THINK TOGETHER
Have you ever taken something old and made it look new again?
READ TOGETHER
Do you remember how the Bible begins? Here’s the first verse in the Bible:
Genesis 1:1. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
In the beginning of time God made all things. He made the sky and he made the land, and he made everything that filled the sky and land. All the plants and animals, fish and birds. He made everything. And he made it all very good. He made everything as a glorious place for us to live with him forever. The earth was a model of God’s heavenly temple. A place where we could worship and serve God forever.
But then, because of our sin, everything in creation was cursed. It became full of really dangerous things. Bad things. Like diseases. And storms. And drought. And we became full of bad things too. Like anger, and hate, and selfishness. The earth became a sinful place full of sinful people like you and me. It’s a really big problem.
Many Christians think that God’s solution to this problem will be to destroy the earth and take the people who believe in Jesus up to heaven to live with God forever. Some people even think that we will become angels in heaven. But that’s not true at all. In fact, the prophet Isaiah gives us a hint of what will happen one day. Listen to what Isaiah 65:17 says:
Isaiah 65:17. For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
Isaiah is quoting God and God is using the same words as Genesis 1:1. God is telling us that he is going to give the earth, and all of creation, a really big do-over.
You see, we aren’t going to live forever up in heaven. We are going to live forever on earth. A NEW EARTH. A better earth. An earth without sin, and without hate, and selfishness, and without diseases, and without storms, and without anything lacking. God is going to fix his creation that he loves very much.
Isaiah gives us a little hint, but Jesus gives us an even bigger hint. Jesus himself shows us what God will do for all of us one day. It’s called resurrection. Do you know what resurrection means? When Jesus resurrected from the dead he came back as himself, in his same body, only way better. Jesus still has the holes in his hands from being on the cross. He is still the same person with the same body. But Jesus’ body, since being resurrected, is way cooler. It can walk through walls and disappear. And one day you will be resurrected like Jesus. And you too will be the same person only way better because you won’t have any sin inside of you. And one day those you love that also loved Jesus will be resurrected too. And we will all live on the new earth in our new bodies with Jesus forever and ever, enjoying God’s creation every day discovering new and exciting things.
And when we know that we will live forever with God and have everything, it means that in our life right now we can give everything away. We can share with others. Why? Because with Jesus we never really lose anything because God will give everything on earth back to us one day. That’s how Jesus could die for us, because he knew he would get everything back from God. And that is how we can love others too, because we know that we will get everything back from God too when we are resurrected like Jesus.
Because of Jesus we will live forever with God on the new earth sharing everything with him.
With Jesus we cangive everything away knowing God will give everything we need back to us.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Watch this scene from Moana together. It gives us a good picture of the idea of creation being made new. Talk about how Moana is a little picture of Jesus who will restore creation to its original goodness. God will do this one day to earth just like he has already done in our hearts.
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
You will fix everything one day. I can’t wait to live with you forever on the new earth that you have fixed. Help me to be willing to share everything that you have given to me with others.
Amen.
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