Father, this is your word. Jesus is our Savior, and we are your people.
And we ask that you would pour out your Holy Spirit upon your people
so that we would not only understand your word, but that it would change how we live.
We ask that you would help us and teach us how to pray.
We ask that you would help us and teach us to long to see your face,
that you would help us to deny ourselves and pick up our cross and follow Jesus,
even when sometimes that's very hard, although carrying a cross is always hard.
We give you thanks and praise that your Son said that his yoke is easy and his burden is light.
We ask, Father, that your Holy Spirit would move and work within us
so that your Holy Spirit would have a deeper place in our lives.
Father, we ask that you would do a great work, a work of your work in our lives this morning
as we gather in the presence of Jesus.
And this we ask in Jesus' name, your Son and our Savior. Amen.
Please be seated.
So, Revelation 13.
You know, I don't like horror movies in general.
In fact, I rarely watch horror movies.
I remember even when I was watching The Sixth Sense,
I watched it because I didn't think it was a horror movie for some reason.
And about a quarter of the way into the movie,
I was watching it with a couple of my older kids at the time.
I thought, if I was watching this movie by myself, I would turn it off right now and leave.
But then I thought, I do not want to appear a wuss in front of my teenage sons.
So, I continued to watch the movie.
Having said all that, I actually do enjoy the television series, The Walking Dead.
And when I tell you that I enjoy certain things,
this is not a recommendation that you necessarily go out and watch it.
Because some of you might not like zombie television series.
But I actually, I am going to talk about zombies later on in the service,
for those of you who understand such things.
But having said all that, one of the interesting things about horror movies, etc.,
and in our culture, is that while there's a whole range of things in our culture,
that there's many, many people in our culture who are fairly illiterate in terms of the Bible.
And that's, you know, fair enough.
They haven't been raised as Christians.
Why would they know what Christianity is?
But in fact, the idea of the beast and the number 666,
there are many, many, many people who would have understood that.
If you were to go by, probably just stand at the corner of King Edward and Rideau,
and ask people, are you familiar with the idea of 666 and the beast and the number of the beast?
Like, I wouldn't be surprised if 80, 90, 95% of the people said they had heard of such things.
So it's actually sort of interesting that today we get to look at the original source of these ideas.
And so it would be a great help to me if you actually, yeah, let's turn in the Bible,
and let's look at this great source of these very, very familiar ideas.
And it's a book of Revelation.
It's the last book in the Bible.
And it's Revelation chapter 13.
And actually, we're going to start reading, like, the very last sentence of the chapter before this.
And the chapter before, it talks about the dragon.
And the dragon is sort of an image of the devil.
And here's how the text begins.
And it goes like this.
Revelation, the very last bit of chapter 12, and then into the chapter 13.
And the dragon stood on the sand of the sea.
And I saw a beast rising out of the sea.
And by the way, the implication of the text is that the dragon is calling the beast out of the sea.
In the original language, that's the implication.
So the dragon stands on the sand of the sea looking out.
And then John, who's having this vision, he sees a beast rising out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads,
with ten diadems on its horns and a name of blasphemy on its heads.
And the beast that I saw was like a leopard.
Its feet were like a bear's.
And its mouth was like a lion's mouth.
And to it, the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.
One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound.
In the original language, it means a death wound.
But its death wound was healed.
And the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.
And they worshipped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast.
And they worshipped the beast, saying,
Who is like the beast and who can fight against it?
Now, I'm going to say some shocking things about this text.
But I want to make sure you understand what I'm saying.
And so I'm going to repeat, and Andrew's going to put it on the screen.
I'm going to repeat some things that I said last week,
just to sort of set the stage for what I'm saying.
And by the way, today, for all of the things that are on the screen,
I think by Monday or Tuesday, if you're interested,
you can go on our webpage and you can write them down.
This first part, it'll be far too quick for you to write down.
But here's the first thing.
Before I say all of the other things about the text,
the shocking thing about the text,
to understand the shocking claim of the text,
you have to understand this.
The Bible teaches that the devil is real.
He is our enemy.
He is alive.
He is active.
He is doomed.
And in the face of his opposition,
we, that means followers of the Lamb,
are to testify with our lips and with our lives
of our Savior, Jesus Christ crucified.
That's what we have to understand,
that the Bible is saying that the devil is real,
just as real as I am or you are.
And to sort of emphasize this,
this is also what I said last week,
which we need to understand if we're to hear Revelation 13,
as it's meant to be heard.
After you hear it, you might say this is all rubbish or whatever,
but at least you need to hear what it's saying,
what the Bible is claiming to say.
The devil is real.
He is not a metaphor,
an analogy,
a symbol,
a process,
a myth,
a mere storybook character,
or a social construct.
He is not a primitive way
to talk of mental illness or evil.
He is not a tool
of politicians to label others
or enemies,
although some politicians
try to make it out as if he's a tool,
but he is not a tool.
He is not a creation of politicians
or cultural leaders
to label others.
The devil is not misunderstood.
He is not a hero.
He is not a rebel.
He is not a freedom fighter.
He is not hip.
He is not cool.
He is not enlightened.
He is not yin or yang to God.
He is not the antithesis
leading to a new synthesis.
He is not energy,
friend,
ally,
means,
tool,
or joke.
In ourselves,
he is more powerful
than we are.
The devil is real.
He is our enemy.
He is alive.
He is active.
He is doomed.
And in the face of his opposition,
we are to testify
with our lips
and with our lives
of our Savior,
Jesus Christ,
crucified.
As I said last week,
if the devil does not exist,
if the devil, in fact,
is merely a metaphor
or analogy
or a symbol
or a social construct
or something like that,
then it's a complete
and utter waste of time
to read the book of Revelation.
I'd say it's probably
a waste of time
to read the Bible.
And it's just a waste of time
to even talk about it.
But if the devil does exist,
then today's teaching,
just like last week's,
is immensely practical.
So here's the thing.
Remember I said
that the text has,
the book of Revelation
is a wonderful book
for those of us
who have very, very great visual,
our minds just love images.
And so it presents
this very, very powerful image
of the devil like a dragon,
a huge dragon.
Think of smog,
only with many heads.
And even far more horrible.
And he stands on the sand of the sea,
looking out to the sea.
And by, he believes his power,
he causes a beast
to arise out of the sea.
And if you'll notice
very early on,
it says that he has,
was like a leopard,
verse two,
its feet were like a bear's
and its mouth
was like a lion's mouth.
And the dragon gave his power
and his throne
and great authority
to the beast.
And that imagery
comes from the book of Daniel.
And in the book of Daniel,
it's very clear
that these are
a succession of empires.
empires.
So from this
and from the rest
of the chapter,
it's very, very clear
that the beast is,
and here's where people differ,
whether it's an individual,
but if it's an individual or not,
that the thing is,
it's the government
and it's the state.
It's a type of,
it's an empire.
It's not only a government,
a state,
it's the judiciary,
it's the military,
it's the police.
It's the state.
It is a government.
It is a person,
the government.
It's that which exercises
political and cultural authority
over nations.
That's the claim of the text.
Here's the shocking point.
Andrew,
if you could put that up,
that would be great.
The devil can have
a significant impact
on any institution,
even the state
and the government.
That's what Revelation chapter 13
is saying,
that the devil
can have
a significant impact
on any institution,
even the state
and the government.
See,
I needed to say
that earlier part
because it's very common
maybe in certain types
of political discussion
or cultural discussion
about saying something's demonic
and what we mean
when we say demonic
in our culture
just means,
like rather than saying
it's bad,
we want to say
it's really,
really,
really bad
so we say
it's demonic.
But the Bible here
is making a very,
very different claim.
Not that it's not bad,
it is bad,
but that actually
the devil,
that there is,
it is possible
for the devil,
not just,
last week we talked
about primarily
the one major way
that most people
experience the devil's
sort of hand
or touch
in their lives.
And if you,
you can listen
to last week's sermon
online
and I was talking
about a great sense
of condemnation
and accusation
that can completely
and utterly,
it can have a powerful,
powerful role
in our lives,
a sense of condemnation
and accusation.
And I also warned
of the fact
that there could be
a more direct contact
with Satan
and I warned us
against Ouija boards
and other things.
But just as in our culture
we tend to think
of religion
and spirituality
as being something
inherently private
and sort of inside of us
and often a cross
between a hobby
and an emotion,
and so it is even maybe
when we speak of the devil
or demons,
it's easy for us
to think of it
as being merely personal.
But the Bible here
in chapter 12
and chapter 13
of Revelation
is saying that
not only
is the devil
one who we can experience
in our lives
through accusation
and condemnation
and maybe we will have
a more direct contact
with him,
the devil also
can affect
and impact
institutions.
Institutions.
Even the government
and even the state.
You know,
as I was working
on the sermon this week,
I've been reading,
I read like several books
at the same time,
you know,
bits and pieces of books
and I was reading
a little bit
about Corrie Ten Boom.
How many people here
remember who Corrie Ten Boom is
or who heard of Corrie Ten Boom?
A fair amount of you.
Okay.
On Friday,
it was the 70th anniversary
of her capture
by the Nazis.
I just happened to,
I was just reading it
and it mentioned,
I was reading a book
and it mentioned
on February 28, 1944,
that was the day
that Corrie Ten Boom
was woken from sleep
by a sound
of loud knocking
on their door
and it was the Gestapo.
Corrie Ten Boom
at the time was 54.
Her sister was
five years older than her.
They were both unmarried.
They lived with their father
who was in his 80s.
I think he was 83
and they had played
a central role
in hiding Jewish people
from the Nazis
and as being part
of the Dutch resistance
and that was the day
that they,
their betrayers,
betrayed them
and she,
of course,
eventually went
to a concentration camp.
Her and her sister
and her dad
and her sister
and her father
would die
in the concentration camps
and Corrie
would miraculously
survive
and be delivered
and go on
to have a speaking ministry
and for Christians
who were caught
under Nazism,
it was very easy
for them to wonder
if in fact
there was not just
something evil
about Nazism
but in fact
whether there was
something devilish
and I mean
in terms of a devil
being involved in it
and
we feel very uncomfortable
about such language
living in Canada
and I'm going to talk
a little bit about that
in a moment
but for some Christians
who live in some parts
of the world today
and for Christians
throughout history
there would be times
in certain cultures
and certain times
when it would be easy
for us to actually
take a text like this
and realize that there is
probably a great truth
in it
that we cannot
limit the devil's work
purely to people
but also to institutions
even the government
even the state
and here's the thing
actually you know what
I'm going to have
a little bit of a
okay I know there's
always in any room
this side
there's a few grammar geeks
we're going to have
a grammar geek moment
okay
so for you grammar geeks
and the rest of you
can listen in
you want to just sort of
go ahead to verse 7 and 8
and look at verse 7 and 8
there's a grammar geek moment
coming here in a second
also it was allowed
that's the beast
to make war on the saints
and to conquer them
and authority was given it
over every tribe
and people and language
and nation
and all who dwell on earth
will worship it
everyone whose name
has not been written
before the foundation
of the world
in the book of life
of the lamb
who was slain
and notice that verse 8
and all who dwell on earth
will worship it
in the original language
all the way through
chapter 13
in fact all the way up
to this point
just a little bit past it
the verb tenses
are a particular tense
which means that
everything that's being
described can be described
as in some way
being true in the future
and in the past
and in the present
and in the rest of chapter 13
when it's talking about
the second beast
once again
the verb tenses
are all a type of a verb tense
that allows us
to understand it
on one level
talking about the future
the past
and the present
but in the midst
of a whole range
of verb tenses
like that
there's only one future tense
in the entire text
and that
is in verse 8
all who dwell on earth
this is in the original language
will worship it
in other words
the rest of the text
is describing something
that on one level
there's a certain degree
to which it can be true
even today
but the text reminds us
that there will be
a complete fulfillment
of this text
at some day
in the future
that at some day
in the future
there will be
a beast
a political reality
that will in fact
have a type
of worldwide reach
that will affect
everybody
that at that time
there will in a sense
be those
whose names
are written
in the Lamb's Book of Life
which I'll talk about
in a moment
or those who
quite literally
are involved
in the worship
of this beast
but that
is pointing
to a future time
and all the rest
of the way
through the text
it's talking about
things which
can be approximated
now
but are not
the fullness
that will come
see one of the things
that you have to understand
about the Book of Revelation
is this
that
and if you don't get it
if I haven't been clear
about it other weeks
I apologize
is the Bible
very clearly teaches
that Jesus
will return again
that God
will bring history
to a close
and it's because
the very one
who has created
all things
the very one
who sustains
all things
the very one
the Lamb
who died
to redeem
those who turned
to Him
in repentance
and faith
that that is
the very same person
who will bring
all things
to a close
that's the ground
for hope
that's the ground
for repentance
that's the ground
for being able
to stand
in the face
of the dragon
and stand
in the face
of the beast
and stand
in the face
of evil
in our culture
wherever we find it
and it's all
because of the fact
that the Lamb
who was slain
who redeems
all who put
their faith
and trust
in Him
is the same
one
who will
someday
return
whether it's
in a week's time
whether it's
in seven years time
seven years time
seven hundred years time
we do not know
when it is
but at some point
in time
most of the thing
all of the things
that we've been talking
about in the book
of Revelation
there will be
a sense
where
not a sense
it will be
in its fullness
and those
Lord have mercy
who are alive
at that time
will see
and understand it
in its fullness
and what the text
is doing
is it's trying
to give us
a language
and a grammar
and a set of images
to understand
our own culture
but also
if we happen
to be that generation
that are still alive
when that final time
comes
that we will have
a set of images
and language
and ideas
to help us
to understand
what in fact
it is
that is going on
now does this
mean here
by the way
this text
George
you're saying
that the
dragon
the devil
can have
a profound
impact
on institutions
human institutions
even the state
does that mean
George
that all the people
that we know
that work
for the military
should quit
does that mean
that all of those
who work
in the police
and the judiciary
should quit
does that mean
those who work
on Parliament Hill
should quit
no
here's the thing
Andrew if you could
put this up
here's a prayer
for us to pray
and it's sort of
a very important
text to understand
it's a prayer
for us to pray
in a sense
an application
a take home
for us to understand
what the implication
of this text is
for us in terms
of how we live
and here's how
I put it
dear God
please help me
to seek
the true good
of this city
please help me
to seek
your definition
of the city's good
not the city's
own definition
of its good
dear God
please help me
to seek
the true good
of this city
please help me
to seek
your definition
of the city's good
not the city's
own definition
of its good
one of the lessons
of the book
of Revelation
and I mentioned
it when I was
describing that
point that I used
last week
is that
the devil is real
he is our enemy
he is alive
he is active
he is doomed
and in the face
of his opposition
in the face
of his opposition
we are to bear
witness with our
lives and with our
lips of Jesus
Christ crucified
and the book
of Revelation
isn't telling us
that because
these things
are happening
we should live
in fear
it doesn't tell us
these things
so we will brood
or be consumed
or obsessed
with them
it doesn't tell us
these things
so that we will
live in holy
ghettos
or enclaves
we have a
fundamental
we have a
fundamental
vocation
that comes
from God
to bear witness
to Jesus
and we have
a fundamental
vocation
that comes
from God
not only to bear
witness to Jesus
but to seek
the good of the city
and now I don't
know what advice
I would give
if we were maybe
in that very very
final time
I mean this text
would inform it
but here's the
primary thing
is that when we
seek the good
of our city
what we do not
seek is the city's
own definition
of the good
we seek
Jesus' definition
of the good
I don't know
how many of you
are familiar
with Dietrich Bonhoeffer
I've been reading
some things about him
this past week
as well
and Dietrich Bonhoeffer
by personal order
of Hitler
was executed
just a very very
short while
before Hitler
himself took
his own life
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
leader of the
Confessing Church
and
maybe not many
of you know this
but the thing
about Bonhoeffer
is that early on
he was one of the
very very first
people in Germany
to speak out
about the evils
of Nazism
and to warn
about the evils
of Nazism
and early on
in the 30s
he actually tried
to create
an underground
seminary
because he
believed that
increasingly
the seminaries
and the churches
they were
because they wanted
to curry favor
and maintain
their position
they were becoming
Nazi in their
theology
and so he created
an underground
seminary
which was eventually
overcome
and closed
by the Gestapo
but how he
ended up
hiding
and working
against the Hitler
for many many
years
is he joined
military intelligence
because
for many years
under Hitler
the main source
of opposition
within Germany
was devout
Christians
within military
intelligence
and one of the
ways that they
sought the true
good of their
country
was to document
the evils
that the Nazis
were performing
was to communicate
the evils
of the death
camps
to the wider
world
and to seek
to overthrow
Hitler
that is how
they sought
the good
of their country
they did not
allow
Hitler
to define
the good
of Germany
they went
to God's
word written
they went
to the Lamb
to understand
God's word
written
and so it is
I apologize
for a second
if I
I'm just going
to say this
anyway
our city
might think
that more
abortion
is good
our city
might think
that euthanasia
is good
and we are
to pray
for the good
of our city
and seek
the good
of our city
but our city
is wrong
about that
what is good
for the city
is that the
strong
care for the
weak
what is good
for the city
is that the
strong and
the healthy
care for the
defenseless
what is good
for the city
is that we
rescue
those
who are
poor
and lonely
and deprived
and depressed
have no power
and that we
seek to rescue
them
to restore
them
to protect
them
and so
there might
be many ways
that we can
work in harmony
with our city
we can
feed the poor
we can
give to
orphans
around the world
and we can
agree with them
but where
the city
is wrong
we still
seek the
true good
of this city
and it's
the lamb
who determines
the true
good
not the city
and so
it is
that the
devil can
have a
significant
impact
on any
institution
even the
state and
the government
and we
are to
pray
that in
any
situation
amid the
example I
gave of
Bonhoeffer
many of
the people
it was
with the
so called
Valkyrie plot
which they
put a bomb
in a bunker
that Hitler
was at
and a leg
of a table
amongst other
things
protected
Hitler
and if you've
seen the
Tom Cruise
movie it
ignores the
Christian side
but many of
the Bonhoeffer's
friends and
family members
very devout
Christians
that plot
ended up
being the
death of
them
and
but they
they
sought to
serve
their city
by the
lamb's
definition
of the
city's
good
and that
is always
our vocation
as followers
of Jesus
now
some of
you might
say
George
that's
I have to
get my
mind around
the fact
that the
devil could
actually have
an impact
on cultural
institutions
and I'm not
quite sure
what to make
about it
I can see
that you
believe it
and I
accept that
the Bible
teaches it
and it's
just something
I have to
sort of
think through
but George
I'm a little
bit confused
by something
that you
haven't gotten
to in the
text and
maybe you
won't
because I
know you
have a
time limit
in terms
of what
you speak
and some
of you
might be
saying
George
I don't
quite
understand
really
how
Christians
think
of the
difference
between
the
beast
and
Jesus
it's
an
honest
question
I mean
George
don't you
guys
believe
that like
miracles
are good
but the
beast
remember
when Ken
was reading
a few
moments
ago
that the
second
beast
that performs
miracles
and George
don't you
like why
is it that
you want
to follow
Jesus
rather than
this beast
I mean
you're
saying that
the beast
is evil
but why
are you
wanting to
follow Jesus
rather than
the beast
doesn't
the beast
die
and come
to life
and isn't
George
the whole
reason
that you
follow
Jesus
isn't a
very key
part of
the reason
that you
follow
Jesus
is that
Jesus
died
and come
to life
so I'm
a little
bit
confused
about why
you think
there's such
a big
difference
here
like
George
isn't
it maybe
a text
about how
like any
type of
thing
can sort
of be
demonic
even
following
Jesus
can be
a little
bit
demonic
it's a
very good
series
of questions
let's
just look
again at
the text
look again
look at
the text
here is
playing around
with a little
bit
it's a bit
starker
but its
head had
a mortal
wound
a death
wound
but its
death
wound
was healed
and the
whole earth
marveled
as they
followed
the beast
and they
worshipped
the dragon
for he
had given
his authority
to the
beast
and they
worshipped
the beast
saying
who is
like the
beast
and who
can fight
against
it
and the
beast
was given
a mouth
uttering
haughty
and blasphemous
words
just sort of
pause here
for a second
as we're
reading
you know
one of the
really
interesting
things
is if
you ever
watch
a movie
where a
TV show
and somebody
says that's
blasphemy
don't you
automatically
think that
that's a
person who's
not a good
person
isn't it
sort of
very
interesting
in our
culture
we've
lost
the
sense
of
blasphemy
that even
to mention
it is
something
that
culturally
puts us
as if
we're
a bit
clueless
just an
idea
and it
was allowed
to exercise
authority
for 42
months
it opened
its mouth
to utter
blasphemies
against
God
blaspheming
his name
and his
dwelling
that is
those who
dwell in
heaven
also it
was allowed
to make
war on the
saints
and to
conquer
them
this is
the death
knell
of
prosperity
gospel
and authority
was given
it over
every tribe
and people
and language
and nation
and all
who dwell
on the
earth
will
worship
it
everyone
whose
name
has not
been
written
before
the
foundation
of the
world
and the
book
of life
of the
lamb
who was
slain
the lamb's
book of
life
talk about
that in a
moment
if anyone
has an
ear
let him
hear
if anyone
is to
be taken
captive
to
captivity
he
goes
if anyone
is to
be slain
with the
sword
with the
sword
he must
be slain
here's a
call for
the endurance
and faith
of the
saints
you see
that's
the key
to that
last
prayer
point
is that
the whole
point
of making
clear
that the
devil
can have
an impact
on culture
and institutions
is to
call us
to faithful
endurance
and enduring
faithfulness
where we
are
it's a
very
center
of the
text
I'm
going to
return
to it
at the
end
but
continue
on about
the
miracle
stuff
look at
verse 11
then I saw
another beast
rising out of the
earth
it had two
horns like a
lamb and it
spoke like a
dragon
I'm not going to
talk about it
very much
this is a
very very
powerful
image
it's a
image which
God desires
to have as
part of our
mental
furniture
to help us
understand
what's going
on
that there
can be a
beast
a demonic
beast
that
that would
had two
horns
like a
lamb
and it
spoke
like a
dragon
very
powerful
image
to guide
our
prayers
and
discernment
verse 12
it exercises
all the
authority
of the
first
beast
in its
presence
and makes
the earth
and its
inhabitants
worship
the first
beast
whose
death
wound
was healed
the third
time it
says it
yet the
second beast
performs
great signs
it's the
word for
miracles
even making
fire come
down from
heaven to
earth in
front of
the people
and by the
miracles
or the
signs that
it is
allowed to
work in
the presence
of the
beast
it deceives
those who
dwell on
the earth
telling them
to make an
image for
the beast
that was
wounded
fourth time
it says
that by
the sword
and yet
lived
and it
was allowed
to give
breath
to the
image
that's an
idol
of the
beast
so that
the image
the idol
of the
beast
might even
speak
might cause
those who
would not
worship the
image of
the beast
the idol
of the
beast
to be
slain
now
so what's
what's going
on
here's
the point
and if you
could put it
up on the
screen
Jesus truly
died on the
cross
and truly
defeated evil
and death
and every
hostile
spiritual power
he did not
die
only to die
again
he did not
die
to live a
living death
some of you
have heard
this illustration
before
it's one of
my favorite
illustrations
about what
one of the
things which
is involved
in salvation
and that's
the story
a true
story
happened
quite a few
years ago
I think I
had four
or five
kids at
the time
four kids
I think
they're all
very young
and I was
up in
Eganville
where I
was the
pastor
and my
wife was
down in
Ottawa
visiting her
mother in
the glebe
and Louise
woke up in
the middle
of the night
three or
four o'clock
in the
morning
with a
sense that
something
was wrong
and her
mother lived
in a big
old three
story glebe
house
and Louise
had a sense
that something
was wrong
and she
went to
the door
and she
opened the
door and
the hallway
was filled
with smoke
and in
fact the
entire
ground floor
of the
house was
completely
consumed
in fire
and I
was up in
Eganville
I didn't
know anything
about this
Louise
looked around
they couldn't
get out of
one window
but there
was another
window
she went
and woke
up her
mother
she gathered
our very
very young
children at
the time
and she
was able
to open
the window
she's young
and healthy
and she's
able to
outside of
the window
sort of a
couple of
feet to
the right
there's
a couple
of feet
down
there's a
slanting
roof of
a shed
and she
figures that
she can
get from
the window
to the
shed
and from
that position
with some
effort she
would be
able to
help the
children
get the
children
and bring
the children
to the top
of the shed
and then
help her
mother who
was older
over to
the shed
as well
and so
she got
herself to
safety
and from
that position
of safety
she reaches
across the
gap to
the place
for which
the flames
are coming
and is able
to bring
each of the
children over
to the shed
down to the
ground
and all
of them
in the
house
Louise is
here at
church today
so she's
obviously
still alive
so it
worked out
and I'm
very very
thankful for
it
that's a
very very
good
illustration
of one
of the
great truths
of the
gospel
in the
gospel
we believe
that Jesus
truly died
that he
truly died
upon the
cross
that he
truly died
upon the
cross
and he
tasted
everything
there is
to taste
of death
without
anything
left over
whatever
death
is
Jesus
tasted
it
and on
the third
day
he emerged
on the
far side
of death
having
completely
and utterly
defeated
death
and one
of the
things
that happens
on the
cross
is that
Jesus
is able
to reach
across
that vast
divide
of death
and reach
his hands
out
and those
of us
who cannot
escape
death
cannot
escape
death
we put
our hands
out
and Jesus
his hands
reach farther
to us
and if we
put our
hands out
his strong
hands
does what
we cannot
do by
ourselves
or in
and of
ourselves
and takes
us through
death
to the
other
side
where he
is completely
and utterly
defeated
death
and that
is what
Jesus
is doing
for ordinary
people
like you
and me
that song
that we
sang
the last
song
that we
sang
for thieves
for the
poor
for the
powerless
for the
rich
for the
powerful
for every
human being
death
defeats
us
all
and the
Christian
claim
is that
Jesus
defeats
death
on our
behalf
and if
we humbly
put our
faith and
trust in
him
he will
take us
to the
far side
of death
where death
has no
longer
any hold
on us
that's
what my
wife did
to the
children
and to
her
mother
and that's
to see why
we worship
Jesus
and not
Lazarus
was dead
for four
days
longer
than
Jesus
but
Jesus
Lazarus
doesn't
cause
himself
to come
back
to life
Jesus
calls
Lazarus
back
to life
but
Lazarus
emerges
into
death
and returns
to this
side
of death
death
he will
still
have
to die
remember
in the
point
I think
it's still
up on
the screen
what am
I saying
that the
Bible
teaches
that Jesus
truly
died
on the
cross
and truly
defeated
evil
and death
and every
hostile
spiritual
power
he did
not die
only to
die again
he is not
Lazarus
that's why we
don't worship
Lazarus
we worship
Jesus
that's why we
don't trust
Lazarus
we trust
Jesus
that's why
we don't
trust the
widow of
name's
son
we trust
Jesus
but what
about
the beast
well
here's
where the
analogy
of
Louise
doesn't
work
doesn't
work
because you
see
what happens
is that
we Christians
understand
that what
Jesus does
on the
cross
is deals
with that
which causes
death
and all
of our
bondage
and alienation
from God
that on
the cross
remember last
week I said
there were
six words
for the rest
of our
life
in my
place
condemned
he
stood
in my
place
condemned
he
stood
after the
sermon last
week I
looked it up
it's from
a title of
a book by
Jim Packer
and Mark
Deaver
and they
get the
word from
an old
hymn
it's a
line in
an old
hymn
in my
place
condemned
he
stood
so on
the cross
Jesus
by his
offering
of himself
taking
into
himself
my
condemnation
my
doom
he
deals
with
evil
he
deals
with my
separation
and alienation
from God
and he
deals
with
all
accusations
or condemnation
that could
come against
me
or any
of you
because
of my
sin
and my
rebellion
against
God
and
then when
he rises
from the
dead
it's a
true act
of victory
he has
defeated
sin and
death
and all
hostile
spiritual
powers
tasted
all there is
to taste
of death
all there is
to taste
of evil
all there is
to taste
of condemnation
and he
emerges
on the
far side
completely
and utterly
triumphant
but here
the beast
is a
living
death
he is
alive
a type
of life
but it
is not
a life
that is
dealt
with hostile
spiritual
powers
it is
not
a new
life
that is
dealt
with
evil
it is
a life
deepening
in evil
deepening
in accusation
and condemnation
deepening
in rebellion
against God
it is
closer to
what we
understand
in popular
parlance
of dying
to become
a zombie
than dying
for new
life
it is
a death
and a life
that deepens
us in death
and deepens
us under
the control
of hostile
spiritual
powers
the same
dragon
that sought
to devour
the child
is the
guiding
principle
of the
new
life
Jesus
defeats
the beast
all the way
through the
language
the language
of the
whole text
is one
of having
Jesus
defeating
the beast
defeating
the demon
but the
death and
resurrection
of Jesus
is radically
radically
different
than what's
being discussed
here
even
miracles
the Christian
arguments
about miracles
are a defeat
it's to argue
against naturalism
it's a philosophical
term
it's an argument
against naturalism
and atheism
but it's not a claim
that all Christians
don't claim that only
God performs miracles
that all miracles
point to God
that's not a Christian
claim
Christians accept
the fact that
demons can do
things which can't
be accounted for
purely by natural
means
the point isn't
whether or not
something happens
according to natural
means or not
the point is
does it point
us to the
lamb
or does it
point us
to the dragon
does it point
us and reconcile
us to God
or does it
deepen us
in our rebellion
against God
does it bring us
to life
or does it
bring us
to death
that's the
point
of the miracles
it's why they
have to be
discerned
and so the
takeaway for us
the take home
for us
is that
if Jesus
truly died
on the cross
and truly
defeated evil
and death
in every hostile
spiritual power
he did not die
only to die again
he did not die
to live a living
death
the implication
for us is this
dear God
I thank you
that Jesus
is the lamb
who was slain
I thank you
that because
of his sacrificial
death
and mighty
resurrection
I by repentance
and faith
in him
have my name
forever written
in his book
of life
dear God
I thank you
that Jesus
is the lamb
who was slain
I thank you
that because
of his sacrificial
death
and mighty
resurrection
I by repentance
and faith
in him
have my name
forever written
in his book
of life
you see
it's the wonderful
thing
you go back
to that image
in chapter 8
verse 8
and all who dwell
on the earth
will worship
at everyone
whose name
has not been
written before
the foundation
of the world
in the book
of life
of the lamb
who was slain
you see
when I put
my faith
and trust
in Jesus
God
writes
my name
in a book
I don't write
my name
in that book
it's a book
of those
who belong
to Jesus
who have been
reconciled to God
by Jesus
God
not weighing
our merits
but pardoning
our offenses
not because
we are more
powerful
and more
wonderful
and more
insightful
it's because
Jesus has
conquered death
and he's
conquered sin
and he's
conquered hostile
spiritual powers
and he does it
for you
and he does it
for me
and he reaches
his hands
across
and all
who humbly
reach their hands
can only reach
a tiny distance
his hand is strong
and his arm
is long
and he reaches
down
my grip
is weak
his grip
will not fail
and when I reach
out to him
he will grab
my wrist
crossing that
infinite distance
from heaven
to earth
and take me
as his own
and no work
of the beast
can ever
overcome
that is the
Christian confidence
in the face
of the beast
one
I see my time
is up
just one thing
ask your
patience
some of you
might say
George I have
an easy time
believing
in demons
I have a hard
time believing
that I could
worship the beast
like what do you
think I am George
you think I'm
like a tweener
girl
going kooky
over
you know
Justin Bieber
or whoever
the latest
little tweeny
heartthrob
is
do you think
I'm like one
of those
political type
of geeks
who get all
excited at a
convention
over something
that Kathleen
Wynne says
or Hudak
says
or Merwa
says
or Harper
or Trudeau
or Moclair
do you think
I'm like one
of those
like really
odd people
who get all
excited at a
convention
over something
I have a hard
time believing
that I would
ever worship
anything
I have an
easier time
believing in
demons
than I would
worship
the beast
just here
in closing
a very very
important thing
the Bible
teaches
Andrew if you
could put it
up
is to be
human is to
worship
the Bible
teaches is that
to be human
is to worship
therefore the
question I
daily need
to face
is who
or what
am I
worshiping
who or
what
am I
worshiping
and the
heart of
worship
is an
ecstasy
the heart
of worship
is what
do I
serve
what do
I love
what do
I obey
what do
I trust
what do
I hope
in
like as
you go
through your
day what
are you
serving
what are
you loving
what are
you hoping
what are
you
serving
loving
obeying
hoping
trusting
what do
you put
your trust
in
your hope
in
what
God
or gods
are
organizing
your day
in terms
of the
things
that you
serve
love
obey
trust
and hope
in
and the
Bible
teaches
that human
beings
are always
serving
something
always
loving
something
always
obeying
something
always
trusting
something
always
hoping
in
something
and unless
the supreme
thing that we
serve and
love and
obey and
trust and
hope in
is God
himself
then all
these other
lesser things
become
gods
to us
and we
might not
feel ecstatic
about it
I mean
maybe we
will
maybe if
we're
worshipping
money
and we
win
a hundred
thousand
dollars
we will
get
ecstatic
about it
and we'll
look just
like a
tweeny
girl
worshipping
the latest
heartthrob
maybe it
wouldn't even
be a hundred
thousand
dollars
maybe it's
finding a
twenty dollar
bill in
your pocket
I don't
know
maybe it
has to
be more
but it's
not all
about
ecstasy
it's
about
serving
loving
obeying
trusting
and hoping
in something
and here's
the sort
of the
takeaway
from the
text for
us
it's
this
dear God
please help
me to
recognize
who or
what
I serve
love
obey
trust
and hope
in
if it is
not you
alone
then help
me to
repent
and learn
to worship
you alone
for your
glory
dear God
please help
me to
recognize
who or
what I
serve
love
obey
and trust
and hope
in
if it
is not
you
alone
then help
me to
repent
and learn
to worship
you alone
for your
glory
please stand
remember the
very center
of the
text is
verse 10
here is a
call for the
endurance and
faith of the
saints
we enter the
Jesus way
one by one
but we walk
the Jesus way
with Jesus
and others
that's what
the Christian
life is
that we
enter the
Jesus way
by putting
our faith
and trust
in him
we acknowledge
that we
have a
hard time
we serve
love
obey
trust
hope
in all
sorts
of
things
and we
have a
hard time
doing it
in our
own
effort
our own
flesh
doing that
with God
we need
to be
reconciled
to God
by what
Jesus
does
upon
the
cross
and when
we put
our
faith
and hope
and trust
in him
we enter
the
Jesus
way
just
one
person
at a
time
my
parents
can't
do
it
for
me
my
kids
can't
do
it
for
me
I
have
to
do
it
myself
but
I
walk
the
Jesus
way
you
walk
the
Jesus
way
with
Jesus
and
others
and
the
book
of
Revelation
is
trying
to
tell
us
that
his
way
may
be
very
hard
at
times
it's
very
hard
probably
to be
a
follower
of
Jesus
in
Iran
today
or
Saudi
Arabia
today
so
there's
places
in the
world
where
it'll
but
it
is
never
impossible
or
doomed
because
the
primary
work
is
done
by
Jesus
for
us
and
the
Bible
invites
us
to
respond
to
the
gospel
and
as
we
respond
to
the
gospel
the
story
of
Jesus
to
pray
that
we'll
be
gripped
by
the
gospel
in
such
a
way
that
our
lives
will
be
formed
to
bring
God
glory
let's
bow
our
heads
in
prayer
father
i give
you
thanks
and
praise
that
you
did
not
weigh
our
merits
but
pardoned
our
offenses
we
give
you
thanks
and
praise
that
your
son
did
not
die
upon
the
cross
only
to
come
back
to
life
and
have
to
die
again
we
give
you
thanks
and
praise
that
when
he
died
upon
the
cross
he
defeated
sin
and
defeated
death
and
defeated
all
hostile
spiritual
powers
so
that
when
we
come
to
him
in
repentance
and
faith
he
gives
us
true
life
eternal
life
everlasting
life
our
names
are
written
in
the
lamb's
book
of
life
we
give
you
thanks
and
praise
that
he
does
not
have
us
enter
more
deeply
into
death
or
evil
a
living
death
that
he
offers
us
life
eternal
life
we
give
you
thanks
and
praise
father
for
the
great
victory
of
Jesus
may
your
Holy
Spirit
so
move
and
work
within
our
lives
that
we
are
gripped
by
the
gospel
so
gripped
by
the
gospel
day
by
day
that
we
bring
you
glory
with
our
lives
and
all
this
we
ask
in
the
name
of
Jesus
your
son
and
our
savior
amen
to
what
serve
and
give
fucking
love
one
of
you
and
counseling
everybody
never
have
way
an
unhappy
here
now
you
know