Introduction
If you would someone the question, what is God like? How would they answer?
How if I would ask you the same question how would you answer the question, what is God like?
Now most Christians would probably agree that God is like Jesus. Because, Jesus Himself said: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” John 14:9
Jesus Christ is the one we serve and we have “A Message from the One We Serve.”
Serve is to Participate in Worship
“John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,” Revelation 1:4
When ones attention is drawn to the book of Revelation, there are questions that begin to surface.
There is a need to interpret and try to unlock its meanings.
Therefore in the process of trying to interpret and look for some deep meaning, we can in some cases miss the true meaning.
God tells us there is a blessing to those that read these words found in the book of Revelation.
Billy Graham puts it best about the book of Revelation. “Don’t worry, I’ve read the last chapter. It all turns out all right.”
We should embrace God’s Word and learn to serve to participate in worship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In our society today we have lost the meaning of worship, even within the church the true meaning of worship is lost.
Worship is not praise songs even though it could be part of it.
Worship is not great preaching even though it could be part of it.
Worship is the act of ultimate devotion directed towards God. It is how we respond consciously to our creator, our savior, our shepherd, our coming King.
When was the last time you said “Thank you God for your consistent and constant love that never changes regardless of how our circumstances changes.
God gave us his Son, Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ gave us the Holy Spirit, so we can participate in worship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
How do you Worship God?
Serving to Show Love
Worship is serving to show Love.
5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
Jesus deserves nothing less that our total devotion of love and service to him. Because he paid the ultimate price for us, because he washed us and cleansed us with His own blood which has given us eternal life.
He is Jesus Christ our redeemer, King of kings and Lord of lords, the only begotten Son of God, has always been and will always be the I AM.
You see we are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:20
“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:21-25
Jesus Christ is the faithful witness and ever presently represents God. He is the begotten of the dead.
Are you a person that encourages others during this world’s present tribulations?
As children of God we are you an encourager to a person that is going through these tribulations.
“First begotten” refers to Jesus, being the first-born of God, the first to be resurrected from the dead. Lazarus was resuscitated not resurrected. Lazarus had to die again, but Jesus lives forever. Jesus is the faithful witness, is our example to be a representative of God in our walk and in our talk.
“And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians” 1:18
6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Revelation 1:5-6
Verse 5b and verse 6 are basically the gospel on a postage stamp. These two verses sum up the whole gospel.
The church will reign with Christ our King during the thousand year reign.
Serve To Prepare
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7
Sometimes the busyness of the church and obscure the business of the church, we must declare the message of his return.
The word clouds refer to a multitude that cannot be numbered.
That multitude is the redeemed children of God, those who have personally accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
When Jesus Christ comes back to this earth, everyone will see him.
He does not come back as our shepherd, nor does he come back as our suffering savior, but he comes back as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Look at Psalms 22 for the Savior, Psalms 23 for the Shepherd, and Psalms 24 for the King.)
The Promise Of A Coming One
The world has waited in anticipation for 6,000 years for the Redeemer to come.
He came the first time, was born of a virgin and died on the cross to purchase the redemption.
He is returning in the clouds above this earth to catch away His Bride in the Rapture.
Then, one day, Jesus will return to this earth in power and glory.
He will defeat the enemies of God and He will establish His kingdom here and He will reign here for 1,000 years.
This verse is about that event. This does not speak about the Rapture, but of His Revelation.
1. The Method Of His Coming – “He cometh with clouds” – This is not the first time that Jesus clothed Himself with clouds. He led Israel through the wilderness in a pillar of cloud, Exodus 13:21-22.
He ascended back into Heaven riding a chariot of clouds, Acts 1:9.
When He comes back, He will again surround Himself with clouds and will appear in glory and power. He is coming!
2. The Manifestation Of His Coming
“every eye shall see Him” – The thought of everyone being able to see the same thing and the same time all over the world was considered impossible just a few decades ago.
But, with the advent of satellite technology, people around the world witness the same event simultaneously.
But, when Jesus comes, He will not need Fox News or CNN to broadcast His coming.
He will appear in the clouds and the while world will be able to see Him at the same time.
This tells us that His presence and glory will be undeniable in that day.
3. The Misery Of His Coming
The Bible makes it clear that the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus will not be a pleasant event for the people of the world. Jew and Gentile alike will wail when they see Him coming.
The Jews will weep because their fathers rejected Him and their people paid a high price for their rebellion.
The Gentiles will wail because He comes to judge sin and sinner alike.
When Jesus comes there will be horrible judgment as He treads the “winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God”.
John hears this and says, “Amen!” that is to say, “So be it; or may it come to pass,”
This is a prayer that every saint should echo.
In 1969 there was a song that sums up the last chance for all of us, before the great second coming. It is entitled “I wish we'd all been ready”
Life was filled with guns and war
And all of us got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The Son has come and you've been left behind
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The Son has come and you've been left behind
Children died the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The Son has come and you've been left behind
The Father spoke the demons died
How could you have been so blind
There's no time to change your mind
The Son has come and you've been left behind
I hope we'll all be ready you've been left behind
I hope we'll all be ready you've been left behind
I hope we'll all be ready you've been left behind
Written by Larry Norman
©1969 Beechwood Music Corp. and J.C.Love Publishing Co. (BMI)
Let us pray that whatever the cost, Jesus will come and set this world as it ought to be.
