This Is What We See: See the New World

While Revelation’s place in the canon has long been debated, one thing is clear: scripture begins and ends in the garden. We’ve made it to the end of Revelation, and now we turn our attention to just that—the garden.

Gardens are powerful symbols, not just in Christianity but across many traditions. In Islam, heaven is described as a garden. In Buddhist tradition, the Buddha finds enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree, often pictured in a garden. In Hinduism, gardens are designed to mirror divine order and invite reflection. Gardens are microcosms of God’s creation, spaces where diversity thrives under tender care.

And gardens surprise us. Volunteer plants appear where we least expect them. Gardens are full of intention and delight, mystery and resilience—much like our faith when we try to articulate what it means to be truly at peace.

We are going to dive into one of the most hope-filled visions in scripture: Revelation 21–22. John’s vision is breathtaking: a new heaven and a new earth, a river of life flowing from God’s throne, and God dwelling among God’s people with no more tears, death, or mourning. It’s a vision of a world wholly renewed—a garden radically different from the one we currently navigate.

It’s tempting to see these passages as far-off fairy tales, especially amid political chaos, social division, and the challenges of change and transitions. But Revelation doesn’t ask us to check out; it calls us to see differently, to spot possibility where despair has dulled our vision. “See the new world” is both promise and challenge.

Even in the messiness of our world—and of our church—John invites us to imagine God’s ongoing work. The river of life, the tree of healing, the end of suffering: these are glimpses of renewal, reminders that God’s presence shapes a future of justice, peace, and flourishing.

Living into this vision doesn’t mean ignoring the world’s struggles. It means practicing hope, caring for one another, speaking truth to power, and creating spaces where love can grow. The new world begins in glimpses here and now.

As we explore Revelation together, we’ll ask: How do we see the new world today? How do we participate in God’s renewal, even amid uncertainty? Join us as we peer into God’s promised garden and imagine, together, a world transformed.

Peace,

Pastor Katie