better portion of the United of states of America. And recall that it is in a cube shape, which means the top of the cube, goes up into outer space about 1,500 miles. Not only that, but there are twelve gates total, with three on each side of the cube. These are huge gates. And verse 21 says that each gate is made out of one single pearl. That’s a large pearl!

This is describing the Church! Why is it so big? Sometimes, especially in places like Chicago, it can feel that the true Church is small, that we are weak, or insignificant. But what passage does is it transports through heavenly eyes to the see the Church as it really is, as God sees it. People from every tongue, tribe, nation, language, and generation. Growing to be the most formidable power on this Earth bar none.

Shape: Second, consider the shape of the New Jerusalem. It is a perfect cube. Why is that important? Well, this isn’t geometry, it’s about theology. In the Old Testament there was a temple. In the center of that temple was the room where the Ark of the Covenant, which stored the Ten Commandments, was stored. It was called the Holy of Holies. It was the place where the High Priest could venture only once per year, and where he was supposed to commune with God on behalf of the people. We read the dimensions of this room in 1 Kings 6:

1 Kings 6:20 “The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold….”

The Holy of Holies was a cube. In visualizing the bride of Christ as a great cube coming out of heaven, John is symbolizing the great truth that because of Christ’s work on the cross, there is no more divde between the sacred holy places and the unsacred unclean places. We all, by faith in Christ, have direct access to God through the Holy of Holies. Where the simplest Christian goes, the presence of the living God goes with him. The entire city has become the sanctuary. Every street is as holy as the Holy of Holies once was. Not only that, but we are told down in verse 25 that the gates to the Holy of Holies never close. Already, we commune with God as the saints of the Old Testament could only dream of.

Decoration: Third, consider its decoration. Verse 11 tells us that the city:

Revelation 21:11 “having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.”

And then it goes on to describe a whole host of the rarest jewels: jasper, emerald, onyx, carnelians, topaz and more. The streets are described as pure gold as if made of transparent glass. What is being communicated here? The city is being described beautifully, as something wholly divine in a sense. Church, do you not know how glorious the Church is? The Apostle Paul says:

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…

It’s quite remarkable to think that in this life, we often look so lowly upon ourselves, but if we had eyes to see how Christ sees the true Church, we would know that we are a city covered in sparkling gems. If that’s what we are now, think what we be like then.

Purpose: Fourth, what about our purpose? Verses 22-25 say that the city has no temple, because the presence of Christ in the midst of the city is such that God’s glory permeates the entire thing. So much so, that the Kings of the Earth, recognize the glory that dwells within the Church, Christ’s bride.

Already: O Church, this is a mirror, telling you truth about who you are now. We have no need for a physical temple in Jerusalem anymore, because Christ dwells in you as a believer. And indeed the Church is far more powerful and glorious than any kingdom or king or queen on this planet can ever dream.

Not Yet: And yet there is coming a day, when we will be freed from all that hinders us from being untarnished vessels of the Holy Spirits. And God’s glory will flow through His Church in such clarity and such glory that we will all regulalry stand in awe at the glory of our King.

Cultural Lie: As a pastor I come across so many Christians who do not understand, at their heart level how wonderful the Church is. We think of the Church as the rinky dink old-fashioned place. It’s the Church of the Living God. It is glorious. You cannot see it now, but its streets are laid with gold. It’s saints are heirs of the Kingdom of God. Angels trod its hallways. Never be ashamed of the Church. See it how God sees it. Sese how it will be presented when Christ returns!

THE NEW CITY-CENTER

We have seen the New Earth. And we have seen the New City. But now let us look at the New City-Center.

Revelation 22:1–5 “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Garden to City: It is interesting this passage, which is the second to last chapter in the Bibles, brings us back to imagery which is found in the opening chapters of the Bible, specifically with the Tree of Life. The Bible began in a Garden, and it culminates into a city. But not a city like Chicago with skyscrapers. But a city that has strong semblances of the very Garden where we began, but somehow glorified and magnified and culminated into its final glorious form. It is almost as if this image is describing what Eden would have turned into had Adam never sinned, and got to work tending to the Garden of Eden and bringing society to its perfect sinless end.

Big Picture: At the center of the city is the throne of God, which we know is the throne of Christ, the lamb. The lamb and the throne is central to these verses. The water flows from the throne. His servants see his face and have his name written on their foreheads. The Lord is so glorious that he is said to be like the sun in the midst of them. But it is verse 3 that is so striking to me. In a nearly poetic way, Genesis is brought full circle.

Revelation 22:3 “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.”

This juxtaposition of that which is cursed being expunged and expelled from the presence of the throne of God. Where does this language come from. Well the language of the curse goes straight back to the Garden of Eden, where after Adam and Eve sinned a curse was placed upon them and their progeny. All of creation was subject to life outside the Garden of Eden, underneath the curse of death and separation from God. But here in heaven, the curse is gone. No semblance of it is found in the slightest degree. The only memory of the curse that once plagued humanity is in the scars on the hands and the feet of the Lamb himself.

Already: Church, it is true, this is a window into Heaven as it will be in the future. But it is also a mirror into your reality right now. In this life we live in a cursed and fallen world. But do not miss that at the center of the Christian hope is not simply that we will be freed from all sin and all effects of the curse when Christ returns and brings heaven to us. We are freed from it now! The Apostle Paul teaches us:

Galatians 3:13–14 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us… so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”

When a person believes in Christ, the curse placed over Adam is undone. It has no hold over us anymore. We were dead as a result of our sin, we were cut off from God. But Christ redeemed us. It is not just that we will behold the glory of God in Heaven. But Paul writes,

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another…”

Wrap Up: Church, heaven will be more than you can ever imagine, because Christ will be there. Of all that heaven will offer us, its greatest benefit and greatest treasure will be the one who sits upon the throne. Whatever else Heaven is, it is Heaven because it is with Him. And Church I want us to be “heavenly minded,” but not so heavenly minded that we lose sight of the wonder of our earthly reality in Christ. Whatever other benefit comes from being a Christian is beside the point, because at the center of Christianity, is Christ and a deep fellowship with Christ. Let me ask you two questions by way of reflection.

What is it that chiefly makes you desire to go to heaven when you die? For many, it is simply the peripheral hope of rest and ease. For some it is simply the desire to escape eternal suffering in Hell. If haven were offered to you with all of its benefits. You could avoid the eternal suffering of Hell. You could have an eternity of rest and ease. You could have a home, fellowship, friendships, and community. You could have all of that with one exception, Christ wasn’t there. Would you be satisfied? Would you get by just fine?

Let me ask a similar question. Pretend you were given two options. On the one hand, you were given the choice to live in this world in all earthly prosperity for all eternity, never having a need that you could not fix and afford, and never having a desire that you could not fulfill. But you were permitted no fellowship with God. No access to his light. On the other hand you are told you will live for all eternity in this world in a low place and a low condition. But in the midst of your lowness, you could know and live in the light of God’s friendship. Which would you choose?

Closing

At the center of Heaven… and therefore at the center of this Christian life of ours, is Christ. What an awesome privilege to be a Christian! To know God. To have our sins forgiven. To be called a Son of the King. To feast ourselves on the wonder of his word. To participate in the glory of his church. To fellowship with God in the intimacy of prayer. To ease our consciences with the assurance of his blood. To see his wounded hands and feet, and know they are marks of his love for us. To see the Spirit sanctifying us, and overcoming sin. To clothe ourselves in righteousness. To behold our affections and desires transformed from death to life. What a wonder it is to be a Christian!

What God finishes in eternity, he has already started in his church.