Revelation 21:4

1. Intro.
1. what will heaven and our future state be like
1. in our present mental capacities we are unable to fully understand what the eternal state will be like
2. God’s Word gives us little pictures of what life will be like in heaven
2. in our text God is showing us a place that is nothing but total joy
1. over there not a sigh of disappointed hope will be heard
2. no tears of unfulfilled desire will be seen
3. sorrow and sighing will have fled away, because God has wiped away all tears from our eyes
2. some facts about tears
1. our grief is sometimes so severe that tears come as a relief (to wash away our grief)
1. tears are the visible signs of the heart’s sorrow
2. to say that God will wipe away all our tears, is to declare the every cause of sorrow shall be taken away
2. grief and tears have but one primary source, and that is sin
1. no tears ever fell in the Garden of Eden, until sin came
2. it was the depravity of man that caused the first flood of tears
3. heart-ache was not known until the serpent had conquered the human will
4. until that serpent is restrained, and sin is banished, human grief will never be extinct
5. grief will never vanish until the great Physician binds up every wound, and God wipes away every tear
3. no tears can come were there is no sin (no tears in heaven)
1. this world is full of sin, and therefore many tears are shed
2. sin has robbed us of so much happiness and honor
1. sin has made a great gulf between God and man
2. sin has robbed us of all hopes
3. sin has covered the human race with a coat of sadness
4. our world might well be called "a valley of tears"
3. it does not take a keen perception to recognize the sin that is all around us
1. the social and political vices that fester all around us
2. the small jealousies that keep families apart
3. the blood that is so readily shed
4. the rights which we should enjoy, but are often trampled down
5. sure we can call such a world "a valley of tears" or "a howling wilderness"
4. all tears are the result of sin, but it is not always wrong to weep"
1. when a sinner weeps over his sins, it is well
2. when a Christian weeps over his shortcomings, it is well
3. these are the mourners that God has given this promise to [God shall wipe away all tears] – Matt 5:4
4. these tears are the sign of severed love
3. whatever the source of our tears, they shall be wiped away in heaven
1. tears are caused by many things
1. tears of failure
2. tears from defective friendships
3. tears of affliction and suffering
4. tears of lost loved ones
2. while on earth Christ experienced all of these things
1. in the eyes of the world He was a failure, He was despised and rejected
2. when He was arrested, His disciples abandoned Him
3. on the cross He suffered greatly
4. at the tomb of Lazarus He wept
5. He is fully qualified to comfort us, and able to wipe away all our tear
3. the joy we shall have in heaven
1. every wrong shall be righted
2. every pain shall be healed
3. there shall be no more parting over there, but there shall be love and unity for all eternity
4. what a place heaven must be
1. death and sin can never go there
2. no tears can ever flow there
3. the home of God, the residence of deity
4. the eternal dwelling place of all saints
5. a land where there is "fullness of joy and pleasure evermore"
6. its residents will stand face to face with Jesus Christ
5. what is the hand that shall wipe away our tears
1. it is the hand that was once pierced with nails
2. He sends no ministering angel around to comfort His redeemed, but He is His own missionary
3. His love ensures His people perfect joy
4. His power accomplishes the banishment of every woe
5. the immutability of His character, and His promise to "save to the uttermost" is the guarantee of its performance
6. He that sits on the highest throne declares that He will "make all things new"
1. grief shall be banished away, for "God shall wipe away all tears"
1. He will do it lovingly
1. as the "brother born for adversity" He will come gently on His errand
2. as a High Priest who is touched with our feelings of infirmity, He will bid our mourning cease
3. when we feel His hand wiping our tears away, we will never regret that we shed them
2. He will do it effectually
1. after He dries our tears, they will never come back
2. each cause of tears shall be forever removed
3. He shall destroy sin
4. the tears of repentance, backsliding, and contrition shall be dried forever
2. the only moister on our cheeks will be the kisses of Christ and our loved ones
7. this is the promise of God, that He will wipe away all our tears
1. the mouth of the Lord has spoken it, therefore it is true
2. the faith that can believes it rest upon a rock – the Rock of Ages
3. the hope that stands on it is as "an anchor of the soul, both steadfast and sure"
4. we can believe it because "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not one jot nor tittle of His word shall fail"
8. God is going to wipe away our tears; so that, we might experience the brightness of His holy joy