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,
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
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 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.
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.