Understanding God's Wrath and the Power of the Gospel
Summary
This morning, we gathered together to worship and delve into the Word of God, focusing on Revelation chapters 15 and 16. We began by reading Acts 2:42-47 together, emphasizing the importance of being devoted to the teachings of the apostles, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. This set the tone for our worship and study, reminding us of the early church's commitment and the transformative power of God's Word.
We then transitioned into a time of prayer, thanking God for the freedoms we enjoy in this country and remembering those who have sacrificed their lives for these freedoms. We acknowledged the privilege we have to worship freely and prayed for opportunities to proclaim the gospel both locally and globally. We also lifted up various members of our congregation who are in need of healing and support, trusting in God's sovereignty and care.
As we moved into the sermon, we focused on Revelation 15 and 16, discussing the intensification of God's judgments as depicted through the seven seals, trumpets, visions, and bowls. We noted that these chapters are not meant to be read chronologically but symbolically, highlighting different aspects of God's character and His ultimate plan for humanity. The imagery of the bowls of wrath, reminiscent of the plagues in Egypt, serves to illustrate the completeness and perfection of God's judgment.
We explored the difficult question of how to praise God amidst His wrath. This question is particularly challenging because it requires us to reconcile God's love and mercy with His justice and holiness. We reflected on our own struggles with understanding God's wrath, especially when we first encountered the gospel. Many of us grappled with the idea of a loving God allowing or even initiating such horrific events. However, as we grow in our faith and understanding, we begin to see the necessity of God's wrath in the context of His holiness and justice.
We discussed the importance of having a high view of God and a humble view of ourselves. Recognizing God's sovereignty and our own depravity helps us to understand why His judgments are just and necessary. We are reminded that God's wrath is not arbitrary but is a response to sin and rebellion. It is a demonstration of His holiness and His commitment to justice.
We also emphasized the role of the gospel in understanding God's wrath. The cross of Christ is the ultimate expression of God's wrath and love. At the cross, Jesus took on the full weight of God's wrath against sin, providing a way for us to be reconciled to God. This understanding should motivate us to live lives of purity, urgency in witnessing, and sincere worship.
In conclusion, we were encouraged to respond to God's Word with worship, whether through prayer, singing, or committing our lives to Christ. We were reminded that our ultimate hope and security lie in God's sovereignty and the finished work of Christ on the cross.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Privilege of Worship and Proclamation: We are privileged to live in a country where we can worship freely and proclaim the gospel without fear of persecution. This freedom is a gift from God and a result of the sacrifices made by many. We must not take this privilege for granted but use it to advance God's kingdom. We should pray for opportunities to share the gospel and be proactive in our witness. [20:07]
2. Understanding God's Wrath: God's wrath is a difficult but essential aspect of His character. It is a response to sin and a demonstration of His holiness and justice. Understanding God's wrath helps us to appreciate the gravity of sin and the necessity of the gospel. It also motivates us to live lives of purity and urgency in our witness. [32:43]
3. The Role of the Gospel: The gospel is central to understanding God's wrath. At the cross, Jesus took on the full weight of God's wrath against sin, providing a way for us to be reconciled to God. This understanding should lead us to worship God with sincerity and joy, knowing that we have been saved from the wrath we deserve. [01:10:01]
4. God's Sovereignty and Our Humility: Recognizing God's sovereignty and our own depravity is crucial in understanding His judgments. God is in control of all things, and His judgments are just and necessary. We must have a high view of God and a humble view of ourselves, trusting in His wisdom and justice. [01:03:05]
5. Living in Light of God's Wrath: Knowing that God's wrath is real and that judgment is coming should motivate us to live lives of purity and urgency. We should be diligent in our witness, proclaiming the gospel to those who do not know Christ. We should also worship God with sincerity, knowing that He is holy and just. [01:16:25]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[20:07] - The Privilege of Worship and Proclamation
[32:43] - Understanding God's Wrath
[01:10:01] - The Role of the Gospel
[01:03:05] - God's Sovereignty and Our Humility
[01:16:25] - Living in Light of God's Wrath
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Acts 2:42-47
2. Revelation 15-16
#### Observation Questions
1. What were the four key practices of the early church as described in Acts 2:42-47?
2. How does the imagery of the bowls of wrath in Revelation 15-16 compare to the plagues in Egypt? [50:09]
3. What is the significance of the number seven in the context of Revelation 15-16? [46:26]
4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between God's wrath and His holiness? [57:10]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important to understand the symbolic nature of Revelation 15-16 rather than reading it chronologically? [44:28]
2. How does recognizing God's sovereignty help us reconcile His wrath with His love and mercy? [58:06]
3. In what ways does the cross of Christ serve as the ultimate expression of both God's wrath and love? [01:14:18]
4. How does having a high view of God and a humble view of ourselves change our perspective on His judgments? [01:03:05]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the freedoms you enjoy in your country. How can you use these freedoms to advance God's kingdom and proclaim the gospel? [20:07]
2. How do you personally struggle with understanding or accepting God's wrath? What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of His holiness and justice? [32:43]
3. The sermon emphasized the importance of living lives of purity and urgency in witnessing. What specific actions can you take this week to live out this calling? [01:16:25]
4. How can you cultivate a high view of God in your daily life? What practices or habits can help you maintain a humble view of yourself? [01:03:05]
5. Think about a time when you questioned God's judgments or actions. How can you shift your perspective to trust in His wisdom and justice more fully? [01:01:46]
6. The sermon mentioned the role of the gospel in understanding God's wrath. How can you better integrate the message of the cross into your daily worship and interactions with others? [01:10:58]
7. Identify one person in your life who does not know Christ. What specific steps can you take to share the gospel with them this week, considering the urgency of God's coming judgment? [01:15:02]
Devotional
Day 1: The Privilege of Worship and Proclamation
We are privileged to live in a country where we can worship freely and proclaim the gospel without fear of persecution. This freedom is a gift from God and a result of the sacrifices made by many. We must not take this privilege for granted but use it to advance God's kingdom. We should pray for opportunities to share the gospel and be proactive in our witness. [20:07]
1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV): "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way."
Reflection: Think of one person in your life who does not know Christ. How can you share the gospel with them this week, taking advantage of the freedom you have to do so?
Day 2: Understanding God's Wrath
God's wrath is a difficult but essential aspect of His character. It is a response to sin and a demonstration of His holiness and justice. Understanding God's wrath helps us to appreciate the gravity of sin and the necessity of the gospel. It also motivates us to live lives of purity and urgency in our witness. [32:43]
Nahum 1:2-3 (ESV): "The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you struggled to understand God's wrath. How did this struggle impact your view of sin and your need for the gospel?
Day 3: The Role of the Gospel
The gospel is central to understanding God's wrath. At the cross, Jesus took on the full weight of God's wrath against sin, providing a way for us to be reconciled to God. This understanding should lead us to worship God with sincerity and joy, knowing that we have been saved from the wrath we deserve. [01:10:01]
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV): "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Reflection: How does understanding the full weight of God's wrath that Jesus bore on the cross change the way you worship and live your daily life?
Day 4: God's Sovereignty and Our Humility
Recognizing God's sovereignty and our own depravity is crucial in understanding His judgments. God is in control of all things, and His judgments are just and necessary. We must have a high view of God and a humble view of ourselves, trusting in His wisdom and justice. [01:03:05]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust God's sovereignty? How can you practice humility and trust in His wisdom this week?
Day 5: Living in Light of God's Wrath
Knowing that God's wrath is real and that judgment is coming should motivate us to live lives of purity and urgency. We should be diligent in our witness, proclaiming the gospel to those who do not know Christ. We should also worship God with sincerity, knowing that He is holy and just. [01:16:25]
2 Peter 3:10-11 (ESV): "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness."
Reflection: What steps can you take today to live a life of purity and urgency in light of God's coming judgment? How can you be more diligent in your witness to those around you?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "You should absolutely praise him for the privilege, the great privilege that we have to live in this country. We've been talking about that as we go through Revelation. We thank God for the men and women that have served and ultimately laid down their life so that we can have these freedoms. Right. To be able to worship freely and be able to come together without fear of persecution or death." [20:07]
2. "If you love your wife, you'll hate all that threatens her harm, right? If you love your kids, you'll hate all the things that seek to hurt them. If you love Jews, then you'll hate what happened in World War Two. Love requires wrath in this sense. It's good for God to hate that which destroys you and me. It's good for that. So we praise him in the midst of that. He's kept us from that." [01:17:20]
3. "The only person has ever walked the face of this Earth that is perfect and worthy of following is Jesus Christ. He sets the standards second. God is feared by all. I mean look at Revelation 15 for who will not fear you. Oh Lord. Look at the end of verse three for you again. Our King of the nation's these verses. They have a strong background in the Psalms and the prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah and Zechariah. Be still God said in Psalm 46 10 and know that I am what I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in all the Earth guys. It's not I might be he says I will be exalted." [01:00:28]
4. "The beauty of the Godhead is that all of these attributes they come together God's love his justice his wrath. They're indescribable and guys it should cause us to worship. So listen as our praise team comes. Comes back up. That's exactly what I want you to do is we close our service. I just want you to worship. Maybe maybe that means for you may I don't know how the Lord's using the word in your heart, but maybe that just means you need to where you're at seek him in prayer, right? Maybe that means you need to sing with your hands raised to God with a loud voice." [01:18:22]
### Quotes for Members
1. "We have to ask ourselves. Why does God judge the world like he does in these two chapters? Well, the angel said it in 16 6. If you just open your eyes you have given the people what they deserve. Why do they deserve this wrath? Because ultimately they thought they knew better than God. They I mean you can point the finger you can blame the dragon the beast Satan, whatever it is. But this is the main reason I see this for one of the reasons I see this book symbolically Satan is not the reason for our sin problem. Stop blaming him. We are send it near the world when Satan fell. When did it enter the world when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit." [01:04:05]
2. "We struggle with certain doctrines in the Bible like God's wrath or God's election other difficult things because ultimately if we're honest, we think we can do it better. We think it's not just or it's not holy again. Who are we to question God? Not only are we depraved and sinful and separated not only have we all rebelled against the good and gracious God. Let me remind you of all of our origin real quick. We're going to go back to this in a couple of months actually about another month Genesis. But Genesis chapter. Chapter 2 verse 7 and the Lord God formed the man. You guys know where he formed the matter dust on the matter dust from the ground." [01:08:27]
3. "We know God did it. We know his power. We know why the judgment we're talking about this. It's almost like when the pastor gets to the closing and your guys are like, all right, you close your Bible. It's like but I got three more points for you. I will do that to you today. You think we already talked about those things. That's kind of what I believe is happening in Revelation. We had seven seals seven trumpets seven visions and now we have the seven bowls. And I believe it's telling the same accounts from different perspectives to highlight different things about God and how his people are respond in light of all of that." [45:18]
4. "We have to remember that there is not a single book in the Bible that was written directly to us. Right. We weren't the original readers of any of these books unless you're like 2000 years old. We have to remember that. And while God uses it in our lives today to shape us and mold us into the image of his son, the only way we're going to get. What it is the Holy Spirit intends us to get from any of these books is to first understand the original author's intentions in writing the book or whatever book it was in the Bible." [37:14]
5. "We have to believe that we're not in control nor will we ever be. So we have a high view of God. We have a humble view of ourself and then really quickly. I'm real quick. I'll close with this last point. You'll never understand the holiness of God. The justice of God. His wrath. If you don't see it through the lens of the gospel. I mean, why is he depicting all of this over and over again seemingly through these through these chapters? It's like man pastor Steven. He's just talking about wrath over and over again these last couple weeks. I'm just going through the book says why is he showing us this because God's what God is sovereign and while he's holy and righteous while he'll be glorified in the end, right?" [01:10:01]
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