The Narrow Gate: Day 136 - A New Creation

The Narrow Gate

Welcome to the continuation of my blog, post-seminary. Ministry and evangelism have brought me back home to Chattanooga. I welcome your company on my journey.

The original blog, Down In Mississippi, shared stories from 2008 and 2009 of the hope and determination of people in the face of disaster wrought by the hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005, of work done primarily by volunteers from churches across America and with financial support of many aid agencies and private donations and the Church. My Mississippi posts really ended with the post of August 16, 2009. Much work, especially for the neediest, remained undone after the denominational church pulled out. Such is the nature of institutions. The world still needs your hands for a hand up. I commend to you my seven stories, Down in Mississippi I -VII, at the bottom of this page and the blog posts. They describe an experience of grace.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Day 136 - A New Creation

This is a short study on the lectionary text for April 28 (expanded 2 verses.) Discussion is developed using these two commentaries: Revelation, A commentary by Brian K. Blount in The New Testament Library; Revelation, Interpretation, A commentary for teaching and preaching, Eugene Boring.

Rev21: 1-6(8) ¹Then 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. ²And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And 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; ⁴he 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.”

⁵And 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.” ⁶Then 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. ⁷Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children. ⁸But 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.”

The passage speaks about the fate of the church, conquerors, both universal and selective salvation, vices and faith and our final relationship with God. It may help to the passage breaks into 2 or possibly 3 parts, John’s observations and the words he heard.

Options

Option 1	Option 2	Option 3
Verses 1-2: John sees a New Heaven and New Earth and others things.	Verses 1-2: John sees a New Heaven and New Earth and others things.	Verses 1-4: an anonymous voice from the throne proclaims the home of his and those who are his.
Verses 3-8: The person seated on the throne speaks (explains) what is seen.	Verses 3-4: an anonymous voice from the throne proclaims the home of God is earth and those who are his.	Verses 5-8 The One Seated on the Throne reveals who he is and who are his.
	Verses 5-8: The One Seated on the Throne reveals who he is and who are his.

I favor option 2. Sr. Blount favors option 3.

When you get home, read John 13:(1-30),31-35. Do you see any common themes?

Verses 1-2

1. What does John see? What do you think a new heaven and new earth means?

2. What particularly is not in the new earth

3. Who is “the one seated on the throne?”

4. Does God comes to earth? What is his nature, deity or person?

5. How complete is this new creation - Note the marriage symbolism.

Verses 3-5

6. What is the nature of living in this new heaven and earth?

7. What is the significance of “peoples” (plural) in v3?

8. Is this a new world or is it a empowered old world? That is, is God making all new things, or is God making all things new?

9. Where does faith fit into this new world? (v5)

Verses 6

10. Is Alpha and Omega hearkening back to the first Creation as the sign that the last creation is the fulfillment or recovery of the first one? What do you think this means?

Verses 7-8

11.Who are the thirsty?

12. Who are the one’s who conquer? See5:5. A faithful witness conquers by testimony to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

13. What will it be like for the conquerors?

14. Verse 8 is a “vice list.”* Verse 8 is a good example of why one should read ALL of Revelation at one time. Recall the letters to the seven churches take the congregations to task for these vices. Also we need to remember the book is also a critique of Rome. Murder, fornication, sorcery and idols all probably refer to the Emperor Cult and their temple activities, or other “pagan”** temple activities. The first and last vice can be considered “bookends” for the cultic vices of Rome. ” Why do you think the cowardly and liars are the bookends for vices? First and last vice/Alpha and Omega?

15.What does the one seated on the throne say will happen to those who fall to the vices.

Trick questions/”Author’s message:”

16. Where is the church in the new Heaven and New Earth?

17. How is the New City different from the old city (and congregation)?

*From: http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Epistles-VirtuesVices.htm . Vice and virtues lists are common in Paul’s epistles and in Greek literature, but only mentioned in OT in Proverbs and ten commandments. Christian virtues ten to be distilled into 3: faith, hope, love. See Micah 6:8, Beatitudes, Romans 12:9-21; 13:8-14; 1 Cor. 13:4-8a, 13, Philippians 2:1-4(16)

7 deadly sins: pride, greed, envy, anger, lust, gluttony, sloth

7 virtues: humility, generosity, kindness, patience, chastity, moderation, diligence.

** pagan actually means “a rural person”

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Gates

The gate pervades the Good News. Peter entered the temple gate after the Jesus’ arrest to deny him. Poor Lazarus lay at the rich man's gate, longing for the crumb's from the table, while dogs licked his sores. The blind, lame and paralyzed lay at the Sheep Gate at the Jerusalem temple waiting at the pool with five porticoes for healing water. Jesus warned of the easy road and wide gate to material ease and spiritual destruction and calls us to the hard road and narrow gate to the waters of life.

necessary disclaimer

This blog is created solely to communicate to my brothers and sisters how one person sees adversity bringing out the greater character of humanity. It's early part relating connection to the volunteer relief effort in Mississippi after Katrina and later work with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Program and the Presbyterian Church(USA) is solely through my participation in them; this blog does not carry any sponsorship from these fine organizations or purport to speak for them. All original content is that of the writer who holds the copyright to all original writings and art or other works (See Creative Commons License above). Every effort is made to identify content from other sources which have been obtained from open internet sources. It's more recent content contains sermons and lessons used in preaching and teaching. The url to scripture are obtained via http://bible.oremus.org unless otherwise indicated.

Texts quoted from oremus bible viewer are from "New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved." and "New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved."