I may have failed to tell you
that my text will be taken from Revelation 22 that we read a
moment ago. But, as an introduction to that,
turn if you will first of all to John chapter 17. Our text
will be verse 4. Verse 4 of Revelation 22 and
only part of that verse. They shall see His face. My soul, what a promise. What
a promise. they shall see his face." But
to introduce that text, that message, turn, if you will, to
John's Gospel, chapter 17. The duties of the high priest
was not only to offer sacrifice, and Christ was to sacrifice for
the sins of his people. He purged our sins by that one
sacrifice of Himself. He gave Himself. But He also
interceded. He also interceded for His people.
And before He offered Himself without spot to God to purge
our sins, in John chapter 17, He intercedes for His people. This takes place before what
we read of in chapter 18. where Jesus, knowing all things
that should come upon him, he went forth to that mob, that
bloodthirsty mob, and said, Whom seek ye? Isn't that a good picture
of our Great Shepherd stepping out before us as always leading
the way? Whom seek ye? Jesus of Nazareth. And they fell to the ground.
Who's in control? Who's in control there, Lord?
It's obvious. It wasn't the mob. It was King
Jesus. And again, after they gathered
themselves, He said, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. And here our great substitute?
I am He. I am He. Take me. But let these
go their way. Before he was denied by Peter,
before he was forsaken by all the disciples and left to trod
the winepress alone, before he was arrested and then forsaken
by God and made sin for you and I, he prays for his sheep. We're just going to read a few
of the verses, but this entire chapter, all that Christ prays
in these 26 verses on the behalf of his sheep, his people. No
place does He ever mention our sin. Have you ever noticed that? He prays for so much on behalf
of His people that they'll be preserved, that they'll be kept,
that they'll be sanctified. But He never one time mentions
our sin. Verse 1 of John 17. These words
spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father,
the hour is come, the hour is come. Glorify thy name, that
thy son also may glorify thee, as thou hast given him power
over all flesh. that he should give eternal life
to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal,
that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the
earth. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And
now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the
glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested
thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine
they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word."
Look down, if you will, at verse 9. He says, I pray for them. I pray not for the world. Folks
say, well, I thought he died for the world. No, he wouldn't
even pray for the world. He says very plainly here, I
pray for them. I pray for them, particularly
the apostles, but as he says on down in the chapter, for all
his sheep, for all those that will believe on him through their
word. I pray not for the world. People
hear that and say, well, that's terrible. That's just terrible.
I can't stand that. Would you rather have a Christ
who cannot save? Which is more terrible, this
truth of Scripture that Christ died for His sheep as He praised
for His sheep, or a Savior whose blood is meaningless? Because
if He died for the world, if He shed His blood as much for
Judas as He did for Peter, then His blood didn't make a lick
of difference, did it, Lester? What difference did it make?
Oh, no. No, He entered in one time into
the holy place, Paul said, and He obtained eternal redemption. For who? For us. The same us
that He praised for here in John 17. But for them which thou hast
given me, for they are thine. And then verse 12. While I was
with them in the world, I kept them in thy name. Those that
thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost." None of
them is lost. I like that, don't you? Oh, none
of them is lost, but the son of perdition that the Scriptures
might be fulfilled. Now look down before we go back
to Revelation in John 17 at verse 24. This especially introduces
my text, verse 4 of Revelation 22. In verse 24, it says, Father,
I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where
I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me,
for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. Oh,
look up. Brothers and sisters in Christ,
fellow pilgrims, look up. Tribe believer, look up and listen. Listen to the captain of our
salvation. Listen to that one who's entrusted
with our eternal salvation. Listen to what he says. Father,
I will. This is my will. The same as
God's will, I will also that those whom you've given me be
with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." That prayer
is being answered. Because Christ, even at this
very moment, some of His sheep are being gathered unto Him.
They're beholding the captain of their salvation. Now turn,
if you will, back to Revelation chapter 22. With those things
in mind, from John 17, especially verse 24, look at what our Lord
says here. or what we are promised here.
They shall see His face. I have a simple outline. First,
who are they that shall see His face? Who are the recipients
of this great blessing? And then notice the certainty
of the blessing. There's no room there for doubt,
is there? I mean, there's no question about
it. It says they shall see his face
without question. And then last of all, and this
will be the most difficult part, the wonder of the blessing. The
wonder of the blessing, Lord, says, we shall see His face. How will I illustrate that? I
can't. I can't. Oh, but first of all,
the recipients of this blessing, who are these that shall see
His face? The same ones, if you'll turn
back to Revelation chapter 7, they're described in this way.
Revelation chapter 7, verse 9. John says, after this I'll be
held in low a great multitude, a great multitude that no man
can number. of all nations, and tons, and
people, I'm sorry, and kindreds, and people, and tons, stood before
the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and
palms in their hands." Oh, different nationalities. Different people,
different tongues. Oh, but they have this one thing
in common. They have this one thing in common. They're all sinners without exception. There's a multitude there that
no man can number. And though they are different
nationalities, genders, people, tongues, they have this one common
bond. They're all sinners saved by
the grace of God among that multitude that no man could know. Brothers
and sisters, that's a lot of people. That's a lot of people
that no man can number. There's none there because of
anything in themselves. There's none there that have
nothing that they didn't receive. And they ascribe all the glory
to the Lamb. that sets upon the throne. Turn back, if you will, to Revelation
7, verse 10. That multitude that none can
number, that stand before the throne and before the Lamb, they
cry with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to who? God and me. God and the Baptist? Oh no. Salvation to our God. That's all. The Triune God. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Salvation to our God, which set
us upon the throne and unto the Lamb. He brought us here. He
brought us here. He that ordained us to salvation,
and redeemed us, and in time called us, and kept us, and preserved
us, and brought us to the throne, that where He is, we may be also. Salvation is His work. Always. What part of it? Every
part of it. Every part of it. From beginning
to end. And they ascribe all the glory
to that one from whom they received all the grace. Can you imagine
yourself among that white-robed throng? Can you hear them sing? Can you hear them sing in perfect
unity? No discord. Nobody out of step. Oh, but in perfect heart, in
perfect tongue, in perfect mind, they cry out in absolute agreement,
worthy is The Lamb! Oh, honor to the Lamb that was
slain. He has redeemed us to God by
His own blood. Oh, He's worthy. Ask anyone. Pick out any individual. Imagine
yourself among that throng. And you walk among them. Pick
out any individual you want. Just pick anyone and ask them,
how come you to be here? What brought you here? Surely
you did something. There is one. He seems to want
to sing louder than them all. Who is that? Whoa, I recognize
him. That's old Saul of Tarsus. But
he was saved on Damascus Road when the King of Glory appeared
to him and knocked him off his high horse and brought him down
in the dust, down in the dust before him. And he realized all
of his righteousness was filthy rags. He became Paul the Apostle,
the preacher of God's free grace. And he said, I'll become all
things to all men, that I might by all means save some. He said, are they Are they apostles? Aye more. Are they ministers
of Christ? Aye more. In labors more abundant, in deaths
more frequent, in beatings often, in perils on land, in perils
on sea, in perils among false brethren. He said, besides all
this, the care of all the churches, Surely, Paul, that must give
you some footing before the throne of God. Is that the reason you're
there? You sacrifice so much. And you
know what Paul would say? Shhh! Away with such talk. Oh, no. No, he would say, I'm
not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church
of God. But he would say, I am. what
I am by the grace of God. Oh, that's why I'm here, Paul
would say. Why am I here? Why am I a child
of God? Why am I before the throne and
beholding His face? Why, Paul would say, when it
pleased God, that's why. That's why anybody say, Louie,
when it pleases God, it's not up to me. This religious world,
they've heard it all their life, and they have a natural tendency
to believe it anyway, that it's up to them, but it's not up to
them. It's up to God. We're in God's
hand. We read it a moment ago. Christ
said, Father, you've given me power over all flesh. To do what? To save everybody? To save as
many as thou hast given me. Paul would say, when it pleased
God. who separated me from my mother's
womb and called me by His grace to reveal His Son in me." Called
by grace, effectual grace, fetching grace. What does that mean? It
gets the job done. God doesn't try to save anybody. God doesn't try to do anything.
God doesn't make attempts. What He purposed, He does. He brings the past. Oh, any of
the apostles, according to history, they all suffered martyrdom.
They all died for the cause of Christ except John. Oh, there's
Peter. Peter, why are you here? Peter
says, Oh, we rejoice that we were counted worthy to suffer
for His namesake. And there's one. There is one
there. Oh, I see Him. And I remember
hearing about Him on earth. And oh, how He seems. Oh, how
He seems worthy is the Lamb. And I say, Sir, why are you here? How did you come to be here? And He would say, Amazing grace. You're that old slave trader.
You're the one that made a living making merchandise out of human
beings. You were the captain of a slave
ship. How in the world did you get
here? And he'd say again, Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that
saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. I was blind, but now I see. It was grace that taught my heart
to fear, and grace my fears relieved. Oh, how precious did that grace
appear, the hour I first believed. Oh, brothers and sisters in Christ,
this multitude before the throne that no man can number, that
see the face of their Redeemer, is proof that he shall see of
the travail of his soul and be satisfied. Here's the result
of that corn of wheat that fell into the ground and died and
brings forth much fruit. This is proof that he's the firstborn
among many brethren. Here's the proof, the evidence
that he did not die in vain. King Jesus didn't lay down his
life for a hope so or a maybe. I don't care how many preachers
say so. Oh no, oh no, He saved His people, bless His name, and
He deserves that name because He saves His people from their
sins. Again, we look at this multitude,
and they shall see His face. And we ask the question, who
are they? It's true by nature they're children of wrath, even
as others, and yet, Yet they're the elect of God. They're the
elect of God. To God's glory, to God's glory,
let it be said, they that see His face are the very ones God
determined should see His face. People again say, I don't like
that. I like it, don't you? I like
it. I like it. I like it. And in
a world of apostasy, in a world of religious darkness, in a world
of ignorance and straying away from the truth of the gospel,
in a world where men turn their ears away from the truth and
would rather hear a lie and be damned for believing it, I'm
so thankful that I turned to a passage like this. But we are
bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, because He
had from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto He called you
by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of Jesus Christ
the Lord. Their destination here was a,
dare I say it, A predestination. A predestination. They're brought
here on purpose. By God's power and grace, it's
accomplished. It's accomplished. Those He did
foreknow, He did predestinate. Those He did predestinate, He
also justified. Those He justified, He called. Those He called, He glorified. What shall we say to these things
if God be for us? Who can be against us? Who can
be against us? He that spared not His own Son,
but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him
freely give us all things? God chose us in Christ and gave
us to His Son. In the fullness of time, the
Son came and redeemed His people. He redeemed His people. I like
that. I like that, because I hear people
say all the time, he went partway. He did all he could do, but the
deciding factor, the deciding factor, that which really turns
the game and makes it successful is dependent and left in the
hands of the sinner. I hope not. Thank God I know
not. Oh no, He redeemed His people
from their sins. He was made sin for you and I
who knew no sin that we might be made the very righteousness
of God in Him. There's just no question about
that. There's no doubt about that. If there is, if there is
any possibility that Jesus Christ didn't put away all the sins
of all His people close this book, close those doors, and
just go home and lay down and die in despair. But thank God,
that's not true. Our great shepherd saves all
his sheep, and he said, Father, I will also, that those you gave
me be with me where I am. And lo and behold, we turn to
the last book, and there they are. They shall see His face. So that it will be the boast
of Jesus throughout eternity, and our boast of Him, as we sing
glory to His name. Every one that you gave me, Father,
I and the children that you gave me, I lost none. Look at chapter 15 in Revelation,
if you will, verse 3. Revelation 15, verse 3. This multitude before the throne.
In verse 3 it says, And they sing the song of Moses, the servant
of God. Did they ever strike you as strange? Why does it say the song of Moses,
the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb? We're going to see
why in just a moment. saying, Great and marvelous are
thy works, Lord God Almighty, Almighty. Just and true are thy
ways, thou King of saints." If you'll turn back to Exodus chapter
15, here you have the song of Moses. After the children of
Israel are brought across the Red Sea, Moses leads them in
this song of praise to God. And it so resembles the song
of the land that the children, that multitude that none can
number, sing before his throne. Look at Exodus 15 verse 1. Then sang Moses and the children
of Israel this song unto the Lord, and spake, saying, I will
sing unto the Lord, for he hath tried. No. He wanted to, if they
would only let him know. For he hath triumphed, how gloriously,
gloriously, he always does, he always does. The horse and his
rider hath he thrown into the sea. Verse 2, The Lord is my
strength and song, and has become my salvation. He is my God, and
I will prepare Him in habitation. My Father's God, I will exalt
Him. Skip down to verse 9, verse 9
of Exodus 15. The enemy said, this is part
of their song, The song of praise of the children of Israel. Just
typical of the song of the redeemed. The enemy said, I will pursue.
I will overtake. I will divide to spoil. My lust
shall be satisfied upon them. I will. Now here's man's mighty
free will we're reading about. That almost God. That mighty
will of man. I will draw my sword. My hand
shall destroy them. Who? What's God going to do about
that? Is the cause in jeopardy? Look
at verse 10. Thou didst blow with thy wind,
that's all it took. That's all it did. The sea covered
them. They sank as lead into the mighty
waters. Don't look so great now, do they?
Who is likened to thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is likened
to thee? Glorious in holiness, fearful
in praises, doing wonders. Thou stretchest out Thy right
hand, the earth swallows them. Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth
the people which Thou hast redeemed." Not another people, not a different
people, the same ones. that were in the houses on which
the blood of the Lamb was applied, these are the same ones that
are brought forth, not a different bunch. Oh no, thou and thy mercy
has led forth the people which thou hast redeemed. Thou hast
guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. Oh, this is what we read of in
Revelation 22. And now secondly, secondly, the
old time goes by quick. The certainty of the blessing.
Looking again at our text, it reads, they shall see His face. They shall see His face. God
wills it. And that's enough. We need not
spend much time here doing it. Because God wills it. It's God's
purpose. And none can stay His hand. None
can resist His will. None can thwart His purpose.
He's God. He's God. Well, what if He doesn't
have His way? That never happens. Lord, that
never happens. God always has His way. He's God. Oh, thank God, and
he says, they shall see his face. Christ said that familiar passage
in John 6, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and
him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out. They'll
come in time. In time, they'll hear the voice
of the Son of God. They'll hear the voice of the
Great Shepherd, and those that hear Christ said, shall live. The Son has life in Himself,
just as God the Father has life in Himself. And those that hear
His voice, they live. They're dead in sin. They're
helpless. They're depraved. Oh, but Christ
comes to their tomb and says, live, and they raise up. They
raise up. Why? Because He's the mighty
God. He's the everlasting Father.
He's the Prince of Peace. They hear His voice in time and
they follow Him. And they hear His voice and they
come to Him in eternity. Oh, when He says, Come up hither,
from the most timid of God's children to the boldest of God's
children, we're told they shall see His face. That despite indwelling
sin, that despite having to cry out, O wretched man that I am,
they shall see His face. Despite the devil walking about
seeking whom he may devour, they shall see his face. Despite the
world and the hatred and persecution of this world, we're told they
shall see his face. Despite heavy trials, they shall
see his face. Who are these, John? Who are
these before the throne? Who are these clothed in white
robes and with the palms in their hand? Who are they?" And the
angel said, these are they. Oh, here's an evidence. Chapter
7 of this book, Revelation 13 and 14 verses. These are they
who came at. What an evidence, what a picture
of the sufficiency of God's amazing grace. That trial that you thought
surely is going to sweep you away. That wave that's going
to be the last straw, that's going to bury me. That'll do
it. I can get through this. You stand
now and look back and say, I came out. How so? Oh, multiply that,
brothers and sisters, by a multitude that none can number. And here
is a picture of the sufficiency and the power and the effectiveness
of God's grace. He brings all of His children
out of great tribulation. He brings them out. He doesn't
spare the tribulation, but bless God, He proves His grace sufficient
because He brings them out. Bless His holy name. What a picture! I love that verse of Scripture.
What a picture of God's amazing grace that He brings everyone
through tribulation and brings them out to stand before the
throne. And they shall see His face. Like that old hymn writer. He
put it this way. I've quoted it to you before.
It says, Some through the waters, and some through the flood, some
through the fire, but all through the blood. Some through great
sorrow, but God gives a song in the night season, and all
the day long, and proves His faithfulness, and His power,
and His grace, because He brings them out. Just as our Lord prayed,
I will also that those whom thou hast given me be with me where
I am, that they may behold my glory. And now we come to the
last point. Looking again at the text, and
they shall see his face. Oh my soul. Kenny, the wonder of that blessing. The wonder of that miracle. How
can we illustrate that? Hmm? I don't know how. Can't do it. I can't do it. May God just enable us to bow
down before Him and adore and wonder and ask, Oh, why such
love to me? They shall see His face in a
way not possible. When you look at that little
word, see, it's more than what we're doing now. Oh, no. That is comprehend. They shall
comprehend in a way they can't now. They'll appreciate in a
way that they just can't now. Because now we see through a
glass darkly. No matter how high the mountaintop
experience may be, we still, while we're in this world, see
through a glass darkly. That's the best that it can be.
But then, then, we shall see perfectly. Perfect understanding. a perfect heart, a perfect ability
to comprehend, to appreciate what He did. They shall see Him
as He is. He told Moses, no man can see
Me and live, but these stand before His throne in His very
presence, in the full gaze of His Majesty, looking back at
Him, crying, worthy is the Lamb. Oh, they'll not only have the
ability, they'll have the opportunity, which we don't now, because we
walk by faith, not by sight. Thomas, because you see me, you
believe. Blessed are those that shall
not see me, and yet shall believe. But here, our text speaks of
that time when we shall have both the ability, no sin. My soul. No sin. No sin. No sin here. No sin here. I shall be changed. Changed. Old Adam is going to
lay in the dust forever, and I'll rise in His likeness. John said, Behold what manner
of love that the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we, we
of all people, me of all people, should be called a son of God. And it doth not yet appear what
we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall
what? Be like Him. Be like Him. Oh, Bobby, after the message,
if I fail to give a title to it during the preaching of it,
it'll ask me, what do you want to title that message? I failed
to do so when I announced my text. But Bobby, you can entitle
it this, the heaven of heaven, that'll work. Or the glory of
glory, that'll work too. Or the blessing of blessing,
any of those would work. Is this not the heaven of heaven?
I shall see Him. Oh, and have the ability and
the opportunity to see in a way that I just can't now. And what
will that perfect ability to see, to perceive, to appreciate,
what will it look to? How will it be exercised? His
face. looking upon his face, we shall
see him of whom it was said, Joseph, call his name Jesus,
he shall save his people from their sins. I shall see him who
said, I come to do thy will, O my God. I'll see that one. who prayed in Gethsemane, Father,
if it be possible, let this cup pass from me and sweat great
drops of blood. I'm going to see Him. See Him of whom Isaiah prophesied
when he said, Surely, surely He hath borne our grief and carried
our sorrows. We esteem Him stricken of God
and afflicted. I'll see Him who cried, who cried on my behalf and because
of me and for me. My God, my God, why hast Thou
forsaken me? I'm going to see. I'm going to
see that One who loved me and gave Himself for me. I shall
see His face. Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus, Savior, Master. Let heaven and earth proclaim.
Kings and kingdoms shall all pass away, but there's something
about that Man. His face, not the hand. not a part of the body, but the
face, that by which we recognize people. We take a picture, we
take a picture of people's face. And it said, we shall see his
face. Can you imagine? Can you imagine
looking into those eyes that looked to you when you were lost
and perishing and helpless and loved you with an everlasting
love? Listen to this. You need not
turn there. Let me read it again to you. In Ezekiel's vision of
the aborted infant, where Christ, our Redeemer, comes by, and says,
live, live. I'm going to look into his eyes. Ezekiel chapter 16. Listen to
this again. As for thy nativity in the day
that thou was born, this is us. This describes us. Thy navel
was not cut, neither was thou washed in water to supple thee.
Thou was not salted at all or swaddled at all. None I pitied
thee to do any of these things unto thee, to have compassion
upon thee. But thou was cast out, out in
the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that
thou was born. That's us. That's us by nature. Oh, but the story doesn't stop
there. And when I passed by thee, I,
the Lord Jesus Christ, when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted
in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood,
live. Live. Yea, I said unto thee,
when thou wast in thy blood, live. Thus was thou decked with gold
and silver, and thy raiment was of fine linen and silk, embroidered
work. And thou didst eat fine flour
and honey and oil, and thou wast exceeding beautiful. We're perfect. We're perfect in Him. And thou
didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among
the heathen for thy beauty. For it was perfect through my
comeliness which I put upon thee, saith the Lord God. I shall see His face." Imagine
hearing that voice. Never a man spake like this man. And one time, after coming to
where I was, and saying, live, stopping this rebel in his tracks,
and saying, live, and by his mighty conquering grace, bringing
me to his footstool, like Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road,
bawling in the dust before Him, saying, If you will, you can
make me clean. Never a man spake like Him, because
He spake and said, Thy sins, thy sins, which are many, are
all forgiven thee. I shall see His face. Oh, taking that hand, taking
that precious hand with nail prints put there for you and
because of you, bowing at the feet. bowing at the feet of Christ. Those feet that walked this sin-cursed
earth and ascended up Calvary's mount were nailed to the cross
and made sin for you. I shall see Him." Oh, what wondrous
grace! What wondrous grace! We shall
see His face. One old hymn that comes to my
mind now, I wish I could sing. I can't. Oh, but he said, oh,
what a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see, and he
takes me by the hand and leads me through the promised land.
Oh, what a day, glorious day that will be when I see him,
Augustus, top lady, He's one of my favorite preachers. I love
reading him. He wrote this. He said, And what
is death to those that are born of God? It is but another gathering
of them unto Christ. The soul of a saint is gathered
from the body as a flower from the stalk to adorn the court
of heaven. and to bloom forever in the bosom
of God. Those who are gathered to Him
by grace are at death only gathered into glory." And shortly before
his own death in 1778, he wrote his most famous hymn, perhaps
thinking of that verse that says, the Lord is my rock and my fortress
and my deliverer. And he wrote that hymn, while
I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in
death, when I rise to worlds unknown, and behold thee on thy
throne, rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. You know, when I was a boy back
in the mountains of West Virginia, running around barefoot, daddy
a coal miner, if somebody would have pulled me to the side and
said, you know what? You're one of God's chosen. And
in time, He's going to call you by His grace. You're going to
experience His mercy. I'd have cussed him and said,
you don't know what you're talking about. And if they would have
told me not only that, He wants you to be with Him where
He is. And one day, throughout eternity, you're going to behold
the face of that One who loved you and gave Himself for you.
You're going to see Him in a way that you can't now. Oh, glory
to God. What a day when I can love him
with an unsinning heart. When I see thee as thou art,
love thee with unsinning heart, not till then shall I know what
a debt, what a debt of love I owe. God bless you, brothers and sisters.