Sunday School Lesson for May 22, 2011: New Order of Things (Revelation 21:1-8, 22-27)

Isaiah 43:18-19

18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.



Psalm 51:10
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.





Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Peter 3:11-12
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.[a] That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.





Indeed! What kind of people ought we to be in these last days, as we eagerly await the return of our Lord? A little soul searching is required here. Are you allowing yourself to be changed? God will renew all things. All things. And when he does, only those who have been made new by Him will get to be where He is. It’s a little like that room in your Great Aunt’s house. The formal living room with the good furniture still covered in plastic? Don’t you have an aunt like that? No playing in that room. There’s no television, nothing. Heaven won’t be quite that exclusive. There will be millions of people there, and all kinds of other beings, but, all who reside there will have been ‘made new’ by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their testimony. Will you be in that number? Matthew tells me that ‘only the pure in heart will see God’. Paul tells us that we have to let go of our past and count everything but ‘dung’ for the excellence of the ‘knowledge of Christ’. Jesus said that we couldn’t worship Him and money. James warns that I can’t be double minded (undecided).

The practice of sin should be dealt with in the life of every believer. No, none of us are perfect, and yes, we will all still sin (everyday), but… ‘Shall we continue in sin, that Grace may abound?’ You know the answer. ‘Heaven forbid. What then? What are we to do? Remember, everyday, every moment, who you are in Christ: whose you are and at what cost. Remember the Cross and what it delivered you from. Remember what you’ve believed. We’ve been redeemed, bought, purchased with the shed blood of Christ. Our very souls have been washed in that blood and made new: as new as new can be. Rejoice and Rest in this ‘newness of life’. Put away old things: old habits, old hurts, old failures, old successes and put on Christ. Old things will indeed ‘pass away’ if you let them. Let ‘em go. Let that old life go.. There won’t be any suitcases in Heaven. No baggage. God won’t allow it. You’ve got mansions awaiting you, fully furnished. Leave that old stuff here. You can’t take it with you..





Blessings,



.wb