- [00:00:00] We all live in California, which is mostly known for its earthquakes, isn\'t it? I just looked up the USGS site this morning. Do you know how many earthquakes we had in California alone in the past 24 hours? We had almost 31 earthquakes in the past 24 hours. That\'s almost like one earthquake a day. And we\'ve had close to 7,580 earthquakes in the past 365 days. That kind of puts the metric into perspective. And just during our 3-minute countdown here, I looked up what was the most recent earthquake. It was on December 13th, a 2.9 magnitude in San Ramon, not too far from here. - [00:00:44] This is not to scare our visitors who\'ve come from down under or other places. California is actually a nice place to live. But it\'s hard not to notice that if you\'ve lived longer in California, you will experience one of these earthquakes. The ground beneath us literally shakes. We\'ve been told that a big one is coming, something like what happened in the \'80s, because we are living in the Ring of Fire or the Pacific Rim. That\'s what geologists tell us. We need to be prepared, and perhaps our state is more ready to deal with earthquakes than many other places. - [00:01:16] Earthquakes have caused devastation. Thousands of lives have been lost, and not just earthquakes—there are other natural disasters and catastrophes. Just recently, a couple of weeks ago, we heard about floods that destroyed livelihoods and lives in Sri Lanka and many other Southeast Asian countries. We are constantly warned of climate change and how the whole earth might face gloom and doom if this trend continues. - [00:01:52] This always leaves us with a question whenever such big things happen: Where is God in all of this? Why does God allow so many natural disasters and evil events that take away the lives of innocent people? Even more fundamentally, beneath that question is this: What is the purpose of life? Not just individually for you and me, and not just for our time here, but what is the purpose of life eternally? And not just for us, but for the whole world. Why did God even create this world and leave it in such a messed-up situation? - [00:02:35] That\'s where worldviews matter. Different worldviews propose different scenarios of what the end game will look like for our world. Every worldview tries to answer that question. Some say the universe is just going to cool off and fade away into nothingness. The only problem is, you can\'t define nothingness. The moment you define nothing, it becomes something. - [00:03:22] Some worldviews say history just repeats itself; it’s cyclical, not linear. But that still doesn’t solve the problem. Others argue that meaning is something we have invented, that nothing we see is real, and it’s all an illusion. We just have to escape from this through mystic routes. But that’s where the Bible and the Christian worldview are so beautiful and rich. - [00:04:02] The Bible tells us three things when read from Genesis to Revelation, which is the series we’ve done this entire year. I can’t believe we are now in the book of Revelation, having started in Genesis. We will conclude this series next week with the very last chapter of Revelation. Across 66 authors over thousands of years, the Bible presents a beautiful unified story that tells us three things: First, history is not meaningless; second, evil is not permanent; and third, the end is better than the beginning. - [00:05:04] We got a glimpse of that in the passage read today—how the end is going to be from a Christian biblical point of view. This letter was written by one of Jesus’s favorite disciples, John, who likely lived the longest among all the disciples. He was very dear to Jesus, sat right next to Him at the Last Supper, and is often depicted leaning into Jesus’s bosom. He was present at the cross when Jesus died, and after Jesus rose, he touched, saw, heard, and experienced Jesus alive, which changed his life. - [00:05:47] John went on to share that news, especially in Asia. Christianity came 2,000 years ago into Asia, and John was a key figure in that mission. However, the church that brought this new message faced much scrutiny and opposition. By the time this letter was written—either in the late 60s or late 90s AD—Peter and Paul, the two leading apostles, were dead. John was probably the last apostle standing. - [00:06:27] If it was written in the late 90s, John was already in exile, elderly, and marginalized. He saw the churches he planted facing significant pressure from inside and persecution from outside. There was much opposition to this worldview, so he wrote this letter to encourage those he ministered to in the early church and to us today. - [00:07:07] John writes that God doesn’t want us to escape from evil, disasters, pain, or suffering. Instead, He writes to give us hope, especially in the season of Christmas. God is going to make all things new so that we can persevere faithfully, live meaningfully, impactfully, and hope confidently. That is the title of this message: “All Things New: The Beginning of the End.” - [00:07:53] There are three things I want to talk about from this passage, which gives us a glimpse of what the future will look like for three specific entities: the brand new world God will create, the blessed new community God is forming, and the beautiful new life awaiting everyone who puts their faith in Jesus. - [00:08:33] Let’s start with the brand new world. Revelation 21 says, “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.” The Bible begins in a garden and ends in a city. John’s vision is a refreshing end to the Bible and our world—God gives a glimpse of what will happen to this world, the church, and all of creation. - [00:09:18] The Bible opens with God creating the heavens and the earth, placing man in the Garden of Eden to live in a dependent relationship with Him. God told man that if he chose to live independently, which he did, death would come. They didn’t fully understand what that death meant at the time. We know the story, and it repeats itself in our lives and our children’s lives. - [00:09:53] Death started immediately, first as spiritual death—a cut-off from God. Then relational death entered the soul, heart, and mind. Moral decay followed, culminating in events like the Tower of Babel and the flood, where God had to intervene drastically to reinstate His covenant. Romans 8 tells us the whole creation groans like in childbirth, waiting to be liberated. Death permeated all creation, which is why we have earthquakes, floods, and famines. These were not part of God’s design but consequences of human choices. - [00:11:42] But God did not leave it like that. It ends in a glorious city. Only in the Bible and the Christian worldview do we get this beautiful response: “I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” The word “new” here doesn’t mean replacement but renewal in quality and glory. - [00:12:16] We know from Jesus’s resurrection that God doesn’t do away with the physical but glorifies it. Jesus’s resurrection body was recognizable but different—glorified, free from defects. Similarly, our world will be renewed, not destroyed. California is one of the most beautiful places on earth. God will not remove its beauty but will remove the faults causing challenges—like seismic faults and natural disasters. - [00:13:30] This renewal has significance for how we live. The things that matter, that make the world better, will carry into eternity. Some worldviews say this world will be annihilated, so why bother working or doing good? That leads to a purposeless life. The Roman and Greek philosophies had a similar mantra: “Eat, live, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” It promoted selfish pleasure and indifference to the poor and needy. - [00:14:49] God’s worldview is different. There is no third world to Him; there is only one world He cares for—America, India, Australia, Africa, Asia, Antarctica—all will be renewed equally. There won’t be boundaries, seas, or separations. We don’t know the details, but perhaps California will be earthquake-free, atmospheric conditions balanced to prevent floods and droughts, and maybe even perpetual daylight with no night. - [00:16:33] The answer to the problem of evil is found only in God’s word. It is possible because Christ overcame evil and its consequences, bringing birth to this brand new world. Silicon Valley is a rapidly changing culture—things become obsolete fast. We moved from TV and radio to the internet, then browsers, search engines, social media, and now AI and quantum computing. - [00:18:01] Nothing built here seems to last, but when you build something good, it matters. Isaiah 60 says the wealth of the nations will flow into the new heavens and new earth. Your work matters to God. What you build and why has temporal and eternal consequences. - [00:19:47] Many get burned out chasing success or building products for self-satisfaction. I remember an engineer who created a new car technology 15 years ago but died before it came out, and now that technology is obsolete. Some may think satisfaction comes from work, but Revelation 21 says that both extremes—work means everything or work means nothing—are wrong. What you do in Christ is never wasted; faithful work spills into eternity. - [00:21:18] For those who work, don’t treat your work as just a paycheck; it’s stewardship. Faithfulness matters more than visibility. And if you’re raising kids, you’re shaping eternal citizens. Daily faithfulness echoes through generations. The Bible gives meaning for life, a reason to wake up on Monday and thank God for the whole week, not just Friday. - [00:21:56] Secondly, God is creating a blessed new community. Verses 2 to 4 describe the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The New Jerusalem is not primarily a place but a people—the church perfected. - [00:22:38] John’s earlier chapters describe an imperfect, struggling church. Now he gives a vision of the perfected community, a beautiful bride. God promises to dwell with His people, and they will be His people. This covenant promise echoes throughout the Bible, reflecting God’s heart to be with His people. - [00:24:37] God dwelt with His people in tabernacles, the temple, and through His Spirit. Despite Israel’s failings and exile, God promised a new covenant where He would be their God, and they would be His people. This promise extends beyond Israel to all believers in the church. - [00:26:35] Interestingly, the phrase “they will be my people” in Revelation is plural, meaning people from all nations will receive this blessing. The blessing includes no more death, mourning, crying, or pain—everything that came from walking away from God will be erased. - [00:27:44] This is not earned by good deeds or moral scales but is a covenant of grace, received through God dwelling in us. There is an “already and not yet” aspect—we already have His presence and celebrate it at Christmas. When you accept Christ, He tabernacles in your heart, fighting your battles and giving you freedom to trust. - [00:29:09] John wrote this to encourage early Christians facing cultural drift—succumbing to Roman culture—and persecution for refusing emperor worship. God’s presence and community give power to persevere. - [00:30:24] We live in a digitally connected world but face loneliness. People chase success but lose relationships. Revelation 21 promises future communion, belonging, not isolation. Belonging to the body of Christ, the church, means loving community that walks alongside your pain and suffering. - [00:32:44] The church is not about branding or production but about family and faithfulness over popularity. God’s presence wipes away every tear. The promise is for a community where death, mourning, and pain are no more. - [00:33:25] Lastly, God is creating a beautiful new life. Verse 5 says, “I am making all things new,” and calls us to write it down because these words are trustworthy. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, with comprehensive control over all history and life. - [00:36:03] God invites the thirsty to drink freely from the spring of the water of life. This gift is free, given by grace through Christ, not earned. Joyful living is possible now, even in suffering, when Jesus dwells in us. - [00:39:13] Conquerors—those who persevere and don’t succumb to cultural pressures—are called God’s sons. Their weaknesses become Christ’s, and they live with faithful endurance. - [00:40:02] The passage ends with a warning to the cowardly, faithless, and those living in sin. Their portion will be the lake of fire—the second death. This includes those who cave in to pressure, live sinfully, or falsely profess faith. - [00:41:19] The speaker shares a sobering example of child trafficking and systemic evil, emphasizing the depth of sin when God is absent. The warning is clear: hell is real, and separation from God is eternal. - [00:43:48] Yet, the one who makes all things new is the same Jesus who cried, “It is finished” on the cross. He is the true bridegroom, the true temple—God’s presence is everywhere in the new creation, so no temple is needed. - [00:44:32] Jesus conquered sin, sickness, death, and evil. Christianity did not end at Christmas or Easter but continues through the resurrection. Renewal is guaranteed. - [00:45:13] So, when you go to work on Monday, work faithfully, love deeply, endure patiently, and strive to be a conqueror. We are more than conquerors and can hope confidently because the end of the story is not escape but a new beginning—renewal—because God says, “I am making all things new.”