Revelation Sermon - 61

Lars Janssen

Revelation Series • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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Revelation Closing Remarks Part 2

Revelation 22:17-21

1. Introduction – So there you have it – we have now read every single word of this incredible letter together as a church.

a. Hopefully the blessing of 1:3 is as true for you as it is for me. I feel blessed by reading and preaching this letter to you.

i. I pray that you have been blessed by hearing these words read to you…these are after all the inspired words of God, given to John.

b. What an incredible journey we’ve been on. What an incredible letter we’ve read. I have been studying the book of Revelation for the better part of 2 years. I started studying and researching this letter long before I started preaching on.

i. I read and re-read Revelation many times over the course of this 2-year period…

1. And the more I read it…the more it excites me.

a. I hope and pray that this won’t be the end of your study in Revelation – I pray that you will read and re-read it…hopefully with a better understanding of what the last book of the Bible is all about.

i. The content isn’t fear-inducing for Christians, but encouraging, hope-giving, and inspiring.

1. Sure, there are still confusing parts, but when we remember that it is actually a blessing to read and study these words…

a. When we remember that this is a Revelation of Jesus, about Jesus, given by Jesus…we can read the confusing parts with hope, knowing that in the end God will make all things new.

c. I said at the beginning of this series way back in January 2018, and I have reiterated it multiple times throughout the series…that if at the end of this study if we don’t want to throw ourselves at Jesus’ feet in worship….then we’ve read the book wrong.

i. This letter is a worship manual, how to worship God and stay faithful to Jesus in the midst of trials, persecutions and temptations all around.

1. It’s a letter about the work of Jesus, the victory of Jesus, the return of Jesus…and I don’t know about you, but after reading and re-reading this letter, after having spent that last 2 years of my life dedicated to it, I absolutely have a greater appreciation for what Jesus has done, what Jesus is like now, and what he will do in the future.

a. I absolutely want to throw myself at Jesus’ feet in worship, and I hope and pray you feel the same way.

d. This morning we read 22:17-21. These closing words, like I said last week, aren’t unimportant because they are at the end.

i. In fact, there’s a lost of useful and practical items jammed into these 5 verses.

1. .

2. The Invitation – The last few verses of Revelation start off with an invitation. “Let everyone who is thirsty…”

a. Quite honestly, this one verse has a whole sermon’s worthy of material in it.

i. I find it absolutely incredible that the book of Revelation ends with one last invitation.

1. Given all that we have seen throughout the course of this study…the judgment God pours out on the ungodly…the eternal suffering of those who reject God….

a. But here we are, Rev. 22:17, ad we see that no one has to spend eternity separated from God.

b. The invitation is open to anyone and everyone. You don’t have to have your life together. You don’t have to already be religious or have it all figured out…there’s one condition in this invitation – thirst.

i. This is a universal appeal, for the entire human race thirsts from the soul for fulfillment and satisfaction.

1. Humanity was created with a universal need to know its Maker – with a craving in the soul that only God can satisfy.

a. The heart longs for acceptance by One who is wholly worthy to be loved.

i. The mind cries out for truth.

1. The will desires a truly noble cause to which we may offer our lives to find meaning.

a. None of these desires can be satisfied by worldly things.

c. I said last week that we human beings are natural born worshippers – well we are also natural born consumes.

i. We will consume anything and everything. We will fill our bodies, our minds, and our hearts with anything in order to fill the void in our soul that only God can fill.

1. The greatest tragedy in life is when men and women know they are thirsty for God – when they know they have a void to be filled, but they have forgotten the only object of satisfaction.

ii. They then seek fulfillment anywhere they can find it: in romance, in career success, in hobbies, in family, in sports or in the arts.

1. None of those things are inherently evil – but they aren’t designed by God to quench a thirsty soul.

a. They may provide initial satisfaction, but the thirst will always return.

i. The only thing that will quench the thirsty soul is the water of life mentioned here.

d. But the thirsty must come. There’s a condition to this invitation. If you’re thirsty, come to the water of life and drink.

i. If you’re longing for satisfaction and fulfillment. If you’ve tried anything and everything else…

1. If you’ve looked for fulfillment in work or play…come here to the water of life. Nothing else will quench that thirst.

a. Look at the state of those who are invited…anyone who is thirst can come.

e. And now look at the price of this satisfying water…its free. The water of life, salvation, must be received as a free gift.

i. There’s no amount of money you can give, no amount of good deeds you can do in order to buy this water.

1. This echoes words from the prophet Isaiah, which say…

a. I love that Revelation closes with an invitation…reminding its readers and hears that they don’t have to experience God’s wrath…

i. They can experience his salvation, his forgiveness, and the satisfaction he gives.

1. It’s free to all who are thirsty, all who desire to drink from it, and all you come to drink it for themselves.

a. What a fabulous verse.

3. The Warning – Next, look at the warning in vv.18-19.

a. Now, much has been said about this warning…and maybe it’s a misunderstanding of this warning that has caused Christians to keep this letter closed and not read it…out of fear of adding or taking away from it.

i. So, what has been said about this warning? Well, some believe John is referring to the whole biblical canon.

1. Some think that John is making a statement that after Revelation, no other books and no other words can be added to the Bible.

a. While it’s a great thought, and while I do believe that the 66 books contained in the Bible is God’s inspired and inerrant word…and while it is true that we shouldn’t seek to add to God’s word with supplemental material, that’s how cults get started after all….

i. The Canon of Scripture wasn’t finalized until years after John wrote this letter.

1. Besides, in this warning, John is specifically referring to the words of this prophecy.

b. So, maybe this a warning to scribes who will copy this letter and send it out in circulation…at the end of his letter John is warning them not to play fast and loose with what is written here.

i. Perhaps, but unlikely.

1. Maybe this warning has scared off some Christians from reading and studying and teaching this letter…because they are afraid of getting wrong and thus experiencing the consequences written here.

c. But this isn’t the case. There have been numerous times throughout out study where I have pointed of several differing opinion in interpretation…but this verse doesn’t mean that those who are ‘wrong’ will suffer the consequences listed here.

i. John is not condemning the well-meaning Christian who makes mistakes in interpreting this letter.

d. This verse, however, is a reminder to all of us that we must work hard to understand God’s Word.

i. It’s a reminder of the seriousness of reading, studying, understanding and applying God’s Word in our lives.

1. Reading the Bible isn’t to be taken lightly, as if its simply something to do in order to check it off your to-do list.

a. These are the inspired words of God, given to us by God so that we can know him.

e. So then, what about this warning. What does it mean?

i. John is concerned about possible mechanical errors or errors in judgment – but with deliberate distortions and perversions of this Revelation.

1. In reading this warning, John is emphasizing the divine character of this book.

a. The words recorded here are true words of prophecy.

i. And remember, prophecy isn’t so much about predicting the future…

1. Prophecy is about “thus says the Lord...”

a. Prophecy is a direct word from God for his people, given through a prophet.

ii. And the punishment for perverting or distorting this prophecy is severe, since John is not merely writing his own words, but the very words of God.

4. The Promise – Next, we have a reiteration of Jesus’ glorious promise. “Yes, I am coming soon!”

a. Last week we looked at the tension between promise and fulfillment, we’ll look at a different aspect of this promise this morning.

i. Today I want to look at the purpose of this delay in Jesus’ return.

1. Why is it that Jesus promised 2000 years ago that he was coming soon?

a. What does this delay say about God? What does it mean for God’s people?

b. First, what does this delay in Jesus’ return say about God?

i. We know that with the return of Jesus, history will come to an end.

1. We know that at Jesus’ return, the righteous and the unrighteous, the sheep and the goats, the wheat and the weeds – they will be separated.

a. The righteous, the sheep, the wheat…they will go to everlasting paradise in the new creation.

i. The unrighteous will go to everlasting torment in the lake of fire.

1. At Jesus’ return, when the soon becomes reality – the invitation expires.

a. At Jesus’ return, time runs out.

ii. So as long as Jesus’ return is delayed, there’s still time…time for people to repent of their sins and come to God.

1. So, answering the question, what does it say about God? It says that he is gracious and merciful.

a. It’s as Peter writes in 2 Peter 3:9…

c. Unfortunately, Revelation shows us that not everyone will repent…but won’t be for lack of opportunity.

i. On the day of the Lord, no one will be able to accuse God of being quick to judge.

1. He is just the opposite; he reveals himself to humanity… he calls us to himself…and he gives each person time and opportunity to come to him in faith.

a. Jesus says, “I am coming soon…” but until he does there’s still time to come to him and drink his water of life.

d. And for us as God’s people – what are we to do with this time between promise and fulfillment?

i. Well, if time is given for people, then we how already know God should take this time to share the message of the gospel with those who haven’t believed in it yet.

1. Jesus said the gospel of the kingdom will go to the end of the earth…and then the ends will come.

a. The Apostle Paul writes, “How can people believe in the gospel if they haven’t heard, how can they hear if they aren’t told, how can they be told if people don’t go???”

i. If we put those verses together, we see that the primary concern of God’s people should be local evangelism and world missions.

1. Taking the gospel with them wherever they go.

ii. Knowing that Jesus can return at any moment without warning…knowing that when that happens the time for repentance will run out…for people we know and people we don’t know who don’t know Jesus yet…

1. That thought must fill us with an urgency to take the gospel with us everywhere.

e. We must be concerned with the spiritual condition of people – not assume they know God already, or assuming someone else will do it – but being bold and loving in our proclamation of God’s good news.

5. The Benediction – And finally, the last verse of the book…the last verse of the Bible.

a. This is a benediction – it is a prayer of appeal for God’s blessing, but it is also a declaration of God’s blessing that is already on his people.

i. Here, grace refers to the power that Jesus provides to his people. He looks on his struggling church – then and now – and he gives us what we need to carry on in the face of what is ahead.

1. As God’s people…the bride of Christ, we must remain pure…we have been commanded to overcome.

a. And some might wonder…will we? The answer is yes! By the grace of the Lord Jesus we will.

ii. Christians are commanded to hold fast to God’s word and remain faithful to the end…And by God’s grace, God’s power, we will.

1. Christians are to resist the allures of the harlot and refuse to worship the beast.

a. We must reject the false teaching from the false prophet…

i. Will the church stand strong, maintain her faith and refuse all of those things???

1. The true church, the true people of God will!

iii. And we will do so, not through strength, fortitude and human ingenuity…

1. We will overcome through the grace of the Lord Jesus, which is sufficient to meet all of our needs, to save us to the uttermost, and present faultless before God’s glorious throne.

a. And that same grace and power that will carry God’s people to the end, is available to us today so that even today we can live by faith and conquer in Jesus’ name.

6. Conclusion – And there you have it. We have read and studied everyone word of this letter together.

a. Next week we’ll have a time of celebration as we wrap up our time in this letter.

i. But I want to close with these words. Scholar Robert Mounce wrote this conclusion at the end of his commentary on Revelation. I want to read these words to you because it’s beautiful summary of all we’ve looked at.

1. Hear his words.