Read Rev 21:9–27
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb… (22) And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. (23) And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. (24) By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, (25) and its gates will never be shut by day–and there will be no night there. (26) They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. (27) But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

In the creeds we confess we believe in one catholic and apostolic Church. The church is apostolic because its foundations are the teaching of the apostles. Jesus never wrote anything down. But He gave His apostles the Holy Spirit who reminded them of all things He had taught and they taught the Church. These apostles and their representatives wrote down all that the Spirit of God had given them for the Church to know and believe. So in Acts it is written, Act 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

Now in the new creation, on the new earth, God the Father Almighty and the Jesus the Lamb of God will directly communicate with each of us. No longer will we need anyone to teach us. Even as now God dwells in each believer’s heart we shall see then that we also dwell in God. Paul says, 1Co 13:12 “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” On that day John tells us, 1Jn 3:2 “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

Now who is it that will part of that city, which is the Church but those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life? If you are not connected with Christ’s body the Church in this life, you most certainly will not be connected with it in the world to come. For those connected to the Church are found in Church. Peter says, 1Pe 1:1-2 “To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (2) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood” these sprinkled are those baptized. And Paul says, 1Co 1:2 “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints…” It is God’s choosing who is written the Book. You cannot earn it. It is by grace, a free gift of God. He collects those who are His through the Church and calls them out, separates them from the world through baptism. In this Church, Jesus gives us the things we need to persevere in the faith until his second coming. He teaches us is Word through his pastors. He gives us is body and blood for the strengthening of our faith. In as much as it is in you, join yourselves with the saints of God.

Lord Jesus Christ, ever grant us your Word that we may be called out from the world through the message of the apostolic Church and find ourselves written in your Book of Life. Amen.