June 29th, 2008 - Revelations Series

DATE: June 29, 2008

SPEAKER: Pastor Kevin Snyder

TITLE: The Last Word on Service

SERIES: Revelation

Introduction

Over the summer we want to do a series on the book of Revelation. It along with end times was the most frequent question on the surveys I invited you to do.

However, I want to approach Revelation perhaps in a way that you perhaps never heard before. I want us to look at Revelations devotionally or to pull out the timeless spiritual truths that we find couched in the symbols, and numbers, and strange images.

Let me explain:

There are several ways that Revelation is studied and preached.

Futurist view

– This approach looks at Revelation as a book totally about the future. It tries to discern the future happenings to the earth and the sequence of events leading up to Christ.

The problem with that approach is we have to speculate a lot about symbols, and can make some big jumps

This futurist view also creates

a. the most controversy because everyone is speculating on what will happen, when will it happen, and what order it will happen. And there are some who get so convinced of their “order” that they actual make it a test of your Cnity as to whether you see it like them. For example, to suggest you think the church won’t be ruptured before some great tribulation period is heresy to them.

b. the greatest possibility for error. Because we are dealing with symbols, and future, and making jumps there is good chance that we will be wrong.

i.e.

Jewish people looking towards the 1st advent of Jesus. They saw the Messiah that would come as a political figure, a Son of David, who sit on the throne in Jerusalem, free Israel from its oppression, and establish a Golden Age or utopia on earth. They failed to see the prophetic images of Isaiah 53 & how Jesus would come not only as a king but as a Suffering Servant. They missed that his kingdom would be spiritual.

And so any interpreting of the book in light of future events has built into it a good possibility that we will be wrong.

One only has to think of such writings like:

Late Great Planet Earth – pictured Russia before falling of Iron curtain as imminently attacking Israel.
Another example is the “Millenium Meltdown” which pictured Y2K and the the year 2000 as triggering of Christ’s coming.
And there are many other examples of this futurist view.
“Left Behind” books and series
Most of the radio evangelists seem to focus on this view.

This view communicates this book doesn’t have a lot of relevance for at least 20 centuries until the last generation.

“Happened in the Past” View

This viewpoint holds that Revelation was written not for a time future, but for a time past. This view says that Revelation was written in a time of persecution (which it was. The author John was exiled to the island of Patmos where he wrote this book) It was a coded book that was used to pass on a message understood to the readers, but not the persecutors. . It says one has to read the symbols in terms of how the first readers would have read them. A book to encourage believers in a time of persecution.

i.e.

The beast 666 doesn’t refer to some future coming Anti-christ figure but actually referred to the Roman emperor of the time. And some do argue that the coded numbering system of the time identifies this 666 as Domitian, a Roman emperor who conducted the greatest and most wide-sweeping of persecutions.

This view would argue that “History has a tendency to repeat itself especially for those who don’t learn from it.” And so does this book apply - yes – in that we might again find ourselves in a similar situation at some point in history.

This view argues that the greatest relevance of this book was to the original hearers…..in early centuries.

A Historical Approach

This is where one looks through the lens of history at the events of Revelation and tries to connect events to history.

i.e.

7th Day Adventists – who see their establishment as a church as something pointed to in Revelation

i.e.

Actually a part of our COG heritage (element I am a little embarrassed about) is a man who wrote a book where he believed the COG was pointed to in Scripture and saw this as the last reformation before Jesus came.

The problem is that this view too gets speculative….and it forces some elements into its system and ignores those that don’t seem to fit.

Spiritual or Devotional Approach

This approach lays aside the newspaper, the history book, and the speculation about the future and looks at Revelation for the spiritual message. It looks for the timeless truths and images that apply across history into all kinds of situations. It says that regardless of whether you see Revelation as future, past, history…the main over-arching themes that we can agree and hold on to are these:

Evil may look to be winning but …Christ is Lord
Christ is Lord over the Church
Christ is Lord over History
Christ is Lord over all and neither death, nor Satan, nor all the dark forces of this world will stand against him in the end when he returns.

And it is this approach that I want us to take in looking at Revelation. So rather than this series being controversial and confusing.

I hope it puts Revelation back in your hands and strengthens and encourages your faith, because that is its greatest purpose.
I hope that regardless of your view of end times we can come together and love this book for the deep spiritual truths it gives us. I may not answer all your confusion about “what’s going to happen” but hopefully will direct you back to “what’s more important.”

Another way of putting this is: I don’t want you to approach this series with your analytical mind, but for this time through Rev. read it with your imagination.

Basic Approach we need to have:

“Where Scripture speaks we need to speak, where Scripture is silent, we need to be silent; and not fill the silence with all kinds of speculations.” (H.C. Heffren)

Reading Resources:

A Common Sense Approach to Revelation.”
Faithful in the Meantime – a little more academic
Reversed Thunder – series topics and focuses on the spiritual aspects and helps to read Rev. with the imagination.

All 3 of those resources will be totally different than the radio & TV evangelists, and perhaps what you have ever read….I believe you will find them freeing, stimulating, and challenging.

Well, today is Volunteer Appreciation Sunday.

What does Revelation have to say to us today.

Revelation takes the idea of “volunteer” to a whole another level. It is written to a people who were not just volunteering to work with young people, or in the nursery or kitchen out of a sense of self-fulfillment or need.

It is being written to people who are volunteering their lives in the cause of Christ. These people were volunteering their lives for Christ.

Rev 12:11

“They overcame him

by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony,

they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

Rev. is written to people who were losing their livelihoods and possessions because of their faith in J.C.
These were people who were being imprisoned & tortured for their faith.
These were people who were being killed by animals, sword, crosses, burnt for their faith.

This is a book that breathed hope, and strength, and endurance into those who would not back down for their faith. They served at the risk of death.

Note: “they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

Did you catch that?

What are the common reasons for people not serving or volunteering in NA?

Could it be the opposite of this verse….we love our lives too much.

We love our freedom.
We love not being tied down
We love having a life.
We love not having to carry the load.
We are too busy….living our lives.

Catch that spirit of these early Cns - “they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

And to those faithful cns who volunteer their lives in service what does this book say to encourage them and you & me. What truths does it remind them that encourage them to serve on, to persevere.

Let me highlight some of them

Serve on because God and good will win.

Every good action movie follows the sequence of Rev. Enter the hero. Enter the bad guys who attack something valuable to the hero. The bad guys look invincible. It looks like good is in danger of being snuffed out. The hero appears to be hanging by a thread.

Then suddenly the hero rises from the mat and with renewed vigour and energy beats the stuffing out of the evil enemy.

Friends that’s the sequence of Revelation. “It may be bad now for you, but this is not the end”. You and I have the luxury of knowing, as we wage war in the midst of the darkness, that King Jesus will win. The end is not in question.

No, it will seem like all the spiritual forces at times are arrayed against us.
There will be times when the political forces of this world will align themselves with evil to snuff out the church and faith.
It will seem at times when even nature is at war against humanity.
It will seem like evil is having its day and that good and God are powerless to stop it, but that isn’t the end of the story. The end is Christ will win!

The Apostle John reminds Cns of that in the very first verses of the book.

Rev. 1: 4b – 8, 17

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. 7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

From the very 1st verses Jesus is portrayed as King of Kings and Lord over all.

You are in the palm of his hand and at the Forefront of His Mind

Chapter 2 & 3 focus on church. God’s collected people in the church

The picture is the church is in the palm of God’s hand. And every church has an angel watching over it that has direct access to God.

“These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the 7 golden lamp stands.”(Rev 2:1)

The verses just before this tells that the…

star = angel of that church.
The lamp stand = the church.

There is someone watching over this church and who reports directly to J.C.

And if that isn’t enough, Jesus himself walks among us. He is here in our midst.

Friends, think about that.

You might be slugging away in some ministry of this church that no one sees, not many notice.

You may be up in that muppet cage doing sound or powerpoint and the only part of your service that is noticed is when something goes wrong.
You might be in the nursery taking care of one little child and thinking is this worth it.
You may be there on a Tuesday night and only 3 youth show up and feel like what’s the point.
You might be gathering on a Wed night to pray and be the only one.
You might be spending hours decorating and trying to usher people into the presence of God and wondering does anyone notice.
You may be a Stephen minister meeting with a broken person and feeling like no one knows I’m even doing this….

Just imagine that there is an angel assigned to East Side. And he is there watching over you and following our worship, sitting in on our Bible studies, watching us at work, following us in service. And taking notes.

And every week he is summoned before the throne of God and told to report on how are God’s people faring at East Side.

And excitedly this angel tells God that:

“You know, there was only one baby that showed up this past Sunday and Susie she held that baby just like you would father. And she sang and played with her. And she prayed for that baby and blessed it. Father, she expressed you to that baby and her parents today.”
“And there was Glenn and he was a greeter this past Sunday. And he saw that new person come in the door and his face lit up with joy just like yours does when your lost kids come home. And he reached out his hand and he welcomed that young man. And he introduced him. And when he went into service he saw he was sitting alone and he went and sat down beside him. He made him feel like he was home, Father.”
“And there was Allen in the worship team. He had a terrible week…everything went wrong. And he was feel oppressed and blue and he didn’t want to be there, but he came because he was on. And he played and it sounded like the music of heaven. His fingers danced across those strings and brought a brief glimpse of heaven to some weary souls.”

And there was Dave, a stephen minister, and he meets with this person that nobody knows about it who is facing huge challenges. And every week he just gives of himself out of the limelight ….just like you Jesus….healing behind closed doors and telling others not to say anything.

And the angel went on and on….And Jesus is sitting there nodding his head and saying: “That’s right…I was there I saw that. Did you see…. So cool.”

Friends, with that picture listen to Rev 2:2

“I know your deeds, your hard work, and your perseverance…”

And so serve on because God sees and knows your service that nobody else knows.

Heaven knows!

There is a heaven to gain. (Rev. 4,5)

You might be slugging away but remember when you are done, when Christ calls you home, when you get to heaven - it will be worth it all!

God will wipe away the tears of disappointment you have shed over people and outcomes.
He will wipe away the tears of sweat you have given
He will wipe away the tears of hurt that you received while meaning to do well.
He will wipe away the tears of loss and sorrow as you laboured only to see some move away or die.

And not only is there a heaven to gain of no more slugging against the current, no more grinding against the spirit of the age, but there is a time of rewards.

Rev 11:18

“The time has come for judging the dead and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name,

both small and great…”

Rev 22:13

“Behold, I am coming soon. My reward is with me and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”

Today we are surrounded by news of superstars. People who hit the most home runs, score the most goals, win a major golf tournament, win the race. But in this world for everyone that wins there are 1000’s of others who never see a reward. Their effort goes unrecognized.

Max Lucado says it well.

“But most of us don’t make it. Bats are traded for calculators, or stethoscopes or computers. And, with only slight regret, we set about the task of making a living. We understand. Not everyone can be Mark McQuire. For every million who aspire, only one achieves. The vast majority of us don’t hit the big ball, don’t feel the ticker tape, don’t wear the gold medal, don’t give the valedictory address.

And that’s okay. We understand in the economy of earth there are a limited number of crowns.

The economy of heaven, however, is refreshingly different. Heavenly rewards are not limited to a chosen few, but “to all those who have longed for his appearing.” The 3 letter word “all” is a gem. The winner’s circle isn’t reserved for a handful of the elite, but for a heaven full of God’s children, “will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him.”

…For all we don’t know about the next life, this much is certain. The day Christ comes will be a day of reward. Those who went unknown on earth will be known in heaven.

Those who never heard the cheers of men will hear the cheers of angels
Those who missed the blessing of a father will hear the blessing of a Heavenly Father.
The small will be great.
The forgotten will be remembered.
The unnoticed will be crowned and the faithful will be honoured…Your day is coming.

What the world has overlooked, your Father has remembered, and sooner than you can imagine, you will be blessed by him. …You won’t be left out. God will see to that…When it comes to recognition, God doesn’t delegate the job. Michael doesn’t hand out the crowns. Gabriel doesn’t speak on behalf of the throne. God himself does the honours

And what’s more it’s personal. Awards aren’t given a nation at a time, a church at a time, or a generation at a time. The crowns are given one at a time. God will look you in the eye and bless you with the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matt 25:23)

To the person of faith death is a day of rewards for a life well-lived, a battle well-fought, a faith well kept. It is a day when all that has been overlooked and neglected on this earth is finally awarded.

APPLICATION

Let me package this up and apply the message to serving.

Because that’s what Rev. does. It is a message written to those serving….

Rev. ties these thoughts together by, in essence saying…

Therefore...

When you think about serving remember

You are on the winning side
You are noticed and reported in heaven…
You have a heaven to gain…

Therefore…

Don’t lose heart. Don’t quit. Don’t give up.
Persevere.
Endure.
Keep on keeping on.
Walk by faith not by sight

Over and over in Revelation you hear the words,

“Blessed are those who

… endure

… who stay awake

… who endure to the end

… who persevere

… who did not love their life so much as to shrink from death

… who keeps these words

… who serve and follow Christ.

Conclusion

Church, servants of Christ, hear me:

Serve on…

in the out of the way places
in the heat of opinions and criticism
in the ministry where it seems so unappreciated
in that ministry which seems to never quite take off
in those times when it would easier to stay home
in those times when people think you are going overboard
in those places where there is only one
in those times when you think you are the only one
in those times when it hurts
when it’s overlooked

WHY?

Because your service is having an impact in the cosmic battle for the lives of people in this world
Because there is an angel who sees every cup of cold water in Jesus name when no one else does
Because Jesus knows and you are at the forefront of his mind and his cause
Because you know there is a heaven to gain not just for you but for every life you touch
And because there is one day a reward waiting for you.

Volunteers, servants of Christ….in the halls of heaven you are valued & appreciated.

On behalf of heaven and earth, thank you for serving.

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