WEBVTT 00:00:00.820 --> 00:00:07.100 So, let's begin by thinking about why we need and why the world needs the message of revelation. 00:00:08.660 --> 00:00:14.000 Here are three reasons among many. First, because we live in the day of the 24-hour news cycle. 00:00:14.339 --> 00:00:20.740 And we know this so well from this week. We get swept up into the dramas and into the disasters 00:00:20.740 --> 00:00:26.519 of events all around the globe. So, whether that's a presidential election or whether that's 00:00:26.519 --> 00:00:33.399 flooding caused by climate change, whether it's attacks and acts of war. But something we never 00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:41.719 hear in the media cycle is, let's ask God for wisdom, how to interpret these events. 00:00:42.760 --> 00:00:50.500 Let's stop and think about what the Bible says on this matter, with the result that it's so easy for 00:00:50.500 --> 00:00:57.380 us, to lose sight of the fact that God is ultimate reality, that He is active in history, and that He 00:00:57.380 --> 00:01:02.920 is in control, and that He is the King who is building a coming kingdom. That's one reason. 00:01:04.060 --> 00:01:11.659 A second reason is because of that great sense of fear and anxiety that seems to be spreading 00:01:11.659 --> 00:01:19.479 in our world. I don't know if you had the same experience as me, but so many of my conversations 00:01:19.479 --> 00:01:29.259 this week were dominated by fear, anxiety, uncertainty of many kinds. And so, we need to pull back from 00:01:29.259 --> 00:01:34.620 that to hear these great themes of revelation, that there is the certainty of final justice, 00:01:34.620 --> 00:01:48.100 of the end to chaos, of a kingdom of peace, of a new creation. We need these truths. A third reason 00:01:48.100 --> 00:01:55.020 is because this is Jesus who is speaking to us from the throne of heaven. 00:01:55.019 --> 00:02:07.539 Again, we're living surrounded by fake news, questions about integrity. Well, here is direct truth from the 00:02:07.539 --> 00:02:14.079 King of heaven. In the context of the reality of the rise and fall of nations and kingdoms, 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:21.819 we are invited to listen in to hear from the King whose rule will never end, who is establishing His 00:02:21.819 --> 00:02:29.019 kingdom of peace and justice and love. And so, the message of revelation comes to each one of us 00:02:29.019 --> 00:02:37.599 as a gift. That's how it came to those first-century Christians who received it from John as he received 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:46.500 it from Jesus. They were being confronted by the force of the Roman Empire, living in this very small, 00:02:46.500 --> 00:02:56.460 Christian group surrounded by alternative worship, alternative morality, Caesar claiming to be 00:02:56.460 --> 00:03:04.599 Lord. They are being persecuted. They are seen as, at best, weird, at worst, as being dangerous. 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:11.699 And this message comes directly to them, saying to them and saying to us, keep the faith, 00:03:11.699 --> 00:03:20.219 trust me, trust me, my kingdom will outlast Rome and every other human kingdom. The reward of following 00:03:20.219 --> 00:03:28.000 me is absolutely worth it. And that's still the message that we receive as we get into this book. 00:03:28.079 --> 00:03:33.099 So, let's listen in together, chapter one, to what Jesus wants you and I to know about history. Here's 00:03:33.099 --> 00:03:39.079 the first thing. And it really sets us up for understanding the whole book. Jesus wants you and I to know His 00:03:39.080 --> 00:03:47.280 words. The word of the King can be trusted. First three verses are the prologue. Just three words from 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:54.260 that prologue, but they're all helpful. The first is the word revelation. It's the title of the book. 00:03:54.600 --> 00:04:02.480 It's our opening words, the revelation from Jesus Christ which God gave Him. This word revelation 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:10.179 has an emphasis on the revealing of spiritual realities. We used the image last week of pulling 00:04:10.179 --> 00:04:21.459 back the curtains to see God. That Jesus is unveiling for us the spiritual reality of the King who is on 00:04:21.459 --> 00:04:28.860 the throne, who is building His kingdom. And so, we're getting a glimpse of this future kingdom. 00:04:28.860 --> 00:04:41.879 We're discovering the victory of Christ Jesus. And the emphasis is that these words come with authority. 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:50.020 And so, we can trust them. There's a chain of logic. So, the revelation comes from God, 00:04:50.019 --> 00:04:59.399 comes to us from Jesus Christ. Verse 1, He made it known by sending His angel. And then it comes to 00:04:59.399 --> 00:05:09.120 His servant. And so, it's coming straight from heaven to John. And John emphasizes that the words that He 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:19.339 has now written are trustworthy. Because John, verse 2, He testifies to everything He saw. So, what we have 00:05:19.339 --> 00:05:28.719 as a record, John says, of the Word of God, of the testimony of Jesus. So, there is authority, and these words can be 00:05:28.719 --> 00:05:37.579 trusted. And so, when it speaks to us of these things that are coming, and the time is near, 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:43.819 when we're being told that this is a revelation about what must soon take place, 00:05:43.819 --> 00:05:53.519 we are invited to trust King Jesus. That He is revealing truth about what is to come, what will 00:05:53.519 --> 00:06:02.060 come in the future. And as we will see in a few moments, this isn't some guru speaking. This isn't 00:06:02.060 --> 00:06:09.060 some political pundit speculating. This is the King of the Universe revealing. So, that's a really 00:06:09.060 --> 00:06:14.920 important first word. The second key word that helps us to understand Revelation is the word 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:23.899 servants. This is a way of describing the followers of Jesus. He made it known by sending His angel to 00:06:23.899 --> 00:06:32.420 His servant John. And this revelation was given to show His servants what must soon take place. 00:06:32.420 --> 00:06:40.740 Jesus, Jesus in His kindness giving a word to His servants, to His followers. There's more details in 00:06:40.740 --> 00:06:48.280 verse 9 about the experience of these servants in the first century. They are suffering because of their 00:06:48.280 --> 00:06:57.580 faith. They need patient endurance as they live for Jesus, declaring He is King. Some are being targeted 00:06:57.579 --> 00:07:03.839 by the authorities. John is one of them. He's been sent in exile to this island called Patmos. 00:07:04.819 --> 00:07:09.039 So, we're getting a little window into the fact that life is incredibly difficult for a first century 00:07:09.039 --> 00:07:16.180 Christian. When within the Roman Empire, life was centered on the idea that Caesar is Lord, 00:07:17.120 --> 00:07:23.799 when the gods of Rome dominated all of life, whether you were going to buy your meat in the market or 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:30.360 whether it was any of the great public festivals, the gods were everywhere. And now there are Christians 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:38.680 who are saying, Jesus alone is Lord. And we only worship the one true God, and that's marking them out 00:07:38.680 --> 00:07:46.500 as different, regarded by society as rebels and a negative influence. And so, Jesus in His kindness 00:07:46.500 --> 00:07:53.399 wants to say to Christians who struggle and who suffer, remember, I am on the throne. 00:07:54.860 --> 00:08:02.560 The suffering Savior watches over His suffering church. The victorious Savior will ensure the victory 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:12.720 of the church. Final key words in our prologue is the word blessed. Blessed is the one who reads aloud 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:17.700 the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what's written in it. 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:22.400 So, some of you, maybe if you're Christians, you've been reading your Bible for a long time, 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:27.620 you might have some views about Revelation. It might be one of those books you avoid, 00:08:28.620 --> 00:08:35.779 because it can seem terrifying sometimes. It can seem confusing. Perhaps, like me, you grew up hearing 00:08:35.779 --> 00:08:41.200 weird and wonderful ideas and interpretations about Revelation, and you've concluded, 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:48.240 I can't make head nor tail of this, so I'm going to put it to one side. But what does Jesus say about this book? 00:08:49.420 --> 00:08:58.440 He says there is blessing from God to read it, to hear it, to take it to heart, to obey it, to live out its truth. 00:08:58.500 --> 00:09:06.280 Why? Because the time is near. There is blessing as we understand that history is coming to God's appointed conclusion. 00:09:06.279 --> 00:09:14.860 It's a blessing, as we remember with this book, that there is a king who rules. It is King Jesus. His reign is good, 00:09:14.899 --> 00:09:21.339 and he is building his kingdom. It is good. It is a blessing to remember he will return in glory, 00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:29.419 that he will end all evil, that he will establish, establish his perfect eternal kingdom. There is blessing in here. 00:09:29.419 --> 00:09:38.139 So, Revelation comes to us, as we say, as a gift. Here is a word from the king, and it's a word that you and I 00:09:38.139 --> 00:09:47.959 can trust about history and about where history is heading. Because often, don't we find the world seems 00:09:47.959 --> 00:09:57.299 dark, confusing? We struggle to see where sense can be found, where hope can be found. And we have the 00:09:57.299 --> 00:10:05.039 answer in this book. If any of you, like me, like reading spy thrillers, you'll know that in real-life 00:10:05.039 --> 00:10:14.099 spies and also spy novels, there is often a book that is used as like a cipher, and it will become 00:10:14.099 --> 00:10:19.859 the way to understand these secret messages. So, I just started reading John Buchan's wonderful book, 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:25.799 Mr. Standfast, and the main characters there use Pilgrim's Progress to send these messages. 00:10:25.799 --> 00:10:31.139 And if you don't know the book, and you don't know the reference, then the message, 00:10:31.819 --> 00:10:39.639 which just seems like nonsense, and it's confusing. And sometimes, our world can seem like chaos and 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:50.179 confusion until we remember that we have the book. We have this message, this message that comes from 00:10:50.179 --> 00:10:56.699 the king with the king with the authority of God, revealing that God is on the throne. 00:10:58.259 --> 00:11:08.279 He is in control. That Christ will return. The kingdom will come. Now, whether we hear that as promise 00:11:08.279 --> 00:11:17.779 or warning, well, that depends on our response to Jesus today, doesn't it? Whether we're worshiping 00:11:17.779 --> 00:11:25.579 Him and serving Him or not. But Jesus wants us to know His Word can be trusted. Here's a second thing 00:11:25.579 --> 00:11:34.379 in this introduction. Jesus wants us to know the God of grace and peace. So, as this book acknowledges, 00:11:34.379 --> 00:11:41.939 and as we recognize in our world, it can be hard to live. It can be hard to live the Christian life. 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:49.939 How can someone find the grace to endure? How can we live with inner peace surrounded by chaos and 00:11:49.939 --> 00:11:56.939 conflict? There are many of us and many in our world who would love to know the answer. 00:11:56.940 --> 00:12:05.960 Well, here is Jesus. In verse 11, we're told that He is delivering this message that to be written and 00:12:05.960 --> 00:12:14.360 sent to the seven churches. The book of Revelation uses numbers in a symbolic way. Often seven is the 00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:19.600 language of perfection and completeness. So, it's saying, send this message to the whole church. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:30.940 And the message of verses 4 to 8 is, know your God. Know the God of grace and peace in order that you 00:12:30.940 --> 00:12:36.960 would persevere. Notice, first of all, verse 4 and 5, that this grace and peace that's promised comes from 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:43.360 the three-in-one God, the triune God. Grace and peace to you from Him who is and who was and who is to 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:51.320 come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ. So, here is the Father, 00:12:52.180 --> 00:12:59.659 and He's being represented as the unchanging one, the eternal one, the great I Am. Here is the Spirit. 00:13:00.919 --> 00:13:08.519 Remember that symbolic language in the numbers? The seven spirits saying to us, here is the perfect 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:15.120 Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, and here is the Son. And listen to how the Son is described, 00:13:15.220 --> 00:13:21.179 this one who gives grace and peace. He is the faithful witness. This is emphasizing the fact 00:13:21.179 --> 00:13:27.480 that Jesus faithfully endured His life on earth, His bringing in the kingdom, His mission, despite 00:13:27.480 --> 00:13:38.360 opposition and persecution. He is the firstborn from the dead, reminding us of His death and 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:44.519 of His resurrection victory. And He is the firstborn. What happened to Jesus will happen to us. 00:13:45.180 --> 00:13:50.159 When our faith is in Jesus, we too die to sin, and we experience resurrection life. 00:13:51.500 --> 00:13:56.100 And Jesus, this one who gives grace and peace, is the ruler of the kings of the earth. 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:05.740 Here's where we find grace and peace. Jesus is Lord. His kingdom has come and is coming. 00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:16.639 The second thing that John emphasizes is that this grace and peace comes from the eternal God 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:21.980 over history. So, we see it as the book ends there in verse 4 and verse 8. Verse 4, 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:27.700 from Him who is and who was and who is to come. Verse 8, I am the Alpha and Omega who is and who was 00:14:27.700 --> 00:14:34.860 and who is to come. And so, he begins and ends this theme with the incomparable greatness of God. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:43.540 This God who rules over history. This God who is eternal. This God who created all things 00:14:43.540 --> 00:14:50.500 and who will wind up creation before establishing the new heavens and the new earth. 00:14:50.500 --> 00:15:00.059 And so, we're invited to see that grace and peace comes from this one. There is no Caesar, 00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:04.200 there's no emperor, there's no king, there's no president that's ever had, will ever have this 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:12.600 kind of rule. Indeed, there is no one who governs outside of God's permission and rule. 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:19.139 But the church, the people of God, we're invited to see beyond earthly rulers, to see the sovereign rule 00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:28.840 of Almighty God. And it's this king who supplies grace so that we can live as citizens of his kingdom. 00:15:29.920 --> 00:15:36.899 He supplies peace when we understand that the God of power and glory rules over us and is with us. 00:15:36.899 --> 00:15:50.579 And recognize, too, that this grace and peace comes from Jesus, the Savior. So, in verses 5 to 7, 00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:55.879 as John is writing his letter, we get that sense that he bursts out in praise. 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:04.399 As we know truths about God and his salvation, there is that instinct towards worship. 00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:17.600 And so, John is led to worship as he remembers the cross of Christ. First of all, middle of verse 5, 00:16:17.659 --> 00:16:22.579 to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. 00:16:25.779 --> 00:16:34.539 John reflects on the ultimate demonstration of God's love in the sending of his Son to be our substitute, 00:16:34.539 --> 00:16:41.879 our sacrifice, our Savior, our Savior, delivering us from slavery to sin, giving us freedom to become 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:52.120 the people of God. There's grace and peace in salvation. He then turns to think about the kingship of Christ 00:16:52.120 --> 00:17:02.219 and has made us to be a kingdom and priest to serve his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever. 00:17:02.220 --> 00:17:12.839 So, the Bible tells us Jesus is a priest king. Jesus serves God. Jesus offers himself 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:20.640 as the perfect and the final sacrifice to cover sin, to bring people into relationship with God. 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:28.640 And Jesus comes as the king who brings in the kingdom. So, in Mark's gospel, first words of Jesus, 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:35.660 repent for the kingdom of heaven is near. But now we're discovering as well that Jesus in his kindness 00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:42.640 invites the church to share in that role. Just like Old Testament Israel, set apart by God to be a 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:50.040 kingdom of priests and a holy nation, so the church today is called to represent God, living to worship 00:17:50.040 --> 00:17:57.020 him, living to obey him, living to make him known in all our weakness, with all the opposition that we face. 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:06.500 And then John stops to think about the wonderful reality of the coming of Christ. In verse 7, 00:18:06.520 --> 00:18:11.759 look, he's coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, 00:18:12.120 --> 00:18:17.900 and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him. He draws on a couple of different texts, 00:18:18.320 --> 00:18:25.820 Daniel 7, Zechariah 12, to say that Jesus is returning, and that return will look like two 00:18:25.819 --> 00:18:35.220 different things. He will judge those who reject him and his rule as the somber reality of the judgment 00:18:35.220 --> 00:18:45.599 of Jesus. But he will also welcome to himself those who mourn over their sin, those who have repented, 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:57.079 and those who are now trusting in him. And so Jesus here invites us to reframe reality, 00:18:58.019 --> 00:19:08.679 knowing the God of grace and peace. That above those situations in your life and in our world 00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:21.160 that cause us anxiety sits the Almighty Lord of heaven on the throne, ready to supply grace and peace 00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:27.759 in our weakness and our fear. That beyond the chaos of the here and now, 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:38.759 beyond all that can cause us fear and uncertainty in the 24-hour news cycle stands the certainty 00:19:38.759 --> 00:19:51.960 of Christ and his kingdom. And when we see through that lens, it allows us both to find hope 00:19:51.960 --> 00:20:04.120 and to offer hope and to offer hope. That God alone rules. His Word is final. He is at work patiently 00:20:04.120 --> 00:20:13.420 building a kingdom that endures for eternity. And Christ Jesus is key to that kingdom. As he forgives sin, 00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:19.880 as he transforms our identity, as he brings us to know personally this God of grace and peace, 00:20:19.880 --> 00:20:28.200 so that we can have peace in troubled times as we trust him as our King. 00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:36.580 And the third thing that we need to see Jesus wants us to know about world history is really about 00:20:36.580 --> 00:20:46.040 himself. He wants us to know that he is the King of victory and of comfort. Maybe a surprising 00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:56.839 combination. When we hear good news, maybe it's a common reaction to ask the question, is this a message and a 00:20:56.839 --> 00:21:08.539 messenger I can trust? We hear, you know, great pronouncements, promise of a new day, new age. Can that person deliver? 00:21:08.539 --> 00:21:12.940 However, is this going to be one more thing that's just too good to be true? 00:21:14.779 --> 00:21:22.299 Here is John the apostle. He's an elderly man. He's suffering for his faith. 00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:30.379 He's stranded on the island of Patmos. The authorities will not let him come back to the mainland. 00:21:30.380 --> 00:21:42.540 But the Spirit is at work. And he's been sent these visions. That he's been called to write and share and 00:21:42.540 --> 00:21:50.620 deliver. That God is on his throne. He is bringing history to a close. And his people will enjoy this 00:21:50.619 --> 00:22:00.779 everlasting kingdom of perfect peace and perfect justice. That the longing that we find in our hearts, 00:22:03.339 --> 00:22:09.899 not just for peace in our time, but peace for all time, the ending of suffering, 00:22:09.900 --> 00:22:20.780 just as to come on all evil and abuse, the restoration and renewal of creation, 00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:28.300 the establishment of a world and a society of perfect, unbreakable love. 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:42.299 That's the message of revelation that Jesus will bring. But can we trust the message? Can we trust the 00:22:42.299 --> 00:22:51.559 messenger? These are massive claims. And to help. John's been hearing certain things, 00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:58.200 but then in this vision he's invited to see the one who speaks. Verse 12, 00:23:00.119 --> 00:23:08.839 I turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me. And he sees a vision of the King of glory, 00:23:08.839 --> 00:23:13.639 Jesus Christ. And the whole of Revelation is saying to us, listen, you and I, we can have real hope. 00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:23.800 And we can live with peace. And there is security despite uncertainty. And there is joy beyond present suffering 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:34.440 when we see and we know this King. In his beauty. In his victory. In the comfort that he comes to bring. 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:44.279 So, let's look very briefly, first of all, at the King's portrait. It's common in the UK, isn't it, 00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:50.360 when somebody takes to the throne, or perhaps after a certain number of years of being the King or the 00:23:50.360 --> 00:24:00.840 Queen, that a portrait is commissioned. Well, here is the portrait of King Jesus. And it draws on Old 00:24:00.839 --> 00:24:07.379 Testament imagery. Some of it we saw last week in Daniel 7. But let's just hear it and get a flavor 00:24:07.379 --> 00:24:15.319 of what's going on here. When I turned, verse 13, I saw seven golden lampstands. And among the lampstands, 00:24:15.879 --> 00:24:21.240 someone like a son of man. So, son of man, Daniel 7, this one who's in the presence of God, who's given 00:24:21.240 --> 00:24:26.419 all rule and power and authority to set up a kingdom that will last forever. So, that's the description of 00:24:26.420 --> 00:24:35.640 Jesus. And then we hear some more. He's dressed in a robe, reaching down to his feet with a golden sash 00:24:35.640 --> 00:24:46.860 around his chest. It's a picture of honor and glory. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as 00:24:46.859 --> 00:24:58.899 snow. And we're being reminded that this King, he is holy and he is wise. His eyes were like blazing fire. 00:24:59.579 --> 00:25:07.779 Here is the one who sees and knows all things and will bring perfect justice to bear. His feet 00:25:07.779 --> 00:25:20.639 were like bronze glowing in a furnace. Jesus presented as a warrior king, and these feet will move with 00:25:20.639 --> 00:25:33.259 purpose and with strength. His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. Authority, ultimate judgment. 00:25:33.259 --> 00:25:41.079 In his right hand, he yelled seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp double-edged sword. Again, 00:25:41.299 --> 00:25:51.359 here is his power to bring justice and salvation. Here is protection for his people. And his face 00:25:51.359 --> 00:26:02.839 was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. Here is a glimpse of the glory of Jesus, 00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:08.879 the Son of Man, who is the Son of God, who rules and reigns. 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:19.139 Well, having given the king's portraits, John is then given a vision of the king's victory. 00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:29.359 But note first how awesome the glorified Lord Jesus is. John says, when I saw him, 00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:39.559 I fell at his feet as though dead. And then remarkably, this king speaks to comfort fear. 00:26:40.059 --> 00:26:45.039 He placed his right hand on me and said, do not be afraid. 00:26:48.939 --> 00:26:54.859 What do we learn about the victory of this wonderful king? Notice first the titles. 00:26:54.859 --> 00:27:04.019 I am the name of God, the first and the last. He is the eternal one. I am the living one. I was dead, 00:27:04.079 --> 00:27:09.639 and now look, I am alive forever and ever. And we're being reminded again that what's central 00:27:09.639 --> 00:27:19.419 to this kingdom that is established is the cross of Christ. Jesus who died but then rose to everlasting 00:27:19.420 --> 00:27:27.620 life because death, it had no claim on Jesus because Jesus is the sinless one. And the resurrection displays 00:27:27.620 --> 00:27:34.140 to you and I and to the world the victory of Jesus, that sin and death have been defeated at the cross. 00:27:36.300 --> 00:27:42.900 End of verse 18, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. 00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:53.600 In simple terms, in simple terms, reminding us that King Jesus holds the power over all dark forces. 00:27:54.900 --> 00:28:05.120 And so the church in weakness is given this portrait of a king who is glorious, of a king who is victorious. 00:28:05.119 --> 00:28:17.559 Here is our warrior king who will complete that victory at his return. And he wants us to know that and to know him. 00:28:17.799 --> 00:28:23.279 But there's one last little detail, and it's a beautiful one, and I think brings hope when we see it. 00:28:23.679 --> 00:28:27.279 Back to verse 12 and 13, just as the description begins, 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:44.460 So these golden lampstands were told in verse 20, they're a symbol of the church. 00:28:45.859 --> 00:28:51.559 What is the role of the people of God? We are to shine the light of Christ in the darkness. 00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:59.119 But you and I know that we can't do that by ourselves, and this world can be a fearful place for us. 00:28:59.179 --> 00:29:07.559 But what are we told? Where is the king? This victorious, glorious king, he is among the lampstands. 00:29:10.139 --> 00:29:19.960 Christ Jesus today, right at this very moment, is with us as his people. 00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:30.819 He is in us. He is for us. He is among us, blessing us, now and forever. 00:29:32.579 --> 00:29:43.900 There is great hope for the people of God. Our final destiny, our eternity is secure. 00:29:43.900 --> 00:29:57.320 Our great champion, the Lord Jesus, has won a victory on our behalf. And by his grace, when we are trusting in him, we will share in that victory and in that kingdom. 00:29:57.319 --> 00:30:03.259 This is what Jesus wants you and I want to know about history. 00:30:05.099 --> 00:30:09.759 When we switch on the news or read the newspaper, when we see the events of our lives play out, 00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:15.920 He wants us to know that we should not lose hope when we trust in him. 00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:20.599 That we should fix our eyes on Jesus and his kingdom. 00:30:21.099 --> 00:30:24.940 And we can trust his word. 00:30:25.859 --> 00:30:32.200 A word that comes from Jesus who is on the throne, who will return to judge and to save. 00:30:32.200 --> 00:30:37.019 And so he says to us, be ready. 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:39.360 Trust me. 00:30:40.140 --> 00:30:43.960 Live today in the grace and peace 00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:48.000 that only our God provides.