Laundry, Invitations, and Expectations

Psalm 97 / Revelation 22

Laundry - v12-14

In Light of 2nd Coming and Recompense

Positively

Revelation 11:18 “18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.””

1 Corinthians 3:8 “He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.”

Negatively

No right to the tree of life No entrance into this New Jerusalem

Genesis 3:22–24 “Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.”

ALL of this is a fulfillment of what began in Genesis 3. ALL of this rejection is the righteous recompense of those who never had the Blood of Jesus applied.

Blessed are those who wash their robes

Revelation 7:13–14 “Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

In the end it will come to one of two outcomes:

Your sins are covered because you have washed your robe in Jesus’ blood

You have not been cleansed. Your continued rejection of Christ will be honored. You will NOT be admitted to paradise with His people.

Revelation 14:11 “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.””

Invitations - v16-17

The Spirit says come

John 14:15–16 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,”

John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

John 16:7–11 “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

So, The Holy Spirit is constantly inviting men, women, boys, and girls to come to Christ, and then enabling sinners to repent and believe; accomplishing the miracle of regeneration, and then continuing to draw them closer and closer to Christ.

The Bride says come

Living a consistent witness

Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Committing to the life of the Church

John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.””

Actually inviting people (to Jesus)

John 4:28–30 “So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.”

Question: Am I, and are we actively saying to the lost world around us; “Come.”

Expectations - v17, 20-21

The Water of Life has no price

It is Priceless & It is free!

Jesus is coming soon!

When we are most aligned with the will of God, our response will be: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!