May 18, 2025

HEAVEN MATTERS: NEW!

2 Thessalonians 4:15-18

Those who’ve died in Christ will rise first—with brand new bodies. Then those who are still alive will be transformed and meet Jesus in the air.

1 Corinthians 15:35-36, 42b, 50-53, “But someone may ask, “How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?” 36 What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first… Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever… 50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. 51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.” (NLT)

We will have brand NEW bodies! What did Jesus’ glorified body look like when He was resurrected?

Luke 24:39, “Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” (NLT)

The NEW (or renewed) earth will be a lot like the perfect place God created for Adam and Eve:

Genesis 2:8-10, “Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. 9 The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches.” (NLT)

With Eden in mind, look at the description of the NEW Heaven and NEW Earth:

Revelation 22:1-3, “Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 It flowed down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations. 3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.” (NLT)

The Bible also talks about a NEW city: the New Jerusalem: Revelation 21:16, 21, 25-26

In Heaven, you’ll have a new body. You’ll live on a new Earth. You’ll walk in the New Jerusalem. And

what will you do? You’ll explore. You’ll create. You’ll enjoy relationships. You’ll work—not with sweat and

stress—but with joy and purpose. You’ll laugh. Every moment will be filled with the presence of Jesus.