Revelation 22

Well, good morning, Saylorville! If you brought a copy of scripture with you this morning, you can find the last chapter in the bible. That should be easy enough, huh? —Revelation chapter 22, as we conclude our series, The Unveiling of the Lord Jesus Christ in all of His resplendent Second Coming glory. Revelation chapter 22.

If you lived in Spain before 1500, then you had a motto, a Latin motto, that was literally… in fact they wrote it on all their maps. It was certainly etched in their hearts. It was “NE PLUS ULTRA.” That was the phrase “Ne plus ultra.” It literally meant, “No More Beyond,” because before 1500, if you were in Spain, really anywhere in Europe, that was it. You could not imagine any more beyond. Having never seen beyond, they concluded there was no beyond. And then another Spaniard by the name of Christopher Columbus changed all that in 1492. He would die in 1506 in the town of Valladolid, it’s north of Madrid, and there they have erected a statue, and on that statue was the former motto, which was Ne Plus Ultra. But if you look closer at the statue, you see a lion’s paw tearing the first word, “Ne,” that means “no,” so tearing the no away from it. So now it says “Plus Ultra,” more beyond.

We haven’t seen the beyond, but those of us who know and love the Lord Jesus know better, don’t we? Really everybody does. The bible tells us Solomon said,

[Ecclesiastes 3:11b] ‘God has set eternity in our hearts.’

Have you ever read that? — which means that every single person ever born into this world has a homing device built within them that there is an eternity. And if there’s an eternity, there’s a God of that eternity that we have to stand before someday. Famously, C.S. Lewis said,

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” C.S. Lewis

Personally and admittedly, even though a pastor for several years, I really didn’t begin to dwell upon heaven until after my wife died. And then I had someone up there very close to me which made me think more about heaven. And people came to us. They gave me books on heaven. Someone gave us a children’s book on heaven, an illustrated book. It was beautiful, and it was not untrue, but it just rang hollow to me. While scripture does give us a veiled description of heaven and teases us with these, some dazzling, details, while… and we should not ignore them, the Lord would rather we contemplate Him and His return for us.

In fact, I’m reminded of when I was a much younger version of myself a couple of years into ministry, I was in this church… the church in just a year and a half had doubled in size! Now, we only had 27 when we started, but that was quite an accomplishment! And so I found myself in a house of a couple that were living together, and I found myself selling the church. I was telling this couple about all the stuff we had for men, and women, and kids, and we had a choir… It was a long time ago! — And in the middle of it, it was like God Himself spoke! I’m looking at this couple. It was like God Himself spoke to my heart as if to say, ‘What are you doing? You know, when you first came here, you didn’t have all that stuff. You just had Me and you talked about Me! I like that better. Get back to talking about Me.’ That literally was happening while I was talking to this couple. And it was a huge rebuke!

Now, I’m not saying that we should ignore the rewards of heaven… not at all. I think if the Bible says there’s reward, there is a motivation factor there. I believe that. I am saying don’t let the rewards obscure the Rewarder. And this final chapter, I think, will help us to that end.

In fact, the Rewarder Himself, the Lord Jesus, cuts in on John and the angel no less than four times. See if you can pick it up. If you’ve got a red letter edition, you’re just cheating! So here it is, okay?

Revelation 22:1-21

1 “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (The word healing there is where we get our English word “therapeutic”)

3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will (serve ) worship him.

4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

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, (‘Don’t do that! I’m your fellow servant. Get up, worship God!’ That’s a paraphrase) “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 (reward) 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 (that’s not domesticated dogs. These were scavengers. This depicts immoral. This depicts those who are just outright ungodly) and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices (a liar) 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, (I’m the root and the fruit) 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.”

So as this chapter begins, the angel who first started to describe the new heaven and the new earth in chapter 21 we saw last week, has some unfinished business. He’s still describing the new heaven and the new earth, both distinguishable from one another and yet close together. And you see in verse 2…

[Revelation 22:2, “…through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.“]

… that which was taken away because of sin in the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Life is back! — And what a tree! Twelve different kinds of fruit every month to enjoy and for the healing of the nations. I want you to look at verse 3…

[Revelation 22:3, “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will (serve ) worship him.“]

… because it says there that… notice it says,” his servants.” If you have an ESV it says “His servant will worship him.” That’s probably what you saw up on the screen, but I said his servants will “serve him,” and I think that’s a better translation. The word “worship” is not the Greek word “proskuneo?” which means “to fall down and worship.” It’s a more dynamic word. It’s the word “latreuo?,” which basically means “to worship by serving.”

Remember in Genesis 2 when God put Adam in the garden, He put him in there to work the land. Do you remember that? — and that was before the curse. Work was going on. Service was happening. And if you have in your mind when you think about heaven, if you picture yourself on a cloud playing a harp, get it out of your head! That is so dumb! That is so boring! And by the way, how many of you like to work with your hands? Raise your hands… you like to work with your hands. All right, that’s you. I mean, what a boring place heaven is if it’s like that! — But His servants will serve Him. It’ll be an act of worship, because it’s gonna be a return to Eden! There’s gonna be Heaven and there’s gonna be Earth, and earth is going to be… wait for it… Earth! It’ll be a renovated earth for sure, but it’s gonna be Earth, the un-cursed Earth!

Just the other day, a bunch of our people went down to Winterset to The Refuge, this place that we purchased that they’re working on so that it’s suitable for living, for individuals who have life dominating sins, and a bunch of our guys are there doing work with their hands. And if you’re one of those guys, I mean, just imagine, you like to work with your hands.  I mean, how boring would heaven be if you couldn’t put, you know, hand to the plow and do stuff? When Revelation 14:13b says that in heaven we will quote, “…rest from our labors.” It’s not talking about not serving!

I love how Randy Alcorn in his magnum opus, Heaven, his book called Heaven, he says, he says,

“It’s not obliteration. It’s restoration.” Randy Alcorn in his book called Heaven

So here’s what I think. In the new earth, there’s going to be farming, technology, adventure, discovery. The arts are going to come alive. The arts won’t be debased. Everything will be new! Isaac Watts, the great theologian and hymn writer, got it right in his Christmas hymn which he had no intention to be sung at Christmas time, Joy to the World.

“No more let sin and sorrows grow nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found.” Isaac Watts, the great theologian and hymn writer

That’s what the coming of Jesus… He is going to redeem this world so that we can use it, and work in it, and get our hands dirty in it… for the glory of God! So if the curse is gone, that’s the thing you’ve got to focus on when you think about the new heaven and the new earth, because here’s what’s going to happen. So what… you say we’re still going to be working? — We’re still going to be serving? Yes! And… listen to this… all of the ungodly motivations, all of the sinful inclinations that you have ever had in your serving… will be gone! I would argue that most of us in every service we do, it’s somehow sullied with sin. When I think of all the right things that I’ve done for the wrong reasons, I’m ashamed of myself. Never in heaven! It’s all gone! The curse is lifted! Glory to God!  (14:06/38:47)

And in Revelation 22:4, it says we’re going to see Him… look at it, “face to face.” Right now, right away, you should be thinking of 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter, how it concludes,

1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.“

… now we see darkness, we see dimly, we see veiled-ly. But then… what? — “face to face.“

This is it! In Eden, man was expelled from the face of God. Eden is back! — And we see God face to face!

Revelation 22:5, there’s There’s no more darkness… no more darkness! Jesus is the light of the world, and he’s the light of heaven too! Amen? In the new heaven and earth, listen to this, in the new heaven and new earth, with no more tears come no more fears. You should write that down. In the new heaven and new earth, with no more tears come no more fears. They’re gone! And that’s why John in Revelation 22:6 has to bust in there and say, or rather the angel,

Revelation 22:6 “These words are trustworthy and true.”   

What? Well, yeah. We know that. It’s almost like he has to remind us of that. It’s because all this is so mind blowing! Every once in a while God has to come in and say, ‘This is real! This is gonna happen! Believe it!’ And as I said, Jesus breaks in like four times in this chapter; in verse 7, Verse 12, verse 16, verse 20… in fact, in verse 16… look… He says, “I Jesus.” It’s the only time He ever does this in the entire Bible. ‘Just in case you didn’t get it, I’m talking here now!‘ And he says in verse 7, he says,

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

“Blessed.” Now, if you’re doing a deeper dive in Revelation, you know there’s a study within the study of the seven Beatitudes that are in the book of Revelation. We’re not going there. Seven times there’s this “blessed” just like the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, and there are seven of them in Revelation. You can look at those on your own, but what I want you to focus on is what the blessing comes from those who (watch this) who keep the word. See that word “keep” there? That’s an interesting word. It literally means “to guard,” it means “to preserve.” It literally means “to watch over.” God says through Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:12,

Jeremiah 1:12b, “… I am watching over my word to perform it.“

Have you ever read that? So God’s watching over His word. —But He also tells you and me who know Him and love Him to do the same, and a blessing comes for so doing! When we get to our study of Jude, which is coming, this will make a lot of sense. This is the whole thing, this whole idea of watching over the word, of guarding it, and preserving the truth of God, is what flipped Jude’s writing on its head! And that’s why we got the book of Jude! He’s telling us to guard this, and we’ll get to that in the days to come.

So this is just overwhelming John! So in Revelation 8, John… just… I mean, he’s like, ‘Oh my goodness! I think I’ll just worship this thing that’s in front of me,’ which is an angel. —And the angel says, ‘Get up! I’m just like you! Worship God!’

[Revelation 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…”]

… Which tells you something about… remember, John is very much human when he’s writing this and getting this vision! Again, to quote, C.S. Lewis… I love this! He says… listen to this:

“The dullest, most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you’d be strongly tempted to worship.” C.S. Lewis

If that’s true of a glorified human, how much more an angel? And, by the way, this is the reason none of us can see heaven in its resplendence now. None of us can see God in all of His glory, because we’re not equipped to do that! God will equip us so that we can see him face to face. If that happened now, we’d be dead! And in verse 10, he says,

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

In Daniel chapter 12, Daniel, this sort of parallel to the book of Revelation. In Daniel 12 at the very end, Daniel was told, ‘seal up the book. We’re not ready to uncork this thing just yet.’

[Daniel 12:4a, “But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end.“]

Not here! He says, ‘Unseal it. Get this word out. I’m coming again!’

For me personally, the unsealed nearness of the coming of Jesus is what brought me to Himself. And I’m telling you, those of you who know Jesus, You have an ally in the hearts of the lost. They already believe that there’s an eternity out there. You tell them the eternity’s coming their way… and give them the Gospel!

Now in verse 11, verse 11 says,

Revelation 22:11, “Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy…”

What is that all about? You have to connect it in verse 12 where he says,

Revelation 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon…”

The word “soon” there is the word “tachu.” We get our English word “tachometer.” You know what a “tachometer” does? It judges speed. And that’s what this word means. The word “soon” means “speed.” It means “quickly.” And here’s the point. Jesus is going to come back anytime, and when He does, whatever you are now is what you will be forever! You are fixed in that place. If you’re evil, you will die in a sea of evil. If you’re filthy, you’ll die in a sea of filthiness. If you’re a lust-filled man or woman, you’ll die in a sea of lust. If you’re covetous, you’ll die in a sea of covetousness. You will be fixed in that state forever! There are no second chances. That’s why it’s important for you to repent and believe the gospel now, so that you can be righteous and always be righteous, holy, and always be holy!

This is the idea behind the story that Jesus told in Luke 16.

[Luke 16:26, “And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’]

Remember, the rich man and Lazarus both died. The rich man goes to hell. Lazarus, who knew Jesus, is in heaven and they’re having this dialogue. The man in hell is asking Abraham to send Lazarus to give him some relief. Just a drop a water will do. Abraham says, “Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t because between us is ‘a great gulf… fixed.’

And that’s the idea here. If you die in your sins, you die in your sins. It’s either dying in Christ or dying in your sins. And for those of us who know Jesus, to die in Christ is amazing! It’s a time of reward. The end of verse 12 says,

Revelation 22:12, ““Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my (reward) recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.”

‘My reward is with me.’ So there is a motivation there. Not the ultimate one, but it’s a motivation, is it not? Sure it is! It harkens us back to Romans 14 where the apostle Paul says,

Romans 14:10-12

10 “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;

11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. The word “judgment seat” is the Greek word “Bema” seat. I was in Corinth, you know, back when dinosaurs were walking around, and a much younger version of myself, standing at the judgment seat in Corinth. This is what Paul had in mind. Now this particular judgment seat was not one where you were judged and punished, but you were judged and rewarded.

I remember one of my professors used to say, ‘You guys all watch the Olympics?’ … and we’re [raised our hands.] We’ve all seen the Olympics. ‘Have you all seen the races?’ Yep. We’ve all seen the race. ‘Have you all seen when the first three who finish get the rewards on the platform?’ Yes, we’ve seen it all. ‘You’ve got the bronze, the silver, and the gold?’ Yes, we’ve seen it. We’ve seen it! ‘And have you all seen when the judges hand those three guys clubs to go down and beat the rest of the racers who didn’t…?’ (audience laughing) Don’t remember seeing that. No! I mean, there’s an honor to being in the race, Amen? And this is the idea. There will be rewards, and some will be heavily rewarded for our service for Jesus. No question about it… But be grateful you’re in the race, amen?

Just the other day, I was talking to a man in his 80s. His name was Jim, a very kind Roman Catholic man. We were talking about… he kept talking about his church. I kept talking about Jesus, and I said, “Jim, when you stand before God, you’re not gonna stand before your church. You’re gonna stand before Jesus!“

Verses 14 and 15 talks about robes that are washed, and 15 talks about the outsiders looking in. And look at it. Look at what it says.

[Revelation 22:14-15

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 (a liar) falsehood.]

They’re “sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers, idolaters, those who love and practice lying.“ And contrast them with those who are blessed. Their robes are washed. Chapter seven verse 14 told us,

[Revelation 7:14, “I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”]

… they’re washed by the blood of the Lamb! That’s how we get clean, through the blood of Jesus Christ, through His sacrifice for our sins! The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin!

And it throws out a warning to those who are among us who would like to add to or take away from the Word of God. You look at verse 18:

[Revelation 22:18 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…“]

‘I’m warning you… You add to the Word of God, God adds the plagues to you! You take away from the Word of God, God takes away your share with the Tree of Life!’

I was talking to a Mormon man one day and I kept pointing him to the sufficiency of God’s Word that this was true and it was complete and it’s all we need. And he kept saying just the opposite. “It’s not complete! It’s not enough!” he said. And what is it about our human nature that wants to either add to the Bible or take away from it? When you add to scripture, that’s legalism. When you take away from scripture, that’s liberalism. Both will damn you! John MacArthur once said,

“A human standard can be more lenient than scripture or more restrictive than scripture. But it can never be better than scripture.” John MacArthur

I love that! And what the writer is saying is, ‘You tamper with this, God will tamper with you!‘

Speaking of John MacArthur, it’s no secret that he has been a hero of mine. Since I first met him when he was handsome, strapping 43-year-old preacher and theologian and just gushing forth the word of God! I remember my brother after I got saved, told me to go to the radio and turn up the radio and listen to this guy. I was just drawn in by the authority that he had in the Word of God. I often say to people, “Stay tethered to the truth of God.” I didn’t make up that expression. I don’t know who did, but I know the principle of it is, I got it from MacArthur. Now that strapping powerful 40 something year old is in his middle 80s. He’s had multiple surgeries and his health is gone. I’ve been at his Shepherd’s Conference at least, about 10 times and I’ve heard him preach every time I’ve gone there. He wanted to go this year… couldn’t make it…. — Had to send the conference attenders, thousands of them, this, a video. He was able to kind of get up and say this. And as he was saying goodbye, I just want you to see what he had to say at the very end.

“I’ll be praying for you and asking the Lord to bless in an unusual way and sharpen all us for whatever the Lord has for us from the future. I realize I’m on the last lap. That takes on a new meaning when you know you’re on the short end of the candle, but I am all thanks and praise to God for everything He’s allowed me to be a part of and everything He’s accomplished by His Word in these years of ministry. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” John MacArthur

I praise the Lord for those like Him who are finishing well, and will undoubtedly hear “Well done, good, and faithful servant.” No fears, no regrets, still shepherding to the very end.

And so, as this letter comes to a conclusion, in verse 20 Jesus says it again for the third time,

[Revelation 22:20] “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely (He didn’t just say, “I’m coming again.” It’s kind of like shaking us again! “Surely!“) I am coming soon! (And the only right response is) “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!”

When He says He’s coming… this is really interesting. “I am coming soon…” That word “coming” is present tense. Literally the Greek says, it says, “I am presently coming quickly.” The tense is actually arguing that it’s already underway. We just sang this… And we’ll do it again.

“He who is to come, He’s surely coming. Oh, can you feel it too? All this tension growing stronger, it’s a sign, he’s getting closer. He’s already on the move!”

Do you believe that? Amen! Come Lord Jesus!

Now, I realize that some of you who truly know and love Jesus Christ, despite all of these glorious promises, some of you still fear death. You still shudder at the thought of dying. You still mourn over the idea of what you will leave behind or who you’ll leave behind. By the way, if you’re mourning over what you’ll leave behind, you have way too much already. And I have a word for you.

You brought nothing into this world, and it is certain you can carry nothing out. That’s what the Bible says.

[1 Timothy 6:7, “… for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.“]

And God has a way of taking away the things that we cling to tightly to. He just does. He doesn’t do it out of spite. He does it out of love so that he can take our chins that are directing our eyes on the things we love so much and pull them up to Himself.

A few years ago, a man in our church, he was an elderly man, his wife had died a couple of years earlier, but he was still mourning her death. And he wasn’t just mourning her death, because he understood the Bible, to some degree. He was mourning and heartbroken that in heaven he would not be with his wife in heaven as he’d been with her on earth. They were a very loving couple. And he was really heartbroken, and in that moment suddenly God gave me a thought. And this is what I said to him. I said,

“It’s unimaginable God would give you less in heaven than you’d had on earth.” Pat Nemmers

Just look at that for a moment. If what we have, what we possess, the promises we’ve been given are true, then it is truly unimaginable that God would give you less in heaven than what He has given you here on earth. I went on to say,

“Whatever joy you’re experiencing here on earth ~ like suffering ~ is not worthy to be compared to the joy you’ll experience in heaven.” Pat Nemmers

I’m reminded of the little girl that was out walking with her daddy one summer evening. The moon was gone, so the Milky Way was just on fire! — And her dad was talking about the distance of Andromeda and all these things,  and the little girl looked up and said,

“Daddy, if the wrong side of heaven is so beautiful, what must the right side be?“

I think she got it right.

Joni Eareckson Tada, another one of my heroes, when she was a teenager, dove into the water and broke her neck, and for the remainder of her life, nearly 60 years since, has been a complete quadriplegic. And someone asked her not long ago if she was looking forward to a new body in heaven. And of course she would, you’re saying. You’re looking forward to it too, aren’t you? And some of you are really looking forward to it! But this is what Joni Eareckson Tada said.

“Yes, I will have a new body, but best of all, I will have a new heart. (Listen to this) On that day, my heart will be completely free of puffed-up pride and its itchiness to have its own way. My heart will no longer keep a record of other people’s wrongs or try to hog the spotlight. My new heart will not compete, compare, or question the good purposes of God. Sin will no longer find a hiding place in the dark corners and crevices of my heart. That’s the best part of heaven.”

Joni Eareckson Tada

The book of Revelation concludes with one of the sweetest, most precious invitations you’ll find anywhere in the Bible. Verse 17,

Revelation 22:17, “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.”

“Come.” “Come.” “Come.” Something fascinating about this word “come” is that it is singular in the Greek. In other words, it’s as if Jesus is saying, ‘You… come!’ ‘You… come!’ ‘You… come!’ He’s not just talking to us. He’s talking to you, and He’s inviting you! It’s a personal invitation from the Savior, Himself, to ‘Come!’ He who said,

[Matthew11:28]‘Come to Me, all of you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…” where it counts… in your souls, where the greatest fight is taking place right now.

Jesus says, ‘I’m coming for you. Will you come to me?’ And some of you need to do that… today! Stop fighting, stop resisting, stop pushing against the love of God, and believe on the Lord, Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.

My friend and one of the deacons of our church, Brad Millard, just the other day, spoke at his father’s funeral. It was a packed house. I was there. And he looked at all of these family and friends, and he told them that just days before his dad died, he humbled his heart, repented of his sin and placed his faith in Jesus. And then Brad said, “Because of that, on the authority of God’s word, I know I will see him again.” And then he paused and looked at everybody and said, “Will you?”

Will you?

Let’s pray.

Our Father, thank you for giving us the book of the Revelation. And thank you for the unveiling of Your Son in this book, and all of His resplendence and power and glory. And thank You for His great love that He would be so kind as to give us another invitation at the end and invite us to come. There are some in this room, Lord, some watching online who need to come. If that’s you, dear friend, would you just come? Believe that Jesus died for your sins? Believe that He rose from the dead? And believe that if you would trust Him with all of your heart, He will come in? He will come! And then when He comes again, He’ll take you to His eternal home. And what joy it will be! We pray in His name. Amen. Let’s stand. [Music]