Blessed Are the Dead

1
Blessed Are the Dead

• Revelation 1413

2
Introduction

• Bad day?
• Difficult circumstances?
• Overwhelmed with problems

3
First-Century Christians

• Nothing that happens to us today even remotely
  compares to the problems faced by the
  first-century Christians

4
In Johns Day

• Christians were targeted by all sorts of
  oppression.
• Jobs, property, ridicule in the streets, beaten
  with great ceremony
• Thrown into the arenas for sport
• All because they were Christians!
• Those were problems. That was trouble!

5
In Johns Day

• How did it happen?
• The Roman government lifted up its hands against
  the Christians
• It was employed by the BEAST, Satans messenger.
• The purpose was to incite the Roman citizens to
  persecute the church!

6
Rome

• False prophets and teachers helped.
• They had to affirm loyalty and allegiance to Rome
• Emperors declared themselves to be Gods.
• Burning incense in their temples confirmed ones
  loyalty to Caesar!

7
The Christians

• Remembered the teaching of the gospel.
• Ephesians 44-6
• Refused to bow and pay homage to Caesar.
• No longer considered to be good citizens, but
  insurrectionists and traitors.
• Rebellious and a threat to Rome.

8
The Christians

• Remember the church at Ephesus
• Acts 2028-31
• False brethren would complicate the situation
• Gnostic teaching
• Things done in the body have no effect on the
  soul.
• BURN THE INCENSE!

9
The Christians

• What did they do?
• How do you live your life?
• How do you get from there to here?
• Motivation?
• Our text is a needed exhortation and
  remindereven for us!

10
Who Is Being Addressed?

• These are the ones who were not defiled with
  women, for they are virgins. These are the ones
  who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were
  redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God
  and to the Lamb

11
Who Is Being Addressed?

• And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they
  are without fault before the throne of God.
  Revelation 144,5
• Christians
• Those who had been redeemed by their obedience to
  the gospel.

12
What Did They Want to Know?

• Did God recognize the slaughter that was
  occurring?
• Did He see their persecution?
• Did He care?
• What was He going to do?
• When would He do it?

13
Gods Response

• Then I saw another angel flying in the midst
  of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to
  preach to those who dwell on the earth--to every
  nation, tribe, tongue, and peoplesaying with a
  loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for
  the hour of His judgment has come Revelation
  146,7

14
Gods Judgment

• Then a third angel followed them, saying with a
  loud voice, If anyone worships the beast and his
  image, and receives his mark on his forehead or
  on his hand.
• Revelation 149

15
Gods Judgment

• He himself shall also drink of the wine of the
  wrath of God, which is poured out full strength
  into the cup of His indignation. He shall be
  tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence
  of the holy angels and in the presence of the
  Lamb. Revelation 1410

16
Gods Judgment

• And the smoke of their torment ascends forever
  and ever and they have no rest day or night, who
  worship the beast and his image, and whoever
  receives the mark of his name. Revelation 1411
• What about the faithful when this occurswhat
  happens to them?

17
Our Text

• Here is the patience of the saints here are
  those who keep the commandments of God and the
  faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven
  saying to me, Write Blessed are the dead who
  die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the
  Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and
  their works follow them. Revelation 1412,13

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Our Purpose

• Glean from this text the message of hope and
  comfort.
• A much-needed and relevant message of hope and
  encouragement. Needed by saints in all ages, in
  every part of the world!

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A Voice From Heaven

• We hear mens voices everyday
• Obituary columns in newspapers
• To families were they members of Christs body?
  Faithful?
• Does not matter to them!
• Dont confuse mens voices with Gods!

20
WriteYea, Saith the Spirit

• The Bible writers did not just write anything
  they desired.
• God controlled the message.
• They were inspired.
• 2 Peter 120,21
• 2 Corinthians 29-13
• Ephesians 33-5

21
WriteYea, Saith the Spirit

• Who better understood this than the apostle John?
• The Spirit would teach and bring all things to
  their remembrance. John 1426
• Would testify of Him. John 1526
• Would show all things to come and reveal all
  truth. John 1613

22
Cursed

• Contrast between Blessed and Cursed.
• Revelation 1410,11
• Other passages
• Matthew 2546
• 2 Peter 37
• 2 Thessalonians 17-9
• Revelation 2013-15 218

23
The Blessed

• Fate of the blessedRevelation 1413
• Other passages
• Matthew 2534,46
• John 141-3
• Romans 81
• Ephesians 13
• Colossians 15
• 1 Thessalonians 413-18
• 2 Timothy 48

24
Blessed Are the Dead

• One day we will die!
• Hebrews 927
• 1 Corinthians 1522
• Romans 512
• How?
• When?
• DONT KNOW!

25
Who Die in the Lord From Henceforth

• Eternal blessings await those who die in the
  Lord.
• Those Christians needed this message so do we!
• It gives great comfort and hope to the living!
• Faithful Christians who die have this promise.

26
That They May Rest From Their Labors

• True rest from the toils of this life.
• Sometimes the burdens of life make us weary.
• We dare not despair or surrender.
• We must continue to labor our time of rest is
  yet to come.

27
Their Works Do Follow Them

• The Christian Life is a life of
  work.
• Work is more than assembling with the saints.
• We must diligently work until the end.
• If we dont work, therell be no true rest at the
  end!

28
Their Works Do Follow Them

• What does this mean?
• Works accompany the saved into Gods presence,
  attesting that they have pursued His labors.
• As they pass from this life, their works testify
  of their faithfulness to the generations that
  follow.

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Concluding Thoughts

• Preaching funerals, how I hope, feel, believe and
  wish they are truly at rest.
• Always sought to prepared the living for this
  event in their own life.
• One day, Ill leave the scenewhat will my
  record show?