Good morning, everybody. It is my joy, it is my privilege to be able to preach to you
God's Word this morning, and to fill in for Sean, who is out at a pastor's conference, correct?
Yes. And so our passage today is in the book of Revelation, from Revelation chapter 16. We're
going to do the whole chapter today. Revelation is in the back of your Bible, and if you've been
with us these last few weeks, you would know that we've been going over some pretty,
pretty heavy topics. We've been talking about judgment, heaven, hell, and the wrath of God,
and these are heavy and weighty topics, but it's important for us to preach on them because
God thinks it's important for us to know that's why he gave it to us in his Word. So let's preach,
or let's pray together. Heavenly Father, Lord, I pray that you would bless the preaching of your
word this morning. Lord, your Word is sweet in our mouths, but bitter in our stomachs
as we think about the implications. Lord, I pray that your Word would work mightily through me today.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. So let us read the text today. So if you are willing and able,
please stand for the reading of God's Word and follow along as I read from Revelation chapter 16.
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the several angels,
go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God. So the first angel went and poured
out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came among the people who bore the mark of the
beast and worshiped its image. The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like
the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. The third angel poured out his
bowl into the rivers, and the springs of water, and it became blood. And I heard the angel in charge
of the water say, just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments.
For they have shed the blood of the saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve. And I heard the altar saying, yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and just
are your judgments. The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people
with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over
these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne
of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish
and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to
prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of
the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs,
for their demonic spirits performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world to assemble
them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed
is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed.
And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The seventh angel poured out his
bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, it is done!
And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had
never been since man was on the earth. So great was that earthquake. The great city was split into
three parts, and the cities of nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great to make her drain the
cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.
And great hailstones, about 100 pounds each, fell from heaven on people, and they cursed God for the
plague of the hill because the plague was so severe. This is God's holy and authoritative word.
Please be seated. In 2023, the AAA Foundation examined police reports from across the country
and found that there were over 300 police recorded incidents, 100,000 police related injuries, and 6,400 deaths from drowsy driving.
It's obvious that if you drive while you're sleepy, you are playing with fire. But still,
an estimated 400,000 teen drivers admit every week to drowsy driving.
People make light of the fact they're driving a 1,000-pound bowling ball of glass and metal,
and they fall asleep at the wheel. And so what is that? Some people also make light of God's judgments.
God's weighty judgments are coming, and people are asleep, so to speak, at the wheel of life.
God's feet. So therefore, we have passages like this, passages full of shocking, vivid, gruesome imagery
that are meant to wake us up and slap us in the face like a kick of caffeine that we may not be caught sleeping.
Sean has preached over similar passages like this over the several months,
and something we've established is that these events are not meant to be understood as corresponding directly to historical events.
So we're not supposed to look at the four horsemen released from the seals
and try to name specific historical figures that the four horsemen correspond to.
We look at the sea being turned into blood.
We're not supposed to say, like, that's this particular volcano erupting and pouring ash and a red algae bloom.
So that's not the point. It's more likely that this text is meant to be interpreted symbolically,
because this is the genre of apocalyptic literature.
And the text is also supposed to have significance for the readers of that day,
so it doesn't make sense for them to be thinking about a volcano eruption,
let's say, 2,000 years after this was written.
It's more appropriate to say that these judgments that we see
describe the already, but not yet, judgment of God against the world and those who do not worship him.
They cover the whole time from the death and resurrection of Christ,
where Jesus gains the authority to open the seals,
and they cover the whole span of the church age up to the last days
when God will reveal his judgment
and make the new heaven and the new earth one,
which is what we always see in the seventh judgments.
So there are three sets of seven judgments.
There are the seven seal judgments, the seven trumpets,
and now we are at the seven bowls,
and you can think of them as an escalating, spiraling image.
It's like getting on one of those teacup rides at Disneyland
that goes around and around, but it speeds up as you go.
There's an escalation of the events.
Because this is the third of three,
that means we're looking at the end.
Three is the number of completeness.
Seven, as we have also seen in Revelation,
is also a picture of perfection and also a type of wholeness.
But it's also seven judgments here
because the beast, which is described in chapter 13,
has seven heads.
This beast is the representative image of all the kings
and the people who would rise up
and take the place of Christ against God
and who would persecute and harm God's people.
But God puts out seven plagues,
which translated into Hebrew and Greek
can both mean plague and blow.
Seven blows blasting off one head at a time.
However, in the midst of this description of judgments,
of blood and fire,
there is a cry of encouragement out
from the mouth of Christ himself.
We see it in chapter,
or sorry, verse 15 of chapter 16.
He tells them to stay awake
and keep their garments on.
And we know this comes from Christ,
not just because you're a red letter Bible,
probably highlighted in red,
but because he says almost the exact same things
in Matthew 24, 42.
He says,
Stay awake, for you do not know
what day your Lord is coming.
You must be ready,
for the Son of Man is coming
at an hour you do not expect.
So that means these bold judgments
are not just an occasion for glorifying God
and acknowledging his power,
as we've seen in chapter 15 last week,
but it is also, today,
it is a call for repentance.
This idea that waking up and staying awake
is equivalent to repentance
actually comes from Revelation chapter 3
in Christ's letter to the church in Sardis.
He says that he knows their works,
they have a reputation of being alive,
but are dead.
Wake up and strengthen what remains
and is about to die,
for I have not found your work complete
in the sight of my God.
Remember then what you have received,
keep it,
and repent.
If you will not wake up,
I will come like a thief,
and you will not know
at what hour I will come against you.
So waking up,
in Revelation 16,
refers to not being lulled
into the sleep of sin.
That's our main takeaway for today,
to not be lulled
into the sleep of sin,
but instead repent
because of the severity
of God's judgments
and the nature of his judgments.
We see from his judgments
that these bold judgments
show that it is complete and total,
that they are upon those
who do not repent,
they are upon those
who are deceived,
and they are final.
So let's start
with the first three bowls.
The first three bowls
show that God's judgments
are total.
They encompass
the whole being.
Revelation 16.2 says,
the first angel
poured out his bowl on the earth,
and sores came out
among the people.
Specifically,
they came out upon the people
who bore the mark of the beast
and who worshipped its image.
The mark is a parody
of God's mark.
God marks and seals
those who belong to him.
Their foreheads bear his name.
The beast in mimicry
also puts his mark
on those who follow him.
So there are only two camps.
What this first tells us
is that,
and I want to be very clear
about this,
these judgments that we see
are not upon Christians.
All the wrath
that God
would have against Christians
is instead poured out
on Jesus on the cross.
But that doesn't mean
we can't still pay attention
to God's wrath
as it appears in the world
today
and as he declares it
in the future.
Something we also notice
about these,
the first judgment,
is that there are no limitations
or qualifications.
The first trumpet judgment,
which bears some similarity
to this,
caused a third
of the green grass
and the trees
to be burned up.
It only affected
a third of the world,
but here it's everyone.
The plague of sores
refers back to
one of the plagues
of the Exodus.
Moses threw soot
into the air
and when it came down,
sores broke out
among the people of Egypt.
Likewise,
we see Job.
In the book of Job,
he's struck by Satan
and he is covered
in sores
and all he can do
is lie down
and scrape his boils
with a pot shard
and ash.
This connection
between sores
and ash
makes sense
because,
at least here,
because the golden bowls
that are poured out
are bowls
of burning incense.
Early in Revelation 5,
it says that
the prayers
of the saints
go up before the Lord
and they're in this
golden bowl
of incense
on his altar.
So every time
you pray
that the Lord
would show his justice
on earth,
every time you pray
the Lord's prayer
and say,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
an angel scoops
a little more incense
into that bowl
and one day
that bowl
will be tossed out
on the world.
Ash will fall out
and sores
will break out.
Again,
this isn't
specifically saying that
in the end times
everyone will get
these terrible blisters
but it is saying
that God's judgment
will be a crippling
physical judgment.
The magicians
in the days
of Moses
could not stand.
It says they could not
stand before Moses
because of the pain
of the sores.
Likewise,
Job is brought
to his feet.
Now,
some people think
that hell
is just for the soul
but Paul in Acts 24,
15 actually mentions
that there is a resurrection
of the dead
and the unjust.
Everyone
in that last days
will be raised again.
They will have bodies
that are capable
of physical pain
and they will not be raised
to eternal life
as believers
but eternal death.
If you ever run
a lot
or started running
after a long time
not running,
you probably got blisters
on your feet
and you know it hurts
to even walk.
You don't even want
to get up out of bed
or put on socks.
If you've had
canker sores
or ulcers,
you can't even drink water.
That's what we see
with the first bowl.
The second bowl
is about the angel
pouring out
a bowl
into the sea
and it becomes
like the blood
of a corpse
and every living thing
dies
that was in the sea.
This also ties
directly to the second trumpet.
In the second trumpet
an angel
throws a burning mountain
into the sea
and
a third
of the sea
became blood.
A third
of the living creatures
in the sea died
and a third
of the ships
were destroyed.
And again,
this isn't speaking
to some global
climate disaster
but it's
among other things
referring
to financial disaster.
That might seem
a little strange
but we actually see
later in Revelation 18
that the merchants
who live
in the city
of Babylon
which is
Babylon is representative
for every culture
and world system
that opposes God.
They wail
when Babylon's ships
are destroyed
because the wealth
of Babylon
was by its ships.
The sea
is therefore
a symbol
of its vehicle
of wealth.
Babylon
lures people in
with a promise
of wealth
apart from God.
Babylon says
you don't need God
you just need money.
All your problems
will be solved
when you pursue money
and not God.
But Babylon here
worships wealth
so God
kills
its wealth.
In the last days
God
will not be
impressed
with your 401ks
your crypto wallets
He will not be
placated
with a bribe.
That's what
the second bowl
is alluding to.
The third bowl
is similar
but this time
it is a bowl
poured out
into the rivers
and the springs
of water.
This also
connects us
back to the third trumpet.
With the third trumpet
a star falls
called wormwood
into the rivers
and it makes
them bitter.
And the symbolic
image there
is of the things
of life
that are pleasant
being turned
bitter
by God's judgment.
So there's a proverb
that speaks
of a woman
a forbidden woman
an adulterous woman
who lips
drip honey
and her speech
being smoother
than oil
but in the end
she is
as bitter
as wormwood
sharp as
the two-edged sword
her feet
go down
to death.
The picture
of rivers
and springs
usually refers
to hope
and life.
If you have
fresh water
you can live.
And so bitterness
with wormwood
refers to
the good pleasures
of life
like sex
being turned
into adultery
corruption
and lust.
But with the trumpets
it was just a third
with the bowls
it is all the waters.
If you have
no fresh water
you are dead.
that's it.
For now
perhaps
even
the
the most
hardened
unrepentant
person
still can enjoy
a sunset.
They still enjoy
the taste
of bread
the freshness
of the air.
That will be over.
this is a sentence
of hopeless
bitterness
unto death.
This is perhaps
the most severe
of the first three judgments
and it's so severe
that an angel
seems to have to
explain and cry out
and tell the world
why
this is happening.
How could it be
so bad?
He cries out
and says
in verse
five
just are you
a holy one
who was
and is
for you brought
these judgments.
These judgments
can come
because God
is just
and he is holy.
If God was not just
then he would not
be a good God.
If God was not just
and he let evil
run rampant
in the world
he would not be
worth worshipping.
he is also holy
which means
he is high
he is set apart
and above
all else
and our sins
against him
bear incredible
guilt
and they are worthy
of such punishments.
And it's not just
sinning against God
that's the problem
but even
allying yourself
with the one
who sins against God.
You might
not be a Christian
and you're here today
and you read
verse six
and it says that
they have shed
the blood of saints
and prophets
and you have given
them blood to drink.
It's what they deserve
and maybe you have
not personally
persecuted a Christian
but there's only
two sides in this war.
It is true
that Christians
are salt and light.
We
wherever we go
we have a purifying
presence
among other people
but that
relationship
cuts both ways.
1 Corinthians 15
27 says
do not be deceived
bad company
ruins
good morals.
The war
is always on
whether you
acknowledge it or not.
And so it is
that the saints
who are under
the altar
as we saw
earlier in Revelation
they cry out
in verse seven
and say
yes Lord
God the almighty
true and just
are your judgments.
they agree.
They agree.
So with these
first three judgments
let's look at
how severe
how complete
they are
and not be lulled
into conformity
with the world
and its pleasures.
if you think
about why
people sleep in
the answer
is sort of obvious
you can sleep
when you don't
have anything
to worry about.
I remember
when I was in college
I would
try to have
a good sleep schedule
and I would
set my alarm
like an hour
before my first class
but then
I would just
hit that snooze button
over and over again
until the last
possible second
I would
bolt onto my bike
and then just
sprint on my bike
all the way to class
and
and I could do that
or I did it
because
I trusted my ability
to bike fast
and I trusted my ability
to catch up
should I miss something
in the class.
These three judgments
see they target
the things
that make people
think they can stand
without God.
People take pride
in their bodies
in their wealth
in the little pleasures
of life
but God will take
all of those things away.
He will cut them down
all the way through
so that's one
of the first reasons
to stay awake
because God's judgments
are on everything.
We should also
stay awake
because the judgment
is on the unrepentant.
This is a theme
we see with the next
two bowls.
Bowl four
it says the angel
poured out his bowl
in the sun
and the heat
from the sun
intensifies
and it scorches
people with fire.
So it is at this point
the link between
the trumpets
and the bowls
becomes a little
less precise
but there's still
some continuity
bowls and trumpets
four, five, and six
all refer to fire
and darkness
and spiritual entities.
Now this fourth bowl
and the image
of being scorched
with fire
is a reference
to the heat
of God's
discerning judgment.
Fire throughout
the Bible
is a symbol
of God's wrath
against sinners.
Isaiah 33
says the sinners
in Zion are afraid
trembling has seized
the godless,
seized the godless,
who among us
can dwell
with the consuming fire?
Who among us
can dwell
with everlasting burning?
Besides just
being powerful
and painful,
fire destroys
and it burns
away that
which is impure.
So that's why
we also see
it refers to,
it can also refer
to the purification
of Christians.
1 Peter 1.7
says that
the tested
genuineness
of your faith
more precious
than gold
that perishes
though it is tested
by fire
may be found
to result
in praise
and glory
and honor
at the revelation
of Jesus Christ.
So to the unrighteous
fire burns
away everything.
To the righteous
they have the silver
and gold
from the righteousness
of Christ left over.
And people feel
even in this day
a little bit
of that heat.
People
I have talked
to a few people
who say they don't
like going to church
and they don't
like Christians
because they feel
like they're too judgy.
They don't like
to be judged.
Don't judge me, bro.
People don't like
being told
they're living
the wrong way.
That they're in
sin.
But whatever
that irking
that itch
and that little spark
that's cutting
at their conscience
now
is but a fraction
of the turmoil.
That spiritual
inner pain
will become
a real
total
inferno
on the last day.
Bowl five
instead of speaking
of fire
actually speaks
of darkness.
So the angel
pours out
his bowl
onto the throne
of the beast
and his kingdom
was plunged
into darkness.
Again,
a reference
to one of the
plagues of Egypt.
In the fourth trumpet
one third
of the heavenly lights
and the stars
were darkened.
But this time again
we have
an escalation.
Now we have
a total
darkness.
And it's not
a pleasant darkness
that people
drive 14 hours
to go see.
It's the bowl
of the
spiritual
anguish
of the separation
from God.
Sean spoke on this
a few weeks ago
that God's judgment
is both referred
to with fire
and light
and darkness
and cold.
Jesus says
that hell
is a place
where the worm
does not cease
and the fire
is not quenched.
But he also calls it
a place of outer darkness
where there is
gnashing of teeth
and this might refer
to the chattering
of your teeth
because you're shivering.
It makes me think
of the
fictional depiction
of being launched
into space
without a space suit.
This isn't how
it works in reality
but in fiction
you end up in space
your space station
explodes or something
and the part
of your body
that's facing away
from the sun
freezes.
And the part
of your body
that's facing
the sun
sizzles
and burns.
that's what
God's judgments
are like.
They are like
being both
at the same time
facing God's
fire
and facing
the eternal
oblivion
of darkness.
You would think
with judgments
these
this severe
like this
that people
would change
their minds.
You know
I know people
who go on a run
and after
their knees hurt
and their back
gives out
they just
stop and turn back
and a little pain
is enough
for them to give up
but not these people.
Verse 8 says
they did not repent
and give him glory.
Verse 11 says
they cursed
the God of heaven
for their pain
and the sores.
They did not repent
of their deeds.
they know
who
is behind us.
They acknowledge
that God
is the one
who is in control
but they do not
repent.
This is a warning
to us
to be careful.
So ask yourselves
is there some sin
in your life
that has been
nagging your conscience
that you haven't
addressed
that you think
you can
wait on
you're sleeping
on it.
Look address it now.
Address it now
because the people
who face the wrath
of God
are the people
who do not repent.
The people
who do not repent
are the same people
who will not repent.
Now this isn't to say
that you lose
your salvation
if there's some kind
of sin you don't
address in your life.
It is appropriate
to confess before God
the sins we know about
and the sins we don't
know about
and trust that
Christ's grace
is more.
But if you are
aware of sin
and you do not
do anything about it
be careful.
Never underestimate
the ability
of your heart
to harden.
I think we all
like music here
and we probably
all have our
favorite songs
but one of the
best ways
to take our
favorite songs
and make them
into our
most hated songs
is to use them
as an alarm.
I used to love
the song called
Together
I think by
Clean Bandit.
Clean Bandit
and it was our
I put it on snooze
and it was great
to wake up in the
morning the first
few times
but after a few
months I came
to hate that song.
After ten plagues
ten plagues
not even seven
ten plagues
Pharaoh continued
to harden his heart
he did not repent
and every time
you hit that
snooze button
on your conscience
you make it that
harder to wake up.
So wake up now
because his judgments
are on the
unrepentant.
The sixth bowl
tells us that we
should repent
because his judgment
is on those
who are
deceived.
An angel
pours out his bowl
on the great river
Euphrates
and the water
dries up
and these frog
spirits
crawl out of
the mouth
of the dragon
the beast
and his false
prophets
like an unholy
trinity
of spiritual
forces in
opposition to God
and these spirits
they go out
and they gather
the people for war
at the city
of Jerusalem
and now I know
it doesn't say
Jerusalem
in verses 12
through 16
but throughout
the Old Testament
there are references
to such a battle
at the walls
of Jerusalem.
We sung through
Psalm 46
actually I think
that's in line
with what we're
seeing here
and verse 16
specifically refers
to a place
in Hebrew
that is called
Armageddon
and this word
today usually
refers to some
kind of terrible
event
and this is where
they get it from
from the Bible
and throughout
history some people
have believed
that it refers
to the plain
of Megiddo
the plain of Megiddo
was a place
where many
important battles
took place
in the history
of Israel
but it is a plain
there's no mountain
there
it's more likely
that this is
referring to
the word
Mo'ed
and Har
means mountain
so Har Mo'ed
means the mountain
of the assembly
it's the place
where God
gathers his saints
and Jerusalem
is built
on one
or two mountains
depending how
you count it
now I don't want
to go too much
into details
of this battle
because John
actually goes
into them more
in Revelation
19 through 20
so I'll just
suffice to say
for now
that it is
possible
that this is
referring to
a specific
future
climactic
historical event
Zechariah 12
14 speaks
of this battle
and he speaks
about how
the they
which is
the people
of Israel
will look
upon him
who they
have pierced
that's Jesus
and that the
Lord's feet
will set down
on the Mount
of Olives
so it's
possible to
look for
historical events
it's not the
point of the
passage
because Jesus
explicitly says
in verse 16
he is coming
like a thief
thieves
do not make
appointments
so the point
is not to
go look
look at
the turmoil
in Israel
today
and say
Jesus is
coming
because
he can
come
anytime
I think
the right
response
is actually
to look
at these
kings
and look
at the
response
to the
kings
and we
see that
these kings
are deceived
the theme
of deception
is sown
throughout
these verses
first of all
there are
frog spirits
and frogs
again are one
of the plagues
of Egypt
the frogs
came out
of the Nile
and went
to all the
houses
and they
died
in the
houses
which is
disgusting
and the
plague of
the frogs
was one
of the few
plagues
that the
magicians
of those
days
were able
to reproduce
and they
convinced
Pharaoh
that God
wasn't to be
taken seriously
second they
walk along
the dried
river
of the
Euphrates
if you
have one
of those
maps
in the
back
of your
Bibles
you would
see that
the
Euphrates
if Israel
is here
and Babylon
and Assyria
are here
that the
Euphrates
hooks over
the north
and so
if you
were going
to go
and travel
to fight
Israel
you would
go along
and come
down from
the north
so that's
why they're
the kings
of the east
but they
come from
the north
and
the last
time
an army
assembled
against God
and walked
along a
dried
land
they were
crushed
like the
Egyptians
as they
tried to
walk along
the Red
Sea
it was a
trap
symbolically
this battle
refers to
the defeat
of one of
the greatest
idols of
humanity
which is
its military
power
people think
governments
think they
can kill
Christians
they can set
laws against
them
and they
can defeat
them
but God
is the
Lord of
hosts
which means
the Lord
of armies
of heaven
a single
angel
in 1 Kings
18 kills
180,000
people in
a single
morning
and he
has hosts
of angels
these kings
are deceived
thirdly we
also see that
these demonic
spirits perform
signs
like the
false prophet
chapter 13
says that
he performs
signs like
making fire
come down
from heaven
and by the
signs that it
is allowed to
work in the
presence of
the beast
it deceives
those who
dwell on
the earth
we may
have in
view
actual
pseudo
miraculous
events
Jesus talks
about people
coming to
him and
saying
Lord Lord
haven't we
cast out
demons
in our
context
perhaps it
is more
appropriate
just to
say that
signs are
anything
that tell
you that
living without
God is
the right
way to
live
that's what
signs do
they point
and they
say you're
on the
right track
so a
person who
lives a
life of
ignoring God
ignoring his
commands but
still
prospers
is being
deceived by
such signs
so for
example you
can cheat
on your
taxes and
you'll have
a slightly
larger bank
account than
normal and
you have
your sign
the sign
that God
didn't strike
at that
moment
is a
sign
that you're
on the
right path
you can
sleep on
it
and sin
is
alluring
there are
so many
signs that
tell us
that the
way of
Christ is
not the
right way
so do
not be
deceived
Jesus
cries out
behold
I am
coming like
a thief
blessed is
the one
who stays
awake
keeping his
garments on
that he
may not
go about
naked
and be
seen
exposed
I mentioned
in the
beginning
of the
sermon
that staying
awake
refers to
repenting
and that
was from
the letter
to the
church
at
Sardis
being
naked
can also
the image
of nakedness
and being
exposed
is found
in the
letter
to
Laodicea
Jesus
counsels
them
to buy
from him
white
garments
so that
they may
clothe
themselves
and the
shame
of their
nakedness
may not
be seen
those whom
I love
I reprove
and discipline
so be
zealous
and repent
so stay
awake
or wake
up
means to
repent
put on
garments
means to
repent
both of
these
there's a
connection
between
all of
these
and these
white
robes
are
the same
white
robes
that the
saints
who have
washed
their clothes
in the
blood of
the lamb
wear
they are
people who
act out
their faith
they have
confessed
Jesus
as their
Lord
and Savior
they confess
that he
rose from
the dead
and he
will come
again
and their
clothing
matches
their
confession
they live
it out
now Charlie
you may
say hey
I mean
don't I
already have
Christ's
garments
like if I
believe
aren't I
saved already
like why
do you need
to tell me
I might be
naked and
exposed
doesn't
Jesus
say that
he gives
his sheep
eternal life
and no one
is able to
snatch them
out of his
hand
and that's
true
all those
things are
true
but we
the question
we need to
answer is
how it is
that Jesus
keeps in
his hand
what are
the things
that help
you stay
in that
grip
and those
things
are warnings
like this
there's actually
a subtle
difference
between what
he says
to Sardis
and Laodicea
those are
some of
the most
scathing
letters
that any
of the
churches
receive
but he
tells them
to wake
up
and to
put on
clothes
but here
it's a little
different
he tells
them
to stay
awake
and to
keep on
your clothes
so again
he's talking
to saints
now
and he's
saying
don't go
back
keep
what you
have
wide
is the
path
that leads
to destruction
it is
littered
with big
neon
casino
lights
that say
stay
here
this is
the right
way to
go
but the
narrow
path
has its
own
signs
the
narrow
and
straight
path
has
signs
that say
do not
stray
eternal life
is ahead
and it's
because the
life of a
Christian
begins with
repentance
and it
continues
with repentance
repentance
and I talked
about repentance
a lot
so let me
explain more
what actually
is repenting
in the Greek
it means to
change your
mind
but the
mind is
just a
bigger thing
that it
means to
change your
whole person
change directions
and to
take steps
in the
opposite direction
so again
it is worth
it to ask
are there
sins
that are
nagging your
conscience
that you
have not
only
confessed
before
God
but also
taken
hard
and inconvenient
steps in the
other direction
Jesus says
referring to
the lust of
the eyes
that if your
right eye
causes you
sin tear it
out and
throw it
away
for it is
better that
you lose
one of your
members
than your
whole body
be thrown
into hell
if your
right hand
causes you
to sin
cut it
off and
throw it
away
for it is
better for
you to
lose one
of your
members
than for
your whole
body to
go into
hell
one of
the most
common
struggles
with a
lot of
Christian
men
today
and a
good deal
of women
is that
of porn
and many
people struggle
with porn
and a
good deal
of these
people have
never
found victory
because they
haven't been
cutting off
their hands
they haven't
taken radical
steps
you know
I knew
an apartment
building of
14 guys
who were
going to
a church
they were
all in
some
same
small
group
and they
this was
in college
and they
did not
have internet
in the
whole
building
they
didn't
have
internet
because
they
wanted
to fight
for purity
so for
three years
of college
they lived
on campus
or sorry
off campus
at UC
Berkeley
and they
had to
go onto
campus
if they
wanted
internet
was it
convenient
no
but was
it
wise
yes
maybe
you're
struggling
not with
something
as
obvious
as
porn
or stealing
or sexual
immorality
or
maybe
it's a
sinful
unaddressed
heart
attitude
that you
have
some
people
describe
themselves
as
naturally
angry
naturally
bitter
they're
just
easily
addicted
people
that's
just
who
I
am
but
that's
not
who
are we
supposed
to be
we're
supposed
to be
conformed
to the
image
of
Christ
to aim
for the
upward
call
of
Christ
take
radical
steps
against
your
sin
there
are
a lot
of
steps
that
a lot
of
practical
things
you
can
do
at
first
at
least
confess
before
God
and
consider
also
confessing
before
man
get
accountability
partners
pray
fervently
pray
the
Lord's
prayer
that
every
day
the
Lord
would
lead
you
not
into
temptation
also
it's
worth
meditating
on
and
memorizing
specific
scriptures
so
if you
do
struggle
with
some
kind
of
sexual
immorality
memorize
Psalm 51
which talks
about
David
repenting
after
sitting
with
Bathsheba
if you
struggle
with
anxiety
memorize
Psalm 23
about the
Lord
being your
shepherd
if you
struggle
with
anger
and bitterness
memorize
1 Corinthians
13
about
love
being
patient
and
kind
not
irritable
and resentful
and bearing
all
things
now
is the
time
to
wake
up
because
when the
last day
comes
that's
it
that's
what
that
last
bowl
tells
us
an
angel
pours
out
his
bowl
into
the
air
and
a
loud
voice
cries
from
the
temple
likely
God's
or
Christ
it
is
done
it'll
be
over
one
day
he
pours
it
into
the
air
because
the
air
is
everywhere
and
because
the
air
is
the
because
the
devil
is
called
the
prince
of
the
power
of
the
air
this
is
the
final
blow
against
him
we
see
much
other
imagery
in
Revelation
17
through
21
that
we've
seen
elsewhere
flashes
of
lightning
rumblings
and
peals
of thunder
in
verse
18
are
seen
throughout
Revelation
and they
refer
to
God's
immediate
presence
there's
also
mention
of
an
earthquake
a
great
earthquake
that
splits
a
city
into
three
and
when
I
was
younger
I
thought
that's
not
too
bad
like
if
something
breaks
into
three
parts
you
just
put
it
back
together
but
that's
not
what
happens
with
cities
a
city
that
is
broken
into
three
cannot
be
repaired
Babylon
is
made
to drink
the
cup
of
God's
wrath
which
we
saw
in
Revelation
14
and
we'll
see
in
greater
detail
in
Revelation
18
and
the
islands
and
the
mountains
flee
both
islands
and
mountains
are
terms
used
to
refer
to
nations
that
oppose
God
throughout
the
Old
Testament
Babylon
is
that
destroying
mountain
the
word
coastlands
you
might
see
that
in
the
Old
Testament
it
can
also
be
translated
as
island
it
always
refers
to
the
adversaries
of
God
there
is
no
more
his
enemies
are
gone
they
is
that
of
hail
which
might
be
a
little
strange
why
is
hail
the
worst
thing
here
and
it
could
be
a
reference
to
the
last
of
God's
great
plagues
before
Israel
enters
the
promised
land
so
in
Joshua
10
11
five
kings
one of
the
kings
is
actually
the
king
of
Jerusalem
they
assemble
against
Israel
and
they
do
battle
against
them
but
Israel
defeats
them
and
as
they're
running
away
Joshua
11
says
as
they
fled
before
Israel
while
they're
going
down
the
ascent
of
Beth
Horan
the
Lord
threw
down
large
stones
from
heaven
as
far
as
Esca
and
they
died
more
there
were
more
who
died
because
of
the
hail
stones
than
the
sons
of
Israel
killed
with
their
sword
so
you
might
have
wondered
what
happened
to
that
battle
didn't
the
kings
show
up
to
fight
John
actually
tells
us
he
tells
us
that
hail
stones
fell
and
everyone
died
and
God
won
and
the
fact
that
this
is
the
last
of
God's
plagues
before
they
entered
the
promised
land
is
relevant
here
God
is
about
to
establish
his
new
kingdom
his
new
earth
his
new
heaven
forever
and
ever
and
this
is
the
last
blow
yet
again
even
though
it's
over
even
though
God
has
revealed
himself
even
though
God
has
decisively
destroyed
all those
who
oppose
him
there
are
still
people
who
continue
to
curse
the
name
of
God
verse
21
says
they
curse
God
for
the
plague
of
the
hail
because
the
plague
was
so
severe
is
that
unfathomable
look at
God's
wrath
it
is
like
having
sores
from
the
tip
of
your
head
to
the
bottom
of
your
feet
is
like
being
forced
to
drink
blood
is
like
being
burned
with
fire
is
like
being
abandoned
on
a
cold
night
is
like
being
struck
by
hailstones
that
weigh
a
town
or
a
hundred
pounds
yet
despite
that
there
will
be
people
who
will
not
repent
they
will
not
wake
up
so
we
need
to
stay
awake
sin
can
seem
so
alluring
and
the
battle
can
seem
long
if
you're
like
me
you
probably
you like
sleep
you like
to
rest
and
after
a
tired
day
you want
nothing
better
to
just
close
your
eyes
and
this
war
against
sin
can
be
long
can
feel
like
day
after
day
the
temptations
never
end
but
we
can
keep
those
drooping
eyelids
open
by
keeping
them
fixed
on
Christ
we
should
look
to
Christ
the
founder
and
perfect
of
our
faith
who
for
the
joy
set
before
him
endured
the
cross
despising
the
shame
is now
seated
at the
right
hand
of the
throne
of
God
Jesus
went
before
us
in
the
garden
of
Gethsemane
the night
before
he
was
crucified
he
told
his
disciples
to
stay
awake
and pray
that
they
would
not
enter
into
temptation
very
likely
the
temptation
to
flee
and
to
deny
him
they
failed
but
Christ
stayed
awake
and he
prayed
and he
overcame
on that
cross
he drank
the full
wrath
of the
fury
of
God
poured
out
but
he
is
now
alive
and he
is
sitting
at the
right
hand
of the
throne
of
God
and he
will
come
again
one
day
and he
will
come
with
great
judgments
but with
also
great
blessings
blessed
is the
one who
stays
awake
he
comes
with the
blessing
of eternal
life
blessing
of freedom
from pain
the blessing
of being
in his
eternal
presence
forever
and ever
the presence
of the
one who's
good
who is
righteous
who is
true
who is
this
is a
wonderful
blessing
it is
the
blessing
of a
master
who comes
back
home
who finds
his
servants
not asleep
but awake
and he
blesses
them
and what
does he
tell them
well done
my good
and faithful
servant
enter into
the joy
of your
master
let's
pray
heavenly
father
we thank
you
for
your
son
who
could
stand
before
you
none
but
because
we
are
washed
in the
blood
of
Christ
because
we
have
been
given
his
garments
we
can
dare
we
can
dare
oh
lord
what a
blessing
it is
that you
have
given
us
your
word
keep
us
vigilant
lead
us
not
into
temptation
deliver
us
from
the
evil
one
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
amen