In Conclusion – “The Ending We Were Made For”

Heaven gets bad press — clouds, harps, endless church services, somewhere far off and a bit boring. But the reality promised by Jesus is so much better: a renewed earth, resurrected bodies, God making His home among His people, every tear wiped away. The longings that ache in us for justice, beauty, and an end to pain are “bootprints” of what we were made for. The One on the throne tells us to write it down — “trust this.” The future He promises is the very thing that makes the present possible.

1. The Ending We Hope For is the Ending We Were Made For (Revelation 21:1-4)

• Most of us carry fuzzy pictures of heaven — a picture that’s a bit boring. But Revelation 21 paints a much different picture, a vision of eternity designed to capture our hearts. Scripture describes a renewed earth and the New Jerusalem coming down from God — not an escape from this world but a restoration of it, where all things will be made new and right and good.
• Heaven is physical, not merely spiritual. The Platonic picture of souls merging into a cosmic mist isn’t biblical; Scripture describes resurrected bodies, real relationships, even meals — Jesus ate fish with His disciples after the resurrection!
• Revelation 21:4 promises no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain — every tear wiped away. The ache we feel at injustice and brokenness isn’t a malfunction; it’s a clue. C.S. Lewis put it this way: if your heart longs for what this world can’t satisfy, perhaps you weren’t made for this world.

2. The Ending That Makes the Present Possible (Revelation 21:3-5)

• Verse 5 punctuates the vision: “Look, I am making everything new!” followed by the command, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” This is not vague comfort — it’s a recorded guarantee.
• John wrote Revelation around 90 AD to a church beginning to face intense persecution. The hope of what was coming made their faith uncrushable. Tertullian observed that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church” because the early church exploded in growth under Roman persecution. Hope, not comfort, fueled its growth.
• Tim Keller called us “hope-shaped creatures” — our “now” is almost always directed by what we believe about the “then.”  How we endure today is shaped by what we expect tomorrow.
• Pastor Ben’s friend Doug, facing inoperable pancreatic cancer, recently came to faith in Christ — and went back to his adult son to apologize for telling him decades earlier that there was nothing after death. What we believe about “there” changes everything about how we live and love here.

3. The Ending That You Can Have Now (Revelation 21:5-6; John 19:30; John 7:37-38)

• The One on the throne says, “It is finished!” — the same words Jesus spoke from the cross. The ending was secured at Calvary; the New Jerusalem is its full unveiling. We live in the “time in-between” – a time where our hope of an eternity with Jesus is our most powerful message.
• Similarly, John writes that Jesus promises “living water” – eternal life – for those who will trust him, the same promise he made repeatedly while he was on earth. “Come to me, all who are thirsty…” That same “living water” is available today for all who seek it.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE

These passages may provide additional insights related to the subject of this week’s message. All verses are NLT unless otherwise noted.

Isaiah 65:17; Romans 8:18-25; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44; Hebrews 11:13-16

Video of the Week:  Heaven and Earth by Bible Project

‍

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

‍

1. When you hear the word “heaven,” what image comes to your mind first?  How close is that picture to what Revelation 21 actually describes?

‍

2. “Most people want to go to heaven but no one’s in a hurry to get there.” Does that ring true for you? What about heaven feels vague, distant, or unappealing — and what would actually make it feel like good news to you?

‍

3. Read Revelation 21:1-4 again (slowly). What jumps out that doesn’t fit the standard cultural picture of heaven? What surprises you most?

‍

4. The message argued that heaven is here and physical (a renewed earth and resurrected bodies). How might that change the way you think about your current body, this planet, and the everyday work you do?

‍

5. Tim Keller called us “hope-shaped creatures” — our “now” is directed by what we believe about the “then.”  Where can you see this at work in the early church under persecution, and where do you see it (or its absence) in your own life?

‍

6. If you fully grasped and internalized the joy, beauty, goodness and physical reality of heaven – and were 100% convinced you’ll be there soon – what might that change about the way you live and what you prioritize this week?