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Hey, I’m going to invite you to Revelation chapter 14 is where we’re at together today. We we started Revelation last week and or chapter 14, not the book, chapter 14. We started last week, and we’re going to look at the very tail end of a few verses that I did not get to. As we then dive into chapter 15 and look in the book of Revelation, and when we get ready to as we get ready to read this chapter, one thing I want you to recognize with me, one thing that I, I am very aware of, I’m a little bit of a history nerd, and especially church history. I appreciate and and looking at Revelation 14, I am mindful of how this particular section we’re going to look at, specifically verse 17 to 20 was a very instrumental section of Scripture for our nation. And what I mean by that is in the 1700s, before we were even founded as a country, before 1776 and the 1730s, 1740s, there was a Christian theologian, many described as the greatest American Christian theologian in American history known by the name of Jonathan Edwards. And Jonathan Edwards was called upon to speak a share a message at a particular church, sort of as a last minute. He was not the planned speaker. He was asked to fill in and he goes back to his file. He was a minister. He goes back through a file cabinet and pulls out an old sermon, and he brings it before the congregation.
And Jonathan Edwards was a very influential leader, but I would not necessarily say he was a dynamic speaker. In fact, when he was preaching, he was known to be pretty dry. And he would script out his messages and he would just read them. And one of the one of the things that he he preached on was Revelation chapter 14, verses 17 to 20. And he brought this message to this congregation, which he was asked to speak last minute. And when he reads this message, thus began what what we refer to today as the Great Awakening in American history and the Great Awakening was this revival that swept across our country, and many people came to know the Lord during this time. Some say the the percentage of the church increased by about 25% during this time period, many people putting their faith in Christ. The text he was reading was this passage and the title of the sermon, “Sinners in the Hand of the Angry God” gives you an indicator of where we’re going to go today. This is a a very heavy section of the Bible. I get to be the pastor that talks about the sinners in the hand of the angry God passage today, right? And so what does this mean for you and for me? I think a lot of times when we think about the wrath of God, the anger of God, we we immediately extrapolate it to our human experience.
And when we think about what the wrath of God is, the anger of God, it is far different than than what we typically express as human beings. Usually when we talk about our anger, it kind of works like this. Things frustrate us, frustrate us. We bottle up, we bottle up till we blow up, and then we feel so bad about the way that we conduct ourselves. We’ve got to do a lot of apology and cleaning up later. Like we, we ruin our character through our anger, right? When it comes to the idea of God, God is not that way, right? God is a holy and just God, and God is very patient and gracious with us. And he continues to warn us in the Bible that one day his judgment is coming. And so because of that judgment, it leads us to this place where we can should consider where is our heart in light of that? In fact, when it comes to the judgment of God, you’ll find in the book of Revelation that many of God’s people look at the judgment of God as a very liberating opportunity, meaning, because God is holy, because God is just his. When we’re on the side of God’s grace, when he brings his justice, when he brings his judgment for God’s people, it becomes a place of freedom, not because we’re looking at getting back at people, but because we want to walk in the peace of God’s presence forever.
That we understand that this world is not the way God intended the world to be. But God has promised he’s going to restore all things in his presence forever. And he gives us the opportunity to find ourselves on the side of his grace, being liberated because of what Christ has done. And so in Revelation chapter six, verse ten, it says of God’s people. They cried out with a loud voice, O sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? These are these are martyrs of God’s people. They were following after the Lord, and they were persecuted and martyred because of that. And they’re asking the question, God, when are you going to bring your justice? When are you going to heal the brokenness of this world? And when you read the book of Revelation, the first three chapters we saw together is written to the church in the here and now. It was it was very much a in that moment written. And then verse, verses four and five, it pulls back the curtain of heaven. It shows God ruling on his throne. And so then, in light of that, God’s people ask the question, okay, God, when are you going to reconcile the broken things of this world? When are you going to bring your justice against sinfulness? And then the rest of Revelation starts to unfold that story.
And then we get to the section that it gets starts to get intense, which is where we find ourselves together today. And when we come to a section of Scripture like this, I think it’s important for all of us to to not necessarily point and look at other people and anything like that, but really just look at ourselves and ask, where am I in my own relationship with the Lord? And in Galatians chapter six verse seven says this do not be deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever one sows that he will also reap. And so what he’s acknowledging is that you’re giving your life to something, and the fruit of that will be made known. Maybe not immediately now, but one day the fruit of that will be made known. And for us as human beings, it’s important to understand that the purpose for which you were created is, is only found in the Lord, and that we as human beings, we we walk in rebellion against God. We often war against the very one who created us for his purposes. And we as people are not free until we truly align our lives for the reason for which we were designed. Which means you don’t find your purpose by looking within you because you didn’t make you, but rather you’ve got to look beyond you. Sometimes I’ll compare it like this, that if I were to take a fish and throw it on land, or I were to take a monkey and throw it in the sea, and the monkey could look at us.
If a monkey could talk and say, you know what? I just want to do whatever I want. You can’t tell me what to do, right? I’m going swimming. And this monkey jumps in the sea and the same thing for the fish. And then you would look if you could talk back to animals. I know I’m getting weird here, but if you could talk back to animals, you would say, you silly fish, you foolish monkey. Right? Like that is not freedom. You weren’t made to be on the land, fish, and you were made to be in the sea monkey. It’s not until you put the fish in the water and the monkey in the tree that you truly see the freedom for which you were designed. That’s that’s how you were crafted. You belong there. And it’s the same thing for you and for me that we tend to shake our fist at God sometimes, whether we know that we do it intentionally or unintentionally, that we try to live life as if we’re the kings of our own world, fighting for the throne of our heart, not realizing our freedom was only truly found when it when it’s discovered in God. Because he’s the one that made us. So I’m not truly free until my life is given over to him. In Revelation chapter 14 and 15 is one of those chapters that reminds us of how critical this is, that we all need to have that defining moment of answering what? What are you about? What makes you you? Why do you do what you do? What drives you? And what is your heart ultimately given over to? And as we look at this chapter, really, we want to talk about really I thought about talking about this, this section as finding your defining moment.
Right? What is what is what’s going to define who you are, what’s going to determine because you’re going to you’re going to reap what you sow. Right. But rather than than just get the that that specific, I want to get to the end today and talk about communion with God. We’re going to see why I gave it this title instead as we work through this passage. But what does it look like for me to have communion with with God? Point number one in your notes is this remember who is in charge. Remember who is in charge. You’re not truly free until your life is given over to the one who created you for his purposes. You don’t find your freedom by looking deeper within you, but rather beyond you to your God. In revelation chapter 14, verse 14, it starts off by reminding us of this. It says, then I looked, John says, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud, one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, put your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe. So here comes this picture of the Son of Man who is about to reap the harvest of the earth. This is all the people that we’ve been discussing. We’ve seen this laid out in Revelation 12, 13 and 14. Right. 12 we talked about the dragon in chapter 13, the two beasts that follow the dragon, which is really represented by political power and false religion and and that people were bowing down to this, this beast in worship. And so that’s the the fallen, broken Babylonian world that will pass away. But then there’s the kingdom of God, represented in chapter 14, the very beginning by the 144,000, which is a picture of all of God’s people. Right? So you have all these people groups talked about. And now finally, the harvest is happening. But as John talks about this harvest, this judgment that’s to take place, he starts with the recognition of the authority of God. And when he paints this picture for us, he he describes him really in a way that we’ve seen very similar throughout the Bible over and over again. This started started in Daniel chapter seven, verse 13, where Jesus is described as the Son of man, the Son of Man, who will be the Messiah, the Redeemer, the rescuer.
And it describes him as one coming on the clouds, which is a picture of deity, that God is the one who comes on the cloud, that that goes all the way back to the book of Exodus, when God directed the children of Israel by by fire at night, by cloud by day. The cloud is symbolic of the the presence of God even in the temple of God. It said that the the glory of God was made known. The cloud of God hovered over the temple. And so here you see the the glory of God made known as God. He comes into this world for, for, for judgment. And you see his authority as he sits on his throne with a golden crown on his head. And so Daniel, chapter seven, verse 13 paints this picture. And then even when you get into the Gospels, Jesus told his disciples in Matthew chapter 24 that he would return in this way. Or when you get to Matthew chapter 26, when Jesus is put on trial by the religious leaders and they begin to accuse Jesus and mock Jesus, and and they kept asking Jesus, tell us who you are. And Jesus was silent. And finally the high priest requests, he tells of Christ, declare to us who you are. And Jesus says to him, you shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds.
And this is where the high priest tore his robe, cries out, blasphemy! And they begin to spit and beat, and Jesus, and then take him to the cross. They understood that this was a claim of deity and what Christ was saying, that he ultimately is declaring deity. And then and he has the authority. And here in in John, John or excuse me, Revelation John is repeating this idea to us. The one of ultimate authority is coming, and he will judge, and he is a good judge. He is a holy judge. He is a righteous judge. So the thought of God’s judgment is a very sobering idea for us. Maybe leading us to ask the question, what will you do before a holy God? Where is your heart before him? What are you currently sowing? What will you reap on this day? It’s not something to take lightly. I mean, you see why Jonathan Edwards is looking at a passage like this would call it sinners in the hands of an angry God. One day we will meet God face to face. It tells you in in Hebrews chapter nine, verse 27, it’s appointed a man once to die. After that comes the judgment. And what will you do? Let me ask you theological question. You don’t have to answer this out loud. In fact, I’ll just encourage you not to because you might get it wrong. So is it possible to disappoint God? You talk about the judgment of God.
It’s. I think it’s an important thing to consider. Is it is it possible to disappoint God? And theologians, biblical theologians would answer that. Different than I think most people would answer that. I think the typical person would probably answer that. Yes. And then the motive of their life would be. But that’s why I came today, right? Because, like, I got to do enough good things so that God overlooks my bad things and I hope I’ve done enough. So he’s not disappointed in me. But let me just kind of squeak into heaven, right? Like we might think of it like that. But but I want you to know, from a biblical worldview, it is impossible to disappoint God. And the reason for that is also what makes the gospel incredible. Credible because the idea of disappointing God is saying that I will do something in my behavior that will surprise God. Now, it is true that that people will disappoint you and you will disappoint people. Because we have these expectations of each other, we don’t always faithfully fulfill those. But I want you to know, when it comes to your life, there is nothing that you’re going to do that’s going to disappoint God, because God already knows everything you’re going to do before you do it anyway. But that’s what makes the gospel so incredible that knowing all the terrible things you may have done in your life, knowing the things you might even have done, getting to church this morning.
Right? Like how your family handled getting ready today or or what might happen from here when we leave. God knew it all and he still chose to love you. That’s what Romans five eight says. He demonstrates his love towards us. And while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, that he pursued us and still gave everything for us by giving his life on our behalf, that we can find freedom in him. So it’s it’s impossible to to disappoint God. But it’s it’s also important that we just ask the question, who’s really in charge of my life? Where is my where is my heart surrendered? Do I really find freedom in him so that we can get to point number two so we can remember what he will do? Very simple points today. Who’s in charge? Point number two, what he will do. And in verse 16 it goes on from there. And it begins to describe as this the Son of Man. He comes with the sickle ready to harvest. Verse 16. So he sat down on the cloud, swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar. The angel who was has authority over the fire. And he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, put it in your sickle, and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for it is great.
Its grapes are ripe. Verse 19. So the angel swung his sickle across the earth, and gathered, gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God, and the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the wine press as high as the horse’s bridle for 1600 stadia. Just this last verse. If you’re wondering what this is talking about with Stadia and Horses bridles, what it’s saying is this blood flowed at four foot deep and almost 200 miles long, and this is a river of blood being described here. So this is a very serious idea of judgment taking place here. But when you look at this, this judgment, it’s important for us to consider how this judgment is taking place. In fact, there’s a little bit of debate as to how this story is unfolding and why it’s being told the way it’s being told. What you see in verse 16, the first harvest that’s taking place is actually the wheat and barley harvest. This this usually is at the end of the summer and to the beginning of fall. Wheat and barley harvest. And then the second harvest by the the second angel in verse 17 and 18. This, this is the the grape harvest. This or excuse me, the. Yeah, the grape harvest. And this usually takes place at the beginning of the year in the late spring or early summer.
And so you have here you have these, these harvests taking place all of the, the harvest year being described here. And so both of these harvests, you have the, the wheat, barley and you have the grape. These two pictures become very important to, to understanding communion with God here in a little bit. But don’t, don’t, don’t lose sight of this. Two different harvests. The idea of wheat and barley and the idea of grape. But what’s interesting when you look at these harvests, some have asked the question, who is this harvest coming against? Right? And verse 16, you don’t really see Roth talked about, but rather God’s harvest made known this wheat and the barley. And so some people read verse 14 to 16 and think, this is the harvest of believers. This is God gathering his people. And then they go on and read verse 17 and on to, to, to the end of this chapter. And they see this, this grape harvest. And they think, well, this must be unbelievers, because, well, it’s talking about God’s wrath being poured out. So there’s two different harvests, the harvest of God’s people and those that don’t want to belong to the Lord. But God is in charge of bringing both of this harvest. But here’s something unique. And this is where much of the debate happens. When you look at this, this harvest, it’s very clear in the first harvest that it’s the Son of Man swinging the sickle.
And this is what it told us in verse 14. It introduces the Son of Man. The angel says, swing the sickle, and he sits down on the cloud and on the throne, and he swings the sickle, and there’s the harvest. It’s very interesting how quickly this harvest takes place is just one swing of God’s sickle. And it’s this. It’s this reminder for all of us when it comes to to us meeting God face to face. You don’t know how much time you’ve got, but it’s just one swing of the sickle. And you could be before the presence of the Lord. Right? So you certainly see the Son of Man. Swinging that first sickle. But then when you read in verse 1718, you see this interaction from from two angels here and now rather than the Son of Man swinging the sickle, it’s the angels swinging the sickle. And the question people ask when they read a passage like this is, why is the angel swinging the sickle? Why is it clearly saying the angels swinging the sickle in this section? But but it was the Son of Man in the first part. Why wouldn’t it be the Son of Man, Jesus swinging the sickle in both places? I think John intentionally carries for us a mystery here, because I think John doesn’t specifically define the the idea of what the sickle is coming against, because he knows there’s also opportunity for God’s grace.
And what I mean by this is you could read through this and think, okay, he’s obviously just bringing his judgment against unbelievers. Those that that are opposed to, to Jesus don’t embrace Jesus. He’s bringing his judgment. But others say, well, perhaps, perhaps that could be true. But perhaps the reason the Son of Man isn’t talked about in this passage is because the angels are actually swinging the sickle of judgment against the Son of Man. Maybe in this passage, it’s the Son of Man that’s enduring the wrath. And. And when you begin to study the idea of God’s wrath throughout the Old Testament, you discover there’s actually a place for that repeated over and over again. For example, in this particular section of the Bible, John is quoting from Joel chapter three, specifically verse 13. And if you read in Joel verse 13, you discover God’s talking about his wrath being poured out against people. But then when you read the rest of Joel chapter 13, you discover God also talks about redemption and forgiveness in him. You can read about the idea of God pouring out his wrath in Isaiah 51. He talks about his wrath being poured out in verse 17. And then in verse 22, he then talks about, rather than pouring out the fullness of his wrath. In chapter 52 and 53, he presents to us a messiah who will become our substitute. He says the same thing again to us in Isaiah 61.
That God’s wrath will be poured out. But again, the story of redemption is is made known, or excuse me not Isaiah 61, Isaiah 63 A God’s redemption is is made known. John is describing for us vividly the judgment of God, right? Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked for whatever you sow, that he will also reap. And so you see the the reaping of this. But the question for us is what? What is embracing this judgment? You know, it’s also interesting is when you study the idea of God’s judgment as it As it relates to his cup of wrath from the from the grapes. If you look in the Gospel of John, in John chapter 15, Jesus in this story relates to himself as being the vine. And this is on the backdrop of Jesus having just celebrated communion with his disciples. If you remember in in the Gospel of John, starting in John 13, Jesus goes into the upper room with his disciples, and John 13 he he breaks bread with them. He has communion with them. This and and then just a few chapters later, now in John 15, he refers to himself as that vine, that grape, symbolically communion, representing for us the Jesus who pours out his body. For for us he he is absorbing the wrath of God. When you think about that, that idea, and then you consider it in the book of Revelation.
What’s amazing to me in Revelation chapter seven, if you remember, this is the first time we’re introduced to the 144,000 144,000 is a picture of all of God’s people. We’ve talked about this together. He says in verse four, I heard the number of the sealed 144,000 sealed from from every tribe of the sons of Israel. But then he goes on and describes not just Israel as being 144,000. He goes on in verse nine, after this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all the tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white robes. White robes are symbolic of purity, being cleansed by the Lord with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice. Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the lamb. If you remember in the gospel stories and Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the the, the week he was going to be crucified. Bible tells us Jesus traveled into Jerusalem on the back of a of a donkey. And as he was going into Jerusalem, he was presenting himself as the final Passover lamb, the lamb who would take away the sins of the world. That’s how John introduced him in John chapter one, verse 29. And as Jesus was journeying into Jerusalem, the crowd sees him and starts chanting, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
And they’re waving these palm branches in celebration at Passover. The true lamb has come to liberate us, to free us from the wrath of God, to forgive us of our sins. And now, in Revelation chapter seven, you see the people of God doing the same thing before the presence of the Lord, celebrating who he is. Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Salvation belongs to the lamb. It’s this Lamb of God who becomes our substitute. And as you look at Revelation chapter seven, the reason I bring this up is because when you turn to revelation chapter 14, which is where we are. Revelation chapter 14 begins with 144,000 before the Lord, all of of God’s people in celebration. And what’s unique is when you turn to chapter 15, having looked at the 144,000. Revelation chapter 15, verse one, it reminds us, let me give you this last point to remember his redemption. Remember his redemption. When you look at Revelation chapter 15, you see God’s people again, this 144,000, this picture of God’s people, it says, then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last. For for with them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire, and also those who had conquered the beast in its image, and the number of its name standing beside the sea of glass, with harps of God in their hands.
And listen what it says. They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the lamb, saying, great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship you. For your righteous acts have been revealed. There’s singing before the Lord, the song of Moses. Now Revelation chapter seven was looking to Jesus triumphal entry, right? The final moment, the Lamb of God takes away the sins of the world. But Revelation 14, when it talks about the 144,000 and it talks about their song. They talk about the song of Moses. And if you study the Song of Moses, this comes in Exodus chapter 15. Exodus chapter 15. The song of Moses is given to us, and the reason the Song of Moses exists is because of the Exodus being made known. And if you know anything about the book of Exodus, this is where the children of Israel, God’s people, are slaves to the Egyptians, and God continues to say them over and over. Let my people go. Let my people go. And Pharaoh refuses. The Egyptians refuse. And so God continues to bring these judgments until he finally brings the Last Judgment, the 10th plague, which is death to the firstborn. And God says to the people of Israel, if you would take a lamb and sacrifice that lamb, and use that lamb as a substitute for your life, and take its blood and spread it over the doorposts of your house, when the death angel comes through the land, it will pass by or pass over your home.
You apply the blood of the lamb to your house And the death angel will pass by you. And this became a picture that Israel celebrated every year, the Passover. That if you would apply the blood of the lamb to your life, the death angel would pass by you. Jesus ultimately being the Lamb of God. John 129 who takes away the sins of the world. When? When Israel was finally, finally liberated from their slavery with Egypt. It tells us that they went to the Red sea and they were trapped. If you know the story, they’re crying out to God, and God parts the sea and they walk through to the Promised Land. They’re liberated not just from the brokenness of their past, but they’re stepping into the presence of God, the promises of God. And when they cross that Red sea, the people of Israel, during that Passover celebration, that time period, they sing the song of Moses of praise to their God. And when you look at Revelation chapter 15, this is exactly what’s happening, just as you saw in chapter seven. They, they they celebrate with the palm branches. The ultimate lamb who came.
Now, in chapter 15, they’re going all the way back to the time of Exodus, when the first Passover celebration is being made known. And they’re reminding themselves of the liberation of God, that great exodus. Because ultimately, here in this chapter, they’re recognizing that the picture from from Egypt to the Promised Land was a was symbolic of the greater picture of deliverance God wants to bring to all of his people, that we would go from the brokenness of our life, the brokenness of this world, on this greatest greater Exodus journey into the promises of God because of what Jesus has done. In fact. On the night in which Jesus was betrayed, if you remember in Luke chapter 22, verse 20, he took the cup of the covenant, saying, this cup is the covenant of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me. You know, when Jesus is saying this to his disciples, he’s sitting around celebrating the Passover with them, knowing that he is that Passover lamb, that they’re they’re they’re cherishing their roots of the Passover with. Now, here they are doing what Jews do every year and celebrating that Passover during Passover season. And now Jesus is saying to them very clearly that he is that lamb. You know, it’s interesting when they would they would celebrate that, that that Passover celebration, that there during the supper time, there were four cups that they would drink from. And the Jews symbolically took this, these four cups from, from the Exodus story.
In fact, it was Exodus chapter six on the promises that God gave his people. And so during this Passover celebration, Jews drink from four cups, and each one of those cups represents something based on the promises of God. And if you look in Exodus six verse six, he says this I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, sanctification being set apart, the promises of God going from slavery into freedom. It’s not just about what you’re leaving, but also who you’re becoming. This idea of being set apart. Then they had cup number two. He says, I will deliver you from from slavery to them, which is God’s judgment. God’s bringing his judgment against sin. God’s bringing his judgment against his righteous. Sometimes judgment is a bad thing. Sometimes judgment is a good thing. Depends on what side of judgment you’re on. But for God’s people, this was liberation. God’s judgment brought liberation. And then the third Cup, he says, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with a great act of judgment. This is a cup of redemption. The idea of redemption is being purchased from something for something. Redemption is a word used to buy slaves off a slave market. Whenever a slave was purchased, the the purchaser would would get a receipt stamp that said redeem purchased off the market. And when Jesus is thinking about you and me, we are a slave to sin, Satan and death, the wrath of God being made known.
And now we’re finding in this, this Passover celebration, there is redemption. There is freedom. We’re we’re bought from that. And for something greater. And here’s what’s powerful, guys. When Jesus sat around the table having Passover with his disciples, the Bible tells us that Jesus never drank the fourth cup. In fact, the Bible tells us that when when they had finished the third cup, they got up from the table and they went out to pray and they were singing the Hallel, the songs of God. This is very customary for the Jews. They were singing the songs of redemption, and they never returned to have that fourth cup. But you know what? Jesus also promises us when we partake of communion. We read it every time we do this once a month as a church, we do this. Jesus said that that we will drink the cup new with him in His kingdom. That last cup is the cup of praise, and we get to the end of Revelation. We’ll partake of communion together then, because we’re going to talk about the the marriage supper of the lamb. But it’s that final cup of being with God’s people. It’s being in the presence of the Lord. It’s celebrating what the lamb has done for you and for me. I think it’s so incredible for us to consider that Jesus never finished his dinner with his people, but his desire is to drink it new with you in his kingdom, face to face.
As you look at Revelation chapter 14 and 15, I am not confident one way or the other in the verse 17 to 20, if if that angel is referring to people, or if that angel is looking to the lamb. But I think John leaves it ambiguous on purpose, and I think the reason he does that is so that we would consider before the lamb. Who’s going to pay for our life? Will it be you rebelling against God? Living for your own purposes and glory? Or will it be him, the true vine, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, not simply to just escape the wrath of God, but to recognize that God calls us into freedom in him. To live for something more, something greater. To define who I am. To commune with God intimately because Jesus is more than enough. And when we discover that, we realize in our gathering this morning, we’re we’re not here because, well, I don’t want to disappoint God. We’re here because a great God didn’t give up on us. And and he gave everything that we could have freedom in him. He redeemed us with his life, and we have the gift to know him and to live for him, because we’ve never been loved the way that Jesus has loved us to. To the extent that he gave his very life, that we could find our liberation because of what Christ has done.
Let me close with this. There’s a there’s a man by the name of William Borden. He’s actually he looks a little bit older in this picture. I think he’s somewhere around 25 years old. But he was the heir to the Borden name, the the family that owned all of the milk products. If you’ve ever seen this, you know Borden milk, right? And as a young man, he graduated at 16 years old. And as at his graduation, his parents gave him the gift of being able to travel the world. So at 16, he graduated and he went on a world trip. And when he finally came home he came to his parents and said, you know, the Lord used that trip to work on him, and he actually wanted to give his life to follow the Lord. And his parents were not pleased with his decision because he wanted to to not follow after the the Borden family name and path and take on all the the responsibility of that. But rather he wanted to go serve Jesus. But when he made that decision on that world tour, he opened up the back of his Bible, and at the top of his Bible he wrote no reserve. He eventually went on to to Yale University and at Yale University. He lamented how humanistic the teaching was. There a university that was once birthed to teach about Christ is now teaching human philosophy, and out of his frustration, he decided to encourage the student body to follow after the Lord.
And he began a Bible study where students were meeting and praying together and studying the Bible regularly. That by the time he graduated, over 75% of the student body were actively meeting in Bible studies weekly. When he graduated from school, his parents offered him a job with a company making a good bit of money, but he turned it down and told his parents again. He still wanted to follow after the Lord with his life and his parents disappointed in him, didn’t matter. He opened up the back of his Bible, and at the top of top of that he wrote no Retreat. He went on to to Princeton University, got his Master’s of Divinity degree, and during that time he felt the Lord was leading him to to China to be a missionary. And specifically, he wanted to work with a muslim population within China. And to do that, he knew he needed to learn Arabic. So before he went to to China to serve as a missionary, he actually stopped in Egypt to, to learn Arabic to to minister to the people in China. But while in Egypt, he contracted meningitis and died 25 years old. He passed away. His his desire to follow Jesus was such an impactful desire that newspaper articles when he left to to to go to Egypt, wrote on the front pages of their newspapers this young man who gave up everything in order to pursue the Lord.
There was a lady by the name of Mary Taylor who wrote, I think it’s called Borden of Yale. It’s an autobiography of his life. Just a couple of decades after he died. But she posed this question in her book, she said, was his life a waste? It’s noted that just before he passed away in Egypt, he again opened his Bible to the very back where he had written no reserve, no retreat. And he wrote these words no regrets. Mary Taylor’s conclusion when she posed the question, was his life a waste? Was to simply remark, absolutely not, because he used his life for the very purpose for which it was created, to know God and to glorify him. Guys, can I just encourage you? It’s not about the quantity of your life that matters, but the quality of your life and the true quality of your life is only discovered when you find it in its purpose for which it was created and not just created, but also recreated in a messiah who gave everything by bearing the wrath of God in your place, that you could find freedom in him. That cup that Jesus symbolically put before his people was a cup that reminded us of the wrath of God. A cup that Jesus drank deeply. In fact, that’s what it said to us in Luke chapter 22.
Jesus in the garden prayed that prayer. Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done. Jesus knows that it is a cup of wrath, but he is willing to drink that cup so that you and I can find liberation in him and enjoy the presence of God forever. When you look at Revelation chapter 14 and 15, it is a sobering text, but it’s important to remember that God is also a holy God, and he will judge. And in that judgment God desires for you to find liberation which only he can bring through the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Can I just encourage you this morning if you don’t know where you are in the Lord? It’s very simple for us because Jesus paid everything that we come to God humbly and we just confess. God, I know I’m a sinner and God I know judgment comes with sin. But Lord, thank you for standing in my place. God, thank you for bearing the punishment on the cross that only I deserved. Thank you for not giving up on me. God, thank you for loving me so that not only am I walking away from this wrath, but God, I’m stepping into your grace forever.