A Sense of Urgency (2)

A Sense of Urgency

In the Marine Corps, there is a phrase that is used to motivate Marines to be people of action , and to move with a purpose. I learned it while in boot camp, usually yelled by the drill instructor who seemed constantly frustrated at our lack of motivation and fire. It would go something like this: “Where’s your sense of urgency, Marine?” Boot camp is a place where Marines learn discipline, a purpose, and a sense of urgency. 

The message this morning is a call to Christians to live with a sense of urgency when it comes to our life and our witness to the world around us. My prayer is that we will respond to the message with a renewed sense of urgency not only about how we live our own lives, but more importantly, how we view our role as proclaimers of the gospel. There are three key texts that I will use in this message, and all three passages give us examples of heaven rejoicing. 

These passages should both make us excited about the hope we have as well as challenge us to live for Christ while we still have time. Make no mistake: the time is short. As we look at the world around us, and what is happening to the very bedrock values that society is built on, we should sense more urgency to pray, seek God, and share the gospel.  My prayer is that all of us will feel challenged to develop or improve our sense of urgency and how we view a world that is ever nearer to the climactic point when history ends and all will be judged.

The Blessed Hope: Revelation 19:6–9 (ESV) 

The first example of heaven rejoicing is found in revelation chapter 19. If you would turn with me there, and to verse 6, we learn what John saw in his vision one of the most exciting events that will happen for any of us, the greatest celebration we could possibly imagine, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Let’s look at the text:

Revelation 19:6–9 ESV

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

(pray)

Friends, we have a great blessed hope for our future. Reading passages like this one in John’s revelation give us a glimpse of the glory we will experience in eternity. 

Jenelle, the girls, &  I attended a beautiful wedding years ago; Our babysitter married a young man who I had been thrilled to see mature and grow in the Lord as he has been a student of the pastoral program. The celebration was wonderful, because this young couple represents what I believe marriage itself represents, and that is a glimpse of the Trinity. We have difficulty perceiving what exactly the Trinity is and how it works, but God has given us a glimpse in the family unit. Husband, wife and children, in a godly context and in a healthy home, are a good representation of the unity found in the Trinity. 

Even more so, this passage about the marriage supper of the Lamb represents the culmination of God’s ultimate plan for our redemption and complete union with Him. Throughout the Bible, marriage is used as an analogy of our relationship to God. Biblically speaking, God is the groom, and we are the bride. At the wedding we attended, the groom was beaming as his bride appeared and walked down the aisle. The anticipation of a marriage covenant was evident on his face, and his love for her was palpable. The wedding was followed by a reception, where all of the family and friends of bride and groom were able to laugh, share stories, and celebrate with each other. The joy of a good marriage causes us to reflect on our own family relationships, and we had fond memories of our own wedding as we participated. 

The wedding was also exciting for our daughters, especially since their beloved babysitter appeared to the girls to be a princess bride (Gaby had already named her repunzel), and those of you with daughters understand when I say my daughters when they were younger loved everything princess. Fairytales often end in a marriage, with all of the pomp and ceremony that cause little girls (and their moms) to just want to dance. 

At the Marriage Supper of the Lamb as described here in Revelations, we see that those of us who are in Christ will be invited to participate, not only as guests, but as the bride. Finally, we will be able to see Jesus face to face and to experience something we cannot experience, at least not to its perfection, here on earth: we will be completely united to Christ. Like a bride, we will be adorned in “white linen, bright and pure”. On that day we will have the full realization of everything we have tried to understand. The day will be so glorious that we will cry out in praise to our God because of all he has done. 

Friends, this day could come at any time. This should be a great encouragement to us! We all deal with trials and difficulties and discouragements in our lives. When the days here on earth seem too challenging, or too heart-breaking, or too lonely, we need to encourage one another that we don’t live for today, we don’t live for earthly satisfaction, but our ultimate, final state of being in glorious communion with God our savior will be very soon, and for that reason, we should be encouraged that when the shout of praise to God described in this passage at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, it will be you and I, Christian, who will be voicing those very words! Yes, it will be you and I and a multitude of others from the centuries of human life on  earth, others who had a repentant heart and an understanding for their sorry state without a Redeemer, who will cry out as described here. Men and women of faith that we have read the stories of, like Abraham, Job, Esther, and many more whom we have read about and learned about, but also many others, whose stories of faith we haven’t yet heard! If that doesn’t get you excited, then I don’t know what will! 

So this is the first example of rejoicing in heaven, and we will be part of it. Now I want to speak of another rejoicing in heaven. 

Jesus speaks of it twice in Luke chapter 15, if you would like to turn there. Jesus tells two short parables here. First, in verses 1-7, he tells the parable of the lost sheep, a parable we are familiar with. Jesus tells us that a man with 100 sheep will go to find the one lost sheep, and when he finds it, he will celebrate finding the lost one. The parable is an illustration for the grace of God, in that He desires for every lost person to come to him. In verse 7, he concludes: Luke 15:7 Jesus is telling us that the repentance of a sinner causes joy in heaven. 

Luke 15:7 ESV

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Next, Jesus tells the parable of the woman with ten coins, who searches for them, and when she finds them, calls together her friends and neighbors, saying Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Jesus concludes this parable by again reminding us of heaven’s response to the repentant sinner: “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” 

So where is our sense of urgency to bring sinners to repentance? We have just been encouraged by the prospect of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Knowing that this great event is in store for all who accept by faith the blood of Christ to atone for their sins, that it is a free gift of grace from God to each who desire it, why don’t we share the gospel with more people? 

Imagine if you were at your favorite department store, and as you walked past the electronics section, an employee told you, “we have a free entertainment system for you. It’s top of the line, and includes a top of the line TV, surround sound, and a free one-year subscription to all the streaming services. It’s a free gift” your first response would be, what’s the catch? But suppose the employee was telling you about a true free gift, and that corporate has chosen this store for the giveaway, and not only can you have the free system, but there are enough to give one to every family you know, as long as they come and claim it before the end of the week. Would you tell anyone on your way out of the store? You’d probably contact everyone you knew in town to tell them to get in gear and take advantage of this giveaway. 

There is something infinitely more valuable than any entertainment system available to those who would take it. We have taken advantage of this free offer, and yet we often keep our lips sealed as far as sharing with others the hope that we have. To compare it to the Entertainment system, it’s like we snuck out of the store, avoiding eye contact with anyone. Jesus told us that heaven rejoices over a repentant sinner. We rejoice as well as a church body at every testimony of salvation, and this is great. We should be excited about it as well.

So we have seen two examples of rejoicing in heaven: when a sinner repents, and at the marriage Supper of the Lamb. Both of these examples should give us cause to celebrate as well, celebrating with heaven when a sinner repents, and celebrating in anticipation of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. So here’s a question to consider: If we will celebrate what Jesus did for us during the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and the angels of heaven celebrate the repentant sinner, what is the emotional response of heaven when the sinner doesn’t repent, and is cast into eternal, conscious torment? (pause)   

 -Rejoicing.  (pause) This seems shocking and contradictory. If heaven rejoices at the repentance of a sinner, how could it also rejoice at the damnation of a sinner? Because justice is required. And in the end, we will all rejoice that justice is done, even when it means eternal damnation for those who have not accepted Christ. 

Let’s take a Look at the last passage about heaven rejoicing: it is right before the rejoicing at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Turn back to Revelation 19, starting at the beginning of the chapter. Preceding this passage, the judgment has fallen on Babylon. The great city, the center of wealth for the world, is destroyed in short order. The destruction is complete, and represents the destruction of the unrepentant. Not only is the destruction complete, it is everlasting. It includes those who take the mark of the beast. In Revelation, we see the judgment of people, organizations, and spirits, all of whom are judged fairly, and all of whom are punished severely. And we who will be spared judgment will rejoice at the fair judgment of God. 

Revelation 19:1–3 ESV

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”

Chapter 19 of the Revelation contains the only time in the New Testament with a four-fold Hallelujah, and it is in reference to the fall of Babylon. Not only that, but Revelations 19 is the only time in the New Testament where the Hebrew for Hallelujah is not translated. In other words, though the passage was originally written in Greek, the Hallelujah here is written in Hebrew. 

Anywhere else in the New Testament, it is translated to Greek, which is the original language that the New Testament was written in. In the NIV, hallelujah is always translated to “Praise the Lord”, except for here, in Revelation 19, and that is because the hallelujah stands on its own. Since it was in the original Hebrew in the manuscripts, the translators left it this way. Hallelujah means “Praise the Lord!”  So we see that the judgment of God clearly is being praised in this passage. 

This should be understandable in a way. It is in our nature to want to see justice done. (Except when applied to ourselves, of course). Let me give an example. I was driving down a highway some years ago. I try to set my cruise to the speed limit so I don’t have to be concerned with traffic tickets, and out of respect for the law. Suddenly, I saw a car in my mirror coming up at an extremely high rate of speed. I am guessing he was easily 20 mph or more over the limit. I got mad! Here I was, following the rules, obeying the law, and this guy had total disregard for the law. In fact, he was a scofflaw. (ok, that word is real, but not used much anymore) In other words, he could care less about the posted speed limit, he had a powerful red sports car and was going to test its limits. 

I was still steaming about it several minutes later, when I noticed flashing lights ahead of me. They got him! Yess!! I REJOICED! Not because I hated the driver, but because I was seeing justice done and I celebrated. Proverbs 11:10

Proverbs 11:10 ESV

When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.

I can tell you when I saw that guy pulled over I gave a shout of gladness!! So don’t be surprised that the bible tells us that heaven will rejoice when God’s final judgment is passed! However, keep in mind that those we lead to Christ before the judgment will bring joy to heaven for their repentance! 

Now, this is not what we are supposed to do today. Proverbs 24:17

Proverbs 24:17 ESV

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

Look, we are not at this time to celebrate the falling of another person, even an enemy, why? For a few reasons. One, we are in the flesh and cannot trust that we know what is going on. Maybe the person is under God’s wrath, maybe there is another plan. I’ve known many people who pined away for the failure of someone else, just so they could say “Aha!”. So that may mean I was wrong in my response to the speeder I mentioned, and I have been wrong many times to want to see someone fail or to be happy for their falling.  So that is one reason. 

Further, we know that ultimately, God will bring his perfect justice. And this is the example we see in Revelation. God has now revealed his justice, and at that time we will rejoice. And if we can have a steady faith in God’s ultimate justice, we can avoid rejoicing when our enemy falls, because the proverb continues:

Proverbs 24:19–20 ESV

Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

So we see a tension between these proverbs. On the one hand, the city rejoices when the wicked perish. On the other hand, we are warned this should not be our response… Yet. There will, however, be a time, when we, who love seeing sinners come to repentance, will rejoice at their being cast into eternal punishment. That will be the time when the redeemed, at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, rejoice.

So we have seen three examples of when Heaven Rejoices: 1) At the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, 2) when a sinner repents, and 3) when God’s final judgment of sinners is complete. We who believe are privileged to have been convinced by the Holy Spirit of our need for a savior, and have found Christ to be that and more. We will be part of the celebration of the Marriage supper of the Lamb. So when we read that heaven rejoices at the judgment of Babylon and the destruction of the unrepentant, it will be us, those who are welcomed into heaven, who will be rejoicing at the eternal, conscious torment that is God’s judgment on the wicked. 

That means that the ones who are our neighbors, friends, relatives, and people we pass by each day, those who never repent and accept Christ’s sacrifice will be judged. And you and I and all of heaven will celebrate that judgment. This should be a sobering thought to us, but more than that, it should compel us to share Christ. But we don’t share Christ only because of our sadness at the thought of a sinner being punished. We do it because we are required to and because it brings glory to God. 

We are to Love God and Love people. Love God, and Love People. This comes from Jesus’ answer to one of the many people who tried to trap him in their questions. Jesus was asked what the greatest Law of God was. His answer was, “Love God with all your heart, and the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself.” Furthermore, scripture tells us that we cannot claim to love God if we do not love our brother. Another reason these statements make sense is that they naturally flow one to another. If we love God, we will love our neighbors. Why? Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commands.” He commanded us to love not only our neighbor, but our enemy as well. Furthermore, his command to us that we refer to as the Great Commission is that we preach the gospel to every creature.

So where is our sense of urgency, church? Where is our sense of urgency when we ignore the hurting people around us? Where is our sense of urgency when we have family members who need to wake up to their precarious position? Where is our sense of urgency when we are thrilled to share our faith within these church walls but not outside of them? Where is our sense of urgency when we would rather be in our comfort zone than to see new people saved and disciple? Church, we need to have a wake-up call. The reason for the power of the Holy Spirit in us is not only to benefit us as individuals, but to benefit others and the church as well. Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit was a comforter and helper, but also that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we would be able to testify to the gospel of Jesus Christ and overcome any obstacle, including our own shyness, to share Christ. Where is your sense of urgency?

Where is your sense of urgency when you consider that you get to be part of the greatest celebration any of us can imagine, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? Should we not be excited to offer free reservations to those who could join us? Where is your sense of urgency when you think how your sharing of the gospel could be part of God’s plan to bring a sinner to repentance and later to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, but would result in Heaven rejoicing? 

Where is your sense of urgency when on that day of judgment, the cheer will go up for the eternal damnation of all unrepentant sinners? You see, based on the passages we looked at this morning, I can conclude that every person who lives today and has lived on the earth and will live on the earth, there is going to be rejoicing in heaven. Will that rejoicing be because of repentance, or because of judgment? Where’s your sense of urgency?

Jesus once healed a man and told him not to share it with anyone. Instead, the man went and told everyone what had happened. His excitement at being touched by Jesus was too much for him to keep to himself, despite the fact the Jesus commanded him keep silent, and yet we are commanded to speak out and yet are often fearful to do so? Where is your sense of urgency? 

Let me make one last point. Many evangelical Christians today are uneasy about the prospect to eternal, conscious torment as punishment for the unrepentant sinner. There are alternate theories put forth. Some people are annihilationists. They have a hard time believing that God could punish someone eternally, so they subscribe to the theory that eventually God will simply cause the unrepentant to cease existing. Others believe that after a period of time, the sins are burned off and they can then enter heaven. 

These are called universalists. Still others believe that the unrepentant will continue to have an opportunity to accept Christ even in Hell. However, the Bible clearly teaches the punishment of the damned is eternal. In Revelation 19:3, it says “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever!” The Bible proclaims that the Lord God is just, and his judgment will be fair, and his punishments will be awful. The Psalmist said, “Righteousness and Justice are the foundations of his throne.” God will do what is right, and he is fair and just. 

In light of the prospect of eternal, conscious torment for those who do not accept Christ, and in light of the example of heaven rejoicing we have looked at this morning, I ask you one more time: Where is your sense of urgency? We need to share Christ. We are commanded to. It flows both from a response of God’s grace towards us and our desire to keep His commands, and from our love for those around us. 

Our sense of urgency should also be to make sure that we are ready when Christ returns. We need to become mature Christians, who understand and can share our faith with others because we understand what it means to say “I’ve been saved”. So our sense of urgency should cause us to look outward to bring the Good news to the world, but also inward, to take our own faith seriously enough to make it the centerpiece of our life and existence, that we should live in every moment with the hope and expectation of Christ, our coming King.

I’m going to close with a prayer here and ask that God renew in each of us a sense of urgency. 

(pray)