WEBVTT

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 Father, we worship you this morning. We've come to adore you and to set our hearts and the affections of our hearts on you.

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 God, as we're going to read in your word this morning, you are faithful and true and righteous in all your ways.

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 God, you have perfect perspective on the world.

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 And so, Father, this morning, as we come to set our hearts on you and to remind ourselves that we don't have perfect perspective.

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 We see the world from a very limited perspective, but you do, God.

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 And so, Father, we've come to trust you this morning.

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 We've come to set our hope on yourself and not ourselves.

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 We've come to set our hope on who you are more than ourself and the things of this world.

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 Father, thank you for the fact that you promised that, yes, in this world we will face trouble.

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 There is difficulty, that is true, but you promised that you will be with us.

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 Thank you for your leading and guiding.

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 God, every day we could look back upon the previous weeks and months and years and just say you are such a faithful God.

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 You really are faithful and true, and we honor you for that this morning, God.

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 Jesus, thank you that you promised to give us peace.

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 And for so many of us that have walked with you, that testimony is true.

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 Even in the midst of difficulty, your peace reigns in our hearts.

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 And we're so grateful for your faithfulness, God.

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 Father, this morning we want to pray for those in our congregation that are facing real challenges, God.

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 We know some of our friends are going through health challenges, really significant health challenges.

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 We bring them before you, God.

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 We pray for those that are parenting and just finding the reality of parenting is hard, God.

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 Christ, won't you pour out your grace on our parents, Lord.

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 We pray for those, God, for whom marriage is difficult at the moment, Lord.

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 And we pray for your grace and your gospel to be at work in our hearts.

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 God, help us to take our eyes off of ourselves and to fix our eyes on you, God.

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 Lord, we pray for those that are making big, life-altering decisions, God.

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 Whether to, yeah, take some big step in a new direction.

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 God, we pray that you will be with them and that you will make your will so abundantly clear.

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 We pray that we will know what your will is, God, in those situations.

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 So we pray for our students and our high schoolers, God.

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 I want you to lead them and be with them.

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 We bring ourselves before you, God.

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 We need you.

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 And that's why we've come to worship you, God.

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 Father, we want to pray for the young people in our city, God.

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 Those that are part of our church and those that are not.

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 Those who are dealing with trauma and conflict.

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 God, those who are really cut up and hurting deeply because of what's happened in the last couple of months.

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 God, we pray for your healing power to be at work in the young people of our city, God.

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 We pray for conflict to be resolved.

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 We pray for conflict in families and churches to be resolved.

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 We pray, God, for those involved in counseling, God, that you're given profound wisdom.

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 We pray for healing to come to our city.

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 Oh, God, we pray for your healing to come.

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 Jesus, we so need you.

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 Come and heal our city, we pray.

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 Father, we bring our city before you and we long for it to be in Hong Kong as it is in heaven, God.

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 We long for your grace and your priest to rule in our city.

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 And so we pray for the churches, God.

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 Cause us to be salt and light in the city.

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 Cause us to shine, to point to the hope of Jesus.

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 We pray for our politicians this morning, God.

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 Give them wisdom, Lord.

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 Help them to make right and good decisions for the well-being of our city.

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 We bring these things before you in your wonderful and your faithful name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Let's listen to the reading of God's word.

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 And Jefferson and Echo are going to read to us this morning.

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 The scripture reading comes from Revelation 19 to 21.

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 Please follow along in your bulletin or on the screen.

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 Then I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse.

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 The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True.

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 And in righteousness he judges and makes war.

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 His eyes are like a flame of fire and on his head are many diadems.

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 And he has a name written that no one knows but himself.

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 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood.

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 And the name by which he is called is the word of God.

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 And the armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

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 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.

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 And he will rule them with a rod of iron.

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 He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

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 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written.

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 King of kings and lord of lords.

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 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun.

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 With a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead.

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 Come, gather for the great supper of God.

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 To eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men,

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 the flesh of horses and their riders.

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 And the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.

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 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him

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 who was sitting on a horse and against his army.

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 And the beast was captured.

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 And with it the false prophet, who in his presence had done the signs by which he deceived those

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 who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image.

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 These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

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 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse.

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 And all the birds were gouged with their flesh.

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 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and the great chain.

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 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan,

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 and bound him for a thousand years and threw him into the pit and shut it and sealed it over him,

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 so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended.

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 After that, he must be released for a little while.

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 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed.

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 Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God,

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 and those who had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands.

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 They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

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 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.

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 This is the first resurrection.

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 Blessed and holy is the one who shares the first resurrection.

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 Over such the second death has no power,

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 but they will be priests of God and of Christ,

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 and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

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 And when the thousand years are ended,

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 Satan will be released from his prison

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 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth,

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 Gog and Magog,

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 to gather them for battle.

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 Their number is like the sand of the sea,

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 and they marched up over the broad plain of the earth

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 and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city.

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 The fire came down from heaven and consumed them,

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 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur,

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 where the beast and the false prophet were,

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 and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

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 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.

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 From his presence, earth and sky fled away,

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 and no place was found for them.

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 And I saw the dead, great and small,

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 standing before the throne,

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 and books were opened.

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 Then another book was opened,

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 which is the book of life,

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 and the dead were judged by what is written in the books,

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 according to what they had done.

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 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it.

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 Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them,

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 and they were judged,

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 each one of them,

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 according to what they had done.

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 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.

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 This is the second death,

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 the lake of fire.

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 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life,

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 he was thrown into the lake of fire.

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 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,

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 for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,

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 and the sea was no more.

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 And I saw the holy city,

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 new Jerusalem,

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 coming down out of heaven from God,

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 prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

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 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

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 Behold,

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 the dwelling place of God is with man.

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 He will dwell with them,

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 and they will be his people,

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 and God himself will be with them as their God.

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 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,

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 and death shall be no more.

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 Neither shall there be mourning,

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 nor crying,

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 nor pain anymore,

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 for the former things have passed away.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Okay, thank you, Jefferson and Echo.

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 I don't know if you remember this.

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 If you're a student,

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 this might be before your time.

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 I feel very old saying that.

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 But I remember when I was a kid,

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 I don't know if you remember,

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 seeing these 3D images,

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 or it was just a picture,

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 I think I've got one on the screen,

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 of like a blur of lines and patterns and colors,

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 and if you stare at it long enough,

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 you can see some 3D image emerging.

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 Does anyone remember any of those?

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 Okay, just one or two of us.

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 I remember looking at these things,

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 and like really squinting,

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 and trying to like,

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 from every different angle,

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 and I could never see the 3D image.

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 I was just useless at it.

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 Sometimes the book of Revelation

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 can feel a little bit like that.

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 It's just this blur of symbols and imagery,

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 and you can stare at it and think,

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 I don't have a clue what's going on.

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 But hopefully as you look at it long enough,

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 and as you read it enough,

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 you start to see the consistent patterns

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 and images emerge,

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 and you start to see the picture behind it.

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 Now if you've joined us recently,

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 or you've joined us halfway through the series,

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 you might be a little lost.

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 And to be honest, that's completely fine.

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 If you're lost,

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 and you've been here the whole time,

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 that's also fine.

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 And just by the way,

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 you are welcome to come and ask any questions you want.

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 I cannot promise I can answer every question,

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 but you're welcome to ask any question.

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 But I do hope for some of us

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 that have been here from the beginning,

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 we're starting to sort of see

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 the consistent patterns and images emerge

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 as we work through the book of Revelation.

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 Because really,

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 this book is one of the most repetitive books.

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 It keeps on just saying the same thing

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 time and time again from various angles.

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 Now, I have good news and bad news for you this morning.

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 What do you want first?

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 Okay, I would normally choose the bad news,

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 but I'm gonna go with the good news, okay?

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 The good news is this.

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 We are coming to the home straight.

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 I don't know if you've ever run a marathon,

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 and you get like three quarters of the way through,

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 and your legs turn to jelly,

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 and you just think,

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 there's no ways I'm gonna finish this thing.

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 When is this thing ever gonna end?

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 You might have felt like that

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 through the book of Revelation, right?

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 You might have thought,

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 I've hit a wall.

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 When is this thing ever gonna end?

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 We're coming to the home straight.

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 The finish line is ahead of us.

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 Two or three more weeks away,

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 we'll finish before Christmas, okay?

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 That's the good news.

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 The bad news is this.

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 Today's passage is probably the most controversial

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 and the most difficult passage

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 in the whole of Revelation,

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 and possibly the whole Bible.

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 It's one of those passages

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 that has had a gazillion books written about it

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 throughout the history of the world.

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 There are a million different podcasts,

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 everyone with their own opinion, okay?

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 And it's my joint privilege

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 to explain it to us this morning.

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 Part of the reason why it's so divisive

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 is because it talks about how the world,

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 as we know it, comes to an end.

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 And it talks about this strange period of time,

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 this period of a thousand years,

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 what's known as the millennium.

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 And that is really difficult

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 and has generated a lot of debate

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 for two main reasons.

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 The one reason is because the Bible's actually

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 not crystal clear on exactly how it all works.

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 And so there's varied opinions.

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 Some people say,

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 no, it definitely works like this.

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 Other people say,

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 no, it definitely works like this.

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 This is actually the only passage in the Bible

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 that talks about this mysterious millennium,

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 this thousand-year period.

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 The other reason why it's generated controversy

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 is it hasn't happened yet.

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 And so everything people say is speculative.

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 You know, we can look back on the crucifixion,

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 we can look at secular history

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 and eyewitness accounts and archaeology,

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 and we can piece it together

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 and say this is what happened.

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 But the future, it's all a little speculative, okay?

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 And so we're gonna try and look at this

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 a little bit today.

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 So today, I'm gonna need you to really concentrate

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 and stay with me, okay?

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 This is gonna, we're gonna dive in

00:13:56.940 --> 00:13:59.200
 and we're gonna do our best to try and make sense of it.

00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:01.600
 And so we've got three questions

00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:02.660
 we're gonna try and answer today.

00:14:02.780 --> 00:14:03.620
 The first one is,

00:14:04.019 --> 00:14:05.800
 what on earth is up with the millennium?

00:14:06.200 --> 00:14:07.680
 The second one is,

00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:10.340
 what's going on with this passage as a whole?

00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:12.660
 Okay, what is God actually trying to say to us?

00:14:12.820 --> 00:14:15.200
 And the third one is, how should we respond?

00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:17.360
 Okay, so that's where we're gonna try and go today.

00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:20.620
 Okay, so firstly, let's give a brief overview

00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:23.379
 of what Jefferson and Echo read to us.

00:14:23.860 --> 00:14:26.580
 So in chapter 19, we encounter Jesus Christ.

00:14:27.060 --> 00:14:28.419
 And he's on this white horse,

00:14:28.700 --> 00:14:32.159
 which speaks of authority and intentionality and power.

00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:34.580
 And his eyes are of fire.

00:14:34.899 --> 00:14:37.139
 He's got the sword coming out of his mouth.

00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:39.080
 And he's riding on the nations

00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:41.680
 and he comes in to judge the nations

00:14:41.680 --> 00:14:44.320
 in righteousness and truth and justice,

00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:46.000
 which is a really good thing.

00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:47.340
 Right, think about it.

00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:51.440
 Even the most perfect judges in our world

00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:52.680
 have limited perspective.

00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:56.139
 Even the brilliant judges in the world

00:14:56.139 --> 00:14:57.580
 don't know everything

00:14:57.580 --> 00:14:59.460
 or the intentionalities of everyone's heart.

00:14:59.940 --> 00:15:02.960
 But Jesus comes and he brings perfect justice.

00:15:03.659 --> 00:15:05.340
 The things that are going wrong in this world,

00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:08.600
 one day the one who knows everything as it really is

00:15:08.600 --> 00:15:10.720
 will bring righteousness and judge the world

00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:11.779
 in righteousness and truth.

00:15:11.920 --> 00:15:13.519
 And that's really good news for us.

00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:16.019
 And on his robe is written this title.

00:15:16.340 --> 00:15:18.519
 He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.059
 Caesar is not King.

00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:21.519
 Rome is not King.

00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:23.360
 The stock market is not King.

00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:26.600
 Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:30.079
 And he comes as the perfect Lord.

00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:32.820
 And then we see the kings of the earth and the armies

00:15:32.820 --> 00:15:33.879
 and this beast,

00:15:34.060 --> 00:15:37.720
 which is the symbol of idolatrous institutions of power

00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:39.960
 and structures and the kingdoms of this world.

00:15:40.200 --> 00:15:42.440
 They are conquered by Jesus and his armies

00:15:42.440 --> 00:15:44.680
 and they are thrown into this lake of fire.

00:15:45.420 --> 00:15:46.759
 And then we get to chapter 20.

00:15:47.379 --> 00:15:48.360
 And chapter 20,

00:15:48.660 --> 00:15:49.920
 John sees this angel

00:15:49.920 --> 00:15:52.800
 and he's holding a key to this bottomless pit.

00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:55.240
 And there Satan is seized

00:15:55.240 --> 00:15:56.139
 and he's bound

00:15:56.139 --> 00:15:57.099
 and he's tied up

00:15:57.099 --> 00:15:59.339
 and he's cast into this bottomless pit

00:15:59.339 --> 00:16:01.959
 for this period of a thousand years.

00:16:02.539 --> 00:16:03.479
 And while he's there,

00:16:03.599 --> 00:16:07.639
 we are told that he cannot deceive the nations any longer.

00:16:08.659 --> 00:16:10.500
 And so for this thousand year period,

00:16:10.620 --> 00:16:11.279
 this millennium,

00:16:11.639 --> 00:16:13.659
 it's kind of like this golden age.

00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:15.419
 It's marked by the reign of Jesus.

00:16:15.959 --> 00:16:18.259
 Jesus reigns in the world with his people.

00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:20.980
 And it's a picture of this golden period

00:16:20.980 --> 00:16:22.419
 for the gospel and the church.

00:16:23.539 --> 00:16:25.879
 Satan seems to be restricted and bound

00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:27.519
 and Christ together with his people,

00:16:27.899 --> 00:16:29.659
 including those that have been killed and martyred,

00:16:30.059 --> 00:16:31.879
 they reign throughout the world.

00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:34.100
 And then we see at the end of this period,

00:16:34.259 --> 00:16:35.500
 Satan seems to be released

00:16:35.500 --> 00:16:38.419
 and he gathers all his evil forces

00:16:38.419 --> 00:16:41.759
 and they launch one final battle against the church,

00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:43.399
 this Armageddon battle.

00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:46.120
 But as he's about to fight the church,

00:16:46.120 --> 00:16:48.100
 he is destroyed and conquered

00:16:48.100 --> 00:16:49.700
 and forever and ever,

00:16:49.899 --> 00:16:51.700
 Satan is thrown into this lake of fire

00:16:51.700 --> 00:16:53.800
 where he is tormented day and night

00:16:53.800 --> 00:16:55.720
 forever and ever and ever.

00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:58.440
 And Satan is finally and fully defeated.

00:16:59.300 --> 00:17:00.240
 And then all people,

00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:01.720
 Christians and non-Christians,

00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:03.279
 anyone that's ever lived,

00:17:03.680 --> 00:17:05.440
 stands before the judgment seat of God.

00:17:05.579 --> 00:17:07.240
 We are held accountable for our decisions.

00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:09.180
 And finally after that,

00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:11.400
 the new heavens and the new earth appear.

00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:14.880
 That's what Jefferson and Echo

00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:15.900
 read to us this morning.

00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:17.440
 Now here's the question.

00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:20.360
 So what's up with this crazy thousand year period?

00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:23.120
 And why have people been so interested in it?

00:17:23.740 --> 00:17:24.840
 And the reason is this.

00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:26.620
 Because this thousand year period

00:17:26.620 --> 00:17:28.279
 is meant to be this period

00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:30.340
 sometime at the end of the age

00:17:30.340 --> 00:17:32.360
 before the world comes to an end.

00:17:32.860 --> 00:17:34.480
 And so Christians for hundreds of years

00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:36.580
 have tried to piece together and work out.

00:17:36.940 --> 00:17:38.820
 Okay, so does Jesus come

00:17:38.820 --> 00:17:40.640
 and then there's this thousand years

00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:41.440
 and the end of the world?

00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:43.420
 Or is there this thousand years

00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:44.380
 and then Jesus comes

00:17:44.380 --> 00:17:45.260
 and it's the end of the world?

00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:47.120
 How is the world going to end?

00:17:47.620 --> 00:17:49.560
 And can we as Christians

00:17:49.560 --> 00:17:51.700
 bring about this thousand year period?

00:17:52.060 --> 00:17:53.400
 Are there things that we can do?

00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:54.660
 Can we send missionaries

00:17:54.660 --> 00:17:55.540
 to the end of the world

00:17:55.540 --> 00:17:56.660
 that will speed it up?

00:17:57.060 --> 00:17:58.680
 Or is there nothing we can do

00:17:58.680 --> 00:18:00.800
 and we've just got to get on with life?

00:18:01.340 --> 00:18:02.680
 And so what's going on with this?

00:18:02.680 --> 00:18:04.840
 Now there are three main views, okay?

00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:06.519
 The first one is this.

00:18:06.600 --> 00:18:08.680
 It's called pre-millennialism.

00:18:09.140 --> 00:18:10.539
 I think we've got this up there somewhere.

00:18:10.900 --> 00:18:11.980
 Okay, pre-millennialism.

00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:14.580
 And those that believe this would say this.

00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:17.600
 Before this thousand year period,

00:18:17.700 --> 00:18:18.700
 this millennial period,

00:18:18.820 --> 00:18:20.360
 whether it's literal or figurative,

00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:22.060
 Jesus comes back.

00:18:22.539 --> 00:18:25.100
 And Jesus is going to come in power

00:18:25.100 --> 00:18:27.980
 and glory with eyes like fire

00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:30.500
 and he's going to conquer the world.

00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:33.240
 And Jesus, along with Christians,

00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:35.380
 are going to reign throughout the world.

00:18:35.460 --> 00:18:36.940
 It's going to be this golden period

00:18:36.940 --> 00:18:40.079
 where the kingdom of God advances,

00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:41.839
 Satan is defeated,

00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:44.960
 and all Christians who have died

00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:46.200
 will rise from the dead

00:18:46.200 --> 00:18:48.799
 and be alive for a thousand years with Jesus.

00:18:49.259 --> 00:18:51.099
 And those that have not died,

00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:53.599
 we are going to get our new resurrection bodies.

00:18:54.180 --> 00:18:56.099
 And Christians will reign with Jesus

00:18:56.099 --> 00:18:58.059
 on the earth for a thousand years.

00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:00.299
 And then at the end of that period,

00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:02.480
 Satan will be released.

00:19:02.700 --> 00:19:04.559
 There'll be this massive Armageddon battle.

00:19:05.099 --> 00:19:06.380
 Jesus will conquer Satan.

00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:08.640
 There'll be the final judgment,

00:19:08.779 --> 00:19:09.500
 the living and the dead,

00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:11.180
 and then the new heavens and the earth.

00:19:11.619 --> 00:19:11.680
 Okay?

00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:13.059
 And so some people say,

00:19:13.380 --> 00:19:14.019
 pre-millennial,

00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:15.220
 Jesus is going to come back

00:19:15.220 --> 00:19:16.700
 and he's going to bring about

00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:19.720
 this golden period of peace and prosperity

00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:21.039
 and the world is going to be lovely.

00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:23.700
 Now, one of the things is this.

00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:25.279
 Pre-millennials generally have

00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:26.900
 a very negative view of the world.

00:19:26.900 --> 00:19:28.240
 So the world's going to get worse

00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:29.759
 and worse and worse and worse.

00:19:30.099 --> 00:19:31.019
 There's going to be more chaos,

00:19:31.339 --> 00:19:32.000
 more destruction,

00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:33.120
 more anarchy,

00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:34.839
 until finally Jesus comes

00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:35.859
 and rescues us all.

00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:36.680
 Okay?

00:19:36.980 --> 00:19:38.299
 So that's pre-millennialism.

00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:41.640
 Another view is post-millennialism.

00:19:42.220 --> 00:19:43.900
 And those that believe in post-millennialism

00:19:43.900 --> 00:19:44.079
 say,

00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:45.059
 no, no, no, no, no.

00:19:45.079 --> 00:19:46.140
 It's the other way around.

00:19:46.539 --> 00:19:47.740
 There's going to be this period,

00:19:47.859 --> 00:19:49.819
 this golden period of a thousand years.

00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:51.359
 The church is going to advance.

00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:52.779
 Christians are going to reign.

00:19:53.299 --> 00:19:54.559
 Christians are going to rule the earth.

00:19:54.639 --> 00:19:55.480
 It's going to be wonderful.

00:19:55.639 --> 00:19:56.879
 There's going to be peace and prosperity.

00:19:57.259 --> 00:19:59.139
 And at the end of that period,

00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:00.799
 Jesus is going to come back,

00:20:01.099 --> 00:20:01.879
 destroy Satan.

00:20:02.259 --> 00:20:03.319
 There's going to be judgment day.

00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:04.619
 And then the new heavens

00:20:04.619 --> 00:20:05.899
 and the new earth is going to come.

00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:08.159
 And post-millennials believe

00:20:08.159 --> 00:20:09.379
 the world is going to get better

00:20:09.379 --> 00:20:10.480
 and better and better.

00:20:10.859 --> 00:20:12.720
 As the church advances,

00:20:13.079 --> 00:20:14.559
 as the gospel goes forward,

00:20:14.899 --> 00:20:16.059
 nations are going to get better,

00:20:16.159 --> 00:20:16.919
 more righteous,

00:20:17.379 --> 00:20:18.720
 more justice in the world.

00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:19.779
 And it's going to lead

00:20:19.779 --> 00:20:21.599
 to this golden period of prosperity

00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:22.980
 for a long period of time.

00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:24.919
 And when the world is almost perfect,

00:20:25.459 --> 00:20:26.939
 Jesus will come back again.

00:20:27.879 --> 00:20:28.919
 So post-millennials

00:20:28.919 --> 00:20:30.859
 have a very positive view of the world.

00:20:31.219 --> 00:20:32.279
 And generally will say,

00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:33.819
 we can bring this about

00:20:33.819 --> 00:20:35.659
 as we send missionaries

00:20:35.659 --> 00:20:36.500
 to the end of the world.

00:20:36.719 --> 00:20:38.279
 As missionaries go out,

00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:40.859
 it will bring Jesus back sooner.

00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:41.619
 Okay?

00:20:42.719 --> 00:20:44.899
 Then there's a third view.

00:20:45.579 --> 00:20:46.839
 And this, by the way,

00:20:46.899 --> 00:20:47.740
 is my view,

00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:49.799
 which means that it's the right view.

00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:54.359
 You are welcome to disagree with me.

00:20:54.459 --> 00:20:55.579
 You have the right to be wrong.

00:20:56.019 --> 00:20:56.699
 But otherwise,

00:20:57.019 --> 00:20:58.039
 you can agree with me.

00:20:58.819 --> 00:21:00.219
 I'm just joking about that.

00:21:00.919 --> 00:21:01.559
 By the way,

00:21:01.619 --> 00:21:02.539
 Chris Thornton and I

00:21:02.539 --> 00:21:03.299
 have spoken about this.

00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:05.059
 We actually happen to agree on this.

00:21:05.619 --> 00:21:06.359
 And a third view

00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:08.980
 is amillennialism.

00:21:09.240 --> 00:21:10.619
 And that view says,

00:21:11.099 --> 00:21:11.659
 people like me

00:21:11.659 --> 00:21:12.419
 that believe in this

00:21:12.419 --> 00:21:12.839
 would say,

00:21:13.199 --> 00:21:13.539
 no, no, no,

00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:15.139
 there's no future period

00:21:15.139 --> 00:21:16.240
 in the coming

00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:17.779
 of this like thousand

00:21:17.779 --> 00:21:19.319
 either literal or figurative period.

00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:20.279
 Actually,

00:21:20.659 --> 00:21:21.279
 the millennium

00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:22.639
 is the church age

00:21:22.639 --> 00:21:24.779
 between Jesus' first coming

00:21:24.779 --> 00:21:26.000
 and his second coming.

00:21:26.359 --> 00:21:27.220
 This is it now.

00:21:27.799 --> 00:21:28.919
 And between the cross

00:21:28.919 --> 00:21:29.819
 and the throne,

00:21:30.399 --> 00:21:31.799
 Jesus is ruling and reigning.

00:21:32.279 --> 00:21:33.419
 And his people,

00:21:33.679 --> 00:21:34.119
 Christians,

00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:36.000
 do actually rule

00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:37.000
 and reign as well,

00:21:37.220 --> 00:21:38.279
 even though it doesn't

00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:39.399
 seem like it.

00:21:40.139 --> 00:21:40.419
 And so,

00:21:40.500 --> 00:21:41.899
 amillennials would say

00:21:41.899 --> 00:21:42.799
 that we are living

00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:44.599
 in this period now.

00:21:44.599 --> 00:21:46.439
 And one day,

00:21:46.500 --> 00:21:47.319
 Jesus will come.

00:21:47.439 --> 00:21:48.839
 He will utterly defeat Satan.

00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:50.259
 There will be judgment day

00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:51.319
 for the living and the dead

00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:52.699
 and then the new heavens

00:21:52.699 --> 00:21:54.059
 and the new earth.

00:21:54.519 --> 00:21:54.679
 Now,

00:21:54.740 --> 00:21:55.199
 to be honest,

00:21:55.299 --> 00:21:56.259
 if you had asked me

00:21:56.259 --> 00:21:57.459
 three weeks ago,

00:21:57.779 --> 00:21:58.819
 what do I think?

00:21:58.899 --> 00:21:59.500
 I would have said,

00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:00.659
 I don't have a single clue.

00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:01.459
 I don't even know

00:22:01.459 --> 00:22:02.740
 what premillennialism means.

00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:04.819
 But as we've worked

00:22:04.819 --> 00:22:05.799
 through the book of Revelation

00:22:05.799 --> 00:22:07.519
 and as I've thought about it

00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:08.639
 for these weeks,

00:22:09.240 --> 00:22:09.959
 it seems to me

00:22:09.959 --> 00:22:10.939
 this is the best pattern

00:22:10.939 --> 00:22:11.639
 that follows

00:22:11.639 --> 00:22:12.500
 the book of Revelation

00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:14.279
 and the New Testament teaching.

00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:14.839
 So,

00:22:14.919 --> 00:22:15.139
 in other words,

00:22:15.219 --> 00:22:16.599
 I personally don't think

00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:17.799
 there's this golden period

00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:18.439
 in the future

00:22:18.439 --> 00:22:19.779
 that is coming

00:22:19.779 --> 00:22:20.619
 and Jesus will come

00:22:20.619 --> 00:22:21.480
 before or after.

00:22:21.819 --> 00:22:23.159
 I think this is the period

00:22:23.159 --> 00:22:23.819
 where Christians

00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:25.699
 and reign with Jesus

00:22:25.699 --> 00:22:27.139
 in the world.

00:22:27.419 --> 00:22:27.559
 Okay,

00:22:27.619 --> 00:22:28.219
 so there it is,

00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:28.980
 the three views

00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:29.779
 of millennialism.

00:22:30.099 --> 00:22:30.379
 Now,

00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:31.179
 you can go and debate

00:22:31.179 --> 00:22:31.819
 with your friends

00:22:31.819 --> 00:22:32.500
 and tell them

00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:33.019
 how the world

00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:33.699
 is going to end.

00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:35.119
 Okay,

00:22:35.719 --> 00:22:36.819
 I somehow think

00:22:36.819 --> 00:22:37.279
 that's probably

00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:38.039
 not going to happen.

00:22:39.559 --> 00:22:39.959
 Now,

00:22:40.379 --> 00:22:41.339
 the truth is this.

00:22:42.179 --> 00:22:43.779
 Many really good theologians

00:22:43.779 --> 00:22:44.920
 and Bible-believing

00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:46.059
 men and women

00:22:46.059 --> 00:22:47.500
 have disagreed on this

00:22:47.500 --> 00:22:48.220
 throughout the ages.

00:22:48.379 --> 00:22:49.559
 Men that really love

00:22:49.559 --> 00:22:49.960
 the Bible

00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:50.740
 and love Jesus

00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:51.759
 have strong views

00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:52.940
 one or the other.

00:22:53.559 --> 00:22:53.779
 And so,

00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:54.539
 what that means is

00:22:54.539 --> 00:22:55.819
 we shouldn't be so dogmatic.

00:22:56.339 --> 00:22:56.879
 We don't know

00:22:56.879 --> 00:22:57.460
 how the world's

00:22:57.460 --> 00:22:58.299
 really going to end.

00:22:58.399 --> 00:22:59.399
 We can have our views

00:22:59.399 --> 00:23:00.519
 and it might inform

00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:01.220
 a couple of things,

00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:02.139
 but we shouldn't be

00:23:02.139 --> 00:23:02.779
 so dogmatic.

00:23:02.899 --> 00:23:03.639
 We should be humble

00:23:03.639 --> 00:23:04.160
 in the way

00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:04.920
 that we hold them.

00:23:05.879 --> 00:23:06.279
 But,

00:23:06.639 --> 00:23:07.619
 in some ways,

00:23:07.740 --> 00:23:08.680
 Jesus has left it

00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:09.519
 a little bit vague.

00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:11.420
 But there's a whole lot

00:23:11.420 --> 00:23:11.980
 in this chapter

00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:13.440
 that he hasn't left vague.

00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:14.259
 And so,

00:23:14.379 --> 00:23:14.920
 that leads us

00:23:14.920 --> 00:23:15.920
 to the second point.

00:23:16.500 --> 00:23:17.079
 What on earth

00:23:17.079 --> 00:23:17.779
 is going on

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:18.700
 with this passage?

00:23:19.180 --> 00:23:20.279
 The millennium aside,

00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:21.799
 what do we know

00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:22.359
 for certain?

00:23:22.779 --> 00:23:24.299
 What is not vague

00:23:24.299 --> 00:23:25.519
 in Revelation 20

00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:26.119
 and 21?

00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:27.240
 What is Jesus

00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:28.400
 absolutely clear about

00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:29.279
 and what does Jesus

00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:30.440
 want you to go away

00:23:30.440 --> 00:23:31.019
 from today

00:23:31.019 --> 00:23:32.500
 knowing with conviction

00:23:32.500 --> 00:23:33.639
 and certainty?

00:23:34.180 --> 00:23:34.819
 Jesus said,

00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:35.559
 nobody knows

00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:36.059
 the hour

00:23:36.059 --> 00:23:36.759
 or the time

00:23:36.759 --> 00:23:37.519
 that I'm coming,

00:23:37.619 --> 00:23:38.759
 only my Father

00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:39.279
 in heaven,

00:23:39.700 --> 00:23:40.559
 but there is some stuff

00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:41.839
 that he does want you to know.

00:23:42.359 --> 00:23:43.619
 Jesus again and again

00:23:43.619 --> 00:23:44.339
 and again says,

00:23:44.619 --> 00:23:45.160
 there's some stuff

00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:45.759
 you don't know,

00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:46.940
 don't worry about that,

00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:48.000
 but there's some stuff

00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:48.980
 I do want you to know

00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:49.920
 and I want you to have

00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:50.940
 conviction around this.

00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:51.759
 And so,

00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:52.460
 imagine this.

00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:53.839
 I don't know if soda's here.

00:23:53.879 --> 00:23:54.299
 Here we've got

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:55.220
 the lovely soda.

00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:56.940
 Soda is expecting

00:23:56.940 --> 00:23:57.720
 a baby

00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:58.799
 in February,

00:23:58.960 --> 00:23:59.220
 right?

00:23:59.879 --> 00:24:00.720
 14th of February,

00:24:00.839 --> 00:24:01.519
 Valentine's Day.

00:24:01.660 --> 00:24:01.859
 Come,

00:24:02.119 --> 00:24:04.559
 imagine Dan and Soda,

00:24:05.500 --> 00:24:06.500
 first time parents,

00:24:07.140 --> 00:24:08.359
 say,

00:24:08.359 --> 00:24:08.759
 you know,

00:24:08.919 --> 00:24:09.939
 we don't really know

00:24:09.939 --> 00:24:10.939
 how the whole labor thing

00:24:10.939 --> 00:24:11.459
 is going to work.

00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:11.679
 Like,

00:24:11.719 --> 00:24:12.519
 there's so many things

00:24:12.519 --> 00:24:13.079
 that are unknown.

00:24:13.299 --> 00:24:14.139
 Is the baby going to be

00:24:14.139 --> 00:24:15.079
 lying the right way?

00:24:15.139 --> 00:24:16.059
 Is it going to be breached?

00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:17.579
 Is baby going to come early?

00:24:17.679 --> 00:24:18.779
 Is baby going to come late?

00:24:19.219 --> 00:24:20.459
 Is labor going to be quick?

00:24:20.579 --> 00:24:21.579
 Is it going to be prolonged?

00:24:22.119 --> 00:24:22.659
 There's things

00:24:22.659 --> 00:24:23.699
 that we don't really know.

00:24:24.359 --> 00:24:24.559
 And so,

00:24:24.619 --> 00:24:25.740
 imagine Dan Soda say,

00:24:26.139 --> 00:24:26.779
 we don't really know

00:24:26.779 --> 00:24:28.039
 how this whole labor thing works.

00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:28.479
 Ah,

00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:29.079
 we're just going to,

00:24:29.179 --> 00:24:29.339
 like,

00:24:29.439 --> 00:24:30.459
 who cares about it?

00:24:30.639 --> 00:24:31.759
 We're not going to read about it.

00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:33.019
 We're not going to think about it.

00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:34.099
 One day,

00:24:34.139 --> 00:24:34.699
 it'll just come

00:24:34.699 --> 00:24:35.939
 and then we'll deal with it then.

00:24:35.939 --> 00:24:36.219
 Exactly.

00:24:36.659 --> 00:24:36.859
 Yeah,

00:24:38.359 --> 00:24:40.099
 my suggestion,

00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:40.939
 that wouldn't be

00:24:40.939 --> 00:24:41.919
 a very good idea.

00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:44.279
 There's a whole lot of things

00:24:44.279 --> 00:24:45.119
 you don't know

00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:46.119
 about giving birth,

00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:47.240
 but there's a whole lot

00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:48.299
 of things you can know.

00:24:48.619 --> 00:24:49.819
 And you would be wise

00:24:49.819 --> 00:24:50.579
 to read up

00:24:50.579 --> 00:24:51.559
 and to find out

00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:52.439
 what you can know.

00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:53.679
 So that one day,

00:24:53.799 --> 00:24:55.019
 when your waters break,

00:24:55.139 --> 00:24:56.779
 or those contractions start,

00:24:57.339 --> 00:24:58.339
 you don't think about it

00:24:58.339 --> 00:24:59.599
 for the very first time then.

00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:01.679
 In much the same way,

00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:02.299
 Jesus says,

00:25:02.379 --> 00:25:03.039
 there's a whole lot

00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:03.639
 about the future

00:25:03.639 --> 00:25:04.459
 that we don't know.

00:25:04.740 --> 00:25:05.399
 And you don't need

00:25:05.399 --> 00:25:06.279
 to get overly worried

00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:07.179
 and caught up about that.

00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:08.360
 But there's some stuff

00:25:08.360 --> 00:25:09.240
 you do need to know.

00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:10.700
 And Jesus is telling us

00:25:10.700 --> 00:25:11.160
 in this passage

00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:12.580
 what we do need to know.

00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:13.539
 There's a day coming

00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:14.920
 that's going to change your life,

00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:15.820
 like giving birth

00:25:15.820 --> 00:25:16.720
 to your first children.

00:25:17.960 --> 00:25:19.580
 We best be prepared for it.

00:25:19.960 --> 00:25:21.019
 And so what can we know

00:25:21.019 --> 00:25:21.799
 for certain?

00:25:22.340 --> 00:25:23.500
 Let me give us three things

00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:24.320
 from this passage.

00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:25.340
 The first one

00:25:25.340 --> 00:25:26.140
 that we know is this.

00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:27.940
 Jesus is going to come back.

00:25:28.320 --> 00:25:29.480
 And he's going to come back

00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:30.600
 and it's going to be sudden,

00:25:31.060 --> 00:25:32.259
 it's going to be personal,

00:25:32.600 --> 00:25:33.779
 it's going to be visible,

00:25:33.779 --> 00:25:34.840
 and he's going to come back

00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:36.279
 in a bodily form.

00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:38.599
 However you read Revelation,

00:25:38.939 --> 00:25:39.439
 whether you think

00:25:39.439 --> 00:25:40.519
 there's some golden age

00:25:40.519 --> 00:25:41.119
 in the future,

00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:42.579
 whether Jesus is going to come

00:25:42.579 --> 00:25:44.039
 before that or after that,

00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:45.399
 or this is the golden age,

00:25:45.699 --> 00:25:47.139
 irrespective of the sequence,

00:25:47.319 --> 00:25:48.379
 look at what John writes

00:25:48.379 --> 00:25:49.000
 to tell us.

00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:50.240
 He's telling us

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:51.819
 that Jesus is going to come.

00:25:52.419 --> 00:25:53.379
 And when he comes,

00:25:53.919 --> 00:25:55.919
 he will finally and fully

00:25:55.919 --> 00:25:58.919
 and forever defeat Satan

00:25:58.920 --> 00:26:01.400
 and evil and wickedness

00:26:01.400 --> 00:26:02.160
 in the world.

00:26:02.759 --> 00:26:03.720
 Jesus is going to come

00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:05.779
 clothed in power and glory.

00:26:06.220 --> 00:26:07.039
 We read it earlier.

00:26:07.120 --> 00:26:08.720
 He comes with fire in his eyes.

00:26:09.019 --> 00:26:10.000
 He comes with a sword

00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:10.580
 in his mouth.

00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:12.019
 He comes with his robe

00:26:12.019 --> 00:26:12.860
 dipped in blood.

00:26:13.320 --> 00:26:14.320
 His robe is written,

00:26:14.320 --> 00:26:15.300
 the King of Kings

00:26:15.300 --> 00:26:16.400
 and the Lord of Lords.

00:26:16.800 --> 00:26:17.920
 And following behind him

00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:20.080
 is all the armies of heaven.

00:26:20.740 --> 00:26:22.019
 Listen to how Paul writes it

00:26:22.019 --> 00:26:23.360
 in 2 Thessalonians.

00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:23.720
 He says,

00:26:24.120 --> 00:26:24.840
 the Lord Jesus,

00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:26.480
 when he's revealed from heaven,

00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:29.039
 will come with his mighty angels

00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:30.880
 in flaming fire,

00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:32.420
 inflicting justice

00:26:32.420 --> 00:26:33.960
 on those who do not know God

00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:35.759
 and on those who have not obeyed

00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:37.319
 the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:38.259
 Friends,

00:26:38.339 --> 00:26:38.860
 the New Testament

00:26:38.860 --> 00:26:40.079
 is abundantly clear.

00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:41.400
 Jesus Christ,

00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:43.140
 and not just an image of him,

00:26:43.579 --> 00:26:44.220
 Jesus Christ,

00:26:44.380 --> 00:26:44.980
 the man,

00:26:45.259 --> 00:26:46.660
 the man who died on the cross

00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:47.539
 and rose again,

00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:48.779
 is coming again

00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:51.720
 in human bodily visible form.

00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:53.079
 Some teachers think,

00:26:53.180 --> 00:26:53.400
 no, no,

00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:54.440
 Jesus won't come,

00:26:54.779 --> 00:26:56.240
 just his spirit will come.

00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:58.180
 Or just his soul will come.

00:26:58.440 --> 00:26:59.799
 Or just the teachings

00:26:59.799 --> 00:27:00.660
 of Jesus will come.

00:27:01.180 --> 00:27:01.539
 No, friends,

00:27:01.660 --> 00:27:02.259
 Jesus Christ,

00:27:02.339 --> 00:27:02.640
 the man,

00:27:02.660 --> 00:27:03.380
 is going to come

00:27:03.380 --> 00:27:05.839
 and everybody will recognize

00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:06.960
 that he is king

00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:08.000
 and will fall down

00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:08.640
 on their knees

00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:09.819
 before him.

00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:12.559
 And Jesus tells us

00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:13.620
 that this is reason

00:27:13.620 --> 00:27:14.420
 for good hope.

00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:15.660
 I don't know

00:27:15.660 --> 00:27:18.339
 if you remember Narnia,

00:27:18.500 --> 00:27:19.460
 C.S. Lewis' Narnia,

00:27:19.579 --> 00:27:20.920
 the first book that he wrote,

00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:21.940
 which isn't the first book

00:27:21.940 --> 00:27:22.460
 in the series,

00:27:22.579 --> 00:27:23.200
 The Lion, the Witch,

00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:23.799
 and the Wardrobe.

00:27:24.360 --> 00:27:25.339
 If you saw the movie

00:27:25.339 --> 00:27:26.599
 or you read the book,

00:27:26.919 --> 00:27:28.379
 the way it starts off

00:27:28.379 --> 00:27:29.699
 is these four children,

00:27:29.819 --> 00:27:30.679
 the Pivensi children,

00:27:30.819 --> 00:27:31.939
 are at the train station

00:27:31.939 --> 00:27:33.279
 and their mom

00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:34.579
 is kissing them goodbye.

00:27:35.299 --> 00:27:36.480
 And why is she doing that?

00:27:36.980 --> 00:27:38.839
 Because it's 1943

00:27:38.839 --> 00:27:39.919
 or 1942,

00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:40.599
 whenever it is,

00:27:41.039 --> 00:27:42.000
 World War II has happened

00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:43.220
 and the German bombers

00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:44.539
 are bombing London.

00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:46.079
 And so what happened

00:27:46.079 --> 00:27:47.399
 was everybody in London

00:27:47.399 --> 00:27:48.439
 sent their children

00:27:48.439 --> 00:27:49.240
 to the towns

00:27:49.240 --> 00:27:49.819
 and the villages

00:27:49.819 --> 00:27:50.339
 and the countrysides

00:27:50.939 --> 00:27:52.059
 around the UK

00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:53.940
 to protect them

00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:54.799
 and keep them safe.

00:27:55.619 --> 00:27:56.200
 And so the children

00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:57.279
 go off to the countryside

00:27:57.279 --> 00:27:58.639
 to these foster parents

00:27:58.639 --> 00:27:59.679
 and foster families

00:27:59.679 --> 00:28:01.059
 until the war is over.

00:28:01.720 --> 00:28:02.899
 Now everybody thought

00:28:02.899 --> 00:28:03.899
 the war is going to be over

00:28:03.899 --> 00:28:04.480
 by Christmas.

00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:06.099
 Our boys in beige

00:28:06.099 --> 00:28:07.079
 are going to get them

00:28:07.079 --> 00:28:08.319
 and Christmas time

00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:09.119
 it's going to be over.

00:28:09.899 --> 00:28:10.740
 And Christmas came

00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:11.220
 and went

00:28:11.220 --> 00:28:12.319
 and then they thought,

00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:13.059
 okay, this year,

00:28:13.379 --> 00:28:14.440
 this year it's going to be done.

00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:15.579
 By Christmas this year

00:28:15.579 --> 00:28:16.639
 the war will be over.

00:28:17.179 --> 00:28:18.419
 And the war was far more

00:28:18.419 --> 00:28:19.000
 prolonged

00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:20.319
 than anyone expected.

00:28:21.119 --> 00:28:21.879
 And so what would happen

00:28:21.879 --> 00:28:22.659
 is these parents

00:28:22.659 --> 00:28:24.059
 would write to their children

00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:25.279
 in the countryside

00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:26.200
 saying,

00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:27.500
 I know things are taking

00:28:27.500 --> 00:28:28.539
 longer than you expected.

00:28:28.879 --> 00:28:29.939
 I know you hoped

00:28:29.939 --> 00:28:31.059
 that I would have returned by now.

00:28:31.299 --> 00:28:32.279
 I'm coming soon

00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:33.200
 to come and get you.

00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:34.139
 Now friends,

00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:35.119
 the children wouldn't lie

00:28:35.119 --> 00:28:35.819
 in bed at night

00:28:35.819 --> 00:28:36.379
 and wondering,

00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:37.679
 is mom and dad

00:28:37.679 --> 00:28:38.240
 going to come

00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:39.419
 on this train

00:28:39.419 --> 00:28:40.200
 or that train?

00:28:40.639 --> 00:28:41.299
 I wonder if they're going

00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:42.460
 to come before sunrise

00:28:42.460 --> 00:28:43.319
 or after sunrise.

00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:44.119
 They didn't care

00:28:44.119 --> 00:28:45.059
 how it was going to happen.

00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:46.399
 What they needed to know

00:28:46.399 --> 00:28:47.399
 was mom and dad

00:28:47.399 --> 00:28:48.519
 haven't forgotten about me.

00:28:48.839 --> 00:28:50.059
 They're coming to get me.

00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:51.799
 Soon the war will be over

00:28:51.799 --> 00:28:53.139
 and I'm going to come back

00:28:53.139 --> 00:28:53.720
 to my home.

00:28:54.159 --> 00:28:54.940
 And that's what John

00:28:54.940 --> 00:28:55.960
 is writing the book

00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:56.519
 of Revelation.

00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:57.339
 That's what it's about.

00:28:57.879 --> 00:28:59.399
 Jesus constantly comes

00:28:59.399 --> 00:29:00.179
 and he says to us,

00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:01.419
 I'm coming back.

00:29:01.799 --> 00:29:02.419
 I'm coming back.

00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:03.319
 Don't give up hope.

00:29:03.579 --> 00:29:04.339
 I know it seems

00:29:04.339 --> 00:29:05.240
 like it's been delayed.

00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:06.940
 I'm coming to get you

00:29:06.940 --> 00:29:07.879
 and to take you home.

00:29:08.579 --> 00:29:08.879
 Friends,

00:29:08.940 --> 00:29:09.519
 this is the hope

00:29:09.519 --> 00:29:10.059
 of the gospel.

00:29:10.700 --> 00:29:11.879
 The gospel isn't just

00:29:11.879 --> 00:29:12.799
 that Jesus died

00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:13.319
 on the cross

00:29:13.319 --> 00:29:14.179
 to forgive us.

00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:15.339
 That is true

00:29:15.339 --> 00:29:15.940
 and wonderful.

00:29:16.359 --> 00:29:17.039
 But that's not

00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:18.440
 the whole gospel story.

00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:19.700
 The gospel story

00:29:19.700 --> 00:29:21.140
 is Jesus is coming again

00:29:21.140 --> 00:29:22.500
 and he's going to vanquish.

00:29:22.580 --> 00:29:23.680
 That means destroy

00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.259
 his enemies

00:29:24.259 --> 00:29:25.299
 and he's going to bring

00:29:25.299 --> 00:29:26.180
 the new heavens

00:29:26.180 --> 00:29:27.000
 and the new earth

00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:27.640
 where there will be

00:29:27.640 --> 00:29:28.460
 no more tears

00:29:28.460 --> 00:29:29.580
 and no more pain

00:29:29.580 --> 00:29:30.880
 and no more heartache

00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:31.880
 and no more mourning

00:29:31.880 --> 00:29:32.640
 or crying

00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:33.460
 or distress.

00:29:33.900 --> 00:29:35.380
 No more anxiety

00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:36.100
 and depression

00:29:36.100 --> 00:29:36.820
 and trauma.

00:29:37.380 --> 00:29:38.240
 Jesus is coming

00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:39.039
 to bring us

00:29:39.039 --> 00:29:40.360
 to our true home.

00:29:41.080 --> 00:29:42.039
 Jesus is coming

00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:43.000
 again.

00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:45.019
 And we have to know that.

00:29:45.579 --> 00:29:45.980
 Otherwise,

00:29:46.220 --> 00:29:46.779
 in this world

00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:47.640
 we'll get depressed.

00:29:47.960 --> 00:29:48.700
 In this world

00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:49.660
 we'll be overwhelmed.

00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:51.119
 When things go wrong

00:29:51.119 --> 00:29:51.500
 we'll think,

00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:52.180
 what's the point?

00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:53.059
 Where are you God?

00:29:53.619 --> 00:29:54.359
 Jesus says,

00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:55.019
 I'm coming.

00:29:55.460 --> 00:29:56.839
 I'm coming to take you home.

00:29:57.539 --> 00:29:58.500
 We have to know that.

00:29:58.920 --> 00:29:59.079
 Okay,

00:29:59.119 --> 00:29:59.819
 that's the first thing.

00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:00.940
 The second thing is this.

00:30:01.500 --> 00:30:02.579
 Jesus is coming

00:30:02.579 --> 00:30:04.079
 to bring judgment

00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:04.920
 and to judge

00:30:04.920 --> 00:30:05.500
 the living

00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:06.339
 and the dead.

00:30:07.279 --> 00:30:07.960
 Look at what we

00:30:07.960 --> 00:30:08.900
 read here

00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:09.819
 in chapter 20

00:30:09.819 --> 00:30:10.559
 verse 11.

00:30:11.779 --> 00:30:12.720
 John writes this,

00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:13.600
 I saw a great

00:30:13.600 --> 00:30:14.500
 white throne

00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:15.460
 and I saw him

00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:16.640
 who was seated on it.

00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:18.420
 I saw the dead

00:30:18.420 --> 00:30:19.700
 great and small

00:30:19.700 --> 00:30:21.059
 standing before the throne

00:30:21.059 --> 00:30:22.259
 and the books

00:30:22.259 --> 00:30:23.200
 were opened.

00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:25.220
 Then there was another book

00:30:25.220 --> 00:30:26.100
 that was also opened

00:30:26.100 --> 00:30:27.019
 the book of life.

00:30:27.620 --> 00:30:28.460
 The dead were judged

00:30:28.460 --> 00:30:29.339
 by what was written

00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:29.839
 in the books

00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:30.600
 according to what

00:30:30.600 --> 00:30:31.059
 they had done.

00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:32.279
 The sea gave up

00:30:32.279 --> 00:30:33.160
 the dead who were in it.

00:30:33.579 --> 00:30:34.240
 Death and Hades

00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:35.000
 gave up the dead

00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:35.480
 who were in them

00:30:35.480 --> 00:30:36.559
 and they all stood

00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:37.220
 before the throne

00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:38.420
 judged each one of them

00:30:38.420 --> 00:30:39.259
 according to what

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:39.700
 they had done.

00:30:40.380 --> 00:30:41.339
 And if anyone's name

00:30:41.339 --> 00:30:42.079
 was not found

00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:42.839
 written in the book

00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:43.359
 of life,

00:30:43.799 --> 00:30:44.359
 he was thrown

00:30:44.359 --> 00:30:45.059
 into the lake

00:30:45.059 --> 00:30:45.759
 of fire.

00:30:46.899 --> 00:30:48.240
 John sees these

00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:49.939
 two sets of books

00:30:49.939 --> 00:30:50.579
 that are opened.

00:30:51.119 --> 00:30:52.159
 And the first set

00:30:52.159 --> 00:30:52.519
 of books

00:30:52.519 --> 00:30:53.480
 is the annals

00:30:53.480 --> 00:30:54.059
 of history.

00:30:54.220 --> 00:30:55.099
 It's the story

00:30:55.099 --> 00:30:56.639
 of everyone's life,

00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:57.359
 your life

00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:58.059
 and my life

00:30:58.059 --> 00:30:59.399
 and everything

00:30:59.399 --> 00:31:00.299
 that we've done

00:31:00.299 --> 00:31:00.980
 in our lives,

00:31:01.319 --> 00:31:02.099
 not only what

00:31:02.099 --> 00:31:02.619
 we've done

00:31:02.619 --> 00:31:04.240
 but even the private

00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:04.740
 thoughts

00:31:04.740 --> 00:31:05.619
 and the personal

00:31:05.619 --> 00:31:06.899
 motivations of our hearts.

00:31:07.379 --> 00:31:08.740
 Every single thing

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:09.619
 that we've done

00:31:09.619 --> 00:31:10.539
 or thought about

00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:11.719
 or the intention

00:31:11.719 --> 00:31:12.379
 of our lives

00:31:12.379 --> 00:31:13.199
 is written

00:31:13.199 --> 00:31:13.739
 in these books

00:31:13.739 --> 00:31:14.859
 and are laid bare

00:31:14.859 --> 00:31:15.979
 before Jesus

00:31:15.979 --> 00:31:16.659
 on the throne.

00:31:17.339 --> 00:31:17.699
 I don't know

00:31:17.699 --> 00:31:18.359
 if you've ever heard

00:31:18.359 --> 00:31:19.459
 people talking about

00:31:19.459 --> 00:31:20.619
 one day when you get

00:31:20.619 --> 00:31:21.000
 to heaven

00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:21.819
 there'll be a DVD

00:31:21.819 --> 00:31:23.000
 of our lives shown.

00:31:23.339 --> 00:31:23.819
 Anyone heard

00:31:23.819 --> 00:31:24.679
 that description?

00:31:25.500 --> 00:31:25.679
 Okay.

00:31:26.439 --> 00:31:27.319
 That comes from

00:31:27.319 --> 00:31:27.919
 this verse.

00:31:28.379 --> 00:31:29.039
 In John's day

00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:30.059
 they didn't have DVDs,

00:31:30.119 --> 00:31:30.239
 right?

00:31:30.319 --> 00:31:30.879
 They had books,

00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:31.739
 they had scrolls.

00:31:32.279 --> 00:31:33.099
 But the point here

00:31:33.099 --> 00:31:33.539
 is they're saying

00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:35.799
 every aspect,

00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:36.739
 every facet

00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:37.500
 of our lives

00:31:37.500 --> 00:31:38.880
 will be laid bare

00:31:38.880 --> 00:31:39.680
 before Jesus

00:31:39.680 --> 00:31:40.819
 and you'll hold

00:31:40.819 --> 00:31:41.460
 us accountable.

00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:42.779
 Not only for what

00:31:42.779 --> 00:31:43.180
 we've done

00:31:43.180 --> 00:31:44.200
 but even the thoughts

00:31:44.200 --> 00:31:44.980
 of our minds.

00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:46.660
 But then

00:31:46.660 --> 00:31:48.559
 John writes

00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:49.319
 and he says

00:31:49.319 --> 00:31:50.640
 there's another book.

00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:52.620
 And the other book

00:31:52.620 --> 00:31:53.940
 well if this

00:31:53.940 --> 00:31:55.319
 if we were solely

00:31:55.319 --> 00:31:56.019
 judged on what

00:31:56.019 --> 00:31:56.700
 we had done

00:31:56.700 --> 00:31:57.880
 friends each one of us

00:31:57.880 --> 00:31:58.319
 would have been

00:31:58.319 --> 00:31:58.980
 in trouble.

00:31:59.559 --> 00:32:00.140
 Remember the words

00:32:00.140 --> 00:32:00.819
 of the psalm.

00:32:01.299 --> 00:32:02.220
 Oh Lord if you should

00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:03.180
 mark our iniquities

00:32:03.180 --> 00:32:04.039
 who a God

00:32:04.039 --> 00:32:04.819
 could stand?

00:32:05.460 --> 00:32:06.240
 Romans chapter 3

00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:06.720
 says before

00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:08.019
 the just judge

00:32:08.019 --> 00:32:08.600
 of all the earth

00:32:08.600 --> 00:32:09.339
 every mouth

00:32:09.339 --> 00:32:09.920
 will be stopped.

00:32:10.059 --> 00:32:10.799
 No more excuses,

00:32:11.259 --> 00:32:12.180
 no explanations,

00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:13.160
 no mitigating

00:32:13.160 --> 00:32:13.940
 circumstances.

00:32:14.579 --> 00:32:15.160
 One day we'll

00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:16.019
 stand before God

00:32:16.019 --> 00:32:16.620
 our mouths

00:32:16.620 --> 00:32:17.299
 will be stopped

00:32:17.299 --> 00:32:17.839
 because we'll

00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:18.740
 have no excuses,

00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:19.700
 nothing to say.

00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:21.180
 And so if we

00:32:21.180 --> 00:32:21.839
 merely judge

00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:22.420
 on the basis

00:32:22.420 --> 00:32:23.019
 of what we've

00:32:23.019 --> 00:32:23.579
 done or how

00:32:23.579 --> 00:32:24.039
 we've lived

00:32:24.039 --> 00:32:24.620
 our lives

00:32:24.620 --> 00:32:25.460
 friends we're

00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:26.079
 in deep trouble.

00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:27.259
 Who our Lord

00:32:27.259 --> 00:32:27.960
 can stand?

00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:29.380
 But then before

00:32:29.380 --> 00:32:30.039
 the great throne

00:32:30.039 --> 00:32:30.440
 of God

00:32:30.440 --> 00:32:31.180
 there's not only

00:32:31.180 --> 00:32:31.740
 justice

00:32:31.740 --> 00:32:32.380
 there's also

00:32:32.380 --> 00:32:32.980
 mercy.

00:32:33.579 --> 00:32:34.140
 Because look

00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:34.839
 a second book

00:32:34.839 --> 00:32:35.339
 is opened.

00:32:35.860 --> 00:32:36.240
 And what's

00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:36.740
 in this book?

00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:37.900
 It's the Lamb's

00:32:37.900 --> 00:32:38.559
 book of life.

00:32:39.099 --> 00:32:39.859
 And in this book

00:32:39.859 --> 00:32:40.279
 are written

00:32:40.279 --> 00:32:40.980
 the names

00:32:40.980 --> 00:32:41.579
 of those

00:32:41.579 --> 00:32:41.859
 that have

00:32:41.859 --> 00:32:42.940
 taken refuge

00:32:42.940 --> 00:32:43.559
 under the blood

00:32:43.559 --> 00:32:43.980
 of Jesus.

00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:45.059
 In this book

00:32:45.059 --> 00:32:45.380
 are written

00:32:45.380 --> 00:32:45.900
 the names

00:32:45.900 --> 00:32:46.259
 of those

00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:46.539
 that have

00:32:46.539 --> 00:32:47.440
 trusted Jesus

00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:48.779
 as their only hope.

00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:49.259
 We have

00:32:49.259 --> 00:32:49.920
 appealed to

00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:50.620
 Jesus' death

00:32:50.620 --> 00:32:51.140
 on the cross

00:32:51.140 --> 00:32:52.000
 as their hope

00:32:52.000 --> 00:32:52.660
 for forgiveness

00:32:52.660 --> 00:32:53.539
 and mercy

00:32:53.539 --> 00:32:54.579
 trusting that

00:32:54.579 --> 00:32:55.640
 Jesus was sufficient.

00:32:56.299 --> 00:32:56.740
 And so John

00:32:56.740 --> 00:32:58.000
 sees these two books

00:32:58.000 --> 00:32:59.000
 where our lives

00:32:59.000 --> 00:32:59.559
 are before us

00:32:59.559 --> 00:32:59.940
 and we're held

00:32:59.940 --> 00:33:00.480
 accountable

00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:01.940
 and even Christians

00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:02.480
 will be held

00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:02.880
 accountable.

00:33:02.880 --> 00:33:04.000
 But then there's

00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:04.700
 this other book

00:33:04.700 --> 00:33:05.580
 and look at what

00:33:05.580 --> 00:33:06.300
 it said earlier.

00:33:06.860 --> 00:33:07.440
 It said those

00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:08.020
 whose names

00:33:08.020 --> 00:33:08.400
 are written

00:33:08.400 --> 00:33:09.140
 in this book

00:33:09.140 --> 00:33:11.460
 over such people

00:33:11.460 --> 00:33:12.440
 the second death

00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:14.000
 meaning final judgment

00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:15.300
 between heaven

00:33:15.300 --> 00:33:15.680
 and hell

00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:17.060
 has no power.

00:33:17.920 --> 00:33:18.460
 We are all

00:33:18.460 --> 00:33:19.260
 exonerated

00:33:19.260 --> 00:33:19.960
 before God.

00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:20.820
 Friends

00:33:20.820 --> 00:33:21.500
 this is what it

00:33:21.500 --> 00:33:22.400
 means to be a Christian.

00:33:22.940 --> 00:33:23.420
 A Christian

00:33:23.420 --> 00:33:24.280
 is not just somebody

00:33:24.280 --> 00:33:25.680
 who does good things.

00:33:26.140 --> 00:33:26.540
 A Christian

00:33:26.540 --> 00:33:27.260
 is not just somebody

00:33:27.260 --> 00:33:28.800
 who lives a moral life.

00:33:29.300 --> 00:33:29.700
 A Christian

00:33:29.700 --> 00:33:30.540
 is not just somebody

00:33:30.539 --> 00:33:32.079
 who tries to get God

00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:32.700
 to help them

00:33:32.700 --> 00:33:33.940
 to have the best version

00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:34.539
 of themselves.

00:33:35.420 --> 00:33:35.799
 A Christian

00:33:35.799 --> 00:33:36.579
 is not just somebody

00:33:36.579 --> 00:33:38.019
 who has a nice personality

00:33:38.019 --> 00:33:39.079
 or a good persona.

00:33:40.139 --> 00:33:40.639
 A Christian

00:33:40.639 --> 00:33:41.159
 is somebody

00:33:41.159 --> 00:33:41.740
 who has come

00:33:41.740 --> 00:33:42.819
 to the end of themselves.

00:33:43.379 --> 00:33:44.139
 Who has realized

00:33:44.139 --> 00:33:45.460
 they have no hope

00:33:45.460 --> 00:33:46.139
 in this life

00:33:46.139 --> 00:33:47.460
 apart from the blood

00:33:47.460 --> 00:33:47.899
 of Jesus.

00:33:48.399 --> 00:33:48.859
 A Christian

00:33:48.859 --> 00:33:49.339
 is somebody

00:33:49.339 --> 00:33:50.159
 who realizes

00:33:50.159 --> 00:33:50.859
 that Christ

00:33:50.859 --> 00:33:51.720
 is the only hope

00:33:51.720 --> 00:33:52.559
 for forgiveness

00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:53.599
 and mercy.

00:33:54.180 --> 00:33:54.379
 Friends

00:33:54.379 --> 00:33:54.839
 a Christian

00:33:54.839 --> 00:33:55.460
 is somebody

00:33:55.460 --> 00:33:56.819
 who rejects

00:33:56.819 --> 00:33:58.180
 all man-made solutions

00:33:58.180 --> 00:33:59.279
 and trusts

00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:00.420
 in Jesus alone.

00:34:01.019 --> 00:34:02.059
 And that's what we see here.

00:34:02.420 --> 00:34:03.180
 That God will hold

00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:04.159
 every one of us

00:34:04.159 --> 00:34:05.240
 the living and the dead

00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:06.359
 every human being

00:34:06.359 --> 00:34:07.000
 accountable

00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:07.920
 for the lives

00:34:07.920 --> 00:34:09.219
 that we've lived.

00:34:10.519 --> 00:34:11.579
 God holds us

00:34:11.579 --> 00:34:11.980
 accountable

00:34:11.980 --> 00:34:13.320
 for how we've responded

00:34:13.320 --> 00:34:14.099
 to Jesus

00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:15.500
 and his offer for grace.

00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:17.159
 Whether we've rejected it

00:34:17.159 --> 00:34:18.199
 and thought we don't need it

00:34:18.199 --> 00:34:18.920
 because our lives

00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:19.480
 are good enough

00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:20.719
 or whether we

00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:21.759
 have come to him

00:34:21.759 --> 00:34:23.400
 and cast our lives

00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:24.800
 at his feet of mercy.

00:34:25.800 --> 00:34:26.139
 And do you know

00:34:26.139 --> 00:34:26.679
 what that means

00:34:26.679 --> 00:34:27.559
 that every one of us

00:34:27.559 --> 00:34:28.119
 will be judged?

00:34:28.199 --> 00:34:29.039
 It means two things.

00:34:29.539 --> 00:34:30.440
 It means firstly

00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:31.619
 that our longing

00:34:31.619 --> 00:34:32.340
 for justice

00:34:32.340 --> 00:34:33.179
 will be satisfied.

00:34:34.240 --> 00:34:34.599
 Friends,

00:34:34.659 --> 00:34:35.360
 in this world

00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:36.820
 there is so much

00:34:36.820 --> 00:34:37.639
 that is unjust

00:34:37.639 --> 00:34:38.320
 and unfair

00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:38.900
 in this world.

00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:40.059
 There's so much

00:34:40.059 --> 00:34:40.539
 that happens

00:34:40.539 --> 00:34:41.039
 and you think

00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:41.880
 where's the justice

00:34:41.880 --> 00:34:42.320
 in that?

00:34:42.800 --> 00:34:43.619
 How's anybody

00:34:43.619 --> 00:34:44.179
 going to hold

00:34:44.179 --> 00:34:45.119
 these people accountable?

00:34:45.639 --> 00:34:46.300
 How can somebody

00:34:46.300 --> 00:34:47.340
 just get away with that?

00:34:47.420 --> 00:34:48.420
 It's not right.

00:34:48.519 --> 00:34:49.179
 It's not fair.

00:34:50.179 --> 00:34:50.400
 Friends,

00:34:50.500 --> 00:34:51.220
 every one of us

00:34:51.220 --> 00:34:51.940
 in our hearts

00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:52.760
 has a longing

00:34:52.760 --> 00:34:53.800
 for justice,

00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:54.280
 right?

00:34:54.400 --> 00:34:55.300
 And that's a good thing.

00:34:56.300 --> 00:34:56.619
 Friends,

00:34:56.619 --> 00:34:57.339
 Jesus Christ,

00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:58.339
 the perfect judge

00:34:58.339 --> 00:34:59.920
 will one day judge

00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:00.799
 the living and the dead.

00:35:00.900 --> 00:35:01.500
 And that means

00:35:01.500 --> 00:35:03.179
 not a single iota

00:35:03.179 --> 00:35:04.199
 of injustice

00:35:04.199 --> 00:35:05.079
 or evil

00:35:05.079 --> 00:35:05.880
 or wrongdoing

00:35:05.880 --> 00:35:06.420
 in the world

00:35:06.420 --> 00:35:08.259
 will ever go unpunished.

00:35:08.579 --> 00:35:10.059
 Not a single iota

00:35:10.059 --> 00:35:10.519
 of it.

00:35:11.179 --> 00:35:12.339
 Every bit of injustice

00:35:12.339 --> 00:35:13.960
 will be fully satisfied

00:35:13.960 --> 00:35:15.679
 in Christ's justice.

00:35:16.259 --> 00:35:16.639
 But you know

00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:17.239
 what it also means?

00:35:17.579 --> 00:35:18.259
 It means, friends,

00:35:18.299 --> 00:35:19.139
 that we can freely

00:35:19.139 --> 00:35:19.920
 forgive those

00:35:19.920 --> 00:35:20.799
 that have wronged us.

00:35:21.299 --> 00:35:22.400
 Because when somebody

00:35:22.400 --> 00:35:22.960
 wrongs us

00:35:22.960 --> 00:35:23.719
 or hurts us,

00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:24.839
 why do we want

00:35:24.840 --> 00:35:25.660
 to take revenge?

00:35:25.900 --> 00:35:26.460
 Why do we want

00:35:26.460 --> 00:35:27.120
 to get angry

00:35:27.120 --> 00:35:28.300
 and bitter towards them?

00:35:28.660 --> 00:35:29.260
 The reason is

00:35:29.260 --> 00:35:29.900
 we often feel

00:35:29.900 --> 00:35:30.980
 somebody needs

00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:31.720
 to hold that person

00:35:31.720 --> 00:35:32.180
 accountable.

00:35:32.559 --> 00:35:33.860
 If I just forgive them,

00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:34.800
 where's the justice

00:35:34.800 --> 00:35:35.240
 in that?

00:35:35.820 --> 00:35:36.800
 They need to know

00:35:36.800 --> 00:35:37.539
 that what they've done

00:35:37.539 --> 00:35:38.019
 is wrong.

00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:39.079
 And so we hold

00:35:39.079 --> 00:35:39.800
 resentment

00:35:39.800 --> 00:35:40.720
 and bitterness

00:35:40.720 --> 00:35:41.480
 against them.

00:35:42.380 --> 00:35:42.720
 But friends,

00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:43.700
 if Jesus one day

00:35:43.700 --> 00:35:44.180
 is going to hold

00:35:44.180 --> 00:35:45.480
 every person accountable,

00:35:45.740 --> 00:35:46.380
 it means we can

00:35:46.380 --> 00:35:47.280
 freely forgive

00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:48.260
 those that have wronged us.

00:35:48.740 --> 00:35:49.320
 We don't need

00:35:49.320 --> 00:35:49.960
 to take vengeance

00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:50.640
 on them because

00:35:50.640 --> 00:35:51.200
 one day,

00:35:51.620 --> 00:35:52.500
 perfect justice

00:35:52.500 --> 00:35:53.380
 will be done.

00:35:54.840 --> 00:35:55.760
 Okay, does that make sense?

00:35:56.920 --> 00:35:57.320
 Great.

00:35:57.780 --> 00:35:58.720
 Okay, so two things

00:35:58.720 --> 00:35:59.420
 we know for certain.

00:35:59.620 --> 00:36:00.440
 Christ is coming

00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:01.740
 and he's going to come

00:36:01.740 --> 00:36:02.420
 and judge the living

00:36:02.420 --> 00:36:02.840
 and the dead.

00:36:03.360 --> 00:36:04.240
 One last thing

00:36:04.240 --> 00:36:05.280
 that we need to know

00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:05.960
 in this passage,

00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:07.620
 and that is that

00:36:07.620 --> 00:36:08.720
 Christians

00:36:08.720 --> 00:36:10.220
 and the church

00:36:10.220 --> 00:36:11.380
 will triumph

00:36:11.380 --> 00:36:12.539
 even in the face

00:36:12.539 --> 00:36:13.780
 of grace and sufferings.

00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:15.400
 One of the challenges

00:36:15.400 --> 00:36:16.980
 with Revelation chapter 20

00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:17.960
 is it describes

00:36:17.960 --> 00:36:19.420
 this millennium period

00:36:19.420 --> 00:36:20.220
 where,

00:36:20.600 --> 00:36:21.860
 let me actually read it to us.

00:36:21.860 --> 00:36:23.620
 Let me read chapter 20

00:36:23.620 --> 00:36:26.260
 verse 4 and 5.

00:36:26.380 --> 00:36:26.980
 It says this,

00:36:27.360 --> 00:36:28.400
 Then I saw these thrones

00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:29.440
 and seated on the thrones

00:36:29.440 --> 00:36:30.099
 were those that had

00:36:30.099 --> 00:36:31.320
 the authority to judge.

00:36:31.980 --> 00:36:33.000
 I saw the souls

00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:34.480
 of those who had been beheaded

00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:36.240
 for their testimony

00:36:36.240 --> 00:36:37.900
 and for the word of God,

00:36:38.260 --> 00:36:39.500
 those that had not worshipped

00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:40.519
 the beast or its image.

00:36:41.059 --> 00:36:43.079
 They were alive

00:36:43.079 --> 00:36:44.360
 and they reigned

00:36:44.360 --> 00:36:45.640
 with Jesus

00:36:45.640 --> 00:36:46.660
 victoriously

00:36:46.660 --> 00:36:48.280
 for a thousand years.

00:36:49.079 --> 00:36:49.360
 Now,

00:36:49.360 --> 00:36:50.660
 one of the challenges

00:36:50.660 --> 00:36:52.380
 is that this passage

00:36:52.380 --> 00:36:53.240
 tells us

00:36:53.240 --> 00:36:55.640
 that those that reign

00:36:55.640 --> 00:36:56.280
 with Christ,

00:36:56.500 --> 00:36:57.700
 those that are victorious,

00:36:58.280 --> 00:36:58.980
 are the ones

00:36:58.980 --> 00:37:00.180
 that have lost their lives.

00:37:00.680 --> 00:37:01.260
 Their heads have been

00:37:01.260 --> 00:37:01.880
 chopped off.

00:37:02.360 --> 00:37:03.400
 They are martyrs

00:37:03.400 --> 00:37:04.039
 for Jesus.

00:37:04.620 --> 00:37:05.539
 And in some ways,

00:37:05.660 --> 00:37:06.900
 that's a strange paradox.

00:37:07.079 --> 00:37:08.039
 How does that make sense?

00:37:08.420 --> 00:37:09.099
 How do those

00:37:09.099 --> 00:37:10.059
 that are killed

00:37:10.059 --> 00:37:11.240
 live?

00:37:11.519 --> 00:37:12.140
 How do those

00:37:12.140 --> 00:37:13.059
 that die

00:37:13.059 --> 00:37:13.860
 reign?

00:37:14.140 --> 00:37:14.780
 How do those

00:37:14.780 --> 00:37:15.940
 that are killed,

00:37:16.380 --> 00:37:17.200
 how do they end up

00:37:17.200 --> 00:37:17.740
 victorious?

00:37:17.739 --> 00:37:19.519
 But friends,

00:37:19.599 --> 00:37:20.539
 isn't this what Revelation

00:37:20.539 --> 00:37:21.659
 has told us again

00:37:21.659 --> 00:37:22.259
 and again

00:37:22.259 --> 00:37:22.819
 and again?

00:37:23.179 --> 00:37:24.079
 That Jesus

00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:24.919
 and his people

00:37:24.919 --> 00:37:25.779
 are victorious

00:37:25.779 --> 00:37:26.839
 but they reign

00:37:26.839 --> 00:37:28.359
 through apparent defeat.

00:37:29.959 --> 00:37:31.219
 Those who give up

00:37:31.219 --> 00:37:31.699
 their lives

00:37:31.699 --> 00:37:32.579
 for the sake of Christ

00:37:32.579 --> 00:37:33.019
 and others

00:37:33.019 --> 00:37:34.259
 are those that find it.

00:37:34.779 --> 00:37:35.259
 Tim Chester

00:37:35.259 --> 00:37:36.099
 puts it so well

00:37:36.099 --> 00:37:36.639
 where he says,

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:38.199
 the church's reign

00:37:38.199 --> 00:37:38.839
 and victory

00:37:38.839 --> 00:37:40.779
 is a cruciform reign.

00:37:41.119 --> 00:37:41.659
 In other words,

00:37:41.859 --> 00:37:43.039
 it takes the form

00:37:43.039 --> 00:37:44.119
 or it takes the shape

00:37:44.119 --> 00:37:45.119
 of the cross,

00:37:45.219 --> 00:37:46.159
 of the crucifixion.

00:37:46.159 --> 00:37:47.440
 In other words,

00:37:47.799 --> 00:37:49.159
 the reign of Christ Jesus

00:37:49.159 --> 00:37:49.859
 and his church

00:37:49.859 --> 00:37:51.179
 is a veiled reign.

00:37:51.299 --> 00:37:52.259
 It's a hidden reign.

00:37:52.599 --> 00:37:53.219
 It's hidden

00:37:53.219 --> 00:37:54.279
 in what is contrary

00:37:54.279 --> 00:37:55.299
 or upside down.

00:37:56.039 --> 00:37:56.839
 Just think of this.

00:37:57.359 --> 00:37:57.639
 Jesus,

00:37:57.799 --> 00:37:58.859
 the night before he dies,

00:37:59.359 --> 00:38:00.379
 he goes to his disciples

00:38:00.379 --> 00:38:01.219
 and he says this,

00:38:01.759 --> 00:38:03.859
 now my moment of glory

00:38:03.859 --> 00:38:05.399
 has finally arrived.

00:38:06.059 --> 00:38:07.079
 My moment of glory

00:38:07.079 --> 00:38:07.539
 has come.

00:38:08.119 --> 00:38:09.319
 And what's he talking about?

00:38:09.899 --> 00:38:10.420
 He's talking about

00:38:10.420 --> 00:38:11.379
 his death on the cross.

00:38:12.019 --> 00:38:13.359
 How is Jesus' death

00:38:13.359 --> 00:38:14.059
 on the cross

00:38:14.059 --> 00:38:15.460
 his moment of glory?

00:38:15.460 --> 00:38:17.300
 How is the most tragic

00:38:17.300 --> 00:38:18.400
 and horrific day

00:38:18.400 --> 00:38:19.679
 in the history of the world

00:38:19.679 --> 00:38:21.400
 also the most glorious?

00:38:22.460 --> 00:38:22.780
 Friends,

00:38:22.860 --> 00:38:23.619
 the reason is

00:38:23.619 --> 00:38:24.960
 because the cross

00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:25.720
 and the resurrection

00:38:25.720 --> 00:38:26.579
 was the day

00:38:26.579 --> 00:38:27.740
 that Jesus defeated

00:38:27.740 --> 00:38:28.220
 Satan

00:38:28.220 --> 00:38:29.240
 and sin

00:38:29.240 --> 00:38:30.480
 and evil

00:38:30.480 --> 00:38:31.340
 and wickedness

00:38:31.340 --> 00:38:32.000
 and death

00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:32.920
 on the cross

00:38:32.920 --> 00:38:33.740
 and his resurrection.

00:38:34.400 --> 00:38:35.639
 As Jesus died

00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:36.300
 and rose again,

00:38:36.380 --> 00:38:37.320
 he defeated Satan.

00:38:37.740 --> 00:38:38.960
 He defanged death.

00:38:39.300 --> 00:38:39.940
 He disarmed

00:38:39.940 --> 00:38:40.800
 the power of sin.

00:38:41.139 --> 00:38:41.800
 He rescued

00:38:41.800 --> 00:38:42.539
 and redeemed

00:38:42.539 --> 00:38:43.539
 this fallen world

00:38:43.539 --> 00:38:44.559
 from the horror of sin.

00:38:44.559 --> 00:38:46.219
 At the same time,

00:38:46.259 --> 00:38:46.719
 it seemed like

00:38:46.719 --> 00:38:47.519
 the worst day

00:38:47.519 --> 00:38:47.960
 in the history

00:38:47.960 --> 00:38:48.519
 of the world

00:38:48.519 --> 00:38:49.380
 and yet,

00:38:49.579 --> 00:38:50.599
 it's the greatest day

00:38:50.599 --> 00:38:51.000
 in the history

00:38:51.000 --> 00:38:51.599
 of the world.

00:38:52.619 --> 00:38:54.159
 Jesus' apparent defeat

00:38:54.159 --> 00:38:55.699
 was his moment

00:38:55.699 --> 00:38:56.480
 of victory.

00:38:57.440 --> 00:38:59.239
 Jesus' apparent defeat

00:38:59.239 --> 00:39:00.119
 was his moment

00:39:00.119 --> 00:39:00.980
 of reigning

00:39:00.980 --> 00:39:02.019
 and ruling

00:39:02.019 --> 00:39:03.519
 over all the world.

00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:05.099
 It was a hidden

00:39:05.099 --> 00:39:06.480
 and veiled victory.

00:39:07.340 --> 00:39:07.579
 Friends,

00:39:07.659 --> 00:39:08.219
 just think about

00:39:08.219 --> 00:39:08.799
 how throughout

00:39:08.799 --> 00:39:09.559
 the New Testament,

00:39:10.259 --> 00:39:11.159
 power is found

00:39:11.159 --> 00:39:11.759
 in weakness.

00:39:11.760 --> 00:39:12.980
 greatness

00:39:12.980 --> 00:39:13.960
 is demonstrated

00:39:13.960 --> 00:39:14.780
 in service

00:39:14.780 --> 00:39:15.960
 and servant-heartedness

00:39:15.960 --> 00:39:16.980
 like washing

00:39:16.980 --> 00:39:18.440
 your disciples' feet.

00:39:19.140 --> 00:39:19.700
 Think about it

00:39:19.700 --> 00:39:20.620
 throughout the New Testament,

00:39:20.900 --> 00:39:21.820
 wisdom appears

00:39:21.820 --> 00:39:22.620
 to be foolish

00:39:22.620 --> 00:39:23.700
 because it doesn't follow

00:39:23.700 --> 00:39:24.360
 the conventions

00:39:24.360 --> 00:39:25.180
 of this world.

00:39:26.120 --> 00:39:26.380
 Friends,

00:39:26.880 --> 00:39:27.960
 throughout the New Testament,

00:39:28.640 --> 00:39:29.780
 victory and glory

00:39:29.780 --> 00:39:30.760
 are accomplished

00:39:30.760 --> 00:39:32.480
 through what seems like

00:39:32.480 --> 00:39:33.420
 defeat

00:39:33.420 --> 00:39:34.660
 and setback.

00:39:35.340 --> 00:39:36.280
 And we've seen this

00:39:36.280 --> 00:39:36.800
 throughout the world.

00:39:36.860 --> 00:39:37.100
 In fact,

00:39:37.140 --> 00:39:38.220
 we see this right now.

00:39:38.600 --> 00:39:39.420
 In the Middle East

00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:39.980
 right now,

00:39:40.320 --> 00:39:40.720
 the church

00:39:40.720 --> 00:39:41.560
 is being trampled.

00:39:41.760 --> 00:39:43.400
 In many parts of Asia,

00:39:43.740 --> 00:39:44.140
 the church

00:39:44.140 --> 00:39:44.880
 is being defeated.

00:39:45.100 --> 00:39:46.060
 Christians are being killed

00:39:46.060 --> 00:39:46.620
 daily.

00:39:47.060 --> 00:39:47.680
 Churches are being

00:39:47.680 --> 00:39:48.520
 closed down.

00:39:49.080 --> 00:39:50.000
 The gospel is being

00:39:50.000 --> 00:39:51.320
 trampled and set back.

00:39:51.800 --> 00:39:52.440
 And on one hand,

00:39:52.500 --> 00:39:53.080
 we may think,

00:39:53.260 --> 00:39:53.680
 oh no,

00:39:53.840 --> 00:39:54.620
 it's set back.

00:39:55.100 --> 00:39:55.400
 Friends,

00:39:55.540 --> 00:39:56.880
 this is the greatest hour

00:39:56.880 --> 00:39:57.460
 of the church

00:39:57.460 --> 00:39:58.860
 in those very regions.

00:39:59.260 --> 00:39:59.820
 Where the church

00:39:59.820 --> 00:40:00.840
 seems to go back,

00:40:00.960 --> 00:40:02.120
 actually it's going forward.

00:40:02.460 --> 00:40:03.000
 Where the church

00:40:03.000 --> 00:40:03.940
 seems to be dying,

00:40:04.340 --> 00:40:05.560
 actually it's flourishing.

00:40:05.900 --> 00:40:06.560
 It's the blood

00:40:06.560 --> 00:40:07.320
 of the martyrs

00:40:07.320 --> 00:40:08.220
 that's the seedbed

00:40:08.220 --> 00:40:08.800
 of the church.

00:40:09.200 --> 00:40:10.080
 In the very places

00:40:10.080 --> 00:40:11.000
 where Christians

00:40:11.000 --> 00:40:11.840
 are being killed,

00:40:12.179 --> 00:40:12.880
 that place,

00:40:12.980 --> 00:40:13.380
 the church

00:40:13.380 --> 00:40:14.460
 is most alive.

00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:16.139
 And friends,

00:40:16.219 --> 00:40:17.159
 this is the repetitive

00:40:17.159 --> 00:40:18.699
 message of Revelation.

00:40:19.179 --> 00:40:20.460
 That the martyrs,

00:40:20.860 --> 00:40:22.000
 those that are beheaded,

00:40:22.659 --> 00:40:23.320
 those that lose

00:40:23.320 --> 00:40:23.920
 their lives

00:40:23.920 --> 00:40:24.699
 for their faith,

00:40:25.300 --> 00:40:26.440
 those who trust God

00:40:26.440 --> 00:40:27.280
 even to the point

00:40:27.280 --> 00:40:27.820
 of death,

00:40:28.340 --> 00:40:29.239
 don't reign

00:40:29.239 --> 00:40:30.739
 after their martyrdom,

00:40:31.079 --> 00:40:31.780
 they reign

00:40:31.780 --> 00:40:33.239
 through their martyrdom.

00:40:33.800 --> 00:40:35.099
 Christians aren't victorious

00:40:35.099 --> 00:40:36.239
 on the other side

00:40:36.239 --> 00:40:36.780
 of suffering.

00:40:37.340 --> 00:40:38.300
 Christians are victorious

00:40:38.300 --> 00:40:39.019
 in the midst

00:40:39.019 --> 00:40:39.680
 of suffering.

00:40:40.260 --> 00:40:41.200
 Christians come alive

00:40:41.200 --> 00:40:42.200
 as they die

00:40:42.200 --> 00:40:42.940
 to themselves

00:40:42.940 --> 00:40:44.539
 and as they live

00:40:44.539 --> 00:40:45.780
 for others.

00:40:46.560 --> 00:40:47.280
 Remember what Jesus

00:40:47.280 --> 00:40:48.039
 says to the church

00:40:48.039 --> 00:40:48.620
 in Smyrna

00:40:48.620 --> 00:40:49.740
 in the second week.

00:40:49.820 --> 00:40:50.120
 He says,

00:40:50.480 --> 00:40:50.980
 do not fear

00:40:50.980 --> 00:40:51.519
 what you're about

00:40:51.519 --> 00:40:52.039
 to suffer.

00:40:52.700 --> 00:40:53.300
 Satan will come

00:40:53.300 --> 00:40:54.220
 and persecute you.

00:40:54.660 --> 00:40:55.080
 Some of you

00:40:55.080 --> 00:40:55.640
 will be killed.

00:40:56.039 --> 00:40:56.440
 Some of you

00:40:56.440 --> 00:40:56.920
 will be thrown

00:40:56.920 --> 00:40:57.480
 in prison.

00:40:57.980 --> 00:40:58.840
 But don't worry,

00:40:59.039 --> 00:40:59.800
 those that hold

00:40:59.800 --> 00:41:00.240
 on to me

00:41:00.240 --> 00:41:01.220
 will get the crown

00:41:01.220 --> 00:41:01.880
 of life

00:41:01.880 --> 00:41:03.440
 even as you die.

00:41:04.019 --> 00:41:04.960
 How do you reign

00:41:04.960 --> 00:41:05.720
 when you're dead?

00:41:06.359 --> 00:41:06.699
 Friends,

00:41:06.779 --> 00:41:07.559
 this is the paradox

00:41:07.559 --> 00:41:08.619
 of the Christian life.

00:41:09.039 --> 00:41:10.299
 That Christians reign

00:41:10.299 --> 00:41:11.039
 in the midst

00:41:11.039 --> 00:41:11.699
 of suffering

00:41:11.699 --> 00:41:12.539
 and persecution.

00:41:13.279 --> 00:41:13.980
 In chapter 11,

00:41:14.119 --> 00:41:15.259
 we saw the two witnesses

00:41:15.259 --> 00:41:15.839
 are killed

00:41:15.839 --> 00:41:16.579
 for their testimony

00:41:16.579 --> 00:41:18.019
 and yet

00:41:18.019 --> 00:41:19.699
 the nations repent.

00:41:20.319 --> 00:41:21.139
 In chapter 12,

00:41:21.219 --> 00:41:22.099
 we saw that the church

00:41:22.099 --> 00:41:23.039
 conquers the work

00:41:23.039 --> 00:41:23.519
 of Satan.

00:41:23.679 --> 00:41:23.879
 How?

00:41:24.339 --> 00:41:24.919
 Through the blood

00:41:24.919 --> 00:41:25.399
 of the Lamb,

00:41:25.480 --> 00:41:26.459
 the word of their testimony

00:41:26.459 --> 00:41:27.439
 for they loved

00:41:27.439 --> 00:41:28.480
 not their lives

00:41:28.480 --> 00:41:29.559
 even to the point

00:41:29.559 --> 00:41:30.719
 of death.

00:41:31.259 --> 00:41:31.559
 Friends,

00:41:31.639 --> 00:41:32.419
 how do you conquer

00:41:32.419 --> 00:41:32.959
 your enemy

00:41:32.959 --> 00:41:33.599
 when your life

00:41:33.599 --> 00:41:35.059
 is taken from you?

00:41:35.739 --> 00:41:36.860
 That's the shape

00:41:36.860 --> 00:41:37.519
 and the form

00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:38.679
 of the Christian life.

00:41:39.159 --> 00:41:40.019
 The Christian life

00:41:40.019 --> 00:41:41.460
 is a cruciform life.

00:41:41.920 --> 00:41:42.759
 It takes the shape

00:41:42.759 --> 00:41:43.599
 and the form

00:41:43.599 --> 00:41:44.840
 of the cross.

00:41:45.719 --> 00:41:46.659
 And this is one of the,

00:41:46.799 --> 00:41:47.460
 part of what makes

00:41:47.460 --> 00:41:49.719
 suffering

00:41:49.719 --> 00:41:50.940
 and embracing suffering

00:41:50.940 --> 00:41:52.219
 and refusing violence

00:41:52.219 --> 00:41:53.039
 so hard

00:41:53.039 --> 00:41:54.320
 is that it often

00:41:54.320 --> 00:41:55.639
 doesn't seem effective.

00:41:56.579 --> 00:41:57.400
 Think about this.

00:41:58.119 --> 00:41:59.159
 You're witnessing

00:41:59.159 --> 00:42:00.659
 and somebody

00:42:00.659 --> 00:42:03.779
 pushes back against you

00:42:03.780 --> 00:42:05.060
 and persecutes you

00:42:05.060 --> 00:42:05.460
 and you think,

00:42:05.580 --> 00:42:06.519
 what's the point in that?

00:42:06.940 --> 00:42:07.660
 Maybe I should have

00:42:07.660 --> 00:42:08.940
 just quietened down.

00:42:09.519 --> 00:42:11.040
 How does losing my life

00:42:11.040 --> 00:42:11.900
 for the sake of the gospel,

00:42:12.100 --> 00:42:13.300
 how does that actually work?

00:42:13.519 --> 00:42:14.740
 How does that affect anything?

00:42:15.240 --> 00:42:15.900
 And for the church

00:42:15.900 --> 00:42:16.580
 in Revelation,

00:42:18.140 --> 00:42:19.820
 their non-violent witness

00:42:19.820 --> 00:42:20.460
 to Jesus,

00:42:20.800 --> 00:42:21.680
 rather than taking

00:42:21.680 --> 00:42:22.840
 a position of power

00:42:22.840 --> 00:42:23.660
 and dominance

00:42:23.660 --> 00:42:25.040
 and trying to overthrow

00:42:25.040 --> 00:42:25.980
 the Roman Empire,

00:42:26.540 --> 00:42:27.720
 rather their witness

00:42:27.720 --> 00:42:28.300
 was just through

00:42:28.300 --> 00:42:29.519
 faithful suffering,

00:42:29.960 --> 00:42:30.960
 it doesn't end

00:42:30.960 --> 00:42:31.900
 in a democratic

00:42:31.900 --> 00:42:32.860
 and just Rome.

00:42:33.400 --> 00:42:34.280
 Rome doesn't turn

00:42:34.280 --> 00:42:34.820
 to the Christians

00:42:34.820 --> 00:42:35.280
 and say,

00:42:35.780 --> 00:42:37.019
 wow, you guys are right,

00:42:37.139 --> 00:42:37.960
 sorry, we should have

00:42:37.960 --> 00:42:38.860
 done things your way.

00:42:39.460 --> 00:42:40.160
 How does it end

00:42:40.160 --> 00:42:40.740
 for the Christians?

00:42:41.539 --> 00:42:42.480
 They lose their heads.

00:42:43.019 --> 00:42:43.660
 They're beheaded.

00:42:44.240 --> 00:42:45.380
 But that doesn't mean

00:42:45.380 --> 00:42:46.139
 it's not effective.

00:42:46.840 --> 00:42:47.519
 Because friends,

00:42:47.599 --> 00:42:48.240
 what happens

00:42:48.240 --> 00:42:49.980
 to the Roman Empire?

00:42:50.139 --> 00:42:50.960
 It comes to an end.

00:42:51.240 --> 00:42:52.000
 What happens

00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:52.740
 to the church?

00:42:53.099 --> 00:42:54.099
 It flourishes

00:42:54.099 --> 00:42:55.059
 and it grows.

00:42:55.599 --> 00:42:55.840
 Friends,

00:42:55.920 --> 00:42:56.639
 God's kingdom

00:42:56.639 --> 00:42:57.940
 grows as His word

00:42:57.940 --> 00:42:58.539
 is proclaimed.

00:42:58.539 --> 00:42:59.679
 As Christians

00:42:59.679 --> 00:43:00.779
 don't assume positions

00:43:00.779 --> 00:43:02.119
 of power and authority,

00:43:02.639 --> 00:43:04.079
 but as they lay down

00:43:04.079 --> 00:43:04.739
 their lives

00:43:04.739 --> 00:43:05.420
 and are faithful

00:43:05.420 --> 00:43:06.679
 to the message

00:43:06.679 --> 00:43:07.800
 of Jesus.

00:43:09.460 --> 00:43:10.320
 And so what is Jesus

00:43:10.320 --> 00:43:11.139
 saying to us here?

00:43:11.840 --> 00:43:12.360
 He's saying,

00:43:12.480 --> 00:43:12.719
 friends,

00:43:12.860 --> 00:43:13.860
 if Hong Kong

00:43:13.860 --> 00:43:14.960
 is going to get

00:43:14.960 --> 00:43:15.460
 the gospel,

00:43:15.960 --> 00:43:16.579
 if the gospel

00:43:16.579 --> 00:43:17.380
 is going to advance

00:43:17.380 --> 00:43:18.000
 in our city,

00:43:18.480 --> 00:43:19.500
 if the kingdom of God

00:43:19.500 --> 00:43:20.199
 is going to come,

00:43:20.320 --> 00:43:21.179
 how's it going to come?

00:43:21.500 --> 00:43:22.599
 It's not going to come

00:43:22.599 --> 00:43:24.820
 through demonstrations

00:43:24.820 --> 00:43:25.460
 of power.

00:43:25.880 --> 00:43:26.659
 It's not going to come

00:43:26.659 --> 00:43:27.380
 through violence

00:43:27.380 --> 00:43:28.519
 and trying to overthrow

00:43:28.519 --> 00:43:29.260
 the kingdoms

00:43:29.260 --> 00:43:30.240
 that we don't agree with.

00:43:30.619 --> 00:43:31.380
 It's going to come

00:43:31.380 --> 00:43:32.240
 through Christians

00:43:32.240 --> 00:43:33.340
 that are faithfully

00:43:33.340 --> 00:43:34.440
 proclaiming

00:43:34.440 --> 00:43:35.940
 that Jesus is Lord,

00:43:36.160 --> 00:43:37.059
 that Hong Kong

00:43:37.059 --> 00:43:37.619
 is not Lord,

00:43:37.720 --> 00:43:38.420
 that the economy

00:43:38.420 --> 00:43:39.079
 is not Lord,

00:43:39.240 --> 00:43:40.320
 that the stock market

00:43:40.320 --> 00:43:40.980
 is not Lord,

00:43:41.240 --> 00:43:42.619
 that Jesus is Lord

00:43:42.619 --> 00:43:43.619
 even in the midst

00:43:43.619 --> 00:43:44.220
 of suffering

00:43:44.220 --> 00:43:44.960
 and persecution.

00:43:45.539 --> 00:43:45.820
 Friends,

00:43:45.900 --> 00:43:46.700
 the kingdom of God

00:43:46.700 --> 00:43:47.180
 is going to come

00:43:47.180 --> 00:43:48.039
 to our city

00:43:48.039 --> 00:43:48.960
 as Christians

00:43:48.960 --> 00:43:50.280
 faithfully witness

00:43:50.280 --> 00:43:51.440
 to the lordship

00:43:51.440 --> 00:43:52.440
 of Jesus.

00:43:53.160 --> 00:43:53.960
 And that means

00:43:53.960 --> 00:43:54.360
 that we're going

00:43:54.360 --> 00:43:55.160
 to suffer for it.

00:43:55.700 --> 00:43:56.480
 That means that

00:43:56.480 --> 00:43:57.180
 maybe you won't

00:43:57.179 --> 00:43:57.879
 lose your head

00:43:57.879 --> 00:43:58.379
 but you may

00:43:58.379 --> 00:43:59.059
 lose your job.

00:43:59.559 --> 00:44:00.379
 That means that

00:44:00.379 --> 00:44:00.980
 your career

00:44:00.980 --> 00:44:02.339
 may get some setbacks.

00:44:03.179 --> 00:44:03.399
 Friends,

00:44:03.440 --> 00:44:03.859
 I was talking to

00:44:03.859 --> 00:44:04.679
 someone this week,

00:44:05.299 --> 00:44:06.399
 one of our sisters,

00:44:07.179 --> 00:44:08.199
 her company is asking

00:44:08.199 --> 00:44:09.799
 her to do unethical things

00:44:09.799 --> 00:44:10.319
 and she said,

00:44:10.460 --> 00:44:10.699
 sorry,

00:44:10.779 --> 00:44:11.599
 I can't do that.

00:44:12.319 --> 00:44:13.079
 She had to resign

00:44:13.079 --> 00:44:13.619
 her job.

00:44:14.179 --> 00:44:15.039
 Was out at work

00:44:15.039 --> 00:44:16.019
 for a couple of months.

00:44:16.919 --> 00:44:17.699
 That's suffering.

00:44:18.419 --> 00:44:19.179
 But you know what?

00:44:19.919 --> 00:44:21.299
 That might seem ineffective

00:44:21.299 --> 00:44:22.199
 but that's how

00:44:22.199 --> 00:44:23.039
 the kingdom of God

00:44:23.039 --> 00:44:23.440
 comes.

00:44:23.859 --> 00:44:25.000
 As faithful brothers

00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:25.780
 and sisters say,

00:44:25.880 --> 00:44:26.739
 our hope is not

00:44:26.739 --> 00:44:27.619
 in this world.

00:44:28.000 --> 00:44:29.119
 Our hope is in Christ

00:44:29.119 --> 00:44:30.179
 and Jesus is Lord.

00:44:30.599 --> 00:44:31.420
 The kingdom of God

00:44:31.420 --> 00:44:32.539
 comes through suffering.

00:44:34.699 --> 00:44:35.099
 Okay,

00:44:35.440 --> 00:44:36.420
 three things we need

00:44:36.420 --> 00:44:36.760
 to know.

00:44:37.320 --> 00:44:38.539
 Jesus is coming again.

00:44:39.199 --> 00:44:40.019
 Jesus is going to come

00:44:40.019 --> 00:44:40.679
 and he's going to judge

00:44:40.679 --> 00:44:41.500
 the living and the dead.

00:44:42.059 --> 00:44:42.739
 The church

00:44:42.739 --> 00:44:43.340
 and the kingdom

00:44:43.340 --> 00:44:44.260
 will advance

00:44:44.260 --> 00:44:44.860
 in the midst

00:44:44.860 --> 00:44:45.559
 of suffering

00:44:45.559 --> 00:44:46.239
 and opposition.

00:44:47.579 --> 00:44:48.719
 How do we respond?

00:44:49.420 --> 00:44:49.599
 Well,

00:44:49.619 --> 00:44:50.059
 let me give us

00:44:50.059 --> 00:44:50.579
 three things

00:44:50.579 --> 00:44:51.300
 really quickly

00:44:51.300 --> 00:44:52.000
 and then we don't.

00:44:52.820 --> 00:44:53.679
 First is this.

00:44:54.320 --> 00:44:54.880
 We need to give

00:44:54.880 --> 00:44:55.940
 careful consideration

00:44:55.940 --> 00:44:57.099
 to how we respond

00:44:57.099 --> 00:44:57.820
 to Jesus.

00:44:58.679 --> 00:44:59.440
 Jesus calls us

00:44:59.440 --> 00:45:00.059
 to follow him

00:45:00.059 --> 00:45:00.739
 and his call

00:45:00.739 --> 00:45:01.519
 is of utmost

00:45:01.519 --> 00:45:03.019
 and eternal importance.

00:45:03.820 --> 00:45:04.079
 Friends,

00:45:04.219 --> 00:45:04.900
 what matters

00:45:04.900 --> 00:45:06.099
 is not what works

00:45:06.099 --> 00:45:06.539
 for you

00:45:06.539 --> 00:45:07.179
 or what works

00:45:07.179 --> 00:45:07.480
 for me.

00:45:07.880 --> 00:45:08.800
 It's not just a matter

00:45:08.800 --> 00:45:09.900
 of personal preference.

00:45:10.400 --> 00:45:11.360
 One day when we stand

00:45:11.360 --> 00:45:12.079
 before Jesus

00:45:12.079 --> 00:45:13.059
 we can't just say

00:45:13.059 --> 00:45:14.139
 well truth is relative

00:45:14.139 --> 00:45:14.980
 and you know

00:45:14.980 --> 00:45:15.940
 what works for those guys

00:45:15.940 --> 00:45:16.780
 didn't work for me.

00:45:17.420 --> 00:45:17.699
 Friends,

00:45:17.840 --> 00:45:18.539
 we need to give

00:45:18.539 --> 00:45:19.880
 careful consideration

00:45:19.880 --> 00:45:21.400
 to our response

00:45:21.400 --> 00:45:22.139
 to King Jesus.

00:45:22.920 --> 00:45:23.860
 Jesus is summoning

00:45:23.860 --> 00:45:25.599
 every single one of us

00:45:25.599 --> 00:45:26.619
 to come

00:45:26.619 --> 00:45:27.599
 and to find our hope

00:45:27.599 --> 00:45:27.940
 in him.

00:45:28.160 --> 00:45:29.099
 Whether you are religious

00:45:29.099 --> 00:45:30.119
 or not religious

00:45:30.119 --> 00:45:30.760
 whether you are

00:45:30.760 --> 00:45:31.539
 Chinese,

00:45:31.720 --> 00:45:32.220
 American,

00:45:32.579 --> 00:45:33.000
 African,

00:45:33.420 --> 00:45:34.160
 no matter what

00:45:34.160 --> 00:45:34.720
 your background

00:45:34.720 --> 00:45:35.900
 Jesus is summoning

00:45:35.900 --> 00:45:36.740
 all of us

00:45:36.740 --> 00:45:37.619
 to come

00:45:37.619 --> 00:45:38.340
 and lay down

00:45:38.340 --> 00:45:39.420
 our lives before him.

00:45:40.099 --> 00:45:40.440
 And friends,

00:45:40.500 --> 00:45:41.380
 our eternal destiny

00:45:41.380 --> 00:45:42.500
 is in the balance

00:45:42.500 --> 00:45:43.360
 depending on how

00:45:43.360 --> 00:45:44.019
 we respond

00:45:44.019 --> 00:45:44.840
 to Christ.

00:45:46.940 --> 00:45:47.420
 Friends,

00:45:47.619 --> 00:45:48.220
 what matters

00:45:48.220 --> 00:45:48.760
 is not just

00:45:48.760 --> 00:45:49.360
 whether we went

00:45:49.360 --> 00:45:50.119
 to church or not.

00:45:50.119 --> 00:45:51.179
 What matters

00:45:51.179 --> 00:45:51.699
 is not just

00:45:51.699 --> 00:45:52.279
 whether we gave

00:45:52.279 --> 00:45:53.159
 money to the poor.

00:45:53.619 --> 00:45:54.139
 What matters

00:45:54.139 --> 00:45:54.779
 is not whether

00:45:54.779 --> 00:45:55.739
 we think we belong

00:45:55.739 --> 00:45:56.219
 to Jesus.

00:45:56.420 --> 00:45:56.880
 What matters

00:45:56.880 --> 00:45:57.859
 is do we love him?

00:45:58.359 --> 00:45:59.059
 Is he first

00:45:59.059 --> 00:45:59.659
 in our hearts?

00:46:00.139 --> 00:46:01.019
 Have we come

00:46:01.019 --> 00:46:01.339
 and given

00:46:01.339 --> 00:46:02.440
 our entire lives

00:46:02.440 --> 00:46:02.719
 to him?

00:46:03.000 --> 00:46:03.859
 Have we surrendered

00:46:03.859 --> 00:46:04.359
 to him

00:46:04.359 --> 00:46:05.059
 because he is

00:46:05.059 --> 00:46:05.799
 our only hope?

00:46:06.119 --> 00:46:06.940
 Have we cast

00:46:06.940 --> 00:46:07.359
 ourselves

00:46:07.359 --> 00:46:08.039
 at the mercy

00:46:08.039 --> 00:46:08.500
 of Jesus?

00:46:08.940 --> 00:46:09.500
 Have we taken

00:46:09.500 --> 00:46:09.980
 our hope

00:46:09.980 --> 00:46:10.400
 in the blood

00:46:10.400 --> 00:46:10.900
 of the Lamb?

00:46:12.259 --> 00:46:12.659
 Friends,

00:46:12.719 --> 00:46:13.119
 we need to give

00:46:13.119 --> 00:46:14.079
 careful consideration

00:46:14.079 --> 00:46:15.639
 to Christ's call

00:46:15.639 --> 00:46:16.480
 to come to him.

00:46:17.139 --> 00:46:18.199
 Second response

00:46:18.199 --> 00:46:18.679
 is this.

00:46:19.039 --> 00:46:19.699
 It means for those

00:46:19.699 --> 00:46:20.199
 of us that are

00:46:20.199 --> 00:46:20.559
 Christians,

00:46:20.779 --> 00:46:21.379
 this world

00:46:21.379 --> 00:46:22.339
 as we know it

00:46:22.339 --> 00:46:23.639
 is not our final

00:46:23.639 --> 00:46:24.000
 home.

00:46:24.819 --> 00:46:25.379
 And therefore,

00:46:25.679 --> 00:46:26.759
 let's not over

00:46:26.759 --> 00:46:27.879
 capitalize in this

00:46:27.879 --> 00:46:28.599
 world as we

00:46:28.599 --> 00:46:29.439
 currently know it.

00:46:30.179 --> 00:46:30.699
 Last week,

00:46:30.739 --> 00:46:31.639
 Jeremy spoke to us

00:46:31.639 --> 00:46:32.359
 about the fact

00:46:32.359 --> 00:46:33.159
 that in Hong Kong

00:46:33.159 --> 00:46:33.859
 there are so many

00:46:33.859 --> 00:46:34.539
 sojourners.

00:46:34.939 --> 00:46:35.679
 Those that come

00:46:35.679 --> 00:46:36.259
 to Hong Kong

00:46:36.259 --> 00:46:37.159
 for long periods

00:46:37.159 --> 00:46:37.539
 of time,

00:46:37.619 --> 00:46:38.500
 but this city

00:46:38.500 --> 00:46:39.279
 is not their home.

00:46:39.719 --> 00:46:40.259
 They are always

00:46:40.259 --> 00:46:40.980
 going back to

00:46:40.980 --> 00:46:41.579
 another place

00:46:41.579 --> 00:46:41.859
 that will be

00:46:41.859 --> 00:46:42.279
 their home.

00:46:42.839 --> 00:46:43.619
 The Bible says

00:46:43.619 --> 00:46:44.119
 that if you are

00:46:44.119 --> 00:46:44.539
 a Christian,

00:46:44.679 --> 00:46:45.500
 you are a sojourner,

00:46:45.599 --> 00:46:46.119
 which means that

00:46:46.119 --> 00:46:46.639
 this world

00:46:46.639 --> 00:46:47.359
 as we currently

00:46:47.360 --> 00:46:47.840
 know it,

00:46:48.079 --> 00:46:48.760
 is not your

00:46:48.760 --> 00:46:49.440
 final home.

00:46:50.059 --> 00:46:50.920
 Picture this with me.

00:46:51.300 --> 00:46:51.960
 Imagine you have

00:46:51.960 --> 00:46:52.360
 a home,

00:46:52.980 --> 00:46:54.079
 massive typhoon,

00:46:54.200 --> 00:46:54.760
 a T10,

00:46:54.920 --> 00:46:55.400
 sweeps through

00:46:55.400 --> 00:46:55.840
 Hong Kong,

00:46:56.099 --> 00:46:56.920
 and your home

00:46:56.920 --> 00:46:57.599
 has got severe

00:46:57.599 --> 00:46:58.579
 damage done to it.

00:46:58.800 --> 00:46:59.380
 You can't live

00:46:59.380 --> 00:46:59.860
 there anymore.

00:47:00.480 --> 00:47:00.840
 And so you've

00:47:00.840 --> 00:47:01.360
 got to move

00:47:01.360 --> 00:47:02.579
 to another place,

00:47:02.660 --> 00:47:03.220
 a temporary

00:47:03.220 --> 00:47:03.680
 accommodation,

00:47:04.059 --> 00:47:04.860
 for six weeks

00:47:04.860 --> 00:47:05.780
 while your home

00:47:05.780 --> 00:47:06.559
 is being repaired.

00:47:07.000 --> 00:47:07.220
 Okay?

00:47:07.380 --> 00:47:08.059
 Maybe some of you

00:47:08.059 --> 00:47:08.740
 had to do that

00:47:08.740 --> 00:47:09.579
 last year.

00:47:10.079 --> 00:47:10.559
 So you're in

00:47:10.559 --> 00:47:11.480
 temporary accommodation

00:47:11.480 --> 00:47:12.720
 for six weeks

00:47:12.720 --> 00:47:13.480
 while your home

00:47:13.480 --> 00:47:14.120
 is being repaired.

00:47:14.640 --> 00:47:15.780
 It would be crazy

00:47:15.780 --> 00:47:16.960
 to overcapitalize

00:47:16.960 --> 00:47:17.640
 on that home,

00:47:18.140 --> 00:47:19.220
 to spend millions

00:47:19.220 --> 00:47:19.880
 of dollars

00:47:19.880 --> 00:47:20.840
 fixing it up

00:47:20.840 --> 00:47:21.980
 because there are

00:47:21.980 --> 00:47:23.140
 slight inconveniences,

00:47:23.420 --> 00:47:24.760
 to bash down walls

00:47:24.760 --> 00:47:26.019
 and redo the whole kitchen

00:47:26.019 --> 00:47:27.400
 just while you're there

00:47:27.400 --> 00:47:28.160
 for six weeks.

00:47:28.800 --> 00:47:29.880
 There might be some things

00:47:29.880 --> 00:47:30.640
 that are inconvenient,

00:47:30.900 --> 00:47:31.620
 and what do you do?

00:47:31.900 --> 00:47:32.680
 You just put up

00:47:32.680 --> 00:47:33.700
 with those inconveniences

00:47:33.700 --> 00:47:34.640
 because you know

00:47:34.640 --> 00:47:35.900
 you're going home.

00:47:36.700 --> 00:47:36.980
 Friends,

00:47:37.080 --> 00:47:37.980
 Jesus tells us

00:47:37.980 --> 00:47:38.840
 this world

00:47:38.840 --> 00:47:39.840
 as we currently know

00:47:39.840 --> 00:47:40.760
 it is a temporary

00:47:40.760 --> 00:47:41.360
 arrangement.

00:47:41.960 --> 00:47:42.980
 There is coming a day

00:47:42.980 --> 00:47:43.780
 when we'll be taken

00:47:43.780 --> 00:47:44.400
 home again.

00:47:44.400 --> 00:47:45.280
 And therefore,

00:47:45.400 --> 00:47:45.960
 we don't need to

00:47:45.960 --> 00:47:47.200
 overcapitalize

00:47:47.200 --> 00:47:47.740
 in this world.

00:47:48.180 --> 00:47:49.079
 Our hope is not

00:47:49.079 --> 00:47:49.760
 in the things

00:47:49.760 --> 00:47:50.820
 of this world.

00:47:51.039 --> 00:47:51.880
 Things will go wrong.

00:47:52.220 --> 00:47:53.280
 People will let us down.

00:47:53.680 --> 00:47:54.420
 We will experience

00:47:54.420 --> 00:47:55.320
 disappointments.

00:47:55.579 --> 00:47:56.220
 That's true.

00:47:56.780 --> 00:47:57.380
 But our hope

00:47:57.380 --> 00:47:58.320
 doesn't lie here.

00:47:58.639 --> 00:47:59.940
 We're living for our home

00:47:59.940 --> 00:48:00.940
 that is coming.

00:48:01.119 --> 00:48:01.660
 And next week,

00:48:01.720 --> 00:48:02.639
 we're going to hear about it.

00:48:03.680 --> 00:48:04.280
 Third thing

00:48:04.280 --> 00:48:04.880
 and final thing

00:48:04.880 --> 00:48:05.360
 is this.

00:48:05.980 --> 00:48:06.260
 Friends,

00:48:06.300 --> 00:48:06.820
 for those of us

00:48:06.820 --> 00:48:07.500
 that are Christians,

00:48:08.320 --> 00:48:09.400
 keep looking to Jesus.

00:48:10.200 --> 00:48:11.559
 Fix your eyes

00:48:11.559 --> 00:48:12.240
 on Jesus.

00:48:12.980 --> 00:48:13.500
 In the midst

00:48:13.500 --> 00:48:14.200
 of the challenges

00:48:14.199 --> 00:48:14.899
 of this world,

00:48:14.980 --> 00:48:15.419
 in the midst

00:48:15.419 --> 00:48:16.359
 of all the difficulties,

00:48:16.539 --> 00:48:16.879
 in the midst

00:48:16.879 --> 00:48:17.439
 of everything

00:48:17.439 --> 00:48:18.419
 that's going on,

00:48:18.899 --> 00:48:19.639
 fix our eyes

00:48:19.639 --> 00:48:20.059
 on Jesus.

00:48:20.739 --> 00:48:20.960
 Friends,

00:48:21.000 --> 00:48:21.799
 the book of Revelation

00:48:21.799 --> 00:48:23.039
 is not some strange

00:48:23.039 --> 00:48:24.239
 conspiracy theory.

00:48:24.679 --> 00:48:25.879
 It's not some secret

00:48:25.879 --> 00:48:26.460
 code book

00:48:26.460 --> 00:48:27.119
 to let us know

00:48:27.119 --> 00:48:27.719
 how the world

00:48:27.719 --> 00:48:28.639
 is all going to end.

00:48:29.279 --> 00:48:29.500
 Friends,

00:48:29.539 --> 00:48:30.319
 the book of Revelation

00:48:30.319 --> 00:48:31.019
 is given to us

00:48:31.019 --> 00:48:31.699
 because John wants

00:48:31.699 --> 00:48:32.279
 to tell us,

00:48:32.739 --> 00:48:33.219
 in the midst

00:48:33.219 --> 00:48:34.099
 of what's going on,

00:48:34.439 --> 00:48:35.119
 keep your eyes

00:48:35.119 --> 00:48:36.559
 fixed on Jesus.

00:48:37.259 --> 00:48:38.239
 The first century

00:48:38.239 --> 00:48:38.980
 Christians had

00:48:38.980 --> 00:48:40.179
 two great temptations.

00:48:40.779 --> 00:48:41.519
 The one temptation

00:48:41.519 --> 00:48:42.279
 was to trust

00:48:42.279 --> 00:48:43.000
 in the power

00:48:43.000 --> 00:48:43.940
 and the prestige

00:48:43.940 --> 00:48:44.519
 and the pomp

00:48:44.519 --> 00:48:44.980
 of Rome.

00:48:45.340 --> 00:48:45.679
 To think,

00:48:45.780 --> 00:48:46.960
 Rome's going to save us.

00:48:47.500 --> 00:48:48.179
 And John writes

00:48:48.179 --> 00:48:48.460
 and says,

00:48:48.559 --> 00:48:48.980
 no, no, no,

00:48:49.019 --> 00:48:50.000
 don't put your trust

00:48:50.000 --> 00:48:51.300
 in Rome,

00:48:51.719 --> 00:48:52.400
 put your trust

00:48:52.400 --> 00:48:52.880
 in Jesus.

00:48:53.619 --> 00:48:54.480
 The other temptation

00:48:54.480 --> 00:48:55.119
 was this,

00:48:55.460 --> 00:48:56.380
 to hold onto

00:48:56.380 --> 00:48:57.119
 their lives

00:48:57.119 --> 00:48:58.099
 and to think

00:48:58.099 --> 00:48:59.159
 that to avoid

00:48:59.159 --> 00:48:59.719
 suffering

00:48:59.719 --> 00:49:00.340
 was the way

00:49:00.340 --> 00:49:00.800
 to life.

00:49:01.300 --> 00:49:01.980
 And John writes

00:49:01.980 --> 00:49:02.340
 and says,

00:49:02.480 --> 00:49:03.420
 don't put your hope

00:49:03.420 --> 00:49:04.380
 in your life now,

00:49:04.780 --> 00:49:05.420
 put your hope

00:49:05.420 --> 00:49:05.860
 in Jesus.

00:49:06.400 --> 00:49:07.219
 In this world

00:49:07.219 --> 00:49:08.079
 you will have trouble,

00:49:08.079 --> 00:49:09.199
 but take heart,

00:49:09.340 --> 00:49:10.219
 Jesus has overcome

00:49:10.219 --> 00:49:10.679
 the world.

00:49:11.159 --> 00:49:12.239
 Fix your eyes

00:49:12.239 --> 00:49:13.119
 on Jesus.

00:49:14.059 --> 00:49:14.400
 Friends,

00:49:14.500 --> 00:49:15.599
 Jesus says to us

00:49:15.599 --> 00:49:16.119
 this morning,

00:49:16.759 --> 00:49:17.420
 be faithful

00:49:17.420 --> 00:49:18.779
 even to the point

00:49:18.779 --> 00:49:19.219
 of death.

00:49:19.719 --> 00:49:20.539
 I will give you

00:49:20.539 --> 00:49:21.599
 the crown of life.

00:49:22.139 --> 00:49:23.219
 Fix our eyes

00:49:23.219 --> 00:49:24.239
 on Jesus.

00:49:24.860 --> 00:49:25.179
 Friends,

00:49:25.259 --> 00:49:25.860
 one day Jesus

00:49:25.860 --> 00:49:26.659
 will come back

00:49:26.659 --> 00:49:28.139
 and in that place

00:49:28.139 --> 00:49:28.659
 you'll conquer

00:49:28.659 --> 00:49:29.420
 all wickedness

00:49:29.420 --> 00:49:29.819
 and evil.

00:49:30.460 --> 00:49:31.179
 One day Jesus

00:49:31.179 --> 00:49:31.840
 will come and bring

00:49:31.840 --> 00:49:32.420
 a new heavens

00:49:32.420 --> 00:49:33.179
 and a new earth.

00:49:33.599 --> 00:49:34.099
 In the midst

00:49:34.099 --> 00:49:35.119
 of all that's going on,

00:49:35.259 --> 00:49:35.539
 Jesus,

00:49:35.679 --> 00:49:36.440
 the one who is faithful

00:49:36.440 --> 00:49:37.380
 in truth calls us

00:49:37.380 --> 00:49:37.920
 to himself,

00:49:38.139 --> 00:49:39.200
 to look to him

00:49:39.200 --> 00:49:40.400
 and to trust him.

00:49:40.780 --> 00:49:41.420
 We know that

00:49:41.420 --> 00:49:42.639
 we may not know

00:49:42.639 --> 00:49:43.619
 exactly how the world

00:49:43.619 --> 00:49:44.039
 ends,

00:49:44.179 --> 00:49:44.780
 we may not know

00:49:44.780 --> 00:49:45.360
 the sequence

00:49:45.360 --> 00:49:46.300
 and what exactly

00:49:46.300 --> 00:49:46.720
 happens,

00:49:47.099 --> 00:49:48.079
 but we do know this,

00:49:48.619 --> 00:49:49.579
 Jesus is coming

00:49:49.579 --> 00:49:50.900
 and Jesus is going

00:49:50.900 --> 00:49:51.539
 to bring us home.

00:49:51.980 --> 00:49:52.940
 Let's fix our eyes

00:49:52.940 --> 00:49:53.860
 on him.

00:49:55.019 --> 00:49:56.039
 Let's close our eyes

00:49:56.039 --> 00:49:57.079
 and pray.

00:50:00.760 --> 00:50:02.000
 Let's respond

00:50:02.000 --> 00:50:04.639
 to Jesus' words

00:50:04.639 --> 00:50:05.300
 this morning.

00:50:06.440 --> 00:50:09.599
 Maybe before we pray,

00:50:09.800 --> 00:50:10.500
 I want to give us

00:50:10.500 --> 00:50:11.300
 just a minute

00:50:11.300 --> 00:50:12.300
 of silence.

00:50:12.440 --> 00:50:13.280
 Maybe even the band

00:50:13.280 --> 00:50:14.340
 we can just hold out

00:50:14.340 --> 00:50:14.960
 for a second.

00:50:16.679 --> 00:50:17.900
 And I want to ask you,

00:50:18.039 --> 00:50:19.220
 what is one thing

00:50:19.220 --> 00:50:22.079
 that God has possibly

00:50:22.079 --> 00:50:22.920
 said to you this morning?

00:50:24.039 --> 00:50:25.380
 I hope in all of this

00:50:25.380 --> 00:50:26.840
 God has said something

00:50:26.840 --> 00:50:27.260
 to you.

00:50:28.820 --> 00:50:30.079
 What is one thing

00:50:30.079 --> 00:50:31.159
 that you feel like

00:50:31.159 --> 00:50:33.099
 Jesus is saying to you

00:50:33.099 --> 00:50:33.639
 and how are you going

00:50:33.639 --> 00:50:34.539
 to respond to that?

00:50:34.539 --> 00:50:35.119
 What is one thing

00:50:36.440 --> 00:50:36.880
 God?

00:50:37.800 --> 00:50:38.659
 Let's take a minute

00:50:38.659 --> 00:50:39.579
 and just think of that.

00:50:39.579 --> 00:50:41.820
 Let's take a minute

00:50:41.820 --> 00:50:41.860
 and just think of that.

00:51:06.440 --> 00:51:14.960
 Heavenly Father, what do you want to say to us this morning?

00:51:17.920 --> 00:51:19.460
 God, come and speak to us, we pray.

00:51:20.519 --> 00:51:23.639
 Lord, we pray that this week as we go into this city,

00:51:24.480 --> 00:51:27.800
 pray you will remind us that this world as we currently know it is not our home.

00:51:29.519 --> 00:51:32.579
 Father, may we not lose our minds when things go wrong.

00:51:32.579 --> 00:51:38.239
 May we not lose our minds when disappointments arise, when people let us down,

00:51:38.360 --> 00:51:40.599
 when things don't work out the way that we'd hoped they would.

00:51:43.279 --> 00:51:45.319
 Jesus, I pray help us to fix our eyes on you.

00:51:45.420 --> 00:51:48.319
 God, I pray that tomorrow morning when we wake up and get ready for work,

00:51:48.799 --> 00:51:52.639
 or to go to class, or to take exams,

00:51:53.920 --> 00:51:56.079
 that God, we will fix our eyes on you, God.

00:51:56.860 --> 00:52:02.139
 I pray that on Tuesday, God, as we look after kids, or make business deals, or we travel,

00:52:02.579 --> 00:52:05.639
 for work, that Jesus will fix our eyes on you, Lord.

00:52:06.460 --> 00:52:10.539
 I pray, God, on Wednesday, when we have to make some presentation,

00:52:10.719 --> 00:52:14.460
 or our boss is disappointed with us, or we make some mistake at work,

00:52:14.500 --> 00:52:15.920
 and we think it's the end of the world,

00:52:16.259 --> 00:52:18.119
 help us to fix our eyes on you, God.

00:52:19.319 --> 00:52:21.739
 Father, I pray that this week, we will be faithful witnesses.

00:52:23.039 --> 00:52:26.059
 We'll be courageous, God, and point to the hope of Jesus, Lord.

00:52:27.360 --> 00:52:30.599
 God, when things go wrong, may we remember that you, Christ, are coming again.

00:52:30.599 --> 00:52:35.019
 That you will put an end to all that is wrong and broken of this world.

00:52:35.679 --> 00:52:37.860
 You are bringing your new heavens and your new earth, God.

00:52:37.920 --> 00:52:41.019
 Will there be no more tears and no more mourning, no more pain and anxiety.

00:52:41.900 --> 00:52:43.259
 Jesus, we long for that day.

00:52:43.839 --> 00:52:47.119
 Help us to live in hope and anticipation of the day, we pray.

00:52:48.019 --> 00:52:49.819
 We pray these things in your wonderful name.

00:52:50.759 --> 00:52:51.079
 Amen.