The Everlasting Gospel - 37

This section that I read for you this evening contains the announcement of three angels. We encounter the first angel there in verse 6, where John says, Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea, and springs of water.

And it's those two verses that are under consideration tonight in my preaching. We'll not go beyond that this evening, but just to sketch the content of this section, there's three angels, and that's the first angel with the everlasting gospel, and then a second angel in verse 8, we won't read that again, but that angel was predicting destruction, and then a third angel pronouncing judgment on those who follow the beast beginning in verse 9. You see that in verse 8, and another angel followed saying, that's the second message. The third message, then a third angel followed them. So three consecutive messages proclaimed by angels that John is telling us about in the vision that he received. But again, tonight we're going to concentrate our time with the first angelic message in verse 6 and 7, and all of our consideration is centered around the message, the message that this angel was entrusted with, and I have six headings that I want to frame this message around.

Let me give them to you, and then we'll walk through them together. Number one, the communicator of the message. Number two, the audience of the message. Number three, the content. Number four, the delivery of the message. Number five, the commands in the message.

And then finally, the reason for the message. And I think you'll see these quite clearly as I point them out to you as we make our way through these two verses. I have often said, and perhaps you have often heard preachers say, that God has not entrusted his gospel to angels, but to men.

And I still hold to that. But interestingly tonight, we find in John's recorded vision an angel, not a man, but an angel entrusted with the everlasting gospel. The communicator of this message that John sees is an angel. Notice verse 6, then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach. John sees another angel assigned by God with the message of the eternal gospel. Now that word, another, causes us to ask the question, where was the last time John saw an angel? And angels have been a part of the vision that John is relaying to us in the book of the Revelation, numerous places, but the last place was in chapter 11, verse 15, and each of the trumpet judgments were introduced by angels.

So the last one was the seventh trumpet in chapter 11, verse 15. I won't go back there, but just to draw your attention to the fact that this isn't the first encounter with an angel. He says, then I saw another angel. This angel is in the midst of heaven, and he is saying what he says with a loud voice. Notice again verse 7, saying with a loud voice, and why would this angel be speaking with a loud voice? Well, so that those that the message is intended for might hear. Now, this is another reminder that our hermeneutical approach has been to view the book of the Revelation symbolically, representatively, not figuratively.

It's hard for any of us to imagine that there's going to be a single angel going to speak loud enough for everybody, every nation, every tribe, every tongue, and every people to hear. So this is not figurative. This isn't literal. This is symbolic.

This is representative. But again, the communicator of the message that John is relating to us is an angel. Who is his message for? Consider with me the audience of the message.

Notice what he says. Then I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel, to preach to those who dwell on the earth. This is a message for earth dwellers.

And then it's expanded to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people. You see, the gospel does no good for those who have left this earth. Their opportunity to respond to the gospel in believing faith has passed. There is no purgatory.

There is no second chance. But this message is for those who dwell on the earth. Every nation, tribe, tongue, and people. This message is not for a select few, but it's for every person. I think that's what's being conveyed there, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.

How about the—what do I want to say here? We've looked at the audience for the message. Let's think thirdly about the content of the message. The content of the message.

We've seen the communicator of the message, the audience of the message. The content of the message, it is the everlasting gospel, according to verse 6. I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel. Now that noun, the noun gospel, interestingly, is found only one place in the book of Revelation, and that's here in chapter 14. It is modified by the adjective eternal. This is the eternal gospel. And that adjective eternal is stressing the timelessness and the permanence of the gospel message.

And that's important. It's important for our day because there are voices, there are movements, there are trends to abandon the gospel for something more relevant, a message that's geared more to man's felt needs. We hear people say the gospel, it's outdated, it's antiquated. We need a better message, a new and improved message that speaks to our culture. And in many churches, that's what's happening. Entertainment is taking the place of the preaching of the gospel. But this message that's been entrusted is the everlasting gospel.

That is, it's the same yesterday, today, and forever. The gospel that has saved you is the same gospel that saved Abraham. Abraham was looking on God's promise and believing God's promise, and then we're told that Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Well, what did he believe about God? He believed about a redeemer that was going to come. He was on the Old Testament side of Christ's coming. We're on the other side, but it's the same message.

He believed the same thing you and I believed. It's the same yesterday, today, and forever. The message does not change. The gospel needs no alterations. It needs no amendments.

It knows no geographical boundaries. The message that saves men and women here is the same message that saves men and women in Zimbabwe. It's not a different message. It's the same everlasting gospel. And that's why we can be so energetically engaged in world missions. We find missionaries that are aligned with our doctoral understanding and our theological understanding, and we support them, we enter into partnership with them, and we have confidence that when they go to whoever God has called them, they're preaching the same message we're preaching. They're trusting the same gospel that we're trusting. And that's what binds our hearts together. So this message, this everlasting gospel, it's everlasting because the message is from God who's everlasting. It is untethered from the religious trappings of men. So we are thankful for the content of the message, that it is all these things and more.

What else? As we think about the content of the message. You see, it's not what we typically think or typically mention in the gospel. I'm talking about the content now of the gospel.

The gospel is very different in that it does not, this gospel that John is referring to, it's very different in that it does not mention Jesus, it does not mention his cross, nor is there any mention or emphasis on repentance. Instead, the nations, all people on earth, in fact, are called upon to do three things. To fear God, give him glory, and to do that in light of his coming judgment, and they are to worship him. Three things. Now as you study and as I have been studying and leading you in a study through Revelation, the phrase to fear God and give him glory are code words for repentance and for conversion.

More on that in a moment. So just so you see what the content of this message is, this everlasting gospel, these things that are mentioned. To preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, here it is, the content, fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea, and springs of water.

We're moving rather quickly, quicker than what I had anticipated, which I suppose is fine since the Lord's Table service will, the Lord's Table will be at the end of the preaching time. But think with me about the delivery of the message. How is this eternal gospel to be delivered?

And again, notice the words. Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach, to preach to those who dwell on the earth. This message is to be preached. And again, this flies in the face of the consumer-driven, seeker-sensitive approach many churches have acquiesced to.

The idea is, well, people don't want to sit for 45 minutes and hear somebody preach. So, we're going to jettison away from that. We must abandon that. But we've been entrusted with a message. And it isn't for us to change the message or change the way the message is to be delivered. We must not abandon not only the message that's been entrusted to us, but also the means that God has given to communicate the gospel message.

Therefore, we preach. We don't give lectures. We don't have talks. We don't deliver homilies. We don't have a conversation.

We don't have a dialogue. We have an expectation. You have an expectation when you come to this meeting place. You're coming to hear somebody who is God-called, who is prepared, and they're going to preach.

I'm thankful that in this place there would be very little tolerance for anything else. We're not ashamed to preach. We don't apologize for preaching because that's what God has called us to do. That is what we are to do with this message, to preach it. And I believe that it is the primary means whereby God has determined to save his elect through the means of preaching. It's foolishness to the lost man, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.

The power of God. It's been a while, but from time to time we get calls from marketing agents. And they're representing singing groups and choirs, and they want to schedule their singing group to come.

I often answer the phone, or the secretaries will answer the phone and send a message over to me. And they say, now Pastor, when are you available? On which Sunday could we come? Can't we schedule a time to come and minister to your people?

No. No, we can't do that. And then there's silence on the phone.

Well, we go all over the country, I understand that. But that's not something we're going to do here. So it's a short conversation. Choirs and singing groups have their place, but not in the place of preaching. So, we've seen the communicator of the message, an angel. We've seen the intended audience for the message. Those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people. We've considered the content of the message.

What is that? It is the everlasting gospel. We've considered the delivery of the message. Now let's think through the commands that are in the message. This message, this everlasting gospel, has three commands to it. These are not suggestions, these are not options, these are not things just to consider. These are commands.

And what are they? They are, number one, to fear God. Number two, to give glory to Him. And number three, to worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea, and the springs of water. The call to fear God and give Him glory.

They're numerous. Old Testament, New Testament. And giving Him glory is the only proper response to God's salvation. It is a chief sin not to worship the One who created and sustains us. In fact, failure, failure to fear God and give Him glory and render to Him the worship He deserves, merits God's judgment. In the next chapter, chapter 15.

Let me point this out to you in the context. I don't want to be overly repetitive, but it's been a while since I've said this, that we are not to view the book of the Revelation in any kind of consecutive chronological fashion. And one of the reasons that I want to say that to you is because in chapter 15, there is a reference to the second coming of Christ, which is the fourth time there has been reference to the second coming of Christ. But He's only coming once, folks. He's only coming once, but these visions that John sees keep coming to him and keep broadening out.

So we're seeing these cycles. So in chapter 15 is the fourth reference to the second coming of Christ. And listen to chapter 15, verse 3 and 4, and listen to the references, the same references to fearing God, giving Him glory and worshiping Him. They sang the song of Moses. This is chapter 15 and verse 3. The servant of God and the song of the Lamb sang, Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are your ways, O King of the Saints. Now notice verse 4. Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name? Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name? It is the right thing to do. It's the best thing to do.

It's the expected thing to do. Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy, for all nations shall come and worship before you, for your judgments have been manifested. Judgment awaits those who do not fear God, do not give Him glory, and do not worship Him.

Now there's controversy as to whether this angelic message of the eternal gospel is an opportunity for people to repent and respond believingly to the saving of their souls, or whether this is being set in this context right before the second coming to give vindication as to why people will be judged. And some say that's why there is no reference to Jesus. That's why there's no reference to His death on the cross of Calvary. That's why there's no reference to sacrifice.

I'm not fully persuaded of that, but that's one of the explanations. And I don't know that it really matters that much which is the accurate interpretation. It is a chief sin not to worship the One who created and sustains us. Failure to fear God, failure to glorify Him, failure to worship Him, deserves and merits God's judgment according to what I just read to you there in chapter 15. Which brings us to a final consideration tonight, the reason for the commands. The reason for the commands and what are they? Notice again verse 6 and 7, let me read them. Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue and people, saying with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of His judgment has come and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.

The reason for these commands? For the hour of His judgment has come. The opportunity to respond to the gospel is that door of opportunity will soon be closed. For the hour of His judgment has come and the only way to avoid God's wrath, the only way to avoid God's judgment is to bow the knee, to fear God. The fool now has said in his heart, there is no God. And the basis of him saying that is a moral argument.

He doesn't want to acknowledge God because he wants to live his own life, indulge his sinful passions. And it's easy to say, well, there is no God, therefore I can do what I want. Well, that's a myth. That's a lie.

That's a deception. There is a God and He will hold men accountable for their deeds. So to avoid God's wrath and God's judgment, we must bow the knee. We must fear Him. We must give Him the glory that is due Him. We must worship Him. And in a moment, we're going to be gathering around the Lord's table.

And what is this? It's a memorial feast. It's a reminder. It's setting the gospel again before us. It's one of the means that God has given to keep the gospel front and center. There's a reason, I don't know, I'm always interested to observe how church furniture is placed and there's messages being communicated sometimes very subtly. But if you're observing and you go into a church and if you see the pulpit will be elevated and it will be over in a corner somewhere.

To me, that's saying something. There's a reason why this pulpit is in the dead center of this auditorium. Because this is the center of worship. This is the center. This is where preaching takes place. This is where God is declared. And as far as I know, it's always going to be in the center. We want to be gospel centered.

We want to never ever steer away from that. We have a dear couple that's given consideration to moving here and they've been joining us Sunday morning, Sunday night. In fact, I had the opportunity to meet them for the first time a few weeks ago. And they said, we know when your wife's not here. We know where you sit. So we're more faithful. We're more faithful than most of your members.

We haven't missed a service since October of a year ago. And so we talked informally, Pastor Latour and I. He had a couple of questions. And one of the questions he's had was, what insurance is there that the things that characterize Beacon Baptist Church, the God-centered worship, the God-centered preaching, what guarantee is there that those things will remain? Because he's observed the aging of our staff and knows that not all things will always remain the same. So what is in place to ensure that this church will not alter, will not fade away, will not abandon its roots, its distinctives?

I said, there are too many safeguards in place. There'd be no tolerance among our people if those things were abandoned. So the philosophy of ministry and the approach to worship is led by the men that are here. But when we're not here, we're rather confident that this ministry will continue to be characterized the way it has over its history, that God is at the center. He is worthy of our best, and we do our best to worship Him as He has given us instruction. It's not up for us to figure out, gee, I wonder what novel thing we can come up with today that maybe will please God. We don't have to wonder what pleases God.

He's told us what pleases Him. Let me read what Paul said in First Corinthians chapter 11 about the Lord's table. Paul says this, For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread. And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, Take, eat.

This is my body which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And in the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. So when we take the wafer to our mouth to ingest it, we are to do that. And as we do to remember Him, when we take the cup to our lips in the same fashion, we are to do that in remembrance of Him.

They're symbols to remind us of Christ and His crosswork. And then this verse, verse 26, For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. The Lord's table is a proclamation. It's a preaching of the gospel every time we observe it. You proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. That's what I have for you tonight.

We will consider the other two messages from the angels there in Revelation chapter 14. Let me lead us in a word of prayer. Father, how we thank You for the everlasting gospel, that it is sufficient for all time. It is timeless.

It's permanent. We don't have to change the message. We don't have to improve the message. The message is sufficient to save to the uttermost. So we thank You, Father, for such a powerful message that is able to change men and women, boys and girls, for all eternity, to change them from the inside out, make them new creatures in Christ Jesus, to make them God-fearing people, people who are desirous of the glory of God, those who are interested in worshipping Him who is high and lifted up. Thank You for making us such a people. May those things always be precious to us in this place, as long as we live upon this earth and as long as we worship in this place. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.