The Maranatha Message

INTRODUCTION:

Open your Bibles to the book of Revelation. We are continuing our journey through this great book of the Bible.

Last week we finished chapter 18. This week I’d like to “tie it all together” so we don’t miss the forrest for the trees.

So much of what we’ve been looking at these past several months have been what many people think of then they think “end times.”

Antichrist.

Great Tribulation.

Suffering.

Mark of the Beast.

Babylon.

Seals, Trumpets & Bowls.

Cosmic signs and wonders.

I think all of these things are important. Jesus told his disciples that they should be aware of the “signs of the times.” So I don’t not apologize for helping us get familiar with these concepts.

However, our fascination with those things can sometimes cause us to miss the forrest for the trees.

Birth Pains

Jesus actually uses the metaphor of “birth pains” to talk about some of these “signs of the times.”

Could you imagine a pregnant woman - carrying her first child - something she’s looked forward to for years - and she overly obsess about the BIRTH PAINS of pregnancy instead of the new baby she’s bringing into the world? It would be ridiculous!

Well it’s also ridiculous to overly obsess about the “birth pains” leading up to the end and forget those pains are inaugurating a new and better reality.

The main thing for us to focus on is not how this world ends but that a newer and better world will replace it.

The MAIN THING to focus on is the new reality that Jesus will be ushering in when he comes again in glory. THAT is our blessed hope.

Many people in this world (and even in the church) poopoo this mindset. They mock and belittle the belief that Jesus will come again.

That’s why the book of Revelation is important. That’s why days like today are important. This world is corrupt and broken.

Like a pregnant mother in the final stages of child birth we need a compelling vision of what soon will be in order to get us through these challenging days.

A Jet Tour

Think of today as a jet tour through the book of Revelation - revisiting the mountain peaks we’ve already climbed and establishing the main message for why this book was written.

This morning I’m asking that God would bless us as we remind ourselves of the key message of this book.

Revelation 1:3 (CSB)

3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near.

Seals, Trumpets & Bowls

The book of Revelation builds a tension about a battle between two kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of this World.

As we saw last week, with the destruction of Babylon and the Kingdom of the Beast, the inauguration of God’s kingdom can finally begin.

I’ve said before you might think of the book of Revelation as a series of SEVENS. The number seven is the number of completion or perfection.

Revelation opens with seven letters written to seven different churches.

Those seven letters are followed by seven seals on a scroll in the right hand of God.

After the seven seals are seven trumpets of God’s judgment on the earth.

With the blowing of the seventh trumpet come seven angels holding seven bowls of God’s wrath to pour out on the earth.

Many commentators find additional sets of seven in the book of Revelation: seven signs, seven final visions, seven blessings or beatitudes.

Because we’re at a transition point in our study of this great book I do think a brief review of what we’ve seen would be helpful.

An Overcoming Church

The book of Revelation opens with an exalted vision of the victorious and triumphant Christ. That is followed by seven letters to seven different churches there in Asia Minor.

These seven church were historical churches but the messages given to them are timeless and applicable to every church in existence today.

The main message to the seven churches can be summed up in one word: “overcome.”

To the ones who “overcome” the Lord promises a great reward.

EPHESUS/LOVELESS: Eat from the tree of life. (Rev 2:7)

SMYRNA/SUFFERING: Not harmed by the second death. (Rev 2:11)

PERGAMUM/COMPROMISING: Hidden manna and a white stone with a new name. (Rev 2:17)

THYATIRA/TOLERANT: Authority over the nations & the morning star. (Rev 2:26-28)

SARDIS/ARROGANCE: White clothes and a name forever written in the book of life. (Rev 3:5)

PHILADELPHIA/FAITHFUL: Become a pillar in God’s temple a given a new name. (Rev 3:12)

LAODICEA/APATHETIC: The right to sit with Christ on his throne. (Rev 3:21)

The church of Christ WILL OVERCOME. WE WILL WIN.

A Worthy God

Not only will the church of Christ overcome. The Christ of the Church is worthy of Worship. That’s the message of Revelation 4-5. Christ & Christ alone is WORTHY.

The letters to the seven churches are followed by a heavenly vision of God’s throne room. God the Father is seated on the throne holding a scroll in his hand.

Jesus Christ is presented as the Lion from the tribe of Judah and the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world.

The Father who created is worthy of worship...

Revelation 4:11 “11 Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.”

The Lamb who was slain is worthy of worship...

Revelation 5:9 “9 And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slaughtered, and you purchased people for God by your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Revelation 5:12 “12 They said with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

A Broken World

That heavenly vision of a worthy God is followed by another vision of a broken world. Revelation 6 depicts a world in pain.

It begins with four horsemen riding four different colored horses: each unleash great suffering on the earth.

The rider of the white horse has a bow and goes out as a conquerer to conquer (Rev 6:2)

The rider of the red horse has a sword and takes peace from the earth. (Rev 6:4)

The rider of the black horse has scales in his hands and inflicts economic harm through inflation. (Rev 6:6)

The rider of the pale green horse - named death and hades - was given authority to kill 1/4 of the earth through sword, famine, plague and wild animals. (Rev 6:8)

These four judgments describe a world in crisis. A world that Jesus warned about in his own teaching on the end times. (Matthew 24:4-8)

False Christs,

wars & rumors of wars,

famines and earthquakes in various places.

Matthew 24:8 “8 All these events are the beginning of labor pains.”

These events are followed by an incredible increase in Christian persecution. (Matt 24:9-12)

This is exactly what the fifth seal describes in vivid detail. Rev 6:9-10

Revelation 6:9–10 (CSB)

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, the one who is holy and true, how long until you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?”

The answer of how long is “not long” because the fifth seal is followed by a sixth seal: a series of cosmic signs and wonders that announces the return of the King and the wrath of God.

These cosmic signs and wonders were exactly what Jesus prophesied would happen direct AFTER the great tribulation and BEFORE his return. (Matthew 24:29-31)

Earthquake

Sun turning black.

Moon turning red.

Stars in heavens fall.

Sky split apart.

Mountains moved from their place.

Everybody realizes the music is about to stop “because the great day of God’s wrath has come! And who is able to stand?” (Rev 6:17)

The main message of Revelation 6 is that in this world we will have tribulation. But take heart, because that day will be followed by a day of vindication.

A Day of Judgment

That’s what the trumpet judgments and bowl judgments are all about. They illustrate what the wrath of God is going to look like.

The trumpets are laid out in sequential order in Revelation 8-9.

TRUMPET 1: hail and fire hit 1/3 of the earth destroying trees & green grass. (Rev 8:7)

TRUMPET 2: a blazing mountain hits 1/3 of the sea destroying life within. (Rev 8:8-9)

TRUMPET 3: a blazing star hits 1/3 of the rivers/springs killing life around. (Rev 8:10-11)

TRUMPET 4: darkness strikes 1/3 of the sun, moon, and stars upsetting the circadian rhythm. (Rev 8:12)

These four trumpet judgments are followed by three more. The first four destroyed the physical creation. Trumpets 5 and 6 inflict spiritual torment.

TRUMPET 5: an angel unlocks the abyss unleashing demonic locusts that torment the people of the beast for 5 months. (Rev 9:2-5)

TRUMPET 6: an angel releases four other angels bound at the Euphrates to unleash a 200 million man army that kills 1/3 of the human race. (Rev 9:15-16)

TRUMPET 7: unleashes the seven bowls of wrath. (Rev 11:15)

A Day of Wrath

The bowls of God’s wrath are detailed in Revelation 15-16. The big gap between the trumpets and the bowls contains a series of visions that detail what life on earth will look like in those days.

It’s amazing the level of overlap you see between the trumpets and the bowls. The bowls complete what the trumpets begin.

BOWL 1: poured out on the earth resulting in painful sores on the people of the Beast. (Rev 16:2)

BOWL 2: poured out on sea water, turning water to blood and killing all life within. (Rev 16:3)

BOWL 3: poured out on spring water, turning water to blood as well. (Rev 16:4)

BOWL 4: poured out on the sun so that it scorched people with fire. (Rev 16:8)

BOWL 5: poured out on the throne of the beast, plunging his kingdom in darkness. (Rev 16:10)

BOWL 6: poured out on the river Euphrates preparing the way for kings from the East. (Rev 16:12)

BOWL 7: poured out on the air resulting in world’s largest earthquake and the destruction of the cities of the nations, Babylon and every safe harbor. (Rev 16:17-21)

The Rest of the Story

The seven seals, trumpets and bowls give you a basic sequence of how the world ends. The interludes before and after give more details on what it might look like.

Some give a heavenly perspective to strengthen and encourage. Others provide an earthly perspective to detail and to warn.

In Revelation 7 we see that God’s saints who suffering are also sealed and protected. Tribulation will be great but God’s people will be delivered. (Rev 7:3; 14)

In Revelation 10 we see that God’s purpose will prevail according to his plan. (Rev 10:7)

In Revelation 11 we see that God’s witnesses will testify despite all opposition. (Rev 11:3, 7) Neither persecution nor execution can ultimately keep them down. (Rev 11:11)

In Revelation 12 we see Satan try and fail to thwart God’s plan in Christ.

In Revelation 13 we see Satan try again, using two other beasts to crush God’s people. (false messiah/false gospel)

But even with all of that power and influence he still can’t win.

Revelation 14 presents the victorious Lamb with all of His redeemed and His eternal Gospel being preached throughout the earth.

In Revelation 17 we see that seductive prostitute Babylon (spiritual idolatry) and that hideous Beast on which she rides (antichrist government.)

But in Revelation 18 even that great power inevitably falls according to the sovereign plan of God.

We see it over and over and over again.

It does not matter how much power or influence Satan amasses in this world.

God’s people will persevere.

God’s purpose will prevail.

God’s Gospel will be preached.

And God’s KINGDOM WILL COME - on earth as it is in heaven.

Tying It Together

So when you tie this all together there’s a theme that begins to rise to the surface.

The vision of Christ & the throne room of heaven: Jesus Christ is WORTHY.

The seven messages to seven churches: “We will WIN.”

The vision of the seven seals: “In this world we’ll have TRIBULATION.”

The vision of the trumpet/bowls: “At Christ’s return we’ll have our VINDICATION.”

It does not matter how much power or influence Satan amasses in this world. God’s people will persevere. His purpose will prevail. His Gospel will be preached and his Kingdom will come.

That’s the message of the book of Revelation. And that is our BLESSED HOPE.

Backwards AND Forwards:

The reason I wanted to preach this message is because I think many Christians are beginning to lose this vision. This “Maranatha message.”

Even the way we talk about the Gospel sometimes totally ignores this future hope we have in Christ.

The Gospel isn’t just about looking BACK at what Christ accomplished on the cross. It’s also about looking FORWARD to what Christ will do through his coming Kingdom.

In other words, the Gospel is both a CROSS and a CROWN!

Even among Bible believing Christians there’s a temptation to just spiritualize all of these promises of a Christ who inaugurates a new kingdom and a new heavens and a new earth.

It’s like there’s an embarrassment that something supernatural and drastic could happen.

I don’t know about you - but if the death and resurrection of Christ only produced a world like this then that’s pretty disappointing.

That’s why the Gospel has to be about more than just looking BACK and must also include us looking FORWARD.

Don’t get me wrong. The Gospel must AT LEAST look back but it must also look forward.

One of the things that the Protestant reformation helped us rediscover was the importance of the cross and the centrality of the Scripture. Those were crucial revivals that the church desperately needed in order to continue.

However, the overemphasis on what Jesus accomplished in the past unintentionally took away from a clear biblical emphasis about what Jesus will do in the future.

Preaching Past Indicatives

Another way to think about this is the relationship between Biblical indicatives and imperatives.

Indicatives are statements of fact. (the Bible is full of them. “...and they crucified him… moses received the 10 commandments).

An imperative is a statement of command. It’s something you must do. (be holy.... love one another… etc)

One of the things they teach us preachers is that the motivation for the imperatives are FOUND in the indicatives.

In other words, you’ll never obey God’s command to love one another if you don’t know the indicative that God so loved the world that HE GAVE his beloved son over to death on the cross so we might be saved.

When obedience to Christ is ONLY shaped by past indicatives it results in a kind of lop sided preaching. It devolved into a legal messaging or a love messaging.

Legal preaching - You’re guilty. You owed a debt you couldn’t pay. Jesus paid your debt. His obedience in the past should motivate your faith and obedience in the present. Become who you already are!

Love preaching - You’re so loved. God loved you so much he sent Jesus in the world to die for you. He has a wonderful plan for your life and if you doubt that just look at how much he sacrificed to save you. Why would you not believe and obey somebody who demonstrated this kind of love?

Both of these messages are biblical and true and helpful as far as they go. But they are not the sum total of the Bible’s motivation for endurance and obedience to Christ.

Preaching Future Rewards

In fact, some of you here believe the truth of both the legal peaching and the love preaching but still struggle to obey what God’s calling you to do.

It would be like your parents trying to convince you to do something because of what they did for you in the past. It’s effective in some ways. It can drive a guilty conscience. But it’s limited in it’s power and scope.

That’s why the New Testament motivation for obedience to Christ isn’t exclusively rooted in PAST indicatives about what God DID but PROPHETIC indicatives about what God WILL DO.

The best motivation for obedience in the PRESENT is found in God’s promise about our reward for the FUTURE.

I would encourage you to look up every imperative in the NT and then examine the basis or motivation for WHY we ought to do what the Scripture is calling us to do.

Even the very notion of faith - the faith that empowers EVERY ACT of obedience - it’s grounded in future rewards.

The great passage about the definition of faith says faith is the assurance of what is hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)

Faith is the assurance of things “hoped for.” Not JUST a belief in something that happened in the past. It’s a hope for something that WILL happen in the future.

He continues in Hebrews 11:6 (CSB)

6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Past AND FUTURE.

Biblical Examples

The way the Bible talks about faith involves the past work of Christ on the cross but it doesn’t stop there! It points us to the reward. It points forward to something future.

Past tense events are weak motivation for present tense obedience. Future promises, future hope, future faith is a STRONG motivation for present and ongoing obedience.

Faith is all about the future reward, not just past acts.

Titus 2 / Rejecting Ungodliness

Titus 2:11–14 (CSB)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.

So in this passage we have past, present and future.

What are the imperatives? Renounce ungodliness, renounce worldly passions, live self-controlled, upright and godly lives…

What’s the motivation? The FUTURE appearing of the Lord Jesus. “while we WAIT FOR the blessed hope… the APPEARING of the glory of our great God and Savior...”

In verse 14 he mentions the death of Jesus on the cross and how the ground for our future salvation and present obedience isn’t in US but in what Christ has done FOR US.

However, the motivation for WHY we ought to live righteous lives is the FUTURE work of Christ, not just the past.

2 Thessalonians 1 / Enduring Suffering

2 Thessalonians 1:5–12 (CSB)

5 It is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering, 6 since it is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels, 8 when he takes vengeance with flaming fire on those who don’t know God and on those who don’t obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength 10 on that day when he comes to be glorified by his saints and to be marveled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed. 11 In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good and your work produced by faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you see it? The motivation for suffering and endurance isn’t just connected to what Jesus accomplished in the past, on the cross. It’s connected to what Jesus WILL DO when he comes again in the FUTURE.

I could to this all day long. Just go through the NT and pick and imperative. Almost all of them are connected not JUST to a past action but a future promise.

1 Peter 4 / Loving & Serving

1 Peter 4:7–11 (CSB)

7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer. 8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

There is like four to five imperatives in this text.

Be alert and sober minded for prayer.

Maintain constant love for one another.

Be hospitable to one another without complaining.

Use your gifts to serve others (speaking, serving, etc)

What’s the motivation for each of them?

He doesn’t even mention the death of Jesus on the cross in this instance. He mentions the Gospel being preached in verse 6 but the immediate motivation in context is “the end of all things in NEAR.”

It’s the future appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what motivates obedience.

CONCLUSION

That’s why the message of Revelation is so so important.

We need to recapture this Maranatha message if we’re going to endure these coming days of difficulty and hardship.

We MUST look back to the cross and understand what Jesus accomplished for us.

However, we cannot stop there. We must also look forward to what our sovereign king WILL DO when he comes again in glory.

What’s coming in the future is going to require radical obedience and radical faith. Looking back ONLY will not be sufficient to keep you in the game.

It’s why every year when we celebrate Advent we also remind ourselves of the promises that he who came once as a baby born to die will return again as a king born to rule.

And it’s why on days like today - when we take the Lord supper - we do so “proclaiming the Lord’s death UNTIL HE COMES.

We need legal preaching that addresses our guilt.

We need therapeutic preaching that addresses our shame.

But we also need prophetic preaching that addresses our apathy.

And that preaching is grounded not just in what happened 2,000 plus years ago. It’s grounded in the inevitable return of our king and his kingdom being established on earth as it is in heaven.

So as we take the Lord’s supper I want you to ask the Lord to open your eyes to those prophetic truths.

Maybe this morning you need to confess your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ.

However God leads you to respond you can do that now.