Revelation: Worship, Unity, and Next Steps in Faith
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor expressing his joy and excitement for the worship set and the presence of the congregation. He acknowledges that it is a bittersweet day as they have reached the end of their walk through the New Testament. The pastor then transitions to the topic of prophecy, admitting that it is not his area of expertise and not something he particularly enjoys teaching. He shares a personal anecdote about being chosen to teach on the book of Revelation and humorously suggests that he may have been chosen because no one else wanted the responsibility. He explains that the reason he is hesitant to teach on prophecy is because he has witnessed respected men of God disagreeing with each other on interpretations of Revelation.
The pastor then discusses the events described in the book of Revelation, such as the seven angels blowing seven trumpets, which bring plagues upon the earth, and the vision of a great dragon, identified as Satan, and two beasts, believed to be the Antichrist and the false prophet. The pastor emphasizes the importance of the book of Revelation and its purpose, which he believes is to lead people to Jesus and to invite others to come to Him as well. He urges those who are not saved or walking in fellowship with Jesus to come to Him without delay, emphasizing that now is the day of salvation.
The pastor also emphasizes the diversity and unity of the crowd standing before the throne of God, consisting of people from every nation, tribe, people, and language. This highlights the importance of missions and reaching out to different nations. The pastor expresses anticipation for the moment when salvation is proclaimed by God and the Lamb. The pastor also mentions the angels, elders, and four living beings who fall before the throne and worship God, emphasizing the act of falling as a sign of reverence and worship in heaven.
The pastor then focuses on the worship and adoration of God described in the book of Revelation. He highlights the imagery of the living beings and the 24 elders falling down before the throne of God, laying their crowns before Him. The pastor mentions that throughout the New Testament, there are references to different crowns that believers can win, such as the crown of faithfulness and soul winning. However, the pastor emphasizes that what is even more important than receiving these crowns is the joy of being in the presence of Jesus.
The sermon concludes with the pastor emphasizing the importance of taking the next steps after praying a prayer on Sunday morning. The pastor encourages the congregation to text the word LIFE to a specific number so that the church can be in touch with them and help them in their spiritual journey. The next step mentioned is water baptism, which can be scheduled for the following Sunday. The pastor expresses pride in those who didn't wait and immediately took action.
Key Takeaways:
- The pastor emphasizes that the book of Revelation is not just about prophecy and future events, but about Jesus being revealed to his church. This revelation should lead us to worship and adoration of Jesus, recognizing His power and glory. ([12:45])
- The pastor highlights the importance of missions and reaching out to different nations, as represented by the diverse crowd standing before the throne of God in Revelation. This serves as a reminder of our calling to spread the gospel to all nations. ([22:33])
- The pastor assures the congregation that Jesus is the one who determines the duration of suffering, not the devil. This provides hope and encouragement that our trials will come to an end and there is a reward for remaining faithful, even in the face of death. ([34:56])
- The pastor emphasizes the importance of taking the next steps after praying a prayer on Sunday morning. This includes reaching out to the church for support in their spiritual journey and scheduling water baptism. This shows the importance of not just hearing the word, but also acting on it. ([45:12])
- The pastor cautions against those who claim to fully understand the book of Revelation, emphasizing that it is difficult to grasp and lacks a chronological order. This serves as a reminder that our focus should not be on deciphering the mysteries of the end times but on preaching the gospel to the whole world. ([56:23])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
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1. Matthew 24:14: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
2. Revelation 22:17: "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let the one who hears say, 'Come!' Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life."
3. Revelation 1:10-20: "On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: 'Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.' I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: 'Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.'"
```
Observation Questions:
1. What is the significance of the gospel being preached to all nations as mentioned in Matthew 24:14?
2. In Revelation 22:17, who are the Spirit and the bride and what is their invitation?
3. What are the seven stars and the seven golden lampstands mentioned in Revelation 1:10-20?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the preaching of the gospel to all nations relate to the end times as described in Matthew 24:14?
2. What does the invitation in Revelation 22:17 suggest about the nature of salvation and who it is available to?
3. How does the description of the son of man in Revelation 1:10-20 reveal the nature and authority of Jesus?
Application Questions:
1. How can you contribute to the preaching of the gospel to all nations in your daily life?
2. In what ways can you respond to the invitation of the Spirit and the bride in Revelation 22:17 in your personal life?
3. How does the description of Jesus in Revelation 1:10-20 impact your understanding of His authority and how does it influence your relationship with Him?
4. Can you think of a specific person in your life who has not yet accepted the invitation to come to Jesus? How can you extend this invitation to them this week?
5. What is one way you can demonstrate reverence and worship to Jesus in your daily life, similar to the act of falling before the throne described in Revelation?
Devotional
Day 1: Revealing Jesus Through Prophecy
The book of Revelation is not merely a forecast of future events, but a revelation of Jesus Christ to His church. This revelation should lead us to a deeper worship and adoration of Jesus, recognizing His power and glory. ([12:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9QtGFxBVH4&t=750s))
Bible Passage: Revelation 1:1 - "The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John."
Reflection: How can you deepen your understanding of Jesus through the book of Revelation? What specific aspects of His power and glory can you meditate on today?
Day 2: The Global Mission of the Gospel
The diverse crowd standing before the throne of God in Revelation represents the importance of missions and reaching out to different nations. This serves as a reminder of our calling to spread the gospel to all nations. ([22:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9QtGFxBVH4&t=1338s))
Bible Passage: Matthew 28:19 - "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Reflection: How can you participate in the global mission of the gospel? Can you think of a specific way to reach out to a different nation or culture with the love of Jesus today?
Day 3: Jesus, Our Hope in Suffering
Jesus is the one who determines the duration of suffering, not the devil. This provides hope and encouragement that our trials will come to an end and there is a reward for remaining faithful, even in the face of death. ([34:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9QtGFxBVH4&t=2081s))
Bible Passage: 1 Peter 5:10 - "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."
Reflection: How can you lean on Jesus during times of suffering? Can you think of a specific trial you are facing and how you can trust Jesus in the midst of it?
Day 4: Taking the Next Steps in Faith
Taking the next steps after praying a prayer on Sunday morning is crucial. This includes reaching out to the church for support in their spiritual journey and scheduling water baptism. This shows the importance of not just hearing the word, but also acting on it. ([45:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9QtGFxBVH4&t=2697s))
Bible Passage: James 1:22 - "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
Reflection: What specific next step can you take in your faith journey today? How can you move from merely hearing the word to acting on it?
Day 5: The Mystery of Revelation
The book of Revelation is difficult to grasp and lacks a chronological order. This serves as a reminder that our focus should not be on deciphering the mysteries of the end times but on preaching the gospel to the whole world. ([56:23](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9QtGFxBVH4&t=3368s))
Bible Passage: 2 Timothy 4:2 - "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction."
Reflection: How can you shift your focus from trying to understand the mysteries of Revelation to preaching the gospel? Can you think of a specific way to share the gospel with someone today?
Quotes
1. "Every nation and tribe and people and language standing in front of the throne and before the lamb. And they were shouting with a great roar. I look forward to that. Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the lamb." [01:14:55]
2. "And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. There's a lot of falling going on in heaven, folks. And they sang, Amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever. Amen." [01:14:55]
3. "This is more important than having a perfect understanding of Revelation. This is more important." [01:06:30]
4. "Because there's more to it than praying a prayer on Sunday morning. And we want to help you with every step." [01:09:49]
5. "Revelation is given for us to worship... I just noticed worship on top of worship, on top of worship, on top of worship, on top of worship." [01:10:47]
6. "But you know what I'm looking forward to more than that is right after we get all of those crowns, we're going to lay them down. When we see Jesus, we say, we don't need a crown. We got Jesus now." [01:12:44]
7. "Revelation is given to us to come to Jesus and invite others to come to him, too." [01:02:18]
8. "You know what the name of the book is? Revelation of Jesus Christ. It didn't hit you like it hit me. It's like when you see him, when he is revealed to you, no wonder it's seven different chapters, seven different passages, because this is Jesus being revealed to his church." [01:17:22]
9. "I think it's true of just about everybody that's tried to make those predictions and understandings. In fact, if you run into somebody that tells you that they've got the book of Revelation down pat and know what every bit of it is about, I would probably run the other direction from them, okay?" [44:13]
10. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then, everybody say then, then the end will come." (source: [40:36])
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