If this were the last sermon that I would ever preach I would preach on the subject, “God’s last invitation.” My text would be Revelation 22:13-21; the last passage in the Bible that contains God’s last invitation to humanity to come to Christ that they might be forgiven of their sin and saved by the Grace of God.
I think it is appropriate that the book (Revelation) which has as its theme, “the Second Coming of Christ,” ends with a final invitation to come to Christ in light of that glorious reality. As the Revelation of God closes we see that the Bible has come full circle. It opened in Genesis 3:15 with a promise of Christ’s First Coming. It closes in Revelation 22 with a promise of His Second Coming. Three times in this text Jesus says, “Behold, I come quickly.” Jesus Christ has been shouting for thousands of years that He is coming and the tragic thing is that so many people are not listening! In my last sermon I would feel compelled to warn and encourage people to listen to that shout.
Today people treat His Second Coming like many did the announcement of His First Coming. Many forgot the promise, others scoffed at the promise, others were unconcerned and laughed at the promise – but come He did. I encourage you not to allow the sad scenario that accompanied Christ’s First Coming to be played out in your life. Why is it so important to respond to this last invitation now?
We live in the space of time. Within the parameters of time are days. The Second Coming of Christ will replace time with eternity. On that day there will be no more days, they will be replaced with eternity. When the Bible speaks of salvation it speaks in reference to days, “Behold, now is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation.”
When days slip into eternity no other invitation will be extended. Praise God the invitation still stands today. Have you taken advantage of it? This text gives us some incentives to respond to this invitation.
I. The Person of Christ – vs. 13 & 16
The One who has been given “a name which is above every name” invites us to come to Him. The One who is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and ending of all things invites us to come to Him. There aren’t multiple Alphas and Omega’s; there is one. His name is Jesus and we are invited to come to Him and know Him.
II. The Participants in Heaven – vs. 14-15
We are invited to come to the One who will take us to the place where Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and every other saved person will dwell with God for eternity.
III. The Perfection of Scripture – vs. 18-19
God’s perfect Word, the Bible, tells us that we must respond to this invitation and come to Christ as our Savior if we want to go to heaven when we die. When this perfect Word says, “You must be born again,” you must. When the Bible says there is a wonderful place called heaven, we can count on it, it is a fact.
Here is the Good News. The text says “Whosoever will let him come.” That’s you, that’s me, that’s anyone! Accept His invitation today; you will live not to regret it.