The Last Verse In The Bible
Rev. 22:21

A. Revelation was written to Christians in the Roman province of Asia to give them hope and
courage in the face of persecution.
1. It dramatically tells the story of the triumph of good over evil — the vanquishing of Satan and the ultimate salvation of God’s people through Jesus Christ, “the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Rev. 19:16.
a. The final statement to these suffering saints — the end of the story of their victory — is also
the “last word” of the entire Bible.
(A) The last thought in the Scriptures is the final word of God speaks to man.
(1) This is the last truth God speaks to man until the end of the world.
And the last statement in the Bible is this: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Rev. 22:21.
The Word of God revealing God’s final offer of salvation is now completed.
This is God’s final revelation. There will be no latter day revelations.
(2) The Bible ends by answering the question men have asked since the garden.
If it is obvious that the world exists, it is also obvious that something very serious is wrong with the world.
Since the expulsion from the garden man has been filled pain and death.
We recognize that we are not what we would like to be. Failure, Frustration.
Understand some is very wrong in this world that once was our paradise.
If this is all there is to life, what’s the use?
The first and last verses in the Bible put the problem of life into its proper perspective.
Gen. 1:1, the first verse in the Bible, tells us that we are made by God.
Made pure, holy to live eternally in perfect fellowship with God.
But, all of that is gone, lost and we have no way to make it right again.
Death, not life is our destiny. The world is filled with death and despair.
Death is the consequence of our breaking covenant with God.
The Bible calls this thing that has gone wrong sin — and the story of the Bible is the story of God working out His plan to deal with this problem and save us from sin.
God’s plan to redeem us from sin begins with Jesus Christ the Son of God.
The message that tells that Plan of Salvation in Jesus is called the Gospel.
b. Any “gospel” that does not acknowledge Jesus as God’s answer cannot deal adequately
with the problem because it does not see the problem for what it really is.
(1) This is the emptiness of the “social gospel” of modern “Christianity won’t work.
(1) It’s also the failure of modern religio-psychology.
(a) The Bible closes and the last verse in the Bible that tells us of the grace of God, Rev. 22:21. God’s saving grace is offered through His Son Jesus Christ.
(b) Here is the truth that contains the ultimate solution to our problem!
(c) Any “gospel” that acknowledges God, but does not acknowledge Jesus
Christ contains no hope. That’s Paul’s statement in Rom. 7:24-8:1.
(2) That was the problem with the Jews. They wanted a Messiah but not Jesus.
(1) The same problem of many people today — Jesus is an “embarrassment” and a “stumbling block” to many as stated in 1 Cor. 1:22-23.
(2) Some believe in God but do not believe in God’s Son Jesus Christ.

(3) Many want to believe in salvation in God, Without His Son Jesus Christ.
(4) Some would accept God’s grace if they could have it without Jesus.
(2) The Gospel of God’s Triumph over sin is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
(2) The Bible begins with God and ends with Jesus Christ.
(1) The God of creation is also the God of our salvation, Heb. 2:10; “In Jesus Christ “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” Col. 2:9.
(2) The Bible is a book of triumph — and the victory is in Jesus Christ.
(3) Acts 4:12.
(4) Outside of Christ, there is no salvation at all!
(3) The victory of God in Christ is ultimately the victory of grace.
(1) Grace is last word, the end of the story of salvation. Eph. 2:8.
(2) The gospel which saves us is a gospel of grace. Acts 20:24, calls it “The
gospel of the grace of God.”
2. The story of the Bible is the story of God’s salvation from our sin.
2. The last verse of the Bible reminds us that the grace of God that saves us is found only in Jesus Christ.
3. We must believe in Christ and confess our faith - Rom. 10:10, “With the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
4. We must repent of our sins - Luke 13:3, “unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
5. We must be baptized for the remission of our sins so we can be the dwelling place of God’s Holy Spirit, Acts. 2:38.
6. Our baptism must be into Christ, Gal. 3:27.
(1) Are you “In Christ?”
(2) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 7/01/2001 am