Sermon Tone Analysis

A Welcoming invitation

Last week lesson we continued to learn about the provisions God has for us in his new kingdom .

We learned of the river of live and the tree of life .

We currently have every thing we need from God resting , ruling and abiding in us in the presence of the Holy Spirit , but once we See Christ face to face our glorification process will be complete.

We shall see him as he is and we shall be like him .

We will be able to behold him to look upon his face and to forever bask in his uninterrupted tender mercy and loving grace.

We will no longer have to appropriate our faith to receive from God , but he will have already provided a continuous uninterrupted supply of everything we need and for everyone in our new heavenly home .He will forever be our God and we his people.

He will be with us throughout the ages of ages .

We will never have to worry whether we’re walking in his light ever again for his light will illuminate this glorious city and everyone in it.

We will be able to see his light, his glory , his majesty , his awesomeness..

This week’s lesson discusses further prophecy John received and this is the final message of John to his readers.

THE MAIN THOUGHT:For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book, And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy , God shall take away his part out of the book of life , and out of the holy city , and form the things which are written in this book .Rev.

22: 18-19

UNIFYING PRINCIPLE: Everything has a beginning and an end .

What is the source and ultimate purpose of human life?

Revelation affirms that God , who is Alpha and Omega, creates and controls all things.

LESSON AIM: To survey the biblical references to the “second coming” in order to see the importance of this hoped-for reality.

LIFE AIM : To rejoice that the invitation form Jesus to be a part of the new creation continues through the end of all things, and to embrace the call to become part of the kingdom .

OUTLINE Persevere( or remain as you are )v.

10-11

VERSE 1 Rev. 22:10 “And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.”

Here John was instructed not to seal the sayings of the prophecy of this book , because the time was at hand , meaning the time is near .When earlier prophets recieved revelations that were not for their present times or persons, but was for future revealing , they were commanded to seal the prophecy.

Compare Isa.

8:16 “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.”

And Dan.8:26 “And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.”

And also Dan. 12:4 “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”

And Dan.12:9 “And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”

This prophecy John received has been commanded to remain open because if is of immediate importance for the people of God .

It needs to be heard and understood because the time is near.

Some theologians have said it had to remain open to meet the immediate needs of those facing the churches of Asia Minor .

We are mindful of the tension in the New Testament as it relates to the parousia of the Christ ( or His second coming ) The belief of the early church was that Jesus may return at any moment .

This should be our belief today as well,.

All believers should be ready and possess a character that is acceptable to him when he does return .

It will be too late to get ready when he returns , As I alluded to in last week’s lesson no one knows when he shall return see, Mt. 25:6 “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.”

Also see Mt.25:13 “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

ALSO

See Mt.25:19 “After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.”

Also see Mk.13:32-37 “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”

Compare with Rev.1:3 “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”

See the parables of the Nations Mat:24-Also see Mat:25

2. VERSE Rev. 22:11 “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

What is unjust ?

It is actually the opposite of being righteous or justified.

The unjust remain unjust and are not justified because they’ve not accepted the finish work of Christ.

Justification is God seeing you just as if you were never a sinner or never sinned.

The unjust are also filthy in relation to one’s soul as unclean before God.

As oppose to the righteous being those who are just or justified or just as if they’ve never sinned because they accepted the finish work of Christ .

They are righteous because they have been justified and being justified they’ve also been made holy.

sEE

Rom.

5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” Also see Rom.3:28 “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

See also Gal.2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

See also Rom.4:5 “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

See also Gal.2:21 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

See also Rom. 3: 20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

See also Rom.11:6 “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.

But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

Last see Phil.3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

The point here is not to condone evil but to point out that if people do not heed this prophecy , iN the short time that is left, they will continue in their wickedness.

On the other hand those who do heed the prophecy will continue to do what is right.

Relatively speaking the time of Lord’s return is near and no major changes in mankind’s conduct can be expected if they don’t take heed to this prophecy and if they don’t accept Christ before this prophecy is fulfilled See 2 Tim.3:12-17 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

11.

OUTLINE PAY DAY IS COMING VS. 12-15

3. VERSE Rev. 22:12 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

Jesus is saying I am coming soon! are the same as those at the beginning of verse 7. Rev. 22:7 “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”

AS I alluded to earlier no one know exactly when the lord will appear but he’s speaking of his second coming .

He will come like a thief in the night.

See 1 Thes 5:2 “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.”

When the time has arrived for him to come there will be no more of a delay .

He will come quickly and his will reward every man alive according to his work .When Jesus returns at his second coming there will be judgement of human life behaviors.

There will be a division of the right from the wrong and the unrighteous from the righteous .

Jesus’s return will be positive for the justified or righteous and holy and negative for the unjust or filthy.

Jesus will judge one’s work whether it was good or bad See Isaiah 40:10 “Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, And his arm shall rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, And his work before him.”

See Rom.2:5-6 “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:” See also Jer.17:10 “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

See also 1 Pet.1:17 “And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:”

4 VERSE Rev. 22:13 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”

Here Jesus list his qualifications as to why he’s judge and jury.

He is qualified to judge and grant these rewards based on his position as the Lamb of God .

He appropriates three titles for himself that may be considered the highest attribution of divine power .

The first is Alpha and Omega.

See Rev. 1:8 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

See also Rev.1:17 “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.

And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:” Alpha and Omega is a title for Christ in Rev. 1:8 as I alluded to a minute ago and in Rev.21:6 “And he said unto me, It is done.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.”

He is saying everything began with me and everything will end with me .

Nothing shall return unto me void.

See John 6:37-40 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

The title the first and last also applies to Christ .

He is the beginning and the ending , See Rev.21:6 He’s the first and only begotten son of the Father .

He is the first fruit of the resurrection from amongst the dead . 1 Cor.15:20-22.

He is the head of the body,the church.

See, Col.1:17-19 .Christ is the key to OUR salvation .He is the author and finisher of our faith .