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The Days are Surely Coming…
(I preached this sermon at Christ Lutheran Church on Sunday, July 20, 2025. It is based on Jeremiah 33:14–18 and 31:31–34)
There’s a version of Christian belief that has gained way too much traction-especially in the American church. It’s the idea that one day, God is going to suddenly snatch all the so-called “good” people off the face of the earth. Planes will crash. Cars will veer off highways. And the so-called righteous will be whisked up into heaven, where they’ll grab front row seats-probably with popcorn in hand-to gleefully watch Jesus throw a divine temper tantrum and rain down destruction on the world.
That’s the world God called very good in the first creation story in Genesis 1, by the way.
That’s the creation God has promised to restore-not destroy. We see this promise of restoration throughout Scripture:
- In Isaiah 65:17–25, God promises a new heavens and a new earth, where peace and joy abound.
_ In Joel 2, God promises: “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.”
- In Romans 8:19–23, Paul writes that creation itself waits in eager longing to be set free from decay and be restored.
- In Colossians 1:19–20, we’re told that through Christ, God is reconciling all things-on earth and in heaven-back to Godself.
- And in Revelation 21–22, the final vision of Scripture, we don’t see escape but restoration: the New Jerusalem comes down out of heaven to earth, the tree of life bears fruit and has leaves for the healing of the nations, and…
