WEBVTT 00:00:00.180 --> 00:00:03.620 Excellent. Well, morning everyone. I hope you're well. What a special morning. 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:08.060 Who wears a lifeboat t-shirt to a baptism? Anyone else notice that? 00:00:08.660 --> 00:00:13.919 Loved it. Talk about fitting. Excellent. Well, let's have a deep dive into Daniel 7. 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:19.600 This is brilliant this morning. And here's a big question that Daniel chapter 7 asks 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:24.600 us to consider today. And whoever you are here today, whatever you think about the God of the 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:32.600 Bible, here's the question that comes at you. Is history heading anywhere? Here's one of the most 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:40.520 famous scenes from The Lion King, as you're thinking on it. It's the one where Mufasa is telling Simba 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:48.299 when he's a young cub how life works. It goes like this. He says, Mufasa says, no, Simba says, but dad, 00:00:48.299 --> 00:00:54.299 don't we eat the antelope? Yes, Simba, but let me explain. When we die, our bodies become the 00:00:54.299 --> 00:01:02.420 grass and the antelope eat the grass. And so we're all connected in the great circle of life. And 00:01:02.420 --> 00:01:08.159 bam, at that point, Elton John comes in with his song, doesn't he? The idea that we can absorb from 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:19.099 this film is that our lives are circular. Our lives are circular. It's like a trip on the London Eye that 00:01:19.099 --> 00:01:23.759 you get on at the bottom, you kind of ride the wave to the top, you enjoy your moment in the sun. 00:01:24.699 --> 00:01:28.799 And then life just comes all the way back down. And the next generation get on and they do exactly 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:33.599 the same thing. And round and round it goes. Our lives can often feel like that, can't they? I 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:39.239 remember my last day at the company that I worked for before I started here, being so aware that as 00:01:39.239 --> 00:01:44.859 nice as the leaving drinks for me were on the Friday, that there was going to be another name on the 00:01:44.859 --> 00:01:51.260 door on the Monday. No one was going to remember who I was in 10 years' time, no matter what kind of 00:01:51.260 --> 00:01:58.780 mark that I'd made on the company. We do this kind of thing every June, I think. We're so aware of the 00:01:58.780 --> 00:02:05.239 turnover. Maybe you're a student here today and many of you guys have moved out of your flats and all those 00:02:05.239 --> 00:02:10.060 memories that were associated with the flat and your timing in it. You move out and you're so aware that 00:02:10.060 --> 00:02:15.979 another person is going to move in and do exactly the same thing. Some of us are teachers. Some of us 00:02:15.979 --> 00:02:21.259 are finishing school. You're not so aware, all your memories, all the things that you did in your class 00:02:21.259 --> 00:02:26.879 this year, that you finish this term and there's going to be another class sitting in your seats 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:35.780 come August. And life can feel like that, can't it? That we are just a tiny insignificant cog in a vast 00:02:35.780 --> 00:02:43.219 concrete jungle machine, one that just goes round and round and round in life. And so often what we do, 00:02:43.300 --> 00:02:51.900 we respond to the monotony and we respond to the pain and questions of life with apathy or maybe even 00:02:51.900 --> 00:02:59.699 we respond with cynicism, that we don't think history's going anywhere. And here's American political 00:02:59.699 --> 00:03:07.500 scientist. I do like to read widely. Francis Fukuyama, he said this, the 20th century, it's safe to say, 00:03:07.579 --> 00:03:14.179 has made us all into deep historical pessimists. We don't think history's going anywhere. 00:03:15.539 --> 00:03:23.739 And the thing is, Daniel 7 is the pin in the balloon that powerfully thunders into our everyday 00:03:23.740 --> 00:03:31.860 existence. And it pops history, this idea that life is circular and it says, no, history is linear. 00:03:33.140 --> 00:03:38.780 It's linear. Now, if you remember, we started this series saying that this book of Daniel, it's, 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:46.340 it kind of makes us into cross-country skiers, that it gives us two poles by which we can grab and move 00:03:46.340 --> 00:03:53.580 forward in the Christian life. One of those poles was God's sovereignty. That word that just means 00:03:53.580 --> 00:03:59.000 that he is in total control of all things big and little in life. He is the one who knows the end 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:06.840 from the beginning. He is the one who is outside time. And the second pole is the one that says history 00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:14.759 is going somewhere and it's going somewhere according to the purposes of this triune God to bless the world 00:04:14.759 --> 00:04:22.420 for the good of his people and for the glory of his name. And so as we step into the second half of 00:04:22.420 --> 00:04:28.019 this book, what God is doing is he is giving his people, if you like, the second pole. 00:04:29.860 --> 00:04:36.120 And this chapter, as we step into it, friends, we need to understand that we're in a different 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:42.759 part of this book. You probably got that vibe as we read it through. Now, this comes to Daniel in a dream. 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:46.779 If you've been following along in this series, you'll know that that is nothing new. 00:04:48.300 --> 00:04:52.599 But up until now, Daniel, if you notice it, has been interpreting other people's dreams 00:04:52.599 --> 00:04:58.360 because God has something he wants to communicate to the watching and to the listening world. 00:04:59.259 --> 00:05:06.339 But this time, if you notice it, Daniel himself has the dream, which I think is meant to be a trigger 00:05:06.339 --> 00:05:12.419 in our minds that actually God has now got something to say to the souls of his people. 00:05:13.619 --> 00:05:20.739 And this comes in the form of what's known in the Bible as apocalyptic literature. In other words, 00:05:20.819 --> 00:05:29.879 God speaks to his people, not by words and by logical sequential arguments, but by pictures and visions. 00:05:29.879 --> 00:05:35.620 And maybe at this point, some of us are tapping out because this is not how we're used to thinking 00:05:35.620 --> 00:05:43.240 in the 21st century West. We love our arguments to be logical. We like our emails to be in bold font. 00:05:43.300 --> 00:05:47.639 If you've ever got an email from me, you will notice it has bold words. And if it's a really, 00:05:47.800 --> 00:05:49.860 really important word, it will have it in red. 00:05:49.860 --> 00:05:57.040 It's like we've stepped into some kind of Marvel comic when we jump into chapter seven, 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:01.819 what on earth is going on? And here's the question I want us to think about. Why does God speak like 00:06:01.819 --> 00:06:08.000 this? Because he could have just gone what Paul does and just go sequential argument and tell his 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:16.840 people what the future holds. Why does God speak like this? Perhaps it's simply that images and 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:23.759 pictures can make us feel truth in a way that sometimes words on a page, particularly when we're 00:06:23.759 --> 00:06:30.859 weary, can't. You know, if I was to tell you that I was angry this morning, I wasn't, but go with it. 00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:39.679 I would be communicating to you a truth. But if I were to say to you that I was red with rage this 00:06:39.679 --> 00:06:45.039 morning, I would be communicating to you the same truth, but it's coming at you in all sorts of 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:50.000 different ways, isn't it? I like how Pixar kind of tapped into that with their film Inside Out. If 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:55.740 you've ever seen that little angry man, he is red with rage. It's the same truth, but it doesn't come 00:06:55.740 --> 00:07:02.620 at you just 2D, it comes at you 3D. And you feel the contours of that truth in all sorts of different 00:07:02.620 --> 00:07:10.160 ways when you use word pictures to communicate it. And there's times in history when I think God knows 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:13.860 that that's exactly what his people need. You'll know what it's like when you get to the end of a day 00:07:13.860 --> 00:07:20.460 and you're tired and you're weary. And you don't want to read anything. You just want to watch 00:07:20.460 --> 00:07:25.460 something, don't you? There's times in life when you're weary and what you need is words. You don't 00:07:25.460 --> 00:07:33.040 need words, you need pictures. I think that's exactly what God knows that this generation who are weary 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:39.600 in Babylon need to know about the future. Maybe you can think of it like this. David Helm puts it like 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:45.200 this. I found this helpful. He said, perhaps apocalyptic literature is God's way of helping 00:07:45.200 --> 00:07:51.200 visual learners. There's nothing like this particular genre to keep us on the edge of our 00:07:51.200 --> 00:07:59.879 seats in hope of seeing how things turn out. I found that really helpful. Maybe this is God's way of 00:07:59.879 --> 00:08:05.400 helping visual learners. And so three things that we're going to take from this passage today, real quick, 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:10.639 three things that God has to say to his people then and his people throughout time about the future 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:15.500 as they take in this vision. You ready for these? Here's the first one. And we get the first in the 00:08:15.500 --> 00:08:21.319 opening eight verses. And it's simply this, that the forces of evil are not unexpected. 00:08:23.039 --> 00:08:30.620 Have a look at those four beasts. Now, remember the sea for people in this day in the Bible is symbolic 00:08:30.620 --> 00:08:37.620 for evil. So we're meant to read this and be scared by what we see. And take in these creatures. 00:08:37.779 --> 00:08:44.620 Firstly, we get this lion with eagle's wings. Now think about that. That is two of the most powerful 00:08:44.620 --> 00:08:51.200 animals that you can imagine. This is on Deadly 10, isn't it? I take it that's why the United States, 00:08:51.560 --> 00:08:55.399 what animal did they pick? Come on guys, you're American. Who did you pick? 00:08:55.399 --> 00:09:02.980 You pick the eagle. And who did England pick? The lion. We're going to be reminded soon, aren't we? 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:07.799 I'm sure again and again that there's three of them on that shirt. But what a deadly combination, 00:09:08.019 --> 00:09:14.879 right? A lion and an eagle. What's the truth that's being communicated? You just cannot outrun and defeat 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:23.519 this thing. It will get you. You cannot escape its clutches and its look. Then we get this bear that 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:28.879 has three ribs in its mouth. We're presented with this aggressive hunter who's out for blood. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:34.519 Then there's this leopard. Do you see how it has four wings and four heads? In other words, 00:09:34.580 --> 00:09:38.379 this is looking in every single direction when it comes to picking its fights. 00:09:38.379 --> 00:09:45.220 What we learn later in Daniel is that we can understand these creatures as representing three 00:09:45.220 --> 00:09:51.460 consecutive powers that will come in the line of history. But we'll save a little bit of that for 00:09:51.460 --> 00:09:58.419 next week. So you've got Babylon there, then you've got them succeeded by Media Persia, and then you've got 00:09:58.419 --> 00:10:05.240 Greece. But these pictures are conveying to Daniel that nations and kingdoms all the way through history 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:12.460 are going to come and they're going to battle it out for power and control. And as they do that, 00:10:12.580 --> 00:10:20.560 they will trample over people and inflict misery on the world in the process. And keep the turning the 00:10:20.560 --> 00:10:30.419 wheels of history. Friends, has that attitude not played out in history? You think of Hitler, you think of 00:10:30.419 --> 00:10:37.759 Putin, you think of Kim Jong-un. Go from the global level to the social level. You think of 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:44.259 internet scammers. You think of human traffickers. You come to the Bible and you will not find a book 00:10:44.259 --> 00:10:51.559 that is detached from reality. They always say it's the hope that kills you, don't they? If you're a 00:10:51.559 --> 00:10:56.860 Scotland fan, that is where we'll be living for the next two weeks. But we've got to understand that 00:10:56.860 --> 00:11:03.320 hope in the Bible is not detached from reality. Quite literally, hope in the Bible is birthed in 00:11:03.320 --> 00:11:10.440 the facts of history. And that God sees it and that God says he will do something about it, 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:18.659 I take it should calm our worried souls. And then in the narrative, you get this fourth creature, 00:11:18.800 --> 00:11:24.720 you get this horned beast. And it gets some serious airtime in the passage, if you notice that, 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:30.060 compared to the previous three. In fact, so terrifying and different is it, verse 19, 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:37.019 Daniel has to know more. It's like he goes back for a second round with God, tell me more. And I think 00:11:37.019 --> 00:11:44.500 it's because, verse 21, this evil will speak things against the most high God. Do you see that in the 00:11:44.500 --> 00:11:52.540 passage, verse 21? And its teeth will be wielded directly against God's people. That's why Daniel has to 00:11:52.539 --> 00:11:59.899 know more. And the fact that there's only one thing that's going to put an end to this evil, 00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:07.159 I think suggests that this is an evil that's going to keep coming at God's people down the lines 00:12:07.159 --> 00:12:11.679 of history. And it's going to come from Satan himself. 00:12:14.019 --> 00:12:20.240 Now, the fact that this is here, do you notice it? God's people are not going to be spared from pain. 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:24.220 This is what it's saying. God's people are not going to be spared from pain. 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:30.500 But the very fact that God knows about the existence of these forces of evil before they've 00:12:30.500 --> 00:12:35.560 even sprung up in the world stage should spare God's people from panic. 00:12:37.580 --> 00:12:42.039 And that takes us to the second thing that we need to see here. And this is the lens through which 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:47.480 we're to understand these evil forces as they come at us here. Here's the second thing from verse 9. 00:12:47.480 --> 00:12:51.440 And it's that the throne of heaven is not unoccupied. 00:12:53.159 --> 00:13:00.899 So Daniel's taken, do you see it in the narrative, verse 9? He's taken from looking at the utter chaos 00:13:00.899 --> 00:13:06.659 that's playing out on earth. And all of a sudden, he's transported to looking at the glory that's in 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:11.980 heaven. And it kind of comes out of nowhere. It's as if God just snatches him out and forces his eyes 00:13:11.980 --> 00:13:18.220 upon heaven. Verse 9, this figure that we've been singing about called the Ancient of Days, 00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:27.560 takes his seat. And allow the imagery there to give you a picture of the Ancient of Days and his 00:13:27.560 --> 00:13:35.860 majesty. Do you see the picture that we're given? One of utter purity and sheer power. A figure that 00:13:35.860 --> 00:13:44.600 thousands upon thousands never ceased to delight in praising. So for God to be the Ancient of Days 00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:52.440 means that this God has just always been. He's always been. And particularly in the context of 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:58.600 what has come before, he was there before space was cleared in history for any of these evil forces 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:07.540 to exist. And into the presence of the Ancient of Days comes this figure. Do you see it? The center 00:14:07.540 --> 00:14:16.139 point of this chapter called, verse 12, the Son of Man. Now take this in if you've got the scriptures 00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:25.480 there. Take this in. Here is a human being who is being crowned as a divine ruling king. 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:35.519 And cut to the chase, friends, Jesus has no problem equating himself with this figure in Daniel chapter 7. 00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:43.200 It's recorded 80 times if you track it through in the Gospels. The Gospel writers give airtime to the 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:49.220 fact that Jesus calls himself the Son of Man, which means that they have made a connection that they want 00:14:49.220 --> 00:14:59.620 readers down the ages to see. And the question is, when did Jesus become the Son of Man? This figure. When did 00:14:59.620 --> 00:15:10.420 this scene play out? Well, Jesus was seen to be this figure at a moment in history. After his crucifixion, 00:15:11.160 --> 00:15:18.700 as he dies for the sins of his people to rescue them from the eternal judgment that's awaiting them, 00:15:18.700 --> 00:15:24.980 and from the clutches of Satan who had us in his grasp, and after his resurrection, 00:15:26.180 --> 00:15:32.320 Jesus is seen to be this Son of Man when he ascends to heaven. Because the ascension, 00:15:33.140 --> 00:15:40.460 far be it from just a kind of side point of theology, the ascension is massively important 00:15:40.460 --> 00:15:44.160 because it is the homecoming crowning of heaven's king. 00:15:46.280 --> 00:15:54.759 And to him, verse 14, the Ancient of Days gives dominion, which means complete power over everything. 00:15:55.200 --> 00:16:00.820 The Ancient of Days gives this to the Son of Man, meaning that the Son of Man will be the one at the 00:16:00.820 --> 00:16:06.440 end of time who will have the final say over everything and everyone. 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:13.180 And one of the most powerful places that Jesus uses that title, Son of Man, to talk about himself, 00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:20.920 is when he uses it at his trial. Now, the religious council in that scene, having arrested him, 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:28.500 question him in this kangaroo court. And they say, who are you? Just tell us who you are. 00:16:28.500 --> 00:16:34.580 To which Jesus replies, one day you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power. 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:41.059 It has always baffled me why Jesus at that point would play the Son of Man card. 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:48.360 But it wasn't until this week that I saw it, really. Subtext. 00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:56.500 I'm enduring this in your courtroom now, because I know that one day you're going to be sitting in mine. 00:16:58.500 --> 00:17:05.339 The fact that Jesus hasn't returned yet as this glorious Son of Man is nothing to do with his incompetence. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:08.519 And it's everything to do with his mercy. 00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:16.640 In not wanting anyone to perish, but allowing more space for more people to bow the knee before history's king, 00:17:17.059 --> 00:17:19.059 come and find life and forgiveness in him. 00:17:19.059 --> 00:17:28.399 But make no mistake that Jesus is this ruling king over everything in heaven right now. 00:17:29.500 --> 00:17:35.919 The only difference between now and then is that then we will see it with our eyes. 00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:41.720 But make no mistake that as I speak, that as you and I draw yet another breath, 00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:46.819 that Jesus is this ruling king in heaven for his people right now. 00:17:46.819 --> 00:17:57.319 And make no mistake that that truth explains days like today. 00:17:57.319 --> 00:18:06.220 The very fact that anyone becomes a Christian is due to the fact that Jesus has dealt Satan a decisive blow. 00:18:07.339 --> 00:18:09.819 And that's what his victory on the cross is. 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:15.159 It is him saying to the devil, that claim that you had on that person, 00:18:15.659 --> 00:18:18.980 well, because of their faith in me, because I died for their sin on the cross, 00:18:19.059 --> 00:18:21.740 that claim does not stick anymore. 00:18:21.740 --> 00:18:28.960 And because he has done that, Jesus is in the process of raiding Satan's locker room, 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:30.400 as my American pals would say. 00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:34.599 And he is snatching out people, winning them for himself. 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:40.220 Do you know, Taylor Swift is not the greatest show in town at the moment. 00:18:40.220 --> 00:18:46.360 Come to the Bible and see that as far as heaven is concerned, 00:18:47.860 --> 00:18:51.799 local churches, as they gather together under the kingship of King Jesus, 00:18:52.539 --> 00:18:54.420 that is the greatest show in town today. 00:18:56.839 --> 00:19:02.220 And that takes us to the third thing that God wants us to see in this passage from verse 15. 00:19:02.339 --> 00:19:03.579 And it's really simply this. 00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:06.960 It's that the end of history is not uncertain. 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:11.240 And the camera focuses on this fourth beast. 00:19:11.500 --> 00:19:14.360 Do you see waging war against God's people? 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:22.180 Until that is verse 22, the Ancient of Days decides that the time is up. 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:26.180 It is the moment when Satan's dominion will be taken away. 00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:32.220 It is the moment when evil will be destroyed and banished forever. 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:35.660 And I take it this is talking about the return of King Jesus when he comes back. 00:19:35.660 --> 00:19:39.600 And I want you to see who benefits from this moment. 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:41.100 And see it there. 00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:42.360 It's amazing what you see. 00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:44.779 Even though you studied this passage for hours and hours this week, 00:19:44.840 --> 00:19:46.279 you don't see it until the reading. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:50.320 See the word there at verse 22. 00:19:53.940 --> 00:19:58.259 The Ancient of Days came and judgment was given for the saints. 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.340 Do you see that word there? 00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:01.200 For the saints. 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:05.019 In other words, who benefits from the victory of the Son of Man? 00:20:05.600 --> 00:20:10.519 See that it's not inadvertently, but see with that word for that it's purposefully. 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:12.740 The saints benefit. 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:14.400 Do you see that word come up? 00:20:14.460 --> 00:20:17.640 It comes up five times in those 14 verses there. 00:20:17.860 --> 00:20:18.319 Saints. 00:20:18.860 --> 00:20:19.440 The saints. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:20.580 The saints. 00:20:21.080 --> 00:20:22.480 God's people benefit. 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:24.480 We benefit. 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:29.220 In fact, it's all passive verbs here to describe the saints. 00:20:29.360 --> 00:20:30.440 They are given the kingdom. 00:20:30.579 --> 00:20:31.819 They receive a kingdom. 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:32.860 We benefit. 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:37.120 We share in the victory of the Son of Man. 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:44.599 And let me draw one application from this in terms of the context of the book of Daniel. 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:47.299 And it's all tied up with the chronology. 00:20:47.400 --> 00:20:48.079 You ready for this? 00:20:48.660 --> 00:20:50.360 I'm not talking about end time charts. 00:20:50.359 --> 00:20:58.659 I'm talking about the fact really simply that chapters 7 and 8 in the book of Daniel come before chapter 5 and 6. 00:20:58.899 --> 00:21:00.019 Now you get your heads around that. 00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:00.459 Okay? 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:05.619 Chapters 7 and 8 come before chapters 5 and 6. 00:21:05.619 --> 00:21:16.719 Which means that Daniel gets into the lion's den, not just with this vision of the Son of Man in his mind, 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:23.119 but I think we can make, join the dots and say it was because he had this vision of the Son of Man in his mind 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:25.099 that he was prepared to pay the price. 00:21:25.099 --> 00:21:32.179 I always love it in the book of Acts that the early Christians are known as a sect. 00:21:32.539 --> 00:21:35.939 And they're called, if you remember the nickname that they get, they're called the way. 00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:39.939 The way, people call them from the outside world looking in. 00:21:40.159 --> 00:21:40.839 The way. 00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:44.259 Perhaps it's because Jesus said that he is the way, the truth, and the life. 00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:47.019 That's probably where, maybe where the word way comes from. 00:21:47.139 --> 00:21:48.199 They're the way people. 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:54.620 But I also wonder whether tied up in all of that is a watching world looking on at the early Christians 00:21:54.620 --> 00:21:59.660 who are willing to make all sorts of bold decisions, 00:21:59.840 --> 00:22:03.220 who are declaring all sorts of certain things about this man, Jesus. 00:22:04.100 --> 00:22:07.420 And the world look in from the outside and they hear what they're saying, 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:09.380 they see how they're living, and they think to themselves, 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:12.680 those are people who think that they're headed somewhere. 00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:17.660 Oh, that they would see that that is true of us in our world. 00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:21.660 But because of the victory of this king, because we follow him, 00:22:22.380 --> 00:22:27.660 we truly believe that we are headed somewhere. 00:22:29.720 --> 00:22:30.819 Love that thought. 00:22:31.340 --> 00:22:36.279 Not inadvertently, but purposefully, we are given the kingdom. 00:22:37.400 --> 00:22:40.640 Here's a question to ask yourself just as we begin to wrap this up. 00:22:42.100 --> 00:22:43.860 What do you fear most? 00:22:43.859 --> 00:22:48.959 As you look out on your life over the next six months, 00:22:49.319 --> 00:22:53.659 what do you fear most, particularly about something that might happen to you 00:22:53.659 --> 00:22:55.699 because you are faithful to Jesus? 00:22:58.579 --> 00:23:02.359 Might it mean you saying no to a relationship that you're in 00:23:02.359 --> 00:23:05.599 that you know is not good for you to be in right now? 00:23:06.439 --> 00:23:10.179 Maybe it's making a decision at work that's going to raise some eyebrows. 00:23:10.180 --> 00:23:14.500 Maybe it's seeking to reconcile with someone that you know you're not right with, 00:23:14.580 --> 00:23:17.460 even if that means reopening a can of worms. 00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:21.680 What do you fear most over the next six months, 00:23:21.820 --> 00:23:24.980 particularly as it connects to your faithfulness to Jesus? 00:23:24.980 --> 00:23:30.980 Whatever it is in your mind, here's what I want you to do. 00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:36.180 Just to grab it and drag it to this vision of the Son of Man 00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:39.200 and resolve in your heart to say, 00:23:39.740 --> 00:23:41.980 it will be worth it. 00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:44.720 It will be worth it. 00:23:46.900 --> 00:23:48.980 You know, just as we close, let me just apply this pastorally. 00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:54.660 Do you know what I love doing with our kids? 00:23:55.480 --> 00:23:57.140 I love doing jigsaws. 00:23:57.319 --> 00:23:59.539 I think I love doing it way more than they do. 00:24:00.839 --> 00:24:01.819 I love doing them. 00:24:01.880 --> 00:24:04.440 I think they just love the bit when they pour out all the pieces 00:24:04.440 --> 00:24:06.140 onto the floor in the middle. 00:24:07.059 --> 00:24:10.420 But if you know that feeling of doing a jigsaw puzzle right at the beginning, 00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:13.380 one by one you begin to pick up the bits, don't you? 00:24:13.380 --> 00:24:17.100 And you look at them and they make zero sense. 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:20.060 Some of them are black. 00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:23.940 Some of them have got all sorts of different colors in them. 00:24:24.040 --> 00:24:27.660 Some of them even have a little bit of an image that you can't quite make out. 00:24:29.260 --> 00:24:32.240 And it strikes me that life is a lot like that. 00:24:34.300 --> 00:24:36.600 You know, some of us might be holding right now in our hands, 00:24:36.680 --> 00:24:37.580 this is your life right now. 00:24:37.620 --> 00:24:40.380 You're looking at a really dark piece. 00:24:40.380 --> 00:24:44.240 Some of us might be holding a piece right now 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:48.000 that is really confusing. 00:24:48.560 --> 00:24:50.200 All sorts of different things are going on. 00:24:50.320 --> 00:24:53.340 Some of us might be holding a piece that's really blue 00:24:53.340 --> 00:24:56.220 and things are going really well in our lives right now. 00:24:57.420 --> 00:24:58.980 But the thing about life, isn't it, 00:24:58.980 --> 00:25:02.220 is at some point we're going to be holding any one of those pieces. 00:25:04.100 --> 00:25:07.500 And what is it, what is the only thing that helps you make sense, 00:25:07.500 --> 00:25:09.860 any kind of sense of any kind of jigsaw? 00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:13.440 It's when you see the whole picture. 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:18.860 Daniel 7 is God giving his people the box. 00:25:20.220 --> 00:25:21.620 And he's saying to them, 00:25:21.880 --> 00:25:23.460 is there holding a black piece? 00:25:23.560 --> 00:25:25.540 Is there feeling the effects of exile? 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:27.760 Is there wondering what on earth the future holds? 00:25:28.060 --> 00:25:30.180 He's giving them the box and saying, 00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:32.880 this is where history is headed. 00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:35.520 This is the last play. 00:25:35.620 --> 00:25:36.800 This is where it's finishing. 00:25:36.800 --> 00:25:38.600 And it's going to finish for you. 00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:41.919 It seems to me that the message of the book of Revelation, 00:25:42.059 --> 00:25:44.179 I know people like to say it, and it's really snappy, 00:25:44.279 --> 00:25:45.279 that Jesus wins. 00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:47.199 And it's not untrue. 00:25:47.679 --> 00:25:49.879 But I think we can go so much further than that 00:25:49.879 --> 00:25:52.199 and say that the message of this kind of literature 00:25:52.199 --> 00:25:54.139 is to say Jesus has won, 00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:56.839 and in him you too will overcome. 00:25:58.199 --> 00:25:59.439 He's given them the box. 00:25:59.619 --> 00:26:01.379 And so here's what that means about history. 00:26:01.380 --> 00:26:04.880 It means that climate change won't be the thing 00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:06.300 that calls time on this world. 00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:09.880 It means war will not be the thing 00:26:09.880 --> 00:26:12.700 that applies the full stop to the pages of history. 00:26:13.600 --> 00:26:16.380 Dear friends, it means that depression won't be the thing that... 00:26:16.840 --> 00:26:23.560 It won't be the thing that ultimately defines you. 00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:28.500 Death will not have the final say over you. 00:26:28.839 --> 00:26:30.599 What this is telling you and I 00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:33.240 is that the final play in history, 00:26:33.779 --> 00:26:35.980 as hard as it gets, 00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:39.659 the final play in history will see this Jesus 00:26:39.659 --> 00:26:41.419 banish evil for good, 00:26:42.419 --> 00:26:45.960 and will see his people given the kingdom 00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:48.500 and basking with him for all eternity. 00:26:48.500 --> 00:26:51.940 The final scene in the Bible story 00:26:51.940 --> 00:26:55.599 is one where the saints are with Jesus forever. 00:27:01.079 --> 00:27:02.680 And they're worshipping him 00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:04.779 in the presence of the Ancient of Days. 00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:10.359 And as hard as it is right now in life, 00:27:12.519 --> 00:27:13.480 by faith, friends, 00:27:13.539 --> 00:27:16.559 would you pick up Daniel 7 and see 00:27:16.559 --> 00:27:19.519 and let's encourage each other with these words 00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:22.460 every Sunday, every time we gather together. 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:25.119 It is hard as life is right now. 00:27:26.039 --> 00:27:27.619 This is where the story ends. 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:29.200 This is where history is headed. 00:27:31.579 --> 00:27:34.619 And let's finish with these words from John 16, 00:27:34.740 --> 00:27:35.500 just as we pray. 00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:38.679 The words of Jesus, 00:27:39.099 --> 00:27:40.960 I've said these things to you, 00:27:41.740 --> 00:27:43.619 that in me you may have peace. 00:27:43.619 --> 00:27:46.739 In the world you will have tribulation, 00:27:46.939 --> 00:27:47.619 but take heart. 00:27:49.059 --> 00:27:51.319 I have overcome the world. 00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:54.019 And so Father, I just simply pray, 00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:57.719 Lord, that wherever this has landed in our hearts today, 00:27:59.399 --> 00:28:00.919 Father, I pray that you would bring, 00:28:02.159 --> 00:28:03.179 as we thought about earlier, 00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:03.879 John prayed it, 00:28:03.959 --> 00:28:05.299 you're the one who knows us intimately, 00:28:05.679 --> 00:28:07.239 you're the one who knows the hairs on our heads. 00:28:07.319 --> 00:28:09.559 I pray that your spirit would bring this truth 00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:13.079 and apply it to all sorts of different places in our hearts, 00:28:13.119 --> 00:28:15.919 even to the deepest and sorest of places. 00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:19.759 Father, thank you for this wonderful picture 00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:21.619 of the end 00:28:21.619 --> 00:28:23.919 and of the Son of Man 00:28:23.919 --> 00:28:27.700 declaring that evil is forgotten 00:28:27.700 --> 00:28:30.419 and banished and punished and dealt with 00:28:30.420 --> 00:28:32.660 and that his people, 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:34.560 the saints, 00:28:35.180 --> 00:28:36.240 will be with him forever. 00:28:37.460 --> 00:28:38.519 Father, maybe even today, 00:28:38.600 --> 00:28:40.440 as we've heard more stories about 00:28:40.440 --> 00:28:43.039 life that we found in Jesus, 00:28:43.460 --> 00:28:44.400 convince us, Father, 00:28:44.500 --> 00:28:46.480 maybe even some of us for the first time, 00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:49.539 that there is no saviour like Jesus. 00:28:50.660 --> 00:28:52.480 And we just commit all of these things to you 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:54.160 as we finish our time together. 00:28:54.300 --> 00:28:55.860 I pray that you would dwell amongst us 00:28:55.860 --> 00:28:57.000 and be working. 00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:59.460 And we pray these things in Jesus' name. 00:29:00.099 --> 00:29:00.460 Amen.