It Is Done

Have your Bibles with you today truth that you would Revelation 16 will be looking at versus 17 through 21, the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air in a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne saying it is done. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, the great earthquake, such as theirs never be is man's on the earth, so great was that earthquake the great city was split into three parts, the cities of the nations fail God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away in the mountains were to be found in great hailstones, about 100 pounds each, fell from heaven on people and they curse God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe spray heavenly father we come before you today to praise you and thank you for being our God.

We pray about this particular passage of Scripture, Lord, that is absolutely frightening. We pray heavenly father that as we look at this. You might prepare our hearts for what is coming to this earth and some of what is already here. We ask heavenly father that you help us, that we might be up a better witness to our lost loved ones to our friends who don't know you and all those in our society. Lord, who were totally oblivious to the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord, and their only hope. Got indirectness more through this passage. May Jesus be uplifted in it by this congregation, beatified by, and it's in your holy and wonderful and precious name we pray. Amen. You may be seated. Several years ago Cindy and I were on vacation. We decided to go visit a desiring God community church in Charlotte. Cody Pinckney is a pastor over there is a personal friend didn't realize it when we went over. They are, but he had been preaching through the book of Revelation, and he at that point in time was in chapter 17. Just having finished with the seven bowl judgments and remember him saying in me. Douglas is been hard. It is been hard just one judgment after another after another after another. Then he, stopped and waited a minute and said that you know what he said this is the word of God. This is the word of God. God put it here and it needs to be preached and reminded me of Paul's command to me and every other preacher preach the word.

Be instant in season and out of season. That means when you feel like it and when you don't feel like it. Cody preach very powerfully that morning. I remember walking out of that that service that day bring this judgment thing that's coming is very, very real, and it's very personal and I need to be personally prepared and I need to help my church to be personally prepared so if the subject of judgment week after week like we been dealing with lately has kinda been aware and Anya and is just kind of been tough at it. If that's what's been going on your heart skip, do me a favor. Stick with me stick with me because I don't know it all but I do know this. The book of Revelation teaches us Jesus wins, Jesus wins his judgments are good and righteous and they are not to be taken lightly.

Folks, when we look at the judgments of God that we see here and we understand the depth of power in the heart of these judgments. What you did due to our hearts. It should make us so you absolutely grateful for the mercy that is bestowed upon us that know him personally. Verse 17 says this the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne saying it is done many times when I'm preaching a funeral service at the end of the service we go out to the cemetery. We go over to the gravesite where they get ready to to bury the. The deceased and at that point in time.

Oftentimes I will read Revelation chapter 21 verses one through six is a passage that deals with new heavens and the new earth and what am I doing when I do that I am I trying to help this family to to quit thinking just about the physical death of their loved one, and to put their mind on heaven.

Now go to read Revelation chapter 21, 126 and I want you to picture yourself as if you were out at the gray side of love one of your deep love ones, one that you care for very much one that knows Christ, and as I as I read this I want you to specifically focusing on on the last verse, verse six for what Jesus said in verse six is exactly what he is saying here in Revelation 16 in verse 17, Revelation 21 and I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea and John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is with me and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away, neither set up on the throne said, behold I make all things new. And he said and me right for these words are true and faithful, and he said under me. Listen carefully.

It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will given to him.

That is the first of the fountain of water of life freely brothers and sisters that passenger Micah Presbyterian shout that's exciting.

That's exciting that you Jesus words it is done.

Remind you of anything else that Jesus said it does me a reminds me of what Jesus said as he was dying on the cross as he was breathing his last breath and he cried out with his very last breast. It is finished.

Is there a connection between these two phrases it is finished and is done I think absolutely it is. It is finished. Means paid in full.

What was paid in full.

Our sin debt was paid in full well when Jesus washed away when Jesus paid our sin debt. They washed our sins away completely and totally and gave us his righteousness. So because it is finished. We can rejoice, for it is done. What is it is done mean it points us to the very end of history. It points us to the end of history and the new heavens and the new earth. It is done, means judgment to the Christ projector.

It means joy for the Christ believer, the four points only share with you this morning. The first point is the end of the world.

Look at verse 17 and 18, the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the a or in a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne saying it is done and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a great earthquake, such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. This is the great earthquake that the prophet had yeah prophesied about in Hagy 26 when he said this for thus says the Lord of host. Yet once more in a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.

In Revelation chapter 16 verse 20 we see the extent of the debt of this earthquake. It says and every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. No mountains and islands are things that symbolize permanence permanence. We think of mountains and islands. We think this is something that we can put our trust in this is something that's going to be around. This is something that's not going to fall. This is something that we can trust the Revelation 16 verse 20 we are told that these permanent landmarks are leveled and removed leveled and removed. Think about it for just a second, fear, would it put in your heart you are stating that if the bottom of the grandfather Mountain and you will look it up with this huge huge mountain and all of a sudden it just crumbled to the ground like a piece of dry wedding cake. Can you imagine what that would do to your heart. But God knows God knows what puts fear in our heart and earthquakes or something that always put fear in people's hearts because we look at the earth is something solid to something stable and we kind of feel like if we can just put our feet on solid ground and then were not going to feel shaky will will feel safe, but when earth begins to tremble and drive feet in the house that worry and begins to sway in the and the foundations begin to crumble. It's very unsettling. We want from illness if if if we can't trust the earth.

It's beneath us to hold us up. What can we trust that's the question we need to ask not what can we trust but who can we trust my uncle Bill Agnew lives out in California lives not far from the San Andreas Fault. He is seen and experienced many earthquakes and he said when you're in your house and all of a sudden Rachel starts shaking and dishes start falling out of the cabinets and the grandfather clock starts swaying and then falls over. He said that will bring unbelievable fear to you. I guess it will sin these verses we are talking about what God what God is going to do at the very end of history. John MacArthur was preaching and a Bible conference a while back they had a question-and-answer time of the end of his preaching and one guy jumped up and he said said Pastor Johnny said you don't seem to be very concerned about global warming. Hey said you you are are you are you not concerned about what we are doing to harm this earth. And John says if you think we're harming this earth, you want to see what Jesus is going to do to it that earthquake is sent as a message is a message to the world history is coming to an end and the time for a peanuts is now before it's everlastingly too late. This is God's judgment on the earth before the Creek re-creates it is, is that this is what's taking place at the very end.

As some people have the idea that we are going to live in heaven forever and ever and ever God's gonna just destroy this earth and will be in heaven forever. Second Corinthians chapter 5 verse eight says that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. So if you were to die today as a Christian you would go to heaven immediately. You would go to be with the Lord at but that's not your final home. Your final home is a resurrected sin free purified earth absolutely purged from sin and and squalor. Listen to what Peter says in second Peter three verses 10 through 13 but the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved in the earth and the works that are done in it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire dissolved in the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn, but according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Jesus will return to this earth when he returns this earth. There will be the final judgment after the final judgment. There will be not a just production of earth, but a reconstruction of this earth. The about the Scripture tells us that the that the elements will melt and God will re-create the of the earth without suit in an absolute perfect holiness is very interesting verse in and Colossians chapter 1 verse 17 and I think that explains a whole lot of things to us.

You know all material things were made out of atoms. What is it that holds the atoms together will and Colossians chapter 1 verse 17. The Scripture says he that is Jesus is before all things, and by him all things consist or are held together when Jesus comes back to this earth after the final judgment takes place. I believe that what Jesus is going to do is just say the word when he says the word then the atoms are going to split is called nuclear fission and the elements of this earth will completely melt and Jesus will re-structure a brand-new earth without sin and in perfect holiness. Now that is not what were speaking of in Revelation 16 when we deal with the the seven bowl judgments is seven bowl judgment is not speaking of that, the judgments that we're looking at here will take place before Christ returns. I think probably right before Christ returns. They will shake the earth, but they will not destroy it takes is to point to the end of worldly society. Verse 19 the great city was split split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fail. And God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. Now what is that great city. Some scholars a thought well it's gotta be Rome calls runs the capital city of the Roman Empire Summit said well it's gotta be babbling because it actually mentions babbling, babbling was about a ghost town. Then I like what Leon Morris said not agree with what he said.

He said it is not merely one city or one nation that falls under this judgment, but the cities of the nations that is the entire corrupt world system in service to Satan and opposition to Christ, the great city stands for man ordering his affairs apart from God, along with the pride of human achievement.

The godlessness of those who put their trust in man. Verse 17 says of the seventh bowl is poured out into the air.

I think that strengthens the idea that this great city is the anti-Christian world system that is controlled by Sutton, who is called the Prince of the power of the air. I think were talking about. Here's a political dualism.

Now there was a time when Western Europe and the United States had a semblance of Christian values and I think because of that Western Europe United States stayed away from communism and would not accept communist ideology just would not go that way believe that it was wrong. That was how it used to be, but things are rapidly changing things are rapidly changing and and we are shifting nail to to our embracing of secular humanism and folks there's only one thing that is a deterrent to sexual us to secular humanism and what is that that is the true church and habit of the secular humanist field toward the church. I absolutely hate us that they they are antagonistic against us. They avoid us. They want to persecute us. They want the church to be completely done away with. Is this anti-Christian spirit increases. We are going to see deeper and deeper influences of globalism last week there.

There were several protest across America. They were protest against the name of our national holiday Thanksgiving and there were angry atheist that were very upset with this idea that we call it Thanksgiving. I said why should we call it Thanksgiving only only believe that there is a God the flank. That right there is attitude that John is telling us about that will cover the world.

John adds a statement in verse 19 that we need to think about it it said.

God remembered Babylon the great, how often it seems that these horrible atrocities take place and Christians are persecuted and innocent people are harmed or are put to death, and it bothers us and we think about it for a while and and then we just kind of put it to the side, we forget about it, move on with life member what babbling did to Judah babbling to when into Judah took the, the, the people of Judah out of their cut out of their nation out of their city out of Jerusalem and took them all the way into babbling.

I got into babbling. They make slaves out of the people of Judah, they beat them. They made them worship their idols. They force them to bow down before their false gods and they treated them like animals like the Roman Empire to force Christians to proclaim Caesar as Lord, and if Christians wouldn't do it. I would persecute them sometimes even put them to death is Roman Empire is the one who killed the apostles all but the apostle John. And they threw him into a vat of boiling oil. The live through it.

Moslem countries today persecute Christians by keeping them from getting having decent jobs and keeping them from the doing the things that they want to do keeping them from worshiping openly somewhat times putting them in prison, sometimes putting them to death. Communist China is turning up its heat on Christians in trying to silence Christians through persecution. I think of the regime of Idi Amin and and Uganda, and during his regime. Tens of thousands of Christians were beheaded and their bodies were taken and thrown into potholes and used to to to fill the potholes up in their streets, folks, we see all that we hear about all that we think about for little bit and then we try to forget it and move on. When you taste something God does not forget verse 19 says and God remembered Babylon the great, in that last day, all these wicked political leaders and their henchmen will give an account for their hatred and their mistreatment of God's name and God's people. Let me tell you this, God remembers Hitler, God remembers, they'll say tongue, God remembers, Idi Amin, God remembers the road. God remembers the mission God with member stalling. God remembers Saddam Hussein this judgment as a reminder to Christians today not to be intimidated by the menacing power of this world, nor should we be enticed by the seductive pull of it. Sinful pleasure. When Christians are tempted to desire worldly approval. What we need to do.

We need to think of the end of those who are lost from God is what Asaph did in Psalm 73 Psalm 73.

Asaph told was how he was when he ate was just envious of the. The wicked hasten man. They seem to have everything going for them. Everything's great but I have more material stuff than we do all this stuff is is going right for them and yet we're going through all this trouble why is it so tough in the Scripture says he was envious of the wicked until he went into the temple of God and Saul there in the end, and then this is what he cried out to God.

Truly, you set them in slippery places you make them fall to ruin how they are destroyed. In a moment swept away utterly by tears. So how should we think when were faced with this, the intimidating power of this world. How should we think about the as I think we need to go back to Philippians chapter 3 verse 24. Paul said, remember this, our citizenship is in heaven. Our citizenship is in heaven.

Richard Phillips powerfully addresses this is a Christian parent should thus be raising their children, not for the world but for the kingdom of Christ, while believers live in the world.

We must not be of the world so as to enter into its way of thinking and acting. We must not drinking worldly dreams of earthly glory, financial security and self-centered recreation churches must not try to put on a worldly façade or adopt styles of worship designed to win approval of the great worldly city since our citizenship is not in worldly society. But in Christ's kingdom. Paul points out the great incentive and hope that we cherish from heaven. We await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorified body by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself that takes us to .3 and that it's the end of sin. Verse 19 again, the great city was split the three parts in the cities of the nations fail God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of his fury. This is what Paul was talking about in first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 21 to 26. Listen carefully to this policy assist for as by man came death, by man has come.

Also, the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made, not made alive. But each in his own order Christ the firstfruits, then Ed is coming.

Those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death folksy and will be judged in power, like the world cannot begin to imagine. And when we get to glory our sin natures can be eradicated what he thinks will be the greatest thing about heaven. I think the greatest thing about heaven is Jesus, and we will see Jesus face-to-face every day we will be able to worship him face-to-face on the great thing about heaven by a long shot is Jesus Christ that I think the second greatest thing is this our sin nature will be eradicated. No longer will have to fight sin. No longer will I have to to get to desire sin.

No longer will I have to to two come to grips with what CNE is and how horrible it is to realize what a stranglehold is so often had on me.

It will be totally and completely eradicated. The reason that God remembered Babylon is that God keeps a close record of sin. Now, how often have you heard the statement God hates the sin. But he loves the sinner. I think we have to be very careful with that and I John 316.

What did Jesus say Jesus and for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God's love was shown God's love was shown to sinners as God sent his son Jesus Christ of the cross to be a substitutionary atonement for our sins and for those who trust Christ as Lord and Savior. Love those sins would be washed away completely removed from us as far as the east is from the west and the righteousness of Christ would be given to us so that when God the father looks at us. He doesn't see the sea and in the pettiness and the selfishness and all the junk anymore. What is he see he sees that perfect holy righteousness of Christ. That is true, that is true for the believer, but that is not true for the crop projector sinners who refuse God's loving offer of salvation in Christ will not experience God's love, but they will experience God's wrath and creation itself testifies to that.

So if all that is true then what should be our response. I think we need to go back once again to second Peter if you would for just a minute. I want you to put yourself in Peter's sale with him. He's getting ready to die and he knows it is in the dark, dank prison sale.

Scott is panning his hand is writing down these words, knowing that at any moment he is.

He's gonna die. The executioners are going to come there gonna take him out of his prison sale there to march him out to a hill right outside of Rome and the crucifying I think Peter is probably thinking about what he's going to say them and how is going to react all that and he's already made his mind up what is going to say he's gonna tell the ones who crucifying when you crucify me, crucify me upside down from not worthy to be crucified like Jesus but nail at this point time he's writing down this last passage that we call third chapter of a second Peter and what is the point his fellow Christians to what is he do to encourage them.

What is he do to tell them this is how you make it through this earth through this life through this world. He points them to the last day. Second Peter three verse 11 to 15 Peter San in the light of what God is going to do in the end. Don't waste your life. Listen to what he says.

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved in the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn, but according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Listen, therefore, beloved, since you were waiting for these. Be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish in a piece and count the patients of our Lord is salvation just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to high my fourth point is that in the gospel opportunity.

Look at verse 20 and 21 and every island fled away in the mountains were to be found great hailstones, about 100 pounds each, fell from heaven on people and they curse God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe. What does God command Christians to do here on this earth that he refuses to allow Christians to do in heaven.

The answer that is share the gospel. Hebrews 927 says where it is appointed of the men once to die, and after that the judgment and absolutely amazes me to see how people treat the gospel so flippantly you share the gospel with some people as I'll have time for that. I'll deal with that later.

I'll deal with that at another time.

Maybe later we tell you brothers and sisters. The time is coming when they will not be a later I shared with you a while back about a opportunity I had to to witness. I was up in Saskatchewan, Milford, Saskatchewan, Canada, and was preaching a series of revival services in the past are just great man of God, said Doug, would you go in with me to a man. I've been trying to witness two's an alcoholic, and he said I felt shared with them over and over again. I'm just not getting anywhere and would you share the gospel with them.

I said I'd be glad to. So we went to this apartment we knocked on the door and nobody came. Rich reached over, he took the doorknob and he turned it in the door just opened up so we walked in. I could not believe the stench that was in that apartment there were liquor bottles and beer cans everywhere that there were half eaten sandwiches and and half eaten potato chips just line all over the floor. The eating table was covered with dishes that look like they'd been there unclaimed four months.

It was a rat that was up on top of the one of the dishes eaten and we walked in the rat didn't even quit eaten. He just kept right on and we got EN and and Rich cried out he said Brian and all of a sudden the bathroom door opened and Brian came walking out he had blood all over the front of his shirt and he had a big not only say it Rich and Brian would have you is that I got drunk last night I fell in the bathtub, not myself out and then richly will this is Doug Agnew and he's preaching in a series of revival services for such wicked. He said he's gonna share the gospel. Would you listen and he said yeah and so we sat down out my Bible up what the gospel presentation withing when I finish with the Scripture. Rich looked over at him and said Brian, would you turn from your sin and trust Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

And I'll never forget what happened. He bit his lip and he said not, I can't do that now and in written form.

Not he said man. I got too much like live and I just got a be free and I thought to myself what free.

What are you talking about your addicted to alcohol you can go one day without it you're living in absolute filth and squalor you just about killed yourself. You brought in every relationship that you've been in and you say that you gotta be free to listen. There is no freedom outside of Christ. Jesus said you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

People don't waste your gospel opportunity, while not because only one life will soon be passed in only what's done for Christ will last spray heavenly father we come before your throne tonight this morning to thank you and praise you for your goodness and grace.

We thank you Lord that your good gracious, wonderful God who gives us everything that we need for salvation and that is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. If we are saved today. Those that are here.

We can do nothing but just praise you for the mercy and grace that saved us for Lord, we realize that it was not us it was you. We thank you for loving us that deeply heavenly father. Now as we get ready to partake in the Lord's supper. We asked father that you be with us in great power. We pray father that you might help us in our celebration that we might experience your presence, and that this might be a very special time we might come in contact with the spirit of God we love you Lord, thank you and praise you for your goodness, loved us and we asked this prayer in Jesus name, amen