“Hope for Sinners”

 

Revelation 22:17 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

 

Introduction – Seven churches long ago…

 

The words before us were first written for seven churches in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Yet they are words that are not just for 1st century Christians in one part of the world. They stretch forward and touch us hear in Exeter and some time ago Pastor Magee preached on this same text to a small group of Christians in Romania. This verse contains some of the final words of the Scriptures and they call us to live with our God and for our God.

 

This brief text speaks of three different people that say the word “Come.” The Spirit is saying, “Come,” the Bride is saying, “Come,” and there is one who hears, and he says, “Come.” Let us deal with them in order, and along the way consider the importance of this appeal.

 

The Spirit is saying, “Come.”

 

Who is designated by the title “the Spirit?”

 

By this word “spirit” the writer of Revelation is designating none other than the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead. While the Bible uses this same word at times to refer to the spirit that is within a person, in this place we are hearing of the entreaty of God the Holy Spirit. This is the One God promised to give to His people long ago when he said through the prophet Joel, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.” Peter referred to this same Spirit on the day of Pentecost when he preached to the assembled crowd from that passage in Joel. He explained to them that those words were being fulfilled as the Spirit of God came powerfully upon the disciples, causing them to speak of the great wonders of God in different languages.

 

It was this Spirit who came to a virgin when Jesus was conceived. This Spirit is not an impersonal force, but a very powerful person. It was by this Spirit of God that Jesus cast out demons with ease from those who were possessed. It is this same Spirit that Jesus said He would send to us – the One who would guide us into all truth. It is by this Spirit that we confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.

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