I Am Coming Soon

[0:00] oh hey take out your bibles with me please and turn to the very last page of the bible proper bible not the last book called concordance or you know one of those index very last page of the book of revelation chapter 22 final words closing epilogue in terms of the structure of the book of revelation there's a balance between the way the book opens and the way the book closes if you read the first several verses of chapter 1 and now you read the final verses of chapter 22 you have a lot of repetition a lot of kind of pulling it together so this is a section now he's not revealing anything else new he's not showing us any new visions at this point he is summarizing he is calling us to action he is basically saying what are you going to do with all that has been revealed from chapter 1 through 22 how now do we respond to that how do we put it together that's what he's going to summarize now okay so let's do what we always do let's read the word we pray and then we we'll dig in so if you're able please stand as I read from revelation 22 beginning at verse 7 to the end and behold

[2:00] I am coming soon blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book 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 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 of this book worship God and he said to me do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book for the time is near let the evil doer still do evil and the filthy still be filthy and the righteous still do righteousness and the holy still be holy behold

[3:04] I am coming soon bringing my recompense with me to repay everyone for what he has done I am the alpha and the omega the first and the last the beginning and the end 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 outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and the murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood I Jesus have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches

[4:06] I am the root and the descendant of David the bright morning star 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 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 he who testifies to these things says yes

[5:15] I am coming soon amen come Lord Jesus the grace of the Lord Jesus be with all amen so reads the book let us pray father grant us eyes to see ears to hear and particularly grant us hearts that will receive and understand give us teachable spirits today help us to hear the warnings as well as the calls to action help us to hear who is blessed and help us particularly hear with with faith that you are indeed coming soon so that we might take the words of this book with all seriousness this we pray in Christ's name amen please be seated came across this story some time ago

[6:28] I don't know if it's true or not but I liked it and it relates I think at least I'm going to try to make it relate but a Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter they planned to stay at the same hotel where they had spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier because of hectic schedules it was difficult to coordinate their travel plans so the husband left Minneapolis and flew to Florida on Thursday and the wife went down on Friday the husband checked into the hotel there was a computer in the room so he decided to send his wife an email however he accidentally left out one letter in her email address and without realizing his error sent the email meanwhile somewhere in

[7:38] Houston a widow had just returned home from her husband's funeral he was a minister who was called home to glory following a heart attack the widow decided to check her email expecting messages from relatives and friends after reading the first message she screamed and fainted!

[8:06] the widow son rushed into the room found his mother on the floor and then saw the computer screen which read to my loving wife I've arrived I know you're surprised to hear from me but they have computers here now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones I've just arrived and been checked in I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow looking forward to seeing you then hope your journey is as uneventful as mine P.S.

[8:50] it sure is hot down here one mistake not the message she was expecting what are your expectations of the arrival date hopefully not that let me give you another version of expectation while we walk the pilgrim's pathway clouds will over spread the sky but when traveling days are over not a shadow not a sigh let us then be true and faithful trusted serving every day just one glimpse of him and glory will the toils of life repay onward to the prize before us soon his beauty we will behold soon the pearly gates will open and we shall tread the streets of gold when we all get to heaven what a day of rejoicing that will be when we all see

[10:16] Jesus we'll sing and shout the victory now that song needs to be sung with soul yes yes indeed what's our expectation revelation 22 here we come to the very final passage the closing words of revelation I want you to notice first of all before we dig into this what's going on there's a lot going on in these verses I want to make some observations for you just to kind of pick some things out so we can kind of seems like you know where is this all going it kind of goes here and goes here is there structure yes there is so let me point out some things you probably have already noticed first of all there is a phrase statement of Jesus repeated three times I am coming soon verse seven I am coming soon verse 12

[11:17] I am coming soon verse 20 think we should get that message that's the emphasis isn't it I am coming soon okay there's another phrase repeated four or five times he mentions several times this phrase the words of the prophecy of this book so we see that in verse seven verse ten verse eighteen and verse nineteen the words of the prophecy of this book so what he's saying is that what I'm talking about what we're dealing with are the words of the prophecy of this book which has been everything from chapter one through chapter twenty twenty two everything that he has written down and reported to us this is what he's discussing what do we do with that okay the other thing we notice is that two times he says blessed are so verse seven I'm coming blessed are what the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book keeping this book and then we see that again after he says in verse twelve

[12:28] I'm coming soon! verse fourteen he says blessed are those who wash their robes so two blessed two beatitudes by the way you will never guess how many times the blessed ours are in revelation you try guess you'll never guess how many times you'll never pull this out of the out of the air no how many times blessed are seven times would you believe it you wouldn't believe it would you seven times seven beatitudes in the book of revelation who would think sorry just messing around also I just thought I had a little fun there's also in this passage from seven verse seven through the end a number of calls to action this is an application text this is really saying what do

[13:35] I do with all the words of the prophecies of this book well verse seven keep them keep them verse seven verse ten make sure you worship the right person verse eleven keep on being holy keep on doing what is right verse fourteen wash keep washing your robes and then finally verse seventeen come come to the water of life come to the water he who is thirsty come he who is desirous take invitation invitation so lots of calls of action there's also some warnings there's some positive what we would say first reading some positive verses here there also seem to be some negative verses here talk about the ones who are outside this warning about adding or taking away from the book pretty serious warning there and then there's a confusing statement in verse eleven where he says oh let the evildoers keep doing evil what what why would he say that so we have some things to sort out a little bit the other thing

[15:01] I want you to notice is there's many voices here verse seven it's the voice of Jesus I'm coming soon verse eight it's the voice of John who's recording these things verse nine it's the voice of the angel who tells John don't worship me worship God then we come back to the voice of Jesus in verse 12 I'm coming soon again and then in verse 17 we have more voices the spirit speaks and the bride speaks right and then and and then verse 18 we're back to Jesus again I am the one testifying to these things I Jesus am telling you personally these things and then it ends with you know Jesus says I'm coming again and somebody else says amen come and then of course John ends the book simply saying grace to you after all that just a very simple close grace to you not a drawn out just that's enough grace to you that'll cover it so lots of words but the dominant voice we see is the voice of

[16:14] Jesus here not John not the angel voice of Jesus he keeps speaking I mean he's the one who's revealing to his angel to show to John who writes it down for us so there's a transgression sorry transgresses the wrong word isn't it it's kind of a negative word I think in it transmission trans okay stop trying from Jesus to the angel to John to the churches right but here at the end Jesus bypasses and just speaks himself probably important I think from him directly so there we go so okay there's a lot going on how do we sort this out how do we kind of just get down to what's emphasized what's important for us to hear in all of this well the easiest way for me to sort this out is to take it by the obviously

[17:20] I am coming I am coming I am coming three times once at the beginning once at the middle once at the end so let's divide it by the statements of I am coming so the first one is followed by a blessing the second one in verse 12 is also followed by a blessing so let's just kind of take it that way that will be simplest I think kind of I'm coming here's the blessing I'm coming here's the blessing it seems to be verses 7 to 11 have the first statement affirmation of his coming and blessed are those who keep and then verse 12 he says again I am coming soon followed by blessed our hats and break this down so the first statement the first statement of blessing who's blessed first of all verse 7 Jesus says I am coming blessed are those who keep the words of the prophecy of this book let me put it this way blessed are those who are keeping keep keeping the words why because they only worship the true

[18:32] God and nothing else soon as the statement said John talks about making the error of bowing down to worship the angel and he's immediately told once again don't do that worship God right so those keeping the words and I think those two things relate keeping the words mean one thing worship God only God deserves our veneration our devotion our adoration no one else angels may awe you they deserve our respect certainly we can appreciate them people in the servants of the church we can appreciate and be thankful for their gifts and for their service to us absolutely we say thank you but we don't adore them we don't venerate them we don't worship them and

[19:39] John's mistake reminds us of the subtlety of making of just pushing our appreciation too far John himself so we need to if John's fooled we can easily slip over that okay so those keeping the words blessed are those keeping the words because they only worship the true God so it comes in three calls here verse seven is the first call keep the words right blessed are those who keep the words who guard the words of this book who maintain the words of this book who hold fast to the words of this book what does that mean what does it mean to keep well what it means to keep the words it means things like hold fast to your testimony do not deny the name of Jesus when you have a chance to witness do not deny his word do not deny him stand whatever the consequence stand honor him that's holding fast to the words of the book the words of the book really summarized are keep enduring by faith keep enduring keep worshiping the right

[21:04] God we're told in verses 8 and 9 we're reminded of the subtlety of idolatry here is John himself elder John wise John apostle John prophet John gets it wrong again he did that before remember he had once before missed I'm going to be fair to dead men right I'm going to assume on John's behalf he just mistook it maybe he thought it was Jesus because verse 7 Jesus had just spoken maybe he thought the angel was because sometimes in the book of revelation the angels are pretty magnificent are they not glory of the sun so it would be easy to be awestruck by an angel not that we get to see them all time but if you saw one usually the first thing they have to say to you right fear not they're usually scary right so they're awesome although some were told in

[22:15] Hebrew yeah Hebrews that were unaware right that there are some but if you see one in their glory pretty tempting to worship make sure okay so John John's mistake he's worshiping actually a good thing the messenger often the messengers are substituted for the message so that can go good or bad so sometimes the messengers are killed because of the message they deliver right you're associated sometimes you're adored much more than you should be because you're just delivering the message there are servants of God who are very gifted in their delivery of the message we appreciate them what a great gift to listen to a

[23:16] John MacArthur to a Chuck Swindoll to a John Piper to a Michael Reeves you don't know him yet but you need to hear what a gift but shall I adore him them shall I appreciate them absolutely be thankful to God for their gifts absolutely but adore them no just men women those that sing oh my gosh some people can sing they draw us into the presence of God whoo right that's singing with soul and we can be tempted to say see nobody sings like we can do that it's easy to do but it's wrong to do so

[24:16] I think that's what he's saying just be careful this idolatry it's not always obvious it can be subtle it can be subtle it can be a good thing we take too far that's what sin is isn't it sin is simply!

[24:29] taking a good too far God has created all things good but he says there's a limit right there's marriages created for some of those limits right so taking something too far so secondly God alone deserves the veneration the adoration the devotion but keeping the words also means recognizing the time look what he says in verse 10 interesting he says find it and he the angel said to John do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book for the time is near don't seal it up this is in contrast to back in the book of Daniel Daniel heard all these things he was told now take those things and seal them up write them on a scroll seal the scroll by the way did we do at the reason why

[25:39] Daniel was told to seal it because it's future it's not yet it's in the future book of revelation opens now we're opening it now Daniel's message is coming out and now at the end of the book John who is writing down what he has seen and heard is told don't seal it it's not far distant it's near it's soon it's now don't you dare seal that up people need to hear it now which means the book of revelation is not about something far irrelevant far away oh all these things have to happen before that nope I'm coming soon not after this and then after this

[26:39] I'm coming and these things are near they're soon that means the words of the prophecy of this book are absolutely relevant to us right now they are applicable to us now they are urgent they are essential okay they relate to now we've seen that all the way through we're seeing it all the way through as we're kind of unmasking some of these visions some of who the beasts are it's like oh we've seen them they're coming and going we've seen those guys and we've seen the spinners behind them the false prophets spinning the message right bringing the world along in its worldliness we've seen all that it's relevant not something way in the future okay prophecy is not a possibility it is a reality the prophecy of this book is now it's true vital important then thirdly keeping the words what does it mean well it means also to evaluate the heart verse 11 now here we come to this strange statement here verse 11 where he says let the evil doer this is an imperative by the way it's it's a command let the evil do or do evil you evil people keep doing evil what you filthy keep being filthy you righteous ones keep doing righteousness and you holy people you saints keep being sanctified so we get the last two right okay righteous people in other words those who have been made righteous in

[28:27] Christ keep doing what's righteous keep living out who you are you who are saints who have not only been called saints but made saints by the blood of Christ right not be holy as in I gotta do that but be holy as in passive right that's passive be holy which means I don't do it I receive it I become holy because I look to him same way I'm saved right I'm saved by faith I'm sanctified by faith as I right abide in the vine I bear fruit I'm producing I bear so same same kind of thing but what's this what's the first two why tell an evildoer to keep doing evil what's the point why not call them to turn and repent why what's going on is it too late now remember this part of the book he's already revealed everything so he's not talking about it's not as if sequentially oh the judgments already happened now he's kind of given the revelation now he's stepping aside and saying what do

[29:47] I do with the whole message okay so some of us keep doing what's righteous keep doing what's holy but for the evil keep doing evil why would he say that so this is a command to the church now this is a command to those in churches!

[30:06] now keep doing evil or keep doing right how does that relate to people now why would he say that to whom does he say that so do you know that Jesus did the same thing this is probably Jesus voice in revelation too but he did the same thing on earth Matthew 13 remember when he told the parables he told the parable of the sower some fell on the pathway some fell among the rocks some fell in the weeds or the thorns and some fell on good soil and that was the only one that ever bore fruit because remember the path the birds took away right away in the rocky soil right it started out good but then right the sun bore down and it fell away right and then the weedy one or the thorn one again it started but then it got choked out so of the four seeds only one bore fruit proved to be true so he tells that parable and the disciples in

[31:22] Matthew 13 the disciples ask him why do you speak in parables as if they're confused why do you speak in parables as if that's not a good thing see why did Jesus use parables was he telling stories to make the message easier to understand no but that's commonly thought that's why pastors are told you got to tell a lot of stories Jesus did let's define what a story is I'm not against stories I'm just saying no don't use parables as that explanation Jesus used parables as a strategic manner let's read how he explains it so Matthew 13 9 then the disciples came and said to him why do you speak to them in parables and he answered them to you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven but to them it has not been given so notice he's talking about two groups you and them you and them to them it has not!

[32:42] why he will have an abundance but from the one who has not even what he has will be taken away this is why I speak to them in parables why because seeing they do not see hearing they do not hear nor do they understand indeed in their case the prophecy of is fulfilled that says you speaking of Israel you will indeed hear but never understand you will see but never perceive why for this people's heart has grown dull callous hardened that's why and with their ears they can barely hear with their eyes they have closed why have they closed their eyes lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn they don't want to turn

[33:59] I don't want to see because then I might be convicted I don't want to hear because it might move me I certainly don't want to understand because then I might repent oh I don't want to do that well see what he's saying and if they understand with their heart and turn what would God do I would heal them what that implies is they don't want God's healing I want to hear that I don't need God's healing I'm good on my own right but our world will say that's what I said before I'm saved but blessed are your eyes Jesus went on for they see his disciples you you they you you are blessed because your eyes see and your ears hear for truly

[35:10] I say to you many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see they wanted to see and they wanted to hear but they didn't and you get to because here I am telling you see Jesus did not use parables to make things clear he used parables to hide the truth in order to separate the sheep from the goats in order to separate the ewes from the them the ewes who after I tell a parable we saw this in the gospel of Mark over and over and over again when Jesus told a parable what did his disciples do so we don't get it Jesus would you explain that one to us you know I don't get it they came they asked they wanted to know get it they see and they want to see more clearly that's and that's what

[36:17] Jesus said there are there are insiders and outsiders remember that gospel Mark there's insiders and outsiders there's an us and a them and remember in Mark we were surprised that Jesus family was on the outside the them remember that the inside and the only difference not because they're excluded they're not being excluded they're excluding themselves the insiders are the ones that want to know okay I don't get it tell me that one what's the parable of the sower again so Jesus explains it to them now do you get it oh yeah yeah we got it right that's the difference so he's saying let the outsiders let the ones that don't want to hear let them keep doing evil let the filthy who want to stay filthy stay filthy that's what he's saying let the righteous the ones who want to hear want to know who want to come let them keep doing what's right and keep coming see what he's saying that's the warning and he says why would he say that because the evil doer who wants to stay in his evil he doesn't care why would he say it here because there's people in the church that are just like that that's why there are false believers in the church you know that we know that right

[37:48] I'm not going to point any out here because I think we're good okay but but I can be fooled I don't know so so Jesus says remember he tells parables let them grow together they look the same right the parable of sower right they all start out the same the only way you know is by the fruit sheep and the goats boy they all look the same then there's some there's sheep and goats and then there's sheep there's wolves in sheep those are the scary boys girls boys girls whoever they are and you only know them by their words does their teaching match with Jesus with the cornerstone right okay so that's what we're talking about here the warnings going out here are to those who are in the church who think they're okay but they're really not it's a warning to them to wake up wake up are you sure you're saved you say all the right words you do the right things you sing the right things are you saved you know you're saved what are you banking that on well I prayed the prayer good did it get answered well I prayed the prayer preacher said it's good to go no preacher is not

[39:26] God did he answer the prayer did you change was there a difference that's what you look for because I can tell you I've told you many times I prayed the prayer prayed the prayer prayed the prayer with walked the aisle threw the stick in the fire did I did everything the preacher told me to do even Billy Graham I came and I crossed the line and I did what he said and nothing changed I don't blame Billy because he convicted me but he couldn't guarantee my salvation not until God changes me not until God answered that prayer and he did eventually and how did I know because his commandments were no longer burdensome all of a sudden I wanted to do what he wanted instead of I gotta do this gotta go to church because my parents have a reputation and the washers kept catching me in the creek outside those were good days little

[40:35] Billy broke my mom's heart what's wrong with that boy all right so second blessing how we doing lots of time right second we're eating here so we don't have to worry about going here so second blessing verse 12 again he says I'm coming leads to a blessing in verse 14 blessed are those who wash so second blessing is is this I'm coming and blessed are those who keep washing their robes why because they will receive paradise!

[41:20] as he said in verse 12 to them who wash their robes they have the right to the tree of life and they shall enter the city by the gates both those images are pictures! of paradise which we saw earlier in chapter 22 entering to the tree of life with the water of life and entering that garden paradise once again is the inside of the city so three calls again here right those washing their robes they receive the paradise rewards by the way the ones who receive the paradise rewards are not those who do extraordinary things bless those who do extraordinary things great that God gifts some to do extraordinary things but those who get to come into the garden and eat with Jesus it's just because they washed their robes not because they went and accomplished A B C D and E in fact some of those people that accomplished A B C D and E Jesus says I don't even know you but in your name we cast out demons don't know you we did miracles good great for you

[42:26] I don't know you didn't do it in my strength okay so it's simply washing the robes so okay so what does that mean three calls verse 12 he comes to bring a reward to who to the one who keeps washing verse 14 the reward is the tree of life and entering the city we get to enter we get to go in and then interesting in verse 13 Jesus I'm coming soon verse 12 he says I'm coming to bring the reward verse 13 who am I by the way who is this one who comes bringing the reward who is this Jesus by the way oh he's the son of God right isn't he the son of God didn't he walk on earth and do miracles and who is he he's an extraordinary extraordinary prophet wasn't he he he's extraordinary man but he was born right so he had a beginning who is this

[43:28] Jesus well what does he say verse 13 I am the alpha which is the last letter of the Greek alphabet the first and the last beginning and the end so what's that mean that means when everything started I was already there when everything ends I'm already there that's why I can tell you what's going to happen you know at the end I'm there and by the way by saying the beginning and the end it means everything in between I'm the sovereign I'm the incomparable I'm the one the alpha not a alpha the alpha the omega that's who I am and then he adds outside here we go again here's this list of outsiders but again I think we keep in mind verse 11 that the us and them so who are the outsiders here he defines them verse where are we 15 outside are the dogs aww aww

[44:44] I like doggies come on does that mean there's no dogs okay oh he's not he's playing words got thanks Susan yeah because I don't like dogs there right they make me happy I know there's some cat people here I don't get that I don't get that all right oh because he goes on okay so there are dogs and sorcerers pharmacia drug people drug and witchcraft people is what that word means and sexually immoral okay and murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood okay so five of the six terms used here are repeats of what we saw in the earlier chapter those who are outside okay same group of people what distinguishes!

[45:45] this one is the first word is different dogs okay so he's given a clue there and then the last word as he defines who love and keep on practicing falsehood so in other words the phonies the pretenders the hypocrites the false believers that's what he's hitting at who are these well they're dogs remember what Jesus said about dogs no that's Peter Peter said they return to their vomit right they're idiots they're dogs right don't do don't do that right they do that because they're dogs they just but but Peter says false teachers are like that too kind of sick of but dog Jesus said don't give what is holy to dogs don't cast your pearls before the swine so why they don't value a dog could care less oh

[46:57] I'm going to give you some good food let me give you a steak instead of kibbles what's he going to go for oh but what do you appreciate well maybe but if I if I if I take him the word and I tell my doggy the word is he going to appreciate it yeah sorry come on where's the bull give me the bull give me the bull I'm not making fun of dogs I love dogs we've had some really wonderful dogs but they're dogs the gifts of God to bring us joy or not tear your socks get you in trouble oh Christmas morning that's fun so or they're liars so dogs they're not they don't appreciate what's holy you know it doesn't really matter to them they're that's these people they're the liars they're the pretenders they're the hypocrites they're the fake

[48:05] Christians they're the superficial they're in church they say the words they may even think they're saved because they prayed the prayer or they walked the aisle or they filled out the card they may think they're okay but they keep returning to the world now we all do time to time but they want to stay there see the difference between a true believer and a false believer is I may dip into the world again I may fall I may be tempted I may sin but what will I do the difference is I'm going to fight that a true believer will fight it I may lose but I'm going to fight it I'm going to keep repenting I'm going to keep coming back get my robe washed again Jesus sorry got the feet the feet I know come on difference of the false believer who says all the right words he doesn't have a heart that wants to do it he hasn't been changed he hasn't been transformed so they return and scriptures warn us that not only when they return do they return but then they get worse they become more hardened

[52:29] right well why aren't you great well that's another story if you're my friend we'll talk about it okay are we so these folks just they don't want you to get into their life because they think church is a game and they're just playing along the game they don't get it they haven't tasted the real thing but and I think these warning signs are there to wake maybe wake those people up outside is that me well soul if I'm honest am I the dog am I the liar and every one of you Christians will say sometimes but do you fight that okay but maybe you're here today and you're the dog and you're the liar and you don't fight it that never changes wake up there's an answer look at the next verse well the next verse tells us who's the rewarder again verse 16

[53:38] Jesus I'm the one I Jesus have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches this is all for the churches who am I by the way I'm not only the first and the last and the beginning and the end I'm also the root and descendant of David and I'm the bright morning star what in the world do those mean well if you're a Jew and you understand Old Testament scripture you will recognize a taking of one of those phrases the root and descendant of David from Isaiah chapter 11 a messianic text that talks about there will come a branch a root a nazar a!

[54:17] Nazarene sprig whatever you want to call it Hebrews is really wild from David he's going to be the ruler he's going to be the messiah and then in numbers 24 talks about this bright morning star don't confuse that with Lucifer he was a bright star he was a morning star a dawn right morning star is what first star we still see in the morning still shining but that was a reference in numbers 24 to the morning star of Jacob the morning star of Judah again a descendant from all the way back from Jacob and Israel and Judah Messiah he will be king so Jesus is saying I'm that I am the sovereign God of all and I'm also this one who came into history as the promised one and the

[55:21] Messiah the earthly king who was not an earthly king but a heavenly king right so he's saying that and then verse 17 here's a positive verse don't you think welcome welcome welcome welcome the spirit and the bride say come who are they saying that to maybe verse 15 people huh come because the righteous have already come haven't they spirit and the bride say come why don't you come let the one who hears say come let the one who is thirsty oh that's who they're talking to the one who's thirsty!

[56:06] come the one who desires the one who wants take the water of life without price without earning it without jumping through hoops just come and take it come and taste it come to Jesus keep coming it is in the present tense it means keep coming never never stop and by the way he says to the one who hears say come who are the ones who hear us he's saying to the ones who hear you too say come you too keep inviting you too welcome the thirsty you find the thirsty you find the broken you find those who are seeking who are needy tell them to come never stop inviting them to come to

[57:10] Jesus right to the fountain and if you struggle with that invite them to come here and meet other people and see other broken people who have found the fountain then it ends with a severe warning verse 18 and 19 again he says it's the words of this prophecy that are the issue verse 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book there's that phrase again it's the words of the prophecy of this book so in other words the book of revelation what has just been revealed okay this is what we're talking about!

[57:54] I warn everyone who hears these words that if anyone adds to them adds to them how do you add to the prophecies of this book?

[58:08] make up your own generally we call it false teaching okay taking the words of this book and going somewhere else with it adding to the words of this book changing the words of this book so if anyone adds to them God will add to him the plagues described in this book which means whoever the adder to the book is is someone who deserves the plagues and they're described as the unrighteous people on earth who will not repent then verse 19 and if anyone takes away so if you add to or subtract take away the words of the book of this prophecy God will take away his share take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city which are described in this book wait a minute does that mean he had a!

[59:04] does that mean that he was in and that now I can do something to get out are you reading it that way why aren't you reading it that way because I know by the clarity of scripture we do not lose our salvation right so it can't mean that this is an obscure reference I'm not going to bank everything on what it says here and what I think it might be saying I'm going to take the clarity of scripture where Jesus says if you come to me and if you're in my hand and if you're in the Father's hand you my hand not your hand you can't am I going to pry Jesus and God's hands I don't think so I got you by the way you didn't get in on your effort you're not getting out on your effort either right so it can't mean loss of salvation what

[60:08] I do think it means is exposure it exposes them for who they are just like Jesus in Matthew 25 takes the sheep and the goat and he says here's the sheep over here and here are the goats over here sheep why are you the sheep because you did to me you did to my brothers you you love the church what you did to the brothers because they're like when did we feed you when do we clothe you I don't know he says when you did it to the least of these my brothers you did it to me in other words your judgment is based on how you treat believers in the church because believers in the church are a representative of Jesus on earth I'm not going to be judged by oh it's just me and Jesus no I'm judged by if I'm a true believer I will care and love and bear with and protect and provide for the people in the church my church the one another

[61:14] I'm responsible for how do I know who the goats are because they don't period that's it when I was thirsty didn't give me anything didn't clothe me when I didn't visit me in prison etc etc so here the words of this prophecy why are these words so important because these words are not just John writing down his ideas these are words from the throne of God they're the words from Jesus Christ himself they are not suggestions they are faithful and true words and they're not trivial they are life and death issues what's more life and death than paradise or lake of fire what's more life and death I think I want to get that one right so if you add or take away from the words you expose who you really are you expose that you're a false

[62:22] Christian you expose you're playing a part you started okay but fell off like the seed in the thorns like the seed in the rocky soil you started off but then you fell away when temptation came or when persecution came you said that's enough you add to or take away because you take it however you want it you want to add to those words because I'd rather see this message here you know God wants you rich and healthy right right well you're not falling for it okay but that's what they do they don't get it from Jesus certainly aren't going to get it from Paul so they add to right or they take away they take away where

[63:22] Jesus says oh yeah one who follows me has eternal life the one who does not follow me has eternal death oh we've taken that last part out now we don't believe we believe God loves everybody he's going to save everybody that's a nice thought but God isn't he's not just loving and merciful and forgiving he's also holy and he is just and we've lost sight of what those things mean so okay let's finish this out bottom line what's differences all this make by the way who says the warning in verse 18 and 19 who is the eye warning them is that John no verse 20 he who testifies to these things says surely I'm coming soon okay so who's the testifier here of verse 18 and 19 that's

[64:22] Jesus the one coming soon Jesus is saying those things so what difference does it make how do we hold fast right I mean how do I keep on holding fast to the words of this book what's the bottom line on that how do I keep my robes clean how do I what's that look like okay is that a whole circus thing is that a whole man I gotta take a course and that sounds hard because my robes get really dirty so how do I do that so let's go to John in 1 John 1 he just has a way of putting it kind of just straightforward here's what he says John 1 1 1 1 John 1 verse 5 this is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all so if we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness we're liars we're pretenders we're liars we do not practice the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have what this is the surprising part we have what we have fellowship with one another

[65:44] I would expect it to say if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with him but he doesn't go we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another wait a minute this is a one another thing and if we have fellowship with one another what the blood of Jesus his son cleanses us from all sin so one of the ways how do I keep my robes clean how do I hold fast one I walk in the light as he is in the light and that means I have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all sin there's two kinds of cleansing in this text one is a horizontal cleansing and it comes because I walk in the light what does it mean to walk in the light and have fellowship with one another what do you think that means what is my fellowship like if I'm walking in the light if the light is shining right what's exposed right now people in darkness don't want to walk in light because they hate they don't want to be exposed but those who are seeking the light those who are seeking the truth they're happy to walk in the light because the light will cleanse the light will reveal the light will show and I get fixed right by the light so if I'm walking in the light with others what's that look like how you doing fine yeah that that that shining a lot there is that

[67:19] I don't mean with everybody but those that I have fellowship with those that I've committed to those who are members with me those who have made the same commitments to one another how you doing Bill you really want to hear let's go have coffee or Monday night we can talk about it right we can talk about the small men's group how you doing we can go through David anybody like David well which one the before or the after or the middle that man's the best of us and he's the worst of us yeah I've been I've been in some of David's tracks and as men we can relate to that when we're honest about it and we can look at

[68:22] David and say oh see what he did here what did he do wrong oh oh he's supposed to be at war he's staying home what's that about he's not just leisure he's idle oh he's got nothing to do yeah he does he's supposed to be at war how'd he get in trouble right he's got idle time he's not so as men we go oh I got idle time do I guard that time do I do am I careful about that time not about being leisure not about getting rest it's about do I got nothing to do so oh oh what was that oh who's that down there right or comes on the screen during a football game doesn't have to be hard all right wow I haven't even finished reading so sorry if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us but if we confess instead of saying no

[69:32] I don't have any sin we say I got a lot of sin we confess our sins he is faithful and just just here's that justice he's just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness if I simply confess if I simply walk in the light and say yep here I am well I don't say it that happily here again Lord oh please Lord I've done I've done I could get it out and he's not only faithful to forgive me he's just why is he just why is it the right thing for him to do because it's already been paid for good good that's why it's just if we say we've not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in it's my little children

[70:37] I'm writing these things to you so that you may not sin but if anyone does sin that happens we have an advocate we have a counselor we have a defense attorney we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous who sits at the right hand of the father and when we come he says that's mine he's good she's mine she's good forgive her father forgive him wash him he's the propitiation for our sins not for ours only but for the sins of a whole world of people so how do we hold fast what is John saying one walk in his light we have fellowship with one another how we walk together makes a difference it cleanses us do you realize the power of true fellowship do you value the power of true fellowship not just coming and talking to a few people before and after

[71:41] Sunday service but having time with other Christians where we walk in light together do you value that because it's a powerful cleansing thing it helped me recover from depression because I committed myself to those men on Monday nights because I believe this verse and not only that but when we fall we confess our sins because Jesus has paid the price for our sins and set us free blessed are those who wash their robes book of revelation is a call to endure to continue conquering conquering sins trials hardships by active faith this prophecy is not far in the future it is soon it is near his coming will be sudden like a thief in the night he can come at any time we're not waiting for anything

[72:50] I'm absolutely convinced we're not I used to think we're waiting for something but then I knew I got at least three and a half seven years got to build that temple first that takes away everything of what Jesus says especially Matthew 24 so are you walking in his light are you in true fellowship with other Christians are you confessing your sins to walk in light and continue confessing sin takes active faith not passive faith thinking I'm okay active faith so what do you expect in the future let me read those verses just once again as I close while we walk the pilgrim pathway clouds will over spread the sky but when traveling days are over not a shadow not a sigh let us then be true and faithful trusting serving every day just one glimpse of him and glory will the toils of life repay onward to the prize before us soon his beauty will behold soon the pearly gates will open and we will tread the streets of gold when we all get to heaven when we all get to heaven what a day of rejoicing that will be when we all see

[74:15] Jesus and we shout sing the victory we should sing that sometime we got another good one coming though we're going to sing so I expect to hear stomping feet thank you father thank you for your word we pray that you would help us to apply it to our hearts help us to hear help us to be those who have ears and do hear and father if we have resistance if we have hardness in our heart please oh god please please melt that away please chip it away please be gracious to us we pray in christ's name amen amen