Strong and Spirited Perseverance Until Christ Comes

Revelation 22:6-21

We’ve gone through the book of Revelation. We’ve taken apart John’s vision of judgments on the unbelieving world and the ultimate salvation into heaven of every true believer. It’s taken us 34 sermons. But remember, this vision was revealed to John on only one Lord’s Day. He was in the Spirit when he saw them. And these visions were meant to challenge and comfort the churches then and now. If you’re a Christian, resist the devil and the world. Yes, it’s tough. But struggle to believe to the end - you’ll be with him in paradise. Challenge and comfort. Why? Because Christ is coming. Verse 6 - “And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.” These sayings - all that was prophesied, all visions - all faithful and true. Reliable. They’ll come to pass. These words “faithful and true” were also used to describe Christ. He’s faithful and true. We shouldn’t doubt the source. After all, he’s the God of the holy prophets. Therefore, his words are faithful and true. We shouldn’t doubt the content. And neither should we doubt the transmission. It was through his angel to his servants. And it’s not singularly referring to John, but plural, to the angels or pastors of the seven churches, representing all churches. These words are to us. These words are to me to preach to you. Why? So we can persevere in our faith, in the midst of Babylon and her temptations. It’s to encourage us toward a strong and spirited perseverance until Christ comes. We come to the conclusion today. And we’ll examine it in 3 points - firstly, perseverance is paramount because of Christ’s imminency; secondly, perseverance is difficult because of our idolatry; and thirdly, perseverance is strengthened because of Christ’s supremacy.

Firstly, perseverance is paramount because of Christ’s imminency. We see in verse 7 these words - “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” And here we see Christ’s imminency. Why should you keep the prophecy? Because I am coming quickly. Meaning, our perseverance in our faith, holiness, doctrine; our perseverance in rejecting the world, sin, and deceptiveness of Babylon is because Christ is coming soon. Notice how many times Jesus says he’s coming. Verse 7 - behold, I come quickly. Verse 12 - and, behold, I come quickly. Verse 20 - surely I come quickly. So, what’s Jesus saying? He’s coming quickly. He says it 3 times. He’s emphasizing his imminence. And why should we be surprised? He’s always been saying it. He said the Son of Man will come with his angels in glory and will reward each man according to what he’s done. He said to the High Priest - you’ll see the me seated at God’s right hand and coming in the clouds. He said he was going away to prepare a place for his disciples and he’d bring them there. In Acts, the angel told the disciples he’d return the same way he went up. The epistles say the Day of the Lord is near. It’ll come like a thief in the night. It’s our blessed hope. He’ll appear a second time to save us. And he’s coming with an army of angels. He’s coming soon. But to be sure, imminence doesn’t mean immediate. It’s like riding in a car with children - “are we there yet?” “Yes, soon.” But their soon is not our soon, which is why they keep asking - “are we there yet? But you said soon.” His coming is soon. His soon is not our soon - but it’s soon. Brethren, we focus on life here, living our lives, going to church every week - all good. But Christ is coming soon. All we do must help us to persevere in holiness. So our faith and hope in his coming must never be intellectual but moral - we must grow in holiness.

Which is why we must persevere. “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” Perseverance in obedience brings blessings. We’re to keep the sayings of the book. They’ve told us to be over-comers. You see, in every age, the church will experience a battle. We’re living in Babylon; headed for Jerusalem. We’re marked by his name. But those marked by the beast will battle against us. And the false prophet tries to deceive us - money is good, success is better, what’s wrong with illicit relationships, just eat the fruit la! You’ll be happy. But we’re urged to be over-comers. We’ve been shown heaven, so we’d persevere and be loyal to Christ. The verb “keepeth” is in the presence tense. Blessed is the one who continues to keep, resist, hold fast, believe, repent, be faithful. Yes, we’ll struggle. But we must struggle. We must never give in to the world. And what’s the result of perseverance? Blessings! The full and final experience of salvation - to eat from the tree of life in the New Jerusalem. Once truly saved, always saved. Yes. But once truly saved, we’ll persevere to the end. It’s not once saved, I’ll get there by my right confession and right doctrine. Your salvation is seen in your right living. And it’s not a “I’ll get right someday.” No! What we believe determines how we behave. Right belief leads to right living now. Jesus said I’m coming quickly - so live rightly now. We can’t say we’ll live rightly someday. The blessing comes on those who keep the sayings now. That’s a mark of your salvation. Because if we don’t keep now, when will we keep? And if he comes before we keep, that blessing is not ours. Depart from me, I never knew you. Right belief shows itself in right behavior. You can’t say - I’ll get serious one day, I’ll change things one day - you may not have the chance. Today is the day of salvation! Let your perseverance be strong and spirited. Jesus calls us to immediate perseverance because he’s coming soon. It’s urgent. Even in verse 12 - I’m coming quickly to reward everyman’s work.

So yes, we’re lovingly pressured to persevere in obedience. Blessed is the one who keeps the sayings. In what way are you giving into the harlot, beast, and false prophet? You still want to wait? Wait for what? Wait for the feeling to get right with the Lord? Wait for things to change before you walk aright? Wait for some magic sign or some prophetic word? Wait! You have the prophetic word before you! Blessed is the one that keepeth the sayings in this book. This is a matter of salvation. You repent, you overcome, you persevere in the gospel - it shows you belong to Christ - and when he comes, you will have that ultimate blessing. Children and young people; your duty before the Lord is to believe and to live out your faith. You want to live like the world? Maybe you’re part of the world. But you don’t have to be - Babylon destroys you - but Zion loves you. The devil hates you and desires to sift you as wheat, but Christ strengthens you - how? Through the words of this prophecy. Persevere. It’s paramount. There are those who struggle - we all do. There are besetting sins. But find Christian help before it’s too late. Why? Because you will give into your sins and the world.

But secondly, we must know that perseverance is difficult because of our idolatry. As we read here, John himself is not spared. All of us - even as believers - have a common struggle with idolatry. In verse 8 we see John doing something unthinkable - “And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.” How could John do this? And it’s not the first time! In Revelation 19:10, he also bowed before an angel and was told not to do it. The Angel was a fellow servant. Same words in verse 9. So why did he do it? Yes, he’s just seen the entire revelation of vision after vision - of judgment and heaven. Then he hears Christ’s words that he’s coming - you can imagine the emotions - it’s quickly! And he bowed down to worship. He’s overwhelmed. But it’s still sinful - this angel wasn’t God, but a fellow servant. So why did John bow? It showed that even he struggled with the major struggle of those days. The Christians struggled with idolatry. Out of fear, they’d worship the image of the emperor. So they could live, buy and sell to survive. It was just offering a bit of incense - that’s all it was. But it was idolatry to say “Caesar is Lord.” And we also struggle. We’re fearful - working for our bosses like the Israelites for the Egyptians. We’re envious - wanting what we can’t have like Achan. We’re lustful - having illicit sex like David. We covet a good reputation - but serve for honor like Ananias and Sapphira and not for Christ. We can even have a right confession but not right faith - like Judas Iscariot. In all of these things we’re covetous and idolatrous - serving ourselves and other gods. And like John who served the angel who delivered the Word, in our circles we can worship theologians correct? And that’s how we shipwreck our faith. John was vulnerable. How much more we? So the angel said - worship God. Worship God. Who are you worshiping today? Idolatry is common. Even the Israelites saved out of Egypt, worshiped the golden calf; calling it the god that redeemed them from Egypt. We all have idols. And we must identify them so that we can persevere in forsaking them. The saved of Christ will forsake their idols. The ones who aren’t saved will serve their idols.

Here,we see the result of and the rescue from idolatry. In verses 10-11, the angel tells John not to seal the sayings. The time is at hand. “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Now, what does this mean? Sounds terrible. Now, when Daniel wrote his prophecy - he had many of the same visions John had - but he was told to shut the book. Why? Because the visions weren’t relevant yet. It would be future. But for John, the book wasn’t to be sealed, because the visions would come to pass. Don’t seal them - make them known. That final judgment is coming. So this prophecy affects us now. Christ is coming. He’s told us his will. He’s given warnings; shown us the deceit of the world system, and how it lures us to find satisfaction in her. But he’s revealed what heaven is like - a place of absolute satisfaction for work, worship, and relationships forever. So if after all these sayings, if they won’t keep them, won’t abandon their idolatry, then they’re unrighteous. They’ll continue in their unrighteousness. If they’re filthy, even after hearing everything, they’d continue to be filthy. The result of idolatry and impenitence is more idolatry. By their fruits ye shall know them. But those who are just and abandon their idolatry will persevere in righteousness. Those who are holy will prove their escape from idolatry through their holiness. Your right belief will lead to right behavior.

And verse 12 says how he comes quickly to give rewards. Those who are holy and saved, who trust and believe and show their hatred of the world system will be rewarded with life eternal promised at their salvation. Verse 14 says, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Dearly beloved, we’re not talking about salvation by works. We’re emphasizing that those who are saved will persevere in obedience. Yes, it’s difficult to persevere because of our idolatry - but the saved fight that idolatry. The unsaved give in to idolatry. The saved struggle with idolatry but hate it. The unsaved don’t struggle with idolatry because they love it. And that’s why verse 15 says that outside the city are “dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” The unrepentant are in outer darkness - the lake of fire. But listen to the words - they aren’t described as former dogs but dogs, or former sorcerers but sorcerers. Now, the term dog describes the most unholy kinds of people. And John lists 7 categories of sinners to show comprehensiveness. All unrepentant sinners of all kinds of sins. And they’re outside. Unchanged. Unrepentant. And there, they’ll be the greatest epitome of those things. There, they’ll do these things to the greatest intensity. What do I mean? In heaven, we’ll have life and joy and peace and companionship forever - because we’ve repented and receive eternal blessing. We’ll be in a better Eden - working, loving, fellowshipping, praising. What we do will have satisfaction. But in the lake of fire, because of idolatry now and unrepentance now, when they’re freed from restraining grace, they’ll be the greatest sinners they could ever be, but without satisfaction. For an eternity. They will be forever lustful, with no satisfaction; hateful as murderers, but no one to murder, idolaters with no one to worship them, liars with no one to lie to - for an eternity. That’s why must repent - Christ is coming. Because if they don’t, they won’t when he comes. The unjust will still be unjust.

On the other hand, believers will press on. Yes, we struggle with sin - but we love God. Continue to love him. Press on. Do works of righteousness - Christ is coming soon. And what a wonderful assurance. We will press on. We struggle with sin, but we also press on in godliness. The holy are holy. Will your pastors and elders who look at you - and other pastors and elders - will they be able to say as Paul to the Thessalonians - “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” That’s why we must know which we are. The 7 churches had fake believers. How’d they know if they were true or fake? The true press on in resisting the world and the devil - stumbling at times - but persevering. The fake wholeheartedly follow the beast. And the fake can’t accept this Christ who comes with such a reward. Some people don’t want to worship this Christ. But the Bible shows him clearly here. If you don’t like this Christ, you don’t like the Christ of the Bible. You’ve made an idol of the Christ you think you’re worshiping. You have a golden calf. That’s why we must strengthen our perseverance. How?

Thirdly, perseverance is strengthened because of Christ’s supremacy. To those who won’t have him as he’s presented here, won’t have him nor his everlasting kingdom. But those who’d have him as he’s presented here, will have him and his everlasting kingdom. We see his supremacy. Verse 13 and verse 16 say - “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last…I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” In verse 13, he uses 3 names to emphasize Christ’s sovereignty. Alpha and Omega and beginning and the end are descriptions of God. And the first and the last? This name is used thrice in Isaiah by God himself to prove his divinity. Meaning, if you don’t like the description of Jesus rewarding true and fake believers, the just and unjust, the holy and unholy - you’ve rejected God. Because he’s the creator and the destroyer. And he’s commanded us to keep the words of the prophecy. We can’t say - tomorrow, when I’ve ended my affair, when I’ve earned my next idolatrous million, when I’ve sacrificed my children on the altar of secular success, when I’ve watched my last porn flick, when I’ve achieved complete obedience from my family by my anger - then I’ll follow him. You won’t. You’ve declared your allegiance to your idol. Persevere now. Remember, he’s not only prince of peace, or wonderful savior, he’s the everlasting father - or the father or originator of eternity. He decides where you go. If you won’t struggle against your sin, he’ll give you over to your sin for an eternity. And you won’t escape eternity in hell; but neither will you enter eternity in heaven. There’s no appeal court.

But believers - you’ll have everlasting satisfaction because you’ve seen Christ, and you’ve bowed down your knee to him - not to any angel or idol - but to him. You worship God. You also have your idols. Fight them. Fight the harlot, the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. Persevere. He’s God. He’s the author of your salvation. You will make it because he’ll help you to press on. After all, he’s the root and offspring of David - the Great King of God that rescues his people from their enemies. He’s the king that subdues all his enemies and yours. The one that gives gifts to his people. He’s that bright and morning star. Those that have him, have light. In the New Jerusalem, he lights it up as the Light of the World! This helps you to press on.

And this is why we must renounce idolatry. What is your idolatry? We have in verses 18-19 some strange words. Don’t add to this book or God will add to him the plagues described here. Don’t subtract from it, or else God will take away your share of eternal life. These words are taken almost directly from Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32, and 29. Before Israel was about to enter the Promised Land, the law was given a second time. It was to tell them not to compromise with the Canaanites. Now, the Canaanites were very accepting. They were pluralists - everything is fine. But if Israel gave her daughters to their sons, when she ate and drank of the same food in covenant, when she dressed the way they did - Israel would lose her distinctiveness as God’s people. This was the very thing that happened in the 7 churches of Asia. While Israel succumbed to the doctrine of Balaam, so had some in Pergamos. While Israel succumbed to a Jezebel, so did Thyatira. Christ is coming. We need to renounce the world and all our idols. We’re headed to the real Promised Land. But the fight against the Canaanites is here. Babylon is here. So we must fight. As our membership vows ask - have you taken a firm resolution always to lead a Christian life, to forsake the world and its evil lusts, as is becoming the members of Christ and his church, and to submit thyself to all Christian admonitions? The answer is yes. So to give into the world is to add and subtract. And therefore, as God’s people, we are to renounce all idolatry and compromise with the world. Christ strengthens us to persevere. And he strengthens us to help others persevere. Some of you know that your brothers and sisters are struggling with sin and idolatry. But you don’t help. You just sing karaoke and have hee-hee haa-haa fellowship instead of stirring them to godliness and lifting up their feeble hands. Worse still - you try to protect them from the strong words of Christ - the only words that would lead to a strong and spirited perseverance. But you must speak and strengthen each other.

Why? He’s coming. After having said all of this, what did Christ say? Verse 20 - Surely, I come quickly. Now, listen to what John says. The Christian, who like all other Christians struggles with idolatry, but who was strengthened, who perseveres, who hates the world and its lusts, who desires after heaven, knowing the great judgment and blessings Christ brings - what does he say? “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Come! I will persevere. Come! I will forsake and over come! Come! I will reject the mark of the beast! If you can say that today - you’re not fake. You’re ready. You’re pressing on. But if you can’t, you must persevere in faith and repent from idolatry before you can’t persevere and repent anymore. Why? Because he is coming quickly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

1. Perseverance Is Paramount Because of Christ’s Imminency

A. Christ’s imminency

B. Our perseverance brings blessing

2. Perseverance Is Difficult Because of Our Idolatry

A. Our common idolatry

B. The result of and rescue from idolatry

3. Perseverance Is Strengthened Because of Christ’s Supremacy

A. Christ’s supremacy

B. Our renunciation of idolatry

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