Who RU and Where RU Going? #6 Revelation 19:11-21 – “King On a White Horse”

8/9/20 – Pastor Tim Meendering

Questions for family/small group discussions:

a. What are the ways that knowing where UR going can give you confidence, hope, and joy for whatever comes your way? What are the greatest stressors or struggles for you through this pandemic season? How has your faith equipped you for this season?

b. What do Isaiah 40:31 and John 8:32 say about how our faith and hope impact us?

Our picture of Jesus is too small:

1. How have you domesticated Jesus or conjured up a version of Jesus that accommodates your desires and life rather than having your desires and life transformed by the truth?

2. What do you see in Revelation 5 that would reveal that Jesus is worthy to reveal and execute God’s stunning plan to redeem a people for himself and make all things new?

3. How does Jesus in all of his glory enable you to soar like an eagle?

Jesus as the revelation of God’s judgement: 1. When you read through Revelation 19:11-21, what is encouraging and what is troubling? What are the

characteristics of Jesus here that you embrace and which ones might you struggle with, and why?

2. How much do you get tired of the struggles and groaning of creation and life? And what is your hope for these struggles and the groaning?

3. Do you see how Jesus must be both the suffering servant who sacrifices himself AND the King of Kings who brings peace and justice by crushing his enemies once and for all? If you struggle with this, what would be better?

4. We see in Rev. 19:20 that Jesus’ enemies go into the lake of fire—or hell. Do you find comfort in or a resistance to the idea of hell? Can you see how the punishment will fit the crime?

5. Does the punishment of hell appear to make God cruel? Do you see how judgement and hell are self-selected? What is Jesus’ delight and provision for us so that we can choose heaven instead?

6. Can you see, as Miroslav Volf suggests, that when we suffer horrible injustice or violence, we need to embrace a God of justice who says, “Vengeance is mine.”? What is the natural result if we don’t trust in a God of justice who will make all things right?

7. What comfort is there for you when you know that when Jesus comes again, he will graciously clean house, renew the earth, and act to destroy all those who insist on choosing evil?

8. When you study 1 John 4:16-18, what does it mean that “we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us” and “perfect love casts out fear”? How have you experienced this perfect love and its ability to cast our fear?

9. What has Jesus done to empower us to have peace, hope, and joy in the midst of anxiety, stress, and loss?

10. How does it impact you when you know that Jesus will come not only as the judge of the earth, but also to bear the judgement of even his enemies like us?

11. What does Jesus’ suffering death and descending into hell and the fire we deserve say about his love for you?

12. What has Jesus done so that we can forever revel in his perfect love and presence?

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• When you know where you are going, you can have confidence, hope, and joy for whatever comes your way.

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Mike:

Father & Son Team

Bob's Team Status:

Active Age:

18 Height:

5'11" Hometown:

South Lyon, MI Occupation:

Student

Tara:

Friends Team

Jillian's Team Status:

Active Age:

23 Height:

5'9" Hometown:

New York, NY Occupation:

Model/Analyst Tara

Isaiah 40:31 - ”…they who wait for (hope in) the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles…”

John 8:32 – “The truth will set you free…”

42

Mike:

Father & Son Team

Bob's Team Status:

Active Age:

18 Height:

5'11" Hometown:

South Lyon, MI Occupation:

Student

Tara:

Friends Team

Jillian's Team Status:

Active Age:

23 Height:

5'9" Hometown:

New York, NY Occupation:

Model/Analyst Tara

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, [and]…blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” Rev. 1:1-3

Our picture of Jesus is too small. “Much of the history of Christianity has been

devoted to domesticating Jesus—to reducing that elusive, enigmatic, paradoxical person to dimensions we can comprehend, understand, and convert to our own purposes.” Andrew Greeley, "There's No Solving the Mystery of Christ," Chicago Sun-Times.

Without a true vision of where you are going, you will conjure up a Jesus who accommodates your desires and life rather than have your desires and life transformed by the truth.

“Is He Worthy” by Andrew Peterson, sung by Chris Tomlin.

“Do you feel the world is broken? (We do) Do you feel the shadows deepen? (We do) But do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through? (We do) Do you wish that you could see it all made new? (We do)

[Verse 2] Is all creation groaning? (It is) Is a new creation coming? (It is) Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst? (It is) Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? (It is)

Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole? Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll? The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave.

Jesus alone is worthy with the authority and power to reveal and execute God’s stunning plan to redeem a people for himself and make all things new.

Jesus domesticated leads to a crash and burn and Jesus and his glory leads to soaring like an eagle.

Revelation 19:11 - “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse!”

White horse ! triumphant military achievement

Rev. 19:11 - “The one sitting on [the white horse] is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.”

12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems (crowns).

13 - He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood…

Are you prepared for this day?

Rev. 19:13 - “The name by which he is called is The Word of God.”

Jesus is the revelation of God’s judgement.

14 - “And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.”

15 “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.”

We and our sons and daughters should be warriors who fight for justice in a world of injustice.

Rev. 19:15 - “he will rule [the nations] with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.”

16 “On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

17 - “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God.”

Jesus will come as the King of all Kings and bring peace and justice by crushing his enemies—once and for all.

Where do the enemies of Jesus go? Jesus rules over all—including

heaven AND hell. Gehenna—“the place of

incineration.” Mark 9:48 – “the worm does not die

and the fire is not quenched.”

Rev. 20:8-9 - “…fire came down from heaven and consumed them.”

10 “…and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

The punishment will fit the crime.

Does this make God cruel? Judgment and hell are self-selected. Jesus is willing to extend mercy, grace

and forgiveness to the worst of evildoers.

Jesus delights in extending the benefits of his suffering and death to you.

The only people who don’t get what they really want are Christians—because God intervenes, renews their hearts, causes them to love Jesus and leads them into repentance.

God is not cruel. We are just evil. Everyone gets what they choose

and deserve except for Christians. Christians get grace, which they do not deserve.

God is loving, merciful, AND a warrior for justice.

Miroslav Volf “In a scorched land, soaked in the blood

of the innocent, [your insistence on nonviolence] will invariably die.”

When you suffer horrible violence, you will understand and embrace a God of justice who says, “Vengeance is mine.”

When Jesus comes again, he will graciously act to destroy all those who insist on choosing evil.

What kind of God allows his children and his bride to be harmed and devastated forever?

The day is coming soon when he will intervene and clean house—renew the earth—with a single, massive blow and there will be amazing peace.

With all of the anxiousness, stress and losses of this pandemic season, we have a Savior who has suffered the ultimate anxiety, stress and loss, so that we can have peace, hope and joy for whatever comes our way.

1 John 4:16–18 - “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us... 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment… 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

When you come to know and believe God’s love for you…

When you come to know and believe God’s love for you…

You will see Jesus as the judge of the earth, but you also see that he came not to bring judgement, but to bear the judgement of even his enemies.

Fear and anxiety will dissipate when you see the cost that he paid for you—he descended into hell and received the penalty and fire that we deserve.

Jesus suffocated and suffered the agony of his Father’s rejection and utter isolation—in our place—so that we can forever revel in his perfect love and presence.

Will you fly—or crash and burn? When you love Jesus, you will see

your Warrior King fight one last battle so that you can enjoy eternal peace in heaven with him.