TEXT: Revelation 22:10-13
10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
The Free State of Glory (Part 42): The Guarantor of the Glory
Over the past eight messages, we have explored the implications of verse twelve where Jesus says, when He returns, ‘His reward is with him to give every man as his work shall be.’ We know that “reward” means the just recompense for the deeds we do will alive — a prize for the saved, and punishment for the unsaved. All believers will receive the blessing of Heaven and eternal life with God. But, as we have seen, there will also be special rewards for faithful service. We have looked at the five heavenly crowns, but there are sure to be other blessings as well. The Bible says, “As it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
Despite these great promises, it is easy to lose hope in this world. The trials of our current condition can dim our perspective on the State of Glory that we are destined to inhabit. How can we be happy? How can we not lose hope? How can we not grow weary in well doing. We can do this if we keep our eyes on Jesus who speaks of himself in verse 13: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” Jesus is the Guarantor of the Glory.
Dr. John Walvoord comments, “Once again, Christ describes himself as the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. He is the beginning and the end. He is before all Creation and He will continue to exist after the present creation is destroyed. He is the Eternal One.” Our eternal reward is guaranteed because He is eternal. He can and will complete His promises from beginning to end because everything that has a beginning or an end is under His control. Nothing will stand in the way of Him completing the good work that he has begun in us. We can carry on in this world, knowing that no matter what happens, He is the consummation point of history. All things have their end in Him, but for us, the end is a new beginning — one where we will live in the State of Glory for eternity and enjoy the rewards of our King.
One hymn says:
Upon the throne of Jesus Christ
We’ve taken up our seat.
The world and Satan, sin and self
Are all beneath our feet!
Christ’s finished work did put us here.
When once for all He died;
No more are we the sinners poor,
We’re fully glorified.
We’ll drop our former concepts, Lord,
To take this finished way;
Appropriating each bequest,
We’ll praise You more each day.
We’ll heed our High Priest’s inward call—
“Come forward!” to the end—
Until we reach the final goal;
The New Jerusalem!
——-
If you are not a believer, all the rewards that you receive on earth will one day perish. But, by serving Christ, you can gain eternal, imperishable, and incorruptible rewards. I invite you to place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Allow me to show you how you can do that right now.
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! Congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door.” Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.
Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.
He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.
BCNN1 WP 