Dr. Bradford Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
Hagerstown, MD
www.mycrossway.org
A couple of Wednesdays ago during our Bible study, we came to the concluding verses in our study of the Book of Revelation. Over the last two years, a group of us have committed to a continual examination of this portion of Scripture. Revelation is the only book in the Bible with a promise of blessing for those who read and study its words (Revelation 1:3, 22:7). And so we sat down and endeavored to study this Book the way that God wrote it. Revelation is not a series of allegories, it is not fantastical mysteries, it is not fiction; it is prophecy. It was written literally and it can be understood with plain simple literal interpretation. “The plain sense makes sense, and therefore any other sense is nonsense.”
The Book of Revelation is a book wrought with Old Testament references. So to understand Revelation you must understand the Old Testament because the Bible is a harmonious book from beginning to end. Therefore, we covered this book in great detail and referenced an endless number of Old Testament passages that were pointing forward to what John saw in Revelation. And what John saw in Revelation is not unique to the 66 books of the Bible. On the contrary, it is a culmination of everything that the Bible has already said. The Bible is nearly one-third prophetic in nature and everything the Bible has said would come to pass, did come to pass. And everything the Bible says will come to pass - will come to pass.
Whenever God said something was going to happen, It happened. He spoke the world into existence and it was so. He warned that there was going to be a flood and it was so. He told the Jews that they would go into exile if they did not follow his word and they did. He said that his Messiah was going to come and he did. He said Jesus would accomplish certain things and pay for man’s sins, and he did. He said that Israel will be reborn as a nation and it was so.
So it stands to reason if God had said things were going to happen and they did in fact happen, then we can be assured that when he says things are going to happen, they will. What you are witnessing in our world today, the world's geo-political climate, wars, natural disasters, the apostate church, the influx of pervasive evil, and the tearing down of the family, is all pointing us to a time that is imminently upon us. And so as I am concluding our study in revelation this upcoming Wednesday I thought it was imperative that I bring this message to the church on Sunday.
A couple of weeks ago I spoke from this very passage and caught on the doctrine of the imminent return of Christ. That study was the theological context of Christ’s return. This morning we are going to take a break from our study on the sermon on the mount and I want to speak to you today, on the believer's imperative reaction to price imminent return. Let me read that passage to you:
And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His slaves the things which must soon take place. 7 “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 8 I, John, am the one who was hearing and seeing these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers the prophets and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 “Let the one who does unrighteousness, still do unrighteousness; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still do righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.” 12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to his work. (Revelation 22:6–12 LSB)
The Bible uses many words to describe the last days immediately before the return of Christ. It describes these days as perilous, unbridled evil, divisive, political upheaval, aggressive opposition to Israel, a loss of morality, people following after the doctrine of demons, natural disasters, and environmental shifts, and so on. But perhaps the most perpetual description of these days that we are living in today is deceptive.
And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one deceives you. 5 “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. (Matthew 24:4–5)
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, (1 Timothy 4:1)
I think it is safe to say that our entire world is following after the doctrine of demons and they are going after our youngest generation. Studies by the CDC, Harvard, the APA, and many other groups are sounding the alarm on the negative effect of mobile devices and social media on our children. “Starting around age 10, children’s brains undergo a fundamental shift that spurs them to seek social rewards, including attention and approval from their peers… In youth, the drive for approval has historically helped kids and teens develop healthy social skills and connections. But arriving at school in a new pair of designer jeans, hoping your crush will smile at you in the hallway, is worlds away from posting a video on TikTok that may get thousands of views and likes.” (https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2022/social-media-children-teens).
Moreover, when we were kids and did something stupid, we got laughed at and it was over and forgotten. Now it is posted on social media for everyone to see over and over again. But there is something even more sinister and demonic behind social media and mobile devices. The New York Post came out with a story on June 7, 2023, that Instagram intentionally boosted a vast pedophile network. “Instagram’s recommendation algorithms linked and even promoted a “vast pedophile network” that advertised the sale of illicit “child-sex material” on the platform, according to the findings of an alarming report Wednesday.” Including a network called toddler incest. (https://nypost.com/2023/06/07/instagram-algorithm-boosted-vast-pedophile-network-report).
Other reports show how social media algorithms intentionally harm children, especially middle-school-aged girls. This coincides with an alarming increase in suicide rates among adolescents noted by the National Center for Health Statistics which says there is a crisis among middle-school-aged girls. According to Bloomberg, there is a 57% increase in suicidal tendencies among adolescents overall. ABC News reports that 1/3 of US Teen Girls seriously considered suicide, and PBS News reports that the largest suicide rate today is among teenage girls and LGBTQ Teens, with over half of LGBTQ teens being considered suicidal.
This is what happens when a society rejects and replaces God and makes ourselves the final moral authority. The Bible says that culture will reach a point where God will turn us over to our debased minds. "Corporations, the government, school systems, and nonprofits have been poisoned by some sort of sex lust for children that they are aiding and abetting sexual predation of children, which promotes suicide and suicidal thoughts.”
knowing this first of all, that in the last days, mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, (2 Peter 3:3)
We are living in a day of unprecedented deception and evil. Our world, especially our children are being taught they are not made beautifully in the image of God as God made them and therefore they need to become something else. This is the evil behind the gender confusion that is trying to take over our culture. Companies like Disney, Bud Light, Target, and others are willing to lose billions of dollars to promote this agenda. It is demonic and it is crushing our children. Parents, you must do everything you can to fight for and protect your children and we as a church must do the same, which brings me to my message. We can look and clearly see the return of Christ is imminent, if we know and believe that in our hearts, it should significantly influence we as believers and as a church live.
I. Christ's Imminent Return Requires Immediate Obedience
“Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (Revelation 22:7)
The imminent return of Christ should spur our hearts to be obedient. Jesus said that if we love him we will be obedient to his commands. Obedience to God proves our love for Him (1 John 5:2-3), demonstrates our faithfulness to Him (1 John 2:3-6), glorifies Him in the world (1 Peter 2:12), and opens avenues of blessing for us (John 13:17). (Got Questions). Faith is necessary for our relationship and salvation, but faith is without works, according to James 2:6.
Jesus said that his coming will be unexpected, like a thief in the night. Meaning we will have no idea the day or the hour, only the Father knows the day and hour; not even the angels in heaven. When that moment happens that he comes to take you home, how will he find your faith and what will you be doing?
Jesus talked about the 10 young women; 5 who were wise and 5 who were foolish. The five virgins who have the extra oil represent the truly born again who are looking with eagerness to the coming of Christ. The five virgins without the oil represent false believers who enjoy the benefits of the Christian community without true love for Christ. They are more concerned about going to heaven than their love for their Savior. The result is that they will miss out on the wedding party. Which are you today?
Christ’s return should spur you to a deeper love and devotion for him. In Romans 1:5, the apostle Paul talks about “the obedience of faith,” Listen, God has a good purpose and plan for your life. He made you in His image, he purchased your salvation - the pardon for your sins - so that you may glorify him.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be found out. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens burning will be destroyed, and the elements will melt with intense heat! (2 Peter 3:10–12)
II. Christ's Imminent Return Requires Immediate Worship
?I, John, am the one who was hearing and seeing these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 But he said to me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers the prophets and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” (Revelation 22:8–9)
John had the right theology and the right idea, but what happens here? He falls down and worships the angel. This leads to a rebuke by the angel. “Don’t do that! Worship God!” Look, I don’t think John was being intentionally idolatrous here. I think he did what every person living in this sinful world does - we get off track and worship the wrong thing. We need to be intentional about the reverence of our worship.
“Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their lovingkindness, (Jonah 2:8)
Therefore, consider the members of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)
Idolatry is an affair of the heart. Anything that steals our devotion from God. The Israelites were continually battling the idolatry of their day. There is no difference today, just different names. The Catholic Church worships Mary and the saints. We worship money, sex, the earth, our jobs, and even pastors and our own worship can easily become idolatrous.
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (1 Corinthians 10:14)
Little children, guard yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. Should I be inquired by them at all? (Ezekiel 14:3)
The Angel then redirects John with 2 simple words: “Worship God.” Can we take those two simple words to heart today? Worship God. Press in with all our hearts, especially on Sunday as we gather together, but also every day of the week with our lives.
III. Christ's Imminent Return Requires Immediate Exclamation
And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 “Let the one who does unrighteousness, still do unrighteousness; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still do righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.” (Revelation 22:10–11)
The final behavior of the believer in light of Jesus’ imminent return is our continual exclamation to the world. If we truly believe that Jesus’s return to his church is imminent which ushers in the 7-Year Tribulation and the outpouring of the wrath of God, his love is not in us if we remain silent to our family and friends that remain in sin. You say, yes but they laugh at me or even get angry at me when I share these things. Let them, but be sure you are warning them. Make the truth plain and with the love in your heart.
“Any Christian who fails to learn the truths of this book and to understand the words of this book, which are not at all incomprehensible, as we have learned, is a forfeiting blessing. And any preacher who fails to preach this book of the glorious realities to come in the return of Jesus Christ is sinfully unfaithful to His mandate.” (MacArthur)
And yet it is common and it seems that so many churches are entering into a lethargic slumber. They are more concerned about offending the heart than saving the soul. One more thing about the modern Church. It is time for believers to flee woke and apostate churches (Ephesians 5:7-9, Romans 16:17, Titus 3:10, 2 Timothy 3:5, 1 Corinthians 5:11-13, etc.). A great church, a biblical church, and a faithful church is always a church looking forward to the second coming, which begins with the Rapture of the Church. Be faithful in your study & obedience to this Word, be faithful in your worship of God, and be faithful in your sharing with others the hope of heaven found in Jesus Christ.
God’s Spirit will not always struggle with sinners. There is coming a time very soon when this age of grace that we are living in now is coming to an end.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 )
What is going to happen after that? This world will undergo the final judgment of God upon those who refused to believe and turned their back on God. This transgender agenda is demonically led. It is an all-out war against God and His creation. The message of God’s people must be clear: do not be deceived, but turn away from the demonic agendas of this day. It is not loving to play along with their delusion or remain quiet because we don’t want to offend someone. The loving thing to do is with grace and compassion share with those who are trapped in sin the means of escape.
But what will happen to us after the Rapture? This is very important. Yes, we will be at the marriage supper of the Lamb, but we will also appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ.
“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to his work. (Revelation 22:12)
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 So then, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we have been made manifest to God; and I hope that we have been made manifest also in your consciences. (2 Corinthians 5:9–11 )
The judgment seat of Christ is a time when we will be called on to report, to render an accounting of what we did for Jesus. It will be a serious and necessary time of reckoning, but, as God’s redeemed, we will never be condemned by the wicked. How will you give an account of what you have done with the salvation purchased by the precious blood of Jesus? If you are living apart from the redemption of Jesus today, now is the acceptable day of salvation. If you are backslidden in your faith, do not wait to come back to him.
