Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20010812.htm

REVELATION: CALL TO HOLINESS IN VIEW OF PROPHECY
Part III: The Things Hereafter'
"Q. Holding POSITIVELY To The Truth In View Of Our Eternal Bliss"
(Revelation 21:1-22:5)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

If we want to dwell on it, we can find many reasons to dwell upon God's vengeance that needs to be carried out on "Babylon the Great" and thus fall into a negative mindset (as follows):

(1) When President Bush gave his speech condoning limited stem cell research this week, one "politically correct" supporter of the research commented the President "didn't go far enough," but that stem cell research involving the harvesting of live human embryos would go on, but simply not be funded by the government (ABC news, Friday, August 10, 2001)! Apparently killing human embryos that Psalm 51:5 reveals are people for the sake of stem cell research is seen by this group as ethically acceptable!

On the other hand, the same group stands opposed to human cloning as though THAT is somehow wrong in contrast to harvesting stem cells from live embryos for research! The Christian wonders how growing parts by cloning is less ethical than harvesting stem cells at the death of live human embryos!

In light of this growth of hypocrisy regarding even BASIC VALUES on human LIFE, it is tempting for us Christians to harbor a perpetually vengeful outlook as we long to see God administer justice in behalf of innocent, helpless unborn people!

(2) An editorial appeared in Waterbury's Pulitzer prize-winning Republican-American this week on global warming. It revealed another injustice. The editor stated the earth's average temperature is about 1 degree Farenheit higher than it was a century ago, ". . . and almost all of the warming took place before 1940 -- before 80 % of the manmade carbon dioxide got into the atmosphere." Besides, as the editor noted, "industrial activity generates less than 5 % of those gases" producing the much-hyped "greenhouse effect!"

Yet, we've been inundated by calls from politicians on limiting industrial activity to save the planet! When we read an editorial like this in a reputable paper, we can see "global warming" is a political issue, not a scientific one, and that can cause a believer to feel irritated and fall into a vengeful outlook in life!

Well, CAN we Christians live with an UPBEAT attitude in view of the growing evil around us? IF so, HOW?!"

(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "I know God wants us believers to hold to His truth though DOING so may mean persecution from Babylon the Great,' for He will AVENGE our cause in the END. Yet, is there a POSITIVE reason to hold to the truth? Can I live as a JOYFUL believer?!"
  1. In Revelation 21:1-6, God introduced to John a glimpse of the eternal BLISS awaiting His justified ones (as follows):
    1. John beheld a new heavens and new earth as the first universe that had been corrupted with sin would one day pass away, Rev. 21:1a,b.
    2. The new earth had no more sea, no more humanly inhospitable environment that could threaten man's welfare, Revelation 21:1c.
    3. Accordingly, everything about this new universe was blissful, 21:2-6:
      1. Instead of heaven being SEPARATE from man, with sin removed from man, God's heaven will unite with man on the earth in an eternal bliss of fellowship between both parties, Rev. 21:2-3.
      2. Consequently, tears, death, sorrow, weeping and pain, the tragic results of sin, will be obliterated from all human experience, 21:4.
      3. Hence, we will enjoy God's new world order of bliss, Rev. 21:5-6.
  2. In GIVING this glimpse of eternal bliss, God EMPHASIZED it was reserved for those who will have REJECTED holding to the false "Babylon the Great" rebellion AGAINST God, Rev. 21:7-9:
    1. God announced this bliss would be for those who "overcame," for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, Rev. 21:7, 27.
    2. In contrast, those who adhered to the false "Babylon the Great" and rejected Christ's salvation would experience the Lake of Fire, 21:8, 9:
      1. God revealed those who rejected Christ and instead held to the pagan system of evil would go to the lake of fire, Rev. 21:8, 27.
      2. He emphasized those who held to the "Babylon the Great" rebellion would be eternally damned: the angel showing John the details of heaven's bliss was one of the angels with the bowl judgments aimed at "Babylon the Great," Rev. 21:9 with 17:1!
  3. In noting this BLISSFUL FUTURE was ONLY for those who will overcome sin by faith in CHRIST, God gave DETAILS of the state:
    1. The angel revealed to John the New Jerusalem of the justified will glisten as a clear crystal in reflecting God's glory, Revelation 21:9-11.
    2. John saw the city's wall would be 216 feet high, and the city will be 1,500 miles square at its base, Rev. 21:12a, 16-17, cf. Ryrie Study Bible: KJV footnotes to Revelation 21:16, 17 respectively.
    3. On each of the four sides of the city will be three gates each, consisting each one of a solid pearl, and respectively bearing the twelve names of the tribes of Israel, Revelation 21:12-13, 21a.
    4. The foundations of the city will be twelve in number and decorated respectively with twelve different kinds of precious stones, each one bearing a name of one of the twelve apostles of Christ, 21:14, 19-21a.
    5. The city itself will be made of gold, having a single street in its midst with gold so pure it will reflect light as glass does, Rev. 21:18b, 21b.
    6. God Himself will illumine this city with His glory, and that glory will reflect God's glory with its crystalline and golden reflective qualities thus to obliterate any need for a sun and moon, Rev. 21:23.
    7. Since God and Christ will dwell with man in this New Jerusalem, there will be no worship structure in it, for God Himself will embody what man would seek in such a structure, Revelation 21:22.
    8. The city will attract the glory of the nations that are saved, and there will be no night there, meaning it will always be full of vibrant activity and bliss, Revelation 21:24-26.
    9. John was also shown man's personal victory over sin, Rev. 22:1-5:
      1. We will have access to the water of life and the tree of life that was denied access to us when man fell into sin, Rev. 22:1-2; Gen. 3:24.
      2. We will enjoy healing and liberation from the curse of God placed upon man in the Garden of Eden, Gen. 3:14-19; Rev. 22:2-3.
      3. We will see God's face, serve Him and rule with Him opposite the rebellion against God, the separation from His fellowship and loss of rule over the earth man experienced in Eden due to his fall into sin, Genesis 1:27-28; 3:8-10; Revelation 22:4-5.
Application: To live with a POSITIVE outlook, (1) BELIEVE on Christ to be written in the Lamb's Book of Life, Rev. 21:27; John 3:16. (2) Then, BEYOND dwelling on the NEGATIVE vengeance God will mete out on those who have opposed the truth and afflicted us who stand for it, (3) we can dwell on the BLESSINGS we will enjoy in ETERNITY with GOD and the saints of the ages so as to live with a JOYFUL attitude!

Lesson: BEYOND resting in the fact God will mete out VENGEANCE upon "Babylon the Great" for troubling believers for standing for the truth, we have an UNIMAGINABLY BLISSFUL ETERNAL DESTINY to MOTIVATE us to live with a POSITIVE outlook for Christ! >

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 To illustrate how God urges us to escape a "vengeful rut" over suffering with the growth of evil around us as believers, two events this week in view of eternity reveal how God helps us out here:

(1) In our Adult Sunday School Class last week, I was teaching the Holy Spirit convicts the world of its need for Christ besides the witness of believers to that end. Someone then asked if I had an illustration on this aside from my report on how God had given visions to Muslims in Saudi Arabia about a crucified Christ. So, I reported how a former High School colleague who later became a member of the Hells Angels in California had been led by God to Christ through going to a Church to hear the gospel by way of a recurring dream. Yet, I regretted not having a report on how God does this in Connecticut!

So, the Lord graciously gave us one later that Sunday! While I was preaching on the Millennial Kingdom in the sermon immediately following last week's Adult Sunday School Class, a man who had just driven by our Church felt a sudden strong urge to turn his vehicle around and come to our service! As he did so, he later reported he said to himself, "Why am I doing this -- I don't want to go in there?!"

But, he came and heard the sermon. The content of the message just happened to apply to an issue especially troubling him, so Peter Hinman was later able to witness to him about faith in Christ!

(2) Then again, Monday night, after she returned from the VBS Steering Committee meeting, my wife, Nadine told of a report a lady at the meeting had given her of encouragement. She related how several people in another state are looking for a Bible teaching Church in part because a thirst for Bible content has been fueled in them by their downloading our Revelation sermons on our Nepaug Church website!