Would you join me tonight in
the book of Revelation again? I want to spend a little more
time on that passage we looked at last week, those three angels,
and I want to emphasize again as we look at this passage that
these angels are representations. They represent messengers of
the Lord and they're not just necessarily what we read over
in the book of Isaiah chapter 6, cherubims with six wings. I don't know all that represents.
I really don't. But I do know what the scripture
says and what those things represent. They're representing the holiness
of God. With two wings, they covered their face. And two wings,
they covered their feet. And two wings, they did fly.
crying, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. Now, those
are different created beings or different representations
than we're going to find here in some ways. But these angels,
as we found in the first part of this book, the seven angels
of the seven churches of Asia were the pastors of those churches.
And I just look at this, and these angels represent the Isaiahs,
and all the Samuels, and all the Pauls, and the Gilds, and
the Spurgeons, and the Rivenbarks, and the Donnebells that have
ever declared the gospel. They are messengers of the Lord,
and these that have all faithfully declared the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ have declared an everlasting gospel. By that,
they mean that the gospel did not come into being after the
fall. The gospel came into being in
eternity. It's an eternal gospel, and it
was in effect before the fall. And that makes a lot of difference.
It makes a lot of difference on how we view God. It makes
a lot of difference on how we view salvation. If it's an eternal
gospel, it's by an eternal God. And the gospel has not changed. I'll never forget, even though
not even knowing the gospel, I went to a church in Klamath
Falls, had the word B-A-P-T-I-S-T over the door, And in the Bible
class, the teacher was teaching, and as I'm going through the
Old Testament, they were teaching that those people in the Old
Testament were saved differently than the people are today. They
were saved by the animal sacrifices and were saved by faith in Christ.
Now, there's nothing more could be untrue. They were not saved
by animal sacrifices. They were not saved by what they
did. Anybody ever saved throughout
that era of time were saved by grace through faith, and not
of themselves, but it was a gift of God, not of works, lest any
man should boast. So the gospel has not changed.
And one reason we can count on it not changing is the need of
man has not changed. When Adam fell, the need has
always been the same. There is a fallen creature that God intends
to save and He will do it by the eternal gospel. So these
throughout the old era and the new era and up to today that
have faithfully declared the gospel, they're declaring an
everlasting gospel about an everlasting God and it is very vital that
we view the gospel as from before the foundation of the world.
Because if we view it after it, then God had to change his mind. And if God has to change his
mind, then we don't have the God of this Bible. We have a
figment of our imagination. It's not, it will not and nor
will it ever change. Turn with me and we read this
passage over in the book of 1 Thessalonians. Oh, let's read here first. Mike, you're supposed to slap
me when I do that. Get ahead of myself. Okay. Verse 6. And I saw another angel fly in
the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach
unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred,
and tongue, and people." Now that's the groups that we find
are going to be in the church. Out of every kindred, nation,
people, and tongue. saying with a loud voice, fear
God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment has
come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea
and the fountains of waters. Now that's just declaring worship
the Lord God Almighty. He is the creator God. He is
the creator of heaven and earth God. And then we find there followed
another angel. Followed another angel and this
angel in chapter 14 in verse 8 This angel now, that's the
ministry of the Isaiah's the Samuel's The gills the Spurgeons,
those faithful preachers of God's Word throughout all time, their
faithful preaching not only declared an everlasting gospel, but they
declared an effective and effectual gospel. The gospel is effective. It's not just something that
comes along. It is effective in people. It effects a change. It effects a change that is grand. It is called going from death
to life. Now, I don't know about you,
but I think that those people in Jerusalem, on that day the
Lord raised from the dead, and those old saints that had been
buried in the graves that were opened at His crucifixion, and
then that early, that first day of the week, came into Jerusalem,
they raised some eyebrows. There was some shock because
the gospel effects a change. Now that's just a representation
of the change of going from death to life. It's out of a kingdom
of darkness to light. Death to life. Darkness to light. prison to freedom. The ways that
God describes the effect the gospel has on people is tremendous. Now it may not, people out there
may not notice it so much, but Lord only knows His people will
notice. There's been a work take place. Now we may not realize
all that's taken place in a moment, in a week, in a month, in a year.
We're still discovering what happened. when he gave us regeneration
and we may never ever be able to go back to a time and say
this is but I know this I can say this with all honesty the
Lord gave me peace after I heard the gospel I didn't get peace
and then I heard the gospel it was after I heard the gospel
all right now this effectiveness notice here the effect of the
gospel the second angel says Babylon is fallen. Babylon is
fallen. Now, if people want to go say
that's the Roman Catholic Church, they can say it. But the gospel
effects something different than that. And gospel preachers have
always declared this. There is a release that God imposes
on his people, they are released from prison. Now, we may never
have been locked up in jail, but in the fall, we are imprisoned
by sin. We can't get rid of it. We can't
shake it off. We cannot do enough. It's with
us. It's with us. We can't do anything
about it. And yet the Lord comes and says,
when we are created anew in Christ Jesus, all things are passed
away. Behold, all things become new.
Now, turn with me, if you would, and we read this last week, but
I'd just like to read it again over in 1 Thessalonians chapter
1. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse 9. This is a wonderful
chapter. It's worthy of reading several
times. Through the year it just refreshes
our mind about what the Lord does and it's all according to
verse 4 the election of God but in verse 14 excuse me, verse
9 of this chapter, for they themselves show us what manner of entering
in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve
the living and true God. Now, when the effect of the gospel
on people is the release that the gospel has with regard to
what we used to think was important in religion. Now, I don't know
how many people, and I trust that it is what they firmly will
stand on to the end, Because it's not who begins the race,
it's who ends the race. But I've heard a lot of people,
after the Lord has shown them grace, the gospel of God's grace,
say, I can never go back to that old stuff again. And the test
of it is, just go listen to what's out there in other churches.
And if it doesn't make you sick, and if you can handle it, then
you can go back. But if it makes you sick, and
you can't go back, and I can't handle this anymore, I just can't
handle what the majority of people are saying, then that's a pretty
good indication that the Holy Spirit has taken you from dumb
idols to the living God. It's a heart check. What can
you stand? Now, I've got to the point that
I would rather not go than to go and get upset. That's just
where I am. I find it very difficult. Now,
I used to think that you had to have certain words in the
title of the church name. That's not the truth. I found
churches that didn't have the B-A-P-T-I-S-T, and they're preaching
the free and sovereign grace of God. They don't feel that
that's an important part. I used to think, I used to worship
that name. But now it's the gospel that's
important. What is it called? By what name
is the church called? That's not important. That's
irrelevant. But what is preached? Is it the
everlasting gospel? Is it a gospel that is effectual
and effective? Is it something God produces
in us that changes our nature and changes our position? As it says here. Now turn with
me along the same line. We read this last week, but it
was just a blessing to me. Psalm 14. Psalm 14. I want to read this again. The
effectiveness of the gospel. It makes a change. Now, it never
said, the scriptures never said, I'm going to take away your, well, what's some of the worst
sins we could do, you know. I'm going to take that away.
I know this. It will take away our affection
for religion. Now it's going to deal with other
parts of our life. It's going to deal with other
things in our life. But that is number one, because God will
not allow idolatry. Well, I read through the book
of Leviticus. He will not allow idolatry. And that is nothing
more than idolatry. It's self-will religion. That's
what religion is. Self-will religion. And he will
not, he will not cut to that. So if God implants within us
a change due to the gospel, Babylon is fallen. I have been set free. Psalm 14 Excuse me psalm 142
Psalm 142 Verse 7 Bring my soul out of prison that I may praise thy name bring
my soul out of prison now that's Babylon this prison of Babylon
where it's imposed upon us in the fall Adam created a new religion
in an instant in a moment in a twinkling of an eye he created
the humanistic works religion and it's been propagated and
permeated throughout the human race until this very day. That
self-righteous, self-imposed, self-cleaned up, self-sacrificed,
self, self, self-religion and for the benefit of rewards. Guaranteed. We're doing it for
rewards. Alright? Bring my soul out of
prison, that I may praise thy name. The righteous shall come
past me about, for thou shalt deal bountifully with me. Now,
over in the book of Matthew, chapter 12, there's an incident
here that the Lord mentions. He is accused of casting out
demons by Satan, by the power of Beelzebub. It's interesting,
Beelzebub means Lord of the flies. Which was, they used to worship
flies. He's the Lord of them all. And
it's just another way for the adversary, for Satan. And here
he says that he is casting out demons and people come along
and say, he's just doing it by the power of Satan. And he says,
a house divided against itself cannot stand. If I'm casting out demons by
Beelzebub, who do your people cast them out by? He's bringing
up some really good questions. And he says here in Matthew chapter
12 verse 28, Matthew chapter 12 verse 28 he says, But if I cast out devils by the
Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else
how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods,
except he first bind the strong man, and then spoil his house? Now who is this that binds the
strong man? That's God. That's Christ. He's binding our nature. He's
binding our prism. He's binding our Babylon. A stronger
than what we have must come. That's why we can't take care
of it ourselves and no one else can. A stronger has to come. The strong man, he's strong. Death is strong. Sin is strong. Babylon is strong. Religion is
strong. We'll not give it up on our own.
And we can't. But a stronger one comes. God Almighty and binds that one. And then it says there, except
he first binds the strong man and then he can spoil his house.
Then he can take care of what's necessary. Bind the strong man,
sit him down and tell him to shut up. And then he can do as
he pleases. And that's what he does. He takes
what we are commonly attracted to and binds it up and sets us
free. And the preachers of righteousness
from the very beginning have said, Babylon is fallen. that which used to bind has been
released. God is more powerful than sin,
death, hell, or the grave, and he's able to do all that for
us. He must be stronger than sin. He must be stronger than hell.
He must be stronger than the grave. He must be stronger than
death. But if there is one, which there is, God Almighty, Christ
Jesus the Lord, He is able to bind and to release us from prison. And the gospel says Babylon's
fallen. Now a gospel that doesn't declare
Babylon has fallen a gospel that says we're still, we're just
barely saved. I get into discussions sometimes
with people and I just say, my God is bigger than that. He's
able to save and to do it. And that's why the Lord said,
my sheep hear my voice and they follow me. I'm the stronger man. I'm able to bind up that which
prevented people from doing what was right. And that verse over
in Romans chapter eight, where enmity with God, not subject
to the law of God, neither indeed can be. It's impossible. We're bound. We're in prison. Now, this is the second angel. Now let's look at the third one
over there in Revelation chapter 14. The third angel. What is the second result of
this? Notice this. Revelation chapter
14. This is the gospel again. There's
going to be some changes made. Changes made. It's kind of like
that passage we read over there, and we refer to it several times
a month, I think, about the judgment of the nations, sheep and the
goat, right hand, left hand. When were they appointed to glory? Where are these appointed to?
And you follow that down through there, and those on the right
hand say, when did we do that? It's not in their conscious frame
of mind. They're not keeping track, and
they're not doing it for reward. When did we do that? When did
we do that? It's kind of the opposite of
that, as those disciples on that day that he was betrayed. Is
it okay? I think Peter knew every bit
he was capable of doing that. John, James, the rest of the
disciples, and then Judas. Smart Alec Judas. He's just a
religious man. But those on the left-hand side,
it says, they said, when didn't we do that? When didn't we do
that? Now, there is an effect. The gospel has great results.
And I look at that in the second angel, the great results of putting
down Babylon, man's religion. But there's a second great result,
and that is what God gives us. The fruit of the Spirit. The
fruit of the Spirit. We're able... We don't know how
it happens, because it's not us doing it. Man, I used to couldn't
stand that guy, but I kind of like him now. You know that kind
of feeling? I couldn't stand this. I couldn't
stand being with. Well, Galatians chapter 5. Galatians
chapter 5. Now just remember, this is not
what we do. A lot of times it's preached that
this is what you gotta do. This is what you gotta do. Well,
if you gotta do it, you don't have it. If it's being worked
in you, that's the key. It is the fruit of the Spirit. fruit of the Spirit. It's the
Holy Spirit's fruit in us. And we say, when did I get that? When did I get that? When did
I do that? People, I think, that are really
serious about the Gospel will say, I sure don't know about
that. I just don't have that kind of
love that's being talked about. I just don't have that kind of
patience. I don't have that long-suffering. I don't have that. And the people
who are still in our balances, oh, I love everybody. And I'm
just as patient as can be. And I've got all the... Well,
let's just read this. It doesn't take us long to find
out. You know, if it wasn't for the
fruit of the Spirit, we wouldn't have any of this. This is God's
work in us. He's working in us now. He's
working in us. That old phrase might be applicable. He's not through with us yet.
But notice here, the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians chapter
5, Verse 22, Galatians 5 verse 22, uh oh, did I get this? I turned too far
there. Verse 22 it says, But the fruit
of the Spirit, now if you want to know what the works of the
flesh are, read the previous verses. And we can say, yep,
mm-hmm, yep, mm-hmm. Practice that, yep, mm-hmm. All
right, fruit of the Spirit. This is the fruit of the Spirit.
This is God's Spirit in His people. This is what we find in the third
angel of Saron, we'll get there. The fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, or patience, gentleness, goodness,
faith, Meekness, temperance, or self-control, against such
there is no law. And they that are Christ have
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Now, crucifixion
is, I think, Nancy and I have done a lot of thinking about
it. I think it's the only form of execution that you can't do
on yourself. You can do your feet, and you
can do one hand, but you've got one hand. It has to be imposed on you.
The fruit of the Spirit. And he says there that they that
are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections of
us. He is the one that was crucified, and we were crucified in Him.
He put us to death in Him and raised us to life in Him. So
it's the fruit of the Spirit. It's not ours. It's His in us. And it's not wrong to say, I
just don't know about that. But it is really going to lend
itself to problems. Oh yeah, I've got all those.
What else is there, Master? Like the rich young ruler. I've
done all those things from my youth up. I'm just, well, The
Lord never, and I've heard preachers say this, but the Lord never
intended for that man to have eternal life by selling everything
he had. He just wanted him to look at
himself and he walked off being sad because he was very rich.
Well, that's not going to save him. Just look at yourself. You haven't kept those from your
youth up. Now, go back with me here to
the book of Revelation. I want you to read that third
angel, the results of the third angel. Now, there are several
things that are said in there. I'm going to jump around and
come back and just mention in that chapter 14, and those are
the the statements that God makes
through the gospel about those who do not have grace. The gospel, it's a saver of life
unto life and death unto death. And those, the alternative to
God's saving, the alternative to God's election, the alternative
to the everlasting gospel is death. now and for eternity. Now, I
don't spend a lot of time preaching on hell. Right here in the book
of Revelation, that's the alternative. That's the alternative. All right,
verse, the third angel, verse 9. The third angel followed them
saying, with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast in
his image and receive his mark in their foreheads or in their
hand. Now we're going to jump across that. Verse 12, here is
the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments
of God and the faith of Jesus. Now this is, the third angel
preaching the gospel says, there is an effectiveness about the
gospel that's going to make us, make us have patience. Make us
keep the commandments of God. Not that we're going to work
at it. It's already done for us. impatience has already been
implanted in us the fruit of the spirit and he does it to
everyone now there's only one sin that is not forgiven that's
a sin against the Holy Spirit and what is that? Jesus is dealing
with people that have evil spirits and he's casting them out and
they're attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil
now the only thing that is unforgiveness, the sin against the Holy Spirit,
and that is attributing to the devil, or to the Holy Spirit,
the things that are sinful. He went, I'm going to forgive
those. Now, no saved person can commit
those. When God takes a work, a work
of grace, He pushes past that point. We got a foot valve. My dad used to have a hand pump.
over in the garden. And we wanted to water a tree,
we had a hand pump. One time we had to pull that
pipe out of the well and work on the foot valve. Now there
was a piece of leather down there. And when suction was brought
up, it brought that leather up and allowed water to come in.
And as soon as the water was in, it dropped that foot valve
down against that metal and prevented the water from running out. Well,
that's what the Lord did when He saved us. He took us past
the foot valve. We're not going to go back. We're not going to
go back. There's some things you can't
do. Can't do. And one of them is
sin away your day of grace and number two, commit the unpardonable
sin. Can't do it. He's brought us
past that point. Bloodstreams. They got foot valves
in them to keep the blood from running backwards. He brings
us past that. My sheep hear my voice and they
follow me. wherever he calls. Can't go backwards. Can't go
backwards. All right? Patience of the saints. Here
are they that keep the commandments of God in the faith of Jesus.
And I heard the voice from heaven. It's going on there. All right.
Turn with me to Luke chapter 19. Zacchaeus. You know the story
of Zacchaeus. But notice here. Notice these
words that Zacchaeus uses after the Lord visits him. Luke chapter 19. Now verse 1
just tells us about election. Jesus entered and passed through
Jericho. What did he do there? Nothing.
Who did he call? Nobody. What did he do? Nothing. He passed through Jericho. His prerogative. But it is a
statement about God's sovereignty and God's election. Why did he
pass through Jericho? Because he wanted to. Where is
he going? Zacchaeus. One man. out of everybody, one
man. And behold, there was a man named
Zacchaeus, which was chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
And he sought to see Jesus, who he was, and could not for the
press, because he was of little stature. And he ran before, and
climbed up in a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass
that way. And when Jesus came to the place,
he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Now he's not startled,
he knows where he's going to be. He got a rope around him
and put him up the tree. Now Zacchaeus thought he was
doing it, but the Lord has already purposed that that's where this
man's going to be, up a tree. Zacchaeus make haste and come
down for today I must abide in thy house. And he made haste,
and came down, and received him joyfully. And when he saw it,
they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be a guest with
a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood and said
unto the Lord, Now notice what he said. Something's happened
to him. Behold, Lord. Now that's the
first indication. Behold, Lord. Master. King. Sovereign. Behold, Lord. the half of my goods I give to
the poor. And if I've taken anything from
any man by false accusation, I restore unto him fourfold."
What's that? The Lord's given him patience.
The Lord's given him the ability to obey the law. The Lord has
given to him, he's a changed man. And for a second, I can't help
but think, he can't understand why. Why did I say that? Well, grace
makes the difference. Grace makes the difference. Grace
makes the difference. Over there in the book of Acts,
it's said that they had all things common. They're not trying to
get us to live communally. I've heard people say that once
this communal living progresses to communism. He's just expressing
the fact that I got over being selfish. Got over being selfish with my
prayers. Got over being selfish with my time. Got over being
selfish. And that's an act of grace. That
is an act of grace. God's grace. Third Angel said,
Gospel includes change. I'll make change in people's
lives. I will make them likable. Alright, now just a little bit
about that denunciation here against those who worship the
beast and receive his mark Acts, excuse me, Romans chapter, Revelation
chapter 14 Revelation chapter 14, now this Third Angel says this, and this
is the alternative. We got over there and studied
about the Lamb which was slain from the foundation of the world.
Those who did not have Christ, they had the mark. They did not
submit to the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Here's another statement about it. shall drink the wine of the wrath
of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation."
What's that mean? He's not going to tone it down.
It's not cut with water. his justice, his wrath is poured
out without mixture, the cup of his indignation, and he shall
be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels
and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment
ascended up for ever and ever, and they have no rest, day nor
night, who worship the beast and his image, whosoever receiveth
the mark of his name." Now that's what the third angel said, and
then concluded by saying, God's people have patience, They keep
the commandments of God and have faith of Jesus. This is the gospel. This is the gospel. And faithful
men like Isaiah preached it. Faithful men like Abel preached
it. And Abraham. And Habakkuk. And Zephaniah. And John Gill. And Charles Spurgeon. Faithful
preachers of our time have preached this gospel. It is an eternal
gospel. It does make change in people's
lives. The gospel puts away what we
used to hang on to and gives us Christ. And the gospel gives
us the fruit of the Spirit. It's not acquired by just a certain
few. The fruit of the Spirit is to
the whole church. Now, he gives it sovereignly
and severally as he wishes. He gives his gifts the same way.
Sovereignly and severally. And one of the things I found
out about grace people is they're not jealous about someone else's
gift. And they're not trying to stump them out of their gift.
They're not trying to thwart them in their gift. It compliments
the whole. We say, hallelujah, that guy,
that lady, thank God. We may say sometimes, I wish
I knew what my gift was. And I'll just answer this way,
whatever you're doing, whatever you're doing, that's
your gift. All right, we'll stop there.