Have you ever been invited to a party, and wondered whether you should go or not? In Revelation 22:12-21 we are invited by the Lord to accept the redemption that He has offered us, and in Verses 13-16 & 18-21 He gives us 4 incentives for accepting that invitation.1. Because of Christ’s Person: What a privilege it is to be invited by Jesus, Himself, to partake of His glorious salvation! (v13 & 16). Here He describes the glory of His person by reminding us that He is the Alpha and Omega (He was here in the beginning, and He is still here at the end of all things). He is “the root (ancestor) and the descendant of David.” Only the God-man can be both David’s ancestor and his descendant. In His deity, Christ is David’s root; in his humanity, He is Davids’s descendant.2. Because of the Exclusivity of Heaven (v14-15): This starts with a beatitudes, which graphically portrays the follower of Jesus’s participation int eh death of Christ. Heaven is exclusively for those who have been cleansed from their sins by faith in the blood of Christ. In contrast, everyone else will remain forever outside the New Jerusalem in the … READ MORE

Just as the Bible opens with the promise of Christ’s first coming, so it ends with the promise of His second coming. In Revelation 22:6-12, the gook is addressed to believers, demanding their proper response to Christ’s their proper response to Christ’s imminent return. Then in Revelation 22:13-21 we see a call to unbelievers to repentance. The inspired canon of Scripture closes with an urgent invitation, pleading with sinners to come to Jesus Christ and receive the free gift of eternal life before it is forever too late. God’s final invitation to sinners comes in verse 17 where we read, “And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” and let him that heareth say, come.” and let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” God saves sinners, but only those who recognize their need and repent. The water of life is offered without cost to the sinner because Jesus paid the price for it through His sacrificial death on the cross. God freely offers the water of life to those whose hearts are thirsty for forgiveness, whose minds are thirsty for truth, and whose souls are thirsty for Him. Have you … READ MORE

The message of the book of Revelation, that Jesus will return bringing blessing for His own and horrifying judgment on the ungodly, is too critical not to spread. Therefore, to fail to preach Revelation is not only foolish (cf. Rev. 1:3), but also sinful. Any follower of Christ who fails to learn its truths is forfeiting blessing; and any preacher who fails to proclaim its truths is sinfully unfaithful to his mandate. Not to preach the book of Revelation is to fail to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ with the glory that is due Him. The truth it dramatically conveys is that people’s response to the proclamation of the truth will fix their eternal destinies. Thos who hear the truth but continue to do wrong and be filty will by that hardened response fix their eternal destiny in hell. On the other hand, the ones who continue to practice righteousness and “keep himself holy” gives evidence of genuine saving faith. It is sobering to realize that people’s response to God’s gospel truth in this life will determine their eternal destiny. When they die, or when the Lord returns, their character will be forever fixed. Remember God’s Spirit will not always … READ MORE