Bent Oak Church

The book of Revelation takes its time getting to chapter 19. The images of judgment and wrath have been long and difficult to work through. But what waits in chapter 19 is astonishing—salvation. A chorus of Hallelujahs breaks out culminating in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the return of Christ on his white horse. For those who believe and endure, it is the final realized expectation of God’...

John is a great pastor. He takes his time as he builds to the final moments of Revelation. He is in no rush. He wants to make sure we are well prepared for what is to come. His question is one of hope. What are we really hoping for? Where are we placing our trust? What kind of salvation are we looking for?

It is the end—the final moments of judgment. By the end of chapter 17 we read God's words, "It is done." The world experiences the final full trajectory of their sins, and still, they refuse to repent. In this sermon, we also look at common explanations for reconciling the book of Revelation with other end-times scriptures. 

Revelation has been building to the moment of final judgment. The moment has almost arrived, but not without more warnings. Three angels take their place in the sky declaring the gospel, the deception, and the coming judgment. The image is of a God patient, long-suffering and not willing that any should perish.

Revelation describes Satan as a defeated enemy, thrashing around in desperation and bitterness. In chapter 13, Satan calls for his henchmen, two additional beasts—a kind of unholy trinity. These two beasts describe the typical tactics Satan uses to persecute and diminish the church. His tactics are force and fraud—power and propaganda. 

Last week we were introduced to the beast. Chapter 12, gives us a bigger image. We are told that this dragon, with 7 heads and 10 horns, is the ancient serpent—satan. We have this image of the devil, covered in red scales, with his pitchfork and horns, standing on our shoulder opposite of the angel. It's a cartoon. Revelation gives us a better image. Satan is a defeated foe, thrashing around...

As God begins to remove his hand in judgment, John is given a task: a book to eat and a message to speak. As the images of chapters 10-11 build, we are taken deeper into the church's call to witness. The experience of the church's witness, like the scroll is both sweet and bitter, but in the end, it is the hope of resurrection.

The Seven Trumpets are an image of God's judgment. Reading about wrath is a difficult topic. We prefer to talk about love and acceptance. But God's wrath and his love are not as opposed as we usually think about them. In fact, the very act of God's wrath is also an act of his love. Revelation helps us recognize it.

The lamb has the scroll and in it, the mysteries of God locked up by these seven seals. These seven seals are the history of suffering, war, and poverty—they are the human experience. The experience that for many has made faith a struggle. Like the martyrs who cry out from beneath the throne, "how much longer," how can God say he is in control when evil and suffering seem to be the real...

Chapters four and five are John's second vision. Before he had watched as Christ walked amongst the churched—on the ground. Now John's attention is turned upward to an open door. Stepping through it, he finds himself at the throne of God. What is happening there is far more important than how it appears. John finds himself caught up in worship. It gives us one of the most important image...

The church at Laodicea was rich and self-sufficient. They had convinced themselves they were content. But their contentment was a flimsy, self-constructed, Godless pride. Jesus has strong words for this church, but he reproves those he loves and he holds open the possibility that this church may hear his knock and allow him in.

The church at Philadelphia was up against a lot. Jewish persecution, Roman disdain, a town that was being abandoned and under constant risk. But in the midst of it was this congregation of believers. Jesus tells them that he has set a door of opportunity before them; all they must do is believe with patient endurance. That request is hard when we want to take charge and create our own opportunitie...

The city of Sardis was not what it used to be. It was a place out of the limelight of Rome. Being a Christian in Sardis was easier than other places. That had earned the Sardis church a reputation for being alive—blessed. But Jesus saw through it. Their spiritual apathy had left them dead. 

Brad Lombardi shares about MWBx and Jesus' parable of persistence in prayer. Be encouraged never to give up trusting and believing that God is at work doing good. 

The church at Thyatira was alive to God. Jesus commended them for their increasing spiritual zeal. But he had one thing against them. They had allowed a false teacher to lead them into idolatry. The teacher's pitch was access to deeper things, spiritual secrets, and hidden knowledge. Jesus offered an alternative, "only hold on to what you already have."

The church at Pergamum continued to follow Christ, but increasingly it was a private faith. They were falling under false teaching that justified private faithfulness and public accommodations. But true faithfulness makes no distinctions between public and private. 

The church at Smyrna is the only one that still exists today. In modern day Izmir, Turkey, a small congregation still worships. They face pressure and persecution just like their founders. Jesus has nothing negative to say about this church, but he does warn them that they are about to face suffering. In reality, we all are—sometime in some way. So what do we do when we suffer? How do we live out...

The church at Ephesus is the first to receive a word from Christ. It forms a pattern for the other six messages. To the church at Ephesus Jesus affirmed their commitment to truth and faithfulness, but one thing he had against them. They had lost the love they had at first. It is a constant tension. How do we hold fast to doctrinal convictions and embrace a sacrificial love for each other and our n...

The book of Revelation was written by the apostle John. It was more than strange predictions about future things. In the first chapter, John promises that whoever hears this book and lives it will be blessed. This book makes a difference in the world we live in now, just as much as in the things to come.

In the final stories of 1 Samuel David and Saul are again contrasted. David's life begins to flourish in generosity. Saul is desperate for control even in death. David gives us a new way of thinking about being generous. It is a byproduct of a life that pays careful attention to God in all of the complicated details.

David is finally on his way out of the wilderness, but his destination is not where we imagined. David and his team will take up residence in Philistia under Achish his former enemy. David will soon be caught in a complicated game of deception that will force him onto the battlefield to face Saul and his own people. David's faith is put to the test.

We are shocked at how quickly the life is drained out of David. With one insult from the nobody Nabal, David finds himself craving vengeance. Death and ugliness take over the story. Worse, he assumes God is by his side. But David is stopped. He is brought to a stop by beauty. Not just a beautiful face, but words that pour the light of God into the barren wilderness landscape. David's hunger i...

David is still in the wilderness. There is more to learn. Asleep in the back of a cave, David and his men are shocked to see Saul step into the entrance. They all come to the same conclusion; Saul is a dead man. David is about to become king. But David soon sees something else—annointing. David teaches us to look closer. When we do, we discover far more going on around us than our eyes first recog...

In chapter 23, David begins his first lesson in becoming king. David will learn to listen. It is a certain kind of listening, listening through prayer. It's a skill that doesn't come naturally for us. David teaches us to settle down, quit ourselves and hear things we hadn't before.

David seemed to be on a fast-track to the throne. All of Israel was singing his praises. Saul was still mad, but even that might prove a political opportunity for David. We are surprised to see how quickly things begin to unravel. By chapter 22, David will find himself alone, hiding in a wilderness cave. But he doesn't go into the wilderness empty handed.