With your Bibles this morning, please turn to Revelation 22.
In Revelation 22, we see here the conclusion of the book of Revelation. We are going to focus on verse 14-21—the very last verses of the last book of the Bible. I remember growing up reading these verses in church. They were always easy to find!
John has just spent 21 chapters explaining: The seven churches, the rapture; then, the seven year tribulation; the return of Christ; the millennium of Christ’s rule; and the great throne of judgment.
And John, steps back, and takes a look at the entire prophecy that he has just written, and then sums it all up be what the angel tells him at the end of the prophecy.
John presents three final statements summarizing the message. Three statements that are as important today as they were then. These are statements that do not hold specifically to the book of Revelation, but hold to how we read the Bible and how we live our lives.
These statements are regarding the destination of our soul, the importance of Scripture, and the return of Christ.
1. First of all, let us look at the Destination of Your Soul in verse 14 through 17. Look with me at Revelation 22:14;
[14] Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. [15] Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
[16] “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
[17] The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” (Revelation 22:14-17 ESV)
The Bible gives us a choice, the choice between the blessing or the curse. We see here in verse 14 and 15, the choice for blessing are provided by Christ alone.
Verse 14 says blessed are those who wash their robes, so they can enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life.
We see here that the Bible says blessed or happy, extremely happy, happy are those who have washed their robes.
But, how do we wash our robes?
Revelation 7:14 says, we wash them in the blood of Christ.
First, to be clean, we must understand that our clothes are dirty. They’re dirty with sin. Sin is anything that we think, anything we say, or anything we do that makes God unhappy.
Sin separates us from God. The Bible says and Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. We have all sinned we have all make God unhappy.
What is the result of this sin? Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. And that death is the eternal separation from God. This is because God hates sin, and will have nothing to do with sin.
So we must have a robes clean. Clean before we approach a holy God. Someone must pay that penalty. Jesus paid that penalty for us.
He died on the cross for our sin…my sin…your sin. And by accepting this payment we can have eternal life. With his blood shed on the cross, he washes our sin away. He washes it clean-white as snow.
Are you clean before God? Have you accepted this payment for your sin? You can do that today you can ask Jesus to take away your sin and have eternal life.
The Bible says that Jesus came that we might have life abundantly. Abundant life today, and forever more. All we do is turn from our sin and follow Christ.
This is how we wash our robes.
And what are the blessings for those who wash their robes. They can enter through the gates of the city, the city of heaven, the city of God and live eternally with God.
And we can eat the fruit from the tree of life. The tree of life is what began it all, it was a tree of life that God forbade Adam and Eve to eat from. Genesis 3:6 reads, “the fruit looks so fresh and delicious and would make her so wise!”
This was the fruit of good and evil. Those who wash their robes in the blood of Christ will be able to eat the forbidden fruit. These are the blessings of those who wash their robes.
But, what happens to those who do not wash their robes?
Revelation 22 verse 15 says
outside the city are the dogs…
outside are the sorcerers…
outside are the sexually immoral…
outside are the murderers…
outside are the idol worshippers…
and outside are all who love to live a lie…
They are separated from God, the King James Version says that they are without.
They are without the blessing. They are eternally separated from God.
Matthew 13:40 reads from the word of Jesus,
[40] Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. [41] The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, [42] and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:40-42 ESV)
This is what is like on the outside. Jesus is very clear about the outside. Hell is a real place. It is a place that has been described more specifically than even heaven. The Bible is very clear that hell awaits those who reject Christ.
Those who reject Christ are outside!
But those who accept Christ-have their robes clean. And they are blessed. And they can enter through the gates of the city. And they can eat from the tree of life. And they can live eternally with the father.
But these are unbelievable things!! In a society that rejects absolute and moral truth, how can I make these statements? I make them, as I have shown, because Jesus makes them.
And the question for you today is will you accept Jesus. Will choose today to be “will your robes be washed” or will you continue to live on the outside?
Today is a day to make this decision. Throughout life, we get these chances to respond to Gods call. I don’t know how many we get—this may be your last one. Today is the day to make this decision.
2. So we see, as John writes his final statements in the book of Revelation, he speaks of the destination of our soul, then he turns to the importance of Scripture.
God takes his word and very seriously. And a writer of the letter, has an awareness that he is writing Scripture.
We see this also and book of John , chapter 20, verse 31 “ But these are written so that they you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God, and that by believing in Him you will have life.” John knows that there is something special about his story!
Scripture is important to everything we believe to be true and our hope is based on the holy word of God.
Verse 18 and 19
[18] I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, [19] and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (Revelation 22:18-19 ESV)
Although specific to the prophecy called revelation–this verse shows the importance that God places on Scripture.
We the similar passages of
Deuteronomy 4:2
[2] You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2 ESV)
God takes his Scripture very seriously. We see in Deuteronomy that there is a warning not to add or take away. We see in Revelation, God says once again do not add or subtract from Scripture.
Further, we see that it is not just important to keep the Scripture intact, but to keep it close to our hearts. We see this in Deuteronomy 17:19, which reads;
[19] And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, (Deuteronomy 17:19 ESV)
Isaiah says in chapter 34 verse sixteen, that He will not miss a single detail. Not one of these birds and animals will be missing, and none will lack a mate, for the LORD has promised this. His Spirit will make it all come true.”
And Jesus as well said in Matthew 5:17-18, that even the smallest detail of God’s law will remain until its purpose is achieved.
We see here that the Bible is very important to God.
And Revelation 22 is an example of this. This great importance of scripture, is great enough that it is the last command of the Bible.
The command of keeping the scriptures sacred, and keeping the scriptures from being altered in any way.
We are all aware that we live in a society and a culture that hates the word of God. This is no surprise.
The Bible in the King James Version says in I Corinthians 1:18: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God!”
And in 2 Corinthians chapter 3:15 we see that they have a veil over their eyes-that prevents them from knowing and understanding the word of God.
This gives us more of an opportunity not to compromise. They don’t understand anyway. So why alter the things of God to accommodate a sinful world.
We are to stand. We are to stand on the word of God.
Yes, we are to stand with love. Love, the world understands–but at the end of the day, we are to still stand.
John concludes this message with the destination of our soul, but he does stop there. He also lifts up the importance of Scripture. But, then he concludes everything he has said with the most glorious words to a Christians ears that Jesus is coming soon!
Christ is returning one day. He is coming back to take his own. Are you one of his own today?
At the end of this book, we see that nothing else really matters except that Jesus is coming quickly. Jesus says in Verse 20 says; “yes, I am coming soon!”
The imagery here brings to mind Moses preparing to enter the Promised Land.
From the first chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses addresses the Israelite people. He is bringing a word from the Lord in verse six “you have stayed at this mountain long enough. It is time to break camp and move on.”
Then in verse eight, “I am giving all this land to you! Go in and occupy it.”
And Jesus says the same thing to us! It is time for us to get off this mountain! Meet Jesus in the air! And occupy that promise land! He is coming soon.
Jesus says “behold I prepare a place for you”. And he’s coming soon.
What’s it going to be like when Jesus comes again?
Jesus describes it in Matthew 24:30-31:
He says:
[30] Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. [31] And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:30-31 ESV)
What a day of rejoicing that will be! And that my friend is hope beyond measure.
Will you be ready when that trumpet sounds? What if it would happen tomorrow? What if it would happen today?
Are your robes washed in the blood of Jesus?
Or are you standing outside the gate?
You can make stand on the inside today. You can make that decision—today. Right here, right now.
And it is a decision. Whether you will reject the sacrifice that Christ made in your place, or that you’ll accept him into your life.
We are all sinners. We are all condemned to die.
Jesus died on a cross to pay for that penalty.
We have a choice to accept or reject that payment.
And I ask, and plead, that you will accept.
You can do that this morning. You can ask Jesus into your heart where you sit. But Jesus asks that we declare him publicly. And you can do that this morning as well.
There will be a couple of Chaplains at that will stand here at the front to hear of your decision. And we look forward to hearing about your decision.
You may wish to recommit your life to Christ. You can do that.
You may wish to have a prayer that you want to pray with a Chaplain about. You can do that as well.
Now is the time to get your life right with God. You come.
—–
This sermon was preached on 24MAY15 at Crossroads Chapel, Sage Hall, Fort Bliss, TX