The Ultimate Fixer Upper

November 21 marked the beginning of the last season of Fixer Upper, an HGTV show hosted by Chip and Joanna Gaines, who renovate homes in Waco, Texas in their typical modern farmhouse style. This show has fascinated millions with every episode as they take fixer-upper homes in Waco and bring them back to life through renovation.

Chip and Joanna Gaines are in the business of renovation. But did you know that Jesus is in the renovation business as well?

Chip and Joanna Gaines renovate homes. Jesus is renovating the hearts of mankind and one day, the earth will be "renovated" as well. 

When asked about heaven, most people think of heaven as an etherial, other-worldly place. Many often think of heaven as more spiritual place than a physical location, but when Jesus talks about heaven, it's in a very tangible and physical way. We already looked at the Scripture in which Jesus talks about heaven as if it is a house. But this image is not something that only Jesus talks about.

A major theme of the old Testament (and the entire Bible for that matter) is the idea of God coming to earth to dwell with man. One day there will be a New Jerusalem, a new city, and God will dwell with man there. This theme resonates throughout the entire Old Testament, and it is a promise that God's people often longed to see fulfilled, but this theme is further expanded upon in the New Testament. Let's look at a passage from Revelation: 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

​(Revelation 21:1-5)

In this passage, John is sharing a vision that he receives from God of what will take place after the final judgement, when everyone dead and alive will stand before the Lord and be held accountable for all that they've done. After the judgment, the earth will be made new, and it will be where God and man dwell together. 

We will talk about this more tomorrow, but essentially what we think of as "heaven" will actually be on the new earth. It will be a real and physical place, and it will be perfect and completely new. 

The earth is God's renovation project. While sin has corrupted the hearts of mankind and the earth as a result of sin, one day all will be made new and made right. God's renovation project will be complete and it will be beautiful. 

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”