The Christian Response to Christ's Return, Part 2

Revelation 2 is where we are. Revelation twenty-two We have spent Many weeks looking at the return of Jesus Christ our Lord and the events surrounding his return. And tonight we want to pick up from where we left off last week about what is our response in light. that return? What does the Bible say we should be doing? Because Jesus Christ is coming again. And so we are looking at our response to that. And there are three basic principles we want you to understand. We started with the first one last week, and that is that we need to submit totally to the commands of God.

Nothing has to happen for Him to. return. No event has to take place for Christ to come back again. Everything has happened just as he has designed it to happen. He can come back at any moment. Because we believe that, because we live in light of his return, it affects The way we live. And so we saw the reassurance last week. About the fact that he's coming again. And because he's coming again, then we are to submit totally to his words and obey everything he says. And the reaction of John was that.

He fell down at the feet of the angel, and the rebuke came from that angel. Don't do that, John. Don't fall down. Don't worship me, John. Don't do that. But John was was. Overwhelmed by what he saw. He was overwhelmed by what he heard. And all he could do was fall down. And the angel said, Don't do that. But instead, here's a requirement, John. Worship God. Worship God. And the highest mark of submission is to live a life worshiping and honoring and glorifying our God. And I believe without a shadow of a doubt that the book of Revelation is the key book in the Bible to help us get a vision of worship.

To help us understand what it means to bow before our God and honor Him and glorify His name, especially when everything on the world is so bad, and which it will be during the time of Revelation. That the worshiper is the one that God seeks. Isn that true what Romans 1 says in verse number 25? For they exchange the truth of God for a lie. And worship and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever. God wants true worship. God wants people to worship Him. Therefore, there needs to be a converted heart.

The heart needs to be transformed. The heart needs to be revolutionized. For without true conversion, there is no worship. Number two, there needs to be a cont he.

Over in Psalm 51, verse Number 17, David said it well, the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart. O God, thou wilt not despise. Over in Isaiah 57, verse number 15, For thus says the high and exalted one, lives forever. Whose name is holy, I dwell in a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. There needs to be a converted heart. There needs to be a contrite heart.

There needs to be a clean heart. Psalmist said in Psalm 51. Verse number 17, excuse me. Verse number 10, these words: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast sp. Within me, a steadfast spirit. John said it well: if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 59, 1 and 2, talks about how our sins separate us from our God. So He does not hear us. If we're going to be true worship, we've got to have a clean heart.

We've got to go to God and confess our sins. It was Tozer who said, No worship is wholly pleasing to God until there is nothing in me displeasing to God. Isn't that good? Is there something in you tonight that's displeasing to God? Then you're not going to be able to worship Him as He needs to be worship. There needs to be a converted heart, a contrite heart, a clean heart. There also needs to be a concentrated heart. concentrated heart. The psalmist said in Psalm 86 verse number 11 these words teach me thy way O Lord.

I will walk in thy truth. Unite my heart to fear thy name. Fear thy name is a euphemism for worship God. I want to worship you, Lord, but in order for me to do that, my heart needs to be united. The psalmist Confessed that there was a division in his heart. There were distractions in his heart. And therefore, because of that division, he was unable to worship God as he needed to be worshipped. Read the book of Revelation, Revelation 4, Revelation 5, those four living creatures. The twenty-four elders, the angels in heaven, have a concentrated heart, completely focused on God.

There is no division in the heart. You know why we have a hard time worship God? Because our hearts are divided. And what did Christ say in Matthew chapter 6? You can't love money and love God too. You can't love the things of the world and love God too. Why? Because you're divided between two masters. That's why. You can only serve one master. You can only serve one God. I want to be that God you serve. You must have a concentrated heart. Our minds are so cluttered with the media. Our minds are so distracted that we can't even begin to concentrate on God long enough to worship Him, give Him glory and praise.

His name. And fifth, there needs to be a constant heart. A constant heart. Psalm fifty-se, verse number seven. Says this, my heart is steadfast, O God. My heart is steadfast. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises. Awake, my glory, awake, harp and leer. I will awaken the dawn. I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the peoples. I will sing praises to Thee among the nations. For thy loving kind is great to the heavens, and thy truth to the clouds. Be exalted above the heavens, O God. Let thy glory be above all the earth.

A constant heart. That is a fixed. Heart, an established heart, an unchangeable heart, a heart that is firmly attached to something. The reason we have a hard time concentrating on God is because our hearts aren't constant. They are not fixed on God. They are not attached solely to God. They are attached to some other thing that takes us away from our sole object of affection. The psalmist said, My heart's steadfast. It's established. It's firmly fixed on God. I am attached to God. If the center portion of our life is attached, everything around that comes into play.

But if it's unattached, It'll wander around, and everything else in our lives will begin to flourish, or flounder as well, and not flourish. And God wants your life to flourish for Him. You need to have a constant heart. And lastly, you need to have a compliant heart, a compliant heart. Psalm 39, or 139, verse number 23, the psalmist said, Search me, O God, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me. In the way everlasting. Psalm wanted God to search his heart. He wanted to submit to whatever God saw that was wrong and say, God, okay, you changed that.

You deal with that. See, that's a true worshiper. Why? He wants to please God. Lord, if there's something in me that's displeasing to you, show me what it is and I'll change it. I'll deal with that, Lord. Because I want to please you. I want to honor you. That's the compliant heart. How many times have we sung the hymn, Have Thine Own Way, Lord, have thine own way? Thou art the potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still. Have thine own way, Lord.

Have thine own way. Search me and try me, Master today. Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now, as in thy presence humbly I bow. That's the compliant heart. Have thine own way, Lord. Have thine own way. Wounded and weary, help me, I pray. Power, all power, surely is thine. Touch me and heal me, Savior divine. Have thine own way, Lord. Have thine own way. Hold o'er my being absolute sway. Fill with thy spirit. So all shall see Christ only always living in me. Isn't that a great hymn? That's the compliant heart.

Lord, you just have your way with me. Just do whatever you want with me. Isn't that great? That's the kind of heart you need to have. So the angel says, John, worship God. Submit totally to Him. Just bow before Him and read through the book of Revelation. And what do you see in Revelation 4 and Revelation 5? Four living creatures bowing down. The 24 elders bowing down. Totally compliant. Totally submissive to the will of God. See, well, Pastor, that's heaven. Of course, everybody's going to submit to God in heaven.

Everything's perfect in heaven. Yeah, but Matthew 6:10 says, what? Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is where? In heaven. See, a true worshiper wants to do here what everybody's doing up there. Bowing down in submission to the God of the universe and glorifying His wonderful name. Submit totally. That's the number one Christian response to Christ's return.

Number two, speak truthfully. Speak truthfully. It says in verse number 10, this is where we left off last week. And he said to me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book. For the time is near. Let the one who does wrong still do wrong, and let the one who is filthy still be filthy. Let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness, and let the one who is holy still keep him holy. The second response of the Christian to cross-re is to speak truthfully.

I want you to look at two things with me. Number one, the requisition, and number two, the result. First of all, the requisition.

Listen to what the angel says. Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book. John, listen to me. You can't seal them up. Why? People got to know about them. You got to write them down. You got to proclaim them loudly. Why? Because God is looking for true worship. And if you don't tell them the truth, They won't be able to worship in spirit and in truth. So, John, make sure you speak truthfully. Different than what God told Daniel back in Daniel chapter 8. Verse number 26 in Daniel 12, verses 4 to 10, he said, Seal up the words that are in the book.

But not here. Here, don't seal them up. People need to hear the truth. Why? Because these words are words of blessing. The man who hears his words and receives his words and does his words is a blessed man and God wants people blessed. So therefore speak truthfully the wor of God. There 's no hidden secrets here. There 's clarity here, John. What you wrote to the seven churches needs to be heard. Listen, if we don't preach the words of Revelation, we sin against God. If preachers don't preach the book of Revelation, they sin against God because he wants the truth made known about who he is.

Listen, the Gospels are great. The Gospels are great. Tell us about the person and work of Jesus Christ our Lord. Ah, what a tremendous, tremendous opportunity we had to read the Gospels. The epistles, they give us the theology of his words and work. And they are incredible words of God. But the book of Revelation, Exalts the one more so than any other book of the Bible, Jesus Christ our Lord. And people need to know how to exalt him. Do you want to know why people don't exalt Christ and magnify his name and glorify his name and know how to worship him?

It's because we don't preach the book of Revel. It 's because we don't teach the book of Revelation. It 's because we don't. Hold people into a hold them accountable to the book of Revelation. It's about Jesus Christ, our L. The Bible says in Acts 20, verse number 27, that we are to preach the whole counsel of God.

People need to know that Christ is coming back. They need to know that He's going to return. Therefore, we need to tell them about the events surrounding His return. And if he doesn't come back tonight, we need to preach it more vehemently tomorrow, because that means we're closer to his return tomorrow than we were tonight. And if he doesn't come back before Sunday, next week, we've got to preach it more vehemently the following week because we are closer to his return than we were this week. You see that?

Don't seal up the words, John. Don't hide them. Don't conceal them. Reveal them. Get them out. People need to know the truth. You to tell them about Jesus Christ, our Lord. That's the requisition. Here's the result. It's quite staggering. It says, the time is near, John. Whenever you see the word near, just substitute the word next. The time is next. This is next on the agenda, John. What you saw, what you heard, it's coming, John. It's next. Don't seal it up. Here's the result. Let the one who does wrong still do wrong.

And let the one who is filthy still be filthy. And let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness, and let the one who is holy still keep him. Holy. What that verse tells you? It tells you what the result will be to those who speak the words of truth. It tells you that as you speak forth the book of Revelation, as you don't seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, people will respond one or two ways. They will repent from their sin. Or they will reject the words of this book. Those who reject the words of this book will remain filthy.

Not only in this life, but in the life to come. Those who accept the words of this book and repent of their sin will become righteous and holy, and thus will be righteous and holy in the life. Hereafter. Give your life to Christ. Don't harden your heart. Don't turn away from Him. Submit totally to him. Speak truthfully about him. And lastly, ser tenaciously. Serve tenaciously. That's your response to the return of Christ. Verse number 12. Behold, I am coming quickly. Stand amazed. Be alert. Be on the guard.

Believe this: I am com quickly. And my reward is with me to render to every man according to what he has done. Serve tenaciously. You know, we get so caught up in the trivial, don't we? You know, we watch lots of television, you know, we watch lots of movies, we read lots of novels, we do all this trivial stuff. But the things that are important to God, ah, that's what we need to be engaged in. Can I give you some of those? It's point number three.

Our responsibility revealed. If you're going to serve tenaciously, let me give you 12 of them real quick.

Number one, repent of your sins. Repent of your sins. Because Christ is coming back again. Repent of your sins. It says over in Acts 17, verse number 30: Therefore, Having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness. Through a man whom he has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead. Jesus Christ is coming again. Because he's coming again, repent from your sins.

That's where it begins, right? Sure it is. Number two told you to be fast. Reflect on his purity. Reflect his purity. Reflect his life. This is how Peter said it, Second Peter chapter 3.

Verse number 10. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people are you to be? In conduct and godliness, looking forward and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning and the elements will melt with intense heat. But according to his promise, we are looking for new heavens and a new earth in which we Righteousness dwells, therefore, bel, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless.

Reflect His purity. Number three, remember the Lord's table. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, What do you do? You proclaim the Lord's death until when? Until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:2. Until he comes, what do we do? We remember the Lord's table. We partake together in what is called the Eucharist, the giving of thanks. For what? The giving of thanks that he saved our souls and that one day we're going to be with him forever. Remember the Lord's table number four. Resolve to a life of prayer.

You want to serve God tenaciously? Pray fervently. How do we know that? Philippians chapter 4, verse number 5. Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is next. He's coming. Verse 6, be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be known to God. Because Christ is coming again. Pray. Pray. Resolve to pray. Number five, rem steadfast. Remain steadfast. James chapter 5 verse number 7 be patient therefore brethren until the coming of the Lord Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it until it gets to the early and late rains.

You too be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged. Behold, the judge is standing right at. The door. His return is so soon. Be patient with one another. Don't complain about your brother. Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:5. Because he's coming again. Remain steadfast. Sixth, rec to ministry. You want to serve tenaciously? Re To ministry.

2 Timothy chapter 4, verse number 1. Paul says to young Timothy, I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead. And by his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

But you be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. Jesus is coming. Recommit ministry. Number seven, res the per. Rescue the parish. It says in that little book, Jude, right before Revelation. Words number 21. Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. Waiting anxiously for His return. And have mercy on some who are doubting, save others, snatching them out of the fire. That's good.

What a descriptive phrase. We've looked at the fire and brimstone, the lake of fire in the book of Revelation, and you can literally snatch a person's soul out of the fire. Rescue the perishing. Care for the dying. Oh, it's Jesus who needs to be preached. You want to serve tenaciously? Rescue the perishing. Recommit to ministry. Remain steadfast. Resolve to a life of prayer. Number eight, refuse to neglect ch. Refuse to neglect church. Number nine, revive the brokenhearted. Revive the brokenhearted.

Number ten, renew your relationships with one another. Number 11, radiate your citizenship. Radiate your citizenship. Serve God tenaciously. Hebrews 13:1 says, For we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. Radiate your citizenship, let everybody know. That you're a citizen of another country. In times of war, like we're facing in America today, we want everybody to know we're Americans. Man, we got flags on our cars. I a flag on my car, man. I flattered that baby going down the highway.

Now people know I American. I'm proud to be an American. I got a flag in my office. Now people know I'm an American citizen. More than that, I want to radiate my citizenship in heaven, in glory. I am a citizen of heaven, and that's of utmost importance. And last, number twelve, rest in the cross of Christ. Rest in the cross of Christ. His first coming produced salvation for man.

His second coming will complete Complete your salvation with your return to Him and being with Him forever.

That's your responsibility and light. Of his return. I trust that you'll fulfill that. Let's pray. Thank you for joining us today. If this broadcast has been a blessing to you, would you take a moment right now to drop us a line? You know it's only through the encouragement of your faithful donations that we're able to bring these broadcasts to you. Because Living Word is an edited version of Pastor Lance's sermons, be sure to get the complete fifty-minute message by calling us today. Our phone number is 626-9-4.

Christ Community Church is located at 14 West Puente Avenue. That's on the corner of Sunset and Puent Avenues in the city of West Covina. Our Sunday morning services are at 9 and 10. 4 a.m. We'd love to have you visit our church. We especially want to invite you on Wednesday evenings at 6:4. While children are learning God's Word in our Aw program, Pastor Lance is teaching a series entitled God's Hope for Your Home. Be sure to join us each Sunday at this time as Pastor Lance brings a message from God's Word that will enable you to grow and glorify Him.

We than the n of the name of Jesus, hold the name of the name. The name of Jesus is worth of the name and wor of our God. And worth of power and your p.