Daily Scripture: Revelation 3:20 Here, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me. 21 I will let him who wins the victory sit with me on my throne, just as I myself also won the victory and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities.”’”
21:11 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,[a] for the old heaven and the old earth had passed away, and the sea was no longer there. 2 Also I saw the holy city, New Yerushalayim, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “See! God’s Sh’khinah is with mankind, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and he himself, God-with-them, will be their God.[b] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will no longer be any death; and there will no longer be any mourning, crying or pain; because the old order has passed away.”
5 Then the One sitting on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new!” Also he said, “Write, ‘These words are true and trustworthy!’”[Footnotes:
Revelation 21:1 Isaiah 65:17, 66:22
Revelation 21:3 Leviticus 26:11–12; Isaiah 7:14; 8:8, 10; Jeremiah 31:33(34); Ezekiel 37:27; 2 Chronicles 6:18]
Reflection Questions:Jesus said that, for God’s people, the end of the world is a time of redemption, not fear (cf. Luke 21:25-28). Revelation ended on the same note, with glowing, symbol-filled images of the glory that awaits God’s people after this world ends. The most glorious reward of all, John’s extraordinary vision said, is that God will be with us, and we with God, throughout eternity.
- The apostle Paul said Christians can live very differently from those “who don’t have any hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). At a time when Rome hated (and sometimes killed) Christians, John pictured a splendid future for God’s people, using symbols from Genesis 2’s description of the garden of Paradise. The exiled seer invited everyone to choose a life like his. As Pastor Hamilton says every Easter, “I not only believe it; I’m counting on it. And I invite you to count on it, too.” Have you said yes to that invitation? Can you live every day in triumphant hope?
Today's Prayer:
Jesus, you said in John 14 that you were going to prepare a place for us, that your Father’s house has lots of room. I want to be there when you make all things new. Thank you for promising me that I can be one of your redeemed, living with you eternally. Amen.
Family Activity:
Celebrate that God brings good out of bad! Encourage each family member to begin each day saying these words to God: “Yes!” and “Thank you!” Let your family know that by saying “Yes” to God, we are saying “Yes” to the gift of a new day, the opportunity to serve others, the privilege to grow in faith, and a willingness to for our hearts and minds to be shaped by the Holy Spirit. When we say, “Thank you!” we are giving praise and glory to God and celebrating all of God’s many blessings! Begin each precious day as a family with “Yes!” and “Thank you!” and celebrate each day as a gift from God.Insights from Mike Ash
Jesus, you said in John 14 that you were going to prepare a place for us, that your Father’s house has lots of room. I want to be there when you make all things new. Thank you for promising me that I can be one of your redeemed, living with you eternally. Amen.
Family Activity:
Celebrate that God brings good out of bad! Encourage each family member to begin each day saying these words to God: “Yes!” and “Thank you!” Let your family know that by saying “Yes” to God, we are saying “Yes” to the gift of a new day, the opportunity to serve others, the privilege to grow in faith, and a willingness to for our hearts and minds to be shaped by the Holy Spirit. When we say, “Thank you!” we are giving praise and glory to God and celebrating all of God’s many blessings! Begin each precious day as a family with “Yes!” and “Thank you!” and celebrate each day as a gift from God.Insights from Mike Ash
Mike Ash is the worship leader and Director of Community Life at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection’s Blue Springs Campus.
God is always at work creating and making things new.
It’s interesting that God’s story with humans begins in a garden.
Jesus, using the language of the people, spoke about farmers sowing and reaping, mustard seeds being like the kingdom of heaven and himself being the vine.
When Mary Magdelene went to the garden tomb and she first saw Jesus she actually thought he was the gardener!
Every year my grandmother would plant a garden. I would run the tiller and help her plant the seeds. One spring she had to leave to visit her sister in Florida for two weeks. She said to me “You know how to till the garden and I’ve mapped out how the seeds should be planted.” The next morning I plowed the garden and planted the seeds and was pretty proud of myself! But when she arrived back home and saw the garden she wasn’t very happy. I hadn’t weeded, watered or broke up the ground. It was like a giant patch of hard dirt!
Most Sunday’s we pray the Lord’s prayer together. I’m always relieved when we say “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.
Like Adam and Eve, we can choose to do what we want and think we know what’s best or we can surrender to the one who promises, that if we remain in him we will bear much fruit.
Let’s submit our lives, our concerns and our future to the Lord and know that He is making all things new!
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe AveNUE
God is always at work creating and making things new.
It’s interesting that God’s story with humans begins in a garden.
Jesus, using the language of the people, spoke about farmers sowing and reaping, mustard seeds being like the kingdom of heaven and himself being the vine.
When Mary Magdelene went to the garden tomb and she first saw Jesus she actually thought he was the gardener!
Every year my grandmother would plant a garden. I would run the tiller and help her plant the seeds. One spring she had to leave to visit her sister in Florida for two weeks. She said to me “You know how to till the garden and I’ve mapped out how the seeds should be planted.” The next morning I plowed the garden and planted the seeds and was pretty proud of myself! But when she arrived back home and saw the garden she wasn’t very happy. I hadn’t weeded, watered or broke up the ground. It was like a giant patch of hard dirt!
Most Sunday’s we pray the Lord’s prayer together. I’m always relieved when we say “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.
Like Adam and Eve, we can choose to do what we want and think we know what’s best or we can surrender to the one who promises, that if we remain in him we will bear much fruit.
Let’s submit our lives, our concerns and our future to the Lord and know that He is making all things new!
13720 Roe AveNUE
Leawood, KANSAS 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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