WEBVTT

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 All right, it's good to worship with you guys all this fine Advent season.

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 If you have your Bibles, let's open them up to Revelation chapter 6.

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 We are continuing on in the series.

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 We're doing a mini-series right now as we preach through the book of Revelation.

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 But right now for the Advent season, for the month of December,

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 we're doing this mini-series called Between the Advents.

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 And I think although our passage may not be, quote-unquote,

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 a very Christmassy passage, we think that it's going to be very relevant

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 for us to turn our eyes to God and wait for him for the second Advent of Christ.

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 If you don't have a Bible, please, you could just raise your hand

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 and we would be happy to gift one to you.

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 That's our Christmas gift to you, so you could keep it and use it for this time

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 and read it for yourself as well.

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 Let's pray for the reading and preaching of God's word

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 before we read Revelation chapter 6.

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 Oh, Holy Father, we come before you knowing that we are empty-handed,

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 we are poor, we are naked, we are exposed,

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 but it's only your grace that covers us so that we can stand on that final day.

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 God, I pray that you would speak through your word,

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 address us through your word, so that we would have a bigger vision of you and your glory.

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 God, that we would be transformed to see all that you are,

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 that you are completely, wholly sovereign over our entire lives,

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 and that we would trust you.

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 We would trust you with all of it, God.

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 So I pray you would show us the things that we don't see,

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 to the things that we don't see, show us.

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 To the things that we don't know, teach us.

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 To the things that we have yet to believe,

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 make us, Lord.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Let's stand, if you are able, for the reading of God's word.

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 I'm going to read the whole chapter together.

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 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals,

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 and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder,

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 Come.

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 And I looked, and behold, a white horse,

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 and its rider had a bow,

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 and a crown was given to him,

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 and he came out conquering and to conquer.

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 When he opened the second seal,

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 I heard the second living creature say,

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 Come.

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 And out came another horse, bright red.

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 Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth

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 so that people should slay one another,

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 and he was given a great sword.

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 When he opened the third seal,

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 I heard the third living creature say,

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 Come.

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 And I looked, and behold, a black horse.

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 And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand,

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 and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures

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 saying,

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 A quart of wheat for a Daenerys,

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 and three quarts of barley for a Daenerys,

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 and do not harm the oil and the wine.

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 When he opened the fourth seal,

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 I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say,

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 Come.

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 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse,

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 and its rider's name was Death,

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 and Hades followed him.

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 And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth

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 to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence

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 and by wild beasts of the earth.

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 When he opened the fifth seal,

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 I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain

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 for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.

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 They cried out with a loud voice,

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 O sovereign Lord, holy and true,

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 how long before you will judge and avenge our blood

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 on those who dwell on the earth?

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 Then they were each given a white robe

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 and told to rest a little longer

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 until the number of their fellow servants

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 and their brothers should be complete,

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 who were to be killed

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 as they themselves had been.

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 When he opened the sixth seal,

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 I looked, and behold,

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 there was a great earthquake,

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 and the sun became black as sackcloth,

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 the full moon became like blood,

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 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth

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 as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit

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 when shaken by a gale.

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 The sky vanished like a scroll

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 that is being rolled up,

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 and every mountain and island

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 was removed from its place.

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 Then the kings of the earth

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 and the great ones

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 and the generals

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 and the rich

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 and the powerful

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 and everyone,

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 slave and free,

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 hid themselves in the caves

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 and among the rocks

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 of the mountains,

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 calling to the mountains and rocks,

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 fall on us and hide us

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 from the face of him

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 who is seated on the throne

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 and from the wrath of the Lamb

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 for the great day of their wrath has come,

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 and who can stand?

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 This is God's holy

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 and authoritative word.

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 You may be seated.

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 In his early 20s,

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 famous author John Green,

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 before he went on to write

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 the young adult novel,

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 The Fault in Our Stars,

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 I'm sure many of you guys

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 have heard of it,

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 which would go on to sell

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 over 20 million copies,

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 have multiple movie adaptations,

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 he was preparing for himself

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 to devote his life to ministry.

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 Did you guys know that?

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 I didn't know that.

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 He was prepping for seminaries,

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 prepping to go into full-time ministry,

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 so he worked as a student chaplain

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 in a children's hospital.

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 And in one of the hardest nights

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 of his life,

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 on a night shift,

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 he suddenly had a three-year-old boy

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 who was shuttled into the emergency room

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 with severe third-degree burns.

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 He recounts the smell,

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 the sights,

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 the screams,

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 the sobbing.

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 He later recalls that

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 the doctor who was tasked with

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 help saving that boy's life,

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 he remembered meeting her

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 in the employee break room,

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 and she was throwing up

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 into the trash,

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 saying,

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 that boy is gonna die,

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 and I know his last words.

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 John would never forget that night.

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 He would never forget

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 how absent God felt to him that night.

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 So he not only left the track to ministry,

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 but he abandoned his faith altogether.

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 But that curiosity of the boy

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 never left him.

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 It bothered him,

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 nagged after him,

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 day after day after day.

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 He always thought of him.

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 And so one day,

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 20 years later,

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 he actually Googled him

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 and see what he could find.

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 And he actually found that

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 this boy,

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 he was alive.

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 And his name is Nick.

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 And so on a podcast

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 that I listened to,

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 he ends up on a video chat

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 with this same three-year-old boy

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 just 20 years later.

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 He finds out that

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 he's an MBA student.

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 He just finished his undergrad degree.

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 He's doing a live,

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 he's alive and well,

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 as much as someone could be

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 with severe third-degree burns

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 as that young of an age.

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 But the amazing thing

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 is that he found out

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 that Nick was a faithful Christian.

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 Despite being in chronic pain

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 from the accident,

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 Nick explains to John

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 the awesome truth

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 of Romans 8, 28,

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 how God used this

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 absolutely horrific incident

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 to drive him

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 and his nominally Christian family

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 finally to devote

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 their entire lives

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 to Christ.

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 I think this story

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 is such a powerful example

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 of the importance

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 of interpreting

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 the suffering

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 that we have in our lives

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 through the lens

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 of Scripture.

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 Because the reality is,

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 suffering will either

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 drive us away

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 or to God.

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 It's very polarizing.

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 It's hard to stay neutral

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 about God

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 when you're experiencing suffering.

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 Both John and Nick

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 saw and experienced

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 the exact same incident

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 of tragedy,

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 but in the end,

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 they came to very

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 different conclusions.

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 Nick was able to see

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 that God was completely

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 sovereign over his life,

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 which didn't take away

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 the experience of his

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 chronic pain altogether,

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 of course,

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 but assured him

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 that his pain

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 is neither indiscriminate

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 or just by chance.

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 Instead,

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 it's all,

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 he had hope,

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 he had faith

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 that it was all

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 part of a greater plan

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 for good.

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 And we need to learn

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 to do the same,

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 brothers and sisters,

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 because Scripture teaches us,

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 it makes us very clear

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 that suffering

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 is part and parcel

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 of the Christian life

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 as we identify

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 with Christ,

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 the slain lamb.

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 without remembering

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 the one who is in control

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 over it all,

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 then suffering

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 and pain,

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 that's gonna swallow us up.

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 Our text in Revelation 6,

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 however,

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 shows us

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 the God who was,

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 the God who is,

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 and the God who is to come

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 is sovereign.

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 So that's the main point

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 of my sermon today.

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 We can,

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 we must endure

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 the suffering

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 of the tribulation

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 because God is sovereign

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 over it all.

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 We'll see how God

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 is sovereign

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 over the current woes

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 of the world

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 in the first

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 to the fourth seals,

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 how he's sovereign

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 in giving rest

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 to the resolute

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 in the fifth seal,

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 and he's sovereign

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 over the future judgment

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 of the wicked,

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 the future wrath

00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:00.839
 of the wicked.

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 That's the sixth seal.

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 As we remember last week,

00:10:05.159 --> 00:10:06.339
 Sean powerfully preached

00:10:06.339 --> 00:10:08.439
 on how the slain lamb

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 of Jesus Christ,

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 he alone is worthy

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 of opening up these seals.

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 So he begins to do

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 what only he has

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 the authority to do.

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 Each time the risen lamb

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 opens up

00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:21.360
 one of these first four seals,

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 there's a repeating pattern.

00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:24.279
 First,

00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:26.060
 one of the four living creatures

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 cries out

00:10:27.560 --> 00:10:29.060
 with a booming thunderous voice,

00:10:29.580 --> 00:10:29.860
 come.

00:10:31.139 --> 00:10:31.620
 And immediately,

00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:32.919
 a horse with a color

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 that's related

00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:34.440
 to its tribulation,

00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:35.759
 like blood, red,

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 and war,

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 and its rider,

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 so the horse

00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:39.759
 and its rider,

00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:40.500
 they come out

00:10:40.500 --> 00:10:41.639
 and afflict the earth.

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 So by opening

00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:46.460
 these first four seals,

00:10:46.600 --> 00:10:47.899
 Jesus unleashes

00:10:47.899 --> 00:10:48.960
 onto the world

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 the four horsemen

00:10:50.740 --> 00:10:51.799
 of the apocalypse,

00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:54.799
 who are God's

00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:55.639
 spiritual instruments

00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:56.279
 to unleash

00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:57.080
 onto the earth

00:10:57.080 --> 00:10:57.799
 conquest,

00:10:58.399 --> 00:10:58.740
 war,

00:10:59.080 --> 00:10:59.419
 famine,

00:10:59.779 --> 00:11:00.700
 and death

00:11:00.700 --> 00:11:01.819
 in that particular order.

00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:03.100
 And in that order,

00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:03.759
 you can see

00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:04.500
 just the natural

00:11:04.500 --> 00:11:05.659
 clear progression, right?

00:11:05.720 --> 00:11:06.319
 You can see

00:11:06.319 --> 00:11:08.360
 that conquest leads to war,

00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:08.899
 war,

00:11:08.899 --> 00:11:09.500
 and conquest,

00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:10.320
 they can lead

00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:11.560
 to famine,

00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:12.580
 and then all these

00:11:12.580 --> 00:11:13.840
 ultimately culminate

00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:14.500
 in death.

00:11:16.680 --> 00:11:17.840
 And while you might

00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:18.779
 be excited

00:11:18.779 --> 00:11:19.800
 or scared

00:11:19.800 --> 00:11:20.539
 to hear all about

00:11:20.539 --> 00:11:21.560
 the four horsemen

00:11:21.560 --> 00:11:22.360
 of the apocalypse,

00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:23.460
 as if this is

00:11:23.460 --> 00:11:24.279
 something new

00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:24.639
 in scripture,

00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:25.240
 this is some kind

00:11:25.240 --> 00:11:26.000
 of new doctrine

00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:27.440
 to comfort you

00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:28.680
 and maybe to burst

00:11:28.680 --> 00:11:29.019
 your bubble

00:11:29.019 --> 00:11:29.620
 a little bit,

00:11:29.940 --> 00:11:31.060
 this is not anything

00:11:31.060 --> 00:11:31.899
 new in scripture.

00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:33.539
 Because first,

00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:34.480
 any Hebrew familiar

00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:35.200
 with their Old Testament

00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:36.100
 would recognize

00:11:36.100 --> 00:11:36.980
 the influence

00:11:36.980 --> 00:11:38.520
 of the four horsemen

00:11:38.520 --> 00:11:39.520
 from Zechariah 1

00:11:39.520 --> 00:11:40.120
 and 6.

00:11:40.740 --> 00:11:41.920
 And on top of that,

00:11:41.980 --> 00:11:42.460
 more clearly,

00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:43.560
 Jesus,

00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:44.500
 when he was asked

00:11:44.500 --> 00:11:45.920
 about the end times,

00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:47.300
 signs of the end times,

00:11:47.700 --> 00:11:48.900
 he remarkably

00:11:48.900 --> 00:11:50.700
 spoke very similarly

00:11:50.700 --> 00:11:51.580
 about war,

00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:52.360
 famine,

00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:52.960
 and death

00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:54.080
 as things to expect.

00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:55.600
 That's Matthew 24,

00:11:55.700 --> 00:11:56.160
 and I encourage you

00:11:56.160 --> 00:11:57.180
 to read that on your own

00:11:57.180 --> 00:11:58.100
 because it's remarkable

00:11:58.100 --> 00:11:58.879
 how close

00:11:58.879 --> 00:11:59.980
 that chapter is,

00:11:59.980 --> 00:12:00.960
 that discourse is

00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:02.680
 with Revelation 6.

00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:04.500
 Therefore,

00:12:04.719 --> 00:12:05.779
 these four horsemen

00:12:05.779 --> 00:12:07.339
 are just a recapitulation

00:12:07.339 --> 00:12:07.959
 of Jesus'

00:12:08.179 --> 00:12:09.000
 end time predictions.

00:12:10.339 --> 00:12:11.120
 And it's helpful

00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:12.039
 to see this connection

00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:13.959
 to Matthew 24 as well

00:12:13.959 --> 00:12:15.419
 because both Jesus

00:12:15.419 --> 00:12:16.579
 and John,

00:12:16.779 --> 00:12:17.579
 they give us clues

00:12:17.579 --> 00:12:18.179
 that we're in the

00:12:18.179 --> 00:12:19.179
 end times already.

00:12:20.120 --> 00:12:20.879
 So how do we know that?

00:12:20.959 --> 00:12:22.419
 So in Matthew 24,

00:12:22.539 --> 00:12:23.039
 14,

00:12:23.179 --> 00:12:24.519
 Jesus clues us in

00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:25.179
 that these signs

00:12:25.179 --> 00:12:25.739
 of famine,

00:12:25.959 --> 00:12:26.620
 of death,

00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:27.359
 of war,

00:12:27.439 --> 00:12:28.059
 of persecution,

00:12:28.059 --> 00:12:29.459
 they come alongside

00:12:29.459 --> 00:12:32.059
 with the evangelization

00:12:32.059 --> 00:12:33.599
 of the entire world.

00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:35.459
 That's the fulfillment

00:12:35.459 --> 00:12:36.359
 of the Great Commission,

00:12:36.539 --> 00:12:36.739
 right?

00:12:36.959 --> 00:12:37.839
 And we know that

00:12:37.839 --> 00:12:38.799
 that's happening today.

00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:39.459
 The church,

00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:40.399
 it's on its mission

00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:41.379
 and we're evangelizing

00:12:41.379 --> 00:12:42.439
 the entire world.

00:12:42.979 --> 00:12:43.379
 So that means

00:12:43.379 --> 00:12:44.739
 we're in the end times now.

00:12:46.659 --> 00:12:47.619
 And as Sean explained

00:12:47.619 --> 00:12:48.359
 last week too,

00:12:48.459 --> 00:12:49.519
 the opening of these

00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:50.799
 first six seals

00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:51.459
 in our passage,

00:12:51.779 --> 00:12:52.679
 they've been inaugurated

00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:53.539
 by the death,

00:12:54.939 --> 00:12:55.639
 the resurrection,

00:12:55.639 --> 00:12:57.479
 and the ascension

00:12:57.479 --> 00:12:58.359
 of Christ.

00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:00.019
 So that means

00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:01.720
 that these four horsemen,

00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:02.679
 they're roaming

00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:03.819
 the four corners

00:13:03.819 --> 00:13:05.259
 of the earth today.

00:13:05.439 --> 00:13:06.199
 And we've seen

00:13:06.199 --> 00:13:07.199
 evidence of their work

00:13:07.199 --> 00:13:08.059
 for centuries

00:13:08.059 --> 00:13:09.240
 upon centuries.

00:13:11.980 --> 00:13:13.740
 And as we see

00:13:13.740 --> 00:13:14.679
 in the fifth seal

00:13:14.679 --> 00:13:15.519
 and as we observe

00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:17.059
 in our world today,

00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:18.639
 the church of Christ

00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:19.759
 is not immune

00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:20.879
 to the tribulation

00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:21.539
 of these four.

00:13:22.840 --> 00:13:23.659
 Later in the chapter,

00:13:23.659 --> 00:13:24.960
 we find a comparison,

00:13:25.139 --> 00:13:25.799
 a juxtaposition

00:13:25.799 --> 00:13:26.699
 between two groups

00:13:26.699 --> 00:13:27.179
 of people

00:13:27.179 --> 00:13:28.139
 in the fifth seal

00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:29.340
 and in the sixth seal.

00:13:29.799 --> 00:13:30.379
 In the fifth seal,

00:13:30.460 --> 00:13:31.039
 we encounter

00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:33.199
 dead Christian martyrs.

00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:34.919
 But in the sixth seal,

00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:35.539
 we witness

00:13:35.539 --> 00:13:37.580
 the living earth dwellers.

00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:39.679
 The Christian is dead,

00:13:40.419 --> 00:13:41.519
 the wicked alive.

00:13:42.580 --> 00:13:43.740
 Jesus himself predicts

00:13:43.740 --> 00:13:44.000
 this too

00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:45.319
 in Matthew 24 and 9.

00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:47.039
 They will deliver you

00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:48.019
 up to tribulation

00:13:48.019 --> 00:13:48.899
 and put you,

00:13:48.980 --> 00:13:49.759
 meaning his disciples,

00:13:49.939 --> 00:13:51.080
 put you to death.

00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:52.879
 And you will be hated

00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:54.059
 by all the nations

00:13:54.059 --> 00:13:55.399
 for my name's sake.

00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:58.620
 While the general world

00:13:58.620 --> 00:13:59.500
 is plagued

00:13:59.500 --> 00:14:00.379
 and judged

00:14:00.379 --> 00:14:01.039
 because the world

00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:01.919
 is evil

00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:04.059
 by these four,

00:14:04.179 --> 00:14:04.980
 God is using them.

00:14:05.079 --> 00:14:06.159
 Let us not forget

00:14:06.159 --> 00:14:07.439
 the church

00:14:07.439 --> 00:14:08.600
 is also not exempt

00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:09.659
 from the suffering

00:14:09.659 --> 00:14:10.480
 of the tribulation

00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:11.600
 for better purposes.

00:14:11.819 --> 00:14:12.379
 And we're gonna talk

00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:12.819
 about that.

00:14:15.459 --> 00:14:16.840
 A week before Christmas,

00:14:17.059 --> 00:14:18.480
 I'm sure you didn't expect

00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:19.600
 to hear a sermon like this,

00:14:19.720 --> 00:14:20.519
 but I assure you

00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:21.279
 that this isn't just

00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:22.079
 gonna be doom and gloom,

00:14:22.199 --> 00:14:23.740
 so let's turn to our text

00:14:23.740 --> 00:14:24.299
 to find out.

00:14:24.299 --> 00:14:26.439
 So in verses 1 to 2,

00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:27.459
 a white horse

00:14:27.459 --> 00:14:28.319
 with its rider

00:14:28.319 --> 00:14:29.779
 equipped with a bow

00:14:29.779 --> 00:14:30.479
 and crown

00:14:30.479 --> 00:14:31.939
 is given temporary authority

00:14:31.939 --> 00:14:33.279
 to conquer the world

00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.939
 through spiritual deception

00:14:34.939 --> 00:14:36.199
 and physical persecution.

00:14:37.359 --> 00:14:38.139
 Now there are some

00:14:38.139 --> 00:14:38.879
 who identify

00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:39.459
 the rider,

00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:41.500
 the identity of this rider

00:14:41.500 --> 00:14:43.319
 to be Christ,

00:14:43.659 --> 00:14:44.319
 mostly because

00:14:44.319 --> 00:14:45.579
 he's riding on

00:14:45.579 --> 00:14:46.899
 a white horse.

00:14:47.479 --> 00:14:48.839
 And this is a strong allusion

00:14:48.839 --> 00:14:50.759
 to Revelation 19.

00:14:51.399 --> 00:14:52.419
 And Revelation 19,

00:14:52.579 --> 00:14:53.419
 it's very clear,

00:14:53.419 --> 00:14:54.439
 for this is Jesus

00:14:54.439 --> 00:14:55.319
 who is called

00:14:55.319 --> 00:14:56.799
 faithful and true.

00:14:57.299 --> 00:14:58.519
 The word of God

00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:00.039
 equipped with a sharp sword

00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:00.799
 from his mouth

00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:02.299
 comes out from heaven

00:15:02.299 --> 00:15:03.879
 and conquers his enemies

00:15:03.879 --> 00:15:04.459
 on what?

00:15:04.539 --> 00:15:06.279
 On a white horse.

00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:09.059
 While that allusion

00:15:09.059 --> 00:15:09.899
 to the white horse

00:15:09.899 --> 00:15:11.019
 is strong,

00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:13.000
 the rider in our text today

00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:14.759
 I believe isn't Christ,

00:15:14.899 --> 00:15:16.699
 but is a satanic rider

00:15:16.699 --> 00:15:18.120
 used by God

00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:18.939
 for his purposes.

00:15:18.940 --> 00:15:21.240
 There are a lot

00:15:21.240 --> 00:15:21.940
 of different clues

00:15:21.940 --> 00:15:22.520
 in our text,

00:15:22.660 --> 00:15:23.380
 but I think

00:15:23.380 --> 00:15:24.760
 the most convincing reason

00:15:24.760 --> 00:15:26.400
 is that these four horsemen

00:15:26.400 --> 00:15:28.320
 are clearly grouped together.

00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:30.540
 There are clear literary parallels

00:15:30.540 --> 00:15:31.720
 that we've already talked about

00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:32.920
 between all four

00:15:32.920 --> 00:15:33.800
 that are consistent,

00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:36.000
 but it's also the grouping

00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:38.180
 of the four living creatures

00:15:38.180 --> 00:15:39.420
 that are calling

00:15:39.420 --> 00:15:40.560
 the grouping

00:15:40.560 --> 00:15:42.140
 of the four horsemen.

00:15:43.160 --> 00:15:44.320
 And how demeaning

00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:44.960
 it would be

00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:46.200
 to group Christ

00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:47.280
 with three other

00:15:47.280 --> 00:15:48.380
 satanic horsemen.

00:15:48.379 --> 00:15:51.220
 So this sheds light,

00:15:51.460 --> 00:15:51.840
 I think,

00:15:51.919 --> 00:15:54.399
 just on how crafty Satan is

00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:55.360
 by the very fact

00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:55.899
 that Christians

00:15:55.899 --> 00:15:56.740
 can be confused

00:15:56.740 --> 00:15:57.939
 by who this person is.

00:15:58.759 --> 00:16:02.059
 Back to Matthew 24

00:16:02.059 --> 00:16:02.980
 in Jesus' discourse,

00:16:03.100 --> 00:16:03.580
 he warns us,

00:16:03.620 --> 00:16:04.659
 see that nobody

00:16:04.659 --> 00:16:06.059
 leads you astray.

00:16:06.580 --> 00:16:07.519
 For many will come

00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:08.360
 in my name saying,

00:16:08.500 --> 00:16:09.480
 I am the Christ,

00:16:09.559 --> 00:16:10.399
 and they will lead

00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:11.320
 many astray.

00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:14.000
 I don't think

00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:14.659
 it's a coincidence

00:16:14.659 --> 00:16:15.940
 that one of these horses

00:16:15.940 --> 00:16:16.620
 is white

00:16:16.620 --> 00:16:18.200
 for that exact reason.

00:16:19.340 --> 00:16:19.820
 Therefore,

00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:20.659
 I think this horseman

00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:21.419
 is representative

00:16:21.419 --> 00:16:23.779
 of messianic pretenders.

00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:25.360
 There have been

00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:26.139
 many heroes,

00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:27.879
 world leaders

00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:29.379
 engaged in conquest,

00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:30.379
 promised utopia,

00:16:30.539 --> 00:16:32.279
 at least a glorious kingdom,

00:16:32.820 --> 00:16:34.019
 like Alexander the Great,

00:16:34.139 --> 00:16:35.439
 Napoleon Bonaparte,

00:16:36.340 --> 00:16:36.840
 Genghis Khan,

00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:37.519
 Cyrus the Great,

00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:38.820
 the list goes on and on.

00:16:39.259 --> 00:16:40.720
 But these so-called

00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:41.919
 great conquerors,

00:16:42.419 --> 00:16:43.379
 they're just mere pawns.

00:16:43.379 --> 00:16:44.379
 They're mere pawns.

00:16:44.379 --> 00:16:45.320
 They're mere pawns

00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:45.820
 in the hands

00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:47.200
 of our sovereign Lord.

00:16:47.879 --> 00:16:49.120
 So we need to hear

00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.559
 the words of the Lord

00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:52.519
 and see that nobody

00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:53.720
 leads us astray.

00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:55.240
 No matter how much power

00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:56.179
 or influence

00:16:56.179 --> 00:16:56.799
 or wealth

00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:57.659
 they may have,

00:16:58.200 --> 00:16:59.360
 there's only one

00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:00.639
 sovereign Lord.

00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:02.740
 That also means

00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:03.580
 that we need

00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:04.539
 not to be anxious

00:17:04.539 --> 00:17:05.759
 about the current

00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:06.619
 state of our worlds,

00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:07.140
 and we don't have to

00:17:07.140 --> 00:17:07.599
 take things

00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:08.720
 into our own control.

00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:11.460
 If rumors of wars

00:17:11.460 --> 00:17:12.299
 and pandemics

00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:13.400
 of nuclear weapons

00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:14.460
 or terrorist attacks

00:17:14.460 --> 00:17:16.579
 are swirling

00:17:16.579 --> 00:17:17.279
 all around us,

00:17:17.339 --> 00:17:18.839
 we need not to be anxious,

00:17:18.940 --> 00:17:19.680
 brothers and sisters,

00:17:20.140 --> 00:17:21.299
 because nothing falls

00:17:21.299 --> 00:17:22.120
 out of the scope

00:17:22.120 --> 00:17:23.500
 of our sovereign Lord.

00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:28.160
 Next is a second seal

00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:30.160
 with the blood red horse

00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:30.779
 and its rider.

00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:32.640
 Authority was given

00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:33.839
 to him to take away

00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:34.839
 peace from the earth,

00:17:36.140 --> 00:17:36.960
 given his release

00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:37.819
 onto the world

00:17:37.819 --> 00:17:39.659
 and his theft of peace

00:17:39.659 --> 00:17:41.339
 since Jesus' ascension.

00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:42.359
 It's no wonder

00:17:42.359 --> 00:17:43.599
 that there have been

00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:45.299
 just war after war,

00:17:45.439 --> 00:17:46.799
 upheaval after upheaval,

00:17:47.059 --> 00:17:48.700
 genocide after genocide

00:17:48.700 --> 00:17:50.079
 throughout history.

00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:52.700
 Keeping peace

00:17:52.700 --> 00:17:54.819
 is the most important task

00:17:54.819 --> 00:17:56.000
 for the United Nations.

00:17:56.759 --> 00:17:57.759
 And they reported

00:17:57.759 --> 00:17:59.039
 just one year ago

00:17:59.039 --> 00:17:59.700
 that globally

00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:00.700
 we're facing

00:18:00.700 --> 00:18:02.119
 the highest number

00:18:02.119 --> 00:18:03.179
 of violent conflicts

00:18:03.179 --> 00:18:04.619
 since 1945,

00:18:04.899 --> 00:18:05.939
 which is World War II.

00:18:05.940 --> 00:18:07.960
 and at least

00:18:07.960 --> 00:18:08.600
 a quarter

00:18:08.600 --> 00:18:09.700
 of the entire

00:18:09.700 --> 00:18:10.980
 global population,

00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:12.840
 that's two billion people,

00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:15.220
 live in conflict-afflicted areas

00:18:15.220 --> 00:18:16.660
 like Syria, Yemen,

00:18:16.860 --> 00:18:17.380
 South Sudan,

00:18:17.460 --> 00:18:17.880
 or Myanmar.

00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:21.259
 And global military expenditures,

00:18:21.600 --> 00:18:22.420
 it rose up to

00:18:22.420 --> 00:18:24.100
 two trillion dollars

00:18:24.100 --> 00:18:25.380
 in 2020.

00:18:26.660 --> 00:18:27.420
 You see, war,

00:18:28.120 --> 00:18:28.539
 conflict,

00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:29.519
 death,

00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:31.859
 these come with the times.

00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:33.960
 And we need not

00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:34.879
 to be surprised

00:18:34.879 --> 00:18:36.079
 by the world around us.

00:18:36.200 --> 00:18:37.139
 Even with the wars

00:18:37.139 --> 00:18:37.920
 in Ukraine

00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:40.099
 and in Palestine today,

00:18:40.299 --> 00:18:41.160
 that's evidence

00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:42.119
 of this horseman

00:18:42.119 --> 00:18:43.160
 galloping around.

00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:44.099
 We've seen him

00:18:44.099 --> 00:18:45.039
 for centuries now.

00:18:46.980 --> 00:18:48.039
 But all the while,

00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:48.900
 brothers and sisters,

00:18:49.099 --> 00:18:49.740
 I encourage you,

00:18:50.259 --> 00:18:51.900
 don't forget the words

00:18:51.900 --> 00:18:53.000
 of Paul

00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:54.619
 in Ephesians 6, 12.

00:18:55.180 --> 00:18:56.019
 He says this,

00:18:56.019 --> 00:18:56.819
 for our struggle

00:18:56.819 --> 00:18:58.480
 is not against flesh

00:18:58.480 --> 00:18:58.980
 and blood,

00:18:59.079 --> 00:19:00.519
 but against cosmic powers

00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:01.599
 of the present darkness,

00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:03.379
 against the spiritual forces

00:19:03.379 --> 00:19:04.079
 of evil

00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:05.440
 in the heavenly places.

00:19:06.539 --> 00:19:08.299
 We are bombarded daily

00:19:08.299 --> 00:19:10.519
 with news of conflict

00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:11.180
 and war.

00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:12.460
 And it's easy

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:13.379
 to lose sight

00:19:13.379 --> 00:19:15.639
 of who our true enemy is.

00:19:16.980 --> 00:19:17.839
 Our text today

00:19:17.839 --> 00:19:18.460
 makes it clear

00:19:18.460 --> 00:19:19.420
 that we fight each other

00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:20.019
 because,

00:19:20.019 --> 00:19:22.119
 because spiritual forces

00:19:22.119 --> 00:19:23.039
 have stolen the peace.

00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:24.119
 Our text says

00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:25.359
 its rider was permitted

00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:26.199
 to take peace

00:19:26.199 --> 00:19:27.739
 so that,

00:19:27.859 --> 00:19:29.179
 so that people

00:19:29.179 --> 00:19:30.359
 should slay one another.

00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:32.459
 So we mustn't forget

00:19:32.459 --> 00:19:33.879
 our primary fight

00:19:33.879 --> 00:19:34.759
 as Christians.

00:19:34.899 --> 00:19:35.459
 It's not against

00:19:35.459 --> 00:19:36.319
 our fellow man,

00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:38.139
 even along ideological

00:19:38.139 --> 00:19:40.639
 or partisan lines,

00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:42.579
 but against a greater evil.

00:19:44.179 --> 00:19:44.839
 And I ask you,

00:19:44.919 --> 00:19:46.159
 if you are in conflict

00:19:46.159 --> 00:19:46.839
 in your life

00:19:46.839 --> 00:19:48.219
 with someone else today,

00:19:49.500 --> 00:19:50.539
 there's no peace

00:19:50.539 --> 00:19:51.319
 between you two.

00:19:51.899 --> 00:19:53.439
 Who is your true enemy?

00:19:54.119 --> 00:19:57.119
 Next,

00:19:57.219 --> 00:19:57.939
 from the summons

00:19:57.939 --> 00:19:59.759
 of the third living creature

00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:00.479
 comes the rider

00:20:00.479 --> 00:20:01.859
 on the black horse.

00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:03.219
 He comes with a pair

00:20:03.219 --> 00:20:04.779
 of scales in his hand.

00:20:04.859 --> 00:20:05.739
 And I used to think

00:20:05.739 --> 00:20:06.379
 that this was

00:20:06.379 --> 00:20:08.079
 the prototypical scale

00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:08.719
 of justice

00:20:08.719 --> 00:20:09.979
 held high by Lady Justice.

00:20:10.099 --> 00:20:10.899
 You guys are all familiar.

00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:11.739
 But,

00:20:12.359 --> 00:20:12.779
 actually,

00:20:12.939 --> 00:20:13.439
 this scale

00:20:13.439 --> 00:20:13.979
 is a symbol

00:20:13.979 --> 00:20:14.899
 of scarcity

00:20:14.899 --> 00:20:15.979
 and famine

00:20:15.979 --> 00:20:17.079
 because when

00:20:17.079 --> 00:20:18.539
 you're in famine,

00:20:18.679 --> 00:20:19.559
 a scale is used

00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:20.399
 to carefully

00:20:20.399 --> 00:20:21.379
 measure out

00:20:21.379 --> 00:20:22.559
 the ration portions

00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:23.039
 of food.

00:20:24.379 --> 00:20:25.460
 So that's exactly

00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:26.279
 what the rider brings.

00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:27.000
 It's a famine

00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:27.539
 so severe

00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:28.139
 it nearly breaks

00:20:28.139 --> 00:20:28.980
 the economic system.

00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:31.000
 And I'm definitely

00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:31.740
 no expert

00:20:31.740 --> 00:20:32.779
 in macroeconomics,

00:20:32.899 --> 00:20:34.059
 but I know enough

00:20:34.059 --> 00:20:35.299
 that the less supply

00:20:35.299 --> 00:20:36.139
 that you have,

00:20:37.299 --> 00:20:38.240
 the price of stuff

00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:39.079
 just drives up,

00:20:39.159 --> 00:20:39.399
 right?

00:20:40.500 --> 00:20:41.960
 Because of the famine,

00:20:42.159 --> 00:20:43.159
 a voice in the midst

00:20:43.159 --> 00:20:44.500
 of the four living creature

00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:45.200
 cries out

00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:46.639
 a quart of wheat

00:20:46.639 --> 00:20:47.319
 for a Daenerys

00:20:47.319 --> 00:20:48.379
 and three quarts

00:20:48.379 --> 00:20:48.859
 of barley

00:20:48.859 --> 00:20:49.639
 for a Daenerys.

00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:50.280
 Now,

00:20:50.440 --> 00:20:51.180
 to make that

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:52.320
 a little bit more digestible,

00:20:52.780 --> 00:20:53.259
 a Daenerys

00:20:53.259 --> 00:20:54.020
 was around

00:20:54.020 --> 00:20:54.600
 the price

00:20:54.600 --> 00:20:57.060
 of one day's wage

00:20:57.060 --> 00:20:58.420
 for a common laborer.

00:20:59.040 --> 00:21:00.220
 And a quart of wheat

00:21:00.220 --> 00:21:01.380
 is enough food

00:21:01.380 --> 00:21:02.120
 to sustain

00:21:02.120 --> 00:21:03.060
 one man

00:21:03.060 --> 00:21:04.000
 for one day.

00:21:05.320 --> 00:21:06.400
 So if you do the math,

00:21:07.420 --> 00:21:08.380
 talk about

00:21:08.380 --> 00:21:09.460
 living hand to mouth.

00:21:10.780 --> 00:21:11.940
 If you had a family,

00:21:12.020 --> 00:21:12.520
 then you likely

00:21:12.520 --> 00:21:13.280
 had to turn

00:21:13.280 --> 00:21:14.160
 to the cheaper stuff,

00:21:14.259 --> 00:21:14.700
 the barley,

00:21:14.900 --> 00:21:15.780
 which would then

00:21:15.780 --> 00:21:16.900
 feed a couple mouths

00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:17.900
 for one day,

00:21:17.900 --> 00:21:19.160
 but still talk about

00:21:19.160 --> 00:21:20.120
 living paycheck

00:21:20.120 --> 00:21:20.900
 to paycheck.

00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:22.540
 Historians say

00:21:22.540 --> 00:21:23.160
 that this was

00:21:23.160 --> 00:21:23.940
 about 10

00:21:23.940 --> 00:21:25.500
 to 12 times

00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:26.100
 the cost

00:21:26.100 --> 00:21:26.800
 of normal food.

00:21:26.940 --> 00:21:27.860
 That's like

00:21:27.860 --> 00:21:29.600
 our dozen eggs

00:21:29.600 --> 00:21:30.860
 costing 50 bucks.

00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:32.200
 50 bucks.

00:21:33.259 --> 00:21:34.019
 If you know anything

00:21:34.019 --> 00:21:34.840
 about me,

00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:36.280
 if you know anything

00:21:36.280 --> 00:21:36.940
 about, you know,

00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:38.080
 our brother

00:21:38.080 --> 00:21:38.700
 Josh Henderson

00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:39.240
 over there,

00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:41.620
 if you know

00:21:41.620 --> 00:21:42.440
 how frugal we are,

00:21:42.500 --> 00:21:43.100
 we would never

00:21:43.100 --> 00:21:44.540
 touch an egg again.

00:21:44.539 --> 00:21:48.980
 Yet still

00:21:48.980 --> 00:21:49.519
 a voice

00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:50.220
 from the midst

00:21:50.220 --> 00:21:51.059
 of the four

00:21:51.059 --> 00:21:51.720
 living creatures,

00:21:51.899 --> 00:21:52.779
 who is Jesus?

00:21:53.639 --> 00:21:54.399
 He's calling out,

00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.159
 do not harm

00:21:55.159 --> 00:21:55.700
 the oil

00:21:55.700 --> 00:21:56.319
 and the wine.

00:21:56.920 --> 00:21:58.119
 This honestly

00:21:58.119 --> 00:21:58.839
 is a tough

00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:00.079
 phrase to decipher,

00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:01.180
 but I think

00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:02.200
 the best interpretation

00:22:02.200 --> 00:22:03.559
 is that agriculturally,

00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:04.619
 the grapevine

00:22:04.619 --> 00:22:05.579
 and the olive tree,

00:22:05.700 --> 00:22:06.460
 they're more resistant

00:22:06.460 --> 00:22:07.200
 to famine

00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:08.220
 than barley

00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:08.740
 or wheat.

00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:09.460
 But I think

00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:10.279
 the main point,

00:22:10.359 --> 00:22:10.859
 the main idea

00:22:10.859 --> 00:22:11.519
 is that Jesus

00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:12.759
 is establishing

00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:13.619
 a limitation

00:22:13.619 --> 00:22:15.119
 on this famine.

00:22:17.559 --> 00:22:18.299
 This horseman

00:22:18.299 --> 00:22:18.759
 could do

00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:19.660
 no more

00:22:19.660 --> 00:22:20.519
 than the exact

00:22:20.519 --> 00:22:21.140
 limitations

00:22:21.140 --> 00:22:21.640
 that Jesus

00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:22.579
 placed on him.

00:22:23.299 --> 00:22:24.180
 Just as God

00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:25.039
 says to the seas

00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:26.759
 in Job 38,

00:22:26.920 --> 00:22:27.539
 thus far

00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:28.160
 you shall come

00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:29.279
 and no further

00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:30.519
 and here

00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:31.299
 shall your proud

00:22:31.299 --> 00:22:32.180
 ways be stayed.

00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:34.299
 The apostle John,

00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:35.099
 he tends

00:22:35.099 --> 00:22:36.000
 to be cyclical

00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:36.700
 in his writing

00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:38.000
 and the book

00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:38.519
 of Revelation

00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:39.180
 is a really

00:22:39.180 --> 00:22:39.779
 good example

00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:40.379
 of that.

00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:41.200
 First,

00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:41.660
 we have

00:22:41.660 --> 00:22:42.960
 the seven seals

00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:43.900
 that steadily

00:22:43.900 --> 00:22:44.559
 ramp up

00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:45.319
 in the intensity

00:22:45.319 --> 00:22:46.539
 and severity

00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:48.080
 until the sixth seal

00:22:48.080 --> 00:22:49.340
 which is the apex.

00:22:49.620 --> 00:22:50.460
 It's the culmination.

00:22:50.620 --> 00:22:51.740
 It's the judgment day.

00:22:53.059 --> 00:22:53.740
 But later on,

00:22:53.840 --> 00:22:54.940
 this same pattern

00:22:54.940 --> 00:22:56.539
 is just recapitulated.

00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:57.180
 It's repeated

00:22:57.180 --> 00:22:59.360
 with the seven bulls

00:22:59.360 --> 00:23:00.480
 and then the seven,

00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:01.620
 or the seven trumpets

00:23:01.620 --> 00:23:02.980
 and then the seven bulls.

00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:04.080
 So,

00:23:04.660 --> 00:23:05.920
 I think this pattern

00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:06.779
 is much like

00:23:06.779 --> 00:23:07.279
 a recurring

00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:09.259
 intensifying theme,

00:23:09.340 --> 00:23:10.120
 a musical theme

00:23:10.119 --> 00:23:11.339
 in a movie soundtrack.

00:23:12.139 --> 00:23:13.519
 Each time it's played,

00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:14.959
 you recognize it.

00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:16.719
 But as you progress

00:23:16.719 --> 00:23:17.439
 on in the movie,

00:23:17.459 --> 00:23:18.019
 it becomes

00:23:18.019 --> 00:23:19.879
 more and more intense.

00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:21.500
 Maybe it speeds up

00:23:21.500 --> 00:23:21.719
 a little.

00:23:21.819 --> 00:23:22.679
 Maybe more instruments

00:23:22.679 --> 00:23:23.500
 are being added

00:23:23.500 --> 00:23:24.599
 until it reaches

00:23:24.599 --> 00:23:26.399
 its final climax.

00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:28.419
 As we go on

00:23:28.419 --> 00:23:29.079
 in Revelation,

00:23:29.579 --> 00:23:30.119
 tune your ear

00:23:30.119 --> 00:23:30.719
 just to hear

00:23:30.719 --> 00:23:31.719
 how this theme

00:23:31.719 --> 00:23:32.259
 is repeated

00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:33.039
 but intensified

00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:33.919
 because, frankly,

00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:34.639
 this is just

00:23:34.639 --> 00:23:35.779
 the first go-around.

00:23:36.639 --> 00:23:37.439
 This is the tamest.

00:23:37.539 --> 00:23:38.139
 There are limitations

00:23:38.139 --> 00:23:38.639
 placed.

00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:40.640
 Finally,

00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:41.980
 we get to

00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:42.980
 the fourth seal

00:23:42.980 --> 00:23:45.200
 where a personified death,

00:23:46.060 --> 00:23:46.660
 inseparable

00:23:46.660 --> 00:23:47.880
 from his grim

00:23:47.880 --> 00:23:49.120
 companion,

00:23:49.320 --> 00:23:49.620
 Hades,

00:23:50.340 --> 00:23:51.180
 mounts a pale

00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:52.060
 green horse

00:23:52.060 --> 00:23:52.940
 as a fitting

00:23:52.940 --> 00:23:53.620
 color for death,

00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:53.900
 I think,

00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:54.740
 as the CSB

00:23:54.740 --> 00:23:55.300
 translation

00:23:55.300 --> 00:23:56.380
 rightly has it.

00:23:57.280 --> 00:23:59.100
 And in the OT,

00:23:59.380 --> 00:24:00.180
 in the Old Testament,

00:24:00.560 --> 00:24:01.160
 Hades would be

00:24:01.160 --> 00:24:01.940
 most closely

00:24:01.940 --> 00:24:03.420
 aligned with

00:24:03.420 --> 00:24:04.280
 Sheol,

00:24:04.360 --> 00:24:05.140
 the idea of Sheol,

00:24:05.300 --> 00:24:06.140
 the Hebrew

00:24:06.140 --> 00:24:06.740
 understanding

00:24:06.740 --> 00:24:07.480
 of the realm

00:24:07.480 --> 00:24:08.140
 of the dead.

00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:09.920
 The Lord

00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:10.800
 then bestows

00:24:10.800 --> 00:24:11.840
 upon these two

00:24:11.840 --> 00:24:12.640
 the horrifying

00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:14.020
 power to afflict

00:24:14.020 --> 00:24:15.080
 the whole earth

00:24:15.080 --> 00:24:16.500
 with sword,

00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:16.960
 famine,

00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:17.840
 pestilence,

00:24:18.540 --> 00:24:19.480
 and wild beasts,

00:24:19.600 --> 00:24:20.360
 summarizing,

00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:20.860
 I think,

00:24:21.080 --> 00:24:23.100
 all these first

00:24:23.100 --> 00:24:23.720
 four seals.

00:24:24.180 --> 00:24:24.620
 So these

00:24:24.620 --> 00:24:26.380
 first four

00:24:26.380 --> 00:24:26.900
 horsemen,

00:24:27.460 --> 00:24:28.060
 they're meant

00:24:28.060 --> 00:24:28.680
 to be taken

00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:29.460
 together as a

00:24:29.460 --> 00:24:30.340
 holistic unit,

00:24:31.820 --> 00:24:32.640
 representing the

00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:33.500
 suffering of the

00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:34.500
 entire world

00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:35.640
 of the times.

00:24:35.640 --> 00:24:36.820
 just as the

00:24:36.820 --> 00:24:37.280
 four living

00:24:37.280 --> 00:24:37.720
 creatures,

00:24:37.860 --> 00:24:38.300
 as we heard

00:24:38.300 --> 00:24:38.680
 about in

00:24:38.680 --> 00:24:39.440
 Revelation 4

00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:39.940
 and 5,

00:24:40.120 --> 00:24:40.900
 they symbolize

00:24:40.900 --> 00:24:41.600
 the praise

00:24:41.600 --> 00:24:42.600
 of all

00:24:42.600 --> 00:24:43.180
 redeemed

00:24:43.180 --> 00:24:43.840
 creation.

00:24:46.020 --> 00:24:46.720
 But while

00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.160
 these four

00:24:47.160 --> 00:24:47.640
 horsemen are

00:24:47.640 --> 00:24:48.200
 given authority

00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:48.580
 over the

00:24:48.580 --> 00:24:49.580
 entire earth,

00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:50.620
 their power,

00:24:51.120 --> 00:24:51.420
 again,

00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:52.460
 is constrained

00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:53.240
 to put to

00:24:53.240 --> 00:24:53.720
 death only

00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:54.660
 one-fourth.

00:24:55.660 --> 00:24:56.440
 This isn't

00:24:56.440 --> 00:24:57.240
 meant to be

00:24:57.240 --> 00:24:58.220
 an exact number,

00:24:58.360 --> 00:24:58.860
 it's not meant

00:24:58.860 --> 00:24:59.440
 to be a

00:24:59.440 --> 00:24:59.920
 precise,

00:25:00.320 --> 00:25:01.000
 particular group

00:25:01.000 --> 00:25:01.560
 of people,

00:25:01.559 --> 00:25:02.619
 but this is

00:25:02.619 --> 00:25:02.980
 just a

00:25:02.980 --> 00:25:04.220
 qualitative measure

00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:05.259
 of understanding

00:25:05.259 --> 00:25:06.159
 how much power

00:25:06.159 --> 00:25:06.720
 has been given

00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:07.259
 to them.

00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:09.419
 If there are,

00:25:09.700 --> 00:25:10.399
 I don't know,

00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:11.399
 60 of us

00:25:11.399 --> 00:25:12.419
 here today,

00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:14.259
 that's 15

00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:14.779
 people.

00:25:16.940 --> 00:25:17.639
 That's not

00:25:17.639 --> 00:25:18.279
 little power.

00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:19.159
 That's,

00:25:19.339 --> 00:25:20.059
 I'd consider

00:25:20.059 --> 00:25:20.399
 that a

00:25:20.399 --> 00:25:20.980
 decimation.

00:25:23.539 --> 00:25:24.119
 This,

00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:24.539
 frankly,

00:25:24.679 --> 00:25:26.079
 is a

00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:26.379
 frightening

00:25:26.379 --> 00:25:26.779
 passage.

00:25:26.940 --> 00:25:27.319
 It's a

00:25:27.319 --> 00:25:28.059
 hard passage,

00:25:29.059 --> 00:25:29.500
 especially

00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:30.059
 keeping in

00:25:30.059 --> 00:25:30.379
 mind that

00:25:30.379 --> 00:25:31.319
 many faithful

00:25:31.319 --> 00:25:31.839
 Christians

00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:32.519
 would be

00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:33.720
 the target

00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:34.099
 of these

00:25:34.099 --> 00:25:34.759
 afflictions.

00:25:35.539 --> 00:25:36.299
 Just imagine

00:25:36.299 --> 00:25:36.960
 what the

00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:38.019
 seven churches

00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:38.700
 in Asia Minor

00:25:38.700 --> 00:25:38.960
 would have

00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:39.519
 felt

00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:41.419
 reading this

00:25:41.419 --> 00:25:42.419
 letter.

00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:42.960
 Because remember,

00:25:43.099 --> 00:25:43.480
 Revelation,

00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:44.899
 it's a letter,

00:25:45.019 --> 00:25:45.700
 it's not an

00:25:45.700 --> 00:25:46.200
 end-time

00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:46.899
 encyclopedia.

00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:49.339
 But,

00:25:49.579 --> 00:25:50.720
 I think there's

00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:51.339
 a big but here,

00:25:51.419 --> 00:25:52.299
 the line of hope

00:25:52.299 --> 00:25:53.399
 is that while

00:25:53.399 --> 00:25:54.299
 we see evidence

00:25:54.299 --> 00:25:54.919
 of these

00:25:54.919 --> 00:25:56.079
 four horsemen

00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:57.259
 galloping around,

00:25:57.319 --> 00:25:57.819
 terrorizing the

00:25:57.819 --> 00:25:58.119
 earth,

00:25:58.119 --> 00:26:01.739
 the text

00:26:01.739 --> 00:26:02.119
 makes it

00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:02.559
 clear that

00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:03.179
 these belong

00:26:03.179 --> 00:26:03.679
 to God.

00:26:04.919 --> 00:26:05.719
 God is the

00:26:05.719 --> 00:26:06.179
 one who's

00:26:06.179 --> 00:26:06.859
 called them

00:26:06.859 --> 00:26:07.539
 to action.

00:26:07.719 --> 00:26:08.559
 God is the

00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:08.959
 one who's

00:26:08.959 --> 00:26:09.579
 put chains

00:26:09.579 --> 00:26:10.000
 around the

00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.699
 necks of

00:26:10.699 --> 00:26:11.279
 death and

00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:11.539
 Hades,

00:26:11.699 --> 00:26:12.459
 limiting how

00:26:12.459 --> 00:26:13.119
 far they can

00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:13.459
 go.

00:26:14.339 --> 00:26:15.059
 I want you to

00:26:15.059 --> 00:26:15.719
 look down with

00:26:15.719 --> 00:26:15.899
 me,

00:26:15.939 --> 00:26:16.399
 because I want

00:26:16.399 --> 00:26:17.019
 you to see

00:26:17.019 --> 00:26:17.719
 all these

00:26:17.719 --> 00:26:18.879
 divine passives

00:26:18.879 --> 00:26:20.319
 in the

00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:20.859
 scriptures for

00:26:20.859 --> 00:26:21.199
 yourselves.

00:26:21.299 --> 00:26:21.659
 A divine

00:26:21.659 --> 00:26:22.399
 passive is a

00:26:22.399 --> 00:26:23.219
 common literary

00:26:23.219 --> 00:26:24.359
 feature where a

00:26:24.359 --> 00:26:24.919
 verb is written

00:26:24.919 --> 00:26:25.579
 in the passive

00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:26.799
 form with the

00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:27.679
 implied doer of

00:26:27.679 --> 00:26:28.579
 said action as

00:26:28.579 --> 00:26:28.960
 God.

00:26:29.899 --> 00:26:30.379
 So see,

00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:31.460
 a crown was

00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:32.199
 given to him

00:26:32.199 --> 00:26:33.019
 in verse 2.

00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:34.039
 A rider was

00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:35.059
 permitted to

00:26:35.059 --> 00:26:35.740
 take peace,

00:26:35.939 --> 00:26:36.339
 and he was

00:26:36.339 --> 00:26:37.240
 given a sword

00:26:37.240 --> 00:26:37.960
 in verse 4,

00:26:38.399 --> 00:26:38.799
 and they were

00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:40.000
 given authority

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:41.059
 over a fourth

00:26:41.059 --> 00:26:41.740
 of the earth

00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:43.159
 in verse 8.

00:26:43.379 --> 00:26:44.019
 Even for the

00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:44.699
 third seal,

00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:46.339
 you hear not

00:26:46.339 --> 00:26:47.179
 the voice of

00:26:47.179 --> 00:26:47.759
 just a living

00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:48.220
 creature,

00:26:48.619 --> 00:26:49.319
 but this is

00:26:49.319 --> 00:26:49.899
 the voice of

00:26:49.899 --> 00:26:50.779
 Jesus who

00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:51.399
 stands in the

00:26:51.399 --> 00:26:52.099
 midst of the

00:26:52.099 --> 00:26:52.759
 four living

00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:53.240
 creatures,

00:26:53.659 --> 00:26:54.539
 calling out the

00:26:54.539 --> 00:26:55.460
 limitations of

00:26:55.460 --> 00:26:56.000
 that famine.

00:26:57.799 --> 00:26:58.740
 And we know,

00:26:58.799 --> 00:26:59.340
 we know that

00:26:59.340 --> 00:26:59.880
 scripture is

00:26:59.880 --> 00:27:01.000
 absolutely clear.

00:27:01.360 --> 00:27:02.039
 God cannot

00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:02.860
 commit any

00:27:02.860 --> 00:27:03.160
 evil.

00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:04.500
 He is never

00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:05.779
 responsible for

00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:06.299
 any evil.

00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:07.420
 He tempts no

00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:08.240
 one, and he is

00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:09.140
 light without

00:27:09.140 --> 00:27:09.840
 any darkness.

00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:13.100
 But John makes

00:27:13.100 --> 00:27:14.220
 it clear that

00:27:14.220 --> 00:27:16.400
 this evil still

00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:17.400
 is under his

00:27:17.400 --> 00:27:18.140
 sovereignty and

00:27:18.140 --> 00:27:18.600
 control.

00:27:20.920 --> 00:27:21.740
 But why?

00:27:22.860 --> 00:27:24.319
 Why would

00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:25.500
 God authorize

00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:26.259
 such suffering

00:27:26.259 --> 00:27:26.759
 upon the

00:27:26.759 --> 00:27:28.460
 world, and

00:27:28.460 --> 00:27:29.119
 especially upon

00:27:29.119 --> 00:27:29.539
 his children

00:27:29.539 --> 00:27:30.240
 whom he loves?

00:27:30.980 --> 00:27:31.759
 Why do bad

00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:33.159
 things happen

00:27:33.159 --> 00:27:34.119
 to good people?

00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:36.919
 These are hard

00:27:36.919 --> 00:27:38.579
 questions, but we

00:27:38.579 --> 00:27:39.039
 can find our

00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:39.539
 answers in

00:27:39.539 --> 00:27:39.819
 scripture.

00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:42.259
 Well, first, I

00:27:42.259 --> 00:27:42.899
 think, I think it's

00:27:42.899 --> 00:27:43.539
 really important to

00:27:43.539 --> 00:27:44.119
 establish this.

00:27:44.439 --> 00:27:45.919
 The Bible does

00:27:45.919 --> 00:27:48.460
 affirm that bad

00:27:48.460 --> 00:27:49.079
 things happen to

00:27:49.079 --> 00:27:49.599
 good people.

00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:49.659
 people.

00:27:50.779 --> 00:27:51.740
 And thank God

00:27:51.740 --> 00:27:52.240
 it does.

00:27:53.159 --> 00:27:53.939
 That sounds

00:27:53.939 --> 00:27:54.959
 odd and sounds

00:27:54.959 --> 00:27:57.179
 hard, but hear

00:27:57.179 --> 00:27:57.539
 me out.

00:27:57.699 --> 00:27:58.240
 You're all

00:27:58.240 --> 00:27:58.959
 familiar with the

00:27:58.959 --> 00:27:59.839
 story of Job,

00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:00.259
 right?

00:28:00.679 --> 00:28:01.459
 Rich and

00:28:01.459 --> 00:28:02.759
 righteous Job, he

00:28:02.759 --> 00:28:03.299
 has everything

00:28:03.299 --> 00:28:04.099
 that he wants, but

00:28:04.099 --> 00:28:05.819
 because Satan was

00:28:05.819 --> 00:28:07.799
 permitted, right,

00:28:08.159 --> 00:28:09.179
 hear that sound

00:28:09.179 --> 00:28:09.799
 familiar, he was

00:28:09.799 --> 00:28:10.759
 permitted to

00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:12.039
 afflict Job and

00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:12.419
 take away

00:28:12.419 --> 00:28:13.159
 everything from

00:28:13.159 --> 00:28:13.779
 him in a short

00:28:13.779 --> 00:28:14.859
 span of time.

00:28:15.740 --> 00:28:16.719
 Job is

00:28:16.719 --> 00:28:17.480
 mourning, he's

00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:18.980
 lamenting, and

00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:19.660
 pretty much the

00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:20.559
 rest of the

00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:21.319
 book is Job

00:28:21.319 --> 00:28:22.099
 going back and

00:28:22.099 --> 00:28:22.819
 forth with his

00:28:22.819 --> 00:28:23.620
 three friends.

00:28:24.099 --> 00:28:24.539
 And while they're

00:28:24.539 --> 00:28:25.839
 arguing about Job's

00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:26.860
 circumstances, they're

00:28:26.860 --> 00:28:27.860
 actually agreeing upon

00:28:27.860 --> 00:28:29.700
 base presuppositions

00:28:29.700 --> 00:28:31.319
 that a just God

00:28:31.319 --> 00:28:32.440
 should treat people

00:28:32.440 --> 00:28:33.420
 with what they

00:28:33.420 --> 00:28:33.779
 deserve.

00:28:34.660 --> 00:28:35.860
 So therefore, his

00:28:35.860 --> 00:28:36.759
 friends, they come to

00:28:36.759 --> 00:28:38.059
 this conclusion that

00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:39.339
 Job must have done

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:40.420
 absolutely something

00:28:40.420 --> 00:28:42.120
 horrifically wrong to

00:28:42.120 --> 00:28:42.860
 be able to deserve

00:28:42.860 --> 00:28:43.319
 this.

00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:45.620
 Whereas Job, his

00:28:45.620 --> 00:28:46.460
 response, he

00:28:46.460 --> 00:28:47.240
 maintains his

00:28:47.240 --> 00:28:48.240
 innocence and

00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:49.140
 demands a fair

00:28:49.140 --> 00:28:50.160
 trial before a

00:28:50.160 --> 00:28:51.079
 judge who

00:28:51.079 --> 00:28:52.019
 should be fair.

00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:54.680
 But then, at the

00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:55.400
 end of the book, a

00:28:55.400 --> 00:28:56.440
 fourth friend, Elihu,

00:28:56.500 --> 00:28:57.400
 he kind of pops out

00:28:57.400 --> 00:28:57.859
 really out of

00:28:57.859 --> 00:29:00.460
 nowhere, but he

00:29:00.460 --> 00:29:01.500
 gives this profound

00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:02.259
 answer that I think

00:29:02.259 --> 00:29:03.000
 is so important for

00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:03.779
 us to understand, that

00:29:03.779 --> 00:29:05.380
 he says that God can

00:29:05.380 --> 00:29:07.440
 bring hard things, not

00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:08.819
 as a direct result of

00:29:08.819 --> 00:29:10.720
 someone's actions, but

00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.940
 to ultimately save

00:29:11.940 --> 00:29:13.059
 them from sin.

00:29:14.599 --> 00:29:15.980
 This conclusion is

00:29:15.980 --> 00:29:17.900
 extremely important to

00:29:17.900 --> 00:29:18.660
 understand, because if

00:29:18.660 --> 00:29:20.200
 we don't, then we end

00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:21.259
 up with a theological

00:29:21.259 --> 00:29:24.000
 system no different

00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:26.380
 than karma or even

00:29:26.380 --> 00:29:28.060
 the prosperity gospel.

00:29:29.820 --> 00:29:31.640
 Every time we suffer, it's

00:29:31.640 --> 00:29:32.340
 because we would have

00:29:32.340 --> 00:29:32.880
 deserved it.

00:29:32.940 --> 00:29:34.280
 Every time we aren't

00:29:34.280 --> 00:29:35.320
 healthy or wealthy, it's

00:29:35.320 --> 00:29:36.280
 because we didn't name it

00:29:36.280 --> 00:29:37.320
 or claim it or we didn't

00:29:37.320 --> 00:29:38.440
 give enough money to our

00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:39.340
 church.

00:29:39.339 --> 00:29:42.639
 How painful is that truth

00:29:42.639 --> 00:29:45.000
 instead, when you suffer

00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:46.799
 loss, death, tragedy, it's

00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:48.220
 because the only right

00:29:48.220 --> 00:29:49.299
 theological conclusion is

00:29:49.299 --> 00:29:50.299
 that you deserved it.

00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:53.019
 The book of Job flips all

00:29:53.019 --> 00:29:53.980
 of that on its head.

00:29:54.779 --> 00:29:57.199
 Good things can happen to

00:29:57.199 --> 00:29:58.599
 good people, or bad things

00:29:58.599 --> 00:29:59.980
 can happen to good people

00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:02.299
 for good reasons.

00:30:02.299 --> 00:30:05.240
 And that's good news, because

00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:08.259
 God can and does wield the

00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:10.700
 tool of suffering for good.

00:30:12.259 --> 00:30:13.539
 In the hands of our good

00:30:13.539 --> 00:30:15.379
 God, suffering is the

00:30:15.379 --> 00:30:19.440
 blaring microphone for those

00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:21.099
 who are slumbering in

00:30:21.099 --> 00:30:22.279
 contented worldliness, for

00:30:22.279 --> 00:30:23.299
 them to wake up.

00:30:24.159 --> 00:30:25.480
 Suffering is the glassy

00:30:25.480 --> 00:30:26.940
 mirror that reflects our

00:30:26.940 --> 00:30:28.700
 true spiritual makeup, warts

00:30:28.700 --> 00:30:30.139
 and all, leading us to

00:30:30.139 --> 00:30:30.519
 repentance.

00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:32.400
 Suffering is the surgeon's

00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:34.460
 scalpel, cutting out heart

00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:36.000
 diseases of idolatry and

00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:36.460
 sin.

00:30:37.099 --> 00:30:38.460
 Suffering is the great pride

00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:40.720
 crusher, the loving rod of

00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:42.500
 discipline, steering us back

00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:43.879
 onto the right path of

00:30:43.879 --> 00:30:45.000
 humility and righteousness.

00:30:45.639 --> 00:30:47.799
 Suffering is God's gymnasium,

00:30:47.879 --> 00:30:49.480
 his classroom, where we learn

00:30:49.480 --> 00:30:51.119
 probably more about God in

00:30:51.119 --> 00:30:52.180
 that setting than in any

00:30:52.180 --> 00:30:53.879
 other in our lives.

00:30:55.319 --> 00:30:56.740
 And there's one last good

00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:57.720
 that comes with suffering.

00:30:58.139 --> 00:30:59.579
 We can experience just a

00:30:59.579 --> 00:31:01.759
 taste, just a taste of how

00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:04.159
 much Jesus, our Lord and

00:31:04.159 --> 00:31:06.720
 Savior, suffered for our sin

00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:07.379
 on the cross.

00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:10.019
 This Advent season, we

00:31:10.019 --> 00:31:11.359
 remember that the infinite,

00:31:11.699 --> 00:31:13.379
 the infinite God, he became

00:31:13.379 --> 00:31:16.199
 an infant for our sake.

00:31:16.200 --> 00:31:23.380
 He became the one not to be

00:31:23.380 --> 00:31:23.740
 served.

00:31:23.819 --> 00:31:25.460
 He didn't come to be served, but

00:31:25.460 --> 00:31:27.180
 to serve and to give his life

00:31:27.180 --> 00:31:28.400
 as a ransom for many.

00:31:29.019 --> 00:31:30.940
 And for as much as we suffer,

00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:33.400
 we will never know how much it

00:31:33.400 --> 00:31:36.100
 cost for Jesus to bear all our

00:31:36.100 --> 00:31:38.360
 sin, bear all the wrath of the

00:31:38.360 --> 00:31:39.220
 Father on him.

00:31:41.360 --> 00:31:42.819
 And while terrible things can

00:31:42.819 --> 00:31:44.279
 happen to righteous Christians,

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:46.899
 we can trust that we are not

00:31:46.899 --> 00:31:47.339
 alone.

00:31:47.680 --> 00:31:50.019
 Jesus can empathize with us.

00:31:50.899 --> 00:31:52.700
 That's why the late pastor

00:31:52.700 --> 00:31:54.579
 Tim Keller explains God takes

00:31:54.579 --> 00:31:56.779
 our misery, our suffering, so

00:31:56.779 --> 00:31:58.899
 seriously that he is willing to

00:31:58.899 --> 00:31:59.859
 take it on himself.

00:32:02.180 --> 00:32:04.299
 And for those who suffer in this

00:32:04.299 --> 00:32:06.259
 life and they pattern their lives

00:32:06.259 --> 00:32:08.700
 after Christ, the sovereign Lord

00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:11.920
 bestows upon them rest in the

00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:13.460
 next life as we encounter the

00:32:13.460 --> 00:32:14.200
 fifth seal.

00:32:15.800 --> 00:32:17.279
 So moving on to the fifth seal,

00:32:17.380 --> 00:32:19.880
 when in verses 9 to 11, we get a

00:32:19.880 --> 00:32:20.820
 break in the pattern.

00:32:21.340 --> 00:32:22.880
 So no more evil horses, thank God.

00:32:23.300 --> 00:32:25.060
 But instead, we are transported

00:32:25.060 --> 00:32:26.700
 back to the heavenly realm.

00:32:27.580 --> 00:32:29.380
 And here we see the souls who have

00:32:29.380 --> 00:32:31.180
 been slain for the word of God and

00:32:31.180 --> 00:32:32.500
 for the witness they had borne.

00:32:34.039 --> 00:32:36.360
 Because Christians don't play by the

00:32:36.360 --> 00:32:38.039
 rules of the world, because we

00:32:38.039 --> 00:32:40.060
 refuse to scheme and bribe and

00:32:40.060 --> 00:32:41.779
 cheat and battle our way to victory,

00:32:41.920 --> 00:32:44.340
 because we turn the other cheek,

00:32:44.440 --> 00:32:45.960
 because we trust that God will

00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:47.800
 uphold justice so that we don't

00:32:47.800 --> 00:32:48.340
 have to.

00:32:49.360 --> 00:32:52.120
 Because we have conformed our lives

00:32:52.120 --> 00:32:53.920
 to the slain lamb in life and

00:32:53.920 --> 00:32:56.060
 death, we have suffered between the

00:32:56.060 --> 00:32:57.160
 two advents of Christ.

00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:00.259
 And their blood was spilt upon the

00:33:00.259 --> 00:33:01.759
 heavenly altar of God.

00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:04.380
 Even the great apostle Paul saw his

00:33:04.380 --> 00:33:07.080
 own death similarly, like a drink

00:33:07.080 --> 00:33:08.720
 offering to be poured out.

00:33:08.720 --> 00:33:13.500
 And while they are in the Sabbath rest

00:33:13.500 --> 00:33:16.240
 of God, this rest is not fully

00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:16.839
 consummated.

00:33:18.140 --> 00:33:19.380
 I think it's clear in our text, but

00:33:19.380 --> 00:33:21.220
 John hints that he uses a specific

00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:22.220
 word, souls.

00:33:22.500 --> 00:33:24.120
 He says souls, they're not, they're

00:33:24.120 --> 00:33:26.819
 still waiting for their final glorified

00:33:26.819 --> 00:33:27.279
 body.

00:33:28.039 --> 00:33:29.980
 But even more clearly, they're still

00:33:29.980 --> 00:33:32.960
 waiting for God to judge and avenge

00:33:32.960 --> 00:33:34.980
 their blood on those who dwell on the

00:33:34.980 --> 00:33:35.259
 earth.

00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:39.900
 But again, notice God's awesome

00:33:39.900 --> 00:33:40.940
 response to their plea.

00:33:41.059 --> 00:33:43.700
 He's not a military general that's

00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:46.180
 freaking out in his camp, wondering,

00:33:46.640 --> 00:33:47.940
 am I losing too many men?

00:33:48.059 --> 00:33:49.640
 Am I going to lose this battle?

00:33:49.980 --> 00:33:51.980
 But his answer shows that he is in

00:33:51.980 --> 00:33:54.400
 complete control of the situation.

00:33:55.299 --> 00:33:57.740
 He is, after all, what they call and

00:33:57.740 --> 00:33:58.200
 know him to be.

00:33:58.259 --> 00:34:00.680
 He is the sovereign Lord, holy and true.

00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:04.740
 So he gives them white robes, symbolizing

00:34:04.740 --> 00:34:06.860
 purity and blessedness, and he tells

00:34:06.860 --> 00:34:08.559
 them to rest a little longer.

00:34:09.260 --> 00:34:11.400
 Rest a little longer because their

00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:13.420
 number is still yet completed.

00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:18.579
 Under the reign of Nero, Domitian,

00:34:19.500 --> 00:34:23.539
 Shapur II, Adolf Hitler, Stalin, Kim

00:34:23.539 --> 00:34:26.960
 Irsung, Mao Zedong, Fidel Castro, Boko

00:34:26.960 --> 00:34:30.059
 Haram, God is sovereign over the millions

00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:33.039
 and millions of saints' lives throughout

00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:35.360
 history that are to be added to their

00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:35.559
 number.

00:34:35.699 --> 00:34:37.940
 More and more are joining in this choir,

00:34:38.240 --> 00:34:40.159
 even to this very own day.

00:34:40.440 --> 00:34:43.639
 How long before you will judge and avenge

00:34:43.639 --> 00:34:45.240
 our blood on those dwelling on the

00:34:45.240 --> 00:34:45.519
 earth?

00:34:47.920 --> 00:34:53.199
 When you hear this, I understand if you

00:34:53.199 --> 00:34:56.059
 might feel a little uneasy about this

00:34:56.059 --> 00:35:00.179
 prayer because it sounds like something a

00:35:00.179 --> 00:35:01.179
 Christian shouldn't say.

00:35:02.759 --> 00:35:04.559
 After all, this seems like the polar

00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:07.679
 opposite of Jesus and Stephen's request

00:35:07.679 --> 00:35:08.759
 before they were martyred.

00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:11.340
 Forgive them for they know not what they

00:35:11.340 --> 00:35:11.639
 do.

00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:15.659
 But as faithful students of Scripture, as

00:35:15.659 --> 00:35:18.420
 we all are in this church, we must be

00:35:18.420 --> 00:35:23.259
 careful not to absolute ties, either

00:35:23.260 --> 00:35:26.560
 response of forgiveness only or justice

00:35:26.560 --> 00:35:29.320
 only when we experience injustice.

00:35:29.740 --> 00:35:32.960
 We find both responses in Scripture and

00:35:32.960 --> 00:35:35.420
 both can be appropriate means of glorifying

00:35:35.420 --> 00:35:35.780
 God.

00:35:37.960 --> 00:35:40.640
 Now, this isn't the case for everyone, but

00:35:40.640 --> 00:35:45.520
 I wonder if our main objection to this, please,

00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:48.980
 it's ultimately because we have a small view of

00:35:48.980 --> 00:35:51.239
 God and his glory and we have a large view of

00:35:51.239 --> 00:35:54.880
 people, even those who hate God.

00:35:55.619 --> 00:35:58.820
 We uphold the value of our fellow man, which is a

00:35:58.820 --> 00:36:01.380
 good Christian impulse, but it should never be

00:36:01.380 --> 00:36:03.300
 done at the expense of God's glory.

00:36:04.759 --> 00:36:06.980
 Our world, we've lost our nose.

00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:12.619
 We've lost the ability to smell how foul sin is

00:36:12.619 --> 00:36:15.800
 because we've just gotten so accustomed to living in

00:36:15.800 --> 00:36:15.980
 it.

00:36:17.539 --> 00:36:21.320
 That's why David rhetorically asks in Psalm 138,

00:36:21.719 --> 00:36:24.059
 do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?

00:36:24.800 --> 00:36:26.960
 And to an appropriate degree, do we have righteous

00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:29.679
 anger to preserve the glory of our Lord?

00:36:32.059 --> 00:36:35.619
 And moreover, in defense of these saints, the reality is

00:36:35.619 --> 00:36:39.219
 that the majority, the vast majority of martyrs to this

00:36:39.219 --> 00:36:43.719
 day are voiceless and their murders are done in secret.

00:36:44.880 --> 00:36:48.380
 So many, millions upon these killings don't make the

00:36:48.380 --> 00:36:48.779
 headlines.

00:36:49.400 --> 00:36:50.819
 We don't know anything about them.

00:36:52.139 --> 00:36:55.480
 And that's precisely the reason why Richard Wurmbrandt, a

00:36:55.480 --> 00:36:58.679
 Lutheran priest in the 1940s, he would go on to find the

00:36:58.679 --> 00:37:00.839
 organization, The Voice of the Martyrs.

00:37:01.119 --> 00:37:01.940
 I'm sure you've heard of it.

00:37:02.659 --> 00:37:05.579
 It's an organization that lives up to its name and gives a

00:37:05.579 --> 00:37:06.840
 voice to the voiceless.

00:37:08.699 --> 00:37:12.500
 In his book, Tortured for Christ, he goes on to write this.

00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:18.440
 I tremble because of the sufferings of those persecuted in

00:37:18.440 --> 00:37:19.179
 different lands.

00:37:20.380 --> 00:37:23.480
 I tremble thinking about the eternal destiny of their

00:37:23.480 --> 00:37:24.000
 torturers.

00:37:25.179 --> 00:37:29.139
 I tremble for Western Christians who don't help their

00:37:29.139 --> 00:37:30.099
 persecuted brethren.

00:37:30.099 --> 00:37:36.000
 In the depth of my heart, I would like to keep the beauty of my

00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:39.059
 own vineyard and not to be involved in such a huge fight.

00:37:39.799 --> 00:37:45.239
 I would like to so much to be somewhere in quietness and rest, but

00:37:45.239 --> 00:37:46.980
 it is not possible.

00:37:48.139 --> 00:37:51.860
 The quietness and rest for which I long would be an escape from

00:37:51.860 --> 00:37:54.119
 reality and dangerous for my soul.

00:37:54.119 --> 00:37:59.420
 The West sleeps and must be awakened to see the plight of the

00:37:59.420 --> 00:38:00.460
 captive nations.

00:38:02.039 --> 00:38:08.099
 So church, we shouldn't stifle the questions of how long, oh Lord, but

00:38:08.099 --> 00:38:13.500
 we should join in on this pleading with righteous anger, an anger that's

00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:18.480
 not primarily motivated by personal revenge, but an anger defending God's

00:38:18.480 --> 00:38:18.920
 glory.

00:38:18.920 --> 00:38:25.039
 So we must ask how long, oh Lord, will our brothers and sisters in

00:38:25.039 --> 00:38:26.039
 this world suffer?

00:38:26.940 --> 00:38:28.280
 We can't bear.

00:38:28.500 --> 00:38:30.079
 We can't bear to see it anymore.

00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:32.300
 We want you to come.

00:38:32.440 --> 00:38:36.099
 We want you to come, oh Lord, and make all that is wrong right.

00:38:37.220 --> 00:38:41.200
 This Advent season, as we remember the first coming of Christ, we must also

00:38:41.200 --> 00:38:43.420
 remember to wait for his coming.

00:38:43.900 --> 00:38:47.139
 When his name will finally stop being besmirched.

00:38:47.139 --> 00:38:49.379
 His glory will fully be known.

00:38:50.079 --> 00:38:54.900
 His enemies crushed under his feet and the slain will rise to reign.

00:38:55.799 --> 00:38:58.699
 And when we pray like that, we don't pray as if we don't know what's going to

00:38:58.699 --> 00:38:58.879
 happen.

00:38:58.960 --> 00:39:00.379
 We know what's going to happen.

00:39:00.519 --> 00:39:02.079
 God is, but God is going to answer.

00:39:03.259 --> 00:39:08.699
 This suffering and these deaths are never meaningless because they are, they're

00:39:08.699 --> 00:39:13.960
 gas, they're gasoline to spark the advancement of God's kingdom, just like

00:39:13.960 --> 00:39:15.219
 Christ's suffering was.

00:39:15.219 --> 00:39:17.879
 And these deaths are victories.

00:39:18.939 --> 00:39:19.859
 They're never losses.

00:39:20.279 --> 00:39:25.279
 And that's why we can and we must endure the suffering of this tribulation because

00:39:25.279 --> 00:39:32.939
 God is sovereignly using all of it to launch into the sixth seal to bring about his

00:39:32.939 --> 00:39:34.659
 kingdom, the consummation of his kingdom.

00:39:34.659 --> 00:39:40.739
 Finally, the lamb opens up the sixth seal.

00:39:40.819 --> 00:39:43.019
 And you could tell that things are really ramping up here.

00:39:43.659 --> 00:39:46.819
 Once the seal is opened, there is a great earthquake.

00:39:47.980 --> 00:39:55.539
 Sun turns black, moon turns red, falls, the stars fall to the earth when overripe, like

00:39:55.539 --> 00:39:56.859
 overripe figs when shaken.

00:39:56.860 --> 00:40:02.800
 And these signs are all taken from a smattering of different places in scripture, but really

00:40:02.800 --> 00:40:09.240
 all of them are signaling to you something on the cosmic, on the earth shattering, sky

00:40:09.240 --> 00:40:11.480
 splitting level is about to happen.

00:40:11.480 --> 00:40:19.159
 These are all clear signs in the Bible that the foretold day of the Lord has come.

00:40:20.780 --> 00:40:25.679
 An answer to, this is an answer to the martyr's prayer.

00:40:25.920 --> 00:40:30.460
 Those who killed and abused Christians will await their final judgment that day.

00:40:30.460 --> 00:40:37.079
 And while John does include everyone, including the poor, the majority of these descriptors

00:40:37.079 --> 00:40:39.900
 in our text, they're the high and the mighty.

00:40:40.019 --> 00:40:45.619
 He says they're kings, great ones, generals, rich and powerful, yet they will find out that

00:40:45.619 --> 00:40:50.159
 final day that they are poor, they're weak, and they're naked.

00:40:50.159 --> 00:41:00.039
 When I was a kid in high school, in my idolatry to try to prove myself by my grades, there was

00:41:00.039 --> 00:41:05.359
 a situation that I decided that I needed to cheat on one of my exams.

00:41:05.460 --> 00:41:06.359
 It was a history exam.

00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:13.359
 And so what I decided to do, and thought this was a really smart plan at that point, but

00:41:13.359 --> 00:41:17.539
 I wrote all the information on a little cheat sheet.

00:41:17.539 --> 00:41:22.719
 It was like a little cheat sheet this big, but I quickly found out that there was a lot

00:41:22.719 --> 00:41:26.480
 of information on the test, and so I had to write it super, super small, probably like

00:41:26.480 --> 00:41:27.579
 font size two or three.

00:41:28.460 --> 00:41:33.679
 And so I realized I could only read it when I was like holding it up like this, but I

00:41:33.679 --> 00:41:36.460
 didn't take that into account when I was actually taking my exam.

00:41:37.239 --> 00:41:39.500
 I needed a place to hide it, right?

00:41:39.559 --> 00:41:45.239
 So I was just sitting there, and I decided to put this little cheat sheet in between my legs.

00:41:45.239 --> 00:41:50.019
 And so at that distance, I couldn't read a single thing that I wrote.

00:41:51.719 --> 00:41:54.819
 And so it was for, I don't know, a good 10 minutes.

00:41:54.979 --> 00:41:57.379
 I was just staring in between my legs, not writing anything.

00:41:58.959 --> 00:42:06.319
 And so I decided to abandon that plan, ditch plan A, go to plan B, which I whipped out my

00:42:06.319 --> 00:42:08.719
 iPod Touch, which maybe you guys remember those.

00:42:08.719 --> 00:42:13.259
 And I thought that I could furiously type it into Google, all the information that I needed.

00:42:13.359 --> 00:42:16.159
 So I also decided to put that in between my legs.

00:42:16.299 --> 00:42:21.199
 So I was just sitting there, looking in between my legs, trying to furiously type and look

00:42:21.199 --> 00:42:21.539
 up things.

00:42:21.619 --> 00:42:24.259
 Anyone could tell that I was acting super strangely.

00:42:24.799 --> 00:42:30.619
 And so it didn't take long for my professor to ask me, Ed, what are you doing?

00:42:30.619 --> 00:42:32.159
 What are you doing?

00:42:33.619 --> 00:42:40.059
 And I looked up after looking in between my legs for like a good 20 minutes, and I saw

00:42:40.059 --> 00:42:43.739
 everybody in the classroom staring at me.

00:42:45.199 --> 00:42:51.500
 Every single person was looking at me, and he confiscated my device, my little cheat sheet,

00:42:51.500 --> 00:42:55.059
 and he told me to meet me after class.

00:42:56.320 --> 00:43:04.539
 And I felt, that's probably the most, the moment in my life where I felt the most exposed,

00:43:04.920 --> 00:43:06.460
 the most naked I've ever felt.

00:43:06.539 --> 00:43:07.320
 I wanted to hide.

00:43:07.519 --> 00:43:08.380
 I wanted to run.

00:43:08.659 --> 00:43:12.440
 But I just had to sit there waiting for these kids to finish their exam.

00:43:12.780 --> 00:43:14.480
 But that was just a high school exam.

00:43:15.719 --> 00:43:16.840
 That's just a high school exam.

00:43:16.840 --> 00:43:24.760
 How can you imagine just how naked and exposed these people feel on that day of the Lord?

00:43:25.740 --> 00:43:32.260
 I want you to hear the absolute fear in their voices when they cry, fall on us, hide us.

00:43:32.820 --> 00:43:33.960
 What do we do?

00:43:34.440 --> 00:43:35.480
 Where can we run?

00:43:36.240 --> 00:43:38.100
 Who can stand on this day?

00:43:39.480 --> 00:43:42.559
 But the earth dwellers in verse 17, they're right.

00:43:42.920 --> 00:43:44.340
 Who can stand?

00:43:44.340 --> 00:43:48.420
 For we were all part of this adulterous and sinful generation.

00:43:49.019 --> 00:43:53.600
 No one can stand before God that day, not from their own obedience.

00:43:54.340 --> 00:43:58.220
 When we have suffered, we have all turned to our own ways to cope.

00:43:59.039 --> 00:44:04.780
 We have turned to substances, sexual sin, food, self-reliance, relationships, money,

00:44:04.920 --> 00:44:09.200
 and a plethora of other idols just to cope with the suffering of this world.

00:44:09.480 --> 00:44:12.740
 We did not submit nor trust the sovereignty of our God.

00:44:12.739 --> 00:44:17.519
 We have even accused God of evil and blamed him and hated him.

00:44:18.619 --> 00:44:20.379
 But there is one.

00:44:20.919 --> 00:44:24.039
 There is one who did submit perfectly.

00:44:24.819 --> 00:44:30.419
 There is one who submitted to his father's plan, even when it cost him everything.

00:44:30.420 --> 00:44:38.740
 And it's only by Jesus' perfect submission to death on a cross that we could stand on that day.

00:44:38.880 --> 00:44:45.880
 Only because of Jesus' obedience do we observe the great reversal of fate between those two groups that I mentioned earlier,

00:44:45.960 --> 00:44:48.460
 between the Christian martyr and the earth dweller.

00:44:48.460 --> 00:44:55.139
 Before, we noticed that the Christian martyr was dead, but the earth dweller was alive.

00:44:55.380 --> 00:44:57.119
 But now it's all upside down.

00:44:57.300 --> 00:44:59.460
 It's the faithful martyr at rest.

00:44:59.860 --> 00:45:02.800
 But the earth dweller in complete panic and fear.

00:45:03.460 --> 00:45:06.420
 The wicked plead for the mountains to cover them,

00:45:06.519 --> 00:45:12.599
 but the Christian rests secure that they are covered by the perfect righteousness of Christ.

00:45:12.599 --> 00:45:16.099
 The Christian is justified.

00:45:17.119 --> 00:45:18.599
 The wicked receive wrath.

00:45:20.259 --> 00:45:22.659
 The wrath of the Lamb for eternal punishment in hell.

00:45:24.819 --> 00:45:29.839
 And on that final day, what we knew of the power and the sovereignty of the Lord,

00:45:30.019 --> 00:45:32.279
 only by faith and not by sight,

00:45:32.960 --> 00:45:37.739
 it'll all be fully revealed for the whole world to see and tremble.

00:45:37.739 --> 00:45:45.839
 Therefore, today, with the four horsemen wreaking havoc on this world and discouraging Christians,

00:45:46.239 --> 00:45:49.179
 brothers and sisters, I urge you, I plead with you,

00:45:50.199 --> 00:45:51.099
 hold the line.

00:45:52.279 --> 00:45:53.179
 Keep the faith.

00:45:54.219 --> 00:45:55.359
 Fight the good fight.

00:45:56.500 --> 00:46:03.019
 Trust in the good plan of our Lord by remembering that God is sovereign over the totality of our lives now,

00:46:03.019 --> 00:46:06.799
 and he is sovereign over the rest that you will receive in the next.

00:46:08.399 --> 00:46:12.199
 Richard Wurmbrandt and his wife Sabina, they're faithful examples of this.

00:46:12.939 --> 00:46:18.019
 Again, in his book, Richard writes back in 1945, when the Soviet Union was still around.

00:46:18.539 --> 00:46:19.619
 It took over Romania.

00:46:20.319 --> 00:46:21.419
 This is Richard's country.

00:46:22.059 --> 00:46:25.979
 And the leaders of the Union forced Christian leaders to all gather together.

00:46:26.439 --> 00:46:31.679
 And they forced them to hail the atheistic state and pledge their allegiance to the Soviet Union.

00:46:31.679 --> 00:46:41.460
 And Richard and Sabina, his wife, they attended and they witnessed one church leader after another compromise their faith.

00:46:43.119 --> 00:46:48.279
 So, Sabina, being the faithful helper that she is, she whispered to her husband,

00:46:48.280 --> 00:46:51.560
 Richard, stand up.

00:46:52.380 --> 00:46:54.500
 Wash away the shame from the face of Christ.

00:46:55.120 --> 00:46:56.580
 They're spitting in his face.

00:46:58.980 --> 00:47:00.940
 And he replied, if I do so,

00:47:01.620 --> 00:47:02.700
 you lose your husband.

00:47:02.699 --> 00:47:07.039
 And she faithfully and boldly said,

00:47:07.539 --> 00:47:10.179
 I don't wish to have a coward for a husband.

00:47:11.779 --> 00:47:15.759
 Now, with a wife like Sabina, no wonder he obeyed God.

00:47:15.760 --> 00:47:21.040
 But it's also because he trusted, Richard trusted,

00:47:21.460 --> 00:47:24.240
 that God is in control of everything.

00:47:24.420 --> 00:47:25.800
 God would never leave him.

00:47:26.840 --> 00:47:30.540
 So he bravely stood up in front of 4,000 delegates

00:47:30.540 --> 00:47:35.140
 and declared that the church must glorify God in Christ alone.

00:47:35.640 --> 00:47:37.400
 And he would go on to pay the price for that.

00:47:37.480 --> 00:47:40.040
 He was kidnapped by the secret police.

00:47:40.180 --> 00:47:44.320
 He was thrown into a sensory deprived jail for three years.

00:47:44.320 --> 00:47:46.680
 That means no light, no sound.

00:47:47.100 --> 00:47:50.880
 The prisoner guards, they even wore felt on the bottom of their boots

00:47:50.880 --> 00:47:52.400
 so that they wouldn't make any sounds.

00:47:54.140 --> 00:47:56.960
 But he lived to tell the tale.

00:47:57.140 --> 00:48:00.820
 He survived the jail time and he claimed that it was worth it.

00:48:02.059 --> 00:48:05.240
 Richard and Sabina are faithful examples of those

00:48:05.240 --> 00:48:08.640
 who trusted in God with their lives

00:48:08.640 --> 00:48:11.580
 and that spurred them on to obedience,

00:48:11.580 --> 00:48:12.940
 even through suffering.

00:48:14.320 --> 00:48:17.300
 While not all of us are going to be martyrs

00:48:17.300 --> 00:48:19.740
 and suffer physical persecution,

00:48:20.100 --> 00:48:23.900
 we are all called to have the same spirit of endurance,

00:48:24.220 --> 00:48:26.680
 of perseverance, and self-sacrifice.

00:48:27.300 --> 00:48:31.100
 Again, we can only do this by trusting that God is with us now

00:48:31.100 --> 00:48:32.620
 and will give us rest for the future.

00:48:33.780 --> 00:48:37.039
 Remember, when you feel like you're losing in life

00:48:37.039 --> 00:48:39.140
 because of your faith, you are not.

00:48:39.139 --> 00:48:44.619
 But your devotion to Christ is a humble investment that explodes,

00:48:44.699 --> 00:48:46.900
 that'll explode on its return.

00:48:47.500 --> 00:48:50.159
 There's no better investment in your life

00:48:50.159 --> 00:48:51.900
 more than a graduate degree,

00:48:52.259 --> 00:48:53.379
 more than a relationship,

00:48:53.960 --> 00:48:55.099
 more than a house,

00:48:55.519 --> 00:48:56.559
 more than your own health.

00:48:57.739 --> 00:48:58.859
 If you think that you're losing

00:48:58.859 --> 00:49:00.819
 because your friends think you're weird

00:49:00.819 --> 00:49:01.900
 because of your faith,

00:49:01.900 --> 00:49:04.800
 because you tithe

00:49:04.800 --> 00:49:06.980
 so you can't save up money as quickly,

00:49:06.980 --> 00:49:09.579
 because you faithfully support your family

00:49:09.579 --> 00:49:10.900
 and give up opportunities

00:49:10.900 --> 00:49:14.680
 to launch into a lucrative and successful career,

00:49:15.039 --> 00:49:18.400
 because you speak up to defend Christ

00:49:18.400 --> 00:49:19.880
 and the Christian faith,

00:49:20.099 --> 00:49:21.920
 because you give up your own life.

00:49:22.079 --> 00:49:23.119
 Fear not.

00:49:23.119 --> 00:49:27.779
 Because God has promised that the last will be first.

00:49:28.719 --> 00:49:31.299
 He never reneges on his promises.

00:49:32.859 --> 00:49:35.460
 When we go through tragedy and suffering,

00:49:35.539 --> 00:49:36.679
 and I know that some of you guys

00:49:36.679 --> 00:49:39.719
 are going through really hard things right now.

00:49:41.339 --> 00:49:45.960
 We wrestle with God by learning the language of lamentation

00:49:45.960 --> 00:49:47.400
 as these saints had done

00:49:47.400 --> 00:49:49.359
 and which we learned not too long ago

00:49:49.359 --> 00:49:50.440
 from this very pulpit.

00:49:50.440 --> 00:49:54.059
 We invite brothers and sisters into our lives,

00:49:54.139 --> 00:49:54.980
 into our pain,

00:49:55.119 --> 00:49:57.200
 and we pray and we weep with them.

00:49:58.760 --> 00:50:01.780
 And we do ultimately what Nick did

00:50:01.780 --> 00:50:04.539
 by interpreting our suffering

00:50:04.539 --> 00:50:06.639
 through the lens and the truths of scripture,

00:50:07.200 --> 00:50:10.679
 seeing that God is still sovereign for our good.

00:50:12.840 --> 00:50:15.440
 Finally, let me close with a plea.

00:50:15.659 --> 00:50:18.240
 This tension of waiting for God's deliverance

00:50:18.240 --> 00:50:19.740
 can be extremely long.

00:50:19.739 --> 00:50:21.939
 And I know that it feels long for a lot of you.

00:50:22.839 --> 00:50:24.559
 So why is he seeming to wait so long?

00:50:25.699 --> 00:50:27.839
 If you turn to 2 Peter 3,

00:50:28.539 --> 00:50:29.319
 he tells us,

00:50:29.439 --> 00:50:30.759
 Peter tells us in verse 9,

00:50:31.579 --> 00:50:35.559
 the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise

00:50:35.559 --> 00:50:36.899
 as some count slowness,

00:50:37.139 --> 00:50:38.899
 but is patient towards you,

00:50:39.139 --> 00:50:41.299
 not wishing that any should perish,

00:50:41.519 --> 00:50:43.159
 but that all should reach repentance.

00:50:43.159 --> 00:50:45.980
 Now, if you are here today

00:50:45.980 --> 00:50:48.639
 and you haven't put your faith in Christ,

00:50:49.719 --> 00:50:51.319
 the message is clear.

00:50:51.440 --> 00:50:52.779
 God is waiting for you.

00:50:55.359 --> 00:50:57.299
 The Lord's patience endures

00:50:57.299 --> 00:50:59.000
 because of amazing grace,

00:50:59.259 --> 00:51:01.199
 even when his glorious name

00:51:01.199 --> 00:51:02.480
 is temporary defiled,

00:51:02.539 --> 00:51:03.319
 which, by the way,

00:51:03.379 --> 00:51:06.000
 he hates far more than any of us could,

00:51:06.000 --> 00:51:08.199
 but he wants all sinners

00:51:08.199 --> 00:51:10.280
 to come and find life in him.

00:51:12.860 --> 00:51:14.920
 The reality is the opportunity

00:51:14.920 --> 00:51:17.739
 to repent will not always be here.

00:51:17.820 --> 00:51:19.800
 We do not know when this day will come.

00:51:21.599 --> 00:51:23.500
 Today is the day to come

00:51:23.500 --> 00:51:25.400
 and put your faith in him.

00:51:26.500 --> 00:51:27.860
 God is waiting for you.

00:51:27.860 --> 00:51:30.680
 Let's pray.

00:51:33.579 --> 00:51:34.700
 God, we thank you.

00:51:35.240 --> 00:51:35.940
 We thank you.

00:51:36.000 --> 00:51:37.200
 We thank you for the grace

00:51:37.200 --> 00:51:38.440
 of our Lord Jesus

00:51:38.440 --> 00:51:40.880
 because we know that we do not

00:51:40.880 --> 00:51:42.900
 deserve to stand on that day.

00:51:44.920 --> 00:51:46.019
 Thank you, Lord Jesus,

00:51:46.180 --> 00:51:47.500
 for the perfect obedience

00:51:47.500 --> 00:51:51.900
 that you endured temptations from Satan

00:51:51.900 --> 00:51:56.019
 for the joy that was set before you,

00:51:56.120 --> 00:51:57.140
 despising the shame.

00:51:57.139 --> 00:51:59.879
 You died a death you did not deserve.

00:52:00.480 --> 00:52:01.460
 Thank you, God,

00:52:02.139 --> 00:52:04.920
 in that you display your sovereignty

00:52:04.920 --> 00:52:07.159
 and using all the bad in our lives

00:52:07.159 --> 00:52:08.179
 to use it for good.

00:52:09.159 --> 00:52:10.819
 Help us to see that.

00:52:10.920 --> 00:52:12.500
 Whatever is going on in our lives,

00:52:12.599 --> 00:52:13.500
 each one of us,

00:52:13.739 --> 00:52:15.359
 speak to us and help us to see

00:52:15.359 --> 00:52:18.920
 that this is truly for your glory

00:52:18.920 --> 00:52:21.019
 and for our good.

00:52:21.940 --> 00:52:23.199
 Help us to see this, Lord.

00:52:24.119 --> 00:52:25.359
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:52:25.960 --> 00:52:26.199
 Amen.