What is the most amazing place you have ever visited? Here’s my list… I watched the sun rise over Machu Picchu, Peru. Blinked at the bright blue ocean waters of the coast of Malaysia. Gazed in awe at the rich red, brown and orange shades of the Grand Canyon. Viewed the Milky Way from a boat at night from the middle of the Amazon River. Stared in awe at 20 foot waves breaking on a beach in El Salvador. Celebrated the majesty of Niagara Falls. Visual mental pictures that still remain in sharp focus in my memory to this day.
The Apostle Paul assures us that whatever beauty or experience we may have witnessed in our life; it will pale in comparison to the New Heaven and the New Earth that Jesus is creating. He writes, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 Translation? Heaven will be mind-blowingly amazing!
Did you know that Willard encompasses 3.57 square miles? By comparison, New York City covers a startling 302 square miles and is filled with over 8,500,000 people. Freedom Tower in NYC stretches a dizzying 1,776 feet into the sky. NYC has 842 miles of subway train lines! You couldn’t walk across NYC in a whole 24 hour period… and I wouldn’t recommend trying it either…
The Bible informs us that Jesus’ New Heaven and New Earth will have a capital city called New Jerusalem, and if you ever would doubt the Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians, wrap your mind around this… New Jerusalem will cover 2,073,600 square miles! That is a footprint that would stretch west from Boston, Massachusetts to Omaha, Nebraska, and south to Miami, Florida. Yeah… one city! Not only that, but according to Revelation 21:16 the city will also be 1,440 miles high…That is 232 Mount Everests stacked on top of each other! And that is just the capital city of New Jerusalem… The New Heaven and the New Earth will consist of an entirely new, recreated Universe!
Today, we are going to talk about Jesus Our Coming King, and I find it fitting to reflect just a bit on the Kingdom Jesus rules over… a Kingdom that is beyond our wildest imagination; that followers of Jesus will explore and enjoy… forever! Remember that… Remember that when life gets difficult. Remember that when you are reminded of the brokenness of this world. Remember that when sin seeks to trip you up. One day, you are going to lay eyes on a world created by Jesus that will be so amazing that it will make the Grand Canyon look like an Ohio Turnpike pothole!
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