The Heart That Cries, 'Come, Lord Jesus!' (Revelation 22:20)

Children's Lesson (click here)

I. What Inspires, “Come!”

Think with me about the heart behind these statements:

“Come just as soon as you can. The doctors are telling us she doesn't have much time.”

“Come as soon as you land. Since you're the guest of honor, the party won't start without you!”

“Come quickly. He's pounding on the door now and yelling. He's shouting threats.”

“Come right when you get off work. I've been dying to see you, beautiful.”

I think all of us recognize and can relate with the feelings described here, with each of the heart dispositions or states of mind that inspire the same summons; the same call: “Come!” But what about the summons or call in Revelation 22:20? What kind of heart inspires that cry? If you haven't done so already, turn over and look with me at Revelation 22.

II. The Passage: “Surely I am Coming Soon” (22:20)

The final verse of the final chapter of the final book of the Bible is Revelation 22:21, which says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.” You might recognize that as the formal post-script of a letter. Most of Paul's letters, for example, end with this same prayer for or blessing of “grace” in Jesus. But listen to the second to last verse of the final chapter of the final book of the Bible. As we'll see, this is in fact the last line of the book itself. We read in 22:20...

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Who is the one identified here as “testif[ying] to these things”? Well, the closing words of the verse answer that question. It's the “Lord Jesus”. And the book gives us two more confirmations of that identification. The first is that this book ends just as it began, with Jesus introducing himself as the Revelator. In the opening verse of the book (1:1) we learn that this is “the revelation of Jesus Christ”, and “He made it known...” (1:1). And a few verses later (in 1:5), John appropriately describes him as “the faithful witness”. Second, we also know Jesus is the testifier here in 22:20 because this verse marks the third time in the chapter that he's made this same declaration, “I am coming soon.” It's also found in 22:7 and 22:12. So in keeping with the biblical standard, these three statements represent three witnesses to Christ's very certain return.

But notice how the Apostle John, the scribe of this book, responds to that third declaration from Jesus regarding his imminent return. The first word of his response is familiar: “Amen”. That's a Hebrew word that communicates both an affirmation of truth, and a personal agreement or personal acceptance of that truth; something like, “that is true... therefore, let it be so”. So when John responds with “Amen”, he is confessing his faith in the fact that Jesus is coming back. He trusts that Jesus will do exactly what he has said. But more than that, he personally embraces the reality of Christ's return. That's evident in the second part of John's response. His profession of faith is followed by plea or petition in faith: “Come, Lord Jesus!” If John were to say or write this in his native Aramaic, he might say, marana tha (“O Lord, come!”).

Now, given everything we've seen in this Revelation, and in light of everything we've read this past year in the New Testament (NT), and with the entire Bible in mind, can you imagine a final line that is more fitting than this? Since Jesus Christ is at the center of everything God promised and fulfilled and will fulfill, why wouldn't we end the Revelation of God looking to him? And please don't miss this isn't simply an affirmation of right doctrine about the Second Coming. These final words represent not only the agreement of John's mind and the confession of John's mouth, but also, wonderfully, the cry of John's heart. “Come, Lord Jesus!”

But what about us? What about you? I feel very confident that most of you would agree with and publicly confess the truth about Christ's return. But what about your heart? Does it resonate with John's? I'm ashamed to admit that, too often, mine does not. If I'm honest, I do want Jesus to come... someday. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But someday. But that desire isn't this. That heart is not the heart that truly cries, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Now, I think it's really important to also point out that not everyone who actually cries out, “Come, Lord Jesus” necessarily has the same heart that John has. You see, when we suffer, sometimes we desire escape and relief more than we desire God and his will. Thus the person who prays, “Come, Lord Jesus” simply as (or merely as) a prayer for escape and relief is not praying like John prays here.

So what is the heart behind John's cry? What inspires his summons or call in 22:20? And if we can establish his inspiration from clues in this book (which I believe we can), then are you eager for God to mold your heart in that very same way? I am. I hope you are as well.

And so, since we're trying to make sense of what is functionally the last verse in this book, we need to think about how the other 403 verses in Revelation might help us do that. I believe these four themes stand out in Revelation; that is, they stand out in terms of informing, in terms of inspiring, John's heart. They are retribution, reward, restoration, and reunion. And so...

First, since most of you are familiar with this book, I don't have to persuade you that Revelation is deeply concerned about the reality of God's divine retribution. As a voice from heaven communicated regarding the symbolic woman, Babylon, in 18:5-6: “...for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back as she herself has paid back others...” The seven seals, trumpets, and bowls described in this book represent the ultimate justice that God has brought, is bringing, and one day, will fully bring against every deceptive, every distorted, and every destructive word and action of sinful humanity. Therefore, if we care about justice, we should long for the the unjust to be stopped and justice to be served. And since Jesus is the one opening that scroll (chp. 5), we should cry, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

Second, listen to how Revelation 11:18 confirms the last point, but also adds a new aspect of God's just and true judgments: reward. We hear in that verse how God's “wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” In the seven short letters of chapters 2-3 about the eternal rewards promised to those who “conquer”. But after that, we also read about the vindication of our faith and message. In 6:10 we hear the cry of the martyrs, “How long?” And in 18:20, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!" Therefore, if we are grieved by the suffering of the saints and sickened by the world's lies, we should long for the ultimate vindication of God's people and God's word; so we cry, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

Third, the rewards mentioned in the opening chapters of the book, in those seven, brief letters, they point us to the closing chapters of the book, and to the full and final restoration that God has in store for a universe now tainted and twisted by sin.

The Apostle Paul described this as the “creation... groaning” in Romans 8:22. But John's vision describes the day when that groaning will cease. The “new heaven and... new earth” that John sees in 21:1, is that future world in which God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (21:4) And 21:5, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Those who long for that world to come are those who today are crying out, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

Fourth, the most important, the most precious, the most amazing aspect of that world to come can be summed up by the word reunion. Before we read about the absence of tears and death, we are presented with this promise in 21:3... “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” 22:5 goes on to reassure us that in that new world, God's people “will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light”. We will be forever with (1:5) “him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood”. As Jesus promised regarding the true believers in Sardis, “they will walk with me in white” (3:4); for we are those (14:4) “who follow the Lamb wherever he goes.” Remember chapter 7, vs. 15–17?

“Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. [16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. [17] For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” [And so we cry, “Come, Lord Jesus!”]

III. Pray and Prayerfully Consider

Brothers and sisters, please ask yourself, “What might I do to cultivate this heart? The same heart that motivated John in 22:20; a heart that longs for God's retribution and reward, for his restoration, and for our reunion with him. What might we do? Well, here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to pray with John, and then prayerfully consider that prayer. What would happen if this plea was your regular request; all throughout the day, in every circumstance: “Come, Lord Jesus”? (2x) And then, what would you discover if you regularly examined your heart when you prayed that prayer? Maybe God will convict us concerning what John had written or would go on to write in his first letter, “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” (1 John 2:15) Or maybe you'll see that even though you do long for change, what you ultimately desire is just a tweak here or a tweak there, and not the radical overthrow of all things for the sake of new things, better things from God. You see, I believe that if we begin to pray with John more and more, and then prayerfully consider that prayer, I think it will inspire more prayer... and repentance, and confession, and thanksgiving, and renewal, and worship, and transformation. To regularly pray “Come, Lord Jesus!” is to regularly point your heart to the Redeemer and to the fullest fullness of our redemption, to that new world he purchased with his own blood. Again...

Why should we long for the heart that cries, “Come, Lord Jesus!”? Because that heart is the new heart promised by the prophets. Because that heart is the heart that fuels the healthy Christian life. There isn't another one. Would you join me in praying this in the coming days? And would you encourage one another in light of these things? As one worship songs describes this hope...

“There will be justice, all will be new, Your name forever, faithful and true, Jesus is coming soon. Oh, like a bride waiting for her groom, We'll be a Church ready for You, Every heart longing for our King, We sing 'even so come,' Lord Jesus, come. Even so come, Lord Jesus, come.”