Drawn and Quartered
March 19, 2006 - The lesson for this morning is Matthew 24.45-51. The title of the sermon is taken from Matthew 24.51. God will not have any person drawn and quartered. However, the one who is filthy or evil will experience utter separation from God which is the equivalent. This study guide is based on Revelation 22:7-21 which contains information that will help you to understand the lesson from Matthew.
Open It
What nicknames did you or your friends have when you were growing up?
What is your most memorable "returning home" experience?
What is one reward you remember getting?
Explore It
What promise did Christ make? (Revelation 22:7)
What blessing did Christ promise us? (Revelation 22:7)
Who did Jesus say is a blessed person? (Revelation 22:7)
How did the revelations John saw affect him? (Revelation 22:8)
What command was given to John by his angelic assistant? (Revelation 22:9)
Why was John commanded not to seal up the prophecies of his book? (Revelation 22:10)
What additional instructions did the angel give? (Revelation 22:11)
When Jesus comes, what will he bring with him? (Revelation 22:12)
How did Jesus describe himself? (Revelation 22:13, 16)
Who will be entitled to citizenship in the new Jerusalem? (Revelation 22:14)
Who will be barred from entering the heavenly city? (Revelation 22:15)
What is the consequence of living a life of disobedience to God, no matter what it involves? (Revelation 22:15)
What was Jesus' method for getting his message to us? (Revelation 22:16)
What invitation is given by the Spirit and the bride? (Revelation 22:17)
What warning did John give? (Revelation 22:18-19)
What do we know for sure about Christ's return? (Revelation 22:20)
How did John bless his readers? (Revelation 22:21)
Get It
How might you react if you were to see an angel?
How can a person "keep the words of the prophecy in this book"?
What do you think is the point of the angel telling everyone to continue doing what they are doing, whether good or bad?
What does it mean to be thirsty for God?
What does it mean to "wash your robes"?
What is involved in responding to God's invitation to come to him?
What does it mean that "the time is near" and that Christ is "coming soon"?
What do we know about the timing of Christ's return?
What does it mean to add to or take away from God's prophetic word?
How might a person add to or take away from the words of Christ's revelation?
How can we show respect for the revelation Jesus gave us in this book?
How do the self-descriptions of Jesus here change the way you view him?
How might we bless others with the way we greet or say good-bye to them?
Apply It
What are some concrete ways you can show respect for the messages in the Bible?
What can you "continue to do right" this week?
What can you do to remind yourself not to put Christian leaders on pedestals or to make them the focus of your praise?
How could you bless others this week with the way you greet or say good-bye to them?
Notes
Revelation 22:8-9: Hearing or reading an eyewitness account is the next best thing to seeing the event yourself. John witnessed the events reported in Revelation and wrote them down so we could see and believe as he did. If you have read this far, you have seen. Have you also believed?
Revelation 22:8-9: The first of the Ten Commandments is "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). Jesus said that the greatest command of Moses' laws was "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37). Here, at the end of the Bible, this truth is reiterated. The angel instructs John to "worship God!" God alone is worthy of our worship and adoration. He is above all creation, even the angels.
Revelation 22:10-11: The angel tells John what to do after his vision is over. Instead of sealing up what he has written, as Daniel was commanded to do (Daniel 12:4-12), the book is to be left open so that all can read and understand. Daniel's message was sealed because it was not a message for Daniel's time. But the book of Revelation was a message for John's time, and it is relevant today. As Christ's return gets closer, there is a greater polarization between God's followers and Satan's followers. We must read the book of Revelation, hear its message, and be prepared for Christ's imminent return.
Revelation 22:12-14: Those who wash their robes are those who seek to purify themselves from a sinful way of life. They strive daily to remain faithful and ready for Christ's return.
Revelation 22:14: In Eden, Adam and Eve were barred from any access to the tree of life because of their sin (Genesis 3:22-24). In the new earth, God's people will eat from the tree of life because their sins have been removed by Christ's death and resurrection. Those who eat the fruit of this tree will live forever. If Jesus has forgiven your sins, you will have the right to eat from this tree.
Revelation 22:15: The exact location of these sinners is not known, nor is it relevant. They are outside. They were judged and condemned in Revelation 21:7-8. The emphasis is that nothing evil and no sinner will be in God's presence to corrupt or harm any of the faithful.
Revelation 22:16: Jesus is both David's "Root" and "Offspring." As the Creator of all, Jesus existed long before David. As a human, however, he was one of David's direct descendants (see Isaiah 11:1-5; Matthew 1:1-17). As the Messiah, he is the "bright Morning Star," the light of salvation to all.
Revelation 22:17: Both the Holy Spirit and the bride, the church, extend the invitation to all the world to come to Jesus and experience the joys of salvation in Christ.
Revelation 22:17: When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, he told her of the living water that he could supply (John 4:10-15). This image is used again as Christ invites anyone to come and drink of the water of life. The gospel is unlimited in scope-all people everywhere may come. Salvation cannot be earned, but God gives it freely.
Revelation 22:18-19: This warning is given to those who might purposefully distort the message in this book. Moses gave a similar warning in Deuteronomy 4:1-4. We too must handle the Bible with care and great respect so that we do not distort its message, even unintentionally. We should be quick to put its principles into practice in our lives. No human explanation or interpretation of God's Word should be elevated to the same authority as the text itself.
Revelation 22:20: We don't know the day or the hour, but Jesus is coming soon and unexpectedly. This is good news to those who trust him, but a terrible message for those who have rejected him and stand under judgment. Soon means at any moment, and we must be ready for him, always prepared for his return. Would Jesus' sudden appearance catch you off guard?
Revelation 22:21: Revelation closes human history as Genesis opened it-in paradise. But there is one distinct difference in Revelation-evil is gone forever. Genesis describes Adam and Eve walking and talking with God; Revelation describes people worshiping God face to face. Genesis describes a garden with an evil serpent; Revelation describes a perfect city with no evil. The Garden of Eden was destroyed by sin; but paradise is re-created in the new Jerusalem.
The book of Revelation ends with an urgent request: "Come, Lord Jesus." In a world of problems, persecution, evil, and immorality, Christ calls us to endure in our faith. Our efforts to better our world are important, but their results cannot compare with the transformation that Jesus will bring about when he returns. He alone controls human history, forgives sin, and will re-create the earth and bring lasting peace.
Revelation is, above all, a book of hope. It shows that no matter what happens on earth, God is in control. It promises that evil will not last forever. And it depicts the wonderful reward that is waiting for all those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.