The Revealing Of The King Series

The Revealing of the King

Revelation 1:7-8

Purpose: To exalt Jesus as God and King of the universe.

Aim: I want the listener to humbly submit to Christ and worship Him.

INTRODUCTION: How can we know for sure that Jesus is coming back to earth? Our text today promises that Jesus is coming back, but how can we be sure?

A Wall Street clerk went for a tuna sandwich one snowy noon and returned to work and found $37.1 million in negotiable certificates of deposit in a pouch dropped by a courier. The clerk turned them over to his supervisor, who notified the securities company. The man received a $250 reward for his honesty. As it turned out, though, that was more than the certificates were worth to him—they could only be converted with special clearance.

People trust promises that are like those certificates. They seem important, but they aren’t. They seem so worthwhile, but they wind up being terribly disappointing. They promise millions, but return pennies. The world promises happiness through wealth and fame that are tantalizing and alluring but, ultimately they betray us.

They leave us bitter, heartsick, and spiritually bankrupt. Only the promise of God’s unshakable kingdom can offer what we really need: an undisturbed inner peace and joy, a sense of accomplishment, a faultless righteousness, and an unbroken life. [Hurley, V. (2000, c1995). Speaker’s sourcebook of new illustrations (electronic ed.) (111). Dallas: Word Publishers.]

➔A promise is no better than the one who makes it.

➔1:1-20 I. John’s Vision of the Past “the things which you have seen”

➔Vs.1-3 A. The importance of this book “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”

➔Vs.4-5aB. The character of God

➔Vs.4-5a1. The Father is eternal “Him who is…was…is to come”

➔Vs.4b 2. The Spirit is all-knowing “the seven Spirits”

➔Vs.5a 3. The Son is exalted “the firstborn of the dead”

➔Vs.5b-6C. The change Jesus makes

➔Vs.5b 1. Jesus cares for His own “Him who loves us”

➔Vs.5c 2. Jesus forgives His own “released us from our sins”

➔Vs.6a 3. Jesus empowers His own “made us to be a kingdom, priests”

➔Vs.6b 4. Jesus uses His own to glorify God “to Him be the glory”

LESSON:

Before we talk about how we can know Jesus is coming it back, we need to be sure we know:

➔Why is Jesus coming back to earth?

➔#1 To rescue His followers

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 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. (NAU)

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (NAU)

The Lord has promised that His followers would not experience the full blast of His wrath against sin: Revelation 3:10 ‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (NAU)

Isaiah 26:20-21 20 Come, my people, enter into your rooms And close your doors behind you; Hide for a little while Until indignation runs its course. 21 For behold, the Lord is about to come out from His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; And the earth will reveal her bloodshed And will no longer cover her slain. (NAU)

2 Peter 2:9 the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, (NAU)

➔#2 To restore righteousness

Those who don’t follow Christ will be punished. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 7 … when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. (NAU)