“The Final Invitation”
Revelation 22:12-17
Scripture Reading
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
Introduction: When I was a child we used to play a game called Hide and Seek. One of us would cover our eyes and count to ten and then we would say, “Ready or not here I come.” I was reminded of this old game when I read verse 12 and the text that follows it. By the time you get to Revelation 22 and verse 12 the Savior is saying much the same thing, ready or not hear I come. I think all of us realize that there is a huge difference between a child’s game the Second coming of Christ. His coming has eternal consequences.
I. The Savior’s Coming – “…And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me…”
The very last event on God’s prophetic calendar is the second coming of Jesus Christ. His return will be:
1. Sudden – In the twinkling of an eye
2. Secret – No man knoweth the hour
3. Swift – Faster than you can think a thought
4. Spectacular – He cometh in the clouds
5. Seen – Every eye shall see Him
6. Soon –
“It won't be very long till earth shall pass away
It won't be very long till works of men decay
But Jesus has prepared a happy dwelling place
For all who look above and trust His matchless grace”
Lyrics to “It Won’t Be Very Long”
That day is coming and time and man’s probation will be over. Today He would be your Savior if you will let Him but on that Day He will be your judge. Today He invites you to come but the day will come when the invitation will be closed.
Second:
II. The Spirit’s Call- “…And the Spirit…say come…”
The Scriptures teach the absolutely necessity of the call of the Holy Spirit. John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The context of Jesus' statement explains how God draws men and women to Himself. There is nothing mystical about it. The following verse in the context (John 6:45) reveals how God draws men unto Himself. "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me." Note the words "taught" and "every man" (all drawn the same way; by being taught) and "hear" and "learn" and "come". These are not mystical words. They are common, everyday words which are used to describe how it is that people are drawn to Christ.
What is it that is taught and heard and learned? The means or method by which God "calls'' or "draws'' all men is the Gospel. “And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (II Thessalonians 2:14). There is no special, mystical anointing of the Holy Spirit, but rather, the Holy Spirit calls men through the gospel; and it is the gospel that is the power (Romans 1:16).
God draws people unto Himself through the teaching of the gospel. The preaching of the gospel is God's power, his drawing power, to save (I Corinthians 1:18-21). Therefore, all people, when they hear the gospel, at any moment, have the ability to respond to God's gospel call. They also have the ability to reject it (Acts 13:45-48). The Expository Files
The Holy Spirit:
1. Calls you
2. Convicts you
3. Convinces you
4. Compels you
5. Cleanses you
6. Converts you
The Holy Spirit invites you to come to Jesus, He is doing so today but there will come a day when the Spirit’s invitation will be closed.
Third:
III. The Saints Command – “….the bride say, come. And let him that heareth say, come…”
The Bride of Christ which is a metaphor for the church invites you to come to Jesus. The Bride has “heard” and issues an invitation to come! This was the Savior’s last command to His church.
Matthew 28:16-20 King James Version (KJV)
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
No doubt that many if not all of us here this morning heard a witness or testimony from a Christian before we were unsaved. It might have been a personal or public invitation. It you have come to Jesus it presupposes that you were invited but the day is coming when there will be no more personal or public invitations from the Bride of Christ. I have shared a Gospel invitation literally thousands of times but the day is coming when there will be no more opportunities to reject it, to say no to Jesus who said yes to the Cross.
Finally:
IV. The Sinner’s Chance – “…let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely…”
There are countless invitations in the Scriptures. The following are just a few:
St. Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto to me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easy and my burdens are light.
Mark 1:17 (KJV) 17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
Matthew 22:4 (KJV) 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.
Revelation 3:20 (KJV) 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool
And in Isaiah 55 "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Lyrics to - Come every one who is thirsty
1 Come every one who is thirsty in spirit;
Come, every one who is weary and sad.
Come to the fountain, there’s fullness in Jesus -
All that you’re longing for; Come and be glad!
Refrain:
"I will pour water on him that is thirsty;
I will pour floods upon the dry ground.
Open your heart for the gifts I am bringing;
While ye are seeking Me I will be found."
2 Child of the world, are you tired of your bondage?
Weary of earth-joys, so false, so untrue?
Thirsting for God and His fullness of blessing?
List to the promise, a message for you.
Lucy Rider Meyer
And the invitation is to “whosoever will!” It is so broad that it includes:
Whosever means the drug addict
Whosever means the alcoholic
Whosever includes the fornicator
Whosoever includes the backbiter
Whosever includes the adulterer
Whosever includes the homosexual
Whosever includes the liar
Whosever includes the thief
Whosever includes the pot head
Whosever includes the crack head
Whosever includes the convict
Whosoever even includes the murderer
But:
Whosoever also includes the moralist
Whosoever includes the religionist
Whosoever includes the legalist
Whosoever includes the self-righteous
Whosoever includes the hypocrite
Whosoever includes the gossip
Whosoever includes the cheater
I think that you get the message right! The invitation is intentionally broad but it is not open-ended. There are three important variables:
1. Death may overtake you
2. The Spirit may cease to draw you
3. The Lord may come
In any of those three scenarios your chance is over; no second chances; no do-overs; no reprieve; no salvation!
Voltaire’s Final Words
When a person lives in fear of death without hope, death is a tragedy. Voltaire was an aggressive atheist. In speaking of Christ he once said, “Curse the wretch?” In twenty years, Christianity will be no more. My single hand will destroy the religion it took twelve apostles to lead.”
On his deathbed, a nurse who attended Voltaire was reported to have said, “For all the wealth in Europe, I would not see another atheist die.” On his deathbed he cried out, “I am abandoned by God and man. I will give you half of what I am worth if you give me six months of life. Then I shall go to hell and you will go with me. O Christ? O Jesus Christ.”
From a sermon by Ray Ellis, Victory in Times of Crisis, 6/14/2010
Do you know that you already have the gift of a consuming passion for hungering and thirsting? You activate it when you surrender your life to the Spirit’s working. Billy Graham was asked, “What is the most important theological concept in the Bible?” Without hesitation he responded, “Surrender.”
Bud's Last Chance by Brian Matherlee
Bud wasn't a church-going man. His wife was. She was panicked when she called me one day.
"Pastor Brian, please come quickly, Bud's in trouble."
Now, I had been visiting Bud in the hospital for some time and he had never shown any desire for the Lord…but he did now. I was at his bedside as he gasped for breath and sought forgiveness from the Lord. With a prayer barely finished, the Code Blue was called, and we were rushed out as the doctors and nurses worked to resuscitate him, but to no avail. Bud knew he was dying, and I believe God heard his prayer, just like the thief on the cross. But people don't usually have this chance.
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” Corrie ten Boom
