WEBVTT

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 I think so many of us have come to church this morning with something of a somberness,

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 and I know I came with a bit of a heavy heart.

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 What we need this morning is not just to hear the opinions of man, we're not just here to

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 be inspired or to hear a prep talk, we need to hear God and encounter God.

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 So let's come before Him in prayer, and I want to encourage you to listen to this prayer

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 that I've written for us, and let's try and make it our own as much as possible, and

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 then we'll listen to the reading of God's Word.

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 So let's pray.

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 Heavenly Father, loving Lord, we come to you this morning not in strength but in weakness.

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 Father, we come not confident or self-assured, many of us come conflicted and afflicted and

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 hurting, unsure of ourselves, unsure of how to make sense of the pain in our city, unsure

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 of how to respond to what we see and experience around us.

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 Oh Lord, Father, we are broken, God, by the hatred and the anger that we see, and we don't

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 know how to respond, God, to so much of what's going on in our city and of what we are witnessing.

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 Father, we don't know how it's going to end.

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 God, we come to you this morning stripped of answers, stripped of any semblance of wisdom,

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 stripped of any self-confidence, and Father, we feel like we've been laid low.

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 How long, oh Lord, how long?

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 As the psalmist tells us, God, we are weary with our groaning.

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 We are worn out with anxiety.

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 We are tired and exhausted, and our fears, God, are overwhelming.

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 How long, oh Lord, how long?

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 And so, Heavenly Father, we've come to you this morning, because we have nowhere else to turn.

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 We come to you this morning because nothing else will answer our concerns.

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 God, you have the words of life.

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 Your Spirit speaks our hearts, and because despite everything we see around us, we believe that

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 you, God, are truth, you are light, you are sovereign, and that our lives are in your

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 hands, God.

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 Father, as we turn to your word this morning, we long for you to speak to us.

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 We long for you, God, to make sense of what we're struggling to make sense of.

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 Father, we need you to pour faith into our hearts and to lift our sights onto you.

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 And so, God, we come to you this morning because you are God and we are not.

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 We come to you, God, because you are on your heavenly throne and have not been displaced.

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 We come to you, God, because in you there is perfect justice.

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 Oh, God, who is there like you?

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 Who else can give our hearts peace like you?

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 Who else will establish justice and righteousness like you?

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 Who can keep people safe like you?

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 Who can give us true freedom and hope like you?

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 Oh, Lord God, this morning we've come to declare that, Father, despite what we see around us,

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 there is no one and none like you.

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 And our hearts and our hope are found in you, Lord God.

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 This morning we join with the whole host of heaven, declaring that salvation belongs to

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 our God and that our God reigns.

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 Worthy are you, oh, Lord our God, to receive our worship, glory, honor, and praise.

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 Both today in the city of Hong Kong, all around the world, and for all eternity.

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 We pray these things in your powerful, your glorious, and your trustworthy name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Pui and Betty are going to come and read to us.

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 And this morning we've got a long reading.

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 We are reading two full chapters of the book of Revelation.

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 So I want to encourage you to listen up.

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 There's a lot of interesting terminology and symbolism, but let's listen to God's word

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 being read to us.

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 The scripture reading comes from Revelation, chapters 6 and 7.

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 Please follow along in your booklets or on the screen.

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

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 living creatures say with a loud voice like thunder,

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 Come.

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 And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and its rider had a bow, and a crown was given

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 to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.

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 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say,

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 Come.

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 And out came another horse, bright red.

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 Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another.

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 And he was given a great sword.

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 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say,

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 Come.

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 And I looked, and behold, a black horse, and its rider had a pair of scales in his hand.

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 And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying,

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 A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm

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 the oil and wine.

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 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say,

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 Come.

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 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse, and its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him.

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 And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth to kill with the sword, and with famine,

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 and with pestilence, and by wild beasts of the earth.

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 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God,

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 and for the witness they had borne.

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 They cried out with a loud voice,

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 O sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?

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 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer,

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 until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete,

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 who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

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 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake,

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 and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became light blood,

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 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree cheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.

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 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up,

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 and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

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 Then the kings of the earth, and the great ones, and the generals,

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 and the rich, and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free,

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 hid themselves in the caves, and among the rocks of the mountains,

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 calling to the mountains and rocks,

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 Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne,

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 and from the wrath of the Lamb.

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 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?

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 After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,

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 holding back the four winds of the earth,

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 that no wind might blow on earth, or sea, or against any tree.

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 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun,

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 with the seal of the living God,

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 and he called with a loud voice to the four angels

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 who had been given power to harm earth and sea,

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 saying,

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 Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees,

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 until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.

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 And I heard the number of the sealed,

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 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Gad.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Asher.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Vanessa.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Levi.

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 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar

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 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun

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 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph

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 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed

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 After this I looked

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 And behold, a great multitude that no one could number

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 From every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages

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 Standing before the throne

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 And before the Lamb clothed in white robes

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 With palm branches in their hands

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 And crying out with a loud voice

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 Salvation belongs to our God

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 Who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

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 And all the angels were standing around the throne

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 And around the elders and the four living creatures

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 And they fell on their faces before the throne

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 And worshipped God, saying

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 Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving

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 And honor and power

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 And might be to our God forever and ever

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 Amen

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 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying

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 Who are these, clothed in white robes?

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 And from where have they come?

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 I said to him, Sir, you know

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 And he said to me

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 These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation

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 They have washed their robes and made them white

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 In the blood of the Lamb

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 Therefore they are before the throne of God

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 And serve Him day and night in His temple

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 And He who sits on the throne

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 Will shelter them with His presence

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 They shall hunger no more

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 Neither first no more

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 The sun shall not strike them

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 Nor any scorching heat

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 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne

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 Will be their shepherd

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 And He will guide them to springs of living water

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 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes

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 This is the word of God

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 Great, thank you Betty and Pui

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 For that long reading

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 And thanks so much

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 Well, we

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 If you're new to Watermark

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 We are working our way through the book of Revelation

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 And I heard recently that somebody said

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 They did some research in the U.S.

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 And the book of Revelation is one of the books of the Bible

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 That most Christians want taught to them and explained

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 And it's the one book of the Bible

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 That most pastors don't want to go anywhere near

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 And I can understand why

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 This week I said to Oscar

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 I said, why on earth did we choose Revelation?

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 It's this passage has beaten me up this week

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 And we're starting to get to the interesting parts of it

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 With interesting symbolism

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 And so let's see if we can try and make sense of it today

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 There's a lot in here

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 And so let's go for it

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 This week and next week

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 Are going to be particularly challenging

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 And for two reasons

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 One, because the symbolism is so strange

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 There are these strange horsemen

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 And all sorts of things

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 And moons that are turning blood and stuff

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 And so that's challenging

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 But then secondly

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 When we actually try and understand it

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 The message itself is challenging

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 It's a hard message to receive

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 And so

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 I really do pray and trust

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 That God will use His word to speak to us

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 To both encourage us

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 And to challenge us

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 Now if you look back on the history of the world

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 And especially the last century

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 You'll see that our world has

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 In the last century

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 Had great moments

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 Of wonderful moments

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 Of human achievement

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 Technological advancement

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 Scientific

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 Medicinal discoveries

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 That have benefited human life

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 But at the same time

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 If we're honest

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 And look back

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 In the same period of time

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 Many of those scientific discoveries

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 And technological advances

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 Have also been used

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 To bring great harm

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 And destruction

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 On the world

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 And so we think of even just

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 For instance

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 The invention of the airplane

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 What a great benefit that's been

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 But at the same time

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 How that was used

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 In so many wars

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 To bring about great heartache

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 And destruction

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 We think of the World War I

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 And World War II

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 In the last century

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 Think of the Holocaust

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 We think of Pol Pot

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 And his regime

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 In Cambodia

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 In the 1970s

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 Two million Cambodians

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 Were killed

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 We think of the terrors

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 In Africa

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 The many many civil wars

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 The Rwandan genocide

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 We think of the chaos

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 In the Middle East

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 The famine in Oman

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 At the moment

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 As a result of war

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 And if we who live in Hong Kong

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 Ever felt

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 Oh we are fortunate

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 To live in the safe

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 And secure society

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 The last three months itself

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 Has challenged that idea

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 That actually we do live

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 In a broken world

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 And our world is full of tears

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 And heartache

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 Now for the Christians

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 In first century Rome

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 Their story was very similar

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 Because the Roman Empire

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 Was one that promised

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 Great blessing

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 The Pax Romana

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 Promised relative stability

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 And peace

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 Throughout the Roman Empire

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 Rome had secured

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 Relative financial prosperity

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 For its citizens

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 There was infrastructural discoveries

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 Like the highways

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 And the aqueducts

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 And so for the Roman Empire

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 There was much blessing

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 For those that enjoyed it

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 But at the same time

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 There was an ugly underbelly

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 To the Roman Empire

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 Because as their hunger

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 For expansion grew

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 So did the consequences of that

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 Slavery

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 Injustice

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 Corruption

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 Death

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 And destruction

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 And so the story

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 Of the first century

00:13:33.019 --> 00:13:33.679
 And the church

00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:35.139
 That Jesus writes to

00:13:35.139 --> 00:13:35.699
 In Revelation

00:13:35.699 --> 00:13:37.159
 Is very

00:13:37.159 --> 00:13:38.799
 Or not too dissimilar

00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:40.159
 From actually our own world

00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:41.340
 We see this

00:13:41.340 --> 00:13:42.159
 Growth

00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:43.379
 And development

00:13:43.379 --> 00:13:44.740
 But at the same time

00:13:44.740 --> 00:13:45.860
 This brokenness

00:13:45.860 --> 00:13:46.559
 In our world

00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:48.379
 Now if we were to ask

00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:48.919
 An artist

00:13:48.919 --> 00:13:49.939
 To paint us

00:13:49.939 --> 00:13:50.539
 An impression

00:13:50.539 --> 00:13:51.679
 Of the last century

00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:52.899
 I wonder how

00:13:52.899 --> 00:13:53.720
 He would do that

00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:55.360
 What would an artist's

00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:55.699
 Impression

00:13:55.699 --> 00:13:56.659
 Of the last century

00:13:56.659 --> 00:13:58.139
 Of all that we've described

00:13:58.139 --> 00:13:58.819
 Look like

00:13:58.819 --> 00:13:59.819
 Well actually

00:13:59.819 --> 00:14:00.279
 There's an artist

00:14:00.279 --> 00:14:00.919
 That did that

00:14:00.919 --> 00:14:01.740
 And his name is

00:14:01.740 --> 00:14:02.579
 Pablo Picasso

00:14:02.579 --> 00:14:04.019
 In 1939

00:14:04.019 --> 00:14:05.559
 He painted a very famous

00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:07.100
 Painting

00:14:07.100 --> 00:14:08.079
 Called Granica

00:14:08.079 --> 00:14:09.459
 I think that's how you say it

00:14:09.459 --> 00:14:11.339
 And we've got a picture of it

00:14:11.339 --> 00:14:11.939
 Somewhere up here

00:14:11.939 --> 00:14:14.039
 And the story behind this

00:14:14.039 --> 00:14:15.319
 Is that two years previously

00:14:15.319 --> 00:14:16.419
 In 1937

00:14:16.419 --> 00:14:18.579
 There's a Spanish war going on

00:14:18.579 --> 00:14:21.120
 And German bombers

00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:22.720
 Came and flew over

00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:24.379
 The Spanish town of Granica

00:14:24.379 --> 00:14:26.000
 Bombing its citizens

00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:27.440
 And the streets of Granica

00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:29.080
 But what was happening

00:14:29.080 --> 00:14:29.519
 Was actually

00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:30.419
 A lot of the

00:14:30.419 --> 00:14:32.279
 Hitler and his

00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:33.340
 Military strategists

00:14:33.340 --> 00:14:34.759
 Were actually practicing

00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:36.539
 Their military strategy

00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:37.299
 For what they would then

00:14:37.299 --> 00:14:38.740
 Employ in the world war

00:14:38.740 --> 00:14:39.600
 That was coming up

00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:41.039
 And so what happened was

00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:42.419
 The citizens of this town

00:14:42.419 --> 00:14:43.799
 The fighter jets

00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:44.980
 Come and bomb the town

00:14:44.980 --> 00:14:45.779
 They all run

00:14:45.779 --> 00:14:46.559
 And take cover

00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:48.019
 They stay under cover

00:14:48.019 --> 00:14:49.519
 For 15-20 minutes

00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:49.840
 Or so

00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:50.360
 An hour

00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:51.940
 And as they come back

00:14:51.940 --> 00:14:52.740
 Into the streets

00:14:52.740 --> 00:14:53.259
 When they think

00:14:53.259 --> 00:14:54.279
 It's calm again

00:14:54.279 --> 00:14:56.019
 The planes come a second time

00:14:56.019 --> 00:14:56.339
 Around

00:14:56.339 --> 00:14:57.620
 And bomb them again

00:14:57.620 --> 00:14:58.939
 And thousands of people

00:14:58.939 --> 00:15:00.799
 Die in the Spanish town

00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:02.339
 And so Pablo Picasso

00:15:02.339 --> 00:15:03.399
 Paints this picture

00:15:03.399 --> 00:15:04.120
 Called Granica

00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:06.879
 It's a gross picture

00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:08.620
 That's full of catastrophe

00:15:08.620 --> 00:15:10.220
 And chaos

00:15:10.220 --> 00:15:11.439
 And body parts

00:15:11.439 --> 00:15:13.879
 Now Picasso's picture

00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:15.339
 Doesn't represent history

00:15:15.339 --> 00:15:16.720
 Like a photograph does

00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:18.480
 Or like a newspaper report

00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:20.059
 But it does convey

00:15:20.059 --> 00:15:21.299
 Something of the horror

00:15:21.299 --> 00:15:23.199
 And the chaos

00:15:23.199 --> 00:15:24.179
 That took place

00:15:24.179 --> 00:15:24.959
 In this town

00:15:24.959 --> 00:15:26.059
 Just a few years before

00:15:26.059 --> 00:15:28.159
 In a similar way

00:15:28.159 --> 00:15:29.199
 This is what the passage

00:15:29.199 --> 00:15:30.299
 In the book of Revelation

00:15:30.299 --> 00:15:30.879
 Is like

00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:32.959
 Jesus through

00:15:32.959 --> 00:15:34.039
 The apostle John

00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:34.959
 Is trying to give us

00:15:34.959 --> 00:15:35.519
 A picture

00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:37.039
 An artist's impression

00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.099
 Of the story

00:15:39.099 --> 00:15:39.799
 Of the world

00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:41.139
 But he's not giving us

00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:42.299
 A newspaper account

00:15:42.299 --> 00:15:43.059
 Or he's not giving us

00:15:43.059 --> 00:15:44.240
 A history book account

00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:46.299
 It's this artistic impression

00:15:46.299 --> 00:15:47.359
 That's full of imagery

00:15:47.359 --> 00:15:48.539
 And strange symbols

00:15:48.539 --> 00:15:49.219
 And chaos

00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:50.340
 And destruction

00:15:50.340 --> 00:15:51.800
 And moons that are

00:15:51.800 --> 00:15:52.460
 Turning to blood

00:15:52.460 --> 00:15:53.639
 And the stars are falling

00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:55.460
 It's an artist's impression

00:15:55.460 --> 00:15:56.860
 That conveys the story

00:15:56.860 --> 00:15:57.420
 Of the world

00:15:57.420 --> 00:15:58.620
 And is meant to elicit

00:15:58.620 --> 00:15:59.360
 Our emotions

00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:00.279
 To understand

00:16:00.279 --> 00:16:01.600
 What God is trying to say

00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:03.480
 Now as we get into

00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:04.680
 The next couple of chapters

00:16:04.680 --> 00:16:05.720
 The book of Revelation

00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:07.720
 Has this series of sevens

00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:09.240
 In chapter 6 and 7

00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:10.040
 That we look at today

00:16:10.040 --> 00:16:11.240
 There are seven seals

00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:12.379
 On this parchment

00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:13.720
 In chapter 8 and 9

00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:14.860
 There are seven trumpets

00:16:14.860 --> 00:16:15.440
 That are blown

00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:16.639
 In chapter 11

00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:18.160
 We see seven thunders

00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:19.699
 And chapter 15 and 16

00:16:19.699 --> 00:16:21.379
 There are seven bowls

00:16:21.379 --> 00:16:22.480
 That are poured out

00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:23.600
 With these seven plagues

00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:24.019
 Okay

00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:25.939
 Now John is not trying

00:16:25.939 --> 00:16:27.000
 To predict the future

00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:28.620
 He's not a fortune teller

00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:29.759
 He's not trying to give us

00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:31.059
 Chronological account

00:16:31.059 --> 00:16:31.699
 Of the world

00:16:31.699 --> 00:16:33.059
 And so some people say

00:16:33.059 --> 00:16:34.639
 Okay what are the seven seals

00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:35.579
 You know this is

00:16:35.579 --> 00:16:36.459
 Nero

00:16:36.459 --> 00:16:37.399
 And then this is

00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:38.139
 This event

00:16:38.139 --> 00:16:39.319
 And then we go to the trumpet

00:16:39.319 --> 00:16:40.860
 And then chronological

00:16:40.860 --> 00:16:42.419
 That's not what's happening

00:16:42.419 --> 00:16:43.980
 What John is saying

00:16:43.980 --> 00:16:44.579
 Is he's saying

00:16:44.579 --> 00:16:46.439
 The story of the world

00:16:46.440 --> 00:16:47.360
 Remember God's trying

00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:49.220
 To peel back the curtain

00:16:49.220 --> 00:16:50.480
 So we can see the world

00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:51.500
 From heaven's perspective

00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:52.400
 He's saying

00:16:52.400 --> 00:16:53.220
 The story of the world

00:16:53.220 --> 00:16:54.680
 It's a bit like this

00:16:54.680 --> 00:16:56.620
 But it's also a bit like this

00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:58.780
 And it's also a little bit like this

00:16:58.780 --> 00:16:59.700
 In other words

00:16:59.700 --> 00:17:01.180
 All the series of seven

00:17:01.180 --> 00:17:03.560
 Are the same story of the world

00:17:03.560 --> 00:17:04.519
 From a different angle

00:17:04.519 --> 00:17:06.360
 It's like as Chris explained

00:17:06.360 --> 00:17:07.160
 A few weeks ago

00:17:07.160 --> 00:17:08.980
 You're watching a sports game

00:17:08.980 --> 00:17:11.000
 Your team scores a try

00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:11.960
 Or scores a goal

00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:13.620
 And there's this camera angle

00:17:13.619 --> 00:17:15.000
 That shows it from this angle

00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:15.859
 And then they show

00:17:15.859 --> 00:17:17.299
 The same event from this angle

00:17:17.299 --> 00:17:18.019
 And then they show

00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:19.519
 The same event from this angle

00:17:19.519 --> 00:17:20.739
 This action replay

00:17:20.739 --> 00:17:22.719
 That's what the book of Revelation

00:17:22.719 --> 00:17:23.399
 Is really about

00:17:23.399 --> 00:17:24.239
 It's going to show us

00:17:24.239 --> 00:17:25.459
 The story of the world

00:17:25.459 --> 00:17:26.859
 From all these different angles

00:17:26.859 --> 00:17:28.019
 So that we can see it

00:17:28.019 --> 00:17:29.500
 From heaven's perspective

00:17:29.500 --> 00:17:31.439
 And so today

00:17:31.439 --> 00:17:32.739
 We get to the first of these

00:17:32.739 --> 00:17:33.319
 Seven

00:17:33.319 --> 00:17:34.719
 These series of sevens

00:17:34.719 --> 00:17:36.739
 And the images of a parchment

00:17:36.739 --> 00:17:37.639
 Or a scroll

00:17:37.639 --> 00:17:38.779
 That's been rolled up

00:17:38.779 --> 00:17:39.919
 And in the ancient time

00:17:39.919 --> 00:17:41.259
 When a scroll was rolled up

00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:43.920
 It had these wax seals put upon it

00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:46.160
 To keep it from praying eyes

00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:48.299
 And from those that weren't meant

00:17:48.299 --> 00:17:49.039
 To look inside

00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.799
 And so there's this scroll

00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:52.599
 And each time a seal

00:17:52.599 --> 00:17:54.019
 Jesus breaks open

00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:55.119
 One of these wax seals

00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:57.279
 Some cataclysmic event

00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:58.480
 Happens on the earth

00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:00.680
 And so that's the background

00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:02.220
 Behind our passage

00:18:02.220 --> 00:18:04.500
 Now last bit of introduction

00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:06.220
 Before we get to the passage today

00:18:06.220 --> 00:18:08.259
 In order to really understand

00:18:08.259 --> 00:18:08.839
 This section

00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:10.019
 We need to follow

00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:11.299
 The flow of thought

00:18:11.299 --> 00:18:12.659
 Through the book of Revelation

00:18:12.659 --> 00:18:13.839
 And so very briefly

00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:14.480
 I'm going to recap

00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:14.919
 Remember

00:18:14.919 --> 00:18:15.939
 Chapter 1

00:18:15.939 --> 00:18:17.139
 We see this vision

00:18:17.139 --> 00:18:18.639
 Of Jesus in all his glory

00:18:18.639 --> 00:18:19.720
 We sang about it earlier

00:18:19.720 --> 00:18:21.459
 Jesus with eyes like fire

00:18:21.459 --> 00:18:22.819
 Burnished bronze feet

00:18:22.819 --> 00:18:24.720
 Voice like rushing waters

00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:26.279
 And Jesus in all his glory

00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:28.159
 Chapter 2 and chapter 3

00:18:28.159 --> 00:18:30.119
 Jesus then writes these letters

00:18:30.119 --> 00:18:31.099
 Or a letter

00:18:31.099 --> 00:18:32.720
 To these seven churches

00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:33.359
 In Revelation

00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:34.720
 And the reason is

00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:35.720
 Because these churches

00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:37.399
 Same as our church today

00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:39.019
 Are facing two challenges

00:18:39.019 --> 00:18:40.519
 The one challenge

00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:42.019
 Is to become

00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:43.200
 Just like the culture

00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:44.300
 In which it finds itself

00:18:44.300 --> 00:18:46.200
 To become syncretistic

00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:48.200
 Or to accommodate the culture

00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:49.980
 To be seduced by the power

00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:51.220
 And the prestige

00:18:51.220 --> 00:18:52.780
 And the glamour of Rome

00:18:52.780 --> 00:18:54.019
 And to try and find

00:18:54.019 --> 00:18:55.100
 Their hope and confidence

00:18:55.100 --> 00:18:55.900
 In the culture

00:18:55.900 --> 00:18:57.160
 In which they find themselves

00:18:57.160 --> 00:18:58.820
 But the other challenge

00:18:58.820 --> 00:18:59.820
 The churches were facing

00:18:59.820 --> 00:19:00.320
 Was to say

00:19:00.320 --> 00:19:01.300
 No we're not going to

00:19:01.300 --> 00:19:02.540
 Compromise like that

00:19:02.540 --> 00:19:03.940
 We're going to stand firm

00:19:03.940 --> 00:19:05.920
 But the church was so small

00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:07.140
 It felt insignificant

00:19:07.140 --> 00:19:08.340
 And how was the church

00:19:08.340 --> 00:19:09.360
 Ever going to stand up

00:19:09.360 --> 00:19:10.340
 Against the power

00:19:10.340 --> 00:19:11.140
 And the machine

00:19:11.140 --> 00:19:12.140
 Of the Roman Empire

00:19:12.140 --> 00:19:14.300
 And so Jesus writes them

00:19:14.300 --> 00:19:14.759
 And he says

00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:16.920
 Don't be overwhelmed

00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:18.000
 Or over seduced

00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:18.759
 By the culture

00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:19.880
 In which you find yourselves

00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:21.900
 But also don't be overwhelmed

00:19:21.900 --> 00:19:22.880
 With fear

00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:24.539
 By the power of Rome

00:19:24.539 --> 00:19:26.279
 Stay faithful to me

00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:27.880
 Keep your eyes fixed

00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:28.640
 On me

00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:30.880
 I am your hope

00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:31.900
 And Jesus

00:19:31.900 --> 00:19:33.080
 At the end of each letter

00:19:33.080 --> 00:19:33.800
 He says this

00:19:33.800 --> 00:19:34.720
 This one refrain

00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:36.900
 To the one who overcomes

00:19:36.900 --> 00:19:38.480
 To those that endure

00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:39.059
 To the end

00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:40.220
 To those who conquer

00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:41.799
 I promise life

00:19:41.799 --> 00:19:42.360
 And blessing

00:19:42.360 --> 00:19:43.019
 And reward

00:19:43.019 --> 00:19:44.360
 And so Jesus

00:19:44.360 --> 00:19:45.480
 Writes these letters

00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:46.000
 To saying

00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:47.220
 Stay faithful

00:19:47.220 --> 00:19:48.600
 In the midst of the culture

00:19:48.600 --> 00:19:50.079
 And the midst of fear

00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:51.079
 And anxiety

00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:52.420
 Keep your eyes fixed

00:19:52.420 --> 00:19:52.799
 On me

00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:54.339
 And then chapter 4

00:19:54.339 --> 00:19:55.140
 We saw this

00:19:55.140 --> 00:19:56.380
 Vision of Jesus

00:19:56.380 --> 00:19:57.059
 Of God

00:19:57.059 --> 00:19:58.360
 And all his glory

00:19:58.360 --> 00:19:59.160
 On the throne

00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:00.779
 All creation

00:20:00.779 --> 00:20:01.539
 All angels

00:20:01.539 --> 00:20:02.779
 Bowing down to him

00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:03.640
 Worshipping him

00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:04.860
 Not for what he's done

00:20:04.860 --> 00:20:06.380
 But simply for who he is

00:20:06.380 --> 00:20:07.980
 And then chapter 5

00:20:07.980 --> 00:20:08.800
 Colin brought to us

00:20:08.800 --> 00:20:09.460
 Two weeks ago

00:20:09.460 --> 00:20:10.920
 Not only God

00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:11.400
 On the throne

00:20:11.400 --> 00:20:12.120
 But Jesus

00:20:12.120 --> 00:20:14.160
 Is there right next to him

00:20:14.160 --> 00:20:16.120
 And Jesus is worthy

00:20:16.120 --> 00:20:17.040
 Of all worship

00:20:17.040 --> 00:20:17.800
 And all honor

00:20:17.800 --> 00:20:18.700
 And all glory

00:20:18.700 --> 00:20:20.200
 Not only because

00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:20.980
 Of who he is

00:20:20.980 --> 00:20:21.560
 But because of

00:20:21.560 --> 00:20:22.080
 What he's done

00:20:22.080 --> 00:20:22.860
 Because he died

00:20:22.860 --> 00:20:23.460
 On the cross

00:20:23.460 --> 00:20:25.220
 To save you and I

00:20:25.220 --> 00:20:26.280
 And so

00:20:26.280 --> 00:20:27.220
 As the church

00:20:27.220 --> 00:20:28.860
 In Asia Minor

00:20:28.860 --> 00:20:30.380
 Reads this revelation

00:20:30.380 --> 00:20:31.380
 Of God on the throne

00:20:31.380 --> 00:20:32.340
 And Jesus is there

00:20:32.340 --> 00:20:32.860
 Next to him

00:20:32.860 --> 00:20:34.120
 The thought that

00:20:34.120 --> 00:20:34.980
 Must have come

00:20:34.980 --> 00:20:35.640
 To their mind

00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:37.260
 Was come on

00:20:37.260 --> 00:20:39.540
 What's there to worry about

00:20:39.540 --> 00:20:41.220
 We've got this thing

00:20:41.220 --> 00:20:42.580
 If this God

00:20:42.580 --> 00:20:43.760
 Who is on the throne

00:20:43.760 --> 00:20:45.640
 Of all the universe

00:20:45.640 --> 00:20:47.000
 Is on our side

00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:48.640
 And we're on his side

00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:50.340
 We're indestructible

00:20:50.340 --> 00:20:51.580
 Like

00:20:51.580 --> 00:20:53.180
 This is a done deal

00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:53.480
 Right

00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:54.820
 What's there to worry about

00:20:54.819 --> 00:20:57.679
 And Jesus now

00:20:57.679 --> 00:20:59.099
 Writes to his church

00:20:59.099 --> 00:21:00.159
 To show them

00:21:00.159 --> 00:21:01.659
 That just because

00:21:01.659 --> 00:21:02.779
 He's on the throne

00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:04.259
 Doesn't mean

00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:04.859
 That there's not

00:21:04.859 --> 00:21:05.399
 Going to be any

00:21:05.399 --> 00:21:06.899
 Difficulty in the world

00:21:06.899 --> 00:21:07.799
 In which they live

00:21:07.799 --> 00:21:09.519
 Because Jesus

00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:10.200
 Writes them

00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:11.000
 To show them

00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:12.000
 That although

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.879
 His kingdom

00:21:12.879 --> 00:21:14.539
 Has already come

00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:16.579
 It hasn't yet

00:21:16.579 --> 00:21:17.559
 Fully come

00:21:17.559 --> 00:21:19.319
 In all its fulfillment

00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:21.159
 Jesus is saying

00:21:21.159 --> 00:21:21.759
 I came

00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:22.279
 And I brought

00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:22.740
 My kingdom

00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:23.700
 It's already here

00:21:23.700 --> 00:21:25.860
 But I haven't yet come

00:21:25.860 --> 00:21:26.720
 When I come

00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:27.559
 A second time

00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:28.360
 It will be

00:21:28.360 --> 00:21:29.279
 Fully established

00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:30.319
 Jesus hasn't

00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:30.860
 Fully

00:21:30.860 --> 00:21:31.960
 Overthrown

00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:32.740
 All his enemies

00:21:32.740 --> 00:21:33.279
 Yet

00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:34.240
 Now that day is coming

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:35.200
 When he returns

00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:36.759
 But we live

00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:37.400
 As Christians

00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:38.960
 In this weird overlap

00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:39.900
 Of the already

00:21:39.900 --> 00:21:41.480
 And the not yet

00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:42.920
 His kingdom has come

00:21:42.920 --> 00:21:43.819
 But it hasn't yet

00:21:43.819 --> 00:21:44.720
 Fully come

00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:46.460
 And so we find ourselves

00:21:46.460 --> 00:21:46.920
 In this

00:21:46.920 --> 00:21:48.299
 Interesting stage

00:21:48.299 --> 00:21:49.240
 In redemptive history

00:21:49.240 --> 00:21:50.220
 Where Jesus

00:21:50.220 --> 00:21:51.100
 Is on the throne

00:21:51.100 --> 00:21:52.299
 But there's still

00:21:52.299 --> 00:21:53.680
 Difficulty and chaos

00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:54.779
 And trouble

00:21:54.779 --> 00:21:56.060
 In our world

00:21:56.060 --> 00:21:57.560
 Does that make sense?

00:21:58.560 --> 00:21:59.259
 And so now

00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:00.640
 The next ten chapters

00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:01.380
 Of Revelation

00:22:01.380 --> 00:22:02.700
 Jesus is writing

00:22:02.700 --> 00:22:04.000
 To show his church

00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:05.160
 And to give them hope

00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:06.180
 In the midst

00:22:06.180 --> 00:22:07.100
 Of this season

00:22:07.100 --> 00:22:08.480
 In which they find themselves

00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:09.900
 The midst of the already

00:22:09.900 --> 00:22:11.340
 And the not yet

00:22:11.340 --> 00:22:12.259
 Okay

00:22:12.259 --> 00:22:14.019
 And so let's go to

00:22:14.019 --> 00:22:15.380
 Revelation chapter 6

00:22:15.380 --> 00:22:16.920
 Verse 1

00:22:16.920 --> 00:22:18.700
 John looks

00:22:18.700 --> 00:22:20.259
 And this is what he says

00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:21.320
 Now I watched

00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:23.119
 And when the lamb

00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:24.159
 The lamb is Jesus

00:22:24.159 --> 00:22:24.759
 Okay

00:22:24.759 --> 00:22:26.639
 Jesus who died

00:22:26.639 --> 00:22:27.700
 And came alive again

00:22:27.700 --> 00:22:29.019
 When the lamb

00:22:29.019 --> 00:22:30.299
 Opened one of the seals

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:31.460
 I heard one of the

00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:32.519
 Four living creatures

00:22:32.519 --> 00:22:33.779
 Saying with a loud

00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:34.859
 Voice like thunder

00:22:34.859 --> 00:22:35.299
 Come

00:22:35.299 --> 00:22:36.720
 And I looked

00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:37.179
 And behold

00:22:37.179 --> 00:22:38.039
 A white horse

00:22:38.039 --> 00:22:39.779
 Its rider had a bow

00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:41.200
 And a crown was given to him

00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:42.059
 And he came out

00:22:42.059 --> 00:22:42.700
 Conquering

00:22:42.700 --> 00:22:44.159
 And to conquest

00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:45.759
 And John looks

00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:46.320
 And he sees

00:22:46.320 --> 00:22:47.900
 These four horses

00:22:47.900 --> 00:22:48.180
 Okay

00:22:48.180 --> 00:22:49.259
 He sees again

00:22:49.259 --> 00:22:50.060
 Another Jesus

00:22:50.060 --> 00:22:51.100
 Opening the seal

00:22:51.100 --> 00:22:52.220
 And there's another

00:22:52.220 --> 00:22:52.880
 Horse comes

00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:53.580
 A red horse

00:22:53.580 --> 00:22:54.320
 Which is symbolism

00:22:54.320 --> 00:22:55.519
 Of blood

00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:56.740
 And war

00:22:56.740 --> 00:22:58.779
 And armies

00:22:58.779 --> 00:22:59.519
 And conquest

00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:01.180
 He sees another

00:23:01.180 --> 00:23:02.820
 There's another seal

00:23:02.820 --> 00:23:03.259
 Is opened

00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:04.060
 And another horse

00:23:04.060 --> 00:23:04.340
 Comes

00:23:04.340 --> 00:23:05.220
 It's a black horse

00:23:05.220 --> 00:23:06.300
 It's a picture of famine

00:23:06.300 --> 00:23:07.700
 And economic injustice

00:23:07.700 --> 00:23:08.500
 And inequality

00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:09.840
 Interesting look here

00:23:09.840 --> 00:23:10.480
 There's a voice

00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:11.820
 In verse 6

00:23:11.820 --> 00:23:12.279
 It says

00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:14.180
 A quarter of wheat

00:23:14.180 --> 00:23:14.940
 For a denarius

00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:16.139
 Three quarters of barley

00:23:16.139 --> 00:23:16.899
 For a denarius

00:23:16.899 --> 00:23:17.940
 But do not touch

00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:19.039
 The oil and the wine

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:19.500
 Do you know

00:23:19.500 --> 00:23:20.180
 What's going on there

00:23:20.180 --> 00:23:22.899
 When war comes

00:23:22.899 --> 00:23:24.000
 What happens

00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:24.940
 There's famine

00:23:24.940 --> 00:23:25.319
 Right

00:23:25.319 --> 00:23:26.279
 And so

00:23:26.279 --> 00:23:28.359
 The price of staple foods

00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:29.299
 Goes through the roof

00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:31.519
 And so the two staple foods here

00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:32.579
 Wheat and barley

00:23:32.579 --> 00:23:33.720
 The price has just

00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:35.379
 Exponentially gone through the roof

00:23:35.379 --> 00:23:37.440
 It's like 15 or 20 fold

00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:38.539
 What it normally is

00:23:38.539 --> 00:23:40.279
 And so the people

00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:42.259
 The staple foods

00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:43.700
 The prices have just

00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:44.440
 Gone through the roof

00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:46.039
 But someone says

00:23:46.039 --> 00:23:47.279
 Don't touch the price

00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:48.519
 Of the oil and the wine

00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:49.440
 Why not

00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:51.019
 The oil and the wine

00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:51.720
 Are commodities

00:23:51.720 --> 00:23:52.720
 That the upper class

00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:53.759
 The aristocrats

00:23:53.759 --> 00:23:54.359
 Get

00:23:54.359 --> 00:23:55.660
 And so the price

00:23:55.660 --> 00:23:56.359
 Of that the poor

00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:57.079
 And the marginalized

00:23:57.079 --> 00:23:57.839
 Have to eat

00:23:57.839 --> 00:23:58.799
 The staple foods

00:23:58.799 --> 00:23:59.660
 Has gone through the roof

00:23:59.660 --> 00:24:00.619
 But somehow

00:24:00.619 --> 00:24:01.859
 Those that are in power

00:24:01.859 --> 00:24:02.519
 And control

00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:04.359
 Are controlling the prices

00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:05.639
 Of the high end

00:24:05.639 --> 00:24:06.339
 The caviar

00:24:06.339 --> 00:24:07.119
 And the champagne

00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:08.940
 So that their income

00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:09.619
 Isn't affected

00:24:09.619 --> 00:24:11.579
 But the income

00:24:11.579 --> 00:24:12.119
 Of the poor

00:24:12.119 --> 00:24:12.759
 And the marginalized

00:24:12.759 --> 00:24:13.459
 Is affected

00:24:13.459 --> 00:24:14.619
 It's a picture

00:24:14.619 --> 00:24:15.739
 Of inequality

00:24:15.739 --> 00:24:16.959
 And injustice

00:24:16.959 --> 00:24:18.099
 And then a fourth horse

00:24:18.099 --> 00:24:18.439
 Comes

00:24:18.439 --> 00:24:20.639
 And it's a pale horse

00:24:20.639 --> 00:24:21.159
 And it's a picture

00:24:21.159 --> 00:24:21.579
 Of death

00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:22.219
 And disease

00:24:22.219 --> 00:24:23.559
 And destruction

00:24:23.559 --> 00:24:24.879
 Now straight away

00:24:24.879 --> 00:24:25.819
 When we read this

00:24:25.819 --> 00:24:26.519
 One of the things

00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:27.659
 That should impact us

00:24:27.659 --> 00:24:29.119
 Is who is the one

00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:30.179
 That's bringing this about

00:24:30.179 --> 00:24:30.819
 Who is the one

00:24:30.819 --> 00:24:32.179
 That's allowing this to happen

00:24:32.179 --> 00:24:34.039
 It's Jesus

00:24:34.039 --> 00:24:34.379
 Right

00:24:34.379 --> 00:24:35.759
 Jesus is the one

00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:36.759
 That's opening the seals

00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:38.079
 And it's one of the creatures

00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:38.940
 Around his throne

00:24:38.940 --> 00:24:40.460
 That is calling this forth

00:24:40.460 --> 00:24:42.359
 What on earth

00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:43.400
 Is happening

00:24:43.400 --> 00:24:45.079
 Why is it that God

00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:46.160
 Allows this to happen

00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:47.879
 Isn't God's job

00:24:47.879 --> 00:24:48.920
 Just to keep peace

00:24:48.920 --> 00:24:49.359
 On earth

00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:50.279
 And to rid the world

00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:50.819
 Of problems

00:24:50.819 --> 00:24:51.900
 Isn't God

00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:53.160
 The big guy in the sky

00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:53.839
 And his job

00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:54.400
 Is to make sure

00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:55.299
 There's no difficulty

00:24:55.299 --> 00:24:55.920
 In the world

00:24:55.920 --> 00:24:56.359
 And just

00:24:56.359 --> 00:24:57.940
 Everything is happy

00:24:57.940 --> 00:24:59.599
 And fine

00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:01.180
 Well friends

00:25:01.180 --> 00:25:02.859
 That understanding

00:25:02.859 --> 00:25:03.900
 Of God

00:25:03.900 --> 00:25:06.019
 Is a very simplistic

00:25:06.019 --> 00:25:07.600
 Or shallow reading

00:25:07.600 --> 00:25:08.820
 Of the scriptures

00:25:08.820 --> 00:25:11.320
 God is working

00:25:11.320 --> 00:25:12.380
 All things

00:25:12.380 --> 00:25:13.720
 Not just simply

00:25:13.720 --> 00:25:14.600
 To bring peace

00:25:14.600 --> 00:25:15.140
 And comfort

00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:15.759
 And happiness

00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:16.320
 In the world

00:25:16.320 --> 00:25:17.519
 God is working

00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:18.220
 All things

00:25:18.220 --> 00:25:19.320
 For his purposes

00:25:19.320 --> 00:25:20.519
 And his purpose

00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:21.380
 Is not simply

00:25:21.380 --> 00:25:22.240
 World peace

00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:23.519
 Or my happiness

00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:24.440
 Or your convenience

00:25:24.440 --> 00:25:25.700
 His purpose

00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:26.600
 Is establishing

00:25:26.600 --> 00:25:27.340
 His kingdom

00:25:27.340 --> 00:25:29.000
 And putting his glory

00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:29.720
 On display

00:25:29.720 --> 00:25:31.140
 And that's why

00:25:31.140 --> 00:25:31.840
 It's confusing

00:25:31.840 --> 00:25:32.620
 And as challenging

00:25:32.620 --> 00:25:33.380
 As it may be

00:25:33.380 --> 00:25:34.560
 Part of the reason

00:25:34.560 --> 00:25:35.360
 Why we're in this

00:25:35.360 --> 00:25:36.700
 Already and not yet

00:25:36.700 --> 00:25:37.680
 Stage in the history

00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:38.200
 Of the world

00:25:38.200 --> 00:25:39.900
 Is God is strategically

00:25:39.900 --> 00:25:41.420
 Working all things

00:25:41.420 --> 00:25:42.960
 To bring his purposes

00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:44.180
 To pass

00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:45.800
 Not simply our comfort

00:25:45.800 --> 00:25:46.680
 And our convenience

00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:48.020
 Remember at the end

00:25:48.020 --> 00:25:48.860
 Of Jesus' life

00:25:48.860 --> 00:25:50.260
 He's about to go to heaven

00:25:50.260 --> 00:25:51.060
 And his disciples

00:25:51.060 --> 00:25:51.680
 Say to him

00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:53.040
 Jesus are you going

00:25:53.040 --> 00:25:54.040
 To now restore

00:25:54.040 --> 00:25:55.340
 The kingdom to Israel

00:25:55.340 --> 00:25:56.480
 You've died

00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:57.360
 And you've risen again

00:25:57.360 --> 00:25:58.280
 Now's a good time

00:25:58.280 --> 00:25:59.780
 To vanquish your enemies

00:25:59.780 --> 00:26:01.240
 And to restore all things

00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:03.280
 And Jesus' answer

00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:03.680
 Is

00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:06.059
 It is not for you

00:26:06.059 --> 00:26:06.980
 To know the times

00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:07.639
 And the season

00:26:07.639 --> 00:26:08.639
 That my father

00:26:08.639 --> 00:26:09.759
 Has fixed by his own

00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:10.259
 Authority

00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:11.799
 Jesus is saying

00:26:11.799 --> 00:26:12.940
 That until he returns

00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:13.720
 We are still living

00:26:13.720 --> 00:26:15.139
 In this ambiguous season

00:26:15.139 --> 00:26:15.740
 When his kingdom

00:26:15.740 --> 00:26:16.319
 Has come

00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:17.819
 But it hasn't fully come

00:26:17.819 --> 00:26:19.019
 And when he rules

00:26:19.019 --> 00:26:20.379
 But he doesn't fully rule

00:26:20.379 --> 00:26:21.319
 As he one day will

00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:22.700
 Remember how Jesus

00:26:22.700 --> 00:26:23.480
 Said this just

00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:24.339
 To his disciples

00:26:24.339 --> 00:26:25.259
 Before he went

00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:25.819
 To the cross

00:26:25.819 --> 00:26:26.220
 He said

00:26:26.220 --> 00:26:27.160
 You will hear

00:26:27.160 --> 00:26:28.339
 Rumors of wars

00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:29.299
 And wars coming

00:26:29.299 --> 00:26:30.519
 See that you are

00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:31.220
 Not alarmed

00:26:31.220 --> 00:26:32.399
 This must take place

00:26:32.399 --> 00:26:33.460
 But the end

00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:34.480
 Has not yet come

00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:36.000
 Nation will rise

00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:36.899
 Up against nation

00:26:36.899 --> 00:26:38.139
 Kingdom will rise

00:26:38.139 --> 00:26:39.059
 Up against kingdom

00:26:39.059 --> 00:26:40.460
 There will be famines

00:26:40.460 --> 00:26:41.359
 There will be earthquakes

00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:42.399
 There will be destruction

00:26:42.399 --> 00:26:43.460
 In various places

00:26:43.460 --> 00:26:44.980
 All these things

00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:45.900
 Are just the beginning

00:26:45.900 --> 00:26:47.640
 Of the birth pains

00:26:47.640 --> 00:26:49.279
 And this is exactly

00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:50.059
 What John sees

00:26:50.059 --> 00:26:51.340
 In chapter 6

00:26:51.340 --> 00:26:52.680
 Jesus is telling

00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:53.840
 The church in Asia Minor

00:26:53.840 --> 00:26:54.380
 What he taught

00:26:54.380 --> 00:26:55.019
 His disciples

00:26:55.019 --> 00:26:56.120
 In this world

00:26:56.120 --> 00:26:57.059
 You will have trouble

00:26:57.059 --> 00:26:58.319
 In this world

00:26:58.319 --> 00:26:59.420
 There will be difficulty

00:26:59.420 --> 00:27:00.900
 He has not yet

00:27:00.900 --> 00:27:01.880
 Utterly removed

00:27:01.880 --> 00:27:02.819
 Wickedness and evil

00:27:02.819 --> 00:27:04.340
 But says Jesus

00:27:04.340 --> 00:27:05.700
 Do not fear

00:27:05.700 --> 00:27:06.799
 This world

00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:07.779
 Is not your home

00:27:07.779 --> 00:27:09.019
 In verse 13

00:27:09.019 --> 00:27:09.460
 He says

00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:10.799
 The one who endures

00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:11.639
 To the end

00:27:11.639 --> 00:27:12.940
 Will be saved

00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:14.720
 And that's exactly

00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:15.539
 What Jesus says

00:27:15.539 --> 00:27:16.579
 To the seven churches

00:27:16.579 --> 00:27:18.099
 He's calling them

00:27:18.099 --> 00:27:18.899
 And he's calling us

00:27:18.899 --> 00:27:20.000
 To neither compromise

00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:21.240
 By finding our hope

00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:21.899
 In the systems

00:27:21.899 --> 00:27:22.660
 Of this world

00:27:22.660 --> 00:27:24.399
 Nor to cower away

00:27:24.399 --> 00:27:25.000
 In fear

00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:26.099
 Thinking that all

00:27:26.099 --> 00:27:26.579
 Is lost

00:27:26.579 --> 00:27:28.200
 But to keep our eyes

00:27:28.200 --> 00:27:29.039
 Fixed on him

00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:30.700
 Who is on the throne

00:27:30.700 --> 00:27:32.379
 In this world

00:27:32.379 --> 00:27:33.220
 You will have trouble

00:27:33.220 --> 00:27:33.839
 Says Jesus

00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:34.740
 But take heart

00:27:34.740 --> 00:27:35.639
 I have overcome

00:27:35.639 --> 00:27:36.259
 The world

00:27:36.259 --> 00:27:37.399
 Your life

00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:37.980
 Is found

00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:39.040
 In me

00:27:39.040 --> 00:27:40.120
 Okay

00:27:40.120 --> 00:27:41.160
 So that's the first

00:27:41.160 --> 00:27:42.600
 Four of these seals

00:27:42.600 --> 00:27:45.600
 John looks again

00:27:45.600 --> 00:27:46.160
 And he sees

00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:46.980
 A fifth seal

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:48.100
 Broken open

00:27:48.100 --> 00:27:49.759
 And look at what happens

00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:51.580
 John sees

00:27:51.580 --> 00:27:52.140
 What he says

00:27:52.140 --> 00:27:52.960
 Of the souls

00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:53.780
 In verse 9

00:27:53.780 --> 00:27:55.019
 Of those that have

00:27:55.019 --> 00:27:55.840
 Been killed

00:27:55.840 --> 00:27:57.220
 They are martyrs

00:27:57.220 --> 00:27:57.980
 Because they've held

00:27:57.980 --> 00:27:59.040
 On to the word of God

00:27:59.040 --> 00:28:00.100
 And the testimony

00:28:00.100 --> 00:28:01.060
 That Jesus is

00:28:01.060 --> 00:28:01.860
 Who he said he is

00:28:01.860 --> 00:28:03.280
 Which tells us

00:28:03.280 --> 00:28:03.860
 That Christians

00:28:03.860 --> 00:28:04.640
 Are not immune

00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:05.860
 From the wickedness

00:28:05.860 --> 00:28:06.620
 And the

00:28:06.619 --> 00:28:07.759
 Destruction

00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:08.819
 In our world

00:28:08.819 --> 00:28:11.679
 Jesus tells us

00:28:11.679 --> 00:28:12.939
 That standing for righteousness

00:28:12.939 --> 00:28:13.799
 For truth

00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:14.959
 For justice

00:28:14.959 --> 00:28:16.879
 It may invite wickedness

00:28:16.879 --> 00:28:17.779
 To come your way

00:28:17.779 --> 00:28:19.619
 And that's the whole challenge

00:28:19.619 --> 00:28:20.539
 That these seven churches

00:28:20.539 --> 00:28:21.379
 Kept on facing

00:28:21.379 --> 00:28:23.259
 This was the constant challenge

00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:25.219
 Will they avoid difficulty

00:28:25.219 --> 00:28:26.639
 Will they avoid suffering

00:28:26.639 --> 00:28:28.079
 By just assimilating

00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:28.819
 Into the culture

00:28:28.819 --> 00:28:30.699
 By trusting in Rome

00:28:30.699 --> 00:28:32.159
 By becoming just like

00:28:32.159 --> 00:28:33.439
 The citizens of its city

00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:34.700
 Will they assimilate

00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.120
 Into it

00:28:35.120 --> 00:28:36.299
 And avoid difficulty

00:28:36.299 --> 00:28:37.240
 Or

00:28:37.240 --> 00:28:38.519
 Will they cower away

00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:39.039
 And hide

00:28:39.039 --> 00:28:40.360
 And try and preserve

00:28:40.360 --> 00:28:41.039
 Their lives

00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:43.320
 And Jesus says

00:28:43.320 --> 00:28:45.259
 That by declaring

00:28:45.259 --> 00:28:46.600
 That Jesus is Lord

00:28:46.600 --> 00:28:47.400
 Not the mission

00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:48.160
 Not Rome

00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:49.000
 Not the emperor

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:50.420
 That Jesus Lord

00:28:50.420 --> 00:28:51.680
 Will invite difficulty

00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:52.440
 Into your life

00:28:52.440 --> 00:28:53.600
 It will cost you something

00:28:53.600 --> 00:28:55.039
 That to be faithful

00:28:55.039 --> 00:28:56.220
 Even to death

00:28:56.220 --> 00:28:57.100
 Will

00:28:57.100 --> 00:28:58.480
 Jesus says

00:28:58.480 --> 00:28:59.440
 Will you be faithful

00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:00.640
 Or will you shrink back

00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:01.860
 And preserve yourself

00:29:01.860 --> 00:29:03.180
 Friends

00:29:03.180 --> 00:29:04.020
 Is it any different

00:29:04.020 --> 00:29:04.780
 In our age

00:29:04.780 --> 00:29:06.240
 Of course not

00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:07.780
 Jesus asks us

00:29:07.780 --> 00:29:08.980
 The same question today

00:29:08.980 --> 00:29:10.320
 Will we assimilate

00:29:10.320 --> 00:29:11.060
 Into our culture

00:29:11.060 --> 00:29:12.020
 And become just like

00:29:12.020 --> 00:29:13.140
 The citizens of our city

00:29:13.140 --> 00:29:14.400
 And avoid persecution

00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:16.000
 Or will we shrink back

00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:17.080
 And quieten our voice

00:29:17.080 --> 00:29:18.840
 Or will we stick to the truth

00:29:18.840 --> 00:29:19.940
 That Christ is Lord

00:29:19.940 --> 00:29:21.460
 And stand for him

00:29:21.460 --> 00:29:22.120
 Even though

00:29:22.120 --> 00:29:23.300
 It may cost us

00:29:23.300 --> 00:29:24.340
 Dearly

00:29:24.340 --> 00:29:25.880
 Look at verse 10

00:29:25.880 --> 00:29:27.100
 They say here

00:29:27.100 --> 00:29:28.340
 Oh sovereign Lord

00:29:28.340 --> 00:29:29.200
 Holy and true

00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:31.559
 How long before you will judge

00:29:31.559 --> 00:29:33.180
 How long will you avenge our blood

00:29:33.180 --> 00:29:34.640
 Of those who dwell on the earth

00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:35.620
 In other words

00:29:35.620 --> 00:29:37.680
 Jesus how long must we wait

00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:39.160
 Until you bring justice

00:29:39.160 --> 00:29:40.980
 Until you crush your enemies

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:42.400
 Until you establish justice

00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:42.940
 On the earth

00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:45.519
 How long until you hold wickedness

00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:46.160
 To account

00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:47.799
 How long oh Lord

00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:48.700
 Must we wait

00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:50.500
 You see what's happening

00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:51.500
 To the Christians here

00:29:51.500 --> 00:29:53.519
 Is that justice has been denied

00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:54.420
 To them on earth

00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:56.720
 They know that in the courts of heaven

00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:58.440
 The only courts that really count

00:29:58.440 --> 00:30:00.200
 That in the end of the day

00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:01.480
 Justice will come

00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:04.140
 The injustice that they experience on earth

00:30:04.140 --> 00:30:05.259
 For standing for truth

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:06.880
 Will be overturned

00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:08.500
 And justice will be done

00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:10.340
 And are they defeated?

00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:12.100
 Yes on earth they're defeated

00:30:12.100 --> 00:30:13.559
 Their lives are taken from there

00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:14.600
 But in heaven

00:30:14.600 --> 00:30:15.580
 They are given the victory

00:30:15.580 --> 00:30:16.580
 Look at verse 11

00:30:16.580 --> 00:30:18.559
 They are given white robes

00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:19.600
 A symbol of victory

00:30:19.600 --> 00:30:20.519
 And vindication

00:30:20.519 --> 00:30:21.180
 And life

00:30:21.180 --> 00:30:22.680
 Because what appears

00:30:22.680 --> 00:30:23.380
 Like their lives

00:30:23.380 --> 00:30:24.400
 Have been cut short

00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:25.180
 And wasted

00:30:25.180 --> 00:30:26.400
 Is actually

00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:27.420
 Their victory

00:30:27.420 --> 00:30:30.840
 And so what is God's answer

00:30:30.840 --> 00:30:31.620
 To their question

00:30:31.620 --> 00:30:32.300
 How long?

00:30:33.180 --> 00:30:33.860
 They are told

00:30:33.860 --> 00:30:35.660
 To wait a little longer

00:30:35.660 --> 00:30:37.039
 Until the number

00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:38.360
 Of their fellow servants

00:30:38.360 --> 00:30:39.180
 And their brothers

00:30:39.180 --> 00:30:40.259
 Should be complete

00:30:40.259 --> 00:30:41.779
 Now that doesn't mean

00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:42.940
 That Jesus in heaven

00:30:42.940 --> 00:30:44.500
 Has this KPI

00:30:44.500 --> 00:30:46.120
 Of how many martyrs

00:30:46.120 --> 00:30:46.980
 He needs to reach

00:30:46.980 --> 00:30:47.240
 Right?

00:30:47.320 --> 00:30:48.759
 Until the end of the age

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:50.300
 Jesus doesn't have a target

00:30:50.300 --> 00:30:51.259
 That he's waiting for

00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:51.600
 And saying

00:30:51.600 --> 00:30:52.840
 The number hasn't got there

00:30:52.840 --> 00:30:54.759
 What Jesus is saying is this

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:56.140
 My purposes

00:30:56.140 --> 00:30:57.319
 And my plans

00:30:57.319 --> 00:30:59.200
 Are still rolling forward

00:30:59.200 --> 00:31:01.079
 And they will not be delayed

00:31:01.079 --> 00:31:03.039
 But they will not be brought forward

00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:05.279
 I will accomplish my purposes

00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:06.539
 In my time

00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:08.119
 And in my plan

00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:09.920
 There is still more room

00:31:09.920 --> 00:31:11.019
 For martyrs

00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:12.579
 To lose their life

00:31:12.579 --> 00:31:15.299
 That happened in first century Rome

00:31:15.299 --> 00:31:16.420
 And friends

00:31:16.420 --> 00:31:17.319
 It's still happening

00:31:17.319 --> 00:31:18.500
 Today

00:31:18.500 --> 00:31:20.740
 The time has not yet come

00:31:20.740 --> 00:31:22.960
 Now that may seem

00:31:22.960 --> 00:31:24.019
 Like such a waste

00:31:24.019 --> 00:31:25.620
 These men

00:31:25.620 --> 00:31:26.240
 These women

00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:27.620
 Losing their lives

00:31:27.620 --> 00:31:28.319
 For the gospel

00:31:28.319 --> 00:31:29.740
 But John says

00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:30.920
 Their lives are not wasted

00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:32.839
 Because what may appear

00:31:32.839 --> 00:31:34.960
 Like their lives

00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:36.400
 Have simply been taken from them

00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:37.980
 Like in some senseless murder

00:31:37.980 --> 00:31:39.440
 That's actually not the case

00:31:39.440 --> 00:31:40.220
 Look

00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:41.960
 Where does John see these lives?

00:31:42.059 --> 00:31:43.160
 Where are they in heaven?

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.279
 Look at verse 9

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:45.380
 He says

00:31:45.380 --> 00:31:46.160
 They are standing

00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:47.759
 They are right by the altar

00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:49.180
 Which means their lives

00:31:49.180 --> 00:31:50.359
 Have been offered up to God

00:31:50.359 --> 00:31:52.459
 As an offering of sacrifice

00:31:52.459 --> 00:31:53.539
 They are an offering

00:31:53.539 --> 00:31:55.339
 There's something beautiful about it

00:31:55.339 --> 00:31:56.939
 John Piper

00:31:56.939 --> 00:31:58.379
 In one of his talks

00:31:58.379 --> 00:31:59.399
 Many years ago

00:31:59.399 --> 00:32:01.819
 He very famously told the story

00:32:01.819 --> 00:32:03.439
 It's a true story

00:32:03.439 --> 00:32:04.559
 He said

00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:05.479
 Two ladies

00:32:05.479 --> 00:32:06.859
 Single ladies

00:32:06.859 --> 00:32:08.059
 In their 70s

00:32:08.059 --> 00:32:09.539
 Foreign missionaries

00:32:09.539 --> 00:32:10.459
 In a foreign land

00:32:10.459 --> 00:32:11.979
 And one day

00:32:11.979 --> 00:32:13.159
 They're going about their business

00:32:13.159 --> 00:32:14.899
 And some catastrophe happens

00:32:14.899 --> 00:32:16.899
 And they both lose their life

00:32:16.899 --> 00:32:18.979
 They're driving their car

00:32:18.980 --> 00:32:20.099
 On this mountain ridge

00:32:20.099 --> 00:32:21.259
 To get to a village

00:32:21.259 --> 00:32:22.319
 To go and share the gospel

00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:24.200
 The brakes in their car fail

00:32:24.200 --> 00:32:25.319
 They go over the edge

00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:26.799
 And both of these ladies

00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:27.900
 In their 70s

00:32:27.900 --> 00:32:28.680
 Die

00:32:28.680 --> 00:32:30.960
 Is that a tragedy?

00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:32.240
 Asks John Piper

00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:33.960
 And the answer is

00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:35.700
 A resounding no

00:32:35.700 --> 00:32:38.059
 What a way to go to glory

00:32:38.059 --> 00:32:40.440
 What a way to spend your life

00:32:40.440 --> 00:32:42.900
 To offer up your life

00:32:42.900 --> 00:32:44.860
 For the cause of Christ

00:32:44.859 --> 00:32:47.079
 John Piper then says

00:32:47.079 --> 00:32:49.299
 Two people retire

00:32:49.299 --> 00:32:50.519
 At the age of 60

00:32:50.519 --> 00:32:51.759
 And they spend

00:32:51.759 --> 00:32:52.740
 The best decades

00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:53.359
 Of their life

00:32:53.359 --> 00:32:54.279
 Taking walks

00:32:54.279 --> 00:32:55.159
 On the seashore

00:32:55.159 --> 00:32:56.779
 And collecting seashells

00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:58.259
 Is that a tragedy?

00:32:58.919 --> 00:32:59.699
 And the answer

00:32:59.699 --> 00:33:01.799
 Is a resounding yes

00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:03.899
 What a way to spend

00:33:03.899 --> 00:33:05.619
 The finest last decades

00:33:05.619 --> 00:33:06.299
 Of your life

00:33:06.299 --> 00:33:07.379
 Taking walks

00:33:07.379 --> 00:33:08.159
 On the seashore

00:33:08.159 --> 00:33:09.819
 Collecting seashells

00:33:09.819 --> 00:33:10.679
 And drinking

00:33:10.679 --> 00:33:12.799
 Skinny cafe lattes

00:33:12.799 --> 00:33:14.339
 What better way

00:33:14.339 --> 00:33:15.419
 To spend your life

00:33:15.419 --> 00:33:16.659
 Than to pour it out

00:33:16.659 --> 00:33:17.919
 As an offering

00:33:17.919 --> 00:33:18.940
 To God

00:33:18.940 --> 00:33:20.720
 Here are these martyrs

00:33:20.720 --> 00:33:21.819
 That have been killed

00:33:21.819 --> 00:33:23.099
 For the cause of Christ

00:33:23.099 --> 00:33:24.720
 Their lives have been

00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:25.399
 Taken to them

00:33:25.399 --> 00:33:26.539
 And it's not a waste

00:33:26.539 --> 00:33:28.539
 For all eternity

00:33:28.539 --> 00:33:30.099
 Their lives will count

00:33:30.099 --> 00:33:31.659
 Because they've offered

00:33:31.659 --> 00:33:33.259
 Them up to God

00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:36.440
 I wasn't going to

00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:37.259
 Tell the story

00:33:37.259 --> 00:33:38.480
 But let me just

00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:39.159
 Tell the story

00:33:39.159 --> 00:33:40.919
 1555

00:33:40.920 --> 00:33:43.160
 Two men

00:33:43.160 --> 00:33:43.980
 Two bishops

00:33:43.980 --> 00:33:44.600
 In London

00:33:44.600 --> 00:33:45.920
 Are arrested

00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:47.000
 For preaching the gospel

00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:48.920
 A man called

00:33:48.920 --> 00:33:50.320
 Nicholas Ridley

00:33:50.320 --> 00:33:52.220
 And Bishop Latimer

00:33:52.220 --> 00:33:54.019
 And as they tied

00:33:54.019 --> 00:33:54.960
 To the stake

00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:55.500
 There are

00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:56.100
 Some hay

00:33:56.100 --> 00:33:56.900
 Is put around

00:33:56.900 --> 00:33:57.600
 Their feet

00:33:57.600 --> 00:33:59.100
 And they're about

00:33:59.100 --> 00:33:59.700
 To be lit

00:33:59.700 --> 00:34:01.340
 The hay bales

00:34:01.340 --> 00:34:01.740
 Are lit

00:34:01.740 --> 00:34:04.220
 And Bishop Latimer

00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:05.980
 Turns to the young man

00:34:05.980 --> 00:34:07.000
 Master Ridley

00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:08.480
 Nicholas Ridley

00:34:08.480 --> 00:34:09.300
 Is fearful

00:34:09.300 --> 00:34:10.340
 He's in his 40s

00:34:10.340 --> 00:34:11.080
 He's about to lose

00:34:11.080 --> 00:34:11.519
 His life

00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:13.420
 And Bishop Ridley

00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:14.200
 Says to him

00:34:14.200 --> 00:34:15.860
 Be of good cheer

00:34:15.860 --> 00:34:16.740
 Master Ridley

00:34:16.740 --> 00:34:18.100
 Play the man

00:34:18.100 --> 00:34:19.700
 This very day

00:34:19.700 --> 00:34:20.580
 We shall light

00:34:20.580 --> 00:34:21.280
 A candle

00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:22.200
 In England

00:34:22.200 --> 00:34:23.260
 As I hope

00:34:23.260 --> 00:34:24.240
 By God's grace

00:34:24.240 --> 00:34:25.360
 Shall never

00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:26.720
 Be put out

00:34:26.720 --> 00:34:28.080
 Friends

00:34:28.080 --> 00:34:28.900
 What kind of man

00:34:28.900 --> 00:34:29.720
 As the flames

00:34:29.720 --> 00:34:30.620
 Are starting to

00:34:30.620 --> 00:34:32.300
 End his life

00:34:32.300 --> 00:34:33.300
 And burn his legs

00:34:33.300 --> 00:34:33.720
 Can say

00:34:33.720 --> 00:34:34.760
 Be of good cheer

00:34:34.760 --> 00:34:36.120
 It's somebody

00:34:36.120 --> 00:34:36.780
 Who knows

00:34:36.780 --> 00:34:37.300
 That he's not

00:34:37.300 --> 00:34:38.280
 Wasting his life

00:34:38.280 --> 00:34:39.200
 As he lays it down

00:34:39.200 --> 00:34:39.780
 For the cause

00:34:39.780 --> 00:34:40.320
 Of Christ

00:34:40.320 --> 00:34:43.860
 That brings us

00:34:43.860 --> 00:34:44.760
 To the sixth seal

00:34:44.760 --> 00:34:47.480
 In this one chapter

00:34:47.480 --> 00:34:48.300
 On the one hand

00:34:48.300 --> 00:34:48.780
 We're told

00:34:48.780 --> 00:34:49.460
 That we are living

00:34:49.460 --> 00:34:50.260
 The already

00:34:50.260 --> 00:34:51.060
 And the not yet

00:34:51.060 --> 00:34:51.740
 We're being told

00:34:51.740 --> 00:34:52.200
 That there will

00:34:52.200 --> 00:34:53.820
 Still be more martyrs

00:34:53.820 --> 00:34:54.380
 The time

00:34:54.380 --> 00:34:55.460
 But we're also told

00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:56.060
 That the time

00:34:56.060 --> 00:34:57.040
 Of Christ's judgment

00:34:57.040 --> 00:34:58.460
 Has not yet fully come

00:34:58.460 --> 00:35:00.140
 But on the other hand

00:35:00.140 --> 00:35:01.040
 We're now shown

00:35:01.040 --> 00:35:02.140
 That those who do

00:35:02.140 --> 00:35:02.920
 Spend their lives

00:35:02.920 --> 00:35:03.500
 For Christ

00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:04.860
 That those who

00:35:04.860 --> 00:35:06.039
 Experience the injustice

00:35:06.039 --> 00:35:06.699
 Of this world

00:35:06.699 --> 00:35:07.340
 That those who

00:35:07.340 --> 00:35:08.539
 Don't fight back

00:35:08.539 --> 00:35:09.679
 And try and preserve

00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:10.219
 Their lives

00:35:10.219 --> 00:35:11.699
 But offer it to God

00:35:11.699 --> 00:35:12.400
 In the face of

00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:13.400
 Wickedness and oppression

00:35:13.400 --> 00:35:15.000
 And who offer up

00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:16.099
 Their lives as an offering

00:35:16.099 --> 00:35:17.880
 Justice is coming

00:35:17.880 --> 00:35:19.400
 And the reason is

00:35:19.400 --> 00:35:20.380
 Because God's

00:35:20.380 --> 00:35:21.820
 Final judgment day

00:35:21.820 --> 00:35:22.500
 Is coming

00:35:22.500 --> 00:35:23.219
 And that's what

00:35:23.219 --> 00:35:23.900
 The sixth seal

00:35:23.900 --> 00:35:24.519
 Is all about

00:35:24.519 --> 00:35:25.400
 Let's look at it

00:35:25.400 --> 00:35:26.099
 Together

00:35:26.099 --> 00:35:27.440
 Look at

00:35:27.440 --> 00:35:29.599
 Verse 13

00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:30.079
 With me

00:35:30.079 --> 00:35:31.360
 There's this strange

00:35:31.360 --> 00:35:32.300
 Language of

00:35:32.300 --> 00:35:33.159
 The son

00:35:33.159 --> 00:35:36.639
 The moon

00:35:36.639 --> 00:35:37.659
 Becoming like blood

00:35:37.659 --> 00:35:38.319
 The stars

00:35:38.319 --> 00:35:39.420
 Falling from the sky

00:35:39.420 --> 00:35:40.359
 And the sun

00:35:40.359 --> 00:35:41.559
 Turning black

00:35:41.559 --> 00:35:42.500
 Now

00:35:42.500 --> 00:35:43.480
 That refers to

00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:44.039
 Two things

00:35:44.039 --> 00:35:44.879
 On the one hand

00:35:44.879 --> 00:35:46.099
 It refers to

00:35:46.099 --> 00:35:46.759
 The false gods

00:35:46.759 --> 00:35:47.339
 And the idols

00:35:47.339 --> 00:35:47.879
 That were being

00:35:47.879 --> 00:35:48.559
 Worshipped in the

00:35:48.559 --> 00:35:49.319
 Ancient world

00:35:49.319 --> 00:35:50.779
 In the ancient world

00:35:50.779 --> 00:35:51.980
 What were the

00:35:51.980 --> 00:35:53.619
 Gods of creation

00:35:53.619 --> 00:35:54.599
 That loved to be

00:35:54.599 --> 00:35:55.000
 Worshipped

00:35:55.000 --> 00:35:56.019
 It was the sun

00:35:56.019 --> 00:35:56.399
 The moon

00:35:56.399 --> 00:35:57.059
 And the stars

00:35:57.059 --> 00:35:57.420
 Right

00:35:57.420 --> 00:35:58.980
 Jesus says

00:35:58.980 --> 00:36:00.279
 In the final account

00:36:00.279 --> 00:36:01.379
 At the end of the ages

00:36:01.380 --> 00:36:02.300
 What's going to happen

00:36:02.300 --> 00:36:03.079
 To those things

00:36:03.079 --> 00:36:03.740
 That the ancients

00:36:03.740 --> 00:36:04.559
 Loved to worship

00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:05.599
 They're going to

00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:06.900
 Be swept aside

00:36:06.900 --> 00:36:08.800
 And so will those

00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:09.740
 Who trust in them

00:36:09.740 --> 00:36:11.079
 They will be exposed

00:36:11.079 --> 00:36:11.820
 Nothing left

00:36:11.820 --> 00:36:12.720
 To show for it

00:36:12.720 --> 00:36:13.980
 Tim Chester makes

00:36:13.980 --> 00:36:14.960
 The point where he says

00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:16.320
 Today the sun

00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:17.140
 Moon and stars

00:36:17.140 --> 00:36:18.019
 Have been replaced

00:36:18.019 --> 00:36:18.660
 By money

00:36:18.660 --> 00:36:20.280
 Sex and power

00:36:20.280 --> 00:36:21.920
 In humanity's list

00:36:21.920 --> 00:36:23.099
 Of favored deities

00:36:23.099 --> 00:36:24.220
 But one day

00:36:24.220 --> 00:36:24.860
 These two

00:36:24.860 --> 00:36:26.099
 Will be swept aside

00:36:26.099 --> 00:36:27.160
 And friends

00:36:27.160 --> 00:36:28.380
 All those who trust

00:36:28.380 --> 00:36:28.700
 In them

00:36:28.700 --> 00:36:29.720
 Will be exposed

00:36:29.719 --> 00:36:31.659
 But the other thing

00:36:31.659 --> 00:36:32.699
 That this refers to

00:36:32.699 --> 00:36:33.239
 Is that in the

00:36:33.239 --> 00:36:33.779
 Old Testament

00:36:33.779 --> 00:36:35.019
 This graphic language

00:36:35.019 --> 00:36:35.639
 Of the sun

00:36:35.639 --> 00:36:36.119
 And the moon

00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:36.739
 And the stars

00:36:36.739 --> 00:36:37.399
 Falling

00:36:37.399 --> 00:36:39.059
 Was symbolic

00:36:39.059 --> 00:36:40.480
 Of empires

00:36:40.480 --> 00:36:41.139
 And kingdoms

00:36:41.139 --> 00:36:42.239
 Being brought to an end

00:36:42.239 --> 00:36:43.239
 And especially

00:36:43.239 --> 00:36:44.339
 God bringing

00:36:44.339 --> 00:36:45.079
 These empires

00:36:45.079 --> 00:36:45.719
 And these kingdoms

00:36:45.719 --> 00:36:46.379
 To an end

00:36:46.379 --> 00:36:47.559
 And Jesus

00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:48.419
 Is showing John

00:36:48.419 --> 00:36:49.579
 Yes it looks like

00:36:49.579 --> 00:36:50.579
 Rome is all powerful

00:36:50.579 --> 00:36:51.919
 Yes it looks like

00:36:51.919 --> 00:36:52.719
 Martyrs are never

00:36:52.719 --> 00:36:53.619
 Going to be vindicated

00:36:53.619 --> 00:36:54.799
 Yes it looks like

00:36:54.799 --> 00:36:55.459
 The church is

00:36:55.459 --> 00:36:56.199
 Insignificant

00:36:56.199 --> 00:36:56.839
 And poor

00:36:56.839 --> 00:36:57.899
 And powerless

00:36:57.899 --> 00:36:58.879
 Against the machine

00:36:58.880 --> 00:36:59.800
 Of the Roman Empire

00:36:59.800 --> 00:37:01.079
 But just wait

00:37:01.079 --> 00:37:02.220
 That's not how

00:37:02.220 --> 00:37:03.079
 The story ends

00:37:03.079 --> 00:37:04.059
 Ultimately

00:37:04.059 --> 00:37:05.099
 No kingdom

00:37:05.099 --> 00:37:06.220
 No dynasty

00:37:06.220 --> 00:37:07.300
 No empire

00:37:07.300 --> 00:37:08.260
 Will last forever

00:37:08.260 --> 00:37:09.700
 There is coming a day

00:37:09.700 --> 00:37:11.059
 Where every empire

00:37:11.059 --> 00:37:11.920
 Will be brought

00:37:11.920 --> 00:37:13.200
 To its knees

00:37:13.200 --> 00:37:14.660
 And so what happens

00:37:14.660 --> 00:37:15.140
 In the end

00:37:15.140 --> 00:37:16.160
 When Christ

00:37:16.160 --> 00:37:17.500
 Establishes his kingdom

00:37:17.500 --> 00:37:19.059
 All those who look

00:37:19.059 --> 00:37:19.960
 Invincible

00:37:19.960 --> 00:37:21.500
 Kings and premiers

00:37:21.500 --> 00:37:22.460
 And emperors

00:37:22.460 --> 00:37:23.559
 And governors

00:37:23.559 --> 00:37:24.920
 And military leaders

00:37:24.920 --> 00:37:25.760
 All the way down

00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:26.460
 To slaves

00:37:26.460 --> 00:37:27.380
 And former slaves

00:37:27.380 --> 00:37:28.700
 All people

00:37:28.700 --> 00:37:29.740
 Everywhere

00:37:29.740 --> 00:37:32.300
 Will cower

00:37:32.300 --> 00:37:33.099
 And flee

00:37:33.099 --> 00:37:33.619
 In terror

00:37:33.619 --> 00:37:35.059
 Before the awesomeness

00:37:35.059 --> 00:37:36.400
 And the majesty

00:37:36.400 --> 00:37:37.680
 And the glory

00:37:37.680 --> 00:37:38.539
 That is God

00:37:38.539 --> 00:37:40.500
 Look at verse

00:37:40.500 --> 00:37:41.880
 15

00:37:41.880 --> 00:37:43.480
 Then the kings

00:37:43.480 --> 00:37:44.059
 Of the earth

00:37:44.059 --> 00:37:45.019
 And the great ones

00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:45.780
 The generals

00:37:45.780 --> 00:37:46.240
 The rich

00:37:46.240 --> 00:37:46.820
 The powerful

00:37:46.820 --> 00:37:48.519
 But also slaves

00:37:48.519 --> 00:37:49.099
 And the free

00:37:49.099 --> 00:37:50.320
 Hid themselves

00:37:50.320 --> 00:37:50.980
 In the caves

00:37:50.980 --> 00:37:51.840
 And amongst the rocks

00:37:51.840 --> 00:37:52.420
 Of the mountains

00:37:52.420 --> 00:37:53.680
 Calling on the mountains

00:37:53.680 --> 00:37:54.200
 And the rocks

00:37:54.200 --> 00:37:55.380
 Fall on us

00:37:55.380 --> 00:37:56.140
 And hide us

00:37:56.139 --> 00:37:57.039
 From the face of him

00:37:57.039 --> 00:37:58.000
 Who is seated

00:37:58.000 --> 00:37:58.679
 On the throne

00:37:58.679 --> 00:37:59.799
 And from the wrath

00:37:59.799 --> 00:38:00.339
 Of the lamb

00:38:00.339 --> 00:38:01.839
 For the great day

00:38:01.839 --> 00:38:02.400
 Of his wrath

00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:02.859
 Has come

00:38:02.859 --> 00:38:04.639
 And who can stand

00:38:04.639 --> 00:38:05.960
 And friends

00:38:05.960 --> 00:38:07.960
 That is the momentous question

00:38:07.960 --> 00:38:09.359
 In the face

00:38:09.359 --> 00:38:10.239
 Of final judgment

00:38:10.239 --> 00:38:11.719
 When every emperor

00:38:11.719 --> 00:38:12.539
 And empire

00:38:12.539 --> 00:38:13.920
 When every president

00:38:13.920 --> 00:38:15.279
 And every premier

00:38:15.279 --> 00:38:17.059
 Will fit

00:38:17.059 --> 00:38:19.279
 In the most awesome

00:38:19.279 --> 00:38:20.500
 In the face

00:38:20.500 --> 00:38:21.279
 Of the most awesome

00:38:21.279 --> 00:38:22.179
 And terrifying

00:38:22.179 --> 00:38:24.299
 Authority of the world

00:38:24.300 --> 00:38:24.800
 In the face

00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:25.200
 Of God

00:38:25.200 --> 00:38:25.740
 Will run

00:38:25.740 --> 00:38:26.500
 For their lives

00:38:26.500 --> 00:38:27.180
 The question

00:38:27.180 --> 00:38:27.640
 Is this

00:38:27.640 --> 00:38:30.260
 Who can stand

00:38:30.260 --> 00:38:32.560
 Who can stand

00:38:32.560 --> 00:38:36.620
 Now before we get

00:38:36.620 --> 00:38:37.500
 To the final seal

00:38:37.500 --> 00:38:38.360
 In chapter 8

00:38:38.360 --> 00:38:40.060
 There is an interlude

00:38:40.060 --> 00:38:42.680
 And chapter 7

00:38:42.680 --> 00:38:43.840
 Answers the question

00:38:43.840 --> 00:38:45.000
 Of who can stand

00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:46.840
 Let's look at

00:38:46.840 --> 00:38:48.519
 Verse 1 together

00:38:48.519 --> 00:38:51.980
 Verse 1 of chapter 7

00:38:51.980 --> 00:38:52.579
 And after this

00:38:52.579 --> 00:38:53.019
 John says

00:38:53.019 --> 00:38:54.099
 I saw four angels

00:38:54.099 --> 00:38:55.179
 Standing at the four

00:38:55.179 --> 00:38:56.519
 Corners of the earth

00:38:56.519 --> 00:38:58.019
 Then I saw another

00:38:58.019 --> 00:38:59.119
 Angel ascending

00:38:59.119 --> 00:39:00.440
 With the seal

00:39:00.440 --> 00:39:01.000
 Of God

00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:01.940
 And he called

00:39:01.940 --> 00:39:02.780
 In a loud voice

00:39:02.780 --> 00:39:03.559
 Saying do not

00:39:03.559 --> 00:39:04.260
 Harm the earth

00:39:04.260 --> 00:39:04.760
 Or the sea

00:39:04.760 --> 00:39:05.480
 Or the trees

00:39:05.480 --> 00:39:06.599
 Until we have

00:39:06.599 --> 00:39:07.800
 Sealed the servants

00:39:07.800 --> 00:39:08.519
 Of our God

00:39:08.519 --> 00:39:10.360
 On their foreheads

00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:11.500
 Who can stand

00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:12.740
 Those that have

00:39:12.740 --> 00:39:13.400
 Been sealed

00:39:13.400 --> 00:39:14.059
 With the seal

00:39:14.059 --> 00:39:14.619
 Of God

00:39:14.619 --> 00:39:15.880
 It's a picture

00:39:15.880 --> 00:39:16.800
 Of remember

00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:17.400
 In Exodus

00:39:17.400 --> 00:39:19.059
 God comes

00:39:19.059 --> 00:39:19.519
 And he's

00:39:19.519 --> 00:39:20.659
 Delivering his people

00:39:20.659 --> 00:39:21.579
 He's going to

00:39:21.579 --> 00:39:22.440
 Save his people

00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:23.000
 By the blood

00:39:23.000 --> 00:39:23.460
 Of the lamb

00:39:23.460 --> 00:39:24.500
 But at the same

00:39:24.500 --> 00:39:25.019
 Time he's

00:39:25.019 --> 00:39:25.839
 Bringing judgment

00:39:25.839 --> 00:39:27.420
 The angel of death

00:39:27.420 --> 00:39:27.819
 Is going to

00:39:27.819 --> 00:39:28.599
 Come to Egypt

00:39:28.599 --> 00:39:29.500
 And bring judgment

00:39:29.500 --> 00:39:30.139
 On the nation

00:39:30.139 --> 00:39:30.659
 Of Egypt

00:39:30.659 --> 00:39:32.359
 But his people

00:39:32.359 --> 00:39:33.319
 Are going to

00:39:33.319 --> 00:39:33.899
 Be saved

00:39:33.899 --> 00:39:34.779
 How are they

00:39:34.779 --> 00:39:35.480
 Going to be saved?

00:39:35.659 --> 00:39:36.500
 By the blood

00:39:36.500 --> 00:39:36.960
 Of the lamb

00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:37.679
 That's been painted

00:39:37.679 --> 00:39:38.739
 On the doorpost

00:39:38.739 --> 00:39:39.359
 Of their house

00:39:39.359 --> 00:39:40.699
 They've painted

00:39:40.699 --> 00:39:41.199
 As it were

00:39:41.199 --> 00:39:42.440
 A seal on their house

00:39:42.440 --> 00:39:43.099
 So that when the

00:39:43.099 --> 00:39:43.859
 Angel of death

00:39:43.859 --> 00:39:44.239
 Comes

00:39:44.239 --> 00:39:45.559
 It passes over

00:39:45.559 --> 00:39:46.239
 Because they've got

00:39:46.239 --> 00:39:47.339
 A seal over there

00:39:47.339 --> 00:39:48.500
 John is saying

00:39:48.500 --> 00:39:49.739
 The same thing

00:39:49.739 --> 00:39:50.839
 He's saying

00:39:50.839 --> 00:39:52.079
 Who in the day

00:39:52.079 --> 00:39:53.059
 Of final judgment

00:39:53.059 --> 00:39:54.679
 Who can stand

00:39:54.679 --> 00:39:55.959
 When God's judgment

00:39:55.959 --> 00:39:57.259
 Comes upon the earth

00:39:57.259 --> 00:39:58.179
 Who will stand?

00:39:58.659 --> 00:39:59.539
 Those that have been

00:39:59.539 --> 00:40:00.099
 Sealed

00:40:00.099 --> 00:40:01.500
 By their God

00:40:01.500 --> 00:40:03.439
 And now for the second

00:40:03.439 --> 00:40:04.359
 Time in Revelation

00:40:04.359 --> 00:40:06.719
 John hears one thing

00:40:06.719 --> 00:40:07.899
 And as he turns around

00:40:07.899 --> 00:40:09.339
 He sees something different

00:40:09.339 --> 00:40:11.059
 Remember in chapter 5

00:40:11.059 --> 00:40:11.939
 Colin preached it

00:40:11.939 --> 00:40:12.539
 Two weeks ago

00:40:12.539 --> 00:40:13.679
 John hears

00:40:13.679 --> 00:40:15.019
 The lion of Judah

00:40:15.019 --> 00:40:15.899
 And as he turns

00:40:15.899 --> 00:40:16.819
 To look at the lion

00:40:16.819 --> 00:40:18.139
 He doesn't see a lion

00:40:18.139 --> 00:40:19.039
 He sees a lamb

00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:20.480
 Well the same thing

00:40:20.480 --> 00:40:21.039
 Happens here

00:40:21.039 --> 00:40:22.460
 John hears a voice

00:40:22.460 --> 00:40:22.880
 And saying

00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:24.360
 Those that are sealed

00:40:24.360 --> 00:40:25.400
 Will stand in the day

00:40:25.400 --> 00:40:26.139
 Of great judgment

00:40:26.139 --> 00:40:28.159
 The 144,000

00:40:28.159 --> 00:40:30.400
 Now what's 144,000?

00:40:30.500 --> 00:40:31.119
 What does it mean?

00:40:31.739 --> 00:40:32.360
 Well remember

00:40:32.360 --> 00:40:33.619
 In the book of Revelation

00:40:33.619 --> 00:40:34.659
 The symbol 12

00:40:34.659 --> 00:40:35.360
 The number 12

00:40:35.360 --> 00:40:36.000
 Is symbolic

00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:37.340
 The 12 apostles

00:40:37.340 --> 00:40:38.159
 Of the New Testament

00:40:38.159 --> 00:40:39.400
 The 12 tribes

00:40:39.400 --> 00:40:40.259
 In the Old Testament

00:40:40.259 --> 00:40:41.679
 Times a thousand

00:40:41.679 --> 00:40:42.380
 In other words

00:40:42.380 --> 00:40:44.139
 The 144,000

00:40:44.139 --> 00:40:45.380
 Those that are sealed

00:40:45.380 --> 00:40:47.380
 The complete number

00:40:47.380 --> 00:40:48.519
 Of God's people

00:40:48.519 --> 00:40:49.440
 Will stand

00:40:49.440 --> 00:40:50.360
 In the day of judgment

00:40:50.360 --> 00:40:52.579
 Not one will be missing

00:40:52.579 --> 00:40:54.660
 Friends you may be here

00:40:54.660 --> 00:40:55.940
 A follower of Jesus

00:40:55.940 --> 00:40:58.280
 Maybe you've sinned tragically

00:40:58.280 --> 00:40:59.460
 Maybe you've done

00:40:59.460 --> 00:41:00.340
 Some dumb thing

00:41:00.340 --> 00:41:01.539
 And you feel so guilty

00:41:01.539 --> 00:41:02.619
 And you feel like

00:41:02.619 --> 00:41:03.420
 God will kick me

00:41:03.420 --> 00:41:04.039
 Out of his kingdom

00:41:04.039 --> 00:41:05.539
 In that final day

00:41:05.539 --> 00:41:07.200
 I will be destroyed by God

00:41:07.200 --> 00:41:07.980
 No

00:41:07.980 --> 00:41:10.820
 Not 139,999

00:41:10.820 --> 00:41:14.140
 Not one will be missing

00:41:14.140 --> 00:41:16.380
 Because your eternal destiny

00:41:16.380 --> 00:41:17.320
 Doesn't depend

00:41:17.320 --> 00:41:18.600
 On your righteousness

00:41:18.600 --> 00:41:20.080
 It depends on

00:41:20.080 --> 00:41:21.120
 Are you sealed

00:41:21.120 --> 00:41:22.240
 By the blood of the Lamb

00:41:22.240 --> 00:41:24.100
 On that great day

00:41:24.100 --> 00:41:25.600
 Every single one

00:41:25.600 --> 00:41:26.980
 Of God's people

00:41:26.980 --> 00:41:28.500
 Not one will be missing

00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:29.200
 Will stand

00:41:29.200 --> 00:41:30.400
 Before the throne

00:41:30.400 --> 00:41:32.240
 John hears this number

00:41:32.240 --> 00:41:33.920
 God's people sealed

00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:36.400
 And then when he turns around

00:41:36.400 --> 00:41:37.860
 To look at this crowd

00:41:37.860 --> 00:41:39.280
 Of 144,000

00:41:39.280 --> 00:41:40.120
 What does he see?

00:41:40.820 --> 00:41:42.840
 He sees a multitude

00:41:42.840 --> 00:41:44.340
 A multitude

00:41:44.340 --> 00:41:45.960
 That is so vast

00:41:45.960 --> 00:41:47.320
 It cannot be numbered

00:41:47.320 --> 00:41:49.200
 He sees a multitude

00:41:49.200 --> 00:41:49.900
 Of people

00:41:49.900 --> 00:41:52.059
 From every tribe

00:41:52.059 --> 00:41:54.000
 And every language group

00:41:54.000 --> 00:41:55.620
 And every people group

00:41:55.620 --> 00:41:57.320
 And every ethnicity

00:41:57.320 --> 00:41:58.840
 And every culture

00:41:58.840 --> 00:41:59.860
 In other words

00:41:59.860 --> 00:42:01.280
 The greatest form

00:42:01.280 --> 00:42:02.080
 Of diversity

00:42:02.080 --> 00:42:02.940
 You can imagine

00:42:02.940 --> 00:42:04.660
 From all over the globe

00:42:04.660 --> 00:42:06.320
 And they are unified

00:42:06.320 --> 00:42:07.280
 Together

00:42:07.280 --> 00:42:08.760
 Before the throne

00:42:08.760 --> 00:42:09.539
 Of the Lamb

00:42:09.539 --> 00:42:11.659
 There before the throne

00:42:11.659 --> 00:42:12.800
 You have Hong Konger

00:42:12.800 --> 00:42:15.000
 And mainland Chinese

00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:16.500
 Black

00:42:16.500 --> 00:42:17.679
 White

00:42:17.679 --> 00:42:18.880
 Chinese

00:42:18.880 --> 00:42:20.219
 Rich

00:42:20.219 --> 00:42:21.519
 And poor

00:42:21.519 --> 00:42:23.500
 Educated

00:42:23.500 --> 00:42:25.320
 And uneducated

00:42:25.320 --> 00:42:27.460
 Friends

00:42:27.460 --> 00:42:28.079
 Can I say

00:42:28.079 --> 00:42:29.059
 On the great day

00:42:29.059 --> 00:42:29.840
 Before the throne

00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:30.340
 Of God

00:42:30.340 --> 00:42:31.980
 There may be

00:42:31.980 --> 00:42:32.639
 Policemen

00:42:32.639 --> 00:42:34.699
 And protesters

00:42:34.699 --> 00:42:36.619
 Standing shoulder

00:42:36.619 --> 00:42:37.239
 To shoulder

00:42:37.239 --> 00:42:39.099
 Before the Lamb

00:42:39.099 --> 00:42:39.779
 Of God

00:42:39.779 --> 00:42:41.359
 Before the throne

00:42:41.359 --> 00:42:42.299
 Crying out

00:42:42.299 --> 00:42:43.420
 Salvation

00:42:43.420 --> 00:42:44.759
 Belongs

00:42:44.759 --> 00:42:45.839
 To our God

00:42:45.839 --> 00:42:47.619
 Who sits on the throne

00:42:47.619 --> 00:42:49.239
 And to the Lamb

00:42:49.239 --> 00:42:51.159
 There will be

00:42:51.159 --> 00:42:51.179
 There will be

00:42:51.179 --> 00:42:52.000
 A great multitude

00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:53.259
 Of every person

00:42:53.259 --> 00:42:54.599
 From every people group

00:42:54.599 --> 00:42:56.000
 Those that have

00:42:56.000 --> 00:42:57.119
 Trusted in Christ

00:42:57.119 --> 00:42:58.879
 And how did they

00:42:58.879 --> 00:42:59.379
 Get there?

00:43:00.279 --> 00:43:01.000
 Some of them

00:43:01.000 --> 00:43:01.279
 Are there

00:43:01.279 --> 00:43:02.539
 Because of the martyrs

00:43:02.539 --> 00:43:03.779
 Some of them

00:43:03.779 --> 00:43:04.099
 Are there

00:43:04.099 --> 00:43:05.019
 Because they did not

00:43:05.019 --> 00:43:06.000
 Love their lives

00:43:06.000 --> 00:43:07.219
 And they were willing

00:43:07.219 --> 00:43:08.359
 To speak the truth

00:43:08.359 --> 00:43:09.019
 Of the gospel

00:43:09.019 --> 00:43:11.339
 They were there

00:43:11.339 --> 00:43:11.979
 Because they

00:43:11.979 --> 00:43:14.679
 Because the martyrs

00:43:14.679 --> 00:43:15.219
 Went out

00:43:15.219 --> 00:43:16.799
 And so here's

00:43:16.799 --> 00:43:17.419
 The big idea

00:43:17.419 --> 00:43:18.139
 Of this whole

00:43:18.139 --> 00:43:19.359
 Two chapter passage

00:43:19.359 --> 00:43:20.399
 It's taken us

00:43:20.399 --> 00:43:21.159
 30 minutes

00:43:21.159 --> 00:43:21.779
 To get here

00:43:21.779 --> 00:43:23.519
 The big idea

00:43:23.519 --> 00:43:23.899
 Of this

00:43:23.899 --> 00:43:24.719
 In this world

00:43:24.719 --> 00:43:25.079
 Friends

00:43:25.079 --> 00:43:26.019
 We will have trouble

00:43:26.019 --> 00:43:27.619
 There's going to be

00:43:27.619 --> 00:43:28.079
 Wars

00:43:28.079 --> 00:43:29.480
 And rumors of wars

00:43:29.480 --> 00:43:30.719
 There's going to be

00:43:30.719 --> 00:43:31.379
 Destruction

00:43:31.379 --> 00:43:32.519
 And wickedness

00:43:32.519 --> 00:43:33.199
 There's going to be

00:43:33.199 --> 00:43:33.939
 Injustice

00:43:33.939 --> 00:43:34.639
 And inequality

00:43:34.639 --> 00:43:35.919
 There's going to be

00:43:35.919 --> 00:43:36.459
 Heartache

00:43:36.459 --> 00:43:37.059
 And there's going to be

00:43:37.059 --> 00:43:37.480
 Pain

00:43:37.480 --> 00:43:39.339
 Even as we witness

00:43:39.339 --> 00:43:40.079
 What's going on

00:43:40.079 --> 00:43:40.519
 In our city

00:43:40.519 --> 00:43:41.219
 At this time

00:43:41.219 --> 00:43:42.579
 But that's not

00:43:42.579 --> 00:43:43.219
 The end of it

00:43:43.219 --> 00:43:44.339
 We live in a

00:43:44.339 --> 00:43:44.919
 Broken world

00:43:44.920 --> 00:43:45.800
 And we've contributed

00:43:45.800 --> 00:43:46.680
 To brokenness

00:43:46.680 --> 00:43:48.400
 And if you're a follower

00:43:48.400 --> 00:43:48.920
 Of Jesus

00:43:48.920 --> 00:43:49.760
 The temptation

00:43:49.760 --> 00:43:51.240
 May be to make peace

00:43:51.240 --> 00:43:52.119
 With the systems

00:43:52.119 --> 00:43:52.780
 Of this world

00:43:52.780 --> 00:43:53.840
 In order to preserve

00:43:53.840 --> 00:43:54.500
 Our lives

00:43:54.500 --> 00:43:55.659
 Or to maximize

00:43:55.659 --> 00:43:56.599
 Our own security

00:43:56.599 --> 00:43:57.720
 Or to avoid

00:43:57.720 --> 00:43:58.680
 Discomfort

00:43:58.680 --> 00:44:00.300
 But the systems

00:44:00.300 --> 00:44:01.059
 Of this world

00:44:01.059 --> 00:44:01.740
 Are failing

00:44:01.740 --> 00:44:03.019
 They are absolutely

00:44:03.019 --> 00:44:03.559
 Failing

00:44:03.559 --> 00:44:05.800
 And every single system

00:44:05.800 --> 00:44:07.260
 Every political system

00:44:07.260 --> 00:44:08.980
 Every economic system

00:44:08.980 --> 00:44:10.559
 Every civil system

00:44:10.559 --> 00:44:12.139
 Every educational system

00:44:12.139 --> 00:44:14.639
 Even every religious system

00:44:14.639 --> 00:44:15.900
 That is not centered

00:44:15.900 --> 00:44:17.699
 On he who is on the throne

00:44:17.699 --> 00:44:20.440
 Is going to end up

00:44:20.440 --> 00:44:21.420
 In self destruction

00:44:21.420 --> 00:44:23.159
 Absolutely failing

00:44:23.159 --> 00:44:24.739
 It's absolutely going to

00:44:24.739 --> 00:44:25.420
 Come to an end

00:44:25.420 --> 00:44:26.440
 And one day

00:44:26.440 --> 00:44:28.000
 Every one of those systems

00:44:28.000 --> 00:44:28.819
 Will be shown

00:44:28.819 --> 00:44:29.599
 For what they are

00:44:29.599 --> 00:44:30.279
 And what's more

00:44:30.279 --> 00:44:30.900
 Is that they're going to be

00:44:30.900 --> 00:44:31.659
 Held accountable

00:44:31.659 --> 00:44:33.079
 To the judge of all the earth

00:44:33.079 --> 00:44:34.319
 And so will those

00:44:34.319 --> 00:44:35.299
 Who trust in them

00:44:35.299 --> 00:44:37.239
 But there is another way

00:44:37.239 --> 00:44:39.139
 There is another way

00:44:39.139 --> 00:44:40.879
 And that's to trust

00:44:40.879 --> 00:44:42.599
 The one who is on the throne

00:44:42.599 --> 00:44:44.079
 To live our lives

00:44:44.079 --> 00:44:45.019
 By his story

00:44:45.019 --> 00:44:46.900
 To be centered on him

00:44:46.900 --> 00:44:48.379
 And to give our lives

00:44:48.379 --> 00:44:48.719
 To him

00:44:48.719 --> 00:44:50.219
 Even as it costs us

00:44:50.219 --> 00:44:50.839
 Dearly

00:44:50.839 --> 00:44:52.699
 The only way to stand

00:44:52.699 --> 00:44:53.859
 In the day of great judgment

00:44:53.859 --> 00:44:54.539
 And the only way

00:44:54.539 --> 00:44:55.159
 For the things

00:44:55.159 --> 00:44:56.139
 That we give ourselves

00:44:56.139 --> 00:44:57.039
 To not end

00:44:57.039 --> 00:44:58.059
 In self destruction

00:44:58.059 --> 00:44:59.539
 Is to be centered

00:44:59.539 --> 00:45:01.019
 On he who is at the center

00:45:01.019 --> 00:45:01.879
 Of all creation

00:45:01.879 --> 00:45:03.920
 And so finally

00:45:03.920 --> 00:45:04.960
 Look at verse 13

00:45:04.960 --> 00:45:06.079
 It says

00:45:06.079 --> 00:45:06.719
 One of the elders

00:45:06.719 --> 00:45:07.859
 Addressed me and said this

00:45:07.860 --> 00:45:09.079
 Who are those clothed

00:45:09.079 --> 00:45:09.780
 In white robes

00:45:09.780 --> 00:45:10.860
 And from where do they come

00:45:10.860 --> 00:45:12.660
 I said sir you know

00:45:12.660 --> 00:45:14.320
 He said those are the ones

00:45:14.320 --> 00:45:15.920
 Coming out of the great tribulation

00:45:15.920 --> 00:45:17.500
 Tribulation means difficulty

00:45:17.500 --> 00:45:19.480
 And they've washed their robes

00:45:19.480 --> 00:45:20.380
 And made them white

00:45:20.380 --> 00:45:21.840
 In the blood of the lamb

00:45:21.840 --> 00:45:23.680
 Friends on the final day

00:45:23.680 --> 00:45:24.960
 When all wickedness

00:45:24.960 --> 00:45:25.780
 Is held accountable

00:45:25.780 --> 00:45:26.960
 When every bit of evil

00:45:26.960 --> 00:45:28.220
 Is finally and fully

00:45:28.220 --> 00:45:29.480
 Held to account

00:45:29.480 --> 00:45:30.980
 When perfect justice

00:45:30.980 --> 00:45:32.019
 Will be meted out

00:45:32.019 --> 00:45:33.320
 Who will stand

00:45:33.320 --> 00:45:35.420
 Who will stand in that day

00:45:35.420 --> 00:45:37.780
 Well the bible actually gives us

00:45:37.780 --> 00:45:38.500
 Two answers

00:45:38.500 --> 00:45:40.200
 And the first answer

00:45:40.200 --> 00:45:40.820
 It gives us

00:45:40.820 --> 00:45:42.500
 Is no one will stand

00:45:42.500 --> 00:45:43.680
 Not you

00:45:43.680 --> 00:45:44.780
 Not me

00:45:44.780 --> 00:45:46.040
 Not the pope

00:45:46.040 --> 00:45:47.300
 Not mother Teresa

00:45:47.300 --> 00:45:49.000
 Not the most moral

00:45:49.000 --> 00:45:50.220
 Upright person

00:45:50.220 --> 00:45:50.960
 You can imagine

00:45:50.960 --> 00:45:52.860
 No one will stand

00:45:52.860 --> 00:45:54.260
 Before the awesomeness

00:45:54.260 --> 00:45:55.340
 Of our God

00:45:55.340 --> 00:45:57.000
 No one should stand

00:45:57.000 --> 00:45:59.080
 Friends if you

00:45:59.080 --> 00:46:00.460
 New to church this morning

00:46:00.460 --> 00:46:01.640
 One of the things

00:46:01.640 --> 00:46:02.580
 You'll quickly discover

00:46:02.580 --> 00:46:03.460
 About this church

00:46:03.460 --> 00:46:04.540
 Is that we are made up

00:46:04.539 --> 00:46:06.559
 Of 100% sinners

00:46:06.559 --> 00:46:08.019
 Every one of us

00:46:08.019 --> 00:46:09.119
 From the pastors

00:46:09.119 --> 00:46:09.699
 And the elders

00:46:09.699 --> 00:46:11.239
 To everyone else

00:46:11.239 --> 00:46:12.619
 None of us

00:46:12.619 --> 00:46:13.380
 Can stand

00:46:13.380 --> 00:46:14.739
 Before the awesomeness

00:46:14.739 --> 00:46:15.320
 Of our God

00:46:15.320 --> 00:46:17.159
 But that's not the answer

00:46:17.159 --> 00:46:17.980
 That is given here

00:46:17.980 --> 00:46:18.599
 In Revelation

00:46:18.599 --> 00:46:20.840
 The answer that's given here

00:46:20.840 --> 00:46:22.940
 Is that those who stand

00:46:22.940 --> 00:46:24.860
 The great day of God's judgment

00:46:24.860 --> 00:46:26.719
 Are those who are gathered

00:46:26.719 --> 00:46:27.759
 Around the throne

00:46:27.759 --> 00:46:29.259
 And are standing

00:46:29.259 --> 00:46:30.639
 In robes of white

00:46:30.639 --> 00:46:32.039
 They're not there

00:46:32.039 --> 00:46:32.579
 Because of their

00:46:32.579 --> 00:46:33.420
 Religious devotion

00:46:33.420 --> 00:46:34.699
 That doesn't save anyone

00:46:34.699 --> 00:46:35.819
 They're not there

00:46:35.819 --> 00:46:36.879
 Because they're more moral

00:46:36.879 --> 00:46:37.659
 Than anyone else

00:46:37.659 --> 00:46:38.739
 That doesn't save anyone

00:46:38.739 --> 00:46:39.699
 They're not there

00:46:39.699 --> 00:46:40.619
 Because they gave money

00:46:40.619 --> 00:46:41.239
 To the church

00:46:41.239 --> 00:46:42.379
 That doesn't save anyone

00:46:42.379 --> 00:46:43.460
 They're not there

00:46:43.460 --> 00:46:44.500
 Because they are nicer

00:46:44.500 --> 00:46:45.279
 Or kinder

00:46:45.279 --> 00:46:46.500
 Or generally better people

00:46:46.500 --> 00:46:47.359
 Than anyone else

00:46:47.359 --> 00:46:48.500
 That doesn't save anyone

00:46:48.500 --> 00:46:49.940
 They are there

00:46:49.940 --> 00:46:51.559
 Because they've been washed

00:46:51.559 --> 00:46:52.659
 In the blood

00:46:52.659 --> 00:46:53.699
 Of Jesus

00:46:53.699 --> 00:46:54.359
 The lamb

00:46:54.359 --> 00:46:55.259
 That was slain

00:46:55.259 --> 00:46:55.960
 For them

00:46:55.960 --> 00:46:57.199
 Remember Psalm 130

00:46:57.199 --> 00:46:58.619
 If you are Lord

00:46:58.619 --> 00:46:59.859
 Should mark our iniquities

00:46:59.860 --> 00:47:01.320
 Who are God could stand

00:47:01.320 --> 00:47:02.620
 But with you

00:47:02.620 --> 00:47:03.420
 There is forgiveness

00:47:03.420 --> 00:47:05.220
 That you may be feared

00:47:05.220 --> 00:47:06.120
 Friends

00:47:06.120 --> 00:47:07.360
 This is our only hope

00:47:07.360 --> 00:47:09.000
 If it's not for the blood

00:47:09.000 --> 00:47:09.500
 Of Jesus

00:47:09.500 --> 00:47:10.840
 None of us could stand

00:47:10.840 --> 00:47:12.599
 None of us could be accepted

00:47:12.599 --> 00:47:14.320
 None of us could be welcomed

00:47:14.320 --> 00:47:15.740
 If it's not for the blood

00:47:15.740 --> 00:47:16.280
 Of Jesus

00:47:16.280 --> 00:47:17.760
 You and I would stand

00:47:17.760 --> 00:47:18.940
 Fully accountable

00:47:18.940 --> 00:47:20.420
 Before the throne of God

00:47:20.420 --> 00:47:21.960
 And be held accountable

00:47:21.960 --> 00:47:23.160
 For every word

00:47:23.160 --> 00:47:23.820
 That we've said

00:47:23.820 --> 00:47:24.740
 Every thought

00:47:24.740 --> 00:47:25.380
 That we've thought

00:47:25.380 --> 00:47:26.900
 Every action we've done

00:47:26.900 --> 00:47:27.640
 And in action

00:47:27.640 --> 00:47:28.559
 That we haven't done

00:47:28.559 --> 00:47:30.219
 But for those who come to him

00:47:30.219 --> 00:47:31.360
 Who put their hope in him

00:47:31.360 --> 00:47:32.440
 We are washed

00:47:32.440 --> 00:47:33.400
 Cleansed

00:47:33.400 --> 00:47:34.340
 Justified

00:47:34.340 --> 00:47:35.279
 Sanctified

00:47:35.279 --> 00:47:36.380
 In the blood

00:47:36.380 --> 00:47:37.559
 Of the lamb

00:47:37.559 --> 00:47:39.460
 Who can stand

00:47:39.460 --> 00:47:41.039
 Those that have come

00:47:41.039 --> 00:47:42.239
 Through the great tribulation

00:47:42.239 --> 00:47:43.779
 Those who've been washed

00:47:43.779 --> 00:47:44.759
 In the blood of the lamb

00:47:44.759 --> 00:47:47.480
 And finally in chapter 8

00:47:47.480 --> 00:47:48.059
 We see

00:47:48.059 --> 00:47:49.679
 The seventh seal is open

00:47:49.679 --> 00:47:51.960
 And when the seventh seal is open

00:47:51.960 --> 00:47:53.599
 There is silence

00:47:53.599 --> 00:47:54.460
 In heaven

00:47:54.460 --> 00:47:56.539
 Absolute silence

00:47:56.539 --> 00:47:58.039
 And it's a picture

00:47:58.039 --> 00:48:00.019
 Of how God's justice

00:48:00.019 --> 00:48:01.159
 Is finally there

00:48:01.159 --> 00:48:03.019
 Peace has finally

00:48:03.019 --> 00:48:03.860
 Come to the earth

00:48:03.860 --> 00:48:05.119
 Every tear

00:48:05.119 --> 00:48:06.179
 Has been wiped away

00:48:06.179 --> 00:48:07.699
 Every bit of wickedness

00:48:07.699 --> 00:48:08.659
 Has been destroyed

00:48:08.659 --> 00:48:09.980
 Every bit of evil

00:48:09.980 --> 00:48:11.059
 Has been done away with

00:48:11.059 --> 00:48:12.759
 Everything that is wrong

00:48:12.759 --> 00:48:13.460
 With our world

00:48:13.460 --> 00:48:14.739
 Has been done undone

00:48:14.739 --> 00:48:15.779
 Finally

00:48:15.779 --> 00:48:17.300
 Utter peace

00:48:17.300 --> 00:48:18.420
 Has come

00:48:18.420 --> 00:48:19.759
 To creation

00:48:19.759 --> 00:48:22.920
 As we close

00:48:22.920 --> 00:48:23.599
 Tim Chester

00:48:23.599 --> 00:48:24.320
 In his book

00:48:24.320 --> 00:48:25.460
 He tells the story

00:48:25.460 --> 00:48:26.780
 He says that

00:48:26.780 --> 00:48:28.940
 In Rome

00:48:28.940 --> 00:48:29.960
 In the first century

00:48:29.960 --> 00:48:30.619
 There was this

00:48:30.619 --> 00:48:31.860
 Quasi-military

00:48:31.860 --> 00:48:33.380
 Fire service

00:48:33.380 --> 00:48:33.780
 Okay

00:48:33.780 --> 00:48:34.940
 Fire brigade service

00:48:34.940 --> 00:48:35.900
 And

00:48:35.900 --> 00:48:37.420
 There has

00:48:37.420 --> 00:48:38.159
 A monument

00:48:38.159 --> 00:48:39.240
 Survives today

00:48:39.240 --> 00:48:40.220
 That has a list

00:48:40.220 --> 00:48:41.780
 Of the thousand names

00:48:41.780 --> 00:48:42.579
 That were part

00:48:42.579 --> 00:48:43.039
 Of this

00:48:43.039 --> 00:48:44.559
 Fire brigade service

00:48:44.559 --> 00:48:46.240
 And on this monument

00:48:46.240 --> 00:48:46.880
 Has the list

00:48:46.880 --> 00:48:47.920
 Of these thousand names

00:48:47.920 --> 00:48:49.420
 And it's got the names

00:48:49.420 --> 00:48:50.840
 Of the ten centurions

00:48:50.840 --> 00:48:51.119
 Remember

00:48:51.119 --> 00:48:52.179
 Centurion is somebody

00:48:52.179 --> 00:48:53.000
 That looked after

00:48:53.000 --> 00:48:53.539
 A hundred

00:48:53.539 --> 00:48:54.840
 Soldiers

00:48:54.840 --> 00:48:55.880
 And so it's got

00:48:55.880 --> 00:48:56.340
 The list

00:48:56.340 --> 00:48:57.280
 Of these thousand

00:48:57.280 --> 00:48:57.860
 Soldiers

00:48:57.860 --> 00:48:59.800
 The ten centurions

00:48:59.800 --> 00:49:00.720
 But also

00:49:00.720 --> 00:49:02.180
 Where the ten centurions

00:49:02.180 --> 00:49:02.820
 Came from

00:49:02.820 --> 00:49:03.720
 In the Roman Empire

00:49:03.720 --> 00:49:05.240
 And as you read

00:49:05.240 --> 00:49:05.900
 This list

00:49:05.900 --> 00:49:06.820
 You see that

00:49:06.820 --> 00:49:07.579
 These centurions

00:49:07.579 --> 00:49:09.019
 Came from all over Europe

00:49:09.019 --> 00:49:10.660
 Modern day Bulgaria

00:49:10.660 --> 00:49:11.940
 Slovenia

00:49:11.940 --> 00:49:13.019
 Venice

00:49:13.019 --> 00:49:13.720
 Hungary

00:49:13.720 --> 00:49:15.000
 All over Europe

00:49:15.000 --> 00:49:15.860
 These people

00:49:15.860 --> 00:49:16.960
 Flocked to Rome

00:49:16.960 --> 00:49:17.620
 And joined

00:49:17.620 --> 00:49:19.059
 The military service

00:49:19.059 --> 00:49:21.500
 Rome was a city

00:49:21.500 --> 00:49:22.380
 In the ancient world

00:49:22.380 --> 00:49:23.820
 Which was constantly

00:49:23.820 --> 00:49:25.579
 Attracting immigrants

00:49:25.579 --> 00:49:26.380
 To come to it

00:49:26.380 --> 00:49:27.860
 And part of the reason

00:49:27.860 --> 00:49:28.519
 Was because

00:49:28.519 --> 00:49:29.320
 More people

00:49:29.320 --> 00:49:30.579
 Died in Rome

00:49:30.579 --> 00:49:31.840
 Than were born in Rome

00:49:31.840 --> 00:49:33.260
 And so if Rome

00:49:33.260 --> 00:49:33.860
 The city

00:49:33.860 --> 00:49:35.119
 Didn't constantly

00:49:35.119 --> 00:49:36.380
 Fill up its population

00:49:36.380 --> 00:49:37.500
 With immigrants

00:49:37.500 --> 00:49:38.280
 The population

00:49:38.280 --> 00:49:38.960
 Would dwindle

00:49:38.960 --> 00:49:39.800
 And would die out

00:49:39.800 --> 00:49:41.119
 And so Rome

00:49:41.119 --> 00:49:41.720
 Was constantly

00:49:41.720 --> 00:49:43.000
 Filling up its population

00:49:43.000 --> 00:49:43.860
 With these immigrants

00:49:43.860 --> 00:49:45.400
 But the problem was

00:49:45.400 --> 00:49:45.860
 Rome

00:49:45.860 --> 00:49:47.140
 Was also susceptible

00:49:47.140 --> 00:49:48.039
 To malaria

00:49:48.039 --> 00:49:49.280
 And all sorts of diseases

00:49:49.280 --> 00:49:50.039
 And so people

00:49:50.039 --> 00:49:50.619
 Would come from

00:49:50.619 --> 00:49:51.180
 Other parts

00:49:51.179 --> 00:49:52.039
 Of the Roman Empire

00:49:52.039 --> 00:49:53.119
 They didn't have

00:49:53.119 --> 00:49:54.539
 Immunity from these diseases

00:49:54.539 --> 00:49:55.399
 And they would die

00:49:55.399 --> 00:49:57.000
 Within a short few years

00:49:57.000 --> 00:49:58.899
 And so one historian

00:49:58.899 --> 00:50:00.099
 Mary Beard

00:50:00.099 --> 00:50:01.099
 Put it like this

00:50:01.099 --> 00:50:02.019
 She says

00:50:02.019 --> 00:50:02.799
 Rome

00:50:02.799 --> 00:50:04.159
 Simply swallows

00:50:04.159 --> 00:50:05.039
 People up

00:50:05.039 --> 00:50:06.239
 It's a city

00:50:06.239 --> 00:50:07.960
 Which consumes people

00:50:07.960 --> 00:50:09.519
 And spews them out dead

00:50:09.519 --> 00:50:11.699
 Here is the greatest

00:50:11.699 --> 00:50:12.899
 City of the world

00:50:12.899 --> 00:50:13.599
 In its time

00:50:13.599 --> 00:50:16.079
 The most powerful

00:50:16.079 --> 00:50:18.359
 City of the world

00:50:18.359 --> 00:50:19.119
 The leader

00:50:19.119 --> 00:50:20.199
 Of the Roman Empire

00:50:20.199 --> 00:50:20.879
 It's the city

00:50:20.879 --> 00:50:21.759
 That everybody

00:50:21.759 --> 00:50:22.500
 Flocks to

00:50:22.500 --> 00:50:23.599
 To find work

00:50:23.599 --> 00:50:24.259
 And safety

00:50:24.259 --> 00:50:25.059
 And security

00:50:25.059 --> 00:50:26.899
 It's a city

00:50:26.899 --> 00:50:28.259
 That swallows people up

00:50:28.259 --> 00:50:29.579
 It consumes them

00:50:29.579 --> 00:50:30.899
 And spews them out dead

00:50:30.899 --> 00:50:32.480
 Much like many

00:50:32.480 --> 00:50:33.299
 Of the modern cities

00:50:33.299 --> 00:50:34.059
 Of our world

00:50:34.059 --> 00:50:36.839
 Tim Chester says

00:50:36.839 --> 00:50:38.859
 In the book of Revelation

00:50:38.859 --> 00:50:39.739
 We come across

00:50:39.739 --> 00:50:40.539
 Another city

00:50:40.539 --> 00:50:42.299
 Another empire

00:50:42.299 --> 00:50:44.159
 And it's also a city

00:50:44.159 --> 00:50:45.199
 Which draws people

00:50:45.199 --> 00:50:46.659
 From every single nation

00:50:46.659 --> 00:50:47.759
 Black

00:50:47.759 --> 00:50:48.659
 White

00:50:48.659 --> 00:50:49.659
 Chinese

00:50:49.659 --> 00:50:50.819
 Rich and poor

00:50:50.819 --> 00:50:52.659
 But around the throne

00:50:52.659 --> 00:50:53.299
 Of the Lamb

00:50:53.299 --> 00:50:54.639
 These people

00:50:54.639 --> 00:50:55.719
 Find

00:50:55.719 --> 00:50:56.759
 Life

00:50:56.759 --> 00:50:58.480
 Friends

00:50:58.480 --> 00:50:59.059
 The cities

00:50:59.059 --> 00:50:59.839
 And the systems

00:50:59.839 --> 00:51:00.659
 Of our world

00:51:00.659 --> 00:51:01.500
 Are going to

00:51:01.500 --> 00:51:02.379
 Self-destruct

00:51:02.379 --> 00:51:03.639
 It doesn't matter

00:51:03.639 --> 00:51:04.899
 What system you trust in

00:51:04.899 --> 00:51:06.599
 If it's not the system

00:51:06.599 --> 00:51:07.859
 The city of the Lamb

00:51:07.859 --> 00:51:08.960
 It's going to

00:51:08.960 --> 00:51:09.659
 Self-destruct

00:51:09.659 --> 00:51:11.359
 But here we see

00:51:11.359 --> 00:51:12.259
 In the book of Revelation

00:51:12.259 --> 00:51:13.319
 There is another empire

00:51:13.319 --> 00:51:15.199
 And it's attracting people

00:51:15.199 --> 00:51:16.399
 From all over the world

00:51:16.399 --> 00:51:18.179
 And in this empire

00:51:18.179 --> 00:51:19.019
 In this city

00:51:19.019 --> 00:51:20.239
 Its citizens

00:51:20.239 --> 00:51:21.679
 Find life

00:51:21.679 --> 00:51:23.420
 That's the great challenge

00:51:23.420 --> 00:51:24.239
 And the invitation

00:51:24.239 --> 00:51:24.920
 Of Revelation

00:51:24.920 --> 00:51:25.839
 For all of us today

00:51:25.839 --> 00:51:27.199
 Which kingdom

00:51:27.199 --> 00:51:28.039
 Are we a part of?

00:51:28.500 --> 00:51:29.239
 Which kingdom

00:51:29.239 --> 00:51:30.420
 Are we giving ourselves to?

00:51:31.159 --> 00:51:32.199
 Jesus and John

00:51:32.199 --> 00:51:32.839
 Invite us

00:51:32.839 --> 00:51:33.679
 To come and center

00:51:33.679 --> 00:51:34.379
 Our lives

00:51:34.379 --> 00:51:35.940
 To offer up our lives

00:51:35.940 --> 00:51:37.199
 Yes as a sacrifice

00:51:37.199 --> 00:51:39.119
 Yes it will cost us

00:51:39.119 --> 00:51:41.319
 But also in great joy

00:51:41.319 --> 00:51:42.619
 To the one who is worthy

00:51:42.619 --> 00:51:44.500
 To the Lamb who is slain

00:51:44.500 --> 00:51:46.199
 Who lives forever and ever

00:51:46.199 --> 00:51:47.980
 That in his presence

00:51:47.980 --> 00:51:49.679
 We may find life

00:51:49.679 --> 00:51:51.480
 Let's come to him

00:51:51.480 --> 00:51:52.359
 Now

00:51:52.359 --> 00:51:53.980
 Let's come and pray

00:51:53.980 --> 00:51:56.819
 Let's pray together

00:51:56.819 --> 00:51:58.880
 And I want to invite the band

00:51:58.880 --> 00:52:00.279
 To come and lead us

00:52:00.279 --> 00:52:02.619
 And as the band come

00:52:02.619 --> 00:52:03.599
 I want to invite us

00:52:03.599 --> 00:52:05.059
 If you want prayer for anything

00:52:05.059 --> 00:52:06.639
 There will be a prayer team

00:52:06.639 --> 00:52:07.440
 That would love to come

00:52:07.440 --> 00:52:08.159
 And pray with you

00:52:08.159 --> 00:52:09.319
 The elders

00:52:09.319 --> 00:52:10.299
 Maybe you can make yourselves

00:52:10.299 --> 00:52:11.199
 Available to come

00:52:11.199 --> 00:52:12.440
 And be at the front

00:52:12.440 --> 00:52:14.559
 If anyone would like prayer

00:52:14.559 --> 00:52:15.759
 Please do come at the front

00:52:15.759 --> 00:52:16.859
 We'd love to pray for you

00:52:16.859 --> 00:52:18.739
 Last Saturday night

00:52:18.739 --> 00:52:19.440
 At our retreat

00:52:19.440 --> 00:52:20.579
 We had an amazing time

00:52:20.579 --> 00:52:21.739
 Of just praying together

00:52:21.739 --> 00:52:25.019
 And it was such a rich time

00:52:25.019 --> 00:52:26.699
 Of just being in God's presence

00:52:26.699 --> 00:52:28.879
 And standing as brothers and sisters

00:52:28.879 --> 00:52:30.839
 Praying for one another

00:52:30.839 --> 00:52:32.599
 Friends if you

00:52:32.599 --> 00:52:33.859
 This morning you feel

00:52:33.860 --> 00:52:35.960
 Anxious

00:52:35.960 --> 00:52:36.820
 You feel weary

00:52:36.820 --> 00:52:38.200
 You feel fearful

00:52:38.200 --> 00:52:41.019
 You feel overwhelmed

00:52:41.019 --> 00:52:44.640
 Come we'd love to pray with you

00:52:44.640 --> 00:52:52.280
 Father we come to you this morning

00:52:52.280 --> 00:52:55.280
 We acknowledge God

00:52:55.280 --> 00:52:56.780
 That the temptation

00:52:56.780 --> 00:52:58.079
 That the church has felt

00:52:58.079 --> 00:52:58.960
 In the first century

00:52:58.960 --> 00:53:00.599
 Is the same temptation we feel

00:53:00.599 --> 00:53:03.960
 God to either

00:53:03.960 --> 00:53:06.000
 Shrink into our culture

00:53:06.000 --> 00:53:06.699
 And to

00:53:06.699 --> 00:53:08.920
 Try and preserve ourselves

00:53:08.920 --> 00:53:11.099
 By becoming just like our culture

00:53:11.099 --> 00:53:14.739
 Or to try and preserve ourselves

00:53:14.739 --> 00:53:16.980
 By shrinking back

00:53:16.980 --> 00:53:18.880
 And fearfully

00:53:18.880 --> 00:53:21.880
 Not declaring the truth of the gospel

00:53:21.880 --> 00:53:22.259
 God

00:53:22.259 --> 00:53:24.980
 God you call us

00:53:24.980 --> 00:53:26.860
 In days like today

00:53:26.860 --> 00:53:29.440
 In times in which we find ourselves

00:53:29.440 --> 00:53:30.880
 To fix our eyes on you

00:53:30.880 --> 00:53:33.539
 And so we come to you God

00:53:33.539 --> 00:53:35.200
 We come to you now

00:53:35.200 --> 00:53:43.640
 Father you've shown us this morning

00:53:43.640 --> 00:53:44.079
 That

00:53:44.079 --> 00:53:46.780
 Yes this world is full of

00:53:46.780 --> 00:53:48.099
 Wickedness and evil still

00:53:48.099 --> 00:53:50.320
 Yes this world

00:53:50.320 --> 00:53:52.019
 There's wars and rumors of wars

00:53:52.019 --> 00:53:53.740
 There's kingdom rising against kingdom

00:53:53.740 --> 00:53:54.579
 And destruction

00:53:54.579 --> 00:53:57.219
 But God in the end

00:53:57.219 --> 00:53:59.579
 You and your people

00:53:59.579 --> 00:54:00.279
 Will stand

00:54:00.279 --> 00:54:03.239
 Oh Christ

00:54:03.239 --> 00:54:04.420
 Help us to trust you

00:54:04.420 --> 00:54:05.159
 We pray

00:54:05.159 --> 00:54:09.819
 Father open our eyes

00:54:09.819 --> 00:54:10.699
 To see you

00:54:10.699 --> 00:54:11.519
 And to trust you

00:54:11.519 --> 00:54:12.340
 We pray Lord

00:54:12.340 --> 00:54:33.160
 Father

00:54:33.160 --> 00:54:34.200
 Father want you help us to see

00:54:34.200 --> 00:54:36.059
 That our lives are not in our own hands

00:54:36.059 --> 00:54:37.220
 But they are in your hands

00:54:37.220 --> 00:54:41.940
 That God we are part of an eternal kingdom

00:54:41.940 --> 00:54:48.559
 Father help us to trust you

00:54:48.559 --> 00:54:48.960
 We pray

00:54:48.960 --> 00:54:51.240
 This week God

00:54:51.240 --> 00:54:51.880
 As we are

00:54:51.880 --> 00:54:53.460
 As we go to work

00:54:53.460 --> 00:54:56.740
 As we encounter the difficulties

00:54:56.740 --> 00:54:58.039
 That our city is going through

00:54:58.039 --> 00:54:58.800
 We pray God

00:54:58.800 --> 00:54:59.840
 That we'll trust you Lord

00:54:59.840 --> 00:55:02.639
 Help us oh Lord

00:55:02.639 --> 00:55:04.860
 Where our faith is failing

00:55:04.860 --> 00:55:07.340
 Where we feel overwhelmed by fear

00:55:07.340 --> 00:55:08.599
 Help us to trust you God

00:55:08.599 --> 00:55:11.079
 Help us to keep our eyes fixed on you

00:55:11.079 --> 00:55:15.779
 Come and have you away

00:55:15.779 --> 00:55:20.699
 We pray these things in your name

00:55:20.699 --> 00:55:22.539
 Amen

00:55:22.539 --> 00:55:22.759
 Amen

00:55:22.760 --> 00:55:23.960
 Amen

00:55:23.960 --> 00:55:39.340
 We're 항 by

00:55:39.340 --> 00:55:39.620
 Amen