Warnings From Heaven Series

Purpose: To show that warnings of coming judgment are demonstrations of God’s grace.

Aim: I want the listener to serve God energetically since judgment is imminent.

INTRODUCTION: It is SO easy to let life get out of focus. Life is filled with necessary things that need doing. There are bills to pay, groceries to buy, clothes to wash, floors to scrub, teeth to brush. Life is also filled with many distractions. Television and the internet are constantly beckoning us to check them out. There are friends to make small talk with and mindless games to play. In addition, we all struggle with many disappointments. Our health breaks and slows us down, or those we live closest to become frustrating as we try to find some way to live with them and still be content.

The list goes on and on. Life is hard and if we are not careful it will sap all of our energy to do what is really important.

One man who seemed to keep his priorities straight was John Wanamaker.

"In the late 19th century John Wanamaker opened a department store in Philadelphia. Within a few years that enterprise had become one of the most successful businesses in the country. But operating his store wasn’t Wanamaker’s only responsibility. He was also named Postmaster General of the United States, and he served as superintendent for what was then the largest Sunday school in the world at Bethany Presbyterian Church. When someone asked him how he could hold all those positions at once, he explained. ’Early in life I read, Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. The Sunday school is my business, all the rest are the things.’

One evidence of Wanamaker’s desire to keep the Lord’s work first in his life was a specially constructed soundproof room in his store. Every day he spent 30 minutes there praying and meditating upon God’s Word. He had his priorities straight!" [1]

What can we do to get our priorities back in line? Studying the book of Revelation is one solution. This book gives us life’s big picture that will put all of life’s problems into their proper perspective. For example, someone may have hurt our feelings or treated us unfairly, but someday soon Jesus will come back and unleash His fury on the sins of this world.

After the first six seals are opened there is a dramatic pause before the seventh seal is opened. Last time we viewed this pause as seen from heaven in chapter 7 and as seen from earth in the first part of chapter 14. Today we’ll see God’s final preparations before He purifies this sin cursed earth.

REVIEW:

1:1-20 I. John’s Vision of the Past "the things which you have seen"

2:1-5:14 II. Christ’s Vision of the Present "the things which are"

Ch.6-22 III. John’s Vision of the Future "things which will take places"

6-7; 12-14 A. Satan’s war against God’s creation

1. The first seal 6:1-2; 12:1-2 4. The fourth seal 6:7-8; 12:7-9

2. The second seal6:3-4; 12:3-4a 5. The fifth seal 6:9-11; 12:10-17

3. The third seal 6:5-6; 12:4b-6 6. The sixth seal 6:12-17; 13:1-10

7. Grace for God’s persecuted people

7:1-17 a. Heaven’s view of God’s grace

14:1-5 b. Earth’s view of God’s grace

LESSON:

➽14:6-20 c. Angels proclaim God’s priorities

Out text today shows us five truths that will keep our priorities straight.

➽Vs.6-7 (1) Submit to the gospel "eternal gospel"

Notice that God’s gospel is eternal. It has never changed. Before Christ’s death people were forgiven when they trusted God’s promises that the Messiah would pay for their sin. After Christ’s death people are saved when they trust what Christ has already done on the Cross.

The gospel is clear: fear God, glorify God, and worship God.

The Gospel calls us to repent of our sins and turn to the Lord. It is the same message

that Noah gave for 120 years;

that the angels proclaimed to Sodom and Gomorrah;

that Jonah preached to warn Nineveh;

that Jeremiah preached to Jerusalem;

that Moses declared to Egypt,

that Daniel read before the fall of Babylon’s wall, and

that Jesus preached regarding the destruction of Jerusalem. This message is universal, and does not end!

Why should God be worshipped?

God should be worshipped and feared because He is the Creator who will judge sin.

Revelation 4:11 "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created." (NAU)

Revelation 10:6 ... Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer, (NAU)