WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.759 Father, for some of us this is a difficult text. 00:00:06.040 --> 00:00:08.419 For some of us this is a very political text. 00:00:09.240 --> 00:00:14.320 For some of us it's just really confusing and seems really odd as to why something like 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:15.640 this text would be in the Bible. 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:22.320 Father, we trust that you are the ultimate author of Scripture and that this is your 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:22.719 word. 00:00:23.740 --> 00:00:27.980 Father, we're Jesus' people and it talks about Jesus. 00:00:27.980 --> 00:00:34.039 We ask that, Father, that you just pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and help us to learn 00:00:34.039 --> 00:00:34.780 from your word. 00:00:35.380 --> 00:00:37.039 And we ask this in Jesus' name. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:37.719 Amen. 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:39.120 Please be seated. 00:00:44.859 --> 00:00:53.460 So, for some people this is a highly, highly, highly, highly charged political passage. 00:00:53.460 --> 00:01:02.460 Probably, since Israel became a nation that's become increasingly common, when people talk 00:01:02.460 --> 00:01:08.560 about the book of Revelation, we come to this text, that there will be talk that what this 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:14.219 text is talking about is the destruction of the Dome, the Dome and the Rock, which is one 00:01:14.219 --> 00:01:19.539 of the holiest sites for Muslims in Jerusalem, where the old temple, the Jewish temple used 00:01:19.539 --> 00:01:25.319 to be, that there's talk of different ways and scenarios that that mosque will be destroyed, 00:01:25.879 --> 00:01:32.200 where a new temple, a Jewish temple will be rebuilt, and that sacrifices will be returned 00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:35.140 and then there will be prophets and then there's all sorts of other stuff mixed in. 00:01:35.140 --> 00:01:39.480 And you could well imagine that talking about the destruction of one of the holiest sites 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:45.340 of Islam in Jerusalem and putting a Jewish temple there is not a politically irrelevant 00:01:45.340 --> 00:01:48.799 or that obviously is highly politically charged. 00:01:49.420 --> 00:01:52.700 So, the question is, is that what I'm going to talk about today? 00:01:52.780 --> 00:01:56.939 Am I going to give you a list of different conspiracy theories and other things in terms 00:01:56.939 --> 00:02:01.799 of how this all fits in with the Revelation or how are we to read it? 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:06.200 And so, it would be a great help to me if you got your Bibles out. 00:02:06.259 --> 00:02:07.560 We're going to be looking at the Bible today. 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:09.520 That's what we do here at Church of the Messiah. 00:02:09.659 --> 00:02:10.939 We read the Bible together. 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:14.560 If you've forgotten your Bibles, there's always some extra Bibles here at the front that you 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:17.579 can take and you can keep it afterwards as a gift. 00:02:18.460 --> 00:02:22.960 And what I'm going to do is I'm going to actually start by reading, I'm going to ask you to turn 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:26.479 to the beginning of the book of Revelation before we look at Revelation 11. 00:02:27.019 --> 00:02:29.000 Let's turn to Revelation chapter 1. 00:02:29.879 --> 00:02:31.280 Revelation chapter 1. 00:02:31.800 --> 00:02:36.939 And the book of Revelation, if you're new to the Bible, is the very last book in the Bible. 00:02:37.200 --> 00:02:38.040 So, it's easy to find. 00:02:38.920 --> 00:02:44.000 And notice how, just this is sort of as a way of reminder, remember how it is that the 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:45.180 book of Revelation began. 00:02:45.660 --> 00:02:49.080 Remember, one of the things about we preach through books of the Bible is that books are 00:02:49.080 --> 00:02:51.260 sort of meant to be read from the beginning to the end. 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:56.580 And so, things that happen throughout the book all should be connected to each other in 00:02:56.580 --> 00:02:57.140 different ways. 00:02:57.580 --> 00:02:59.439 And here's how the book of Revelation begins. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:00.160 It goes like this. 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:02.960 The Revelation of Jesus Christ. 00:03:03.520 --> 00:03:07.520 Remember, the book of Revelation is going to be primarily about Jesus. 00:03:07.620 --> 00:03:10.400 What he's done, what he's doing, what he will do. 00:03:11.139 --> 00:03:16.599 Next week, we're going to have a very, very odd retelling of the birth of Jesus in sort 00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:18.019 of very mystical terms. 00:03:18.020 --> 00:03:23.540 It's imagining Jesus being born and a dragon there ready to eat Jesus as soon as he comes 00:03:23.540 --> 00:03:24.060 out of the womb. 00:03:24.660 --> 00:03:27.820 Not normally something you'd see at a Christmas pageant with kids. 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:30.560 But there's going to be a retelling of that. 00:03:30.620 --> 00:03:32.360 That's next week in Revelation chapter 12. 00:03:32.460 --> 00:03:34.080 But it's a book about Jesus. 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:40.120 So, the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants, the things 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:41.240 that must soon take place. 00:03:41.340 --> 00:03:45.240 He made it known by sending his angel to his servant, John, who bore witness to the word 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:49.280 of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 00:03:49.500 --> 00:03:51.580 Now, here's the thing I want you to really notice. 00:03:53.040 --> 00:03:56.280 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy. 00:03:56.280 --> 00:04:09.120 Notice that it says, blessed not only are those who read it, like we're blessed in some 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:13.479 way because we just read part of that, Revelation 11, and we're going to read through it again. 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:18.600 But it says that we have to be, we're blessed if we keep the words of Revelation. 00:04:18.939 --> 00:04:21.220 And now go back to the very end of the book. 00:04:21.220 --> 00:04:28.980 Revelation chapter 22, very last chapter, and turn to verses 7 and 9. 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:32.220 And these are close to the very end of the book. 00:04:32.580 --> 00:04:35.280 And notice again what the book says. 00:04:36.260 --> 00:04:39.620 Verse 7, and behold, I am coming soon. 00:04:40.400 --> 00:04:44.220 Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. 00:04:45.340 --> 00:04:48.540 Verse 8, I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. 00:04:48.540 --> 00:04:52.640 And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. 00:04:53.240 --> 00:04:55.620 But the angel said to me, you must not do that. 00:04:55.760 --> 00:05:02.760 I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:03.760 Worship God. 00:05:04.660 --> 00:05:06.280 Now, here, Andrew, if you could put it up. 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:10.100 Here's the first thing when we're going to go now and look at Revelation 11. 00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:14.120 It's sort of a fundamental question. 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:21.500 As I read the book of Revelation, the primary question is not, what will happen in the future? 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:28.079 The primary question is, as a follower of Jesus, how shall I then live? 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:30.340 Say that again. 00:05:30.579 --> 00:05:34.939 As I read the book of Revelation, the primary question is not, what will happen in the future? 00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:42.540 The primary question is, as a follower of Jesus, how shall I then live? 00:05:43.500 --> 00:05:50.439 Now, if I slip today, I don't have any intention of making fun of people who read the book of Revelation, 00:05:50.980 --> 00:05:54.540 primarily to try to understand what's going to happen in the future. 00:05:55.240 --> 00:05:59.860 It's very, very clear from the book of Revelation that the book of Revelation talks about the future. 00:06:00.420 --> 00:06:05.280 But it always talks, as we sort of heard by reading the beginning and the end of the book, 00:06:05.280 --> 00:06:08.879 it always talks in the sense about two things at the same time. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:14.839 Sometimes it will be talking about the past, like next week when we look at the sort of a retelling of the birth of Jesus, 00:06:15.379 --> 00:06:18.939 because it's a book about Jesus and what he's done, what he's doing, and what he will do. 00:06:19.819 --> 00:06:26.219 And I have no doubts that, I mean, the book of Revelation is very clear that Jesus will return, 00:06:26.899 --> 00:06:30.180 that he'll bring in the new heaven and the new earth, there'll be a judgment of living and the dead, 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:32.379 that that's going to happen. 00:06:32.579 --> 00:06:36.579 And obviously there's going to be some type of a scenario, a variety of scenarios, 00:06:36.579 --> 00:06:41.000 and obviously I have no doubt that Revelation 11 in some way, 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:47.060 when that end finally comes, whether it's in three weeks or 300 years or 3,000 years, 00:06:47.139 --> 00:06:50.740 that when that end comes, parts of Revelation 11 will look at and will say, 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:53.419 oh yeah, that's obviously what was intended or what's meant. 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:57.259 But my focus all the way through the book of Revelation 00:06:57.259 --> 00:07:01.399 is to really take the beginning and the ending of Revelation very seriously 00:07:01.399 --> 00:07:05.919 and ask every Sunday, not what's going to happen in the future, 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:10.599 but as a follower of Jesus, how shall I then live? 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:15.959 Now, some of you might say, okay, George, that's your question? 00:07:16.699 --> 00:07:17.839 Okay, come on, listen. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:24.060 Like, why on earth would God have written in such a weird way? 00:07:24.719 --> 00:07:27.060 Like, why didn't he just sort of tell it to us straight? 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:30.939 Well, as I've said different times throughout the week, 00:07:31.079 --> 00:07:33.099 some of us, you know, really, really, 00:07:33.259 --> 00:07:37.359 some of us like little simple statements that we can sort of memorize, 00:07:37.859 --> 00:07:39.139 and that really helps us. 00:07:39.799 --> 00:07:43.139 Some of us like things to be written in like a more philosophical manner. 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:45.179 Some of us like things that are more like poetry. 00:07:45.180 --> 00:07:48.300 Some of us like things that are more like law. 00:07:49.000 --> 00:07:54.060 And some of us love fantasy and have wild imaginations. 00:07:54.699 --> 00:07:56.759 And we might have the hardest time in the world 00:07:56.759 --> 00:08:00.920 remembering like a concise little philosophical statement, 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:05.060 but images of temples being measured 00:08:05.060 --> 00:08:11.180 and of somebody standing in fire and conflict and enemies, 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:12.060 and you can just sort of, 00:08:12.100 --> 00:08:14.680 they can picture the fire coming out of a person's thing 00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:17.300 and the ability to, like a wizard, 00:08:17.459 --> 00:08:20.360 to call down plagues in the presence of enemies, 00:08:20.519 --> 00:08:23.660 and then something like a beast rising from the abyss 00:08:23.660 --> 00:08:24.420 and attacking, 00:08:24.980 --> 00:08:29.379 and boy, that gets some people's blood stirring. 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:32.080 They remember that. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:35.899 They might not remember some simple statement 00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:38.879 of philosophy or theology or systematics, 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:39.919 but they remember that, 00:08:40.100 --> 00:08:41.480 and the Bible is for everybody. 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:43.860 And it just means for some of us, 00:08:43.920 --> 00:08:46.300 we're going to be slower learners with the book of Revelation 00:08:46.300 --> 00:08:48.820 than others who just love the idea that, 00:08:49.019 --> 00:08:49.800 like next chapter, 00:08:49.920 --> 00:08:51.779 whoa, there's going to be a dragon ready to eat a baby? 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:53.980 Like that's exciting for some people. 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:56.440 It will help them to understand the Christmas story 00:08:56.440 --> 00:08:59.460 in a way that the story never really spoke to them. 00:09:00.460 --> 00:09:01.220 And so, okay, 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:02.060 so even then you say, 00:09:02.180 --> 00:09:03.080 okay, well, okay, 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:04.740 maybe that's the case, 00:09:04.740 --> 00:09:07.500 but how on earth could anything in Revelation 11 00:09:07.500 --> 00:09:09.120 actually be practical 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:10.840 or something that I could actually live? 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:14.100 Like how on earth could I actually read Revelation 11 00:09:14.100 --> 00:09:15.460 and then say, 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:17.440 now this is what I'm going to do? 00:09:18.180 --> 00:09:18.320 Like, 00:09:18.860 --> 00:09:21.940 it seems like it's the most impractical text imaginable. 00:09:22.060 --> 00:09:22.220 Well, 00:09:22.379 --> 00:09:23.460 let's look at the text 00:09:23.460 --> 00:09:26.940 because actually it talks about one of the, 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:27.899 it has, 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:28.659 in a very, 00:09:28.820 --> 00:09:31.080 very powerful series of images, 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:34.520 talks very insightfully about why it is 00:09:34.520 --> 00:09:37.460 that some of us drift away from the Christian faith 00:09:37.460 --> 00:09:39.720 and why it is that for some people 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:41.280 outside the Christian faith, 00:09:41.680 --> 00:09:43.120 they find the Christian faith, 00:09:45.340 --> 00:09:46.759 they find it very daunting 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:49.900 and they wouldn't want to become Christians. 00:09:50.160 --> 00:09:51.020 And in an odd way, 00:09:51.100 --> 00:09:53.560 this text talks about both types of experiences 00:09:53.560 --> 00:09:54.560 at the same time. 00:09:54.900 --> 00:09:56.259 Why some drift away 00:09:56.259 --> 00:09:58.820 and why some are in a sense so 00:09:58.820 --> 00:10:03.240 hesitant to even consider the claims of Jesus. 00:10:04.100 --> 00:10:06.720 And this text talks in powerful language 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:08.760 about both experiences at the same time. 00:10:09.100 --> 00:10:10.140 Maybe some of us 00:10:10.140 --> 00:10:12.520 are beginning to drift away 00:10:12.520 --> 00:10:13.580 from the Christian faith. 00:10:13.640 --> 00:10:15.340 We might not think of it in those terms, 00:10:15.520 --> 00:10:15.620 but, 00:10:16.020 --> 00:10:16.340 you know, 00:10:16.460 --> 00:10:17.360 all the time, 00:10:17.620 --> 00:10:18.900 but maybe, 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:21.420 maybe our friends think that about us. 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:24.740 And this will help us to understand 00:10:24.740 --> 00:10:25.880 what's going on in our lives. 00:10:26.040 --> 00:10:26.100 So, 00:10:26.300 --> 00:10:27.600 turn back to Revelation 11. 00:10:28.820 --> 00:10:30.120 And let's look at the, 00:10:30.180 --> 00:10:32.480 let's look at the first three verses. 00:10:34.100 --> 00:10:35.760 Then I was given a measuring rod, 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:36.620 like a staff, 00:10:36.700 --> 00:10:37.300 and I was told, 00:10:37.460 --> 00:10:39.120 rise and measure the temple of God 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:40.220 and the altar 00:10:40.220 --> 00:10:41.960 and those who worship there. 00:10:42.580 --> 00:10:44.000 But do not measure the court 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:45.100 outside the temple, 00:10:45.580 --> 00:10:46.320 leave that out. 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:48.320 For it is given over to the nations, 00:10:48.800 --> 00:10:50.879 and they will trample the holy city 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:52.640 for 42 months. 00:10:53.140 --> 00:10:54.760 Just sort of pause there for a second. 00:10:55.460 --> 00:10:56.120 All the way, 00:10:56.160 --> 00:10:57.220 I haven't mentioned it that much, 00:10:57.220 --> 00:10:59.000 but all the way through the book of the Revelation, 00:10:59.300 --> 00:11:01.440 you're going to see sometimes it'll say three and a half years, 00:11:01.560 --> 00:11:02.960 sometimes it'll say 42 months, 00:11:03.080 --> 00:11:05.120 sometimes it'll say 1260 days. 00:11:05.860 --> 00:11:06.180 And in the, 00:11:06.220 --> 00:11:08.220 there's sort of the old way at the time of the writing, 00:11:08.340 --> 00:11:10.340 the way months and all were calculated, 00:11:10.820 --> 00:11:12.080 all three of the things are, 00:11:12.160 --> 00:11:14.460 there's three different ways of talking about the same thing, 00:11:14.540 --> 00:11:15.480 three and a half years. 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:16.540 So, 00:11:17.160 --> 00:11:17.680 you know, 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:19.439 it says 42 months, 00:11:19.539 --> 00:11:20.359 1260 days, 00:11:20.459 --> 00:11:20.639 three, 00:11:20.739 --> 00:11:21.339 three and a half years. 00:11:21.459 --> 00:11:23.359 It's all talking about the exact same thing, 00:11:23.419 --> 00:11:24.639 just using different language. 00:11:25.459 --> 00:11:25.579 So, 00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:26.459 back to verse two, 00:11:26.539 --> 00:11:28.599 but do not measure the court outside the temple, 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:29.859 leave that out, 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:31.339 for it is given over to the nations, 00:11:31.899 --> 00:11:34.899 and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. 00:11:34.959 --> 00:11:37.399 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, 00:11:38.039 --> 00:11:41.059 and they will prophesy for 1260 days, 00:11:41.500 --> 00:11:42.899 clothed in sackcloth. 00:11:42.899 --> 00:11:44.139 Now, 00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:45.120 here's, 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:48.639 I've talked about this a little bit in other weeks, 00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:50.899 because generally speaking in the book of Revelation, 00:11:51.059 --> 00:11:51.519 there's a very, 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:55.179 very odd sense of the meaning of God giving something. 00:11:56.059 --> 00:11:58.059 And I've used the imagery before, 00:11:58.299 --> 00:12:00.360 the imagery is if you're on a, 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:01.419 you're on a river, 00:12:02.019 --> 00:12:03.720 and there's a dock, 00:12:03.779 --> 00:12:05.639 and you have a canoe tied up to the dock, 00:12:05.819 --> 00:12:06.439 and the river, 00:12:06.579 --> 00:12:06.779 of course, 00:12:06.819 --> 00:12:07.500 has a current, 00:12:08.620 --> 00:12:08.699 and, 00:12:09.860 --> 00:12:12.559 but because the boat's tied up to the dock, 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:13.939 the boat stays there, 00:12:14.359 --> 00:12:14.559 and, 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:17.719 and the word often used in the book of Revelation about given, 00:12:17.979 --> 00:12:20.359 could really be better translated as allowed. 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:24.000 And the underlying image of the original language is as, 00:12:24.099 --> 00:12:28.459 it's as if God allows the rope that's tying the boat to the dock, 00:12:28.859 --> 00:12:29.559 to become unraveled, 00:12:30.319 --> 00:12:31.779 or partially unraveled, 00:12:31.779 --> 00:12:33.019 so that the current, 00:12:33.179 --> 00:12:34.359 which wants to take the boat away, 00:12:34.439 --> 00:12:35.679 that's allowed to happen. 00:12:36.379 --> 00:12:36.500 And, 00:12:36.579 --> 00:12:38.419 and so regularly in the book of Revelation, 00:12:38.599 --> 00:12:39.659 it's talked about that what, 00:12:39.779 --> 00:12:40.139 sort of, 00:12:40.319 --> 00:12:40.859 there's this, 00:12:40.860 --> 00:12:44.440 it's almost as if there's all these currents that are going on in human life, 00:12:44.539 --> 00:12:46.080 both our own individual lives, 00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:47.320 and in corporate life, 00:12:47.460 --> 00:12:48.560 there's these currents, 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:49.460 and God, 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:50.840 as his common grace, 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:52.600 regularly restrains it, 00:12:52.980 --> 00:12:54.519 but sometimes what he does, 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:54.919 is he, 00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:55.300 in a sense, 00:12:55.500 --> 00:12:57.480 allows the restraints to be loosened, 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:00.300 so that what desires to happen, 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:01.019 happens. 00:13:01.680 --> 00:13:02.000 And so, 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:03.399 in the first part of this text, 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:06.060 where it's talking about the nations, 00:13:06.600 --> 00:13:08.779 God gives over the outer courts of the temple, 00:13:08.779 --> 00:13:10.019 I'll talk about that more in a moment, 00:13:10.379 --> 00:13:12.000 to the nations to be trampled, 00:13:12.459 --> 00:13:13.879 that's that type of giving. 00:13:14.419 --> 00:13:16.860 It's as if there's forces in the world, 00:13:17.539 --> 00:13:18.679 in the nations, 00:13:18.860 --> 00:13:20.139 at the nation-state level, 00:13:20.220 --> 00:13:21.019 and community level, 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:22.000 and family level, 00:13:22.459 --> 00:13:23.559 in the level of peoples, 00:13:23.659 --> 00:13:25.299 that there's this part of, 00:13:25.799 --> 00:13:28.480 there's a tendency there to not like God, 00:13:28.699 --> 00:13:30.579 and to rage against God. 00:13:31.259 --> 00:13:33.399 And God's going to allow that to happen, 00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:35.100 and when that is allowed to happen, 00:13:35.179 --> 00:13:36.459 then there's a type of trampling, 00:13:36.939 --> 00:13:37.740 that happens, 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:39.480 of his people. 00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:41.019 And then, 00:13:41.179 --> 00:13:41.980 the other thing though, 00:13:42.100 --> 00:13:44.340 is it's a very unusual use of giving, 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:45.939 and they use a different word here, 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:47.000 in the English translation, 00:13:47.579 --> 00:13:48.480 that I read from, 00:13:48.779 --> 00:13:49.480 about granting. 00:13:49.799 --> 00:13:51.079 But then it talks about these, 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:53.240 how does it go again in verse 3? 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:54.819 And I will grant authority, 00:13:54.959 --> 00:13:55.899 to my two witnesses, 00:13:56.079 --> 00:13:56.939 and they will prophesy, 00:13:57.059 --> 00:13:58.319 for 1260 days, 00:13:58.419 --> 00:13:59.399 clothed in sackcloth. 00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:00.399 In the original language, 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:03.399 it's a word similar to the word we translate as given, 00:14:03.539 --> 00:14:03.959 but there, 00:14:04.259 --> 00:14:05.480 it's a different tense. 00:14:06.379 --> 00:14:07.379 And there the idea, 00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:09.500 it's not that God allows something to happen, 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:10.559 but it's as if, 00:14:10.579 --> 00:14:11.819 he's looking around the room, 00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:13.379 and he sees the person, 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:13.840 and he says, 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:15.120 okay, you two over there, 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:16.199 come here, 00:14:16.299 --> 00:14:17.340 and then as they come here, 00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:18.120 he walks to them, 00:14:18.139 --> 00:14:18.379 and he says, 00:14:18.439 --> 00:14:19.340 I'm giving you this, 00:14:20.340 --> 00:14:21.259 this is yours, 00:14:21.659 --> 00:14:22.659 do something with it. 00:14:22.899 --> 00:14:24.279 This is what I want you to do. 00:14:24.980 --> 00:14:25.620 So it's a very, 00:14:25.740 --> 00:14:26.799 very different sense. 00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:28.840 It's like a commissioning, 00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:30.780 pulling people out of the crowd, 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:32.440 and saying, 00:14:32.660 --> 00:14:33.700 this is what you're going to do, 00:14:33.780 --> 00:14:35.320 and this is what I'm giving you to do. 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:35.580 Okay, 00:14:35.580 --> 00:14:36.420 I'm giving you something, 00:14:36.580 --> 00:14:38.019 and this is what you're supposed to do with it. 00:14:38.660 --> 00:14:39.220 And so, 00:14:39.580 --> 00:14:40.200 the very, 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:41.180 very heart of, 00:14:41.220 --> 00:14:42.300 it's the only command, 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:45.220 that actually happens in all of Revelation 11. 00:14:45.899 --> 00:14:47.500 And it's the command to prophesy. 00:14:48.500 --> 00:14:50.180 It's portraying this idea, 00:14:50.180 --> 00:14:51.360 that in the face, 00:14:51.820 --> 00:14:53.019 of being trampled, 00:14:53.019 --> 00:14:56.460 in the face of being trampled, 00:14:57.399 --> 00:14:59.059 and desires to be, 00:14:59.439 --> 00:15:01.199 of others to trample you, 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:03.299 there's a commission that's given, 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:04.460 to prophesy. 00:15:05.439 --> 00:15:05.659 Now, 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:06.279 sorry, 00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:07.679 this will be the last time we jump around, 00:15:07.740 --> 00:15:08.539 in the book of Revelation, 00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:10.139 but this is really important, 00:15:10.179 --> 00:15:10.759 to the whole book, 00:15:10.840 --> 00:15:12.799 because this idea of prophesying, 00:15:12.899 --> 00:15:13.159 happened, 00:15:13.379 --> 00:15:14.559 it comes up time, 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:14.939 and time, 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:15.319 and time, 00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:15.939 and time again, 00:15:16.019 --> 00:15:16.840 in the book of Revelation. 00:15:17.659 --> 00:15:18.480 And it actually, 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:20.559 it explained what is meant by, 00:15:20.659 --> 00:15:21.500 at the end of the book. 00:15:21.500 --> 00:15:22.139 So, 00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:23.840 if you turn to Revelation 19, 00:15:24.659 --> 00:15:26.659 close to the end of the book, 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:29.179 turn to Revelation chapter 19, 00:15:29.620 --> 00:15:31.919 and let's look at verses 9 and 10. 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:34.000 And towards the end of the book, 00:15:34.500 --> 00:15:35.539 the author, 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:37.799 explains what prophesying means. 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:39.740 Does it mean, 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:40.820 that we, 00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:42.659 like in modern language, 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:44.000 that we speak out against, 00:15:44.059 --> 00:15:45.120 a whole pile of political, 00:15:45.419 --> 00:15:46.460 and economic things? 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:47.179 Does it mean, 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:48.779 the way it's often interpreted, 00:15:48.899 --> 00:15:49.820 in Christian circles, 00:15:49.820 --> 00:15:50.980 that it's primarily about, 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:51.960 knowing the future, 00:15:52.379 --> 00:15:53.300 or knowing secrets? 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:56.680 There's tiny little elements of this, 00:15:56.760 --> 00:15:58.640 but it has one primary meaning, 00:15:59.060 --> 00:16:00.060 in verses 9 and 10. 00:16:00.160 --> 00:16:01.300 And the angel said to me, 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:02.560 write this, 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:03.940 write this, 00:16:04.180 --> 00:16:05.600 blessed are those, 00:16:05.660 --> 00:16:06.060 who are invited, 00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:07.540 to the marriage supper of the Lamb. 00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:09.280 And the angel said to me, 00:16:09.640 --> 00:16:11.160 these are the true words of God. 00:16:11.960 --> 00:16:12.879 Here's the key part. 00:16:13.560 --> 00:16:14.480 Then I fell down, 00:16:14.520 --> 00:16:14.940 at his feet, 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:15.740 to worship him. 00:16:15.740 --> 00:16:17.480 But he, 00:16:17.560 --> 00:16:18.000 the angel, 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:18.560 said to me, 00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:20.019 you must not do that. 00:16:20.580 --> 00:16:21.759 I am a fellow servant, 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:22.840 with you and your brothers, 00:16:23.259 --> 00:16:23.919 and sisters, 00:16:24.340 --> 00:16:26.799 who hold to the testimony of Jesus. 00:16:27.460 --> 00:16:28.220 Worship God. 00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:28.980 Here it is. 00:16:29.340 --> 00:16:30.799 For the testimony of Jesus, 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:32.759 is the spirit of prophecy. 00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:35.039 Excuse me. 00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:36.720 The testimony of Jesus, 00:16:37.560 --> 00:16:39.100 is the spirit of prophecy. 00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:41.539 Remember I said, 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:42.500 the whole book of Revelation, 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:43.240 is about Jesus. 00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:45.379 It's about who he is, 00:16:45.740 --> 00:16:46.539 what he's done, 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:47.460 what he's doing, 00:16:47.659 --> 00:16:48.340 what he will do. 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:50.919 And at the heart of prophecy, 00:16:51.460 --> 00:16:53.320 is testifying to Jesus, 00:16:53.899 --> 00:16:54.620 who he is, 00:16:54.980 --> 00:16:55.659 what he's done, 00:16:56.139 --> 00:16:56.799 what he's doing, 00:16:56.980 --> 00:16:57.840 and what he will do. 00:16:58.639 --> 00:16:59.060 And so now, 00:16:59.139 --> 00:17:01.060 if we go back to Revelation chapter 11, 00:17:02.019 --> 00:17:02.360 sorry, 00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:05.759 this is a little bit of jumping around. 00:17:06.420 --> 00:17:06.880 So what is it? 00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:07.380 I will grant, 00:17:07.500 --> 00:17:07.900 verse 3, 00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:09.599 I will grant authority to my witnesses, 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:13.240 and they will prophesy for 1260 days, 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:15.659 clothed in sackcloth. 00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:16.139 Now, 00:17:16.299 --> 00:17:18.419 here's the relevant thing. 00:17:18.579 --> 00:17:19.299 There's a question. 00:17:19.439 --> 00:17:19.639 Andrew, 00:17:19.699 --> 00:17:20.500 if you could put it up. 00:17:21.679 --> 00:17:23.199 Is the gospel tiny, 00:17:23.899 --> 00:17:25.240 or is the gospel immense? 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:28.019 Is the gospel tiny, 00:17:28.879 --> 00:17:30.039 or is the gospel immense? 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:31.079 Excuse me for a moment. 00:17:33.480 --> 00:17:34.159 Have a, 00:17:34.539 --> 00:17:35.839 almost like I need to have a drink, 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:36.379 or something like that, 00:17:36.399 --> 00:17:36.819 but I'm fine. 00:17:37.419 --> 00:17:37.559 So, 00:17:37.779 --> 00:17:38.839 is the gospel tiny, 00:17:38.919 --> 00:17:39.720 or is the gospel immense? 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:41.879 The gospel is the good news about Jesus. 00:17:42.779 --> 00:17:45.919 And it's about the fact that Jesus set aside his glory, 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:46.639 and splendor, 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:47.579 and divine prerogatives, 00:17:47.659 --> 00:17:48.299 that he came, 00:17:48.399 --> 00:17:49.959 and took unto himself, 00:17:50.359 --> 00:17:51.399 while remaining God, 00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:52.599 he became fully human. 00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:53.679 He walked amongst us, 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:54.679 lived a fully human life, 00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:55.720 but he was never tempted. 00:17:56.019 --> 00:17:56.199 I mean, 00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:57.079 he was tempted to sin, 00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:58.359 but he never succumbed to sin. 00:17:58.679 --> 00:17:59.740 He performed miracles, 00:17:59.939 --> 00:18:01.159 he taught mighty things, 00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:02.819 but primarily he came, 00:18:02.819 --> 00:18:04.359 so that he would die upon the cross. 00:18:04.359 --> 00:18:05.879 And when he died upon the cross, 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:07.859 he died not for his own sin, 00:18:07.919 --> 00:18:08.859 because he was sinless. 00:18:08.939 --> 00:18:10.000 He died for you and me. 00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:12.500 He died for the things that keep you and I, 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:13.799 alienated, 00:18:13.919 --> 00:18:15.659 and estranged from God, 00:18:15.919 --> 00:18:19.439 and that really God should properly judge us for it. 00:18:19.639 --> 00:18:21.879 And he bears that in himself. 00:18:21.979 --> 00:18:22.319 In a sense, 00:18:22.419 --> 00:18:24.379 he takes my doom upon himself, 00:18:24.459 --> 00:18:27.099 and he offers me his destiny in exchange. 00:18:27.699 --> 00:18:29.319 And then God vindicates him, 00:18:29.439 --> 00:18:32.579 shows that all of the things that he said about himself are true, 00:18:32.579 --> 00:18:35.179 when he raises Jesus from the dead on the third day. 00:18:35.679 --> 00:18:38.519 And that's why when we put our faith and trust in Jesus, 00:18:38.659 --> 00:18:42.279 we believe that he is the one that God has sent to reconcile us to God, 00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:45.720 and that he is the one that gives us a proper hope for heaven. 00:18:46.259 --> 00:18:47.339 But the question is, 00:18:47.619 --> 00:18:50.939 is the testimony to Jesus just a tiny thing, 00:18:50.980 --> 00:18:51.899 or is it a big thing? 00:18:52.139 --> 00:18:55.939 Is it something that just really helps us with our personal soul, 00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:57.500 our tiny little soul, 00:18:57.619 --> 00:18:59.119 our tiny little spiritual life? 00:18:59.119 --> 00:18:59.939 Is it just a... 00:18:59.939 --> 00:19:01.419 Oh, thank you so much, Andrew. 00:19:02.539 --> 00:19:05.479 You don't have to edit your name out later on when you put this online. 00:19:07.619 --> 00:19:08.159 Thank you. 00:19:08.199 --> 00:19:09.419 Sorry, I don't usually go dry, 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.799 but for some reason I've gone... 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:13.579 Maybe it's the cold air outside or something like that. 00:19:13.979 --> 00:19:14.919 So the question is, 00:19:14.979 --> 00:19:16.519 is the gospel a tiny thing, 00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:20.159 or is the gospel immense? 00:19:21.139 --> 00:19:22.719 And here's the thing. 00:19:23.399 --> 00:19:24.319 On one level, 00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:28.480 Jesus and the gospel seems like a tiny, tiny little thing. 00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:29.859 I'll give you... 00:19:29.859 --> 00:19:31.859 It's a little bit like... 00:19:31.859 --> 00:19:34.000 How many years ago is it now? 00:19:34.039 --> 00:19:35.419 I sort of lose track of it. 00:19:35.579 --> 00:19:37.539 It was 1975, 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:40.220 and in the fall of 1975, 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:44.679 I went to the second floor of the library at the university 00:19:44.679 --> 00:19:47.200 in the philosophy and the religion section, 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:49.920 and I sat down in my normal seat, 00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:51.279 and I glanced over, 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:52.660 and I saw what I thought, 00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:53.440 still think, 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:56.519 is the most beautiful person I'd ever seen in my entire life. 00:19:56.660 --> 00:19:58.140 I was instantly drawn to her. 00:19:59.080 --> 00:20:01.019 And later on, 00:20:01.100 --> 00:20:03.000 she came and sat at the other end of the table, 00:20:03.100 --> 00:20:04.259 and she glanced at me, 00:20:04.660 --> 00:20:05.740 and I'd been looking at her, 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:07.140 and as soon as she glanced at me, 00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:09.299 I glanced away because I was very, very shy. 00:20:09.860 --> 00:20:10.840 But I was so shy, 00:20:10.840 --> 00:20:14.059 it took me two years to finally work up the courage to speak to her. 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:16.940 Don't come to me for romantic advice. 00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:22.460 If you're wanting to try to develop a relationship with somebody. 00:20:22.940 --> 00:20:23.779 And on one level, 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:24.819 that glance, 00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:27.580 and my shy response, 00:20:27.940 --> 00:20:29.740 was a very, very tiny thing. 00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:32.340 That was 1975. 00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:34.840 Almost 40 years later, 00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:36.779 32 of those years, 00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:38.819 33 years married, 00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:39.920 nine kids, 00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:42.779 six sons and daughters in light, 00:20:42.900 --> 00:20:43.500 grandchildren, 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:44.480 and who knows, 00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:45.400 eventually counting. 00:20:46.060 --> 00:20:48.780 That small beginning was something immense. 00:20:50.100 --> 00:20:51.100 And for many of us, 00:20:51.100 --> 00:20:53.060 if we share the story with each other 00:20:53.060 --> 00:20:55.340 about how it is that we came to faith in Jesus, 00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:57.740 or how it is that we came to renewed faith in Jesus, 00:20:58.360 --> 00:20:59.400 for many of us, 00:20:59.780 --> 00:21:02.120 it is just something that maybe there was a sense 00:21:02.120 --> 00:21:03.600 that there had to be something more. 00:21:03.740 --> 00:21:06.620 Maybe it was something that there's a sense of emptiness in our lives. 00:21:07.040 --> 00:21:07.980 Maybe for some of us, 00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:10.400 there was a sense of guilt that we just couldn't get rid of. 00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:11.700 Maybe for some of us, 00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:14.259 there was a sense of brokenness and a sense of life. 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:16.720 There'd be a variety of different stories. 00:21:17.059 --> 00:21:20.220 Maybe some of us can remember the very, very first time 00:21:20.220 --> 00:21:24.620 that the story of Jesus began to make a tiny little bit of sense for us. 00:21:24.619 --> 00:21:27.939 I can remember the beginning moment, 00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:28.759 in a sense, 00:21:29.099 --> 00:21:30.139 when all of a sudden, 00:21:30.539 --> 00:21:34.399 going from just thinking that Christianity was boring and irrelevant, 00:21:35.019 --> 00:21:36.039 whether it was true or not, 00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:36.779 I didn't really care, 00:21:36.859 --> 00:21:38.279 but I found it boring and irrelevant, 00:21:38.679 --> 00:21:40.519 and just not something I wanted to do. 00:21:40.939 --> 00:21:41.979 And I can remember 00:21:41.979 --> 00:21:44.500 the first moment that all of a sudden, 00:21:44.599 --> 00:21:45.619 I was intrigued. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.139 I was intrigued. 00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:49.900 And I can remember that moment. 00:21:51.060 --> 00:21:51.400 And yet, 00:21:51.500 --> 00:21:52.840 it starts small, 00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:55.480 but for those of us who are in Jesus, 00:21:55.620 --> 00:21:56.740 it doesn't stay small. 00:21:56.840 --> 00:21:57.800 It becomes immense. 00:21:59.320 --> 00:22:00.660 It becomes immense. 00:22:03.020 --> 00:22:03.920 It's a little bit, 00:22:03.960 --> 00:22:04.440 as I said, 00:22:04.660 --> 00:22:06.600 like with my marriage to Louise, 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:07.460 and eventually involves, 00:22:07.700 --> 00:22:08.200 well, I mean, 00:22:08.520 --> 00:22:09.220 that glance, 00:22:09.320 --> 00:22:10.600 it eventually becomes marriage, 00:22:10.700 --> 00:22:11.560 it becomes children. 00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:12.460 In our case, 00:22:12.920 --> 00:22:15.420 God blessed us with this large number of children, 00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:17.240 and every one of them has been a blessing. 00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:18.819 It has been, 00:22:18.940 --> 00:22:19.380 still is. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:22.339 And the gospel is the exact same way. 00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:26.019 It starts as something tiny, 00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:30.039 but it becomes completely and utterly immense. 00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:34.160 And when we're gripped by the gospel, 00:22:34.680 --> 00:22:36.559 as we're gripped by the gospel, 00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:40.720 God starts to do all sorts of different works in our lives. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:42.779 And it's as if, 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:44.900 as the gospel grips us, 00:22:44.900 --> 00:22:51.160 we start to realize that maybe we're going to have to change the way we handled our sexuality. 00:22:51.500 --> 00:22:53.980 Maybe we're going to have to change the way we've handled our money. 00:22:54.120 --> 00:22:58.180 Maybe the way we're going to have to change the way we relate to the other sex. 00:22:58.280 --> 00:23:00.780 Maybe we're going to have to change the way we relate to our parents. 00:23:00.940 --> 00:23:03.160 Maybe we're going to have to change the way we view the poor. 00:23:03.660 --> 00:23:05.800 Maybe we're going to have to change the way we view power. 00:23:05.960 --> 00:23:09.580 Maybe we're going to have to change the way we view different cultural issues. 00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:20.799 And as we're gripped by the gospel, that which begins on one level seemingly so small and so deeply personal grows and becomes immense. 00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:26.279 It grows and it becomes immense as we're gripped by the gospel. 00:23:27.220 --> 00:23:28.740 But you see, the same thing can happen. 00:23:29.220 --> 00:23:35.519 And that, you see, for some people outside of the Christian faith, that's what terrifies them about the gospel. 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:48.980 They'll listen with great interest about maybe the way that we first became intrigued or how we came to Jesus out of a sense of emptiness or a desire for a longing or a desire for something more. 00:23:49.059 --> 00:23:49.779 They'll listen to us. 00:23:50.099 --> 00:23:58.480 But outside, for people outside the Christian faith today, they often hang back because they realize there's something immense about it. 00:23:58.480 --> 00:24:14.200 That it might end up meaning that it'll change our view on political things like abortion or maybe on same-sex marriage or, you know, if we're with a whole pile of very, very hardcore capitalist types in terms of how we have to view the poor 00:24:14.200 --> 00:24:21.319 and having compassion on ordinary people and simple people if we're very, very elitist and hoity-toity. 00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:29.319 That whatever it is, there's a range of things that it keeps us away from the Christian faith because we realize on the outside looking in that there's something immense. 00:24:29.860 --> 00:24:38.799 And the process of drifting away from the Christian faith is when we want to start to have pushed Jesus into a tinier and tinier corner of our lives 00:24:38.799 --> 00:24:47.119 because we don't want to talk about some of these things that are an immensity to outsiders looking at the Christian faith. 00:24:48.940 --> 00:24:59.639 And it all comes from the fact that Jesus is on one level the easiest person in the world to make fun of and to deride and to write ridiculous books about. 00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:06.200 Yet on the other hand, as we read the scriptures and as we realize that prophesying is about talking about Jesus, 00:25:06.200 --> 00:25:11.660 we know there's something immense about taking that step with him. 00:25:12.600 --> 00:25:14.580 Here's the consequence for this text. 00:25:16.580 --> 00:25:17.920 You could put it up, Andrew. 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:22.460 I'm going to put a variety of prayers that we can pray. 00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:24.340 And it's this one. 00:25:24.420 --> 00:25:33.860 Dear God, I desire to be so gripped by the gospel that it propels and pulls and shapes and grounds my whole life. 00:25:33.859 --> 00:25:39.019 Remember, the gospel is a story of Jesus, who he is, what he's done. 00:25:40.759 --> 00:25:46.679 Dear God, I desire to be so gripped by the gospel that it propels and pulls and shapes and grounds my whole life. 00:25:47.539 --> 00:25:55.159 For those of you who like to take notes, if you can't get all of these down, it'll be on the web page within a couple of days. 00:25:55.319 --> 00:25:59.139 And you can check your notes there if that's what you like to do. 00:25:59.140 --> 00:26:02.120 But now some of you might say, George, that's very interesting. 00:26:02.220 --> 00:26:03.240 You focus on prophecy. 00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:04.840 But, you know, you miss the dualism. 00:26:05.840 --> 00:26:07.440 You know, George, you miss the dualism. 00:26:07.540 --> 00:26:08.300 You jumped over it. 00:26:08.380 --> 00:26:11.520 Like, isn't that very interesting, George, that the text, I'm listening to the text. 00:26:11.600 --> 00:26:15.120 I'm not afraid of dragons and beasts and fire-breathing prophets. 00:26:15.800 --> 00:26:18.880 And I was listening and the text begins with a safe sanctuary. 00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:21.360 And then it has the outer temple. 00:26:21.740 --> 00:26:23.860 And isn't that teaching a type of dualism? 00:26:23.859 --> 00:26:28.279 Isn't that, in fact, teaching that Jesus is just some private little part within you? 00:26:28.839 --> 00:26:37.799 And then there's that outer stuff that just sort of goes on that's all messy and chaos and it's screaming and anger and death and, you know, all of that. 00:26:37.879 --> 00:26:39.399 And woe and all that type of stuff. 00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:41.079 George, isn't the text teaching that? 00:26:41.159 --> 00:26:43.299 Like, you just sort of jumped over that very quickly. 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:45.439 But look at it again. 00:26:46.199 --> 00:26:47.039 Verse 1 to 3. 00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:57.819 Notice he's told to measure three things. 00:26:57.920 --> 00:27:01.119 The temple, the altar, and those who worship there. 00:27:02.539 --> 00:27:04.920 But do not measure the court outside the temple. 00:27:05.099 --> 00:27:10.899 Leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, the peoples, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. 00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:11.940 That's three and a half years. 00:27:11.940 --> 00:27:18.100 That sort of implies that God will, even if God allows it to happen, he still has a limit to it. 00:27:18.580 --> 00:27:20.019 It's not something that's going to go on forever. 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:22.660 He controls it. 00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:24.799 He says, so much, no more. 00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:34.759 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses and they will prophesy for 1260 days clothed in sackcloth. 00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:40.259 Now, this is talking about another important thing about our Christian life. 00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:49.079 And it's talking about our twofold identity, but us having one task. 00:27:50.180 --> 00:27:57.619 It's saying something, actually, in picture language, very powerful about what our identity is in Jesus. 00:27:57.619 --> 00:28:04.839 And, but before I, sorry, where's my place? 00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:13.099 Here's what it's, and it's posing our identity in such a way that it'll answer this question, if you put it up, Andrew. 00:28:13.579 --> 00:28:17.819 Will I be ashamed of the gospel or will I suffer for the gospel? 00:28:18.599 --> 00:28:22.679 Will I be ashamed of the gospel or will I suffer for the gospel? 00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:30.080 The way the text is using the temple imagery is it's very, very clever imagery. 00:28:31.440 --> 00:28:38.440 And the, on one hand, the idea of a temple, and it's actually not just the temple, it's the sanctuary, the inner part. 00:28:39.060 --> 00:28:44.480 Even now when we use the word sanctuary, we hear of a place of respite, of rest, of safety. 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:48.700 And that's actually the language, it's that part of the temple where the sanctuary is. 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:54.120 And the language of measuring is the language of possession and ownership and care. 00:28:55.160 --> 00:29:00.759 And it shows, on one hand, that in its corporate language, all the way through the New Testament, 00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:09.160 a very regular image of the Christian, the Christian is, the Bible talks about the Christian as being the temple of the Holy Spirit. 00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:13.720 Often the body of Christ, all Christians are described as God's temple. 00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:20.560 And there's this imagery then of, it's as if the people of God, people who have given their lives to Jesus, 00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:22.680 that God, in a sense, measures them. 00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:24.840 He measures them as individuals. 00:29:25.080 --> 00:29:26.100 He measures their worship. 00:29:26.279 --> 00:29:27.920 He measures their corporate life. 00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:30.400 He's claiming it as his own. 00:29:30.580 --> 00:29:31.720 He owns it. 00:29:31.779 --> 00:29:32.660 He protects it. 00:29:32.660 --> 00:29:37.820 And he's giving us this identity which is solid and secure in him. 00:29:38.900 --> 00:29:42.920 That, on one hand, I am going to live in the world. 00:29:43.080 --> 00:29:45.259 And in the world, I might sometimes be trampled. 00:29:46.019 --> 00:29:50.680 In the world, I might sometimes have to deal with people who want to trample all over me. 00:29:51.620 --> 00:29:52.940 Who just don't like me. 00:29:53.680 --> 00:29:57.600 And they maybe didn't like me before, but then they hear that I'm a follower of Jesus. 00:29:57.740 --> 00:30:00.620 And now they have 15 new reasons not to like me. 00:30:00.619 --> 00:30:02.779 And they express it. 00:30:03.379 --> 00:30:13.399 And it's trying to communicate that even though I am going to live most of my life in an area where I might be trampled by people, 00:30:13.959 --> 00:30:19.279 that I am to understand that, on one hand, while that might be happening to me, 00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:21.279 I don't... 00:30:21.279 --> 00:30:25.279 You see, shame isn't where... 00:30:26.420 --> 00:30:30.859 Shame is where I don't say about myself that I've done something wrong. 00:30:31.539 --> 00:30:35.899 Shame is where I say, I am something wrong. 00:30:37.160 --> 00:30:37.379 Right? 00:30:38.180 --> 00:30:41.619 That's the big difference between just maybe feeling guilt and feeling shame. 00:30:41.619 --> 00:30:44.419 That many of us, we do something... 00:30:44.419 --> 00:30:46.619 I don't know, you know, we meant to turn... 00:30:47.199 --> 00:30:50.919 We're going to turn right while we're driving, and we forgot to put on our turn signal. 00:30:51.319 --> 00:30:54.539 And you can see the person who's waiting to turn into the road. 00:30:54.679 --> 00:30:57.039 He's mad at us because we didn't put on our turn signal. 00:30:57.039 --> 00:31:00.339 And we just walk away, oh, well, I made a mistake that time. 00:31:00.399 --> 00:31:01.480 I just did something wrong. 00:31:01.899 --> 00:31:08.279 But shame is when trampling and other types of things happen to us, 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:14.039 and we start to think that I'm wrong, that there's something wrong about me. 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:17.279 There's something wrong in my fundamental identity. 00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:19.500 There's something wrong about me. 00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:22.519 And so this language of the temple and the court, 00:31:22.519 --> 00:31:26.980 it's trying to talk about this sort of dual life, but not to create dualism. 00:31:27.099 --> 00:31:30.980 It's trying to help us to understand that even though I might be trampled, 00:31:31.220 --> 00:31:33.500 and as we'll see at the end in a few verses, 00:31:33.740 --> 00:31:36.940 there's even a time of trampling that appears to be successful, 00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:38.299 and I get trampled to death, 00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:40.299 that in the midst of that, 00:31:40.920 --> 00:31:44.539 in the midst of the call that I have to bear witness to Jesus, 00:31:44.759 --> 00:31:46.359 even in the face of trampling, 00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:49.339 that my identity is fixed and secured, 00:31:49.339 --> 00:31:50.879 that it's been measured by God, 00:31:50.959 --> 00:31:52.459 that God owns my identity, 00:31:52.619 --> 00:31:54.220 that God owns my destiny, 00:31:55.000 --> 00:31:56.599 and that I am His, 00:31:56.699 --> 00:31:57.740 I am His precious, 00:31:58.059 --> 00:31:59.000 I am in His, 00:31:59.119 --> 00:32:00.919 I am in the sanctuary with God, 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:04.159 and that I do not have to feel, 00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:06.079 by bearing witness to Jesus, 00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:08.599 that there's something wrong about me. 00:32:09.459 --> 00:32:11.639 I do not have to be ashamed. 00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:14.319 And because I do not have to be ashamed, 00:32:14.439 --> 00:32:15.139 I can suffer. 00:32:15.140 --> 00:32:18.560 You see, 00:32:18.700 --> 00:32:19.120 the very, 00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:20.920 very powerful social pressure, 00:32:21.259 --> 00:32:21.600 and you know, 00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:22.820 and you can take all sorts of it, 00:32:22.920 --> 00:32:23.080 you know, 00:32:23.560 --> 00:32:23.740 you know, 00:32:23.820 --> 00:32:23.960 just, 00:32:24.100 --> 00:32:24.240 you know, 00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:26.520 you have 13 or 14 year old, 00:32:26.620 --> 00:32:27.480 15 year old kids, 00:32:27.620 --> 00:32:29.100 and they may start to go to parties, 00:32:29.520 --> 00:32:30.620 and you hope as you're, 00:32:30.700 --> 00:32:31.420 as a parent, 00:32:31.540 --> 00:32:31.980 that they're not, 00:32:32.040 --> 00:32:33.060 they're not going to get drunk, 00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:34.460 that they're not going to do drugs, 00:32:34.580 --> 00:32:35.240 that they're not going to, 00:32:35.600 --> 00:32:36.540 they're not going to get drunk, 00:32:36.600 --> 00:32:38.680 and then get in a car with a 16 year old, 00:32:38.700 --> 00:32:39.580 or 17 year old, 00:32:39.620 --> 00:32:40.320 who's driving, 00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:41.859 and that's what we don't, 00:32:42.179 --> 00:32:43.039 we hope, 00:32:43.339 --> 00:32:44.500 what do we hope as parents? 00:32:44.919 --> 00:32:45.740 We hope, 00:32:46.139 --> 00:32:47.960 that our 14 or 15 year old, 00:32:48.019 --> 00:32:49.700 if they find themselves in such a party, 00:32:49.799 --> 00:32:52.179 that they are willing to look like a loser, 00:32:53.539 --> 00:32:54.500 and not, 00:32:54.679 --> 00:32:55.700 and not do it, 00:32:56.059 --> 00:32:57.379 and even to walk away, 00:32:57.839 --> 00:32:59.679 to the derisive laughter, 00:33:00.679 --> 00:33:01.619 of their friends. 00:33:02.200 --> 00:33:03.039 Isn't that what we hope? 00:33:04.960 --> 00:33:06.740 That the child, 00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:08.359 might have to walk away, 00:33:08.439 --> 00:33:09.700 with people laughing at them, 00:33:09.700 --> 00:33:11.019 but when we find out about, 00:33:11.100 --> 00:33:11.660 we want to say, 00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:12.220 oh boy, 00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:14.360 I'm so proud of you, 00:33:14.900 --> 00:33:16.080 I'm so proud of you, 00:33:16.880 --> 00:33:18.860 and that which happens to 14 year olds, 00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:20.420 happens to us throughout all of our life. 00:33:21.160 --> 00:33:21.299 What, 00:33:21.400 --> 00:33:22.440 you don't have this, 00:33:22.519 --> 00:33:24.039 you don't have the same view as me on this, 00:33:24.100 --> 00:33:25.279 you don't have the same view on me as this, 00:33:25.319 --> 00:33:25.440 like, 00:33:25.720 --> 00:33:26.400 oh you give somebody, 00:33:26.819 --> 00:33:27.000 what, 00:33:27.080 --> 00:33:28.980 you give 10% of your money to the church, 00:33:29.019 --> 00:33:29.720 are you nuts? 00:33:30.660 --> 00:33:30.860 Like, 00:33:30.940 --> 00:33:32.080 you don't have this view on this, 00:33:32.120 --> 00:33:33.000 you don't have this view on this, 00:33:33.059 --> 00:33:34.019 you don't have this view on this, 00:33:34.340 --> 00:33:34.559 like, 00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:36.660 you waste your time doing this, 00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:38.220 and scorn, 00:33:38.400 --> 00:33:38.580 I mean, 00:33:38.579 --> 00:33:39.679 I'm not talking about, 00:33:39.799 --> 00:33:41.359 what people have to face necessarily, 00:33:41.480 --> 00:33:42.480 in northern Nigeria, 00:33:42.799 --> 00:33:43.859 and other places, 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:44.559 in terms of, 00:33:44.740 --> 00:33:45.500 of actual, 00:33:45.659 --> 00:33:45.819 real, 00:33:45.939 --> 00:33:46.199 physical, 00:33:46.399 --> 00:33:47.559 but we have to sometimes, 00:33:47.740 --> 00:33:48.319 just in Canada, 00:33:48.460 --> 00:33:49.659 still just deal with scorn, 00:33:50.019 --> 00:33:50.939 and it might have to be, 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:52.000 it might be greater than that, 00:33:52.059 --> 00:33:53.179 it might mean that we end up, 00:33:53.240 --> 00:33:53.980 not getting a job, 00:33:54.059 --> 00:33:55.259 because of something that comes up, 00:33:55.299 --> 00:33:55.980 in the job interview, 00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:56.279 that they, 00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:57.839 maybe they see in our, 00:33:57.899 --> 00:33:58.699 in our CV, 00:33:58.819 --> 00:34:00.059 that we've connected to a church, 00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:01.579 and it means they just pass this over, 00:34:01.639 --> 00:34:02.299 they look for somebody, 00:34:02.359 --> 00:34:03.000 who's more suitable, 00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:04.159 who's going to be a better fit, 00:34:04.159 --> 00:34:05.419 with the corporate culture, 00:34:05.420 --> 00:34:07.580 or with the bureaucratic culture, 00:34:07.880 --> 00:34:08.559 there might be, 00:34:08.639 --> 00:34:10.039 big things that we have to, 00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:11.119 to deal with, 00:34:11.139 --> 00:34:12.180 and it's so easy, 00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:13.280 in the face of, 00:34:13.860 --> 00:34:16.659 of having people feel badly about us, 00:34:17.240 --> 00:34:18.519 to avoid suffering, 00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:20.480 that we say, 00:34:20.559 --> 00:34:20.639 well, 00:34:20.659 --> 00:34:20.760 no, 00:34:20.780 --> 00:34:20.860 no, 00:34:20.860 --> 00:34:22.079 I don't really think those things, 00:34:22.200 --> 00:34:22.400 but no, 00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:22.539 no, 00:34:22.539 --> 00:34:22.659 no, 00:34:22.659 --> 00:34:23.940 Jesus didn't really say that, 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:24.119 no, 00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:24.240 no, 00:34:24.260 --> 00:34:24.360 no, 00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:24.559 I don't, 00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:25.820 I don't have to deal with that, 00:34:25.820 --> 00:34:26.980 you see, 00:34:28.220 --> 00:34:29.940 the text is telling us this, 00:34:30.080 --> 00:34:32.180 because it's all about prophesying about Jesus, 00:34:32.840 --> 00:34:34.220 it's saying that, 00:34:34.940 --> 00:34:39.880 John is hoping that we'll be so gripped by the gospel, 00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:45.059 that we'll be so gripped by what it is that Jesus did on the cross, 00:34:45.059 --> 00:34:46.400 for us to reconcile us to God, 00:34:46.480 --> 00:34:48.120 be so gripped by the truth, 00:34:48.600 --> 00:34:51.800 that there's good reasons to believe that he really did rise from the dead, 00:34:52.220 --> 00:34:54.440 and that death has been defeated, 00:34:54.440 --> 00:34:56.599 death has been defeated, 00:34:57.179 --> 00:34:58.039 death itself, 00:34:58.320 --> 00:35:01.119 that I can experience the defeat of death, 00:35:01.220 --> 00:35:03.360 not because there's something special in me, 00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:04.079 not at all, 00:35:04.280 --> 00:35:08.300 but because I can be in the hands of the one who has defeated death, 00:35:09.500 --> 00:35:11.860 not that my hand is so strong, 00:35:11.960 --> 00:35:13.599 but that when I put my hand up to Jesus, 00:35:13.720 --> 00:35:14.639 and he grabs my hand, 00:35:14.700 --> 00:35:16.039 his hand is really strong, 00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:17.940 he will never let me go, 00:35:18.820 --> 00:35:21.599 and the hope of this text is it will be so gripped with the gospel, 00:35:21.679 --> 00:35:22.860 and the story of Jesus, 00:35:22.860 --> 00:35:27.980 that when it comes time to choose between denying things in the Christian faith, 00:35:28.500 --> 00:35:29.880 which is really being ashamed, 00:35:31.019 --> 00:35:34.099 or being willing to take a humble stand and suffer, 00:35:36.300 --> 00:35:40.120 that we will know that there's no need to be ashamed of the gospel, 00:35:40.260 --> 00:35:44.300 because it is the power of God for the salvation to everyone who believes, 00:35:44.300 --> 00:35:46.060 the great and the mighty, 00:35:46.780 --> 00:35:48.000 and the most broken. 00:35:48.780 --> 00:35:50.060 So here's the prayer, 00:35:50.740 --> 00:35:52.720 which the scriptures are inviting us to pray, 00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:53.480 if you could put it up, 00:35:53.560 --> 00:35:53.820 Andrew. 00:35:54.760 --> 00:35:55.340 Dear God, 00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:58.220 please help me to be so gripped by the gospel, 00:35:58.940 --> 00:36:01.140 that I will choose to suffer for Jesus, 00:36:01.680 --> 00:36:03.260 rather than be ashamed of him. 00:36:03.940 --> 00:36:04.420 Dear God, 00:36:04.500 --> 00:36:06.740 please help me to be so gripped by the gospel, 00:36:06.860 --> 00:36:08.780 that I will choose to suffer for Jesus, 00:36:09.280 --> 00:36:10.780 rather than be ashamed of him. 00:36:10.780 --> 00:36:14.300 Just sort of in closing, 00:36:15.420 --> 00:36:16.420 some people might say, 00:36:16.500 --> 00:36:16.600 okay, 00:36:16.660 --> 00:36:16.900 George, 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:20.100 you've given a variety of right-wing examples. 00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:23.980 I always knew you were just a closet right-wing guy, 00:36:23.980 --> 00:36:28.860 and you're next going to be telling us we should all vote for Stephen Harper, 00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:30.900 or something political like that, 00:36:30.960 --> 00:36:32.599 that you're just part of the religious right. 00:36:33.199 --> 00:36:35.780 And maybe some of my examples have been a little bit, 00:36:36.579 --> 00:36:36.800 you know, 00:36:36.880 --> 00:36:40.519 it's purely and utterly a coincidence right now, 00:36:40.579 --> 00:36:43.260 that Christians in Canada are often considered right-wing. 00:36:43.840 --> 00:36:44.139 I mean, 00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:46.219 it was Christians who started the New Democratic Party, 00:36:46.539 --> 00:36:46.699 right? 00:36:48.860 --> 00:36:51.019 Christians that were at the forefront of starting unions. 00:36:51.019 --> 00:36:53.300 William Wilberforce, 00:36:53.599 --> 00:36:55.539 who fought the abolition of slavery, 00:36:55.679 --> 00:36:57.619 he was not viewed as right-wing capitalist. 00:36:58.480 --> 00:37:00.500 He was viewed as the enemy of commerce. 00:37:02.059 --> 00:37:02.820 And so on one level, 00:37:02.920 --> 00:37:03.619 we have to be very, 00:37:03.719 --> 00:37:04.280 very careful. 00:37:04.460 --> 00:37:06.840 Political things come and go over time. 00:37:07.420 --> 00:37:08.960 Political allegiances and all that, 00:37:09.039 --> 00:37:10.380 I'm not despising anybody here. 00:37:10.440 --> 00:37:12.000 I know people in our parish work for government, 00:37:12.360 --> 00:37:14.259 and we should pray for those who work for government. 00:37:14.360 --> 00:37:16.000 Our regular prayer meetings that we have, 00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:17.539 we pray for those who, 00:37:17.760 --> 00:37:21.239 the MPs who meet regularly to pray and to read the Bible, 00:37:21.320 --> 00:37:23.639 and for those on the hill that read, 00:37:23.900 --> 00:37:25.659 gather to read and pray and support each other. 00:37:25.719 --> 00:37:26.380 We pray for them. 00:37:26.480 --> 00:37:27.679 They cross party lines. 00:37:27.780 --> 00:37:29.199 It's the exact right thing to do. 00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:29.920 But, 00:37:30.199 --> 00:37:30.539 you know, 00:37:30.820 --> 00:37:33.000 maybe it has sounded like a little bit, 00:37:33.059 --> 00:37:36.599 I've talked about homosexuality and abortion and some things. 00:37:36.679 --> 00:37:37.860 Maybe it has sounded like I'm a little bit right, 00:37:37.960 --> 00:37:39.639 but some of you might be saying, 00:37:39.719 --> 00:37:40.019 George, 00:37:40.599 --> 00:37:42.820 surely there's other, 00:37:42.820 --> 00:37:47.340 there's ways that people approach the Christian faith that are, 00:37:47.920 --> 00:37:48.500 that just, 00:37:49.539 --> 00:37:50.960 aren't there other examples? 00:37:51.140 --> 00:37:51.260 Well, 00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:52.100 there are very, 00:37:52.220 --> 00:37:52.980 very powerful ones. 00:37:54.860 --> 00:37:55.680 Here's the thing. 00:37:56.400 --> 00:37:57.680 I'll tell you the question, 00:37:57.820 --> 00:37:58.820 then we'll read the text. 00:37:59.300 --> 00:38:00.160 Here's the question. 00:38:01.160 --> 00:38:03.740 Do I dream of towering over life, 00:38:04.200 --> 00:38:06.840 or do I dream of being a servant of Jesus? 00:38:07.340 --> 00:38:09.580 Do I dream of towering over life, 00:38:09.780 --> 00:38:12.440 or do I dream of being a servant of Jesus? 00:38:12.820 --> 00:38:14.340 The fact of the matter is, 00:38:14.440 --> 00:38:19.820 is that many Christians have Christian versions of power of positive thinking. 00:38:20.940 --> 00:38:21.539 That there are, 00:38:21.700 --> 00:38:23.019 in many spiritualities, 00:38:23.200 --> 00:38:23.440 many, 00:38:23.500 --> 00:38:26.820 many types of Christian teachers who will teach a charismatic, 00:38:27.160 --> 00:38:27.720 or an evangelical, 00:38:28.039 --> 00:38:29.000 or an Anglo-Catholic, 00:38:29.180 --> 00:38:29.280 or, 00:38:29.740 --> 00:38:30.460 you know, 00:38:30.500 --> 00:38:32.220 an Anglican version of, 00:38:32.220 --> 00:38:32.519 of, 00:38:32.519 --> 00:38:35.600 of just the same type of thing of being able to tower over people, 00:38:35.660 --> 00:38:37.000 and tower over situations, 00:38:37.100 --> 00:38:38.539 and always be successful, 00:38:38.780 --> 00:38:40.720 and they'll teach you lessons of success, 00:38:40.719 --> 00:38:41.319 and name it, 00:38:41.339 --> 00:38:41.859 and claim it, 00:38:41.919 --> 00:38:42.399 and pray it, 00:38:42.419 --> 00:38:42.919 and believe it, 00:38:42.939 --> 00:38:43.379 and do it, 00:38:43.419 --> 00:38:43.519 and, 00:38:43.519 --> 00:38:44.719 and all sorts of things. 00:38:44.939 --> 00:38:48.379 And it's all the same type of success literature, 00:38:48.899 --> 00:38:50.939 often connected to a more right-wing view, 00:38:51.019 --> 00:38:52.819 but there's a Christian version of it. 00:38:53.159 --> 00:38:53.339 And, 00:38:53.419 --> 00:38:55.739 and this text challenges that. 00:38:56.699 --> 00:38:56.939 It, 00:38:56.939 --> 00:38:57.139 it, 00:38:57.139 --> 00:38:59.319 it forces us to ask the question, 00:38:59.320 --> 00:38:59.940 and, 00:38:59.940 --> 00:39:00.680 and I, 00:39:00.740 --> 00:39:03.260 I'm not saying that people who talk about all this tower, 00:39:03.320 --> 00:39:05.400 I'm not saying that they're not my brothers and sisters in Christ, 00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:06.220 I'm just saying that they, 00:39:06.300 --> 00:39:10.240 they talk in a way which doesn't really fit with the scriptures, 00:39:10.420 --> 00:39:10.700 because it, 00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:16.380 I don't think the scriptures tell us secrets about how to always be successful, 00:39:16.620 --> 00:39:18.820 and tower over every situation, 00:39:18.820 --> 00:39:20.039 how to get the girl, 00:39:20.180 --> 00:39:20.880 or get the guy, 00:39:20.980 --> 00:39:21.800 or get the promotion, 00:39:21.940 --> 00:39:23.019 or get the perfect kids, 00:39:23.320 --> 00:39:24.100 or get the house, 00:39:24.340 --> 00:39:25.620 or get the perfect retirement, 00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:26.480 or get this, 00:39:26.539 --> 00:39:26.940 and get that. 00:39:27.100 --> 00:39:28.320 It doesn't go with the Bible. 00:39:28.320 --> 00:39:30.680 Look at verses four to ten. 00:39:31.519 --> 00:39:32.160 Listen to them. 00:39:33.220 --> 00:39:33.840 These are the two, 00:39:33.880 --> 00:39:34.420 the prophets, 00:39:34.539 --> 00:39:34.680 right, 00:39:34.720 --> 00:39:35.500 who are prophesying. 00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:36.920 These are the two olive trees, 00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:38.059 and the two lampstands, 00:39:38.059 --> 00:39:39.519 that stand before the Lord of the earth. 00:39:40.220 --> 00:39:41.559 And if anyone would harm them, 00:39:42.100 --> 00:39:43.620 fire pours from their mouth, 00:39:43.680 --> 00:39:45.280 and consumes their foes. 00:39:45.940 --> 00:39:47.180 If anyone would harm them, 00:39:47.200 --> 00:39:48.900 this is how he is doomed to be killed. 00:39:49.559 --> 00:39:51.380 They have the power to shut the sky, 00:39:51.480 --> 00:39:52.640 that no rain may fall, 00:39:52.700 --> 00:39:54.320 during the days of their prophesying, 00:39:54.380 --> 00:39:55.880 and they have power over the waters, 00:39:55.960 --> 00:39:56.940 to turn them into blood, 00:39:56.940 --> 00:39:57.780 and to strike the earth, 00:39:57.840 --> 00:39:59.760 with every kind of plague, 00:39:59.820 --> 00:40:00.700 as often as they desire, 00:40:00.920 --> 00:40:03.559 it definitely sounds like it's all towering, 00:40:03.599 --> 00:40:04.099 doesn't it? 00:40:05.720 --> 00:40:06.579 It's in fact, 00:40:06.820 --> 00:40:09.480 combining the story of Elijah, 00:40:09.480 --> 00:40:10.780 with the story of Moses. 00:40:11.139 --> 00:40:13.000 A series of images of Elijah, 00:40:13.000 --> 00:40:13.599 and Moses. 00:40:14.900 --> 00:40:15.559 But verse seven, 00:40:16.300 --> 00:40:17.360 and when they have finished, 00:40:17.360 --> 00:40:18.159 their testimony, 00:40:19.420 --> 00:40:20.480 and we miss the fact, 00:40:20.599 --> 00:40:22.260 that they're having to do these things, 00:40:22.260 --> 00:40:24.500 because people are so enraged at them. 00:40:25.880 --> 00:40:28.180 Because people are enraged at them, 00:40:28.980 --> 00:40:30.560 that God gives them the ability, 00:40:30.700 --> 00:40:31.740 to protect themselves, 00:40:31.940 --> 00:40:32.860 for a season, 00:40:33.820 --> 00:40:35.500 in the face of rage. 00:40:36.960 --> 00:40:37.180 Right? 00:40:37.240 --> 00:40:37.960 A lot of times, 00:40:38.340 --> 00:40:40.340 that success literature, 00:40:40.820 --> 00:40:41.700 tries to tell us, 00:40:41.860 --> 00:40:43.440 that there's a way of doing everything, 00:40:43.600 --> 00:40:45.480 so that people don't get mad at us. 00:40:45.480 --> 00:40:48.740 But this isn't saying, 00:40:49.039 --> 00:40:50.280 that these people are engaged, 00:40:50.340 --> 00:40:51.800 in success literature stuff, 00:40:52.240 --> 00:40:52.920 that they've been, 00:40:53.280 --> 00:40:53.480 you know, 00:40:53.539 --> 00:40:54.159 so whatever, 00:40:54.400 --> 00:40:55.300 that people don't get mad. 00:40:55.380 --> 00:40:56.800 People are so enraged at them, 00:40:56.820 --> 00:40:57.800 that God gives them the power, 00:40:57.860 --> 00:40:58.420 to protect them. 00:40:58.619 --> 00:40:59.800 But then look at verse seven, 00:40:59.900 --> 00:41:00.920 and when they have finished, 00:41:00.920 --> 00:41:02.139 have finished their testimony, 00:41:02.260 --> 00:41:03.159 the beast that rises, 00:41:03.340 --> 00:41:04.420 from the bottomless pit, 00:41:04.960 --> 00:41:06.480 will make war on them, 00:41:07.320 --> 00:41:08.559 and conquer them, 00:41:09.079 --> 00:41:10.139 and kill them. 00:41:11.219 --> 00:41:11.920 And their corpse, 00:41:13.119 --> 00:41:14.219 will lie in the street, 00:41:14.219 --> 00:41:15.559 of that great city, 00:41:15.559 --> 00:41:17.099 that is spiritually called, 00:41:17.239 --> 00:41:17.939 Sodom and Egypt, 00:41:18.539 --> 00:41:20.079 where their Lord was crucified. 00:41:24.599 --> 00:41:26.079 The divine assignment, 00:41:26.279 --> 00:41:28.099 that God gives these two people, 00:41:28.199 --> 00:41:28.899 that in some ways, 00:41:28.980 --> 00:41:30.179 represent all Christians, 00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:32.279 is a divine assignment, 00:41:32.439 --> 00:41:34.359 that's connected with protection, 00:41:35.079 --> 00:41:36.119 dramatic protection, 00:41:36.299 --> 00:41:36.879 for a season. 00:41:37.059 --> 00:41:37.799 But as they, 00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:39.299 finish their course, 00:41:39.459 --> 00:41:41.139 and complete the divine assignment, 00:41:41.279 --> 00:41:42.079 that God gives them, 00:41:42.179 --> 00:41:43.299 and they complete it, 00:41:43.300 --> 00:41:44.280 in the power, 00:41:44.380 --> 00:41:44.920 and the grace, 00:41:44.920 --> 00:41:46.220 that God gives them, 00:41:46.640 --> 00:41:47.480 it ends, 00:41:47.900 --> 00:41:48.820 with the beast, 00:41:49.280 --> 00:41:50.039 killing them. 00:41:51.820 --> 00:41:52.200 You see, 00:41:52.300 --> 00:41:53.240 here's where the question, 00:41:53.380 --> 00:41:54.480 comes before us. 00:41:57.080 --> 00:41:58.460 Is our dream, 00:41:58.720 --> 00:41:59.900 is my dream, 00:42:00.019 --> 00:42:00.600 at night, 00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:01.700 different ways, 00:42:01.780 --> 00:42:03.160 to tower over everything? 00:42:04.180 --> 00:42:04.600 And I can, 00:42:04.720 --> 00:42:05.380 all I want to do, 00:42:05.440 --> 00:42:06.640 is think of different ways, 00:42:06.720 --> 00:42:07.940 of being successful, 00:42:08.080 --> 00:42:09.500 of having the cutting remark, 00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:11.420 of having the witty remark, 00:42:11.420 --> 00:42:12.940 of getting that promotion, 00:42:12.940 --> 00:42:13.940 and I'm not saying, 00:42:14.039 --> 00:42:15.220 we shouldn't want to get promotions, 00:42:15.340 --> 00:42:16.720 I'm not saying anything like that. 00:42:17.360 --> 00:42:18.059 I'm just saying, 00:42:18.180 --> 00:42:19.980 is that always our dream? 00:42:20.480 --> 00:42:21.579 And so that when reality, 00:42:21.579 --> 00:42:22.639 comes the other way, 00:42:23.159 --> 00:42:23.900 and we don't, 00:42:24.039 --> 00:42:25.360 we're not always successful, 00:42:25.480 --> 00:42:26.700 that we start to feel ashamed, 00:42:26.780 --> 00:42:28.240 or we start to feel disheartened. 00:42:29.519 --> 00:42:30.159 Do we, 00:42:30.260 --> 00:42:32.039 as we start to only think of success, 00:42:32.159 --> 00:42:33.700 always want to tailor ourselves, 00:42:33.880 --> 00:42:34.500 and do things, 00:42:34.559 --> 00:42:35.420 and avoid conflict, 00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:36.139 in such a way, 00:42:36.139 --> 00:42:36.719 so that we can, 00:42:36.819 --> 00:42:38.679 we can achieve those promotions, 00:42:38.900 --> 00:42:40.239 maybe at the cost of our soul, 00:42:40.299 --> 00:42:41.279 at the cost of justice, 00:42:41.420 --> 00:42:42.900 at the cost of righteousness, 00:42:43.460 --> 00:42:44.759 of the cost of trampling, 00:42:44.819 --> 00:42:45.659 over other people? 00:42:45.659 --> 00:42:47.659 Or is our dream, 00:42:48.420 --> 00:42:49.659 to hear the divine assignments, 00:42:50.400 --> 00:42:51.400 that God gives us, 00:42:51.559 --> 00:42:52.679 and my dream, 00:42:53.279 --> 00:42:55.279 isn't necessarily for my success, 00:42:55.420 --> 00:42:56.960 but to be a servant of Jesus? 00:42:58.019 --> 00:42:59.599 Even if that means, 00:43:00.139 --> 00:43:02.000 that as I receive the assignments, 00:43:02.139 --> 00:43:02.619 that he gives, 00:43:02.679 --> 00:43:03.480 that it might bring me, 00:43:03.579 --> 00:43:04.179 into conflict, 00:43:04.319 --> 00:43:05.279 it might bring me, 00:43:05.280 --> 00:43:05.980 into suffering, 00:43:06.120 --> 00:43:07.240 it might bring me, 00:43:07.660 --> 00:43:08.540 to my death. 00:43:10.680 --> 00:43:11.440 Which is the, 00:43:11.640 --> 00:43:12.480 what dream, 00:43:12.800 --> 00:43:13.460 do you have, 00:43:13.820 --> 00:43:14.660 when you dream? 00:43:16.620 --> 00:43:18.180 And there's nothing wrong, 00:43:18.260 --> 00:43:19.519 with wanting to do a job well, 00:43:19.640 --> 00:43:20.960 and get rewarded for it, 00:43:21.019 --> 00:43:21.540 nothing at all, 00:43:21.680 --> 00:43:23.040 but what dream do we have? 00:43:24.100 --> 00:43:24.880 And the text, 00:43:25.040 --> 00:43:25.860 is inviting us, 00:43:26.519 --> 00:43:27.360 to dream, 00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:28.560 of being, 00:43:29.060 --> 00:43:29.740 the doulos, 00:43:29.960 --> 00:43:30.600 the servant, 00:43:31.160 --> 00:43:31.760 of Jesus. 00:43:32.800 --> 00:43:34.120 And it is so wonderful, 00:43:34.240 --> 00:43:35.120 because it even puts, 00:43:35.119 --> 00:43:36.440 the context of this dream, 00:43:36.759 --> 00:43:37.799 with the reminder, 00:43:38.380 --> 00:43:39.219 that the greatness, 00:43:39.659 --> 00:43:40.960 that we want to try to emulate, 00:43:41.079 --> 00:43:41.920 in a Christian way, 00:43:41.980 --> 00:43:42.920 the greatness of, 00:43:42.920 --> 00:43:43.519 of, 00:43:43.519 --> 00:43:43.819 of, 00:43:43.819 --> 00:43:45.099 of Jerusalem, 00:43:45.460 --> 00:43:45.619 of, 00:43:45.619 --> 00:43:45.940 of, 00:43:45.940 --> 00:43:46.699 of Babylon, 00:43:47.039 --> 00:43:47.759 of Rome, 00:43:47.880 --> 00:43:48.539 of Sodom, 00:43:48.599 --> 00:43:49.199 and of Egypt, 00:43:49.659 --> 00:43:49.880 is, 00:43:50.019 --> 00:43:50.960 are all images, 00:43:50.960 --> 00:43:52.519 of humanity, 00:43:53.659 --> 00:43:54.219 organized, 00:43:55.059 --> 00:43:55.880 in rebellion, 00:43:56.400 --> 00:43:57.319 against God. 00:43:57.320 --> 00:43:57.420 God. 00:43:59.380 --> 00:44:00.140 And that it was, 00:44:00.260 --> 00:44:00.900 the world, 00:44:01.000 --> 00:44:01.840 and its greatness, 00:44:02.580 --> 00:44:04.380 the great Roman civilization, 00:44:04.539 --> 00:44:05.980 and the great religious civilization, 00:44:05.980 --> 00:44:07.500 that combined together, 00:44:07.580 --> 00:44:09.059 to crucify God. 00:44:10.059 --> 00:44:11.460 And that my model, 00:44:11.960 --> 00:44:13.140 isn't to be, 00:44:13.140 --> 00:44:14.100 Rome, 00:44:14.480 --> 00:44:15.059 and Babylon, 00:44:15.539 --> 00:44:16.140 and Jerusalem, 00:44:16.380 --> 00:44:16.760 but my, 00:44:16.860 --> 00:44:17.940 my model, 00:44:18.559 --> 00:44:19.160 is to be, 00:44:19.320 --> 00:44:19.720 Jesus, 00:44:20.120 --> 00:44:20.900 who's crucified. 00:44:21.600 --> 00:44:21.860 You see, 00:44:21.940 --> 00:44:22.640 that's why, 00:44:22.639 --> 00:44:23.199 it's, 00:44:23.199 --> 00:44:23.420 it's, 00:44:23.420 --> 00:44:23.619 it's, 00:44:23.619 --> 00:44:23.659 it's, 00:44:23.659 --> 00:44:24.299 it's trying to, 00:44:24.400 --> 00:44:25.400 have us to understand, 00:44:25.480 --> 00:44:26.339 to be so gripped, 00:44:26.440 --> 00:44:27.139 by the gospel, 00:44:27.259 --> 00:44:28.279 of who Jesus is, 00:44:28.319 --> 00:44:28.819 and what he, 00:44:28.920 --> 00:44:29.519 and what he did, 00:44:29.759 --> 00:44:30.639 and to remember, 00:44:30.940 --> 00:44:31.619 that even though, 00:44:31.699 --> 00:44:32.539 Jesus died, 00:44:32.900 --> 00:44:33.199 to the, 00:44:33.199 --> 00:44:34.539 the mocking of soldiers, 00:44:34.699 --> 00:44:35.339 and the mocking, 00:44:35.460 --> 00:44:36.719 of the most religious people, 00:44:36.839 --> 00:44:37.359 on the planet, 00:44:37.719 --> 00:44:39.039 but even though he died, 00:44:39.440 --> 00:44:39.739 bearing, 00:44:39.940 --> 00:44:40.920 and hearing their mark, 00:44:41.039 --> 00:44:41.659 their mocking, 00:44:41.779 --> 00:44:42.879 he died for you, 00:44:42.940 --> 00:44:43.799 and he died for me, 00:44:43.839 --> 00:44:45.319 and God vindicates him, 00:44:45.619 --> 00:44:46.519 in his resurrection. 00:44:46.900 --> 00:44:48.279 And he vindicates you, 00:44:48.359 --> 00:44:48.719 and I, 00:44:48.940 --> 00:44:50.000 who put our faith, 00:44:50.039 --> 00:44:50.599 and trust, 00:44:50.900 --> 00:44:51.420 in him. 00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:54.039 In Jesus, 00:44:54.460 --> 00:44:55.299 we share, 00:44:55.920 --> 00:44:57.119 in the vindication, 00:44:57.259 --> 00:44:57.460 we, 00:44:57.500 --> 00:44:59.079 we share in God's vindication, 00:44:59.179 --> 00:44:59.559 of Jesus, 00:44:59.679 --> 00:45:00.480 when we put our faith, 00:45:00.519 --> 00:45:01.219 and trust in him. 00:45:01.579 --> 00:45:02.379 In Jesus, 00:45:02.519 --> 00:45:03.339 we are to understand, 00:45:03.460 --> 00:45:04.259 that in the gospel, 00:45:04.900 --> 00:45:05.659 in the gospel, 00:45:05.759 --> 00:45:07.000 no matter how successful, 00:45:07.159 --> 00:45:08.299 or how broken we are, 00:45:08.719 --> 00:45:09.859 that when we put our faith, 00:45:09.879 --> 00:45:10.799 and trust in Jesus, 00:45:11.199 --> 00:45:12.079 in Jesus, 00:45:12.279 --> 00:45:14.239 we hear God's final words, 00:45:14.359 --> 00:45:15.159 spoken about us. 00:45:15.359 --> 00:45:16.500 And the final words, 00:45:16.599 --> 00:45:17.319 spoken about me, 00:45:17.359 --> 00:45:19.139 is not spoken by Washington, 00:45:19.319 --> 00:45:20.739 it's not spoken by Ottawa, 00:45:21.019 --> 00:45:22.019 it's not spoken, 00:45:22.019 --> 00:45:23.059 by the head of Apple, 00:45:23.239 --> 00:45:24.420 or the head of Microsoft, 00:45:24.880 --> 00:45:25.820 it's not spoken, 00:45:25.940 --> 00:45:27.179 by a human rights commission, 00:45:27.460 --> 00:45:28.259 it's not spoken, 00:45:28.380 --> 00:45:29.559 by any human being, 00:45:29.780 --> 00:45:30.960 that the final word, 00:45:31.079 --> 00:45:32.599 about the lowliest person, 00:45:32.699 --> 00:45:33.300 who puts their faith, 00:45:33.360 --> 00:45:34.139 and trust in Jesus, 00:45:34.239 --> 00:45:35.679 is spoken by God. 00:45:36.840 --> 00:45:37.920 And in Jesus, 00:45:38.099 --> 00:45:39.019 I am vindicated. 00:45:40.679 --> 00:45:41.340 And so, 00:45:41.420 --> 00:45:42.259 I should seek, 00:45:42.380 --> 00:45:43.619 the divine assignments, 00:45:43.759 --> 00:45:45.119 that God sends me. 00:45:45.119 --> 00:45:48.339 And that should be my dream, 00:45:48.940 --> 00:45:50.559 rather than the tower. 00:45:51.559 --> 00:45:51.779 Andrew, 00:45:51.819 --> 00:45:52.639 if you could just put it up, 00:45:52.659 --> 00:45:53.159 in closing, 00:45:54.400 --> 00:45:55.400 the final prayer, 00:45:55.779 --> 00:45:56.339 it says, 00:45:56.500 --> 00:45:56.699 see, 00:45:57.139 --> 00:45:57.659 dear God, 00:45:57.759 --> 00:45:58.339 please help me, 00:45:58.359 --> 00:45:59.159 to be so gripped, 00:45:59.239 --> 00:45:59.900 by the gospel, 00:46:00.400 --> 00:46:01.159 that I not dream, 00:46:01.219 --> 00:46:02.380 of towering over life, 00:46:02.480 --> 00:46:02.960 but I dream, 00:46:03.079 --> 00:46:04.339 instead of living daily, 00:46:04.699 --> 00:46:05.960 as your faithful servant. 00:46:06.519 --> 00:46:07.539 That's the challenge, 00:46:07.679 --> 00:46:08.279 for us to pray. 00:46:08.400 --> 00:46:09.159 Could you please stand? 00:46:09.900 --> 00:46:10.099 Andrew, 00:46:10.159 --> 00:46:10.920 if you want to leave it up, 00:46:11.079 --> 00:46:11.259 there. 00:46:11.260 --> 00:46:11.980 Now, 00:46:11.980 --> 00:46:17.160 I invite you to, 00:46:17.240 --> 00:46:19.200 I'm going to pray it out loud, 00:46:19.300 --> 00:46:20.300 you don't have to pray it out loud, 00:46:20.380 --> 00:46:20.660 with me, 00:46:20.700 --> 00:46:21.620 you can pray it silently, 00:46:21.620 --> 00:46:22.260 if you want. 00:46:22.880 --> 00:46:23.860 But I invite you, 00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:25.260 to take the challenge, 00:46:25.540 --> 00:46:26.700 and to make this your prayer. 00:46:27.640 --> 00:46:28.840 To pray to God, 00:46:28.920 --> 00:46:29.800 that this will be the prayer, 00:46:29.860 --> 00:46:30.680 of our church. 00:46:31.440 --> 00:46:33.120 Not that we want the tower, 00:46:33.880 --> 00:46:35.060 but that we want to be gripped, 00:46:35.060 --> 00:46:35.940 by the gospel. 00:46:37.960 --> 00:46:38.680 Dear God, 00:46:39.500 --> 00:46:40.500 please help me, 00:46:40.500 --> 00:46:41.579 to be so gripped, 00:46:41.719 --> 00:46:42.460 by the gospel, 00:46:43.019 --> 00:46:44.239 that I do not dream, 00:46:44.320 --> 00:46:45.820 of towering over life, 00:46:46.480 --> 00:46:47.199 but I dream, 00:46:47.340 --> 00:46:48.860 instead of living daily, 00:46:49.019 --> 00:46:50.300 as your faithful servant. 00:46:51.139 --> 00:46:51.420 Father, 00:46:51.480 --> 00:46:52.119 we ask that you would, 00:46:52.219 --> 00:46:53.199 pour out your Holy Spirit, 00:46:53.280 --> 00:46:53.840 upon us. 00:46:54.559 --> 00:46:55.579 Make us disciples, 00:46:55.800 --> 00:46:56.820 gripped by the gospel, 00:46:57.000 --> 00:46:57.760 bringing you glory. 00:46:58.079 --> 00:46:58.820 And we ask this, 00:46:58.900 --> 00:46:59.840 in Jesus' name. 00:47:00.480 --> 00:47:00.780 Amen. 00:47:00.780 --> 00:47:00.900 Amen. 00:47:00.900 --> 00:47:00.960 Amen.