The Plowman

 

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An exposition of Revelation 14:1-20. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, October 5, 2008.

Introduction:
I’m an old fashion kind of guy. I liked it better when good guys wore white hats and bad guys wore black. I enjoyed watching movies were you didn’t spend the first half of the movie trying to figure out which character was the good guy and which one was the villain. In other words I like the days before the “anti-hero.” I know life is more complicated than that. I understand that we are all complex human beings and there are varying degrees of good and bad. It get that. But there is something to be said for clear lines marking good and evil. In our gray world people do not like black and white but we cannot deny that black and white exist! There is right and there is wrong. There is good and there is evil. Truth and error. One of the things I appreciate more and more as I study the book of Revelation is its clarity. Throughout the book, in the midst of its vivid images and fantastic sights, there is a clear understanding of good and evil. There is an unmistakable clarity between holiness and unholiness, between righteousness and unrighteousness, between God and Satan. One passage that drives that distinction home in a vivid way is the 14th chapter.

Text: Revelation 14:1-20
John the beloved apostle and bishop of Ephesus found himself exiled to the isle of Patmos for his faithfulness to Christ and His Gospel. There along the shore, on the Lord’s Day, he had an encounter with the risen Christ. He was caught up into the heavens through an open door and given a vision of things to come. The church was suffering from severe persecution. Those troubled saints feared the end was in sight. The Lord of the church had something to say to his struggling saints and he would say it through John. Thus Revelation was intended as an encouragement and an inspiration to first century believers and to believers in every age until the Lord comes again. How do you live like a Christian when there is nothing Christian around you? Everywhere those Christians in Asia Minor looked wickedness abounded. The book of Revelation speaks to how we live for Christ in a Christ-less world. How do you maintain faithfulness when the whole world is in turmoil? John kept bringing them back to see the victorious Lamb. And in this text he makes it very clear the glory that awaits the people of God and the terror of the judgment that awaits the ungodly. As we explore this chapter we will discover that…

Thesis: The visions of Revelation 14 draw a clear line of distinction between the glory that awaits the redeemed and the wrath to be poured out upon the ungodly.

Though this chapter opens with this glorious scene in the heavenly Zion it is, in many ways, the darkest chapter of the Revelation. In vivid language John contrasts the glory of heaven and the shear terror of hell. The text forces you to come to grips with where you stand. You cannot passively consider this chapter. This chapter portrays your destiny. You will either enjoy the glory of the heavenly worship described in the opening verses or you will know the torment of God’s wrath unmixed, undiluted and in full measure.

1. In the midst of ungodliness and unholy turmoil the righteous find peace and security in their identification with the victorious Lamb. (14:1-5)
   The first thing we note is the Lamb standing on Mt. Zion. This is not the physical city of Jerusalem but rather the heavenly Zion referred to in Hebrews 12:22-24. This is the dwelling of the people of God. This is were we “abide.” The Lamb is standing – fixed, immovable. And who is with him? The 144,000 who have been redeemed from the earth. These are the redeemed. Those who have yielded to Christ. It is the redeemed community. This is the gathering of all the saints. Not an elite group. Not a spiritual Special Forces unit who’ve fought their way through the tribulation but all the redeemed. (12 X 12 X 10 X 10 X 10 = 144,000) The complete people of God from both Old and New Testament. In contrast to the mark of the beast they have the name of God on their foreheads. And note they were singing a new song. One that only the redeemed could sing. They were singing the song of redemption. Note how these worshipers are described:
   1. Have not defiled themselves with women: celibate? Are these eunuchs? Taken in context I think it means they have not played the “harlot”. They did not commit spiritual adultery by declaring Caesar is Lord.
   2. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes: discipleship. They are devoted to the Lamb.
   3. They are “firstfruits”: they are offered to God – Romans 12:1-2
   4. In their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless: they speak the truth. They did not participate in the lie of emperor worship. Dear saint this is who you are. This is your identity. Regardless of how things seem. Regardless of how difficult things may get – this is your destiny. To be gathered with the saints from every generation around the throne of God in the presence of the Lamb singing the song of redemption. Now the rest of the chapter is in stark contrast to this scene. From their perspective it looks like they are on the loosing end of things. It seems as if Rome and those who march to the beat of her drum prosper while faithfulness to Christ leads to death. But in reality it is the other way around.
2. Those who have made peace with the wickedness of this world are clearly and passionately warned of the wrath to come. (14:6-11)
   In this section we are introduced to three heralds or messengers. The first in verses 6-7 proclaims the Gospel. The second messenger comes announcing the doom of the ungodly in verse 8. The third messenger vividly portrays the torment that awaits the ungodly in 14:9-11. The message is clear: If you refuse the mark of the beast you will face the wrath of the beast If you take the mark of the beast you will face the wrath of God Take your pick. This is a horrifying picture. There is no one of making this come out nice. “The wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger…” Full strength = unmixed, undiluted, not watered down. John, under the inspiration of the Spirit, makes it abundantly clear in this text that your only hope is in the Gospel. But we are not through yet.
3. All men are made sober by the certainty and the severity of God’s judgment. (14:14-20)
   The time of judgment has come. It is appointed unto man to die once and face the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The judgment is portrayed in this passage as the harvest. First the grain harvest which speaks of the inevitability of judgment. Judgment is unavoidable. When the time is right according to God’s schedule there will come a reckoning. This judgment is also portrayed in terms of a grape harvest. Look at 14:17-20. These images are drawn from Old Testament passages like Lamentations 1:15, Isaiah 63 and Joel 3. This speaks of the violent thoroughness of God’s judgment. This ought to go a long way in destroying the myth that God was wrathful in the OT but loving in the NT. He is both loving and wrathful in both Testaments because that is who He is! Wrath is the outworking of God’s holiness when He confronts rebels. We ought to fear His wrath. Our problem is that we fear temporal judgment. We are afraid of sickness and disease. We are afraid of financial ruin or embarrassment. We ought to fear God! But we no longer believe in hell therefore we do not fear it. I would submit to you there is nothing difficult about understanding this section of Revelation – there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun!

The visions of Revelation 14 draw a clear line of distinction between the glory that awaits the redeemed and the wrath to be poured out upon the ungodly. What does your future hold?

 

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An exposition of Revelation 13:1-18. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, September 28, 2008.

Introduction:
It seems like a reasonable question to me. The kind of question that one would naturally ask given the context in which we live. “If Christ has finished his redemptive work and if he has conquered – why is the world in such a mess?” “If Satan has been defeated – how does he exercise so much power? Why does it appear that he is having a field day?” Doesn’t that seem to be a legitimate question? If what the Bible teaches and what we believe is true - why does there appear to be such a struggle between good and evil between righteousness and unrighteousness? The Bible is clear God is the creator of all things. That includes the devil. Satan and God are not equal powers struggling to gain mastery of the universe. God is the eternal, infinite, uncreated one. Satan is a created, finite creature. Thus it is not a “fair” fight. God is in control of all things. Everything is held together by the power of His might. But life doesn’t always reflect that – does it? There are those times when it seems that God has little or no control. There are those moments when you think He is not even paying attention.

What are you supposed to do when living righteously doesn’t “pay off”? How are you to live when your faith seems to create problems rather than guarantee peace? When unrighteousness runs rampant and godlessness prevails what then? The churches of Asia Minor at the close of the first century found themselves in great distress. Because of their faithfulness to Christ and their refusal to acknowledge Caesar as Lord they were stripped of their possessions, lost jobs, were imprisoned, tortured, tormented and martyred. The more faithful they were – the more they suffered. There was no end in sight Rome marched on and everything in their world said, “Give up.” But the Lord of the church had something to say to those struggling saints then and to unsteady believers now. “Things are not as they seem. Hold on. Victory is sure. Righteousness will prevail and I’m still in charge.” Our text this morning is found in Revelation chapter 13.

Text: Revelation 13:1-18

There are two great threats to the people of God – brute external force that seeks to conform us to the ways of this world and subtle deception that seeks to woo us from the worship of the True and Living God to the worship of that great pretender – the red dragon, the old serpent – Satan who is called the devil. The thirteenth chapter serves to remind us that…

Thesis: In a world of increasing hostility and mounting unrighteousness the people of God endure the most difficult hardships and crushing oppression by simple faith and trust.

By simple I do not mean easy. I mean it is not complicated or complex. The choice is clear. The options are distinct. Endurance and eventual triumph demands that I take God at His word and put my trust in Him. I want to point out just two things.

1. The people of God do not cower before the show of brute force and overwhelming strength knowing God’s Sovereign purpose and seeing His providential hand. (13:1-10)
2. The people of God do not fall victim to powerful deception and lying signs because they know the truth of God in Christ. (13:11-18)

The point is Satan and his horde are determined to destroy the work of God on the earth and bring an end to God’s people but we will endure the most overwhelming calamity and stand our ground in the face of unbridled wickedness. Hold on dear saint. Stand firm uncertain believer the Lamb is victorious and we will overcome.

 

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An exposition of Revelation 12:1-17. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, September 21, 2008.

Intro:
We all know there are various ways of looking at things. Some are optimists and they see the glass as half full. Others are pessimists and they see the glass as half empty. There are antagonists and they always see things differently than you do. No matter what the subject or what their particular point of view – they just love to agitate (I must confess that I’m at times a bit of an antagonist myself). And of course during the political season we are well aware of there being different points of view. We see and hear it ad nauseam! Our worldview or how we look at the world greatly affects how we live. Whether you have taken the time to think it through or formally adopted a method of interpreting the world around you – you do have a worldview. There is a grid by which you interpret the world. And the basic framework of your interpretation determines, to a great extent, how you react to what’s going on around you. What is the met-narrative or “great story” behind history for you? For the Marxist it is the inevitable struggle between the classes. For Nietzsche it was the “death of God” and a new morality based in naturalism. What drives your understanding of the world? For the people of God the great story begins and ends with God. A biblical worldview looks at and interprets the world from a heavenly perspective. And of course I’m convinced this is what the book of Revelation is about. Written during a time of great struggle the Lord of the Church is saying to His people, “Things are not as they seem.” He wants His struggling saints to understand Caesar does not “run” the world. Caesar is not Lord, Rome is not the eternal kingdom and history is on schedule. It is easy to miss that when the world is collapsing in on you. When your world comes crashing down – you tend to say, “Lord what are you doing? Are you in control or not?” Revelation then gives us the “big picture.” It says, “Here is what is really going on.” Our text this morning is found in Revelation chapter 12.

Text: Revelation 12:1-17
As we make our way through the 12 chapter I think we’ll learn…

Thesis: At the heart of a biblical worldview is a bedrock understanding of the great
reality behind the human struggle.

In our text we find the “big picture” of our struggle. I want to point out three realities that the Lord of the Church gave to those struggling first century believers to lift their hearts and grant them courage in the battle. Truths that will do the same for you in our day.

1. Reality number 1 – Satan is “hell-bent” on destroying the work of God. (12:1-9)
2. Reality number 2 – Satan’s doom is sure yet his attacks are relentless and his appetite is ferocious. (12:10, 12-17)
3. In spite of how things may seem – God’s people triumph in the end. (12:11)

3 ways in which we triumph:

1. We stand united with Christ and his finished work at Calvary—the blood of the Lamb.
2. The word of our testimony—not our “personal testimony” but our testifying to the truth and reality of the Gospel. By our “gospeling” the gospel. Our preaching of Christ.
3. A simple willingness to die. You do know there are things worse than death. Worse than death would be my bringing disgrace on Christ and his church. Worse than death would be to cheat on my wife and ruin the witness of the gospel and bring shame on the church. What are you going to do with a group of people who are not afraid to die? How are you going to threaten them?

At the heart of a Christian worldview is a bedrock understanding of the great reality
behind the human struggle.

• Reality #1 – Satan is hell-bent on destroying the work of God.
• Reality #2 – Satan’s doom is sure yet his attacks are relentless and his appetite ferocious.
• Reality #3 – No matter how things seem, God’s people will triumph in the end.

 

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An exposition of Revelation 10:1-11:19. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, September 14, 2008.
Introduction:
Courage often is in short supply when you find yourself overwhelmed by circumstances. When your world falls in on you and trouble comes from every side, standing tall and courageous is next to impossible. Oh not in the beginning. Your first response will be to stand your ground and fight. But battling a relentless foe is exhausting. When you fight off wave after wave it begins to take its toll. Before long you begin to wonder if there is any chance for victory. That must have been where the churches of Asia Minor were when they heard there was a letter from John the beloved. The bishop of Ephesus had written to encourage and inspire them to faith and faithfulness in the midst of persecution, struggle and trial. His writing is preserved for us in the book of Revelation the best known and least understood of the biblical writings. Without question it is the most discussed book of the Bible. Throughout the centuries scholars, experts and laymen have argued its interpretation. With its vivid images and strange symbols it has spawn some wild interpretations. It is not an easy book to understand and thus wisdom would allow for a great range of interpretation. Good and godly men have seen things differently. It is not a simple matter of all those who believe the Bible see it this way and those who reject the Bible’s authority see it that way. Nor is it a matter of those who interpret it literally seeing it like this and those who spiritualize it see it like that. The truth is men who equally love and cherish the Scripture see it differently. Men who equally believe in a literal interpretation find themselves at odds with one another. I’m convinced that the nature of apocalyptic literature and the context of John’s writing hold the key for interpretation. Apocalyptic literature is intended to encourage and inspire. Written during times of severe trial and hardship it says, “Hold on. Be of good courage – things are not as they seem. Deliverance is coming. Victory is assured.” That was the message of the Lord of the Church to his struggling saints. That, in turn, is His message to saints throughout the ages as we await His return and the end of the age. It is my contention that this book meant something to those who first received it. For God to come to a group of struggling saints who feel they are on the verge of annihilation and say, “Hey cheer up I’ve got some good news for you.” And then give them a message not about their current crisis but something that will happen at the end of time thousands of years in the future would be cruel! That is my problem with the “futurist” interpretation of the book. That is those who say chapters 1-3 relate to the churches of Asia Minor – everything else is about that seven-year period at the end of the age. Some of them even argue that chapters 1-3 are not about what was happening then but rather are an outline of the church age. I don’t buy that. I do believe that the book of Revelation deals with the end of the age and the return of Christ but it does in the context of saying something very practical and faith building to the folks in Asia Minor. Our text this morning is found in Revelation chapters 10 and 11.
Text: Revelation 10:1-11:19
Chapters 10 and 11 form an interlude – a brief pause in the action to take a breath and get our bearings before moving on. The first interlude followed the breaking of the 6th seal. There we were reminded of God’s care for His own in the midst of tribulation. God marks/seals His own – this is His divine protection; and we are reminded of the blessed hope – our being in the presence of God with a great multitude in glorious worship. Following that interlude we are warned that God’s consuming wrath will fall. The 7 trumpet judgments reinforce that. That is where the second interlude comes in. Between the 6th and 7th trumpet we are given insight into the activity of the church in the throes of suffering and the world’s rage. Again I see the 7 seals, the 7 trumpets and the 7 bowls of wrath covering the same period of time from various perspectives but with a growing intensity. This section reminds us that…
Thesis: Hope and courage in the face of genuine suffering and sever trial demand a
divinely inspired vision of the power and triumph of the Gospel.

1. Courage in the face of sorrow and trouble demands a firm grasp of the strength and power of the Gospel. (10:1-7)
2. Faithfulness in proclaiming the Gospel demands we embrace and feast upon Gospel truth. (10:8-11)
3. Steadfastness in Gospel ministry demands we recognize the inevitable struggle and eventual triumph of the Gospel. (11:1-19)

 

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An exposition of Revelation 8:1-9:21. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning September 7, 2008.

Introduction:
Without a doubt it is the best known and least understood of the biblical writings. People are fascinated and drawn to it while frightened and driven from it. Thanks to Hollywood, numerous books, seminars and self-styled experts its images are some of the most recognizable. Who isn’t familiar with the number “666”? This highly symbolic book has been the source of endless debate for centuries. At various times different views has been prominent. No one interpretation has been the dominant view throughout the history of the church. Just how are we to understand the book of Revelation? I’m convinced that the key to the book is in understanding the nature of “apocalyptic literature” and the historical context in which it is written. Apocalyptic literature is written during times of great distress and tribulation. Its intent is to encourage and inspire faithfulness against overwhelming odds. The church was under severe attack. As far as the believers in Asia Minor were concerned they were on the brink of annihilation. Caesar claimed to be god and it seemed as if perhaps he was right! Rome seemed invincible. Nothing or no one seemed to be able to resists Rome’s advancement. John the beloved apostle was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when he was given this incredible vision. At the heart of the vision is a throne fixed or settled in heaven. There is a throne and there is someone seated on that throne. The message was, “Caesar is not god. Caesar is not in control. Rome is not invincible and the church is not on the verge of annihilation. The fact is the Kingdom of God is advancing and Rome cannot stop it! Does such a message eliminate fear and doubt? No. The people of God still cry out, “How long O Sovereign Lord, holy and true before you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” In their struggle who were they addressing – the Sovereign Lord who is holy and true. They were trusting in Him in spite of their confusion and yes doubt. This is the struggle of faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. In times of great stress and trial faith is difficult. Believing while your knees are buckling is serious business.

Text: Revelation 8:1-9:21

Thesis: With the opening of the 7th seal we experience the comforting and terrifying
judgment of the Living God.

It is a fearful thing to full into the hands of the living God for our God is a consuming fire. And yet there is comfort in understanding that God’s judgment is righteous and true. Vengeance is His and the righteous will be vindicated by the judgment of God. There are three things I want to point out as we walk through this text.

1. God’s judgment is, to some degree, in response to the prayers of His people. (8:1-5)
   From that moment in the Garden when the blood of Able cried out from the ground to the cries of Israel held captive in Egypt to the cry of the repentant sinner - God has always responded to the cries of His people. Back in chapter 6 the souls under the altar cried out, “How long O Sovereign Lord…” and in some respect the 7 trumpets are in response to those cries as evidenced by the opening verses of chapter 8.
2. God’s judgment is swift and terrifying. (8:6-19)
   Again the message is clear – there is coming a horrifying judgment. Who are they who will be destroyed in this coming judgment? Those who do not have the mark of God – 9:4. Are you sealed with God’s grace? Have you His mark upon you? Do you know Him? A terrible judgment awaits those who face the Lamb and the One seated upon the throne on the merit of their own goodness. Flee to Christ while there is time.
3. God’s judgment is just, righteous and merciful. (9:20-21)
   “Hold on pastor, I’m not sure we are reading the same passage!” Let me close by focusing on this last consolation. The fact that God warns us of the judgment to come, that He would warn of the murderous intent of Satan and his minions, the fact that God restrains His judgment should cause all of us to flee to His grace. But note how our text ends – even after all the devastation the unrighteous cling to their sin. Does that describe you? Have you spurned God’s many overtures of mercy and grace?

Have you turned a deaf ear the Gospel? God’s kindness has been extended to you today in that you have been warned of the judgment that is to come. You’ve been told of the gift of His mercy. All that remains is how will you respond to His infinite kindness?

 

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An exposition of Revelation 17:1-17. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered a Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, August 31, 2008.

Introduction:
It is one of the things that draw us to the book of Revelation. Those strange, exotic images. In chapter 6 the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ride forth unto the world stage bringing triumph and terror. We stand in awe of the glory of the Gospel and the horror of God’s coming judgment. When you read the book you can feel a bit like walking through a dark room with flashing strobe lights and images coming and going. It
can be overwhelming. It can leave you dazed and confused. I remember reading an article about end times a few years ago and the title of the article was “Last Daze” that’s D-A-Z-E. And I certainly understand that response. When dealing with the book of Revelation I think it is important to keep the context always before you. John had been exiled. He was called by the Lord to write to the shaken and struggling saints of Asia Minor. The purpose was to encourage those troubled saints. They were fighting for their lives. Persecution was fierce and faith cost them dearly. How do you stand when the world is “out of control?” How do you remain faithful when all hell breaks loose in your life? This book meant something to those who first received it. Yes it speaks of the end of all things and what will happen as Christ establishes His kingdom but the focus is not all on the future. The Christian in every age finds strength and comfort in his struggles from the words of John as he recorded what he saw and heard. Our text this morning is found in Revelation chapter 7.
Text: Revelation 7:1-17
You remember that moment in chapter 5 when no one worthy was found to open the scroll. You remember how John wept uncontrollably. Is there no one with enough authority and power to unleash God’s sovereign will? “Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Hope began to stir in John’s heart and he turned to find a lamb standing though slaughtered. That glorious image of the Lord Jesus – slain yet alive. A lamb yet powerful and mighty. Worship then exploded around the throne. A new song rang out. Then in chapter 6 the seals were opened. The Gospel went forth conquering and to conquer. Then war rode out followed by famine and then death and Hades. A judgment was unleashed that struck terror in the hearts of those who witnessed it. Kings and leaders; rich and poor; slaves and free men cried out for the rocks to crush them. They preferred death to facing the one seated on the throne and the Lamb. John ends chapter 6 by asking, “Who can stand?” Meaning who can possibly survive this coming judgment? Keep in mind the book of Revelation would have been read to a congregation. It would not have been analyzed and taken apart as we are doing. The pastor of the church would have said to the church gathered, “We have a letter from bishop John and I would like to read it to you.” Their beloved bishop was exiled for the faith. Others were dying. I think they would have been reeling a bit from chapters 2 and 3. Then the scene in chapter 4 would have taken their breath away. They would have wept with John in chapter 5 and been overwhelmed by chapter 6. And before moving on to the 7th seal, John paused to encourage them.
In chapter 7 John is answering the question at the end of chapter 6 – “who can stand in the great day of wrath?” Who will survive God’s sovereign judgment?
As we walk through chapter 7 what is clear to me is…
Thesis: In the midst of great turmoil, tragedy and strife God graciously preserves a
people to the praise of His glorious grace.

1. God sovereignly preserves a people. (7:1-8)
2. God graciously preserves a great multitude. (7:9-14)
3. God preserves a people upon whom He will lavish His grace. (7:15-17)

To a troubled, shaken people burdened by relentless persecution, frightened by an uncertain future the Lord of the church says, “Fear not. God has a people. A people He sovereignly preserves; a people to numerous to count; upon whom He will lavish His
grace.

 

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An exposition of Revelation 6:1-17. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, August 24, 2008.

Intro:
I’m sure none of you struggle with my bad habits but I tend to be impatient. I don’t like to wait. I like for things to be done yesterday. Now, don’t get me wrong I understand the need for patience and in fact I can lecture you on your need to wait in God’s timing – but I shouldn’t have to wait. Add to that the fact that I don’t like tension. I like for things to be settled. Things ought to be one way or the other none of this “both and” stuff. That’s why the life of faith is often difficult for me. Things happen in this life that frankly, I don’t like. I see good people suffer and, from my perspective, they suffer needlessly. I see wicked people profit and I’m not happy about it. I hear God mocked and His Holy character slandered and I want to see a little smoke and fire! And at times my most cherished doctrines give me the most grief. I believe God is sovereign over all things. That means people, nations, nature, world events are all under His sovereign control. So why do babies suffer and die? Why do godly people get cancer? Why do wicked people get rich and live lives of ease and comfort? I understand the skeptic who reasons, “If God is good He is not all powerful and if He is all powerful, He is not good.” I understand how a person can think that. From a human perspective it makes sense. Why wouldn’t a good and powerful God always see to it that good triumphs and evil suffers? As the people of God we long for the return of our Lord. Our hope is in the blessed appearance of our Lord at the end of the age. And yet we understand that when that day comes, it comes with great terror. What is a glorious and wonderful thing for us will be a living hell for others. It is one of the things about the book of Revelation that we find fascinating. The struggle between good and evil; light and darkness; the sharp contrast between worship and judgment. With chapter 6 we move into the main section of the book. Now we come to all of those strange and wonderful visions as the seals are broken, the trumpet judgments are sounded and the bowls of wrath are poured out. As we seek to walk through the book together we must keep in mind the context. This book meant something to those who first received it. They were being persecuted without mercy – a great number were being martyred, John is writing to lift their sagging faith to encourage their fainting hearts. We must not lose sight of that if we are to rightly understand the book. Our text this morning is found in the sixth chapter of Revelation.

Text: Revelation 6:1-17
As the people of God we find ourselves swimming upstream. Our lives are lived against
the current of culture. The church near the end of the first century found themselves in a
fight for their very existence. Persecution was rampant and violent. To confess faith in
Christ cost you dearly and the martyr’s fate was to be expected. How do you live in that environment? How do you stand your ground and remain faithful? That is the context
for the book of Revelation. John, inspired by the Spirit, wrote to assure shaken saints that
God was still on His throne; that Caesar was no god; and that history was on track.
As we explore this chapter there is something I want us to keep in mind…
Thesis: The life of faith does not eliminate doubt and heartache but rather finds grace to live triumphantly in the face of overwhelming tragedy.
Our faith is not a fairytale.
It is not a matter of, “I believe in Jesus and then I live happily ever after.” Faith in Christ does not grant me immunity from life’s hardships and genuine pain. In fact, often my faith will cause me pain in this life. But in my believing I will find grace not just to survive but to triumph through Christ.

1. Believers find great comfort in the triumph of the Gospel while at the same time burdened by the terror of God’s coming judgment. (6:1-8)
   White = the Gospel – 6:1-2
   Red horse = war – 6:3-4
   Black horse = famine – 6:5-6
   Pale horse = death followed by Hades – 6:7-8
2. Believers remain anxious about the injustice that abounds while they are assured that justice will prevail. (6:9-11)
3. tempered by the terror of that day. (6:12-17)The believer joyfully anticipates the coming “Day of the Lord” but his joy in

Every child of God is to long for our Lord’s blessed appearing. We joyfully anticipate that day when the trumpet shall sound and we’ll be gathered home. But what is clear in this text is the terror surrounding that day. A glorious day is coming. In the meantime we are comforted by the triumph of the Gospel while burdened by the terror of the Lord’s sovereign judgment. We are anxious about the injustice we see yet assured that justice will prevail. We joyfully anticipate the coming day of the Lord, yet our joy is tempered by the terror of that day.

 

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An exposition of Revelation 5:1-14. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, August 17, 2008.

Introduction:
The persecution increases daily. Arrest, confiscation of property, torture and executions are commonplace. The strain is unbearable. Daily you are called upon to deny your faith and declare Caesar Lord. What do you do? How do you respond? There is a genuine clash of culture and religion but it is not merely in the realm of ideas. Your faith has cost you dearly. Your family disowned you. Your friends shunned you. Your job is gone. Now your life is being threatened. Then you are told you can have it back, all of it, if you’ll just bow and confess, “Caesar is Lord.” What do you do?
Such was the conflict then and now. The forces of light and darkness have always been
at odds. Truth and error have forever been in conflict. The Kingdom of God and the
kingdom of Satan are at war. And you are a foot soldier in that conflict. What will you
do? How will you stand? What will be your inspiration? Our text this morning is found
in the 5th chapter of Revelation.

Thesis:
Perseverance is the fruit of a Christ-centered vision and impassioned worship.

Outline:

1. Hopelessness brings bitter disappointment and despair. (5:1-4) Are you burdened by hopelessness? Do the cares of this life overwhelm you to the point you’ve giving up or are on the verge of giving in? John’s weeping is sincere. It is certainly understandable. It is worth weeping over. But it is premature!
2. Disappointment and despair vanish at the glorious revelation of the Lamb of God. (5:5-10. In the face of conflict, heartache and despair you need a clear, unimpeded vision of the person and work of Christ. You need to see Him for who He is and understand what He has done. Once you catch a glimpse of that or better yet once this truth takes hold of you – disappointment and despair vanish.
3. Perseverance and hope find their voice in Christ-centered, heaven rattling worship. (5:11-14) When life is at its worst. When turmoil reigns – those with the clearest vision and the most accurate knowledge lose themselves in glorious, profound, explosive worship! This is not fanaticism this is the natural response to the vision of God.

 

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An exposition of Revelation 4:1-11. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, August 10, 2008.

How do you take the infinite and make it understandable to the church? That is the task of John in today’s passage. The church was experiencing extreme persecution, and John was exiled far away on the island of Patmos.The Lord has something to say to the church in the midst of the storm, and it is this: God is bigger than anything in the universe that might be troubling you presently, and nothing is able to snatch you out of his loving hands.

1. Confidence is born out of a vision of God’s unequaled power, glory, and majesty (verses 2-6). Jesus is telling John that the sovereign judge of the universe is still in control, and all who are persecuting the church will give an account, and the church will be vindicated. This message is for believers today too. We are not alone. God is with us and for us; who will never leave us or forsake us, and nothing in this world can harm us.
2. Courage is established through an awareness of God’s sovereign power. There is a door opened to heaven (verse 1), and it will never be shut. This means that we can see it, we have access to God sitting there, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Such confidence and courage inspires profound worship and joyful submission. Even when everything is falling apart, God is still in control. He is worthy of all praise and worship.

This is what we need: to know that God is in charge and we are not. The question is: Are you in the midst of a storm? If so, come to Jesus. Come to Jesus now.

 

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An exposition of Revelation 3:7-13. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, July 27, 2008.

Introduction and Outline
A couple of years ago I attended a retreat at Tulakogee.  The pastor leading the retreat was from a large church in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.  Early in the retreat he used the parable of the wedding feast – the one where the invited guests made excuses for why they couldn’t come?  The king said, “Go out into the highways and the hedges and compel them to come in?”  The speaker then said, “Our job is to make sure all the seats are filled at the table.”  Now that is a fairly safe thing to say – no one is going to argue with that saying, “No – we don’t want to reach anyone with the Gospel.”  Every believer would agree that we are to preach the Gospel and win people to faith in Christ.  The problem was where the attention went from there.  The rest of the time was spent talking about leadership and casting a vision and management structure etc.  I believe there is a place for all of that.  But an entire movement has arisen within the church – the “church growth movement.”  The movement asks a lot of the right questions – “What makes a church grow?”  “What keeps a church from growing?”  “How do you get a church off the plateau?”  Those are legitimate issues and questions worth answering.  The problem comes with the method or approach in answering the questions.  My concern is that perhaps in focusing on questionnaires, market analysis and finding out what the customer wants we’ve lost sight of the Lord of the church.

We’ve forgotten that the ultimate aim of the church is to be pleasing to the Lord.  There is nothing wrong with meeting people at the point of their need and bringing them the Gospel.  There is nothing wrong with understanding the world in which we live and couching the Gospel in terms that can be understood and applied.  My concern is our focus.  What is our reference point?  What is our aim?  Is our focus evangelism?  Missions?  Worship?  Community involvement?  We are to do these things – but our focus is Christ!  We are the bride of Christ and our focus is to be our husband – Christ himself.  What matters is whether we are pleasing to him.  If we are – these other things will be what they ought to be.  The issue isn’t size – it is heart.  It is not strength it is character.  Consider the words of the Lord of the church to the church at Philadelphia.

I’m convinced if we want to know something about church growth this is a good place to begin.  Because here we find our Lord’s strategy for church growth.

Thesis
The risen Lord promises a glorious future to the church that is faithful and true to Christ.

Sermon Outline
Three things stand out in this text.

1. The church that is faithful and true to Christ is assured an open door (3:7-8). Based on the description in verse 7 – he has the power to back this statement up. What does this open door mean?
   a. An open door in to the presence of God.  You have unhindered access to me.
   b. An open door of opportunity – the door of ministry is wide open.
2. The church that is faithful and true to Christ is promised perseverance and deliverance (3:9-10).
3. The church that is faithful and true to Christ is guaranteed a glorious reward (3:11-13).

Conclusion
I’m all for church growth – I want to see us reach as many as we can.  I would like nothing more than to be overflowing.  But what is our aim?  Is it growth or the glory of God?  Is growth the goal or the byproduct?