Invites You to Live
True Story: God's Vision for His Church • Sermon • Submitted
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ME: Intro - Invitation
ME: Intro - Invitation
Last week, we looked at the perfect end to our True Story study through the Book of Revelation.
This morning, we follow up the ending to the True Story study with the epilogue.
And next week for Easter Sunday,
We will begin our It Is Well series focused on the doctrine of the Substitutionary Atonement,
In Exodus 12, looking at how Jesus is our Passover Lamb but even greater.
We are also having a sunrise service up at Glenwood Cemetery at 6:30AM.
You are all invited to both services.
This is not the only invitation you are given this morning.
God Himself is delighted to invite you to Him.
You see, He has made you in His image.
This truth means you are valuable,
Every single human being,
Each and every person,
Has intrinsic worth.
Therefore, God invites you to come and be satisfied in Him.
This is something God invites you to time and time again throughout His Word:
Psalm 34:3; 66:5-6; 95:1-2; Isaiah 1:18; 55:1-3; Matt. 4:19; 11:28-30; 25:34; Mark 10:21; Rev. 3:20;
And finally, this morning we come to the epilogue of Revelation,
Which reveals that the Whole Story Invites You to Live.
And in the epilogue, God invites you one last time to come to Him and live!
The epilogue is chalked full of application from Revelation,
It repeatedly answers the question,
“What shall I do?”
In light of everything Revelation has revealed to me,
What shall I do?
To try and summarize it in one word, live.
In this epilogue of our True Story study,
Jesus Invites You to Live
Invited to Obey and Worship (vs. 6-9)
Invited to Proclaim and Pursue (vs. 10-17)
Invited to Pause and Pray (vs. 18-21)
Come to Jesus and you will live expectantly waiting for Jesus to come.
Revelation began by telling us the the Apostle John had been banned to the island of Patmos.
From His banishment, he was given a glorious vision that he was faithful to record.
The central vision of Revelation ended in vs. 5,
Which we looked at last week.
Now the vision unwinds with John coming back down to earth,
And he has to live out what has been revealed to him.
Like John, we too have to return to our lives,
Wherever we are, even if it feels like you are exiled on an island,
We must live out what has been revealed to us.
As we will see throughout our passage this morning,
The epilogue brings Revelation full circle.
Rev. 1:1-8 was the prologue to Revelation.
So, this epilogue repeatedly alludes to the prologue.
The reliability of Revelation is emphasized in vs. 6,
As it was in Rev. 1:1.
The imminence of the fulfillment of Revelation and a blessing on those who obey the words of Revelation,
Is expressed in vs. 7 and 10 alluding to Rev. 1:3.
And vs. 13 declares Jesus as the Alpha an Omega,
Which He was first revealed as in Rev. 1:8.
So, now that we’ve come full circle,
We once again ask,
How then, shall we live?
Jesus outlines application in the epilogue of Revelation this way;
Understand, believe, be, and do.
And John makes a number of observations highlighting what has been featured throughout Revelation.
He is told not to seal the words of this prophecy because the fulfillment of it is coming soon.
When it is, those who practice evil will be assessed,
When Jesus returns, He will repay each according to their works,
Because He has ruled over all of history,
And His rule will continue through eternity.
Those who have washed their garments will have blessed access to the tree of life.
While those who practice evil will be excluded.
Jesus reveals Himself as the heir of David,
The morning star.
And He says all who read and hear these words are invited to come,
And to drink freely from the water of life.
But those who add or subtract from His Words will have plagues added or their place subtracted from God’s presence.
So, Jesus concludes with another declaration that He is coming soon.
To which John responds in urgent prayer for Jesus to come,
Before Revelation concludes with a beautiful benediction.
These are the last words of God’s vision to John,
And of God’s Scripture.
Last words are important.
These are meant to be lasting words that leave an impression on us.
The last words of Revelation are no different.
These are the last of God’s written Word.
Making the words we find here of the utmost importance.
There are two dominating themes,
First, the reliability and authenticity of Revelation,
And second, the imminence of its fulfillment.
The book ends with promise, application, and invitation,
In order to drive home the message of the vision John had been given,
And to stir our hope for the return of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
This invitation is really a series of invitations.
WE: Invited to Obey and Worship (vs. 6-9)
WE: Invited to Obey and Worship (vs. 6-9)
First, we are Invited to Obey and Worship in Revelation 22:6-9;
And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
This epilogue is also a beatitude.
It has repeated commands and repeated blessings.
It emphasizes the imminence of the events in Revelation.
The imminence of these events brings with it the need for application.
So, as Revelation comes to its conclusion,
The angel speaking to John,
Reflects back on the words of Revelation,
And says, “these words are trustworthy and true.”
Or as other translations put it,
Faithful and true.
Revelation is reliable and dependable.
Rev. 1:1-2 says these words are a revelation of Jesus Christ,
Given by God,
Sent by an angel to John,
To bear witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ.
These words are divine revelation from God,
Intended to strengthen the testimony of its readers.
First, to the early church,
And continuing to us today.
These words carry with them the full authority and authenticity of God.
The trustworthiness of God’s Word is a firm foundation upon which we build our lives.
This apocalyptic book that we began over a year ago,
Is the only prophetic book in the NT.
And it has been a magnificent vision revealing the supreme conflict between good and evil.
Christ wins the victory for good through His seeming defeat.
And now we await the speedy return of Christ,
Which He declares is coming soon in vs. 7.
Christ is declaring the imminence and certainty of His return.
The nearness of Christ’s return has been pervasive throughout Revelation,
But it reaches another level in the epilogue.
The second coming of Christ is in the near future,
It could be tomorrow, it could be another thousand years,
Either way, He is coming soon!
Every generation must be prepared for His return!
This brings us back to the opening of Revelation.
In Rev. 1:1, it says the revelation of Jesus Christ was given to show His servants,
The things that must soon take place.
Now that nearly two thousand years has passed since Revelation was recorded,
Many unbelievers and antagonists have scoffed and mocked the claim that Jesus is coming soon.
We can simply refute that argument with Scripture because God is eternal,
Therefore, a thousand years to God is but a day.
This does not diminish the reality of the proclamation of Christ,
That He is coming soon.
He is coming soon.
We have been in the last hour for nearly 2 thousand years,
And we remain in the last hour today.
The nearness of His coming continues to draw closer and closer.
He is coming soon.
In light of this, what should our response be?
We are invited to obey the message of Revelation.
The end of vs. 7 says blessed is the one who obeys the message of Revelation,
This again parallels the start of Revelation.
Rev. 1:3 gives an almost identical blessing.
The flow of thought is clear,
Jesus is coming soon,
Therefore, diligently and consistently obey God’s Word.
Those who do will be blessed with eternal life.
There is no reward in life that is more important than this reward.
Hearing the word does not suffice,
Blessed is the one who hears then observes, keeps, and obeys what is prophesied.
Obeying the Words to the seven churches for example.
Remember your first love,
Do not fear what you are to suffer,
Be faithful unto death,
Repent from and forsake false teaching,
Wake up and strengthen yourselves,
Remember what you received and keep it,
Hold fast to what you have,
Do not be lukewarm,
Be zealous!
This is how we are to live in anticipation of Christ’s return.
Let God’s Word live in your daily life.
Let the Scriptures guide and mold you.
Let the Bible do its miraculously powerful work with the Spirit to transform you into Christ’s image.
Dennis Johnson’s comment is appropriate;
“Scripture is not a passive cadaver, waiting for curious medical students to dissect it in their quest for information. It is a living, double-edged sword that proceeds from the mouth of the triumphant Son of Man and pierces the thoughts and intents of our hearts. It is a hammer that shatters, a seed that grows, rainfall that never returns to its Giver without accomplishing the mission on which he sent it. Scripture has a job to do in us.”
Keep these words, and you will be blessed.
In vs. 8, John affirms that he has heard and seen the vision,
The same thing he did in Rev. 1:1, 4, 9.
Understandably, this is an overwhelming experience.
So, what does John do in response to these remarkable things?
He falls down at the feet of the angel,
To worship the angel!
John already made the exact same mistake a few chapters ago in Rev. 19:10.
What a genuine account John gives in Revelation.
These words certainly are trustworthy and true.
John does not alter them to make himself look better.
He reveals the imperfect humanity that all of us have.
He continues to struggle with the same idolatry.
John is just like us, because he had not learned his lesson.
He had to be reminded of the most basic first commandment,
To not have other gods before God.
In vs. 9, he immediately receives the same rebuke from the angel that he received back in ch. 19.
Do not do that!
Do not worship a fellow servant of God!
Do not worship any good thing!
This is idolatry.
Worship God alone!
Angels are glorious,
But throughout Revelation, these glorious creatures worship Jesus as the Lamb.
Angels are an example of worship, not an object of worship!
Worship God!
You are Invited to Obey and Worship.
GOD: Invited to Proclaim and Pursue (vs. 10-17)
GOD: Invited to Proclaim and Pursue (vs. 10-17)
And You are Invited to Proclaim and Pursue in Revelation 22:10-17;
And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
The time is near.
Therefore, in vs. 10, the angel tells John not to seal up the message of Revelation.
A reminder that this apocalyptic book is a prophetic book.
Remember, Daniel was given visions of the end time as well,
But he was given the opposite instruction in Dan. 12:4;
But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
Daniel was told to seal his vision because the time of the end was far off.
So, why was John explicitly told not to seal up the words of the prophecy of this book?
Because now the time is near,
The end is at hand.
As Jesus already declared back in vs. 7,
He is coming soon,
He could return at any moment.
Eternity is drawing nearer and nearer every day.
For each of us, it is but a heartbeat away.
We cannot put a muzzle on God’s Word through disobedience or indifference or laziness.
We must unleash God’s Word!
Preach it!
Teach it!
Proclaim it!
Do it continually and faithfully.
Revelation emphasizes that a time is coming where the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel and respond to it will be no more.
So, you are invited to Proclaim God’s Word!
Then, vs. 11 includes an unexpected 2-part warning and 2-part encouragement.
This 4-part statement can be summarized as an affirmation that a day is coming where change will no longer be possible.
How we respond to God’s Word in this life confirms both our character and our eternal destiny.
The evildoers and the filthy, terms used to describe the unrighteous,
Are told to continue to do unrighteous things,
Continue to be unrighteous.
While the righteous are told to continue to do right,
Continue to be righteous.
Now, do not misunderstand what this means.
We are not being told not to repent.
This is saying that people will continue to act in their nature until the events of Revelation are fulfilled.
It is similar to what Daniel was told in Dan. 12:10,
That the wicked shall go on acting wickedly.
What this is saying is that if you hear God’s Word but do not repent,
Your heart will harden.
And when your heart is hardened it will continue to harden.
Whereas if you hear God’s Word and repent.
Your heart is softened.
And when your heart is softened, it will progressively be softened.
Danny Akin summarizes this well;
“One’s character will be set, forever fixed in a final condition and disposition. Those in hell will have no heart and passion for God. Those in heaven will delight in their emulation of their Lord.”
We must proclaim these truths.
We cannot be silent,
These matters are of eternal importance.
R.C. Sproul elaborates this well;
“If hearing Revelation does not change the course of people’s lives, it sets them more firmly in their present course.”
This statement in vs. 11 is meant to be a shock statement that prompts repentance.
God invites all the unrighteous to come and repent,
To come and drink freely of the water of life.
This is not a fatalistic command telling the unrighteous to further pursue unrighteousness.
The wicked will not understand God’s invitation,
And their lack of comprehension will not make sense to those who have accepted God’s invitation.
At times this can even create feelings of doubt in the hearts of believers.
Questioning if we are right in following the Lord.
But the problem is not an information problem,
It is a heart problem.
The reason the wicked do not comprehend the truth,
Is not due to lack of information,
It is because of a rebellious heart.
We must understand that the unrighteous vs. 11 is talking about,
Have no desire to be cleansed of their unrighteousness.
Therefore, the righteous that vs. 11 is talking about,
Should not have doubt because of the resistance to grace displayed by the unrighteous.
Instead, the righteous must continue to pursue righteousness in deed and in character.
As Isaiah 56:1 guides us;
Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.
And we must proclaim God’s Word.
Vs. 12 again affirms the imminence of Christ’s return.
The imminence of Jesus’ return heightens the importance of our actions in this life.
Every generation of Christian should live expectantly,
Believing the return of Christ might come during their lifetime.
That is why this book is both a promise and a warning.
It is a book that provokes us to be prepared for when Jesus returns.
When He comes,
He will bring the reward of repayment to everyone according to their work.
This coming with recompense is prophesied multiple times in Isaiah:
Isaiah 40:10; 59:18; 62:11;
It also brings us back to the Great White Throne judgment in ch. 20,
Where the books were opened,
And those whose names are not written in the book of life are judged according to their works.
Albert Mounce notes here;
“The reward will be spiritual blessedness to the righteous but judgment for those who are evil. It is the quality of a person’s life that provides the ultimate indication of what that person really believes.”
Jesus freely offers the water of life,
And we who drink of it,
Must live in a way that pleases the Alpha and the Omega.
This is Who Jesus declares Himself to be again in vs. 13.
It is a title that was reserved for God in Isaiah,
Again we are seeing it be applied to Jesus,
Just as we saw at the start of Revelation in Rev. 1:8.
Jesus has the same stature as God because He is God.
He is the A to Z,
The first and last,
The beginning and the end,
The Creator and the One who ushers in the new heaven and new earth.
He sees all and knows all,
Including everything you think, feel, and do.
He is the Lord of all,
Lord of the past,
Lord of the present,
And Lord of the future.
As He was also described elsewhere in Revelation,
He is the One who was and is and is to come.
His sovereign rule in creation guarantees the fulfillment of the new heaven and new earth.
This declaration is beautifully nestled between two promises for believers.
Why would that be?
Because Jesus is declaring that He has the position and power to reward believers.
His promise is not empty,
His rewards are not at risk,
He is the sovereign ruler and He will make good on His Word.
That is why He follows this declaration with a final blessing in vs. 14.
This blessing is a presentation of the gospel,
Using imagery from Eden and the new Jerusalem.
He says it is the blessed faithful that are granted the right to eat from the tree of life.
He uses the imagery of washed robes to portray the blessed faithful.
These robes are washed by the shed blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.
Faith in His shed blood is what grants the right to eat from the tree of life.
This is the same tree from Rev. 22:2.
The same tree of life that represents God’s life-giving blessings.
The same tree of life from the Garden of Eden.
That we have not been given access to since the rebellion of humanity that ushered in the fall.
Once again in the end of Revelation,
God is telling us that our access to this tree,
Our access to His complete life-giving blessings,
Will be restored for all who believe in Jesus Christ.
We who have robes washed in the Lambs blood are justified by Christ,
And we continue to have our robes washed in sanctification by Christ.
The garden imagery in this passage is then contrasted with the imagery of bustling city life.
It is a strange imagery pairing at first glance,
But both picture the wonderful blessing of eternal life that awaits those whose robes have been cleaned by the blood of the Lamb.
We cannot clean our robes by our own works,
But once the Lamb’s blood washes our robes,
The robes become a symbol of walking in newness,
Of righteous deed,
Of conquerors.
Those who are dressed in clean white robes are invited to pursue righteousness.
Sadly, not everyone eats from the tree of life.
Not all will drink the water of life.
Vs. 15 shows that some are outside of God’s blessings,
Outside of His Perfect City.
Those outside of the gates pursue varying forms of evil,
Rev. 21:8 warned that the fate of those outside of God’s city is the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.
God banishes all who do evil,
And all who are evil,
Not just as a form of punishment,
But as a form of protection,
He does this to protect the purity of His holy city.
The presence of evil would contaminate the holiness of His heavenly city.
God is firmly committed to exclude evil from His Kingdom.
John gives a sample of the types of evil excluded from God’s Kingdom.
Dogs, which are an unclean animal,
But also a term used to designate those who are outside the people of God.
John also mentions sorcerers, the sexually immoral, and murderers.
A variety of evils that do not trust God and violate His commands.
Seeking out pleasure or justice by their own ways instead of God’s ways.
Idolaters are included in the forms of evil.
They despise God, they refuse to serve Him.
And just like idolaters, all liars are outside the city.
This includes those who claim to be a Christian,
But are merely hiding their stained robes instead of washing them in the blood of the Lamb.
This expression is not just admonishing the externals,
It is addressing the desires of the heart.
Lying can be rooted in loving what is not true.
And anyone whose heart loves what is not true cannot be tolerated in the heavenly city.
God’s Perfect City is a place where truth lives and shines bright,
Lies cannot be tolerated in the presence of God and the Lamb,
He hates lying and loves truth.
So, He invites you to pursue righteousness.
Revelation feels like it is rushing to a close at this point,
And as it does, the importance of what is written is being stressed.
So, in vs. 16, Jesus seems to turn toward us as the reader,
To authenticate His message,
And express urgent words about Himself to His churches.
What does He emphasize?
That He sent His angel to attest these things to John for His churches.
And that He is the root and the heir of David.
He is the God of David and a descendant of David.
He is the Messiah!
This is of the utmost importance!
It is major to Christ’s redemptive work!
He is also the bright morning star.
The morning star is technically the planet Venus,
It was first a symbol of power and royalty in Greco-Roman times.
Here and in 2 Pet. 1:19, it is used as a figurative name for Christ.
Num. 24:17 references the morning star as another messianic prophecy.
So, when Jesus promises to give the morning star to His faithful ones,
It is a promise to give Himself,
To impart His own glory,
And to share in His own royal dominion.
All the glory of the world will come to an end.
But the glory of the Lord will be realized for all eternity by His Church!
Thomas Schreiner gives a good explanation of the morning star description;
“Perhaps it means Jesus reigns even now, even though his reign is not consummated. The star has risen, but we have not yet seen it shine in all its brightness.”
I described this blessing that began in vs. 14 as a presentation of the gospel.
In vs. 17, Jesus concludes His gospel presentation with a great invitation.
It is a fourfold invitation to all people of the world.
To all who hear,
To all who are thirsty,
To all who desire the water of life.
The key word in this verse is the word “come.”
He tells thirsty souls to come and drink living water without price.
Urgently, John invites us to come to Jesus,
And take this water of life as a free gift,
Before it is too late.
If you are thirsty,
If you long to be filled,
If you recognize your need for Jesus,
Come!
This echoes the invitation of Isaiah 55:1;
“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Jesus invited in John 7:37, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.”
To respond to this invitation is to give your life to Jesus,
To confess and trust Him as Lord of your life.
If you do, He freely offers eternal life to you.
There is nothing that hinders you from this invitation but your own heart.
The deepest longings of your heart,
The greatest thirst of your soul,
The strongest ache of your being,
Is satisfied by Christ.
Come to Jesus.
C.H. Spurgeon gives a great summary of this invitation:
“The solemnity of this invitation lies partly in the fact that it is placed at the very end of the Bible and placed there because it is the sum and substance—the aim and objective of the whole Bible. It is like the point of the arrow and all the rest of the Bible is like the shaft and the feathers on either side of it…this blessed Book has missed its purpose unless you have been led by it to come to Christ!”
If you read God’s Word without ever drinking the water of life,
Then you are reading in vain.
This invitation in vs. 17 is so solemn because the entire Bible cries out to us sinners, Come!
Come to Jesus.
Revelation ends with this passionate evangelistic invitation to pursue Jesus.
This invitation is the climax of the epilogue.
YOU: Invited to Pause and Pray (vs. 18-21)
YOU: Invited to Pause and Pray (vs. 18-21)
Then the epilogue ends with you being invited to Pause and Pray in Revelation 22:18-21;
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
Just before drawing this epilogue to a close,
Jesus offers you a reason to pause.
He severely warns against adding to or subtracting from Revelation.
This stern warning is for everyone.
If you hear the words of this prophecy, you must not add to them.
Do not tamper with this book!
If you add to it, it changes it, it alters the prophecy given to John.
It distorts God’s Word.
And it is an invitation of God’s judgment into your life.
This was the same warning given for His Word back in Deut. 4:2; 12:32;
The shared warning puts Revelation on the same level as the Word of God in the OT.
Meaning Revelation is clearly part of God’s Word.
And all of God’s Word is to be protected from any sort of stain or corruption caused by the inclusion of human words or the exclusion of His Words.
All Scripture must be guarded as sacred,
We absolutely cannot tamper with God’s Word!
It is interesting that this warning is given amid the language that alludes to Eden.
Because it was in Eden, where humanity first added to the Word of God.
In Gen. 3:3, Eve told the serpent that God said “you shall not even touch the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil or you will die.”
But God never said that.
Then, immediately after, in Gen. 3:4, the serpent was the first creature to take away from God’s Word.
The serpent said, “You will not surely die!”
When what God did tell Adam was that they were not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil or you will die.
This addition and subtraction of God’s Word ushered in the fall.
So, now Revelation ends with a warning against it.
How seriously does God take it when His Word is altered?
Well, His terrifying warning suggests it is of eternal significance.
He says He will add the plagues described in Revelation to anyone who adds to this message.
And if you need to,
Go back and look at the plagues in Revelation again,
To refresh your memory of how great and catastrophic they really are.
God does not see altering His Word as something trivial.
He warns that severe and harsh punishment of eternal proportions will follow.
John MacArthur gives a helpful explanation for us:
“That does not, of course, mean that believers will never make errors in judgment or mistakenly interpret Scripture incorrectly or inadequately. The Lord’s warning here is addressed to those who engage in deliberate falsification or misinterpretation of Scripture.”
Before concluding His Word, Jesus invites you to pause with this warning.
He does not give this warning only for adding to His Word,
There is equal danger for those who subtract from it too.
I believe that is especially tempting in our world today,
To cut away what is seen as unappealing.
But no person has the right to do so.
Remove any part of God’s Word and the consequence is that you will be removed from the tree of life and the holy city.
Any person who distorts God’s Word,
Either by adding or subtracting,
Is threatened with eternal punishment.
It is this simple:
Believers love God’s Word,
Unbelievers despise it.
Believers seek to obey God’s Word,
Unbelievers rebel against it.
Believers embrace God’s Word,
Unbelievers reject it.
Then in the final two verses,
One last time, Jesus words are recorded for us.
His last words are brief but certain.
His witness verifies the message of Revelation.
He reminds us of the urgency of the message,
Again telling us that He is coming soon.
The message from the very beginning of Revelation is being reaffirmed once again at the end.
History is short,
Our lives are a vapor,
Jesus is coming soon.
It is certain.
We must be ready,
As James 5:9 says, “the Judge is standing at the door.”
Hearing the promise of His nearness,
John quickly and enthusiastically responds, “Amen!”
Yes! May it be!
Then follows it up by praying what should be the prayer of every single believer.
Come, Lord Jesus!
Titus 2:13 says;
waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Revelation postures us for this.
We have seen throughout this book that we may face persecution, hardship, and suffering.
But we cannot get weary of well-doing.
God sees all and knows all.
He is with you and working through you for His good and perfect and pleasing will.
For the filling and the coming of His Kingdom.
You should long for His return!
If this is not the desire of your heart then you have not understood Revelation,
Really, you have missed message of the entire NT!
The only reason His return has not happened yet because He is patiently waiting,
Granting you the opportunity to proclaim His salvation,
So, that all would repent and none would perish.
This is grace!
And the conclusion of Revelation is a gracious conclusion.
as 1 Peter 5:10 says, God is the God of all grace!
WE: Conc.
WE: Conc.
This is what the entire book of Revelation is meant to stir in us!
A longing!
A prayer like John’s!
Come Lord Jesus!
We want to realize your second coming Lord!
This is how Revelation ends,
This is where our hearts are to be until He comes.
As Paul bluntly states in 1 Cor. 16:22;
If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!
The entire Bible ends with such an appropriately gracious ending.
With a wish for grace from our Lord Jesus.
It is so fitting that this book ends with this word of grace.
From the moment sin entered into this world as a result of human rebellion,
The grace of God has been a greater presence rescuing sinners unto Himself.
God pursues and saves from all nations for His glory.
That is why we should not be surprised that the Story Invites You to Live.
Heaven is a real place,
And it is filled with the glory of God and the Lamb, Jesus Christ.
This place, and this person, is the eternal life God invites you to.
One of the greatest weaknesses of humanity is the false belief that life in this world will always last.
This is why ER visits and funerals are so confronting for so many people.
Because it reminds us that we have bought into a lie.
The epilogue of Revelation reminds us of the truth that Jesus is coming soon.
That this world, and our lives in it, do not last forever.
We all have a final destiny that awaits us.
A lake that burns with fire and sulfur or a tree of life,
The second death or eternal life.
As long as you have time in this life,
Jesus invites you to come and drink freely from the water of life.
To all the thirsty,
To all who feel weak or empty,
Jesus invites you to come to Him,
To come and drink the everlasting satisfaction of your soul.
He invites you to come and live.
That is the purpose of the entire story of Revelation,
The Story Invites you to Live!
Jesus says come and drink the water of life.
And when we do,
Our hearts cry out in response, Come Lord Jesus!
Even so, come!
Come to Jesus and you will live expectantly waiting for Jesus to come.