Revelation 14:6-7 "The Eternal Gospel"

Introduction: Do you keep up with the news? What was in the news this week? What were the big headlines? Chaos in this election season; Political corruption; Murders; Pandemic.

Reporting and journalism is a competitive business, and these days seems to be lopsided, at least depending on who you listen to. People always want the very latest, the next twist and turn, the newest facts and revelations, and social media is happy to accommodate. But even the hottest stories soon fade. They become “yesterday’s news.” Interest wanes. Everyone moves on to a different topic, to a different message, to some new news.

Today we celebrate some news, some good news, that is completely different from all this. It never grows old. It never grows stale. It is never outdated, outmoded. It never becomes “yesterday’s news.” This good news is the enduring, life-giving, salvation-bestowing Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today, is Reformation Sunday, the time we remember when God used Martin Luther and all the other reformers to spread the clear, bright Gospel—the good news of forgiveness and salvation in Christ, freely bestowed to sinners by grace, through faith in Christ. This Reformation was the gracious work of God. And the Gospel Luther and the other reformers realized was no new invention, but the same good news God has always been sending forth in the world. So, as we remember this one time in history, we give thanks that down through the centuries that

God Keeps Sending Forth the Gospel of Christ to Sinners—from the Beginning to the End of the World!

Our text pictures this Gospel as proclaimed by an angel in mid-heaven.

The Gospel of the Lamb, is unlike any other message.

(For each point below, specific aspects of the picture of the angel in v 6 can be highlighted from the Textual Notes.)

A. It is a heavenly message—so different from the deceptions of earth (Mt 16:17; Gal 1:11). The angel is not merely in heaven, which might be taken as remote or hidden with respect to those on earth, but rather in “mid-heaven.” This is the most central, noticeable spot in the sky, the place of the noonday sun. This prominent location, the angel’s “loud voice,” and the address “to every nation and tribe and language and people” all highlight the universality of this proclamation.

B. It is a Gospel message—good news, joyous news! (Rom 1:16; 2 Tim 1:10; Lk 2:10–14; many others). Here in v 6 should be read as shorthand for the good news of this Lamb, whose blood washes away sins and whose life rescues humanity from death and hell. This good news brings joy on earth and among the heavenly angels (Lk 15:10) and will one day chase all “sorrow and sighing” away forever (Is 51:11). It is a good-news message like no other.

C. It is an eternal message—it endures, sufficient and unchanged, throughout the whole history of the world and throughout all eternity. The good news of the Lamb slain for sinners has existed from before the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8). It is a singular and unchanging message of hope and salvation in Christ, which will be proclaimed throughout the world, until the very end of the world (Mt 24:14). It is a message of eternal life with Christ, who was dead but who now lives and reigns forever (Rev 1:18; 5:13; 22:5).

From the foundation of the world, the Lamb would be slain for sinners (Rev 13:8).

Already in Eden, God proclaimed Gospel hope in the triumph of this Lamb (Gen 3:15).

Through ancient days, God testified to the saving Gospel of this Lamb through Old Testament types like the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) and the priestly sacrifices (Lev 17:11), and through the promises spoken by his prophets.

This same Gospel will be proclaimed until the end of the world (Mt 24:14).

It is the eternal Gospel, leading to eternal life and eternal praise. In the new creation, the story of the Lamb and his saving work will be on our lips and in our songs forever.

D. It is a universal message—to every nation and tribe and language and people (Rev 5:9; Mt 28:18–19; 1 Tim 2:3–7).

Why is it such a comfort to us that this joyous Gospel picture here in Revelation 14:6-7 as a heavenly, eternal Gospel? Because,

Because in every age, the great enemies of God and his Gospel are seeking to extinguish this message!

A. Already in the apostle John’s day:

The preceding chapter, Revelation 13, speaks of two evil beasts, deceiving and murdering.

These picture severe opposition to the Christian faith that would arise throughout the subsequent centuries, because the devil and 1/3 of the angelic hosts were cast to the earth. Chapter 12 and verse 17 tell us that “he went to make war with humanity, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Christ.” So, the Christians of the world is the target!

B. In the Early Church:

Believers faced Roman persecution, martyrdom, opposition from Jews, false teachers in the Church.

They must have been asking, “Can the Church continue? Can the Gospel endure?”

But God’s Gospel kept flying. The blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church, and the eternal Gospel spread throughout the empire and across the world.

C. In Reformation times, 500 years ago:

Muslim armies threatened to overrun Christian Europe, and the Roman Church and Christian sects clouded the Gospel with false teaching.

The faithful must have been asking, “Can the Church continue? Can the Gospel endure?”

But God’s Gospel kept flying. Faithful Christians were raised up — like Luther and Calvin, and many others — who pointed clearly and unmistakably to Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinners. God put into Luther’s heart and into his pen and onto his tongue not some new message for the world, but the eternal Gospel of the Lamb.

D. In our day:

Not much has changed in our day: Violent Islamic groups, governments that forbid or restrict the true Gospel of Christ (even, increasingly, in our own country, socialism and Marxism are becoming popular are all imminent dangers. This year alone and the outbreak of this horrible pandemic that is creating concern, illness, and in some cases death, we have seen an increase of government reach into the Church that bears the name of Christ telling us that we should not meet. One Christian Pastor dared to defy the State order and now there is a chance he could go to jail. There continues to be false teachings in the Church itself, for example Pope Francis is now on record saying that homosexual couples and their chosen lifestyle should be civilly protected; something that God has NEVER supported. And with all these, we ourselves are often apathetic, loveless, self-centered, and seduced by the idols of the day. In a word, all this is called APOSTASY.

Can the Church continue? Can the Gospel endure?

Behold this image, this consoling vision from the Book of Revelation: Beasts may deceive and murder, lead people away from the truth and God’s people may seem to falter, but God still has his angel flying in mid-heaven.

God Keeps Sending Forth the Gospel of Christ to Sinners—from the Beginning to the End of the World!

"Fear God and Give Glory to Him, for the hour of His Judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water” (Rev. 14:7).

A. We have inherited sweet testimony to this Gospel. Luther’s Small Catechism — explanation of the Second Article of the Creed — boldly declares: “I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His Holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, live and reigns to all eternity.”

B. This eternal Gospel has spread over the centuries to sinners throughout the world. In May 2015, a groups of Christians gathered in Wittenberg, Germany — the little city where Luther taught and preached — for a conference. Those in attendance were from Germany, from Sweden, from Norway, from the US and Canada, but also from Ethiopia, Madagascar, Tanzania, Cameroon, Cambodia, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, and many others. Believers from all these lands assembled there in Wittenberg, the birthplace of the Reformation.

The call “To fear God and give Him glory” to repent from our our idolatry and apostasy, just as these conference attendees gathered together, to hear with joy the preaching of this eternal Gospel. They sang together with joy, praising the Lamb who was slain, and who, by his blood, has redeemed men from every nation and tribe and language and people. Together, they thanked God for the clear light and testimony of this eternal Gospel, amid a world that is full of turmoil.

Just as we gather here today to thank God for this as well. Outside these walls is political chaos and civil turmoil over this horrible pandemic, and unrest; yet, God Almighty “who made heaven and earth, the sea, and springs of water,” and sustains us and all of creation is still on the throne. In here, however, we are a free people, purchased with the very blood of the Lamb of God who was slain: sins forgiven, fear of death removed, because the assurance of the resurrection means that no matter what happens to us, our citizenship is in heaven. And nothing can ever take that away from us.

Conclusion: The angel is still flying in mid-heaven with the eternal Gospel. And though threats and enemies continue to surround God’s dear flock, God is still sending us his eternal Gospel, and by his grace, he will continue to do so.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.