Sermon: "I am Coming Soon"
Scripture: Revelation 22:12-21
1. A Promise (22:12-14)
With Christ’s coming, there will be the end of sorrow, separation, and sin. However, this “good news” is balanced by the fact that there will also be a day of reckoning for injustice, a day when evil will be vanquished, a day when swords will be turned into plowshares, to use Isaiah’s language.
2. A Condition (22:14-15)
Robes washed speaks of trusting in the righteousness of Christ. Leaving the world of sin and death, Jesus’ followers are invited to partake of “the tree of life” and find refuge in the city of God. That which was lost is now restored – it is Paradise! There is no future to the path of loving and practicing falsehood as indicative of being “outside” of the city and the source of life.
3. An Invitation (22:16-17)
Here is what makes the good news good, it is a message proclaimed by both the Holy Spirit and his church. All (“everyone”) are invited to simply “come.” God’s invitation is gracious, personal, inclusive, hopeful, and volitional (relating to one’s choice). Grace makes all this possible and is a fitting word of conclusion (22:21).
Revelation 22:12-21, NRSV
12 “See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony 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 everyone who hears say, “Come.”
And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book; 19 if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
20 The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.
