Foundations for Christian Mission, Mentor's Guide, MG04

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F O U N D A T I O N S F O R C H R I S T I A N M I S S I O N

throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. [4] He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” What makes this city most desirable, most glorious, and most amazing is that God dwells with humankind in it, and he will be their God, and they his people. All tears are wiped away, death is done away with, as are crying and pain, and all the former cruelty of the ages of human rebellion are forever eliminated. Can anything truly be more amazing and desirable than this? The fact that the city was originally a place of rebellion and idolatry makes the New Jerusalem an incredible reality and even more amazing irony. Who would have thought that the God of the heavens would embrace the notion of the wicked city and transform it into the very picture and image of paradise itself? Our God’s wisdom and knowledge are inscrutable and past finding out (cf. Rom. 11.34ff.)! Always take time to ponder the reality that the end of all things for humankind is a city—certainly a city of God’s design and enriched infinitely by his very own presence, but still—a city. The hope of the saints of all the ages is to inhabit the city of God: Heb. 11.10 - For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. Heb. 13.14 - For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. The Divine Carpenter is finishing his grand task of building a city for his own to dwell in forever. Can anything sound or be more wonderful than that? Does anyone have a grander sense of symmetry, beauty, and excellence than he? The one who lavishes his genius on a rose or pine tree, shall we not trust him with the remarkable job of building a place for us, just for us? Let us work in the city today as we seek the city that is to come, whose designer and builder is God. Yes, God has prepared for us a city .

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