“Playing It Safe Isn’t Safe”

Revelation 7:9-17

November 2, 2008 – ©Rev. Dr. Linnea E. Carnes

See the Vision

Isn’t that an incredible scene? The Apostle John, exiled on the island of Patmos because he wouldn’t stop preaching about Jesus, received this vision from God. The entire book of Revelation was a vision from God for John.

In Revelation God revealed more about who he is and what is to come. It gives both warnings and promises. While we may not understand all of it, Revelation reminds us that in the end, God wins. All who have remained faithful to Jesus Christ will receive God’s blessings.

If you had received this vision, what images in this scene would you hold on to?

Recall the Promises

I want to hold onto the promises God makes in this passage.

God’s first promise is that there will be a huge crowd of people from all nations, tribes, people and languages. Together they will worship God and the Lamb. Together they will sing “Salvation comes from our God on the throne and from the Lamb.” [v.10].

God’s promises are for all people. Peter said, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts those from every nation who fear him and do what is right” [Acts 10:34].

God also promises a white robe, a robe washed in the blood of Jesus. “The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin,” [1John 1:7]. The blood of Jesus purifies us so that we can stand before God. The white robes are not given because of what we have done for Christ, but because of what Christ has done for us–died for our sins.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

God also promises to protect his people, his saints. “Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center before the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” [Rev. 7:16-17].

Isaiah 25:6-8, tells of God’s protection. “In Jerusalem, the LORD Almighty will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat. There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people.”

In heaven God protects us forever from any suffering or shame. God promises to dress his people in white robes, robes washed in the blood of Jesus. God’s promises are extended to all people.

Choose the Blessings

Yet not everyone chooses to accept the gift of God.

· Some think God’s promises are too good to be true.

· Some think they have to earn God’s promises.

· Some aren’t sure they want God’s promises.

· Some want to wait and see if there’s a better offer.

All these choose to not receive God’s blessings.

Yet, in Revelation 7:9 it says, “There was a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb.”

Many will refuse, but many will put their faith in Jesus Christ and follow him. Many will choose to receive God’s blessings, even though Jesus says that those who follow him will be persecuted, just as he was persecuted. [Jn.15:20].

Yet, even persecution turns into blessings. Jesus said in Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Faithfulness to Jesus Christ and obedience to his commands may bring persecution, but faithfulness to Christ will also result in great blessings. Becoming one of God’s saints, however, requires a commitment to Jesus.

Some people don’t want to appear to be too Christian. They want their non-Christian friends to like them. They want to be able to be a Christian and yet do what people who aren’t Christians do.

Some think trusting in Jesus and going to church is enough. Since we have been forgiven, we can go about life as usual without worrying about heaven. We can have the best of this life and still hope for heaven. We think we are “playing it safe.”

We want it all! The freedom to do whatever we want here on earth, and a place in heaven with a white robe for eternity. We want to be Christians on our terms.

But it’s not quite that easy. Jesus expects obedience in his followers—not obedience because we have to, but obedience because we want to.

o We can’t live by the world’s standards and fool Jesus into thinking we are Christians.

o We can’t live today pleasing everyone around us and also please God.

o We can’t look like people of the world and think we still look like Christians.

Playing it safe in this life won’t guarantee us a safe place in heaven.

When we give our life to Jesus, he changes our heart. We are new creations in Christ. We don’t want what our old self wanted or do what the old self did. How we live this life reflects who or what we really love and worship.

· If we truly love God we will want to obey him.

· If we are truly grateful for all God’s blessings, we will want to show him by our faithful obedience.

· If we are humbled by the fact Jesus died on the cross for our sins, we will want to stop living in sin.

· If we know we have received the gift of life in Christ we will want our life to show it.

Living for Jesus means we will not compromise with the world; we will stop playing it safe.

Living for Jesus means we will stand against evil, we will proclaim and live the way of Jesus Christ, and we will live as one people of God both in the church and outside the church.

Are we living today in anticipation of receiving the all that God has promised? Do we live as though we believe God will keep his promises?

There’s a story of a father and his little son (the mother had died when the boy was very young) who planned a picnic. The little boy had never been on a picnic so he was very excited. They fixed the lunch and packed the car so they’d be ready to leave in the morning. Dad tucked his young son into bed, climbed in his own bed and fell asleep. His son, however, couldn’t sleep. So he got up and ran to his dad’s bedroom. He woke his dad, saying, “I can’t sleep, dad.” His dad asked why. The boy said he was too excited about tomorrow. Dad told him to back to bed and get some sleep so that tomorrow he would be rested and ready for the picnic. The little boy went back to his bed, but soon he was back poking his dad and waking him up again. Dad wasn’t happy about being awakened again, but asked, “What’s the matter now, son?” The little boy with a big smile on his face said, “Daddy, I just want to thank you for tomorrow.” [PreachingToday.com, “Thank You for Tomorrow,” Benjamin Reaves, “Living Expectantly,” Preaching Today].

Can you say that? “Father, I just want to thank you for tomorrow.” Because, if you can, you can stop playing it safe, and start living today boldly for Jesus Christ. You can begin to live as one of God’s saints.

Celebrate the Promises

Let’s think about John’s vision of heaven again. You are there, among the vast crowd of people standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. You are one among the multitude of people from every nation, tribe, people and language. You are there.

You, like everyone else, is wearing a white robe, a robe washed in the blood of the Lamb. Your sins are gone. You stand before God pure and holy, as God intended, because of what Jesus has done for you.

Then you, with everyone else, together proclaim, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” With so many voices crying out together, this song makes your heart rejoice. You are finally with God whose love has bought you and whose love brought you home.

There are more people than you can count standing together, yet there is no sense of being crowded. There is room for all. You and everyone else feel they are in the front of this huge gathering of people. No one feels like they are stuck in the back and can’t see God or the Lamb. God is right in front of you.

You see angels standing around the throne–and the elders and the four living creatures. They sing, “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

The good news is that one day it can all be yours.

Don’t play it safe for this life.

Live knowing you are safe because you trust God’s promises.

Live every day saying,

“Father, I just want to thank you for tomorrow!”

· Come to the table today and share in the body and blood of the Lamb.

· Come, eat and drink, remembering that Christ died for your sins so that one day you can be wear that white robe.

· Come and give thanks for God’s promise of tomorrow. Amen.

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This sermon is copyright 2008 by Rev. Linnea E. Carnes, Immanuel Evangelical Covenant Church, Chicago, Illinois.