Each of us will face an end sometime, we need to be prepared. To be able to stand before God and His throne, Jesus is the most important.
Rev 14 :1-5 speaks about those who remain with Jesus all the way to the end and those who have chosen only Jesus. These are the people who have been redeemed not by human power but by following the Lamb wherever He goes.
Where is our salvation found? Only Jesus. Who are the ones who will remain in Jesus and follow Him to the end?
1. The holy seed
(Isa 6:9 [ESV2011]) And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
There is one prevalent sign of the end time that is already taking place in people. That is, they will hear the Word, but they will not understand it. Even when they hear sermons, it’s only for that moment (Isaiah 6:8-13). As were the days of Noah, daily living, business, work, eating, drinking and marriage come before God so they do not understand (Matthew 24:37-39). No matter how much they heard the Word, there is no repentance, no action (Ezekiel 12:1-3).
But the holy seed are the ones who will understand the Word; the chosen of God will be given the grace to hear, to understand, and follow the Word to the end. Even when the whole world burns away, the stump will remain, and that’s the holy seed (Isaiah 6:13).
Believe that God has given you that privilege, that blessing to hear and understand. And He also says go declare to the house of Israel (Ezekiel 40:2-4). How do we become that remnant, the holy seed? Rom 11:1-10 tells us it’s by God’s grace that He allows us to hear, therefore we need to seek for God’s grace.
2. Ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes
(Rev 14:4 [ESV2011]) It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb,
It’s not going to be easy to follow wherever He goes. Let us ask Jesus how we can do it.
(1) Matthew 4:19-22
(Matt 4:20 [ESV2011]) Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
(Matt 4:22 [ESV2011]) Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
We cannot follow Jesus unless we have the faith of only Jesus. Do you see so much value in following Jesus that you can leave everything? They left the boat and followed Jesus immediately.
(2) Matthew 8:19-23
(Matt 8:22 [ESV2011]) And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Jesus is not saying that we should give up our filial duties or be irresponsible. Jesus is saying if you follow Me, you need to learn to distinguish the works of the living, and the works of death. We have to choose God’s Will over our attachment and feelings.
(3) Matthew 16:24-28
(Matt 16:24 [ESV2011]) Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
(Matt 16:25 [ESV2011]) For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Jesus says: deny yourselves and even give up our life.
(4) Matthew 19:27-30
(Matt 19:28 [ESV2011]) Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
(Matt 19:29 [ESV2011]) And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
Jesus says follow Him until the regeneration comes and when He is sitting on His glorious throne, all the way to the end. Again, it is not teaching us to abandon our family. But Jesus is saying, do not let even your family members drag you away from Him.
(5) Mark 10:21-31
Jesus says to the rich young ruler, sell all your possessions and follow Me, to receive eternal life.
(6) Luke 9:23-27
(Luke 9:23 [ESV2011]) And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Daily, I need to live a life denying myself, taking up my cross, and meeting Jesus.
(7) John 1:43-51
(John 1:48 [ESV2011]) Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Jesus already saw us. He knows us, He knows our weaknesses. He is the one who will make sure we follow Him.
(8) John 8:12
(John 8:12 [ESV2011]) Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jesus is saying I am the Light, you follow Me and you will see. When we see this Light, when we have a taste of this eternal life that God is promising us, we will happily give up everything on this earth.
(9) John 10:27-29
(John 10:29 [ESV2011]) My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
He will make sure. We’re in His hand.
(10) John 12:26
(John 12:26 [ESV2011]) If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
(11) John 13:36-38
(John 13:36 [ESV2011]) Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”
Jesus already knows that we will fall, we will deny Him. But Jesus will make it possible for us to follow Him even after we deny Him. It is not by our strength but by His grace.
3. Conclusion
Let us seek to follow the One who says to us: if you want to follow Me you have to give up everything and leave your sin behind. Let us choose real salvation. Let us have only Jesus in our life, only Jesus in this church.
AMEN
