A Community of Resistance
As we continue our series, “Reimagining the Church” the image for the church that we’re going to be thinking about today is “A Community of Resistance”. Revelation 21 presents us with a powerful vision of what’s to come—a new heaven and a new earth where God dwells among His people. This promise of renewal is not just a future hope; it’s also a present calling for the church—a community of resistance against the forces of evil in our world.
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A Community of Resistance
This Tuesday is election day and across the United States people will be casting their votes in local political races and voting for our next president. Millions have already taken advantage of early voting or mailed in their ballots.
While I understand there are some Christians who choose not to participate in or be connected to worldly politics, I believe it’s important for Christians to participate as engaged citizens in the governing of our commonwealth and the nation. That includes researching and studying candidates and issues and using our best discernment in determining our choices.
I want to say a few words in advance of Tuesday. First, I’ve heard several people say they can’t wait until the election is over. I’ve tried to caution them that after what happened four years ago and given the continued rhetoric and misinformation, I would be careful about getting your hopes up that everything will be clear and settled by the time we gather again next Sunday. It may not be clear until the next president is inaugurated.
Secondly, People you love, care about, and respect will cast their vote in a way you find difficult to understand. People I love, care about, and respect will cast their vote in a way I find difficult to understand.
As I have visited in the homes of BBC folks over the last month, I’ve been to homes with a Trump sign, a Harris sign, and no signs at all. As last Sunday’s scripture 1 Peter 3:8 tells us, regardless of differences we may have with other believers, we’re still called to unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
We need to model humility in understanding that millions of our brothers and sisters in Christ will be voting for the person we’re not voting for; each person will have his or her reasons for supporting the individual they do. For some people, it’s a particular policy or policies that’s decisive. For others, it’s the character and judgment of the candidate more than any policy.
Regardless of which political party is in power at any time, or whether your preferred candidate wins or loses, what we’re called to model and how we’re called to live as followers of Jesus doesn’t change. Striving to grow in and live the fruit the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, one will never go wrong. It’s something we all can and should seek to do as long as we live.
Ultimately, no human government or institution is permanent. As we will hear from Revelation 21:1-7, eventually all creation will be renewed, freed from imperfections, and transformed by the glory of God.
Revelation 21.1-7,
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, the 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, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4. he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.” 5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
Today’s scripture is from the next to last chapter of the Bible, and it’s a profound conclusion that holds incredible hope for the future. Revelation 21 presents us with a powerful vision of what’s to come—a new heaven and a new earth where God dwells among His people.
This promise of renewal is not just a future hope; it’s also a present calling for the church—a community of resistance against the forces of evil in our world. In our current age, we encounter various manifestations of fear, injustice, despair, division, and hopelessness. Yet, the church is called to embody a different reality.
We’re to be a community that resists these forces, shining as a light in the darkness, reflecting the love, hope, and truth of Christ. We’re going to explore our calling to be a community of resistance through three key themes in our text: the promise of new creation, the presence of God among us, and our role as conquerors.
I. The Promise of New Creation
Revelation 21 begins with the vision of a new heaven and a new earth. The phrase “the first heaven and the first earth had passed away” speaks to the transformative power of God. God is not merely patching up the old; God is making everything new.
This promise is foundational for our understanding of hope and resisting the forces that are opposed to God’s good and gracious will.
The Nature of the New Creation
In this new creation, there’s no longer any sea. While most of us who live on Cape Cod tend to love the ocean, in biblical imagery, the sea often represents chaos and evil. It’s also what separates John who is in exile on the island of Patmos from the churches to which he’s writing, preventing him from sharing worship and fellowship with them.
By removing the sea, God symbolically signals the end of all that opposes God’s will. Ultimately, God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven, and there will be a new creation without all the faults and imperfections of the present one, including death, mourning, grief, and tears.
The new creation is characterized by peace, wholeness, and the absence of strife. As we look around the world today, we see the chaotic forces that threaten to overwhelm us—hatred, animosity, war, poverty, discrimination. Yet, the promise of a new creation gives us the courage to resist these forces, knowing that they don’t have the final say.
Our Participation in the New Creation
As members of Christ’s body, we’re called to participate in this new creation even now. As we discussed a couple of weeks ago, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has passed away, and the new has come.
This transformation is not just personal; it’s communal. The church is to embody the new creation, standing in stark contrast to the world’s chaos. Our acts of love, justice, compassion, and mercy are declarations of the new order God is establishing.
II. The Presence of God Among Us
In verse 3, we hear the incredible promise that God’s dwelling place is among God’s people. God’s ultimate intention is eternal relationship. This is not just a future hope; it’s a present reality.
God desires intimacy with creation, and through the Holy Spirit, God is present with us now. Especially for Christians facing suffering, threats, persecution, and even physical death, the idea that God will be with us, and that we will be with God forever, helps us to face whatever present crisis we’re in with an eternal perspective.
Our time here will be over quickly, our time with God will be eternal. For all of us who have lost loved ones, the hope that we will see one another again in heaven helps to lessen the sting of death. We miss the physical person, their voice, their touch, their presence, but we don’t grieve as those who have no hope.
What a day of rejoicing it will be when death, mourning, crying, and tears are no more. We can endure short term pain when we think of our long term gain.
The Importance of Community
The presence of God among us is a powerful reminder of our identity as the church—a community of believers united in purpose. The idea that God wants to have a relationship with all humanity also tells us about our value as individuals and how we should value others.
We’re not solitary figures but a collective force for good in the world. We gather not just for worship but to strengthen one another in resistance against the evils that seek to divide and discourage us.
Understanding that God is the “Alpha and Omega” should give us confidence, calmness, and hope that no matter how crazy things may appear in the world, human beings will not have the final word. God will be triumphant, God’s will ultimately shall be done, so we want to seek an eternal relationship with God which is God’s desired hope for every person.
Living Out God’s Presence
When we gather as believers or the church, we reflect God’s character and love. We become agents of hope and healing in a broken world. As we share the gospel and our resources freely and generously, serve the marginalized, and advocate for justice, we manifest God’s presence in tangible ways.
This is how we resist the forces of evil: by being the hands and feet of Christ, bringing His light into the darkest places.
III. More than Conquerors
The passage concludes with the powerful declaration that “Those who conquer will inherit these things.” This is not a promise of a passive existence; it’s a call to active resistance, but our resistance is always in a Christlike manner. Jesus was strong and courageous, yet compassionate, caring, and peaceful.
Understanding Victory
Victory in Christ does not mean that we’ll be free from struggles; it means that we can overcome them through His strength. In Romans 8:35, 37-39, Paul writes,
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Our victory is grounded in the love of Christ, which empowers us to stand firm against the trials we face.
Resisting Through Faith and Action
As conquerors, we’re called to act. This includes engaging in advocating for the oppressed, the poor, and the powerless, and standing against systems of injustice. It requires courage to speak out against wrongs and to bear witness to the truth of the Gospel.
We do not resist in our own strength, but through the Spirit’s empowerment and guidance. To be a conqueror or victor in Revelation 21 is to have the courage to hold on to the faith and live as an authentic follower of Jesus. It’s not just saying words, it’s living what Jesus modeled and taught.
This is clear in Revelation 21:8,
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
There are consequences for how we live our life that motivate us to faithfulness.
A Hopeful Future
The promise of our inheritance and an eternal future with God is a reminder that our labor is not in vain. The struggles we face now are temporary compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us. This future hope fuels our resistance today.
We can endure hardship because we know the ultimate outcome—God will wipe every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning.
As we reflect on Revelation 21:1-7, let’s embrace our calling as a community of resistance. We’re called to be a new creation, embodying the presence of God in our world, and living as conquerors in Christ.
Hopefully, Revelation says, our faith inspires us to live as faithful, courageous, loving, graceful, merciful, and kind followers of Christ who are not easily swayed by the events of life or the world, who don’t give in to fear, anger, or hate, but who are in the words of 1 Corinthians 15:58,
“steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
We’re not alone in this mission. God is with us, empowering us through the Spirit. Together, we can be a beacon of light in a dark world, proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ until that day when God makes all things new.
May we be inspired to resist evil in all its forms and embody the transformational love of God. Let’s pray for strength, wisdom, and unity as we carry out this important work, knowing that our efforts contribute to the unfolding of God’s beautiful vision for His creation. Amen.
Questions
- New Creation: What is the significance of the “new heaven and new earth” mentioned in verse 1? How does this concept relate to the idea of redemption in the Bible?
- God’s Presence: In verse 3, it says, “God will dwell with them.” What does this mean for believers, and how does it change our understanding of God’s relationship with humanity?
- The End of Suffering: Verse 4 talks about God wiping away tears and the end of death, mourning, crying, and pain. How does this promise provide hope during suffering and difficult times?
- Faithfulness of God: Verse 5 states that God is making all things new. What does this tell us about God’s character? How can we trust in God’s promises for the future?
- Inheritance of Believers: In verse 7, it mentions that the one who conquers will inherit these things. What does it mean to “conquer” in the context of this passage? How does this relate to our daily lives as Christians?
- The Alpha and Omega: How does understanding God as the “Alpha and Omega” (verse 6) influence our perspective on life, history, and our ultimate destiny?
- Application: How can the truths found in Revelation 21:1-7 encourage you in your current circumstances? What specific changes might you consider making based on these verses?