Let's begin by reading a few
verses in Hebrews chapter 11. This has been called the roll
call of the heroes of faith. But I think if we stop simply
by admiring those of whom it speaks of here, we'll miss the
real intent of the chapter. It's to point us to the God of
all grace that enabled these men and women of the past, Old
Testament times, to endure the things they did. And we're told
that they even looked forward to that coming Redeemer that
you and I know has come and are looking for Him a second time.
In verse 13 of Hebrews 11, it says, these all died in faith. not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and
embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and
pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things
declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they
had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they
might have had opportunity to have returned. but now they desire
a better country that isn't heavenly. Wherefore, God is not ashamed
to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city."
How these believers are described in verse 13 as being strangers,
that's what they confess themselves to be, strangers and pilgrims
in the world. Is that not true of every child
of God? Is that not true of all God's
people no matter when they lived? Whether 2,000 years ago or in
the present time, are they not all, as far as this world's concerned,
pilgrims and strangers? This world is not their home. And the reason is this, the same
reason for us as it was for these and for all God's people, no
matter when they might have lived. The world is not our home because
we're not of the world. That's what the Lord said to
his disciples. You are not of the world. Because,
because I have chosen you out of the world. Turn to another
passage along this line in Philippians chapter 3. Philippians chapter
3. Paul tells us here the very same
thing that we just read in Hebrews, that this world is not our home. Philippians chapter 3 verse 20. For our conversation, the word
there is citizenship, our conversation is in heaven from whence also
we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change
our vile body, that it might be fashioned like unto his glorious
body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue
all things unto himself." Again, Paul was telling us this world's
not our home. We're waiting on the Lord Jesus
Christ. One more, 1 Peter 1. While we're waiting for either death to take us to
Christ or Christ to return and take us home to be with Him,
Peter gives us this blessed promise. 1 Peter 1 at verse 3, He said, Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant
mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead. Remember what he told the Sadducees,
we referred to it this morning, when they came to him with that
made-up story about the wife being married to the five brothers
and about the resurrection. He said, you don't understand
the power of God. Then he went on to say, remember
what God said to Moses at the burning bush? I am the God of
Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob. He's not the God of the dead
but of the living. We have a lively hope by the
resurrection of Christ. Verse 4, to an inheritance, this
is what's waiting for God's people. This is what's reserved for them
right now, this very night. "...to an inheritance incorruptible
and undefiled that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for
you." Now, in the meantime, Peter says you're not on your own.
If you were, if it was up to you, if it was up to you alone
to finish the race, to inherit this undefiled, this inheritance
that fadeth not away that's reserved for you, then there would not
be much hope. But he says in verse 5, you're
kept. You're kept, and you're not keeping
yourself. You're kept by the power of God. Now, that's encouraging even
to a helpless, needy sinner like me. The power of God. Well, that
gives me hope. That gives me hope. If it's the
power of God himself that keeps me, then I have reason to be
encouraged. That should be enough, even for
me. And Peter says, who are kept
by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed,
in the last time. Now, turn, if you will, to Revelation
chapter 22, and we'll take our text here from the last two verses
of the chapter. The last two verses in Revelation
chapter 22. In verse 20 and verse 21, we have two certainties,
two certainties, absolute certainties. The first one in verse 20, concerning
our Lord's second coming. He which testifieth these things,
that is Christ himself, saith surely shall I come quickly. Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus. And this is the second certainty.
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. As Peter said, in the meantime,
while we're waiting to be brought to our eternal inheritance, we're
kept by the power of God. And while we're waiting, standing,
as my pastor used to say, on the tiptoe of faith, looking
for that glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In the meantime, we're kept by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 21, be with you all. Amen. First certainty is in verse
20. It speaks of his coming, and
he himself says, surely I come quickly, as he promised the apostles
in the Gospels over and over again. I shall return. We shall see Him. That's heaven. That's heaven. Now, the Bible
speaks here in Revelation, speaks a lot about what heaven shall
be, what it will contain and what it won't have. It won't
have any more pain, any more sorrow, no more shedding of tears. There won't be anything to cry
about. There will be eternal glory. There will be standing
before the throne of the Lamb. There will be eternal bliss.
There will be no sin, all but the heaven of heaven. The glory
of glory, this must top the list. We shall see him and be like
him. As surely as he came the first
time and did what he came to do. He said he did it in John
chapter 17 just before he was arrested, just before he went
to the garden. He said, Father, I've finished
the work that you gave me to do. Now, could words be plainer? I finished the work that you
gave me to do. And oh, what a work it was. What
a mighty work it was. There was no angel fine-fit to
perform it. No man in heaven and earth was
found worthy enough to finish this work. What did he speak
of there? The bringing in of a righteousness?
the bringing in of a perfect righteousness before the holy
God, the keeping in every precept his holy law, the satisfying
of divine justice, I've finished the work. Bringing in an everlasting
righteousness, making an end of the transgression of all his
people, the purging away of all their sins, he says, I've finished
the work. When he had by himself purged
our sins, here is proof. Here's evidence that he finished
the work. He sat down. Had he not finished
the work, He would not have sat down. He that knew no sin was
made sin for you and I with this certain outcome that we should
be made the righteousness of God in Him. One is as sure as
certain as the other. If He was made sin for us, we're
made the righteousness of God in Him. It's He that promises
His children surely. I come quickly. after all the
sheep have been called. He shall return. He shall return. That's what we read in 2 Peter
3 a minute ago, didn't it? The Lord is not slack like the
scoffers and mockers say concerning his promise. He's long-suffering
to usward. His sheep, his chosen, he's not
called them all in yet. They've not all experienced his
grace yet. And he said the same thing himself
in John 16. He said, other sheep I have.
They're mine. Other sheep I have which are
not of this fold. Them also I must bring. I must bring." And he's doing
that now. He'll finish that work just as
he finished the work of putting away the sins of all of his people.
All of those he redeemed must hear his voice. That's what he
told the Pharisees, didn't he? They asked him, how long do you
keep us in suspense? How long will you make us doubt?
Tell us plainly. He said, I told you, but you
don't believe me because you're not my sheep. My sheep believe
me. My sheep hear my voice and they follow me. Our Lord said,
in answer to the disciples' question, when he was leaving the temple
for the last time, He said, all these stones that won't be left
one upon another, when shall these things be? And what shall
be the sign of thy coming into the end of the world? And he
answered those three questions. And he said, the Lord shall descend.
And all the nations of the world shall mourn because of him. And
they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with power
and great glory. And he shall send his angels
to do what? To gather his elect. To gather
his elect from the four corners of heaven. Remember, we just
read it a moment ago, didn't we? In 2 Peter 3, a day with
the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as a
day. Well, if that's so, he's only been gone two days. That's
not very long, is it? But in the light of eternity.
Now, I know we just don't have the equipment to really get much
of a grasp of that, just not able to. And that's not a thought,
that's just a reality. That is a concept of eternity. I've heard men compare it to
this and that, but what can you compare it to? Eternity? But surely in the light of eternity,
in the light of forever, in the light of everlasting, what's
two days? Or 2,000 years? Or 10,000 years
compared to forever? Notice our Lord says, in order
to comfort us, surely, he says. Now, previously in this same
chapter, he tells John, behold, I come quickly. I come quickly. And here, he says, surely, he
adds that. I come quickly without a question. No matter what the scoffers may
say, no matter what the mockers may say, whether they believe
it or not, it doesn't matter. It's not a factor. Ignore them. They're in darkness. They're
blind. Don't pay any attention to them. He says, surely I come
quickly. As surely as he came the first
time, the ransom are sold, so surely he'll come the second
time to receive those that he ransomed, he paid for. Isaiah
said he shall see the travail of his soul and be satisfied. And a part of that satisfaction
is gathering all of those he redeemed back to be with himself
in glory. As surely as God purposed and
decreed it. As surely as Christ will have
all of his purchased possession. He's paid for us. He's already
paid for us with his precious blood and he'll have what he
paid for. As surely as he will see of the
travail of his soul and be satisfied. And he says quickly, quickly,
soon, very soon. Whether you consider those words,
As Him coming for us at the time of our death, it'll be soon. Or at His second coming, that
too will be soon. He says, I come, I come. Now, we live in a day that religion is big business. A lot of people make big bucks,
and one of the ways they do it is by selling books of prophecy. People claim, and every time
they make such a claim, that is, setting a date when the Lord
shall return, and that date comes and goes, it proves that they
didn't know what they were talking about, and you would think they
would shut up, but they go on, keep making dates, and writing
books, and selling charts, and all kinds of things to try to
figure out the time of the Lord's second coming. This will happen,
and that'll happen, then the other will happen, things. Oh, no. No, I'm not looking for
signs. I'm not looking for curious speculations
of prophecy. I'm not looking to see what's
happening over there in Israel. I'm looking for Christ himself. That's what he says here, doesn't
he? I come quickly. I come quickly. That's what we're
looking for. Not what, but who. That's the glory of it, is it
not? Christ himself shall descend
from heaven with this shout. And look at the response of the
church. Look what they say in response
to this blessed, blessed certain promise. Surely I come quickly. Amen. Amen. That means so be it. So be it. Our Lord, again, that night,
just before he was betrayed. He told his disciples, because
I told you I'm going away, sorrow has filled your heart. And I
know he was speaking here primarily of his resurrection and then
coming back to his disciples after that. But I'm sure it can
apply to what we're considering tonight, his coming again in
glory. He said, but I will see you again.
I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your
joy no man taketh from you. Oh, to that every believer says,
Amen. So be it. So be it. Let it be. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Why do we say that? We're told
that when the world lost People see the Lord coming, they shall
wail and weep and lament, hide themselves in the mountains,
try to hide from the omnipotent God. Oh, but we, our Lord said,
shall rejoice. Why? Because he's given us a
good hope through grace. Grace gives sinners good hope,
the only hope before a holy God, the hope that their sins are
forgiven. By grace, a good hope that Christ
finished the work, put away their sin, a good hope that they're
accepted in to be loved. They don't have reason to fear
the Lord's second coming. They look forward to it and they
say, Amen, so be it. Let it be so. Even so, come Lord
Jesus. Turn, if you will, to Romans
chapter 8. This is what Paul was speaking of here. Romans
chapter 8 verse 18. Verse 18 of Romans 8, for I reckon,
I reckon, Paul, like a spiritual mathematician, he says, I've
calculated this, I've weighed it, and I'll tell you what, there's
no comparison. There's no comparison to the
present day sufferings of the child of God and the glory that's
to be revealed. No comparison. For I reckon that
the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared.
with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest
expectation of the creature waited for the manifestation of the
sons of God. For the creature was made subject
to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected
the same in hope. Because the creature itself,
or creation, also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know
that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together
until now, and not only they, but ourselves also, which have
the firstfruits of the Spirit. Even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting for the adoption to wit, the redemption of our
body." Body, soul, spirit. Not a hoof left behind. He shall have a complete church. Turn if you will to 2 Corinthians
chapter 5. What Paul says here along this
same line. 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse
4. For we that are in this tabernacle,
in this body, due grown, being burdened, not that we should
be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed
up of life. Now, he that hath brought us
for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given to us the
earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident,
knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent
from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident,
I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to
be present with the Lord. And you remember what John said
in his first epistle, Behold what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of
God. It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that
when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see
him. as he is, just as we're told
here in chapter 22 of Revelation, verse 4. They shall see his face,
and that one whom we shall see says, surely it won't be long. Surely I come quickly. All the elect, all of the redeemed,
all of the called, all of the kept, all of the preserved, every
one of them shall see his face. In John chapter 6, he said he
came down from heaven for this purpose, that all who seeth the
Son and believeth in him, he shall raise him up again at the
last day. Every one of them, without exception. Not one was plucked from his
hand. Not one will ever perish. Not
one will ever be lost. Of that multitude that stands
before the throne, millions are redeemed sinners. Not one will
be absent. All will be brought there by
God's great grace. Imagine what a dishonor, what
a reflection it would be on every attribute of God. His wisdom,
His mercy, His grace, His power, every attribute. What a reflection,
what a dishonor it would be on Him if one for whom Christ died
should perish. What's that say about Him? What's
that say about the great shepherd who said, no man can pluck them
out? What would that be for Satan? What a mockery that would be
if he could snatch just one, just one, of that multitude that
Christ shed his blood for. If he could just snatch one,
all through eternity he could cry, aha, you see? Here's one
you couldn't keep. Here's one I snatched. That will
never happen. That will never happen. Oh, what
a reflection it would be on him. But remember what God himself
said concerning his righteous servant? Jehovah himself said,
he shall not fail. He shall not fail. When he says,
I and the children thou hast given me, he shall not fail. When he says, no man can pluck
them out of my hand, he shall not fail. When he says, I give
them eternal life that shall never end and they'll never perish,
he shall not fail. All will be saved to the very
uttermost. To the very uttermost. Oh, what
grace. What grace. See that picture
in Ezekiel. That valley of dead, dry bones. Ezekiel said there were very
many. And they were very dry. And now in your mind's eye, picture
another vision. A multitude standing, all dressed
in pure white robes before the throne of God. all with the palm
leaf, all crying salvation to our God that set us upon the
throne. That's the same crowd. Oh, what
grace! Why? Because he shall not fail. There won't be any empty mansions
in glory. No, no, no such thing. They all
stand before the throne, and this promises to all God's children,
they, every one of them, without an exception, shall see his face. Now, the very best we can do,
the very best we can do, our best experience is this. We see
through a glass darkly. The reason being because we're
looking through sin, indwelling sin. We're looking often through
eyes of unbelief. We're looking often through tears,
and that clouds our vision, does it not? Looking through a glass
darkly. Oh, but then, then, face to face. Then, clearly. No sin to mar my vision. Looking
perfectly, because all the tears All the tears have been wiped
away by the hand of my heavenly father himself. Behold, behold,
day shall see his face. The hymn writer said, only faintly
now we see him with the darkling veil between. Oh, but a blessed
day is coming quickly when his glory shall be seen. to see him who laid down his
life for me, who ransomed me, who gave himself for me, was
made sin for me. Verse 20, surely I come quickly. That's the first certainty. Verse
21 is the second. While we wait for that, while
we wait, the last word in God's, in scripture, the last word is
this. Remember this. Don't forget this. This is placed last for a reason,
so that we not forget. The last word of God to us is
this, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. While you wait for His
appearance, while you make your pilgrimage through this world,
while you endure trials and heartache, Know this, the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ, know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
you all. Amen. While we wait, we have
his grace. While we wait for him to appear,
or for us to go to be with him. While we journey through this
world, we're told this. This will be our experience. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. The grace of the Lord Jesus,
the Lord. of the Omnipotent One, His grace,
the Master, His grace. He says, I will be gracious. He says, the Lord, and none can
stay His hand. He says, I will bestow my grace.
He says, there are those who will experience my grace. Isn't that glorious? There are
multitudes yet in this world and will experience God's grace.
His grace is irresistible. They'll hear His voice and they'll
come to Him. They'll bow to King Jesus. You
did, didn't you? I did. Why? Because His grace
is effectual. His grace is sufficient. They'll
hear my voice and they'll follow me and they'll be kept. They'll
be kept by the power of God. They won't perish and they'll
all be brought home to glory. The great shepherd will see that.
Our Lord Jesus. Ah, sweet name. Sweet name. Jesus. Savior. The salvation
of the Lord. And he deserves the name, doesn't
he? He lived up to his name, didn't
he? Because just as it was said concerning
him, he has done and will yet do. Save his people from their
sins. Jesus. the Lord Jesus Christ,
Christ the anointed, the Messiah. Oh, but notice what it says concerning
all those blessed titles, all those blessed names. And you
could preach many sermons from each one, Lord Jesus Christ,
but look what John says. He's ours. He's ours. He's our Lord Jesus Christ. I am His and He is mine. As long as God and I shall be,
I am His and He is mine. He pledged Himself as ours. He gave Himself as ours. And
all that He is, all that He is, all that He has is ours. And
it's His grace we have, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. It
was grace that gave us life and faith. His grace that called
us out of darkness. His grace that pardoned and cleansed
within. His grace that keeps us. His
grace, has it not, proved sufficient for you right up to this very
hour? And His grace that's kept us
to this day will never ever let us go. The grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ will bring all of His sheep home. What else could
do it? What else could do it? Is anything
else sufficient enough, powerful enough, able enough to bring
any sinner before the throne of God other than the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ? His grace is reigning grace,
saving grace, grace all the works shall crown. Every step, every
step of our pilgrimage from the cradle to the grave, from the
grave to glory. Grace, all the works shall crown
through everlasting days. It lays in heaven the topmost
stone and well deserves the praise. Oh, for grace to trust him more. Oh, I would that I could trust
him more. He's trustworthy, is he not? Grace when I'm tempted,
grace when I fall, grace while I live. and grace when I leave
this world. Grace when I die. The last word
from our God to us is this, grace be with you all. Grace be with
you all. We don't know what tomorrow holds. We just don't know. All but to
have this sweet and blessed assurance, the confident hope, grounded,
grounded on the promise of our immutable God, our Lord Jesus
Christ who's the same yesterday, today, and forever. The promise
of His grace. The Lord Jesus Christ is with
us always, even until the end of the world. All the grace that
we'll ever need to stand in God's presence in glory without a spot
or a wrinkle or any such thing. That's amazing grace. That's amazing grace. And then,
then we'll see grace in person. Grace in person. Not grace in
theory. Not grace in a book. Not grace
in doctrine. Oh, but grace in person. Grace
personified. And who will that be? Who else
could it be? It's He that sets up on the throne.
It's He that sets up on the throne of grace, the Lord Jesus Christ
Himself. And notice the last word of this
second promise. In verse 21, it also ends with
Amen. Amen. So shall it be. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
will be with us. His grace will keep us and bring
us all the way home. Oh, to grace, rightly we sing. It's very true. Oh, to grace,
how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be. Oh, Lord,
bind my wandering heart to thee because I'm prone to wander.
Turn, if you will, to Hebrews chapter 4. Here we have a picture
of that glorious Glorious Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ, the very
embodiment of grace, Hebrews chapter 4. And Paul says, make
use of him. Make use of him. Verse 14, seeing
then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with
the filling of our infirmities. No, he was made like unto his
brethren. He identifies with his brethren.
He suffered as they did. Therefore, since we have such
a high priest who can be touched, who sympathizes, with the feeling
of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without seeing. Let us therefore come, oh God
give me grace to come, boldly to the throne of grace, that
we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And we shall, we shall, we have
the promise of God himself. the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. Amen. Surely, he says, I come
quickly. Amen. So be it. Let it be. God bless you. Thank you for
your attention.