WEBVTT

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 Heavenly Father, you are supremely wonderful and worthy of our worship, God.

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 It is a privilege and a joy to gather with brothers and sisters in Christ,

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 those that are different from us culturally all across the globe, God.

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 We've come together this morning, and we are unified in this,

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 that we have found our life and our hope and our identity in you, God.

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 For so many of us in this room, Christ, you have changed us and transformed us,

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 and it's an absolute delight to fix our eyes on you, God,

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 and to worship you and to sing your praises.

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 We love doing that, God, and so thank you, God,

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 for welcoming us into your throne of grace this morning, God.

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 Father, you are God, and there is no one else like you.

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 God, it's a privilege to remind our own souls and our own hearts and one another

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 of your many attributes and to find our hope and our rest in you.

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 And so we do that this morning, God.

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 Father, thank you for your greatness and your grace.

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 Thank you for your majesty and your mercy, God,

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 your sovereign magnificence and your tender patience with us.

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 God, we need you and we adore you this morning.

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 You are Lord and King.

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 Father, this morning we want to pray for the youth and the children at Watermark, God.

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 We want to pray for the next generation of our church family.

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 And Father, we bring our youth and our children before you,

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 and we pray, Father, that at a young age their identity and their hope will be found in you, God,

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 not in their school performance, not, God, in what society says about them or impresses upon them.

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 Father, we pray that the next generation in our church will be so grounded and rooted in you,

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 that their identity and their security will be in you, Father God.

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 Father, we pray as many of them head towards exams in the coming weeks and months and with stress.

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 Father, help us as parents in a church family to love them through it.

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 And Father, we really do want to ask you, God, that you help us as a church

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 to help the next generation get the gospel deeply,

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 not just in their heads but in their hearts, God,

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 to be formed by the good news of Jesus.

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 Father, even this morning as our kids go off to kids' church,

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 we pray that your Holy Spirit will be there,

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 drawing them closer to yourself.

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 Make the gospel clear and vivid and beautiful to them, we pray.

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 Father, this morning we also want to pray for Chris, who's on sabbatical.

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 We pray that you refresh him and encourage his soul, God.

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 We pray that you speak to him wonderfully in this time.

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 God, won't you wash him in your love and your acceptance.

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 We pray that this sabbatical season will be profoundly good for his own soul

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 and also for him and Fiona and little Etienne and their family.

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 God, we pray that you will continue to speak to them, God.

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 I pray that when he comes back early next year,

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 he'll be so charged and ready, God, having spent amazing time with you.

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 So we pray that this won't just be rest from work,

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 but, God, it'll be deep soul work in his heart.

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 Even this morning, God, wherever they are as a family,

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 wash over them, God.

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 Pour your love into their hearts, we pray.

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 Father, finally we want to pray for our friends in Bangalore,

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 Rajiv and Sarah and Coram Deo Church.

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 Thank you, God, for bringing them to Hong Kong last week

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 and the chance to meet them.

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 God, we pray for that church,

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 and we know, as they shared last week,

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 the many challenges they're facing.

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 So many people in this city are victims of abuse.

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 And, God, we pray that you give them profound wisdom and insight,

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 that they minister to their city.

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 We pray that Coram Deo, God, will be more than just a gathering of saints.

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 It'll be salt and light in the city of Bangalore.

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 God, won't you encourage them and strengthen them

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 as they go about that very important work.

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 God, as they gather this morning for their services,

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 we pray, Holy Spirit, fill them and flood them.

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 Wash them with your gospel, God.

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 Pray, encourage Rajiv and Sarah as they plant this church, Lord.

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 And we pray for the finances of that church,

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 that you'll bless them, that they'll be able to carry out their mission.

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 We pray for new leaders to be raised up.

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 God, we bring Coram Deo before you this morning

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 and ask in your amazing grace to strengthen them and be with them.

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 May they know that you, Christ, are head of the church.

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 And so we stand with our brothers across Asia this morning,

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 lift them up before your throne,

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 and say, Father, won't you strengthen them?

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 We pray these things in your wonderful and your very faithful name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Great. We're going to listen to the scripture reading.

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 Annabelle's going to do that.

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 If you are new to Watermark,

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 we are working our way through the book of Revelation,

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 and we are in Revelation chapter 12.

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 And this passage, sorry, that was my fault.

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 This passage that Annabelle's going to read to us

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 is a really interesting one with lots of strange imagery.

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 We're going to try and make sense of it a little later.

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 So if you're new, just listen up,

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 and let's see if we can make sense of it.

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 But go for it, Annabelle. Thank you.

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 The scripture reading comes from Revelation chapter 12.

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 Please follow along in your bulletin or on the screen.

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 And a great sign appeared in heaven.

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 A woman clothed with the sun,

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 with the moon under her feet,

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 and her head a crown of twelve stars.

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 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains

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 and the agony of giving birth.

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 And another sign appeared in heaven.

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 And behold, a great red dragon,

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 with seven heads and ten horns,

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 and on his head seven diadems.

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 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven

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 and cast them to the earth.

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 And the dragon stood before the woman

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 who was about to give birth,

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 so that when she bore her child,

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 he might devour it.

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 She gave birth to a male child,

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 one who is to rule all the nations

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 with a rod of iron.

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 But her child was caught up to God

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 and to his throne,

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 and the woman fled into the wilderness,

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 where she has a place prepared by God,

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 in which she is to be nourished

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 for 1,260 days.

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 Now war arose in heaven.

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 Michael and his angels

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 fighting against the dragon,

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 and the dragon and his angels fought back.

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 But he was defeated,

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 and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.

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 And the great dragon was thrown down,

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 that ancient serpent,

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 who is called the devil and Satan,

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 the deceiver of the whole world.

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 He was thrown down to the earth.

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 And his angels were thrown down with him.

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 And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying,

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 Now the salvation and the power

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 and the kingdom of our God

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 and the authority of his Christ have come.

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 For the accuser of our brothers

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 has been thrown down,

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 who accuses them day and night before our God.

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 And they have conquered him

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 by the blood of the Lamb

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 and by the word of their testimony.

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 For they loved not their lives,

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 even unto death.

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 Therefore rejoice, O heavens,

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 and you who dwell in them.

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 But woe to you, O earth and sea,

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 for the devil has come down to you

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 in great wrath,

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 because he knows that his time is short.

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 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth,

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 he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.

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 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle

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 so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness

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 to the place where she is to be nourished

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 for a time and times and half a time.

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 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman

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 to sweep her away with a flood.

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 But the earth came to the help of the woman

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 and the earth opened its mouth

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 and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

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 Then the dragon became furious with the woman

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 and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring,

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 on those who keep the commandments of God

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 and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

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 And he stood on the sand of the sea.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great. Thank you, Annabelle.

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 You read that so well with such expression.

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 That was fantastic.

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 Okay, just before we dive in,

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 I've actually forgotten to say this the last few weeks.

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 Revelation obviously is an interesting book with lots of imagery.

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 If you have questions,

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 let's say you think,

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 what on earth is the dragon?

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 Like, what does that mean anyway?

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 Or who's the woman?

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 Or what's up with the numbers?

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 Please come and talk to us.

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 You can come talk to me or any of the leaders.

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 We'd love to answer your questions.

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 Okay, so don't go away confused

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 or even more confused after the sermon than you were before.

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 Come and ask your questions.

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 You can ask any question you want about anything in the world.

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 And we would love to try our best to answer.

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 Okay, so just know that.

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 Now, as we have said many times before in the last couple of weeks,

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 the book of Revelation is about showing us

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 what is happening in the story of the world,

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 particularly the story of the church,

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 from the time of Jesus, his death and resurrection,

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 to the time when Jesus comes back.

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 A short way of saying that is from the cross until the throne,

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 this period of the already,

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 when Christ's kingdom has already come,

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 but it's also not yet fully come.

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 It's the story of the church,

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 and Revelation is showing us the story

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 from many different angles

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 and many different perspectives.

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 It's like in a sports game,

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 something happens,

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 and the referee isn't so sure if that trial was allowed

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 or if that goal should have happened

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 or someone committed a foul,

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 and so he radios the referee upstairs

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 that's watching on the TV,

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 and they look at these different angles,

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 and different angles show a different perspective

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 on the same event.

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 And that really is the book of Revelation.

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 We're looking at it from many different angles

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 that show us the story of the church.

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 Now, in this passage today,

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 we see the story of the church as a great big drama,

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 and there are three acts or scenes in this drama,

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 and there are three characters,

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 and the three characters are this woman,

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 this child that she gives birth to,

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 and a fiery red dragon, okay?

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 And so let's dive in and see if we can make sense of it.

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 So act one is the coming of Jesus.

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 So the drama starts off like this.

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 It says in verse one,

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 there's a great sign appeared in the heavens,

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 and a woman is clothed with the sun and the moon

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 and her feet and on her head is a crown,

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 and she's pregnant.

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 And she's crying out in birth pains

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 at the agony of giving birth.

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 Now, John, who wrote the book of Revelation,

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 is drawing on a whole bunch of Old Testament passages,

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 specifically Isaiah 26, Isaiah 66,

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 and a whole lot of others,

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 that picture the nation of Israel,

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 the Old Testament people of God,

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 as this lady who is waiting to bring forth this child,

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 the Messiah.

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 And for the Jewish people,

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 whenever they heard that or read those passages,

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 they would have thought of an earlier passage,

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 Genesis chapter three,

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 in which what happens is Adam and Eve sin

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 in the Garden of Eden.

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 They are faced with the consequences of their sin.

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 All humanity is cursed.

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 But in the midst of that curse,

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 God promises them a promise of hope.

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 And this is his promise.

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 He says,

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 Eve, from you are going to come a whole lot of descendants,

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 and one of your descendants

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 is going to be born of a woman,

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 and he will be the savior of the world.

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 He will crush the head of Satan.

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 And so, for the rest of the Old Testament,

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 the people of God,

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 the nation of Israel,

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 is waiting for the time

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 when someone from the nation of Israel

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 will give birth to this Messiah King

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 that will save not only them,

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 but humanity from the curse of sin.

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 And so, Israel itself,

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 throughout the Old Testament,

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 is pictured as this lady

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 waiting to give birth to the Messiah King.

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 Okay?

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 Does that make sense?

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 Okay.

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 Well, anyway, moving on.

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 So, that's the first character.

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 And who is this child that's born?

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 Well, it's Jesus.

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 Remember Matthew chapter 1?

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 There's this long lineage

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 describing Jesus and his ancestry

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 and where he comes from.

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 And all of that is meant to point

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 to the fact that Jesus is the one

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 that God promised to Eve

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 and to the nation of Israel.

00:12:43.460 --> 00:12:45.040
 But then we meet this third character,

00:12:45.180 --> 00:12:48.040
 and that's this evil kind of looking dragon.

00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:51.039
 And he's pictured as having seven heads

00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:54.620
 and crowns and horns on his head.

00:12:55.139 --> 00:12:57.000
 And seven is the number of completeness.

00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:00.559
 And crowns and horns and heads

00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:02.019
 are pictures of sovereignty

00:13:02.019 --> 00:13:03.480
 and authority and power.

00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:04.719
 In other words,

00:13:04.819 --> 00:13:05.879
 here is this dragon

00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:07.939
 and his false claims

00:13:07.939 --> 00:13:10.279
 to having absolute sovereignty

00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:11.819
 and power in the world.

00:13:12.419 --> 00:13:12.779
 In other words,

00:13:12.819 --> 00:13:13.819
 here is this being

00:13:13.819 --> 00:13:15.240
 that has set himself up

00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:17.419
 as a rival to the one true God.

00:13:17.419 --> 00:13:18.059
 Okay?

00:13:19.159 --> 00:13:20.659
 And what is this dragon doing?

00:13:20.779 --> 00:13:21.879
 Well, look at verse 4.

00:13:22.379 --> 00:13:22.620
 It says,

00:13:22.740 --> 00:13:24.919
 The dragon stood at the woman's feet

00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:26.559
 who's about to give birth

00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:29.240
 so that when she bore her child,

00:13:29.639 --> 00:13:31.179
 he might devour it.

00:13:31.419 --> 00:13:33.659
 He might destroy this coming child.

00:13:34.319 --> 00:13:35.819
 He's bent on destroying the child

00:13:35.819 --> 00:13:37.159
 that the woman is about to bear.

00:13:37.740 --> 00:13:39.199
 Now, throughout the Old Testament,

00:13:39.399 --> 00:13:40.139
 we see this,

00:13:40.219 --> 00:13:41.679
 that God's people,

00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:43.079
 the one through whom

00:13:43.079 --> 00:13:44.179
 the Messiah from the world

00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:44.839
 is going to come,

00:13:44.839 --> 00:13:46.839
 are constantly being attacked

00:13:47.419 --> 00:13:49.240
 by the forces of evil.

00:13:49.860 --> 00:13:51.799
 I think of Exodus chapter 1

00:13:51.799 --> 00:13:53.519
 where God's people,

00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:54.360
 the nation of Israel,

00:13:54.519 --> 00:13:55.360
 are in Egypt.

00:13:55.559 --> 00:13:56.699
 They're being oppressed there.

00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:58.759
 And Pharaoh issues this decree

00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:01.519
 saying all male children from Israel

00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:03.319
 are to be drowned in the river.

00:14:03.819 --> 00:14:04.860
 They're getting too strong,

00:14:05.019 --> 00:14:05.659
 too powerful.

00:14:05.979 --> 00:14:07.719
 It's time just to wipe them out.

00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:09.199
 And that parallels

00:14:09.199 --> 00:14:10.759
 what happens later on in the Bible

00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:13.179
 in Matthew chapter 2

00:14:13.179 --> 00:14:15.539
 where Herod hears that Jesus

00:14:15.539 --> 00:14:16.959
 is the new king of the Jews.

00:14:17.139 --> 00:14:18.639
 Remember, he hears from the wise men

00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:19.059
 that come.

00:14:19.259 --> 00:14:19.519
 They say,

00:14:19.599 --> 00:14:20.839
 we're looking for the king of the Jews.

00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:22.279
 Herod gets a fright

00:14:22.279 --> 00:14:22.899
 and realizes,

00:14:23.439 --> 00:14:23.819
 oh boy,

00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:25.219
 my throne is being threatened.

00:14:25.579 --> 00:14:26.879
 And he issues this decree.

00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:28.359
 All male children

00:14:28.359 --> 00:14:30.059
 under two years old in Bethlehem

00:14:30.059 --> 00:14:31.559
 get slaughtered.

00:14:31.859 --> 00:14:32.979
 And so throughout the Bible,

00:14:33.199 --> 00:14:34.139
 God's people

00:14:34.139 --> 00:14:36.120
 are constantly under attack.

00:14:36.319 --> 00:14:37.959
 But what John is telling us

00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:39.120
 is that behind

00:14:39.120 --> 00:14:40.860
 the acts of humanity

00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:43.160
 is another force.

00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:44.620
 Behind the evil

00:14:44.620 --> 00:14:45.660
 that's going on in the world,

00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:47.019
 there is a demonic force

00:14:47.019 --> 00:14:48.540
 in the spiritual realm as well.

00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:49.480
 Satan is

00:14:49.480 --> 00:14:51.840
 doing his best

00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:53.200
 to destroy God's people

00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:53.980
 and specifically

00:14:53.980 --> 00:14:56.220
 to destroy the Messiah.

00:14:57.139 --> 00:14:58.019
 And all of this

00:14:58.019 --> 00:14:58.620
 is an attempt

00:14:58.620 --> 00:15:00.280
 to destroy the promised Messiah,

00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:02.000
 the one whom God promised

00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:03.580
 way back in Genesis 3

00:15:03.580 --> 00:15:06.200
 that this Messiah

00:15:06.200 --> 00:15:06.820
 would bring about

00:15:06.820 --> 00:15:07.920
 the downfall of Satan

00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:08.719
 and the salvation

00:15:08.719 --> 00:15:10.199
 of those who trust in him.

00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:11.620
 And so this continues

00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:12.639
 throughout Jesus' life.

00:15:12.779 --> 00:15:12.939
 Remember,

00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:14.039
 he's tempted in the wilderness.

00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:15.539
 Satan comes and tempts him.

00:15:15.939 --> 00:15:17.159
 And this climaxes

00:15:17.159 --> 00:15:18.279
 in the cross.

00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:20.459
 Jesus is nailed to the cross

00:15:20.459 --> 00:15:22.259
 and finally,

00:15:22.519 --> 00:15:23.159
 forces of evil

00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:24.319
 think we've done away

00:15:24.319 --> 00:15:25.000
 with him.

00:15:25.799 --> 00:15:26.679
 But verse 5

00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:27.839
 in our passage today

00:15:27.839 --> 00:15:29.019
 tells us something else.

00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:30.099
 It tells us

00:15:30.099 --> 00:15:31.599
 that all Satan's efforts

00:15:31.599 --> 00:15:32.519
 are in vain.

00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:34.439
 Because just when he thinks

00:15:34.439 --> 00:15:35.559
 he's about to destroy

00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:36.199
 the Messiah,

00:15:36.199 --> 00:15:37.599
 the one who God promised

00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:38.779
 Eve would crush

00:15:38.779 --> 00:15:39.580
 the head of Satan,

00:15:39.899 --> 00:15:40.960
 just as he thinks

00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:41.740
 he's got him,

00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:43.279
 Jesus evades him

00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:44.540
 and he is taken up

00:15:44.540 --> 00:15:46.080
 into the throne of heaven.

00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:46.840
 It's a reference

00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:48.120
 to his ascension

00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:49.180
 after his resurrection.

00:15:49.920 --> 00:15:50.600
 Look at what it says,

00:15:50.700 --> 00:15:51.220
 verse 5.

00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:52.200
 She gave birth

00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:53.100
 to a male child,

00:15:53.480 --> 00:15:54.300
 the one who is to rule

00:15:54.300 --> 00:15:54.820
 the nations

00:15:54.820 --> 00:15:55.580
 with a rod of iron,

00:15:56.019 --> 00:15:56.779
 but her child

00:15:56.779 --> 00:15:58.139
 was caught up to God

00:15:58.139 --> 00:15:59.139
 and is now

00:15:59.139 --> 00:16:00.100
 before his throne.

00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:01.680
 And so Act 1,

00:16:02.019 --> 00:16:03.000
 verses 1 to 6,

00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:04.600
 tells the story

00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:05.660
 of Jesus' first coming.

00:16:06.199 --> 00:16:07.179
 His promise coming,

00:16:07.259 --> 00:16:07.860
 his birth,

00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:09.179
 his death on the cross

00:16:09.179 --> 00:16:09.939
 where Satan thinks

00:16:09.939 --> 00:16:11.319
 he's about to destroy Jesus

00:16:11.319 --> 00:16:12.879
 and his resurrection

00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:13.819
 and his ascension

00:16:13.819 --> 00:16:14.519
 up to heaven.

00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:15.959
 That's the end of Act 1.

00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:17.339
 Act 2,

00:16:17.839 --> 00:16:18.919
 the defeat of Satan.

00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:20.419
 Now look at what happens

00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:21.299
 in verse 7 here.

00:16:22.059 --> 00:16:23.120
 Verse 7 describes

00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:24.740
 this cosmic battle

00:16:24.740 --> 00:16:25.579
 that takes place

00:16:25.579 --> 00:16:26.659
 in the spiritual realm,

00:16:26.719 --> 00:16:27.219
 in the heavens.

00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:28.219
 Now just by the way,

00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:29.439
 the heavens isn't

00:16:29.439 --> 00:16:30.459
 a physical place

00:16:30.459 --> 00:16:31.740
 up in the sky somewhere.

00:16:32.199 --> 00:16:32.319
 Okay?

00:16:32.980 --> 00:16:33.799
 Someone once said,

00:16:33.799 --> 00:16:34.959
 if you take a space rocket

00:16:34.959 --> 00:16:36.179
 and you go far enough,

00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:37.479
 you'll eventually get to heaven.

00:16:37.939 --> 00:16:38.439
 I don't know where

00:16:38.439 --> 00:16:39.099
 they got that from.

00:16:39.559 --> 00:16:40.759
 Heaven describes

00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:42.879
 the realm of God's rule and reign.

00:16:42.979 --> 00:16:44.259
 It's where God rules, right?

00:16:44.319 --> 00:16:45.319
 Remember, Jesus says

00:16:45.319 --> 00:16:46.819
 he's going to bring heaven to earth.

00:16:47.299 --> 00:16:48.319
 Jesus brings his kingdom

00:16:48.319 --> 00:16:48.759
 and he's,

00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:50.419
 Jesus is going to rule on earth

00:16:50.419 --> 00:16:50.899
 one day.

00:16:51.219 --> 00:16:51.979
 The kingdom of heaven

00:16:51.979 --> 00:16:53.259
 will come to earth.

00:16:53.620 --> 00:16:55.039
 And so in the spiritual realm,

00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:55.839
 there's this battle.

00:16:56.319 --> 00:16:57.359
 We shouldn't take it literally.

00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:58.599
 There's not a wrestling ring

00:16:58.599 --> 00:16:59.379
 up in the sky

00:16:59.379 --> 00:17:01.199
 between Michael and Satan.

00:17:01.200 --> 00:17:02.879
 It's this battle

00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:03.680
 that's taking place

00:17:03.680 --> 00:17:04.840
 between the armies of God

00:17:04.840 --> 00:17:05.360
 and Satan.

00:17:06.080 --> 00:17:07.400
 But verse five told us

00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:08.880
 that Jesus eluded

00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:10.440
 or escaped Satan.

00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:11.960
 Verse eight tells us

00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:13.019
 something else happens.

00:17:13.600 --> 00:17:14.960
 Jesus doesn't just flee

00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:15.539
 from Satan,

00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:17.000
 he actually defeats him.

00:17:17.080 --> 00:17:18.240
 Look at what verse eight says.

00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:19.600
 It says there's a battle

00:17:19.600 --> 00:17:20.340
 in the sky,

00:17:20.819 --> 00:17:21.400
 in the heavens,

00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:23.420
 but Satan was defeated.

00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:25.360
 Now here's the question.

00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:26.720
 How is Satan defeated?

00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:28.440
 How does Jesus

00:17:28.440 --> 00:17:29.200
 conquer

00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:30.759
 Satan?

00:17:32.100 --> 00:17:33.240
 Well, paradoxically,

00:17:33.360 --> 00:17:35.160
 he does it in the very moment

00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:36.240
 when Satan thinks

00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:37.420
 he's conquering Jesus.

00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:39.180
 He does it on the cross.

00:17:39.600 --> 00:17:41.160
 As Jesus dies on the cross

00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:42.539
 and rises from the cross,

00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:43.740
 the very moment

00:17:43.740 --> 00:17:44.559
 that Satan thought,

00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:45.420
 we've done away

00:17:45.420 --> 00:17:46.100
 with the Messiah,

00:17:46.500 --> 00:17:47.279
 we've got him,

00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:49.080
 that's actually the moment

00:17:49.080 --> 00:17:50.980
 when Jesus conquers Satan.

00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:51.860
 Look at what happens

00:17:51.860 --> 00:17:52.580
 in verse 10.

00:17:53.100 --> 00:17:53.960
 After this happens,

00:17:54.059 --> 00:17:54.200
 he says,

00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:54.799
 now,

00:17:55.019 --> 00:17:56.420
 now is the salvation.

00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:57.980
 Now has the kingdom

00:17:57.980 --> 00:17:59.000
 of our God come

00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:00.500
 for the accuser

00:18:00.500 --> 00:18:01.440
 of our brothers

00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.039
 has been defeated.

00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:05.740
 In John chapter 12,

00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:06.859
 Jesus,

00:18:07.259 --> 00:18:07.500
 it's,

00:18:07.579 --> 00:18:08.359
 I think it's the night

00:18:08.359 --> 00:18:09.759
 before he is betrayed.

00:18:11.140 --> 00:18:12.420
 Maybe the week before.

00:18:12.859 --> 00:18:13.819
 He's about to go

00:18:13.819 --> 00:18:14.400
 to the cross

00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:15.559
 and he says

00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:16.359
 to his disciples,

00:18:16.599 --> 00:18:16.940
 he says,

00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:17.980
 the hour has come

00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:19.220
 for me to be glorified,

00:18:19.579 --> 00:18:20.619
 which is a strange thing

00:18:20.619 --> 00:18:22.079
 for Jesus to be glorified

00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:23.880
 when he's put to open shame

00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:24.519
 on the cross.

00:18:24.900 --> 00:18:25.480
 But actually,

00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:26.279
 the moment of the cross

00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:27.379
 was his moment of glory.

00:18:28.339 --> 00:18:28.920
 And he says

00:18:28.920 --> 00:18:29.599
 to his disciples,

00:18:29.859 --> 00:18:30.759
 now the Son of Man

00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:31.559
 will be lifted up

00:18:31.559 --> 00:18:32.279
 and I will draw

00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:33.399
 all men to myself.

00:18:34.279 --> 00:18:35.180
 And then he says,

00:18:35.819 --> 00:18:37.720
 and the ruler

00:18:37.720 --> 00:18:38.839
 of this world

00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:40.379
 will be cast out.

00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:41.440
 See,

00:18:41.500 --> 00:18:42.379
 as Jesus is hung

00:18:42.379 --> 00:18:42.899
 on the cross,

00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:44.000
 as he dies

00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:46.039
 and as he rises again,

00:18:46.579 --> 00:18:47.740
 the forces of evil

00:18:47.740 --> 00:18:48.599
 are destroyed,

00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:49.599
 are crushed.

00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:51.420
 Jesus' death

00:18:51.420 --> 00:18:51.920
 on the cross

00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:52.740
 and his resurrection

00:18:52.740 --> 00:18:53.440
 from the grave

00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:54.079
 was actually

00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:55.119
 his decisive moment

00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:55.679
 of victory

00:18:55.679 --> 00:18:56.439
 over Satan,

00:18:57.039 --> 00:18:57.279
 sin,

00:18:57.359 --> 00:18:58.219
 and the curse of sin.

00:18:58.699 --> 00:18:59.019
 Remember,

00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:00.139
 Colossians chapter 2

00:19:00.139 --> 00:19:02.019
 says God disarmed

00:19:02.019 --> 00:19:03.899
 Satan's forces,

00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:04.739
 putting them

00:19:04.739 --> 00:19:05.739
 to open shame

00:19:05.739 --> 00:19:07.399
 by triumphing them,

00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:08.679
 triumphing over them

00:19:08.679 --> 00:19:09.279
 in Christ.

00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:10.739
 How did he do this?

00:19:10.919 --> 00:19:11.919
 By canceling

00:19:11.919 --> 00:19:12.759
 our record of death

00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:13.819
 that stood against us,

00:19:14.199 --> 00:19:14.959
 setting aside,

00:19:15.419 --> 00:19:16.000
 nailing it

00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:16.899
 to the cross.

00:19:17.739 --> 00:19:17.919
 Okay,

00:19:17.979 --> 00:19:18.679
 so now the question

00:19:18.679 --> 00:19:19.159
 is this,

00:19:19.779 --> 00:19:21.259
 how does Jesus'

00:19:21.679 --> 00:19:22.439
 death on the cross,

00:19:22.439 --> 00:19:23.939
 how is that his victory

00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:25.100
 over forces of evil?

00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:26.539
 Well,

00:19:26.580 --> 00:19:27.120
 the one way

00:19:27.120 --> 00:19:28.799
 is Jesus defeated

00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:30.600
 death and the grave.

00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:31.420
 Remember,

00:19:31.779 --> 00:19:32.960
 death is the consequence

00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:33.580
 of sin.

00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:34.779
 Romans says that

00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:36.019
 the wages,

00:19:36.259 --> 00:19:36.640
 in other words,

00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:37.380
 the paycheck

00:19:37.380 --> 00:19:38.900
 of investing your life

00:19:38.900 --> 00:19:39.360
 in sin

00:19:39.360 --> 00:19:40.420
 leads to death.

00:19:41.140 --> 00:19:42.420
 That's the consequences

00:19:42.420 --> 00:19:43.420
 of our sinful nature.

00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:45.160
 But Jesus conquered death.

00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:46.299
 He conquered the grave.

00:19:46.600 --> 00:19:47.539
 That's why in Corinthians,

00:19:47.820 --> 00:19:49.100
 Paul mockingly says,

00:19:49.460 --> 00:19:49.779
 death,

00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:51.059
 where is your victory?

00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:52.340
 Jesus has conquered

00:19:52.340 --> 00:19:52.840
 the grave.

00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:53.439
 Death,

00:19:53.559 --> 00:19:54.619
 where is your sting?

00:19:55.059 --> 00:19:56.399
 Your trump card

00:19:56.399 --> 00:19:57.539
 that Satan thought

00:19:57.539 --> 00:19:58.419
 he could pull out

00:19:58.419 --> 00:20:00.259
 on followers of Jesus

00:20:00.259 --> 00:20:02.959
 has been rendered powerless.

00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:04.299
 It's been defeated.

00:20:04.579 --> 00:20:05.720
 Jesus conquered death

00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:06.779
 and conquered the grave.

00:20:07.439 --> 00:20:08.139
 But that's actually

00:20:08.139 --> 00:20:09.419
 not what our passage says.

00:20:09.699 --> 00:20:10.399
 Our passage doesn't

00:20:10.399 --> 00:20:11.299
 talk about that at all.

00:20:11.879 --> 00:20:12.959
 Look at what the passage

00:20:12.959 --> 00:20:14.039
 says here.

00:20:15.319 --> 00:20:16.539
 How does it describe

00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:17.059
 the devil?

00:20:17.059 --> 00:20:19.439
 Look at verse 10,

00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:20.199
 I think it is.

00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:21.580
 It talks about him

00:20:21.580 --> 00:20:23.180
 being the accuser

00:20:23.180 --> 00:20:24.080
 of God's people.

00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:25.759
 The one who accuses them

00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:26.500
 night and day.

00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:28.200
 Remember in the book of Job

00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:29.019
 in the Old Testament,

00:20:29.900 --> 00:20:31.180
 the devil is allowed

00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:32.600
 to come into God's presence.

00:20:33.180 --> 00:20:34.059
 And what does he say

00:20:34.059 --> 00:20:34.660
 in chapter 1?

00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:35.140
 He says,

00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:35.759
 God,

00:20:36.360 --> 00:20:37.240
 you know that servant

00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:38.100
 of yours, Job.

00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:38.900
 Well,

00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:41.000
 Job doesn't really love you.

00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:42.640
 He doesn't really serve you.

00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:43.640
 He only serves you

00:20:43.640 --> 00:20:44.740
 because you bless him.

00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:46.759
 Satan comes before God

00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:48.240
 and he brings an accusation

00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:49.420
 against God's people.

00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:50.099
 Okay?

00:20:50.579 --> 00:20:51.579
 And that's the job

00:20:51.579 --> 00:20:51.960
 of the accuser.

00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:52.779
 That's what Satan does.

00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:54.120
 He accuses you and I

00:20:54.120 --> 00:20:55.000
 day and night.

00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:55.640
 He says,

00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:56.960
 he comes before us

00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:57.920
 and he says,

00:20:58.380 --> 00:20:58.559
 hey,

00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:01.880
 sorry,

00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:02.940
 he comes before God

00:21:02.940 --> 00:21:03.319
 and he says,

00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:03.620
 God,

00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:04.200
 that guy,

00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:04.660
 Jeremy,

00:21:05.220 --> 00:21:05.799
 that guy,

00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:07.299
 he doesn't deserve

00:21:07.299 --> 00:21:08.000
 to be your child.

00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:09.880
 How can you really love him?

00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:10.559
 You know the things

00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:11.339
 he's done this week?

00:21:11.980 --> 00:21:12.220
 Do you know

00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:13.500
 what's in his heart?

00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:14.599
 He doesn't deserve

00:21:14.599 --> 00:21:15.120
 your favor

00:21:15.120 --> 00:21:16.039
 and your acceptance.

00:21:16.819 --> 00:21:17.319
 Satan comes

00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:18.359
 and he brings accusations.

00:21:19.019 --> 00:21:20.259
 And what's God's answer

00:21:20.259 --> 00:21:21.200
 to those accusations?

00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:23.000
 Silence.

00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:24.960
 The accusation

00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:25.799
 doesn't stick.

00:21:26.500 --> 00:21:27.099
 Now those things

00:21:27.099 --> 00:21:27.879
 may be true.

00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:29.200
 Jeremy may have had

00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:29.839
 a bad week.

00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:30.740
 Jeremy.

00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:33.079
 Those things

00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:33.839
 may be true

00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:35.419
 but the accusation

00:21:35.419 --> 00:21:36.220
 doesn't stick.

00:21:36.700 --> 00:21:37.799
 And why doesn't it stick?

00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:39.740
 Because God's people

00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:40.919
 are declared righteous

00:21:40.919 --> 00:21:41.720
 through the death

00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:42.339
 and the resurrection

00:21:42.339 --> 00:21:43.019
 of Jesus.

00:21:43.339 --> 00:21:44.139
 The verdict

00:21:44.139 --> 00:21:44.740
 in the courts

00:21:44.740 --> 00:21:45.139
 of heaven

00:21:45.139 --> 00:21:45.839
 has been given.

00:21:46.439 --> 00:21:47.159
 God's people,

00:21:47.299 --> 00:21:48.099
 those that trust

00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:48.399
 in him

00:21:48.399 --> 00:21:49.059
 and come to him

00:21:49.059 --> 00:21:49.379
 in faith

00:21:49.379 --> 00:21:49.980
 and repentance

00:21:49.980 --> 00:21:51.659
 are declared

00:21:51.659 --> 00:21:52.599
 guiltless,

00:21:53.079 --> 00:21:53.519
 righteous,

00:21:54.139 --> 00:21:54.720
 blameless,

00:21:55.079 --> 00:21:56.119
 above reproach

00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:57.639
 because our sin

00:21:57.639 --> 00:21:58.619
 has been put on Jesus

00:21:58.619 --> 00:22:00.359
 and Jesus' righteousness

00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:01.619
 has been put on us.

00:22:02.119 --> 00:22:03.319
 Our perfect standing

00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:04.139
 before the God

00:22:04.139 --> 00:22:05.599
 is credited to us

00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:06.879
 because of Jesus.

00:22:07.500 --> 00:22:08.079
 And that means

00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:08.899
 that the accusations

00:22:08.899 --> 00:22:09.740
 of the devil

00:22:09.740 --> 00:22:11.000
 have no bearing.

00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:12.740
 Now it doesn't mean

00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:13.339
 they're not true.

00:22:14.179 --> 00:22:15.179
 Satan comes to me

00:22:15.180 --> 00:22:15.560
 and says,

00:22:15.640 --> 00:22:15.920
 Kevin,

00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:17.980
 you're such a lousy sinner.

00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:19.880
 You're so self-centered.

00:22:20.519 --> 00:22:21.720
 You're so full of pride.

00:22:22.360 --> 00:22:22.940
 It's true.

00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:23.920
 Those things are true

00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:24.519
 of me.

00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:26.420
 I'm far worse than that.

00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.299
 Satan,

00:22:27.400 --> 00:22:27.960
 if you only knew

00:22:27.960 --> 00:22:28.920
 how bad I was.

00:22:29.940 --> 00:22:31.080
 But the accusation

00:22:31.080 --> 00:22:31.779
 doesn't stick

00:22:31.779 --> 00:22:33.560
 because my righteousness

00:22:33.560 --> 00:22:34.460
 doesn't depend

00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:35.420
 on how good I am.

00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.519
 It depends on

00:22:36.519 --> 00:22:37.380
 what Jesus says

00:22:37.380 --> 00:22:37.920
 about me.

00:22:38.340 --> 00:22:39.779
 My standing before God

00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:41.380
 depends on one thing only.

00:22:41.580 --> 00:22:42.920
 Am I righteous

00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:44.080
 in Christ?

00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:45.779
 Have I come to Him

00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:46.700
 and put my faith

00:22:46.700 --> 00:22:48.100
 and my hope in Him?

00:22:48.600 --> 00:22:50.060
 And if the answer is yes,

00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:50.940
 the accusations

00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:52.039
 don't stand.

00:22:53.300 --> 00:22:54.420
 In 1 John chapter 2,

00:22:55.180 --> 00:22:56.240
 Jesus is described

00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:57.019
 as an advocate,

00:22:57.400 --> 00:22:58.140
 a barrister.

00:22:58.480 --> 00:22:58.660
 Right?

00:22:58.720 --> 00:22:59.200
 We've got a couple

00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:00.100
 of barristers here

00:23:00.100 --> 00:23:00.660
 this morning.

00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:01.820
 And what happens

00:23:01.820 --> 00:23:02.539
 is Satan comes

00:23:02.539 --> 00:23:03.220
 before God

00:23:03.220 --> 00:23:04.560
 and he accuses us.

00:23:05.080 --> 00:23:05.300
 He says,

00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:05.560
 God,

00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:06.120
 have you seen

00:23:06.120 --> 00:23:06.820
 that guy Leo?

00:23:07.480 --> 00:23:08.120
 You know what he's done

00:23:08.120 --> 00:23:08.580
 this week?

00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:09.640
 And Jesus,

00:23:09.779 --> 00:23:10.400
 our advocate,

00:23:10.600 --> 00:23:11.259
 our barrister,

00:23:11.259 --> 00:23:12.460
 comes before God

00:23:12.460 --> 00:23:13.299
 the Father

00:23:13.299 --> 00:23:14.460
 and he brings

00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:15.240
 the evidence

00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:15.720
 and he says,

00:23:15.879 --> 00:23:16.099
 Father,

00:23:16.740 --> 00:23:17.299
 look at my

00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:18.500
 blood-stained hands.

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:19.539
 Look at my

00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:20.579
 nail-scarred hands.

00:23:20.680 --> 00:23:22.019
 The price has been paid.

00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:23.579
 No guilt remains.

00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:24.660
 The penalty

00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:25.960
 has been dealt with.

00:23:26.379 --> 00:23:27.220
 No guilt remains.

00:23:27.379 --> 00:23:27.660
 Jesus,

00:23:27.799 --> 00:23:28.339
 our barrister,

00:23:28.460 --> 00:23:28.799
 comes

00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:29.879
 and he removes

00:23:29.879 --> 00:23:31.000
 the accusation.

00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:32.559
 Remember the great hymn

00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:33.259
 we often sing?

00:23:33.779 --> 00:23:34.339
 When Satan

00:23:34.339 --> 00:23:35.819
 tempts me to despair

00:23:35.819 --> 00:23:37.160
 and tells me

00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:38.140
 of the guilt within,

00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:39.420
 what do we do?

00:23:40.079 --> 00:23:40.799
 I put our look

00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:41.700
 and see him there

00:23:41.700 --> 00:23:43.200
 who made an end

00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:44.659
 to all my sin.

00:23:45.259 --> 00:23:45.559
 Friends,

00:23:45.619 --> 00:23:46.220
 that's the hope

00:23:46.220 --> 00:23:46.859
 of the Christian

00:23:46.859 --> 00:23:48.259
 because that's the hope

00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:48.899
 of the gospel.

00:23:50.139 --> 00:23:50.559
 And friends,

00:23:50.659 --> 00:23:51.059
 do you know what?

00:23:51.099 --> 00:23:51.839
 If you're here today

00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:52.680
 and you're not a follower

00:23:52.680 --> 00:23:53.180
 of Jesus,

00:23:54.579 --> 00:23:55.379
 you may be here

00:23:55.379 --> 00:23:55.799
 and think,

00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:57.579
 the message of the church

00:23:57.579 --> 00:23:58.519
 is to be kind.

00:23:59.259 --> 00:24:00.119
 That's not the message

00:24:00.119 --> 00:24:00.700
 of the church.

00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:01.720
 You may think

00:24:01.720 --> 00:24:02.859
 the message of the church

00:24:02.859 --> 00:24:04.399
 is to be good moral people.

00:24:04.579 --> 00:24:05.359
 Now that is a good thing

00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:05.700
 to do,

00:24:05.779 --> 00:24:06.819
 but that's not the message

00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:07.519
 of the church.

00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:08.220
 That's not the message

00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:08.740
 of the Bible.

00:24:09.579 --> 00:24:10.279
 You may be and think,

00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:11.319
 the message of the church

00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:12.460
 is to tell us

00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:13.420
 to love one another,

00:24:13.559 --> 00:24:15.099
 to be nice to people.

00:24:15.200 --> 00:24:15.859
 Now that's a good thing

00:24:15.859 --> 00:24:16.279
 to do,

00:24:16.759 --> 00:24:17.779
 but that's not the message

00:24:17.779 --> 00:24:18.339
 of the Bible.

00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:20.000
 The message of the Bible

00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:21.079
 is that there is great hope

00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:21.579
 in Jesus

00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:23.000
 because if we come to him

00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:23.940
 in faith and repentance,

00:24:24.680 --> 00:24:25.599
 God has made a way

00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:26.299
 for our sin

00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:27.519
 to be removed from us,

00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:28.599
 for us to be declared

00:24:28.599 --> 00:24:29.899
 righteous in him.

00:24:30.579 --> 00:24:31.399
 And all that means

00:24:31.399 --> 00:24:32.639
 is that the accusations

00:24:32.639 --> 00:24:33.180
 of Satan,

00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:34.180
 that's how Jesus

00:24:34.180 --> 00:24:35.660
 defeats Satan.

00:24:36.059 --> 00:24:37.099
 He disarms

00:24:37.099 --> 00:24:38.039
 his accusations.

00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:39.039
 He removes

00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:40.119
 his accusations

00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:40.740
 from him.

00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:42.339
 And that brings us

00:24:42.339 --> 00:24:43.379
 to Acts chapter 3,

00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:44.420
 which is Satan's

00:24:44.420 --> 00:24:45.960
 warfare on the church.

00:24:46.680 --> 00:24:47.819
 Look at verse 12

00:24:47.819 --> 00:24:48.980
 and onwards.

00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:50.119
 In verse 12,

00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:51.000
 we see that Satan

00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:52.039
 has been thrown out

00:24:52.039 --> 00:24:52.440
 of heaven,

00:24:52.579 --> 00:24:53.180
 as it were,

00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:55.139
 and in great rage,

00:24:55.420 --> 00:24:56.500
 knowing not only

00:24:56.500 --> 00:24:57.099
 that Jesus

00:24:57.099 --> 00:24:58.240
 has evaded him,

00:24:58.299 --> 00:24:59.700
 but actually defeated him,

00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:01.099
 he now turns

00:25:01.099 --> 00:25:02.019
 his tyranny

00:25:02.019 --> 00:25:03.339
 and his anger

00:25:03.339 --> 00:25:04.200
 and his rage

00:25:04.200 --> 00:25:05.859
 away from Jesus

00:25:05.859 --> 00:25:08.139
 towards Jesus' people

00:25:08.139 --> 00:25:08.859
 here on earth.

00:25:09.379 --> 00:25:10.659
 Because while Satan

00:25:10.659 --> 00:25:11.579
 has been defeated,

00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:12.339
 he hasn't yet

00:25:12.339 --> 00:25:13.000
 been destroyed.

00:25:13.559 --> 00:25:14.859
 While the death sentence

00:25:14.859 --> 00:25:15.899
 has been signed,

00:25:15.979 --> 00:25:16.619
 it hasn't yet

00:25:16.619 --> 00:25:17.679
 been carried out.

00:25:18.419 --> 00:25:19.419
 Satan's judgment

00:25:19.419 --> 00:25:20.379
 has been declared,

00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:20.959
 the judgment

00:25:20.959 --> 00:25:21.779
 has been given,

00:25:22.179 --> 00:25:22.899
 but the sentence

00:25:22.899 --> 00:25:24.379
 hasn't been carried out.

00:25:25.159 --> 00:25:25.519
 And so,

00:25:25.939 --> 00:25:27.479
 in this interim period,

00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:29.879
 Satan now wages war

00:25:29.879 --> 00:25:30.459
 against,

00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:31.740
 not against Jesus,

00:25:31.859 --> 00:25:32.899
 he knows he's defeated him,

00:25:32.959 --> 00:25:34.359
 but against Jesus' people,

00:25:34.459 --> 00:25:35.179
 against the followers

00:25:35.179 --> 00:25:35.699
 of Jesus.

00:25:36.179 --> 00:25:37.319
 Look at verse 13.

00:25:37.879 --> 00:25:38.099
 It says,

00:25:38.179 --> 00:25:39.079
 When the dragon saw

00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:40.039
 he had been thrown

00:25:40.039 --> 00:25:40.779
 down to the earth,

00:25:40.979 --> 00:25:42.159
 he pursued the woman

00:25:42.159 --> 00:25:42.939
 who had previously

00:25:42.939 --> 00:25:44.199
 been given birth

00:25:44.199 --> 00:25:44.919
 to a male child.

00:25:45.019 --> 00:25:46.019
 That's to God's people.

00:25:46.500 --> 00:25:47.619
 The woman was given

00:25:47.619 --> 00:25:49.179
 two wings of the great eagle

00:25:49.179 --> 00:25:50.639
 so that she might fly away

00:25:50.639 --> 00:25:51.279
 from the serpent

00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:52.199
 into the wilderness

00:25:52.199 --> 00:25:53.339
 to the place

00:25:53.339 --> 00:25:54.500
 where she has been nourished

00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.119
 for a time,

00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:55.619
 times,

00:25:55.679 --> 00:25:56.419
 and half the time.

00:25:56.879 --> 00:25:57.579
 Verse 17.

00:25:58.099 --> 00:25:58.759
 Then the dragon

00:25:58.759 --> 00:25:59.699
 became furious

00:25:59.699 --> 00:26:00.259
 with the woman

00:26:00.259 --> 00:26:01.339
 and went off

00:26:01.339 --> 00:26:02.079
 to make war

00:26:02.079 --> 00:26:02.899
 on the rest

00:26:02.899 --> 00:26:03.679
 of her offspring,

00:26:04.099 --> 00:26:04.979
 on those who keep

00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:05.500
 the commandments

00:26:05.500 --> 00:26:06.039
 of God

00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:06.860
 and hold

00:26:06.860 --> 00:26:07.559
 to the testimony

00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:08.720
 of Jesus.

00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:09.860
 So,

00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:11.700
 the image here is,

00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:12.740
 I don't know if you've seen

00:26:12.740 --> 00:26:13.299
 a movie

00:26:13.299 --> 00:26:15.559
 where there's a battle

00:26:15.559 --> 00:26:16.099
 going on.

00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:17.880
 There's two forces,

00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:18.900
 they're fighting each other,

00:26:19.120 --> 00:26:20.420
 and the one team,

00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:21.259
 the one army,

00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:23.360
 is completely demolishing

00:26:23.360 --> 00:26:24.120
 the other army.

00:26:24.299 --> 00:26:25.319
 They've taken up,

00:26:25.319 --> 00:26:26.579
 so let's say,

00:26:27.639 --> 00:26:28.359
 I was going to say

00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:28.859
 Team England,

00:26:28.980 --> 00:26:29.519
 but let's just say

00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:30.119
 Team A,

00:26:30.740 --> 00:26:32.859
 is holding the fort,

00:26:32.939 --> 00:26:33.200
 right?

00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:34.980
 And they're trying

00:26:34.980 --> 00:26:36.379
 to preserve

00:26:36.379 --> 00:26:37.339
 this stronghold.

00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:38.419
 And there's this

00:26:38.419 --> 00:26:39.639
 other advancing army

00:26:39.639 --> 00:26:40.839
 that is taking them down,

00:26:41.059 --> 00:26:43.019
 and they're shooting

00:26:43.019 --> 00:26:43.980
 off their defenders,

00:26:44.099 --> 00:26:44.240
 right?

00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:44.839
 Their defense.

00:26:45.460 --> 00:26:46.220
 And so finally,

00:26:46.339 --> 00:26:47.619
 there's one person

00:26:47.619 --> 00:26:49.700
 that is defending

00:26:49.700 --> 00:26:50.299
 this force.

00:26:50.439 --> 00:26:51.899
 And he's been shot up,

00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:53.240
 and he's bleeding profusely,

00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:54.019
 and he knows

00:26:54.019 --> 00:26:55.059
 that the end is done.

00:26:55.500 --> 00:26:56.839
 He's the only guy left,

00:26:56.880 --> 00:26:58.240
 and there's this whole army

00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:59.740
 that's approaching him.

00:26:59.880 --> 00:27:00.620
 And he knows

00:27:00.620 --> 00:27:01.519
 he's going to die,

00:27:01.859 --> 00:27:02.599
 he knows that

00:27:02.599 --> 00:27:03.779
 their team has lost,

00:27:04.039 --> 00:27:05.400
 the victory for the other team

00:27:05.400 --> 00:27:06.480
 is any minute now,

00:27:06.620 --> 00:27:07.640
 but he's still got

00:27:07.640 --> 00:27:08.859
 a few bullets in his gun.

00:27:09.420 --> 00:27:10.319
 And so what does he do?

00:27:11.120 --> 00:27:12.160
 The dying,

00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:13.579
 last gasps

00:27:13.579 --> 00:27:14.759
 of a dying man,

00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:16.019
 the final kicks

00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:17.120
 of a dying man,

00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:18.759
 is he's trying his best

00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:19.500
 to shoot off

00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:21.339
 a few of the advancing enemy

00:27:21.339 --> 00:27:23.000
 before they take him out.

00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:24.039
 Does that make sense?

00:27:24.420 --> 00:27:25.120
 You see that image?

00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:25.799
 In other words,

00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:26.799
 the victory is assured.

00:27:26.940 --> 00:27:27.660
 It's already done.

00:27:28.039 --> 00:27:28.660
 There's no way

00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:29.319
 he's going to win.

00:27:30.099 --> 00:27:31.319
 But he decides,

00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:33.099
 just before I die,

00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:34.400
 let me at least see

00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:35.980
 if I can take out

00:27:35.980 --> 00:27:37.019
 some of the enemy forces.

00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:38.480
 That's exactly

00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:39.299
 what's going on here.

00:27:39.740 --> 00:27:40.920
 Satan has been defeated.

00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:42.259
 It's done.

00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:43.099
 There's no way

00:27:43.099 --> 00:27:43.599
 he can win.

00:27:44.140 --> 00:27:44.940
 Christ has already

00:27:44.940 --> 00:27:45.819
 died and risen.

00:27:45.980 --> 00:27:47.099
 The victory is assured.

00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:48.859
 But just before

00:27:48.859 --> 00:27:50.680
 Satan is utterly destroyed,

00:27:50.940 --> 00:27:51.859
 he's going to try

00:27:51.859 --> 00:27:52.420
 his best

00:27:52.420 --> 00:27:53.220
 to take out

00:27:53.220 --> 00:27:54.860
 a few of Christ's followers

00:27:54.860 --> 00:27:56.340
 and to destroy them

00:27:56.340 --> 00:27:57.039
 and to destroy

00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:58.060
 their faith.

00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:01.140
 Satan's been defeated,

00:28:01.320 --> 00:28:02.380
 but now he's attacking

00:28:02.380 --> 00:28:03.140
 the church

00:28:03.140 --> 00:28:04.100
 in the final,

00:28:04.340 --> 00:28:05.519
 last kicks

00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:06.740
 of a dying enemy.

00:28:08.080 --> 00:28:08.660
 But look at what

00:28:08.660 --> 00:28:09.200
 happens here.

00:28:10.100 --> 00:28:10.800
 Jesus says

00:28:10.800 --> 00:28:12.500
 in verse 14,

00:28:12.580 --> 00:28:13.060
 I think it is,

00:28:13.080 --> 00:28:13.620
 or 15,

00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:15.080
 that the woman,

00:28:15.259 --> 00:28:15.860
 God's people,

00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:17.000
 are carried away

00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:18.599
 on the great wings

00:28:18.599 --> 00:28:19.500
 of the great eagle

00:28:19.500 --> 00:28:20.940
 into the wilderness.

00:28:21.980 --> 00:28:22.839
 And it's a picture

00:28:22.839 --> 00:28:24.160
 of how the people

00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:24.539
 of God

00:28:24.539 --> 00:28:25.240
 were delivered

00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:26.160
 from Exodus

00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:27.740
 out of the tyranny

00:28:27.740 --> 00:28:28.599
 and the rage

00:28:28.599 --> 00:28:29.200
 of Pharaoh

00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:30.640
 and they were brought

00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:31.799
 by God safely

00:28:31.799 --> 00:28:32.740
 into the wilderness

00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:34.099
 and in the wilderness

00:28:34.099 --> 00:28:35.319
 God looked after them,

00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:36.620
 he protected them,

00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:37.980
 he cared for them,

00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:39.240
 he fed them,

00:28:39.620 --> 00:28:40.200
 their clothes

00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:40.740
 didn't wear out,

00:28:40.819 --> 00:28:41.279
 their shoes

00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:41.819
 didn't wear out.

00:28:42.259 --> 00:28:43.180
 God took care

00:28:43.180 --> 00:28:43.440
 of them

00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:44.519
 out of Egypt

00:28:44.519 --> 00:28:45.660
 into the wilderness

00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:46.799
 until they got

00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:47.779
 to their promised land,

00:28:48.660 --> 00:28:49.279
 until they got

00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:49.839
 to the place

00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:50.880
 of their rest.

00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:52.700
 God brought them

00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:54.000
 out of slavery

00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:54.920
 into the wilderness

00:28:54.920 --> 00:28:55.700
 and finally

00:28:55.700 --> 00:28:56.680
 into freedom.

00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:58.420
 And Jesus is saying

00:28:58.420 --> 00:28:59.380
 the same thing here,

00:28:59.460 --> 00:29:00.299
 that for the people

00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:00.720
 of God,

00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:01.599
 you've been delivered

00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:02.859
 from the tyranny

00:29:02.859 --> 00:29:03.379
 of Pharaoh,

00:29:03.779 --> 00:29:04.539
 you've been delivered

00:29:04.539 --> 00:29:05.220
 from Satan,

00:29:05.399 --> 00:29:05.599
 sure,

00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:06.859
 and now God

00:29:06.859 --> 00:29:07.700
 is delivering you,

00:29:07.779 --> 00:29:08.940
 he's taking you

00:29:08.940 --> 00:29:10.299
 into the promised land

00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:11.460
 for a period of time,

00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:12.139
 not forever,

00:29:12.700 --> 00:29:13.720
 and finally he'll

00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:15.359
 take you into glory,

00:29:15.500 --> 00:29:16.200
 into your place

00:29:16.200 --> 00:29:16.599
 of rest,

00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:17.579
 the promised land,

00:29:18.099 --> 00:29:18.740
 into heaven.

00:29:19.419 --> 00:29:20.879
 The story of the people

00:29:20.879 --> 00:29:21.960
 of God in the Old Testament

00:29:21.960 --> 00:29:23.220
 is the story of the people

00:29:23.220 --> 00:29:24.339
 of God in the New Testament.

00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:25.879
 And then all this

00:29:25.879 --> 00:29:26.500
 is a reference

00:29:26.500 --> 00:29:28.000
 to Deuteronomy 32

00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:29.019
 where God says,

00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.279
 you saw what I

00:29:30.279 --> 00:29:31.160
 did to the Egyptians,

00:29:31.619 --> 00:29:32.500
 not what you did,

00:29:33.019 --> 00:29:34.240
 we didn't save ourselves,

00:29:34.879 --> 00:29:35.680
 not how you

00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:36.399
 saved yourselves,

00:29:36.619 --> 00:29:37.779
 you saw how I

00:29:37.779 --> 00:29:39.119
 saved you from Egypt

00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:40.519
 and I carried you

00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:41.180
 on the wings

00:29:41.180 --> 00:29:41.859
 of the eagle

00:29:41.859 --> 00:29:43.180
 and I brought you

00:29:43.180 --> 00:29:43.980
 to myself.

00:29:46.059 --> 00:29:46.500
 Friends,

00:29:46.599 --> 00:29:47.180
 this is what John

00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:47.779
 is showing us,

00:29:47.839 --> 00:29:48.399
 that yes,

00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:49.399
 Satan is alive,

00:29:49.700 --> 00:29:49.960
 yes,

00:29:50.019 --> 00:29:50.879
 Satan is real,

00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:52.000
 and for those of us

00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:52.660
 who are Christians

00:29:52.660 --> 00:29:53.920
 as the children of God,

00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:55.660
 there is a spiritual battle,

00:29:56.099 --> 00:29:57.059
 there is an enemy

00:29:57.059 --> 00:29:58.200
 you need to be aware of.

00:29:58.460 --> 00:29:59.700
 He won't win in the end,

00:29:59.700 --> 00:30:00.620
 he's been disarmed,

00:30:01.180 --> 00:30:02.019
 he's been defeated,

00:30:02.360 --> 00:30:03.860
 but he is still out there

00:30:03.860 --> 00:30:05.240
 to destroy your life

00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:06.400
 and to destroy your faith

00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:06.880
 in Jesus.

00:30:07.539 --> 00:30:08.380
 And so we shouldn't

00:30:08.380 --> 00:30:09.279
 be apathetic,

00:30:09.620 --> 00:30:10.740
 we shouldn't be naive

00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:11.700
 or indifferent,

00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:13.019
 there is an enemy

00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:14.700
 and in his final few bullets

00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:16.140
 he's trying to take you out.

00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:18.120
 He does want to destroy you,

00:30:18.840 --> 00:30:19.660
 but at the same time

00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:20.539
 don't be alarmed.

00:30:21.120 --> 00:30:22.100
 You don't need to be given

00:30:22.100 --> 00:30:22.880
 to despair

00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:24.960
 because he's a defeated foe.

00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.340
 Those who trust

00:30:26.340 --> 00:30:27.579
 in the blood of Jesus

00:30:27.579 --> 00:30:28.740
 who died on the cross,

00:30:28.840 --> 00:30:29.880
 God is rescuing us,

00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:30.840
 he's preserving us,

00:30:31.120 --> 00:30:32.380
 he will carry you through

00:30:32.380 --> 00:30:33.480
 to glory.

00:30:34.019 --> 00:30:34.799
 C.S. Lewis said,

00:30:35.140 --> 00:30:35.840
 there's two mistakes

00:30:35.840 --> 00:30:36.420
 we can make.

00:30:36.840 --> 00:30:37.759
 The one is we can be

00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:38.620
 overly enamored

00:30:38.620 --> 00:30:39.240
 with the devil

00:30:39.240 --> 00:30:40.200
 and think there's a devil

00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:41.299
 behind every rock,

00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:43.180
 but the other mistake

00:30:43.180 --> 00:30:43.640
 we can make

00:30:43.640 --> 00:30:44.920
 is to completely ignore him

00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:46.140
 and think he doesn't exist.

00:30:47.100 --> 00:30:47.960
 This is what John

00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:48.920
 is telling us.

00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:50.019
 Now,

00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:52.200
 think about what

00:30:52.200 --> 00:30:52.880
 this would have meant

00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:53.560
 to the Christians

00:30:53.560 --> 00:30:54.740
 in the first century.

00:30:55.380 --> 00:30:56.240
 The Roman Empire

00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:57.700
 is expanding and growing.

00:30:58.340 --> 00:30:58.940
 The emperor

00:30:58.940 --> 00:31:00.020
 is consolidating

00:31:00.020 --> 00:31:01.000
 more and more power

00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:02.040
 in his hands.

00:31:03.260 --> 00:31:04.200
 Christians are being seen

00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:04.860
 as a threat

00:31:04.860 --> 00:31:05.960
 because they won't acknowledge

00:31:05.960 --> 00:31:07.040
 that Caesar is Lord.

00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:08.600
 Christians won't take on

00:31:08.600 --> 00:31:09.660
 the cultural practices

00:31:09.660 --> 00:31:10.480
 of their day

00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:12.380
 and so they claim allegiance

00:31:12.380 --> 00:31:13.940
 to another authority,

00:31:14.100 --> 00:31:15.060
 a higher authority

00:31:15.060 --> 00:31:16.380
 and all this meant

00:31:16.380 --> 00:31:16.980
 that the Christians

00:31:16.980 --> 00:31:18.060
 were ostracized,

00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:19.000
 they were persecuted,

00:31:19.160 --> 00:31:20.120
 they were cast out,

00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:21.400
 some of them were imprisoned,

00:31:21.580 --> 00:31:22.660
 some of them were even killed.

00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:24.120
 Remember at the beginning

00:31:24.120 --> 00:31:24.740
 that it says

00:31:24.740 --> 00:31:26.180
 to the church in Smyrna,

00:31:26.560 --> 00:31:27.800
 it says you're slandered

00:31:27.800 --> 00:31:29.080
 by the Israelites

00:31:29.080 --> 00:31:31.780
 because you say

00:31:31.780 --> 00:31:32.620
 Jesus is Lord,

00:31:32.840 --> 00:31:34.200
 but you're also slandered

00:31:34.200 --> 00:31:35.180
 by the Romans

00:31:35.180 --> 00:31:36.080
 because you won't say

00:31:36.080 --> 00:31:37.060
 Caesar is Lord.

00:31:37.560 --> 00:31:38.400
 And so for the Christians

00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:39.840
 in the small town of Smyrna,

00:31:40.280 --> 00:31:41.080
 from every side,

00:31:41.160 --> 00:31:41.860
 from the religious

00:31:41.860 --> 00:31:43.100
 and the not religious,

00:31:43.280 --> 00:31:44.400
 they are being ostracized.

00:31:45.020 --> 00:31:46.020
 In the church in Smyrna,

00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:46.720
 Jesus says,

00:31:47.040 --> 00:31:47.800
 some of you will be

00:31:47.800 --> 00:31:48.620
 thrown into prison

00:31:48.620 --> 00:31:49.360
 and some of you

00:31:49.360 --> 00:31:50.320
 will even die.

00:31:50.860 --> 00:31:51.480
 Some of you will be

00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:52.300
 thrown to the lions.

00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:53.619
 Or to the church

00:31:53.619 --> 00:31:54.359
 in Pergamon,

00:31:54.740 --> 00:31:55.440
 Jesus says,

00:31:55.740 --> 00:31:56.919
 I know you're situated

00:31:56.919 --> 00:31:58.680
 where Satan's throne is.

00:31:59.159 --> 00:31:59.779
 In other words,

00:32:00.200 --> 00:32:01.399
 you're situated in a town

00:32:01.399 --> 00:32:04.259
 where the cultal temples

00:32:04.259 --> 00:32:05.379
 are so strong,

00:32:05.480 --> 00:32:07.159
 it feels like you're

00:32:07.159 --> 00:32:08.740
 in Satan's very living room.

00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:09.980
 And so here,

00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:11.299
 John shows these Christians

00:32:11.299 --> 00:32:12.740
 that behind the hostility

00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:14.079
 of Rome on earth

00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:15.859
 is the hostility of Satan.

00:32:15.859 --> 00:32:17.519
 But that's not all

00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:18.159
 he shows them.

00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:19.419
 He shows them

00:32:19.419 --> 00:32:21.759
 that Satan's power

00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:22.719
 has been stripped.

00:32:23.219 --> 00:32:24.359
 That what they're experiencing

00:32:24.359 --> 00:32:26.000
 now is the final kicks

00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:27.099
 of a dying enemy

00:32:27.099 --> 00:32:28.279
 because Satan

00:32:28.279 --> 00:32:30.019
 is a defeated foe.

00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:31.759
 And so what are they to do?

00:32:32.299 --> 00:32:34.039
 How would John's writing,

00:32:34.139 --> 00:32:34.940
 how would Revelation

00:32:34.940 --> 00:32:36.000
 help these Christians

00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:36.980
 in the first century?

00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:38.500
 What are they to do

00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:39.339
 in light of this

00:32:39.339 --> 00:32:40.579
 when they go to the marketplace

00:32:40.579 --> 00:32:42.559
 or they go to social settings

00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:43.839
 or their family members

00:32:43.839 --> 00:32:44.859
 have turned in on them

00:32:44.859 --> 00:32:46.440
 and are ostracizing them?

00:32:46.879 --> 00:32:48.299
 How is the book of Revelation,

00:32:48.460 --> 00:32:49.079
 how is this man

00:32:49.079 --> 00:32:49.740
 who helped them?

00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:51.160
 Friends,

00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:52.099
 maybe it's a good question

00:32:52.099 --> 00:32:52.740
 for us.

00:32:53.420 --> 00:32:54.759
 How does this help you

00:32:54.759 --> 00:32:55.279
 and I

00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:56.519
 as you go to work tomorrow,

00:32:56.519 --> 00:32:58.400
 as you go to the marketplace,

00:32:59.539 --> 00:33:00.240
 as you are

00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:01.660
 maybe in social settings,

00:33:02.440 --> 00:33:03.359
 as your family

00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:04.180
 don't understand

00:33:04.180 --> 00:33:05.180
 your Christian faith?

00:33:06.400 --> 00:33:07.740
 How do we live our lives

00:33:07.740 --> 00:33:08.240
 knowing that

00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:09.240
 the spiritual warfare

00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:09.940
 is real

00:33:09.940 --> 00:33:11.379
 but that Satan

00:33:11.379 --> 00:33:12.339
 who is an accuser

00:33:12.339 --> 00:33:13.019
 and a deceiver

00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:14.259
 is out to destroy us

00:33:14.259 --> 00:33:15.319
 but that he's been defeated?

00:33:16.879 --> 00:33:18.039
 Well look at verse 11

00:33:18.039 --> 00:33:18.720
 because the answer

00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:19.480
 is given to us

00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:20.279
 in verse 11.

00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:21.920
 And this is the most

00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:22.859
 important verse

00:33:22.859 --> 00:33:23.559
 of the passage.

00:33:24.440 --> 00:33:25.160
 It says this,

00:33:25.160 --> 00:33:37.960
 Friends,

00:33:38.040 --> 00:33:38.680
 to be a Christian

00:33:38.680 --> 00:33:40.040
 at its most basic level

00:33:40.040 --> 00:33:40.860
 is to be someone

00:33:40.860 --> 00:33:41.600
 who lives

00:33:41.600 --> 00:33:43.300
 by simple faith

00:33:43.300 --> 00:33:44.920
 in who Jesus is

00:33:44.920 --> 00:33:45.840
 and what he's done

00:33:45.840 --> 00:33:46.940
 on the cross for you.

00:33:47.220 --> 00:33:48.420
 Knowing that our lives

00:33:48.420 --> 00:33:48.900
 and our hope

00:33:48.900 --> 00:33:49.540
 are not found

00:33:49.540 --> 00:33:50.680
 in the things of this world

00:33:50.680 --> 00:33:51.920
 but they're found in Jesus

00:33:51.920 --> 00:33:54.400
 and him who conquered the grave.

00:33:54.400 --> 00:33:55.960
 Remember when Jesus

00:33:55.960 --> 00:33:56.720
 writes his letters

00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:57.720
 to the seven churches

00:33:57.720 --> 00:33:59.180
 he ends off each one

00:33:59.180 --> 00:33:59.759
 and he says

00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:01.420
 to those that conquer

00:34:01.420 --> 00:34:02.440
 I promise life

00:34:02.440 --> 00:34:03.060
 and blessing

00:34:03.060 --> 00:34:03.980
 and abundance.

00:34:04.600 --> 00:34:05.620
 But how do we conquer?

00:34:06.540 --> 00:34:07.320
 How do we conquer

00:34:07.320 --> 00:34:07.800
 when Satan

00:34:07.800 --> 00:34:09.240
 is doing everything

00:34:09.240 --> 00:34:10.599
 he can to conquer you?

00:34:11.180 --> 00:34:11.480
 Friends,

00:34:11.559 --> 00:34:12.740
 how are you this week

00:34:12.740 --> 00:34:14.559
 not going to be conquered

00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:15.760
 but to conquer him?

00:34:16.940 --> 00:34:17.660
 Well remember

00:34:17.660 --> 00:34:18.320
 when Satan

00:34:18.320 --> 00:34:19.639
 tempts me to despair

00:34:19.639 --> 00:34:20.820
 and tells me

00:34:20.820 --> 00:34:21.660
 of the guilt within

00:34:21.659 --> 00:34:22.920
 I put a look

00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:23.619
 and see him there

00:34:23.619 --> 00:34:24.359
 who made an end

00:34:24.359 --> 00:34:25.079
 to all my sin.

00:34:25.559 --> 00:34:26.920
 The way that we conquer

00:34:26.920 --> 00:34:28.359
 the work of Satan

00:34:28.359 --> 00:34:29.619
 is not by looking

00:34:29.619 --> 00:34:30.339
 to ourselves

00:34:30.339 --> 00:34:32.059
 but to look to the one

00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:33.500
 who truly did conquer.

00:34:34.319 --> 00:34:34.619
 Friends,

00:34:35.899 --> 00:34:37.779
 when we see

00:34:37.779 --> 00:34:38.739
 that we conquer

00:34:38.739 --> 00:34:39.519
 his accusations

00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:40.319
 by trusting

00:34:40.319 --> 00:34:40.980
 the sufficiency

00:34:40.980 --> 00:34:41.659
 of Jesus

00:34:41.659 --> 00:34:42.679
 on our behalf

00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:44.379
 Satan comes to us

00:34:44.379 --> 00:34:44.679
 and says

00:34:44.679 --> 00:34:45.399
 Kevin you're such

00:34:45.399 --> 00:34:46.299
 a lousy Christian

00:34:46.299 --> 00:34:48.059
 God could never love you

00:34:48.059 --> 00:34:49.980
 you mess up

00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:50.779
 so many times

00:34:50.779 --> 00:34:51.679
 you're so self-centered

00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:53.219
 God could never love you

00:34:53.219 --> 00:34:54.619
 and my answer is

00:34:54.619 --> 00:34:55.719
 it's not true.

00:34:56.279 --> 00:34:57.159
 The cross of Jesus

00:34:57.159 --> 00:34:57.920
 proves it.

00:34:58.440 --> 00:34:59.380
 Jesus loved me enough

00:34:59.380 --> 00:35:00.159
 to go to the cross

00:35:00.159 --> 00:35:00.719
 for me.

00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:02.079
 I was thinking

00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:02.799
 about it yesterday

00:35:02.799 --> 00:35:03.440
 when I was

00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:05.179
 16 years old

00:35:05.179 --> 00:35:05.960
 I was a very

00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:07.119
 insecure teenager

00:35:07.119 --> 00:35:09.259
 probably more so

00:35:09.259 --> 00:35:10.639
 than the average teenager

00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:11.539
 and remember

00:35:11.539 --> 00:35:12.699
 I was 16 years old

00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:13.559
 and I was at this

00:35:13.559 --> 00:35:14.659
 youth camp

00:35:14.659 --> 00:35:15.360
 I might have told you

00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:16.039
 this story before

00:35:16.039 --> 00:35:18.179
 and I was just feeling

00:35:18.179 --> 00:35:19.719
 like I am a pile

00:35:19.719 --> 00:35:20.279
 of rubbish.

00:35:20.719 --> 00:35:21.880
 No one could love me

00:35:21.880 --> 00:35:23.699
 and if there is a God

00:35:23.699 --> 00:35:25.079
 he certainly doesn't

00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:25.579
 love me.

00:35:26.099 --> 00:35:26.599
 As I'm at this

00:35:26.599 --> 00:35:27.679
 like Christian youth camp

00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:28.800
 and there's a service

00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:29.559
 going on inside

00:35:29.559 --> 00:35:30.759
 and I walk outside

00:35:30.759 --> 00:35:31.480
 because I didn't want

00:35:31.480 --> 00:35:32.639
 to even be inside

00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:33.159
 the service

00:35:33.159 --> 00:35:33.880
 I was just feeling

00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:34.739
 so lousy

00:35:34.739 --> 00:35:35.440
 and I thought

00:35:35.440 --> 00:35:36.480
 God you could never

00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:37.039
 love me.

00:35:38.139 --> 00:35:38.779
 Anyway I'm outside

00:35:38.779 --> 00:35:39.980
 and I pray this prayer

00:35:39.980 --> 00:35:40.559
 I say God

00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:41.940
 if you're real

00:35:41.940 --> 00:35:44.340
 somebody needs to tell me

00:35:44.340 --> 00:35:45.659
 of your love for me.

00:35:46.820 --> 00:35:47.860
 So I'm standing outside

00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:48.800
 and I'm doing my own thing

00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:49.320
 and someone

00:35:49.320 --> 00:35:50.539
 a guy called Steve Wimble

00:35:50.539 --> 00:35:52.119
 he goes to the microphone

00:35:52.119 --> 00:35:52.779
 during worship

00:35:52.779 --> 00:35:53.279
 and he says

00:35:53.279 --> 00:35:54.039
 I just feel

00:35:54.039 --> 00:35:55.219
 there's a young man here

00:35:55.219 --> 00:35:57.159
 and God says

00:35:57.159 --> 00:35:58.579
 he loves you

00:35:58.579 --> 00:35:59.380
 and he wants to be

00:35:59.380 --> 00:35:59.880
 your father

00:35:59.880 --> 00:36:01.039
 and he wants you

00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:01.739
 to be his son.

00:36:03.179 --> 00:36:04.019
 In that moment

00:36:04.019 --> 00:36:04.759
 I knew that God

00:36:04.759 --> 00:36:05.320
 loved me

00:36:05.320 --> 00:36:06.840
 but you know what

00:36:06.840 --> 00:36:08.039
 in some ways

00:36:08.039 --> 00:36:09.119
 I didn't actually need

00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:09.599
 Steve Wimble

00:36:09.599 --> 00:36:10.279
 to say that.

00:36:10.840 --> 00:36:11.639
 All I needed

00:36:11.639 --> 00:36:12.159
 was somebody

00:36:12.159 --> 00:36:13.239
 to tell me the gospel.

00:36:13.980 --> 00:36:14.699
 All I needed

00:36:14.699 --> 00:36:15.159
 was somebody

00:36:15.159 --> 00:36:15.579
 to say

00:36:15.579 --> 00:36:15.920
 Kevin

00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:16.799
 Jesus loves you

00:36:16.799 --> 00:36:17.379
 enough to die

00:36:17.379 --> 00:36:18.199
 on the cross for you.

00:36:18.739 --> 00:36:19.099
 You see

00:36:19.099 --> 00:36:19.739
 how am I going to

00:36:19.739 --> 00:36:20.960
 defeat the accusations

00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:21.440
 of Satan

00:36:21.440 --> 00:36:22.480
 when Satan comes to me

00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:23.619
 and says

00:36:23.619 --> 00:36:24.059
 Kevin

00:36:24.059 --> 00:36:25.359
 you're a pile of rubbish

00:36:25.359 --> 00:36:26.559
 God could never love you

00:36:26.559 --> 00:36:28.019
 you're such a lousy Christian

00:36:28.019 --> 00:36:29.059
 how am I going to

00:36:29.059 --> 00:36:29.639
 defeat

00:36:29.639 --> 00:36:30.480
 how am I going to

00:36:30.480 --> 00:36:31.500
 conquer over Satan

00:36:31.500 --> 00:36:32.779
 we conquer

00:36:32.779 --> 00:36:33.759
 by faith

00:36:33.759 --> 00:36:34.319
 in the blood

00:36:34.319 --> 00:36:34.899
 of the lamb

00:36:34.899 --> 00:36:35.940
 knowing that

00:36:35.940 --> 00:36:36.599
 Jesus died

00:36:36.599 --> 00:36:37.379
 on the cross for me

00:36:37.379 --> 00:36:38.559
 yes I'm a lousy Christian

00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:39.279
 I know it

00:36:39.279 --> 00:36:40.879
 but Jesus loves me

00:36:40.879 --> 00:36:41.440
 enough to go

00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:42.179
 to the cross for me

00:36:42.179 --> 00:36:42.879
 and you know

00:36:42.879 --> 00:36:43.699
 sometimes Satan

00:36:43.699 --> 00:36:44.299
 will come to me

00:36:44.299 --> 00:36:45.579
 and say the opposite things

00:36:45.579 --> 00:36:46.759
 sometimes you'll say

00:36:46.759 --> 00:36:47.139
 Kevin

00:36:47.139 --> 00:36:49.039
 you're an amazing Christian

00:36:49.039 --> 00:36:50.440
 God is so lucky

00:36:50.440 --> 00:36:51.779
 to have you on his side

00:36:51.779 --> 00:36:53.239
 if only more people

00:36:53.239 --> 00:36:54.179
 could be like you

00:36:54.179 --> 00:36:55.539
 and Satan will come

00:36:55.539 --> 00:36:55.919
 and tell me

00:36:55.919 --> 00:36:57.239
 you're such a moral person

00:36:57.239 --> 00:36:58.679
 oh God must love you

00:36:58.679 --> 00:36:59.139
 so much

00:36:59.139 --> 00:36:59.960
 and you've done

00:36:59.960 --> 00:37:00.940
 so many good things

00:37:00.940 --> 00:37:02.039
 you must really be

00:37:02.039 --> 00:37:02.739
 in his good books

00:37:02.739 --> 00:37:04.199
 and how do I conquer

00:37:04.199 --> 00:37:05.440
 the lies of Satan

00:37:05.440 --> 00:37:06.719
 about what a wonderful

00:37:06.719 --> 00:37:09.519
 incredible person I am

00:37:09.519 --> 00:37:10.539
 I say Satan

00:37:10.539 --> 00:37:11.500
 the cross of Christ

00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:12.460
 proves you wrong

00:37:12.460 --> 00:37:13.759
 I'm such a sinner

00:37:13.759 --> 00:37:15.280
 that Jesus had to die for me

00:37:15.280 --> 00:37:16.559
 I'm so depraved

00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:17.679
 I couldn't save myself

00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:19.179
 I needed Jesus

00:37:19.179 --> 00:37:20.019
 to die for me

00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:21.460
 how am I going to conquer

00:37:21.460 --> 00:37:22.239
 the lies

00:37:22.239 --> 00:37:23.059
 and the accusations

00:37:23.059 --> 00:37:23.659
 of Satan

00:37:23.659 --> 00:37:25.179
 they're conquered

00:37:25.179 --> 00:37:26.460
 by the blood

00:37:26.460 --> 00:37:27.139
 of the lamb

00:37:27.139 --> 00:37:28.519
 by simple faith

00:37:28.519 --> 00:37:29.719
 in Jesus' death

00:37:29.719 --> 00:37:30.840
 and resurrection

00:37:30.840 --> 00:37:33.599
 and friends

00:37:33.599 --> 00:37:34.820
 that's why we take communion

00:37:34.820 --> 00:37:36.159
 the way Oscar

00:37:36.159 --> 00:37:36.739
 led communion

00:37:36.739 --> 00:37:37.199
 this morning

00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:37.840
 was beautiful

00:37:37.840 --> 00:37:38.900
 the reason we come

00:37:38.900 --> 00:37:39.440
 to communion

00:37:39.440 --> 00:37:40.619
 week in and week out

00:37:40.619 --> 00:37:41.820
 is so that every week

00:37:41.820 --> 00:37:43.340
 we see the body

00:37:43.340 --> 00:37:44.599
 of Christ broken for you

00:37:44.599 --> 00:37:45.700
 the blood of Christ

00:37:45.700 --> 00:37:46.659
 shed for you

00:37:46.659 --> 00:37:48.800
 remember Psalm 103

00:37:48.800 --> 00:37:49.380
 it says

00:37:49.380 --> 00:37:50.240
 praise the Lord

00:37:50.240 --> 00:37:51.019
 oh my soul

00:37:51.019 --> 00:37:52.360
 and forget not

00:37:52.360 --> 00:37:53.400
 all his benefits

00:37:53.400 --> 00:37:54.179
 forget not

00:37:54.179 --> 00:37:55.059
 he has removed

00:37:55.059 --> 00:37:55.579
 your sin

00:37:55.579 --> 00:37:56.900
 as far as the east

00:37:56.900 --> 00:37:58.059
 is from the west

00:37:58.059 --> 00:37:58.900
 friends

00:37:58.900 --> 00:37:59.360
 when the Bible

00:37:59.360 --> 00:37:59.940
 says forget

00:37:59.940 --> 00:38:00.740
 it's not like

00:38:00.740 --> 00:38:01.420
 we've forgotten

00:38:01.420 --> 00:38:02.360
 where our keys are

00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:03.840
 or our cell phone is

00:38:03.840 --> 00:38:04.880
 when the Bible

00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:05.960
 uses the word forget

00:38:05.960 --> 00:38:06.860
 it talks about

00:38:06.860 --> 00:38:08.119
 not being

00:38:08.119 --> 00:38:09.699
 the truth

00:38:09.699 --> 00:38:10.259
 of the scripture

00:38:10.259 --> 00:38:11.219
 not being vivid

00:38:11.219 --> 00:38:12.279
 in our consciousness

00:38:12.279 --> 00:38:13.480
 the Bible says

00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:14.779
 remember the gospel

00:38:14.779 --> 00:38:15.400
 it's not because

00:38:15.400 --> 00:38:16.359
 we've forgotten it

00:38:16.359 --> 00:38:17.059
 it's because

00:38:17.059 --> 00:38:17.759
 it's no longer

00:38:17.759 --> 00:38:19.380
 vivid in our consciousness

00:38:19.380 --> 00:38:20.659
 how are we going

00:38:20.659 --> 00:38:21.619
 to conquer Satan

00:38:21.619 --> 00:38:22.539
 it's by having

00:38:22.539 --> 00:38:23.819
 the gospel

00:38:23.819 --> 00:38:24.440
 the fact that

00:38:24.440 --> 00:38:25.279
 Jesus died

00:38:25.279 --> 00:38:26.159
 the blood of the lamb

00:38:26.159 --> 00:38:26.940
 has been shed for us

00:38:26.940 --> 00:38:27.420
 vivid

00:38:27.420 --> 00:38:28.799
 in our consciousness

00:38:28.799 --> 00:38:31.659
 let me see where I am

00:38:31.659 --> 00:38:33.259
 friends this is what

00:38:33.259 --> 00:38:33.940
 the life of faith

00:38:33.940 --> 00:38:34.500
 is all about

00:38:34.500 --> 00:38:35.500
 a Christian is someone

00:38:35.500 --> 00:38:36.420
 not just who knows

00:38:36.420 --> 00:38:37.420
 the gospel in their head

00:38:37.420 --> 00:38:38.500
 it's someone who

00:38:38.500 --> 00:38:39.519
 lives by faith

00:38:39.519 --> 00:38:40.139
 in the goodness

00:38:40.139 --> 00:38:40.960
 and the sufficiency

00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:41.699
 of Jesus

00:38:41.699 --> 00:38:42.360
 and his death

00:38:42.360 --> 00:38:42.900
 on the cross

00:38:42.900 --> 00:38:44.139
 and that's the way

00:38:44.139 --> 00:38:45.280
 we conquer the schemes

00:38:45.280 --> 00:38:46.480
 of the evil one

00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:48.460
 but

00:38:48.460 --> 00:38:49.599
 last thing

00:38:49.599 --> 00:38:50.420
 that's not all

00:38:50.420 --> 00:38:51.119
 because look at what

00:38:51.119 --> 00:38:53.219
 else verse 11 says

00:38:53.219 --> 00:38:54.440
 it says

00:38:54.440 --> 00:38:55.320
 they conquered him

00:38:55.320 --> 00:38:56.300
 by the blood of the lamb

00:38:56.300 --> 00:38:57.559
 by faith in what

00:38:57.559 --> 00:38:58.619
 Jesus did on the cross

00:38:58.619 --> 00:39:00.460
 but also by the word

00:39:00.460 --> 00:39:01.260
 of their testimony

00:39:01.260 --> 00:39:02.440
 even to the point

00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:02.880
 of death

00:39:02.880 --> 00:39:03.920
 now what does that mean

00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:05.159
 it means that

00:39:05.159 --> 00:39:06.579
 the Christians

00:39:06.579 --> 00:39:08.240
 conquered the schemes

00:39:08.240 --> 00:39:08.960
 of the devil

00:39:08.960 --> 00:39:10.579
 by knowing that

00:39:10.579 --> 00:39:11.700
 this world was no

00:39:11.700 --> 00:39:12.559
 longer their home

00:39:12.559 --> 00:39:13.480
 and that the things

00:39:13.480 --> 00:39:14.079
 of this world

00:39:14.079 --> 00:39:15.599
 no longer had a pull

00:39:15.599 --> 00:39:15.940
 on them

00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:17.380
 the desires and the

00:39:17.380 --> 00:39:18.579
 allures of this world

00:39:18.579 --> 00:39:20.360
 no longer seduced them

00:39:20.360 --> 00:39:20.960
 because they've been

00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:22.119
 so captured by the

00:39:22.119 --> 00:39:23.780
 beauty and the wonder

00:39:23.780 --> 00:39:24.300
 of Jesus

00:39:24.300 --> 00:39:25.420
 and the hope of the

00:39:25.420 --> 00:39:25.760
 gospel

00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:27.240
 that's how you conquer

00:39:27.240 --> 00:39:28.099
 the schemes of the

00:39:28.099 --> 00:39:28.579
 evil one

00:39:28.579 --> 00:39:29.920
 and so in this day and

00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:30.200
 age

00:39:30.200 --> 00:39:31.720
 the Romans would come

00:39:31.720 --> 00:39:32.139
 and say

00:39:32.139 --> 00:39:33.519
 hey you want to

00:39:33.519 --> 00:39:34.380
 preserve your life

00:39:34.380 --> 00:39:35.739
 just deny Jesus

00:39:35.739 --> 00:39:38.199
 and the beauty of

00:39:38.199 --> 00:39:39.420
 Jesus was so real

00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:39.900
 to them

00:39:39.900 --> 00:39:41.079
 that the word of

00:39:41.079 --> 00:39:41.539
 the testimony

00:39:41.539 --> 00:39:41.920
 they'd say

00:39:41.920 --> 00:39:43.219
 no Christ is Lord

00:39:43.219 --> 00:39:43.780
 not Caesar

00:39:43.780 --> 00:39:45.000
 even to the point

00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:45.380
 of death

00:39:45.380 --> 00:39:46.579
 the things of this

00:39:46.579 --> 00:39:47.500
 world no longer

00:39:47.500 --> 00:39:48.699
 had a hold on them

00:39:48.699 --> 00:39:50.159
 Christ so long

00:39:50.159 --> 00:39:51.519
 so had a hold

00:39:51.519 --> 00:39:52.300
 on their hearts

00:39:52.300 --> 00:39:53.940
 that they were

00:39:53.940 --> 00:39:55.280
 even in the face

00:39:55.280 --> 00:39:55.759
 of death

00:39:55.759 --> 00:39:56.900
 were able to stand

00:39:56.900 --> 00:39:57.500
 firm and say

00:39:57.500 --> 00:39:58.380
 Christ is Lord

00:39:58.380 --> 00:39:59.360
 that's how they

00:39:59.360 --> 00:40:00.500
 conquered the evil

00:40:00.500 --> 00:40:00.800
 one

00:40:00.800 --> 00:40:02.219
 friends this week

00:40:02.219 --> 00:40:03.139
 you can be sure

00:40:03.139 --> 00:40:04.899
 that the deceiver

00:40:04.899 --> 00:40:05.839
 the accuser

00:40:05.839 --> 00:40:07.039
 is going to try

00:40:07.039 --> 00:40:08.000
 his absolute best

00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:08.739
 to destroy your

00:40:08.739 --> 00:40:09.099
 faith

00:40:09.099 --> 00:40:10.199
 and to

00:40:10.199 --> 00:40:11.899
 rid you of

00:40:11.899 --> 00:40:12.559
 following Jesus

00:40:12.559 --> 00:40:13.579
 he's going to do it

00:40:13.579 --> 00:40:14.419
 through accusation

00:40:14.419 --> 00:40:14.980
 and deceit

00:40:14.980 --> 00:40:16.239
 he's going to do it

00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:16.639
 through

00:40:16.639 --> 00:40:18.059
 lies

00:40:18.059 --> 00:40:19.399
 he's going to do it

00:40:19.399 --> 00:40:20.099
 maybe through

00:40:20.099 --> 00:40:20.639
 tempting you

00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:21.119
 with comfort

00:40:21.119 --> 00:40:21.699
 and ease

00:40:21.699 --> 00:40:22.299
 that you start

00:40:22.299 --> 00:40:22.759
 to love

00:40:22.759 --> 00:40:23.199
 and hope

00:40:23.199 --> 00:40:23.579
 the things

00:40:23.579 --> 00:40:24.199
 of this world

00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:25.259
 how are we

00:40:25.259 --> 00:40:25.859
 going to overcome

00:40:25.859 --> 00:40:26.219
 him

00:40:26.219 --> 00:40:27.500
 friends the way

00:40:27.500 --> 00:40:28.000
 to overcome

00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:28.399
 him

00:40:28.399 --> 00:40:29.359
 is not by

00:40:29.359 --> 00:40:29.759
 looking to

00:40:29.759 --> 00:40:30.199
 ourselves

00:40:30.199 --> 00:40:30.579
 it's by

00:40:30.579 --> 00:40:31.179
 turning our

00:40:31.179 --> 00:40:31.480
 eyes

00:40:31.480 --> 00:40:31.719
 to the

00:40:31.719 --> 00:40:32.119
 wonder of

00:40:32.119 --> 00:40:32.480
 Jesus

00:40:32.480 --> 00:40:33.599
 friends this

00:40:33.599 --> 00:40:33.939
 week you

00:40:33.939 --> 00:40:34.099
 and you

00:40:34.099 --> 00:40:34.460
 at work

00:40:34.460 --> 00:40:34.879
 the way

00:40:34.879 --> 00:40:35.619
 to overcome

00:40:35.619 --> 00:40:36.199
 the evil

00:40:36.199 --> 00:40:36.460
 one

00:40:36.460 --> 00:40:37.539
 is not by

00:40:37.539 --> 00:40:38.759
 going to your

00:40:38.759 --> 00:40:39.519
 boss's door

00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:40.439
 before he arrives

00:40:40.439 --> 00:40:40.819
 at work

00:40:40.819 --> 00:40:41.659
 and anointing it

00:40:41.659 --> 00:40:42.460
 with holy oil

00:40:42.460 --> 00:40:42.980
 from the holy

00:40:42.980 --> 00:40:43.379
 land

00:40:43.379 --> 00:40:43.859
 right

00:40:43.859 --> 00:40:44.960
 that's not how

00:40:44.960 --> 00:40:45.279
 you're going to

00:40:45.279 --> 00:40:45.899
 defeat the evil

00:40:45.899 --> 00:40:46.159
 one

00:40:46.159 --> 00:40:47.539
 the way you're

00:40:47.539 --> 00:40:47.799
 going to do

00:40:47.799 --> 00:40:48.139
 it is by

00:40:48.139 --> 00:40:48.599
 having your

00:40:48.599 --> 00:40:49.199
 eyes of your

00:40:49.199 --> 00:40:49.699
 heart so

00:40:49.699 --> 00:40:50.439
 captured by

00:40:50.439 --> 00:40:50.919
 the beauty

00:40:50.919 --> 00:40:51.439
 of Jesus

00:40:51.439 --> 00:40:52.539
 that even

00:40:52.539 --> 00:40:53.159
 in the face

00:40:53.159 --> 00:40:53.779
 of opposition

00:40:53.779 --> 00:40:54.539
 in your

00:40:54.539 --> 00:40:55.359
 heart of hearts

00:40:55.359 --> 00:40:55.859
 you can say

00:40:55.859 --> 00:40:56.779
 Christ is Lord

00:40:56.779 --> 00:40:57.779
 even to the

00:40:57.779 --> 00:40:58.460
 point of death

00:40:58.460 --> 00:40:59.760
 that's conquering

00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:00.220
 by the word

00:41:00.220 --> 00:41:00.800
 of the testimony

00:41:00.800 --> 00:41:01.539
 to the point

00:41:01.539 --> 00:41:01.900
 of death

00:41:01.900 --> 00:41:02.800
 friends this

00:41:02.800 --> 00:41:03.720
 week Satan

00:41:03.720 --> 00:41:04.099
 is going to

00:41:04.099 --> 00:41:04.820
 try his absolute

00:41:04.820 --> 00:41:05.679
 best to destroy

00:41:05.679 --> 00:41:06.220
 your faith

00:41:06.220 --> 00:41:07.340
 to ruin your

00:41:07.340 --> 00:41:08.340
 life causing

00:41:08.340 --> 00:41:09.159
 people to turn

00:41:09.159 --> 00:41:09.800
 against you

00:41:09.800 --> 00:41:11.820
 causing people

00:41:11.820 --> 00:41:12.720
 to slander you

00:41:12.720 --> 00:41:13.460
 and talk badly

00:41:13.460 --> 00:41:14.019
 about you

00:41:14.019 --> 00:41:15.019
 causing people

00:41:15.019 --> 00:41:15.740
 to stab you

00:41:15.740 --> 00:41:16.179
 in the back

00:41:16.179 --> 00:41:17.059
 are you going

00:41:17.059 --> 00:41:17.699
 to get defensive

00:41:17.699 --> 00:41:18.480
 are you going

00:41:18.480 --> 00:41:19.220
 to fight back

00:41:19.220 --> 00:41:19.920
 are you going

00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:20.400
 to preserve

00:41:20.400 --> 00:41:20.840
 your life

00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:21.639
 by slandering

00:41:21.639 --> 00:41:22.039
 them back

00:41:22.039 --> 00:41:22.679
 or stabbing

00:41:22.679 --> 00:41:23.059
 them in the

00:41:23.059 --> 00:41:23.340
 back

00:41:23.340 --> 00:41:24.659
 is it in a

00:41:24.659 --> 00:41:25.139
 dog eat

00:41:25.139 --> 00:41:25.519
 world

00:41:25.519 --> 00:41:26.139
 dog eat

00:41:26.139 --> 00:41:26.740
 dog world

00:41:26.740 --> 00:41:27.539
 the one who

00:41:27.539 --> 00:41:28.260
 gets the top

00:41:28.260 --> 00:41:28.700
 is that how

00:41:28.700 --> 00:41:28.940
 you're going

00:41:28.940 --> 00:41:29.240
 to win

00:41:29.240 --> 00:41:30.380
 friends the

00:41:30.380 --> 00:41:30.800
 way you're

00:41:30.800 --> 00:41:30.960
 going to

00:41:30.960 --> 00:41:31.500
 conquer the

00:41:31.500 --> 00:41:32.000
 schemes of

00:41:32.000 --> 00:41:32.380
 the evil

00:41:32.380 --> 00:41:32.660
 one

00:41:32.660 --> 00:41:33.740
 it's not

00:41:33.740 --> 00:41:34.200
 looking to

00:41:34.200 --> 00:41:34.620
 yourself

00:41:34.620 --> 00:41:35.820
 not trying

00:41:35.820 --> 00:41:36.220
 to save

00:41:36.220 --> 00:41:36.660
 yourself

00:41:36.660 --> 00:41:37.940
 it's by

00:41:37.940 --> 00:41:38.500
 seeing in

00:41:38.500 --> 00:41:39.080
 your hearts

00:41:39.080 --> 00:41:39.860
 the beauty

00:41:39.860 --> 00:41:40.580
 and the

00:41:40.580 --> 00:41:41.000
 wonder

00:41:41.000 --> 00:41:41.980
 and the

00:41:41.980 --> 00:41:42.920
 faithfulness

00:41:42.920 --> 00:41:43.240
 and the

00:41:43.240 --> 00:41:44.020
 trustworthiness

00:41:44.020 --> 00:41:44.500
 and the

00:41:44.500 --> 00:41:45.160
 majesty of

00:41:45.160 --> 00:41:45.520
 Jesus

00:41:45.520 --> 00:41:46.560
 it's been

00:41:46.560 --> 00:41:47.260
 more enamored

00:41:47.260 --> 00:41:47.820
 and captured

00:41:47.820 --> 00:41:48.300
 by who

00:41:48.300 --> 00:41:49.000
 Christ is

00:41:49.000 --> 00:41:49.320
 in the

00:41:49.320 --> 00:41:49.660
 things of

00:41:49.660 --> 00:41:50.100
 this world

00:41:50.100 --> 00:41:51.380
 and that

00:41:51.380 --> 00:41:51.940
 way that's

00:41:51.940 --> 00:41:52.220
 how we

00:41:52.220 --> 00:41:52.820
 conquer the

00:41:52.820 --> 00:41:53.140
 word of

00:41:53.140 --> 00:41:53.640
 our testimony

00:41:53.640 --> 00:41:54.320
 even to

00:41:54.320 --> 00:41:54.700
 the point

00:41:54.700 --> 00:41:55.160
 of death

00:41:55.160 --> 00:41:56.360
 friends this

00:41:56.360 --> 00:41:56.740
 week the

00:41:56.740 --> 00:41:57.280
 deceiver and

00:41:57.280 --> 00:41:57.780
 the accuser

00:41:57.780 --> 00:41:58.100
 is going to

00:41:58.100 --> 00:41:58.400
 try and

00:41:58.400 --> 00:41:59.000
 destroy your

00:41:59.000 --> 00:41:59.900
 faith by

00:41:59.900 --> 00:42:00.220
 bringing

00:42:00.220 --> 00:42:01.540
 something beautiful

00:42:01.540 --> 00:42:02.140
 in your life

00:42:02.140 --> 00:42:03.100
 maybe some

00:42:03.100 --> 00:42:04.720
 romantic relationship

00:42:04.720 --> 00:42:06.060
 maybe the most

00:42:06.060 --> 00:42:06.860
 beautiful person

00:42:06.860 --> 00:42:07.580
 you've ever seen

00:42:07.580 --> 00:42:07.900
 is going to

00:42:07.900 --> 00:42:08.580
 come waltz into

00:42:08.580 --> 00:42:08.960
 your life

00:42:08.960 --> 00:42:09.880
 and you're

00:42:09.880 --> 00:42:10.019
 going to

00:42:10.019 --> 00:42:10.760
 think my

00:42:10.760 --> 00:42:11.360
 savior has

00:42:11.360 --> 00:42:12.360
 come this

00:42:12.360 --> 00:42:12.920
 person is

00:42:12.920 --> 00:42:13.100
 going to

00:42:13.100 --> 00:42:13.400
 make my

00:42:13.400 --> 00:42:14.100
 life worthwhile

00:42:14.100 --> 00:42:15.640
 and romantic

00:42:15.640 --> 00:42:16.440
 relationships are

00:42:16.440 --> 00:42:17.680
 good but they

00:42:17.680 --> 00:42:18.300
 are not your

00:42:18.300 --> 00:42:19.260
 savior they will

00:42:19.260 --> 00:42:20.120
 not save you

00:42:20.120 --> 00:42:21.019
 friends how

00:42:21.019 --> 00:42:21.380
 you're going to

00:42:21.380 --> 00:42:23.040
 overcome sin

00:42:23.039 --> 00:42:24.219
 this week

00:42:24.219 --> 00:42:25.239
 you won't do

00:42:25.239 --> 00:42:25.840
 it by promising

00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:26.380
 to be a good

00:42:26.380 --> 00:42:26.719
 Christian

00:42:26.719 --> 00:42:27.840
 you won't do

00:42:27.840 --> 00:42:28.360
 it by looking

00:42:28.360 --> 00:42:28.900
 at the Bible

00:42:28.900 --> 00:42:29.579
 and saying how

00:42:29.579 --> 00:42:30.199
 much can I

00:42:30.199 --> 00:42:30.699
 get away

00:42:30.699 --> 00:42:31.779
 with what

00:42:31.779 --> 00:42:32.440
 am I allowed

00:42:32.440 --> 00:42:32.860
 to do and

00:42:32.860 --> 00:42:33.159
 what am I

00:42:33.159 --> 00:42:33.579
 not allowed

00:42:33.579 --> 00:42:33.980
 to do

00:42:33.980 --> 00:42:35.039
 friends the

00:42:35.039 --> 00:42:35.400
 way we're

00:42:35.400 --> 00:42:35.579
 going to

00:42:35.579 --> 00:42:36.119
 conquer the

00:42:36.119 --> 00:42:36.659
 schemes of

00:42:36.659 --> 00:42:37.079
 the devil

00:42:37.079 --> 00:42:38.219
 is by

00:42:38.219 --> 00:42:39.219
 seeing with

00:42:39.219 --> 00:42:39.599
 the eyes of

00:42:39.599 --> 00:42:40.019
 our hearts

00:42:40.019 --> 00:42:40.659
 that Jesus

00:42:40.659 --> 00:42:41.159
 is more

00:42:41.159 --> 00:42:42.139
 satisfying than

00:42:42.139 --> 00:42:42.779
 any sexual

00:42:42.779 --> 00:42:43.340
 experience

00:42:43.340 --> 00:42:44.579
 Jesus is more

00:42:44.579 --> 00:42:45.360
 beautiful and

00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:46.099
 glorious than

00:42:46.099 --> 00:42:46.679
 any intimate

00:42:46.679 --> 00:42:47.259
 relationship

00:42:47.259 --> 00:42:48.420
 that Jesus

00:42:48.420 --> 00:42:48.920
 the one who

00:42:48.920 --> 00:42:49.519
 died on the

00:42:49.519 --> 00:42:50.219
 cross and gave

00:42:50.219 --> 00:42:50.960
 himself for

00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:52.139
 you loves

00:42:52.139 --> 00:42:52.900
 you supremely

00:42:52.900 --> 00:42:53.880
 to the world

00:42:53.880 --> 00:42:54.360
 and back

00:42:54.360 --> 00:42:55.579
 friends that's

00:42:55.579 --> 00:42:55.980
 the way you

00:42:55.980 --> 00:42:56.780
 conquer sin

00:42:56.780 --> 00:42:57.820
 by saying yes

00:42:57.820 --> 00:42:58.280
 to the beauty

00:42:58.280 --> 00:42:58.740
 of Jesus

00:42:58.740 --> 00:42:59.619
 that's conquering

00:42:59.619 --> 00:43:00.099
 with the word

00:43:00.099 --> 00:43:00.740
 of our testimony

00:43:00.740 --> 00:43:01.920
 even to the

00:43:01.920 --> 00:43:02.639
 point of death

00:43:02.639 --> 00:43:03.960
 in other words

00:43:03.960 --> 00:43:04.880
 the way we

00:43:04.880 --> 00:43:05.760
 overcome Satan

00:43:05.760 --> 00:43:07.480
 is being willing

00:43:07.480 --> 00:43:08.240
 to die to

00:43:08.240 --> 00:43:09.019
 ourselves because

00:43:09.019 --> 00:43:09.960
 we've seen how

00:43:09.960 --> 00:43:11.199
 wonderful Christ

00:43:11.199 --> 00:43:12.599
 is how glorious

00:43:12.599 --> 00:43:13.760
 and faithful and

00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:14.619
 majestic and

00:43:14.619 --> 00:43:15.880
 beautiful and

00:43:15.880 --> 00:43:16.900
 reliable he is

00:43:16.900 --> 00:43:18.500
 as we come to

00:43:18.500 --> 00:43:19.000
 a close do you

00:43:19.000 --> 00:43:20.119
 remember John

00:43:20.119 --> 00:43:20.940
 Newton he

00:43:20.940 --> 00:43:21.280
 wrote that

00:43:21.280 --> 00:43:21.920
 famous hymn

00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:22.880
 amazing grace

00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:23.700
 amazing grace

00:43:23.700 --> 00:43:24.360
 how sweet the

00:43:24.360 --> 00:43:25.260
 sound that

00:43:25.260 --> 00:43:26.019
 saved a wretch

00:43:26.019 --> 00:43:27.220
 like me I

00:43:27.220 --> 00:43:27.940
 once was lost

00:43:27.940 --> 00:43:28.539
 but now I'm

00:43:28.539 --> 00:43:29.400
 found was blind

00:43:29.400 --> 00:43:30.119
 but now I see

00:43:30.119 --> 00:43:30.460
 do you remember

00:43:30.460 --> 00:43:31.740
 that hymn the

00:43:31.740 --> 00:43:32.700
 final stanza is

00:43:32.700 --> 00:43:33.420
 amazing it says

00:43:33.420 --> 00:43:34.900
 this through many

00:43:34.900 --> 00:43:37.119
 dangers toils and

00:43:37.119 --> 00:43:38.179
 snares we have

00:43:38.179 --> 00:43:40.820
 already come but

00:43:40.820 --> 00:43:41.740
 it was grace that

00:43:41.740 --> 00:43:42.500
 has brought us

00:43:42.500 --> 00:43:44.360
 safe thus far and

00:43:44.360 --> 00:43:45.519
 it's grace that

00:43:45.519 --> 00:43:46.320
 will lead us

00:43:46.320 --> 00:43:47.980
 home friends many

00:43:47.980 --> 00:43:48.740
 believers think

00:43:48.740 --> 00:43:49.440
 that the way you

00:43:49.440 --> 00:43:50.420
 become a Christian

00:43:50.420 --> 00:43:51.539
 is by trusting

00:43:51.539 --> 00:43:52.840
 Jesus and then

00:43:52.840 --> 00:43:53.780
 the way you get

00:43:53.780 --> 00:43:55.119
 to glory is by

00:43:55.119 --> 00:43:56.079
 self-effort and

00:43:56.079 --> 00:43:57.440
 determination and

00:43:57.440 --> 00:43:58.139
 just by making

00:43:58.139 --> 00:43:58.720
 sure that you

00:43:58.720 --> 00:43:59.579
 don't mess up

00:43:59.579 --> 00:44:01.320
 but John Newton

00:44:01.320 --> 00:44:02.820
 is right the

00:44:02.820 --> 00:44:03.599
 grace that has

00:44:03.599 --> 00:44:05.119
 saved us thus far

00:44:05.119 --> 00:44:05.940
 is the grace that

00:44:05.940 --> 00:44:06.539
 will get us home

00:44:06.539 --> 00:44:07.880
 the way you become

00:44:07.880 --> 00:44:08.619
 a Christian is

00:44:08.619 --> 00:44:10.099
 fixing your eyes

00:44:10.099 --> 00:44:10.760
 on Jesus and

00:44:10.760 --> 00:44:11.400
 putting your hope

00:44:11.400 --> 00:44:12.059
 in him who died

00:44:12.059 --> 00:44:12.579
 on the cross

00:44:12.579 --> 00:44:13.840
 but the way that

00:44:13.840 --> 00:44:14.800
 you get to glory

00:44:14.800 --> 00:44:15.360
 and the way that

00:44:15.360 --> 00:44:16.039
 you conquer the

00:44:16.039 --> 00:44:16.579
 schemes of the

00:44:16.579 --> 00:44:17.760
 evil one is the

00:44:17.760 --> 00:44:18.840
 exact same way

00:44:18.840 --> 00:44:20.100
 by fixing our

00:44:20.100 --> 00:44:20.760
 eyes on Jesus

00:44:20.760 --> 00:44:21.320
 the one who

00:44:21.320 --> 00:44:21.840
 died on the

00:44:21.840 --> 00:44:22.600
 cross for us

00:44:22.600 --> 00:44:23.760
 friends traditional

00:44:23.760 --> 00:44:24.920
 religion will tell

00:44:24.920 --> 00:44:25.800
 you be more

00:44:25.800 --> 00:44:27.300
 disciplined be more

00:44:27.300 --> 00:44:28.920
 dedicated be more

00:44:28.920 --> 00:44:30.340
 moral go to more

00:44:30.340 --> 00:44:31.680
 church events do

00:44:31.680 --> 00:44:32.460
 more stuff

00:44:32.460 --> 00:44:34.240
 contemporary self-help

00:44:34.240 --> 00:44:35.540
 will say blow that

00:44:35.540 --> 00:44:36.240
 stuff look to

00:44:36.240 --> 00:44:37.960
 yourself just you be

00:44:37.960 --> 00:44:39.300
 free throw for the

00:44:39.300 --> 00:44:40.080
 shackles of other

00:44:40.080 --> 00:44:41.140
 people's expectations

00:44:41.140 --> 00:44:42.440
 do whatever you want

00:44:42.440 --> 00:44:44.200
 friends Jesus says

00:44:44.199 --> 00:44:46.299
 look to me look to

00:44:46.299 --> 00:44:47.639
 me they conquered

00:44:47.639 --> 00:44:49.199
 by the blood of the

00:44:49.199 --> 00:44:50.419
 lamb by faith in

00:44:50.419 --> 00:44:51.199
 Jesus and what he

00:44:51.199 --> 00:44:52.539
 did and by the word

00:44:52.539 --> 00:44:53.239
 of their testimony

00:44:53.239 --> 00:44:54.939
 friends you see what

00:44:54.939 --> 00:44:55.599
 this passage is

00:44:55.599 --> 00:44:56.219
 telling us that

00:44:56.219 --> 00:44:57.159
 followers of Jesus

00:44:57.159 --> 00:44:58.239
 conquer the evil

00:44:58.239 --> 00:45:00.039
 one by simple faith

00:45:00.039 --> 00:45:00.719
 in the one who

00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:02.139
 conquered him on the

00:45:02.139 --> 00:45:04.000
 cross the grace that

00:45:04.000 --> 00:45:05.439
 saved us is the

00:45:05.439 --> 00:45:05.939
 grace that has

00:45:05.939 --> 00:45:06.819
 brought us thus far

00:45:06.819 --> 00:45:08.399
 that same grace will

00:45:08.399 --> 00:45:09.899
 lead us home they

00:45:09.899 --> 00:45:10.939
 conquered him by

00:45:10.939 --> 00:45:11.659
 their faith in the

00:45:11.659 --> 00:45:12.359
 blood of the lamb

00:45:12.360 --> 00:45:13.760
 and the word of

00:45:13.760 --> 00:45:15.539
 their testimony let's

00:45:15.539 --> 00:45:16.539
 come to him now

00:45:16.539 --> 00:45:24.780
 maybe I can ask you

00:45:24.780 --> 00:45:25.760
 to stand if you

00:45:25.760 --> 00:45:27.220
 let's stand together

00:45:27.220 --> 00:45:29.000
 and pray

00:45:29.000 --> 00:45:33.320
 oh sovereign God

00:45:33.320 --> 00:45:34.160
 loving father

00:45:34.160 --> 00:45:36.039
 wonderful Christ

00:45:36.039 --> 00:45:37.980
 beautiful spirit

00:45:37.980 --> 00:45:39.740
 Trinitarian God we

00:45:39.740 --> 00:45:40.519
 come before you this

00:45:40.519 --> 00:45:41.300
 morning and

00:45:41.300 --> 00:45:43.400
 God our hope is in

00:45:43.400 --> 00:45:45.140
 you God for those

00:45:45.140 --> 00:45:46.120
 of us this morning

00:45:46.120 --> 00:45:47.019
 that have been

00:45:47.019 --> 00:45:48.560
 overcome by the

00:45:48.560 --> 00:45:49.519
 things of this world

00:45:49.519 --> 00:45:51.900
 either seduced by the

00:45:51.900 --> 00:45:52.840
 pleasure of this world

00:45:52.840 --> 00:45:54.800
 or been overcome by

00:45:54.800 --> 00:45:55.920
 the accusations of

00:45:55.920 --> 00:45:57.460
 Satan those of us

00:45:57.460 --> 00:45:57.940
 God that have

00:45:57.940 --> 00:45:59.240
 believed the lies

00:45:59.240 --> 00:46:00.000
 and the deceit of

00:46:00.000 --> 00:46:01.019
 Satan we pray God

00:46:01.019 --> 00:46:01.720
 that you'll help us

00:46:01.720 --> 00:46:02.580
 to fix our eyes on

00:46:02.580 --> 00:46:04.360
 you God we don't

00:46:04.360 --> 00:46:05.660
 we know these things

00:46:05.660 --> 00:46:06.280
 in our head but

00:46:06.280 --> 00:46:07.120
 Christ we need you

00:46:07.120 --> 00:46:08.960
 to open the eyes of

00:46:08.960 --> 00:46:09.820
 our hearts to see

00:46:09.820 --> 00:46:10.700
 your majesty and your

00:46:10.699 --> 00:46:13.799
 beauty Jesus more

00:46:13.799 --> 00:46:14.719
 than just a sermon

00:46:14.719 --> 00:46:15.559
 and more than just a

00:46:15.559 --> 00:46:17.259
 Bible study Jesus we

00:46:17.259 --> 00:46:18.639
 need you to come by

00:46:18.639 --> 00:46:19.219
 the power of your

00:46:19.219 --> 00:46:20.099
 spirit to come and

00:46:20.099 --> 00:46:21.359
 breathe fresh life into

00:46:21.359 --> 00:46:22.219
 our hearts and souls

00:46:22.219 --> 00:46:23.079
 God and to fix our

00:46:23.079 --> 00:46:24.659
 eyes on you God I

00:46:24.659 --> 00:46:25.399
 pray for each one of

00:46:25.399 --> 00:46:26.139
 us here this morning

00:46:26.139 --> 00:46:27.339
 that really we will be

00:46:27.339 --> 00:46:28.859
 those who live our

00:46:28.859 --> 00:46:30.339
 lives by simple faith

00:46:30.339 --> 00:46:31.919
 in the blood of the

00:46:31.919 --> 00:46:33.259
 lamb that God just as

00:46:33.259 --> 00:46:34.179
 your people were saved

00:46:34.179 --> 00:46:35.439
 from Egypt by the

00:46:35.439 --> 00:46:36.299
 blood of the lamb so

00:46:36.299 --> 00:46:37.599
 we too are saved and

00:46:37.599 --> 00:46:38.579
 redeemed and brought to

00:46:38.579 --> 00:46:39.519
 glory brought to our

00:46:39.519 --> 00:46:41.360
 promised land by our

00:46:41.360 --> 00:46:42.199
 faith in the blood of

00:46:42.199 --> 00:46:43.880
 Jesus Christ we do

00:46:43.880 --> 00:46:44.779
 pray that you will come

00:46:44.779 --> 00:46:46.480
 and apply this message

00:46:46.480 --> 00:46:47.639
 to our hearts God come

00:46:47.639 --> 00:46:48.679
 and lead us I pray this

00:46:48.679 --> 00:46:50.000
 week God that as

00:46:50.000 --> 00:46:51.000
 Satan does try to

00:46:51.000 --> 00:46:52.059
 destroy our faith and

00:46:52.059 --> 00:46:53.400
 take our eyes off of

00:46:53.400 --> 00:46:55.000
 you that God you will

00:46:55.000 --> 00:46:56.219
 by your grace and by

00:46:56.219 --> 00:46:57.420
 your spirit God lead us

00:46:57.420 --> 00:46:58.440
 back to your throne of

00:46:58.440 --> 00:46:59.719
 grace and help us to

00:46:59.719 --> 00:47:00.719
 fix our eyes on you

00:47:00.719 --> 00:47:02.219
 help us be those that

00:47:02.219 --> 00:47:03.920
 conquer by our simple

00:47:03.920 --> 00:47:04.920
 faith in the blood of the

00:47:04.920 --> 00:47:05.819
 lamb and the word of our

00:47:05.820 --> 00:47:07.539
 testimony we pray these

00:47:07.539 --> 00:47:08.559
 things in your wonderful

00:47:08.559 --> 00:47:09.780
 and your powerful name

00:47:09.780 --> 00:47:10.980
 amen