Famous Last Words On Mission Series

HoHum:

Memorial Day: I stand for the flag; I kneel for the cross

WBTU:

Saw a bumper sticker that said: Jesus is coming! Look busy! Boss is coming so look busy

The Bible teaches that a day is coming when the trumpet of the archangel will sound, the eastern sky will split and Jesus will come riding back to earth on the clouds, followed by his angel armies. History will end as we know it, and all humanity will be judged- some to enjoy God’s presence forever and others to eternal torment. We know that Christ’s return will be unexpected and without warning, like a thief in the night. We also know that his return will be soon. All the prophecies to be fulfilled before his second coming have already taken place, and there is nothing to prevent Jesus from crashing back through the clouds right now. Know of a person who had in their office, “Maybe today!” Every morning, we need to be reminded that the Lord could return this very day. Jesus is coming. Look busy. How about not just looking busy but we are busy all the time for our mission. What is our mission? To love people and lead them to a relationship with Jesus Christ.

If Jesus returned today, what would we like him to catch us doing?

Praying. B. Worshipping. C. Watching Christian TV. D. Baptizing. Best answer is D. In light of Christ’s imminent return, what should we be busy doing? Matthew 28:19-20

The Blues Brothers were on a mission from God to save the orphanage and sacrificed everything for that mission. We should do the same (not necessarily for an orphanage).

We have gone over the opening of the 7 seals and have now come to the sounding of the 7 trumpets in Revelation 8:6- read that verse. Here we come to the second of the three sets of 7 judgements. In Sunday school talked about “progressive parallelism.” The idea is simply this: each of the 3 7’s is narrating the same sequence of events (not 3 different sequences). This is the telling the same story 3x, with a little more intensity each time, and the story of God’s judgements throughout history that lead up to the end of the world. So these 7 trumpets will sound a bit like a rerun of the seven seals earlier. Remember VHS? After the seventh seal, we “rewind the tape,” and, with the 1st trumpet, start back on earth in a time of suffering. This time with more intensity.

Thesis: Talk about mission from the first 6 trumpets

For instances:

Transition and introduction: If we take the first 4 trumpets as a whole, they each seem to picture the impact of ongoing but not yet final judgment on the things of this world in which many people find their sustenance and security. These are not necessarily bad things. They are just vulnerable things. The trumpets are sounding an alarm, warning of the danger of having only this world and what it provides and promises to depend on for security and satisfaction.

1. 1st trumpet- Revelation 8:7

Burn, burn, burn. This trumpet reveals a picture of one third of the fields and trees that should be providing food burning up so that there is hunger that cannot be satisfied. The earth has a limited ability to bring satisfaction. Notice also that this is a third not a fourth like the seals. One third of the earth, trees, grass, etc., feels the heat of God’s wrath. God has turned up the power of his judgement, moving the dial from 25% to 33%. This really is an act of mercy. Given the stubborn rebellion of human hearts, God would have every right to turn the judgement dial to 100%, and wipe mankind out completely but God doesn’t.

2. 2nd trumpet- Revelation 8:8-9

Mountains speak of kingdoms, both good and bad, earthly and heavenly (Revelation 14:1; 17:9; 21:10). Here with the second trumpet is a picture of the great kingdoms of the world that come crashing down, destroying the lives and livelihoods of those who live in them. Now this has happened repeatedly throughout history.

3. 3rd trumpet- Revelation 8:10-11

This resembles what is talked about in Isaiah 14:12-15, where Babylon’s guardian angel is pictures as a star cast down from heaven into a pit. Here the star is called “Wormwood,” which is based on Jeremiah 9:15 and 23:15, where God judges his disobedient people by giving them poisoned water to drink. This trumpet demonstrates that the very things in this world that people consume, expecting them to be life giving, often end up poisoning them. This trumpets to those who think that their sins add to their lives. In reality, sin ruins everything. In fact, this will be their ruin. Jesus gives life giving water whereas the world gives water that only brings more thirst and ruin. Thirst is never quenched. Isaiah 55:1-2: Come, all you who are thirsty,