Introduction

Revelation 21:1-4 ESV  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.”

• Today is mission’s Sunday!
  • AND PRAISE GOD FOR MISSIONS! AMEN?!
  • And aren’t y’all excited that heaven is not just one race or nationality of people?
    • And I don’t say that to VirTUe SiGNal… I say that because I am glad that I get to go to heaven.
    • I am glad that my kids and wife get to go to heaven.
    • I am glad that you get to go to heaven.
      • Because I am looking around the room and I don’t know that there is anyone here that would make it to heaven if heaven was only one race or one nationality.
    • Because if that was the case, only Israelites would go to heaven. Only those of Jewish decent would go to heaven.
  • I think it is so funny when people call Christianity a white man’s religion…
    • BRO! Jesus was the King of the JEWS!
    • He was Jewish, born in Israel, of two full blooded Israeli parents…
      • Well mostly full blooded, Rahab snuck in to the family line at some point…
    • But Jesus was Jewish,
    • His Disciples were Jewish
    • He taught in the Jewish Synagogues
    • He preached from the Jewish scriptures.
      • If only one group of people make heaven, it’s not us!
  • BUT PRAISE GOD FOR MISSIONS!
    • Jesus did not ONLY preach to Jews, but He preached to everyone.
    • The Apostles did not only preach in Jerusalem and Judea… but in Symaria and to the ends of the earth!
      • One of the first converts after Christ’s death and resurrection was an Ethiopian.
      • Whole books of the New Testament are written to places in Europe and in Asia.
      • The fact that we, as people not living as Jews in Israel… the fact that we know about the Gospel is because of MISSIONS.
      • Because someone left their home town, their home country, their native language, and PREACHED THE GOSPEL.
        • The made disciples.
        • They baptized those disciples.
        • And they taught those disciples to obey all the Jesus has commanded.
• THANK GOD FOR MISSIONS, AMEN?!
  • So on Mission Sunday we wear international clothes.
  • We eat international food.
  • We sing international songs.
  • We preach an international message.
  • And pray international prayers.
    • This is not cultural appropriation… this is cultural appreciation.
    • We appreciate that not everyone dresses the same way we do.
    • That no everyone eats the same things we do.
    • That no everyone speaks the same language we do.
    • But we also appreciate that EVERYONE, regardless of what they wear, eat, or speak… they most certainly DO need the same Jesus we need!
• And so today we focus on the Nations… and what a wonderful verse to be at in Revelation as we talk about the Gospel to the nations…
• Because today we get to start talking about New Jerusalem, our eternal dwelling place.
  • A perfect and eternal City, where God dwells with all who love and serve Him.
  • And it will be a city full of many different ethnicities… but we will all be a part of the same Kingdom, the Kingdom of God!

• Let’s read the first two of our key verses again today.

Revelation 21:1-2 ESV  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.

• So, for some context… we are talking about the end of this world as we know it…
  • We know a world full of sin and suffering and death.
  • Satan reigns over this present world, causing pain, and chaos wherever he goes.
    • But that time is over.
    • Satan has been defeated.
    • The enemies of God have been defeated.
    • Everyone has been judged and deemed fit for eternal life with God or eternal destruction in hell.
  • Now that the thousand years have ended and all have been judged, a new heaven and a new earth begin.
  • And out from heaven comes down New Jerusalem.
    • A beautiful, brilliant city made of the purist of gold and gem stones, and massive pearls, with rivers and trees and glory and perfection.
    • And it comes down from heaven like a beautiful bride, adorned with all her jewelry, and makeup… with her hair spectacularly fixed up and the most beautiful dress you have ever seen, walking down the aisle as everyone looks on.
      • This is how the city of New Jerusalem descends from heaven to the new and perfect earth.
• Once it descends from heaven it will be populated with God and God’s people… this is where we will live…
  • We don’t live in heaven forever, as some mistakenly believe.
  • The place with the sea of glass and all the crazy angelic creatures? That’s not our forever home.
  • Our forever home is New Jerusalem, a city on the planet earth. Not the earth as we know it, but a recreated earth… a new perfect earth.
    • This brings me to my first point this morning…

Point One – We Are a People Of Many Nationalities, But One Kingdom

Revelation 21:2-3 ESV  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.

• God will dwell in New Jerusalem with us.
  • God’s plan has always been to dwell with us on earth.
  • He created the earth as a place for Him and mankind to dwell.
  • And that’s how things were in the beginning. We dwelt with God in the Garden of Eden. Walking with God, talking with God, serving God, worshiping Him, loving Him and being loved by Him.
    • Right there in the Garden with Him.
  • But sin separated us. And ever since then God has been working hard to restore that reality…
    • To bring us back to a time where we walk with Him, talk with Him, worship and serve Him in His physical presence.
    • Here on earth… a recreated earth, sure, but earth non the less.
    • We will dwell with God in New Jerusalem and He will dwell with us.
  • But today is mission’s Sunday, so what is the mission’s message we can get from this verse?
• It’s simply this: We are A People of Many Nationalities, But of One Kingdom… let me explain:

Revelation 21:3 ESV  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.

• THEY WILL BE HIS PEOPLE.
  • Yes there will be people from Japan, and Jamaca, and Guatemala, and Nigeria, and all the tribes and nations of the world.
  • But they wont be Japanese people, or Jamaican people, or Guatemalan people, or Nigerian people… no no no! THEY WILL BE GOD’S PEOPLE.
    • That’s how they identify. AS GOD’S PEOPLE.
    • That nation that lived in for 70, 80, 90 years… that place does not define them. THEY ARE GOD’S PEOPLE.
      • Listen, I have lived in Iowa for only 8 years, but I already know Iowa is my home. I AM AN IOWAN.
      • I even routed for the Packers last year, God help my soul… but this is HOME!
      • That’s after 8 years I feel like an Iowan…
        • Imagine how you are going to feel after 10,000 years in New Jerusalem dwelling with God.
        • You think 10,000 years from now you are going to be like “Well in Iowa we did things a little differently”
        • No! We are not going to be Iowan people 10,000 years from now! We are going to be GOD’S PEOPLE 10,000 years from now.
        • In Truth you are God’s people now, if you are born again…
          • And if you are not born again you can become God’s people now, if you would accept salvation… more on that at the end of service.
        • Yes we are God’s people NOW. But how much more so when we dwell with Him in New Jerusalem.
  • God’s people from every tribe tongue and nation!

Revelation 7:9-10 ESV  After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,  (10)  and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

• Every tribe tongue and nation!
  • If there is a nation on earth, there will be some from that nation in New Jerusalem.
  • If there is a language on earth, there will be some in New Jerusalem who spoke that language.
  • If there is a tribe on earth, there will be people form that tribe in New Jerusalem.
    • English, Swahili, Tagalog…
    • Japanese, Jamaican, Guatemalan…
    • Mende, Temne, Fulani…
      • EVERY LANGUAGE, EVERY NATION, EVERY TRIBE.
• This is why missions is important because these tribes and nations and languages… they need the gospel.

Romans 10:13-15 ESV  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  (14)  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  (15)  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Point Two – Be Compassionate, Preach the Gospel!

Revelation 21:3-4 ESV  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.”

• Did you know that the suicide rate in Japan is three times higher than the Suicide rate in America.
  • THREE TIMES HIGHER.
  • How much pain… how much mourning… how many tears have been shed in Japan.
• Did you know that the murder rate in Nigeria is SEVEN times higher than in America
  • How much pain… how much mourning… how many tears have been shed in Nigeria.
• In Sierra Leone, 11 percent of children will die before they turn 5 years old, mostly due to hunger…
  • How much pain… how much mourning… how many tears have been shed in Siera Leonne.
• In India there are 31 million orphans! They have the most orphans of any nation.
  • How much pain… how much mourning… how many tears have been shed in India?
• Now I could pull up statistics like this from every country… what is the solution?
  • Is the solution government reform? More money and donations? New and improved social programs?
    • No! These things may help in the temporary, they may be well enough… but it’s not the solution.
  • Americans are wealthy, we have a solid government when compared to most of the world, we are “Social justice warriors”… we have more charities than you can shake a stick at… yet still, there is pain, there is mourning, there are tears shed in America.
    • No amount of money, government intervention, or social programs will stop the pain, the mourning, the tears… it may make things more comfortable… but in the end there is always suffering.
  • In the end there is always suffering… except in Christ.

Revelation 21:4 ESV  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.”

• You want to help the Japanese mother who lost her son to suicide?
  • She doesn’t need a social program… she needs a loving savior. She needs the love of Christ.
• Want to help the orphans in India?
  • What they need is salvation, more than anything. Homes are temporary, heaven is eternal.
• Want to help the starving children in Seira Leonn?
  • Feed their bellies, yes! But feed their souls too! Lest they die of a ripe ol’ age and still go to hell!
• BE COMPASIONATE! PREACH THE GOSPEL!
  • And here is the best part about it church… because some of you are thinking “No, what those orphans need is a home… they definitely need a home”
  • WHO DO YOU THINK BUILDS THE ORPHANAGES?
    • Christians!
    • Christians build the orphanages, and the hospitals, and the food pantries.
    • Christians house the homeless and feed the hungry.
    • It’s always been the Christians who make REAL social change.
      • I looked up a list of orphanages in Seirra Leonne, listen to their names…
      • “Children of God’s Missionary orphanage, St James Chidrens Orphanage, Show Love foundation, Bethany Internation House for Chirldren, Hope and Care Center for Orphans… THESE ARE CHRISTIANS TAKING CARE OF THE ORPHANS.
• Listen, if we want to bring eternal change… then show compassion and preach the gospel! Because when people who are saved die, they go to a place with no more pain, or mourning, or suffering.
• BUT LISTEN… if you want to bring SOCIAL change… preach the Gospel! Because it is CHRISTIANS who put their money, their time, and their LIVES where there mouth is, building orphanages, hospital, feeding centers, schools, and organizations to help the people most in need.
  • You know about six years back I got into an argument with an atheist who was calling me a racist because I am a Christian conservative.
  • He said “People like you say you love people, but you are just full of hate and never love anyone… How about you start loving immigrants like Jesus”.
    • I looked at him and said “When was the last time you helped an immigrant… have you ever bought a meal for an immigrant, or helped them find a job?”
    • “Well you see, I uh…. I vote democrat… and I uh… you see…”
    • “Huh, that’s interesting… hey, here’s my friend Peter… he is an immigrant from Seirra Leonne, he lives with me free of charge and we are paying for his legal fees so he can legally immigrate here… Now you tell me, which of us is showing immigrants love?”
    • It’s interesting how fast this atheist changed the subject…
  • Now I don’t share that story to encourage you to get into arguments with atheists.. it’s fruitless… but I share that story to make a point.
• It’s not democrats who help the needy. It’s not republicans who help the needy.
  • IT’S CHRISTIANS.
  • IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOD’S PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE LEAST OF THESE.
• And if we are compassionate to the nations then we must go and preach the gospel to them!

Conclusion

Revelation 21:1-4 ESV  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.”

• New Jerusalem, the place with no tears, or pain or sorrow, is the eternal home for Christians… it is the Kingdom of God eternal… but it is only for those who have been born again.

John 3:3 ESV  Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Gospel Call – Quickly

Missions

• Now before we get to eating, we need to talk about MISSIONS!

*Hand out Mission Faith Pledges**Hand out Mission Faith Pledges**Hand out Mission Faith Pledges*

• YALL WE ARE PLANTING A CHURCH IN JAPAN!
  • There will be at least ONE kingdom growing, God loving, Bible believing, Gospel preaching, Disciple making church in Sapporo Japan when we are done!
• I have a map of Japan pointing out where Sapporo is behind me… so you can get an idea of where we are going to plant a church.

• Now we have been talking about this since all the way back in 2019.
  • But Covid hit and changed everything… it was delay after delay after delay.
  • BUT WE WILL DELAY NO LONGER! IT IS TIME TO START NOW!
  • WE ARE PLANTING A CHURCH IN SAPPORO AND WE ARE STARTING NOW!
  • I have an updated timeline with you with some firm dates, and this should be exciting yall!

·         July 17^th – Our last Japan Interest Team meeting

·         August 2022 – March 2023 – Part Time Training

o   Including church planting training, evangelism training, Japanese language training, and more.

·         September 2022 – Pastors from sending churches travel to Sapporo to recon the area, we call this a “Rece Trip”

o   We will be going to find out costs of living, English proficiency of the locals, spiritual strong holds in the area, and more.

o   This trip will be about a week or less in length.

·         March or April of 2023 – The team moves to a training location for 1 month full time training.

o   Likely Lincoln City Church in Nebraska or Christian Life Church in Iowa, but possibly a different location to be determined.

o   Team will train full time together and live together or at least very close.

o   Training will focus on team dynamics, endurance, church planting, evangelism, Japanese culture and language.

·         April or May of 2023 – Team moves to Sapporo Japan.

o   They will immediately start church services out of their home on Sundays.

o   They will spend most of their time evangelizing and making disciples.

·         January of 2024 – Team moves back to their home cities.

·         January of 2025 or later – Team leaders move back to their home city.

o   They will have raised up a pastor to take over the work by this point.

Now, for those of you who are maybe new here, you might be wondering what the goal of this team is… I mean we are sending them for a nearly a year, and the leaders for two or more years… what is the goal?

• It should not need help from outside sources.
  • It should have a local pastor working voluntarily until the church can pay his salary.
  • There is no size goal, it could be 5, it could be 500
• Salvations of people in Sapporo.
  • We will celebrate every salvation and baptism!

Now, if you are wondering how you can be involved in this, there are two things you can do… if you might MAYBE be interested in one day doing missions work then come to our Japan interest meeting…

• But even if you will NEVER be interested in going to Japan, you can still help by SENDING this team. And that is where MFP’s come in.
• Explain MFPS
• Time of Silent Prayer
• Take up MFP’s