The Last Words Of Jesus

The Last Words of Jesus
Rev. 22: 7, 12, 20


Intro: John the Apostle had been persecuted beyond measure; he was arrested by the order of emperor Domitian and taken from Ephesus to Rome where he was thrown into a large vat of boiling oil. John was miraculously protected by God and was not killed. The emperor then ordered that he be banished to the Isle of Patmos, a small rocky and barren island where prisoners of Rome were sent to work in the mines till they died.
Here John received the Amazing and Glorious Revelation of Jesus Christ that concluded God’s Revelation to man as far as his Written Word was concerned.
It is here in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible that we read the last spoken words of Jesus; in vs 20- Surely, I Come Quickly.


I. The Urgency of This Announcement
These are the last words Jesus spoke aloud to an Apostle; these are the last words in Red in the Bible; this was the announcement that meant the most to Jesus as he concluded his revelation of Truth to mankind. “Surely, I Come Quickly!”
Even today, a person’s last words are considered very important. Those last words often reveal the inner most part of a man’s soul. Sometimes they are a confession of wrong doing; sometimes they are an admonition for those standing by; sometimes they are final words of love and devotion; sometimes important information is given that no one knew about.
The Last Words of Jesus are important! “Surely I Come Quickly!”
Then, when we add to the fact that these were the last words of Jesus, the fact that in this chapter Jesus gave the same announcement Two More times besides, this announcement Really becomes Important!
Do you feel the Urgency of this announcement?
Vs. 7 Behold, I come quickly
Vs. 12 Behold I come quickly
Vs 20 Surely I come quickly
“Behold!” (May I have your attention please? Hey! Listen Up! Maybe A loud whistle; clapping of the hands; raised voice. This is Urgent; this demands your immediate attention.)
Already in the Gospels Jesus had emphasized the urgency for us to be aware of his coming.
In Matthew’s account Jesus said, Watch therefore and Be ye also ready.
In Mark he said, Take Heed; Watch and Pray; Watch ye therefore; Watch
In Luke he said, Take heed to yourselves; watch ye therefore; pray always.
Then Paul later said that we must Watch and Be Sober.
Peter exhorted us to be Diligent in regard to the coming of the Lord.
Do you feel the urgency of this announcement? Are you watching, praying, taking heed to your life; being sober and alert and aware and diligent?


II. The Certainty of His Appearing
I would say that a three fold repetition would make a great case for the certainty of what is being said, how about you? Three times here in the last chapter of the Bible Jesus reminds us that he is Coming.
When Jesus ascended into heaven Angels told the disciples that this same Jesus that was being taken away from them into heaven would so come in like manner as they had seen him go. How did he go on that day? He ascended bodily and visibly; he ascended up into a cloud. He will come bodily and visibly; he will come in the clouds and call his children home!
Paul wrote that the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch angel and the trump of God; the dead in Christ will rise first; then we which are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
Peter told us that the Chief Shepherd, Jesus, would appear.
John said that Jesus would appear and that we would be like him for we would see him as he is.
James said, Be patient brothers unto the coming of the Lord.
I know there are unbelievers and there are scoffers and mockers who deny that Jesus will really come in the air to take Christians to heaven BUT whose word will you take? Will you take the word of people who don’t know the Lord at all? And Have no spiritual understanding at all?
OR will you take the word of Jesus himself; the holy angels; the holy apostles who wrote the holy Word of God?
The Urgency of this Announcement; The Certainty of his Coming; and
III. The Glory of His Approval
In vs 7 Jesus said, Blessed is he that keeps my sayings.
“Blessed!”- Favored, Happy, Enriched
In vs 12 Jesus said My Reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be. He is coming and he is going to Reward Us. He will bring his Glory to us as a sign of his Approval of our life. When we took Him as our Savior and our Lord, we became his children. His great love for us does not end when we die or when we are raptured; NO his great love continues on into Eternity.
Think of some of the Rewards the Christian will Receive:
1) A miraculous change from mortal to immortality.
2) Being translated from this earth into the Wonders of Heaven.
3) We receive Crowns as rewards.
4) We are designated as Rulers in the kingdom of God.
AND the reward that sums it all up- “And so shall we ever be with the Lord!”
Are You Ready for the Rapture?