MAKING THE MOST OF THE LORD'S DAY

1. Check your motivation.  There are right and wrong reasons for going to church.  Guard against the spirit that would view church attendance with a sense of mere obligation or duty.  You were Spirit-led with love for Jesus to first enjoin yourself to the fellowship of believers.  Be motivated in attending church by that same Spirit-empowered love for Jesus, His truth, and His people (Cf. John 14:23; Psalm 119:140; John 13:34-35; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 2:4-5).
2. Set apart Sunday as “The Lord’s Day” (Cf. Revelation 1:10).  According to statistics church attendance is declining to an all-time low in our country.  It is the “habit of some” to forsake assembling together with other believers (Hebrews 10:25).  They and the church both suffer harm as a result and the testimony and ministry of the church is diminished.  Christ loves His church and He bids us to do the same (Cf. Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25).\
3. Anticipate Sunday worship with the saints and encourage others to do the same (Cf. Psalm 122:1).  We anticipate the prospect of attending various kinds of special events (sporting events, concert, etc.)—in our excitement we might even count down the preceding days and tell and invite our friends—let’s anticipate church with an even greater degree of anticipation.
4. Be mindful of Satan’s attempts to distract or detour you from Sunday worship (Cf. 2 Corinthians 11:3).  The endeavor to do God’s will and work in our lives is always met with spiritual opposition.  That’s true whether we determine to pray, study to obey God’s Word, or go to church.  It’s easy to generate countless reasons and excuses for dismissing these spiritual disciplines.  See church not as an obligation to fulfill but a privilege to delight in and be excited about.
5. Pray for the Sunday gathering of the saints (Cf. Ephesians 6:18-19).  The Spirit of God must be the “worship leader” if our worship is to be pleasing to God (Cf. Philippians 3:3).  Pray for yourself and others—that we might be Spirit-led to behold the glory of Christ and hear and respond to His truth (Cf. John 16:14).
6. Get a good night’s sleep the night before.  We instinctively know that to be at our best we must get adequate rest.  A late Saturday night will likely translate into a drowsy and inattentive Sunday.
7. Arrive at church early.  Most wouldn’t think of showing up late for work, yet church frequently doesn’t rate the same degree of punctuality.  An attitude of anticipation will work to overcome reasons for delay.
8. Go to church, not with the intent to be served, but to worship God and serve others (Cf. Philippians 2:3-4, 21).  In our self-worshipping culture it is easy to think of church in a similar way—to go to church to be served by others.  But Christ has called us a different and better way of life.  He is our example.  To have the mind of Christ is to put the needs of others ahead of one’s own.  “He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35).”
9. Don’t let minor offenses, etc. get in the way (Cf. Ephesians 4:32; 4:27).  You’ve no doubt heard that little ditty, “To dwell above with saints we love, Oh that will be glory; to dwell below with saints we know, well that’s another story.”  The fact is that the Spirit has put us into the body with other blood-bought (1 Corinthians 8:11b), Spirit-indwelt brothers and sisters.  Learning how to forgive others is an important aspect of growing in Christ.  Sometimes people avoid fellowship because they have refused to forgive.  Don’t let the Devil use your own bitterness to lead you away from fellowship.  You are going to be with the saints above for a long time—it’s best to learn to love them here below.
10. Actively look for ways to encourage and serve others (Cf. Hebrews 10:24-25).  “Out in the highways and byways of life many are weary and sad.”  That’s true not only outside but in the pews.  How precious is a word of encouragement or demonstration of concern to someone who is struggling!  Proverbs 15:23, “How delightful is a timely word!”  Pray for and look for ways to encourage.
11. Make it a point to greet/welcome visitors and new attenders.  I remember visiting a church, years ago, where I was never greeted—indeed my presence amongst them was never even acknowledged.  By way of contrast I once attended a church in Uganda where seemingly every member greeted and hugged me and my fellow visitors.  Determine to “pay special attention” to every visitor no matter their status or attire (Cf. James 2:2-3).
12. Engage yourself in the corporate prayers (Cf. Acts 4:24).  Don’t go to church as a spectator, but as a participant.  The early church “lifted their voices to God with one accord” in prayer when confronted with an urgent need.  Enjoin yourself “in the Spirit” in times of corporate prayer (Ephesians 6:18).
13. Engage your mind, will, and emotions in the singing.  Sing with enthusiasm (Cf. Colossians 3:16).  In our entertainment crazed culture it is not surprising that some think that the purpose of music in the church is to entertain.  But music in the church is for worship.  To be pleasing to God it must be “in Spirit and truth” (John 4:24).  Worship in singing is the result when we are Spirit-filled and richly indwelt by God’s truth (Cf. Ephesians 5:18-19; Colossians 3:16).  The most enthusiastic singing I’ve experienced has been in settings where there were no song books, no sound systems, and only a drum for accompaniment.   Sing songs of praise to Jesus as if you mean it.  God is far more concerned with what comes flows from our hearts though our lips than what comes out of the sound system.
14. Listen to the sermon with the intent to obey (Cf. James 1:22; Revelation 1:3; Psalm 1).  God’s word repeatedly promises to bless those who listen to it and then obey what it teaches.  It is not enough to merely hear it taught (Cf. Matthew 7:24-27).  J. I. Packer, “Congregations never honor God more than by reverently listening to His Word with a full purpose of praising and obeying Him once they see what He has done and is doing, and what they are called to do.”  
15. Examine everything carefully, but not with a critical spirit (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:21; Acts 17:11; James 2:13).  Any good Bible teacher deems it a good thing when his teaching is met with Spirit-led discernment.  Subservient to the authority of the Word his goal is not adherence of his audience to him, but to the Word.  Take care to listen measuring what you hear against the standard of God’s inspired Word (Cf. 2 Timothy 3:16).  Our guide must always be “What does the Word of God say” when it comes to matters of faith and practice.  That being said, be careful to guard against a “critical spirit” which would call into question the motivation and every detail of those who serve in the body of Christ.
16. Consider taking notes (Cf. Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 2:15).  It is good practice to listen to a sermon with a Bible open and a notepad in hand.  Look up referenced verses so that you gain familiarity with your Bible.  Write down important points or verse references that you want to refer to later.  We once had visitors from California who attended our church.  They had taught their two children (ages 10-12) to listen carefully to the sermon and take notes.  At the end of the service they showed me what they had written.  They both had drawn pictures which illustrated the main point of the sermon along with relevant verses that spoke to their hearts.  It can help in listening to write things down.
17. Endeavor to take home at least one truth from Scripture that God can use to change you (Cf. Psalm 119:18; 139:23-24; Hebrews 4:12).  God’s Word is living and active and able to penetrate deep into our hearts.  The Spirit of God applies the Word of God to our hearts that He might transform us into the very image of Christ.  The process is step-by-step and the Spirit is well equipped to speak to us in our particular point of need.  Be responsive to the truth in a spirit of humility (Cf. Isaiah 66:2b).
18. Find ways to teach and admonish others in the truths that you learn.  Truth is imparted to be passed on (Ezra 7:10; 2 Timothy 2:2).  Growth to maturity in Christ is a corporate affair.  It is as we are “speaking the truth in love” that we “grow up in all aspects into Him” (Ephesians 4:15).  Being richly indwelt with the Word we are to “with all wisdom (be) teaching and admonishing one another” (Colossians 3:16).  The gathers for edification and scatters for evangelism.  We gather that we might be prepared to scatter, taking the truth with us.  Throughout the week we will likely have countless opportunities to “speak the truth in love” (and especially the gospel) with others.  View Sunday as the opportunity to be instructed and encouraged that you might prove yourself to be a blessing to someone else in your coming week.

THE DASH BETWEEN THE DATES

On a tombstone in a graveyard you will likely find a symbol, a short and simple line, between two dates.  The dates, on the left and the right, mark the year of the beginning and end of one’s life.  The “in-between” part—the life lived--is all summed up and represented to us by a dash.

The dash bears more weight than it should.  A simple short line can hardly suffice to tell the story of all that transpired in the life of a person.  Did they die young or old?  The dates tell that part.  But the tombstone and the dash say little or nothing about the dead person’s character or deeds.

Our omniscient Creator knows both about the dates and all that which lies in-between.  Where we see a dash, he sees and knows a person.  A person created by Him to know and love Him.  He has “set eternity in their heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  In the heart of each rebel sinner lies a God-given desire to be reconciled to Him. 

Without knowing anything else about a person we know one thing about them.  We are all born sinners.  We’ve all missed the mark and have fallen short.  We’ve failed to measure up to God’s holy standard (Cf. Romans 3:23).  The death date on the tombstone testifies to the reality—“death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).

The date on the left speaks to the year of one’s birth, but another birthday can work to radically alter the character and eternal trajectory of a life.  Jesus said, “You must be born again” (John 3:7).  “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” 1 Timothy 1:15) and died “for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).  To those who receive Him He gives “the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).  The new birth works a wonderful transformation in one’s identity, life, and eternal destination.  Jesus can make something beautiful of the dash between the dates.

The death date on the tombstone does not mark the end.  “An hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds, to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28-29).  Those who die knowing Jesus will spend eternity with Him.  Those who don’t will “pay the penalty of eternal destruction” (2 Thessalonians 1:9).

Having assurance of heaven the believer in Christ is nevertheless concerned for the character of what lies within the “dash between the dates.”  “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).  On that day the “quality of each man’s work” will be revealed with fire and he will accordingly either suffer loss or receive reward (Cf. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15).  What is done here matters there (i.e. in heaven).

Paul’s instructions to Timothy speak to such matters: “Instruct them (“those who are rich in this present world”; 1 Timothy 6:17) to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed” (1 Timothy 6:18-19).  Our “dash” should be filled with such things.

Missionary C. T. Studd put it this way:

“Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart,

And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.  

Only one life, yes only one,

Soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,

And stand before His Judgment seat;

Only one life,’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

What’s in your dash?  Have you been born again unto salvation and a life-transforming relationship with Jesus?  Are you even now--"during the time of your stay upon earth" (1 Peter 1:17)--living to please and serve Him?  Jesus can make something beautiful of your dash between the dates!

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT (Revelation Chapter 22)

Revelation 22:1-2, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”

I love rivers.  Always have.  I can vaguely remember my first times fishing and trying to keep up with my Dad on the trail as we made our way to the creek.  Inevitably my fishing pole would get tangled up in the brush and he would have to stop and rescue me.  On one occasion I fell into a river necessitating a more urgent kind of rescue.  We spent a lot of weekend days fishing in my growing up years.  Dad would patiently stay put in one place—and catch fish--while I ran from hole to hole anxious to see what was “around the river bend.”  I’ve hiked a lot of river banks and have swam, boated, fished, and enjoyed rivers large and small. 

The Bible speaks of rivers.  There was a river in Eden which watered the garden (Cf. Genesis 2:10).  But that paradise was lost to man in sin.  The Promised Land lay on the other side of the Jordan River.  God miraculously stopped the river allowing His people to pass (Cf. Joshua 3).  Idolatrous Israel languished in spiritual drought.  So God spoke to His people through the prophet Jeremiah, “My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13).  God likened Himself to a perpetual life-giving stream.  Jesus did too, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:38; Cf. Revelation 21:6).  He spoke thus of the Spirit (Cf. John 7:39).  The life of God in the soul of a man is said to be like a river flowing out of one’s heart.

The New Jerusalem will have a river.  You can trace most rivers to their source.  The headwaters of the nearby Columbia lie far north in British Columbia.  The Metolius River in Central Oregon springs up from ground from some undetermined birthplace.  But the river “of the water of life” will flow “from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1).  Some rivers are crystal clear.  Their multi-colored rock and boulder-strewn bottoms are beautifully magnified by the cascading currents.  The river in New Jerusalem will be “bright as crystal” and obviously majestic to behold (Cf. Revelation 22:1).  The river in Eden watered the garden and the trees, the heavenly river will do the same.  “On either side of the river” will stand “the tree of life, with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit for each month” (Revelation 22:2).  “The leaves of the tree (will be) for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2). 

Heaven will have a river.  It will flow from God Himself.  There are lovely rivers on earth, but the beauty of the river of heaven will far surpass them all.  It’s good to live by a river.  That’s why so many cities are located alongside them.  The heavenly city will have a heavenly river that will supply the water of life to its heavenly citizens.

A beautiful river runs through heavenly Jerusalem.  Are you going to have a place there on that river one day?  Riverfront property is even now availed to us in Christ.  He invites us to come to Him and drink.  We were all created to love a river.  And we will ever remain thirsty souls lest we drink of the living water He alone can supply (Cf. John 4:13-15). 

The earth will give way and the mountains will be moved into the heart of the sea (Cf. Psalm 46:2).  History will run its course and this present world will perish.  But “there is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High” (Psalm 46:4).  There will be much rejoicing along that heavenly stream.  I love rivers.  Apparently—and more importantly--God does too. 

NO MORE TEARS (Revelation Chapter 21)

Revelation 21:1-4, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation chapter 21 unveils to us a new heaven and earth that will be the eternal dwelling place of the redeemed.  Paradise lost in Genesis chapter 3 is paradise regained in these final chapters of the book of Revelation.  Specific details of this new creation are revealed.  There will be no more sea (Cf. Revelation 21:1).  A city, New Jerusalem, “coming down out of heaven,” will be the dwelling place of the saints in the presence of God (Revelation 21:2-3).  There will be no more sin (Cf. 2 Peter 3:13).

The most difficult aspects of life here on earth will be non-existent in heaven.  These things have troubled man since the fall.  Were there tears shed by Adam and Eve when they fell in sin?  There have been plenty shed since.  Mourning, crying, and pain are all sourced ultimately in sin and death.  Creation itself groans under the burden of the curse (Cf. Romans 8:22).  We do too (Cf. Romans 8:23).  No estate in this present existence can avail these “no longers” to us.  There is no place on earth devoid of these troubles which have long plagued man’s existence.  No set of circumstances can guarantee to us the absence of death, mourning, crying or pain.  And though we, as believers in Christ, are strengthened and comforted amidst our afflictions by God, it is the Spirit-borne hope of glory which ultimately works to encourage and sustain us.

John MacArthur has commented on this, “He shall wipe away every single tear. What it means is there never will be a tear in heaven, not one single tear. There will be nothing sad. There will be nothing disappointing. There will be nothing unfulfilling. There will be nothing lacking. There will be nothing wrong. There will be nothing limiting. There will be nothing to cry about.  Tears of misfortune, tears of poverty, tears of loneliness, tears over lost love, tears of sympathy, mercy, pity, tears of persecuted innocence, tears of remorse, tears of regret, tears of penitence, tears of neglect, tears of yearning for what cannot be are all gone forever. Bliss, joy and nothing but for eternity. Tears, you see, are part of, what he says at the end of verse 4, the first things that have passed away. They don't exist.  To put it in a clinical form, you won't have any tear ducts. Furthermore, you might not even have any water in you. How about that? I told you there's no more sea. It's not a water-based existence. No more tears, gone, nothing to cry about.”

An old hymn, “There’s No Disappointment in Heaven,” speaks to what awaits the believer in Christ in this eternal abode:

“There’s no disappointment in Heaven, No weariness, sorrow or pain;

No hearts that are bleeding and broken, No song with a minor refrain. 
The clouds of our earthly horizon, Will never appear in the sky,
For all will be sunshine and gladness, With never a sob or a sigh.

We’ll never pay rent for our mansion, The taxes will never come due,

Our garments will never grow threadbare, But always be fadeless and new,
We’ll never be hungry or thirsty, Nor languish in poverty there,
For all the rich bounties of Heaven, His sanctified children will share.

There’ll never be crepe on the doorknob, No funeral train in the sky;

No graves on the hillsides of glory, For there we shall nevermore die. 
The old will be young there forever, Transformed in a moment of time;
Immortal we’ll stand in His likeness, The stars and the sun to outshine.”

Words and Music by Frederick M. Lehman, 1914.

THE THOUSAND YEARS (Revelation Chapter 20)

Revelation 20:1-4, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain.  And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.  Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

This passage speaks of what is commonly referred to as the millennium which has to do with the thousand-year reign of Christ over the earth.  The phrase “thousand years” appears six times in the first seven verses of this chapter.  There are three main views regarding the nature and duration of this period.

Premillennialists understand the millennium to be a literal thousand year period in which Christ will reign in fulfillment of numerous Old Testament prophecies (Cf. Psalm 2; 45, 110; Isaiah 2:1-5, 11:6-12, 24:23, 60, 61-3-62, 66; Jeremiah 23:3-8, 32:37-44; Ezekiel 40-48; Daniel 2:44-45; 7:13-14; 12:2-3; Micah 4:1-8; Joel 3:9-21; Amos 9:8-15; Zechariah 12:10-14:21).  Christ will return after the Great Tribulation to establish His Kingdom.  A great rebellion takes place at the end of the millennium (Cf. Revelation 20:7).  A new heaven and new earth is then established after the Great White Throne judgment (Cf. Revelation 20:11-21:1).

Postmillennialists say that Christ will return after the thousand years.  According to their view the thousand years is merely symbolic of a period of world-wide turning to Christ.  As J. Vernon McGee has pointed out, “This viewpoint has become obsolete as it could not weather the first half of the twentieth century, which produced two world wars, a global depression, the rise of communism, and the atom bomb with which worldwide destruction is imminent.”

Amillennialists understand the thousand years to be merely symbolic of a long period of time.  The addition of the prefix “a” serves to negate the term.  This view typically interprets Old Testament prophecies of having being fulfilled in a spiritual sense through the church.  Most amillennialists fit the millennium into the present age and the events of Revelation into past history.

What difference does it make what one believes about such matters?  God made specific promises to Israel that are yet to be fulfilled.  God has not abandoned Israel (Cf. Romans 11:25-27).  He promised to them a kingdom and God is always faithful to do that which He has promised.  Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum has commented on this, “The belief in the Messianic Kingdom does not rest on this passage (Revelation 20:4) alone. In fact, it hardly rests on it at all. The basis for the belief in the Millennial Kingdom is twofold. First: there are the unfulfilled promises of the Jewish covenants, promises that can only be fulfilled in a Messianic Kingdom. Second: there are the unfulfilled prophecies of the Jewish prophets…The only real contribution that the book of Revelation makes to the knowledge of the Kingdom is to disclose just how long the Messianic kingdom will last—namely one thousand years—for which the term Millennium is used. This is the one key truth concerning the Kingdom that was not revealed in the Old Testament.” 

John Walvoord has written of the nature of this coming kingdom, “For the whole period of one thousand years the earth will revel in the immediate presence of the Lord and His perfect divine government. Israel will be exalted and Gentiles also will be blessed. The major factors of the millennium, therefore, include a perfect and righteous government with Christ reigning in absolute power over the entire earth. Every nation will be under His sway, and God’s purpose in originally placing man in charge of the Garden of Eden will have its ultimate fulfillment in the Last Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will reign over the earth.  The prominence of Israel in the millennial scene is evidenced in many passages of the Old Testament…Gentiles who share in the kingdom blessings have unparalleled spiritual and economic benefits, and the thousand-year reign of Christ is a time of joy, peace, and blessing for the entire earth. Though problems in understanding this period persist due to the fact that there is not a complete revelation on all details, the major facts are sufficiently clear for anyone who is willing to accept the authority and accuracy of Scripture and interpret language in its ordinary sense.”

THE SECOND ADVENT (Revelation Chapter 19)

Revelation 19:12, “And on his head are many diadems”

Merry Christmas!  Today we rejoice in the first advent of the Lord Jesus who “came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).  We are almost to the end of our reading through the New Testament.  It’s been almost a year since we began and read in the early chapters of Matthew of His first advent.  And now in this chapter we read of His second.

It’s good for us to connect the two together.  In fact, it is impossible to rightly celebrate Christmas—in God-intended fashion at least—apart from understanding the whole truth about Jesus Christ.  We read through the narrative of Jesus’ birth last night at our Christmas Eve service.  That God in His love would condescend to our need in sending His Son is glorious truth indeed, as Martin Luther has noted: “The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that He sunk Himself into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.”  The nativity scene speaks to this mystery, but there is more to the story.

Jesus Christ is the CREATOR.  John 1:3, “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.”  This is an important truth to remember in our consideration of the import of Christmas.  The Apostle John spoke of the creator’s identity and advent when he wrote: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).  The hymnwriter put it this way: “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity, Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.”

He was in a CRADLE.  Mary “gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).  In His first advent He came in humility.  There was no place for Him in the inn.  They laid Him in a feeding trough.  He received no royal reception and was instead welcomed by shepherds and foreigners.  He lived a humble life for “He came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45; Cf. Philippians 2:5-8).

He died on a CROSS.  To fulfill the Father’s will, Jesus purposed to die on a cross for sins.  Having been delivered up, they “stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand.  And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying ‘Hail, King of the Jews’” (Matthew 27:28-29)!   And as He hung there on that cross—the subject of mocking abuse—the sign above His head seemed to mock Him too.  Pilate had written the inscription.  The chief priests tried to make a change, but Pilate stood by what he wrote.  The sign was written in four languages and said, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (Matthew 19:20).  It spoke the truth, though on that day He appeared to be anything but a king.

He will wear a CROWN.  He’s coming again.  The first time He came in humility, but He’s coming again in glory.  Revelation chapter 19 speaks to the events associated with His return.  He will come on a white horse to judge and make war (Cf. Revelation 19:11).  He will be accompanied by the armies of heaven (Cf. Revelation 19:14).  He will “tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (Revelation 19:15).  He will be clothed in a “robe dipped in blood” symbolizing not His redemptive work, but His coming again in judgment (Cf. Revelation 19:13; Isaiah 63:3-6).  He will wear on his head “many diadems” which speak to His identity as the Sovereign ruler over all.  His robe likewise speaks to this having the name written on it, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 19:16).  Jesus is no longer a babe in a manger.  He is the risen and returning Lord who is coming to reign forever and ever.  He exchanged His kingly crown for a crown of thorns in His first advent.  He will wear glorious crowns in His second. 

The hymn, “Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne,” speaks to both advents of Christ: “Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown when Thou camest to earth for me.  But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room for Thy holy nativity.  Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word that should set Thy people free; but with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn they bore Thee to Calvary.  When the heav’ns shall ring and the angels sing at Thy coming to victory, Let Thy voice call me home, saying, ‘Yet there is room—There is room at My side for thee. My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus, when Thou comest and callest for me!”  Is He—this Creator who was laid in a Cradle then put upon a Cross to one day be Crowned—your Savior and Lord?  To celebrate Christmas in God-intended fashion one must first receive Him in the entirety of His person and not just as the babe of Christmas.  To those who thus receive Him He gives the best gift of all, “the right to become (a child) of God” (John 1:12; Cf. 2 Corinthians 9:15).

THE COMING CRASH (Revelation Chapter 18)

Revelation 18:9-20, “And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city!  For in one hour your judgment has come.’  “And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more…The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!’  And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance, and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’  And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’”

A little more than 85 years ago the US economy experienced a crash of the stock market.  A Time Magazine article described the events of that day: “As the story goes, the opening bell was never heard on Black Tuesday because the shouts of "Sell!  Sell!  Sell!" drowned it out.  In the first thirty minutes, 3 million shares changed hands and with them, another $2 million disappeared into thin air.  Phone lines clogged.  The volume of Western Union telegrams traveling across the country tripled.  The ticker tape ran so far behind the actual transactions that some traders simply let it run out.  Trades happened so quickly that although people knew they were losing money, they didn't know how much.  Rumors of investors jumping out of buildings spread through Wall Street; although they weren't true, they drove the prices down further…One trader fainted from exhaustion, was revived and put back to work.  Others got into fistfights.  The New York Stock Exchange's board of governors considered closing the market, but decided against it, lest the move increase the panic…The market recovered for a few months and then slid again, gliding swiftly and steadily with the rest of the country into the Great Depression.  Companies incurred huge layoffs, unemployment skyrocketed, wages plummeted and the economy went into a tailspin.  While World War II helped pull the country out of a Depression by the early 1940s, the stock market wouldn't recover to its pre-crash numbers until 1954.”

That was a bad day in the history of our country.  And from time to time other kingdoms and countries have experienced similar kinds of financial challenges.  Revelation chapter 18 speaks of a future political and financial collapse that will encompass the whole world.  The chapter has to do with the fall of Babylon.  There is debate as to whether or not ancient Babylon will be rebuilt.  Those who believe that it will view it to be the future epicenter from which Antichrist will exercise reign over a one-world government and one-world economy.  At the end of the Tribulation it will all come crashing down.  J. Vernon McGee has commented on this: “In chapters 17-18 two Babylons are brought be before us.  The Babylon of chapter 17 is ecclesiastical.  The Babylon of chapter 18 is economic.  The first is religious—the apostate church which entered into the Great Tribulation Period.  The second is political and commercial…When Christ returns, political Babylon will be destroyed by the judgment of God.”

The judgment comes about suddenly: “In a single hour” (Revelation 19:10, 17).  The destruction will be complete, laying waste to all human wealth (Cf. Revelation 10:17).  There will be much weeping and mourning on that day.  All kinds of people will lament the destruction of Babylon: the kings of the earth (Cf. Revelation 18:9); the merchants of the earth (Cf. Revelation 18:11); all shipmasters and seafaring men (Cf. Revelation 10:17).  Babylon will be “found no more” (Revelation 18:21).  Musicians will be heard no more (Cf. Revelation 18:22).  Craftsmen will construct no more (Cf. Revelation 18:22).  Industry will function no more (Cf. Revelation 18:22).  Light will shine in cities no more (Cf. Revelation 18:23).  Social and family life will be no more (Cf. Revelation 18:23).

Men plan and scheme and dream big dreams of gaining power and accumulating wealth.  Over the course of history many kingdoms have been built and have fallen.  There are some who suppose that man can somehow create a heaven on earth, a kind of social utopia.  That fallacy has been disproved by history.  Man has a sin problem.  A future kingdom is coming, under the reign of the Antichrist, but it will be no utopia.  And it will all come crashing down to make way for the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16).  “Do not love the world or the things in the world…the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17).