Text: Revelation 22:20-21

20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Introduction:

How a person starts a letter is important.

The first sentences form the course of the whole letter.

This is John's record of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:1, 4-5

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

God gave it to him. What an introduction. These are God's words.

But the closing words of a letter are also important.

This is the closing of God's letter to all humanity.

(Song: I’ve Read the Back of the Book WE WIN)

As we read it, we need to allow the truth of God’s Last Words to Man to grip our hearts and souls. 

There are three Truths found in these, God’s Last Words to Man:

A Promise

A Prayer

A Provision

1.      A Promise

a.       Surely I come quickly

Revelation 22:20a

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen…

Revelation 1:2

Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

John 14:1-3 (Jesus)

14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Acts 1:11 (Angel)

Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 (Paul)

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Matthew 24:42-44, 46 (Words of Jesus)

42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

2 Peter 3:8 (Quickly, time is different to God than to us)

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

2.      A Prayer

a.       John’s prayer of longing to see his Lord.

Revelation 22:20b

…Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

John's reaction to this promise was simply to pray, it is the cry of a soul longing to see the King in His beauty. 

b.      Not a prayer for the unsaved to pray. 

It would be calling down the judgment and tribulation days on them. For after His coming shall be trouble as man has never seen, nothing but tribulation in this world. 

To reject Christ means you will enter this awful period. Revelation describes it. 

The prayer of the unsaved should be:

Acts 16:30-31

30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

1 Timothy 2:3-4

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

c.       Not a prayer for the backslidden or disobedient Christian to pray.

They need to get things right between them and their God. They will not want to see Him in their condition. 

Matthew 25:28-30

28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 9:26

For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. 

They need to get things right between them and their God.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

d.      A prayer for every spiritually dedicated Christian to pray, "Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus".

1 John 2:28

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

3.      A Provision

a.       Grace – The last subject God mentioned, before He closed the Book.

Revelation 22:21

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

b.      What is grace? 

Grace – is getting what we don’t deserve.

Grace is God taking upon Himself the penalty and judgment of our guilt for all of time and eternity. That is God's grace. That is the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

c.       God’s Grace (131 references to Grace in the New Testament)

1.      Jesus is described as grace

John 1:15-16

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

2.      Salvation by Grace

Titus 2:11

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

3.      Living by Grace

Acts 13:43

Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

2 Corinthians 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.