WEBVTT

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 I never knew the tennis player Betty. I knew Betty in the closing years of her life with Ron as they came to our church.

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! If I sum up one of Betty's great qualities it would be determination. She was astonishingly determined.

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! There are certain people in church life you get home on a Sunday evening and somebody

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 says were they there or weren't they there? And then you spend the rest of the week trying

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 to remember whether this person was there or not and you ask different people and say I can't remember.

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 You never said that about Ron and Betty. Mainly because they arrived about 10 minutes into the service

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 with clattering and bangs and falls very often. But never have I been so glad that people came late

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 to church. And I want to say to Ron we as a church family we have so enjoyed getting to know you and Betty.

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 It was a joy for us to see her determination and her endurance and her perseverance. And we as a church

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 are very very grateful for her and for you. I'm going to speak from the reading that you just had so if you

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 keep that open before you. One of the distinctives of the Christian faith is the Christian faith is about hope.

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 It is about the future. It's about now yes. But it's about hope. D.L. Moody was a very famous American preacher.

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 Very colorful. And he said one day you will read in your newspaper that D.L. Moody has died.

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 He said don't believe a word of it. I am more alive than I've ever been. And we believe as the Christian

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 church in the resurrection of the dead. We believe that Christ will come again. We believe that there

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 will be a new heavens and a new earth. And it will be physical. And you might think you are really

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 living now. But for those who have trusted in Christ, God's word says you wait. You wait

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 as to what you will be. When your soul and your body shall be perfect.

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 C.S. Lewis in those great series of books, the Chronicles of Narnia finishes the seven books

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 with a chapter called Farewell to Shadowland. And this is from the last paragraph. He says,

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 For this is the end of all the stories. And we can most truly say that they all lived happily

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 ever after. But for them, it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world

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 world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover of the title page. Now

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 at last, they were beginning chapter one of the great story which no one on earth has read,

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 which goes on forever, in which every chapter is better than the one before. A world of peace

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 inhabited by a people at rest, ruled by the righteous king. And that's what you just have read to you.

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 It's an accurate summary of the last two chapters of the Bible. And I want to ask three questions

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 about this world which is to come. I want to ask firstly, whose new world is it? Whose new world is it?

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 What Mark just read, a world where there's no tears, there's no death, there's no mourning,

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 there's no crying, there's no pain. How does that world come about? You know if you've been alive,

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 well, you've been alive as long as you have. You know that humanity can't do that. A golden age

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 of humanity. People have been saying that for centuries, haven't they?

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 They think that we can create one. Maybe you think that. Maybe you think that in your life,

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 if I just get this, if I get in that relationship, if this happens, it'll be a perfect world. But you

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 can never, none of us can ever create a world like we've just read, can't we? Today is a great reminder

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 of that, isn't it? Funerals are times when we are faced with the reality that we can't make a golden

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 life for ourselves. But I want you to see in the fifth line of the reading, can you see whose world

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 this is? It says, behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. Look at the second paragraph.

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 Who is saying that? Behold, I am making all things new. You see, you can't make a perfect world for

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 yourself, another guy. You can't insulate yourself from pain and suffering. But God says, doesn't he,

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 behold, I am making all things new. We are speaking about God's new creation. And only God can restore

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 men and women in the universe in which we live. Only God can make a new creation. All things have

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 passed away. And all things become new. Betty experienced that in her life, didn't she? When she became a Christian.

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 When God worked in her life and she moved from old creation to new creation. And when somebody is born again

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 and brought into a saving life, a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, that is a work of new creation.

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 And God is making all things new. And what you have at the end of the Bible is a picture that God is going

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 to do that on a universe scale. And it's overwhelming. And that is what God offers you today.

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 He offers you a world that you want. He offers you a world that you need. He offers for you to be born again.

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 To be made new creations. So that you can one day enter his new world. What's going to happen in the new world?

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 Well it tells us that it will happen and things won't happen and it will happen in an instant.

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 It says, doesn't it? Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.

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 And the only way you can describe it, I don't know whether you picked it up,

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 the only way you can describe it in these verses is in the negative.

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 Do you notice what? No more tears.

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 No more death.

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 No more sorrow.

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 No more crying.

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 No more pain.

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 No more sin.

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 No more temple.

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 No more curse.

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 And he describes it.

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 I've not got time to go and pick up all the details.

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 But he's describing the new heavens and the new earth largely in negative terms.

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 That really shouldn't surprise us.

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 He's not being negative about what this new world will be like that God will create.

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 Far from it.

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 It's quite the opposite in fact.

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 But how do you describe something that is wonderful beyond description?

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 It's like a young man falls in love.

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 He goes home to his mum and he says, I've met this girl and I've fallen in love.

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 And his mum says, well, what's she like?

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 And he says, well, he doesn't provide, does he, a clinical summary.

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 He doesn't say, well, she's actually five at eight.

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 She's size 12.

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 She's got a large unusual nose.

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 She's got brown eyes.

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 He doesn't say like that, does he?

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 He doesn't give her distinguishing features.

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 What does he say?

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 What does the young man say?

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 He was fallen in love and his mum asked what she like.

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 He says, I've never met anyone like her before.

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 She's not like anyone I've ever known.

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 It doesn't help the police, does it, if they've got to go and find her.

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 It's not the kind of description that's going to help the police search.

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 But it does express, does it, how he feels about her.

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 And he can only describe her in negatives.

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 Because in his eyes, she is wonderful beyond description.

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 And that's what John does here in this passage that was read to us.

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 He talks about the new heavens and the new earth.

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 Imagine a world, he says, where there's no domestics.

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 Where there's no arguments.

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 Where there's no natural or international spike.

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 Where there's no racial prejudice.

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 There's no threat of war.

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 No threat of terrorism.

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 There's no poverty.

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 There's no disease.

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 Imagine a world where there's no Parkinson's.

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 Imagine a world where there's no drought or devastation.

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 A world where there's no tsunamis.

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 There's no family breakup.

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 There's no hurricanes.

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 No typhoons.

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 A world without pollution.

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 A world where there's no sickness.

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 No sorrow.

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 And no death.

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 A world where everyone's got more than enough to eat and drink.

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 A world where we're not hurt.

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 And where we don't hurt other people.

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 A world where we can reach our full potential as human beings.

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 A world where you never grow old.

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 A world where you're not frail.

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 A world where you're not senile.

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 A world where you don't lose your memories.

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 Somebody's described it like this.

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 This is what it's going to be like in the new heavens and the new earth.

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 It's going to be brilliant minds in perfect bodies in a transformed universe.

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 Brilliant minds in perfect bodies in a transformed universe.

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 And that is what the Christian has to look forward to.

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 That is the place where Jesus has gone to prepare for us.

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 And John describes it, doesn't he, largely in negative terms.

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 This is the world, not the world as we know it.

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 But the world that it's meant to be.

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 It's the world we long to see.

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 It's the world to come.

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 Look at the pictures.

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 There's some great pictures, isn't it?

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 There's a garden.

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 There's a bride.

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 There's beauty there, isn't there?

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 There's a community.

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 But here's the most important thing that's right in the middle.

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 Don't miss this.

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 What is it that's so special about this new creation?

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 It's the place.

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 Can you see it?

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 It's in the fifth line.

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 The dwelling place of God is with man.

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 With men and women.

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 God will be there.

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 There'll never be a place where God is not.

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 Jesus will be there and you will know him.

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 What a glorious thing that is.

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 Just notice for a moment something that's really helped me that I didn't mention earlier.

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 There's a puzzling phrase, isn't it?

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 It says there'll be no sea.

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 There will be no sea.

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 What the earth does that mean?

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 Does that mean that there'll be no sea at all?

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 Well, no, I don't think it is.

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 I think it's symbolic.

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 Remember where the Apostle John, he's writing this.

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 He's writing this from the island of Patmos, isn't he?

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 He's in exile.

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 He's separated from the people.

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 And as he looks out into the sea, it separates him.

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 Isn't that so helpful for us today?

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 That there is a day coming

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 when there will be no separation.

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 There is a day coming

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 when there will be no isolation.

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 There is a day coming

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 when there will be no loneliness.

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 When there will be no grief.

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 And so the third question is this.

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 Who's going to be there?

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 Who is going to be there?

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 Can you see at the end,

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 it tells us, doesn't it?

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 It says the one who conquers.

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 By the way of putting it,

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 it says the one who's overcome.

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 So that means there are those who've overcome

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 and there are those who have not overcome.

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 Does that mean, is it,

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 that he's so determined,

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 like I began with,

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 that she has kind of,

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 by her own determination,

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 kind of stormed the gates

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 to the new creation?

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 Of course not.

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 It's not.

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 Can you see it?

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 Apart from the third line up,

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 can you see it says,

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 it's those who are thirsty.

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 It's those who feel their need.

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 It's those who find their thirst

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 quenched by Jesus Christ.

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 And by his grace.

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 It's those who throw themselves

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 upon the mercy of God

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 and realise they haven't got everything together.

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 And they walk in the strength of him

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 who saves them.

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 And though they struggle

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 like Betty struggles,

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 and though they fall

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 like Betty fell,

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 they overcome,

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 not because they are strong,

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 but because of their faith

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 in Jesus Christ alone.

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 They love the Lord

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 and they want to obey him.

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 And they shall inherit this new world

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 by God's grace alone.

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 But not everyone will.

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 Those who have trusted,

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 those who have not trusted

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 in Christ.

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 Those who refuse

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 to believe in him.

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 The chapter goes on

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 to speak of the kind of people

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 that won't be there

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 in the new world.

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 It's an incredible description,

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 but one of the groups of people

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 that won't be there

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 is those who

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 don't believe.

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 And unbelief

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 is a wicked thing.

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 It keeps you

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 away

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 from Jesus Christ.

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 Unbelief

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 to refuse to believe

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 in the Lord Jesus

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 will destroy you.

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 And you will be

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 overcome by that.

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 And anyone who hears

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 the gospel,

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 the good news

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 of God sending

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 his son,

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 the Lord Jesus Christ,

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 to take the punishment

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 for your sin

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 and that he is

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 raised from the dead

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 and he will bring in

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 a new world.

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 Anybody who doesn't

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 hear the gospel

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 and does not bow

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 their knee to King Jesus.

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 Well, there's nothing

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 worse than that.

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 Can you look

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 at the

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 middle of the

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 middle of the

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 second paragraph?

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 I want to say to you

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 this isn't

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 sentimentality today.

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 This isn't

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 a dream.

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 And he was seated

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 on the throne

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 and said,

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 behold,

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 I'm making all

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 things new.

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 And also he said,

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 write this down.

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 Write it down.

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 Why is he to write it

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 down?

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 Because these words

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 are trustworthy

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 and true.

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 He said to me,

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 this is done.

00:15:44.360 --> 00:15:45.019
 I'm the Alpha

00:15:45.019 --> 00:15:46.799
 and the Omega.

00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:48.819
 What does that

00:15:48.819 --> 00:15:49.059
 mean?

00:15:49.839 --> 00:15:50.559
 Jesus is the

00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:50.899
 first

00:15:50.899 --> 00:15:52.679
 and he's the

00:15:52.679 --> 00:15:53.379
 last and he's

00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:53.939
 everything in

00:15:53.939 --> 00:15:54.919
 between for us.

00:15:56.820 --> 00:15:57.820
 And so please

00:15:57.820 --> 00:15:58.580
 don't think

00:15:58.580 --> 00:15:59.600
 this is just

00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:00.899
 sentimentality

00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:01.340
 today.

00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:03.799
 This is

00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:04.500
 trustworthy

00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:06.840
 and true.

00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:09.500
 And so in

00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:10.320
 this new world,

00:16:10.439 --> 00:16:10.879
 will you be

00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:11.220
 there?

00:16:12.899 --> 00:16:13.580
 Will you be

00:16:13.580 --> 00:16:13.860
 there?

00:16:16.179 --> 00:16:17.000
 Let me read

00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:17.419
 to you

00:16:17.419 --> 00:16:18.620
 an illustration

00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:19.980
 that I read

00:16:19.980 --> 00:16:20.899
 the day before

00:16:20.899 --> 00:16:22.179
 Betty died.

00:16:23.379 --> 00:16:24.019
 It's from a

00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:25.460
 lady called

00:16:25.460 --> 00:16:26.759
 Joni Erickson-Tarda.

00:16:26.919 --> 00:16:27.659
 Joni is now

00:16:27.659 --> 00:16:28.159
 in her late

00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:28.639
 80s.

00:16:28.700 --> 00:16:29.059
 If you can get

00:16:29.059 --> 00:16:29.419
 her books

00:16:29.419 --> 00:16:29.620
 through,

00:16:29.700 --> 00:16:30.039
 read it.

00:16:31.019 --> 00:16:31.519
 She was

00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:33.320
 17 years old

00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:34.279
 in 1967.

00:16:35.659 --> 00:16:36.100
 She was

00:16:36.100 --> 00:16:37.220
 in a diving

00:16:37.220 --> 00:16:37.980
 accident which

00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:38.559
 has left her

00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:39.320
 paralyzed from

00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:40.059
 the neck down.

00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:41.919
 And since

00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:42.419
 that point,

00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:43.600
 Joni has been

00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:44.620
 an incredible

00:16:44.620 --> 00:16:45.460
 witness to

00:16:45.460 --> 00:16:46.320
 God's kindness

00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:47.159
 and grace

00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:47.879
 in her life.

00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:49.500
 And in

00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:49.879
 particular,

00:16:50.200 --> 00:16:50.679
 she's written

00:16:50.679 --> 00:16:51.419
 so powerfully

00:16:51.419 --> 00:16:51.919
 on this

00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:53.099
 great hope

00:16:53.099 --> 00:16:53.919
 of a future

00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:55.120
 world in

00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:55.500
 which there's

00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:55.819
 going to be

00:16:55.819 --> 00:16:56.599
 total redemption

00:16:56.599 --> 00:16:57.659
 which Revelation

00:16:57.659 --> 00:16:58.439
 21 is about.

00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:00.639
 And in a book

00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:01.199
 she wrote about

00:17:01.199 --> 00:17:01.500
 heaven,

00:17:02.099 --> 00:17:02.519
 she says,

00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:03.139
 on one occasion

00:17:03.139 --> 00:17:03.719
 I was attending

00:17:03.719 --> 00:17:04.379
 a conference.

00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:06.059
 At the end

00:17:06.059 --> 00:17:06.599
 of the session,

00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:07.159
 the speaker

00:17:07.159 --> 00:17:07.839
 invited the

00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:08.799
 500 people,

00:17:08.879 --> 00:17:09.339
 if they were

00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:09.899
 able to,

00:17:10.179 --> 00:17:10.859
 to kneel

00:17:10.859 --> 00:17:11.440
 in front of

00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:12.039
 their seats

00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:13.599
 as they

00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:14.099
 closed the

00:17:14.099 --> 00:17:14.599
 session in

00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:14.859
 prayer.

00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:15.539
 She's paralyzed

00:17:15.539 --> 00:17:16.079
 from the neck

00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:16.359
 down.

00:17:17.700 --> 00:17:18.759
 And Joni Erickson-Tarda

00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:19.740
 watched everyone

00:17:19.740 --> 00:17:20.379
 around her

00:17:20.379 --> 00:17:20.759
 kneel.

00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:21.619
 And as she

00:17:21.619 --> 00:17:22.180
 watched,

00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:23.700
 she couldn't

00:17:23.700 --> 00:17:24.879
 stop her tears.

00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:26.599
 But she

00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:27.440
 wasn't crying

00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:28.200
 out of self-pity.

00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:30.000
 Here's what she

00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:30.619
 said was going

00:17:30.619 --> 00:17:31.420
 on in her head.

00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:34.099
 Sitting there,

00:17:34.220 --> 00:17:35.180
 I was reminded

00:17:35.180 --> 00:17:36.000
 that in heaven

00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:38.259
 I will be free

00:17:38.259 --> 00:17:39.099
 to jump up,

00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:40.119
 dance,

00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:41.599
 and do aerobics.

00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:43.299
 And though I'm

00:17:43.299 --> 00:17:44.220
 sure Jesus will

00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:44.839
 be delighted

00:17:44.839 --> 00:17:45.519
 to see me

00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:46.579
 rise on tiptoe,

00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:48.099
 there is something

00:17:48.099 --> 00:17:48.879
 I plan to do

00:17:48.879 --> 00:17:49.199
 that may

00:17:49.199 --> 00:17:49.659
 please him

00:17:49.659 --> 00:17:49.959
 more.

00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:52.139
 If possible,

00:17:52.539 --> 00:17:53.519
 sometime before

00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:54.079
 the party

00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:54.859
 really gets

00:17:54.859 --> 00:17:55.279
 going,

00:17:55.699 --> 00:17:56.480
 sometime before

00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:56.980
 the guests

00:17:56.980 --> 00:17:57.439
 are called

00:17:57.439 --> 00:17:58.139
 to the banquet

00:17:58.139 --> 00:17:58.839
 table of the

00:17:58.839 --> 00:17:59.439
 wedding feast

00:17:59.439 --> 00:18:00.019
 of the Lamb,

00:18:01.299 --> 00:18:02.319
 the first thing

00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:03.179
 I plan to do

00:18:03.179 --> 00:18:04.199
 on resurrected

00:18:04.199 --> 00:18:05.980
 legs is to

00:18:05.980 --> 00:18:06.879
 drop on

00:18:06.879 --> 00:18:08.039
 grateful,

00:18:08.379 --> 00:18:09.379
 glorified knees

00:18:09.379 --> 00:18:10.899
 and I shall

00:18:10.899 --> 00:18:11.859
 quietly kneel

00:18:11.859 --> 00:18:12.299
 at the feet

00:18:12.299 --> 00:18:12.919
 of Jesus

00:18:12.919 --> 00:18:14.779
 because the

00:18:14.779 --> 00:18:15.359
 day is

00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:16.179
 drawing near

00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:17.920
 when I'll

00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:18.299
 be able

00:18:18.299 --> 00:18:18.759
 to kneel

00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:19.200
 again.

00:18:20.680 --> 00:18:21.400
 It's a

00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:22.320
 beautiful picture

00:18:22.320 --> 00:18:24.200
 of a future

00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:24.840
 reality.

00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:26.920
 A future

00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:27.940
 reality.

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:29.640
 A world

00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:30.240
 of peace

00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:32.279
 inhabited by

00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:32.680
 a people

00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:33.299
 at rest

00:18:33.299 --> 00:18:34.720
 ruled

00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:36.140
 by the

00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:36.420
 righteous

00:18:36.420 --> 00:18:36.840
 king.

00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:38.759
 And the

00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:39.220
 question I

00:18:39.220 --> 00:18:39.700
 can bet you

00:18:39.700 --> 00:18:40.160
 want me to

00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:40.740
 ask you is

00:18:40.740 --> 00:18:41.200
 will you be

00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:41.400
 there?

00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:44.000
 Let's pray.

00:18:57.620 --> 00:18:58.259
 Heavenly Father,

00:18:58.320 --> 00:18:58.720
 we thank you

00:18:58.720 --> 00:18:58.960
 for the

00:18:58.960 --> 00:18:59.620
 reminder of

00:18:59.620 --> 00:19:00.340
 the frailty

00:19:00.340 --> 00:19:01.660
 and the

00:19:01.660 --> 00:19:02.340
 fragility of

00:19:02.340 --> 00:19:02.680
 life.

00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:04.780
 We thank you

00:19:04.780 --> 00:19:05.259
 for Betty

00:19:05.259 --> 00:19:05.820
 and her

00:19:05.820 --> 00:19:06.600
 witness and

00:19:06.600 --> 00:19:07.300
 her testimony

00:19:07.300 --> 00:19:07.920
 to us.

00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:10.320
 we thank you

00:19:10.320 --> 00:19:11.620
 that she

00:19:11.620 --> 00:19:12.320
 loved and

00:19:12.320 --> 00:19:13.019
 believed and

00:19:13.019 --> 00:19:13.720
 followed the

00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:14.200
 Lord Jesus

00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:14.700
 Christ.

00:19:16.060 --> 00:19:17.000
 And we ask

00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:17.400
 that every

00:19:17.400 --> 00:19:18.140
 single one of

00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:18.720
 us will bow

00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:19.380
 our knees,

00:19:20.840 --> 00:19:21.560
 will get off

00:19:21.560 --> 00:19:22.340
 the throne of

00:19:22.340 --> 00:19:23.240
 our lives and

00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:23.940
 allow King

00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:24.980
 Jesus to

00:19:24.980 --> 00:19:25.380
 reign.

00:19:26.460 --> 00:19:27.100
 That in our

00:19:27.100 --> 00:19:27.640
 hearts you

00:19:27.640 --> 00:19:28.259
 would do that

00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:29.360
 miracle of a

00:19:29.360 --> 00:19:30.140
 new creation

00:19:30.140 --> 00:19:32.300
 and the hope

00:19:32.300 --> 00:19:33.060
 of a new

00:19:33.060 --> 00:19:33.600
 world,

00:19:34.900 --> 00:19:35.779
 a renovated

00:19:35.779 --> 00:19:36.519
 universe,

00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:38.720
 ruled by a

00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:39.599
 righteous King.

00:19:40.900 --> 00:19:41.220
 That that

00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:41.859
 would fill our

00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:42.759
 hearts and

00:19:42.759 --> 00:19:43.359
 minds and

00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:44.079
 affections with

00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:44.420
 joy.

00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:46.139
 We pray this

00:19:46.139 --> 00:19:46.500
 in Jesus'

00:19:46.680 --> 00:19:46.879
 name.

00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:47.740
 Amen.

00:19:47.740 --> 00:19:47.960
 Amen.