The Faithful and True Witness
Revelation • Sermon • Submitted
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· 96 viewsJesus is our faithful and true witness, therefore everything He says we can trust and we can invest our lives in.
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Most people when they think about the book of Revelation instantly think judgment. It is all a book about God’s judgment being poured out on to sinful mankind. And yes, it is true that Revelation contains a lot of information about the outpouring of God’s judgment on the world, that is not primarily what it is all about. OK, what is the book of Revelation all about? Well, a large part of the book focuses in, and centers on the person of Jesus Christ. We discover a lot about the characteristics of Jesus from the book of Revelation. In fact, the book is chalk full of references to Christ. Full disclosure- One of my projects for a seminary class was to go through the book and list all of the references to Jesus. And tonight I want to pull out of specific characteristic of Jesus that we find in the book of Revelation and use that truth to actually make some very practical application from the last two chapters in the book.
Tonight, I want us to think about the fact that Jesus is true. He is truthful, there is nothing false about Him. What exactly do we mean when we say that Jesus is truthful? One of the best definitions is given to us in another passage of Scripture.
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Jesus Himself said this,
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
At least 6 different times Jesus is called true in the book of Revelation. The idea of truthfulness is used as book ends in Revelation. John begins the letter putting into our minds that everything he is about to share with us comes from a source that is true, and he ends the book in much the same manner.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Notice here Jesus is called the faithful witness- In order for His witness to be faithful it is assumed that it also must be what? True.
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Here as John is specifically addressing seven local churches He includes a discussion of the character of Christ before each message to the church is given. And several times He talks about Jesus as being the true one.
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Patterson states, “His witness concerning the condition of man and the nature of salvation is true. His witness concerning himself is true. His testimony concerning the unfolding events of the future and his assessment of the seven churches is also fully reliable.”
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21.1
Sin will be no more- thus all of the consequences of sin will be gone.
We will literally dwell with God- this has not been possible one earth since the Garden.
Wipe away all tears from our eyes.
There will be no more death
There will be no more sorrow
There will be no more crying
There will be no more pain
Why? Because the former things are passed away. Sin is completely and totally gone. And all of the effects of sin are therefore also gone. You want to know why you have to experience right now all these things? Because of sin. Why doesn’t God just do away with all of that? He is- that is His plan- it just is future
Then listen to what God says.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Rev 1.5
Does this have any bearing any relevance for you right now? Does this help you go home and live faithfully for Christ tomorrow when you go to work? Yes, absolutely it does! How so?
-5-7
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
We can faithfully endure because of the certainty of our inheritance. Over and over again in Scripture you find that what makes it possible to faithfully follow Christ, to persevere through trials and afflictions, to patiently suffer for the sake of Christ, what makes all of that possible is the knowledge of what is waiting for us when we get to the end of the story. When the full measure of our salvation is revealed in the last time. And what will that look like?
3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev. 22
Then look at what we find again in the next verse.
Rev. 22.6
6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
How do we know this will happen? Because we serve a Savior who is faithful and true. He is called the faithful witness, the true one, the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the holy and true one, the just and true one, and one day the heavens will open, and all the world will behold, one sitting on a white horse and He is called Faithful and True and He will bring every Word God has promised us to pass.
I can faithfully endure and persevere now in hardship because I serve a true Savior and I know what awaits me one day.