Who Is Coming To The Party? Series

WHO IS COMING TO THE PARTY?

Revelation 20.11-15

S: Evangelism

C: Judgment

Th: Heaven Can’t Wait

Pr: WE NEED TO GET THE INVITATIONS OUT!

?: Why?

KW: Certainties

TS: We will find in our study of Revelation 20 three certainties that show why we need to get the invitations out.

Type: Propositional, Topical

The ____ certainty is that there is…

I. JUDGE (11)

II. JUDGED (12)

III. JUDGMENT (13-15)

PA: How is the change to be observed?

• Understand that God is just.

• Understand that God is merciful and has graciously offered a way out of judgment

• Invite as many as you can, for heaven will be a place of joy

Version: ESV

RMBC 24 June 07 AM

INTRODUCTION:

ILL Danger (personal)

A couple of months ago, I was heading into Children’s Hospital to visit _________, and as I was driving up the ramp into the parking garage from Elmwood, someone with a big SUV honked at me. And it startled me. I thought this was odd. Was I going the wrong way or something? They rolled down their window and with a real sense of urgency, the woman said to me, “You have a headlight out!” Well, I guess that was nice to let me know, but I already knew that. The young lady in the SUV scared me, though. I thought there was some danger ahead.

Are you good at warning people about danger?

ILL Warning (H) [Sign (H)]

It reminds me of the story about two not-so-bright Christians that were standing by the side of the road holding up signs. The first Christian’s sign said, "The End is Near!" The second Christian, on the other side of the road, held up a sign which read, "Turn before it’s too late!"

They held up their signs to each passing car.

"Get a job." The first driver yelled.

The second, immediately behind the first, yelled, "Leave us alone you religious freaks"!

Shortly, from around the curve, they heard screeching tires and a splash followed by more screeching tires and another splash.

The first Christian looked over at his companion and said, "Do you think we should try a different sign"?

The other Christian responded, "Perhaps, ’Bridge Out’ might be better"?

TRANSITION:

Well, this month, our theme has been…

1. Heaven Can’t Wait!

Eschatology, the study of future things, is too important a subject to ignore.

What is going to happen in our future is not something to worry about later.

Simply, heaven can’t wait, for what we do now, here on earth, is directly linked to what happens to us when we die.

For earthly death is really a transition time.

Life does not end when we die.

It continues.

The question is, since death can happen at any time, are we ready for what comes after?

Last week, we considered the topic of heaven and why it will not, in any way, be a boring place.

In fact, it will be an exciting, enthralling, and an adventurous place.

We are stating that because…

2. We are not to listen to the lies about heaven (Revelation 13.6).

In Revelation we are told that Satan’s representative on earth, known as the beast, does his bidding.

And here is what he does…

It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

Satan tells lies about God, His name and even heaven.

He has been the master of that from the very beginning.

The creation story reveals this to us when the serpent deceives Eve into doubting God’s goodness.

So it should be no surprise to us that Satan would have us believe that heaven is nothing but boring.

He would have us believe that God is not preparing a good place for us.

The devil would have us believe that God does not really care for us – that His claim of love for us is really a sham.

He essentially tells us that God lies.

But we are not to give in to those lies.

For there is news that must be understood about future things.

3. This is urgent (Hebrews 9.27)!

The writer of Hebrews tells us…

…it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment…

Everyone has the same fate, so to speak.

Every person will die.

Every person, in one form or another, will be judged.

Some will have a conclusion that they do not want.

They will be rejected.

But that does not have to be.

There is an eternal party coming that all are invited to.

So…

4. WE NEED TO GET THE INVITATIONS OUT!

This is the time of the year for invitations – for graduation parties and wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Well…

We need to get the invitations out so that more people can hear this wonderful news from Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.”