Radical with David Platt
The End of the Beginning
We often approach the book of Revelation as a book to be deciphered. However, believers in the first century found more hope in this book than cryptic messages and symbols needing interpretation. In this message on Revelation 22:6–21, David Platt challenges us to move beyond simply interpreting the book for knowledge, and to instead practically apply this final passage to our lives as we await the return of Jesus Christ.
From unexpected olympic champion to martyr in China. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Eric Liddell’s win in the 1924 games.
In Glory Road, Radical’s new narrative podcast, we’ll follow Liddell’s remarkable journey, and discover the current state of the gospel in the countries he knew best.
Start listening to this 6 part series now everywhere you listen to podcasts or find out more at radical.net/gloryroad
We often approach the book of Revelation as a book to be deciphered. However, believers in the first century found more hope in this book than cryptic messages and symbols needing interpretation. In this message on Revelation 22:6–21, David Platt challenges us to move beyond simply interpreting the book for knowledge, and to instead practically apply this final passage to our lives as we await the return of Jesus Christ.
From unexpected olympic champion to martyr in China. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Eric Liddell’s win in the 1924 games.
In Glory Road, Radical’s new narrative podcast, we’ll follow Liddell’s remarkable journey, and discover the current state of the gospel in the countries he knew best.
Start listening to this 6 part series now everywhere you listen to podcasts or find out more at radical.net/gloryroad
You are listening to Radical with David Platt, a weekly podcast with sermons and messages from pastor, author and teacher David Platt. My heart has just been warmed, personally and pastorally, in unusual, wonderful ways over the last three months and frankly, I don't want this book to end. But isn't that the beauty of the book of Revelation? That, yes, this is the end, but it's the end of the beginning. I love the way CS Lewis put it, his last paragraph in the last book of the Narnia series he wrote the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page. Now, last, they were beginning chapter one of the great story which no one on earth has read, which goes on forever, in which every chapter is better than the one before. The end of Revelation is only the beginning of a story where every single chapter will be better than the one before. So in a sense, this is the whole point of Revelation. If we read and study this book rightly, it will inevitably leave us longing for more. So what I want to do today is what this text does. These final verses in chapter 22 summarize the themes and major truths that we've seen all over Revelation in a pretty pointed fashion. So I want to recap all that we've seen in this book and then, after we've done that, the reason I'm preaching earlier is because we're going to invite the choir to come back up here and lead us in a full-blown no-holds-barred raise-the-roof style sing out based on all that we've seen in Revelation. Does that sound all right? Okay, so I hope. I hope it's been clear that the book of Revelation is not intended, was not written to promote hopeless speculation about the future. That's what most people think is the purpose of this book. So we bring out our charts, which, on a side note, I was given a pretty hard time for pulling out a chart last week in your notes and I almost made it through the whole book of Revelation without a chart, but I gave in. But that was a different type of chart. But when this book was written and read in churches in the first century, you didn't have a lot of people making charts about how these things were literally going to be fulfilled over the next couple or few thousand years. Instead, you had people who were struggling in their faith. They're facing temptation, they're walking through persecution and trials on all sides, and Revelation was written for them then and for us now, not to promote hopeless speculation about the future, but to fuel hopeful obedience in the present. But to fuel hopeful obedience in the present. That's the reason we have this book. You mark it down.
Speaker 1:Anytime the Bible talks about the future or the end of the world, the purpose is not to promote speculation among God's people. The purpose is to fuel obedience among God's people. That's why I've got you in 2 Peter, chapter 3. So I want to show you another example of where the Bible talks about the future, specifically about the return of Christ. But the point is not to promote speculation. Instead, the purpose is to fuel obedience. So here in 2 Peter 3, so look at this with me People are asking when's Jesus going to come back.
Speaker 1:Is Jesus even going to come back? Some people are even saying he's not going to come back. Maybe it's not true. So listen to what Peter says. 2 Peter 3.
Speaker 1:This is now the second letter that I am writing you, beloved. In both of them, I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this, first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days, with scoffing, following their own sinful desires, they will say where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation. For they deliberately overlook this fact that the heavens existed long ago and the earth is formed out of water and through water, by the word of God, and that by means of these, the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word, the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. So Peter's saying here.
Speaker 1:Some people are saying he's not going to come back. Why hasn't he come back? And you may wonder the same question If you're honest. We talk about Jesus coming back today, but it's been 2,000 years since he promised to return. Nothing's happened. So you start to think is this real? Is this true? Is this some kind of fantasy, fairy tale? And if you thought that, if you are even prone to think that, let's know what Peter says.
Speaker 1:Next, he says do not overlook this one fact beloved that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise, as some count slowness, but's patient towards you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. So he's coming back. Peter says, and as a result of that, listen to Peter's exhortation Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn? But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Speaker 1:What sort of people ought you to be? Peter asks People of holiness and godliness. He continues. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, these promises of Christ's coming to be fulfilled, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. Skip down to verse 17. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. To him be the glory, both now and the day of eternity. Amen. So do you see it?
Speaker 1:When the Bible tells us that Jesus is coming back, the Bible is not telling us to get our charts out and figure out. When the Bible is telling us to get ready by living in holiness and godliness, waiting for hastening his coming, and that is why Revelation ends like it does. So now come over with me to Revelation, chapter 22. If the primary point of Revelation was just to tell us when Jesus is going to come back and what's going to happen around that time, then the book would have stopped at Revelation, chapter 22, verse 5. That would have been a great climax. They'll see his face and reign with him forever and ever. That's a good place to stop. But instead of stopping there, we've got 16 more verses, and half of them eight of them are telling us, as Christians, to obey, to be faithful. And this is where we realize okay, wait a second.
Speaker 1:The point of all these images that we've seen in this book and all these truths that we've studied in this book? The point is not to make us book and all these truths that we've studied in this book. The point is not to make us forecasters of the future. The point is to make us men and women of God in the present. The point of this book is not for us to exhaust some major investigation of the end times. The point of this book is for us to undergo a major examination of our own lives.
Speaker 1:Dennis Johnson said it best in his commentary on Revelation. He said Scripture is not a passive cadaver waiting for curious medical students to dissect it in their quest for information. It is a living, double-edged sword that proceeds from the mouth of the triumphant Son of man and pierces the thoughts and intents of our hearts. It's a hammer that shatters a seed that grows rainfall that never returns to its giver without accomplishing the mission on which he sent it. Scripture has a job to do in us. So I want to make sure, as we finish out Revelation, I want to make sure that we let Scripture do its job in us.
Speaker 1:So, based on that, four final exhortations for you and me and this church and the church today in light of Revelation. This church and the church today in light of Revelation. One see the world in all of its deception. We're going to go pretty quickly through these things because they've shown up what we've already seen. But see the world in all its deception. Remember, this book was written to a church under attack from all sides Persecution from the world, seduction by the world and Christians looking at the world around them and starting to wane in their commitment to God's Word. So God gives them and gives us images like the beast to remind the church.
Speaker 1:Do not put your hope in government. Followers of the Lamb must never be duped into thinking that the state holds the key to salvation. As long as your hope is in human government, as good or bad as that government may be, you will have a very unsteady foundation for your faith. If your faith is dependent on what you see on Fox News or CNN, you will go up and down, up and down. There's a word for us here as we approach this Tuesday. We talked about this last week. We work and we vote, we apply biblical truth to our lives in this country, but our hope is not, is definitively not, in any particular government or in any particular president.
Speaker 1:Psalm 146, verse 3, do not put your trust in princes in mortal man in whom there is no salvation. That is a dead-end road. So don't put your hope in princes in mortal man in whom there is no salvation. That is a dead-end road. So don't put your hope in government. Then you have this image of the false priest. Prophet, the book of Revelation urges us do not put your hope in religion and religious systems that arise in this world in opposition to Christ. We've seen graphic imagery of economic, social and religious systems that pull people away from Christ and then in the prostitute in Babylon. We've been urged do not put your hope in material affluence and social acceptance in this world. This world is full of deceptive attractions sensual pleasures, material possessions, the promise of satisfaction, the hope of security, the insatiable lust for power, the subtle lure of pride. We talked about it in the words of CJ Mahaney Today, the greatest challenge facing Bible-believing American Christians is not persecution from the world, but seduction by the world.
Speaker 1:And John is telling us here, he's telling us elsewhere do not love the world or the things of the world. Attractive idols in this world that promise earthly delight always lead to everlasting death. So don't be fooled. See the world and all of its deception. The things that this world says matter most don't matter most. They don't matter, they won't last. So don't build your life, don't build your family, on that which doesn't matter. Don't raise your kids, teaching them to value the things that matter the least. They won't last. Right after John tells us not to love the world or the things of this world, he says the world is passing away, along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. So don't be fooled, brothers and sisters. See the world, all of its pleasures and pursuits and possessions, see it in all of its deception, and then see the Christ in all of his glory.
Speaker 1:He is the theme of Revelation. We saw it in the first chapter, first verse, first words. This book is the revelation of Jesus the Christ. Verse 5 said Jesus the Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and the ruler of the kings on earth. One writer said whenever revelation works on us, as God intends it to, we will trust, love and fear Jesus more. Ah, that's my prayer. My prayer is that, as a result of studying Revelation, my prayer is that you love Jesus more today than you did three months ago. My prayer is that you see and know and adore Jesus, the Christ, more today than you did at the beginning of this series.
Speaker 1:So just think with me, just think back on the portrait John has painted for us with brilliant, breathtaking imagery. He is fully human and fully divine. Over and over again, we've seen the humanity of Christ, his identification with us, and we've seen the deity of Christ, his identity as God, even here. So last week in Revelation, chapter 21, verse 6, god spoke and he said I'm the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Now, here in Revelation, chapter 22, verse 13, jesus speaks and he says I'm the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last and the end. Now, here in Revelation, chapter 22, verse 13, jesus speaks and he says I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, these titles that are used throughout Scripture, particularly the Old Testament to refer to God, the Father, used here first person by Christ. He's fully human and fully divine. He is the fulfillment of prophecy and the final high priest.
Speaker 1:All throughout this book we've seen allusions to Ezekiel and Daniel and Isaiah and other Old Testament prophets who looked, who longed, for the day when Christ the Messiah would come, and over and over again John has pointed us to Jesus as the fulfillment of all those prophecies, even here. You look at chapter 22, verse 16. Jesus says I am the root and the descendant of David. How can you be the root and the descendant, how can you be the root from which David comes and the descendant who comes from David at the same time? It's like being an ancestor and a descendant at the same time. Well, this is Jesus, the Christ who made the promise to David and then fulfilled that same promise to David in his coming as the Messiah. And he came.
Speaker 1:Chapter 1, pictured him as clothed with a long robe, with a golden sash around his chest, as the final high priest. Remember all these images we've seen in Revelation we've seen depicting Christ. They're not necessarily intended to be literal. John's purpose is not to satisfy our curiosity about what Jesus is wearing in heaven. These are images that were familiar to the minds of first century Christians, that I hope are familiar to the minds of 21st century Christians. That evoke awe and wonder at a vision of one whom scripture has talked about for centuries before.
Speaker 1:He's the fulfillment of prophecy, the final high priest. He is infinitely old and infinitely wise. Jesus has existed forever. He knows no beginning and he knows no end, and his wisdom knows no beginning and his wisdom knows no end, john told us in chapter one, the hairs of his head are white like white wool, like snow. Infinitely old, infinitely wise. He sees all, knows all and reigns over all. His eyes are like a flame of fire, searching our hearts, seeing through our pride and our pretense. Nothing can escape his all searching, all knowing. Gaze into us. You cannot hide anything from the Christ. Can escape his all-searching, all-knowing gaze into us. You cannot hide anything from the Christ. His purity has no error and his power knows no equal. We've seen his feet like burnished bronze, glowing with purity and power. His voice resounds with authority and his face radiates with light. When he speaks it sounds like the roar of many waters. From his mouth protrudes a sharp, two-edged sword. His face, john tells us, is like the sun when it's shining in full strength. He had the first word in creation. He will have the last word in creation.
Speaker 1:Jesus Christ is the force behind all of human history, the never-ending Alpha and the never-ending Omega. He was dead for a time, but he is alive for all time. He said in chapter 1, I died and behold, I'm alive forevermore. I hold the keys of death and Hades in my hand. He's defeated death. He's the conquering lion and he is the slaughtered lamb. The promise of a conquering Messiah in Genesis 49 is a lion.
Speaker 1:Isaiah, chapter 11, has come throughout history, from the beginning of time. Men have come and men have gone. Women have come and women have gone. All of them, the noblest of them, the sharpest of them, the strongest of them, the kindest of them, the greatest of them, all of them have fallen prey to sin. All of them, all of us, every single man, every single woman in this room and in all of history, a slave to Satan. All of them, all of them, all of us, generation after generation, century after century, every single man and every single woman on the earth has succumbed to death. The greatest religious teachers that the world would say great religious teachers in the history of the world, they've all succumbed to death, but there is one man who is utterly unlike every other man. This man did not fall prey to sin, he possessed power over sin. This man did not fall prey to sin, he possessed power over sin. This man did not succumb to death, this man subjugated death.
Speaker 1:The lion of the tribe of Judah has come and he has conquered. And how did he conquer? Remember? In chapter 5, john turns to see the conquering lion and to his shock and amazement he glimpses a slaughtered lamb and he says I saw a lamb standing. In case you were wondering, slaughtered lambs don't stand. But this lamb has not only endured death in our place, he has conquered death by his power and, as a result, this lion-like lamb Revelation 5, 9, and 10, is worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, for he was slain, and by his blood he has purchased men and women for God from every tribe, language, nation and people. The greatest news in all the world is that the slaughtered lamb of God now reigns as the sovereign Lord over all. His worth is undisputed. Power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory and blessing belong to him. His work is unforgettable for all of eternity. We will never, ever forget the price he has paid for our sin, and his worship is universal. This lion-like lamb does not deserve the praise of one type of people. He deserves the praise of every type of person on the planet, and one day he will receive the full reward of his sufferings A kingdom of men and women from all over the world who have experienced his salvation and who will exalt him in his supremacy.
Speaker 1:Revelation 12 showed us that the birth of Jesus, the Christ, declared the death of the ancient serpent. His death defanged the adversary and his resurrection demolished every accusation against the church. Now, if you're not a Christian today, you may be wondering what does that mean? That's a loaded sentence. Here's what it means.
Speaker 1:This is the story of the Bible. From the very entrance of sin into the world, god promised to send a Savior in the form of a man born of a woman, to defeat the devil. And this God did in the person of Jesus, who was born just had been prophesied for centuries. Jesus came and he did what no one else has ever done or will ever do on the pages of human history. He lived a perfect life, free from sin, never once giving in to the temptations of evil. And then he died on a cross to pay the price for sinners who rebelled against God, sinners like me and sinners like you. And then, three days later, he rose from the grave in victory over sin and death and the devil himself, so that everyone who believes in him, everyone who trusts in him, will be saved from their sin in such a way that when the devil now accuses you of being a grievous sinner, you will look back and say to the devil you were right, but I have a great Savior and because of his blood shed for me, I am safe from your accusations forever. That's the story of the Bible. Forever. And we know that's true because Jesus is faithful and true.
Speaker 1:He's introduced to us in Revelation as the true and faithful witness Verse 6, we're reminded. His words are trustworthy and true, right here in this chapter. He's the righteous judge and the messianic warrior riding on a white horse chapter 19, where the army is of heaven by his side on the assault against evil and injustice and unrighteousness in this world. Many crowns adorn his head, much mystery surrounds his name. He conquers God's enemies and he reveals God's word. He comes in red apparel, dipped in blood, for he treads the wine press of God's wrath. He rules the nations of this world and he brings God's wrath upon this world with a rod of iron and a sharp sword For all who have turned away from Christ to live for this world.
Speaker 1:You don't want to meet Jesus on the day when he comes. He will come, yes, to consummate salvation for all who trusted in him, but he will also come to usher in wrath for all who turned against him. So turn to him today. Trust in him today. His grace is free and his joy is full. Verse 17, chapter 22,. Let the one who's thirsty come. Let the one who desires to take the water of life without price. Verse 14, wash your robes in the blood of the Lamb. Trust in the life and the death and the resurrection of Christ on your behalf and you will have eternal life with God. Oh, non-christian, don't hesitate today to drink from the fountain of glorious, sovereign grace that is free and joy that is full forever, for Jesus is the savior who came once and he is the sovereign who's coming back soon undoubtedly one of the major themes of this last chapter.
Speaker 1:Did you underline how many times Jesus said this in revelation 22? You might under underline them with me. Just look at them. Verse 7, revelation 22. Behold, I am coming soon. Verse 10, he said to me do not stope the words of this prophecy of this book, for the time is near. The time is near. Verse 12, behold, I am coming soon. Verse 20, he who testifies of these things says Surely, I am coming soon. This Christ that we see, and all this brilliant imagery and revelation, one day soon, we will see with our own eyes. You say, well, this was written 2,000 years ago and he's not come. Remember, peter with the Lord, a thousand years, like a day For all we know. It's late on Saturday night and the dawn of the eternal Sabbath is right on the horizon of the eternal Sabbath is right on the horizon. It's coming back soon. The King of kings and Lord of lords. No one, nothing, compares to him. Oh, I pray that you'll walk away from this book with a fresh vision of Christ.
Speaker 1:Dennis Johnson writes when you think of Jesus Christ, just when you think of Jesus Christ, do you see him in all the ways that Revelation's images portray him? When you think of Jesus Christ, when you think of Jesus Christ, do you see him in all the ways that Revelation's images portray him? When you think that you have hidden your sins well from others? Do you remember his eyes like flames when fear grips your heart, fear for yourself, for your family, for Christ's church? Do you fight that fear with the picture of the rider on the white horse against whom the devil's worst last weapons are impotent? When you are confused, not knowing whom to trust or which path to take, do you hear the voice of the faithful witness ringing in your ears? These words are faithful and true, and do you turn expectantly to his words to find your way? When the accuser, though disbarred from heaven, renews his prosecution against your conscience, do you stand with John in awestruck wonder, gazing at the slain lamb who poured out his blood to wash you clean and robe you in his own fine linen, bright and clean, to make you yes you God's precious treasure? Oh, see Christ in all of his glory. And then that leads right in the next exhortation See the church and all her beauty. In Revelation, the church described as his body. We are his body, with whom Christ identifies All throughout Revelation, you can't help but think of Acts, chapter 9, when Christ appears to Saul.
Speaker 1:Jesus confronts Saul on the road to Damascus, saul's persecuting Christians. And Saul says who are you? And Jesus says I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But Saul had never met Christ, he had just persecuted Christians. But that was the point. When you mess with the church, you mess with the Christ. All throughout Revelation, jesus the Christ is faithfully defending his church as his body and we're his bride.
Speaker 1:Oh, the imagery of you and me, the church, this church, men and women with sin, sick, all over this room, with sin, sick, sin, stained hearts, men and women all over this room. We have given in to the evil and the anger and the lusts and the pride of this world. But this book pictures us, you and me, standing before a holy God dressed in white, fine linen. How is that possible? This is part of the beauty of this book. Revelation is giving us a picture of the bride through the eyes of the groom, through the eyes of the gracious, merciful, loving groom who has given his life for his bride. No groom looks at his bride on their wedding day and says, ah, she looks alright. I stood at the front of a gathering of God's people on that day and when those doors opened I thought this gorgeous, beautiful, stunning woman in white is my wife.
Speaker 1:So see yourself, church, not even through your own eyes, but through the eyes of a groom who loves you and who has laid down his life for you because you are precious to him. See the church in all her beauty, christ in all his glory, the world in all its deception, and then. So then, in light of those things, then see your life in proper perspective. Don't see your life like the world sees your life. See your life like God sees your life. And when you do, you will fight against sin. You'll see sin for what it is. You'll see sin for all the devastation and damnation it brings, and you'll fight against it. You won't be playing with charts. You'll be putting away speculation. You'll be looking at your life and you're saying am I fighting against sin? Where am I giving in to the ways of this world?
Speaker 1:And Revelation is urging us resist compromise, these first century Christians who were tempted to turn away from Christ. They were tempted to compromise with worldly ways and worldly practices and worldly festivals in order to save their jobs, their families, their lives. They were tempted to compromise with the world, tempted to compromise in the church, brother and sister, in the church of Regillus. We've seen this, we've talked about this in our culture. It is so easy for us to blend in with the world in subtle, seemingly justifiable ways, to the point where our lifestyles look just like the lifestyles of our neighbors when we should not look like the world, resist, compromise and refuse. Complacency, lack of love in the church at Ephesus, lukewarm faith in the church at Laodicea, a smug self-satisfaction and self-sufficiency of a people who had waned in their want for God, and all throughout this book, god is promising blessing for the faithful.
Speaker 1:Seven different times we see beatitudes in Revelation. Blessed is the one. Blessed are those the book started in Revelation, chapter 1, verse 3, saying Blessed is the one who. Blessed are those. The book started in Revelation, chapter 1, verse 3, saying blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy. Blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. That's the way the book started. Now you look how it ends Revelation, chapter 22, verse 7. Behold, I'm coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book, keeps the words, not figures out all the mysteries. Who keeps the words? Verse 14. Blessed are those who wash their robes. Blessed are those who follow this word faithfully and at the same time, god promises blessing for the faithful.
Speaker 1:In this book, god promises judgment for those who fall away. Remember, don't forget, that this book, this book with all of its frightening, terrifying pictures of God's wrath, this book was written for the church Because there were men and women in the church in Asia Minor, in these churches who read this, heard this, there were men and women who claimed to be Christians but were wandering from Christ and denying Christ and running after the world. So God gives them these visions of wrath to warn them of impending judgment. And you think it'll all just be good news by the end here. When you get to verse 15, you see again, outside of the dogs and the sorcerers, the sexually immoral sorcerers, the sexually immoral murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. That's the theme. Everyone, including people in the church who profess to be Christians but are falsely making that profession because their lives show that they've fallen away from Christ. So this book is urging us to consider our lives, to examine our souls. 2 Corinthians 13, 5.
Speaker 1:This book is a somber, sober warning to false Christians who are faking it in the church. Evident they're falling away. God is calling them to repent and turn from sin. This is so key. We can explain every Greek phrase. We can identify every Old Testament allusion. We can trace every connection in Revelation with the rest of the Bible. We can uncover every single mystery that's here. But if we are still lured by sex and pornography and possessions and pleasures and safety and security and the comforts of this world, then we have missed the point of the book. And Revelation is warning us here and inviting us here, particularly in verse 17. See the invitation Come, come away from the world. That's what this book is urging us to do. Come to Christ. Let the one who's thirsty come, fight against sin and then, on the other hand, endure amid suffering.
Speaker 1:Revelation is written for brothers and sisters who are suffering in the first century. The world seems to be falling apart around them, church under attack, christians lose their lives and they're wondering what's going on. Doesn't God see our tears? Does God not hear our prayers? Why are our enemies prospering while we're suffering? And you and I may not be experiencing the kind of persecution from the world that they were experiencing in the first century and like many brothers and sisters that we have around the world are experiencing at this moment today, but we are familiar with suffering in all kinds of ways around this room. The cries of first century Christians in Asia Minor are echoed in thousands of ways Among the cries of Christians in 21st century America. Why cancer in me, god? Why cancer in my spouse or my child? Why is my marriage falling apart? What is happening to my son or daughter? Why did I lose my job? Why do I feel so lonely? Do you hear my prayers, god? Do you see my tears?
Speaker 1:And the book of Revelation is written to encourage us to endure amid suffering. Revelation is telling us. Don't be surprised by it. Revelation makes clear that the call to follow Christ is a call to suffering. One writer said if we close our eyes to Revelation's harshly realistic portrait of the church's life as one of suffering and martyrdom, we will be caught off guard when pain, social rejection or even violent opposition break in upon our lives. Is it our intentional deafness to Revelation's call to expect and endure suffering that leaves so many comfortable western churches and christians ill prepared to stand fast when life gets hard? Does this explain their disappointment with god when he does not deliver the tranquil life they expected and instead cause them to endure hardship, walking by faith, not by sight. Christian, don't be surprised by suffering in this world. Endure hardship, walking by faith, not by sight. Christian, don't be surprised by suffering in this world. And Revelation encourages us, don't be overcome. In it Revelation's saying you may think that things are out of control as you see this beast coming up out of the abyss to make war against you and your family and your church. But take heart, christ is in control, christ has conquered all and Christ is reigning, not just in the future, he's reigning now and he sees your tears and one day he's going to return and he's personally going to wipe those tears from your eyes and all the pains and hurts of this world will be gone and the new will come. The new will come. So overcome in the midst of suffering, knowing that Jesus is present with you.
Speaker 1:Oh, from the very beginning, chapter one, we've seen Jesus in the middle of his lampstands, his churches, this Christ you look at that list in your notes the God-man, the fulfillment of prophecy, final high priest, infinitely old, infinitely wise, purity, has no error, power knows no equal. His voice resounds with authority, face radiates with light. This conquering, lion-like lamb, righteous judge, messianic warrior, who rules the nations of the world. King of kings, lord of lords, this Christ is with you. You are not alone in a world of suffering. This Christ is with you and he possesses and protects you.
Speaker 1:Revelation just leaps off the page into the heart of a suffering Christian to say Christian, you are in the grip of God's gracious governance and nothing can happen to you apart from his good and sovereign will. You're safe from God's wrath. You're sealed by God's word. Satan can't overcome you, Suffering can't destroy you and death itself cannot stop you. Christian, you belong to God in Christ and he will keep you to the end. So trust in him. He possesses you, he protects you and he has a purpose for you.
Speaker 1:All throughout this book has been clear Christ is in control, god's sovereign over evil, sin, satan, suffering, and he's working all these things, even the worst things of this world. He's working them together for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose. Even your suffering has a purpose in God's grand, global, god-exalting story for history. So, brothers and sisters, revelation says fight against sin, endure amidst suffering and, as you do, proclaim the gospel of Christ. Say to the world come to everyone you know, to everyone you work with, to everyone you encounter. Tell them that God's grace is free and His joy is full. At the same time, tell them that God's judgment is coming and his wrath is real. You can't know the truth of Revelation and sit silently in this community. It's inconceivable to know this truth and not speak this truth to those who are lost around us. To those who are lost around us. So tell them to come. Tell them how they can be saved to know and enjoy God forever and ever and ever. Proclaim the gospel to everyone you know and to the ends of the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue and people on the planet.
Speaker 1:Oh, praise God. Even this morning I heard a report from one of our short-term teams that just got back from North Africa, a very difficult part of North Africa. I'd say specifically where it is, but it's better not to. But you would recognize this place from the news and stories from the news. But I heard this morning stories of people trusting in Christ from all sorts of backgrounds, all sorts of tribes and people groups. Praise be to God.
Speaker 1:We get to be a part of the consummation of history as we proclaim Christ. Peoples, nations and tribes trust Christ and in the process we hasten the coming of Christ. We hasten His coming. You say, what does that mean? We can hasten the return, the coming of Christ, we can bring it about. That's exactly what Peter said. Peter said the reason Christ has not yet come back is why? Because God desires more people to reach repentance. 2 Peter, 3, 9.
Speaker 1:Then, three verses later, in verse 12, he said so hasten the coming of the day of God. Usher it in Now. Think about it. If Jesus has taught us to pray and plead, your kingdom come. And if Jesus has promised to come when the gospel is proclaimed among every nation, tribe, people and tongue, that we don't just sit back and wait for him to return. We give our lives working for his return. It's why we're here, it's why we have breath in this world. So if the cry of our hearts is going to be Revelation 22, 20, come, lord Jesus. We hope you've enjoyed this week's episode of Radical with David Platt. For more resources from David Platt, we invite you to visit radicalnet.