Maranatha Amen Come Lord Jesus

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​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood                          
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012                                                                              
Sermon Notes Sunday Service July 19 2026
Sermon Title–Maranatha Amen Come Lord Jesus
Text – Revelation 22:6-7,20-21
Rev. Key Min Lee

​Why do we experience so many hardships and difficult seasons in life?
When people are asked that question, most of us naturally look for the problem in someone else rather than in ourselves.  We tend to justify our own actions by pointing out the faults of others.  But is that really what God wants us to do?
Jesus said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  (Matthew 7:3).  Perhaps the greatest obstacle in our lives is not someone else—it is ourselves.
Satan does not want us to move in the direction God desires.  Instead, he works through our sinful desires to convince us that we are always right and that our actions are justified.  When we hold onto our selfish desires instead of surrendering them to God, we drift away from His will.  Rather than living a life that serves God and others, we begin serving ourselves.  As a result, our lives often become filled with struggles, hardships, and wilderness seasons.
So does that mean suffering is always a bad thing?  The Bible gives us a clear answer.  Hebrews 12:7 says, “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.  For what son is not disciplined by his father?”
The reason we sometimes walk through the wilderness is not because God has abandoned us, but because He loves us.  In His grace, He uses those difficult seasons to teach us not to cling to our sinful desires but to cling to Him - the invisible God who never leaves us.
Today’s passage says, “Look, I am coming soon!  Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll” (Revelation 22:7).  What does that blessing mean?  It means that when we obey God’s Word and walk daily with Jesus, we experience the greatest blessing of all.  In other words, true blessing is not measured by wealth, success, or comfort.  True blessing is walking with the Lord.  In His presence there is peace, joy, gratitude, satisfaction, and fullness of life.
Satan knows this very well.  He does not want believers to experience the fullness of God’s presence because his goal is to lead as many people as possible into darkness.  That is why he constantly tries to keep our attention fixed on our circumstances instead of on Christ.  He uses our sinful desires to distract us from the path God has prepared for us.
Dear brothers and sisters, God created this world.  Out of His great love, He sent His only begotten Son to save us.  Jesus died, rose again, and promised that He will return for us (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; Revelation 22:20).
Jesus is the Lord over all creation. He is our Creator, our King, and the only Savior who can save us.  But the moment we begin holding onto our sinful desires, God becomes less visible to us, while the things of this world become more attractive.  To focus on worldly things means allowing our hearts to chase whatever pleases us instead of pursuing Christ.
So let me ask you a question.  What is it that you truly love?  Does it fill your heart with lasting joy and gratitude?  Does it draw you closer to Jesus?  Does it shape your words and your actions to become more like Christ?  If the things you enjoy are producing more worry than peace, more anxiety than gratitude, and more emptiness than joy, then perhaps your life is being led by your desires instead of by God's purpose.  Jesus gives us this invitation in Matthew 11:28–30:  “Come to Me, you all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Have you truly experienced that rest?
Today’s passage calls us to live with a Maranatha faith.  What is a Maranatha faith?  Simply put, it means living each day with our eyes fixed on Jesus rather than on what we possess.  It means remaining unshaken no matter what happens around us.  It means taking one faithful step after another with gratitude and joy as we walk together with the people God has placed in our lives, always looking forward to the day our Lord returns.
A beautiful picture of this is a wedding ceremony.  The groom enters first.  Then the bride begins walking down the aisle.  Let me ask you a question.  When the bride enters, where is the groom looking?  And as the bride walks down the aisle, who is she looking at?  Even though the room is filled with cheering, applause, and celebration, the bride and groom keep their eyes on each other.  They walk toward one another, take each other’s hands, and remain together until the ceremony is complete.
That is what I believe a Maranatha faith looks like.  Jesus is our Bridegroom.  Our calling is to keep our eyes fixed on Him, holding tightly to His hand and continuing to walk with Him regardless of the noise, distractions, or changing circumstances around us.  Isn’t that the greatest joy we could ever experience?
Even in my own life, I often tell people that I still look at my wife the same way I did when we first married.  To me, she is the most beautiful and gorgeous person ever in the world.  When I am with her, other things fade into the background because through our marriage I continually experience God’s love and His presence.  In the same way, when our hearts are fixed on Christ, the things of this world lose their grip on us.  When we align our lives with God - the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End - everything else begins to fall into its proper place.  That is the Maranatha life.
As we live each day with thankful hearts while eagerly awaiting Christ’s return, we grow deeper in His presence.  Our lives become channels through which His love, His grace, and His presence flow to the people around us.
A Maranatha faith keeps our hearts from becoming attached to the things of this world.  Instead, it causes us to worship with greater passion as we eagerly wait for our returning King.  So worship Him wholeheartedly.  Sing His praises with joy.  Pray boldly and often.  And every day, remind yourself who you are.  You are the Bride of Christ.
May you walk with the Lord every day, overflowing with His joy and thanksgiving as you eagerly await His glorious return.  Maranatha!  Come, Lord Jesus! 
May the Lord richly bless you all.  Hallelujah!