Coming Soon

Coming Soon!

I. Waiting for things…

Movies: Coming Soon to a Theater near you…but you don’t know when the release date is...

Products: Coming soon to stores everywhere...

Like when the new iPhones would be released and people would line up for days just to be the first to get the upgrade…and because apparently they didn’t have jobs.

What’s longest that you’ve ever had to wait for something that finally came? What was it?

Examples: Shipping before Prime…even shipping after (your package is now arriving next week…), things getting lost in the mail (Cuatro Venezolano…picked up some letters that got delivered over 6 months late...), Sarah 6 month engagement at a distance, baby, etc.

II. We’re used to instant everything…

- microwave generation…Brian Regan talks about Pop Tart instructions for microwaving for 5 seconds…how much of a hurry are you in!?!

TVs are instant…no more changing channels by hand or adjusting antennas

Internet instant…no more dial-up or waiting to pre-load

We’re not very good at waiting...

Good things come to those who wait...

Many of the best things in life need patience and perseverance...

- a patiently grilled steak is better than a fast food burger.

- diamonds and other precious jewels are formed from intense pressures over extended time.

III. Recap Revelation of Jesus Christ:

John receives visions on small island of Patmos for the persecuted church…a message of hope from Jesus that revealed the character, power, and purposes of Jesus.

The whole letter was an encouragement that God is on the throne and a challenge to be Faithful to the End!

Started with 7 letters to specific churches that were representative of the whole church. It went on with a series of visions that unfold in waves that illustrate how God is working in the midst of the world systems to restore all things to Himself.

Even as humans have been elevating themselves since the beginning at Babel and ultimately seen in the Kingdoms of this world that would seek to define good and evil and decide the fate of humanity…God is working to bring those Kingdoms to an endf and establish HIS Kingdom to rule over all.

To Redeem humanity, reconcile them to God and to each other (many tribes), Renew them in their identity (children of God, bride, etc.) and Restore ALL things to Himself by bringing an end to the injustices, sin, and rebellion against His desires, designs, and decrees and creating something new out of the old.

That’s how we come to the conclusion of this book and the last book of the recognized canon of the Bible that brings together the themes throughout the whole Bible and gives us pictures of what the future will be when Jesus comes again.

The last couple of weeks we looked at this picture of eternity that is intended to engage our imaginations and inspire us to live for something better than this lifetime.

This life is a shadow of things to come…and even the pictures used in Revelation are intended as signs and symbols to help activate your imagination drawing on the rich biblical story:

+ It points back to the beginning and traces the line of God’s purposes to redeem, reconcile, renew, and restore all people and all things to Himself!

+ In chapter 21 we see the picture of the New Jerusalem descending like a Bride to the New Earth....now, here’s the crazy part bears repeating, the New Jerusalem is not the place that the Bridge will be but it IS the Bride…and the Bride IS the People of God. So, this is not saying that in the new heaven and new earth there will be a cube shaped city that stretches into outer space, but it is saying that in the renewal and restoration of all things God’s people will completely fulfill God’s purposes in Creation by being Prophets, Priests, Kings, Sons & Daughters…part of the royal family that is filled with the presence of God like a temple city.

+ The amazing thing is that God is showing that He is not wiping things out and making something new (neo) but He is restoring the old and making something new (kainos) out of it.

+ And it’s after that dramatic vision and end of the story of all of history that we have an epilogue.

Revelation 22:6-21

Revelation 22:6–21 NIV

6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.” 7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!” 10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.” 12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

Trustworthy and True Words

6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”7 “Look, I am coming soon!

Keep the Words

Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”

+ Blessed if you keep (listen & obey) the words of this prophecy

+ If we keep the words we are fellow servants with the prophets and the angels

+ Don’t hide these words…proclaim them…spread the word because the end is near!

+ Not written for a future audience but intended for the early church right away.

+ When the end comes there won’t be time to repent…throughout the visions opportunities were given to repent…now at the end it is the closing of the book: “I guess that’s what you wanted if you’re still doing it”

My Reward is with Me

12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

+ Reiterates His Preeminence and Power and the Promises that have been given throughout the Revelation.

Blessed are the Undefiled

14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

+ Again, connects to the previous Pressures and Persecutions that were pushing the church towards defiling themselves with the Pleasures and Priorities of this world and actively opposing, distorting and defiling the good designs and desires of God in Creation and in humanity.

+ Those who PRACTICE these things…not those who have practiced and repented or those those who have been tempted by these things…but those who practice them will not be part of the New City…the New Creation…they’re not part of the People of God by their own choosing. Instead they’ve aligned themselves with the Deceiver to distort and destroy God’s creation and have received His Destiny in the lake of Fire.

+ Persevere, don’t Conform or Compromise…and you can be part of this purified city.

Final Invitation

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

+ Showcasing more about the identity of Jesus...

+ Echoes the invitation that Jesus made to come to Him and drink and be satisfied…to those who believe in Him out of their innermost beings would flow living water…like the prophecies about the temple...

Final Warning

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

+ This has often mistakenly been used to argue for the closing of the canon of scripture after the writing of Revelation…clearly it is talking about the words of this prophecy…there are better ways to argue for the closed canon of scripture than to take these verses out of context.

+ The warning is to the churches who would receive this letter…even tempted to adjust the message because it didn’t fit into their expectations or their current experiences (because some had been compromising and conforming to the systems of this world).

Final Prayer

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

Maranatha!

+ “Come Lord Jesus!”

+ Phrase in Aramaic that is rendered here in Greek that was the cry of the church…it could men “Our Lord has come” or "Our Lord, Come!”

+ In Spanish: “Viene” to say “coming” (el viene) but also used to say “come” when people are backing up (viene, viene, viene)

+ “El Vino” means “he came” but it also means “the wine”… “el vino con el vino” could mean “the wine with the wine” or “he came with the wine.”

+ Or like “come on!” could be used to call someone to go but could also be used to exclaim over impatience over others not moving as fast as you would like...

+ Or how “let’s go!” now means “great!” instead of being an appeal to depart from your current location to different desired destination.

+ Come Lord has been a declaration that Jesus has come and has been the cry of the church longing for His return…Declared when they have been actively engaged with the world around them and yet very aware of the world to come…not conforming or compromising…not living for this age but living each day in light of eternity…they ultimately cry “Come Lord Jesus!”

+ In fact, all of creation is groaning awaiting for the day that all things will be restored and renewed!

+ If He was coming soon 1,930 years ago…we’re even closer to His return!

Are you ready?

Are you building your life on the Trustworthy and True words? How do you know? How are you choosing to fill your life with God’s truth so that you can identify lies and deception?

Are you putting God’s word into practice?

Or are you practicing works of darkness? If you are choosing works of deception, darkness and distortion of God’s designs you are choosing the same destiny as the devil’s which is destruction in the lake of fire! That is not your intended design or destiny!

That is not God’s desire for you!

He wants ALL people to choose truth over a lie! To choose Him over the deceiver! To choose His forgiveness rather than trusting in their own works to save them or to save the world!

He even makes sure that the very last words in this final letter are an appeal inviting you to come and receive what He has for you!

It’s free! It’s what you most want and need…and He offers Himself to you freely: Ask and Receive!

If your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life, how are you living EACH day in light of eternity? Do you have the urgency? Do you have the awareness that any day could be your last, the last one for your friends or family, or the last one for all of creation?

How are you making sure that you’re investing your time, talent, and treasures in things that will last for eternity rather than on building up the temporary Babylons that will be destroyed by fire?

I want to invite you to press into God’s Presence more…knowing Him is a relationship that will last for eternity!

Live for His Purposes!

Live for Eternity!

You can take 3 things with you to eternity:

1. Your relationship with God

2. Others you’ve shared Jesus with

3. The works of obedience to Jesus to do HIS work of redeeming, reconciling, renewing, and restoring with the time that you’ve been given here on earth.

This is GOOD NEWS that God is working to make All Things New! He wants to start with us and ultimately He will mend the broken things of this world and create a new era of justice, peace, and perfection!

Coming Soon!

I want to invite you to find ways to make the most of every opportunity this summer. Who will you share this good news with?

- Join a missional community…invite your friends to join you in living for God’s purposes together. Serve. Love. Together.

- If you’re already part of one, invite others…find ways to connect more and to serve together.

- At work, how will you be a light?

Invite friends, family, neighbors, to join us in the park (grab invitations tonight and more each week!)

Welcome people you don’t know into the meal times in the park…engage with the story of together. Don’t speak Christianese...Listen…ask questions…come ready to share…pray beforehand…pray with others there…love people in the name of Jesus!

The next Sundays in the park we will be looking at God’s renewing work to maker All Things New throughout different Bible stories we will be looking at and linking ahead to Jesus and to our expectation of the renewal and restoration of all things at the return of Jesus!

How will you apply this in your life today? This week? This Summer?

Prayer.