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 Gods 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 Gods final offer of salvation
is now completed.
This is Gods 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, whats 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.
Gods 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 Gods
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 wont work.
(1) Its 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. Gods 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. Thats Pauls 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 Gods Son Jesus
Christ.
(3) Many want to believe in salvation in God, Without His Son
Jesus Christ.
(4) Some would accept Gods grace if they could have it without
Jesus.
(2) The Gospel of Gods 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 Gods 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 Gods 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
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