New Heaven, New Earth
Pastor Tan Thai · Feb 2, 2019
This Tết 2019 sermon reflects on the meaning of homeland — from earthly homeland to the heavenly one. Drawing from Hebrews 11:14-16 and Revelation 21:1-4, the pastor calls the congregation to seek the eternal homeland that God has prepared for those who believe in Him.
The sermon opens with the 2019 church Tết theme: "Returning Home for the New Year." The pastor guides the congregation through memories of Vietnamese homeland through lullabies from the South and Central regions, through Pham Duy's song "Tình Hoài Hương," and through musician Trinh Cong Son's saying: "The homeland remains forever." These familiar images help listeners feel deeply the love for their roots and the longing for home that comes with living far from one's native land.
From there, the pastor transitions to the theme of searching for a better new homeland — as hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese risked their lives at sea in the 1980s for freedom, or Syrian refugees fled to Europe. He uses this to introduce Hebrews 11:14-16, explaining that believers are described as "strangers and pilgrims on earth" — not focused on the homeland they left behind but pressing toward the heavenly homeland that God has already prepared for them.
The pastor then expounds on the heavenly homeland through Revelation 21:1-4, describing a new heaven and new earth where there is no more death, mourning, or pain, and where God dwells with His people. The promise of Jesus in John 14:1-3 is also cited as evidence of the dwelling place prepared for believers. He emphasizes that no earthly homeland — whether Vietnam or the United States — can remain prosperous and peaceful forever.
The practical application section presents the path to becoming a citizen of the heavenly homeland: acknowledging sin, receiving the redemption of Jesus Christ on the cross by faith, and sincerely opening one's heart to receive Him as Lord. The pastor cites Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, and Titus 3:5 to emphasize that salvation is entirely by God's grace, not by human merit or good works.
The sermon closes with a New Year blessing drawn from 3 John 2, praying for the congregation to prosper in all things and be in good health, even as their souls prosper. The pastor also presents Pascal's Wager as a reasonable argument to encourage unbelievers to consider receiving Christ — for if God is real, the believer gains everything, and if not, the believer loses nothing.