The Last Words of Jesus
Scripture ends with grace because in Christ the victory is already won
Last words often capture something meaningful about a person’s life in a simple way, often revealing what mattered most in the end.
“Tomorrow, at sunrise, I shall no longer be here.” Nostradamus. He got that prediction right.
“I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have.” Leonardo da Vinci. I guess the Mona Lisa wasn’t good enough.
“I feel great.” Pistol Pete, famous basketball player, shortly before collapsing during a pickup basketball game.
“Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough.“ Karl Marx
“You are wonderful.” Arthur Conan Doyle, who wrote the Sherlock Holmes stories, at 71 in his garden, to his wife, before clutching his chest and dying.
If you could plan out your last words, what would they be? Every time I say good-bye to my dad, I tell him I love him. I want those to be my last words to him.
Last words matter, don’t they? They reveal a lot about our character and our priorities. The passage we are reading today consists of last words. They reveal as much about God’s character and His priorities as our words reveal about our character and our priorities. They are the last words of the book of Revelation in particular AND the last words of the Bible as a whole. While all of scripture is inspired, the last words in the Bible have a special message for how we are to live in the present.
What does Revelation tell us about the end?
Revelation 1:1-2 says that God made the testimony of Jesus known to John, through an angel, and that John would bear witness to this. Now, in chapter 22, John reminds the reader that these words are true (inclusion). Revelation begins and ends with the claim that John is acting as a legal witness to what he has seen.
Why is it so important for John to portray to these readers that his words are trustworthy? Because the book of Revelation is about the church being willing to die as witnesses for Jesus. The church is called to participate in Jesus’ victory over evil by following the same path that he trod: the path of faithful witness even to the point of death. As the author continues, they build on the importance of being ready for Jesus’ return:
“And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” 12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.” – Revelation 22:10-12
John wrote these words roughly 2,000 years ago. In what sense is the time “near”? Well, maybe God has a different timeframe than we do. We all recognize this. After all, if my family is trying to leave and go somewhere, I mean something very different by the words, “the time is near,” than my wife does. I mean within minutes. In her case it certainly means within the day and probably within the hour!
The New Testament is alive with the expectation that Jesus could come at any moment. Paul said, “The night is far gone; the day is at hand” (Rom 13:12). Peter said, “The end of all things is at hand.” Jesus said, “The kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15). Did they all get it wrong?
Interestingly, scripture speaks of the time being near AND being far away. For example, Jesus speaks of the gospel going to the whole world, which would take time. In Matthew 25, Jesus speaks of the master going away on a long journey and calling on his servants to be faithful in his absence. Jesus teaches parables about seeds growing in the earth, which takes time. The scriptures are full of the tension between the day of the Lord being imminent and far away. If we look at history through the lens of God’s redemption plan, and begin with creation, then move forward to the death and resurrection of Jesus and Pentecost, the next significant event in God’s salvation scheme is the return of Christ.
When we consider God’s salvation scheme, the end is near. Jesus is coming soon.
Why doesn’t Jesus come back now? What is he waiting for? I don’t know, but I pray for that often. But I do know that God is showing grace by allowing more people to turn to him in repentance.
The author continues by stating, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” (Revelation 22:14-15) John draws a stark contrast between those who are saved and those who are not. Up until the end of Revelation, and the Bible, we are told that while the gospel is for all people, not all people will repent and be saved. There are those inside the city and those outside the city. There are those who have tasted the tree of life and those who die in their sins.
This is preceded by a call to repentance, “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (Revelation 22:17) This call is an invitation for unbelievers to repent and follow Jesus, it is an open invitation to all. It is the most inclusive religion but it also comes with a serious warning for all believers who read (or hear) Revelation.
In other words, we are warned not to pick and choose what to obey and what to ignore. Revelation offers a choice: either be blessed for hearing and obeying (v. 22:7) or experience the judgment of this book for disbelief. There is no middle ground.
“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” (Revelation 22:18-19)
How should we respond to the fact that Jesus is coming?
Jesus confirms that he will return in Revelation 22:20a, “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”
Why should we believe Jesus is really coming back? Given how long it has been, it is tempting to think Jesus will never return.
Os Guinness wrote a book called Carpe Diem Redeemed in which he compares and contrasts different views of time. The pagan view–a cyclical view of time–assumes the universe has always been here and will endlessly go through cycles, such as fall, winter, spring, summer. But the Christian view is that there is a beginning, that history is purposeful, and there will be an end. Which do you really hold? We are probably more affected by the pagan cyclical view than we realize. After all, we live by certain rhythms. Surfers have to orient their lives to the conditions of the waves. The sun rose yesterday and today, after all, so it will rise tomorrow. We tend to think the future will be like the past. But we are called to believe this regularity will change some day.
Why believe Jesus is coming soon? Because Jesus has come once and promises to come again. Why trust Jesus? Because Jesus is God. He was the lamb crucified before the foundation of the world. He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and end, the one worthy of being worshipped. He lived a sinless life. He fulfilled prophecy. And he promises that he is coming again in the blink of an eye.
How should we respond to the fact that Jesus is coming?
Repent. Revelation draws stark lines. Be hot or cold; don’t be lukewarm. Worship Jesus; don’t worship the beast. Either you have tasted the tree of life, or you are in judgment. We know how the story ends, but we are still in the middle of it. Right now, we have time. But at some point, our time will be up. Youth pastor in Nor Cal who became a believer so God would take away his pain.
Be faithful. Asking Os Guinness about his legacy. He said, “Legacy is a secular idea. All that matters is that when I get to heaven, God says, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’”
Remember Jesus IS coming soon. If you are suffering physically, remember Jesus is coming soon (throwing out my back and being reminded this body is fading). If you have a loved one who is suffering, remember Jesus is coming soon (Breanna). If you are struggling financially, remember Jesus is coming soon. When I get attacked online, I remember that Jesus is coming soon.
While there is a place for fear, it’s not the best motivator. The book of Revelation is scary. But it does not end on a note of fear. As John Newton wrote, “Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.” Fear does not get the final word in Scripture. Grace does.
Revelation is about Jesus, the only one worthy of worship, conquering Satan. How did he conquer Satan? Through his sacrifice. Revelation 12:11 says, “And they have conquered him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” Even though we are in the middle of the story, Jesus has already won. Revelation tells us how the story ends.
So, what do we do in the present? Believe that Jesus is coming back so firmly that we are willing to lay down our lives for others as an act of God’s gracious love for the world.
Great article as always Sean!
Great article. I appreciate the grace and hope!!