1-24-14. Revelation 22:10-21. I AM COMING SOON!-my devotional

Key Verse: 22:12                                                                                                                                                                               Kevin E. Jesmer

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me,

to repay each one for what he has done.” (ESV)

Dear Jesus, thank you for helping us to face our fears with faith and granting us strength to stand up and challenge those situations with the power of faith. There are so many things in our lives that are like “Red Sea’s” that we feel we can never cross. We stand there, petrified by fear with a deep sense of failure in our hearts. That is where we would stay if it were not for you. But you are the Almighty Creator God. You created the heavens and the earth. You, heal the sick and raise the dead. You made a dry path so that the Israelites could pass through the Red Sea as on cry ground. You are God…we will trust in you. Help each of us Lord, to face our greatest fears and challenges in life. Help us not to run from these things, but stand and act in faith and experience the deliverance that you alone can bring. Heal our hearts of all the things that fear of has created within us and make us strong so we may follow you. Please help me to accept your word today in my heart. I pray in the conquering name of Jesus Christ.

Part 1: Jesus Is Coming Soon (10-15).

Verses 10-15, “And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” 12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.” 

Jesus is coming soon! His reward is with him! He comes as judge and he knows everything we have done. No one can make excuses or hide anymore. That is why verse 11 says, “Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”  There will be a time when each person will stand for who they truly are. There will be no last minute facades erected in an attempt to hide your true self from God. He knows whose hearts are made right before him and those are the ones who will be saved.

     There are only two kinds of people: First, those who have repented and been forgiven by the blood of Jesus; second, those who continue in the practices that God hates. Those who hear his invitation will welcome Jesus at his coming. All others will be cast into the lake of fire and suffer eternal condemnation, the result of being eternally separated from God.

Each person will be repaid for what he has done.  In the past I have done things I know were not pleasing to God. Every person, who is honest with themselves, will also admit this. We are each reminded of our trespasses from time to time. Some feel pangs of guilt and then they forget about it. But we must remember that we will be judged for what we have done while living in this body. There is no way to overcome the judgment. We all need a savior and our savior’s name is Jesus.

Verse 12b reads, “…to repay each one for what he has done.” What is the only thing that we can possibly do in order to be saved? You can never make up for your sins with good deeds. It is impossible. The weight of our sin and the damage caused by sin is just too much to pay back. The only thing that a person could “do” and must do, is to humbly confess our sin to God, repent of all known and unknown sins and ask God to forgive you. Then you can look to Jesus, who died on the cross for you bringing complete forgiveness. That is what 14a means, “Blessed are those who wash their robes…” Now live in that forgiveness. Live in that grace with the absolute assurance of God’s grace of forgiveness in your life. That confidence in God’s grace allows us to , “…,have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.”  (14b)

How can Christ do this? Who is he that he can bring forgiven sinners into his kingdom? Look at verse 13 again, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”  Jesus is the Creator God. He was there at the beginning of eternity and he will be there for all eternity beyond. He is the eternal, creator God. He has all authority. If he forgives us based on the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the cross, then we have been truly forgiven. When Jesus comes I will lift my head up high and stand there knowing that I am completely forgiven by Jesus, who died for me and that God loves me and accepts me as his child. I can stand on nothing else. Thank you Lord, for the Gospel.

Part 2: Come, Lord Jesus! (16-21).

Verse 16-21, “Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”

There is a stark reality for all those who find themselves outside of God’s grace of forgivness. Look at verse 16, “Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”  Before coming to Jesus all of us could have classified us in one or more of these categories. But the difference is that Christians are the ones who have been forgiven by God through faith. We are forgiven sinners. And this grace is open to anyone who believes. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (ESV) This kind of reminds me of Noah. Noah and his family were in the ark. When the ark closed its doors, outside were all the people who did not believe. They were the ones mocking God and Noah and his family. When Jesus comes again, it will be like Noah closing the doors of the ark. Thank you Lord, for your grace, that enables us to be numbered with the Redeemed.

Jesus is the Root and Offspring of David, representing God’s faithfulness to his people. He is also the bright Morning Star, who shines light into the darkness and gives hope to his suffering people. We all need a faithful and steady God. We need a bright light shining in our darkness. Two years ago I was in a very dark time, as God was breaking down a lot of walls and strongholds that I had created for myself. I was suffering inwardly. But even in the midst of my darkness there was always Jesus there. There was always the bright Morning Star guiding my heart until I could come out of the dark fog and be led along a new path. We all need such a bright morning star in our lives. Who isn’t experiencing some elements of darkness? Who isn’t tasting some inner suffering unique to themselves? Jesus is there for anyone. All you need is to come to Christ in faith and he will guide your heart with his light.

We need to have a cry in our heart, “Come, Lord Jesus!” and put our hope in his Second Coming. We must freely receive the grace of eternal life that refreshes our souls and take new strength in Jesus. We must hold fiercely to Jesus’ promise of eternal victory. Jesus speaks to us that he is coming soon! Let us not grow weary, but hear his voice and depend on his grace until he returns!

What do we long for? A day off of work? A summer vacation? For our kids to move their families next door to us? For our kids to join us in ministry? For our income tax return? There are many things we hope for? But a Christian’s greatest hope is for Jesus to come again. We hope to see the Lord face to face. We hope to dwell with Jesus and all of God’s people and the angels in heaven forever, worshipping the Lord and enjoying his presence. I hope for many things, but this is my greatest hope and this hope is growing in my heart each day as I get older.

Prayer: Lord, I long for your return with great hope and joy. May I share the gospel that brings eternal life.”

One Word: Come quickly, Lord Jesus!