Revelation

Believe it or not, today is our final message in Revelation, at least for this round.

We'll probably get back to it at some point.

It's a pretty good book.

But this 13-week series is finally drawing to an end, and some of you might be breathing

a sigh of relief.

Some of you might be really upset because you've enjoyed being in the one book for an

extended period, and some of you don't remember the conversation you just had, let alone sermons

from a week or 13 weeks ago, so you've got no idea what I'm talking about.

But the fact is, tonight is the last installment in our trip through Revelation for the last

13 weeks.

And so it's really important for us, as we jump into this last scene, that we realize

what it is that's drawing to a close.

This book of Revelation is not just a 13-week sermon outline that Jesus gave to John so that

we would have something to do for this particular set of 13 weeks.

It's a revelation.

It's a vision.

It's a prophecy.

It's a unit.

And so we need to, as we draw to the close, be mindful of everything that's gone before.

All 13 weeks, plus the 12 and a half chapters that we didn't actually get to deal with in

detail.

So there is a lot that we need to try and squash back into our minds.

You need to remember the wonder and the amazement and the encouragement and maybe the fear as

well.

All the different things that God has pushed into your mind and heart over the last 13

weeks because that ride is about to come to an end.

Revelation is about to finish.

And it almost feels a bit like that feeling you get when holidays is over.

It doesn't matter how amazing your holiday was.

It doesn't matter how refreshing it was laying on the beach and doing nothing.

It doesn't matter how fantastic or how long it was.

The moment you turn back into your street or back into your driveway, it's like it just

fades away into the distance and reality comes racing back.

I've got to go to school tomorrow.

I've got to get up and go to work in the morning.

I've got to get up and make lunches for the kids tomorrow.

Whatever it is, reality comes racing back into focus.

And so as this vision ends, we need to focus and be aware of everything that's gone before.

What I want you to try and do is I want you to do your best to imagine that you are John,

to put yourself in his shoes.

So you're being shown this vision by an angel.

You're being given a sneak peek into eternity.

You're seeing things that are true from the past, things that are true now, things that

will be true in the future.

And you are being amazed again.

You're being encouraged again as God's love is put on display.

You're being reminded that Jesus is victorious.

You're being encouraged to stand firm in the trials that are coming.

And this amazing encounter is about to finish.

It's about to come to an end.

Now, last week, sorry, we looked at essentially the finale, if you like, of the book of Revelation.

There's a lot of pressure when you get to a finale because we have expectations.

The finale needs to tie it all together, needs to finish things.

And you know when you're reading a book or a series of book or watching a series of TV shows,

you've got certain things that you want to be achieved when you get to the finale.

And if they're not, you kind of feel like it was a letdown or maybe there's another series coming

and it's not the last event.

And so the finale of Revelation, which isn't just the finale of Revelation, it's the finale of the whole Bible.

It's the finale of all of human history.

There's a lot of pressure for this to finish neatly.

I mean, I don't know if you guys have seen the last Harry Potter, but it's like it was supposed to pull it all together.

Harry was supposed to defeat Voldemort and all that sort of stuff.

But, you know, it's obvious that deep down, I can't remember the lady who wrote its name,

but she knew that people would be asking the question, what happens next?

And so you've got that really strange, weird scene where we pretend that they've suddenly grown up 30 years,

even though they look exactly the same, and they have little kids running around.

And it's a bit of a letdown because the finale didn't achieve its purpose.

And so it had to go weird at the end to pretend that it was all finishing neatly.

But the good news is, Revelation didn't disappoint us when we got to the episode in chapter 21.

In fact, if anything, it was better than we were hoping for.

Even as we looked through Revelation and saw that the victory was won,

even when we saw Jesus on the throne,

even when we were encouraged that there would be vindication for his people,

you couldn't have begun to imagine just how good the picture was going to be when you got to chapter 21.

This glorious heavenly city comes down and God dwells with his people.

There is no more pain.

There is no more tears.

The shadow of death has been removed.

Sin and Satan and temptation and failure are no longer a part of our experience as God's people.

There is a city with no sea and no night.

It is perfect in every way.

It is beautiful beyond description,

so it requires strange imagery that we looked at last week.

It's apparently a cube city with jewels and pearls for gates

and we know that those are images trying to explain to us that it is immeasurably beautiful,

that it is immeasurably large,

that there is room for all those who would come in

and most importantly, that when we get there,

every injustice will be righted.

Every Christian will be vindicated, washed clean, adopted and perfectly satisfied living in the presence of God.

I mean, you could not have asked for more.

God has fixed everything that was wrong

and in chapter 22 in these first few verses,

the image just keeps rolling out and getting better and better.

I mean, the big problem with our existence on this earth is death.

It's the issue that we struggle with in everything.

It's the thing that we try and avoid.

It's the thing that we fear.

It's the thing that drives us.

And yet, chapter 22 opens with these amazing words

to describe the future city that God has prepared.

In verse 1,

Life is flowing in this new city.

There is no death.

Life is flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb.

And then verse 2,

Down the middle of the great street of the city,

on each side of the river stood the tree of life.

There is no death in this city.

There is only life coming from the great source of life,

our Saviour Jesus.

There's something really, really clever here

that God has done in this image.

The word that is used for tree here

when it talks about the tree of life

is not the word that you would normally use for tree.

It's a word that kind of refers to a dried piece of wood

or a bit of wood that's been removed

that might be used to build something like a cross.

It's the same word that the New Testament uses in other places

to describe the tree that Jesus was nailed to.

If you think back to the Garden of Eden

and the apparently perfect picture there,

you've got trees, you've got fruit,

and you've still got that here,

but there's something extra going on with this tree of life.

The tree of life in the eternal city

is the cross of Jesus.

The source of life, the defeat of death,

all flows from the death and resurrection of Jesus.

This future city will be life.

Life will flow through it.

Night will be removed.

And the shadow of what Jesus has achieved

will mean that we live forever.

It removes the curse.

It deals with the issue.

Have a look at verse 3, just this first sentence.

Just let it sit for a second.

No longer will there be any curse.

In this new city where death is removed,

so is every problem that we have faced

in our experience, in our existence.

If you go right back to the beginning of the Bible

in Genesis chapter 3,

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

when Adam and Eve get it all wrong,

when they reject God

and they try and take His place as being in charge,

what happens?

Everything breaks.

Friction is introduced.

Opposition is introduced.

Our relationships become broken

and damaged and painful.

Our interaction with the creation that we live in

becomes difficult and a struggle.

And most importantly,

our ability to have an unhindered relationship

with the God who made us

is removed.

And when we get to this city,

every part of that curse is dealt with.

Our relationships will be restored.

There will no longer be jealousy

or spite or unforgiveness

or selfishness or hurt.

Our struggles in our day-to-day life,

that feeling of,

I don't want to get up today,

I can't be bothered.

None of that.

There will only be joy

as we fulfill tasks

that God will have for us

in the new creation.

But most importantly,

we finally get to have access to God.

It says in verse 3,

There will no longer be any curse.

The throne of God and of the Lamb

will be in the city

and His servants will serve Him.

And this bit,

really important,

they will see His face

and His name will be on their foreheads.

The first thing that Adam and Eve did

in Genesis

when they realized

they'd done the wrong thing

was they hid

from God's presence.

They feared to be in God's presence.

There was shame.

They knew they'd done the wrong thing.

But the reality was

God in His perfection

became dangerous

to sinful people

like Adam and Eve.

And that's ultimately why

He removed them from the garden

and their relationship

was given distance

so that they would not be destroyed.

So there was a chance

of restoration.

And we read this incredible thing

in Exodus chapter 33

Exodus 33 · chapter mention

when Moses is leading God's people.

And Moses is like the guy.

He's got like special,

you know,

direct access to God.

And he cries out

and he says to God,

let me see your glory.

So show me your glory.

And God's response is,

I will hide you

and walk past you

and give you just a sneak peek

of my back

because if you see my face

you will die.

Now remember,

Moses is like the top of the top

of God's people at this point.

There is no one better.

There is no one more chosen.

Yet for him to see God's face

would mean being destroyed

because God is that holy

and that perfect

and even Moses has no right

to stand face to face

with the God of heaven.

And yet,

in the finale,

in the end,

those who bear the name of Jesus

will see God face to face.

you will have access

to the one who spoke

the earth into being.

I mean,

it's hard for us to comprehend

just how different this city,

this future eternal existence

is going to be

because our lives

are so tainted

by sin and rebellion

and this will be perfect.

This will be absolutely perfect.

Heaven will be the fulfillment

of every good thing

that God has promised,

every blessing

that has been held back,

every curse removed,

every relationship restored

and we will get to see

God face to face.

No more wondering

what he thinks.

No more wondering

what he's like.

No more wondering

if he loves us.

We will have direct access

to our great heavenly father.

And we are told

that his servants

will reign with him

forever and ever.

no more being

on the sideline,

no more missing out,

no more being oppressed

because we follow

a saviour that is

mocked and ridiculed.

We will be vindicated.

We will reign with him.

We will celebrate

and share in his victory.

The glory of this finale

of this image

is almost overwhelming.

If you just reflect

on it a little bit,

if you just grab

one issue

that is in your life

right now,

it is resolved here.

The thing that is

causing you

the most pain

and grief

in your life

right now,

it is resolved here.

And not just made okay.

It is perfectly

restored.

Restored.

Whether that is

physical,

emotional,

perfectly restored.

But now,

the vision is over.

John is still

in exile

on the island

of Patmos.

We still have

to go to work

or school tomorrow

or do our normal

day-to-day lives.

And suddenly,

those circumstances

come screaming

back into focus.

Now that the vision

is over,

it might feel

a little bit like

you've just arrived

home from holiday.

The angel gives

John a little sign

off.

These words

are trustworthy

and true.

He says,

you can trust these

because Jesus

is the one

who sent me

with this message.

But then you've

got to ask the question,

what do we do

with this vision?

Now that our

day-to-day experience

comes back in

and we're not

just sitting here

drunk on the excitement

of how fantastic

it's going to be,

what do we do

with this book?

What do we do

tomorrow as we

struggle?

What do we do

the next day

as we struggle?

What's the point

of all of this?

One of the

interesting things

I find in my role

is that I kind of

live in between

adults and kids

in my role

here at church.

So I get to kind of

hang out with all

the different age groups

and get to talk

about Jesus with them

and I love

the different ways

that we express

what we understand

from the Bible.

And so if I was

to talk with many

of you about

the book of

Revelation,

we would find

it quite difficult

to sort of

summarize it,

to bring it down

into a neat

little package.

There's so much

in there,

so many images

and we want

to kind of

make sure

we've ticked

all the boxes

and included

everything.

And so we might

be a little bit

nervous about

a task like that

but I love

that if I went

to kids church

next door,

they could probably

give me a one-word

answer and that

would be exactly

correct.

They might not

know they were

correct,

they might just

be reaching for

the answer that

they know is

probably correct

but they would

probably be right.

They know that

when you get

asked a question

by somebody

at church,

the answer is

probably Jesus.

If not,

it's Bible

but Jesus is

always good to

start with.

But I pray

they never grow

out of that.

I pray that

we never grow

out of that

because that

is the point,

that is the

summary.

for 13 weeks

the main

character

has been

Jesus.

For every

chapter in

scripture

the main

character

has been

Jesus

and in

this final

city,

this eternal

future,

the main

character

is still

Jesus.

I don't know

if you remember

chapter 1,

John is given

this vision

of Jesus

amongst his

churches,

blazing like

fire with a

sword out of

his mouth,

speaking words

like a rushing

wind,

this picture

of a glorious

Jesus.

In chapters

4 and 5

the Lamb

Jesus is

on the throne

and all

of the heavenly

hosts gather

round,

bow down

and worship

him,

crying out

holy,

holy,

holy is

the Lamb

who was

slain.

In chapter

12 it's

Jesus who

is exalted

to the throne

having defeated

Satan and

cast him out

of heaven.

In chapter

19 it's

Jesus who

arrives on

the white

horse as

the victorious

king.

And here

in chapters

21 and

22 it's

the throne

of God

and the

Lamb Jesus

who is in

the city.

It is his

presence,

it is his

blood that

has washed

us clean

and given

us access

to this

great city.

It is all

about Jesus.

And just to

make sure that

we don't miss

this point,

Jesus interrupts

John reflecting

on this great

vision that

he's just

seen.

Verse 7

Behold I

am coming

soon.

It's not the

angel talking

anymore,

it's not the

angel pointing,

Jesus' voice

cuts through

and says

I am

coming soon.

Blessed is

he who

keeps the

words of

the prophecy

in this

book.

It's all

about Jesus.

Now there's

a really

strange little

verse that

comes up

here which

I think is

there for

our encouragement.

I don't

know if you

noticed it

when Jase

was reading

it out but

this is

the end.

This is

like victorious,

this is no

more Satan,

this is no

more issue,

no more

sin,

this is

everything

should be

fantastic but

this is the

Harry Potter

as a dad

moment in

the finale.

Have a look

at verse 8.

I John

am the one

who heard

and saw

these things.

I John

am the one

who saw

this incredible

vision of

Jesus and

so what

does he

do?

And when

I had

heard and

seen them

I fell

down to

worship at

the feet of

the angel

who had

been

showing

me.

It's

all about

Jesus.

It's not

about the

angel but

John the

disciple.

The first

thing he

does having

seen this

glorious victorious

picture of

Jesus is

bow down to

an angel.

The angel

corrects him.

He said to

me,

do not

do it.

I am a

fellow servant

with you and

with your

brothers the

prophets and

of all who

keep the

words of

this book

worship God.

That's the

point.

It's all

about Jesus.

It's showing

us who he

is.

It's showing

us his

infinite worth,

his unique

worth that he

alone is to

be worshipped.

But I think

this little

strange John

episode,

remember this

is the end.

It should be

all neat.

This should be

the point where

John gets it,

where it clicks

and it makes

sense and he

worships Jesus

but he

fails

spectacularly.

I believe

that Jesus

includes this

little bit for

us so that

we might

understand a

little bit of

what it's

like to live

between seeing

this vision

and fully

experiencing it

when he

comes back.

Having just

heard the

words,

I'm coming

soon,

John is

trying to

deal with

the hope

and his

reality and

he fails.

And so

often great

hope and

great encouragement

like this are

followed by

temptation and

failure,

are followed

by distraction.

If you think

of the

disciple Peter

when Jesus

is in

Gethsemane,

he is the

first one to

jump to

Jesus'

defence,

showing his

colours,

how committed

he is,

he pulls

his sword,

but just

moments later

he denies

Jesus three

times.

I can think

in my own

life of times

where I have

gotten up to

speak of

the incredible

grace of

God,

which in

no way

depends on

anything that

I could or

couldn't do

and which is

an open

invitation for

absolutely

anybody to

come to

Jesus,

and literally

moments later

be standing

chatting to

somebody and

internally judging

the things that

I'm hearing.

It is a

difficult reality

for us that

we are still

in the battle.

As glorious

as our hope

is, we are

still in the

battle and

there is

encouragement

here.

This vision

was given

to John

not because

of who

John is,

he's just

like us,

but because

our God

is gracious

and that

same grace

forgives John

in this

moment,

sets him

back on his

feet and

points him

in the right

direction,

worship Jesus.

And as we

struggle and

fail in our

lives, the

same grace

that called

us and

showed us

Jesus will

forgive us

and pick us

up and

strengthen us

to keep

going.

Worship him

alone.

That's what it

means to keep

the words of

this prophecy.

It means you

see Jesus as

one who is

worthy of

your worship,

who is worthy

of your

allegiance,

who is worthy

of your

commitment,

who is worthy

of your

service,

who is worthy

of your

whole life.

That's what

it's all

about.

This vision

isn't necessarily

a specific

description of

how it's

going to

happen and

what it's

going to

look like.

the end

in

revelation

is a

person.

It's

Jesus.

When we

get to the

end, we

will see

him fully.

That's what

will make it

the end.

Jesus says,

I'm coming

soon, so

worship me

alone.

He says

again,

verse 12,

behold, I

am coming

soon.

Three times

he makes

it clear,

I am

coming

soon.

So get

excited.

Revelation

coming to

an end is

not the

end of

your

holidays.

It's

Christmas

Eve.

The point

is to

tell you

that something

amazing is

just around

the corner.

You know

that feeling

on Christmas

Eve.

It happens

here when we

gather for

church, the

11pm

service.

Little plug,

Christmas Eve

11pm is

really exciting

because you

know that if

church runs

long enough,

it's Christmas

Day and you

can go home

and open a

present.

I remember

as a kid

wanting to

pester my

parents,

come on,

can I open

one, can I

open two,

can I open

three, can I

just open a

couple of

presents the

day before.

Christmas Eve

is all about

the anticipation

and the

excitement and

the expectation

of what is

to come.

Jesus says

in verse 12,

behold, I am

coming soon.

He's whetting

our appetite.

my reward is

with me and I

will give to

everyone according

to 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 that

they may have

the right to

the tree of

life and may

go through the

gates into the

city.

If you are

trusting Jesus,

revelation should

be making you

excited because

Jesus is coming

soon.

and when he

shows up,

everything that

we have seen

in these last

two chapters

comes with

him.

Perfection,

complete

forgiveness,

access to our

heavenly father

face to face.

I'm coming

soon so get

excited.

excited.

I want to say

that if the

vision that we

have been given

in these chapters

is not something

that's appealing

to you, is not

something that's

exciting, I want

to challenge you

to look again.

I understand

it's imagery, it's

prophecy, it's

not just plain, but

I want to challenge

you that if it's

not exciting, you

need to look

again.

If you're being

distracted by the

angels in your

life like John

was or if you're

busy bowing down

to comfort or

security or a

career or

whatever else, it

just means you

need to look

again.

You need to

look at Jesus.

You need to

understand who

he is and how

worthy he is and

how good he is and

how satisfying he

is and you need

to start getting

excited for what

is to come.

The whole

Christian life is

a response to

Jesus.

That's why this

book is such an

incredible gift.

That's why this

is the way it

finishes.

Because then we

will see him

fully and in the

light of that

complete revelation

we will be

released to live

the lives that we

were made to

live.

But even now in

the battle we

need to look

again at Jesus.

He is the

motivation for us

to live the

Christian life.

The incredible

love and grace

and forgiveness

that he has

shown us are

motivation when

we're struggling.

But more than

that he is the

power for you

to live the

Christian life.

He is the

power that

forgives you by

his blood so

that you can be

washed clean so

that you can have

access to the

tree of life.

His spirit at

work in you is

the strength to

convict you and

grow your heart to

love him as he

deserves.

All of being a

Christian is about

fixing your eyes

on Jesus and

having your heart

respond to him.

It has nothing to

do with how strong

you are, how

disciplined you

are, how good

you are.

It's all about

him.

There's this

amazing couple of

verses there in

verse 17.

The spirit and the

bride say come.

Having gotten this

vision of Jesus,

even the Holy

Spirit says come.

The Holy Spirit is

getting excited.

He anticipates the

glorious city.

And let him who

hears say come.

Let anyone who

hears these words

and begins to see

Jesus in his glory

say come because

it's good news.

Whoever is thirsty,

let him come.

And whoever wishes,

let him take the

free gift of the

water of life.

Jesus says I am

coming soon and he

means it.

But in his

incredible grace and

sovereignty, that

little gap that he

has given us

between the

vision and his

arrival is an

invitation for

whoever wishes.

Whoever wants to

be in that city

can come.

Whoever wants to

know forgiveness

and joy and

peace and

perfection and

satisfaction can

come and take the

free gift of the

water of life.

love.

We've got to

understand the

hope that we

have is an open

offer to anyone

who would come.

It's not a hope to

be apologized for.

When we can speak of

the kind of

perfection that is in

these pages, don't be

embarrassed about it.

Every issue that

anyone on this

earth is dealing

with right now will

only be fully and

finally dealt with in

heaven.

We can tell

people about that.

We can point them

to the solution in

Jesus.

There is nothing to

be sorry for or

shy about.

Jesus says, I am

coming soon.

And with him comes

his kingdom, this

perfect creation, and

a perfect relationship

with God.

If you're struggling

now, hear the

words of Jesus, I'm

coming soon.

If you're going

great and life is

fantastic, hear the

words of Jesus, I'm

coming soon and with

me comes something

better.

If right now you're

feeling pretty

apathetic, hear the

words of Jesus.

Jesus says, I'm

coming soon.

Jesus says, he's

coming soon.

Three times.

He means it.

Are you ready for

when he comes?

Are you excited for

when he comes?

Jesus says, I'm

coming soon.

Are you living now in

light of this image of

Jesus?

In light of the king, the

risen one, the saviour?

Are you living now in

anticipation of

perfection?

Jesus says, I'm

coming soon.

Amen.

Come, Lord Jesus.