Sermon – Doug Lay – 12-1-18

The Bible’s Epilogue:
Why The Church Needs
the Book of Revelation

Revelation 22:6-21  (ESV)

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Sermon Notes

PROLOGUE: The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. (Revelation 1:1-3)

The Authority of this Book of Prophecy  (22:6-8)

  1. Angel’s Testimony

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” (22:6)

  • Jesus’ Testimony

“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (22:7)

  • John’s Testimony

      I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to                               worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, (22:8)

The Power of this Book of Prophecy   (22:9-11)

  1. Worship The Author of this Book

but he said to me,  “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”  (22:9)

  • Open the Prophecies of this Book

And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. (22:10)

  • Choose the Life of this Book

Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”  (22:11)

The Promises from this Book of Prophecy    (22:12-19)

  1. The Rewards of Christ

      “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (22:12-13)

  • The Blessings of Christ

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. (22:14)

  • The Curses of Christ

Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.  (22:15)

  • The Revelations of Christ

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches.

I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”  (22:16)

  • The Invitations of Christ

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And

let the one who hears say, “Come.” And

let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (22:17)

  • The Warnings of Christ

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book:

if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and

if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (22:18-19)

  • The Return of Christ

        He who testifies to these things says,  “Surely I am coming soon.”  (22:20)

The Final Benediction from this Book of Prophecy  (22:21)

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.  (22:21)

The Prologue to the Epilogue: The Book of Malachi

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.

  • And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and
  • the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.

But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

  • For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.
  • He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
  • Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. (Malachi 3:1-4)

Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them,

  • and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name.
  • “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and
  • I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 
  • Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. (Malachi 3:16-18)

“For behold, the day is coming,

  • burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble.
  • The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
  • But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.
  • You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.
  • And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 4:1-3)

“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

  • And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers,
  • lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (Malachi 4:4-6)

Revelation 22:6-21  (ESV)

Jesus Is Coming

6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

 

 

Sermon Notes

 

Worship Songs

Here I Am to Worship

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Death Was Arrested

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

 

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