Cursed

Sunday, August 30, 2020 “Cursed” Revelation 16 Idea: In response to the cursing of God by sinners, Jesus became a curse in order to redeem sinners. Intro: This morning we have lifted our voices in praise to God our Redeemer. We have acknowledged His greatness, grace, and love. We have also recognized our weakness and sin. In response to weakness and sin, we have gloried in the cross of Jesus Christ. We have praised the Lord for removing our curse by becoming a curse for us. The cross is a beautiful picture of God’s love and justice. In regards to it, William Barclay said, “The cross is the proof that there is no length to which the love of God will refuse to go, in order to win men’s hearts. The cross is the medium of reconciliation because the cross is the final proof of the love of God; and a love like that demands an answering love. If the cross will not waken love and wonder in men’s hearts, nothing will.” As we move into Revelation 16, the response of sinners to the cross is anything but love and wonder. It is fury rather than faith. As God unleashes His just judgment against sinners who worship the beast and its image, they curse God and refuse to recognize that He became the curse for them. Read Revelation 16. Inquiry: The seven bowl plagues share some similarities with the seven trumpet plagues, and both series contain certain commonalities to the plagues of Egypt. We discover in the seven bowls a much more severe and intense judgment from God. Next Sunday we will examine these bowls of wrath in great detail. Today, as we prepare to observe the Lord’s Supper, I want you to understand these judgments in the context of the titanic struggle between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan (Rev 12). George Eldon Ladd points out that the judgments are not the expression of God’s wrath against sin in general, nor are they punishments for individual wrongdoing. They are the outpouring of His wrath upon him who would frustrate the divine purpose in the world – the beast – and upon those who have given their loyalty to him. As we read through the verses of this chapter, did you notice the response of those who experienced the wrath of the bowls? They cursed God and refused to repent of their deeds (vs. 9,11, 21). As Grant Osborne has said, “Evil participates in its own destruction.” Throughout Revelation, we have seen God’s grace extended as His judgments are coupled with a call for repentance and faith. The bowls are a final chance to repent (vs. 9). Let’s look at those who are cursed. There are three groups or individuals we need to recognize. 1. The righteousness of God justly curses the ungodly for their wickedness. The judgment poured out from the first bowl of wrath caused terrible and painful sores to break out on all the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image (vs. 2). The pandemic is similar to the sixth Egyptian plague (Ex 9:9-11) and the sores that plagued Job (Job 2:1-13). It will be a global, medical disaster of epic proportions. The judgment will fall only on those who worship the beast. God is just in His judgment of the wicked. His character demands such judgment. Allow me to highlight four aspects of God’s character. • Sovereignty God is God. He is the Lord of Creation and everything in it. He rules and reigns over all things. Therefore, He alone has authority to establish the rules and set the parameters by which His creatures live and have their being. It is His Word that alone has authority. As one of our church values states, “[The Bible] has final authority; it takes precedence over our opinions, emotions, and preferences.” • Holiness God’s holiness means that He is perfect, pure, and separate from all that is not. His holiness means He detests sin and demands purity in His moral creatures. “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong… – Habakkuk 1:13 • Justice God is a good and perfect judge. Just as it would be wrong for a human judge to let the guilty go free, God would not be just to let man’s rebellion go unpunished. “But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.” - Psalm 9:7-8 • Love As a loving father watches over, cares for, and corrects his children, God in the fullest way lovingly does so for His creatures. It is God’s love for humanity that moves Him to judge sin and sinner. He fully understands its dangers and destruction. Judgment is meant to be a protector by showing sinners the dangers of evil and the provision found in Christ. God is just in His judgment against wickedness. The angel in charge of the waters declares this justness, and an affirming “amen” is sounded by those around the altar (vs. 5-7). Sin is always met with the justice of God. Sinners receive the just payment for their rebellion against God. “For the wages of sin is death…” – Rom 6:23a The righteousness of God justly curses the ungodly for their wickedness. 2. The ungodly rebelliously curse God for the judgment unleashed on them. In response to the judgment coming from the bowls of wrath, those in rebellion curse God rather than repent of their wickedness. Like the response of the ungodly in breaking of the sixth seal and the blowing of the sixth trumpet (6:12-17; 9:20-21), they refuse to repent of their evil deeds and the worship of the beast. They blame God for their pain and suffering. They accuse God of injustice and malign His character. Never once do they look inwardly and consider that they might be to blame for their situation. They play the victim and charge God with oppression. The ungodly are blind and unable to see the awfulness of their spiritual condition. They are also blind to the goodness and grace of Christ. Sin robs a person of every joy he or she could have in the God who created and loves the individual. Sin kills the life that could be had in God. And sin blinds the person from seeing his or her spiritual condition and the need for redemption in Christ. This leads to a third curse. 3. The righteous Lamb of God became a curse so that the ungodly might be made holy. In the midst of these judgments Jesus speaks (vs. 15). He reminds both the redeemed and the wicked of His return. Christ will return, and His return will be as a Warrior King. This promise reminds us of the battle He has already won. In these bowl judgments, Jesus is warring against Satan and those who have sworn allegiance to him. His love for humanity, however, has never wavered. His love was personified upon the cross. “but God shows his love for us in while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8 Jesus took the sins of humanity upon Himself there on the cross. He bore our sins in order that we might be healed (1 Peter 2:24). Paul reminded the Galatians of God’s righteous judgment and curse against those who broke His commandments. He also pointed out how Jesus became the curse for them on the cross. He received the judgment so that sinners could be set free from the curse (Gal 3:10-14). Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us – for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree…” – Gal 3:13 Conclusion: Today, we acknowledge and celebrate the cross of Jesus Christ. We glory in the redeeming action of God the Son there on that tree. The blood shed by Jesus on Calvary paid the penalty for sin. It satisfied the holy, just wrath of God the Father against our rebellion. The only proper response is that of humility, surrender, repentance, and faith. Last weekend one of the young guys in our church placed his faith and trust in Jesus Christ during our Back 2 School Bash. I had an opportunity to meet with him and his parents the other day to talk through his decision. He told me that as we sang a song about Christ being enthroned, he realized this was something he needed to do. He came to realize for the first time by faith that Jesus is Lord and worthy of His worship and allegiance. During that moment he faithed into Jesus. Later, that evening he told his parents and sister about it. On Sunday, he couldn’t wait to share the decision with Steve Cashman and myself. This young man was excited because the curse had been lifted from his life. Jesus had become that curse, and he is now free to live in the freedom and joy that comes from Christ. Do you know that freedom and joy? Have you experienced freedom from sin’s curse? If you have, we are going to remember and celebrate how our freedom came in just a moment through the Lord’s Supper. If you have not, what holds you back? Would you dare hold onto sin and blame God like those in Revelation 16? Would you foolishly refuse the grace of God in favor of His wrath? May I appeal to you to choose faith over fury? Receive the gospel this morning? What is the gospel? We talk about it in three parts. Good News – You were made by God and for God (Col 1:16). He loves you. He has a plan and purpose for your life. Bad News – Sin has broken God’s design. The sinful nature that overcame Adam and left God’s design in him broken has been passed on to us. It has separated us from God. Today, in our sin, we are on the wrong side of the great chasm. Our sin condemns us before God, so that we are deserving of His judgment. This brokenness should not surprise anyone; because if we are honest with ourselves, we recognize it. We feel it in our anxiety, fears, and broken relationships. We know there is a deep need that we cannot meet ourselves. Best News - The gospel declares that God the Son has paid the penalty for our sin so that we can be set free (Rev 1:5). He offered His life as a substitute for you and experienced the wrath of God the Father against your sin. So that now, you can experience forgiveness for sin by placing your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. You are given a choice to make? As believers, we celebrate the salvation we have experienced in Jesus and the lifting of the curse, giving us eternal life. Before we partake of this sacred meal, we need to make sure that we are prepared. How do we prepare? Here are a few things we need to know. 1) It is for believers only. If you have confessed your sinfulness to Jesus and placed faith in Him for forgiveness as Lord over your life, then this meal is for you. If you have not done so, this is the greatest need in your life. You can place your faith in Him today…right now. 2) It is for baptized believers. Baptism is an ordinance of the church. It is the first step of obedience in the life of the believer. It symbolizes a believer’s connection with Christ and His church. The Lord’s Supper is also an ordinance of the church, so participants of this meal ought to be connected to the church. 3) It is partaken in a worthy manner. Paul warned the Corinthians of participating in an unworthy manner (1 Cor 11:27). Believers should approach the meal in humility and holiness. We dare not share in it with unconfessed sin in our lives. Thankfully, the Bible tells us that if we will confess our sin, the Lord is faithful to forgive us of all sin (1 John 1:9). Today, if you are not in relationship with Jesus, you can call upon Him right now. He will forgive and redeem you. If you are not ready to make this decision, I would ask that you not participate in the Lord’s Supper. Likewise, if you are a believer who has not been baptized, I would ask that you not participate in this meal. Let’s set a time to talk through the gospel and a date to be baptized. If you are a believer holding on to sin, you also should not participate. Those who are in Christ, baptized, and as best you know striving to live for Christ and rid yourself of sin, this meal is for you. It reminds us of the hope of our confession and our bond together in Christ. Observe the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:14-20)