Series: Knowing God’s Truth Sermon: What Can We Know About the End Times? Speaker: Andrew Tate Scripture: Revelation 21:22-27 QUOTE: “We live in an age that pervasively ascribes to the depressing and anxiety-producing belief that there is no overarching story that makes sense of the world. There is no grand story in which to participate. Therefore, our individual stories either terminate on our own happiness or on nothing at all. But the unavoidable (and diabolical) conclusion of an unstoried existence is that our lives are purposeless, aimless, and ultimately meaningless. Christianity firmly rejects this notion.” -Jen Wilkin/J.T. English

4 main plot movements of God’s story: Creation - Fall - Rescue - Restoration (or New Creation, Consummation)

QUOTE: "The main things are the plain things, and the plain things are the main things." -Alistair Begg Revelation 21:22-27 ESV 22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. We know: DEATH IS CERTAIN, BUT NOT FINAL

•Bible often refers to our lives as grass (Psalm 103:15-16) Hebrews 9:27 ESV And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, •All humans die as the consequence of sin (Rom 6:23) •At death, our physical bodies stop functioning, but our soul continues to live

•In Christianity, we believe our eternal status depends upon our relationship with Jesus Christ John 3:36 ESV Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

•The beatific vision

We know: JESUS WILL RETURN •This is the day all of creation is groaning for (Rom 8:22) Titus 2:13 ESV waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, •His coming down will be like his going up: personal (bodily), visible, in the clouds, glorious (Acts 1:9-11)

•His return is imminent (1 Thes. 5:2-3)

We know: THE RESURRECTION WILL SWALLOW UP DEATH 1 Corinthians 15 - Resurrection -The resurrection of Christ -The resurrection of the dead -The resurrection body •Because Christ was resurrected, we too will experience resurrection (1 Cor. 15:21-26) •We will receive glorified, immortal bodies; we will finally be "like Christ" (1 Cor. 15:49) •Death does not have final victory, God will! Isaiah 25:8-9 ESV 8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. 9 It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

We know: FINAL JUDGMENT IS UNAVOIDABLE •When Christ comes, he will execute perfect justice & make all things right (Rev. 19:1-2) •Believers will be judged (not punished for sin, but rewarded acc. to our works/obedience) (2 Cor. 5:10) 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 ESV 9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

•Unbelievers will be judged by their works, and thrown into the lake of fire Revelation 20:11-15 ESV 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

•The Devil & all his demons will be judged, thrown into lake of fire (Rev. 20:7-10)

We know: THE KINGDOM WILL BE FULLY COME •The kingdom of God QUOTE: “The kingdom of God is about Jesus our king establishing his rule and reign over all creation, defeating the human and angelic evil powers, bringing order to all, enacting justice, and being worshiped as Lord.” -Mark Driscoll/Gerry Breshears (“Doctrine”)

•The eternal state: called a new heaven & a new earth

-It will be Eden restored -There will be no sin, no curse, no death, no tears -It will be back to Gen. 1:31 when He declared it “very good" -We will finally be home, with God, forever -Sometimes called Consummation- 1 Pet. 4:7 (completion, fulfillment)

Revelation 21:1-5 ESV 1 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. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 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. 4 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.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Death Jesus’ return The Resurrection Final judgment The kingdom HOW DO WE LIVE IN LIGHT OF THIS? Thinking about the end times should bring us comfort & motivate us to live faithfully. QUOTE: ”End-times meditations are not meant to be anxiety inducing but comfort producing." -Jen Wilkin/J.T. English

•Are you ready for his return? •Are you longing & living for his return? 2 Timothy 4:7-8 ESV 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. QUOTE: “So far as I can see, every Bible passage about the return of Christ is written for a practical purpose –not to help us develop a theory of history, but to motivate our obedience.” -John Frame QUOTE: "When we live toward this future [judgment], we take our sin seriously today. And we take righteousness equally seriously." -Jen Wilkin/J.T. English Revelation 22:7, 12-13, 20 ESV 7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 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.” 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 22:17 ESV 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.