Today, we promise you an enlightening exploration into the book of Revelation and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Strap in as we journey through divine revelations, interpreting the scripture literally and understanding the Book of Revelation as a beacon of hope, not fear. The example of John 3:16 is used to illustrate how a literal interpretation of the scripture provides a vivid understanding of these profound truths. This conversation is aimed to re-instill a sense of hope and assurance in the divine plan in your heart.
We also focus on the urgency of sharing the gospel and the power of reading scripture out loud. Have you ever thought about the impact of an open heart guided by the Holy Spirit? We delve into how this can lead to a true understanding of scripture and deepen our walk with Christ. Not only do we discuss the importance of accepting Jesus as our Savior and the power of prayer, but also how the scripture from Romans 10:9 can provide solace. Get ready to feel inspired to share your own stories of faith and salvation. Let's embark on this journey of discovery and faith together!
Today, we promise you an enlightening exploration into the book of Revelation and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Strap in as we journey through divine revelations, interpreting the scripture literally and understanding the Book of Revelation as a beacon of hope, not fear. The example of John 3:16 is used to illustrate how a literal interpretation of the scripture provides a vivid understanding of these profound truths. This conversation is aimed to re-instill a sense of hope and assurance in the divine plan in your heart.
We also focus on the urgency of sharing the gospel and the power of reading scripture out loud. Have you ever thought about the impact of an open heart guided by the Holy Spirit? We delve into how this can lead to a true understanding of scripture and deepen our walk with Christ. Not only do we discuss the importance of accepting Jesus as our Savior and the power of prayer, but also how the scripture from Romans 10:9 can provide solace. Get ready to feel inspired to share your own stories of faith and salvation. Let's embark on this journey of discovery and faith together!
Let's open in a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, I give you thanks for today, I give you thanks for this time of thanksgiving, lord, that we would step back and we would realize that all things that are great and wonderful and blessed in our lives come from you, and that we love you because you loved us first. Heavenly Father, we were made to worship you and Lord. God, I sit before you today wanting to do exactly that, wanting to study your word and deliver it as best as I can, with your help and guidance, lord. I ask that the gift of teacher would go forward today. More so than that, I asked that lives would be changed by the simple reading and discussion of your word. Father, God, I pray for our nation. I pray for the world large, but I pray for our nation, lord, and its leaders, those that I disagree with, those that I agree with, that everyone would come under your hand, lord, and that they would be directed by you. I pray for one last great revival, lord, one last great revival, and your word tells us that you hear our prayers and they are as incense to you, as we'll learn in this book. May they be pleasing to you today, lord. I pray for everyone within the sound of my voice that they would be blessed and honored to spend time with you in Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 1:Okay, so let's go ahead and get started. You know this is such a wonderful book, it's such a special book. As a matter of review, we learned last week that it's the only book that was delivered by an angel. We also know that it's meant for us to understand as as is, contrary to what some believe, that it should be a closed book, that it's not intended for us to understand, that the visuals are just too apocalyptic and too questionable to begin to understand. I wonder sometimes at that. When, in the very first verse, it said that it is meant to be an unveiling of Jesus Christ, a revealing of Jesus Christ in His glory, and that's exactly what it is is an unveiling of Jesus Christ. This week we move forward and see what the Lord has for us. Pick up for me, please, or with me, please, in chapter 1, verse 2.
Speaker 1:Chapter1, verse 2, book of Revelation, new King James Version. It says who bore witness to the Word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things which he saw. This, of course, we're talking about John. We're talking about John and the last portion of the introduction. Here we're talking about John and how John was the one that bore witness to the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. So Jesus is going to tell him, slash, show him exactly what is to be. That's what's gonna happen here. And he bore testimony and witness to all things which he saw. As we read this, we see that John saw that which he wrote down. This wasn't a case of simple dictation. He saw it, he visualized it. Step back a second. My pastor tells us all the time to put ourselves in the midst of the story, visualize it, see it, breathe it. And it's amazing that John was there to witness, to see everything which he wrote down. And that also tells us from a practical perspective that there's gonna be a lot in the way of imagery here, and it's a good place to stop and set some ground rules for the overall study. So we're gonna do that real quick.
Speaker 1:I believe that the best way to interpret Scripture is literally Meaning that if the Bible says a thing, that's what it means. Interpretation of Scripture is based on context and Scripture is best interpreted by itself, as we learned last week, as we learned last week to illustrate this. To illustrate this example, take a look at two separate Scriptures John 316 and John 146. Now, john 316, everyone knows it. Everyone knows John 316, whether you're a believer or not, you know 316. If you watch football, you see guys, or you used to see guys I don't know if the NFL allows this anymore Side note, sigh but they used to have 316 in their eye paint. Tim Tebow was famous for that. And John 316 says this New King James Version For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whomever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Speaker 1:This is known as the Gospel. In one verse, jesus is telling Nicodemus why he came. It's the mission statement of Jesus. If you will, if everyone ever, anyone, ever, ever asks you what you believe, what makes you a Christian? Keep it simple Jesus dead For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whomever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Speaker 1:You know, when I was a kid side side note when I was a kid, I used to lay in bed and it was really the only verse I knew by heart in the Bible, because we didn't do a whole lot of memory verses or any of that stuff. When I was a kid in church we didn't do a whole lot of memory verses. We did a lot with Lutheran Catechism and we did a lot with, I mean, we memorized the Lord's Prayer and we rewrote it. We did all those things. But this is the one verse that I knew and, on my roughest day, used to give me so much hope and gang. That's what the gospel is supposed to do and that's what this book does.
Speaker 1:The book of Revelation is not a book of fear. I hear so many pastors you know they're lead into the messages. Don't, don't, don't. Revelation, no, it's a book of hope. The title of this message, by the way, this week is Revelation's special blessing and it is a book of hope.
Speaker 1:Revelation is, it's known as the gospel, john three sixteen. Getting back to that, john three sixteen is known as the gospel. In one verse, jesus is telling Nicodemus why he came. And, like we said, keep it simple. When someone asks you what you believe, you believe wholeheartedly. And if you can't remember the whole verse, that's fine. Just say that you believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. God sent him to this earth and he lived and he died and God raised him again from the dead on the third day, so that you never have to die. That's it, that's the gospel. The verse is literal, it's a statement of fact and it should be taken as such.
Speaker 1:Now let's look at John fourteen six. Okay, john fourteen six. Jesus is talking to his disciples and he says I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me, john fourteen six. Now, what does that mean? What does that mean, while John three sixteen was a mission statement for God, so love the world that he gave his only begotten son, and whomever should believe in him should not Parish but have everlasting life. Right, john fourteen six is a little bit worded, a little differently. Right, this verse is a bit different in verbiage.
Speaker 1:Jesus is talking about himself being the way, the truth and the life. These are figurative terms. And then he says we must come through him to get to the father. There's a ton to unpack here and that's a study. This verse is a study all by itself, as is John 3, 16. However, this verse is a study all all by itself, and and I don't have the time to flesh this out, because I've got another point I need to make here.
Speaker 1:But Jesus is saying that he is the way to salvation through faith. Okay, through faith, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. Through faith, he is the truth and the life as God. Jesus embodies all these things and no one comes to the father. Also God, that's the Trinity, which is a whole. Another month of studies through belief in him, wow, okay, so let's do that again. Jesus says he is the way, the way to what, the way to the father? He is the truth and the life, the truth of God's law and Everlasting life as God. Jesus embodies all of these godly traits and no one comes to the father, also God, it's a Trinity, as I said, except through him. That's a lot, I know.
Speaker 1:Suffice it to say this John 3 16 and John 14 6 match one another in meaning or in message. When we understand the context, we understand the meaning. Okay, so the context of 3 16, the context of John 3 16, is that, john, that Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, and Nicodemus says you know, during the conversation, jesus tells him the truth. He says look, the plan was this For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whomever believes in him should not perish, but happy to have everlasting life. Okay, jesus then is talking to his disciples in 14 6, and he says to them look, I'm all of that, I am the way to salvation, I am the truth of the gospel and I am ever lasting life. And no one comes to the father all of those things Except through me. In other words, you must have faith in Jesus To attain all of those things. Just like 3, 16, just like John 3, 16, okay. So they match one another in message and when we understand context we understand meaning, right?
Speaker 1:So, bible teacher Ron Rhodes, I'm reading a couple of his books right now, good books, really solid books, and I'll put titles to those, to those in my show notes today. These are really good books. But but in his book the end times, in chronological order, ron Rhodes says this when plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense West, you end up with nonsense. That's Ron Rhodes. Let me say that one more time when plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense West, you end up with nonsense. So as we work through this book, we will take it as it comes and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us one verse at a time. Okay, so pick up with me now back in Revelation, in verse 3, chapter 1.
Speaker 1:Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it, for the time is near. That's Revelation 1, verse 3. So, as we said in the beginning, this is such a special book. Not only is it the great unveiling of Jesus Christ and the only book delivered by an angel, but it contains a special blessing. Blessed, it says, is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, those who read in here. Let's take it in pieces.
Speaker 1:First, in order that we receive the blessing, we must read the words of scripture. The Greek term used here for the word read means out loud, so we are to read it out loud. We've tried it reading scripture out loud during devo time. Think of it this way how many times has a pastor read a passage of scripture in church and suddenly the meaning clicks? Sometimes words jump off the page when it's read out loud. Second, we must hear it Throughout this book and in the gospels as well.
Speaker 1:Jesus often says he who has ears to hear, let him hear. He is speaking of being led by the Holy Spirit to hear. Not him, but us. We us being led by the Holy Spirit to hear. Hear what God would have you hear and discern it from his word. As the spirit leads, do you pray before you open scripture? If not, it's a good idea to ask God to lead you in your study time.
Speaker 1:I find that there are mornings when I sit down to do my devos and I just sit down and I start opening books. I open my Bible. If I've got a companion divo, I open that, I open my notebook and sometimes, if I do that and I know that I'm pressed for time because I've woken up late or whatever I just sit down and, without prayer, your divo time is just an exercise. It's just an exercise because you haven't invited God in. God wants to be invited in, he wants to walk alongside you during your study time. So each time you sit down, pray and I know that this is going to strike some of my older listeners as a travesty but pray out loud, measure your words, think it through. I find for myself that when I pray silently, my brain gets distracted, but if I pray out loud, I'm being deliberate, and when we pray, god has invited it. Thirdly, we must keep it. This is where we are going to wind up for the day. Thirdly, we must keep it.
Speaker 1:I had a pastor tell me once that if you can read through the book of Revelation and not have it change your walk with Jesus or your urgency for the gospel and for its sharing of its words, you might want to take it to the Lord and have Him work it out for you. In other words, this book should change your walk with Christ, it should deepen it, it should embolden you to share the truth and it should give you the urgency to do it. Friends, we are not at a crossroads. We bypassed the crossroads a long time ago. In my belief, we are to a point now where there is an absolute urgency for souls for Christ.
Speaker 1:You might say you know what? That's not my job, larry, that's your job. You're the one in front of the microphone. You're the one that gets to do that. I couldn't begin to do that, really. I'll tell you what. You may not sit in front of a microphone, but you can talk to people that I can't. You can talk to people that won't speak to me. You can talk to people that won't email the show. You can talk to people who won't drop me a message on social media, won't ask questions. You can talk to them, you can show them by the way you live your life.
Speaker 1:But time is short, friends, time is very short. As I say every single week, there's not a soul I wouldn't want to see in heaven, period. So it's very, very important and revelation will build that for you. That's my prayer that the revelation will light that fire of urgency. You know the mantra here at the thoughts I have towards you has always been make it count. I sign off with that each week as well. It means simply that I try to make every day that I am given count for the glory of God. I hope you do too. Also, every week, I tell you that there's no one I wouldn't want to see in heaven, as I just said. Just to put a fine point on it, I truly mean that. That's why I'm here. It's why I do this every single week. I'm called to reach people with the gospel and I endeavor every time I sit down before a microphone to reach the lost and searching for God's glory and not my own. And guess what? As I just said, you're called to do that as well. Matthew 28 says go forth and make disciples of all nations. It's not a suggestion.
Speaker 1:Okay, this brings us to the final part of the verse, the final part of verse three. If we go back up and we review it, verse three we've covered. Blessed is he who reads, those who hear the words of prophecy and keep those things which are written in it. The last part of that verse is for the time is near, the gospel of John, the gospel of John, which is the fourth of the gospels. The gospel of John was written. It says so that we may believe. The epistles of first, second and third John were written that we may understand. The book of Revelation is written so that we would be ready. And I want you to turn over and I want you to mark this in your Bible. I want you to mark this in your Bible. This is, this is this is in the book of John 20, john 20, verse 31. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. That's the gospel of John For second and third, john. As I said, those are instructional that we may understand, and Revelation, as we're going to find out, is written that we may be ready.
Speaker 1:And if you hear this today and you think to yourself, you know, I really never knew that any of that stuff was in the Bible and I think I need to do something about it. You're right, you do. If you'd like to Turn away from your sins today Fancy Bible word tied to it, it's repent. If you'd like to repent of those sins today, it means turn away and Accept Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior all you have to do is talk to him. That way you can be assured of the blessing that comes with this book and you can be assured of everlasting life, as as it says in John 3, 16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever Whosoever that means anyone Should believe in me. Whosoever should believe in me should not perish but have eternal life. That's the mission statement.
Speaker 1:And if you'd like to have eternal life and be guaranteed of your spot in heaven and know where you're going when you die, all you have to do is talk to him and you can say dear Jesus, I Know I'm a sinner in need of a Savior. I'm sorry for my sins and I want to turn from them today. I want to repent and I want to follow you all the rest of the days of my life. I Believe that you lived for me and you died for me, and on the third day God raised you from the dead. Thank you, jesus, for saving me. Amen.
Speaker 1:You know, scripture tells us that if we Confess with our heart that Jesus is that, that Jesus Christ is Lord, if we confess, rather, with our mouth, that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, we shall be saved. And If you've prayed that prayer today, I'd sure like to know about it. You can drop me a message on social media at the thoughts I have towards you, both on Instagram and Facebook, or you can send me an email If you prefer a little bit more privacy. I completely understand that and I want to be able to rejoice with you. I Want to be able to rejoice with you, and that's where we close today. Thank you for listening. Make it count, gang, and be blessed.