Revelation 22:6-21

Revelation 22. - 7 Life-Changing Invitations from Jesus

Introduction

Today, we gather to explore the final chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22, where Christ extends a compelling invitation to us all.

These verses are not just a conclusion to a prophetic vision but a call to action for our lives.

Jesus is inviting you to stop your wrong-doing, trust Him as your Lord, saviour, and friend; to look forward to His return, and live in a way that honors Him until He does!

As we delve into these seven invitations, let us open our hearts and minds to the transformative power of His Word.

Each invitation is a step toward a deeper relationship with Him, guiding us to live with purpose and anticipation.

Are you ready to accept His call and align your life with His eternal promises?

PRAYER

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1) Listen to God’s Word (22:6–7)

Revelation 22:6–7 ESV

6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” 7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

Sub-point 1: The Authority of Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16–17“16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Psalm 119:105 “105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Illustration: A map guiding travelers through a dense forest, the Bible guides us through life’s complexities.

Sub-point 2: The Promise of Blessing

James 1:25 “25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Luke 11:27–28 “27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!””

Quote: “Obedience is the fruit of faith.” - John Calvin

Illustration: A gardener reaping the harvest from well-tended plants, those who obey God’s Word reap spiritual blessings.

Sub-point 3: The Call to Readiness

Matthew 24:42 “42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”

1 Peter 1:13 “13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Quote: “To be a Christian is to live in expectation of the return of Christ.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Illustration: A watchman on the city wall, always alert and ready for what’s to come.

Application: Regularly engage with Scripture, allowing it to shape your life and prepare you for Christ’s return.

2) Worship God Truly (22:8–9)

Revelation 22:8–9 ESV

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

Sub-point 1: By Worshiping God Alone

Exodus 34:14 “14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),”

Deuteronomy 6:13–14“13 It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you—”

Illustration: A sunflower turning towards the sun, our lives should turn solely to God in worship.

Sub-point 2: By Avoiding False Idols

1 John 5:21 “21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”

Romans 1:25 “25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

Quote: “An idol is anything that takes the place of God in our hearts.” - Tim Keller

Illustration: A counterfeit painting that deceives, idols deceive us from the true worship of God.

Sub-point 3: The Role of Angels

Hebrews 1:14 “14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”

…good is the enemy of great!

Application: Evaluate your priorities and ensure your worship is directed solely towards God.

3) Share God’s Truth (22:10–11)

Revelation 22:10–11 ESV

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

Sub-point 1: Because The Prophesy is Unsealed

Daniel 12:4 “4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.””

Matthew 10:27 “27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.”

Quote: “The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time.” - Carl F.H. Henry

Illustration: A letter delivered with urgency, the message of Revelation must be shared with urgency.

emergency and danger…

Sub-point 2: Because There is a Reality of Division

Matthew 25:31–33“31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.”

Quote: “The gospel divides as well as unites.” - J.I. Packer

Illustration: A fork in the road, one path leads to life, the other to destruction.

Sub-point 3: Because We Have Been Called to Righteousness

1 John 3:7 “7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.”

Ephesians 4:24 “24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Application: Boldly share the truth of the gospel, knowing it has eternal consequences for those who hear.

4) Trust in God’s Judgement (22:12-15)

Revelation 22:12–15 ESV

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Sub-point 1: In The Reward for Faithfulness

2 Corinthians 5:10 “10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

Matthew 16:27 “27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.”

Quote: “The reward of serving God is God Himself.” - Jonathan Edwards

Illustration: A student working diligently for a scholarship, the rewards of faithfulness in Christ are eternal.

Sub-point 2: In The Identity of the Blessed

1 John 3:1–2“1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 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.”

Revelation 3:5 “5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.”

Illustration: A passport granting access to a new country, our identity in Christ grants us access to His kingdom.

Sub-point 3: In The Exclusion of the Unrighteous

1 Corinthians 6:9–10“9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

Galatians 5:19–21“19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Quote: “Sin is the great separator between God and man.” - John MacArthur

Illustration: A locked gate that cannot be opened without the right key, sin locks us out of God’s presence.

Application: Live in accordance with God’s will, focusing on eternal rewards and your identity in Christ.

5) Accept God’s Invitations (22:16–17)

Revelation 22:16–17 ESV

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Sub-point 1: Of The Testimony of Jesus

John 8:12 “12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””

Revelation 1:5 “5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood”

Quote: “Jesus is the light of the world, the bright and morning star.” - Charles Spurgeon

Sub-point 2: Of The Call to Come

Matthew 11:28 “28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Isaiah 55:1 “1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

Quote: “The call of God is not just to salvation but to fellowship.” - A.W. Tozer

Sub-point 3: Of The Free Gift of Life

Romans 6:23 “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

John 4:14 “14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.””

Illustration: A well offering water to the thirsty, God offers eternal life freely to those who accept.

Application: Accept God’s invitation to come but also to share with others, knowing it offers eternal life to all who respond.

6) Consider God’s Warnings (22:18–19)

Revelation 22:18–19 ESV

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

Sub-point 1: Of The Danger of Alteration

Galatians 1:8–9“8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.”

Proverbs 30:5–6 “5 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 6 Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.”

Deuteronomy 4:2 “2 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.”

Quote: “To alter the gospel is to desert the gospel.” - John Stott

Illustration: A recipe altered changes the entire dish, altering God’s Word changes its truth.

Sub-point 2: Of The Consequence of Disobedience

Matthew 7:21–23“21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Revelation 20:15 “15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Quote: “Disobedience to the Word is direct rebellion against God.” - J.I. Packer

Illustration: A ship ignoring warning signs and heading for disaster, ignoring God’s warnings leads to judgment.

Application: Honor and uphold the integrity of Scripture in your life and teaching, avoiding any distortion of its truth.

7) Pray for Jesus’ Return (22:20–21)

Revelation 22:20–21 ESV

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Sub-point 1: Rejoicing In The Assurance of His Return

John 14:3 “3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

Acts 1:11 “11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.””

Quote: “The second coming of Christ is as certain as His first.” - J.C. Ryle

Illustration: A child waiting for their parent at the end of a long day, full of trust and anticipation.

Sub-point 2: The Urgency of Prayer

Matthew 6:10 “10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “17 pray without ceasing,”

Quote: “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness.” - Martin Luther

Illustration: Consider a lighthouse keeper, always vigilant and maintaining the light, knowing ships depend on him for safe passage. Our prayers keep us vigilant, our hope steadfast, and our lives aligned with God's will.

Application: Rely on Christ’s grace daily, letting it empower you to live faithfully as you await His coming.

Application: Cultivate a hopeful expectation of Christ’s return, letting it inspire your daily life and decisions.

Conclusion

Jesus is inviting us to…

1) Listen to His Word (22:6–7)

2) Worship Him Fully (22:8–9)

3) Share His Message (22:10–11)

4) Trust His Sovereignty (22:12-15)

6) Consider His Warnings (22:18–19)

7) Pray For His Return (22:20–21)

5) Accept His Invitation (22:16–17)

These are not merely suggestions but a divine blueprint for living a life that glorifies Him. May we leave here today with renewed commitment, eagerly anticipating His coming and walking faithfully before Him… Come Lord Jesus Come!

GROUP QUESTIONS