Andrew Brunson is an American pastor and missionary to Turkey. He and his wife, Norine, were missionaries in Turkey for 23 years, and they never tried to hide their work. But then, in 2016, they were called in. Norine was released after 13 days, but Mr. Brunson was accused of spying and aiding terrorists and detained for two years. While he was in prison, the greatest crisis of faith was not persecution, nor interrogation. It was more the feeling of abandonment. He had expected strength to pour into him. He had expected to feel an overwhelming sense of grace. But that didn’t happen. So at first, he questioned God about his love, loyalty, and faithfulness. But later, he heard God asking him questions: “Are you going to be loyal? Are you going to love me? Are you going to remain faithful even if you feel abandoned and disappointed?” His faithfulness was tested and proven true. The reward was great: a new level of intimacy with God. Mr. Brunson said that what he tried to focus on and learned from being in prison was cultivating the fear of God: having an eternal perspective, seeing things through his eyes. So now, when he wakes up each morning, he tries to focus himself by saying, “Jesus, the only thing that matters is what you think about me when I stand before you, so I want to live accordingly. I want all of my efforts to have your glory in mind.”[1]
That’s exactly what the Apostle John encourages other Christians (and us!) to do. That’s what the Book of Revelation is about. We may not be physically exiled or persecuted as the early church Christians were. But many of us today suffer from the same feeling of abandonment. And we question God about his love and faithfulness. The Book of Revelation is the answer to these questions. It shows us the things that must happen soon, so that we may know God is still in charge, so that we may have an eternal perspective, seeing things through his eyes. In particular, today’s scripture (Revelation 21 and 22) through John’s vision of heaven gives us two words of encouragement: hope for the future and faithful living for today.
Lasting Hope
First, Lasting hope. In Revelation 21 John begins to share his vision in this way:
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, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God…In this world we see the wicked prevail. We see people who take advantage of others. We see leaders and politicians who are self-serving and corrupt. Not only this, we also see the righteous suffer. We see the church struggle and marginalized in this culture. We see that the healing doesn’t come. And we wonder if God is just and really cares. Today’s text tells us loudly and clearly, “This isn’t the end of the story!” It tells us, “Death is never the last word for God’s people!” It tells us, “You are not home yet!”
If you look around, there are always some reasons to despair. But today’s passage points us back to the Christ Jesus, who already had the final victory over sin, death, and Satan, saying, “See, I am making all things new” (5). And he shows John and us three following visions (metaphors) to stir up new, fresh, lasting hope in us – the city, the garden, and the wedding. First, we see the holy city, the new Jerusalem (21:9-27). There we will see the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites. There we will see the names of the twelve apostles. There we will see our loved ones. Most of all, we will see the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb face to face! (22) Second, we see the garden (22:1-6). If you read the first half of Revelation 22, you will see that the garden described here is the Garden of Eden restored and redeemed from Genesis 1 and 2. We will see and have access to the tree of life, soak our feet in the river of life, take a stroll with God. Third, we see the wedding. Not only are we invited to the wedding as a guest, but also we ourselves become the bride of the Lamb at the wedding. All these three metaphors (the city, the garden, and the wedding) represent one consistent theme: our close personal fellowship with Jesus. On that day our fellowship with Jesus will be so intimate, so sweet. There will be no more death, tears, mourning, crying or pain (21:4). Instead, there will be fullness of joy, eternal pleasures (Ps 16:11). This hope is raised anew as we see John’s vision of heaven.
Faithful Living
Second, faithful living. The vision of heaven also encourages us radical discipleship right now. It encourages us to be different now in this world. It encourages us to decide now which side to follow. In Revelation 21 and 22 heaven is not fantasy. Here heaven is not something that we see and taste after death. We have access to heaven now. The text clearly tells us that we already live in the vision of heaven. Through his death and resurrection, Christ brought heaven here on earth. He began the establishment of the new heaven, the new Jerusalem since then. And on the Last Day the vision of heaven will be completed. So we see the continuity between now and that day. Our body matters because the body we have now becomes our resurrected body. Our relationship with other believers today matters because it is eternal.
Today’s scripture calls us to live in heaven now. Then, what does it look like? I believe St. Thérèse of Lisieux can be a good example. She is called “the greatest saint of modern times,” and her spirituality was as practical and down-to-earth as possible. Once she said, “In heaven every grain of sand will be a diamond!” In other words, all the little things matter. Every task matters. Every word matters. Every thought matters. She received each day as a gift from God – the new heaven and the new earth. In order to live in heaven now she practiced three things: First, she did strive to do the little things in her ordinary life with love – washing the dishes with love, doing the laundry with love, scrubbing floors with love, fixing the flowers with love, cooking meals with love, tending the sick with love, doing chores with love. Second, she decided to learn obedience. The root of the word obedience is “to listen.” She chose to listen carefully to others in her life. She learned what other’s needs were through listening and served them better in love. Third, she determined never to complain. She knew that complaining never makes things better. It always makes things worse. She intentionally did take time to contemplate the world with gratitude, slow down and see what wonderful things God was doing, and she was glad and rejoiced. St. Thérèse called this spiritual practice a “Little Way” to heaven.[2]
Soon and Very Soon
Lasting hope, and faithful living. And now epilogue (22:6-21). As John comes to the conclusion, for the last time he wants to make sure we understand that Christ will be all in heaven. Our life is more than doing good, or doing the right thing, then hoping to go to heaven. We are meant to have a living, intimate relationship with Christ – love him, savor him, treasure him, trust him, honor him, glorify him, worship him! R. C. Ryle exhorts us to examine ourselves to see if we stay in love with Christ (cf. 2 Co 13:5):
But alas, how little fit for heaven are many who talk of "going to heaven" when they die, while they manifestly have no saving faith, and no real acquaintance with Christ. You give Christ no honour here. You have no communion with Him. You do not love Him. Alas! what could you do in heaven? It would be no place for you. Its joys would be no joys for you. Its happiness would be a happiness into which you could not enter. Its employments would be a weariness and a burden to your heart. Oh, repent and change before it be too late![3]
In the Epilogue we should feel “urgency.” Jesus himself says to us three times:
“See, I am coming soon!” (7)
“See, I am coming soon!” (12)
“Surely I am coming soon!” (20)
Here the tone of the Greek word “tachei,” translated as “soon” in English, is like "last call" at the airport. Suppose you are at Bangor airport. You hear the urgent announcement – final boarding call for you. You hear your name called. You see your flight is ready to leave. What would you do? Probably you would go to your gate immediately. You would not postpone and make an appointment with an airline staff for later in the week.
Let us not delay. Let us examine ourselves now. Let us repent of our cold heart toward Christ and turn to him now. Let us live with Christ. Let us live for Christ now. Then and only then, Christ will become our all in all. And we will face the future with shouts of excitement, “Come, Lord Jesus! Maranatha!” (20) Amen.
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[1] “Andrew
Brunson Felt Abandoned by God,”
Christianity Today (October 2019), 72-73.
[2] “The
Little Way at Home,” Catholic Digest,
http://www.catholicdigest.com/faith/201611-05the-little-way-at-home/, and “St.
Therese and Her Little Way,” Society of the Little Flower,
https://www.littleflower.org/therese/reflections/st-therese-and-her-little-way/
[3] J. C.
Ryle, “Christ Is All,” http://www.biblebb.com/files/ryle/christ_is_all.htm
