One Day Soon; Ten Reasons Not to Invest in this World

Revelation 18:1-24

Bethel Church | April 18, 2021AM | Pastor Kenneth L. Pierpont

Imagine a conversation with the elderly Apostle John... wrote to the churches about the temporary nature of the world system that is anti-God. Then God gave him a vision... 1 John 2:15-17  John saw the New Heaven. John saw the New Earth. John saw the New Jerusalem. He saw the Throne of God and the exalted Lamb. ...but he also saw the fiery end of this proud world. If we get a picture of the end of the world fixed in our hearts how can we ever be the same after that? 

Read text: Rev. 18:1-24

Ten Reasons Not to Invest in This World:

1. One day soon God will call the faithful out of it. (4) great separation...

2. One day soon her sins will reach heaven and God will judge her. (5)

3. One day soon the judgment of God will be poured out to match the measure of her sin. (6-7) The cup she used to persecute and rebel against God will be filled with God wrath and poured out on her.

4. One day soon this world-system at is most prosperous and powerful will not be able to resist the power of God or shelter her from his wrath. (8) "...strong is the Lord who judges her..."

5. One day soon the world system will come to a sudden end. (8, 10, 17) “…in a single hour…” 3X

6. One day soon all the earth will mourn its collapse and all of heaven will rejoice. (9, 11, 15, 19-20)

7. One day soon souls of men and women will perish forever. (12-13) not just about money

8. One day soon all that is beautiful on earth as we know it will end. (2, 22-23) the luster-attraction of the unbelieving world will end. The music will stop, enterprise will come to an end, and lights will go out... 

9. One day soon God will vindicate the suffering of the faithful. (24) the suffering of the faithful will end

10. One day soon all the glory will be God's alone. (9; 19:1) everyone will see the shame of the world system. In v1 the Angels glory fills the whole earth. 

Apply: Don't invest your time, money, effort, energy or trust in this anti-God world system. 

What are you doing that will last forever, that will matter forever... What do you have that will survive fire of God's judgment on this earth? 

(2 Peter 3:7, 10-13) "...the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition (destruction) of ungodly men.... But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up (laid bare)...Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of person ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for an hastening the coming of the day of God, cause of which the heaven will be dissolved, being on fire, and the element will melt with fervent heat.... Nevertheless, we according to His promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."

What are you doing that will matter forever... What do you have that will survive fire of God's judgment on this earth? 

(ill) You will be eaten by Cannibals. A Mr. Dickson exploded, "The cannibals! You will be eaten by cannibals!" The memory of Williams and Harris on Erromanga was only 19 years old. But to this Paton responded: Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer. (p. 56) He had a glimpse of the end of this world and the beginning of the next and he was never the same... beauty of Christ-ugliness of this world's end... 

What are you doing that will matter forever... What do you have that will survive fire of God's judgment on this earth? 

The riches of the world... or the riches of God's grace paid for on Calvary?

What are you doing that will matter forever... What do you have that will survive fire of God's judgment on this earth? 

Wouldn't it be a good thing if we could get fixed in our hearts a vision of the ugly end of this world and the beauty of the new one.... we would never be the same... we would never be the same... 

Conclusion: Close by singing This is My Father’s World. 

Benediction: