THE LORD WINS (3)

LONGING FOR HOME

E.T illustration

I. THE LORD’S RESTORATION OF EDEN

Revelation 22:1 ESV

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

Revelation 22:2 ESV

through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

REDEMPTIVE HISTORICAL FULFILLMENT: TEMPLE THEOLOGY

A. EDEN – CHAOS – SALVATION - CONSUMMATION (EDEN-RESTORED)

- EDEN WAS A DWELLING PLACE FOR GOD AND GOD CALLED ADAM TO EXTEND ITS BOARDERS

- CHAOS KREPT IN

o BUT THE LORD KEPT ESTABLISHING (TABERNACLE AND TEMPLE – NOW THE CHURCH)

o THE CHURCH IS CALLED TO EXAPND THE BOUNDERIES (SPIRITUAL/PHYSICAL)

§ HENCE THE LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES TO PERSEVERE AND BE FAITHFUL FAITHFUL TO THE MISSION

TOTAL DEPRAVITY IS TOTALLY CURED (1-5)

1. GOD’S PRESENCE BRINGS LIFE IN THE NOW AND NOT YET OF OUR REALITY

Genesis: ONE river flowed out from the throne of God and separated into four rivers: Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, Euphrates:

THEY FLOWED OUT TO GIVE LIFE TO THE EARTH - THEY REPRESENTED TO SATISFYING, SUSTAINING AND LIFE GIVING POWER OF THE GOD

NOW, IN REVELATION 22 WE SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Revelation 22:1 (ESV)

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

IT IS NOT SIMPLY GOD BUT JOHN ADDS “AND OF THE LAMB”

IT IS CHRIST’S PRESENCE WE MUST SEE FOR IT IS ONLY HIS PRESENCE THAT SAVES AND, THEREFORE SATISFIES!

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

JOPHN IS TELLING US OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST - TO LONG FOR IT BUT...

WHILE WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE FULLNESS OF TS EXPRESSION WE DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR A TASTE AND EXPERIENCE OF IT NOW

a. SINCE TRUE LIFE COMES FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD WE MUST REGULARLY DRINK WITH DELIGHT FROM THE WATERS OF THE LIVING GOD

NOT THE EMPTINESS OF THIS WORLD

BUT FROM THE RIVER OF THE LORD (PS 46 – WHOSE RIVERS MAKE ME GLAD)

Psalm 46:4 ESV

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.

Psalm 46:5 ESV

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.

Jeremiah 2:12 ESV

Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord,

Jeremiah 2:13 ESV

for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Isaiah 55:1 (ESV)

“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.

THE RIVER IN THE MIDST OF HEAVEN SPEAKS TO LIFE JESUS GIVES FOR ETERNITY BUT ALSO IN THE NOW

i. HOLY SPIRIT- JOHN 7 37-38

John 7:37 ESV

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

John 7:38 ESV

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

b. SINCE WE HAVE BEEN RE-CREATED, WE MUST DAILY PARTICIPATE IN THIS RE-CREATION IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS

a. HEARING FROM THE LORD DAILY

b. DESIRING THE LORD DAILY

c. THIRSTING FOR THE LORD DAILY

II. OUR PREPARATION FOR EDEN

HOW TO BE THE BLESSED ONES WHEN HE COMES?

A. Behold I am coming soon - Keep the word of this book (7-9; 18-19)

Revelation 22:7 ESV

“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

1. We keep the words of this book by continuous Worship (v9)

Revelation 22:8 ESV

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,

Revelation 22:9 ESV

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.”

. All throughout this has meant:

a. Persevere in the faith;

b. don’t give up in trials;

c. remain faithful to Jesus

B. Behold I am coming soon: Consider what you are still doing (v10-13)

Revelation 22:10 ESV

And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.

Revelation 22:11 ESV

Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

Revelation 22:12 ESV

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

C. Behold I am coming soon: Be In the Room Where Its Happening (v14-15)

Revelation 22:14 ESV

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.

Revelation 22:15 ESV

Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

1. Those in the room are continually washing themselves

a. We have already been washed:

1 Corinthians 6:9 ESV

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,

1 Corinthians 6:10 ESV

nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:11 (ESV)

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

b. We continually wash by repentance:

But there is a sense in which we must continually wash because of our engagement with this world of sin. This means; REPENTANCE (THE CALL TO THE FIVE CHURCHES THAT JESUS HAD SOME MEASURE OF PROBLEM WITH)

2. Those Outside the Room:

a. MIGHT BE PHYSICALLY IN THE CHURCH BUT THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

b. They are not continually washing by repentance which is caused by their never being washed (saved) by Jesus

D. Behold I am coming soon: Be Looking and Longing for My Coming (17)

Revelation 22:17 ESV

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.

1. HEARS: Paying attention to the Word of God to live it faithfully

2. THIRST: Aware of our need and know that only Christ can satisfy them

Psalm 42:1 ESV

As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.

Psalm 42:2 ESV

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

Matthew 5:6 ESV

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

3. DESIRES: Lives intentionally in the exclusive pursuit of the Lord

Loving like Jesus in marriage

Laboring like Jesus on the job

Forgiving like Jesus in relationships

Living like Jesus in devotion to the Lord