WEBVTT

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 Father, you are never in our debt.

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 We are always in your debt,

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 a great debt for your great grace offered freely to us.

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 We ask, Father, that you would gently but deeply

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 pour out your Holy Spirit upon us

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 to grow within us a spirit of thankfulness

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 and gratefulness for your great grace.

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 And we ask, Father, that as we are gripped

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 by grace, that grace will form how we live.

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 And all this we ask in the name of Jesus,

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 your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 Actually, just sorry, that was for the offertory.

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 Just you can be seated and I'm going to say a prayer

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 over the sermon because I'm going to talk about hell

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 this morning, so we need to pray as we open the word.

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 Let's just pray again.

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 Father, we have a hard time remembering your promises.

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 We ask that you help us to remember your promises

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 and learn to live by them.

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 And Father, we have a hard time accepting your warnings.

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 We ask, Father, that your Holy Spirit would move deeply

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 in our hearts and minds so that we might remember

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 and heed your warnings.

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 And all this we ask in the name of Jesus,

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 your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 So, Revelation 14.

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 I don't know how carefully you were all listening,

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 but if you were listening carefully,

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 you might have heard John read about a lake of fire

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 and torment and people being cast into a lake of fire.

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 And if you have a King James Version of the Bible,

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 it would have said not sulfur but brimstone.

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 This is one of the texts that that whole idea

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 of fire and brimstone comes from.

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 So, it's a very, very sobering text.

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 And for those of you who picked it up

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 while it was being read,

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 it becomes the elephant in the room

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 as you listen to the text.

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 And as we all know in life,

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 whenever possible,

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 if there's an elephant in the room,

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 you should talk about the elephant.

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 Only foolish people pretend

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 there's no elephant in the room

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 when there's an elephant in the room.

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 And in Canada,

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 talking about a lake of fire

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 and torment and judgment

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 is about as un-Canadian a thing

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 as you could possibly do.

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 It makes us as unhip and uncool

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 as you could possibly imagine

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 and not as unhip as hip people always are

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 because part of the way you become hip

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 is by trying to be unhip.

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 But this is like really unhip

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 like in a completely different way

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 than sort of imaginable in Canada.

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 It's a very, very sobering text.

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 It's not a text to joke about.

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 And so, let's turn to Revelation 14

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 and we'll look at this text first.

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 Revelation 14,

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 and we're going to look right at the text

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 that talks about hell.

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 And we sort of will start from there.

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 And if you turn to Revelation 14,

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 if you don't have a Bible,

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 there's extra Bibles here at the front.

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 And Revelation is the last book in the Bible.

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 And if you're wondering

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 why we're talking about a text like this,

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 if you're a guest,

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 it's because here at Church of the Messiah,

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 we preach and read through books of the Bible

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 and we're going through the book of Revelation.

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 And this is the next chapter.

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 We're going through about a chapter a week now.

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 And if you look on the bulletin,

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 I've titled this sermon,

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 I think it's called

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 Either Introducing Hell or an Introduction to Hell.

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 And that's because

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 Introduction to Hell 101,

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 I guess that would be an interesting course at university.

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 And that's because in a couple of weeks,

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 there's at least one more text

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 that talks about the same thing,

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 only in more depth.

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 So really, this is just a bit of an introduction

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 to a topic that we will return to

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 in a couple of weeks.

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 And here's what it says,

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 verses 9 to 11.

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 And another angel, a third,

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 followed them.

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 These are the two other angels.

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 We'll go back and read the text

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 from the beginning in a moment,

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 but I wanted to get right to the elephant in the room.

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 Verse 9 again.

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 And another angel, a third,

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 followed them, saying with a loud voice,

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 verse 10.

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 If anyone worships the beast and its image

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 and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,

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 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath,

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 poured full strength into the cup of his anger.

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 And he will be tormented with fire and brimstone

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 in the presence of the holy angels

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 and in the presence of the Lamb.

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 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever.

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 And they have no rest day or night,

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 these worshipers of the beast and its image

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 and whoever receives the mark of its name.

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 Now, we all know,

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 if you've been following along in these sermons

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 or if you go back and listen to a couple of them online,

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 if you're a guest here this morning,

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 that the book of Revelation is filled with images

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 and symbols,

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 and obviously these are images and symbols.

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 But the thing is that this image of fire and brimstone

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 and judgment and torment,

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 it's not an image of something like

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 a different way to talk about nightmares.

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 It's not like a primitive way of talking about

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 parts of the world

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 where there's maybe a lot of poverty and conflict.

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 It's not a type of symbolism

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 to talk about something in our collective unconscious

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 or our subconscious.

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 The Bible here,

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 the Bible teaches that hell is real.

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 That hell exists.

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 And that hell is not empty.

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 The Bible teaches that hell is real.

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 That hell exists.

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 That hell is not empty.

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 That's what the Bible teaches.

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 And so while on one hand,

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 it's probably valid to understand

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 that things like fire and brimstone

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 are some type of symbols or analogies for something,

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 they are images and symbols of a reality

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 of what happens

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 if human beings,

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 any human being,

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 ultimately is adamant in rejecting God

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 and choosing something other than the living God

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 as what they will serve and love

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 and obey and trust and hope in.

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 and this talks about the final and eternal destiny

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 of those who make such a choice.

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 And it is a very, very sobering text.

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 And it's just an introduction to this topic.

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 And the introduction,

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 which will become a little bit more clear

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 as we go back and start from the beginning,

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 is really that the Bible teaches that hell exists.

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 If you look in the bulletin every,

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 most weeks,

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 just about every week,

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 I provide something called Going Deeper,

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 which can be used for private study,

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 but it's best if you do it with one or two other people

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 and have a bit of a conversation,

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 get connected with somebody

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 while connecting with God's Word

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 and connecting with Jesus.

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 And it's a very, very simple little discipline

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 of going through the text.

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 First, I invite you to,

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 with sort of an introductory question

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 to get to know other people

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 and let them know you.

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 Then there's,

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 I ask you just to sort of read the text again

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 and then I take one or two or three parts of the text

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 and I ask you to read some other text

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 that throw some light

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 on what you've just read in Revelation.

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 And then you close by reading the book of Revelation again

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 and then it's an invitation to pray

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 in terms of what it is that God would like you to know

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 or how has the Holy Spirit convicted you

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 as you've read the text

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 and how can you share that with others

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 so they can pray for you.

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 And all I've done is,

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 in terms of this particular text,

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 all I've done is taken

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 just what it says in the book of Matthew

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 and Jesus says about hell

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 and given you a selection of verses

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 just in one gospel,

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 not all four, but just one,

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 to show that in fact Jesus teaches that hell exists.

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 It's very sobering.

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 Let's look at the beginning of the text

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 and see how this doctrine of hell is surrounded

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 or how it develops in the text of scripture.

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 So go back to verse one.

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 Here's the thing.

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 This text is not going to sort of do something

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 to qualify or minimize this doctrine of hell.

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 It's going to bring it to stark relief.

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 Okay?

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 So here's how it begins.

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 Verse one.

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 Then I looked and behold on Mount Zion

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 stood the Lamb and with him 144,000

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 who had his name and his father's name

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 written on their foreheads.

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 Just sort of pause there for a second.

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 If you go back,

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 I didn't have time to talk about it much last week,

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 but chapter 13 ends with the very, very famous idea of,

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 well-known even in popular Canadian culture,

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 of the mark of the beast and the number of the beast,

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 666.

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 And it presents this image of those who serve the beast

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 are marked by the beast on their foreheads

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 and on their hands.

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 And they're marked with the number 666.

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 And we're used to just reading the book chapter by chapter.

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 Often there are devotions.

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 We read a chapter, wait a day or two,

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 and then read another chapter.

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 But if you're reading this in the original letter,

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 if you're reading this just as you would read a novel,

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 you go immediately from the mark of the beast to this.

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 And the contrast is in verse 1,

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 then I looked and behold on Mount Zion.

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 And a way for you to understand very simply what Zion is.

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 Zion is the capital of the kingdom of God.

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 That's what Zion is.

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 Zion is the capital of the kingdom of God,

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 the kingdom of heaven.

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 Then I looked and behold,

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 and in the capital of the kingdom of God

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 stood the lamb and with him 144,000,

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 and the symbolic number of a vast number,

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 a perfect number, a vast number,

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 who had his name and his father's name

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 written on their foreheads.

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 And I heard a voice from heaven

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 like the roar of many waters

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 and like the sound of loud thunder.

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 The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists

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 playing on their harps.

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 And they were singing a new song before the throne

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 and before the four living creatures

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 and before the elders.

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 No one could learn that song

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 except the 144,000

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 who had been redeemed from the earth.

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 It is those,

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 these who have not defiled themselves with women

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 for they are virgins.

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 It is these who follow the lamb wherever he goes.

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 These have been redeemed from mankind

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 as first fruits for God and the lamb.

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 And in their mouth no lie was found

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 for they are blameless.

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 Here's what this sort of is teaching

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 right off the beginning.

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 And it's not saying that the only people

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 who are going to be in heaven

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 are monks and nuns.

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 What it's saying is all the way through the Bible

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 there's, the analogy is given

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 of the type of relationship

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 that God desires to have

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 with us as human beings.

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 And one of the most constant images

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 in the Bible is of a very, very, very,

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 very good marriage

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 where the believer is like the woman.

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 I'm like the woman.

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 If you're a woman, you are a woman.

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 And we marry, I marry individually,

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 in a sense, God.

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 And the relationship that God desires to have with us

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 is to be as intimate and as close

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 and as faithful as a really, really, really good marriage.

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 Many of us might know many lousy marriages,

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 but even when we have a lousy marriage,

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 even when people we know of a lousy marriage,

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 it implies that we have a sense of what a good marriage is.

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 And the Bible is saying that if you imagine

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 the best possible marriage that you can possibly imagine,

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 that's the type of relationship that God desires.

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 That's the type of intimacy and common life

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 and sharing and openness and trust and faithfulness

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 that God desires to have with us.

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 And so all the way through the Old Testament

00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:55.940
 and in many places in the New Testament,

00:12:56.620 --> 00:13:01.960
 when we go after something other than the living God,

00:13:02.040 --> 00:13:05.560
 when there's some other being or some other cause

00:13:05.560 --> 00:13:07.320
 or ourselves or a person,

00:13:07.900 --> 00:13:10.400
 and we desire to serve that alone,

00:13:10.580 --> 00:13:11.800
 to love that alone,

00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:13.940
 to obey that alone,

00:13:14.040 --> 00:13:15.240
 to trust in that alone,

00:13:15.320 --> 00:13:16.500
 and to hope in that alone,

00:13:16.500 --> 00:13:18.679
 the Bible compares it to adultery

00:13:18.679 --> 00:13:22.919
 and a type of adultery.

00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:26.500
 And so this text here is just using imagery

00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:29.379
 to try to describe that,

00:13:29.460 --> 00:13:30.240
 first of all,

00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:31.700
 only God redeems.

00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:34.080
 Only God redeems.

00:13:34.899 --> 00:13:36.220
 And when he redeems

00:13:36.220 --> 00:13:39.259
 an ordinary person like you or me,

00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:42.100
 when we put our faith and trust in the Lamb

00:13:42.100 --> 00:13:43.340
 and he redeems us,

00:13:43.800 --> 00:13:46.139
 then we enter into a relationship with God

00:13:46.139 --> 00:13:48.899
 and what is to characterize that relationship with God

00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:50.139
 is the type of fidelity

00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:53.100
 and desire to grow in intimacy

00:13:53.100 --> 00:13:55.800
 that should characterize the best marriage.

00:13:56.540 --> 00:13:58.279
 And that's the image here

00:13:58.279 --> 00:14:00.940
 before we get into this talk of hell,

00:14:01.560 --> 00:14:05.139
 which is this image of intimacy with the living God,

00:14:05.139 --> 00:14:09.059
 which is allowed or becomes possible

00:14:09.059 --> 00:14:10.960
 because God redeems

00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:13.399
 an ordinary people like you and me

00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:15.480
 when we put our faith and trust in Jesus.

00:14:15.620 --> 00:14:16.199
 That's, in a sense,

00:14:16.299 --> 00:14:19.360
 us responding to God's marriage proposal

00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:23.120
 and what makes it possible for us

00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:25.679
 to become the bride of Jesus

00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:28.019
 by what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

00:14:28.100 --> 00:14:30.200
 And that's our response to it and how we live,

00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:33.279
 and that's what's pictured up in heaven.

00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:35.799
 And then the text continues.

00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:37.860
 And here's the thing.

00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:40.100
 I was thinking about this morning when I was coming.

00:14:40.699 --> 00:14:42.159
 I had to be here really early,

00:14:42.620 --> 00:14:45.360
 like really early to get some stuff here

00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:46.480
 so Barbara could set it up

00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:47.839
 for the early 8 o'clock service.

00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:48.939
 And so I dropped it here

00:14:48.939 --> 00:14:49.980
 and then I went and got a coffee

00:14:49.980 --> 00:14:50.779
 and I came back.

00:14:51.319 --> 00:14:52.000
 And as I'm walking,

00:14:52.139 --> 00:14:54.159
 there's just so many condos around here.

00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:56.879
 And I'm not putting down people who live in condos.

00:14:57.039 --> 00:14:59.000
 That's not the intent of this analogy.

00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:00.539
 But what really, really struck me is

00:15:00.539 --> 00:15:03.179
 how odd, here I am holding my coffee,

00:15:03.179 --> 00:15:04.199
 walking in the street,

00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:05.719
 looking at all the condos,

00:15:05.779 --> 00:15:08.379
 how odd it is that surrounded by condos,

00:15:08.439 --> 00:15:10.679
 I will talk about hell this morning.

00:15:11.699 --> 00:15:13.459
 Because, you see, one of the things

00:15:13.459 --> 00:15:16.319
 which is sort of just very, very typical of our culture

00:15:16.319 --> 00:15:18.839
 is we live in a consumerist culture.

00:15:19.620 --> 00:15:22.120
 And I'm not knocking being able to buy things

00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:23.199
 at a good price right now,

00:15:23.239 --> 00:15:25.019
 but I'm saying what creates within us

00:15:25.019 --> 00:15:28.500
 is an idea that our life is characterized

00:15:28.500 --> 00:15:30.500
 by being able to consume things.

00:15:31.299 --> 00:15:31.980
 And in a sense,

00:15:32.379 --> 00:15:34.379
 our life is being able to consume

00:15:34.379 --> 00:15:36.639
 or have enough money to have a nice condo,

00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:37.700
 to have nice clothes,

00:15:37.820 --> 00:15:38.679
 to have a nice car,

00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:39.700
 to have nice holidays,

00:15:39.899 --> 00:15:40.960
 to have nice food,

00:15:41.559 --> 00:15:44.799
 to have luxuries.

00:15:45.240 --> 00:15:46.679
 And the entire, in a sense,

00:15:47.419 --> 00:15:49.500
 people who get caught up in consumerism,

00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:52.559
 and that's the whole horizon of their lives,

00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:55.859
 it's actually a very, very tiny horizon.

00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:57.799
 It's a very, very tiny little world.

00:15:58.179 --> 00:16:00.019
 And it's a very, very flat world.

00:16:00.119 --> 00:16:02.519
 It's just defined by the types of things

00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:04.859
 I can imagine eating or buying.

00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:09.059
 And this text that we're looking at

00:16:09.059 --> 00:16:11.599
 says that the real world,

00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:13.599
 the real world,

00:16:14.099 --> 00:16:17.079
 because the Bible is claiming that hell is real.

00:16:17.079 --> 00:16:18.519
 You might disagree with the Bible,

00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:20.519
 but the Bible is claiming that hell is real.

00:16:20.519 --> 00:16:23.259
 And the Bible is claiming that the lamb is real,

00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:24.720
 and that redemption is real,

00:16:24.919 --> 00:16:27.039
 and that there really is a living God,

00:16:27.139 --> 00:16:31.039
 and that his desire is to have a relationship with us

00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:33.299
 like the absolute best possible marriage

00:16:33.299 --> 00:16:34.480
 we could ever imagine.

00:16:34.600 --> 00:16:36.059
 And that's the type of relationship

00:16:36.059 --> 00:16:38.100
 that God desires us to grow into.

00:16:38.620 --> 00:16:40.899
 And the Bible here is saying that,

00:16:41.019 --> 00:16:41.539
 in a sense,

00:16:42.460 --> 00:16:43.279
 it's as if,

00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:44.519
 it's as if,

00:16:45.299 --> 00:16:48.240
 it's as if life,

00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:50.500
 real life intersects with

00:16:50.500 --> 00:16:51.799
 and opens up

00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:55.960
 to truly unimaginable heights and depths,

00:16:56.560 --> 00:16:59.720
 which consumerism is blinding us to

00:16:59.720 --> 00:17:02.580
 and stopping us from being able to,

00:17:02.580 --> 00:17:05.039
 to just even imagine,

00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:06.640
 to even begin to think about it.

00:17:07.059 --> 00:17:09.059
 Like, if your entire life is consumed

00:17:09.059 --> 00:17:10.980
 by what you can consume

00:17:10.980 --> 00:17:12.440
 and own,

00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:14.840
 and that's all you can sort of see,

00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:18.380
 and if that's all that describes the height,

00:17:18.539 --> 00:17:21.380
 the excitement of the best car you could imagine buying

00:17:21.380 --> 00:17:22.759
 or the best holiday you could be,

00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:25.980
 where the worst is losing that car

00:17:25.980 --> 00:17:27.700
 or losing your job,

00:17:27.779 --> 00:17:30.519
 but the Bible says that real human life

00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:32.360
 intersects with

00:17:32.359 --> 00:17:34.299
 and opens up to

00:17:34.299 --> 00:17:36.259
 heights,

00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:39.079
 intimacy,

00:17:39.919 --> 00:17:41.899
 like with the living God

00:17:41.899 --> 00:17:43.259
 that goes on for all eternity.

00:17:43.679 --> 00:17:44.979
 It's a type of a height

00:17:44.979 --> 00:17:46.839
 that it's even hard for us to imagine.

00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:49.559
 And it's also warning us

00:17:49.559 --> 00:17:51.039
 that life intersects with

00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:52.519
 and opens up to a depth,

00:17:54.939 --> 00:17:58.859
 the reality of a depth of separation

00:17:58.859 --> 00:18:02.179
 that's lower than we can possibly imagine.

00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:06.740
 And so the Bible is inviting us

00:18:06.740 --> 00:18:09.979
 to understand that this is what real life is like,

00:18:10.379 --> 00:18:11.799
 this intersection with

00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:13.079
 and opening up to

00:18:13.079 --> 00:18:15.099
 unimaginable heights

00:18:15.099 --> 00:18:16.740
 and unimaginable depths,

00:18:17.979 --> 00:18:19.679
 heights of blessing

00:18:19.679 --> 00:18:21.319
 and depths of woe.

00:18:23.740 --> 00:18:25.599
 And it's in that context, then,

00:18:25.619 --> 00:18:26.859
 that we come to verse 6.

00:18:26.859 --> 00:18:29.859
 Then I saw another angel

00:18:29.859 --> 00:18:31.079
 flying directly overhead

00:18:31.079 --> 00:18:32.419
 with an eternal gospel

00:18:32.419 --> 00:18:33.259
 to proclaim

00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:35.779
 to those who dwell on earth,

00:18:35.899 --> 00:18:37.099
 to every nation

00:18:37.099 --> 00:18:37.879
 and tribe

00:18:37.879 --> 00:18:38.619
 and language

00:18:38.619 --> 00:18:39.319
 and people.

00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:40.779
 This is the invitation

00:18:40.779 --> 00:18:41.639
 for us

00:18:41.639 --> 00:18:42.740
 to learn

00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:43.779
 and to pray,

00:18:44.139 --> 00:18:45.439
 to spread the gospel

00:18:45.439 --> 00:18:46.479
 so that the gospel

00:18:46.479 --> 00:18:47.599
 can be proclaimed

00:18:47.599 --> 00:18:49.259
 in the heart language

00:18:49.259 --> 00:18:50.939
 of every person

00:18:50.939 --> 00:18:51.779
 on the planet.

00:18:52.659 --> 00:18:54.419
 And even if we cannot pray

00:18:54.419 --> 00:18:55.599
 and we are to pray

00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:56.939
 for the farthest reaches

00:18:56.939 --> 00:18:57.500
 of the planet,

00:18:57.619 --> 00:18:58.419
 it's also to pray

00:18:58.419 --> 00:18:59.459
 for the subcultures

00:18:59.459 --> 00:19:00.579
 within our own community,

00:19:00.740 --> 00:19:01.679
 to the gay culture,

00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:03.119
 the different types

00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:04.279
 of musical cultures

00:19:04.279 --> 00:19:05.779
 and consumerist cultures

00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:08.759
 and whatever their heart language is,

00:19:08.779 --> 00:19:09.719
 is that we are to pray

00:19:09.719 --> 00:19:10.500
 that the gospel

00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:11.500
 can be presented

00:19:11.500 --> 00:19:12.619
 to people

00:19:12.619 --> 00:19:14.259
 in their heart language.

00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:15.500
 That's what's,

00:19:15.719 --> 00:19:16.139
 that's this,

00:19:16.379 --> 00:19:18.019
 it's a constant call

00:19:18.019 --> 00:19:18.779
 in the scriptures

00:19:18.779 --> 00:19:20.500
 to say that

00:19:20.500 --> 00:19:21.639
 it's not that all

00:19:21.639 --> 00:19:22.699
 the peoples of the world

00:19:22.700 --> 00:19:23.620
 have to learn

00:19:23.620 --> 00:19:24.799
 our language,

00:19:25.059 --> 00:19:26.019
 but the gospel

00:19:26.019 --> 00:19:27.180
 can be proclaimed,

00:19:27.640 --> 00:19:28.319
 the good news

00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:29.259
 of what Jesus did

00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:30.340
 for us on the cross

00:19:30.340 --> 00:19:32.200
 and this wonderful redemption

00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:33.100
 and the possibility

00:19:33.100 --> 00:19:34.700
 to be God's own forever,

00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:36.039
 to be marked by him

00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:37.460
 and we are to pray

00:19:37.460 --> 00:19:38.600
 and we are to figure out

00:19:38.600 --> 00:19:39.400
 a way to speak

00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:40.660
 in the heart language,

00:19:40.819 --> 00:19:41.519
 that gospel

00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:42.940
 in the heart language

00:19:42.940 --> 00:19:44.180
 of the recipients.

00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:46.480
 Verse six,

00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:47.539
 and I saw another angel

00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:48.660
 flying directly overhead

00:19:48.660 --> 00:19:49.779
 with an eternal gospel

00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:50.460
 to proclaim

00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:52.079
 to those who dwell on earth,

00:19:52.180 --> 00:19:53.019
 to every nation

00:19:53.019 --> 00:19:53.539
 and tribe

00:19:53.539 --> 00:19:54.059
 and language

00:19:54.059 --> 00:19:54.579
 and people

00:19:54.579 --> 00:19:55.500
 and he said

00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:56.360
 with a loud voice,

00:19:56.500 --> 00:19:57.039
 fear God

00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:58.000
 and give him glory

00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:59.200
 because the hour

00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.000
 of his judgment

00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:00.559
 has come

00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:01.480
 and worship him

00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:02.200
 who made heaven

00:20:02.200 --> 00:20:02.579
 and earth

00:20:02.579 --> 00:20:03.100
 and sea

00:20:03.100 --> 00:20:03.700
 and springs

00:20:03.700 --> 00:20:04.279
 of water.

00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:05.660
 Another angel

00:20:05.660 --> 00:20:06.600
 a second followed

00:20:06.600 --> 00:20:07.000
 saying,

00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:07.660
 fallen,

00:20:08.279 --> 00:20:08.720
 fallen

00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:10.340
 is Babylon the great,

00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:11.740
 she who made

00:20:11.740 --> 00:20:12.620
 all nations

00:20:12.620 --> 00:20:13.559
 drink the wine

00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:14.259
 of the passion

00:20:14.259 --> 00:20:15.640
 of her sexual immorality.

00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:16.480
 See,

00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:17.220
 there's the image

00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:19.640
 of the living God

00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:20.560
 and departing

00:20:20.560 --> 00:20:21.280
 from the living God

00:20:21.280 --> 00:20:22.780
 as a type of pornea,

00:20:23.120 --> 00:20:24.720
 a type of unfaithfulness

00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:25.860
 like adultery.

00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:28.700
 And another angel

00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:29.660
 a third followed them

00:20:29.660 --> 00:20:30.740
 saying with a loud voice,

00:20:30.860 --> 00:20:31.880
 if anyone worships

00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:32.320
 the beast

00:20:32.320 --> 00:20:32.960
 in its image

00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:33.960
 and receives a mark

00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:34.640
 on his forehead

00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:35.520
 or on his hand,

00:20:36.060 --> 00:20:37.100
 he also will drink

00:20:37.100 --> 00:20:38.040
 the wine

00:20:38.040 --> 00:20:38.880
 of God's wrath

00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:40.100
 poured full strength

00:20:40.100 --> 00:20:40.740
 into the cup

00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:41.320
 of his anger

00:20:41.320 --> 00:20:43.340
 and he will be tormented

00:20:43.340 --> 00:20:44.640
 with fire and sulfur

00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:45.280
 in the presence

00:20:45.280 --> 00:20:46.360
 of his holy angels

00:20:46.360 --> 00:20:47.740
 and in the presence

00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:48.360
 of the Lamb

00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:49.799
 and the smoke

00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:50.539
 of their torment

00:20:50.539 --> 00:20:51.819
 goes up forever and ever

00:20:51.819 --> 00:20:53.359
 and they have no rest

00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:53.939
 day or night,

00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:54.879
 these worshipers

00:20:54.879 --> 00:20:55.419
 of the beast

00:20:55.419 --> 00:20:56.099
 in its image

00:20:56.099 --> 00:20:57.679
 and whoever receives

00:20:57.679 --> 00:20:58.719
 the mark of its name.

00:21:00.740 --> 00:21:01.539
 One of the things

00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:02.099
 to understand

00:21:02.099 --> 00:21:03.039
 about this text

00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:04.319
 is that the Bible,

00:21:04.939 --> 00:21:05.839
 God doesn't have

00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:06.639
 this part of the Bible

00:21:06.639 --> 00:21:08.619
 written to shut us up.

00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:10.119
 He doesn't have

00:21:10.119 --> 00:21:10.879
 this part of the Bible

00:21:10.879 --> 00:21:12.240
 written to stop

00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:13.939
 us talking to God.

00:21:13.940 --> 00:21:17.519
 This part of the Bible

00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:18.000
 is written

00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.000
 to start

00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:20.240
 a conversation

00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:20.960
 with God.

00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:23.420
 But as we start

00:21:23.420 --> 00:21:24.400
 a conversation

00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:25.259
 with God,

00:21:25.320 --> 00:21:26.580
 we have to understand

00:21:26.580 --> 00:21:27.980
 that it's not

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:28.460
 the start

00:21:28.460 --> 00:21:29.320
 of a negotiation

00:21:29.320 --> 00:21:30.580
 with God.

00:21:31.059 --> 00:21:32.160
 It's the start

00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:32.920
 of an honest

00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:33.799
 conversation

00:21:33.799 --> 00:21:34.440
 with God.

00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:36.759
 God doesn't negotiate.

00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:40.440
 And if we go

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:41.539
 looking at the Bible

00:21:41.539 --> 00:21:42.779
 as being God's

00:21:42.779 --> 00:21:44.900
 opening salvo

00:21:44.900 --> 00:21:46.099
 in a negotiation,

00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:47.720
 we're never going

00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:48.359
 to understand

00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:48.960
 the Bible

00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:50.019
 or the Christian faith.

00:21:50.680 --> 00:21:51.859
 It's not the opening

00:21:51.859 --> 00:21:52.559
 salvo,

00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:53.819
 the first presentation

00:21:53.819 --> 00:21:54.920
 in a negotiation.

00:21:55.720 --> 00:21:56.720
 But it's never

00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:58.299
 designed to silence

00:21:58.299 --> 00:21:59.379
 us or to shut us up.

00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:00.480
 It's designed

00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:01.319
 for us to begin

00:22:01.319 --> 00:22:03.640
 a true conversation,

00:22:04.019 --> 00:22:04.759
 an honest conversation,

00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:06.920
 a truth-seeking

00:22:06.920 --> 00:22:08.099
 conversation,

00:22:08.579 --> 00:22:09.619
 a heartfelt

00:22:09.619 --> 00:22:10.980
 conversation

00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:11.660
 with God.

00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:14.180
 And we can ask

00:22:14.180 --> 00:22:14.339
 him,

00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:14.759
 God,

00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:16.319
 how is it

00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:17.240
 that your justice

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:18.359
 goes along

00:22:18.359 --> 00:22:19.319
 with hell?

00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:19.940
 Or Father,

00:22:20.019 --> 00:22:20.680
 is it the matter

00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:21.879
 that justice

00:22:21.879 --> 00:22:22.879
 demands hell?

00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:24.000
 Father,

00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:26.180
 you're not

00:22:26.180 --> 00:22:26.900
 anger-driven,

00:22:27.019 --> 00:22:27.460
 are you?

00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:28.519
 Father,

00:22:28.619 --> 00:22:29.119
 I worry

00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:29.619
 when I read

00:22:29.619 --> 00:22:30.359
 texts like this

00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:30.640
 that you're

00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:31.660
 an anger-driven man.

00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:32.660
 I had an

00:22:32.660 --> 00:22:33.759
 anger-driven father.

00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:34.879
 I had an anger-driven

00:22:34.879 --> 00:22:35.160
 mother.

00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:36.200
 I have an anger-driven

00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:36.619
 boss.

00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:37.519
 And I have to confess

00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:38.099
 before you,

00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:38.339
 Father,

00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:39.200
 when I read your word,

00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:40.700
 I worry that you're

00:22:40.700 --> 00:22:41.319
 anger-driven.

00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:42.519
 Are you anger-driven,

00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:42.980
 Father?

00:22:43.879 --> 00:22:44.200
 Father,

00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:45.359
 why is it that I worry

00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:46.519
 that you're anger-driven,

00:22:46.700 --> 00:22:47.660
 but at the same time,

00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:49.019
 I never worry that you're

00:22:49.019 --> 00:22:51.059
 just like an immature

00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:52.319
 little teenage boy

00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:53.299
 or girl who gets

00:22:53.299 --> 00:22:54.480
 crushes and that your

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.519
 love is like a crush?

00:22:55.640 --> 00:22:56.140
 Why is it,

00:22:56.379 --> 00:22:56.420
 Father,

00:22:56.519 --> 00:22:58.039
 that I sort of hope

00:22:58.039 --> 00:22:59.059
 or long for that your

00:22:59.059 --> 00:23:00.859
 love is mature and deep

00:23:00.859 --> 00:23:01.339
 and wise,

00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:02.660
 but I worry that when it

00:23:02.660 --> 00:23:03.660
 comes to something like

00:23:03.660 --> 00:23:04.460
 this with anger,

00:23:04.560 --> 00:23:05.460
 that you're anger-driven,

00:23:05.660 --> 00:23:05.860
 Father,

00:23:06.220 --> 00:23:07.360
 why is it that I'm so

00:23:07.360 --> 00:23:08.500
 confused when I read

00:23:08.500 --> 00:23:08.960
 your word?

00:23:09.060 --> 00:23:10.060
 Why is it that I'm so

00:23:10.060 --> 00:23:10.600
 mixed up?

00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:11.540
 Why is it,

00:23:11.779 --> 00:23:11.840
 Father,

00:23:11.900 --> 00:23:12.740
 that when I read your

00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:13.019
 word,

00:23:13.380 --> 00:23:14.960
 I forget that I'm mixed

00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:15.920
 up and confused and

00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:16.920
 think you're mixed up

00:23:16.920 --> 00:23:17.380
 and confused?

00:23:17.600 --> 00:23:18.200
 Why is it,

00:23:18.460 --> 00:23:18.500
 Father,

00:23:18.560 --> 00:23:19.700
 that I think that

00:23:19.700 --> 00:23:20.620
 you're on trial,

00:23:21.120 --> 00:23:21.920
 but I never think

00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:22.840
 I'm on trial?

00:23:23.100 --> 00:23:23.380
 Father,

00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:24.420
 why is it when I read

00:23:24.420 --> 00:23:25.060
 your word like that?

00:23:25.060 --> 00:23:25.279
 You see,

00:23:25.340 --> 00:23:26.519
 the Bible is inviting us

00:23:26.519 --> 00:23:27.519
 to actually open up

00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:28.779
 and have a real deep

00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:30.519
 conversation with God,

00:23:30.519 --> 00:23:32.700
 not to shut us up,

00:23:33.059 --> 00:23:34.339
 but to start us talking

00:23:34.339 --> 00:23:34.900
 to him.

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:38.119
 And I just watched,

00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:39.440
 I didn't care for it,

00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:40.559
 I watched the new

00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:42.039
 Thor movie that came out,

00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:42.279
 I guess,

00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:42.819
 in the summer,

00:23:42.920 --> 00:23:43.559
 but it just came out

00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:44.019
 in DVD.

00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:44.639
 I don't know how many

00:23:44.639 --> 00:23:45.619
 of you watch movies

00:23:45.619 --> 00:23:46.299
 like Thor.

00:23:47.180 --> 00:23:48.539
 Norse God has a hammer,

00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:49.980
 he flings it like this

00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:50.779
 and then it does all

00:23:50.779 --> 00:23:51.920
 sorts of amazing things.

00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:52.960
 The hammer is almost

00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:54.759
 like another character

00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:55.859
 in the movie.

00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:57.959
 And one of the things

00:23:57.959 --> 00:23:59.019
 if you ever watch

00:23:59.019 --> 00:24:00.339
 a Thor movie

00:24:00.339 --> 00:24:03.139
 or an Avengers movie

00:24:03.139 --> 00:24:04.399
 is that,

00:24:04.719 --> 00:24:04.899
 you know,

00:24:04.979 --> 00:24:05.659
 Thor's fighting

00:24:05.659 --> 00:24:06.379
 with his hands

00:24:06.379 --> 00:24:07.139
 and he's doing this

00:24:07.139 --> 00:24:07.919
 and he's doing that

00:24:07.919 --> 00:24:08.519
 and he's doing that,

00:24:08.619 --> 00:24:10.159
 but the antenna viewer

00:24:10.159 --> 00:24:11.359
 knows that at some point

00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:11.879
 in time,

00:24:12.199 --> 00:24:13.439
 there's always the hammer.

00:24:14.459 --> 00:24:15.359
 Like at some point

00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:15.759
 in time,

00:24:16.099 --> 00:24:16.699
 this beast

00:24:16.699 --> 00:24:17.679
 or this monster

00:24:17.679 --> 00:24:18.619
 is fighting Thor,

00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:19.659
 but at some point

00:24:19.659 --> 00:24:20.019
 in time,

00:24:20.139 --> 00:24:21.000
 Thor will reach out

00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:22.059
 his hand like this

00:24:22.059 --> 00:24:23.119
 with a serious look

00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:23.779
 in his eyes

00:24:23.779 --> 00:24:24.899
 and the hammer

00:24:24.899 --> 00:24:25.980
 will hurtle across

00:24:25.980 --> 00:24:27.200
 some infinite distance

00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:28.539
 and come into his hand

00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:29.420
 and then he can throw it

00:24:29.420 --> 00:24:30.059
 and it does all sorts

00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:30.399
 of things

00:24:30.399 --> 00:24:31.240
 and the day is rescued.

00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:32.579
 And so in other words,

00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:33.279
 whenever you watch

00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:34.079
 a Thor movie,

00:24:34.279 --> 00:24:35.319
 you always have to say

00:24:35.319 --> 00:24:35.759
 to yourself,

00:24:36.119 --> 00:24:37.200
 remember the hammer.

00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.960
 But for Christians,

00:24:40.539 --> 00:24:41.440
 whenever you read

00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:42.639
 anything in the Bible,

00:24:43.639 --> 00:24:44.240
 what are we supposed

00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.559
 to do?

00:24:44.639 --> 00:24:45.539
 We're supposed to say,

00:24:45.859 --> 00:24:47.099
 remember the cross.

00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:49.720
 Remember the cross.

00:24:50.660 --> 00:24:51.740
 That every part

00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:52.399
 of the Bible

00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:53.900
 is to in a sense

00:24:53.900 --> 00:24:55.960
 help us to understand

00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:56.900
 the cross more.

00:24:57.680 --> 00:24:58.480
 In every part

00:24:58.480 --> 00:24:58.980
 of the Bible,

00:24:59.100 --> 00:25:00.000
 the cross helps us

00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:00.720
 to understand

00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:02.180
 that part of the Bible.

00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:03.740
 And so for us

00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:04.360
 as Christians,

00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:05.300
 even as we're reading

00:25:05.300 --> 00:25:05.800
 all of this

00:25:05.800 --> 00:25:07.040
 about the wrath of God

00:25:07.040 --> 00:25:07.880
 and everything like that,

00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:08.800
 what is it that we are

00:25:08.800 --> 00:25:09.380
 to remember

00:25:09.380 --> 00:25:10.720
 is that one of the

00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:11.720
 fundamental images

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:13.220
 in the Old Testament

00:25:13.220 --> 00:25:15.120
 of the wrath of God

00:25:15.120 --> 00:25:16.980
 is as if

00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:19.140
 all of God's anger

00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:19.500
 or wrath

00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:20.140
 is like a type

00:25:20.140 --> 00:25:20.759
 of poison

00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:21.580
 that's in a cup

00:25:21.579 --> 00:25:22.960
 and all of God's judgment.

00:25:23.139 --> 00:25:24.059
 It's like a cup

00:25:24.059 --> 00:25:24.740
 that we drink.

00:25:25.439 --> 00:25:26.039
 And what is

00:25:26.039 --> 00:25:27.259
 the New Testament image?

00:25:27.399 --> 00:25:28.500
 How is it that Jesus

00:25:28.500 --> 00:25:29.279
 and the cross

00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:30.319
 completely and utterly

00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:31.599
 transforms that image?

00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:32.799
 How is it that

00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:34.099
 if we are to remember

00:25:34.099 --> 00:25:34.740
 the cross

00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:35.159
 when we read

00:25:35.159 --> 00:25:35.939
 the text of Scripture,

00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:36.919
 we are to remember

00:25:36.919 --> 00:25:38.579
 that it's as if

00:25:38.579 --> 00:25:40.460
 I come

00:25:40.460 --> 00:25:42.099
 and there's a cup

00:25:42.099 --> 00:25:43.319
 that I must drink

00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:45.199
 that contains within it

00:25:45.199 --> 00:25:46.259
 the wrath of God

00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:48.119
 and the judgment of God

00:25:48.119 --> 00:25:48.980
 and there is a cup

00:25:48.980 --> 00:25:49.379
 like that

00:25:49.380 --> 00:25:50.480
 that has my name

00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:51.040
 on it

00:25:51.040 --> 00:25:52.440
 and the wonder

00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:53.120
 of the cross,

00:25:53.220 --> 00:25:54.460
 the image of the cross

00:25:54.460 --> 00:25:55.180
 is that

00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:56.300
 what's happening

00:25:56.300 --> 00:25:57.000
 on the cross

00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:57.980
 is that Jesus

00:25:57.980 --> 00:25:58.880
 in effect

00:25:58.880 --> 00:26:00.240
 comes and takes

00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:01.600
 the cup

00:26:01.600 --> 00:26:02.120
 that has

00:26:02.120 --> 00:26:04.760
 George Gilbert Sinclair

00:26:04.760 --> 00:26:05.680
 written on it

00:26:05.680 --> 00:26:08.220
 and he takes

00:26:08.220 --> 00:26:09.000
 that cup

00:26:09.000 --> 00:26:11.220
 and he drinks

00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:12.300
 my cup

00:26:12.300 --> 00:26:13.200
 for me.

00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:17.600
 You can't read

00:26:17.600 --> 00:26:18.960
 to read

00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:20.360
 anything in the New Testament

00:26:20.360 --> 00:26:21.180
 or the Old Testament

00:26:21.180 --> 00:26:22.080
 without remembering

00:26:22.080 --> 00:26:22.819
 the cross

00:26:22.819 --> 00:26:25.019
 is to not understand

00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:25.840
 what's being written

00:26:25.840 --> 00:26:29.440
 and that's the way

00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:30.500
 that we are to understand

00:26:30.500 --> 00:26:31.279
 even this

00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:32.740
 talk of hell

00:26:32.740 --> 00:26:33.720
 of the full

00:26:33.720 --> 00:26:34.299
 drinking

00:26:34.299 --> 00:26:35.180
 of the wrath

00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:35.920
 of God

00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:36.940
 is that

00:26:36.940 --> 00:26:38.580
 I had such a cup

00:26:38.580 --> 00:26:39.319
 with my name

00:26:39.319 --> 00:26:40.000
 written on it

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:41.299
 and so do you

00:26:41.299 --> 00:26:43.779
 and on the cross

00:26:43.779 --> 00:26:45.359
 Jesus in a sense

00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:45.779
 is saying

00:26:45.779 --> 00:26:46.159
 George

00:26:46.159 --> 00:26:47.720
 I will drink

00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:48.379
 your cup

00:26:48.379 --> 00:26:48.879
 for you

00:26:48.879 --> 00:26:51.659
 that cup

00:26:51.659 --> 00:26:52.740
 that will only

00:26:52.740 --> 00:26:53.359
 lead

00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:54.159
 to your

00:26:54.159 --> 00:26:56.299
 damnation

00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:58.379
 I

00:26:58.379 --> 00:26:59.019
 the innocent

00:26:59.019 --> 00:26:59.839
 lamb of God

00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:01.240
 I will drink

00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:02.220
 that in your stead

00:27:02.220 --> 00:27:03.940
 and you can have

00:27:03.940 --> 00:27:04.720
 my innocence

00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:05.720
 before the Father

00:27:05.720 --> 00:27:10.259
 and that's why

00:27:10.259 --> 00:27:10.940
 in verse 12

00:27:10.940 --> 00:27:11.600
 it goes right

00:27:11.600 --> 00:27:12.319
 into this

00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:13.940
 here is a call

00:27:13.940 --> 00:27:14.680
 for the endurance

00:27:14.680 --> 00:27:15.319
 of the saints

00:27:15.319 --> 00:27:16.140
 those who keep

00:27:16.140 --> 00:27:16.720
 the commandments

00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:17.380
 of God

00:27:17.380 --> 00:27:18.140
 and their faith

00:27:18.140 --> 00:27:18.680
 in Jesus

00:27:18.680 --> 00:27:20.140
 and I heard

00:27:20.140 --> 00:27:21.160
 a voice from heaven

00:27:21.160 --> 00:27:22.120
 saying write this

00:27:22.120 --> 00:27:23.059
 blessed are the dead

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:24.000
 who die in the Lord

00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:24.740
 from now on

00:27:24.740 --> 00:27:25.539
 blessed indeed

00:27:25.539 --> 00:27:26.339
 says the spirit

00:27:26.339 --> 00:27:27.720
 that they may rest

00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:28.660
 from their labors

00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:29.420
 for their deeds

00:27:29.420 --> 00:27:29.880
 follow

00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:32.799
 once again

00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:33.100
 this

00:27:33.100 --> 00:27:34.640
 God doesn't say

00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:35.180
 these things

00:27:35.180 --> 00:27:36.580
 to stop conversation

00:27:36.580 --> 00:27:37.720
 but to begin

00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:38.560
 a serious

00:27:38.560 --> 00:27:39.480
 conversation

00:27:39.480 --> 00:27:40.500
 a conversation

00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:42.120
 that can go on

00:27:42.120 --> 00:27:43.040
 for all eternity

00:27:43.040 --> 00:27:44.560
 in blessedness

00:27:44.560 --> 00:27:46.680
 just in closing

00:27:46.680 --> 00:27:47.620
 before my prayer

00:27:47.620 --> 00:27:48.200
 the last

00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:50.400
 there's two separate

00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:50.800
 images

00:27:50.800 --> 00:27:51.960
 which help to

00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:52.440
 once again

00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:53.180
 bring before us

00:27:53.180 --> 00:27:53.820
 the seriousness

00:27:53.820 --> 00:27:54.340
 of it

00:27:54.340 --> 00:27:55.620
 and these are now

00:27:55.620 --> 00:27:56.259
 two images

00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:57.220
 of the second coming

00:27:57.220 --> 00:27:57.740
 of Jesus

00:27:57.740 --> 00:27:59.100
 and one is an image

00:27:59.100 --> 00:28:00.240
 of the harvest

00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:00.780
 of wheat

00:28:00.780 --> 00:28:01.740
 and the other one

00:28:01.740 --> 00:28:03.000
 is an image

00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:03.580
 of the harvest

00:28:03.580 --> 00:28:04.259
 of grapes

00:28:04.259 --> 00:28:05.900
 and in this

00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:06.680
 growing in grace

00:28:06.680 --> 00:28:07.119
 for instance

00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:07.619
 this week

00:28:07.619 --> 00:28:08.539
 I show some

00:28:08.539 --> 00:28:09.019
 of the different

00:28:09.019 --> 00:28:09.579
 New Testament

00:28:09.579 --> 00:28:10.180
 references

00:28:10.180 --> 00:28:11.599
 of the wheat harvest

00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:12.799
 and we are to

00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:13.240
 understand

00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:13.920
 that this is

00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:14.440
 referring to

00:28:14.440 --> 00:28:15.460
 one event

00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:16.079
 the return

00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:16.660
 of Jesus

00:28:16.660 --> 00:28:18.480
 but the two

00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:19.480
 radically different

00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:20.059
 outcomes

00:28:20.059 --> 00:28:20.839
 of the one event

00:28:20.839 --> 00:28:21.400
 of the return

00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:21.900
 of Jesus

00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:23.039
 for those

00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:23.660
 who put their

00:28:23.660 --> 00:28:24.640
 faith in Jesus

00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:26.180
 when he returns

00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:27.000
 we're gathered

00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:27.660
 to him

00:28:27.660 --> 00:28:29.559
 those of us

00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:30.420
 who continue

00:28:30.420 --> 00:28:31.079
 in rebellion

00:28:31.079 --> 00:28:32.359
 against the living

00:28:32.359 --> 00:28:32.779
 God

00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:33.879
 the return

00:28:33.879 --> 00:28:34.579
 of Jesus

00:28:34.579 --> 00:28:35.899
 means the

00:28:35.899 --> 00:28:36.199
 beginning

00:28:36.199 --> 00:28:36.879
 of judgment

00:28:36.879 --> 00:28:38.219
 and so the

00:28:38.219 --> 00:28:39.859
 first image

00:28:39.859 --> 00:28:40.659
 is an image

00:28:40.659 --> 00:28:41.159
 of Jesus

00:28:41.159 --> 00:28:41.979
 coming to bring

00:28:41.979 --> 00:28:42.759
 us to himself

00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:44.000
 and the second

00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:44.359
 image

00:28:44.359 --> 00:28:45.079
 is an image

00:28:45.079 --> 00:28:49.059
 a horrific image

00:28:49.059 --> 00:28:51.919
 of the consequences

00:28:51.919 --> 00:28:53.419
 of our

00:28:53.419 --> 00:28:54.879
 unrelenting

00:28:54.879 --> 00:28:55.439
 rebellion

00:28:55.439 --> 00:28:57.479
 we'll read this

00:28:57.479 --> 00:28:58.059
 and then we'll

00:28:58.059 --> 00:28:58.819
 stand and pray

00:28:58.819 --> 00:29:00.819
 and I looked

00:29:00.819 --> 00:29:01.359
 and behold

00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:02.179
 a white cloud

00:29:02.179 --> 00:29:02.659
 and seated

00:29:02.659 --> 00:29:03.279
 on the cloud

00:29:03.279 --> 00:29:04.139
 one like a son

00:29:04.139 --> 00:29:04.559
 of man

00:29:04.559 --> 00:29:05.179
 with a golden

00:29:05.179 --> 00:29:05.960
 crown on his

00:29:05.960 --> 00:29:06.259
 head

00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:06.839
 and a sharp

00:29:06.839 --> 00:29:07.519
 sickle in his

00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:07.839
 hand

00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:09.159
 and another

00:29:09.159 --> 00:29:09.839
 angel came

00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:10.159
 out of the

00:29:10.159 --> 00:29:10.500
 temple

00:29:10.500 --> 00:29:11.579
 calling with a

00:29:11.579 --> 00:29:12.099
 loud voice

00:29:12.099 --> 00:29:12.579
 to him

00:29:12.579 --> 00:29:13.019
 who sat

00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:13.259
 on the

00:29:13.259 --> 00:29:13.559
 cloud

00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:14.859
 put in your

00:29:14.859 --> 00:29:15.200
 sickle

00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:15.559
 and reap

00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:16.220
 for the hour

00:29:16.220 --> 00:29:16.700
 to reap

00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:17.159
 has come

00:29:17.159 --> 00:29:18.039
 for the

00:29:18.039 --> 00:29:18.919
 harvest of

00:29:18.919 --> 00:29:19.299
 the earth

00:29:19.299 --> 00:29:19.879
 is fully

00:29:19.879 --> 00:29:20.279
 ripe

00:29:20.279 --> 00:29:21.359
 it's a good

00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:21.740
 image

00:29:21.740 --> 00:29:22.740
 it's ripe

00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:23.639
 there's a

00:29:23.639 --> 00:29:24.460
 great harvest

00:29:24.460 --> 00:29:25.679
 let's bring

00:29:25.679 --> 00:29:26.079
 it in

00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:27.339
 so he

00:29:27.339 --> 00:29:27.819
 who sat

00:29:27.819 --> 00:29:28.079
 on the

00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:28.379
 cloud

00:29:28.379 --> 00:29:28.839
 swung

00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:29.079
 his

00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:29.379
 sickle

00:29:29.379 --> 00:29:29.759
 across

00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:29.960
 the

00:29:29.960 --> 00:29:30.199
 earth

00:29:30.199 --> 00:29:30.460
 and the

00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:30.659
 earth

00:29:30.659 --> 00:29:30.919
 was

00:29:30.919 --> 00:29:31.339
 reaped

00:29:31.339 --> 00:29:33.240
 then

00:29:33.240 --> 00:29:33.699
 another

00:29:33.699 --> 00:29:34.240
 angel

00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:35.059
 came out

00:29:35.059 --> 00:29:35.279
 of the

00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:35.579
 temple

00:29:35.579 --> 00:29:36.019
 in heaven

00:29:36.019 --> 00:29:36.439
 and he

00:29:36.439 --> 00:29:36.639
 too

00:29:36.639 --> 00:29:36.980
 had a

00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:37.220
 sharp

00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:37.619
 sickle

00:29:37.619 --> 00:29:38.740
 and another

00:29:38.740 --> 00:29:39.059
 angel

00:29:39.059 --> 00:29:39.539
 came out

00:29:39.539 --> 00:29:39.879
 from the

00:29:39.879 --> 00:29:40.199
 altar

00:29:40.199 --> 00:29:41.119
 the angel

00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:41.519
 who has

00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:41.960
 authority

00:29:41.960 --> 00:29:42.439
 over the

00:29:42.439 --> 00:29:42.779
 fire

00:29:42.779 --> 00:29:43.519
 and he

00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:43.779
 called

00:29:43.779 --> 00:29:44.099
 with a

00:29:44.099 --> 00:29:44.279
 loud

00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:44.639
 voice

00:29:44.639 --> 00:29:44.960
 to the

00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:45.139
 one

00:29:45.139 --> 00:29:45.299
 who

00:29:45.299 --> 00:29:45.539
 had

00:29:45.539 --> 00:29:45.720
 the

00:29:45.720 --> 00:29:45.960
 sharp

00:29:45.960 --> 00:29:46.419
 sickle

00:29:46.419 --> 00:29:47.279
 put in

00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:47.460
 your

00:29:47.460 --> 00:29:47.839
 sickle

00:29:47.839 --> 00:29:48.319
 and gather

00:29:48.319 --> 00:29:48.519
 the

00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:48.919
 clusters

00:29:48.919 --> 00:29:49.240
 from

00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:49.399
 the

00:29:49.399 --> 00:29:49.659
 vine

00:29:49.659 --> 00:29:49.799
 of

00:29:49.799 --> 00:29:49.939
 the

00:29:49.939 --> 00:29:50.199
 earth

00:29:50.199 --> 00:29:50.819
 for

00:29:50.819 --> 00:29:51.000
 its

00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:51.319
 grapes

00:29:51.319 --> 00:29:51.539
 are

00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:51.839
 ripe

00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:52.799
 so the

00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:53.139
 angel

00:29:53.139 --> 00:29:53.639
 swung

00:29:53.639 --> 00:29:53.879
 his

00:29:53.879 --> 00:29:54.220
 sickle

00:29:54.220 --> 00:29:54.619
 across

00:29:54.619 --> 00:29:54.819
 the

00:29:54.819 --> 00:29:55.079
 earth

00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:55.579
 and gathered

00:29:55.579 --> 00:29:55.799
 the

00:29:55.799 --> 00:29:56.039
 grape

00:29:56.039 --> 00:29:56.439
 harvest

00:29:56.439 --> 00:29:56.699
 of

00:29:56.699 --> 00:29:56.819
 the

00:29:56.819 --> 00:29:57.079
 earth

00:29:57.079 --> 00:29:57.539
 and threw

00:29:57.539 --> 00:29:57.679
 it

00:29:57.679 --> 00:29:57.980
 into the

00:29:57.980 --> 00:29:58.199
 great

00:29:58.199 --> 00:29:58.579
 wine

00:29:58.579 --> 00:29:58.939
 press

00:29:58.939 --> 00:29:59.259
 of the

00:29:59.259 --> 00:29:59.519
 wrath

00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:00.039
 of God

00:30:00.039 --> 00:30:01.079
 and the

00:30:01.079 --> 00:30:01.319
 wine

00:30:01.319 --> 00:30:01.619
 press

00:30:01.619 --> 00:30:01.859
 was

00:30:01.859 --> 00:30:02.319
 trodden

00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:02.659
 outside

00:30:02.659 --> 00:30:03.000
 the

00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:03.259
 city

00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:04.500
 and blood

00:30:04.500 --> 00:30:05.019
 flowed

00:30:05.019 --> 00:30:05.379
 from the

00:30:05.379 --> 00:30:05.599
 wine

00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:05.899
 press

00:30:05.899 --> 00:30:06.359
 as high

00:30:06.359 --> 00:30:06.699
 as a

00:30:06.699 --> 00:30:07.139
 horse's

00:30:07.139 --> 00:30:07.559
 bridle

00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:08.379
 for

00:30:08.379 --> 00:30:09.159
 1600

00:30:09.159 --> 00:30:10.099
 stadia

00:30:10.099 --> 00:30:13.159
 life is

00:30:13.159 --> 00:30:14.500
 not defined

00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:15.099
 by our

00:30:15.099 --> 00:30:15.859
 consumerist

00:30:15.859 --> 00:30:16.480
 culture

00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:18.439
 real life

00:30:18.439 --> 00:30:19.879
 intersects

00:30:19.879 --> 00:30:20.159
 with

00:30:20.159 --> 00:30:21.259
 and opens

00:30:21.259 --> 00:30:22.460
 up to

00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:23.960
 unimaginable

00:30:23.960 --> 00:30:24.700
 heights

00:30:24.700 --> 00:30:25.740
 and depths

00:30:25.740 --> 00:30:27.960
 God

00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:28.779
 redeems

00:30:28.779 --> 00:30:30.420
 only God

00:30:30.420 --> 00:30:31.200
 redeems

00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:32.619
 come to

00:30:32.619 --> 00:30:33.160
 Jesus

00:30:33.160 --> 00:30:33.940
 let's

00:30:33.940 --> 00:30:34.259
 stand

00:30:50.259 --> 00:30:50.759
 Father

00:30:50.759 --> 00:30:51.559
 it is

00:30:51.559 --> 00:30:52.200
 very easy

00:30:52.200 --> 00:30:52.619
 for us

00:30:52.619 --> 00:30:52.920
 to be

00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:53.660
 so molded

00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:54.180
 and formed

00:30:54.180 --> 00:30:54.740
 by our

00:30:54.740 --> 00:30:55.200
 consumer

00:30:55.200 --> 00:30:55.819
 culture

00:30:55.819 --> 00:30:57.160
 that we

00:30:57.160 --> 00:30:57.579
 view

00:30:57.579 --> 00:30:58.740
 your

00:30:58.740 --> 00:30:59.259
 word

00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:00.440
 as a

00:31:00.440 --> 00:31:00.859
 type of

00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:01.559
 cafeteria

00:31:01.559 --> 00:31:02.799
 where we

00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:03.400
 can pick

00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:04.299
 just

00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:05.460
 bypass the

00:31:05.460 --> 00:31:06.099
 bean sprouts

00:31:06.099 --> 00:31:06.440
 and the

00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:06.819
 broccoli

00:31:06.819 --> 00:31:07.319
 and things

00:31:07.319 --> 00:31:07.579
 that we

00:31:07.579 --> 00:31:08.160
 don't like

00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:09.440
 and we

00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:09.759
 can eat

00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:10.240
 the things

00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:10.500
 that we

00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:11.079
 do like

00:31:11.079 --> 00:31:12.500
 but we

00:31:12.500 --> 00:31:12.839
 give you

00:31:12.839 --> 00:31:13.420
 thanks and

00:31:13.420 --> 00:31:13.700
 praise

00:31:13.700 --> 00:31:14.119
 Father

00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:15.200
 that your

00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:15.960
 word is not

00:31:15.960 --> 00:31:16.960
 constrained by

00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:17.180
 our

00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:17.879
 consumerist

00:31:17.879 --> 00:31:18.379
 culture

00:31:18.380 --> 00:31:20.000
 that you

00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:20.740
 both warn

00:31:20.740 --> 00:31:21.160
 us

00:31:21.160 --> 00:31:22.460
 of

00:31:22.460 --> 00:31:24.680
 eternal

00:31:24.680 --> 00:31:25.640
 consequences

00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:26.460
 of rejection

00:31:26.460 --> 00:31:27.660
 and you

00:31:27.660 --> 00:31:28.360
 beckon us

00:31:28.360 --> 00:31:29.820
 with eternal

00:31:29.820 --> 00:31:31.100
 promises of

00:31:31.100 --> 00:31:32.020
 intimacy with

00:31:32.020 --> 00:31:32.260
 you

00:31:32.260 --> 00:31:33.480
 we ask

00:31:33.480 --> 00:31:34.180
 Father that

00:31:34.180 --> 00:31:35.100
 your Holy

00:31:35.100 --> 00:31:36.040
 Spirit would

00:31:36.040 --> 00:31:36.760
 reform and

00:31:36.760 --> 00:31:37.220
 renew our

00:31:37.220 --> 00:31:37.800
 mind and

00:31:37.800 --> 00:31:38.700
 heart so

00:31:38.700 --> 00:31:39.080
 that we are

00:31:39.080 --> 00:31:40.020
 not conformed

00:31:40.020 --> 00:31:40.340
 to this

00:31:40.340 --> 00:31:41.640
 world but

00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:42.600
 as your

00:31:42.600 --> 00:31:43.440
 grace enters

00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:43.980
 into our

00:31:43.980 --> 00:31:44.440
 life and

00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:45.080
 forms us

00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:45.480
 as we

00:31:45.480 --> 00:31:45.960
 are gripped

00:31:45.960 --> 00:31:46.359
 by the

00:31:46.359 --> 00:31:46.839
 gospel

00:31:46.839 --> 00:31:48.259
 our life

00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:49.139
 is changed

00:31:49.139 --> 00:31:49.960
 as we

00:31:49.960 --> 00:31:50.639
 desire to

00:31:50.639 --> 00:31:51.019
 bring you

00:31:51.019 --> 00:31:51.819
 glory and

00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:52.319
 enjoy your

00:31:52.319 --> 00:31:53.059
 presence forever

00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:54.079
 and this we

00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:54.539
 ask in

00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:55.419
 Jesus' name

00:31:55.419 --> 00:31:56.379
 Amen