As it's already been said, today is Palm Sunday, so all throughout the world, many churches
today are calling to mind Jesus entering into Jerusalem on a donkey.
And as he was going in, people were throwing down palm branches and their cloaks, and as
you can see in your bulletin, Mark 11, they were saying to him, Hosanna, blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our Father David.
Hosanna in the highest.
Have you ever wondered what Jesus was actually thinking during that time?
What was going on in the mind of our Savior as he was riding that donkey into Jerusalem?
Was he thinking about logistics?
Where are they going to eat?
Where are they going to stay?
Where is he going to go and teach?
Maybe he was thinking about the up-and-coming encounters with the high priest, Herod, Pilate.
Maybe he was thinking about what he was about to suffer.
Maybe he was focused on doing the will of his Father.
We see that in Gethsemane.
This morning, I want to ask you this question.
Is it possible that Jesus had you in mind as he entered into Jerusalem?
He was thinking of you.
With all these things, he's thinking of you as well.
And we've got to ask the question, why was he thinking about you as he entered into Jerusalem?
Well, the reason why that Jesus was thinking of you is the reason why he was going into Jerusalem.
And that has everything to do with the passage that we just heard Randy and Dana read.
Revelation chapter 16.
In Revelation chapter 16, we have this graphic description of the full and final wrath of God being poured out on the earth.
Fierce and fair.
Last week, Eric Tully preached.
I'm so grateful for him.
He brought us through chapter 15 where we see these angels in 15.1 gather together, given bowls.
And they're given these plagues that are in these bowls.
And we're told that they're the last of its kind.
These are the last judgments.
And with them, the wrath of God will be finished.
Done.
So up until this point, we have seen the seven seal judgments poured out on a quarter of the earth.
We've seen the trumpet judgments poured out on a third of the earth.
And now we see these judgments, the bowl judgments, and they're called plagues in 15.1, poured out on all the earth.
This is it.
With these, God's wrath is done.
Poured out on all the earth.
And if you look at 15.1, you say, I saw another sign and angels with seven plagues.
And when you hear that word plague, you should be going back to the book of Exodus.
Remember the ten plagues God poured out on Pharaoh in Egypt?
And at the very beginning, I want to remind you of something about those plagues.
All throughout those plagues.
If you read Exodus 7, 8, 9.
As you read through those, there's this refrain that gets said.
God's speaking.
God's speaking to his people.
God's speaking to Pharaoh.
God's speaking to Egypt.
And he says things like, so that you may know there is none like me in all the earth.
Plague.
So that you know that I am the Lord.
Plague.
What we have going on here in Revelation 16 is the final and full outpourings of God's fierce and full wrath.
And it is God saying, there's none like me.
In chapter 16, at the end of 15, all of these angels are standing poised for action.
And God acts.
Chapter 16, verse 1.
This voice from the temple tells these seven angels, go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.
And then what you have in verses 2 through 21 is exactly that.
Each angel in turn pours out his bowl with plague on the earth.
And it builds.
It's not like one plague is poured out, stops, and then another.
One plague gets poured out, and on addition to that, another plague gets poured out.
It's awful.
The first four bowls are poured out on the earth and the sea, the rivers and springs, and on the sun.
Just like the trumpet judgments.
But like I said, these are on all the earth.
The last three bowls are poured out on the throne of the beast, on the great river Euphrates.
And finally, into the air, resulting in these massive hailstones coming down and crushing people.
So that you may know that I am the Lord.
Here we have before us God's full and final wrath poured out on earth.
It is terrifying.
So here's how we're going to proceed.
I'm just going to walk us through the seven bowls, and then I'm going to summarize it all,
because I want you to feel the weight of something.
And then we're going to apply it to Palm Sunday.
When we go through the bowls here, I'm going to draw out some.
I just want you to notice, what is the bowl poured out on?
What is its effect?
And how is it responded to?
So let's just walk through these bowls now.
Starting in chapter 16, verse 2, the first bowl.
So the first angel went out and poured out his bowl on the earth,
and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshipped its image.
So what was this bowl poured out on?
It was poured out on the earth.
But very specifically, all those people who bore the mark of the beast.
And remember, when we talked about the mark of the beast in past sermons,
it's essentially saying property of the beast.
The one who dictates their actions.
The one whom they follow in worship.
It's being poured out on those people who bear the mark of the beast,
not on those who have the name of the lamb and of God written on their foreheads.
Sealed with the seal of God.
And then you see the effect.
It's poured out on these people, and harmful and painful sores arise.
It's alluding to the sixth plague God poured out on Egypt, boils.
Has anybody had a bed sore before?
Or has anybody helped someone who's had a bed sore before?
They are awful.
Terrible.
It's hard to heal from.
These sores are awful.
And if you haven't noticed, the punishment fits the crime.
The sore matches the mark.
God is pouring out His judgment to those who are marked by the beast with sores.
It would have been extremely painful.
But remember why God in Exodus poured out the plagues on Pharaoh in Egypt?
So that they may know that God is the Lord.
That there's none like Him in the midst of the earth.
We don't see any kind of a response right here.
So we don't see how those who've been afflicted with these boils and sores,
how they respond.
We're just left guessing.
It would have been miserable.
And what you can't deny is that this is an act of God of judgment upon them.
But we go to a second bowl, which means they must not have repented of the first one.
And so the second bowl we see in verse 3,
notice it's poured out into the sea.
Just as the first bowl was poured out on all the people bearing the mark of the beast.
It's universal in that sense.
So too here.
The sea is all salt water.
All oceans.
God is devastating His creation to judge those who are not worshiping Him.
And the effect is that the sea becomes like the blood of a corpse.
Do you know what the blood of a corpse is like?
It's thick.
It congeals.
It's dark.
And it's toxic.
And so what is to come to your mind when you hear about all the seas being turned to blood,
this image, this picture that's being shown to us,
is you should have in the back of your mind what God, the plague He poured out on the Nile.
In Exodus chapter 7, the first plague, He turned the Nile into blood.
And remember what happened to the fish, if you're familiar with that story?
They all died.
So that they may know that I am the Lord.
So imagine all the creatures in the sea at this moment dying.
It's universal.
It's catastrophic.
All the whales dying.
All dolphins dying.
Schools of fish.
All schools of fish dying.
All crustaceans dying.
We thought bleached coral reefs is an issue.
This is going to be blooded coral reefs.
It's going to be awful.
And what's the effect economically?
Like, if you are surviving off the sea at this point, that means a sustenance is done.
We haven't even talked about the stench.
How do you think people at that time are going to explain stuff like this?
That they may know that I am the Lord.
We're not told the response of the people dwelling on the earth, those who bear the mark of the beast at this point.
But there's another bowl judgment that follows, which means that they don't repent.
They don't acknowledge God as the Lord.
And so here we're left after the first two bowls, thinking that people are just covered with harmful, painful sores,
and now they have a bloodbath of a sea to go to in the summertime.
The third bowl we see in verses 4-7.
We see that this bowl is poured out by a third angel in obedience to 16.1 into the rivers and springs of water.
Fresh water.
The source of drinking water.
And the effect is that this bowl poured out, this plague poured out, is like the first plague of Egypt again.
It turns fresh water into blood.
And in Exodus 7, we read that the Egyptians could not drink from the Nile because it had been turned to blood.
And the scope of this is not limited to the Nile River.
The scope of this plague, this bowl, is on all the rivers and springs of the earth.
It's catastrophic.
It's universal.
It's total in its scope.
Where are they going to get their drinking water from?
So think about it this way.
If this picture is helping us think about what's to come,
that changes the Mississippi.
It changes the way you think about the Ohio River and the Missouri River,
the Wisconsin River, the Fox River.
And then what about Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes?
And then what about the Pike River?
Has anybody been to Petrifying Springs?
Have you ever walked in that little hut where you get the water from?
No.
Is there going to come a day when that's pumping blood?
It's interesting is we have a response now.
There's a response to this plague in verse 5.
And it's the response of the angel who has authority over the water.
That angel says in verse 5,
Just are you, O holy one, who is and who was.
Just, right, in all your ways.
Holy, there's none like you, who is and who was.
Eternal, for you brought these judgments.
God is behind these outpourings of wrath.
You're right to do it, he says.
And then we read this, verse 6,
The explanation of why it's right.
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It's what they deserve.
From an angel.
You're right in doing this, God.
You're right in this devastation.
Why?
Because the ones this is being poured out on,
they shed the blood of your people.
The punishment fits the crime.
They shed the blood of God's people,
those whom he shed his blood for.
And now those who shed this blood,
they're going to drink the blood of the plague.
Fierce.
But it doesn't stop there.
There's another voice that joins this response.
In verse 7,
and I heard the altar saying,
it's not literally the altar.
It's not the altar speaking.
Chapter 6,
verses 9, 10, 11.
Do you remember what happened?
Under the altar,
seal 5,
there were the martyrs.
And you remember what they were saying?
Oh, sovereign Lord,
how long,
how much longer
until you judge
and avenge
the blood,
our blood,
spilled by the dwellers of the earth?
And you know what they're saying?
Yes.
Yes, Lord,
the Almighty.
True and just
are your judgments.
God is vindicating
his people here
in graphic,
graphic detail.
The very ones
who shed their blood
are saying,
yes,
God,
take vengeance
on our behalf.
They've waited.
The response here
is not from those
who are bearing
the mark of the beast.
It's from
an angel
from heaven
and then martyrs
under the heavenly altar.
And there is the sense
of rejoicing
in God's
just wrath.
It's vindicating.
It's right.
God's justice
is finally coming down.
And it's in stark
contrast
to those
who've rejected God,
the unrepentant,
who are full
of painful sores.
They have
a bloodbath
of a sea
and now
their fresh water
sources
have been turned
to blood.
Bowl number four.
Verses eight and nine.
This bowl
is poured out
on the sun
just like
the fourth trumpet
but instead
of darkness
this plague
intensifies
the heat of the sun
resulting
in the scorching
of those
who dwell
on the earth
with the mark
of the beast.
It's an added pain.
The effect
is this scorching
have you ever
been sunburned
before?
Severely
this changes
you going
outside.
And if
those who are
dwelling,
those bearing
the mark
of the beast
are being scorched
like this
which is just
a foretaste
of the lake
of fire
they're being
scorched
like this
what does this
mean for plants
and animals
on the planet?
What we see
going on
throughout
these plagues
is God
is acting
very purposefully
devastating
incrementally
his creation
as a way
of judging
the unrepentant
living on the planet.
God is saying
that you may know
that there is
no one
like me.
And in verse 9
we have the
first explicit
response
of those
who bear
the mark
of the beast
experiencing
these plagues.
Let me read
that for you.
They were scorched
by the fierce heat
and they called
out to God
and said
have mercy
on us.
And they cursed
the name
of God
who had power
over these
plagues.
They did not
repent
and give him
glory.
That word
curse
is where
we get
blasphemy
from.
They blasphemed
God.
They did
not repent.
The heat
that he
is pouring
out through
this plague
doesn't
soften
their heart.
It hardens
their hearts.
They don't
repent.
They don't
turn from
worshiping
the beast.
They keep
on
worshiping
the beast.
It's as if
God is saying
through this
I am the
Lord
there's none
like me
and those
with the
mark of the
beast are
saying
we know
that
but we
refuse
to worship
you.
These are
not innocent
ignorant
people.
These are
people who
are consciously
rejecting
the God
of the
Bible.
They refuse
to give
him glory.
They refuse
to worship
him.
There's
this
truism.
You become
like the
one you
worship.
you take
on the
character
and conduct
of the
one that
controls
your heart.
And in
136
if you
flip back
to 136
we have
kind of
the beast
in action.
It opened
its mouth
to utter
blasphemies
against God
blaspheming
his name
and his
dwelling
that is
those who
dwell in
heaven.
These
dwellers of
the earth
bearing the
mark of the
beast
they're
just
doing
what
their
savior
their
false
savior
is
doing.
They're
becoming
like the
one they
worship.
It's a
settled
state of
spiritual
rebellion.
So the
blasphemy
would be
going with
something like
this.
You call
yourself a
loving God
and you're
scorching
us.
How can
you do
this to
us?
us.
We
knew
it.
All
along God
has been
pouring out
warning after
warning and
sealed judgments
and trumpet
judgments in
his kindness
calling all
these people to
repentance to
turn from the
worship of
false gods and
to turn to
worship the
one true God
and they're
not having
it.
They're
blasping
him.
Refusing
to repent
and blaming
God for
their misery
when they
in fact have
brought it on
themselves.
It's a stark
contrast to
what we just
read in verses
five and
seven.
There we have
people rejoicing
over the
outpouring of
God's wrath.
His justice
has come and
here we have
people blaspheming
God because
they think it's
somehow an act
of injustice.
The fifth
bowl.
Bowls one
through four
fall on the
created order
and now
bowls five,
six, and
seven, they
fall and
they fall
hard.
We read in
the fifth bowl
that God's
plague, this
bowl is
poured out
upon the
throne of
of the
beast.
The throne
of the
beast.
That throne
is symbolic
of a domain.
Chapters four
and five, the
throne of God
in heaven, he's
seated over
all heaven
rules, Daniel
chapter four.
Here, this
throne is on
the earth and
if you remember
Pergamum, chapter
two, verse
13, there
dwelt the
throne of
Satan.
And so the
object of this
plague is the
satanic dominion
on earth being
carried out by
the beast.
What we see
going on here is
a definite
counter-assault
from God
most high.
And the
effect is
darkness.
It reminds us of
the ninth plague in
Exodus chapter
10.
And it's
deeply ironic
because the
domain of the
beast was
established upon
deception.
The false
prophet deceiving
the nations into
the worship of
the beast.
They're in the
dark.
And now what
is going on
here is God
is pouring out
darkness onto
the throne, the
domain of
darkness.
confusion,
chaos,
unraveling,
disorder.
What we have
going on here is
the unseating of
the beast, the
dethroning of
sorts of the
beast.
That you may
know
that I alone
am God.
The response of
the wicked,
verses 10 and
11.
yes, God,
thank you.
Thank you for
delivering us from
the throne of the
beast, for
transferring us from
the domain of
darkness into the
kingdom of the
beloved son.
We don't see
that.
In verse 10, we
read people nod
their tongues in
anguish.
Under this
darkness,
Jesus warned of
final judgment,
being, people being
cast into outer
darkness where
there will be
weeping and
gnashing of
teeth and
apparently gnawing
of tongues.
And they
continue the
blasphemy in
verse 11.
And they
cursed the God
of heaven for
their pains and
sores.
They did not
repent of
their deeds.
They didn't
repent.
God is
pouring out
this plague so
that they may
know that he
is the Lord of
the earth.
They do not
repent.
They persist in
their following
after the
beast.
The sixth
bowl.
Things get
really interesting.
In the sixth
bowl, we
learn that
this bowl
is poured
out upon
the Euphrates
River.
The great
Euphrates.
Verse 12.
And you
might be
saying, well,
what's up
with that?
Well, the
Euphrates was
a natural
barrier for
ancient Israel
that protected
ancient Israel
from enemy
invasion coming
from the
northeast.
And so what
we see going
on here, the
effect of this
plague, is
that the
Euphrates is
dried up.
It's God's
will that it
was dried up.
The Euphrates
is dried up
and it makes
a way for
the kings
from the
east to
come and
assemble
against God
the almighty.
Really?
assemble
against God
almighty?
How is it
possible
that a
human being
would
entertain
the very
idea
of
drawing
to a
battlefield
opposed
to
God
the
almighty?
How is
that
possible?
Well, we're
told how
it's
possible.
Not only
are these
human beings
settled in
their opposition
to God,
but we read
in 13 and
14,
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,
the
anti-trinity.
Out of
their mouths
three unclean
spirits like
frogs,
demons,
for they are
demonic spirits
performing signs
who go abroad
to the kings
of the whole
world,
not just
kings of
the east,
but they're
going to
assemble all
kings from
all the
world to
move towards
God
almighty
and draw a
battle line
against him
to fight
him.
They're not
in their
right minds
because not
only settled
in their
opposition to
God,
they're
demonically
deceived.
Those frogs
make you think
about the
second plague
of Egypt
in Exodus
chapter 8.
And if you
remember that
account,
this was one
of those plagues
that Pharaoh's
magicians were
able to
replicate.
And so
maybe a way
to think
about what's
going on
here is
God is
pouring out
his plagues
on earth
and here's
the anti-trinity
kind of
replicating a
little plague.
But they're
all falling
into God's
grand plan
because it's
God who
dried up the
Euphrates
and it's
God who's
waiting for
them on the
battlefield
called
Armageddon.
Literally
in verse 16
Armageddon
means Mount
Megiddo.
And what you
need to know,
I'm not going
to get into a
lot of detail
here, but what
you need to
know on that
site, there
was several
battles fought
and a couple
of them in
particular were
fought against
foreign kings.
And so what
we have here
is a place
where God
engages foreign
kings in a
battle, epic
battle of
all, for
all time.
And they
think that
they're sneaking
up on God.
Euphrates
dried up,
resulting in
foreign kings
from all the
world, drawing
a battle line
against God
under demonic
influence for
the great day
of battle of
God the
Almighty.
Do we see
any kind of
a response
here?
We don't
read the
words they
weren't willing
to repent.
We don't
read the
words cursing
God.
But when you
see humankind
gather in
opposition to
God on a
battlefield, that
is opposition
to God
pictured.
These are
people unwilling
to repent,
unwilling to
give God the
glory due
his name.
They are
standing there
and by virtue
of, they're
blaspheming
him.
We're not
told how the
battle goes
here.
We're told how
the battle
goes at
Armageddon
in Revelation
19, 11
through 21.
We're given
a clue here.
Look at
verse 15.
It's kind
of out of
nowhere.
Behold, I'm
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.
In the middle
of this
assembling, we
have this
promised coming
of Jesus.
And then that
coming of
Jesus is
pictured in
Revelation 19,
11 through
21.
And in that
passage, Jesus
not only shows
up as the
warrior king who's
going to rock
the world, he
actually invites
birds to this
battle because
they're going to
eat the flesh of
all of these kings
that he defeats.
It's gruesome.
That they may
know that no
one on earth is
like God.
What is obvious
about this
particular plague is
that God is
orchestrating it
all.
Bringing about
this final battle
that will happen
at Armageddon
in which God
wins the
victory.
The seventh
bowl.
Verses 17
through 21.
The final
angel throws
his bowl,
the contents
of which,
into the
air, we
read.
Ephesians 2.2,
we read that
Satan is the
prince of the
power of the
air.
All that is
below heaven.
All under
his domain.
And immediately,
the effect that
we read is in
verse 17,
that there is
this voice from
heaven, from
the temple,
and it cries
out,
it is
done.
It is
done.
With the
pouring out of
this last
bowl, God's
wrath is
finished.
And then,
then we're
shown what it
is.
Verse 18,
this,
it is done,
this
pronouncement,
it is
immediately
followed by
flashes of
lightning,
rumblings,
peals of
thunder,
and the
greatest
earthquake the
earth has
ever known.
Here's how you
need to think
about those.
Think about
those as
natural
exclamation
points on
those three
words,
it is done.
It is done!
Exclamation point,
lightning.
It is done!
Exclamation point
number two,
rumbling.
It is done!
Exclamation point
number three,
peals of
thunder.
It is done!
The biggest
exclamation point
of them all
is the greatest
earthquake that
has ever been
experienced.
It's the same
earthquake referenced
in Revelation
chapter 6,
and the unveiling
of the sixth seal.
That earthquake.
And this
earthquake,
verse 19,
breaks the
great city
Babylon
into three
parts.
It's destroyed.
Not just
Babylon,
all the
cities
of the
nations
connected
to Babylon.
Babylon
is the
embodied,
peopled
rebellion
against God.
And
Babylon
shares
her
drunken
immorality
with all
the nations
of the world
that they
oppose
God.
It's the
whole global
system opposing
God,
and it
crumbles
with this
it is done,
with this
earthquake.
All of it
becomes
undone.
And you
don't read
about
Babylon
drinking
down the
cup of
the fury
of God's
wrath.
You don't
read about it
in full
until you
get to
chapter 18.
It's
gruesome.
And
in verse
20,
again,
there's an
echo from
Revelation
chapter 6.
Islands
fleeing,
mountains
moving.
It's
geologic
devastation
before God
on His
great day.
God
is undoing
the old
heavens and
the earth
and making
way for
the new
heavens and
the earth.
And in
verse 21,
hailstones,
seventh plague
of Egypt,
Exodus
chapter 9.
the hundred
pound
hailstones
falling down
and crushing
people.
Not just
crushing
people,
crushing
anything.
That you
may know
that there's
none like
me in
all the
earth.
And the
impression
you get
here is
shocking.
The response
is like,
am I reading
that right?
these
hundred
pound
hailstones
are falling
in this
complete
geologic
devastation
and they
cursed God
for the
plague of
hail because
the plague
was so
severe.
It's
like this.
You're
watching
hail fall
and those
on the
earth who
oppose God
are giving
God the
finger.
They're
unrepentant
to the
end.
it's
done.
It's
done.
In
15.1
we read
with these
plagues
which are
the last
for with
them the
wrath of
God is
finished.
Verse 17
it's
done.
It's
done.
God has
poured out
his
justice.
He's
poured out
his
wrath.
Okay we've
walked through
these seven
bowls.
Let me just
kind of bring
them to a
summary.
The first
thing that you
need to know
about this
wrath you've
already sensed
it.
It's
incredibly
fierce.
It's
terrible.
Pain,
death,
thirst,
scorch,
gnawing,
tongues,
slaughter,
crushing,
mountains moving,
islands fleeing.
God's
unrestrained
wrath poured
out on
earth is
awful.
It's
terrible.
But it's
not just
fierce.
It's
fair.
God's
wrath is
fair.
In verse
six do you
remember what
the angel
said?
They
deserved
it.
They
deserve
it.
Just and
true are
your
judgments.
what we
see here is
unrepentant
rebellion.
Men and
women unwilling
to give God
the glory and
they go all
the way to
their deaths
saying no
way, no
way.
Again and
again they
would not,
did not,
care not to
repent and
give glory to
God.
It's
fair.
There's no
one innocent,
no one
ignorant on
that day.
Three, not
only is it
fair, it
is full.
Ultimate in
scope.
On that
day if
you're outside
of Christ
you will
not escape
this wrath.
In the
first bowl
all those
who bear
the mark
of the
beast are
given
sores.
In the
second bowl
all living
creatures die.
Third bowl
all fresh
waters turn
to blood.
Fourth bowl
all are
scorched by
the sun.
Fifth bowl
all plunged
into darkness.
Sixth bowl
all the
kings are
slaughtered
at Armageddon.
Seventh
bowl all
of creation
wiped clean.
Every island,
every mountain
leveled.
All are
crushed.
No escape.
Complete.
Full.
Do you
remember back
in Revelation
6 when
we have
this picture
of God's
wrath being
poured out
in 614
and those
unrepentant
on the earth
they call
out who's
able to
stand on
that day?
Only those
who belong
to the
lamb.
We will
find safe
haven with
our God
on that
day.
Because we
have been
delivered.
It's full
and it's
final.
this is the
last of a
sequence.
The seals
were poured
out on a
quarter of
the earth
incomplete.
The trumpet
judgments
poured out on
a third of
the earth
incomplete.
The bowl
judgments are
poured out on
all the earth.
It's complete.
It's just.
Think number
seven.
And with
these last
plagues the
wrath of God
is finished.
It's done.
no more
wrath to be
poured out
on earth.
It's done.
Revelation
16 is a
picture God
gives us to
see what will
happen when he
pours out his
full and final
wrath that is
fierce and
fair on all
the earth.
Why is he
doing this?
So that you
may know
that there is
none like God
in all the
earth.
That you
know that.
So how do
you respond to
this?
Well in the
text we see
three responses.
We see people
rejoicing in
God's wrath
not fearing
God's wrath
and that's
designed to
encourage
suffering saints
to press on
justice is
coming.
And then we
see people who
reject God in
experience God's
wrath.
They are the
unrepentant to
the end.
And so this
serves as a
warning.
If you're not a
follower of
Jesus be warned
today's the day
to repent.
You have time
to repent.
Call on the
name of the
Lord Jesus Christ
and be saved.
Today act on
it.
A third
response comes
in verse 15.
Be ready.
Be ready at
the coming of
Christ.
It's a call to
be vigilant.
It's in the
midst of the
spiritual conflict
of cosmic
proportions.
We are to be
awake.
It's a wake
up call.
Don't be
lulled to
sleep by the
false prophet
or beast.
Be vigilant.
But I told you
at the beginning
of the sermon
I want to apply
this to Palm
Sunday.
How does that
work?
Well remember
what I asked
you at the
beginning of
the sermon?
When Jesus
entered Jerusalem
what was he
thinking?
Is it possible
that he was
thinking about
you?
And if he was
thinking about
you why was
he thinking
about you?
Well when
Jesus rode that
donkey into
Jerusalem he
went into
Jerusalem resolved
to deliver you
from the wrath
to come.
He knew
full well what
was going to
happen to him
in five days
time.
He had an
appointment on
a hill outside
of Jerusalem
called Calvary
in which God's
wrath would be
poured out on
him.
Do you remember
Gethsemane?
If possible
he's praying to
his father if
possible let this
cup pass from
me.
Nevertheless
as not as I
will but your
will be done.
What cup is
that?
The cup of
God's wrath.
Fierce,
fair,
full,
and final.
Jesus knew it
and he knew it
going into
Jerusalem and
he had you in
mind as he's
entering Jerusalem
amidst all the
palm branches and
cloaks.
People singing
Hosanna, glory to
God in the
highest.
He's like I'm
coming for Mike,
coming for you
to deliver you,
to bear God's
wrath on your
behalf.
God has made a
way.
God has made a
way.
The fierce wrath
that we see in
Revelation 16 was
poured out on
Jesus, the
beloved one of
the Father.
He knew God's
favor, not his
wrath, but he
endured God's
fury for those
of us who were
rebels.
And not just his
fierce wrath, his
fair wrath.
Jesus bore God's
wrath but he was
innocent.
We were the
guilty ones.
That first good
Friday, Jesus bore
God's just wrath
for sinners.
And it was a full
wrath unrestrained
on Jesus for all
who would one day
believe.
And it was
final.
Do you remember
what Jesus says in
John 19, 30?
He's been hanging
on the cross for
hours.
He's about to give
up his spirit and
the last thing he
says according to
John is, it's
finished.
It's done.
Wrath of God
satisfied for all
who would put their
faith in me.
God has made a
way for you to
escape the wrath
to come.
That's why Jesus
was thinking about
you when he was
entering Jerusalem.
Jesus paid it all.
all of it.
All of it.
So that he could
say it is finished.
So we can say
it's done.
That's what he was
thinking about when
he entered Jerusalem
with you in mind.
To offer you a way
of escape that's
only through him.
that's why if you
are a Christian
you don't need to
fear Revelation
16.
Jesus already
endured God's
wrath for you.
It's been paid in
full.
But let me tell you
something.
When you see the
cross through the
lens of God's
wrath being poured
out and it's being
met by the love of
God in Christ Jesus,
do you know what
effect that should
have on you?
hear the
declaration.
Hear what God
is saying.
At that moment
it is a plague
poured out on
Jesus and God
is saying there's
no one like me
in all the earth
to provide a
deliverance and a
salvation like that.
What a God.
What a salvation.
What a Savior.
Let's pray.
God in heaven,
thank you so much.
We are
uncomfortable
praising you for
your just wrath.
But when we see it
in light of the
cross, we are so
grateful that you
would deliver the
likes of us who
were worthy of
death and of
punishment.
that you would
love us so much
to deliver us from
the wrath of God
to come by taking
on that wrath
2,000 years ago.
God, we're so
grateful that that
work that Jesus
did on the cross,
it is as powerful
as ever.
God, would you
deliver now?
Would you comfort
now?
Would you
discomfort now?
In the name of
Jesus, amen.