Well, we've come to the end of this communion weekend, and for those of you who have been able to be here over the course of these days, you'll know that we've been following a theme, a theme that I've called in the garden.
What we've been trying to do is explore, first of all, Genesis 2. We tried to explore some of the features of Genesis 2, and then on Saturday, we went into Genesis 3 and tried to extrapolate some of the teaching in Genesis 3 that helped us to understand how the perfect world that God created was spoiled
by the disobedience of Adam and Eve. And of course, as Paul tells us, it was at that moment that sin came into the world and spread throughout the human race and gave rise to all kinds of evil and violence and mistrust and fear and darkness and shame and everything that we know to be bad.
That was not the world that God created. That's the world that was spoiled because we, in Adam and Eve, we chose to disobey. We saw some of the features of Genesis 3, but we saw at the end of that chapter that while God could have destroyed the world, he chose not to.
Rather, there is a note of hope, a glimmer of light at the end of that chapter. And we saw that that pointed forward to the coming of Jesus and his death on the cross, by which he would crush the head of the serpent.
And even though the serpent got to crush his heel, which we believe to be a reference to the cross, nevertheless, the cross was the decisive victory over what the serpent had done.
That's why the cross is everything to a Christian. It's why what lies at the very heart of what I am tonight, and you are if you're a follower of Jesus, it's the cross.
It's not what we do to try to win God's favor. That's of no use whatsoever.
But a person who comes to see what Jesus has done on the cross and to receive his punishment as done on our behalf and to come to faith in Jesus, that's what a person who follows Jesus is all about.
That's what lies at the very heart of what we are.
And then we saw this morning at our communion service how the temptation, the Matthew 4 passage on the temptation of Jesus Christ, a passage we know so well, it refers to, it is a reenactment, if you like, or a reversal of Adam's disobedience.
And then again, it points towards the cross because the temptation had reference to Jesus in his ministry in preparation for his death on the cross at Calvary.
Now what we're going to do this evening is, if I was going to give a title to this service, it might be fast forward.
And I'm not even sure how fast or how far forward we have to go because I don't know when chapter 21 of Revelation is going to take place.
And you don't know either. We don't know when the world will come to an end.
The fact is that the Bible is not a collection of books.
It's the story of the world from the beginning to the end.
It has a sequence that winds its way from the first human beings to the final outcome.
If you take God out of the picture and try to make sense of the world without God,
then there are two vast unknowns.
One is the unknown of how and why humanity began.
And then there is the unknown of how it will all end.
You take God out of the picture, you have a massive question mark, or I should say you have two massive question marks.
Why are we here?
And when is it going to end or how it's all going to end?
And so while much of the content of Revelation, I'm sure you've tried to read it and have been as puzzled as I have about much of the content,
the symbolism and the visions that John saw,
while it is hard to figure out, there are certain features of it that are clear.
And one of them is that God will bring this present world to an end.
And then he will usher in what is described as the new heaven and the new earth.
And so the last two chapters of Revelation are the grand finale in which the whole of the Bible is summed up,
in which the story comes to an end, in which the plan of God comes to fruition.
And there is a plan of God.
And we're either we're faced with one of two options this evening.
You take God out of the picture and the whole of life is a series of random unrelated events that have no meaning whatsoever.
Or you put God in the picture and you come to God's word and you see that God is responsible for the beginning of the universe.
And he's responsible for the salvation of human beings in Jesus.
And he has promised that a day will come when the world will come to an end.
As we know it, he's also promised a recreation.
And so it is not without significance that the Bible begins with,
Genesis 1 is the answer to the first question.
Revelation 21 and 22 are the answer to the second question.
The world will come to an end, but only when and how God determines.
God is in control.
I want you to know that this evening in a world that otherwise is totally confused.
And if you try to find the answer outside God,
it will only lead to more and more confusion in your mind.
The answer is not out there.
The answer is here in what God has told us in the Bible and supremely in Jesus Christ, his son.
And so therefore, I hope that if you're asking the question,
what's it all about?
And so you should be.
What's the world all about?
What's humanity all about?
And what am I about?
Then please look in the right place.
It's not far away.
It's right here.
You don't have to go out there.
It's here in your hand, in the pages of the Bible,
in which God has made himself known to you
and in Jesus Christ who has come into the world to rescue us
and to bring us home to where we should be in God himself.
So Genesis 1 and Revelation 21 are the bookends,
the Bible's bookends, if you like,
with Revelation 21 promising that whatever has happened to spoil this world,
God has remedied it
and will never allow the same thing to happen again.
One thing that is different,
well, there are many things different about the recreation to the original creation,
but one thing is absolutely sure that there will be no chance of any further fall
or any more separation.
God has won the final victory
and he is going to bring all of his plans to fruition.
But you will have noticed as we read these two passages,
the striking similarity between the terminology that's used here
and what we've read before in Genesis 2 and 3.
This is God's new creation.
Now, I'm not going to go through this in detail.
We don't have time tonight.
What I want to do is very simply to pick out
some of the features of what we have read
and to try and make this as simple as possible.
I'm going to do this by whittling it down to two things.
The passage we've read amounts to a future promise in the first place.
The promise of the new heaven and the new earth.
That's the future promise.
But then, secondly,
you'll notice that passage contains
meanwhile commands.
Meanwhile commands.
And that's because
while it's all very well to look forward to what the Bible tells us
about what God's going to do one day,
it hasn't happened yet.
That's the not yet of the Bible.
We, meanwhile, are living in this life.
We've got work to do tomorrow.
We've got our duties to fulfill
in our families and wherever we live
and whatever our routines are.
We live in the here and now.
And so, whilst we do want to know
as much as we possibly can
about the future that God has promised,
we can maybe talk about some of the things
that are in this passage.
Nevertheless, we, at the same time,
we have to get on with life
as God's people here in this world.
And lo and behold,
this passage gives us guidance.
It gives us certain principles.
And if we follow them,
we will be blessed.
That's what we all want, isn't it?
We want to be blessed.
You know what that word means in the Bible?
I know we use it very glibly and casually sometimes,
but I'm talking about the way the Bible uses it.
The blessing of God is the happiness
that God brings,
the peace that only God brings.
And it's a peace that can only be found
in Jesus Christ.
That's what Paul discovered
when he came to faith in Jesus
on the road to Damascus.
He said, therefore,
having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
And that's the blessing that God promises
in the gospel.
And tonight,
Revelation 22
gives us
the way to peace.
There is only one way,
and that's in Jesus.
So, first of all then,
what does God promise
in this chapter
about the not yet?
Well, he promises
in chapter 21,
one,
a new heaven
and a new earth.
A new heaven.
And I'm sure
that whenever we've imagined this,
we've tried to imagine
what a new heaven
and a new earth
might be like.
And you take some of the imagery
in Revelation
and you try to close your eyes
and you try to picture
what heaven might be like
and you come up with
streets of gold
and trees
and gates
and gold
and this
and emeralds
and all kinds of precious stones
and all that.
Please remember
that Revelation
is symbolic.
And the descriptions
that we have
in Revelation
are symbolic.
The best way
to understand Revelation,
by the way,
is to understand
the Old Testament.
So if you know
your Old Testament,
you will be able
to grasp Revelation
a lot better
but only when you realize
that there's very little
in Revelation
of literal description.
It's symbolic.
So anytime you pick up
your Bible
and you read Revelation,
remember,
symbol,
symbol.
Old Testament imagery
and that applies
to streets of gold
and gates
and all that kind of thing.
It applies to
what we read there
about the new Jerusalem
coming down.
No, we didn't read it.
It goes on.
It's further on
in chapter 21,
the new Jerusalem
with a high wall
and the jasper
and the clearest crystal
and all the rest of it.
All of these
are symbolic
but what they describe
is something
utterly,
indescribably
magnificent.
and I believe,
I personally believe,
that the reason
heaven isn't described
in the Bible
is because
there is no
capacity
in language
for God
to tell us
what it's going to be like.
It's just impossible
because we're so restricted
by length
and breadth
and height
and time
and all of these things.
We're so restricted
but we're talking here now
about a different order
altogether,
a different dimension
and as soon as I say that,
I don't even understand
what I'm saying
but God does.
God is the God
who is not limited
by any dimensions
or restrictions
and so what God
promises us,
a new heaven
and a new earth
in which there will be
perfect bliss
and unbroken
happiness
for all
his people.
But it does appear
that there will be
a connection
between
the earth
but not as we know it,
the earth that has been
cleansed
and glorified
and stripped away
of all the evil influences
and the impacts
that have been
on the earth.
There will be
this unification.
It's interesting,
isn't it,
that it tells us
that there'll be
a new heaven
and a new earth.
There seems to be
a promise
of a unification
of what now is heaven
and what now is earth
in perfection
when God has brought
this world
as we know it
to an end.
Right now,
heaven is separated
from the earth
but a time will come
when that separation
will disappear.
It's also clear
that heaven
will consist
of angels.
Angels.
Lots of angels
in Revelations.
There's angels
all the way
through the Bible.
There are angels
at the very beginning.
There are angels
all the way there.
Angels at the birth
of Jesus.
Angels at the resurrection.
Angels in the book
of Acts.
We know that they exist.
We don't want to spend
too much time on them
because we don't want
to obsess over it
but we do know
that God has created
other rational beings
and they have a purpose.
They serve him.
We don't see them.
At least I've never
seen one
but we know
that they are there
and we know
that they populate
God's presence.
But more immediately
to us
heaven will also
consist of
saints
and by that
I don't mean
super Christians
Christians who have
earned a certain
level
in their lives
by that
I mean
men and women
boys and girls
who have trusted
and followed
Jesus Christ
and they have
lived in this world
and they have
struggled
and they have
fallen sometimes
and they have
sinned often
and yet
they have
followed Jesus.
They have lived
and died
as followers
of their Savior
and God
has taken them
from this world
and he has
transferred them
into his
presence.
They're there now
right now.
When I leave
this world
I expect
that I will not
experience death.
I expect
that I will be
taken immediately
to the presence
of God
and that's
what you should
expect as well
if you are a
believer
in Jesus.
It's the only
way to get there
by believing
trusting
in Jesus.
We'll talk about
that a little bit
later on.
What is the
catechism says
the souls of
believers are at
their death
made perfect
in holiness
and they do
immediately
pass into
glory
and their bodies
being still
united to Christ
rest in the grave
until the
resurrection.
So God's
promise is
that the new
heaven and the
new earth
will be populated
by people
his people.
It's also clear
that this
heavenly earth
or this
earthly heaven
or whatever you
want to call it
the new heaven
and the new
earth is
indestructible
or imperishable.
The first earth
was subject
to failure.
And then
we also have
to avoid
trying to
picture
heaven
according to
time.
We think of
eternity
and we think
of well
it's going
to be so
long isn't
it?
I mean
even a year
and hour
experience is
just so long
or ten years
or whatever
and I can't
imagine.
Well that's
because we
only think of
things in
terms of
our life.
But remember
what I said
before that
we're talking
about different
dimension here.
And so
let's try
and avoid
thinking about
heaven
in terms
of our
measurements.
So whatever
image you've
had or
formulated in
your mind
is probably
wrong.
And not
only is it
wrong but
what God
has planned
is a million
times more
magnificent than
we can ever
imagine.
what we do
know about
the promise
is that the
dwelling of
God will be
amongst men.
The glory
of God
will take
the centre
place in
this new
existence
and God's
people will
forever in
some kind
of magnificent
way
unspoiled by
sin or
distraction
we will be
able to
worship him
in perfection.
There'll be no
more sea.
We read that
in chapter
20.
Again
symbolic
there'll be
no more
sea.
What does
that mean?
The sea
was a
symbol of
all the
changeableness
of life.
Remember
that this
vision was
given to
John.
He was
on the
island of
Patmos.
He was
surrounded
by sea.
Anybody
who's on
an island
as you
well know
knows about
the sea.
And so
the sea
would have
meant
something
very
meaningful
to
John.
And he
would have
got up
every day
and he
would have
seen how
changeable
things were
and it
was a
reflection
of how
changeable
life was.
But there'll
be no more
changeableness.
There'll be no
more disappointment.
No more
unpredictability.
There'll be
complete healing
in verse 2.
There'll be no
more curse.
Here,
those of you
who read that,
you'll remember
that.
That's a
reversal of
Genesis chapter 3
when God
cursed the earth
because of
Adam and Eve's
disobedience.
Now there's
no more
curse and
the throne
of God
and of the
Lamb will
be there.
They will
see his
face and
his name
will be on
their forehead.
Symbolism
once again.
I'm not
quite sure
how that
relates to
the reality
of heaven,
but we
will see
his face
and his
name will
be on
our foreheads.
There'll be no
more night.
It'll be a
different order
of things
altogether.
God and
sinners are
reconciled
forever.
The dwelling
of God is
with man.
We have a
new creation.
God has
made all
things new.
His word
is trustworthy.
His city
gleams with
perfect,
unimaginable
grandeur
and spectacular
beauty.
So I'm
out of words,
I'm afraid.
I don't have
any words
because I
don't even
know what
words that
I could
possibly bring
together to
do justice
to what God
has promised.
And I can't
go beyond
what is
in the
Bible.
So,
so much
for the
new heaven
and the
new earth.
Now,
let me just,
before we go
into this,
the reason
I believe
that there
will be a
new heaven
and a new
earth
is because
I believe
in the
present
earth
where I
live
and I
believe
in a
present
heaven.
And the
reason I
believe that
is because
God has
created it.
The ground
that I
stand on
is ground
that has
come into
being because
God has
created it.
My reality
owes its
existence
to God.
Now,
if you
believe that,
then it
shouldn't be
difficult for you
to believe
that God
one day
will create
another reality,
a new reality,
a renewed
existence.
It shouldn't
be difficult
because we're
talking about
the same God
who is capable
of anything.
And so,
the same faith
that believes
that I owe
my existence
to God
is the same
faith that
believes that
one day
he will
renew
this world
and he will
bring about
the new
heaven
and the
new
earth.
So much
for the
future promises.
What do
these passages
have to
tell us
about the
life that
I live
now?
Well,
it tells
us in
verse 6
in chapter
22,
the first
thing is
that my
words are
true.
And so,
God is
saying to
us,
believe
my
words.
Believe
my
words.
Verse 6
says this,
these words
are trustworthy
and true,
and the
Lord,
the God
of the
spirits
of the
prophets
has sent
his angel
to show
his servants
what must
soon take
place.
Now,
I can't
help connecting
this to
Genesis 3
that we
had last
night.
And particularly,
remember,
the conversation
that the serpent
had with the
woman,
with Eve,
and how he
attempted,
successfully,
sadly,
to undermine
the truthfulness
of God's
word,
and therefore
the trustworthiness
of God
himself.
And so,
these very
first attempts
to chip
away,
remember what
we were
seeing last
night,
to chip
away at
the
trustworthiness
of God.
Here is God
at the end
of the Bible,
and he's
saying to
us,
I assure
you,
I give
you my
word,
that my
word,
my promise,
is trustworthy
and true.
Now,
I know that's
all we've
got to go
on,
but the
Holy Spirit
has the
power to
implant these
words and
to assure
us of
their
truthfulness.
There's
something about
the word
of God,
there's
something about
the Bible
that resonates
with us,
isn't there?
There's
something about
it,
and in the
hands of the
Holy Spirit,
and I believe
that God is,
as we worship
him tonight,
we're coming
to meet with
him,
he's present
in this
building,
which means
that he
is working
in your
hearts,
and speaking
to you,
and bringing
this very
word,
and implanting
it in your
consciousness.
My word
is,
these words
are trustworthy
and true,
and so I
hope tonight,
and I would
ask you
tonight,
that instead
of doing
what Eve
did,
and doubting
God's word,
that you'll
just lay
hold upon
them and
trust them,
because they
are the
words of
God.
He tells
us,
in verse
13,
I am the
alpha and
the omega,
the beginning
and the
end.
I'm the
root and
the descendant
of David,
the bright
and morning
star.
Now,
he tells
us two
things
that we
are to
do.
One is
what we
should do
with God's
word,
and the
other one
is what
we shouldn't
do.
First of
all,
we must
not keep
quiet about
it.
Verse 10
it tells us,
and he
said to me,
do not
seal up the
words of the
prophecy of
this book,
for the
time is
near.
Now,
that's a
word to
the church.
Do not
seal up the
prophecy of
this book.
Let's just
spend a
moment thinking
about what
does he
mean by
this book.
He's just
been told to
sit down and
to write
what he's
seen,
so it
could mean
the book
of Revelation.
Then there's
another book
in Revelation
chapter 5,
the scroll
that was
in the
hand of
the one
who sat
on the
throne.
And if
you read
chapter 5,
it becomes
very obvious
that that
is the
will of
God,
the purpose
of God.
But if
it is,
whatever it
is,
it is
God's
message,
and I
take it
to mean
the Bible,
because the
Bible is
God's
complete,
perfect,
infallible
word.
And what
he's saying
to the
church is,
make sure
that you
do not
seal it
up,
don't
keep
quiet
about
it.
There
is
nothing
to be
ashamed
of.
And I
think if
ever there
was a
time when
we needed
to be
encouraged
not to
be ashamed
of that
we believe
in the
words of
the Bible,
it's
today.
Because
the whole
atmosphere
of the
world
outside
will tell
us,
well,
if you
want to
be a
Christian,
that's
fine,
just
keep it
to
yourself.
God
tells us
not to
keep it
to
ourselves.
God
tells us
there's a
whole world
out there
that needs
to hear
about
Jesus,
and a
world full
of darkness
and confusion
in which
his word
is the
only source
of light
there is.
So there's
no reason
to be
ashamed.
Like Paul
said once,
I am
not ashamed
of the
gospel of
Christ.
And we
might be
very tempted
to assume
that the
world is
hostile,
and to a
large extent
it is
hostile.
But remember
that the
world outside
contains all
kinds of
people.
It contains
some who
are deeply
hostile to
the gospel,
but it also
contains people
who are
asking questions.
And how
do you know
as God
leads you
and guides
you through
this world
that you
will not
come across
people who
are asking
those questions.
And you
might be the
means of
their coming
to know
Jesus.
We are his
witnesses.
We are his
ambassadors.
We are living
epistles.
He's told us
to let our
light shine.
Now I don't
mean that we
preach a sermon
to everyone
that we meet
and that we
use every
single,
every time
we sit
beside someone
and make a
pester of ourselves.
No, you're
asking God
to give you
the opportunity
by your
life and
by your
witness to
make known
what you
believe.
What was it
Jesus said
to the man
out of whom
he had cast
the demons?
Go and tell
the people
what God
has done
for you.
Go and give
them your
testimony.
So when people
ask you what
were you doing
at the weekend,
don't be ashamed
of saying I
went to church
at the weekend.
I go to church
every day.
Who knows,
they might close
up, it might be
end of conversation,
but you go to
church.
Well, which
church do you
go to?
Well, when
do you start
going to church?
And then as
an open door,
as a green
light, you
can tell
them what
God has
done for
you.
Do not
seal the
prophecy of
this book.
And of
course it's
a challenge
to the
church
collectively as
well.
That's why
we exist,
to make
Jesus known
in Stornoway.
And I'm
sure that
you're using
every means
to continue
that witness.
Then it
tells us
something else
in verse 18.
It says,
do not
add to,
if anyone
adds to
the words
of the
prophecy of
this book,
or if they
take away
from them,
God will
take away
his share
in the tree
of life,
in the holy
city,
which are
described in
this book.
And what
God is
saying to
John is
this,
that whatever
you do,
don't distort
or pervert
what I have
written and
said.
Don't
twist
my truth.
Again,
there is a
reference to
Genesis 3.
That's exactly
what the
serpent tried
to do with
Eve.
He tried to
distort what
God had
said.
And by so
doing,
he provided
the opportunity
for her to
take the
forbidden fruit.
And we are
being commanded
here that we're
not to make of
the Bible what
we want.
We're not to
interpret the
Bible according
to ourselves or
to suit ourselves.
We're to take
God at his
word.
And there's a
very important
reason why he
says that.
And the reason
is this,
because God
wants people to
come to faith
in him.
He doesn't
want people to
believe a false
gospel.
And there are
many false
gospels out
there.
He wants
people to
discover the
truth of
Jesus Christ
and that
truth that we
have in his
word.
The second
thing, and I'm
watching the time
and we're going
to bring things
to a close
very quickly,
this book
promises the
imminent return
of Jesus.
And so we're
to live in
that promise.
We're to live
in the promise
of the imminent
return of
Jesus.
Verse 12,
verse 7,
verse 20,
three times in
this chapter we're
told, I am
coming soon.
Behold, I am
coming soon,
bringing my
recompense with
me to repay
everyone for
what he has
done.
Now this was a
promise that goes
all the way back
to when Jesus
left the world in
the first place,
when he ascended
to heaven 40
days after rising
from the dead,
and the angel
promised the
disciples that he
would return,
in the same way
as he left the
world.
So you can
picture this one,
you can imagine
Jesus appearing
in the sky one
day.
I know, I know
how strange
that appears in
an unbelieving
world, and yet
that is the
promise that
Jesus gives,
in the same way
as he left the
world.
Well, what do
we know about
his coming?
It will be at a
time when we do
not know.
Don't believe
anyone that tells
you that they've
worked out.
Don't believe,
no matter how
plausible it
seems, don't
believe anyone
that tells you
that they've
worked out when
Jesus is going
to come again.
I think I read
somewhere even
recently that
somebody has,
the internet is
full of the
greatest nonsense.
Please don't
believe.
Anyone that
tells you that
they've worked
out.
You'll get
people who say,
I've studied
the Bible, I've
done the maths,
and I've got it
right this time,
and this is when
Jesus is going
to come.
Prophecies like
that, by the way,
go all the way
back hundreds of
years.
We even got it
wrong in the
17th century.
The Puritans
got it wrong even.
Some of the
Puritans that we
hold up in such
high esteem,
some of them
believed that
this year is the
year of the
millennium and
all that kind
of thing, and
they were wrong.
They were
completely wrong.
So don't
believe it.
Don't believe it
because the
Bible says that
the Son of Man
will come at a
time when you
do not expect,
like a thief in
the night.
It'll be a
surprise to
everyone and a
shock to many
people.
1 Thessalonians
chapter 4, he
says,
He'll come in
glory.
There was
nothing very
visibly manifest
about his first
coming, but there
will be in the
second coming.
He was born in
obscurity, but he
will come again in
splendor and
majesty, and every
eye will see him.
I am coming soon.
We're to live in the
light of that
coming.
You know, you get
people saying,
well, we're to live
each day as if it
was our last.
And I think that's
good advice.
I think we were
always to live in the
consciousness.
But I'm not sure
how possible it is to
do that on a
practical level.
We have to make
some plans for the
future, but we
must always, always
live in the light of
that promise that I
am coming soon.
We do not know when
he will come.
Lastly, this book,
says Revelation, says
God in Revelation, is
a message that
demands a response.
And I'm going to, I
want to think about
three things as we
bring things to a
close.
Three things that are
in, three responses,
three kinds of people
that God addresses his
words to in this last
chapter.
First of all, in verse
11, he says, let the
evildoer still do evil.
Let the evildoer still
do evil.
Now, at first sight, you
think, whoa, that's a
bit unexpected.
Because surely, surely,
surely, if this is a
message of good news,
surely the message would
be, well, turn from your
evildoer doing and
repent and come to
faith.
But that's not what it
says.
It says, let the evildoer
still do evil.
And the filthy still be
filthy.
And the right, but we'll
come on to that in a
moment.
Let the evildoer still
do evil.
What does that mean?
What is God saying in
these words?
Well, here's what I
believe he's saying.
He's saying this.
This is the end of the
Bible.
This is the end of my
message.
I've said everything that
I have to say.
I cannot, there is
nothing more to be said.
I've sent my son into
the world.
He has died on the
cross to secure your
forgiveness, your
salvation.
He's risen again as a
proof of who he is.
He has offered to you
eternal life by believing
in him.
If at the end of all of
that, I promise that you
will have eternal life,
you'll rise from the dead,
you'll come to heaven,
you will, that there
will be a new heaven and
a new earth if you
believe in Jesus.
And if at the end of all
of that, your answer is
no.
It's your call.
That's what I believe it
means.
It's a dramatic way of
saying it.
But if God can get
through to you in a
dramatic way, then so
be it.
He's using extreme
language to express and
to impress upon you the
seriousness of what you're
doing.
If your answer is still
no, he says, let the
evildoer still do evil.
That's a massively
serious thought, isn't
it?
I'll leave it with you.
But then he talks to
another group of people
and he says, they're
righteous.
They're righteous.
Now, there's nobody
righteous by themselves.
So don't get the
impression that there are
some people who have
somehow lived such a
great life that God
calls them righteous.
There's only one way in
which God will call you
righteous and that is by
faith in Jesus Christ.
Christ.
When a person comes to
faith in Jesus, then God
calls us righteous.
That's the way to be.
That's what the gospel is
all about.
That's what God promises
us in the death of
Jesus.
His righteousness.
Our standing before him.
And he says, let the
righteous still do right.
In other words, keep
going.
Keep going.
Keep persevering.
life can be so difficult
as believers, for
believers, in a world in
which so many things are
thrown at us and there's
so much sin in us still to
be warred with.
But just keep going.
Keep looking to Jesus.
Keep putting into practice
his word.
And then lastly, the very
last words of revelation
are these.
The one who is thirsty.
Verse 17.
Let the one who is thirsty
come.
Let the one who desires take
the water of life without
price.
I cannot think of any
simpler words in which
to explain the gospel,
the invitation of the
God.
Here is God.
These are not my words.
These are God's words.
And they're saying this.
Are you thirsty?
I'm not going to go into
the biology of what it
means to be thirsty.
We all know what it means
to be thirsty.
Are you thirsty?
God says if you are,
come and drink.
There are no more simple
words in the Bible.
The gospel, you cannot,
and this is why God is
saying don't complicate the
gospel.
Don't twist the gospel to
make it complicated.
Make sure that you keep the
words that I've, in which
I've explained the gospel.
Are you thirsty?
Then come and take and
drink.
It's God's gift.
You can't do anything to
earn it.
So don't try.
Just come and take it.
Without money and without
price.
Let's pray.
Our Father in heaven, we
pray that you will
that your word will dwell
in our hearts.
And we pray that your
word in the hands of your
Holy Spirit will have
an impact as we go away
from this place and
as we think more about
what we've, about what
your plan is.
This world is not a
random series of events,
but you will bring it to a
close and you will
bring about the new
heaven and the new
earth.
And Lord, our prayer is
that all of us, all of us
here tonight, all of us,
everyone without exception
will be there.
But nobody will be left
out.
Nobody will be on the
outside.
But that all of us will
take the water of life
that Jesus offers us in the
gospel.
In his name.
Amen.
Well, we're going to sing in
the traditional version of
Psalm 100.
It's on page 362 and it's
Heron Gate.
The reason this psalm came to
my mind is when I was
thinking of Revelation 21 and
22, that I thought of the
great company of people and
that consists of people in
the world from all nations
and tribes and languages who
have come to know Jesus.
And this is our prayer.
All people that on earth do
dwell, sing to the Lord with
cheerful voice and him serve
with mirth as praise force
tell.
Come ye before him and rejoice.
Psalm 100 and we'll stand to
sing.
Amen.
O people that on earth do
dwell, sing to the Lord with
cheerful voice.
And set with birth and space
forth tell.
Come ye before him and rejoice.
Know that the Lord is God indeed.
We are his flock he doth us feed.
And for his sheep he doth us take.
O enter then his gates with praise
approach with joy his course unto
praise God and bless his name always
praise.
For it is simply so to do.
For why the Lord our God is true.
His mercy is forever true.
His truth that all times firmly stood
and shall from age to age endure.
Our Father in heaven we thank you
for all your goodness and all the
privilege that belongs to us.
And we do pray that we may have the
grace and the strength to apply your
word into our lives as we let our
light so shine.
We thank you for the provision that
you make for us every day and for the
provision that has been made for us
next door in our fellowship.
Make us thankful for it all.
And we bless you for the hands that
prepared it and for all the goodness
that you have given to your church.
And now may grace and mercy and peace
from both from Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit.
Rest on and abide with each one of
us both now and always.
Amen.
Thank you.