STANDING FAST AND FOLLOWING CLOSE
Rev. 7:13-17
Sermon Objective: With a constant barrage of attacks and pressure comes a danger of compromise and to surrender to the enemy which can be avoided by staying close (following) to the Savior.
Supporting Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:6-8; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Ephesians 6:10-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; Philippians 1:27; Philippians 4:1
INTRO
Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
It is an ever present temptation to for believers; especially so for those who live in environments that are antagonistic to the Gospel.
• High Schools aren’t the most conducive environment for someone trying to live a Spirit-filled life.
• College dormitories are certainly not known for their tolerance to righteousness.
• Work environments are often places which encourage you to cut corners ethically.
• Even many friendships seem to function more smoothly if we are willing to relax our moral boundaries.
The temptation wears on you after a while. Compromising just a little bit can bring a significant amount of relief from the great struggle of your soul … but it comes with a heavy price.
John’s apocalypse can help us with the struggle. You see, the temptation in Asia Minor was enormous. They were not being asked to abandon Jesus Christ outright:
• Just follow the Lamb AND honor the imperial cult
• Just follow the Lamb AND offer a few temple sacrifices
• Just follow the Lamb AND be more tolerant of moral laxity within the ranks
Most of the church’s pressure to compromise came from neighbors and co-workers; not from official sources like the state. That, in some ways, was even more intense because these were their friends and family. These were people directly affected by their choices and loyalties. These were people who really knew how to turn the screws too.
But the church and Gospel's message had to remain steadfast. There was no place for moral, ethical, or doctrinal compromise.
And, you know what? For the most part they were successful. The Christians of the first century suffered the consequences (loss of income, rejection by family, even death at the hands of an emperor) but they made it. John was convinced they had the right stuff to make it. That’s why he wrote them this letter of encouragement and motivation. And that’s why he tells them the following episode in his vision.
REV. 7:13-17
13Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?"
14I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. 16Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. 17For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
The phrase “great tribulation” is not talking about some episode of time yet to come … it is talking about episodes in the reader’s / hearer’s lives. This is not some sort of a formal term that is decoded throughout the book. To allow the prophecy pundits to hijack this phrase strips it of its present day potency. John is talking to his people. He is ministering to those who are going through hard times, suffering, and distress.
And you know what? I know some of you are going through hard times for your faith too. Some of you endure distress at work, school, home, and elsewhere because you are standing fast and following close.
And you know what? God knows it too! And God will reward those who are diligently seeking Him at a personal cost to themselves.
Psalm 31:23-24 says: 23 Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full.24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
The large cattle ranches in Oklahoma and the southern plains use wooden fence posts instead of metal "T posts" because of the constant wind. After a while the constant pressure from the wind bends the metal posts. The wooden fence posts are able to endure the force and remain upright. Properly maintained … they will stand fast for decades.
And so can you when you are “properly maintained.”
So how does John’s apocalypse teach us to be “properly maintained”?
I notice a couple of underlying assumptions in John’s book that can provide you with help in standing fast and following close.
1. YOU HAVE GOD’S PEOPLE TO ENCOURAGE YOU AND HELP YOU GROW.
Sometimes we think we have to do this all on our own or, even more foolishly, we think we CAN do this all on our own. But God gave us the church for a reason. It was a genius and divine move on His part. We really do need each other.
These Christians in Asia-Minor would be ripe for the picking if they hadn’t had each other. Remember John, like all the other New Testament writers, wrote this book to a collective group; not to you as an individual. No man is an island … we need each other. Your faith’s journey, you see, is meant to be a group project.
Sadly, sometimes the pressures of life make us withdraw from others rather that drawing us to other people. We need to resist that impulse and seek out Godly people who can enrich us and strengthen us.
As I see it, Christians need three kinds of relationships to be fully functional and complete.
FIRST, EVERY ONE OF US NEEDS A MENTOR IN OUR LIVES. A mentor is an advisor or guide who aids another in achieving a goal. I searched the room and noticed that none of us is so complete or advanced that we do not need other people who are further along life’s journeys. Life is enriched when we are humble enough to be teachable and glean from other people.
SECOND, EVERY ONE OF US NEEDS A FELLOW-TRAVELER IN OUR LIVES. Do you have a friend? I mean, do you have a REAL friend that you can be yourself around? Do you have someone that you can share your fears, concerns, hopes, dreams, joys, and vulnerabilities with? If not, you are incomplete. Some of us (me included) are inclined to be “loners” we seem to operate better in small packs or alone; but over that last ten years I have discovered that I am a better person when I choose to step away from my isolation and let other people into my life. I am still an introvert (always will be) but I am discovering that I can no longer use my “natural inclination” as an excuse. I will allow my soul to be enlarged and warmed by fellow-travelers and each of us needs them if we are to be whole and healthy.
THIRD, EVERY ONE OF US NEEDS SOMEONE IN OUR LIVES THAT WE CAN MENTOR; A “MENTEE” IF YOU PLEASE. The riches that God imparts to you bring the responsibility and privilege of instilling that truth into someone else. You say, “I don’t have anything to give another person, I am not qualified to be a mentor.” I say, “You are deceiving yourself.” EVERY ONE OF GOD’S PEOPLE SHOULD BE A VEHICLE OF GRACE AND WISDOM TO ANOTHER PERSON. You may not be called or qualified to be a formal “leader of men” but every one of you has the potential within you to touch and enrich other people. You must be a mentor to someone in some way. Maybe you need help discovering how to do this … I’d be glad to meet with you. Maybe you just need to be shown some opportunities that are available to you … they are endless, let me show you. But I assure you that every one of us is intended by God to be influencing others, enriching them, and leading them to spiritual maturity.
Now I want to say something which I do not want you to take the wrong way or too strongly. It’s just an opinionated observation that needs to be considered. Sometimes I look at the small groups, Bible studies, and Sunday School classes that we offer and then I look as youse guys and I think, “the last thing most of these folks needs is to spend more time in another Bible study.” Most of you would be better off spending more time touching somebody else’s life than you would be going to your 2nd, 3rd or even 4th Bible study class of the week.
I am not against the small groups, Bible studies and Sunday School classes. You know that. In fact, I have a small group that meets in my home, BUT WHAT I AM AGAINST IS YOUR UNWILLINGNESS OR HESITATION TO GIVE OUT WHAT YOU ARE TAKING IN.
On the border between Israel and Jordan there is a HUGE body of water called “The Dead Sea.” Actually, its name in Hebrew is “The Killer Sea”('Yam ha Maved'). The Dead Sea has no outlet. It is entirely land locked. It receives water and nutrients that flow into it from the Jordan River but it has no outlet. There are no fish or critters living in or on the banks of the Dead Sea.
Sadly, too many Christians are like the Dead Sea --- they are always taking in nutrients but never giving them out. Until you start giving out you are not complete.
Now I can hear some of you saying “But Pastor, we need to grow spiritually before we can do ministry.” My response is simple, “Poppycock!” That’s an excuse. If you want to grow spiritually then you re-channel that flow of grace into the lives of others and your spiritual growth will skyrocket.
And until you do you’ll just be another of the millions of “dead seas” in Jesus’ Church going, Bible in hand, from study group to study group without ever hearing the Master say “Well done my good and faithful servant.” You’ll be in a conversation more like this:
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
(Matthew 25:41-46)
TEACHERS AND SMALL GROUP LEADERS, MIGHT I SUGGEST A NEW CRITERION FOR DETERMINING THE SUCCESS OF YOUR TEACHING? ITS NOT JUST IF YOUR TEACHING IMPACTS THE “SPIRITUAL CONDITION” OF THOSE UNDER YOUR TUTELAGE; RATHER, MAYBE SUCCESS SHOULD BE MEASURED BY HOW EFFECTIVELY THEY, IN TURN, TRANSFER THAT TRUTH TO OTHER PEOPLE AND EFFECT A THIRD PARTY’S LIFE.
Well, let’s get back to the main point. To negotiate life’s great struggles you need to have balanced spiritual relationships. It is the way God designed us … it is part of the purpose of the church.
You need:
• Someone walking in front of you that you can look to
• Someone walking beside you that lean on
• Someone walking behind you that is learning from you
Notice that “they” withstood great tribulation … it is “they” … it was done collectively. “They” would not have said, “I made it!” or even “YOU made it!” but rather “WE made it.”
You need a coach, a team-mate, and a junior team member in order to be what God has designed you to be. All three of these will help you as you endure and successfully withstand the “great tribulations” in your life.
Once properly maintained you, like those wooden fence posts back home, can withstand the constant pressure to succumb and bend. And part of that maintenance is provided by God’s church. But there is at least one more maintenance component hinted at in this chapter that helps us stand fast and not bend … WORSHIP.
2. WORSHIPPING THE RESURRECTED CHRIST WILL HELP YOU BECOME STRONG!
John’s Apocalypse is not a book ABOUT worship … it is a book OF worship. It has 9 worship scenes strategically implanted throughout it; one in the beginning, one in the end, and seven that serve as crescendos throughout the seven movements of the book.
Did you know that seven of these worship scenes are antiphonal? The worshipping chorus is split into two halves. And more specifically, the worship is “call and response.”
May I extrapolate a principle from this? WORSHIP, AT ITS HEART, IS CALL AND RESPONSE. IT IS GOD’S PEOPLE RESPONDING TO DIVINE DISCLOSURE. IT IS GOD’S PEOPLE RESPONDING TO HIS CHARACTER, HIS ATTRIBUTES, HIS GRACE, HIS APPEALS, AND HIS INVITATIONS.
I am also convinced that worship is a discovery process; we learn to worship at a fuller and fuller level as we grow in Christ.
Worship feels and thinks.
Worship challenges and changes.
Worship emboldens and encourages.
Worship strengthens and deepens.
WORSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THE GREAT TRIBULATION (GREAT STRUGGLE) OF YOUR SOUL AND BINDS YOU TO A LIVING AND LOVING GOD WHO TRANSCENDS AND TRANSFORMS LIFE INTO HOPE, POWER, AND ACTION!
If you want to be properly maintained to withstand the constant wind that threatens to bend you in half you would be wise to take a few cues from John’s Apocalypse and learn to worship.
WRAP UP
In Cornwall, England, you can visit a place called “The Eden Project.” The Eden Project attempted to build the perfect environment in which plants and trees could flourish. Obviously named for the Garden of Eden, this collection of “biomes,” huge domes, provide a tightly monitored atmosphere with a perfect temperature range and humidity. There are no insects and there is no pollution. What more could a tree want?
But there was a problem.
After this wonder of science was built, the scientists on the project noticed something strange. The leaves on the big trees were beginning to wilt and the branches were starting to droop. Puzzled, they consulted a tree expert. After studying the situation, he reported, “Your problem is that there is no wind in the environment. It’s the wind that pushes and moves the tree fibers forcing the nutrients and moisture to be drawn up from the ground. Trees need the stress of the wind or they won’t thrive!” (source: http://www.rbc.org/bible-study/strength-for-the-journey/2009/01/06/daily-message.aspx)
How much is that like our lives?
A lot!
Given a choice, we would construct our own little “Eden Project” around our homes, our families, our dreams, and our futures. In our bubble, we would have just the right emotional climate—a controlled and restricted atmosphere where we could click the delete button keeping out unwanted news and pain. Trouble would be carefully filtered before it could reach us, keeping us well protected from the “pollution” of suffering and heartache. In our dream world, we would no doubt think that designing this stress-free environment would provide a spiritual climate in which we could thrive! (source: http://www.rbc.org/bible-study/strength-for-the-journey/2009/01/06/daily-message.aspx)
BUT THE TRUTH IS WE WOULD NOT THRIVE. WE WOULD ATROPHY. JOHN’S APOCALYPSE SHOWS US THAT GOD IS NOT GOING TO ISOLATE US FROM LIFE’S THREATS BUT GOD WILL INSULATE YOU WITH HIS HOLY SPIRIT AND GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BE STRENGTHENED BY THE “GREAT STRUGGLE” RATHER THAN DESTROYED BY IT.
I recently had a nursery operator inform me that keeping my young fruit trees tied up so that the wind would not “damage” them was, in actuality, damaging them! They told me that the strong winds strengthened the fibers of the tree’s trunk and limbs so that it could withstand the fury of nature.
I cut my trees loose this week because I want them to grow strong and live long.
God does this for you too!
Deuteronomy 31:6-8 says: 6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." 7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. "
You can endure the great trials of you’re your life … the hard times. You can even flourish through them.
You can stand fast and follow close!
He Who Has an Ear
Let Him Hear What the Spirit is Saying to the Churches
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
