Corona Chronicles - Crown of Gold

Welcome back to corona chronicles and we're still in the first half of chapter 21. And we're gonna look today at verses 6 to 8, but we're gonna reverse 5 as well because yesterday we were talking about verse 5. And applying verse 5, but we didn't actually read verse 5. So we are gonna put it put it put it here today. He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new.

Then he said, write this down for these words are trustworthy and true. He said to me, it is done. I am the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. To him who is thirsty, I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this and I will be his God and he will be my son.

But be cowardly the unbelieving the vile the murderers the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. Yeah. So we've been seeing this intimacy as as a as a bride. With with his bride with the bridegroom and the holy city and the dwelling place of God.

And now he seems to pick up sort of, you know, father and son. Doesn't -- Yeah. So they're all pictures in the bible about the intimacy of God and who God is and how we relate to him. Mhmm. And they're all very lovely and very personal, aren't they?

But he starts off in this little section by saying, it is done and and that is quite an an explosive word, really. You know, it's an amazing word because that's exactly what Jesus said on the cross. Mhmm. Mhmm. So when when Jesus died on the cross, you know, 1 of the sayings was it it is done.

I've I've finished the work. I've done God's work. Mhmm. I've done everything to bring people into this this kingdom. So it's certainly reminding us of that.

Yeah. And then he says, I am the alpha and the amiga. That's the first letter in the Greek alphabet, Alpha and then Amigas, the last letter in the Greek alphabet. So I'm the a to zed have got of of of everything, actually. And then he says, oh, I'm in the beginning of the end.

So he he's showing that he's the 1 that's done all of work for us. Yeah. Everything's done on our behalf. It's not anything we've done. He's done it all.

He's the a to zed of everything. That it is of God. He's the beginning of the end. In other words, he's the whole, he's holistic, everything Christ has done. And with that, you've got the adoption image as you said and then there's also this verse 6 to him who is thirsty, I will give to drink which Again, reminds us of Jesus.

That's what he says in his ministries and it come to me all who are first to, you know, you can drink and be satisfied and have your fill in me So this is again is a place where there's gonna be fullness of joy, fullness of satisfaction in in and through Jesus. But then you've also got the other side of this where we're told about a fiery lake of burning sulfur, which is the second death. And Truth is, as we've said in previous episodes, if the new creation is is real and tangible, then then then so is the place of death. So is so is hell. So is the place of judgment.

And again although we've thought about this being imagery, you know, whatever whatever the image is, the thing that it's describing is serious and real. And And you have to have this though, don't you? You you you can't The thing is you can't have this new perfect creation. If that stuff is going to be there. Yeah.

There has to be it has to go. Yeah. Has to be thrown out and joked and separated. Yeah. It does.

The the problem is I read that list and I think, well, that's me. Yes, you know. And you know, but it's what it is because that's where you come back to verse 6. Yeah. And it is done.

Yes. And and so you he's open for liars like us. So if if if yes. If I could rewrite this, which would be a very duchy thing to do. Yeah.

But you could say, in the new creation are the cowardly unbelieving -- Yeah. -- murderer, sexual immorality. Yeah. Yeah. It's sexual immorals.

Those who practice arts, idolaters, and liars. They are there. Yeah. On the basis of what of what Christ has done. Yeah.

And it's been done for you. And he is the a to zed of God's cleansing, and he is the alpha and the omega of of God's cleansing. Yeah. Beginning at the end of of god taking sinful people and cleansing them. That's the point, isn't it?

That's the point, isn't it? And I think we're supposed to, therefore, rejoice in the grace of God because you know, you read that list of sins and you think, well, I've told lies, you know, that makes me a liar. You know, I've been a coward. That makes me a coward. I've been unbelieving.

I doubt it. And so therefore, my place should be that. But as you say, because of Christ, you know, that is not the thing that finally identifies me anymore as him. And it's like when Paul, it may even be a very similar list. I can't think of the top of my head, but when he says, you know, but some of you would do do do do do.

Yeah. That is what some of you work work, but you have been washed clean and sanctified, you know. Yeah. And therefore, we can partake in this great future. And and that's what the thirst is, isn't Yeah.

So so it's an interesting, isn't it before that list who are gonna be? It says if you're thirsty. Yeah. You know, if if you're thirsty for this choice, for this person, for this savior, for the 1 who's done it for you, then you can drink and be the son of God. That's the that's the extraordinary thing here.

So every this this new creation is totally based on grace. Mhmm. It's not a works thing other than the works that Jesus done for us. Isn't it? Mhmm.

So in the new creation, I'm not proving myself better than you. I'm trying to get better than you. Because I'm there on the basis of of it is done by Christ. Mhmm. Now we're all there on the same basis.

Yeah. So suddenly, you've got a new society that is there at at working through grace. It is marvelous. It is. And that's and that's why, you know, that this really is a a kind of evangelistic book, isn't it?

And this is this is an invitation, you know, because the end hasn't yet come. You know, this is an invitation to those who might currently be unbelieving. And it's to say, look, you know, if you persist in unbelief, then then actually you you are gonna have a portion in this eternal fire. You know, you need to know that. Yeah.

But the good news is that until that day comes, the invitation is here. Come come and drink. Jesus Jesus has got room for you. Yeah. His arms were stretched wide enough to welcome you in.

You know, his blood is sufficient too. To bring you to this place. So come while you can. You know, if you're thirsty, come if you're hungry, eat, you know, there is a place for you at this wedding. And verse 7 is is is good news for for those that are Christians that are looking around and thinking, is it worth following Christ?

Yeah. You know, the temptation that well, all of the those that aren't following Christ, they seem to be doing very well. They're very rich. They're doing and so he says, he who overcomes will inherit all this. So and we overcome by being in Christ.

And I will be his God and he will be my son. So it's an encouragement for us to to be spurred on and to carry on. Battling against temptation, understanding the new creation to come looking forward to to this, isn't it? Mhmm. Yeah.

Perhaps we leave it there.