Series: Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come

Title: “Millennial Madness: What is the millennial reign of Jesus Christ?”

Scripture: Revelation 20 (Commentary helps listed at the end)

Bottom line: There’s a God, you’re not him, are you ready to meet him?

INTRODUCTION

Opening story:

In March of 1997, 39 members of the cult Heaven’s Gate committed mass suicide in an attempt to enter a higher plane of evolutionary existence. Coinciding with the close proximity of Haley-bop comet, they believed that they were leaving for a better world. They were described as part new age, part Christian millennialist and part UFO religion. And yes that’s an official designation for some religion.

We look at that and rightly think that’s madness. And yet we argue and debate over Christian eschatology even in the church, even though the things we largely agree on are much more important than the things we disagree over. This madness needs to stop.

OUR NEED

We need to realize that the number 1 is much more important than the number 1,000. It’s not about the 1,000-reign of Christ. One Lord. One Savior. One way, truth and life. 1 King. It’s about the one who made our salvation possible and that we’re one day closer to his return.

Last week’s bottom line: We worship Jesus for who he is and what he’s done (and what he’s doing to do): He came and He’s coming again!

Bottom line: There’s a God, you’re not him, are you ready to meet him?

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. The great chain. (20:1-3)

A. The prisoner.

B. The prison.

II. The great reign. (20:4-6)

A. The resurrection of the just.

B. The rule of the just.

III. The great revolt. (20:7-10)

A. The adversary.

B. The apostasy.

C. The attack.

D. The annihilation that goes on forever.

IV. The great white throne. (20:11-15) NEXT WEEK

V. Discuss the 3 views: (sketch on dry-erase)

A. Pre-millennialist

B. A-millennialist

C. Post-millennialist

CONCLUSION

We need to realize that the number 1 is much more important than the number 1,000. It’s not about the 1,000-reign of Christ. One Lord. One Savior. One way, truth and life. 1 King. It’s about the one who made our salvation possible and that we’re one day closer to his return.

There’s a God, you’re not him, are you ready to meet him?

He’s coming back. You have to decide whether or not you believe that. The proof that you believe that will be seen in how you orient your life. If around him, his mission and his imminent return, then we’ll know. If not, then you’ll live like the rest of humanity and that doesn’t end well.

Next week we’ll go deeper into this great white throne of judgment and what Jesus believed about hell.

Pray

OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS:

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