Video and notes of a sermon preached on the morning of Sunday, 9th June, 2024 at Holy Trinity, Norwich.

On Palm Sunday, 2017, bombers destroyed two historic Coptic churches in Egypt.  Nearly 50 parishioners were killed and 100 others were injured.  Just hours after the blast, Father George stood before his packed congregation and delivered ‘A message to those who kill us’:

‘Thankyou,’ he said.  Thankyou, because you have given the dead the honour of dying as Christ died; because the victims are now with Christ, which is better by far; because your actions have made people mindful of their eternal destinies.  Father George added: ‘We love you, and we are praying for you.’

Billy was born into a devout Muslim family in Mogadishu, Somalia.  Out of curiosity, he started reading the Bible alongside his Koran.  After three years, he converted to Christianity.  Six years later, he met his first Christian Somali.  Together, they started an underground church.  Their little gathering was discovered by the authorities.  One by one, 12 of the 14 members were murdered.  None of the killers was ever prosecuted.  But through the efforts of Billy and the other survivor, together with the testimony of those who had been martyred, the church there has continued to quietly grow.

Kim Eun Jin was born into a rarity in North Korea – a Christian family.  At school she was taught that there is no God and that people should worship the country’s leaders.  But on Saturday nights the family would gather for whispered worship and Bible reading.  Kim’s father would always remind his family that they might pay a high price for following Jesus.  One day, he himself was arrested and taken away.  Kim never saw him again.  She and the rest of her family eventually escaped North Korea.

“I grew up in a land where they said there was no God.  But my father told me otherwise. He loved Christ and for that he died.” Her dream is to return to Pyongyang to share the love of Christ. “We are getting ready for that day when the doors open,” she says.

(Source)

Here in the UK, attitudes towards the Christian faith have passed through three phases during the lifetime of many of us here this morning.  The first phase was largely positive: the church, its ministers and members, were regarded with respect.  The second phase was neutral: Christianity was one choice among many, and it didn’t matter too much which choice you made.  But now we have entered a third phase – a negative phase: our culture is becoming increasingly hostile toward those who name Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Get ready to join Father George, Billy and Kim and the 365 million other Christians worldwide who are experiencing high levels of persecution and discrimination.

Get ready to immerse yourself once again in the strange and wonderful world of the Apocalypse (or Revelation), which was written for just such a time as this.

Get ready to watch as seven angels pour out seven bowls of God’s wrath:

1. Painful and disfiguring disease, v2;
2. Deadly pollution of the sea, v3;
3. Contamination of rivers and springs, v4;
4. Scorching heat, vv8-9;
5. Blanket of darkness, v10;
6. Gathering of the forces of evil for battle, vv12-14;
7. The collapse of the forces of evil, vv17-21.

What is going on here?

This is what was written about by the apostle Paul, in Rom 1:18 – ‘The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness’.

This is God ‘giving people over’ to the consequences of their own sinful choices, v24, 26.

This is what was spoken of by our Lord, when he said, ‘nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains,’ Mt 24:8

This is God gearing up for a final showdown with evil, and ushering in ‘a new heaven and a new earth’ (Rev 21:1).

The time is fast approaching when God will put all wrongs to right.

Therefore:

(i) Be assured.  In ch. 4-7 seven seals were opened.  In ch 8-14 seven trumpets sounded.  Now, the contents of seven bowls are poured out.

There is a sense of finality about these bowls of wrath: 15:1 – ‘the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed’.

‘This is the very last and final call.’

Be assured that the present situation will not go on for ever.  ‘In keeping with God’s promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.’ (2 Pet 3:13).

(ii) Be prayerful.  Think back to 5:8 – ‘golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.’  Rev 6:10 – ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’.

Lk 18 – Jesus’ story about a persistent widow – ‘to show them they should always pray and not lose heart.’  “Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice speedily.”

Do you long for justice?  Be prayerful.

(iii) Be patient.  Why doesn’t God answer our prayers for justice now?  There is a hint in 15:4 – ‘Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name?… All nations will come and worship before you.’

2 Pet 3:9 – ‘The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is being patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’

Do we share his longing for yet more from every nation, tribe, people and language to stand before his throne in glad adoration?  Be patient.

(iv) Be warned. – The sufferings of this life are God’s megaphone to rouse a slumbering world.  But there is a danger is that our ears become deaf, and our hearts hardened.

16:9 – ‘They blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory… v11 – They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings…, but nevertheless they still refused to repent of their deeds.’

‘All the while thou delayest, God is more provoked, the wicked one more encouraged, thy heart more hardened, thy debts more increased, thy soul more endangered, and all the difficulties of conversion more and more multiplied upon thee, having a day more to repent of, and a day less to repent in’ (George Swinnock).

Do you need to hear the urgent call of Scripture? – Heb 3:15 – “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”  You have been warned.

(v) Be vigilant, 16:15 – Jesus speaks: “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake.”

This is repeated by Paul (1 Thess 5:2), Peter (2 Pet 3:10) and our Lord himself (Mt 24:44).

Have you ever been caught napping?  I have!

Just before the evening service, Robert Murray McCheyne posed this question to the church elders: “Do you think that the Lord will return tonight?”  One by one, they all answered: “No.”  Then he announced the text of his sermon – Mt 24:42, “Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”

Be ready.  Be alert.  Be vigilant.

(vi) Be peaceable – 16:5f – “You are just in these judgments, for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”

God will avenge his suffering people.  Therefore they don’t need to avenge themselves.

Rom 12:18f – ‘Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.’  The positive side is, ‘If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.’

You know that peace, in biblical thinking, is not simply the absence of hostility: it is the presence of wholeness and wellbeing.  And, just as the plagues in this chapter are not only personal and physical in their effects, but also political, economic, and environmental, so also should be the breadth of our peace-making.

‘Blessed are the peacemakers.’  Be peaceable.

(vii) Be joyful, 15:3f – ‘The song of Moses and the song of the Lamb’. It is sung by ‘those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name.’

The song says nothing about the exploits of the redeemed.  It focusses entirely on God’s exploits on their behalf.

‘If you want to be discouraged, look within. If you want to be defeated, look back. If you want to be distracted, look around. But if you want to be delivered, look up.’ (Source unknown)

Heb 12:2f ‘Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.’

The time is fast approaching when God will put all wrongs to right.  And he will do so with utter truthfulness and absolute justice.  A great motive for faithfulness.  A wonderful stimulus for joy.