The Grace of God

• 1^st – Who gets Grace… vs. 4
  • 1^st – Seven Churches…
    • John – to the seven churches which are in Asia!
      • As we begin the REVELATION of Jesus – we open up with GRACE!
      • I love that a BOOK known for the WRATH and JUDGEMENT of God – opens with GRACE…
      • Because God does NOT want to JUDGE us – He wants to give us GRACE – II Peter 3:9
      • Judgment ONLY comes to those who do NOT receive the GRACE of God…
      • But NOTE – this GRACE is given to – the SEVEN churches!
    • SEVEN…
      • SEVEN – used 54x in REVELATION – is a number we will see a LOT in this book…
      • We will see SEVEN: Churches – Spirits – Lampstands – Stars – Seals – Trumpets – Bowls…
      • Horns – Eyes – Angels – Thunders – Heads – Crowns – Plagues – Mountains – Kings!
      • In the Bible the number SEVEN – is used to represent COMPLETION…
      • God created the world in SIX days – and He rested on the SEVENTH day – Genesis 2:2
      • Because the WORK was COMPLETE – nothing else needed to be done!
      • Therefore the use of the number SEVEN in REVELATION means something COMPLETE…
      • The SEVEN churches – is not taking about one particular CHURCH…
      • It is referring to the COMPLETE church – the BODY of Christ – I Corinthians 12:12
    • CHURCHES…
      • CHURCH [ἐκκλησία] – those who have been CALLED OUT – of the world…
      • GRACE is not for those who live for this life – for who still belong to this world…
      • GRACE is for those who have heard Jesus CALL – and have followed Him!
      • John 10:27 – “My sheep hear My voice – and I know them – and they follow Me.”
  • 2^nd – Grace brings Peace…
    • Grace to you and peace!
      • GRACE [χάρις] – 156x in NT [important] – but that is GRACE…
      • GRACE simply means GIFT – what GIFT does God give to us – SALVATION…
      • By FAITH we believe that Jesus died for us – and God GIVES us GRACE – Ephesians 2:8-9
      • The idea of GRACE being we cannot pay for it – we cannot earn it – we do not deserve it…
      • Grace is FREE to us – but it cost Jesus everything – it was paid for in the blood of Jesus…
      • We earned the right to go to hell through our SIN – we DESERVE to be judged…
      • But God gave us the incredible GIFT of His righteousness so we could go to heaven…
      • By FAITH [key] we can receive the GIFT [grace] – and become part of His CHURCH!
    • Peace with God [εἰρήνη] – 92x in NT – to STOP fighting – no more WAR…
      • This is NOT peace from GOD – this is PEACE with God…
      • Before we received His GRACE – we were at WAR with God…
      • We lived in certain expectation of Gods wrath and judgment…
      • There was no PEACE in our lives – only the fear of death and punishment – Hebrews 10:27
      • When we receive His GRACE – the free GIFT of salvation – we have PEACE with God…
      • We have true PEACE – resting in the knowledge we are forgiven!
      • Ephesians 2:14 – “[Jesus] Himself is our peace.”

• 2^nd – Who gives Grace… vs. 4-5
  • 1^st – Father… vs. 4
    • From Him who is and who was and who is to come!
    • We are given a description of the ONE who gives us GRACE…
    • But the ONE – is broken up into THREE persons – the TRINITY…
    • FIRST – we are told GRACE comes from the FATHER – who is ETERNAL – I Timothy 1:17
    • The one who WAS [past] and IS [present] and is to COME [future]!
    • When we say ETERNAL – that does not mean God has an UNLIMITED amount of time…
    • It means that God CREATED time – He is OUTSIDE of TIME…
    • The Father who give us GRACE – is the ONE who sees the END from the BEGINNING!
    • Isaiah 46:9-10 – “I am God – and there is none [אִין] like Me… declaring the end from the beginning – and from ancient times things that are not yet done.”
  • 2^nd – Spirit… vs. 4
    • From the seven Spirits who are before His throne!
      • SECOND – we are told GRACE comes from the SEVEN Spirits…
      • This has caused some confusion – WHO are the SEVEN Spirit referring to…
      • It is worth noting – the word THE [GPN] is before the word SPIRITS [GPN] – THE Spirits…
      • Emphasizing we are talking about THE Holy Spirit…
      • But WHY then are there SEVEN Spirits – there are TWO views as to WHAT this means!
    • The GIFTS of the SPIRIT…
      • There is only ONE Holy Spirit – I Corinthians 12:11
      • But He gives MANY gifts to CHURCH – the SEVENFOLD [perfect] ministry of THE Spirit…
      • They are given by GRACE [gift] to allow the CHURCH to serve effectively!
      • Ephesians 4:12 – “For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry – for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
      • The same GRACE that gave us the GIFT of SALVATION through Jesus…
      • Also by FAITH gives us GRACE – so we have the WORK of the Spirit to LIVE for Jesus…
      • That GRACE is available to ALL believers – all we have to do is ask – Luke 11:13
    • The COMPLETE Spirit…
      • The SECOND view – is that the number SEVEN – represent the COMPLETE Spirit…
      • Who is described as being in the PRESENCE [before] – of the THRONE of the Father…
      • The SPIRIT who is the THIRD person of the Godhead – the TRINITY!
        
  • 3^rd – Son… vs. 5
    • From Jesus Christ – the faithful witness!
      • THIRD – we are told GRACE comes from the Jesus Christ…
      • Jesus is His NAME – [יְהוֹשֻׁעַ] – Yahweh Shua – God is Salvation…
      • Christ is His TITLE – [Χριστός] or [מָשִׁיחַ] – to anoint – to call with a purpose…
      • Jesus was CALLED [Χριστός] – to be THE [ὁ] faithful witness!
      • If there is an ACCIDENT – the police look for a FAITHFUL witness…
      • Someone who can be TRUSTED to tell them what happened!
      • Jesus is THE faithful witness – who came to tell us how we can get GRACE!
    • The firstborn from the dead!
      • Jesus was CRUCIFIED for us – He died to PAY the price of SIN – Romans 6:23
      • But Jesus did not stay DEAD – on the THIRD day He was RISEN – Mark 16:6
      • FIRSTBORN [πρωτότοκος] – Jesus was the FIRST one to be RESURRECTED from the dead…
      • It is true Jesus was NOT the FIRST to be RESURRECTED…
      • The widows son – I Kings 17:23 – Lazarus – John 11:44 – Tabitha – Acts 9:40
      • But Jesus was the FIRST to be RESURRECTED – who will NEVER die again!
      • I Corinthians 15:20 – “Christ is risen from the dead – and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
      • The Bible uses the word – fallen ASLEEP – to describe the death of a BELIEVER…
      • Because for us it is NOT the end – we have the HOPE of eternal life to come…
      • Jesus was the FIRST to be resurrected – but all who have GRACE will FOLLOW His example!
      • EVERYONE will live forever – our spirits are eternal…
      • The question we are left to answer – is WHERE will we spend our eternity…
      • Our decision is LIMITED to our time here on earth – Hebrews 9:27
      • The moment we DIE our fate is sealed – there is NO purgatory – NO second chances…
      • Either we have received GRACE from Jesus – and have the hope of eternity with God…
      • Or we have rejected the Gospel – sentencing ourselves to an eternity separate from Him!
    • The ruler over the kings of the earth!
      • Jesus is the RULER [ἄρχων] – over ALL other kings on this earth…
      • But the rulers of this world do NOT want Jesus to RULE over them…
      • And they will gather together to try and STOP Jesus from RULING!
      • Psalm 2:2 – “The kings of the earth prepare for battle… against the LORD and [the Messiah]!”
      • The Antichrist will gather his army to the Valley of Megiddo – Revelation 19:11-21
      • But God is NOT worried – in fact He LAUGHS at them and says!
      • Psalm 2:6 – “I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion!”
      • Men do NOT want the LORD – they want to be free from the rule of God…
      • The bad news for rebellious men – Jesus will rule the world from Jerusalem…
      • He will be the KING of kings and the LORD of lords – Revelation 19:16
      • With one word he will defeat the Antichrist and his army – II Thessalonians 2:8
      • Then Jesus will establish His Millennial Kingdom – Revelation 20:1-4
    • To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood!
      • Jesus is our WITNESS to GRACE – through His RESURRECTION – and His RULE…
      • But the most powerful WITNESS He gives us – is THE [ὁ] LOVE [ἀγαπάω] He gives to us…
      • How do we KNOW Jesus LOVES us – because He WASHED us from our SINS!
      • Hallel likes to play HARD – and the result is her clothes can get really DIRTY…
      • Jen has to really SCRUB – to get out some of the more suborn STAINS…
      • But the REALLY difficult ones – take something special – BLEACH!
      • We are STAINED – our SINS are SPOTS that cannot be removed…
      • No matter how HARD we may try – how much we SCRUB – they stubbornly remain…
      • The only thing that will take away our SINS – is the BLOOD [bleach] of Jesus…
      • GRACE – means God LOVED us so much – He was willing to DIE to CLEANSE us!
      • John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this – than to lay down ones life for his friends.”

• 3^rd – Results of Grace… vs. 6
  • 1^st – Work of ART… vs. 6
    • [Jesus] has made us!
      • The FIRST result of GRACE – we BECOME something new…
      • BECOME c – is the same root word used to describe the results of GRACE in…
      • Ephesians 2:10 – “We are His workmanship [ποίημα] – created in Christ Jesus for good works!”
      • GRACE is how God WORKS in our lives – to create [passive] in us GOOD works…
      • GOOD [ἀγαθός] – one of TWO words in the NT translated as GOOD…
      • It emphasizes the MORAL – or internal GOODNESS of the heart…
      • Meaning by GRACE – God changed us on the INSIDE – to be GOOD!
    • A POEM…
      • If we want to show someone how much we love them – we write a POEM!
      • We are the POEM God wrote by GRACE – to show His great Love for us…
      • The story of how God took a sinner like us – and made us saints!
    • A MASTERPIECE…
      • Canvas and paint are nothing special – until the painter makes it a work of art…
      • A lump of clay is nothing – until it come into the skillful hand of the potter!
      • Isaiah 64:8 – “You are our Father. We are the clay – and You our potter – and all we are the work of Your hand.”
      • We are just a lump of DIRT– a BLANK canvas – that God desires to make us His masterpiece…
      • It is not something that happens in a moment – the day we are SAVED…
      • It is a process of growing in Jesus – being TRANSFORMED by His GRACE…
      • He desires for us to GROW – following the His example – so we can BECOME:
  • 2^nd – Kings and Priests… vs. 6
    • Kings… to His God and Father!
      • By GRACE – we are transformed from PAUPERS into KINGS…
      • KINGS [βασιλεύς] – someone who will RULE – a leader of the people…
      • There are TWO thoughts on what this could mean – how we are [aorist] KINGS…
      • FIRST – by GRACE Jesus make us into LEADERS – so we can LEAD people to Jesus…
      • Our EXAMPLE – our changed lives – help LEAD others to the GRACE of God!
      • SECOND – by GRACE will one day RULE and REIGN beside Jesus – I Corinthians 6:2
      • We will RULE with Jesus when He returns to establish His MILLENNIAL kingdom!
      • Revelation 5:10 – “[You] have made us kings and priests to our God. And we shall reign on the earth.”
    • Priests… to His God and Father!
      • There are THREE priestly lines defined in the Bible…
      • LEVITICAL – which represents the Jewish priesthood…
      • MELCHIZEDEK – which is the Priesthood of Jesus – Hebrews 7:1
      • ROYAL – to belong to the KING – which is for you and me – I Peter 2:9
      • The purpose of the priest was to be a mediator – a BRIDGE between God and man…
      • God has called us to be His PRIESTS – represent Him to a lost world!
        
  • 3^rd – Glory and power… vs. 6
    • To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen!
      • The FINAL result – is the different EFFECT GRACE has believers and unbelievers…
      • GLORY [δόξα] – comes from believers who are SAVED by His GRACE…
      • Because we are no longer destined for WRATH – because of His LOVE – we have PEACE…
      • We have been TRANSFORMED – we are now His WORKMANSHIP…
      • And that is plenty of reason to give Him GLORY – to PRAISE our God!
    • POWER…
      • POWER [κράτος] – is what God displays to unbelievers who reject His GRACE…
      • There is a common teaching today that says that HELL does not exist…
      • The HORROR of being eternally separated with no hope of escape – is too much to accept…
      • The common view is either that BAD people just cease to exist – annihilationism…
      • Or that there is some sort of penance – purgatory – that gives them a SECOND chance!
      • But HELL is very real – the New Testament references it 40 times…
      • It is called Hades [ᾅδης] – 11 times – Gehenna [γέεννα] – 12 times 
      • Outer darkness – 3 times [Matthew] – the furnace of fire – 2 times [Matthew]
      • Lake of Fire – 5 times [Revelation] – Weeping and gnashing of teeth – 7 times [Matthew]
      • And those who turn their backs on Jesus – will face His WRATH…
      • Because God has the POWER to make them bow their KNEE to Jesus – Romans 14:11
      • Before they are cast into HELL – FOREVER and EVER – Matthew 25:30
      • AMEN [אָמֵן] – this is the TRUTH!

• 4^th – The urgency of Grace… vs. 7-8
  • 1^st – Jesus is coming… vs. 7
    • Behold!
      • The FINAL thing we are given – is the URGENCY to receive the GRACE of God…
      • BEHOLD [imperative] – from the root word [εἴδω] – to SEE and UNDERSTAND!
      • We are commanded to LOOK into the GRACE of God – and understand…
      • That we do NOT have a lot of TIME left – because Jesus is coming!
    • He is coming with clouds – and every eye will see Him!
      • Speaking of the SECOND coming of Jesus – when He comes to CONQUER…
      • He will ride out of HEAVEN – to come and establish His KINGDOM – Revelation 19:16
      • This might have been a difficult thing for John to comprehend…
      • How could EVERY [πᾶς] eye – EVERY person on earth – see Jesus return…
      • But it is NOT hard to understand today – NEWS channels – SOCIAL media!
    • Even they who pierced Him!
      • PIERCED – 2x in NT – also used at the crucifixion of Jesus – John 19:37
      • When Jesus was crucified – we are told it was in fulfillment of PROPHECY…
      • Zechariah 12:10 – “[The LORD] will pour on the house of David [Israel] and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of GRACE… then they will look on Me whom they pierced.”
      • After the SEVEN years of tribulation – when Jesus comes riding out of the CLOUDS…
      • The Jews will SEE the LORD [יְהוָה] – whom they crucified [pierced]
      • And realize the LORD is Jesus – their Messiah – and receive His GRACE!
      • Romans 11:26 – “And so all Israel [who survive the Tribulation] will be saved.”
    • And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so – Amen!
      • ALL [πᾶς] NATIONS [φυλαὶ] of the earth will also SEE Jesus when He RETURNS…
      • But unlike the JEWS – who will BELIEVE – and receive GRACE…
      • These nations will MOURN when they Jesus comes in the clouds…
      • MOURN [κόπτω] – to beat their chest in grief – to be CUT off…
      • Because there is no more TIME for GRACE – the JUDGEMENT has come…
      • EVEN so [ναί] – is better translated YES – and AMEN [אָמֵן] – this is the TRUTH!
      • The POINT – is that we do not have a lot of TIME left…
      • Because BEFORE the TRIBULATION – BEFORE the SECOND coming of Jesus…
      • The CHURCH must be RAPTURED [ἁρπάζω] – I Thessalonians 4:14-17
      • No one KNOWS the day or hour of – only the Father in heaven – Mark 13:32
      • The ONLY way to be sure to avoid the WRATH of God – is to receive His GRACE today!
  • 2^nd – Jesus is God… vs. 8
    • I am the Alpha and the Omega – the Beginning and the End – says the Lord!
      • As Jesus finishes up this introduction to the Book – that is all about GRACE…
      • He gives Himself what appears to be a NEW title – the ALPHA [Α] and OMEGA [Ω]
      • These are the FIRST and LAST letters of the GREEK alphabet…
      • But it turns out this is NOT a new title – is a VERY old one!
      • Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
      • There are TWO letters that sit untranslated next to the word GOD [אֱלֹהִים] – the [אֵ] and the [ת]
      • They are the FIRST and LAST letter of the HEBREW alphabet!
      • Meaning the God who CREATED all things in the beginning – is the same God will END all things…
      • He is the Lord [κύριος] – the ONE who always has been – and always will be in charge!
    • Who is and who was and who is to come – the Almighty!
      • The one who WAS [past] and IS [present] and is to COME [future]
      • This is the SECOND time we see this description in our passage – the ETERNAL one…
      • We have already interpreted this as being God the FATHER – Revelation 1:4
      • And here we add that He is the ALMIGHTY – ALL [πᾶς] POWERFUL [κράτος]
      • But the TITLE is being used here to describe Jesus – the ALPHA and OMEGA!
      • So which one is it – who is ETERNAL one – the FATHER or the SON…
      • BOTH – because they are ONE – Jesus is GOD…
      • Who is the ETERNAL one – the FIRST and the LAST – the ALMIGHTY…
      • Who gives only ONE way to escape the WRATH to come – the GRACE of God!