Photo. FOP Trot, 2011

The big idea: John wrote the book of Revelation to remind persecuted Christians of their living hope.

Point one. The nature of this hope.
Vs1. “Coming down”. We have a material future.
Negro spirituals are immersed in this theme.

Point two. The need for living hope.
We need hope. Your belief of what is coming, the “then”, rules your now. What you believe about judgment or ablivion as being next rules how you live now.

Point three. How to get living hope.
You must believe in two things:
A. The death of Christ. V6. Drink without cost. John 4
When Jesus says I thirst on the cross, he got my cosmic thirst and hopelessness so I could drink from the river of life and the river of delights. Our deep longings of soul are for love, value, and to be lasting. We thirst for this but are never satisfied.

B. the resurrection of Christ.
V1. He sits on the throne in a new body and will make all things new.
Death hit Christ and we only get the shadow of death. It is like a truck that almost hits you when walking across the street but only hits you at the last second with its shadow.

Only two things can happen when we suffer with hope: A. we get better. Or B. we die and ARE better!