Title: 31 The End of Time Series: The Story Pastor Chad Billington November 20, 2016 PM Service Smythe Street Cathedral 2016
As I come up, play sermon introduction video for this week. Announcement: After the message tonight, Pastor Verner wants to share some thoughts with those of you who a part of our church family. So after the message and a greeting time, if this is your church family here, we would ask that you hang back for a few minutes. Last Weeks The Church & The Life of Paul Since In the past three weeks we have been looking at the birth of the church on Pentecost and the life of Paul. We read about the coming of the Holy Spirit, God giving the gift of tongues, with Jesus followers speaking the glory of God in languages to Jews from around the known world of the time. The good news about Jesus begins to spread. We then hear of the conversion of Saul, who gets later called Paul. He goes from violently opposing the Way of Jesus, to becoming its most empassioned defender. He turns from being a member of the Pharisees to becoming the apostle of the Gentiles. He then begins his travels throughout the Roman empire, eventually ending up in Rome, proclaiming the good news of Jesus to the nations (the Greek word that we translate Gentiles). This Week This week is unlike any other week of the Story. Up until this point, every part of the story for us has happened in the past. 31 The End of Time 2016 - Page 2 THE STORY
Creation happened already. Exodus happened already Establishment of Israel The reign of David The Exile The return and rebuilding the wall The life of Jesus the coming of the Spirit Paul s missionary journeys all happened already. But tonight we talk about the future As humans we are always interested in the future. People look to the stars to tell their destiny They go to people with powers to try to divine their future TV stations hire pundits to predict the outcome of elections ;) We know how these are unreliable sources of information. So why would we trust what we find in the book at the end of the book about the future? We should remember, the Bible wasn t always a book in the past. God s promise to Abraham to build a nation (after being in Egypt) was set in the future God s promise to establish David s throne, and prophecies about Jesus were set in the future God s promise to judge Israel, and to bring them back, was set in the future. Jesus promise of the Spirit, was set in the future. All these things and more were foretold, and today are things we accept as being in the past. God in the past has proven himself about the future. The Book of Revelation It is not the only book of the Bible that alludes to the end, but it is the finale of 31 The End of Time 2016 - Page 3 THE STORY
Scripture, the last book that talks about the last things. Key Thoughts on the End Worship Revelation 4:8 (NIV) 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. Revelation 5:9 13 (NIV) 9 And they sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever! 31 The End of Time 2016 - Page 4 THE STORY
Worship is at the heart of heaven. We read of how there is worship, there is joy in the presence of God throughout the Scriptures, we find similar visions in Daniel, and in Isaiah. There is a difference here though. Every creature is found. And the fulfilment of Jesus prophecy that the gospel would be proclaimed to every nation. Matthew 24:14 (NIV) 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 28:19 20 (NIV) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. This is why we send people to serve in countries across the world, we send workers to share the good news of Jesus in countries where it is not welcomed, because the gospel will know no borders, it will know no barriers, it will not stop it will continue. Justice Reigns Supreme Revelation 20:11 12 (NIV) 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. God puts things right. In the passages surrounding this we read that Satan and his demons, and death are thrown in the fire. God puts things right. While we shudder at the thought of separation from God, especially when we look at the world so vast and yet so close and personally, we 31 The End of Time 2016 - Page 5 THE STORY
also long for justice and right to prevail. Trusting in the most gracious judge, we look to him to make all things good. God Restores and More When we began the story, we began with Adam and Eve in the Garden. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day Genesis 3:8 (NIV) Then sin entered the picture. And as we said in the beginning, the rest of the Bible is about God s pursuit to get us back. God does get us back. Revelation 21:1 5 (NIV) 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Look! God s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. 5 He who was seated on the throne said, I am making everything new! Then he said, Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. God brings us together in the Holy City. What begins as a man and a woman in the garden ends up as the holy city. A City is a place where people are gathered together. God gathers the nations, 31 The End of Time 2016 - Page 6 THE STORY
God gathers his people. He doesn t just take us back, as it says in Revelation 21:5 I am making everything new. Life is Restored Revelation 22:1 2 (NIV) 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. We come full circle from the garden. No longer is there the tree of decision, for the decisions have been made, now it is the season of life in God s presence. This is our promise A reminder, this is written to churches at the start of the book. Churches that were dealing with hurt, persecution, who had not tasted all the book promised. But these were their promises. In the same way, we can make these our promises when thigns are not right, hurts are not healed, and protection doesn t seem to come. These are the promises for those who overcome. 31 The End of Time 2016 - Page 7 THE STORY
Discussion Questions for your Circle: How have you read Revelation in the past? Did it give you hope? Make you nervous? Read Revelation 21. What stands out to you about this climatic chapter. Read 22:17. This ending of Revelation is the cry of the church and all asking for Jesus to return. When you think of Jesus return, does it make you yearn for its coming? Why do you think sometimes it doesn t make believers feel that way? 31 The End of Time 2016 - Page 8 THE STORY