Sermon notes from Sunday 2 February 2020 am
Revelation 17
I want us to turn to these 2 great chapters - Revelation chapters 17 and 18 and concentrate our thoughts around chapter 17. We are living today on the brink of the greatest event that will ever take place in this world. There have been some great events in the past - man walking on the moon, air aviation and travel in general, the invention of the internet and social media. Within seconds we have information at our finger tips from around the world. In John 14 Jesus himself told the disciples that he was going to the cross, giving his life as a ransom for our sin. As he is about to go the message he has to tell his disciples would be something that will grieve their hearts but he tells them "let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God, believe also in me ... if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again." He hasn`t come again yet but left us that promise for that day to know he will come again. That will be the greatest event that will ever take place in this old world. There was one great event - when Jesus was born of the virgin Mary and another great event was when he was taken and hung on a wooden cross between 2 thieves, nailed there to die for the sins of the world. Paul tells us one day he will come to the clouds of the air, with the voice of the archangel, the trump of God, he will shout and every child of God will rise up to meet him. Every person that has trusted the Lord as their own and personal Saviour will rise up to meet him in the air. The bible says the dead in Christ will rise first. We have stood at many graves, seen our loved ones bodies being lowered into the ground, we know that is the end. You hear some nonsense around funerals - that that is the end of them. We actually know that that is only the beginning. The soul has left the body, that soul is either in heaven or hell. Without Christ they are entering into hell - remember the story in Luke 16 of the rich man who lifted up his eyes in hell being in torment. It was not the end just the beginning. Jesus is coming for those who have died in the Lord. He is going to reunite that body with the soul. They will meet him in the clouds - "what a day that will be, when he takes me by the hand and leads me through the promised land." That day is still to come. Events around the world are dove tailing together today, coming together for the coming again of the Lord. We need to be trusting in Christ and him alone. The bible says 2 people will be working together, one shall be taken and the other left. Christ has come to the air, called the church home, left behind are those who have not trusted in Christ.
In chapter 15 the last plague has been poured out on the world. The vial or bowl is a shallow plate, poured out by 7 divinely appointed angels. Chapter 16 showed the devastation that caused. When this event happened there will be a time ushered in of 7 years. There will never have been a time like this before or will be again. God sends forth his angels, poured out his wrath and judgment on this world. Chapter 17 sets the scene for it. Christ`s coming judgments that are already fallen on this world. Humiliation of the judgments. The final years of this world. Verse 1 there came one of the 7 angels which had one of the 7 vials. He has been given a second task now. He is sent to where John was - on the isle of Patmos. He set his bowl down. Judgement has already been poured out on the world. Now he comes to John with another message from God himself. He wants him to see the judgment of the great whore.
This chapter is to show to John the judgement. Not so much the woman or the beast but the judgement that will fall on each in these days. This woman is described as a whore but really it is a system. Chapters 17 and 18 show the downfall of a world system. Babylon the great. Chapters 17 and 18 show us the religious and the commercial and political battle based on a Satanic foundation. Genesis shows us where it comes from. Revelation 17 is the religious side of this kingdom which bolsters up and supports the political one. In Revelation 18 notice however that God is in control. Revelation 17 verse 17 "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will." God is reigning and ruling. In Daniel chapter 2 there we have Nebuchadnezzar`s great dream of the image. He didn`t understand what this dream meant. None of his philosophers could interpret it. Daniel could interpret it though. He told him it was in the form of a man. Daniel took every metal this man was made of. He comes right down to the toes made of clay. Speaks of something else. That man saw something that stirred his heart. A stone rolled until it hit the image and shattered everything. That is God himself. 10 toes are 10 kings which rule and reign. God will set up his empire, all other empires will crumble in its way. God is working everything out. Described here as a woman but it is really a system, an ungodly demonic system. Verse 7 "I will tell thee the mystery of the woman." Verse 18 "and the woman which thou sawest is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth. Something of her character described in verse 1 "the great whore". Many commentators agree to the timing of this intervention. Jesus is coming one day, will take the church home, then what happens. There will be the setting up of the 7 year Tribulation period. There will come a time when the man of Christ will be revealed. The anti-Christ will take the throne and will rule and reign, everthing will be under his power. Jesus himself said there never will be a time like this before nor will be again. He will set up his dictatorship. We will have to yield to his authority. Receive a number on our foreheads, we will not be able to trade until we have that number on us. He is coming to rule and reign one day. The timing of this intervention of God is 3 1/2 years into that period. The first 3 1/2 years will be relatively peaceful and there will be great prosperity. The religious system of that day will be allowed to do whatever can and want to do. After it is up the anti-Christ will say enough, he will put his finger on this religious society because he wants to reign and be worshipped and idolised. God is judging up to this point. This is a woman who gives herself for money, reward or gratification of the flesh. She has no loyalty to anybody, does not give herself to one person. She represents a system that has turned its back on God. This is an apostate system, a false religious society. She may have all the outward symbols but her heart is after another. The Lord will judge that. We do not have to be intellectual to look at our own nation today and see how many different religions we can see. Is it any wonder Jesus talked of a broad way that leads to hell and a narrow way that leads to heaven and home. On the broad way there are multitudes on it aand it leads to death, damnation and destruction. There are those 2 ways today. Think of Ahab the king in the Old Testament, the king of Israel. There has been no king like him in his wickedness. He was unequalled as a king. None to parallel him. He had a wife called Jezebel. He sold himself to work wickedness. The Bible says of Jezebel, she stirred him on. was no great help to him. He had a choice. He turned his back on God, followed his own religious society - 1 Kings 21 "he did very abomnably in following idols according to all things as did the Amorites whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel." This woman wanted nothing to do with God and turned from him. Do we not see this system ruling and reigning already?
Her abode - verse 3. John had to go out into the wilderness. The wilderness is a dry barren place, nothing to offer whatsoever. A false religion today has nothing to offer. People today have every sign of Christianity. She is the mouth of every religion. Chapter 17 God is judging this woman - every false religon. This time only judging the falseness, ran for a while, now being judged. Remember the young demonic in the scriptures possessed of a legion of demons. His abode was out in the wilderness, found no help or comfort. People are sitting today in false religions, a place where there is no hope.
Sermon notes from Sunday 9 February 2020 pm
1 Peter 1 verses 13 - 21
Peter tells us in verse 23 "beng
born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of
God." The price of salvation. We offer salvation for free, yes it is, but
when we think of the cost to God in heaven taking his only sinless son, sending
him into this world to see men rejecting and reviling him. Hanging on a cross what a cost that was. In John 3 Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night,
a very religious rabbi heard of Jesus, seen the mighty things he has done, somehow
he wants to come and ask him a few questions.
His heart is pondering. As he
makes his way to Christ there are things on his mind he wants to know. "We know thou art a great teacher come
from God for no man can do these miracles except God be with him." (John 3
verse 2) Is that how we have come tonight?
So thrilled with what Jesus has done?
Seen the many miracles he has done, heard the great preaching, wanting
to hear more and know more of him? We are introduced to Nicodemus. Jesus says to him "Except a man be born
again he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." (JohnJohn 3 verse 5) If you are not saved heaven will be not be
our home, we will never see it. Peter
takes it further to you and I. He says "being
born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God
which liveth and abideth for ever."
How important is the word of God in our salvation?
The awareness that the word gives
- makes us aware of what we are in the light of God`s word. In John 4 the woman at the well spoke to
Jesus and was converted. Remember how
she left her water pot, she did not want to take it back into her home because
there was a possibility her partner would persuade her to stay. A time of separation. She told the people around her "come see
a man who told me all things ever I did."
The word of God as it is opened up to us we realise what we are in in
God`s sight. There at the well Jesus
revealed to her she was living in sin. We
are guilty, under condemnation of God.
Romans 5 I have taken on myself the nature of Adam when he turned his
back against God, rebelled and ate of the fruit. That is the very nature we have taken
on. The nature of sin. We need to be born again. I was born into this world once through my
mothers womb. If you want to see heaven
you have to be born again through the incorruptible seed of the word of
God. My best will not suffice for
heaven. No matter how many goals I
achieve never be good enough to attain God`s salvation for me. Are we going to rely on the best we can do
or rely on the finished work of Calvary?
He cried "it is finished".
Is that what you are depending on tonight? The awareness of the word.
The authority of the word. 1 Timothy 1 verse 15 "moreover brethren
I declare unto you the gospel by which ye are saved, if ye keep in memory that
which I have preached unto you."
Remember Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The enemy came on him. We read "as he had said unto them, I am
he, they went backward and fell to the ground." (John 18 verse 6) That was the authority of the word of
God. Man is saved through the word of
God. Psalm 19 verse 7 "the law of
the Lord is perfect converting the soul."
"Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (Romans
10 verse 17) The "scriptures are
able to make us wise unto salvation." (2 Timothy 3 verse 15) Think of Cornelius in Acts 10 when Peter
entered into his house there were people sitting waiting in expectation of his
coming. They wanted to hear words whereby
they could be saved as promised by the angel to Cornelius. When Peter opened up the word of God and
while speaking the Holy Ghost fell on them.
This is the wonder of the word of God.
If you have the opportunity to give a word from God`s own word let it
plant a seed in your loved ones heart and it will produce a harvest in its
time.
The acceptance of the word of
God. Proverbs 30 verse 5 "every
word of God is pure." Not just some
but all of it. The only part we can play
is to accept it. Jesus told Nicodemus
"except a man be born again."
The only thing he could do was to receive it. Remember the woman at the well. Born again, why, because she accepted the
word of God. You have to accept the word
when it says "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
(Romans 3 verse 23) On the cross of Calvary God laid every sin on him. You have to accept that truth. Accept that your sin was laid on him and you
bear it no more. Cornelius was saved
only when he accepted the word Peter preached to him. Zacchaeus was saved only when he was came out
of the tree to meet with Jesus. "Receive
with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls." (James
1 verse 21). Revelation 3 verse 20
"Behold I stand at the door, and knock, if any man hear my voice and open
the dor, I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me." Maybe you have never trusted Christ, trusted
him as Saviour and Lord. Remember the
Roman centurion, he had a servant lying at the point of death. Jesus said he would come with him and heal
him but the centurion said "I am not worthy that you should enter into my
house, just speak the word and he will be healed." (Matthew 8 verse 8) What about you - this is not the teaching of
the church or my philosophy. Trust
Christ, the authority to save your precious soul if you would only trust him.
The assurance the word of God
carries. "Whosoever shall call on
the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10 verse 13) Psalm 40 I was in an awful pit, my feet were
in the miry clay, the Lord heard my cry.
I wonder was there a momnt when you cried in seriousness and genuineness
and you lifted your heart to the Lord, realised he has died for you? Did you ask him to save you? Remember Peter stepping out of the little boat
onto the waves? He was walking to Jesus
but he took his eyes off the Lord, he cried out "Lord save me." (Matthew
14 verse 30) The Lord reached out his hand and saved him. The Lord wants you to call on him, to come to
him, to trust him as Saviour. That the
seed of the word of God might be planted in your heart. Will you come and trust him?
Sermon notes from Sunday 16 February 2020 am
Revelation 17 verses 1 - 6
We are looking here at a judgement scene, something out in the future. The bible teaches us of 3 judgements - there will be a judgement when believers will stand at the judgement bar of Christ not for our sins but for the work we have done from the day and hour we have been saved. This judgrment will be for the fruit that has come from our lives. There is the great white throne judgement for those who have rejected Christ totally. Not for second chance, judgement of the nations. Sheep and goats are divided before going into millenium kingdom. John is taken by the angel out to the wilderness and is shown a great scene before him. He shows him this beast, on the beast is a woman and it is to this woman we want to look at today. The timing of this scene - would be in or around the midway point of the tribulation period. The woman represents a system. In full prominence at the head of her glory God will judge it. God will always judge sin. He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. God promised through the prophet Isaiah 13 verse 19 "Behold the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it." The glory of the kingdom shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. In Chapter 14 we read that Babylon has fallen "because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Revelation chapter 16 verse 19 "And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath." The wrath of God is being poured out on this world. The cities we read and hear about in our news programmes are going to fall under the judgment hand of God. Then when we come into Revelation 17 and 18 God gives us more information about this judgement. He tells us what would happen to the city we read about in chapters 14 to 16. The end of the tribulation will end when Jesus comes again. Chapter 19 verse 11 "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righeousness he doth judge and make war." In 1 Thessalonians 4 we read that Jesus comes to the air to call his own children home. In Revelation chapter 19 Jesus comes to put down the the armies of the world, to wind everything up. The Babylonian system is something we see in the Roman Catholic system, so engulfing people around the world.
This woman`s control - verse 1 "she sitteth upon many waters". Again in verses 3 and 9 we see the woman is sitting. She is in control. She has a lot of persuasion, able to bring so many in under her clutches, bringing many under the umbrella of her religion. In verse 3 she is sitting upon the beast. That is the future day. A control in the future. In verse 9 she is sitting upon the 7 hills, power that she has. Her position, persuasion and power - she is in complete control. In chapter 13 verse 1 we read the same beast is arising out of the seas and in verse 2 we read a description of the beast - "like unto a leopard, an dhis feet were as the feet f a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion and the dragon gave him his power an dhis seat and great authority." In Daniel chapters 2 and 5 we read of the full outcome of Nebuchadnezzar`s dreams and Daniel`s dreams. This beast gets his authority from the devil himself. In chapter 13 verse 13 we read that the beast will be resurrected. The devil is trying to get all the nations and people to follow this beast. All power is given unto him. When Jesus went out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, Satan told Jesus to turn the stones into bread for he was hungry. He then showed him the palace of Jerusalem and promised him the kingdoms of the world. The Lord refused to do any of the things Satan wanted him to do. The devil will be empowered in that day yet to come. The position of this woman. This powerful man and leader. He has succumbed to her. This woman is controlling him in this 7 year period. This religion comes from the Babylonians but we are seeing the rise of a demonic empire here. We need to ask ourselves - the woman is riding the beast - is she controlling the beast or is the beast using her for his own ends? I think the beast is using her for his own ends. The beast will rise up aginst her. He doesn`t want her to influence people to have more power over everything. He wants to have the world church and through that to have a one world empire and religion. In verse 1 she is sitting on many waters and then in verse 15 we read "the waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth, are peoples an d multitudes and nations and tongues." Notice the control she has in the palm of her hand. The anti-Christ will use this. She has a name, Babylon the great. In the first book of the Bible, Genesis the roots of this kingdom are seen - Genesis 10 verses 8 - 10. Nimrod, son of Noah. His name means rebel, a mighty hunter. A hunter of men, the souls of men and women. This is the beginning of his kingdom, turning men away from God to turn to something greater. Chapter 11 verse 12 the earth was populated with a people. When Noah came out of the ark his grandsons seen the opportunity of easy power. The great danger was that this people would be scattered across the earth. Nimrod gets te idea of building a tower touching to heaven, the top would be like angels and stars and images. He was making a religion, doing that to hold the people together. He was turning people from God, promising them something greater. We see many religious systems spread across the world today. Where do they come from? Babylon is the mother of the Amorites who have given rise to false religions across the earth. They are looking for something greater. Nimrod decided to build the tower and called it Babel, a gateway to heaven. Rome today says there is no salvation outside of the church of Rome. You have to come and join our church, follow us. The beast will use this system.
The woman`s coming. This system is full of craft, deceivers and lies. She has deceived the people, multitudes and kings. This is the Babylonish system found in chapter 10. How cunning is the design of this. The Lord speaks against this. He confounded the nations - "babel" Genesis 11 verse 8. Genesis 11 verse 9. This was an unfinished building. God came down and scattered the nations. Isn`t it remarkable to see the European building today as a symbol of an unfinished building. Outside the building there is a statue of a bull with a woman riding it. It is the same image of the woman riding the beast in Revelation. The beast is content to let her do her job, to see the nations gathering in after her. This woman is a mystery. One day she will be no longer needed. In Genesis 10 and 11 we read that Nimrod took a wife, she gave birth to a son who was killed by a wild boar. Miraculously he was brought to life again. From this man comes the Roman Catholic system. In Ezekiel 8 God takes the prophet right into the house of God and shows him the abomination that is happening. Jeremiah 7 verse 18 "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire and the women knead their dough to make cakes to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger." Look how this religion has taken hold. Rome tells us the queen of heaven is Mary.
We see the carnality of this woman. The people are saying there is nothing to fear about him and say we have a lot in common. That is the lie of the devil. God will judge this system one day. God says to come out from among them.
Sermon notes from Sunday 1 March 2020 am
Revelation 17 verses 7 - 18
In Revelation chapters 17 and 18 we are seeing what God has already prophesied in the early part of the book concerning this woman who is "sitting upon many waters" (verse 1) and sitting upon a beast (verse 3) God sends one of his angels to pour out his wrath on the world. This is speaking of a day in the future. The angel now takes John in verse 3 out to the wilderness and John sees something that takes his breath away. The angel says to John in verse 7 "Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns." We are looking at 2 empires, one of which is the Roman system. This has nothing to do with the individual Roman Catholic church but rather its system of religion. It has also to do with apostasy that is running through the Protestant church today too. This Roman system stems from Genesis 11 when we read about Nimrod the grandson of Noah. He was a mighty hunter of the souls of men and women. He offered them another way to God. He built a tower that symbolised heaven. Nimrod married and had a son who was killed by a wild boar then brought back to life again. The religion of the mother and child stemmed from Nimrod`s son. We noticed already this woman`s control and she was cunning - kept people in her grasp and coming back for more. Today we want to look at her cruelty and her crisis. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 Paul taught the believers that one day the Lord will come back to the air. On that day all those who have been saved, have come to a personal knowledge and relationship with Christ will be raised up to meet Christ in the air. They will live with the Lord forever. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15 "I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." (verse 51) On that day we will all be changed, we will be given a new body. All those who do not believe in Christ as Saviour will be left behind. So begins a period called the Great Tribulation. There will be suffering never experienced before. Will you make sure you are saved today and are not relying on something that will let you down on that day. During that period the antichrist will rule. He will tolerate this woman described in Revelation 17. This woman represents a religious system - the Roman Catholic church in all its glory. The roots of this system are in Babel back in Genesis when the mother and child religion was established. There will one day be a one world political and religious system. In verse 2 we can see this woman influencing the kings of the earth. She has power and uses deception. She blinds them. The beast doesn`t really mind this system because he can live as he wants to live, has no morals or repentance. The beast uses this system for his own benefits. We need to take care today because we are living in deceptive days. The Bible tells us to try the spirits. People listened to Paul preaching but it was not enough. They went home and delved into the word of God to make sure that everything he said was worthy and true. We need a hunger for the word of God again. We need to know the word of God today. The priest points to the cross and the sacrifice but whenever we get into discussing it the priest is really talking about attendance at mass, the need for penance and good works, the last ritdes. All these earn grace for a person. Grace is bestowed on us today as God`s free gift, nothing else. In verse 6 we read "and I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood the martyrs of Jesus." John was awestruck as a result. If you want to see the cruelty of this woman all you have to do is google The Inquisition and see the atrocities from the teachings that have blinded people and kept them from believing in Christ alone. We see the various churches are coming together in its equality today, stating they have a lot in common to unite them rather than divide them.
Look at this woman`s crisis. During the 7 year period there will be things happening that never seen before. Three and a half years into this period the Roman system will be put down. The focus turns onto the beast himself, the antichrist. He will raise himself up after 3 1/2 years. He was slain and then brought back to life again. The whole world wll now follow him. The reference to the 10 horns in verses 12 and 13 points back to Daniel chapters 2 and 7. The 10 sovereign leaders will give allegiance to the antichrist. He wants all the power and worship. He takes an image of himself and sets it before the throne and everyone must worship it. During this time on earth no one can buy or sell without his mark. This religious system that has sucked in multitudes will be finally destroyed. God is now judging this woman and using these kings to destroy the system - verse 17 "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled."
The God we worship is a sovereign God. He loves you and I. That is why he gave his only son to come into the world and die on the cross, to shed his blood that you might be saved. That you would not be sucked into this system. That you might know your sins forgiven. When he comes he will take you from this scene of time into God`s presence. You will not have to stand on this awful day recorded in Revelation 17. What will you do with the offer today? If Christ were to come right now would you be ready to meet him? Are you relying on him and him alone today?
