“What a Scene!” – FBC Morning Light (12/29/2023)

Well, a good Friday morning to you, the last Friday of 2023. It's the last day in our scripture reading plan, and we're reading in Revelation chapter 22. Did you have the goal at the beginning of 2023 that you were going to read through the Bible in a year?

If you did, did you make it? If not, look, don't be discouraged. Don't let that deter you from reestablishing that goal for 2024. Next year, starting on Monday, we're going to be doing another reading through the Bible plan, but it's going to be reading in chronological order, and I encourage you to follow along with that.

In the daily devotionals, we'll be having the chapters or the passages that we'll be reading in the course of each day. Also, on our church website, faithbaptisterling .com, there is a section where you can download the daily Bible reading plan that has all of the resources for the course of the year.

We do jump around. We start out in Genesis 1 -3, but then shortly thereafter, we're going to be jumping around through other places in the scriptures. I encourage you to download that if you'd like to follow along in our chronological reading through the Bible in the next year.

Another resource for that is I'm using the scheme in the ESV Chronological Bible. It's available through Crossway, and that's the scheme that we're going to be using, the plan we're going to be using.

The Final Chapter of Revelation and the River of Life

Today, we're finishing the book of Revelation in chapter 22, and what a scene. Let me just read these opening verses in this chapter. John writes, he says, He showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

In the middle of the street and on either side of the river was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations, and there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him.

And they shall see his face, and his name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there, they need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.

What a glorious scene. What a place to be, where the glory of the Lord will render the sun absolutely useless. Where there will be no night, and we will need no sleep. Where there will be no more curse.

Where there will be nothing that causes pain, or woe, or heartache, where the river from his throne nourishes and heals all, so there will be no more sickness, there will be no more death. Where there is nothing that is accursed, there will be nothing to woo our hearts away from following after our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Seeing Christ Face to Face and Bearing His Name

Where we will at last see him face to face. What a day that will be. I'm reminded of what John wrote in his first epistle, and he says, Beloved, it doesn't appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

When we see him face to face, we will be like him, John promises, and he sees this. This final vision in the book of Revelation. Where the name of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ is figuratively described here as written on our foreheads, that means we are his, and he is ours.

It can also indicate that he will be at the forefront of our minds always, ever, and for the rest of eternity. Our desires will therefore always be shaped by he who is in the forefront of our minds. What a glorious scene is this.

What a glorious day that will be. Will you be there? Will you be there? Are you a follower of the Lord Jesus? This scene in all of its glory with no more pain, woe, misery, and all that kind of stuff is the longing of every human heart, isn't it?

Only God Can Bring the Utopia We Long For

You think about what our politicians try to promise to us, that you elect them and they're going to bring in utopia. They're going to bring in this millennial scene, this eternal scene. No, they're not going to be able to do that.

Only our God can do that, and it will only occur for those who are his. I trust you are his. If not, listen, at this year's end, turn from self and sin and turn to the Savior, that his name may be written on your forehead.

You may be his, and he may be yours, now and forevermore. May the Lord bless you. On this coming Lord's Day, we'll be closing out the year, Sunday morning, with a message that challenges us with some growth goals for the new year.

I hope that'll be a good challenge to you, if you can make it. If not, maybe you can tune in on live stream. We won't be having an evening service this week. We're having a potluck meal after the morning service and then an afternoon service Sunday.

Again, if you're in the Sauk Valley area, you can join us for Sunday school at 9 .30, morning service at 10 .30. Join us for dinner. We'd love to have you after that service, and then the afternoon service as well.

Prayer for Eternal Glory and Year-End Blessing

Let's have a word of prayer. Our Father and our God, we thank you so much for the privilege of reading through your Word this year. We thank you for this promise of eternal glory that is even seen on the final chapter in your Word.

May we all be there. Lord, I thank you that each of us who know Christ as our Savior shall be, and we look forward to that day. Bless these thoughts to our hearts today, we pray, and we ask it in Jesus' name and for his sake.

Listen, you have a good rest of your Friday. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Happy New Year. We'll look forward to joining you on New Year's Day. God bless.