Stuart Johns – Page 18 – Idaville Church

Beyond Belief

Jesus Unveiled

Beyond Belief

(Revelation 22:1-5)

INTRODUCTION

“In April 2012 Time magazine ran a cover story titled ‘Heaven Can't Wait: Why rethinking the hereafter could make the world a better place.’ In the next issue, Time printed a letter to the editor from Marc Herbert from Walnut Creek, California, who wrote:

Your story [about heaven] says that 85 percent of Americans believe in heaven. That's incredible. They think of heaven as quiet and peaceful, with no need to do anything. [That] sounds pretty dull to me. What do you do with all of that free time? And it goes on forever and ever!

Time, "Mail: Rethinking Heaven" (4-30-12)

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2012/may/5052112.html].

This is certainly some people’s view of what heaven is going to be like. It will be everyone just sitting around with nothing to do FOREVER AND EVER! That sounds pretty dull.

BODY

ME
- Making the most of every opportunity
  - - I take my vehicles to the dealership to be inspected, to have the oil changed, and to have other maintenance done on them
    - Because I have to go to either Mechanicsburg or Hanover, I always take something with me to do
    - It’s normally a bag full of commentaries that I’ll spend time reading while I wait for the maintenance on my vehicle to be completed
    - I don’t want to waste time or lose time while I’m there, so I prepare ahead of time
- Visions of heaven
  - - Some people’s idea of heaven is that we will be worshiping God and singing songs continually
    - That sounds pretty exciting to me, because I love to sing and to worship God

WE
- Continual worship
  - - For some of us the idea of singing songs and worshiping God continually gets us excited, because we love to sing
    - Others of us may hear that vision of heaven and cringe, because we don’t like to sing or think that we can’t sing
    - That vision of heaven is not appealing
- Continual rest
  - - Perhaps the idea of sitting around with no need to do anything is very appealing
    - Most, if not all of us, work hard every day
    - Even those of us who have retired realize that we’re busier now than when we were working

As we study Revelation 22:1-5 today, we’re going to see what it will be like when we are with God and Jesus for eternity. Fortunately, we will be in a perfected body and the effects of sin will no longer plague us. We won’t worry about whether or not we can sing or if we’ll get bored just sitting around with nothing to do. John helps us to understand that . . .

BIG IDEA – Eternity with God is greater than we can imagine.

Let’s pray

GOD (Revelation 22:1-5)
- John had just received a broad view of the New Jerusalem with all of its dimensions and materials along with four items that will not be in the New Jerusalem, because of the presence of God and Jesus. Now the angel gives him a view of some of the things that will be in the New Jerusalem
- Nourished By God (vv. 1-2)
  - - River of the water of life
      - The first thing the angel shows John is the river of the water of life
        This is reminiscent of the Garden of Eden, A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters (Genesis 2:10)
        Three of the prophets of Israel foresaw this incredible river at three different times surrounding the Israelites exile [Wilcock, The Bible Speaks Today, The Message of Revelation, 211]
        Before the exile – “In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house and will water the valley of acacias (Joel 3:18)
        During the exile – read Ezekiel 47:1-9
        After the exile – On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter (Zechariah 14:8)
        When Jesus was speaking to the woman at the well in Sychar, He told her this, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:13-14)
        What we see in Revelation 22:1 is essentially the fulfillment of what Jesus said to the woman
        It’s the eternal benefit of those who are followers of Jesus Christ
      - It is described here as being clear as crystal
        Have you ever swam in a lake, river, or the ocean where you can see forever?
        I used to go snorkeling in the ocean when we lived in Florida and I always enjoyed seeing the fire coral (bright orange or red) and the different fish
        When Judy and I went to Hawaii, years ago, we rented snorkel equipment at Hanauma Bay (show the pictures of Hanauma Bay) – I was able to swim behind a sea turtle and with all kinds of tropical fish
        Some of the streams around this area in PA are clear enough that you can see the trout floating in them – which can be frustrating when they won’t bite on any of the tackle you have
        There are some lakes here in the United States and in other countries that boast crystal clear waters (show pictures of the lakes)
        I can only imagine what this river of the water of life will look like – it will be perfectly clear – nothing will obstruct our view – it will be perfectly pure
      - The source of this perfect river
        We see that the source of the river of the water of life is the throne of God and of the Lamb
        It’s not that God and Jesus are both sitting on the throne in a physical sense
        “Once more God and the Lamb are juxtaposed (side-by-side), continuing the major Christological theme of the unity of God and Christ as deity.” [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 769-770]
        It’s the idea that God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are three in one – what we call the trinity
        “The river, flowing as it does from God’s throne, can only portray that eternal life is entirely due to God’s gracious gift.” [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 414]
        We cannot work our way to heaven and to the river of the water of life
        It is a free gift of God that requires our repentance from sin and turning to Him as Lord of our lives
        Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.
        The source of this great river is the throne of God and the Lamb, which then flows down the middle of the great street of the city
      - Where it is flowing
        How this river flows down the middle of the street is not exactly explained
        Does it split the street in half or does it flow beside the street?
        Is there ground between the street and the river where the tree of life is growing?
        We don’t really know for sure
        What comes to mind for me is the River Walk in San Antonio, TX (show picture of the River Walk), because there are walkways on both sides of the river that cuts through the city
        How it’s structured is of less importance than the fact that it is the river of the water of life beginning at the throne of the God and the Lamb
      - Along this river is growing the tree of life
    - Tree of life
      - This tree of life is on both sides of the river
        Whether it is a single tree or an orchard of trees is not important
        We don’t have to know definitively, because the principle or promise is more important
        PROMISE – God will provide for His people eternally.
        This is the fulfillment of God’s promise found in Revelation 2:7b, To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
        Ezekiel spoke about fruit trees also, Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing (Ezekiel 47:12)
        We see here that there will be variety of fruit with twelve different crops
        Imagine for a moment that twelve of your favorite fruits will be available all the time
        Apples, pears, peaches, apricots, figs, grapes, mangos, cherries, oranges, dates, bananas, and kiwi
        We also see that there will never be a time when we will have to wait or go without, because it will yield its fruit every month
        “Both the abundance and the variety of fruit are being emphasized. God’s provision is ever new and always more than adequate.” [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 399]
        Application
        It’s always easier to claim the promises of God for the future
        We certainly believe that God will provide for us in eternity, but do we claim that promise for ourselves today?
        Do you believe that God’s provision is ever new and always more than adequate?
        In a culture that constantly tells us that we “need” more and more things, it can be difficult to feel like God’s provision is ever new and always more than adequate
        But we can trust that it is both new and adequate
        God is all-knowing and sovereign, so He knows what’s best for us
        He knows what we need and when we need
        His timing is perfect (never early and never late)
        My Next Step Today Is To: Claim the promise that God’s provision is always adequate and on time.
        The fruit on the tree of life is diverse and never ending, but it’s leaves are also important
        It leaves are for the healing of the nations
        If all sickness and disease are not present in heaven, then why does John mention the leaves of the tree of life being for the healing of the nations?
        It is symbolic of the fact that healing has already taken place both spiritually and physically through the death of Jesus Christ
        “The meaning is that all will enjoy full, wholesome, robust health. Just as the death of Christ made possible the water of eternal life (spiritually), so his death also provides the leaves that completely remove all the consequences of sin forever (physically).” [Easley, 415]
        Osborne reflects on the fact that the physical healing means that we will not be hungry or experience any kind of disease and that spiritually we will be in a right relationship with God [Osborne, 772]
    - That segues perfectly into the worship of God
- Worship Of God (vv. 3-5a)
  - - No longer any curse or night (vv. 3a, 5a)
      - The curse is reversed
        What we see here is reversal of the Fall in Genesis 3:14, 17, So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, ‘Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.’” . . . To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ ‘Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.’”
        We see this predicted by the prophet Zechariah, “As you have been an object of cursing among the nations, O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.” (Zechariah 8:13)
      - The abolishment of night means that the effects of sin will no longer be around
        We mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the glory of the presence of God and Jesus means that no light source will be needed
        It will be perpetually day
        The sun will not be needed
        The light of a lamp will not be needed
        God’s glory is all that will be needed to provide light in the New Jerusalem
      - With no night and a perfected body we won’t need to sleep, so what will we do with all the time on our hands?
    - Servants of God will serve Him (v. 3b)
      - We will certainly worship the Lord
        We saw multiple times in Revelation that the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures and those surrounding the throne of God, worshiping Him
        Read Revelation 4:8-11
        Read Revelation 5:8-14
      - We will also serve Him
        The Greek word for “serve” has a double meaning, both “service” and “worship” [Osborne, 773; Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus In Revelation, 340; Easley, 415]
        “As we seek to serve the Lord here on earth, we are constantly handicapped by sin and weakness; but all hindrances will be gone when we get to glory. Perfect service in a perfect environment!” [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, New Testament, Vol. 2, 624]
      - Eternity will not be dull or boring, because we will worship and serve the Lord perfectly
      - Easley calls this “faultless active usefulness” [Easley, 416]
      - PRINCIPLE – We will serve and worship God perfectly in eternity.
        Of course we don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to worship and serve the Lord
        His desire is for us to worship and serve Him now, while we’re on earth
        We won’t do it perfectly, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it
        How is your worship of God right now? (Where is your focus when you’re worshiping, either individually or corporately? Is it God or something else?)
        How is your service for God been lately? (Have you been thinking that someone else will step up and serve? Perhaps God is calling you to step up.)
        Are there any changes that God has been prompting you to make concerning your worship of Him and service for Him?
        My Next Step Today Is To: Allow the Lord to make any necessary changes to my worship of Him or service for Him.
    - Right relationship with God (v. 4)
      - We will see God’s face
        This will be something new for followers of Jesus Christ
        God explained it to Moses when He said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20)
        Moses was allowed to see God’s back only
        John 1:18, No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
        In our perfected bodies, we will be able to look upon the face of God and still live
        “Now, in the new holy of holies, the entire priestly community will experience the greatest blessing of all: they will see the face of God. Moses was not allowed to see God’s face, but saw only his back (Exod. 33:20, 23; cf. John 1:18, 1 John 4:12), but God’s people have always longed to see the Lord (e.g., Pss. 11:7; 17:15; 27:4; Matt. 5:8; 1 John 3:2; Heb. 12:14). The old priestly blessing/prayer for the Lord to ‘make his face shine on you’ and ‘turn his face toward you’ (Num. 6:25-26) finds its ultimate fulfillment here. God’s people will also bear his ‘name,’ meaning they will belong to him, imitate his character, and live safely in his presence (see 2:17; 3:12; 7:3; 14:1).” [Scott Duvall cited by Akin, 341]
        Easley sees this as the second blessing of eternity and calls it “immediate divine presence.” [Easley, 416]
      - We will be His
        “In Exod. 28:36-38 Aaron wore a gold plate on the front of his turban and on his forehead inscribed with the words, ‘Holy to the Lord.’” [Osborne, 774]
        We have already seen the sealing of believers with a mark on their forehead throughout Revelation
        Rev. 3:12 – victorious saints will have the name of God, the name of New Jerusalem, and Jesus’ name written on their forehead
        Rev. 7:3 – an angel is going to “seal the slave of our God on their foreheads”
        Rev. 14:1 – the 144,00 have the name of God and Jesus written on their foreheads
        The writing of God and Jesus’ name on believers foreheads is an indication of ownership
        We are sensitive this kind of imagery, because of the history of slavery in our culture
        So, to hear that we are owned by God can make some people cringe and pause
        But this is a voluntary submission of ourselves to God and Jesus as our Lord
        In ancient times, when a slave was given their freedom, they could voluntarily offer themselves as a bond servant to the owner of the household (this required the servant to have an awl punched through their ear to show everyone that they had voluntarily chosen to be a bond servant)
        That is the imagery here for us as bond servants of God and Jesus Christ
        Our voluntary submission to God and Jesus, as bond servants, guarantees our safety and protection
        The curse of sin is gone
        The effects of sin are gone (no more night)
    - Easley calls this the third blessing of eternity, “eternally guaranteed reward.” [Easley, 416]
    - Finally, we will reign with God
- Reign With God (v. 5b)
  - - This imagery has been spoken of throughout scripture
    - 2 Timothy 2:1-2a, Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.
    - This is part of a believer’s hope for eternity
    - It is mentioned in Revelation also about the saints reigning with Christ during His thousand year reign (Rev. 20:4-6)
YOU
- We can claim the promise that God’s provision is always adequate and on time
- While our worship and service here on earth is flawed, we can and should ask the Lord to make any changes needed so that our focus is on worshiping and serving Him
WE

CONCLUSION

“His Italian mother named him after the gospel writer Mark in the hopes that he too would tell the gospel truth. But 13th Century Europeans found it impossible to believe Mark's tales of faraway lands. He claimed that, when he was only seventeen, he took an epic journey lasting a quarter of a century, taking him across the steppes of Russia, the rugged mountains of Afghanistan, the wastelands of Persia, and over the top of the world through the Himalayas. He was the first European to enter China. Through an amazing set of circumstances, he became a favorite of the most powerful ruler on planet earth, the Kublai Khan. Mark saw cities that made European capitals look like roadside villages. The Khan's palace dwarfed the largest castles and cathedrals in Europe. It was so massive that its banquet room alone could seat 6,000 diners at one time, each eating on a plate of pure gold.

Mark saw the world's first paper money and marveled at the explosive power of gunpowder. It would be the 18th Century before Europe would manufacture as much steel as China was producing in the year 1267. He became the first Italian to taste that Chinese culinary invention, pasta. As an officer of the Khan's court, he travelled to places no European would see for another 500 years.

After serving Kublai Khan for 17 years, Mark began his journey home to Venice, loaded down with gold, silk, and spices. When he arrived home, people dismissed his stories of a mythical place called China. His family priest rebuked him for spinning lies. At his deathbed, his family, friends, and priest begged him to recant his tales of China. But setting his jaw and gasping for breath, Mark spoke his final words, ‘I have not even told you half of what I saw.’

Though 13th Century Europeans rejected his stories as the tales of a liar or lunatic, history has proven the truthfulness behind the book he wrote about his adventures—The Travels of Marco Polo. 1300 years before Marco Polo wrote about China, another man, the Apostle John, went on an amazing journey to heaven itself. At times we jaded postmoderns shake our heads in disbelief at the Apostle John's vision and other biblical witnesses to the glory of heaven. But the biblical writers who describe heaven would declare to us, ‘I have not even told you half of what I saw. Heaven is more joyful, more glorious, and more beautiful than you could ever imagine.’ May their God-inspired testimonies and descriptions move us to long for God's gift to us in Christ—the glory of heaven.”

Dr. Robert Petterson, "All Things New: Our Eternal Home," sermon given at Covenant Presbyterian Church (11-8-09)

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2011/february/5021411.html].

April 7, 2019/by Office

God With US

Jesus Unveiled Revelation Sunday Morning Stuart Johns God's Presence, Protection

Jesus Unveiled

God With Us

(Revelation 21:22-27)

INTRODUCTION

“For his first sermon in an elementary preaching class, Lawrence, an African student, chose a text describing the joys we'll share when Christ returns and ushers us to our heavenly home.

‘I've been in the United States for several months now,’ he began. ‘I've seen the great wealth that is here—the fine homes and cars and clothes. I've listened to many sermons in churches here, too. But I've yet to hear one sermon about heaven. Because everyone has so much in this country, no one preaches about heaven. People here don't seem to need it. In my country most people have very little, so we preach on heaven all the time. We know how much we need it.’”

Bryan Chapell, The Wonder of It All (Crossway, 1999); quoted in Men of Integrity (January/February 2001)

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2001/october/13333.html]

Lawrence was not lamenting the fact that he didn’t have much, but rather he was rejoicing in what he will have in heaven. And yet, as we’ll see today, there are going to be some things that will not be in heaven.

BODY

ME
- Doing without growing up
  - - I remember when I was growing up, that we usually only used milk on our cereal, we didn’t drink glasses of milk very often
    - I also remember not having much soda or pop (depending on where you grew up) – we would have it occasionally when guests came for dinner (it was always a treat)
    - I’m sure there were other things I didn’t have growing up that other kids my age had
    - Things I had to do growing up that my children don’t have to do
      - I had to get up to change the channel on the television, because remotes weren’t invented yet
      - I had to go to the phone on the wall and use the rotary dial to make a phone call at a per-minute cost, because I didn’t have unlimited cell phone service
      - I had to go to the library and look through the Encyclopedia for information about anything, because I didn’t have the internet
      - I had to walk across the yard or down the street to see my friends and connect with them, because I didn’t have a cell phone or social media
    - I turned out just fine without glasses of milk, a lot of soda, my own Atari system, a remote control, the internet, and a cell phone (of course I have most of things today)
- Doing without now
  - - We are very blessed as a family – God has taken care of us in so many ways
    - While we don’t own a home or any property, God has provided through Idaville Church, a wonderful place for us to call home
    - We don’t have cable, satellite, or antenna television, and I don’t miss all the commercials and negative news articles
    - We don’t live around our parents or siblings, so we have to do without those close relationships that others enjoy on a more frequent basis

WE
- Things we didn’t have growing up
  - - Let’s all take a moment and remember the things we did without as children growing up – think about the conveniences that have been invented in your lifetime
    - I’m not having you do this today to make you feel sad or angry
    - My guess is that many of us have the things, today, that we didn’t have as children
- Doing without now
  - - Are there things we’re doing without today, even though we could very easily have them?
    - Are there things we have today that we could do without?
      - Seth just told me this week as they’ve been looking at a place to rent, that he and Emily are going BIG!
      - I didn’t know what that meant at first, but he said that they are considering not having internet at their next place, but only using an antenna for television

John’s vision of the new heaven and the new earth in Revelation 21:22-27 lists four things that will not be in the New Jerusalem. The reason these four things will not be there is because of God’s presence – God will be there and therefore these four things are not needed or present. So, John wants us to understand that . . .

BIG IDEA – God’s presence provides protection from impurities.

Let’s pray

GOD (Revelation 21:22-27)
- God’s Presence (vv. 22-24)
  - - No temple needed
      - This is a continuation of John’s vision concerning all of the dimensions, measurements, and materials used in the New Jerusalem
      - He has just described for his readers what is included in the New Jerusalem and now he is sharing with them what is not included or seen there
      - Biblical background concerning God’s presence with His people
        Throughout Biblical history we see that God’s presence was found in the form of a cloud that covered a specific meeting place (this was for the Israelites)
        Tent of Meeting – Read Exodus 33:7-11
        Tabernacle – Read Exodus 40:34-38
        Temple – Read 1 Kings 8:1-11
        Ezekiel’s vision of the New Temple Area
        In Ezekiel 40-46, the prophet explains in great detail the New Temple Area
        His vision was obviously in the future and many believe it is talking about the New Jerusalem
        While Ezekiel is outlining a New Temple, it does not contradict John’s vision, in Rev. 21:22, of there being no Temple
        “For John there is no temple because symbol has given way to reality. The temple is replaced by ‘the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb.’” [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 395]
        God’s presence will be with His people in a new way
        Jesus explained this to the woman at the well
        John 4:19-21, “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.”
        Paul also expressed that the physical temple had been transformed into a spiritual temple found in the lives of every believer (2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21-22)
        1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
      - “We must remember that the major religious feature of the temple was that God resided there. The entire Book of Ezekiel ends with the new name of the eschatological city, ‘the Lord is there’ (48:35). It was his Shekinah presence in the Holy of Holies that made the temple sacred. But now he physically resides among his people (Rev. 21:3), and the entire city has been made into a Holy of Holies.” [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 759]
      - PRINCIPLE – God’s presence will be with His people eternally.
        As followers of Jesus Christ we have the presence of God with us through the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit lives within us
        We may not always feel like God is with us, but feelings can change so quickly
        Many people go to church as a way to “be with God” and there’s nothing wrong with that (the church is certainly a scared place)
        Matthew 28:18-20, Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.”
        Jesus promised to be with us as we fulfill the Great Commission
        God has promised to be with us while we are here on earth
        Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
        Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
        Psalm 23:4, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.
        My Next Step Today Is To: Claim God’s promise that He will be with me here on earth and in eternity.
        Just imagine some day when God will be with us both physically and spiritually – He will be the temple, we will be in His presence for eternity – we will be able to say “God is with us!”
      - With God’s presence in the city, there is no need for any source of light
    - No light source needed
      - God’s glory is all the light that’s needed
        There will be no sun to light the day or moon to light the night
        The prophet Isaiah predicted this, The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end (Isaiah 60:19-20)
        We see in scripture that those who were in the presence of God reflected His glory
        Read Exodus 34:29-35
        Matthew 17:1-3, After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
        “If the light of God the Creator has dawned, of what use are the created lights, the sun and the moon? Of what good is their pitiful reflected light when he who is light itself (John 1:5) is present?” [Oswalt cited by Osborne, 761]
      - The Lamb is its lamp
        John spoke, in his Gospel, about Jesus being the light
        John 1:9, The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
        John 8:12, When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
        John 3:19, This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
        Gospel
        This is our human condition – we love darkness instead of light (sin instead of righteousness)
        We are born that way from the time that Adam and Eve rebelled against God
        God had a plan to deal with the darkness of sin in our lives – it was Jesus!
        Jesus was born into this world without the human condition of sin
        He lived a perfect life, without sin
        Before Jesus came, God required the Israelites to sacrifice a perfect lamb, without blemish, as a way to cover over their sin (not to take it away)
        Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world
        When He died on the cross, it was the perfect and final sacrifice that God required for sin
        Jesus met and fulfilled God’s standard for us
        John recorded Jesus’ words in his Gospel, Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12)
        The light of life is eternal life
        It means our names have been written in the Lamb’s book of life (that information is important, as we’ll see in verse 27)
        That is the primary source for any human being that wants to experience living in God’s presence, both physically and spiritually, for eternity
        My Next Step Today Is To: Follow Jesus, so I will never have to walk in darkness, but will be able to spend eternity in God’s presence.
      - Nations will walk in the light of God’s glory and the Lamb’s lamp
        The prophet Isaiah spoke about God’s glory and the nations being attracted by it
        Isaiah 60:1-5, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the arm. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.”
        The nations will bring their splendor into the New Jerusalem
        The “nations” is simply a reference to the fact that the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem will be diverse in culture, language, background, etc.
        Believers from every nation will be represented
        The splendor that is mentioned here can also be defined as “glory”
        Keener (The NIV Application Commentary, Revelation, 498) and Osborne (763) both emphasis that what the nations are bringing into the city is not literal wealth or riches, but rather the glory they had received on earth, and now they are offering it to God, whose glory is far greater still
    - God’s presence and His glory shining in the New Jerusalem means that we have His protection
- God’s Protection (vv. 25-26)
  - - No need for closed gates
      - The glow of city lights
        How many of us are familiar with the glow of city lights on the horizon as we approach the city on the interstate
        You know that there are multiple lights shining that produces the glow in the sky
        In ancient times the cities were poorly lit, so there wasn’t the same type of glow in the sky that we see today
      - The need in ancient times to close the city gates
        Since light sources were primarily torches and/or oil lamps in ancient times, the streets of the city would be dark
        They would shut the city gates every night in order to provide protection for their citizens
        Those who lived outside the city knew when the gates would close and they had to be outside the gates before they were shut, otherwise, they would be locked in for the night
      - Most crime happens under the veil of darkness
        People, by nature, don’t want others to see the wrong things they’re doing, so they wait until it’s dark to do those certain things
        On March 3, 2019 the introduction I shared for Revelation 20:11-15 was about Dennis Lee Curtis who, as a robber, had a “robber’s code” in his wallet when he was arrested. One of the codes he lived by was that he would only rob at night
        John 3:19, This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
        One example I’m reminded of, from Scripture, is Judas Iscariot when he left the last supper and then directed the Pharisees and the temple guards to arrest Jesus in the garden – this was done at night
      - No night
        We see in the New Jerusalem that there will be no need to shut the gates on any day, because there will not be any night
        God’s glory and the Lamb’s lamp will provide light continually
        Evil will not have a time period where it will be able to function outside of God’s glorious light
    - PRINCIPLE – God will protect His people from evil, forever.
      - As we learned in Rev. 19 and 20, the beast, the false prophet, Hades, death, and Satan have all been thrown into the lake of burning sulfur – evil is gone
      - The idea that night is no longer here is another way of saying that evil is vanquished – it’s gone!
      - This principle is also an incredible promise for us as followers of Jesus Christ
      - Psalm 23:4, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.
        The rod was a heavy stick used to fend off attacking animals – it was used to protect the sheep from being devoured
        The staff is the one we think of today with the hook on the end – it was used to pull straying sheep back to the flock
        God is protecting us from evil, even while we’re on earth
        He is our Good Shepherd – He is protecting us from Satan and his minions and He is pulling us back into relationship with Him and other believers, when we stray
      - Perhaps you don’t feel like God is protecting you from evil or temptation
        You feel like evil and temptation are always right there and you find yourself giving in
        Paul encouraged the Corinthian believers with these words, No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
        God always provides a way out, but we don’t always take it
        “A very religious man was once caught in rising floodwaters. He climbed onto the roof of his house and trusted God to rescue him. A neighbour came by in a canoe and said, ‘The waters will soon be above your house. Hop in and we’ll paddle to safety.’
        
        ‘No thanks’ replied the religious man. ‘I’ve prayed to God and I’m sure he will save me.’
        
        A short time later the police came by in a boat. ‘The waters will soon be above your house. Hop in and we’ll take you to safety.’
        
        ‘No thanks’ replied the religious man. ‘I’ve prayed to God and I’m sure he will save me.’
        
        A little time later a rescue services helicopter hovered overhead, let down a rope ladder and said. ‘The waters will soon be above your house. Climb the ladder and we’ll fly you to safety.’
        
        ‘No thanks’ replied the religious man. ‘I’ve prayed to God and I’m sure he will save me.’
        
        All this time the floodwaters continued to rise, until soon they reached above the roof and the religious man drowned. When he arrived at heaven he demanded an audience with God. Ushered into God’s throne room he said, ‘Lord, why am I here in heaven? I prayed for you to save me, I trusted you to save me from that flood.’
        
        ‘Yes you did my child’ replied the Lord. ‘And I sent you a canoe, a boat and a helicopter. But you never got in.’
        
        [https://storiesforpreaching.com/i-sent-you-a-rowboat/]
        So God always provides, but we don’t always recognize it as His provision
    - Glory and Honor will be brought into the city
      - With the gates always open, there is unlimited access
      - There is no need to keep the “inhabitants of the earth” (the title given in Revelation to unbelievers/unrighteous) out, because they have been thrown into the lake of burning sulfur
      - Isaiah 60:11, Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that men may bring you the wealth of the nations – their kings led in triumphal procession.
      - The nations that are coming, and bringing their glory and honor, are those who are followers of Jesus Christ
      - “Verse 26 suggests that endlessly in heaven the saints will have opportunity to bring praise to God by offering up to him the best of our accomplishments.” [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 403]
      - This is a reminder that everything we have accomplished on earth is a result of God’s providential hand at work through us
    - With evil gone we see the final thing that will not be in the New Jerusalem – any kind of impurity
- God’s Purity (v. 27)
  - - Nothing impure
      - John notes two groups that would be considered impure, but this is not an exhaustive list
      - He is connecting several themes that he has already mentioned earlier in the letter
        Those who have done what is shameful
        Shameful could also be translated as “abominable”
        It would then refer to those who sided with Babylon the Great, the Great Prostitute
        John’s imagery in Revelation is that they committed spiritual adultery with her, meaning that they worshiped her instead of God – they gave in to every kind of shameful practice associated with the Great Prostitute
        Those who have done what is deceitful
        It’s individuals who have done things in a way that was not truthful, leading people down the wrong path
        It also includes those who have spoken lies and through that have led people astray
        While nothing or no one who is impure will be in the city, the city will be populated by those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life
      - Those who follow Jesus Christ will have the light of life and will spend eternity in the New Jerusalem where God’s presence will be experienced both physically and spiritually
    - PRINCIPLE – God’s eternal home will be completely pure.
      - I hope you’re looking forward to that
      - Spring is coming and those who garden are already thinking about their gardens
        Last year, Sherl Shaffer gave me some great advice about how to keep the weeds under control in our garden (multiple layers of newspaper covered with a thick layer of mushroom soil mulch)
        I was able to do that with 3 of the 6 raised beds we have, and it worked wonderfully
        The other 3 beds had lots and lots of weeds
        I would tell Judy and Pastor Marc that I was going to do some garden therapy
        Having to worry about weeds in our gardens is a result of the fall of Adam and Eve
        I can’t wait to be part of God’s eternal home that will be completely pure – no weeds!

YOU
- God is with us
  - - We all know that to be true when it comes to eternity, but we don’t always believe or feel that here on earth
    - He promises to never leave us or forsake us
    - Claim that promise for yourself today
- God has given us the light of life through His Son Jesus
  - - Jesus explained that we can have the light of life (eternal life) by following Him
    - If you’ve never made the decision to follow Jesus, I encourage you to do that today
    - You will experience God’s presence with you here on earth and in eternity someday

WE
- How we react to hardships and difficulties shows the world what we truly believe about God – have we really claimed the promises that God is with us and that He will protect us from evil and temptation?
- Our testimony through our actions and words could be what draws our family, friends, and coworkers toward a relationship with God – as they see the glory of God reflected in and through us, they will be drawn to it

CONCLUSION

“The sense that we will live forever somewhere has shaped every civilization in human history. Australian aborigines pictured Heaven as a distant island beyond the western horizon. The early Finns thought it was a distant island in the far away east. Mexicans, Peruvians, and Polynesians believed that they went to the sun or the moon after death. Native Americans believed that, in the afterlife, their spirits would hunt the spirits of buffalo.

The Gilgamesh epic, an ancient Babylonian legend, refers to a resting place of heroes and hints at a tree of life. In the pyramids of Egypt, the embalmed bodies had maps placed beside them as guides to the future world. The Romans believed that the righteous would picnic in the Elysian Fields, while their horses grazed nearby. Seneca, the Roman philosopher, said, ‘The day thou fearest as the last is the birthday of eternity.’

Although these depictions of the afterlife differ, the unifying testimony of the human heart throughout history is belief in life after death. Anthropological evidence suggests that every culture has a God-given, innate sense of the eternal—that this world is not all there is.”

Randy Alcorn, Heaven (Tyndale, 2004); submitted by Bill White, Paramount, California.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2006/december/6120406.html]

March 24, 2019/by Office

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Jesus Unveiled Revelation Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Heaven, Salvation

Jesus Unveiled

Home

(Revelation 21:1-8)

INTRODUCTION

“In the 2007 film The Bucket List, two terminally ill men—played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman—take a road trip to do the things they always said they would do before they ‘kicked the bucket.’ In anticipation of the film's release, Nicholson was interviewed for an article in Parade magazine. While reflecting on his personal life, Nicholson said:

I used to live so freely. The mantra for my generation was ‘Be your own man!’ I always said, ‘Hey, you can have whatever rules you want—I'm going to have mine. I'll accept the guilt. I'll pay the check. I'll do the time.’ I chose my own way. That was my philosophical position well into my 50s. As I've gotten older, I've had to adjust.

But reality has a way of getting the attention of even a Jack Nicholson. Later in the interview, Nicholson adds:

We all want to go on forever, don't we? We fear the unknown. Everybody goes to that wall, yet nobody knows what's on the other side. That's why we fear death.

Dotson Rader, "I want to go on forever," Parade magazine (12-9-07), pp. 6-8.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2008/february/6021808.html]

As followers of Jesus Christ, we do know what’s on the other side! It’s our eternal home. In fact we will feel more at home than we have ever felt before. John explains vividly what that eternal home is like in Revelation 21 and 22, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

BODY

ME
- Vacation
  - - I enjoy taking a vacation and spending time in other parts of the country
    - We’ve been blessed to see much of the United States as a family
    - But there’s something about coming home
    - After being gone for a week or two, it’s good to get home and climb into my own bed
    - I enjoy getting back into a regular routine
    - It’s comforting to know where everything is
    - It’s nice to just sit on the couch and enjoy watching some television or reading a book
    - I can just relax, because I’m home

WE
- Vacation
  - - Perhaps we’re all the same
    - We enjoy taking a vacation, but we also look forward to getting back to the comforts of our own homes
    - Some people talk about taking a vacation from their vacation, so they can get stuff done around the house (others take “staycations”)
- Hospital and/or nursing home stays
  - - Some of us have had lengthy stays in the hospital, rehab center, or a nursing home
    - When I visit people in those settings, inevitably they share their desire to go home
    - As family members, who take care of those in the hospital or a nursing home, we know how our loved one wants to be at home instead of there
    - Even those who are nearing death will express their desire to be at home when they die
- We can all agree that there is just something comforting about being in our own home, where we can let our guard down and just be ourselves

There are some incredible parallels and differences between the beginning of the Bible (Genesis 1-3) and the end of the Bible (Revelation 21-22) [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 326 and Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, New Testament, Volume 2, 621].

Genesis	Revelation
Heaven and earth created (1:1)	New heaven and earth recreated (21:1)
Sun created (1:16)	No need of the sun (21:23)
The night established (1:5)	No night there (22:5)
The seas created (1:10)	No more seas (21:1)
The curse announced (3:14-17)	No more curse (22:3)
Death enters history (3:19)	Death exits history (21:4)
Man driven from paradise (3:24)	Man restored to paradise (22:14)
Sorrow and pain begin (3:17)	Sorrow, tears, and pain end (21:4)
The Devil appears (3:1)	The Devil disappears (20:10)

John explains that a time is coming when we will live with God in a perfected state. The effects of sin will no longer be around, because God will make everything new. While none of us have ever experienced what the Garden of Eden was like, in its perfection, we will one day enjoy that perfection forever. John wants us to understand that . . .

BIG IDEA – We will live for eternity in “Eden” (paradise).

Let’s pray

GOD (Revelation 21:1-8)
- Made new (vv. 1-2, 5a)
  - - What John sees in verses 1-2 and then hears in verse 5a is that everything is being made new
      - It’s kind of a small chiastic structure with verses 1-2 and verse 5a both using the word “new”
      - The center of the structure would then be what we find in verses 3-4 and we’ll get to that in just a minute
    - Verses 1-2
      - John sees a new heaven and a new earth
        In Revelation 20:11 we saw that the earth and sky fled from Jesus’ presence when He sat on the great white throne to judge
        We now see this restated again in the fact that the first heaven and the first earth had passed away
        There are two lines of thought concerning whether God will renovate/renew or completely recreate/replace heaven and earth
        Renovate/Renewal
        Those who hold to the belief that God will renovate the current heaven and earth use Romans 8:18-23
        Read Romans 8:18-23
        All of creation is waiting to be liberated from the effects of sin, so it makes it sound like once they’re liberated they will return to their original state
        It’s a renovation – getting rid of the old and restoring it to its former glory and perfection
        While we certainly understand the reason behind why there needs to be a new earth, why does there need to be a new a heaven
        Courson and Wiersbe both point to Job 15:15 to help us understand that even the heavens are not pure in God’s eyes
        The spiritual realm is the unseen part of this world, which would encompass the heavens
        In the book of Job we see that Satan appears before God (God asks him where he has been)
        He’s been going throughout the earth
        So, a new heaven is in order, because Satan has polluted it just like he did with the earth
        Now when we talk about heaven in this sense, we are not talking about God’s eternal, perfected home
        That’s what we’ll see next
        But before we get there, we have to look at the second line of thought
        Recreate/Replace
        If we take Rev. 21:1 literally, in light of how we would define “passing away,” then a totally new creation would have to take place
        Isaiah 65:17, “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”
        Taken literally, it seems as though a new heaven and earth with be created, replacing the old heaven and earth
        The previous heaven and earth will not even be remembered anymore
        2 Peter 3:10-11a, But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way . . .
        While there are passages in Scripture that speak of a refining fire that would renew by burning off the impurities, it seems like the fire Peter is talking about is more intense than just a refining fire
        Peter seems to be talking about total destruction of the old heaven and earth
        While scholars may disagree about whether God will renew or replace the old heaven and earth, they do agree that God will provide a new reality that is perfected, without the “discoloration by sin” [Akin, 328]
        “As the new covenant is superior to and replaces the old (Heb 8:7-13), so the new heaven and earth provide a setting for the new and eternal state.” [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 381]
        No sea
        Why would John mention that a body of water is no longer around? (that’s what most of us would think when reading it literally)
        We have to remember how John’s audience would have understood this reference to the sea
        A little Biblical background can help us
        Isaiah 57:20, But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.
        Revelation 13:1, 6-7, And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name . . . He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
        The original readers of this letter, in John’s day, saw the sea as a place where evil resided – they were fearful about the sea, especially when it was unsettled
        Osborne cites Beale’s work on the five uses of “sea” in the book of Revelation – 1) the origin of evil, 2) the nations that persecute the saints, 3) the place of the dead, 4) the location of the world’s idolatrous trade activity, and 5) a body of water, part of this world [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 730-31]
        Osborne concludes that the reason John mentions the sea in this passage is for us to understand that evil will not be a part of the new heaven and new earth – that will all pass away [Osborne, 731]
        The old order of things have passed away and John has seen the new order established
        With the new order established, John now sees the Holy City, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God
      - The Holy City, the new Jerusalem
        Once again, scholars see two primary viewpoints concerning what is represented by the new Jerusalem
        An actual city
        The Holy City of Jerusalem was defiled during Old Testament times and was renewed
        The Antichrist and his hordes will also defile it during their short reign
        Matthew 24:14-16, And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
        The description of the new Jerusalem in Revelation 21:9-21 makes it sound like it is an actual city with walls and a foundation
        “The perfect passive participle of the verb hetoimazō, meaning ‘prepare’ or ‘make ready,’ calls to mind the promise of the Lord to his disciples, ‘I am going there to prepare a place for you’ (John 14:2). The perfect passive participle indicates that this place, having been prepared, now descends, looking like a bride prepared for her husband.” [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 363]
        God’s people
        Throughout Revelation, Babylon the Great, that great prostitute, has been used to identify political and religious evil that will flourish during the reign of Antichrist (the political and religious evil is carried out by human beings)
        The fact that the new Jerusalem is identified as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband is in direct contrast to Babylon the Great, and expresses the purity and holiness of God’s people
        Some scholars connect the bride of Christ imagery found here with the bride imagery found in Revelation 19:6-8 (where it is more obvious that the bride represents God’s saints, His people, Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints)
        Both
        There is no reason why the new Jerusalem cannot represent both an actual city and the people who live there
        “Just as Babylon in Revelation represents the people of Rome and not simply its location, and just as ‘Jerusalem’ in the Old Testament usually included the people and not simply the site, ‘new Jerusalem’ undoubtedly includes the people of God.” [Keener, The NIV Application Commentary, Revelation, 486]
        While there may be discussion about whether or not it represents a place or people, the fact that it comes from God and not humans is without question
        Coming down out of heaven from God
        God is the One who has been preparing our eternal home
        He, at one time, would walk and talk with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day through the Garden of Eden
        When sin entered the world, He had to separate Himself, physically, from this world
        Now we see that, with sin and its effects gone, God is returning to His original plan of having earth as the eternal home of His people [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 394]
      - That is first part of the matching units in the chiastic structure
      - The second part is found in the first half of verse 5
    - Verse 5a
      - John hears God speaking from His throne
      - We see again the word “new”
      - John has already seen the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem, but now He hears it directly from God, Himself
      - God created the new Jerusalem and has sent it down to earth
      - God is reaffirming what John saw when He says, “I am making everything new!”
    - While there is discussion about what the new Jerusalem represents, the greater point of this passage, and the center of the chiastic structure, is that God will live with His people again
- God with us (vv. 3-4, 5b-7)
  - - John first saw something, but now he hears something too
    - A loud voice (v. 3)
      - We’ve seen this concept of the loud voice before
      - The significance of the loud voice is that it will be clear what is being said, no one will misunderstand
      - Everyone will hear it, no one will miss out
      - This voice is coming from the throne, but it is not God speaking, because we saw in the first half of verse 5 that God speaks there and in verses 6-8
      - This is perhaps an angel, one of the four living creatures, or one of the 24 elders that are surrounding the throne – we’re not told
      - The message is a message of hope for all followers of Jesus Christ
    - The message (v. 3)
      - PRINCIPLE – God promises to physically live with His people again.
        The Greek word for dwelling is skēnē (skay-nay’) and literally means “tent” or “tabernacle”
        God made a promise to the Israelites if they were obedient to Him
        Leviticus 26:11-12, I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.
        We see throughout the exodus from Egypt and into the building of the Temple in Jerusalem that God’s presence was with His people through His Shekinah glory
        His presence was evident through a pillar of fire at night and a cloud during the day as they wandered through the desert
        At Mt. Sinai His presence covered the top of the mountain with a cloud
        At the Temple in Jerusalem His presence descended in the form of a cloud
        At Jesus’ transfiguration, God’s presence was in the form of a cloud
        While God showed His presence through His Shekinah glory in Old Testament times, in the New Testament times He came to physically dwell among humanity for a short time
        Jesus was God in the flesh
        John 1:14, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
        God came to dwell among us, through Jesus Christ, so that He could fulfill His redemptive plan for humanity
        Jesus was born as a baby, grew up to be a man, ministered throughout Palestine for three years, willingly gave His life on the cross to take our punishment for sin, was buried, and came alive again in three days (all to fulfill God’s plan)
        “God will no longer dwell high and lifted up above his people but will now ‘tabernacle’ in their midst.” [Osborne, 734]
        This is a fulfillment of Leviticus 26:11-12
        It’s also not a temporary dwelling, but a permanent and eternal dwelling with His people
        We will live for eternity in “Eden” (paradise).
      - We will be His people and He will be our God
        About half of the English translations of the Bible have “peoples” instead of “people”
        John uses the plural (laoi) here unlike all the other OT and NT passages that use the singular (laos)
        The significance of this is that John seems to be indicating that God’s people, in the new heaven and new earth, will be from every nation – a diverse group of people
        This will be a fulfillment of prophecy through Zechariah
        Zechariah 2:11, “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.
        This should not come as a surprise to us, since we already know that there are followers of Jesus Christ around the world
      - What an incredible day it will be to have God dwelling with us, physically (we will see Him face-to-face)
      - As if, that isn’t enough, we see in verses 4 and 5b-7 the benefits associated with that
    - The benefits of God dwelling with us (vv. 4, 5b-7)
      - The effects of sin are gone (v. 4)
        PRINCIPLE – God will remove the effects of sin
        God will wipe every tear from our eyes
        Think about God taking a handkerchief and gently wiping every tear from your eyes
        This reminds me of a father caring for his child when they’re hurt
        These would be tears shed on earth as a result of suffering for the name of Christ, but also tears from pain experienced on earth
        No more death
        We already know that death has been thrown into the lake of burning sulfur
        With death removed there will no longer be any mourning or crying
        “Death is only a comma to a Christian – not a period!” [Adrian Rogers cited by Akin, 329]
        No more pain
        Think for a moment of everything that you have been through in this life, so far
        There are all kinds of painful situations that we have experienced that cause us to mourn and cry
        The loss of a child (either before birth, after birth, or as a teenager or adult)
        A spouse that has been unfaithful
        The death of a parent
        A loved one that has turned away from the Lord or has never turned to the Lord
        Financial, emotional, physical, and relational struggles and pain
        All of that will be no more, because the old order of things has passed away
        That’s what we see when God speaks and tells John to write down the words found in verses 6-8
        The words are trustworthy and true
        We can take it to the bank
        We can believe God’s words with every fiber of our being
        God is faithful, He’s kept every promise He’s made
        The promise He makes first is that it is done!
      - It is done (v. 6a)
        God as completed everything that He set out to do
        Every one of His promises have been fulfilled
        “There are in a sense three stages: At the cross Jesus said, ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30), meaning God’s redemptive plan for his sacrificial death. Then in Rev. 16:17 the voice from the throne said, ‘It is over,’ meaning that the events of the eschaton ending this present evil order are finished (cf. 10:6; 11:15, 18; 12:10; 15:1). Finally, God here says ‘They are over,’ meaning that all the events of world history – including the world’s destruction and the inauguration of the final new age – are at an end.” [Osborne, 738]
        Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End
        God was there at the creation of this world and He will be there at the end of it
        God will also be there at the beginning of the new heaven and new earth and will live with His people for all eternity
        God said this of Himself at the beginning of Revelation
        Revelation 1:8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
      - Water of life (6b)
        This is another benefit of having God dwelling with us
        The tree of life will be a part of the new heaven, new earth, and new Jerusalem
        The river of life will run through the city and we will have access to this water
        PRINCIPLE – God promises eternal life to those who seek it.
        John 7:37-38, On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
        “What does a thirsty man do to get rid of his thirst? He drinks. Perhaps there is no better representation of faith in all the Word of God than that. . . . So, dear Soul, whatever your state may be, you can surely receive Christ, for He comes to you like a cup of cold water! (“Good News”) [Charles Spurgeon cited by Akin, 331]
        Notice that it takes initiative on our part to quench our thirst – we have to come
        Also notice that there is no cost for drinking from the spring of the water of life
        This is the first of three images used concerning salvation, the second is the idea of an inheritance
      - Inheritance (7a)
        An inheritance is something that is given to those who are part of the family
        This inheritance includes drinking from the spring of the water of life and having the effects of sin removed, but it also includes what is mentioned in each of the seven letters to the churches [Akin, 332]
        Rev. 2:7 – Ephesus – Access to the tree of life
        Rev. 2:11 – Smyrna – Not be hurt by second death
        Rev. 2:17 – Pergamum – Given hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name
        Rev. 2:26-27 – Thyatira – Authority over the nations and the morning star
        Rev. 3:5 – Sardis – Clothed in white garments, name never blotted out of the book of life, Christ will confess you before His Father and His angels
        Rev. 3:12 – Philadelphia – Pillar in the temple of My God, write on you the name of My God, the name of the new Jerusalem, and My own new name
        Rev. 3:21 – Laodicea – Sit with Me on My throne
        “After the great Chicago fire of 1871, evangelist Dwight L. Moody went back to survey the ruins of his house. A friend came by and said to Moody, ‘I hear you lost everything.’ ‘Well,’ said Moody, ‘you understood wrong. I have a good deal more left than I lost.’ ‘What do you mean?’ the inquisitive friend asked. ‘I didn’t know you were that rich.’ Moody then opened his Bible and read to him Revelation 21:7 – ‘He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God.’” [Wiersbe, 622]
        The third image solidifies the second image
      - Adoption into God’s family (7b)
        God promises to be our God and we will be His children
        Romans 8:15, 23, For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” . . . Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
        Galatians 4:4-5, But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.
    - We know that God will be with those who have overcome, but He will be separated from those who gave in
- Separated from God (v. 8)
  - - We see a short list, that is not exhaustive, of those who will be separated from God, the new heaven and earth, and the new Jerusalem
    - PRINCIPLE – Living with God means bravely embracing His ways instead of the ways of the world.
      - It is important to note that what John is writing here is still coming from God – He is the One that’s saying that hell exists and that individuals choose to go there
      - Vice list
        Cowardly – those who deny Christ openly when confronted with persecution (rootless ones in the parable of the sower in Matt. 13:21, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away)
        Unbelieving – unfaithful and lacking in trust
        Vile – abominable acts, like worshiping beast/emperor
        Murderers – those who killed the saints
        Sexually immoral – spiritually and physically immoral
        Magic arts – deceptive tools of demons
        Idolaters – worshipers of any false god
        All liars – false prophets, those who falsely claim to follow the truth
    - Their eternal destination is the fiery lake of burning sulfur, which is the second death

YOU
- My Next Step Today Is To: Claim the promise that, as a follower of Jesus Christ, I will live for eternity with God in “Eden” (paradise).
- My Next Step Today Is To: Receive eternal life and the promised inheritance by becoming God’s child through adoption. (Read John 1:12-13)

CONCLUSION

“He was just a little fellow. His mother died when he was just a child. His father, in trying to be both mommy and daddy, had planned a picnic. The little boy had never been on a picnic, so they made their plans, fixed the lunch, and packed the car. Then it was time to go to bed, for the picnic was the next day. He just couldn't sleep. He tossed and he turned, but the excitement got to him. Finally, he got out of bed, ran into the room where his father had already fallen asleep, and shook him. His father woke up and saw his son. He said to him, ‘What are you doing up? What's the matter?”

The boy said, ‘I can't sleep.’

The father asked, ‘Why can't you sleep?’

In answering, the boy said, ‘Daddy, I'm excited about tomorrow.’

His father replied, ‘Well, Son, I'm sure you are, and it's going to be a great day, but it won't be great if we don't get some sleep. So why don't you just run down the hall, get back in bed, and get a good night's rest.’

So the boy trudged off down the hall to his room and got in bed. Before long, sleep came--to the father, that is. It wasn't long thereafter that back was the little boy. He was pushing and shoving his father, and his father opened his eyes. Harsh words almost blurted out until he saw the expression on the boy's face. The father asked, ‘What's the matter now?’

The boy said, ‘Daddy, I just want to thank you for tomorrow.’

When I think of my past and the fact that a loving Father would not let me go, reached down in his divine providence, and lifted me off of the streets of Harlem, when I think of what he has done for me and then think that he is planning a new thing for me that will surpass the past, let the record show this night in this place that Benjamin Reaves testified, Father, I want to thank you for tomorrow!”

Benjamin Reaves, "Living Expectantly," Preaching Today, Tape No. 65.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1998/july/3874.html]

March 10, 2019/by Office

Filthy Rags

Jesus Unveiled Revelation Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Holiness, Judgement, Righteousness

Jesus Unveiled

Filthy Rags

(Revelation 20:11-15)

INTRODUCTION

“In Words We Live By, Brian Burrell tells of an armed robber named Dennis Lee Curtis who was arrested in 1992 in Rapid City, South Dakota. Curtis apparently had scruples about his thievery. In his wallet the police found a sheet of paper on which was written the following code:

I will not kill anyone unless I have to.
I will take cash and food stamps—no checks.
I will rob only at night.
I will not wear a mask.
I will not rob mini-marts or 7-Eleven stores.
If I get chased by cops on foot, I will get away. If chased by vehicle, I will not put the lives of innocent civilians on the line.
I will rob only seven months out of the year.
I will enjoy robbing from the rich to give to the poor.

This thief had a sense of morality, but it was flawed. When he stood before the court, he was not judged by the standards he had set for himself but by the higher law of the state.

Likewise when we stand before God, we will not be judged by the code of morality we have written for ourselves but by God's perfect law.”

Craig Brian Larson, Choice Contemporary Stories and Illustrations (Baker, 1998), p.181; Brian Burrell, Words We Live By, (S&S Trade, 1997).

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2000/may/12437.html]

BODY

ME
- Speeding ticket
  - - I’ve probably shared this personal story with you before
    - I was traveling back from the Child Evangelism Fellowship of Ohio’s, Christian Youth In Action training at Cedarville University, when I got stopped by a local police officer in a small town
    - I knew the speed limit through the small town was 25 miles per hour (MPH) and had been going that speed until I saw the 35 MPH sign
    - What I didn’t know was that the local police officer was sitting right before the 35 MPH sign
    - Long story, short, he cited me for speeding
    - I took the citation and finished my trip home
    - In my humanness, I could have asked God why He allowed that to happen to me, because I was returning from helping young people learn how to teach children about Him – I was doing something good
    - I went back to pay the fine in person and tried to convince the clerk that I didn’t need to pay the court fees, because I wasn’t going to court to contest it
    - I obviously didn’t understand how the court system works – I guess it still had to come before the judge, so they had to charge the court fees
- Changing the oil or working on the car
  - - I’m doing a good thing when I change the oil in my car, but I don’t wear my best clothes to do it
    - There are certain clothes that I wear when I’m working on our cars, especially when I’m changing the oil
    - They are stained from previous use for the same purpose
    - Even though they have been washed, I still consider them to be filthy
    - They also have holes in them and could be referred to as rags
    - I’m doing good things while wearing these filthy rags

WE
- We all probably have some filthy rags we wear?
  - - Perhaps we all wear certain clothes when we clean the house or work in the yard
    - Maybe we have certain clothes we wear to mow the lawn or work on our vehicles
- Good works
  - - All of us have perhaps questioned God in the past about why He allowed something difficult to come into our lives while we were doing something good
    - It’s easy to question God, when we’re returning from helping at the food pantry and our car breaks down
    - Maybe we took someone to a doctor’s appointment and then we find out a week later at our doctor’s appointment that we are dealing with some medical condition of our own
    - God doesn’t accept us solely on the good things we have done, but on the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for us on the cross
    - God sees us through the righteousness of Jesus Christ
    - Our good deeds are an expression and result of the transformational power of the Gospel
    - We do good, because we love God, not to gain favor with Him

What John sees after Satan is thrown into the lake of burning sulfur is the judgment of the dead, which would include those who were just devoured by fire from heaven. Some books are opened that probably contained all of the deeds they had done. But those deeds didn’t cut it. Their name had to be found in the Book of Life. John wants us to understand that . . .

BIG IDEA – Our “righteousness” falls short.

God’s judgment isn’t based on whether or not our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds. Isaiah 64:6 says, All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Our own “righteousness” isn’t sufficient to avoid God’s judgment and eternal punishment.

Let’s pray

GOD (Revelation 20:11-15)
- Judge (v. 11)
  - - Great white throne
      - Great
        The Greek word μέγαν (megan) has been used throughout the book of Revelation
        It is referring to something that is large or loud
        A loud voice
        Great tribulation
        Huge sword
        This is the throne where the final eternal judgment will be handed down
        Perhaps the word “great” is used to differentiate it from the thrones mentioned in Revelation 20:4
        It is also possible that this throne was much larger than those thrones, because of who is sitting on the throne and the task they will have in judging humanity
        This throne has great significance as does the color associated with it
      - White
        Most scholars agree that the color is representative of the purity of the One sitting on it
        The One sitting there is holy, pure, without blemish
        That is why they are able to judge humanity
        It also represents the glory and majesty of the One occupying this throne
        The color white has been used to represent purity and holiness throughout the book of Revelation
        Rev. 1:14 – Christ has white hair
        Rev. 14:14 – Christ sits on a white cloud
        Rev. 19:11 Christ returns on a white horse
        Rev. 4:4 – celestial beings wear white
        Rev. 3:4, 5; 6:11; 7:9, 13 – the triumphant saints wear white
        Rev. 19:14 – the saints return with Christ on white horses
      - We are given a description of the throne, but not the One who is sitting there
    - God/Jesus seated there
      - Because of the description of the throne, we know that only two individuals could occupy it – God and Jesus
      - PRINCIPLE – God is holy (God the Father or Son of God)
        1 Samuel 2:2, “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.”
        That God is holy, means that He is completely pure, without sin
        The same is true of Jesus Christ, He is completely pure, without blemish, which is why He was the only One who could take our punishment for sin
        2 Corinthians 5:21, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
        That’s the awesome reality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
        We cannot take care of our sin problem on our own, we have to have a substitute
        Jesus willingly took our place on the cross – He bore all of our sin in His body on the cross
        Because of that ultimate, selfless, sacrifice on the cross, God sees us as righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ, when we repent of our sins, turn to Him and follow Him
        That’s why He is able to sit on the great white throne and judge justly, because He is holy!
      - Is it God or Jesus sitting on the great white throne?
        Naturally we would answer that it is God sitting on the throne
        Because the Father and the Son are One, we could say that they are both sitting on the throne
        Jesus sitting on the throne to judge has some great Biblical backing
        John 5:22, 26-27, Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, . . . For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
        Acts 10:42, He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.
        2 Timothy 4:1, In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:
        There are other passages as well that talk about Jesus being the One who is given authority to judge
        While John simply mentions him who was seated on it, we can know with confidence that he is referring to Jesus
      - As this scene unfolds, we see that the Earth and sky flee from his presence
    - Earth and sky flee
      - “The Morgan sea gypsies are a small tribe of 181 fishermen who spend much of the year on their boats fishing in the Andaman Sea from India to Indonesia and back to Thailand. In December, though, they live in shelters on the beaches of Thailand. In December 2004, in the hours before the killer Tsunami crashed ashore, the Morgan sea gypsies were living on those beaches. They were in harm's way and would have likely all perished—had they not listened to their elders.
        
        For generations, the elders of the tribe had passed along one piece of wisdom. The tribe's 65-year-old village chief Sarmao Kathalay says, “The elders told us that if the water recedes fast it will reappear in the same quantity in which it disappeared.”
        
        And that is exactly what happened. The sea drained quickly from the beach, leaving stranded fish flopping on the shore. How easy it would have been for those who live off of the sea to run down where the water had been minutes ago and fill every basket available with fish. Some people did just that in other areas of South Thailand. Not the Morgan sea gypsies. When the water receded from the beach, the tribal chief ordered every one of the 181 tribal members to run to a temple in the mountains of South Surin Island. When the waters crashed ashore, the 181 sea gypsies were safe on high ground.” (Craig Brian Larson, Arlington Heights, Illinois; source: "How 'Sea Gypsies' Survived the Tsunami," Associated Press, as seen in) [https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2005/january/15717.html]
      - No place to hide
        When the sixth seal was opened, the inhabitants of the earth hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountain
        Read Revelation 6:12-17
        “John sees a great white throne and One seated on it from whom the earth and sky fled away, and yet there was in the end no place to seek asylum. The One who sits on the throne is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. One cannot avoid the presence of an omnipresent God nor seek asylum from an omniscient and omnipotent God.” [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 359]
        There will be no place for unbelievers to hide from the judgment of God
      - Preparation for the new heaven and the new earth
        That’s what John sees next in Revelation 21
        Isaiah 51:6, Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies, my righteousness will never fail.
        Read Romans 8:18-22
        2 Peter 3:10-12, But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
      - John tells us that there was no place for the Earth and sky to go – judgment and destruction has come
    - We see from verse 11 that Jesus is the Judge, but who is being judged and what are they being judged on?
- Judgment (vv. 12-13)
  - - Who all is being judged?
      - There are two beliefs that we’ll look at briefly
        The minority belief
        They believe that both believers and unbelievers are being judged at the great white throne
        They point to the book of life being mentioned in verse 12 as one indicator that it is talking about believers and then verse 13 would be referring to unbelievers
        They also reference Revelation 20:4 as only the martyrs being raised to life to reign with Christ for a thousand years
        So, where is the judgment of the believers?
        The majority belief
        Most scholars hold to the belief that only unbelievers are being judged at the great white throne
        They distinguish between the “Judgment Seat of Christ” (The Bema Seat of Judgment) and the “Great White Throne Judgment”
        They use Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; and 2 Corinthians 5:10 as references to the Judgment Seat of Christ for believers
        They definitely believe that all of humanity will stand in judgment before Jesus Christ, but they only see unbelievers represented in Revelation 20:12-13
        There is also the idea that when it is speaking about the dead, it is referring to the spiritually dead (unbelievers)
        I lean towards the majority belief, that only unbelievers are being judged at the Great White Throne Judgment
        If we remove the modern Bible translation paragraph headings and read it like John’s audience would have, then what we find in the context is important
        The vast, innumerable army that Satan rallies after being released from the Abyss are all devoured by fire from heaven
        Satan in thrown into the lake of burning sulfur with the beast and the false prophet, then John sees the great white throne and Jesus sitting in judgment
        It seems in the context that Jesus immediately judges those who have been devoured by fire from heaven
        It is these spiritually dead, together with the spiritually dead who physically died in the past, that are being judged
        PRINCIPLE – We will all stand before Jesus in judgment.
        So, whether the great white throne judgment is only unbelievers or both believers and unbelievers, the principle remains the same
        We see this Matthew 25:31-33, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
        We’ll see more of Jesus’ teaching about this in just a moment
      - There is no escape from judgment – no one is exempt
    - Dead standing before the throne (vv. 12a, 13a)
      - It seems logical that the dead mentioned in verse 12a are referring to those who have just been devoured by the fire from heaven
      - Then in verse 13a we see unbelievers, who physically died in the past, being resurrected for their final judgment
        It doesn’t matter if they died by drowning in the sea, without their body being recovered, or if they died on land and had a proper burial
        From wherever they died, they will be resurrected to stand before the great white throne and Jesus Christ
      - John also sees that some books are opened
    - Books were opened
      - One of the books is identified as the book of life, which will play an important role when unbelievers are punished in verse 15
      - The other books are not specifically identified
        The fact that “books” is plural means that there are multiple books being referenced
        Some commentators identify them as the “books of works” simply because the unbelievers are being judged based on what they had done
      - That’s what we see in the second half of verses 12 and 13
    - Judged according to what they had done (vv. 12b, 13b)
      - Let’s return, then, to Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25
      - We already know from Jesus’ teaching in verses 31-33 that everyone, both believers and unbelievers, will stand before His throne and He will separate them
      - What we see next is Jesus addressing those on his right, first, then those on his left
        The righteous (Matt. 25:34-40)
        He calls those on his right blessed and invites them to enjoy the kingdom prepared for them since the creation of the world
        He then lists the things they had done for Him without even thinking about it (fed the hungry, gave water to the thirsty, invited strangers in, clothed the naked, looked after the sick, and visited prisoners)
        The righteous wonder when they had done these things for the Lord and he tells them that if they have done it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters, they did it to him
        The unrighteous (Matt. 25:41-45)
        Those on his left he calls cursed and tells them to leave him and enter into the eternal fire prepared for them
        Their deeds did not include feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, inviting strangers in, clothing the naked, or visiting the incarcerated
        The king tells them that if they did not do it to one of the least of these, they did not do it to him
      - The final verse of Matt. 25 says, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (v. 46)
      - PRINCIPLE – Jesus will judge unbelievers on their own righteousness.
        When unbelievers stand before Jesus at the great white throne, they will be judged on their own righteous acts
        Unfortunately, they will realize that their righteous acts are nothing more than filthy rags in Jesus’ eyes
        Our good deeds, our righteous acts are not what gets us into heaven, where we will have eternal life
        Our name has to be written in the book of life
        John 14:6, Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
        God’s standard requires a perfect sacrifice for sin
        Jesus was that perfect sacrifice
        No human being is perfect, because we are all born with a “want to” to sin
        Romans 3:10-12, “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
        Romans 5:8-11, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
        Our names will be written in the book of life if we believe that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life
        My Next Step Today Is To: Repent of my sins and believe in Jesus as the way and the truth and the life.
        If we decide to reject God’s perfect plan of reconciliation, then we will stand before Jesus some day and be judged on our own righteousness
        Our “righteousness” falls short.
    - Once the verdict comes down, “guilty,” then the punishment is announced
- Punishment (vv. 14-15)
  - - Death and Hades punished
      - Death and Hades are both “personifications of the realm of evil” [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 722]
      - Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire
      - The lake of fire is the second death – spiritual death, complete separation from God for eternity
    - Unbelievers punished
      - The book of life is the primary source for determining whether or not a person goes to heaven or hell
      - The “books of works” simply lists the good and bad things individuals have done, but they have no authority when it comes to salvation, eternal life, and entering heaven
      - Only the book of life has that authority

YOU
- Is your name in the book of life?
  - - Have you repented of your sins and turned to Jesus as the way and the truth and the life?
    - Have you been justified by believing that Jesus took your punishment for sin when He died on the cross, was buried, and came alive again?
    - Your own righteous acts will only be written in the books of works and not the book of life
    - Take time to make sure your name is in the book of life today!
- Righteous acts
  - - Our righteous acts should come from a heart that has been transformed by the power of the Gospel
    - We don’t do good to gain favor with God, we do good because of what God has done for us
    - James talks about faith and action working together
      - They are not mutually exclusive
      - James 2:15-17, 21-22, Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. . . . Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
    - As followers of Jesus Christ we will be judged on our faith and actions working together (James and Jesus both said it)
    - Where are you with faith and actions working together?
      - Jesus gave us a short list in Matthew 25 of some of the things we should be doing to show our faith in action
      - Feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, inviting strangers in, clothing the naked, and visiting those in prison
      - This is just a starting point for us as believers
      - Are you involved in at least one of these activities on a regular basis?
      - My Next Step Today Is To: Show that my faith and actions are working together by serving others in some capacity.

WE
- As I mentioned last week we have responsibility as believers to share the Gospel with those in our sphere of influence
- We also have the responsibility to take care of those who are in need
  - - We have teams that serve at the Gettysburg Soup Kitchen and the Upper Adams Food Pantry
    - We are collecting items throughout this year for Operation Christmas Child
    - There are shut-ins who just want someone to talk to and visit with
    - There are children, youth, and adults who are looking for someone to disciple them or teach them
    - There are many other opportunities to serve those in our community

CONCLUSION

“After moving to a new state, I walked into the Department of Motor Vehicles to get my new driver's license. Imagine my surprise when the guy behind the desk said he couldn't help me because my license was suspended.

I said, "There must be some mistake. I've never done anything to deserve that."

The civil servant was very civil and said I had to clear up the problem with the State of Massachusetts before he could help me. I hadn't lived in Massachusetts for 10 years, so I couldn't imagine what was wrong. But five long distance phone calls later, I found that it was no mistake—the law had finally caught up with me. When I'd moved from that state a decade before, I owed part of an excise tax of two dollars.

Blissfully unaware that I was a scofflaw, the tiny little bill began to work hard accruing penalties and interest. That bill had to be settled—and I had to pay for a new Massachusetts driver's license and registration for a car that had long ago become scrap metal—before I could become legal in my new home state. The price tag was nearly $300.

The whole thing made me a lot embarrassed. It wasn't so much the money that bothered me. It was knowing that I was guilty—on the wrong side of the law for all those years without even being aware of it.

How shocking it will be for those who stand before the God of the Universe one day and realize, for the first time, that he holds them accountable.”

Submitted by John Beukema, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2006/july/9070306.html]

March 3, 2019/by Office

The Sleeper Cell

Jesus Unveiled Revelation Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Deception, Sin

Jesus Unveiled

The Sleeper Cell

(Revelation 20:7-10)

INTRODUCTION

“As a kid, I loved Mission Sundays, when missionaries on furlough brought special reports in place of a sermon …. There is one visit I've never forgotten. The missionaries were a married couple stationed in what appeared to be a particularly steamy jungle. I'm sure they gave a full report on churches planted or commitments made or translations begun. I don't remember much of that. What has always stayed with me is the story they shared about a snake.

One day, they told us, an enormous snake—much longer than a man—slithered its way right through their front door and into the kitchen of their simple home. Terrified, they ran outside and searched frantically for a local who might know what to do. A machete-wielding neighbor came to the rescue, calmly marching into their house and decapitating the snake with one clean chop.

The neighbor reemerged triumphant and assured the missionaries that the reptile had been defeated. But there was a catch, he warned: It was going to take a while for the snake to realize it was dead.

A snake's neurology and blood flow are such that it can take considerable time for it to stop moving even after decapitation. For the next several hours, the missionaries were forced to wait outside while the snake thrashed about, smashing furniture and flailing against walls and windows, wreaking havoc until its body finally understood that it no longer had a head.

Sweating in the heat, they had felt frustrated and a little sickened but also grateful that the snake's rampage wouldn't last forever. And at some point in their waiting, they told us, they had a mutual epiphany.

I leaned in with the rest of the congregation, queasy and fascinated. "Do you see it?" asked the husband. "Satan is a lot like that big old snake. He's already been defeated. He just doesn't know it yet. In the meantime, he's going to do some damage. But never forget that he's a goner."

The story [still] haunts me because I have come to believe it is an accurate picture of the universe. We are in the thrashing time, a season characterized by our pervasive capacity to do violence to each other and ourselves. The temptation is to despair. We have to remember, though, that it won't last forever. Jesus has already crushed the serpent's head.”

Carolyn Arends, “Satan’s a Goner: A lesson from a Headless Snake,” Christianity Today (February 2011).

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2011/april/7041111.html].

BODY

ME
- Addictive behaviors
  - - I’ve mentioned before that every individual is drawn to addictive behavior, but it manifests itself differently in each person
    - For me, my addictive behavior manifests itself in two primary ways: work and video games
- Modeled or not
  - - My father was a very hard worker, so a strong work ethic was modeled for me, which probably played a major role in how I look at work and my addictive behaviors concerning work
    - My father never really played video games, so that part of my addictive behavior was not modeled for me, but is part of who I am
    - The desire to play video games was something that sat dormant in my life until I began playing them
    - In both situations, I have a choice whether or not to give in to those addictive behaviors
    - I obviously can’t blame my father for being addicted to video games, but I also can’t blame my father for being addicted to work
    - I have a choice!

WE
- Addictive behaviors
  - - I would guess that there are individuals here today who are also addicted to video games and work
    - Addictive behaviors manifest themselves in many other ways also (alcohol, drugs, pornography, sex, hunting, fishing, shopping, hobbies, and many other ways)
- We have a choice
  - - I’ve met with individuals who blame their parents or other circumstances for their addictive behaviors as adults
    - Certainly the environment we grew up in and circumstances that were beyond our control have greatly influenced who we are today, so I’m not marginalizing those things
    - But, too often we allow those things to continue to control us and shape us as adults, when we have a choice
    - A first-grade boy was talking at lunch about how some people eat cats and dogs, which caused a girl in his class to think about her dog that had passed away. She couldn’t stop thinking about her dog and it was making her sad. The teacher shared with her that we have control over our thought life. We can decide what we’re going to think about. God can help us control our thoughts. We have a choice to take control of our thought life.

John explains that Satan is released after a thousand years and he picks back up, right where he left off, with deceiving the nations. Amazingly, there are innumerable people who will follow him and reject God. John wants us to understand that . . .

BIG IDEA – The “want to” to sin is inside all of us.

Let’s pray

GOD (Revelation 20:7-10)
- Satan’s release (v. 7)
  - - After the thousand year reign of Christ, Satan is released from his prison (the Abyss)
      - Was it a literal thousand years or figurative?
      - It could be either one
      - It could represent a thousand literal years
      - It could also be figurative for a long period of time
      - Both represent the passing of many years, which helps us understand the main point/principle
    - Why does God allow Satan one final grasp at power?
      - Akin provides a twofold answer [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 311]
        “To demonstrate the evil intentions of Satan that consume him now and forever.”
        “To reveal that even in a near perfect environment with no Satanic temptation, man is capable of and willing to rebel against his gracious and loving God.”
      - PRINCIPLE – Human depravity is not a result of our environment or circumstances.
        Every one of us is born with the “sleeper cell of sin” inside of us
        The “want to” to sin is there from the beginning, waiting to come alive
        “Perhaps the most reasonable explanation for this rather unusual parole is to make plain that neither the designs of Satan nor the waywardness of the human heart will be altered by the mere passing of time.” [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, 371]
        We see from this long period of time, when Satan’s influence and temptation are not a factor in humanity, that human beings still rebel against God, and given the opportunity, will turn to evil instead of good
        Jeremiah 17:9, The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
      - So we can blame whomever we want for how we’ve turned out, but the reality is, WE have chosen our path, we have chosen whether to follow God or reject Him
      - There is no one else to blame, but ourselves
    - Satan is released from the Abyss and immediately begins to do what comes natural to him – deception!
- Satan’s deception (vv. 8-9a)
  - - Deceive the nations
      - PRINCIPLE – Satan is determined to deceive people concerning God.
        “Whenever the devil is around, he will deceive the nations.” [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 377]
        The amazing thing is that we, as Christians, are just as susceptible to the deceptions of Satan as anyone else
        He uses false teachers within the body of Christ to twist the truth, just a little bit, so that in some cases we don’t even realize what’s happening
        We begin to follow a certain preacher or teacher and can easily begin to believe everything they say without testing it against Scripture
        Jesus was teaching the Jews one day and telling them that the truth He was sharing with them would set them free
        They obviously didn’t understand, because they responded that they had never been slaves, because they were Abraham’s descendants
        They camped on the idea of slavery instead of the truths that Jesus was sharing with them about who He was – the Messiah, the Son of God
        Jesus finally says this, Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:43-44)
        These Jews, who were God’s chosen people, had been deceived by Satan and we know, from the Gospel writers, that they convinced others that Jesus was not the Messiah
        They were, themselves, false teachers
        We can protect ourselves from false teaching and Satan’s deceptions by doing what the Bereans did
        Acts 17:11, Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
        What did the Bereans do?
        They didn’t just take Paul’s word for it
        They studied the Scriptures for themselves
        As a Christian, we have the Holy Spirit living within us to help us understand Scripture
        God will definitely answer, “Yes,” to our prayers for wisdom in understanding His Word, the Bible
        They did it every day
        Share the illustration from Greg Speck at the FamilyLife Weekend to Remember – asked for 3 volunteers to come up and share what God taught them that morning from studying His Word and one answer to prayer from the weekend
        If I don’t read my Bible and pray, will God love me any less? (No)
        “I don’t read the Bible or pray, so God will love me more. I read the Bible and pray, because I love God.” [Greg Speck, FamilyLife Weekend to Remember, Man-to-Man session, February 17, 2019]
        My prayer is that all of us will read God’s Word and pray every day, not because we have to, but because we love Him
        My Next Step Today Is To: Protect myself from Satan’s deceptions by reading God’s Word and praying every day, as an expression of my love for God.
        Satan was released and immediately began to deceive the nations, but who were these people that were being deceived?
      - Who are the nations that John sees as this point?
        There are two primary viewpoints concerning who the nations are
        Some scholars believe that the army assembled in Revelation 19:17-21 that were destroyed did not include every unbeliever on earth (Osborne)
        There were military personnel (kings, generals, mighty men, horses and their riders), but there were also free and slave, small and great
        There may have been unbelievers who had not taken the mark of the beast and had not worshiped the image of the beast
        The “nations” would then be those individuals and their children that were born during the millennium
        Other scholars believe that the nations would be represented by the children born during the millennium (Akin, Courson)
        These children would be born to believers who have not yet received their glorified bodies
        They could also be the children of unbelievers who had not taken the mark of the beast or worshipped his image
        Either way, these individuals have not had the opportunity to determine whether or not to follow the Lord
        They have been “living in enforced righteousness and peace because there’s no other choice.” [Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary, New Testament, 1783]
        When Satan is released and they understand what sin is, then they have a choice to make
        Will they follow Jesus or reject Him
        We see that there is such a large number who rally to Satan’s side that they cannot be counted (In number they are like the sand of the seashore)
      - Satan goes to every corner of the earth in his search to deceive the nations
    - Four corners of the earth
      - The four corners of the earth simply means that Satan goes throughout the entire earth
      - There is no place where his deception is not present
      - Gog and Magog
        Old Testament background
        Genesis 10:2, The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javen, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras.
        Ezekiel 38:2, “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
        Ezekiel 39:1-2, “Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountain of Israel (Magog would be a territory/region to the north of Israel)
        Gog from Magog was used by God to discipline Israel during Old Testament times
        They would have been a pagan nation
        In Revelation, the reference to “Gog and Magog are symbolic figures representing the nations of the world that band together for a final assault upon God and his people.” [Mounce, 372]
        We already know that they are pagan, since they have chosen to follow Satan instead of God
        They will be deceived by Satan
      - John explains why Satan is deceiving the nations – there is a reason and purpose behind his deception
    - Reason why he is deceiving them
      - Satan is gathering an army for battle, because he still believes he can defeat God
      - They marched across the breadth of the earth, which adds to the imagery of Satan deceiving the nations in the four corners of the earth
      - Satan’s deception is complete and thorough
      - So, this army gathers in Israel and surrounds God’s people who have encamped in Jerusalem (the city he loves)
        “Here in Revelation the task of the saints is not to take the battle into their own hands but to encamp before the Lord and trust him.” [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 714]
        PRINCIPLE – We can trust God to fight our battles.
        What kind of battle are you engaged in right now?
        Perhaps it’s relational, financial, emotional, spiritual, or physical
        It may be that we are fighting battles on multiple fronts – which is spreading us thin
        During those battles we can trust God, because He is in control (omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent)
        Psalm 56:3-4, When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
        Isaiah 59:1-2, Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
        Numbers 11:21-23, But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?” The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”
        Jeremiah 32:26-27, Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
        Take a moment to write down the battles you are currently facing
        Are any of them too hard for the Lord?
        Have you encamped before the Lord? (this means have you taken time to tell the Lord what battles you are fighting)
        Are you trusting Him to fight your battles or are you fighting them yourself?
        My Next Step Today Is To: Encamp before the Lord and trust Him to fight my battles.
      - That’s exactly what the saints in this final battle are doing (they’re encamped around the Lord and trusting Him)
    - What we see in the second half of verse 9 and verse 10 is that God is fighting the battle
- Satan’s defeat (vv. 9b-10)
  - - The vast, unnumbered army that Satan has rallied is defeated soundly when God sends fire down from heaven that devours them
      - Just as we saw at the battle of Armageddon in Revelation 19:17-21, the battle is won by the Lord in a very quick moment
      - None of the saints have to engage in battle, because the battle is the Lord’s
    - Satan’s final defeat
      - Satan is thrown into the lake of burning sulfur
      - PRINCIPLE – God is greater than Satan!
        We can and should rejoice in this fact
        That is the God we serve
        He is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever present, unchanging, sovereign, and much more
      - Satan joins his cohorts, the beast and the false prophet, who have already been experiencing eternal torment for a thousand years
      - Again, we see that Satan, the beast, and the false prophet will continue to experience this eternal torment (they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever)

YOU
- Important part
  - - I don’t want us to miss an important part of this passage
    - Those who are born during the millennium or live through the tribulation and had not taken the mark of the beast and did not worship the beast are given the opportunity to receive or reject Jesus Christ
    - Like every one of us, they have the “sleeper cell of sin” inside of them
      - The “want to” to sin is inside all of us.
      - Each individual has to make the decision for themselves as to whether they will accept or reject Christ
      - Jeremiah 17:9-10a, The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind . . .”
      - God understands our heart and knows whether or not it is for Him or against Him
        God provided a way for us to deal with the “sleeper cell of sin” in our lives
        He sent Jesus from heaven to earth to die on a cross to take our punishment for sin
        2 Corinthians 5:21, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
        John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
      - If you would like to make that decision today, please fill in the circle on the back of your Communication Card under the “Send Me Info. About: Becoming a follower of Jesus”
- Protection
  - - We learned today that we can protect ourselves from being deceived by studying God’s Word and praying daily as an expression of our love for God
    - We also learned that God will fight our battles for us, if we allow Him to

WE
- The Great Commission
  - - As followers of Jesus Christ, we have been commissioned to go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them God’s Word
    - We have a responsibility to share the Gospel with those in our sphere of influence
    - The result of not sharing the Gospel could be that they will suffer the same fate as Satan, the beast, and the false prophet – eternal torment in the lake of burning sulfur
    - They have the same “sleeper cell of sin” in their lives that we do, but do they know there is a way to deal with that sin?

CONCLUSION

“Valerie O'Connor, a high school student in Britton, Michigan, isn't in the habit of shoving her 63-year-old grandfather out the door into the snow. But her grandpa, Okey Howard, is glad she did. He was on fire at the time.

A February 2002 ice storm left many Michigan residents without power, so Valerie's grandfather had borrowed a kerosene heater from a friend to keep pipes and family members from freezing.

Unfortunately someone must have put something other than kerosene in the heater. When Mr. Howard lit the heater, it exploded, spewing burning fuel onto his arms, hands, and upper body.

Valerie saw her grandfather completely engulfed, so she pushed him out the door into some snow and rolled on top of him to smother the flames. She suffered minor burns on her legs.

"I knew something had to be done," Valerie said later. "After a moment of shock, I just reacted."

Though badly burned, Mr. Howard had the presence of mind to stumble back into the house, where he used a large extinguisher to put out the house fire.

Valerie rode with her screaming grandfather in the ambulance to the hospital. Mr. Howard said later, "I thought I was going to die. It was like hell."

If a teenager is willing to risk her own life to save her grandfather from a fiery death on earth, how much more should we be willing to risk sharing the good news so others can avoid a fiery eternity. Because of her great love for her grandfather, Valerie put her fears aside and dove into action so he could be saved.”

Clark Cothern, Tecumseh, Michigan; source: Jeff Steers, The Exponent (2-12-02)

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2002/april/13596.html].

February 24, 2019/by Office

The Final Meal

Jesus Unveiled Revelation Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Death, Forgiveness, Judgement

Jesus Unveiled

The Final Meal

(Revelation 19:17-21)

INTRODUCTION

“I came across a book written by a cardiologist at the University of Tennessee that corroborates an important aspect of the biblical message. In the course of their emergency room work, Dr. Maurice Rawlings and his colleagues interviewed more than 300 people who claimed near-death experiences. What made Rawlings' study distinct is that the interviews were not conducted months or years later but immediately after the experiences had allegedly occurred – while the patients were still too shaken up in the immediacy of the moment to gloss over or to re-imagine what they had experienced.

Nearly 50 percent of them reported encountering images of fire, of tormented and tormenting creatures, and other sights hailing from a place very different from heaven. In follow-up interviews much later many of these same people had changed their stories, apparently unwilling to admit to their families, maybe even to themselves, that they had caught a glimpse of something like what the Bible calls hell.

Dr. Rawlings concludes, ‘Just listening to these patients has changed my life. There is a life after death, and if I don't know where I'm going, it is not safe to die.’”

Dan Meyer, “The Light at the End of the Tunnel,” Preaching Today No. 238

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2003/july/14483.html].

Hell is a real place. There is life after death. We know from Scripture that those who are faithful and true to God and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will be with them in paradise (heaven). Those who reject God and refuse to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will be separated from them for all eternity.

In Revelation 19, John’s vision is of two great meals that God will provide – one for those who are faithful and true to Him and one for those who are unfaithful and reject Him.

How many of us are familiar with the phrase, “Call me anything you like, but don’t call me late for dinner?”

BODY

ME
- Dinner bell at Judy’s parent’s farm
  - - The small farm where Judy grew up in Ohio has a bell in the backyard
    - I don’t know how often it was used to call her and her brother for dinner
    - I know when we lived in her parent’s house that we used it as a form of communication to let each other or our children know that they needed to come back to the house
    - It was always a little scary to ring the bell, because wasps enjoyed making a nest up inside the bell – we were never sure whether or not we’d be greeted by some wasps when we rang it
- Calling our children for dinner
  - - More recently we call our children for dinner by calling their name when they’re in the house
    - I’ll whistle off the back porch if they are in the garage or outside somewhere
    - Other times we pick up our cell phone and text or call them

WE
- Being called for dinner
  - - How many of us have ever been called to dinner by a dinner bell (either a triangle or an actual bell)?
    - Perhaps it wasn’t a dinner bell, but a whistle from our father or mother
    - Maybe it was just Mom hollering out the back door
    - Do you remember what happened when we didn’t come right away?
      - I’ve heard stories of children that didn’t come right in for dinner when they were called
      - The result was that when they eventually came in for dinner, their dinner was water and a piece of bread or a cracker
      - It didn’t take too many times of eating bread or a cracker and drinking water to learn that you’d better come running when called for dinner
- How have we called our children to dinner?
  - - Perhaps we’ve whistled
    - Maybe we’ve hollered out the back door, up the stairs, or down the hallway
    - Some of us have probably used technology to our advantage and either called or texted our children

A couple of weeks ago, Pastor Marc shared with us about the wedding supper of the Lamb, which God will provide for those who have been faithful and true to Him. We’re going to be looking at another great meal today that God will provide, but the circumstances behind this meal are completely different. This meal will involve those who have been unfaithful to God and have rejected Him. Revelation 19 reveals to us that every person will be included in one of two meals that God will provide. We have to ask ourselves this question . . .

BIG IDEA – Will we eat or be eaten?

Let’s pray

GOD (Revelation 19:17-21)
- A call to dinner (vv. 17-18)
  - - The messenger
      - It is another angel from heaven
      - This angel is standing in the sun
        The position is important, because it would have been the highest point in the sky [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 356]
        As we’ll see in a moment this position would be important as the angel calls the meal attendees to gather
        The splendor of the angel would be magnified in the fact that it is superimposed in front of the sun
        It would have given the angel an incredible glow or radiance that would be appropriate for God’s messenger
        This would have given the angel the appearance of “shining” with God’s glory
        God’s glory radiating from Jesus and another angel has already been seen in Revelation
        Christ’s “face was like the sun” (Rev. 1:16)
        Mighty angel whose “face is like the sun” (Rv. 10:1)
      - The angel is crying in a loud voice
        This loud voice will be clear and understandable to the those who are being addressed
        They will not question whether or not they heard this angel correctly
        They are being invited to the “great supper of God”
        It’s God’s supper in the sense that God is the One who is providing it
      - John doesn’t keep us in suspense, but immediately identifies who the meal attendees will be
    - The meal attendees
      - It is the birds flying in midair
      - The position of the angel who is calling them to dinner makes sense – it is standing in the sun (the highest point in the sky)
      - We don’t normally think of songbirds eating dead, rotting flesh
      - There are certain birds that come to mind when we think of dead, rotting animals being eaten
        Vultures, Buzzards, and crows
        Kites, Caracaras, Eagles, and Marabou Storks
      - The vultures and buzzards are the ones we see circling high above their meal and eventually descending to eat
      - The sense here is that the angel is at the highest point in the sky and is crying out to these scavenger birds that are circling
      - The meal is being prepared for them, but what will the meal consist of?
    - The meal
      - It will be the flesh of a great army that is gathering, which includes all sinners
      - No sinner will be exempt
        John begins by identifying those who have a military background (kings, generals, mighty men, and the cavalry – horses and their riders)
        The flesh of all people makes it clear that no one is exempt
        The next two pairs of terms make it clear that it includes every socio-economic group (free and slave, small and great)
      - Those who reject Jesus Christ will be eaten by scavenger birds as part of their punishment and destruction
    - What John sees next is what I’m calling meal preparation
- Meal preparation (v. 19-21a)
  - - Preparing a meal
      - I’m not like Judy when it comes to meal preparation
        She is able to move smoothly through the kitchen and add the right amount of spices and seasoning without thinking about it or having to measure it out
        She can have multiply things going at the same time, without worrying about whether or not something will be overcooked
      - I prefer to have everything staged and all the ingredients laid out prior to starting
        I measure out all the ingredients exactly, because I don’t trust myself to add a sprinkle of something here and a dash of something there
        I prefer to work on one dish at a time so I don’t ruin it, which means that not everything is ready at the same time
        You’ve probably guessed that I don’t cook very often
        I am a seasoned and skilled eater, though
    - What John sees next in vv. 19-21a is the preparation of the great supper of God for the scavenger birds
      - He sees the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together
        The ingredients are being laid out in preparation for the meal
        The kings, generals, mighty men, horses and their riders and the rest of those who have rejected Jesus Christ are gathering together – being prepared
        This reminds us of the sixth bowl that was poured out in Revelation 16:12-16, The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. . . . Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
      - Two ingredients will be thrown on the grill, so to say
        The reality of what will happen to these two ingredients will be far worse than simply being grilled
        The beast and the false prophet will be thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur
        We see again a description of the false prophet and what he did – performed many miraculous signs on behalf of the beast
        These signs helped to deceive those who accepted the mark of the beast and worshiped his image
        The signs that the false prophet performed allowed these unbelievers to justify what they had already chosen to do – reject Jesus Christ and continue to live their lives in rebellion against God
        We can be prone to the same things today
        We know what God’s Word says, but we continue to search for an “authority” that will allow us to justify what we want to do, say, or think
        But we see that this kind of justification only leads us to destruction
        We are deluded and deceived, because we have already made up our minds about what we want to do, think, and say
        We can very easily take the “mark” of the world/culture and worship images that are not God
        Our standard has to be God’s Word, the Bible, taught in a way that’s not taken out of context or read and interpreted with preconceived ideas and thoughts
        We have to ask the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom to know exactly what God is telling us in His Word
        My Next Step Today Is To: Ask the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom to understand God’s Word as He meant it to be, so I will not be deluded and deceived by the false prophets of this world or culture.
        The false prophet will be held accountable for leading God’s creation away from Him
        PRINCIPLE – God will punish those who continue to rebel against Him, and especially those who lead others away from Him.
        The beast, who is a “Christ” wannabe, and the false prophet, will be thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur
        It is important to note that they are thrown into the lake, alive
        The punishment that the beast and the false prophet will experience is eternal torment
        We will see that three other groups will be thrown into the “lake of fire”
        The devil (Rev. 20:10)
        Death and Hades (Rev. 20:14a)
        The unbelievers (Rev. 20:14b)
        With these three groups, nothing is mentioned about the fact that they are thrown into the lake of fire, alive
        “The connotation is conscious punishment in the lake of fire, and it may well be that John expected the reader to remember that with respect to the other three groups.” [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 690]
        Any individual who dies in a state of rebellion against God or accepts the mark of the beast and worships him when Christ returns will experience eternal torment in hell
        It breaks my heart to hear people say that they’re fine with going to hell (my guess is that they either don’t know what they’re wishing for or are in denial concerning what it means)
        Most of us have experienced what it’s like to be really thirsty – desiring a cool drink of water, but not being able to have it right then
        Perhaps we just have to wait until we get home, or until the next rest stop comes on the turnpike, or the next exit on the interstate
        It’s a relief to feel the cool, moist liquid slide down our throats and satisfy our thirst
        Now image that we would never be able to satisfy that longing to quench our thirst
        Jesus taught about the rich man and the beggar, Lazarus, in Luke 16:19-31
        Let’s pick up the story in Luke 16:22-31
        We see in this story that the rich man is in hell and is continually in torment
        There is a chasm that cannot be crossed
        Notice, too, that Abraham tells the rich man that his five brothers have Moses and the Prophets (their scriptures, individuals in their day and age who are telling them about God)
        If these five brothers will not listen to God’s Word through His chosen messengers, they will not listen to someone who returns from the dead (something supernatural)
        We have God’s Holy Word today, the Bible
        There are pastors, evangelists, and teachers (all Christians) who are telling us about God and Jesus Christ
        We have to listen to them, instead of seeking a supernatural experience from God
        If we die or Christ returns and we are still in rebellion against God and reject Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives, then we will be eternally separated from God and experience eternal torment
        I’m not sharing this today to try to scare anyone into heaven, I’m sharing this because this is truth and reality
        God will punish sinners when Jesus comes the second time and His punishment will be complete and permanent
        But every person has the chance to change their eternity
        You can change your eternal address today!
        Sin (Rom. 3:23; Rom. 6:23)
        God’s love (Rom. 5:8)
        God’s redemption plan (1 Peter 3:18a, For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God)
        John 5:24, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
        My Next Step Today Is To: Cross over from death to life and receive God’s eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ.
        God’s punishment for rebellion and rejection of Christ will be eternal torment
        Final preparations are then made for the great supper of God
      - The kings, generals, mighty men, horses and their riders, and the rest of the unbelievers are killed
        As I mentioned last week, Jesus’ army is present at the battle, but only as spectators
        We see that the final meal preparations are done quickly
        The rest of the beast’s army are killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse
        This reminds us again that God’s words, through Jesus Christ are powerful
        His words were powerful enough to speak the world into existence
        His words are powerful enough to transform anyone’s life
        His words will be powerful enough to defeat Satan’s army
    - The table is set, the meal is ready, and the guests have arrived
- The meal (v. 21b)
  - - The scavenger birds don’t waste time
    - They feed on the flesh of all unbelievers who refuse to acknowledge that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords

YOU
- Will you eat or be eaten?
- Wedding feast of the Lamb
  - - This is reserved for those who have remained faithful and true to God and have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
    - You can put your reservation in today by believing in the Word of God and Jesus Christ
    - You can cross over from death to life and not have to experience eternal torment in hell
- Great supper of God
  - - Don’t wait because we’re never guaranteed tomorrow
    - God may require your life today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, or sometime in the future
    - If you die in a state of rebellion against God and you haven’t believed in Jesus Christ, then you will be eaten (food for the birds) as part of the great supper of God

WE
- As followers of Jesus Christ, we are all commissioned to share the Good news of the Gospel with those in our sphere of influence
- We all have the responsibility to invite our family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers to the wedding feast of the Lamb
- Don’t hesitate to share the Gospel with them today or this week
- It’s the difference between enjoying an incredible banquet meal with Jesus or being the meal for birds

CONCLUSION

“In their book Crashmaker: A Federal Affaire, Victor Sperandeo and Alvaro Almeida paint a graphic picture of hell. The villain, Alan Stillwell, has a nightmare in which he meets the philosopher Voltaire in perdition:

Voltaire's countenance appeared white, not because it was dead, bloodless flesh, but because it was a mask of the most intense, living fire. So, too, flames enveloped his whole body—if, indeed, what Stillwell saw beneath the fire could properly be called a body at all. Twisted and deformed, it mocked the shape of a man. As black as charcoal, shimmering in reds and oranges with the incandescence of combustion, the thing seethed with ulcers of molten flesh that suppurated to a white heat, spit out jets of fiery matter, then collapsed upon themselves, only to burst forth in some other spot.

At the margins of these migrant craters emerged orange ribbons—no, Stillwell saw to his horror, worms. Standing on end, the creatures writhed in the flames, then melted into a translucent yellow liquid that poured back over the body and ignited, the bluish tongues of fire from this foul fuel spawning more of the awful parasites that then bored their way back into the body. As Stillwell watched, his mouth agape, chunks of Voltaire's black flesh crumbled in showers of sparks, revealing bones almost transparent in their white heat. The fire all around consumed the flesh before it fell far. But when Stillwell looked again, the body was once more intact—always destroying itself, yet always whole. A fool's cap of the most intense flames crowned the [philosopher's] head, but not because his hair itself was alight. Rather, in the manner of a wick drawing on an inexhaustible reservoir, the follicles sucked from fissures in Voltaire's skull liquefied brain that burned with a fury born of the unhappy combination of the intellectual brilliance of his mind and the perverse purposes to which he had put it.

Somehow, Stillwell could bear to look on all that. What he saw in Voltaire's eyes, though, shook [him] to his core: all the depravity of man the philosopher had unleashed during and after his lifetime. And, underlying that monstrous crime against humanity, its true cause: Voltaire's overweening pride . . . .[Voltaire confesses,] ‘My own reason enchained me, too, in disbelief. I ridiculed the Absolute. I imagined myself capable of giving new laws to the world, even of dethroning God. But what help were my pithy skepticism, my witty unbelief, all the blasphemies of my facile pen when at length I found my name inscribed in the Book of Eternal Death? Oh, then to erase, to amend! Alas, too late. I pulled down the Prophet, Priest, and King from the Cross without knowing that, in so doing, I would nail myself there in His stead, to become defenseless before the supreme tribunal, with no Savior to forgive my transgressions, no Church to reconcile me with my Creator.’

Stillwell shuttered, as if a dagger had been driven into the soul he knew he did not have. ‘Why do you want to save me?’ he probed.’ ‘Save you?!’ the spirit shrieked, shaking with fury. ‘I long for your damnation! To work for the salvation of souls my own sins have corrupted is part of my punishment. How it tortures me to fear that you might be saved, whilst I must remain forever [here].’”

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2002/january/13472.html]

February 10, 2019/by Office

The Second Coming!

Jesus Unveiled Revelation Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Faithfulness, Kingdom of God, Truth

Jesus Unveiled

The Second Coming!

(Revelation 19:11-16)

INTRODUCTION

“I would like to take you, if I could, to a graphic portrayal of the Word of God in a great cathedral in Milan. Come in out of the glare of the Italian sunshine, pass through the cathedral doors, and suddenly see stretching out before you, Europe's third largest cathedral where fifty-two marbled columns hold up the lofty, octagonal dome, with over 4,400 turrets and pinnacles. Statues of angels rise all about us, and the effect is one of an incomparable combination of grace and grandeur, beauty and vastness.

Up front behind the altar, like a window opening out of heaven, is one of the largest stained glass windows in the world. Depicted here is not an Old Testament scene. That stained glass window does not depict the resurrection of Jesus Christ the Lord, not his crucifixion or ascension. With tremendous imagery the window depicts the triumph of Jesus Christ the Lord.

The afternoon sun strains in, turning the window into a sea of glass mingled with fire. You see the vials being outpoured, the trumpets, Michael and his angels in battle against the dragon, the great angel with the rainbow upon his head and one foot upon the earth and the other upon the heaven, declaring in the name of him who lives forever and ever that time shall be no longer. Bound with a chain, Satan is thrown into the bottomless pit at last. The great white throne glows in the sunlight.

Most impressive of all is the great, white horse. Upon the horse sits a still greater rider with the armies of heaven behind him. He comes to set everything straight at last for everyone of us who has hoped in him, and for everyone who has been subjected to the pain and prejudice of living for Jesus Christ in a world seemingly gone mad.”

R. Geoffrey Brown, “Look! A Great White Horse!,” Preaching Today, Tape No. 111.

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1998/july/3863.html]

BODY

ME
- High School
  - - The last two years of high school I had a real problem with cussing
    - I was cussing pretty much all the time, except around my parents and other church families
    - My best friend and I started cussing, because we thought it was funny
    - Unfortunately for me it became a habit and I started using cuss words all the time
    - As graduation got closer, I realized that I didn’t want to be characterized as a person who cussed all the time
    - I determined that I was going to be different when I got to college in the fall
    - By God’s grace and through His power, I was able to stop cussing
    - But, if you would have talked to my best friend in high school, he probably would have said that I was someone who used a lot of foul language
- College
  - - Throughout college I’m sure I cussed from time-to-time, but it was rare
    - I was striving to be a better person – someone who chose their words wisely – someone who found other words to use instead of cuss words
    - If you would have talked to any of my college friends, they probably would have said that I was someone who did not cuss at all – they would characterize me differently

WE
- Two separate lives
  - - Perhaps we’ve all struggled with living two separate lives
    - We act one way at school or work and act a different way at home
    - When we go to church or are around church people, we may act differently than when we are at home, school, or work
- Who would people say you are?
  - - What characteristics would your friends at school use to describe you?
    - What characteristics would your coworkers use to describe you?
    - How would your family characterize you?

Jesus asked His disciples an important question in Matthew 16:13-17 (read the passage). He wanted to know how the public perceived Him and He wanted to know how His disciples characterized Him.

John shares his vision of Jesus’ second coming in Revelation 19:11-16. There are four names for Jesus that are used in this passage. We also see other descriptive words used to describe Jesus’ character. John tells us exactly who Jesus is as He returns to earth the second time, but not everyone will see Him that way. So we have to ask ourselves this question . . .

BIG IDEA – Who do you say Jesus is?

Let’s pray

Let’s see then how Jesus is characterized as He returns to earth the second time.

GOD (Revelation 19:11-16)
- Faithful and True (vv. 11-12a)
  - - As this part of the vision begins, John sees heaven standing open
      - The first time that John saw heaven opened was in Revelation 4:1, which was the beginning of his second vision (he was able to see the sights and hear the sounds of the glorious worship of God in heaven)
      - This time the gates of heaven are opened so that the Bridegroom (Jesus), who is now portrayed as a conquering King, can descend to earth and complete the work He began the first time He came to earth (justification, sanctification, glorification)
    - In front of him was a white horse with a rider on it
      - The color of the horse represented victory
      - In the 1st Century, rulers who returned from war, victorious, would be paraded around their home city riding on a white horse
    - The rider’s name is Faithful and True
      - Faithful
        It is the idea that Jesus is dependable, reliable, and trustworthy [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition, Revelation, 294]
        Jesus modeled faithfulness, for us, as His followers, because He knew that we would be confronted with the hostilities of this world and our culture
        Faithfulness, for us, is remaining true to God when we’re persecuted, made fun of, and labeled by those who oppose Christ, the church, and the Gospel
      - True
        True means that Jesus is authentic, genuine, and real [Akin, 294]
        He is true to His calling and purpose [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 680]
      - What this means for us
        “What He says you can believe. When He acts you can trust Him.” [Akin, 294]
        “Jesus was faithful and true in his first coming to the mission the heavenly Father entrusted to him.” [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 353]
        John 17:4, I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
        Because Jesus was faithful and true the first time He came to earth, God can trust Him with the final judgment that must be handed down
        We can also trust that Jesus will complete God’s work on earth and that He will do it fairly, because He knows everything
      - The next three phrases explain, in more detail, Jesus’ character as a result of being faithful and true
    - Who Jesus is
      - Just and righteous
        Jesus’ judgments of the inhabitants of the earth will be something we can believe in
        We can trust that He will act fairly and provide the proper punishment for those who have rejected Him
        The war that is about to be fought will be waged in righteousness
        “It means that God dispenses justice on the basis of his own righteous standards, that he always does what is right.” [Osborne, 680]
        We see this attribute of Jesus and God expressed by the altar in heaven and the great multitude in heaven
        Revelation 16:7, And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”
        Revelation 19:1-2a, After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments.”
        Jesus is fair and right in judging and making war, because He knows everything
      - Omniscient
        This is not the first time that Jesus’ eyes are described as being fiery
        Revelation 1:14, His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.
        There, as here in Rev. 19:12, Jesus’ blazing eyes represent the fact that He sees everything
        The fire of His eyes also represents judgment
        Because Jesus is faithful and true and He is sees and knows everything about each individual, He will judge everyone fairly
        Application
        “Jesus peers into the depths of our souls. He sees every act, every thought, every emotion.” [Akin, 294]
        Nothing is hidden from Him, which means that He can rule, judge, and act in a way that is fair, right, and true
        Children do not naturally hide what they are thinking and feeling – that’s a learned behavior from their parents and other adults around them
        The older we get the more we’re able to conceal what we’re really thinking about and feeling
        Then in our senior years, we revert back to child-like behaviors and either don’t care or cannot hide how we’re thinking and feeling
        I was talking with a doctor the other week and she mentioned that senior citizens struggle with some of the same things that children struggle with, so some of the treatments and medication they give to seniors are the same as what they would do with children
        While we may be able to conceal our thoughts, feelings, and emotions from other human beings, we cannot conceal them from God
        He knows and sees every action, thought, and emotion
        Are there any actions, thoughts, or attitudes you are concealing from certain people, or everyone else, but God?
        God’s judgment of those actions, thoughts, and attitudes will be fair and right
        God’s desire is that we live in harmony with everyone
        Romans 12:14-17, Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
        Philippians 2:1-4, If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort form his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being on in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
        My Next Step Today Is To: Recognize that God sees and knows everything and confess any actions, thoughts, or attitudes that are not pleasing to Him.
        Jesus is not only all-knowing, but He is also sovereign
      - Sovereign
        This means that He has the right to rule and He rules rightly in my life
        John sees Jesus riding on a white horse, with blazing eyes, and many crowns on His head
        Two kinds of crowns in Scripture
        Stephanos – victor’s wreath
        Rev. 12:1, worn by the woman
        Rev. 14:4, worn by Christ
        Rev. 2:10; 3:11; 4:4, worn by the victorious saints
        Diadéma – ruler’s crown
        Rev. 12:3, worn by the dragon
        Rev. 13:1, worn by the beast
        Rev. 19:12, worn by Christ
        The dragon and the beast were simply pretenders
        They were trying to claim a crown that was not theirs
        Think for a moment about someone you look up to – would you ever imagine for a moment that you could fill their shoes? (most of us would answer, “No”)
        The dragon and the beast thought they would be able to fill Jesus’ shoes, but they will never be able to
        Jesus was perfect without sin, so He was the only One who could take your place on the cross
        Anyone other than Jesus would only want the prestige, power, and influence that a ruler’s crown would bring, but they would never want to go through what Jesus did in order to obtain it
        “In 1717, King Louis XIV (14th) of France died. Preferring to be called ‘Louis the Great,’ he was the monarch who declared, ‘I am the State!’ His court was the most magnificent in Europe, and his funeral was the most spectacular. In the church where the ceremony was performed, his body lay in a golden coffin. To dramatize his greatness, orders had been given that the cathedral would be very dimly lit with only one special candle that was to be set above the coffin. Thousands of people in attendance waited in silence. Then Bishop Massillon began to speak. Slowly reaching down, he snuffed out the candle and said, ‘Only God is great.’” (Jeff Arthurs, “Laying the Foundation for Peace,” PreachingToday.com) [https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2006/june/3062606.html]
        Jesus willingly and selflessly sacrificed His life on the cross for our sins and because of that He is the sovereign ruler of everything and everyone
        He is the rightful wearer of many crowns, because He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords
        But I’m getting ahead of myself
    - Jesus is faithful and true, so He will judge and make war justly, because He has all the information at His disposal and He is sovereign
    - That brings us to the second name mentioned in this passage, but it is hidden from us
- Hidden name (v. 12b)
  - - This name is written on Jesus
    - He is the only One who knows what it is or understands what it means
    - We’re given multiple names of Jesus and God throughout scripture, which help us to understand who they are – their attributes/qualities/character, but even what we do know, doesn’t exhaust who God and Jesus are
      - “Because Christ is infinite, unknowable aspects of his attributes will always remain. Humans, even in their eternal glorified condition, may know only what he chooses to reveal, and his secret name reminds us of this.” [Easley, 353]
      - “‘That he also has a secret name means that the human mind cannot grasp the depths of his being’ (Ladd, Commentary, 254), which means for all of eternity we will grow in our knowledge and wonder of this great Redeemer King!” [Akin, 295] (Let that sink in for a moment!!!)
    - There are some important passages in scripture about this unknowable name for Jesus and God
      - Exodus 3:13-14, Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Hebrew letters for “I AM” are referred to as the tetragrammaton, YHWH)
      - Judges 13:17-18, Then Manoah inquired of the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?” He replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” (this is Samson’s father)
      - Philippians 2:9-11, Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
    - Those who overcome will also be given a name that only they will know
      - So, what John sees here builds upon what was written to the believers in Pergamum
      - Revelation 2:17, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
      - We will be given a new name that only we will know
    - “Therefore, the ‘new name no one knows except he himself’ is a title reserved for eternity, the name that will reveal the true nature of the Godhead in a way beyond our finite ability to grasp.” [Osborne, 682]
    - While this hidden name is fascinating, the next name that John hears for Jesus is not hidden
- Word of God (vv. 13-15)
  - - The “He” referred to here is the rider of the white horse – Jesus!
      - He is wearing a robe that has been dipped in blood
      - There are three beliefs about what blood is in view here
        Jesus’ own blood – referring to His ultimate sacrifice on the cross
        The blood of the martyrs
        The blood of His enemies
      - The third belief is the most widely accepted for several reasons
        The context of this passage of scripture is a military one
        At the end of v. 15 we see that Jesus treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty, which is done to His enemies as part of their judgment
        There are two parallels in scripture that help in strengthening this viewpoint
        Isaiah 63:1-3, Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, might to save.” Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.
        Revelation 14:20, They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia (180 miles).
      - John then writes that the riders name is the Word of God
    - Jesus’ words are powerful
      - We are reminded in John’s Gospel and his first letter to the church, that Jesus is the Word of God
        John 1:1, 14a, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
        1 John 1:1, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
        “As the Word of God, He is God’s perfect communication and revelation. When you look at Jesus, you are looking at God. When you listen to Jesus, you are hearing the voice of God.” [Akin, 296]
        Hebrews 1:1-2, In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
        Jesus is not only referred to as the Word of God, but He uses God’s words to strike down His enemies
      - PRINCIPLE – Jesus’ words are powerful!
        We see a sharp sword that comes out of Jesus’ mouth
        It is used to strike down the nations
        This is not a literal sword, but rather the words of God spoken through Jesus
        “. . . just as God’s word was powerful enough to create the cosmos initially, so it is all that is needed to strike down the nations who rise against him.” [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 348-49]
        Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
        This takes us back to Jesus’ fiery eyes – He is omniscient, He sees and knows everything including our thoughts and heart attitudes – nothing is hidden from Him
      - His words of judgment will be perfect and complete
      - The fact that He will rule with an iron scepter is referring to destruction
        The iron scepter is the same as the shepherd’s club (rod)
        The club/rod was used to kill the predators that were attacking the sheep
        The shepherd's staff is the one we think of with the crook on the end (show picture), which was used to direct the sheep and pull them back into the flock
        Isaiah 11:4, but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
      - In the center of these three verses is v. 14, which talks about Jesus army
    - Armies of heaven
      - Most likely this army will consist of both angels and saints
      - We can be certain that those who have overcome will be included
        Revelation 17:14, They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings – and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.
        Revelation 19:8, “Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
      - It’s important to note that the linens of the armies of heaven are not blood spattered
        they will be there for the battle, but only as observers and not participants
        This will be evident next week as we look at Revelation 19:17-21
    - Jesus as the Word of God is incredibly powerful – nothing will be able to stand against Him
    - He is the sovereign ruler of everything, which is expressed through the final name that John uses for Him in these verses
- King of Kings and Lord of Lords (v. 16)
  - - Most scholars agree that the name is written on His robe where it falls across his thigh (it would have been easily seen when mounted on a horse)
    - There is no king on earth who is or will be greater than Jesus
    - There is no lord on earth who is or will be greater than Jesus
    - The Caesars of ancient Rome may have thought they were the greatest, but Jesus is greater still
    - Philippians 2:9, Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name . . .

YOU
- Who do you say Jesus is?
  - - Do you call Him, Faithful and True?
      - He is just and righteous
      - He is omniscient
      - He is sovereign
    - Do you recognize that you cannot grasp the depths of His being/essence?
    - Do you believe He is the Word of God and that His words are powerful?
    - Do you believe that He is the supreme, sovereign ruler of everything as King of kings and Lord of lords?
- Our actions, thoughts, and attitudes may not match up with our beliefs
  - - If asked these questions directly, most of you would answer, “Yes!” to them all
    - Yet, in your heart and mind you may have doubts, that you would never express out loud
    - James 1:5-8, If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and this world, and they are unstable in everything they do. (NLT)
    - You may believe these things, but your actions, thoughts, and attitudes would prove otherwise
      - Perhaps you’ve experienced something in your life that causes you to doubt that Jesus is faithful and true
        Maybe you were abused (physically, emotionally, or mentally)
        The person who abused you claimed to be a Christian, so you don’t see Jesus as just and righteous, all-knowing, and sovereign, because He didn’t stop the abuse from happening
        Yet, He has faithfully been with you through it all, and has kept His promise to restore you
      - Maybe you’ve prayed for healing for yourself or a loved one, but they weren’t healed and eventually died
        Through that experience you may say you believe God’s Words are powerful, but you doubt that they are powerful in your life
        You may doubt that God is the sovereign ruler of everything
        Psalm 23:1-3, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
        “‘He restoreth’ or literally, brings back – ‘my soul.’ The soul is made up of the mind and emotions. Who is the Restorer of the soul? Only Jesus. My mind and emotions can be so scattered that only the Lord can pull them back together.” [Courson, 29]
- My Next Step Today Is To: Believe with my whole heart and mind that Jesus is faithful and true, that the depths of His being is eternal, that He is the Word of God, and that He is the supreme, sovereign ruler of everything.

CONCLUSION

The 1st Century Christian perhaps would have described Jesus differently than we would. They experienced His first coming. There are some important contrasts between His first and second coming: [Akin, 293]

- - - He rode a donkey – He will ride a white horse
    - He came as the Suffering Servant – He will come as King and Lord
    - He came in humility and meekness – He will come in majesty and power
    - He came to suffer the wrath of God for sinners – He will come to establish the kingdom of God for His saints
    - He was rejected by many as the Messiah – He will be recognized by all as Lord
    - He came to seek and save the lost – He will come to judge and rule as King
    - He came as God incognito – He will come as God in all His splendor

“Christ does not return to do some new or different work. His return in glory will be to consummate the finished work of his life, death and resurrection. At his coming he will be revealed in all his glory to all principalities and powers. That which the believer now grasps by faith will be open to every eye . . . . Although the Lamb will ever be the Lamb, for the glorified Christ is exalted on account of his sufferings, nevertheless the majesty of the Lion will shine forth from the Lamb at His second coming. (Lamb and the Lion, 28) [Graeme Goldsworthy cited by Akin, 293]

1 John 3:2, Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

February 3, 2019/by Office

Hallelujah!

Jesus Unveiled Revelation Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Praise, Rejoice, Worship

Jesus Unveiled

Hallelujah!

(Revelation 19:1-5)

INTRODUCTION

“In 1712, the brilliant hot-tempered German composer George Frideric Handel moved to London, where he lived until his death in 1759. He achieved great fame as a composer of Italian opera, but abandoned opera for the oratorio in 1741. The oratorio originated as a musical drama to be played without staging in an ‘oratory’ or meeting room. Principal singers represented biblical characters or saints from Christian history, with a chorus interpreting the events.

Handel began to work on Messiah in 1741, using words from Scripture compiled by his friend Charles Jennens. He composed the music for all fifty-three numbers in an unbelievable twenty-four days. Handle conducted the first public performance for Messiah in Dublin on April 13, 1742. He gave his last presentation the day before he died.

The thrilling ‘Hallelujah’ Chorus is Handel at his best, and the tradition of the audience standing while it is sung began in Handel’s own lifetime. He brilliantly divided the choir into two groups that sing different themes. Messiah has remained the most frequently performed and highly regarded oratorio ever written. While audiences in the United States associate it with Christmas, in Handel’s day Messiah was an Easter presentation, for the ‘Hallelujah’ Chorus is really not about Christmas but about Christ’s final victory. Jennens’ words were taken directly from the only chapter in the New Testament that uses the word hallelujah, Revelation 19. ‘For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth’ will come true in its fullest and most complete sense only at the mighty return of Jesus Christ in triumph.”

[Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 345].

BODY

ME
- Creation
  - - December 29, 2018 was the last day of deer hunting at Letterkenny Army Depot
    - I met my buddy early in the morning and we drove over to Letterkenny
    - After checking in, getting dropped off, and settling in to the location where I was going to hunt, I had time to sit in the dark and marvel at God’s creation
    - A beautiful day was unfolding as I stared up into the night sky
    - The moon was nearly full, the stars were speckled across the sky
    - I sat there and rejoiced at the beauty of God’s creation
    - I didn’t even see a deer that day, but it didn’t matter, because I had seen the creative hand of God and that was enough
- Birth of our boys
  - - I was able to be in the labor delivery room for all three of our boy’s births
    - Judy will verify that I cried all three times
    - Birth has been one of the most profoundly emotional and spiritual experiences for me
    - To see God’s creative power birthed is unlike any other thing I’ve experienced
    - My tears were simply tears of joy, as I rejoiced in God’s glory and power

WE
- Rejoicing in God’s power and glory
  - - All of us have at least one experience in life where we have rejoiced in God’s power and glory
    - What was that experience for you?
    - I want you to think about that as we look at this passage this morning

John continues to hear incredible things taking place at the end of time. He heard in Revelation 18 about the destruction of “Babylon the Great,” and three groups that lamented the loss of this great city. In Revelation 19 he will hear the praises of three groups that have viewed the exact same scene, the destruction of “Babylon the Great.” What John wants us to understand is that . . .

BIG IDEA – Our view of God’s justice determines whether we lament or praise Him.

Let’s pray

GOD (Revelation 19:1-5)
- Heavenly multitude (vv. 1-3)
  - - After this
      - What John is about to hear happens right after he hears the news about Babylon’s destruction
      - That’s what we saw in chapters 17-18
      - In fact, the praises we’ll see from the three groups, are in obedience to the command found in Revelation 18:20, “Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.”
      - The praises from these three groups are in direct contrast to the weeping and mourning of the kings of the earth, the merchants, and the mariners (Rev. 18:9-20)
    - Roar of a great multitude in heaven
      - We see again this little word, “like,” that John uses to try to describe what he’s hearing and/or seeing in these visions about the end times
      - What he heard sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven
      - Most English translations of the Bible say that John heard what sounded like the voice or loud/great voice of a great multitude in heaven
      - We know what was being said, because John records it for us
    - Hallelujah!
      - Hallelujah is actually a transliteration of two Hebrew words
        It only appears in the New Testament in Revelation 19
        It is derived from two Hebrew words that are combined
        Hālal – which means “praise”
        Jah – which is a shortened version of Yahweh
        “The basic meaning of the verb is ‘to be bright,’ and the causative meaning of the piel imperative means, literally, ‘make Yahweh bright,’ that is ‘illuminate the Lord by casting a bright light on Him and His works!’ ‘Praise Yahweh!’ ‘Praise the Lord!’” [Rogers & Rogers, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, 645-46]
        Hallelujah is found throughout the Old Testament, especially in the Psalms
        Psalm 113-118 are called the Hallel psalms
        The title “Praise the Lord” is used at the beginning of multiple psalms (106, 111, 112, 113, 117, 135, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150)
        What we see next are six attributes of God and works He’s done, that this great multitude in heaven are praising Him for
      - Reasons for the multitude’s praise
        Salvation
        This isn’t the first time we see praise in Revelation for God’s salvation (7:10; 12:10)
        The multitude in heaven is probably comprised of angels, but also saints who died either by natural causes or martyrdom
        The saints are particularly aware of the Lord’s salvation
        They are with Him now as a result of a personal relationship with His Son, Jesus
        As followers of Jesus Christ, who have a personal relationship with Jesus, we can also praise the Lord for His salvation
        We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven
        We can praise Him every day for sending Jesus to take our punishment on the cross
        Perhaps there are those here today, who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
        There are all kinds of belief systems that Satan uses to keep us from experiencing true salvation
        He likes to use the misconception that hopefully the good things we do, will outweigh the bad things we do (false)
        He tells others that all religions lead to heaven and the One true God – all religions/roads will lead to God, but not all will lead to heaven (false)
        God is loving and therefore He will accept me when I die no matter what I’ve done on earth (false)
        In our humanness we try to find another way to heaven without following God’s plan
        Proverbs 14:12; 16:25, There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death
        We have to follow God’s way of salvation for humanity
        Paul outlines God’s salvation plan throughout His letter to the Romans
        All have sinned – human condition (Rom. 3:23)
        We all deserve to die for our own sins (Rom. 6:23)
        God’s great love for us motivated Him to provide a solution to our human condition of sin (Rom. 5:8)
        Romans 10:8-10, 13, But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved . . . for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
        My Next Step Today Is To: Confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead, and be saved from my sins.
        While salvation certainly speaks of individual deliverance from our sins, it also speaks of the “safeguarding of God’s entire redemptive program” [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 342]
        Salvation is the foundation for God’s glory and power, which are manifestations of His salvation
        Glory
        This is God’s majesty revealed through His redemptive plan
        God is recognized as the King of kings and Lord of lords – worthy of our praise
        Power
        This is God’s omnipotence at work
        He is all-powerful – nothing is too hard for Him
        Judgments are true and just
        How many of us are aware of an individual who was convicted of a crime that they were later exonerated of? [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 341]
        Some investigator finds new evidence that proves that the person in jail is innocent of the crime that are serving time for
        Most of the time these individuals are found guilty due to errors in human judgment
        Sometimes human judges give in to bribery or allow their own personal motives and convictions to cloud their judgment
        PRINCIPLE – God’s judgments are valid and fair.
        Fortunately, God is not like human judges or juries
        “God’s justice is ‘true’ because it is based on his own covenant faithfulness and ‘just’ because it is based on his holy character. In other words, his judgments are both morally true and legally just.” [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 664]
        So, we don’t have to worry that God’s condemnation of the great prostitute and His avenging the blood of his servants is done maliciously
        Condemnation of sin and evil
        The reason for His condemnation of the great prostitute is based on her corruption of the earth through her adulteries
        This has been developed in great detail in chapter 18 (it was the pursuit of wealth, sexual immorality, and religious influence that took the place of God)
        God is grieved when we sin, but He is especially grieved when we lead others to sin alongside us
        Read Romans 1:28-32
        Matthew 18:5-6, “And whoever welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
        Avenging the blood of His people
        PRINCIPLE – God keeps His promises to His people.
        We can praise the Lord, because He always keeps His promises
        When the fifth seal was opened, John saw the souls of those who had been martyred under the altar (Rev. 6:9)
        They were asking the Lord when He was going to judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge their blood (Rev. 6:10)
        The Lord’s answer, was for them to wait a little while longer
        We see now that He kept His promise to them
        He did avenge their blood
    - God’s judgment is final
      - Because God’s judgments are true and just (valid and fair) there is no chance for reversal
      - His judgments will be complete and final
      - “Because God lives “for ever and ever” (15:7), his righteous condemnation must also endure forever.” [Easley, 347]
      - The great multitude in heaven is praising the Lord for His complete and final judgment of the wicked
    - As the first group completes their praise, we see the second group agreeing with them
- Elders and living creatures (v. 4)
  - - The 24 elders and the four living creatures fall down and worship God
      - We see that God is still on His throne
      - This is the final time that the 24 elders and the four living creatures are mentioned in John’s vision
    - Their praise
      - It is short, only two words
      - Amen
        It means “so be it”
        They are agreeing with the praise of the great multitude in heaven about God’s salvation, glory, power, judgments, condemnation, and avenging
      - Hallelujah – “Praise the Lord!”
      - They don’t need to add anything else to what has already been said
    - The final group is called on to praise the Lord
- Believers on earth (v. 5)
  - - John hears a voice from the throne
      - Some scholars believe it is God or Jesus speaking, but what is being said seems to eliminate these two options
      - It seems as though the command or encouragement is coming from another source other than God or Jesus
      - Other scholars believe it could be one of the living creatures or one of the 24 elders
      - We are not told who the voice is, which is alright, because the content of what they are saying is of greater value
    - Praise our God
      - The command to praise our God leads us to believe that the voice is someone other than God or Jesus
      - They are including themselves in the command to praise
    - Who are these individuals who are supposed to praise our God?
      - First, they are identified as all you his servants
        Revelation 1:1, The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place.
        To be a servant (bond slave) of the Lord means that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
      - Second, they are identified as you who fear him, both great and small
        The same Greek verb translated as “fear him” is used in Rev. 11:18, but is translated as “reverence your name”
        That is what is being communicated here, the believers on earth who reverence the name of the Lord are to praise Him
        It doesn’t matter what their socio-economic status is or their level of spiritual maturity [Mounce, 343]
        Every believer is commanded to praise the Lord

YOU
- As a servant of God it is imperative that you praise Him
  - - You can praise Him for you salvation
    - You can praise Him for His glory displayed in His creation
    - You can praise Him for His power that is evidenced in your life
    - You can praise Him for His judgments that are valid and fair
    - You can praise Him for who He is and what He has done in your life
- When was the last time you stopped and reflected on God’s attributes and His mighty works in your life?
  - - Perhaps you can take time this afternoon to make a list and then praise the Lord
    - My Next Step Today Is To: Make a list of God’s attributes and the great things He has done in my life and then praise Him!
    - Our praise can take many forms [show the cartoon about Dexter]

WE
- We have the opportunity this morning to praise the Lord through song
- We’ll be singing “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name” in just a moment as our closing song
- We can reflect on who God is and what He has done for us as we sing that song

CONCLUSION

“Christians have joyful, stirring songs that celebrate the wonder of our relation with God. This is especially true during the Christmas season with songs such as the spine-tingling Handel’s Messiah. In contrast to this, in 2011 comedian Steve Martin performed a song on The Late Show with David Letterman that he called “the entire atheist hymnal” (on one page of paper). He called it: “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs.”

Christians have their hymns and pages,
Hava Nagila’s for the Jews,
Baptists have the rock of ages,
Atheists just sing the blues.

Romantics play Claire de Lune,
Born agains sing “He is risen,”
But no one ever wrote a tune,
For godless existentialism.

For Atheists there’s no good news.
They’ll never sing a song of faith.
In their songs they have one rule:
The “he” is always lowercase.

Of course, his humor is meant to entertain us—and does. But what a contrast to a piece of music that moves hearts and masses across the board. Handel’s Messiah is arguably one of the most mellifluous [pleasant to the ear] expressions of Christian doctrine ever produced.

In fact, I think it makes all the sense in the world that both inexplicable tears and profound joy accompany the words and sounds of Handel’s Messiah. For this Messiah brings with him an invitation unlike any other: Come and see the Father, the Creator, the Good, the True, and the Beautiful. Come and see the Light, and the Overcomer of darkness, the One who wept at the grave of a friend, and the one who collects our tears in his bottle even before he will dry every eye. Christians, let’s sing our songs!”

[Jill Carattini, “Random Hallelujahs,” RZIM: A Slice of Infinity (12-16-16)]

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2018/december/comedian-steve-martin-atheists-dont-have-no-songs.html].

January 13, 2019/by Office

Fair Weather Friends

Jesus Unveiled Revelation Sunday Morning Stuart Johns Compromise, Salvation, Wealth

Jesus Unveiled

Fair Weather Friends

(Revelation 18:9-20)

INTRODUCTION

“In January 2013, a team of ‘dental hygiene experts’ and design gurus gathered in Germany and decided the modern toothbrush needed a makeover. The resulting product: a $3,200 Euro (about $4,300 USD), full-titanium toothbrush. The company's website offers a video that likens its creation to a world-class sports car:

Undulating curves of the sleek and slender body encompass elegance and sumptuousness. A unique design … German precision engineering … A decisively lightweight full-titanium body which has unparalleled durable strength. The accomplished silhouette captures elegance and timelessness where beauty, functionality and utility complement each other. A timeless luxury is now an option.

Their entry-level ‘Premium’ package price includes one ‘everlasting’ titanium toothbrush in a color of your choice, one titanium toothbrush holder (with ‘anti-slip pad’), a bumper, and what they call ‘Fresh Service’ for three years—every six months, they'll send you six bristle heads (choice of soft or medium) and a new bumper. You can also personalize it with an engraving for an extra $540. But keep in mind that after the three year ‘Premium’ plan runs out, you'll need to pay a few hundred bucks for another upgrade. Who said luxury was cheap?”

[Adapted from Zachary Crockett, “The $4,000 Toothbrush,” Priceonomics blog (8-7-14)].

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2014/august/6082514.html]

BODY

ME
- Fair weather friend
  - - My best friend in California worked for Sony PlayStation
    - He designed the menus for video games on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) system
    - He was able to get games, systems, and controllers at a deep employee discount
      - It was nice to be able to get games and a gaming system at a cheaper price than in the retail stores
      - If I only based my friendship with him on his employee discount with Sony, that would be really self-centered and shallow
      - We had already moved back to PA before he was laid off from Sony
      - Our friendship continues to this day, because our relationship wasn’t based on his employee discount
    - It was based on something much more significant
- Discipleship and study of God’s Word
  - - This friend of mine accepted the Lord while we were living in California
    - I wasn’t part of his salvation experience
    - His wife attended church with us and she had invited him to the beach baptism and cookout in Oceanside
    - While we were there, she and Judy encouraged me to talk with him
    - So, I started a conversation with him and we found out that we shared some common interests – one of those being video games
    - The rest is history
      - They hosted the small group Bible study that I facilitated
      - We would play video games together
      - We worked on cars together
      - We fished together
      - I enjoyed his incredible cooking abilities
      - I answered all the questions he had about Christianity as he grew in his faith
      - We still connect from time-to-time
      - We got to see he and his wife and two boys while we were on the mission trip in Spokane, WA – they drove up from Oregon, where they live now

WE
- School
  - - The desire to be part of the “in” crowd can cause us to develop friendships based on shallow things
      - Those friendships are cheapened, because they’re based on our own selfish desires, instead of a desire to really get to know someone
      - We may strive to befriend someone who plays sports, or is really talented with drama, or is a cheerleader, etc.
      - We may even do things that we would never think of doing in order to be accepted
    - When you find that true best friend, it’s completely different
      - Many times the relationship isn’t based on having to do anything specific to be accepted, but rather on shared interests
      - The relationship actually enriches your life instead of cheapening it
- Work/Church/Neighborhood
  - - The same is true for adults in the workplace, neighborhood, and even church
    - There may be times that we have tried to befriend someone because they have a boat, are successful at hunting and fishing, have a nice car, a nice house/property, or more money or connections than we have
    - The motive behind trying to befriend that person is to see what kind of benefit we can get from the relationship – it’s all self-centered
    - Think for a moment then of those we call our best friends
      - There is no pressure to act, talk, or be a certain way around them
      - We can be ourselves
      - We enjoy just being together with them whether or not we do anything special
      - We aren’t looking for how we can benefit, but rather how we can be a blessing to them

John hears the lament of three groups of people in Revelation 18:9-19. They are all upset that the great city has fallen. They’re not upset that the inhabitants of the great city are dead, but rather that they will no longer be able to benefit from her power and wealth. John wants us to understand that . . .

BIG IDEA – Wealth has a way of cheapening our friendships.

Now the opposite of that is also true – true friendships have a way of enriching our lives.

Let’s pray

GOD (Revelation 18:9-20)
- King’s Lament (vv. 9-10)
  - - Who are the kings of the earth?
      - These are not the same kings that we were introduced to in Rev. 17:16 that joined with the beast to destroy the great city
      - These are “the governing heads of all nations who have entered into questionable trade with the commercial center of the ancient world.” [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 331]
      - We’ve already discussed what they did with the great city/prostitute, but it is mentioned here again
        Committed adultery – they committed themselves to the false religion of the beast, which included sexual immorality and idolatry
        Shared her luxury – they embraced the kind of over-the-top lifestyle that the great city afforded them
      - The kings of the earth loved what she could provide for them, but they never truly loved her [Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Revelation, 277]
      - When the kings of the earth see the smoke of her burning, they do three things
    - Their reaction to the great city’s destruction
      - Weep – it’s not quietly crying alone, but rather crying out loud (others would hear the weeping of the kings)
      - Mourn – this is again not something that’s done quietly, but rather a beating of the chest
      - Stand far off
        They are not standing far off out of respect for the dead, but rather out of fear for the great cities torment
        They do not want to get caught up in the great judgment and punishment of their lover
        Notice that they aren’t rushing in to help the great city that gave them power and wealth
        PRINCIPLE – Judgment or difficult times reveal the motives of those who are close to us.
        The kings of the earth only wanted to be close to the great city when it was prosperous and met their needs for sensual desires and luxurious living
        When judgment came, they didn’t want anything to do with the great city
        It’s reminiscent of the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32)
        He took his portion of his inheritance and went to a far off land
        He lived the high life and squandered his inheritance
        While the passage doesn’t mention friends, it’s assumed that his “wild living” involved other people
        Once the money was gone, so were his “friends”
        He had to hire himself out to a citizen of the country where he was living
        Even though he had invested in other people, no one was investing in him
        The same is true for us today
        We may have friendships that we maintain simply because of the benefits we receive from the friendship
        Some of us do this with God
        We maintain a surface/nominal relationship with Him, so we can go to Him when difficulties come
        During those times we make promises to God and we spend more time at church, in prayer, and in His Word, hoping that He will help us out
        What normally happens after He helps us out, is we return to maintaining the surface/nominal relationship with Him until the next difficult thing comes along
        God’s desire for us is to have a true relationship with Him
        When we have a true relationship with Him, it enriches our lives
        My Next Step Today Is To: Confess that my relationship with God is based on how He can benefit me.
        My Next Step Today Is To: Maintain a true relationship with God, so that my life will be enriched.
        We may realize that some people only want to be our friends because they’re trying to receive some kind of benefit from us
        We hear stories all the time of those who win the lottery, realizing that they have long lost relatives that have finally found them
        The same can happen when a family member dies and leaves an inheritance for the survivors – everyone scrambles to claim a portion of the inheritance – they’re your best friend
        Wealth has a way of cheapening our friendships and relationships – it reveals our true motives
      - The kings of the earth are weeping and mourning, because of the loss of power and luxury (it is self-serving sorrow they are experiencing)
    - Their lament
      - All three groups start their lament the same way, “‘Woe! Woe, O great city . . .’”
      - After that each group is more specific about what they have lost as a result of the great cities destruction
      - For the kings of the earth they are lamenting the loss of power – it was political power that caused them to be wealthy and influential
      - All three groups mention the swiftness with which destruction comes, In one hour . . .
        This is probably not a literal hour of time, but rather a literary way of saying that her destruction did not take long
        God’s judgment will be swift and complete and the world will recognize it as such
        The kings of the earth are shocked at how quickly this city of power and strength was destroyed
      - John then hears about a second group that is lamenting the destruction of the great city – it’s the merchants
- Merchant’s Lament (vv. 11-17a)
  - - Their reaction to the great city’s destruction
      - Weep and mourn
        Again it’s a loud crying mixed with the beating of the chest
        They are not weeping and mourning for the dead, but because no one buys their merchandise any more
        They grew wealthy because of the luxuries that the great city demanded from around the world
        Nothing was beyond their financial ability to obtain
        Money was of no concern
        Again, we see the sorrow of a self-serving group of people
        Their friendship with those in the great city is of less importance than the wealth they accumulated from them
        Wealth has a way of cheapening our friendships and relationships
        Had they developed true friendships with those in the city, they would have wept and mourned at the loss of a rich relationship
      - Recognize that riches and splendor are gone forever
        The merchants will say what everyone of us realizes, the pleasures and possessions of this world will one day vanish, never to be recovered
        PRINCIPLE – The riches of this world are temporary.
        Every great kingdom of this world strives to accumulate wealth and possessions
        The worldly belief system is that wealth and possessions prove success
        King Solomon perhaps pursued every conceivable form of satisfaction in this world
        He was wealthier than anyone had ever been
        He had everything his heart desired
        He had wisdom from God
        And yet, the book of Ecclesiastes expresses his findings, that everything is meaningless (wisdom, pleasures, folly, toil, advancement, riches)
        He recognizes that there is a time for everything
        His conclusion at the end of the book is profound
        Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
        God is all-knowing, just, and sovereign
        He desires for us to have true relationship with Him, so that He can enrich our lives
        Application
        Perhaps you’ve been pursuing the riches of this world at the expense of relationships
        It’s a part of our culture today that we have to have what our parents have, although it took them many years to get to that point
        We also live in a culture that desires to have everything, right now
        We’re living above our means, which creates stress and lowers our life expectancy
        We have to hold multiple jobs in order to maintain our lifestyle
        Both parents have to work, leaving daycare, before and after school care to train and teach our children
        Our non-verbal communication with our children is that they are not important
        We take Sunday as our day off and fill it fun activities instead of going to church
        We need to heed Solomon’s wisdom – everything is meaningless – the pleasures and possessions of this world are meaningless and temporary
        We should be pursuing activities that will last into eternity
        Sharing the Gospel with those around us
        Praying on a regular basis
        Studying God’s Word
        Being in fellowship with other believers
        Serving the poor, the widow, and the orphan
        Worshiping the Lord corporately and individually
        Making disciples for Jesus
        Giving back to God a portion of what He has allowed us to steward
        Pursuing, Growing, and Multiplying Disciples (Matt. 28:18-20)
        My Next Step Today Is To: Admit that I have been pursuing the riches of this world, and make the change to pursue activities that will last into eternity.
        We see then that the merchants also stand far off
      - Stand far off
        They are also terrified of her torment
        They don’t want to be get caught up in her punishment
        The motive behind their relationship with her is revealed
        They were only interested in selling their wares to the people of the great city and gaining wealth as a result
        Wealth has a way of cheapening our friendships and relationships.
    - The cargo they sold
      - Easley [Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 332-33] and Osborne [Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 648-50] provide more detailed information about all of the cargo and where it would have been shipped from, to Rome, in the 1st Century
      - Precious stones and metals (gold, silver, precious stones, pearls)
        Gold was so prevalent in the first half of the 1st Century that the wealthy began to import and use silver as an expression of wealth
        Pearls were considered the most luxurious of jewels (Julius Caesar gave Servilia one worth $18,000 in today’s currency)
        Wealthy women would use multiple pearls to decorate their hair
      - Luxurious fabrics (fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth)
        The dye used to make purple cloth came from the murex (a shellfish) and was extracted one drop at a time (labor intensive)
        The dye for scarlet cloth came from certain berries
        All of the fabrics were hand made with countless hours of work put into them, therefore they were very expensive
      - Expensive wood and building materials (citron wood, ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble)
        Citron wood was highly prized for its beautiful grain patterns (show picture of citron wood cabinet)
        Tables made from citron wood with ivory legs were very popular, especially with men [Osborne, 648]
        Cicero paid what would be equivalent to $2.5 million for a single table and Gallus Asinius paid $5 million for one table [Osborne, 648]
        The costly wood probably included cedar, maple, cyprus, and ebony
        The bronze from Corinth was well known for its quality and highly valued
        I believe if there was a $4,300 full-bronze toothbrush available in the 1st Century, the wealthy would have ordered it from Achaia.com (the region where Corinth was) and had it shipped, literally
      - Spices and perfumes (cinnamon and spice, incense, myrrh and frankincense)
        It is not like the cinnamon we use today, but was for incense, perfume, and medicine
        Spice (Amomum) was used primarily as a hair fragrance
        Myrrh came from Somalia and was very expensive, because it was one of the most popular perfumes
        Frankincense was half the cost of myrrh and also came from Somalia
        It is not by coincidence that the Magi from the east gave baby Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh
        Read Matthew 2:1-12
        They recognized that He was a king worthy of such expensive gifts
        Frankincense and myrrh were also used during the burial process, which could have been a foreshadowing of Jesus’ purpose in coming from heaven to earth to take our punishment for sin by dying on the cross, being buried, and coming alive again
        That is what we celebrate during Christmas – the birth of Jesus
        Our celebration shouldn’t stop at just His birth
        His birth was just the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s plan to deal with humanity’s sin (Rom. 3:23; Rom. 6:23)
        Jesus grew up to be a man and at the age of 33, He willingly gave His life on the cross to take our punishment for sin (1 Cor. 15:3b-4)
        John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
        My Next Step Today Is To: Believe in Jesus as my Savior and receive God’s gift of eternal life.
        Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords, so the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were appropriate for him when the Magi came
        Spices and perfumes were not the only thing that the Roman Empire purchased from the merchants, they also purchased food items
      - Food items (wine and olive oil, fine flour and wheat)
        Pliny and Aristides expressed the extravagance that Rome was known for
        “At one of Nero’s banquets the Egyptian roses alone cost nearly $100,000. Vitellius had a penchant for delicacies like peacocks’ brains and nightingales’ tongues. In his reign of less than one year he spent $20,000,000, mostly on food.” [Mounce, 332]
        Another commentary lists the breasts of doves as another delicacy that Vitellius had a penchant for
        I can believe that, because I know there is not much meat on a dove and they are not easy to hit with a shotgun
        My brother is an avid dove hunter, but I’ve never gotten into that part of hunting
        I say that dove meat is the most expensive wild game there is, because you have to use a lot of shotgun shells to get a little bit of meat
        I enjoy shooting clay pigeons, but they don’t taste very good – they’re chalky and muddy tasting
      - Animals (cattle, sheep, horse, carriages)
        The animals that were imported were not for eating
        The cattle were beasts of burden used to pull carts and plow fields
        The sheep were used as breeding stock to help with the wool production
        Horses were used in chariot racing, riding, and for pulling carriages
      - Slave market (bodies and souls of men)
        It has been estimated that there were 60,000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire in the 1st Century
        These slaves were more than just bodies, they were created in the image of God
    - Their lament
      - As noted in the lament of the kings of the earth there are two elements that are repeated – the Woe! Woe, O great city and the swiftness of God’s punishment (one hour)
      - The merchants point out the items they had sold to the great city/prostitute (fine linen, purple and scarlet, gold, precious stones and pearls)
      - They are only concerned that her great wealth has been brought to ruin so quickly
      - They are lamenting their own loss
    - The merchants had to import many of the items that they sold to those in the great city, which required a transportation system
    - That group is the final one that laments the destruction of the great city
- Maritime Worker’s Lament (v. 17b-19)
  - - Who are the maritime workers?
      - Sea captain – not the owner of the ship, but the one who steered it
      - Passengers, which probably included the merchants (all who travel by ship)
      - Sailors, dock hands, fishermen, pearl divers, etc. (all who earn their living from the sea)
    - Their reaction to the great city’s destruction
      - They are weeping and mourning because they had become wealthy through providing transportation for all of the merchandise the great city wanted
      - They also threw dust on their heads
        This was an outward expression of deep distress and mourning
        “Their mourning is even more elaborate than that of the others, for throwing dust on their heads is intense grief.” [Easley, 335]
        Perhaps they realized more than the kings of the earth and the merchants that the economic bubble had burst and they would had to return to scraping out a living on the sea
      - Stand far off
        As with the other two groups, the maritime workers are not willing to help the great city in her distress
        They only wanted to be associated with her when things were going well and money was flowing
        Once the money stopped flowing they were not interested in being part of her destruction
        Wealth has a way of cheapening our friendships and relationships.
      - Their exclamation
        “Was there ever a city like this great city?”
        They were caught up by the wealth, power, and splendor of the great city
        This parallels the statement by the inhabitants of the earth concerning the beast in Revelation 13:4, Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?”
        The expected answer to both of these questions is “no” and “no one”
        Yet we know that there is a greater city coming down from heaven someday – the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1-27)
        We also know that there is someone greater than the beast, who did and will make war against him and be victorious – Jesus Christ!
      - This brings us to their lament
    - Their lament
      - Again we see the repeated elements at the beginning and end of their lament
        Woe! Woe, O great city
        The swiftness of their ruin
      - The center section focuses again on what they have lost since the city has been destroyed
      - They became rich from her desire for wealth and luxuries
- Rejoicing (v. 20)
  - - At first blush, we may bristle as the thought of rejoicing over the destruction of a great city, filled with people
      - We may feel like that is calloused and out of place
      - But, we have to understand the context here
      - The verb is in the imperative, meaning that those who are to rejoice are commanded to do it
    - Those who are to rejoice
      - This command is directed to heaven
      - Mounce points out that it is the church glorified that is being commanded to rejoice – the ones who remained faithful to the end and gave their lives for the Gospel [Mounce, 336]
      - Those in heaven include the saints, apostles, and prophets
    - The reason why they are to rejoice
      - The reason they are rejoicing is not because people have been destroyed, but because God has kept His promise to judge the inhabitants of the earth for the way they treated His people
      - God’s justice has finally been fulfilled
      - “The rejoicing does not arrive out of a selfish spirit of revenge but out of a fulfilled hope that God has defended the honor of his just name by not leaving sin unpunished and by showing his people to have been in the right and the verdict rendered by the ungodly world against his saints to be wrong.” [Beale cited by Osborne, 655]
      - PRINCIPLE – As God’s children, we can rejoice in His justice.

CONCLUSION

“It is easy for us to believe that life as we know it will go on forever. We are, of course, aware of the ebb and flow caused by wear and natural calamity. By and large, civilization as a whole seems to make progress. The Renaissance gave way to the Age of Reason. The Enlightenment paved the way for the Industrial Age. The twentieth century – interrupted by two world wars – ultimately reaped great harvest in areas such as medical and communications technology. Despite problems such as crime and terrorism, world civilization appears able to march on forever.

The message of Revelation 18 is that what is seen is temporary and subject to the judgment of Almighty God. On the other hand, Babylon the Great provides power, privilege, and prestige to those willing to be seduced by her spell. Monarchs, merchants, and mariners are among those who taste her pleasures and lament her demise. On the other hand, Babylon moves forward on the misery of human slavery, moving people away from true religion into impurity. She is always hostile to the things of God; in fact, the blood of all Christian martyrs drips from her hands.

If this is true, the Christians of every age need to evaluate the call to “Come out of her, my people.” Only those who refuse to share her sins will not receive any of her plagues. Two exclamations summarize the two opposing responses to Babylon’s death. On one hand are those who cry “woe,” because they, too, have been condemned. On the other hand are those who cry “hallelujah,” (19:1) because the martyrs have been avenged at last. The choices we make now will determine whether one day we cray “woe” or “hallelujah.” [Easley, 337]

December 23, 2018/by Office

Dancing With The Devil

Jesus Unveiled Revelation Sunday Morning Stuart Johns God's glory, Holiness

Jesus Unveiled

Dancing With The Devil

(Revelation 18:1-8)

INTRODUCTION

“Most people have heard of the "five second rule"—that if food spends just a few seconds on the floor, dirt and germs won't have enough time to contaminate it. Parents sometimes apply the rule to pacifiers (after their first child of course). The history of the five-second rule is difficult to trace. One legend attributes the rule to Genghis Khan, who declared that food could be on the ground for five hours and still be safe to eat.

But a 2016 experiment should permanently debunk the five second rule. Professor Donald W. Schaffner, a food microbiologist at Rutgers University, reported that a two-year study concluded that no matter how fast you pick up food that falls on the floor, you will pick up bacteria with it. You can check it out for yourself in his journal article "Is the Five-Second Rule Real?" found in the always exciting journal for Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Professor Schaffner tested four surfaces—stainless steel, ceramic tile, wood, and carpet—and four different foods: cut watermelon, bread, buttered bread, and strawberry gummy candy. They were dropped from a height of five inches onto surfaces treated with a bacteria. The researchers tested four contact times—less than one second and five, 30 and 300 seconds. A total of 128 possible combinations of surface, food, and seconds were replicated 20 times each, yielding 2,560 measurements. So after those 2,560 drops they found that no fallen food escaped contamination, leading Professor Schaffner to conclude, "Bacteria can contaminate instantaneously." In other words, they debunked the legendary five second rule.” [Adapted from Christopher Mele, "'Five-Second Rule' for Food on Floor Is Untrue, Study Finds," The New York Times (9-19-16)]

[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2016/october/2101716.html].

It doesn’t matter how long the food’s been on the floor, it has been contaminated by bacteria if touches the floor.

BODY

ME
- Five-second rule
  - - I have to admit that I have lived by the Five-Second rule in my own life
    - I have done it with our boys also
    - This may be surprising, because I am somewhat of a germaphobe
- Germaphobe
  - - Just this week I’ve experienced some germaphobic situations
    - Levi has been dealing with a sinus infection and cold
    - Wade was off work for two days with a stomach virus
    - I have washed my hands with soap and water more frequently this week, because or the germs in the house
    - Levi knows that I’m a germaphobe, so he was messing around with me one day
      - I had my phone laying around by me and he walked up to me and acted like he was going to touch my phone
      - I gave him the “Dad look” that Jason mentioned several weeks ago
      - It was that look that said, “Don’t even think about touching my phone.”
      - He didn’t touch my phone, but he knew he could get a reaction out of me, just by acting like he was going to
    - Sometimes we have to separate ourselves from various circumstances in order to remain healthy, safe, or above reproach

WE
- Addictions
  - - Individuals who are addicted to anything have to separate themselves from those things
    - An alcoholic may not be able to even smell alcohol without being tempted to drink
    - A drug addict may be triggered by going down a certain road or area of town, because that’s where they used to buy their drugs
    - Someone addicted to pornography may have to have extra protection place on their computers and electronic devices in order to keep them from viewing pornographic images
    - Whatever addictions we struggle with (shopping, food, gossip, etc.) may require us to separate ourselves from those places, items, or individuals that cause us to give in
- Contaminated with one touch
  - - I’ve heard from individuals, time-and-time again, who believe that they are strong enough to handle their temptations or addictions on their own, admit that they need someone to hold them accountable
    - All it takes sometimes in one touch with their addiction to cause them to fall back into the addiction full-time
    - We may not realize how one touch with the sin of this world contaminates us

John hears from one angel and another voice from heaven in the first eight verses of Revelation 18. The angel tells him that Babylon the Great has fallen. The voice from heaven explains that the reason for her fall is the sins that have piled up and her pride. She will be judged and punished according to her sins. God is the One who will judge her. In the middle of these two announcements is a command from the voice in heaven for the people of God to come out from Babylon the Great. What John wants us to understand is that . . .

BIG IDEA – God desires for us to seek holiness instead of worldly desires.

Let’s pray

GOD (Revelation 18:1-8)
- Chapter 18 as a whole
  - - Funeral dirge and laments
      - In vv. 1-8 we’ll see two angels who are announcing the destruction and fall of Babylon the Great
      - In vv. 9-20 we’ll see the laments of three groups of people who had benefited from Babylon the Great (kings of the earth, merchants of the earth, and every sea captain)
      - Finally in vv. 21-24 we’ll see one final angel expressing the results of the fall of Babylon the Great – another funeral dirge
    - There is one major poetic feature in vv. 1-8 that is significant – there is the repetition of three lines found in vv. 2, 3, 6, and 8 [Mounce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 324]
      - Home for demons, haunt for every evil spirit, and haunt for every unclean and detestable bird (v. 2)
      - Nations drink her adulterous wine, kings commit adultery, merchants grow rich (v. 3)
      - Give back what she has given, pay back double, mix her a double portion (v. 6)
      - The plagues are death, mourning, and famine (v. 8)
    - John saw everything that was happening in chapter 17, but now in chapter 18 he is hearing what is being said
- Angel from heaven (vv. 1-3)
  - - Transition to a new section
      - The statement, “After this I saw . . .” is a literary indicator that a transition is taking place in the text
      - After John saw the beast and the ten kings bring the woman to ruin by leaving her naked, eating her flesh, and burning her with fire, he sees another angel come down from heaven
    - Another angel
      - This angel is not one of the seven-bowl angels, like John experienced in chapter 17, rather it is a totally different angel that has been in the presence of God
      - Great authority
        This is the first evidence that the angel had been in the presence of the Lord
        He does not have his own authority, but has been given authority by God to announce the fall of Babylon the Great
      - Reflected glory
        The second evidence that the angel had been in the presence of the Lord is that the earth is illuminated by his splendor
        The Greek word used for “splendor” is doxa which is normally translated as “glory”
        It is God’s glory that this angel is reflecting as he comes down from heaven to earth
        PRINCIPLE – God’s glory is seen in those who have been with Him.
        This is my prayer for us as a body of believers here in the greater Idaville area
        I want those in our neighborhoods to see God’s glory on our faces as a result of us having been with Him
        Our being with God is manifested in multiple ways
        Believers gathering together, corporate worship
        Small groups meeting in homes, like the early church, to study God’s Word
        Personal worship, Bible study, and prayer
        Corporate prayer meetings
        One-on-one discipleship
        Evangelism events
        Service projects in our community
        The list can go on and on
        Any time we pursue, grow, and multiply disciples, we can and do reflect the glory of God
        Too often we reflect the dirt and filth of this world, instead of the glory of God, by what we choose to say and do outside of church
        We put on our church face and speech when we come here
        We embrace the speech and actions of the world when we’re not here (gossip, talking badly about someone behind their back, swearing, coarse joking, adultery, sexual immorality, idolatry, etc.)
        God desires for us to seek holiness instead of worldly desires.
        He wants us to be set apart – to be in the world, but not of it
        As we seek holiness we will reflect God’s glory
        As we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmas, I’m reminded of God’s glory being displayed, as another angel comes from heaven to earth
        Luke 2:8-9, And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
        I’d be terrified too, if I was sitting in the field with only a small fire to light up the darkness and suddenly the glory of God surrounded me and made it like day time
        So, this angel has come from the presence of the Lord with God’s authority and glory, to share his message
      - Angel’s message
        Destroyed
        The angel from heaven cries out with a mighty voice
        He repeats the word “fallen”
        The repetition of words, in ancient times, was part of the funeral dirge pattern, but it also emphasizes how complete the fall of Babylon is [Patterson, The New American Commentary, Revelation, 330]
        This is the second time an angel has cried out about Babylon the Great, A second angel followed and said, “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” (Rev. 14:8)
        “From this judgment of God there is no redemption. The overthrow is decimating.” [Patterson, 330]
        We see how decimating God’s judgment is in the first three-line repetition
        Desolate
        Babylon the Great is completely desolate – no one is left there
        With no one around there are three things that have taken up residence there
        Demons
        Demons have made their home there
        This shouldn’t come as a surprise, since this great city was characterized as engaging in all kinds of immoral and godless acts
        Now that the human beings have been destroyed it leaves only the demons and evil spirits
        Evil spirits
        While the demons have made it their home, it is a “prison” for evil spirits
        That’s what’s meant by “haunt”
        It gives the idea of being imprisoned there, not being able to leave
        Unclean birds
        It’s also a prison for every kind of unclean bird
        Perhaps you consider all birds unclean
        What’s in view here is probably scavenger birds (vultures, condors, and carrion)
        Patterson includes pelicans, hawks, owls ravens, and ostriches [Patterson, 330]
        Easley includes bats, which I would include with the unclean and detestable beasts [Easley, Holman New Testament Commentary, Revelation, 327]
        Unclean and detestable beasts
        The fall of ancient Babylon is recorded in Isaiah and Jeremiah, which is perhaps the background for what John is hearing in this part of his vision
        Isaiah 13:20-22, She will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations; no Arab will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flocks there. But desert creatures will lie there, jackals will fill her houses; there the owls will dwell, and there the wild goats will leap about. Hyenas will howl in her strongholds, jackals in her luxurious palaces. Her time is at hand and her days will not be prolonged.
        The unclean and detestable beasts would include jackals, wild goats, and hyenas
        Movie (2007) – “I Am Legend” [Actor Will Smith]
        Plot – Robert Neville is a brilliant scientist, but even he could not contain the terrible virus that was unstoppable, incurable, and man-made. Somehow immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and maybe the world
        Alone after the worldwide apocalypse, Neville does a couple things in the desolate city
        He hunts deer that have taken over the city
        He hits golf balls into the city off the wing of fighter jet that is on an aircraft carrier
        VIDEO – 1960’s Postcards In Real Life Then VS Now (stop playing the video at the 2:02 mark) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nHgwDAVKlg&t=39s]
        Reasons why it had to be destroyed
        We’ve already been introduced to two of the three reasons
        The nations or inhabitants of the earth that have gotten drunk with the wine of her adulteries (Rev. 14:8 and 17:2)
        All the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated and then seduced into immorality
        It’s the idea of a corrupt religious system
        The kings of the earth who committed adultery with her
        There was an “unholy union between religion and politics.” [Patterson, 331]
        How often have Christian politicians had to compromise their beliefs in order to function in the political arena
        It is very difficult to hold onto traditional Judeo-Christian values while being a public servant
        We’re now introduced to another group, the merchants of the earth
        They share a lament as we’ll see in two weeks in Rev. 18:16-17
        They became rich by providing the great city with every luxury she desired
        The rare Greek work (strēnos) isn’t speaking of just accumulating wealth, but rather the obsession with wealth [Patterson, 331]
        It’s the desire to have more and more, never being content
        Having to have the newest cell phone
        Spending money to get the newest items as soon as they come out
        Waiting in long lines to purchase the newest items
        A never ending appetite for the newest and best items available
        We see then, the reasons why the great city must be destroyed and will be desolate
    - When the angel from heaven finishes speaking, John hears another voice from heaven
- Voice from heaven (v. 4-8)
  - - Some scholars believe that the voice from heaven is another angel, but most identify the voice as either God or Jesus
    - Command
      - The Greek verb is an imperative – a command that needs to be followed
      - God is calling His people to come out
        This means that there are followers of Jesus Christ still on the earth at this point
        Perhaps they are the ones who have accepted Jesus during the tribulation period
        This speaks again of God’s grace and mercy, because He is warning them to flee prior to His judgment being poured out on Babylon the Great
        PRINCIPLE – God desires for us to seek holiness instead of worldly desires.
        “The saints/holy ones are to separate themselves (the very meaning of ‘holiness’) from the things of the world.” [Osborne, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation, 638]
        For John’s readers to separate themselves from the great city (Rome) could include withdrawing from business transactions that would cause them to participate in emperor worship or other forms of idolatry [Keener, The NIV Application Commentary, Revelation, 424]
        God may require us to sometimes physically separate ourselves from our culture, but He always wants us to separate ourselves from the ideologies of our culture, especially when they are in opposition to Him and His Word [Mounce, 327]
        Universalism – every religion is basically the same and leads to heaven
        Abortion – it is alright for humans to determine when life begins and whether or not it’s appropriate to kill a baby in utero
        Same-sex marriage/Homosexuality – it’s alright to live with and marry someone of the same sex, even though God’s Word says it’s a sin
        Greed, Pride, Pornography, Addictions, etc.
        We have to separate ourselves from those cultural/worldly desires
        Scriptural backing
        Isaiah (52:11) and Jeremiah (51:45) shared God’s message to the Israelites about leaving Babylon
        God instructed Abram to leave his country (Gen. 12:1)
        2 Corinthians 6:14-16, Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
        Ephesians 5:11, Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
        We have all heard and or used the phrase that as followers of Jesus Christ we are to be in the world, but not of it
        This concept comes from John 17:14-19 where Jesus is praying to God for His disciples
        He states that His disciples are not of this world, just as He is not of this world
        Next He says that He is sending them into the world to transform it by the power of the Gospel
        David Mathis suggests revising the phrase to, not of this world, but sent into it. [https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/lets-revise-the-popular-phrase-in-but-not-of]
        Patterson captures the intent of this idea beautifully, “Compassion rather than condescension for sinners is the only appropriate posture for a believer. But this compassion must be exercised from a position of holiness and separation to God, his purposes, and his ways.” [Patterson, 331]
        Application
        What this means for us is that we find truth from God’s Word and not our culture
        We don’t make our own truth
        It requires us as followers of Jesus Christ to love those in our culture who believe and practice things that are in opposition to God and His Word
        We are not to look down on or ignore those who are struggling to understand God’s truth
        Two challenges for us
        Are there areas of your life where you’re connected to this world in an unhealthy way?
        Addictions, ideologies, etc.
        Are there worldly desires that you are hesitant or unwilling to sacrifice and separate yourself from, so you can be set apart for God?
        My Next Step Today Is To: Ask the Lord to help me seek holiness instead of worldly desires.
        Are you loving those who believe and/or practice things that are in opposition to God and His Word?
        For some of us it’s easy to set yourself apart for God and seek personal holiness, but we can become very condemning and critical of those who are struggling to be set apart
        We expect others to be where we’re at in our spirituality or understanding of God’s truths
        We live in a culture that has sold us the lie that we make our own truth, that we are in control of our lives, that there are not moral absolutes
        We have to loving embrace those who are struggling to find real truth and not alienate them from the body of Christ
        That has happened too often in the past and has created animosity towards Christians
        My Next Step Today Is To: Love those, in my sphere of influence, who are struggling with the truths of God’s Word.
        John hears this command for the believers to come out of the great city, but he also hears the reasons why
      - Reasons why they are to come out
        So they won’t share in her sins
        The Greek word for “share” is a compound word joining koinōnia and sun (sygkoinōneō)
        Koinōnia is a Greek word many of us are familiar with – it means “fellowship”
        The fellowship it’s referring to is more than a friendship or acquaintance, it’s much deeper than that
        This Greek word is also used to describe the marriage relationship
        Sun is translated as “with”
        So it literally means “with fellowship”
        Rogers & Rogers translate it as “to be a partner, to be a co-partner with” [Rogers & Rogers, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, 644]
        We already know what her sins are (adultery, both physically and spiritually; idolatry; pride; greed)
        The great city has continued to participate in these sins to the point that they have piled up to heaven
        The Greek word for piled up literally means “to stick to, to join to” [Rogers & Rogers, 644]
        There is the idea that the sins here are related to one another, which is why they stick together [Patterson, 332]
        God hasn’t forgotten what the inhabitants of the earth have done to His children – He has remembered their crimes
        He is about to repay the inhabitants of the earth for their evil against His people
        Believers can become ensnared in the sins of this world – they can compromise their values and beliefs to allow them to continue to do what they know God’s Word says is wrong
        When that happens, the law of divine justice is enacted – if you share in the sins, you’ll also share in the punishment for those sins, unless you repent and flee
        So they won’t receive any of her plagues
        The second reason they are to come out from the great city is so they won’t receive any of her plagues
        We’ve already seen what those plagues are in Revelation 16 (ugly and painful sores; sea turned to blood; rivers and springs turned to blood; sun scorched the people; complete darkness; Euphrates dried up; severe earthquake)
        Perhaps the most familiar Biblical record of someone who struggled with sharing in the sins of a city and then receiving the punishment of the city is Lot’s wife
        Genesis 19:15-17, With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.” When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!"
        We see that Lot, his wife, and his daughters are hesitant to leave the city, even though they knew what was happening there was sinful (the men wanted to sleep with the angels who were staying with Lot)
        They had probably compromised and should have left the city sooner, but now they were emotionally attached (Lot’s two daughters were engaged/pledged to be married)
        We see the draw of worldly desires in what happens with Lot’s wife
        Genesis 19:26, But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
        Her heart was obviously still in the city, her desire was to be there – she has become a partner in the sins of the city and received the “plagues” (punishment)
        We have to come out from the desires of this world, so we won’t receive the punishment destined for this world
        God desires for us to seek holiness instead of worldly desires.
      - What John hears next is the punishment the great city will experience
    - Punishment
      - PRINCIPLE – God’s punishment of evil will be just and equitable.
        We see the biblical law of justice handed out here – “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” (Exod. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21)
        In Latin it’s called lex talionis
        John hears it in one of the repeated three-line poetic features
        God is saying that the great city will be given back what it has dished out
        The background for this is found in Jeremiah’s prophecy of the original Babylon
        Jeremiah 50:29, “Summon archers against Babylon, all those who draw the bow. Encamp all around her; let no one escape. Repay her for her deeds; do to her as she has done. For she has defied the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.
        The reference to receiving back double and mixing her a double portion is simply meaning that the great city will receive their punishment in full measure
        This is in keeping with Rev. 14:10, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.
        Jeremiah 16:18, I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols.
        Divine requital
        We continue to see divine equitable justice being handed down
        She is to receive torture and grief to the same degree that she gave herself glory and luxury
        These are the twin sins she has committed
        She has glorified herself instead of God
        She has lived in sensual luxury (meaning both immoral and greedy living – not content)
        She is also prideful
        It’s another three-line repetition
        Easley expresses it well [Easley, 329]
        She sits as queen (she was mistress of the world, the finest city of all times)
        She is not a widow (she had all the kings of the world as her lovers)
        She will never mourn (she believes she’s in complete control of her destiny)
        While she believes these three things about herself, God is ultimately in control and will judge her justly and quickly
      - Quick punishment
        The reference to her plagues overtaking her in one day, simply means that God’s justice and punishment will not be delayed
        Her punishment will be death, mourning, and famine
        What the great city has boasted in will come to pass
        She is not in control of her destiny and will therefore mourn, she will no longer be queen, she will be a widow
        The fact that she will be consumed by fire means that her punishment will be complete and total

CONCLUSION

“God warns his people to ‘come out’ of Babylon (18:4). This is a call to holiness, but we must not misunderstand holiness. Holiness is not simply a matter of avoiding certain kinds of activities, as some traditional churches have emphasized; holiness is separation from the world to God. Thus one can express holiness by immersing oneself in God’s Word rather than in the world’s values emphasized on television; or by turning down a better-paying job because someone felt God wanted him or her to work in a different place, perhaps among the poor. Such holiness may cost us our place in Babylon and much more. One Christian I have called ‘Stephen’ used to pray two hours a day and began to tell God passionately that he loved God so much that nothing else mattered. Then, in 1987, Stephen lost his wife. Now when he says, ‘God, I love you more than anything,’ he understands what he is saying. Ultimately, if we are truly Jesus’ disciples, our very lives are forfeit (Mark 8:34-38).” [Keener, 436]

December 9, 2018/by Office

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