New, Knew, or Gnu? City

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New, Knew, or Gnu? City                                       1-23-22

Bottom Line: Of all the new things we have in Jesus, a new home for eternity may be the best.

Introduction:

 A. I never heard of controlled burning until I went to Georgia. A common practice to help new under-growth.

 B. Fire is destructive, but it can also be used for good.

   1. Purify, melt, remove trash, heat a house, cook, etc.

   2. To remove the old so something new can come.

 C. Gen.19:24-25, fire & brimstone on Sodom & Gomorrah

 D. Firebombing in WW2: Operation Gomorrah July, ‘43

   1. Hamburg in July ‘43: 37,000 killed, 180,000 wounded

   2. Dresden in ’45, 25,000 killed, terrible destruction

 E. Single deadliest air raid in WW2? Not Hiroshima or Nagasaki w/ 70k each. Tokyo, Mar.’45, 100K, w/ over a million made homeless. Created a firestorm!

   1. New? A New world? A new peace?

   2. A new country, democratic and a friend.

 F. Must there be fire for something new to take place?

   1. We are looking for a new country from God!

   2. What should we be thinking?

1. Think fiery destruction!

 A. Then & now: where is the spectacular end?

   1. Peter addresses the critics – 2 Peter 3:7-9

 B. What will it look like? Vs.10-12

   *Surprise – Roar – destroy – laid bare – melt

 C. Sodom & Gomorrah will look like a campfire!

2. Think perfect construction!

 A. Notre Dame: construction began 1163 – 1260

   1. Restoration and repairs over the years

   2. 12 million visitors a year! Best known cathedral!

   3. Apr.15, 2019 fire, 15 hrs! Better in 2024!

 B. 2 Peter 3:13, New heaven & new earth (physical), house of righteousness! For God’s people!

 C. Rev.21:1-2 (MSG)

3. Think eternal perfection!

 A. Interpretation rule: God is limited by our understanding

 B. No ONE builds like God! Think of what He has done!

 C. Rev.21:3-5 changes; Pictures in vs.9-26

Conclusion:

A. Vaccination card = a pass to get in! The new ticket!

B. No masks and no shots for heaven!

C. What John learned from and angel! Vs.27 (NIV)