Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
In May of 1987, after four long years of college, I graduated.
I was finished.
As a personal way for me to celebrate, I decided to jog from my house up to the top of Lookout Mountain and back.
I had always wanted to challenge myself to do that.
I wanted to see if I could do it.
So one day that summer I took off.
I don’t remember how long it took me to complete it, but I did it.
I started out strong, full of confidence, no doubt in my mind that I would make it.
It was already 2-3 miles before I reached the base of the mountain to start the ascent up that two lane highway that winds with switchbacks up the mountain.
I just kept putting one foot in front of the other.
I remember reaching the top and running through that iron gate and stopping at the water fountain to quench my thirst.
I walked around there for a little while then started back down.
My legs were burning, my lungs were at capacity.
The trek down was harder than going up because of the jarring of my knees.
you try to run down a hill and control your speed.
Anyway I made it.
But not without perseverance.
I had to tell myself to keep going though my body had been screaming STOP!
It won’t hurt just to walk.
But I didn’t want to.
I had to keep going.
I hit that runners ‘wall’ they call it, where your body screams ‘STOP’ and you don’t and when you get through that it is like you get a second wind and it feels like you can keep going.
I think it was about a 15 mile run.
But let me tell you.
When I ran that last step into the yard and walked in the door.
I sat down, I probably sprawled on the floor.
I don’t remember.
But one thing I do remember is that I was finished.
Now something like that you endure it, you keep going because it is not that much farther.
That was just a small time thing.
A small deed, a small trial.
But the Christian life is not just a jog up a mountain and back again.
It is a lifelong haul.
What is going to keep you going when everything is screaming at you to STOP!
It isn’t yourself that is for sure.
You don’t have the inner stamina to do it.
You depend on yourself to keep going and you will be quitting at the first sign of serious trouble.
John Mark quit in the middle of missionary journey with Paul and Barnabas because of persecution suffering.
We are all John Marks, quitters, unless someone else enters the picture to empower you to keep going.
John Mark came back and Paul greatly respected him later on.
Let me ask you again, what will keep you going when you want to quit?
Our text answers that.
Jesus gives us the answer.
Something we can hang our hope on to keep us going.
A Light to look for, an fountain to reach to slake your thirst, an inheritance to obtain in the end.
The first sign of hope he gives us is this:
I.
It is Finished
You know the question the kids always ask, ‘Are we there yet?” the answer is ‘Yes!’ Lets pile out of the car.
He states here it is finished gegonan - God said from the throne after all the judgments: the 7 seals, 7 trumpets and 7 bowl judgments were finished and God said, “It is finished!”
In this one word is the entire gospel.
Revelation is the synoptic rundown of the end as Scripture comes full circle from the garden in to here where Christ says, “I make all things new.”
That dealing with sin, with rebellion of mankind, with the finish of the redemptive plan of God is found in this.
When Jesus hung on the cross and he said, “It is finished.”
That was a declaration that the purpose for the incarnate Son of God was completed.
He had finished the task of being the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
He was the Passover Lamb, the sacrifice that atoned for our sin.
The redemptive work on the cross, payment of our sin was complete.
Nothing more, no more sacrifice can be made.
It is finished.
And being raised from the dead and ascending to Heaven He sat down at the right hand of the Father.
His work as the sacrificial Lamb was done.
The redemptive work on the cross payment of our sin was complete.
Nothing more, no more sacrifice can be made.
It is finished.
Now this word here speaks of the entire redemptive plan of God for all history.
The plan that would restore man to the garden of God, to the place of dwelling with God for eternity was finished.
The judgment of Satan and the fallen angels, the judgment of all unbelievers has been finished.
The work of eradicating sin from the world is complete.
And Jesus now sitting on the throne declares that it is done.
We can take hope in the fact that it is done.
God is done at that point with eradicating sin from the world.
Having said that it is finished, Jesus offers two promises that when understood and believed will enable you and me to endure anything that comes our way in this life.
The One who offers the promise: The Alpha and Omega.
We met him in chapter 1:8.
This is see in the title used of the Lamb here in our text, the Alpha and Omega, The beginning and the end, this speaks of the fact all encompassing nature of God.
He is the A to Z.
But this tells us clearly that He was there in the beginning, in the garden as Adam and Eve fail miserably and rebel in their sin.
He is also here in the end, when believing man is restored to the garden.
He does make all things new.
He has made all things new.
That process was begun in the garden and it has continued with you and me if we are in Christ we are also a new creation.
He brings all things to completion.
His purposes are complete.He is the one who starts and ends all things.
He is the sovereign one over history.
He is the originator and the completer of all things.
And so we can trust in these two promises.
He is the One who specifically said to John, as if He wanted to make sure there was no miscommunication:
Promise #One: The Total all encompassing restoration from being parched to the point of being dead in your trespasses and sins by drinking from the fountain which is Christ by faith.
I will give to the one who thirsts out of the water of life freely.
Why this statement here?
Jesus said it is finished.
My work is completed.
There is nothing more to be done.
This is an invitation straight out of the mouth of the one who alone can satisfy.
The picture of the water of life is nothing new to John and it is not new to us.
We have seen it before.
The prophet Isaiah speaks of the restoration of Israel to the land and declares that they will not hunger or thirst ()
In he said, “when the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them: I the God of Israel will not forsake them.”
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