Series: Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come

Title: “How to See The Future”

Scripture: Revelation 18 (Commentary helps listed at the end)

Introduction: Makes me think of how quickly things can change in a nation. Afghanistan fell to the Taliban this week in 1 day. We know that the foundations of the existing government were weak already so while it fell suddenly, they were vulnerable as soon as our troops left.

Our nation (America) is sliding towards destruction too. And while this slide may be gradual, the crash will also likely to be sudden. Perhaps revival will delay or prevent this. Are you praying for revival in our land?

What will get us through the great tribulation as the church? We’ll have to figure out how to work together to live for Christ with the daily threat of dying for Christ.

What will get us through is this truth:

Bottom line: “The future is bright even though the day is dark.”

Our need: Eyes to see that these dark days as a blip on the timeline of eternity and live accordingly; a drop in the ocean of time.

Quote: “Today, the greatest challenge facing (evangelical, Bible-believing) American (Christians) is not persecution from the world, but seduction by the world.” —CJ Mahaney, pastor

Quote: “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who goes on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are too easily pleased.” -CS Lewis, Weight of Glory, pp. 25-26

Last week in Revelation 17 we saw how evil turned on evil when the Beast destroyed the Whore.

In Revelation 18 we will see more of the downfall of Babylon and how those seduced by her are drug down with her into destruction. Are you in that crowd? God calls you out today! (V. 4)

Context:

We have seen:

Jesus and his churches (1-3)
The throne and judgments of God (6-16)
The whore, the King, and his bride (17-22)

Outline:

I. God judges the whore. (1-8)

II. The world laments over the whore. (9-19)

III. The angels sing of the doom of the whore. (20-24)

Conclusion:

Reminders of Afghanistan. Christians there are dying today for their unwillingness to be seduced by Babylon. They are the martyrs spoken of in Revelation.

Question: Would you be willing to die for what you believe in?

Where do you see yourself right now?
1. Living in light of today?
2. Living in light of eternity?
Where do you want to see yourself?
What’s keeping you from repenting and believing that the way of Jesus is the way to go?

Repent of your sins today. Trust and follow the Lord Jesus Christ who knows the way, the truth and the life.

Pray

Notes:

Rome was considered Babylon (code to the Church in John’s day) and he was prophesying it’s destruction around AD 95. In AD 410, after a long slide into destruction, Alaric, with his northern hordes of Goths, pillaged Rome and laid it waste in one week.

John wrote Rev 17-18 to (Bruce Metzger):

Stimulate faithfulness in first century persecuted Christians
To remind them of their ultimate victory in Christ no matter what
It’s a warning to believers . Babylon is allegorical of the idolatry that any nation commits when it elevates
- Material abundance
- Military prowess
- Technological sophistication
- Imperial grandeur, and
- Racial pride over the Creator.

This seems familiar to me as an American citizen.

Revelation concerns the character and timeliness of God’s judgment not only on people but also nations…and all authorities, corporations, institutions, bureaucracies, denominations and even churches. -Bruce Metzger

Questions: Are we drawn to the spiritual “Red light districts” of our world? Or are we drawn to the kingdom of God?

Other Illustrations:

dad joke/Funny: “Everybody is talking about the apocalypse like there’s no tomorrow…”

“Keep your eyes on the clouds and the crowds.” —Greg Stier

Live in light of his imminent return.

“Jesus didn’t give the Church the book of Revelation so we’d build ourselves bigger bomb shelters, but so we’d would build longer dinner tables” - @RayOrtlund

Other thoughts wrt joy and circumstances and Jane / Nightbirdie

“Sow a thought, you reap an action;

Sow an action, you reap a habit;

Sow a habit, you reap a character;

sow a character, you reap a destiny.”

-E. Stanley Jones

Main commentary help:

Exalting Jesus in Revelation by Daniel Akin
Revelation by Jim Hamilton
Revelation by Paige Patterson, New American Commentary series
Breaking the Code by Bruce Metzger
2020 Sermons by Matt Chandler
ESV Global Study Bible
Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel
Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Outline Bible, Wilmington
Discipleship on the Edge, Darrell W. Johnson

How to prepare for the end | Revelation 6:1-8

Bottom line: We must prepare for the end of life and the end of the world the same way: as if living and dying for Christ was worth it. And ordering our lives accordingly. Pastor Darien Gabriel walks us through Revelation 6:1-8 and the reality of martyrdom both in the early church and now. This sermon is one of the most important you will hear as it relates to the effects of the gospel and what it means to follow Christ no matter what.

What You Don’t Realize Can Kill You | Revelation 3:14-22

Part 9 of our series on Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come . This sermon from Pastor Darien is from Revelation 3:14-22 and is titled “What You Don’t Realize Can Kill You.” Need: Due to it’s enormous affluence, the Laodicean church was vulnerable to self-reliance. We, the American church, need to hear Jesus’s words to this church and evaluate ourselves in light of them. Main Point (Akin): Churches that lose sight of their dependence on Christ for all things are deceived and useless, but Jesus graciously promises healing to all who will rely on him for their every need. Main point (Hamilton): Jesus calls on the church at Laodicea to rely on him and his resources rather than their own. Outline (Hamilton): 3:14 Jesus is the true witness 3:15-17 Laodicea’s self-reliance 3:18-20 The counsel of the true witness: Rely on Jesus 3:21-22 Hear the promises that the Spirit speaks.

First Love | Revelation 2:1-7; 2 Tim 1:7

Our series is “The best is yet to come” as we walk through the prophetic apocalypse that is the Revelation of the Risen Christ, a circular letter to the early church—and us today. My prayer is that you’ll be strengthened, comforted and encouraged through this word today.

Now some of you may be thinking right now...things can’t get much worse. Better is good, best, well, I’m listening.

This week’s main idea: “Rev 2:1-7 teaches us that the great commandment matters to God. Jesus identified our greatest obligation was wholehearted love for God, which declares to us that God is not pleased by dutiful obedience that does not flow from genuine love. Here, Jesus mercifully reveals his glory to the church in Ephesus to summon forth from them the first love that he requires.” (Hamilton, p. 63)

My Bottom line: Remember how far you have fallen! Repent and return doing the things you did at first. (Remember, Repent, and Return)

Motivated by the Risen Jesus | Revelation 1:9-20

This week’s main idea: “The risen Christ in glory summons forth obedience from his churches. The incomparable glory of the risen Christ motivates John’s audience to heed what John has been commissioned to write. The matchless splendor of Heaven’s King attracts the attention and compels the obedience of the churches John addresses.” -Hamilton

My Bottom line: When we (the Church) see the risen Jesus today, we’ll be super motivated to trust and obey.

The Best is Yet to Come | Revelation 1:1-8

We are beginning a new series on the Book of Revelation. You will recall last week’s title: As We Wait in Uncertain Times, Put Your Hope in Him for All Time (Psalm 146). This week’s title: “The Best is Yet to Come” Main idea: “Those who hear and obey God‘s word concerning who Jesus is and what he does will be blessed by the Lord.” Bottom line: No matter how bad things get, the best is yet to come. And his name is Jesus. As pastor Darien Gabriel walks us through the book or Revelation, we look forward to Christ’s second coming just has we have remembered HIs first advent.

Believe It Or Not, Jesus Is Coming | Luke 1:5-38

Bottom line: whether you believe God’s word or not, Jesus is coming...again.

Whether you believe God’s word or not, it will come to pass. Even when you fail to believe, God’s mercy is there for you. He disciplines his children when they fail to trust him. But he brings them back into fellowship as well. Just ask Zechariah. You can please God when you take him at his word. Just ask Mary. (Cf. Heb 11:3). Make sure you don’t miss the point for the pointer. The point is that God wants to walk in fellowship with you. He sent Jesus to restore our fellowship with him. That’s why he came the first time. The second time he’s coming to finish what he started. A re you ready?

Be Prepared To Answer | 1 Peter 3:15-16

Bottom line: Doing good means always being prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you why you have hope and to do so w/ gentleness, respect, and a clear conscience. That includes your enemies and your persecutors. Be prepared & ready to share with anyone why you have hope.

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle (and later the temple) was the place where people went to meet with God. This was God’s home as we see in our Old Testament passage for today (Ezekiel 43:5).

The message of our New Testament passage though is that the glory and presence of God is to be found supremely in Jesus. It is at the very moment that Jesus is rejected and crucified that God’s presence among people is finally and fully realized. From that point on there is no need for a physical temple. The only church building the New Testament speaks about is a building made of people (Ephesians 2:20–22), founded and built upon Jesus, the chief cornerstone. The holy temple in the New Testament is one made of ‘living stones’ (1 Peter 2:5) – in other words, people like you and me. This is God’s new home.

The Amazing Grace of God | Titus 2:11-15

Recap

1. Grace isn’t cheap. Don’t treat it cheaply and don’t represent it as cheap. That’s false teaching.

Grace Christian Fellowship –the sign says: “Love God, Love People”. We love God, and we love

people because we so strongly desire to show people the true Grace of God through Jesus Christ.

That tells people

the message is more important than the brand…

that love is more important than a logo…

that the objective is more important than optics

that it’s better to be a hospital for the lost, than a country club for the saved

that Grace itself is precious…that time here is short, but eternity isn’t…

that conviction is more important than comfort

we can’t say “we’re good”, when we know we’re all bad

Grace is costly. Grace is Honest. And Grace is redemptive

but at the same time, any of this done without love is worthless

2. Let Grace train you…like a marathon. Training can hurt, but understanding what you’re training for

puts everything in perspective.

3. Put away anything in your life that doesn’t bear fruit for God’s kingdom, and keep Him as your main

focus.

4. Know His word and teach it with authority.

5. Stand tall, confidently and passionately love God and love people.

Our hearts should well up with praise in response to the Grace of God.

Grace has a Face and He truly is amazing.

The War on Error | Titus 1:10-16 | Undeserved Grace

For the Church to be sound in the faith (doctrine & deed; belief & behavior; creed & conduct), we must confront false teachings and the Errorists who spread them.

Remember what an elder does:

Lead - Follow me as I follow Jesus
Feed - Teach/Train
Protect - Confront/Rebuke/Correct

Sons & Daughters, Saved, Selected, & Sent to Serve | Titus 1:1-4 | Undeserved Grace

Have you ever felt like a failure, or of no use to God, or thought that God wouldn’t want to answer your prayers?

Until I first read Colin Urquhart’s book, In Christ Jesus, I had never realized how significant that little word ‘in’ is in the New Testament. Understanding that, as a Christian, you are ‘in’ Christ Jesus revolutionizes how you see yourself, your self-image, your identity and how you understand your value to God.

Write your name on a piece of paper. Take hold of your Bible to represent Christ. Place the paper in the book and close it. You are in Christ. Where the book goes you go. Where the paper goes he goes. You are not part of the book, but you are now identified totally with the book.

Paul uses this expression, ‘in Christ Jesus’, over and over again. God has taken hold of you and placed you inChrist. In Christ, you have received ‘every spiritual blessing’ (Ephesians 1:3). All of the blessings, including those that the Old Testament speaks about, are yours in Christ.

Who are we? Why are we (still) here?

Better Together | Turning the World Upside Down | Acts 17:1-15

Scripture: Acts 17:1-15. “Turning The World Upside Down” Bottom line: Paul and Co. gives us a battle plan for turning things around (180˚) where we live, work, learn, and play. We learn from the Bereans about how to approach the truth of God, and we learn from others on what NOT to do.

“Body Builders” | Better Together | 1 Corinthians 12

Continuing our series , “Better Together” Pastor Darien Gabriel takes us into a study of 1 Corinthians 12 in the sermon, “Body Builders.” Pastor Darien teaches on how God has designed every Christian to have a gift or many gifts that come together to edify, that is to “build up” the Body of Christ. Bottom line: God sovereignly arranges the body of Christ with his spiritual gifts for the common good. Listen now.

Chris & Amy Karpus Share Their Testimony of Miracles God Did

Chris & Amy Karpus share about their extraordinary experience of multiple miracles that brought Chris back from cardiac arrest (2x) and a “Brain dead” diagnosis in late July 2020. Just over a month later, Chris shares from the heart and from God’s word lessons learned along the way. Amy shares lessons too but also a lot of the medical details that help us see how miraculous this really was.

The Great Blot Out | Psalm 51:1-9

The Big Blot Out (Psalm 51:1-9). In this sermon, we learn three key realities: 1. Broken People Need Forgiveness. vv1-9. 2. Forgiven People Need Renewal. vv10-12. 3. Renewed People Need to Serve. vv13-17. Wise warning: Wrong person + wrong time + wrong place = wrong thing happening. Only God Can Fully Forgive vv1-3. If you are coming to God for the first time, He is ready to respond to your cry of repentance. If you are a follower of Christ and have sin in your life, take a moment to repent and have your fellowship restored.

Daniel SammsAugust 26, 2020Grace Christian FellowshipPsalm 51, Psalm 51:1-9, Blot Out, Christianity, chr, christian, Bible

He’s Able. He’s Worthy. But Count the Cost | Matt 8:18-34

Bottom line: Because Jesus has absolute authority in the world and deserves absolute allegiance from the world, we trust, rest, submit to and rejoice in that authority. But we must count the cost.

Jesus is worthy of unconditional trust, even if it means giving up earthly security and comforts. (Matt 8:18-20; parallel Luke 9:57-62)

Jesus Is Lord Over Disease | Matt 8: 5-17

When Jesus came to die on the cross, he came to address the root problem—not suffering, but sin. The price was his life to over our sins. Does that mean his will for the world is we no longer experience pain, sickness, and suffering? No. These pictures of miraculous healings are to give us a picture of what is to come in the fullness of God’s kingdom when Christ fully exerts his absolute authority and reign over the earth. But not yet. In the meantime, we live in a world of suffering and pain. In fact, suffering will actually increase as a result of trusting Christ for salvation. So consider that before trusting and following Jesus. Lots of words from Jesus and Paul confirm this will happen.

Storms of Life | Matt 8:1-4, 23-27

Jesus shows us His authority over all things, even the weather when he commands the storm to cease. Only God can speak things into being. Only God can command the winds and the waves and have them obey. This same Jesus, fully God and fully man is sovereign over every circumstance in your life.

Love Mercy | Micah 6:8

ACT JUSTLY & TO LOVE MERCY. In order to understand what acting justly and loving mercy looks like, we need to look at the perfect embodiment of justice, mercy AND humility – Jesus Christ. God’s justice is perfect. In God’s perfect justice, the payment for sin is blood. This week Pastor Darien addresses the issue of Justice and mercy through the lens of God’s Word, showing us what true justice and mercy really are.

Act Justly | Micah 6:1-8 | How God Wants Us To Respond to Racial Injustice, part 1

Using passages from Acts 10:1-11:4; James 2:1-9; Galatians 3:26-29; Micah 6:1-8, Pastor Darien talks about practicing what we preach on how we interact with anyone different than us by acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God. This is not limited to black-white relations but that’s a huge part of this today. Includes people of all cultures (not races). There is one race - the human race started in Eden. Many ethnicities scattered at tower of Babel.

Micah 6:1-8, reminds us to live justly for God’s glory. Pastor Darien shows us how this applies to racial reconciliation.

Sermons