Peter Barnes: Revelation 22:17-21
(29 July 2018)
SERMON NOTES : COME! (Revelation 22:17-21)
G. K. Chesterton: ‘though St John the Evangelist saw many strange monsters in his vision, he saw no creature so wild as one of his own commentators’! No doubt, Revelation has attracted its fair share of oddballs, but it is a gospel book.
1. All are freely invited to come to Christ.
– 22:17. Who says ‘Come’?
(a) First, the Spirit of God says ‘Come’. This is the divine call – 1 Thess.1:4-5.
(b) Second, the bride also says ‘Come’. All those who know the Bridegroom in a saving way want others to know the Bridegroom. This is the testimony of the whole Church down through the ages.
(c) Third, ordinary Christians who hear the invitation to ‘Come’ in turn say ‘Come’ to others. Come to the One who calls you to come – Matt.11:28.
– Who drinks of the water of life? The one who is spiritually thirsty – John 4:10-15. She knows what it is to be physically thirsty, but at this stage she misunderstands what Jesus is saying. She will understand later. Rev. 22:21 – the whole Bible ends with grace.
2. To come to Christ is to believe the sufficient Word of God.
– ‘To come’ means ‘to believe’ – John 6:37, 40. It is to believe the Word of God. This testimony is both true and complete – Rev. 22:18-19. See Deut.4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:5-6.
– Mark 7:6-13. Liberals, Mormons, Roman Catholics.
3. Christ is coming soon!
– 22:20. This life is a passing mist – Psalm 103:15; James 4:14.
– As the early Church document, the Didache, says: ‘Let grace come and this world pass away.’