The Beginning of the End II

Jan. 2, 2000 pm The Beginning of the End II Rev. 22:12-17

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

Amid all the stories of y2k what is the real story. We turn to the last pages of the Bible to find the answer to this all too timely question. Who is going to come again? Since this is the beginning of the end, what will Jesus do when he returns?

Rev. 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 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. 15 For without [are] dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Who is going to come again? Since this is the beginning of the end, what will Jesus do when he returns?

1. Who is this that is coming? Let there be no mistake Jesus is coming again. This passage tells specifically that the one who is known by the following names is Jesus. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star.

2. What will he do when he comes?

The pastor stood up to pray one morning, caught up in the reality of the Judgement Day. "Oh Lord," he prayed, "one of these days we are going to wake up, and it's going to be DARK everywhere!"

"Lord, have mercy!" cried one of the deacons loudly. The pastor continued: "We are going to pick up the telephone and call Honolulu, and they are going to say, 'It's DARK over here!'" "Lord, help us!" cried another deacon. "We're going to pick up the phone and call New Delhi, and they are going to say, 'It's DARK over here!'" "Be near us, Lord!" cried another deacon. "We're going to pick up the phone and call Berlin, and they are going to say, 'It's DARK over here!'" "Lord, deliver us!" cried another deacon.

"Then we're going to pick up the phone and call Nairobi, and they are going to say, 'It's DARK over here!'" At this juncture, the church treasurer, who had also been caught up in the fervour of the pastor's prayer, cried out uncontrollably: "Lord, Lord! What a PHONE BILL!"

A minister was preaching about the Day of Judgement. He roared from the pupit, "There will be wars, and famines, and earthquakes! The sun shall be darkened, and the stars will fall from the sky!" Wide-eyed, a little boy in the congregation tugged at his mother's sleeve. "Mom," he whispered, "will I get out of SCHOOL?"

a. He will give us rewards. "Football Story of the lost rewards."

I Cor. 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

He will give us the right to the tree of life. We will have the right to take of the fruit of the tree to sustain our lives for all eternity. This is the tree in the garden that God prevented Adam and Eve from eating and continuing in a fallen state of sin throughout eternity.

Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, [was there] the tree of life, which bare twelve [manner of] fruits, [and] yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of the nations.

He will give us the keys to the gates of the city. The city of heaven is built to house the people of God. It will keep out all those who have rejected him. Without the keys you can't come in to enjoy the security and joy of the city of God.
He will give us access to the water of life. This is the water of the river that flows from the throne of God. Have you ever dipped into a cool stream of water on a hot day? This refreshing is just a glimpse of the joy we will have from tasting of the water of life. This is the water that supplies our needs for ever.

Will you invite Him to come? Who invites Jesus to come? The spirit and the bride say come. The hearers say come. The thirsty say come.

We invite him to come again because we want to see him face to face.

Rev. 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name [shall be] in their foreheads.

We invite him to come again because we want to touch him, to be with him, and to hear him. We want to have him as our very own God. That is why we come to this place today to say: "Come back Lord Jesus."