salutations (revelation 1:3-8)

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on January 13, 2013. It is the beginning of an expository study on the Book of Revelation, covering matters of introduction and the first phrase of 1:1.

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on January 20, 2013. It is the beginning of an expository study on the Book of Revelation and concludes matters of introduction.

This message, an exegesis of Revelation 1:1-2, was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on January 20, 2013. The exegesis of these two verses was the conclusion to Part 2 of the Introduction to Revelation miniseries.

This message, an exegesis of Revelation 1:3-8, was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on January 27, 2013.

This message, an exegesis of Revelation 1:9-20, was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on February 3, 2013. The focus is the first part of the 3-point outline given to John by the Lord Jesus Christ--"the things which thou hast seen." If the Bible student would just stick to the thematic outline of the Book of Revelation given by Jesus Christ (1:19), he would save himself a plethora of misunderstandings, complexities, and false teachings.

This sermon was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on March 12, 2023. The focus of this message is the LAST AMEN found in the Holy Scriptures, the very last word of the BIBLE. God told Israel to take every one of His WORDS seriously (Deuteronomy 32:46). The LORD keeps and preserves His WORDS (Psalm 12:6-7). We are to remember the WORDS of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 17). And there are dire consequences from adding to or subtracting from God's WORDS (Revelation 22:18-19). If it's the WORDS that are to be taken seriously, not just "the Word," then the Bible's very last word is certainly very important. AMEN. The first use of the word “Amen” in the Scriptures (Numbers 5:22) sets its tone, even unto its last use in the very last verse of the Bible. Amen is a very serious word and a dangerous word if spoken flippantly and lightly esteemed. However, when affirmed in truth and sincerity, it is a verbal declaration of the believer’s blessed hope, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament ends with a curse, but the New Testament ends with an Amen, “for all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (II Corinthians 1:20). Thus ends this long and detailed exegetical study of the Book of Revelation. To God be the glory!

This sermon was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on March 5, 2023. The focus of this message is the LAST BLESSING found in the Holy Scriptures and its relationship to the Bible’s FIRST BLESSING (Genesis 14:18-20). This relationship behooves us to consider types of blessings found in the Scriptures and some powerful examples thereof. A BLESSING is a wish or prayer imploring good fruit or benefit upon another. A blessing can be pronounced by God upon men, men upon God, and men upon men. Genesis 14:19 is an example of a BENEDICTION, a type of blessing rendered in response to something, an act of blessing or praise for favor. A benediction in Scripture can be pronounced upon men by God for their acts of faith (e.g. Solomon, Jehu, Josiah, Ebed-melech, etc.), or it can be pronounced upon the LORD by men for the great things He hath done. Genesis 14:20 is an example of another type of blessing, the DOXOLOGY. A doxology is a particular form of blessing or benediction ascribed to God alone. There are many great doxologies in the Bible, from the Song of Moses (Exodus 15) to the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-49) to the most important verse in the Bible (Revelation 4:11), doxologies that give glory to God for such things as only God can do. There is one last type of blessing that is unique to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Sermon on the Mount, a BEATITUDE. Beatitudes are declarations of blessedness made by Jesus the Saviour upon men of particular virtues. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Bible’s first blessing (Genesis 14:18-20) is what immediately follows Abram’s encounter with Melchizedek, God’s exhortation to him in Genesis 15:1: FEAR NOT. Let us so do with the Bible’s last blessing, reflect back upon its first blessing and FEAR NOT. When God’s Word says, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,” we can rest in this and “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

This sermon was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on February 26, 2023. The focus of this message is the LAST BLESSING found in the Holy Scriptures: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.” The last verse of the Bible contains a last blessing, the standard closing for all of Paul’s Epistles that John and his audiences in the seven churches of Asia Minor would have known well. The words grace, Lord, Jesus, and Christ are such pregnant and powerful words that all appear in this final blessing, and each of these is worthy of our careful attention. This concluding blessing of Revelation and, consequently, of the New Testament and the entire Bible, transcends space and time. The “you all” is as much to us in 2023 living in days of apostasy as it was to the churches of Asia Minor vexed by rising apostasy in their day at the close of the first century.

This sermon was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on February 19, 2023. The focus of this message is the LAST PRAYER found in the Holy Scriptures: “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” This last prayer begins with an AMEN, an affirmation to Christ’s final words in the first half of the verse (the last promise found in the Bible) and an affirmation that opens John’s petition for Christ to simply do as He hath said. The first prayer of the Bible can be found in Genesis 4:25-26 when men began to CALL upon the Lord. Such is the essence of the Bible’s last prayer, John calling upon the Lord to do what He said He is going to do. Let us not pray as the heathen, using mantras and vain repetitions (see Matthew 6:7). Let us call upon God; let us call upon the Lord Jesus; let us call upon the Name of Messiah. We don’t need another election here in America, another President, another political solution. We need the Messiah to come and rescue His Church from this madness. Interestingly, John’s prayer in Revelation 22:20b can be summed up in one single word found in I Corinthians 16:22—MARANATHA. We should make this cry a regular part of our discourse, a regular part of our prayers. “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

This sermon was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Claremont, NC on February 5, 2023. The focus of this message is the LAST PROMISE found in the Holy Scriptures, the very last of more than 3,500 Bible promises. These last words of promise are also the last red letter words of the New Testament, and they hearken to the substance of the Bible’s very first promise found in Genesis 3:15. The Bible’s first promise affirms the seed of the woman is coming. in the Bible’s last promise, the seed of the women affirms, “Surely, I come quickly.” The last promise of the Bible shouts loudly that God hasn’t forgotten the very first promise of the Bible. How then should we respond in these dark days when it seems the Lord bears long with us? Cry out to Him (Luke 18:7-8). Watch (Mark 13:31-37). Occupy (Luke 19:11-13). Stand in the gap for the land (Ezekiel 22:30-31). Be willing to stand alone (2 Samuel 23:8-12). Anchor yourself (Hebrews 6:13-20). God’s promises, first and last and everything in between, are truly an anchor for the soul.