WEBVTT

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 Good morning. My name is Billy Nye. I'm one of the associate pastors here at Christ the King.

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 And I would like to welcome you to open your Bible if you have one.

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 If you don't, there's one in the pew in front of you.

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 And open to the very end of the book, the very end of the Bible, the book of Revelation.

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 And we are toward the end, only a couple chapters away, chapter 19.

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 Chapter 19 in the book of Revelation.

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 Longing.

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 Longing is a powerful force.

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 Our lives tend to be governed by longing.

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 People will do some pretty astounding things and will endure some very difficult things

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 because they are longing for something.

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 It doesn't matter whether you are very young or very old.

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 You have longing.

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 An infant longs for her mother's milk and lets everybody within a one mile radius know that she is longing for her mother's milk.

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 A five-year-old yearns for his next Lego set.

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 At least five-year-olds in our household do.

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 A teenager longs for her driver's license and the independence to make choices on her own.

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 A young man desires to meet and to be with the love of his life.

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 A young married couple longs for financial stability or for children.

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 And if God grants those children, those longings change.

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 Then they long for a nap or a quiet evening on the couch.

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 And once you hit middle age, your longings start becoming more for retirement.

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 A rest from your labors.

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 Our longing is never over, is it?

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 And whether those longings are fulfilled with good gifts that God does give,

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 or whether those longings end in disappointment and they linger,

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 we continue to long.

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 We are a longing people.

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 But it is very important that we make sure that our greatest longings,

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 our strongest longings are good ones.

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 Because our longings shape our living.

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 If you're joining us for the first time this morning,

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 we've been journeying through this book of Revelation.

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 And Revelation has a way of shaping our longings.

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 Two weeks ago, Pastor Mike showed us from chapter 17 in Revelation,

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 this very nasty lady named Babylon.

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 She is a prostitute.

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 And the prostitute Babylon stands for the whole system of the world

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 that is set up in opposition to God and opposition to God's people.

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 She sells pleasure and possessions, but at a high price.

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 She costs something.

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 Your allegiance.

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 Your allegiance to her master, the beast, and his master, the dragon.

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 And we are told not to marvel at this world system,

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 this cultural and social force that seduces us with her pleasure and possessions.

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 We are told not to long for her trinkets.

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 And last week, Pastor Matt helped us see from Revelation 18 the reason why.

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 Because Babylon is going to meet a soon and sudden end.

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 So, we need to set our affection not on the allure of this world's pleasures and possessions,

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 but we are to hate everything that Babylon stands for.

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 And to come out of her.

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 And to live in this world as exiles with longing.

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 Not for this world.

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 But longing, hungering for our true home to be with Jesus.

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 And this morning, our longing is going to be sharpened and nourished.

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 You might be saying,

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 Billy, I listened pretty carefully to what Caleb read just a few minutes ago.

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 I didn't hear the word longing.

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 Can you show that to me in Revelation 19 somewhere?

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 Yes, I can.

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 You did not hear longing.

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 You heard celebration.

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 Did you hear all those hallelujahs?

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 All that praise?

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 Four times.

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 It shows up.

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 A lot of intense joy in God.

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 Do you know why?

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 Because longing is about to be satisfied.

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 Heaven's longing is about to be fulfilled.

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 And if heaven longs for it,

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 then we, as heaven citizens who are in exile in the world still,

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 we must long for it too.

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 And we must live for it.

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 But what is it?

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 What is this it that we should be longing for and living for?

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 What is this it that heaven is celebrating the fulfillment of?

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 It's this.

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 Look at verse 1.

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 Hallelujah.

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 Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.

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 Look at verse 6.

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 The end of verse 6.

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 Hallelujah.

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 For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

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 Verse 6 summarizes it beautifully.

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 What are we supposed to be longing for?

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 What has heaven been longing for for so long?

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 And now it's about to come about.

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 And heaven's going crazy because of it.

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 It's this.

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 It's God's full and unchallenged rule over all things.

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 His triumphant reign over his victory.

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 Over his enemies.

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 And it's near.

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 It's very close.

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 That's what heaven's been longing for.

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 In fact, that's what the whole Bible has been longing for.

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 That's what history has been longing for.

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 Before sin entered the world, before humans embraced Satan's rule, Satan's authority, the universe was enjoying God's good and unchallenged rule.

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 No one questioned the creator's authority and his goodness.

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 But then mankind said, no.

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 We want to be kings ourselves.

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 And by doing so, all of creation has been subjected to chaos and disorder, to death, to decay, to corruption and evil.

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 And we feel it right now.

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 We feel the uck of it.

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 But now, in Revelation 19, we get a delightful picture that God's great victory, his full and unchallenged rule over all things, is close.

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 It's very near.

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 And heaven's longing is about to be fulfilled.

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 And we, now, here, must long for it and live for it now.

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 In fact, if we were to squish what this passage means for us into one sentence, it would be this.

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 If we long and live for God's triumphant reign now, we will not be disappointed then.

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 If we long and live for God's triumphant reign now, we will not be disappointed then.

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 So, let's proceed into the details of this text together with this big, huge truth in the back of our minds.

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 And we're going to see two reasons in the two sections of this text, verses 1 to 5 and then verses 6 to 10.

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 Two reasons why we should long and live for God's triumphant reign now.

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 Here's the first.

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 First, God's unchallenged rule means our future relief and vindication.

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 God's unchallenged rule means something very special.

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 Our future relief and vindication.

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 Look at verse 1.

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 After this, or literally after these things.

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 That's pointing right back to Revelation 18.

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 Right on the heels of Babylon's predicted doom, John hears a sound.

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 I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven crying out.

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 Apparently, at a 1992 game against the University of Nebraska football team,

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 the cheers at Husky Stadium at the University of Washington reached an ear-splitting 133.6 decibels.

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 That is 13 decibels louder than a thunderclap.

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 Now imagine the sounds.

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 Not of 100,000 people, but hundreds of hundreds of hundreds of thousands.

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 The redeemed, combined with rank upon rank of angels.

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 The entire population of heaven is saying,

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 Yes!

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 They're raising this resounding shout of praise because God's going to get victory.

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 Our human ears would just be done.

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 And forget about it.

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 There is so much joy and festivity going on with God at the very center of it all in heaven.

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 Hallelujah!

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 Four times.

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 Verse 1, and verse 3, and verse 4, and in verse 6.

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 We hear this big command to praise God.

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 That Hebrew word, hallelujah, we're used to hearing it in lots of different songs,

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 but it means hallelujah, y'all praise Yah, Yahweh.

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 Y'all praise Yahweh.

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 You praise Yahweh.

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 It's a command.

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 Praise Yahweh, everybody.

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 Yahweh is God's covenant name, his personal covenant name that is known to his people.

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 And this word, hallelujah, it's the only place in the New Testament that it shows up,

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 it's right here in this chapter.

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 It shows up in the Old Testament in Hebrew, but it's the first time it shows up in Greek,

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 and the last time it shows up in the Greek New Testament.

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 We should get the sense of, wow, what is going on in this passage?

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 What is going on that four times hallelujah is bam, bam, bam, bam?

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 Well, heaven's rejoicing because God's great victory is very near.

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 God is going to win the day and save his people forever.

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 Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.

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 We've heard something similar back in chapter 7 when God's saints are gathered together,

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 and they say, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.

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 So the gathered body of redeemed sinners in heaven,

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 probably a bunch of angels all are rejoicing over this,

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 but this praise is not just from them.

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 Look at verse 4.

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 The 24 elders and the four living creatures,

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 they fall down and they worship God who is sitting on the throne saying,

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 Amen, hallelujah.

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 And then comes this throne, this voice that's from the throne itself,

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 probably an angelic messenger sent on God's behalf says,

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 Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.

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 Man, it's just this, heaven is resounding with praise.

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 Verse 4, verse 2.

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 For his judgments are true and just.

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 For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality

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 and has advantaged on her the blood of his servants.

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 God is going to put Babylon down and heaven is going nuts.

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 And it's jolting because we've just heard from chapter 18,

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 this mourning, this sadness, this loss,

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 the kings of the earth, the merchants, the sailors,

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 they're all saying,

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 Oh, the source of our selfish gain and profit is gone.

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 What are we going to do now that Babylon has fallen?

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 And then all of a sudden, heaven's like,

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 Yeah!

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 It's just jolting, the change of tone.

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 It might be a cause for sadness if your intimacy is with the world,

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 knowing that the world is going down.

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 It is cause for great joy and celebration for those whose hearts are set on heaven.

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 And as you notice verse 3,

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 this victory is permanent.

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 It's going to last forever.

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 The smoke of her burning goes up forever and ever.

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 Babylon's not going to come back.

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 Okay, so it's evident.

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 Heaven has been longing for this victory

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 and now is celebrating it.

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 And this is why.

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 Babylon's doom is our relief and vindication.

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 In verse 2, it's very clear.

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 It's right for God to judge Babylon,

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 the great prostitute.

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 Because she corrupted the earth,

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 she shed the blood of God's servants.

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 Church, while we still live and breathe,

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 we are in exile.

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 The church has never been at home while still in this world.

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 In fact, the moments when she feels most at home in the world

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 is when she is least at home in heaven.

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 We live in Babylon by necessity.

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 We live here.

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 We can't get away from it.

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 We live in a social and cultural system

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 that is fundamentally opposed to God.

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 And because it's opposed to God,

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 it's opposed to us, his people.

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 And it has been this way for 20 centuries.

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 It was this way when John dipped his pen in ink

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 to write down this vision.

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 It is this way now,

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 and it will continue to be this way

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 until God puts Babylon down.

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 And it's helpful to keep in mind

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 how the people receiving this book,

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 originally, the seven churches of Asia,

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 how they would have felt about hearing this great joy

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 over God's full and unchallenged reign coming

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 and Babylon being put down.

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 Lots of these churches were suffering intense persecution.

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 Keep a finger in this passage.

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 Flip back to chapter 6.

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 Revelation chapter 6.

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 Look at verse 9 of Revelation 6.

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 And then they were told,

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 God's people have been and are and will be persecuted.

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 And when his people are persecuted,

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 God doesn't just shrug his shoulders and say,

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 oh man, not again.

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 There is a limit to how much he will allow.

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 And when his saints ask how long,

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 he says, just a little while longer.

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 And I will avenge you.

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 I will vindicate you.

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 And when his vindication comes,

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 it will be sudden and terrible,

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 as we saw back in chapter 18.

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 You don't mess with God's people and get away with it.

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 But he will vindicate his people.

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 He will be seen to be right.

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 Relief and vindication is coming

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 for those of us who live in Babylon.

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 Imagine how the members of the church in Smyrna,

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 one of the seven churches of Asia,

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 imagine how they would have felt when they heard this.

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 Jesus had just told them in chapter 2,

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 he said, be faithful unto death.

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 And it's going to be that way for a couple of you.

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 How do you think they would have heard this?

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 They'd be thinking, I might have Roman soldiers

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 kicking down my door any minute,

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 but Babylon ain't going to last.

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 I might have to be faithful unto death,

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 but my God will triumph over my enemies,

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 and he will vindicate me in the end.

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 I just need to hold on so that I can overcome.

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 Imagine today how our brothers and sisters in Pakistan

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 woke up this morning.

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 They didn't know if this Lord's Day today,

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 May 12th, would bring for them

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 from their Muslim countrymen hate, persecution,

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 or fellow saints in Iran,

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 or those who had just experienced

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 the bombings in Sri Lanka.

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 It's not going to be that way forever.

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 There will be relief,

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 and there will be vindication.

00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:37.519
 God is going to rule triumphantly

00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:38.700
 over his enemies.

00:17:38.700 --> 00:17:40.799
 Now, we can hear that,

00:17:40.860 --> 00:17:41.740
 and we're like, okay, good.

00:17:41.840 --> 00:17:42.680
 That's good for them.

00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:44.779
 I don't really feel that myself right now, though.

00:17:45.380 --> 00:17:48.259
 We don't really feel that opposition

00:17:48.259 --> 00:17:50.580
 in our corner of the world at the moment.

00:17:51.779 --> 00:17:54.400
 But there is more to the world's opposition to us

00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:55.600
 than violent persecution.

00:17:56.940 --> 00:17:59.420
 There are endless attempts to seduce us

00:17:59.420 --> 00:18:01.539
 away into her corruption.

00:18:01.700 --> 00:18:02.559
 Do you see that in verse 2?

00:18:02.840 --> 00:18:05.160
 Who corrupted the earth with her immorality?

00:18:05.160 --> 00:18:08.300
 As Matt encouraged us last week,

00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:11.600
 we must see through the seductive advances

00:18:11.600 --> 00:18:14.220
 of the world to make us long

00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:16.080
 for what she can offer,

00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:19.220
 what the prostitute can offer.

00:18:20.519 --> 00:18:21.960
 Instead, we've got to hate

00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:24.100
 all that Babylon stands for,

00:18:24.180 --> 00:18:26.779
 which is the worship of self.

00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:28.800
 We must hate it.

00:18:29.080 --> 00:18:31.320
 We must long for a greater object

00:18:31.320 --> 00:18:32.460
 of our affection.

00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:35.079
 And that fight,

00:18:35.380 --> 00:18:36.059
 that longing,

00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:36.920
 that struggle,

00:18:37.220 --> 00:18:38.880
 it takes energy.

00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:41.420
 It's hard.

00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:44.100
 The struggle against sin is real.

00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:45.819
 Many of us in the room

00:18:45.819 --> 00:18:47.440
 are feeling that right now.

00:18:48.140 --> 00:18:49.960
 But here's the beautiful news

00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:51.460
 of God's great victory.

00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:54.279
 It ain't gonna last.

00:18:55.160 --> 00:18:56.539
 Relief is coming.

00:18:58.059 --> 00:18:59.620
 Your struggle against sin

00:18:59.620 --> 00:19:01.660
 is just for a while.

00:19:02.460 --> 00:19:04.220
 Your struggle against

00:19:04.220 --> 00:19:05.940
 whatever temptation

00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:07.900
 Satan is throwing your way

00:19:07.900 --> 00:19:10.319
 is going to be temporary.

00:19:11.660 --> 00:19:12.579
 So hold on.

00:19:13.340 --> 00:19:14.100
 Hold on.

00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:17.039
 We need to long

00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:18.140
 and live

00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:20.700
 for God's unchallenged rule.

00:19:20.840 --> 00:19:21.319
 It's coming.

00:19:22.819 --> 00:19:23.640
 And when it does,

00:19:23.840 --> 00:19:25.160
 we will not be disappointed.

00:19:26.500 --> 00:19:27.660
 Here's the second thing.

00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:29.340
 Let's look at the second section

00:19:29.340 --> 00:19:30.440
 of our text this morning.

00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:32.240
 The second reason

00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:33.460
 that we are to long

00:19:33.460 --> 00:19:34.140
 and live

00:19:34.140 --> 00:19:35.880
 for God's triumphant reign

00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:37.960
 is found in verses 6 through 10.

00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:38.820
 It's this.

00:19:40.299 --> 00:19:42.019
 God's unchallenged rule

00:19:42.019 --> 00:19:42.860
 means

00:19:42.860 --> 00:19:45.700
 our forever union

00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:46.799
 with Jesus.

00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:49.700
 God's unchallenged rule

00:19:49.700 --> 00:19:51.779
 means our forever union

00:19:51.779 --> 00:19:53.320
 with Jesus.

00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:55.779
 If you thought

00:19:55.779 --> 00:19:57.019
 the sound of great praise

00:19:57.019 --> 00:19:57.599
 in verse 1

00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:58.319
 was spectacular,

00:19:58.639 --> 00:19:59.539
 it's tripled

00:19:59.539 --> 00:20:01.039
 in verse 6.

00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:03.240
 Then I heard

00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:03.919
 what seemed to be

00:20:03.919 --> 00:20:04.379
 the voice

00:20:04.379 --> 00:20:05.279
 of a great multitude

00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:06.019
 like the roar

00:20:06.019 --> 00:20:06.779
 of many waters

00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:07.679
 and like the sound

00:20:07.679 --> 00:20:08.559
 of mighty peels

00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:09.019
 of thunder

00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:10.039
 crying out.

00:20:10.299 --> 00:20:12.039
 Not just a great crowd.

00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:14.500
 Not just a stadium

00:20:14.500 --> 00:20:15.359
 full of people

00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:16.700
 but Niagara Falls

00:20:16.700 --> 00:20:17.259
 combined with

00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:18.139
 a raging thunderstorm.

00:20:19.539 --> 00:20:20.039
 It just staggers

00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:20.639
 the imagination

00:20:20.639 --> 00:20:21.439
 to try to conceive

00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:22.500
 of a massive thunderstorm

00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:23.779
 raging over Niagara Falls

00:20:23.779 --> 00:20:24.140
 in the middle

00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:24.900
 of a football stadium

00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:25.680
 of millions of people.

00:20:25.900 --> 00:20:26.840
 But that's the effect

00:20:26.840 --> 00:20:27.620
 that John's trying

00:20:27.620 --> 00:20:28.380
 to get across.

00:20:29.059 --> 00:20:30.400
 Major noise.

00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:32.120
 Basically,

00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:33.580
 the roof of heaven stadium

00:20:33.580 --> 00:20:34.820
 just got blown off

00:20:34.820 --> 00:20:35.700
 by the roar

00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:36.820
 of its citizens

00:20:36.820 --> 00:20:38.480
 going absolutely wild.

00:20:40.039 --> 00:20:40.840
 I thought

00:20:40.840 --> 00:20:41.799
 the joy

00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:42.779
 was really evident

00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:43.539
 in verse 1

00:20:43.539 --> 00:20:43.940
 in this

00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:45.259
 hallelujah chorus

00:20:45.259 --> 00:20:46.320
 but now,

00:20:47.120 --> 00:20:47.620
 whoa!

00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:49.180
 Look at the last half

00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:50.240
 of verse 6.

00:20:50.620 --> 00:20:51.259
 Hallelujah!

00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:53.140
 for the Lord

00:20:53.140 --> 00:20:53.660
 God,

00:20:54.019 --> 00:20:56.080
 the Almighty

00:20:56.080 --> 00:20:57.420
 reigns.

00:20:57.880 --> 00:20:58.960
 This is heaven

00:20:58.960 --> 00:20:59.559
 sounding

00:20:59.559 --> 00:21:00.580
 a similar

00:21:00.580 --> 00:21:01.559
 triumphant note

00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:02.460
 as verse 1

00:21:02.460 --> 00:21:03.400
 but it's just

00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:04.160
 amplified.

00:21:04.580 --> 00:21:05.220
 At last!

00:21:05.799 --> 00:21:06.240
 Finally!

00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:07.720
 God's rule

00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:08.160
 and reign

00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:08.779
 is coming

00:21:08.779 --> 00:21:10.160
 fully and finally

00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:10.759
 and His enemies

00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:11.259
 are going to be

00:21:11.259 --> 00:21:12.080
 vanquished.

00:21:14.840 --> 00:21:15.960
 But it's not just

00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:16.380
 that His enemies

00:21:16.380 --> 00:21:17.019
 are vanquished.

00:21:18.019 --> 00:21:18.820
 Take a second

00:21:18.820 --> 00:21:19.680
 to think of

00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:20.660
 your favorite

00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:21.400
 epic movie.

00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:23.660
 They tend to star

00:21:23.660 --> 00:21:24.559
 Russell Crowe

00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:25.220
 or Mel Gibson

00:21:25.220 --> 00:21:26.580
 but whichever one

00:21:26.580 --> 00:21:28.120
 you've got

00:21:28.120 --> 00:21:28.880
 in your mind

00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:30.100
 just

00:21:30.100 --> 00:21:31.759
 think of

00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:32.340
 epic movie,

00:21:32.420 --> 00:21:32.620
 okay?

00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:34.680
 When do you

00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:35.420
 as the viewer

00:21:35.420 --> 00:21:36.460
 experience

00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:37.620
 the greatest

00:21:37.620 --> 00:21:39.259
 sense of relief

00:21:39.259 --> 00:21:40.440
 and satisfaction

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:41.500
 when you watch

00:21:41.500 --> 00:21:41.980
 movies

00:21:41.980 --> 00:21:43.279
 like that?

00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:45.180
 It's when the good

00:21:45.180 --> 00:21:45.820
 guy finally beats

00:21:45.820 --> 00:21:46.380
 the bad guy,

00:21:46.440 --> 00:21:46.680
 right?

00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:46.759
 it?

00:21:47.960 --> 00:21:49.039
 Well, yes

00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:50.799
 but there's

00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:51.400
 something else.

00:21:52.360 --> 00:21:52.960
 It's not just

00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:53.500
 that, is it?

00:21:53.900 --> 00:21:54.840
 It's not just

00:21:54.840 --> 00:21:56.019
 vindication.

00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:56.960
 It's not just

00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:57.720
 triumph.

00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:00.759
 It's when the good

00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:01.539
 guy beats the bad

00:22:01.539 --> 00:22:02.200
 guy so the good

00:22:02.200 --> 00:22:02.820
 guy can have his

00:22:02.820 --> 00:22:03.080
 girl.

00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:04.779
 Right?

00:22:06.460 --> 00:22:07.400
 The story ain't

00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:08.279
 over until the bad

00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:08.920
 guy dies

00:22:08.920 --> 00:22:10.279
 and the good guy

00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:10.880
 and his girl

00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:11.480
 are finally

00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:12.440
 together forever.

00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:14.940
 Well, heaven

00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:16.360
 is not just

00:22:16.360 --> 00:22:16.960
 celebrating

00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:18.480
 because God's

00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:19.120
 enemies are

00:22:19.120 --> 00:22:19.799
 going down.

00:22:20.580 --> 00:22:21.059
 Heaven is

00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:21.539
 celebrating

00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:22.480
 because God's

00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:23.120
 going to finally

00:22:23.120 --> 00:22:24.340
 get his girl.

00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:26.519
 Look at verse

00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:26.840
 seven.

00:22:27.960 --> 00:22:29.000
 Let us rejoice

00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:30.360
 and exult

00:22:30.360 --> 00:22:31.200
 and give him

00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:31.700
 the glory

00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:32.740
 for

00:22:32.740 --> 00:22:35.019
 why so much

00:22:35.019 --> 00:22:35.440
 joy?

00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:37.400
 For the marriage

00:22:37.400 --> 00:22:38.299
 of the Lamb

00:22:38.299 --> 00:22:39.160
 has come.

00:22:41.059 --> 00:22:42.299
 God's triumphant

00:22:42.299 --> 00:22:43.200
 reign doesn't

00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.200
 just mean that

00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:44.819
 he vindicates

00:22:44.819 --> 00:22:45.319
 his people.

00:22:45.879 --> 00:22:46.619
 It means that

00:22:46.619 --> 00:22:47.220
 he also is going

00:22:47.220 --> 00:22:47.899
 to have his

00:22:47.899 --> 00:22:48.220
 people.

00:22:48.579 --> 00:22:49.000
 He's going to

00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:49.720
 marry his

00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:50.039
 people.

00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:53.259
 Back in

00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:54.039
 biblical times,

00:22:54.879 --> 00:22:55.279
 the whole

00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.000
 marriage process

00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:56.680
 looked something

00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:57.240
 like this.

00:22:58.119 --> 00:22:58.799
 The prospective

00:22:58.799 --> 00:22:59.599
 groom would

00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:00.099
 head from

00:23:00.099 --> 00:23:00.700
 his father's

00:23:00.700 --> 00:23:01.559
 house to

00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:02.200
 the prospective

00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:02.859
 bride's

00:23:02.859 --> 00:23:03.819
 father's house

00:23:03.819 --> 00:23:04.980
 and negotiate

00:23:04.980 --> 00:23:05.859
 a betrothal

00:23:05.859 --> 00:23:06.519
 with him.

00:23:07.259 --> 00:23:07.639
 He would have

00:23:07.639 --> 00:23:08.440
 to pay a price

00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:09.220
 for the bride

00:23:09.220 --> 00:23:10.359
 and then the

00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:10.879
 groom and the

00:23:10.879 --> 00:23:11.599
 bride would

00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:12.279
 legally be

00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:13.139
 declared married

00:23:13.139 --> 00:23:13.720
 after the

00:23:13.720 --> 00:23:14.299
 price was

00:23:14.299 --> 00:23:14.639
 paid.

00:23:15.960 --> 00:23:16.759
 After the

00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:18.039
 payment happened,

00:23:18.139 --> 00:23:18.480
 the couple

00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:18.879
 would then

00:23:18.879 --> 00:23:19.700
 drink a cup

00:23:19.700 --> 00:23:20.200
 of wine

00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:21.319
 together to

00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:22.259
 seal and

00:23:22.259 --> 00:23:23.119
 ratify the

00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:23.619
 fact that

00:23:23.619 --> 00:23:24.599
 this was a

00:23:24.599 --> 00:23:25.700
 legit union.

00:23:25.899 --> 00:23:26.480
 This marriage

00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:27.680
 was going to

00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:28.240
 be a new

00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:29.420
 covenant of

00:23:29.420 --> 00:23:30.460
 these two

00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:31.119
 people together.

00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:31.740
 But then,

00:23:32.639 --> 00:23:33.420
 that wouldn't

00:23:33.420 --> 00:23:33.819
 be it.

00:23:34.539 --> 00:23:34.920
 They would

00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:35.559
 be legally

00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:36.039
 married,

00:23:36.220 --> 00:23:36.519
 but they

00:23:36.519 --> 00:23:36.980
 would not

00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:37.960
 consummate the

00:23:37.960 --> 00:23:38.180
 union.

00:23:38.299 --> 00:23:38.539
 They would

00:23:38.539 --> 00:23:38.960
 not be

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:39.379
 physically

00:23:39.379 --> 00:23:41.240
 intimate for

00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:41.599
 about a

00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:41.859
 year.

00:23:42.819 --> 00:23:43.240
 The groom

00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:43.559
 would go

00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:43.960
 home to

00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:44.500
 his father's

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:45.380
 house and

00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:45.640
 he would

00:23:45.640 --> 00:23:46.420
 begin preparing

00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:47.900
 a place for

00:23:47.900 --> 00:23:49.059
 his bride and

00:23:49.059 --> 00:23:50.220
 preparing the

00:23:50.220 --> 00:23:50.900
 wedding feast.

00:23:51.620 --> 00:23:52.180
 This could

00:23:52.180 --> 00:23:52.839
 take a while,

00:23:53.299 --> 00:23:53.819
 about a year.

00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:55.420
 While he was

00:23:55.420 --> 00:23:56.599
 away working on

00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:57.660
 her behalf,

00:23:58.200 --> 00:23:59.240
 she would be

00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:00.720
 waiting faithfully

00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:01.960
 for him,

00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:03.460
 but not just

00:24:03.460 --> 00:24:04.099
 twiddling her

00:24:04.099 --> 00:24:04.380
 thumbs.

00:24:05.059 --> 00:24:05.640
 She would be

00:24:05.640 --> 00:24:06.420
 waiting faithfully,

00:24:07.380 --> 00:24:08.220
 not making any

00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:08.819
 commitment with any

00:24:08.819 --> 00:24:09.859
 others, but

00:24:09.859 --> 00:24:10.579
 also preparing

00:24:10.579 --> 00:24:11.079
 herself.

00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:13.079
 A lot of work

00:24:13.079 --> 00:24:13.779
 that goes into

00:24:13.779 --> 00:24:14.899
 being, not just

00:24:14.899 --> 00:24:15.599
 the wedding, but

00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:16.879
 creating a new

00:24:16.879 --> 00:24:17.579
 life with her

00:24:17.579 --> 00:24:18.799
 future husband.

00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:19.599
 So she began

00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:20.419
 preparing herself

00:24:20.419 --> 00:24:21.480
 actively for this

00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:22.099
 wedding day.

00:24:22.679 --> 00:24:23.279
 Then he would

00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:24.939
 come suddenly,

00:24:25.939 --> 00:24:26.720
 usually in the

00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:27.119
 middle of the

00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:28.500
 night, and that

00:24:28.500 --> 00:24:29.000
 was part of the

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:29.700
 fun, didn't know

00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:29.939
 when he was

00:24:29.939 --> 00:24:30.379
 going to come,

00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:31.599
 and then the

00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:32.059
 wedding feast

00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:32.500
 would begin.

00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:33.839
 It would be

00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:34.359
 joy.

00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:37.859
 Throughout the

00:24:37.859 --> 00:24:39.139
 Bible, the

00:24:39.139 --> 00:24:40.179
 relationship between

00:24:40.179 --> 00:24:41.199
 God and his

00:24:41.199 --> 00:24:42.219
 people has often

00:24:42.219 --> 00:24:43.039
 been compared to

00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:43.539
 a marriage.

00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:45.959
 God is the

00:24:45.959 --> 00:24:46.199
 groom.

00:24:46.519 --> 00:24:46.859
 He's the

00:24:46.859 --> 00:24:47.899
 initiator in the

00:24:47.899 --> 00:24:48.439
 relationship.

00:24:48.740 --> 00:24:49.959
 He comes to his

00:24:49.959 --> 00:24:50.659
 people, and he

00:24:50.659 --> 00:24:51.539
 desires to bring

00:24:51.539 --> 00:24:52.579
 her into a

00:24:52.579 --> 00:24:54.019
 healthy, exclusive,

00:24:54.339 --> 00:24:55.740
 protected, intimate

00:24:55.740 --> 00:24:56.839
 relationship with

00:24:56.839 --> 00:24:57.219
 himself.

00:24:58.179 --> 00:24:59.039
 And God makes all

00:24:59.039 --> 00:24:59.479
 the arrangements.

00:24:59.639 --> 00:25:00.240
 He does all the

00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:00.559
 work.

00:25:01.419 --> 00:25:02.599
 First, he saves her

00:25:02.599 --> 00:25:04.039
 from the bad guy

00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:04.839
 way back in Exodus.

00:25:04.979 --> 00:25:05.519
 Remember that?

00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:06.939
 He delivers her from

00:25:06.940 --> 00:25:07.980
 slavery to Pharaoh,

00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:09.799
 but not just that.

00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:12.500
 He brings her into

00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:14.860
 a promised land, a

00:25:14.860 --> 00:25:16.299
 place where she is

00:25:16.299 --> 00:25:17.340
 going to be with

00:25:17.340 --> 00:25:18.019
 him forever.

00:25:19.299 --> 00:25:20.360
 But the very sad

00:25:20.360 --> 00:25:21.160
 part of this story,

00:25:21.259 --> 00:25:22.140
 the tragedy of it,

00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:23.279
 is that God chose a

00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:24.740
 very unfaithful bride.

00:25:26.340 --> 00:25:28.160
 Right away, before

00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:29.259
 they even got to the

00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:30.640
 promised land, she

00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:31.360
 started turning away

00:25:31.360 --> 00:25:32.039
 to other lovers.

00:25:32.640 --> 00:25:33.220
 Remember the golden

00:25:33.220 --> 00:25:33.660
 calf?

00:25:33.660 --> 00:25:35.940
 She started falling

00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:37.160
 to seductions of

00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:39.400
 false worship, the

00:25:39.400 --> 00:25:41.800
 old Babylon, and she

00:25:41.800 --> 00:25:42.740
 was turning away from

00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:43.779
 her faithful bridegroom.

00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:45.800
 The Old Testament

00:25:45.800 --> 00:25:47.100
 prophets would often

00:25:47.100 --> 00:25:49.100
 compare Israel to an

00:25:49.100 --> 00:25:51.300
 unfaithful wife, panting

00:25:51.300 --> 00:25:53.220
 after lovers, running

00:25:53.220 --> 00:25:54.580
 headlong away from her

00:25:54.580 --> 00:25:54.880
 husband.

00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:57.140
 It's in Ezekiel 16 and

00:25:57.140 --> 00:25:57.900
 Jeremiah 2.

00:25:58.180 --> 00:25:58.820
 The whole book of

00:25:58.820 --> 00:26:00.000
 Hosea is all about

00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:00.400
 this.

00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:01.980
 But then we come to

00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:02.900
 Isaiah 54.

00:26:04.420 --> 00:26:05.860
 And God, he does

00:26:05.860 --> 00:26:06.840
 discipline his people.

00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:07.980
 He sends his wife

00:26:07.980 --> 00:26:08.460
 away.

00:26:09.080 --> 00:26:10.180
 He briefly abandons

00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:11.040
 her to her own

00:26:11.040 --> 00:26:12.180
 self-worshiping

00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:12.700
 devices.

00:26:13.400 --> 00:26:14.280
 But then he makes

00:26:14.280 --> 00:26:15.259
 the most profound

00:26:15.259 --> 00:26:15.960
 promise.

00:26:17.420 --> 00:26:18.100
 For the Lord has

00:26:18.100 --> 00:26:19.720
 called you like a

00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:20.920
 wife deserted and

00:26:20.920 --> 00:26:21.980
 grieved in spirit,

00:26:22.180 --> 00:26:23.259
 like a wife of youth

00:26:23.259 --> 00:26:24.420
 when she is cast off,

00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:25.120
 says your God.

00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:26.900
 For a brief moment I

00:26:26.900 --> 00:26:27.960
 deserted you, but with

00:26:27.960 --> 00:26:30.000
 great compassion I will

00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:30.940
 gather you.

00:26:31.220 --> 00:26:32.339
 In overflowing anger

00:26:32.339 --> 00:26:33.619
 for a moment I hid my

00:26:33.619 --> 00:26:34.759
 face from you, but with

00:26:34.759 --> 00:26:36.579
 everlasting love I will

00:26:36.579 --> 00:26:38.299
 have compassion on you.

00:26:38.380 --> 00:26:39.319
 And then about 700

00:26:39.319 --> 00:26:42.380
 years later, breathing

00:26:42.380 --> 00:26:43.539
 the air of planet

00:26:43.539 --> 00:26:44.980
 earth as God made

00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:46.779
 flesh, Jesus Christ

00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:47.779
 spoke these words.

00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:49.539
 Can the wedding guest

00:26:49.539 --> 00:26:50.380
 feast when the

00:26:50.380 --> 00:26:51.160
 bridegroom is here?

00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:54.460
 He began pointing to

00:26:54.460 --> 00:26:55.000
 himself.

00:26:55.400 --> 00:26:56.460
 He's saying, I'm here.

00:26:57.019 --> 00:26:57.779
 The bridegroom is

00:26:57.779 --> 00:26:58.119
 back.

00:26:58.119 --> 00:27:01.000
 And he didn't just

00:27:01.000 --> 00:27:01.679
 show up just to hang

00:27:01.679 --> 00:27:01.959
 out.

00:27:03.899 --> 00:27:04.879
 He showed up to do

00:27:04.879 --> 00:27:05.759
 what he promised to

00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:06.959
 do in Isaiah 54.

00:27:07.739 --> 00:27:08.919
 To gather his bride

00:27:08.919 --> 00:27:10.259
 back to himself in

00:27:10.259 --> 00:27:11.779
 great compassion and

00:27:11.779 --> 00:27:13.059
 everlasting love and to

00:27:13.059 --> 00:27:15.179
 win her heart back to

00:27:15.179 --> 00:27:16.099
 him from her

00:27:16.099 --> 00:27:16.659
 faithlessness.

00:27:17.779 --> 00:27:18.719
 In essence, he came

00:27:18.719 --> 00:27:20.199
 back to re-betroth her

00:27:20.199 --> 00:27:21.619
 to himself.

00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:23.519
 To pay the price, to

00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:24.819
 drink the cup, and to

00:27:24.819 --> 00:27:26.339
 betroth her to himself

00:27:26.339 --> 00:27:27.199
 in love.

00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:28.259
 So, he's having his

00:27:28.259 --> 00:27:29.639
 last meal with his

00:27:29.639 --> 00:27:31.000
 disciples in John 13

00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:31.579
 through 16.

00:27:31.959 --> 00:27:33.519
 He drinks the cup of

00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:34.599
 the new covenant of

00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:36.599
 betrothal and points to

00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:37.619
 the price he was about

00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:38.939
 to pay, the shedding of

00:27:38.939 --> 00:27:39.659
 his own blood.

00:27:40.899 --> 00:27:42.059
 And he also promised

00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:43.019
 that he was going to go

00:27:43.019 --> 00:27:44.000
 away for a period of

00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:46.539
 time to prepare a place

00:27:46.539 --> 00:27:47.480
 for his bride and his

00:27:47.480 --> 00:27:48.000
 father's house.

00:27:48.179 --> 00:27:49.199
 And he gave his bride

00:27:49.199 --> 00:27:50.259
 instructions of how to

00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:51.500
 be faithful in the

00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:52.639
 meantime until he comes

00:27:52.639 --> 00:27:53.059
 back.

00:27:53.059 --> 00:27:53.899
 because he's going to

00:27:53.899 --> 00:27:55.339
 return soon and

00:27:55.339 --> 00:27:56.679
 suddenly to take her

00:27:56.679 --> 00:27:58.159
 home to be with him

00:27:58.159 --> 00:27:58.619
 forever.

00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:00.379
 And here.

00:28:01.679 --> 00:28:03.639
 Revelation 19, verse 7.

00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:06.819
 Heaven is trembling

00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:08.419
 with anticipation.

00:28:12.299 --> 00:28:13.919
 God's great unchallenged

00:28:13.919 --> 00:28:15.299
 rule is not only going to

00:28:15.299 --> 00:28:16.519
 trounce the bad guy.

00:28:17.740 --> 00:28:19.519
 God's unchallenged rule is

00:28:19.519 --> 00:28:20.619
 also going to bring about

00:28:20.619 --> 00:28:21.639
 the wedding feast.

00:28:22.500 --> 00:28:24.679
 God is going to get his

00:28:24.679 --> 00:28:25.039
 girl.

00:28:27.179 --> 00:28:28.079
 Church, do you know

00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:28.599
 something that's

00:28:28.599 --> 00:28:29.779
 ridiculously amazing?

00:28:31.579 --> 00:28:33.339
 We are the girl.

00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:37.319
 We are the bride.

00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:42.259
 We are the objects of our

00:28:42.259 --> 00:28:43.699
 bridegroom's great affection.

00:28:44.519 --> 00:28:46.639
 And he's coming back for us.

00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:50.840
 Sinful, weak, foolish,

00:28:51.040 --> 00:28:52.420
 faithless, bumbling us.

00:28:54.820 --> 00:28:56.300
 Just let that sink in for a

00:28:56.300 --> 00:28:57.240
 minute, people of God.

00:28:58.620 --> 00:29:00.640
 We are the bride of the

00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:00.940
 Lamb.

00:29:05.140 --> 00:29:06.880
 Why would he want to be with

00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:07.620
 me forever?

00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:09.940
 Why would he love me?

00:29:10.060 --> 00:29:11.080
 Why would he pay a price

00:29:11.080 --> 00:29:11.680
 for me?

00:29:12.340 --> 00:29:13.280
 Why would he go to prepare

00:29:13.280 --> 00:29:14.259
 a place for me?

00:29:14.259 --> 00:29:16.299
 We, fellow sinners,

00:29:16.420 --> 00:29:18.279
 this truth should melt our

00:29:18.279 --> 00:29:20.059
 hearts and convince us of

00:29:20.059 --> 00:29:22.539
 our God's immense love for

00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:23.980
 corrupt and faithless people

00:29:23.980 --> 00:29:24.539
 like us.

00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:27.980
 The God of endless days

00:29:27.980 --> 00:29:30.839
 died to betroth himself to

00:29:30.839 --> 00:29:32.039
 you forever.

00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:36.839
 And he has gone away to

00:29:36.839 --> 00:29:37.920
 prepare a place in his

00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:39.180
 father's house for us and he

00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:41.019
 will come soon and suddenly

00:29:41.019 --> 00:29:43.599
 take us to the joyful

00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:44.539
 wedding feast.

00:29:45.660 --> 00:29:46.779
 It doesn't mean that we're

00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:47.920
 anything lovely in

00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:48.420
 ourselves.

00:29:50.339 --> 00:29:51.460
 I know that about me.

00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:52.420
 I think you know that about

00:29:52.420 --> 00:29:52.680
 you.

00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:54.559
 He doesn't love us because of

00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:55.420
 something in us.

00:29:56.139 --> 00:29:57.400
 He loves us because he loves

00:29:57.400 --> 00:29:57.619
 us.

00:29:59.319 --> 00:30:00.680
 And it is his love for us

00:30:00.680 --> 00:30:01.740
 that makes us lovely.

00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:04.200
 Speaking of lovely, look at

00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:05.200
 the last part of verse 7.

00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:08.220
 And his bride has made

00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:09.080
 herself ready.

00:30:09.500 --> 00:30:10.819
 It was granted to her to

00:30:10.819 --> 00:30:12.279
 clothe herself with fine

00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:14.460
 linen, bright and pure, for

00:30:14.460 --> 00:30:15.660
 the fine linen is the

00:30:15.660 --> 00:30:16.920
 righteous deeds of the

00:30:16.920 --> 00:30:17.259
 saints.

00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:20.180
 Church, listen carefully to

00:30:20.180 --> 00:30:21.360
 what God's word is telling

00:30:21.360 --> 00:30:21.720
 us.

00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:24.299
 While we live here in

00:30:24.299 --> 00:30:26.200
 Babylon, our primary

00:30:26.920 --> 00:30:30.200
 occupation must be preparing

00:30:30.720 --> 00:30:32.700
 ourselves for the wedding

00:30:32.700 --> 00:30:33.160
 feast.

00:30:33.160 --> 00:30:37.600
 Let's pretend a young

00:30:37.600 --> 00:30:38.880
 couple get engaged to be

00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:39.120
 married.

00:30:39.940 --> 00:30:40.779
 They are officially

00:30:40.779 --> 00:30:42.900
 betrothed, rings and all.

00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:45.880
 The wedding date is set and

00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:47.259
 the groom-to-be is busy.

00:30:48.120 --> 00:30:49.160
 He's finding an apartment

00:30:49.160 --> 00:30:49.960
 for them to live in.

00:30:50.360 --> 00:30:51.360
 He's arranging the wedding

00:30:51.360 --> 00:30:51.700
 venue.

00:30:52.019 --> 00:30:52.920
 He's securing an

00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:53.440
 officiant.

00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:54.820
 He's visiting caterers.

00:30:54.920 --> 00:30:55.800
 He's making plans for the

00:30:55.800 --> 00:30:56.680
 honeymoon, et cetera, et

00:30:56.680 --> 00:30:57.100
 cetera, et cetera.

00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:59.900
 All the while, the bride

00:30:59.900 --> 00:31:02.120
 spends the months of her

00:31:02.119 --> 00:31:03.979
 engagements, going out with

00:31:03.979 --> 00:31:05.739
 friends, taking a couple

00:31:05.739 --> 00:31:08.259
 vacations by herself, sitting

00:31:08.259 --> 00:31:09.319
 on the couch, watching

00:31:09.319 --> 00:31:10.939
 Netflix the rest of the time.

00:31:11.899 --> 00:31:12.919
 And the day of the wedding

00:31:12.919 --> 00:31:13.500
 arrives.

00:31:14.319 --> 00:31:15.339
 And her phone goes off.

00:31:15.479 --> 00:31:16.079
 Beep, beep, beep, beep,

00:31:16.079 --> 00:31:16.279
 beep.

00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:18.299
 Wedding today.

00:31:19.739 --> 00:31:20.619
 She gasps.

00:31:20.619 --> 00:31:23.959
 She doesn't have a dress.

00:31:24.199 --> 00:31:24.859
 She doesn't have shoes.

00:31:24.939 --> 00:31:25.539
 She doesn't have jewelry.

00:31:25.639 --> 00:31:26.000
 She doesn't have

00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:26.679
 bridesmaids' dresses.

00:31:26.779 --> 00:31:27.379
 She doesn't have a hair

00:31:27.379 --> 00:31:27.699
 appointment.

00:31:28.000 --> 00:31:28.279
 Nothing.

00:31:29.019 --> 00:31:29.939
 She just shows up at the

00:31:29.939 --> 00:31:32.319
 wedding, sheepish, in sweats

00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:33.659
 and a t-shirt, completely

00:31:33.659 --> 00:31:34.699
 unprepared.

00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:40.459
 Let that not be us, church.

00:31:42.019 --> 00:31:44.479
 Let that not be us.

00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:48.120
 Our greatest longing and our

00:31:48.120 --> 00:31:50.779
 greatest goal in living now is

00:31:50.779 --> 00:31:52.480
 to prepare ourselves for the

00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:53.460
 wedding day then.

00:31:54.339 --> 00:31:56.839
 To be with Jesus forever.

00:31:58.279 --> 00:31:59.519
 How are we going to do that?

00:32:01.740 --> 00:32:03.279
 Notice the end of verse 8.

00:32:04.620 --> 00:32:06.680
 The beautiful wedding dress that

00:32:06.680 --> 00:32:08.860
 she has on is the fine linen of

00:32:08.860 --> 00:32:10.720
 righteous deeds of the saints.

00:32:11.339 --> 00:32:12.740
 Bright and pure.

00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:15.299
 Now what are those righteous

00:32:15.299 --> 00:32:15.720
 deeds?

00:32:16.279 --> 00:32:17.859
 And how do we clothe ourselves

00:32:17.859 --> 00:32:19.539
 with those righteous deeds?

00:32:21.079 --> 00:32:22.759
 It's all about living a life of

00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:24.240
 faith in response to this grace

00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:26.140
 of being betrothed to our

00:32:26.140 --> 00:32:26.539
 bridegroom.

00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:28.900
 It means longing for our true

00:32:28.900 --> 00:32:31.019
 husband and living in a way

00:32:31.019 --> 00:32:32.019
 that's pleasing to him.

00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:34.120
 It means setting our affection on

00:32:34.120 --> 00:32:35.120
 him alone.

00:32:35.299 --> 00:32:37.200
 Not giving away to the

00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:38.920
 seductions of Babylon's false

00:32:38.920 --> 00:32:40.019
 worship of self.

00:32:41.180 --> 00:32:42.720
 It means laying our lives down

00:32:42.740 --> 00:32:44.319
 in love for each other.

00:32:45.079 --> 00:32:46.420
 In all of our relationships.

00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:48.759
 Marriage, children, friends,

00:32:49.160 --> 00:32:50.240
 family, everything.

00:32:51.559 --> 00:32:53.500
 It means laying our lives down.

00:32:53.740 --> 00:32:55.019
 It means walking in humility.

00:32:56.160 --> 00:32:57.259
 It means avoiding moral

00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:58.839
 compromise at work.

00:32:59.400 --> 00:33:00.900
 It means caring for outsiders

00:33:00.900 --> 00:33:01.900
 in our community.

00:33:02.680 --> 00:33:03.940
 It means guarding our mouths

00:33:03.940 --> 00:33:05.440
 against speaking gossip and

00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:07.680
 disciplining ourselves to speak

00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:09.440
 the truth even if it hurts us.

00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:10.880
 It means refusing to complain

00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:13.000
 or grumble by resolving to

00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:14.279
 trust God in every situation.

00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:15.700
 It means putting all of our

00:33:15.700 --> 00:33:17.860
 energy into learning and loving

00:33:17.860 --> 00:33:19.920
 our God's commands in his word.

00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:21.740
 It means confessing our sin

00:33:21.740 --> 00:33:23.180
 and turning from it daily.

00:33:23.180 --> 00:33:24.660
 Taking up our cross and

00:33:24.660 --> 00:33:26.120
 following the lamb wherever he

00:33:26.120 --> 00:33:26.580
 goes.

00:33:26.579 --> 00:33:30.559
 And you might be thinking

00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:32.359
 that sounds really hard.

00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:35.419
 Look at that beautiful phrase

00:33:35.419 --> 00:33:35.939
 in verse 8.

00:33:36.939 --> 00:33:38.039
 It was granted.

00:33:39.919 --> 00:33:40.799
 In other words

00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:42.839
 all those righteous deeds

00:33:42.839 --> 00:33:43.740
 that we are to walk in

00:33:43.740 --> 00:33:44.679
 are enabled.

00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:46.879
 Do you hear that granted language?

00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:48.139
 It's grace language.

00:33:48.599 --> 00:33:49.960
 It's enabled by the grace

00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:51.199
 that purchased us

00:33:51.199 --> 00:33:52.019
 as his bride

00:33:52.019 --> 00:33:52.939
 in the first place.

00:33:52.940 --> 00:33:54.580
 It's like this.

00:33:54.860 --> 00:33:56.160
 We aren't his bride

00:33:56.160 --> 00:33:57.360
 because we've put on

00:33:57.360 --> 00:33:58.240
 the righteous deeds.

00:33:58.600 --> 00:34:00.080
 We put on the righteous deeds

00:34:00.080 --> 00:34:01.320
 because we are his bride.

00:34:03.779 --> 00:34:05.039
 And there's one more way

00:34:05.039 --> 00:34:06.320
 that we can prepare ourselves

00:34:06.320 --> 00:34:07.039
 for that day.

00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:09.800
 Look at verses 9 and 10.

00:34:11.740 --> 00:34:13.539
 It's by pondering the joy

00:34:13.539 --> 00:34:15.519
 of being at that feast.

00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:20.360
 There's this final reminder

00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:21.019
 of the goodness

00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:21.700
 and the privilege

00:34:21.699 --> 00:34:22.859
 that we currently have

00:34:22.859 --> 00:34:23.839
 as those who are invited

00:34:23.839 --> 00:34:25.000
 to the great wedding feast.

00:34:25.859 --> 00:34:27.299
 The angel tells John

00:34:27.299 --> 00:34:28.439
 write this down.

00:34:29.599 --> 00:34:30.519
 It's always good to pay attention

00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:31.339
 when an angel tells you

00:34:31.339 --> 00:34:32.019
 to write something down.

00:34:32.099 --> 00:34:32.639
 So let's listen.

00:34:33.939 --> 00:34:35.179
 Blessed are those

00:34:35.179 --> 00:34:36.059
 who are invited

00:34:36.059 --> 00:34:37.299
 to the marriage supper

00:34:37.299 --> 00:34:38.299
 of the lamb.

00:34:38.339 --> 00:34:39.480
 It doesn't say blessed are they

00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:40.199
 when they get there.

00:34:40.699 --> 00:34:42.139
 It says blessed now

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:43.239
 are those

00:34:43.239 --> 00:34:44.739
 who are invited now.

00:34:46.119 --> 00:34:47.079
 It's zeroing in

00:34:47.079 --> 00:34:48.960
 on the present blessing

00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:50.880
 of trusting the promise

00:34:50.880 --> 00:34:52.500
 of that future hope.

00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:54.720
 This is the fourth time

00:34:54.720 --> 00:34:55.639
 that word blessed

00:34:55.639 --> 00:34:56.220
 has shown up

00:34:56.220 --> 00:34:56.840
 in the book of Revelation.

00:34:57.019 --> 00:34:57.900
 It's kind of woven

00:34:57.900 --> 00:34:58.519
 in and out

00:34:58.519 --> 00:34:59.619
 of the book of Revelation

00:34:59.619 --> 00:35:00.300
 and it's meant

00:35:00.300 --> 00:35:01.119
 to communicate to us

00:35:01.119 --> 00:35:02.880
 if we listen to these words

00:35:02.880 --> 00:35:03.679
 in the book of Revelation

00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:04.320
 now

00:35:04.320 --> 00:35:05.699
 and we savor

00:35:05.699 --> 00:35:06.780
 what they mean

00:35:06.780 --> 00:35:07.760
 and we ponder it

00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:08.500
 and we seek to

00:35:08.500 --> 00:35:09.940
 bring that into

00:35:09.940 --> 00:35:11.240
 the soil of our hearts,

00:35:11.440 --> 00:35:12.360
 it's going to bring

00:35:12.360 --> 00:35:13.519
 present joy

00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:14.460
 and blessing

00:35:14.460 --> 00:35:15.059
 now.

00:35:15.059 --> 00:35:17.980
 So if you've trusted

00:35:17.980 --> 00:35:18.860
 in Jesus Christ

00:35:18.860 --> 00:35:19.960
 you are his forever.

00:35:20.199 --> 00:35:21.039
 You are called

00:35:21.039 --> 00:35:21.619
 to the feast.

00:35:21.779 --> 00:35:22.779
 You are invited

00:35:22.779 --> 00:35:24.400
 to the greatest joy

00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:25.279
 ever known

00:35:25.279 --> 00:35:26.440
 around God's table

00:35:26.440 --> 00:35:27.019
 at the wedding

00:35:27.019 --> 00:35:27.940
 of Jesus

00:35:27.940 --> 00:35:29.219
 and his bride.

00:35:30.179 --> 00:35:30.820
 In fact the promise

00:35:30.820 --> 00:35:31.559
 is so staggering

00:35:31.559 --> 00:35:32.259
 in verse 10

00:35:32.259 --> 00:35:34.099
 John bows down

00:35:34.099 --> 00:35:34.619
 to worship

00:35:34.619 --> 00:35:35.639
 the one who speaks it

00:35:35.639 --> 00:35:35.880
 to him.

00:35:36.039 --> 00:35:37.539
 The trustworthiness

00:35:37.539 --> 00:35:38.159
 of the word

00:35:38.159 --> 00:35:38.860
 and the glory

00:35:38.860 --> 00:35:39.500
 of what he was

00:35:39.500 --> 00:35:40.320
 experiencing

00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:41.099
 this promise

00:35:41.099 --> 00:35:42.159
 it was so much

00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:42.500
 for him.

00:35:42.599 --> 00:35:43.719
 It was too much

00:35:43.719 --> 00:35:44.000
 for him

00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:44.579
 and so he was tempted

00:35:44.579 --> 00:35:45.480
 to worship the angel

00:35:45.480 --> 00:35:46.179
 who just relayed

00:35:46.179 --> 00:35:46.659
 the message

00:35:46.659 --> 00:35:47.559
 but the angel

00:35:47.559 --> 00:35:48.440
 says don't worship me

00:35:48.440 --> 00:35:49.639
 I'm just a fellow servant.

00:35:51.519 --> 00:35:52.380
 The promise

00:35:52.380 --> 00:35:53.219
 of the wedding feast

00:35:53.219 --> 00:35:54.420
 is meant to bring

00:35:54.420 --> 00:35:55.360
 present blessing

00:35:55.360 --> 00:35:56.019
 for those of us

00:35:56.019 --> 00:35:56.599
 who hold

00:35:56.599 --> 00:35:57.679
 to the testimony

00:35:57.679 --> 00:35:58.519
 of Jesus

00:35:58.519 --> 00:35:59.440
 now.

00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:03.159
 It's a little morsel

00:36:03.159 --> 00:36:03.659
 of goodness

00:36:03.659 --> 00:36:04.260
 that's meant to

00:36:04.260 --> 00:36:05.300
 nourish your soul

00:36:05.300 --> 00:36:06.019
 with longing

00:36:06.019 --> 00:36:07.599
 so that your living

00:36:07.599 --> 00:36:08.320
 might be that

00:36:08.320 --> 00:36:08.960
 of a bride

00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:09.659
 who is preparing

00:36:09.659 --> 00:36:10.239
 herself

00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:11.960
 and waiting

00:36:11.960 --> 00:36:12.719
 for her groom

00:36:12.719 --> 00:36:14.399
 waiting for the

00:36:14.399 --> 00:36:15.019
 day when he

00:36:15.019 --> 00:36:15.819
 comes to take

00:36:15.819 --> 00:36:16.559
 her to himself

00:36:16.559 --> 00:36:17.959
 and if you take

00:36:17.959 --> 00:36:18.459
 a little peek

00:36:18.459 --> 00:36:19.019
 at the very next

00:36:19.019 --> 00:36:19.879
 verse in verse 11

00:36:19.879 --> 00:36:21.599
 you'll see that

00:36:21.599 --> 00:36:22.019
 he's coming

00:36:22.019 --> 00:36:24.399
 riding on a white

00:36:24.399 --> 00:36:24.779
 horse

00:36:24.779 --> 00:36:26.219
 see that next week

00:36:26.219 --> 00:36:26.839
 he's coming

00:36:26.839 --> 00:36:27.299
 church

00:36:27.299 --> 00:36:29.579
 he's coming

00:36:29.579 --> 00:36:30.179
 for you

00:36:30.179 --> 00:36:31.839
 his triumphant

00:36:31.839 --> 00:36:32.799
 reign is coming

00:36:32.799 --> 00:36:33.859
 long for it

00:36:33.859 --> 00:36:35.279
 live for it

00:36:35.279 --> 00:36:36.279
 and you will not

00:36:36.279 --> 00:36:36.959
 be disappointed

00:36:36.959 --> 00:36:37.939
 when he comes

00:36:37.940 --> 00:36:40.599
 by way of

00:36:40.599 --> 00:36:41.000
 response

00:36:41.000 --> 00:36:41.460
 let me just

00:36:41.460 --> 00:36:42.019
 ask you a few

00:36:42.019 --> 00:36:42.559
 questions

00:36:42.559 --> 00:36:43.300
 to consider

00:36:43.300 --> 00:36:46.059
 do you

00:36:46.059 --> 00:36:47.099
 share

00:36:47.099 --> 00:36:48.519
 heaven's joy

00:36:48.519 --> 00:36:49.940
 at the thought

00:36:49.940 --> 00:36:51.159
 of God's

00:36:51.159 --> 00:36:51.619
 forever

00:36:51.619 --> 00:36:52.500
 rule

00:36:52.500 --> 00:36:54.500
 do you

00:36:54.500 --> 00:36:55.059
 share

00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:56.340
 heaven's joy

00:36:56.340 --> 00:36:57.900
 do you

00:36:57.900 --> 00:36:58.619
 also

00:36:58.619 --> 00:36:59.360
 long

00:36:59.360 --> 00:37:01.099
 for God's

00:37:01.099 --> 00:37:02.099
 unrivaled

00:37:02.099 --> 00:37:02.539
 kingdom

00:37:02.539 --> 00:37:05.259
 if you do

00:37:05.259 --> 00:37:06.119
 continue to

00:37:06.119 --> 00:37:06.480
 set your

00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:06.840
 heart

00:37:06.840 --> 00:37:07.840
 on that

00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:08.179
 blessed

00:37:08.179 --> 00:37:08.599
 reminder

00:37:08.599 --> 00:37:08.980
 that you

00:37:08.980 --> 00:37:09.159
 are

00:37:09.159 --> 00:37:09.779
 personally

00:37:09.779 --> 00:37:10.599
 invited

00:37:10.599 --> 00:37:12.239
 and that

00:37:12.239 --> 00:37:12.900
 you yourself

00:37:12.900 --> 00:37:13.840
 are a member

00:37:13.840 --> 00:37:14.500
 of that

00:37:14.500 --> 00:37:15.099
 bride

00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:16.659
 that was

00:37:16.659 --> 00:37:17.159
 purchased

00:37:17.159 --> 00:37:18.300
 at the

00:37:18.300 --> 00:37:18.719
 price

00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:20.019
 of

00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:20.619
 the

00:37:20.619 --> 00:37:21.059
 lamb's

00:37:21.059 --> 00:37:21.460
 blood

00:37:21.460 --> 00:37:23.579
 if you

00:37:23.579 --> 00:37:24.119
 don't

00:37:24.119 --> 00:37:25.320
 if that

00:37:25.320 --> 00:37:25.800
 does not

00:37:25.800 --> 00:37:26.219
 strike

00:37:26.219 --> 00:37:26.719
 joy

00:37:26.719 --> 00:37:27.579
 at least

00:37:27.579 --> 00:37:28.079
 a little

00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:28.340
 bit

00:37:28.340 --> 00:37:28.679
 in your

00:37:28.679 --> 00:37:29.059
 heart

00:37:29.059 --> 00:37:30.320
 or if

00:37:30.320 --> 00:37:30.719
 that joy

00:37:30.719 --> 00:37:31.400
 is fuzzy

00:37:31.400 --> 00:37:33.420
 then consider

00:37:33.420 --> 00:37:33.920
 this second

00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:34.380
 question

00:37:34.380 --> 00:37:36.099
 what does

00:37:36.099 --> 00:37:36.519
 bring you

00:37:36.519 --> 00:37:36.780
 joy

00:37:36.780 --> 00:37:39.039
 what do

00:37:39.039 --> 00:37:39.760
 you celebrate

00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:41.260
 and rejoice

00:37:41.260 --> 00:37:41.660
 in

00:37:41.660 --> 00:37:43.960
 if the

00:37:43.960 --> 00:37:44.460
 objects

00:37:44.460 --> 00:37:44.940
 of your

00:37:44.940 --> 00:37:45.340
 affection

00:37:45.340 --> 00:37:45.980
 are only

00:37:45.980 --> 00:37:46.579
 things that

00:37:46.579 --> 00:37:47.599
 don't last

00:37:47.599 --> 00:37:49.360
 things of

00:37:49.360 --> 00:37:49.740
 Babylon

00:37:49.740 --> 00:37:51.440
 then chances

00:37:51.440 --> 00:37:52.000
 are your

00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:53.119
 heart belongs

00:37:53.119 --> 00:37:54.320
 not to

00:37:54.320 --> 00:37:55.119
 the bridegroom

00:37:55.119 --> 00:37:55.880
 but to

00:37:55.880 --> 00:37:56.680
 the prostitute

00:37:56.680 --> 00:37:58.000
 to

00:37:58.000 --> 00:37:58.760
 allegiance

00:37:58.760 --> 00:37:59.420
 not to

00:37:59.420 --> 00:37:59.860
 the true

00:37:59.860 --> 00:38:00.180
 king

00:38:00.180 --> 00:38:00.760
 but to

00:38:00.760 --> 00:38:01.300
 the beast

00:38:01.300 --> 00:38:03.220
 come out

00:38:03.220 --> 00:38:04.660
 there's no

00:38:04.660 --> 00:38:05.180
 joy there

00:38:05.180 --> 00:38:06.240
 there's no

00:38:06.240 --> 00:38:06.920
 lasting

00:38:06.920 --> 00:38:08.140
 fulfillment

00:38:08.140 --> 00:38:09.019
 there

00:38:09.019 --> 00:38:12.500
 revelation

00:38:12.500 --> 00:38:13.000
 does not

00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:13.480
 give us

00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:14.200
 the option

00:38:14.200 --> 00:38:15.720
 of

00:38:15.720 --> 00:38:16.940
 neither

00:38:16.940 --> 00:38:18.380
 rejoicing

00:38:18.380 --> 00:38:19.060
 in Satan's

00:38:19.060 --> 00:38:19.340
 rule

00:38:19.340 --> 00:38:20.480
 nor in

00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:20.900
 God's

00:38:20.900 --> 00:38:21.140
 rule

00:38:21.140 --> 00:38:22.500
 there's no

00:38:22.500 --> 00:38:23.080
 third way

00:38:23.080 --> 00:38:24.780
 we either

00:38:24.780 --> 00:38:26.420
 delight in

00:38:26.420 --> 00:38:27.200
 the fact

00:38:27.200 --> 00:38:27.840
 that God

00:38:27.840 --> 00:38:28.519
 is our

00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:28.980
 king

00:38:28.980 --> 00:38:29.719
 or we

00:38:29.719 --> 00:38:30.099
 delight in

00:38:30.099 --> 00:38:30.440
 the fact

00:38:30.440 --> 00:38:31.039
 that we

00:38:31.039 --> 00:38:31.539
 are our

00:38:31.539 --> 00:38:31.800
 own

00:38:31.800 --> 00:38:32.159
 kings

00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:32.820
 or queens

00:38:32.820 --> 00:38:34.320
 and if

00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:34.619
 that is

00:38:34.619 --> 00:38:35.059
 the truth

00:38:35.059 --> 00:38:35.440
 then we

00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:36.480
 are in

00:38:36.480 --> 00:38:36.980
 league

00:38:36.980 --> 00:38:37.880
 with the

00:38:37.880 --> 00:38:38.199
 beast

00:38:38.199 --> 00:38:39.000
 and the

00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:39.599
 prostitute

00:38:39.599 --> 00:38:41.280
 there's no

00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:41.880
 third way

00:38:41.880 --> 00:38:42.880
 don't try to

00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:43.480
 ride the

00:38:43.480 --> 00:38:43.699
 middle

00:38:43.699 --> 00:38:45.559
 it's either

00:38:45.559 --> 00:38:45.980
 one

00:38:45.980 --> 00:38:47.039
 or the

00:38:47.039 --> 00:38:47.280
 other

00:38:47.280 --> 00:38:49.519
 if you

00:38:49.519 --> 00:38:49.860
 do

00:38:49.860 --> 00:38:51.019
 share in

00:38:51.019 --> 00:38:51.340
 the joy

00:38:51.340 --> 00:38:51.700
 of heaven

00:38:51.700 --> 00:38:52.000
 though

00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:52.840
 at least

00:38:52.840 --> 00:38:53.120
 a little

00:38:53.120 --> 00:38:53.400
 bit

00:38:53.400 --> 00:38:54.480
 there's that

00:38:54.480 --> 00:38:54.780
 there

00:38:54.780 --> 00:38:55.440
 it's a seed

00:38:55.440 --> 00:38:56.000
 it's planted

00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:56.460
 it's bearing

00:38:56.460 --> 00:38:57.019
 fruit in your

00:38:57.019 --> 00:38:57.300
 life

00:38:57.300 --> 00:38:59.100
 then you're in

00:38:59.100 --> 00:38:59.800
 the fight

00:38:59.800 --> 00:39:01.160
 against Babylon

00:39:01.159 --> 00:39:02.619
 you're struggling

00:39:02.619 --> 00:39:04.099
 against setting

00:39:04.099 --> 00:39:04.639
 your heart

00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:05.239
 on the things

00:39:05.239 --> 00:39:05.839
 of this world

00:39:05.839 --> 00:39:07.599
 then if that's

00:39:07.599 --> 00:39:08.239
 you consider

00:39:08.239 --> 00:39:09.019
 this final

00:39:09.019 --> 00:39:09.420
 question

00:39:09.420 --> 00:39:11.759
 is Jesus

00:39:11.759 --> 00:39:12.759
 your bridegroom

00:39:12.759 --> 00:39:13.779
 calling you

00:39:13.779 --> 00:39:14.399
 to prepare

00:39:14.399 --> 00:39:15.039
 yourself

00:39:15.039 --> 00:39:17.420
 in a particular

00:39:17.420 --> 00:39:17.859
 way

00:39:17.859 --> 00:39:18.539
 today

00:39:18.539 --> 00:39:20.839
 is there a

00:39:20.839 --> 00:39:21.539
 sinful habit

00:39:21.539 --> 00:39:22.019
 that he has

00:39:22.019 --> 00:39:22.679
 made you aware

00:39:22.679 --> 00:39:23.239
 of this week

00:39:23.239 --> 00:39:23.799
 that you know

00:39:23.799 --> 00:39:24.599
 you need to

00:39:24.599 --> 00:39:25.879
 put off

00:39:25.879 --> 00:39:27.219
 you know you

00:39:27.219 --> 00:39:27.940
 need his grace

00:39:27.940 --> 00:39:29.259
 to put off

00:39:29.259 --> 00:39:30.460
 to put away

00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:31.159
 to come out

00:39:31.159 --> 00:39:31.440
 of

00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:34.220
 or is there

00:39:34.220 --> 00:39:34.619
 a habit

00:39:34.619 --> 00:39:35.300
 of righteousness

00:39:35.300 --> 00:39:36.059
 that you know

00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:36.519
 that he is

00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:37.079
 calling you

00:39:37.079 --> 00:39:37.860
 to put on

00:39:37.860 --> 00:39:41.059
 how can you

00:39:41.059 --> 00:39:41.820
 make effort

00:39:41.820 --> 00:39:42.500
 today

00:39:42.500 --> 00:39:43.780
 grace enabled

00:39:43.780 --> 00:39:44.220
 effort

00:39:44.220 --> 00:39:45.320
 to prepare

00:39:45.320 --> 00:39:45.780
 yourself

00:39:45.780 --> 00:39:46.340
 actively

00:39:46.340 --> 00:39:46.880
 today

00:39:46.880 --> 00:39:47.619
 this week

00:39:47.619 --> 00:39:48.679
 for the

00:39:48.679 --> 00:39:49.380
 wedding feast

00:39:49.380 --> 00:39:51.519
 may God

00:39:51.519 --> 00:39:51.860
 give us

00:39:51.860 --> 00:39:52.240
 the grace

00:39:52.240 --> 00:39:52.760
 that we need

00:39:52.760 --> 00:39:53.320
 to faithfully

00:39:53.320 --> 00:39:53.860
 respond

00:39:53.860 --> 00:39:55.059
 to this word

00:39:55.059 --> 00:39:55.599
 let's pray

00:39:55.599 --> 00:39:56.280
 to that end

00:39:56.280 --> 00:40:07.060
 father you

00:40:07.060 --> 00:40:08.180
 have sent

00:40:08.180 --> 00:40:09.620
 your son

00:40:09.620 --> 00:40:12.320
 to betroth

00:40:12.320 --> 00:40:12.780
 himself

00:40:12.780 --> 00:40:14.780
 to a bride

00:40:14.780 --> 00:40:15.400
 forever

00:40:15.400 --> 00:40:18.220
 and your

00:40:18.220 --> 00:40:19.280
 unchallenged

00:40:19.280 --> 00:40:20.019
 rule is

00:40:20.019 --> 00:40:21.019
 soon coming

00:40:21.019 --> 00:40:22.660
 when you

00:40:22.660 --> 00:40:23.320
 will vanquish

00:40:23.320 --> 00:40:24.000
 your enemies

00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:25.940
 and you

00:40:25.940 --> 00:40:26.500
 will bring

00:40:26.500 --> 00:40:27.739
 the wedding

00:40:27.739 --> 00:40:28.219
 feast

00:40:28.219 --> 00:40:29.099
 about

00:40:29.099 --> 00:40:31.099
 God

00:40:31.099 --> 00:40:31.460
 would you

00:40:31.460 --> 00:40:32.039
 please

00:40:32.039 --> 00:40:33.659
 change our

00:40:33.659 --> 00:40:34.219
 longing

00:40:34.219 --> 00:40:36.059
 from anything

00:40:36.059 --> 00:40:36.480
 that's said

00:40:36.480 --> 00:40:36.840
 on this

00:40:36.840 --> 00:40:37.260
 world

00:40:37.260 --> 00:40:40.119
 to your

00:40:40.119 --> 00:40:40.940
 unchallenged

00:40:40.940 --> 00:40:41.280
 rule

00:40:41.280 --> 00:40:43.320
 help us

00:40:43.320 --> 00:40:43.900
 to long

00:40:43.900 --> 00:40:44.320
 for that

00:40:44.320 --> 00:40:44.619
 day

00:40:44.619 --> 00:40:45.360
 to long

00:40:45.360 --> 00:40:45.679
 for the

00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:45.900
 wedding

00:40:45.900 --> 00:40:46.380
 feast

00:40:46.380 --> 00:40:47.880
 to long

00:40:47.880 --> 00:40:48.219
 to be

00:40:48.219 --> 00:40:48.699
 with you

00:40:48.699 --> 00:40:49.039
 in our

00:40:49.039 --> 00:40:49.440
 union

00:40:49.440 --> 00:40:50.340
 with you

00:40:50.340 --> 00:40:50.800
 forever

00:40:50.800 --> 00:40:53.760
 give us

00:40:53.760 --> 00:40:54.059
 grace

00:40:54.059 --> 00:40:54.340
 God

00:40:54.340 --> 00:40:54.700
 to put

00:40:54.700 --> 00:40:55.200
 aside

00:40:55.200 --> 00:40:56.019
 to put

00:40:56.019 --> 00:40:56.460
 off

00:40:56.460 --> 00:40:56.860
 that

00:40:56.860 --> 00:40:57.200
 which

00:40:57.200 --> 00:40:59.320
 does not

00:40:59.320 --> 00:40:59.800
 bring

00:40:59.800 --> 00:41:01.240
 ultimate

00:41:01.240 --> 00:41:01.860
 and lasting

00:41:01.860 --> 00:41:02.460
 fulfillment

00:41:02.460 --> 00:41:05.519
 give grace

00:41:05.519 --> 00:41:05.820
 now

00:41:05.820 --> 00:41:06.440
 minister to

00:41:06.440 --> 00:41:06.820
 each one

00:41:06.820 --> 00:41:07.039
 of us

00:41:07.039 --> 00:41:07.360
 by your

00:41:07.360 --> 00:41:07.619
 spirit

00:41:07.619 --> 00:41:08.039
 we pray

00:41:08.039 --> 00:41:08.760
 in Christ's

00:41:08.760 --> 00:41:08.960
 name

00:41:08.960 --> 00:41:09.720
 amen