30th August 2024 – Revelation 22:6-22

And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

“And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practises falsehood.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.


As a further comment on the gospel invitation, we quote from the Notes of the Rev. William Still: 'How sweet to the weary is that word 'Come!' Think of the disillusion of those who have drunk most deeply of what men call life, and whose cravings have thereby been increased and intensified. That bitter experience is enough to put men off tasting life at all. But when the Bridegroom and the Bride in the ministry of the Word issue that sweet call, and they come and drink - ah, not only does the new life charm them, but the jaded appetite for lawful things is stimulated, and the simplest things become charged with pleasure - the laughter of children and a sense of humour, gratitude for the homeliest meal and the most elementary comfort, the beauties and glories of nature and the nobilities of human nature at its humble best; above all, the answering light in another Christ-drenched eye. These follow the response to the gracious invitation, and it is as agents of its free offer to all mankind that we are set in our God-appointed places in the world. The mission and mission field and the evangelistic effort is where we are and where we meet the folk who most sorely need the invitation. We thank God for every weary worldling who has heard it at a mass rally, and we praise God for the message so powerfully made plain, but it is a question whether it is not a far better thing for Christ to be heard in a life that is watched day by day, than in a stentorian utterance which must necessarily limit the application of its message to daily life. The contemporary fault is not that campaigns have been waged, but that they have been almost exclusively trusted in as evangelical means. When Christians begin again to show forth Christ in their daily lives, that will not mean that evangelical meetings should cease, but it should mean that they have become at most an equal part of ministry with private and individual witness. God speed the day, for the reason for advocating recognisable Christian character is not merely to the end of evangelism, but because that is the ultimate test of entrance into heaven, and, possibly, of our placing therein.'