I See the Glory of the Coming of the Lord

Believers, who Follow the Lamb, Stand Assured of Complete Salvation.

Just turn on the TV, pick up a News Paper, scroll social media, and you will find that Satan seduces us to use criticism, so he can use cause conflict, which results in chaos. Then the devil dupes humanity into thinking he can deliver them from the chaos.

First of all the only one who can reorder chaos into contentment is the God who order creation out of chaos in the beginning. God created everything out of nothing to reveal His Glory. God receives glory when the world sees His people happy trusting and obeying His will and ways.

But sometimes seeing the glory of God takes effort.

Living in the culture of compromise, clouds our vision of God’s glory.

Living in the tending tradition tolerance, trades the truth of God’s glory for a lie.

Living in an atmosphere of apostasy, asks who will see the glory of God.

John is surrounded by all the deception of the devil and then God gives him a glimpse of his coming glory.

Revelation 14:1–13 give us three assurances that those who follow Jesus will see teh coming of the glory of the Lord.

Ancient marriage consisted of three steps. The Betrothal were parents made a legal contract—the young couple became were legally married.

The 2nd step the groom went to bring the bride back t his house.

Lastly, the bridal procession would be followed by a marriage feast.

Believers, the church, has entered into a legal contract.

We are waiting for the groom to come take us home.

We know that the marriage supper will take place.

Believers, who Follow the Lamb, Stand Assured of God’s Righteous Judgment.

Believers, who Follow the Lamb, Stand Assured of Complete Rest and Reward.

The word “Blessed” is the English translation for two separate words in the OT. The preacher’s commentary explains

The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 35: 1, 2 & 3 John / Revelation Babylon Fallen

Bârak is the Hebrew word used in such Psalms as 100 and 103, and it means literally “to bow before,” or to kneel. Therefore, in sentences such as “Bless the Lord, O my soul …” (Ps. 103), the literal sense of the word is as follows: “Bow before the Lord,” “Honor the Lord.” A different Hebrew word commonly used in passages that refer to the blessing of a person is the word ’âshar, which carries the literal meaning of “find the right path.” In Psalm 1 we see this second word ’âshar: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked …” It is clear that in this case, as in Psalm 119 and Proverbs 3, blessed means to find the right path in the face of false pathways. It is with this second sense of ’âshar blessedness that Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5). It is also this sense of blessedness that the promise is now seen by John in its fulfillment. As Christians, we are blessed when we are on the right pathway. The pathway may be a joyous or a hard path, but it is the place of companionship with the Lord who made the promise.

Blessed doesn’t necessarily mean everything is in peace and harmony, blessed doesn’t even mean the absence of tragedy. Blessed doesn’t mean “Ok I am happy to be in this situation.

Blessed does mean, I am happy Jesus has showed me the right path to take through my time of trouble, by walking all the way with me.

We are blessed in the here and now, because we can walk in complete companionship with Jesus, who purchased us with His blood, so we can bring glory to God and the Lamb.

The reason believers are shown the correct path is so that we can rest from our labors. Nothing about being a disciple of Jesus is easy, except the free offer of complete salvation. Jesus promises:

John 10:27–30 NASB95

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.”

The reason Jesus makes us this promise is because Satan and his allies are always trying to pull us out of the grace of God’s hand.

Jesus is holding us secure, but we must also hang on for life. Sanctification is the process of Jesus holding us in His hand, while the Holy Spirit helps us fight off everyone and everything that is trying to pull us back into our old ways.

The Christian life must be lived with a white knuckled grip on the promises and person of Jesu Christ.

One who Follows the Lamb wherever He goes is a disciple.

Bob Moorehead, in his 1995 book, "Words Aptly Spoken" he included these word of a Rwandan man in 1980 who was forced by his tribe to either renounce Christ or face certain death. He refused to renounce Christ, and was killed on the spot. The night before he had written the commitment "The Fellowship of the Unashamed" which was found in his room. (https://www.gospeltruth.net/unashamed.htm)

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear.