1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,040 we should lean into this book at the very back of our Bibles and see what it 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:10,260 has to say for us. See what God is saying through his Apostle John to us today 3 00:00:10,260 --> 00:00:15,900 because we also saw that this contained a message given to Jesus to share with 4 00:00:15,900 --> 00:00:21,040 his servants for the latter days. And my friends I am convinced we are living in 5 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:27,840 the latter days. It is, it is, we do not have the time in this particular series 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:33,040 to go through all of the many different reasons for why I believe that. Matthew 7 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:39,720 24, Daniel, several places in the book of Daniel chapter chapter 2 and chapter 7 8 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:47,440 and chapter 8 and then Revelation 13 and there are reasons to believe it. So this 9 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:51,960 is this is why we are looking at it. We want to learn of Jesus. Last night our 10 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:59,600 title for the message was Revelation and the Gospel because we read in Revelation 11 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:04,960 14 and verse 6 that there was an angel flying in the midst of heaven with the 12 00:01:04,960 --> 00:01:11,840 everlasting gospel for summarizing it everybody. All the peoples men and women 13 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,000 boys and girls regardless of the language that you and I might or might 14 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,120 not know regardless of how close they live to us in northwest Georgia or the 15 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:25,960 farthest reaches of Africa the gospel message is for everyone and so that was 16 00:01:25,960 --> 00:01:31,160 last night's presentation. We had a good time I would encourage you to come 17 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:36,680 tonight as we continue this is this is for those who don't know I guess kind of 18 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:41,480 a two weekend intensive that's that's a good way of describing it. Last night 19 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:47,600 right now tonight and then we repeat the same schedule next weekend Friday 20 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:53,720 evening at 7 Saturday morning at 11 Saturday evening at 7 we will wrap up 21 00:01:53,720 --> 00:02:00,960 this message in Revelation 14. Last night we also talked about how much like 22 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:08,400 Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 4 the Shema was Israel's slogan if you will 23 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:13,720 that was their declaration of faith that was their their rallying call their 24 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,360 rallying cry that they taught to their children that they taught each other 25 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:23,920 they recited it they memorized it and so forth we discussed that Revelation 14 of 26 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:30,080 the three angels messages are really the Seventh-day Adventist churches rallying 27 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:35,960 cry it's not the embodiment of all of the things that we believe but it is a 28 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:43,120 a unique passage in the Bible that our church believes we should be proclaiming 29 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:47,720 in a special and specific way you can go to just about any Seventh-day Adventist 30 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,560 church around the world and mention the three angels messages they will know 31 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,880 what you're talking about that's what we mean by it's our rallying cry it's 32 00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:04,800 really important and it's saturated with the gospel that good news of 33 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:11,000 forgiveness of sins and the free offer of grace from God himself I encourage 34 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,800 you to study into it and if you have questions about it see me afterwards we 35 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,160 can we can look at it again we're not going to go through the whole thing all 36 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:23,360 over this morning though we are going to go to our second message revelations 37 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:29,720 greatest issue this is the first angels message if you have your Bibles we will 38 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:34,400 be looking in Revelation 14 we will go elsewhere but that's where we're going 39 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:38,640 to start and before we do that though let's have one more word of prayer 40 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,680 heavenly Father thank you again for this beautiful Sabbath today for a chance to 41 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:47,320 worship and honor you Lord I pray that we would understand this greatest issue 42 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:52,160 at the heart of the book of Revelation bring it home to us today we pray in your 43 00:03:52,160 --> 00:04:02,440 name amen amen imagine yourself having tickets to Carnegie Hall and you got to 44 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:08,080 listen and watch and experience what it would be to have one of the Philharmonic 45 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:15,280 orchestras playing Beethoven's greatest hits or Bach or Tchaikovsky and you got 46 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:21,760 to sit in maybe the first level of the upper deck so it's prime seating and you 47 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:26,360 can see the people and everyone is dressed up nicely and you've got the 48 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:32,000 brass and the strings the percussion and the woodwinds all in harmony playing 49 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:38,520 wonderfully and your heart is lifted up and it's fantastic and then imagine that 50 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:43,520 someone comes running into the hall screaming at the top of their lungs turn 51 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:51,200 on the lights everyone get up and leave fire as a side note it's not illegal to 52 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:55,160 yell fire in a in a crowded theater that don't believe that if people say it but 53 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:59,760 imagine someone does this in Carnegie Hall you're there you're enjoying it 54 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:05,560 your tickets were not five dollars they might be a little bit more maybe you 55 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,560 took your significant other first to dinner and it was a nice place because 56 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,360 you were dressed up nicely and then you went to the hall and then they had the 57 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:18,800 chandeliers and the velvet and all the things that are there and you wondered 58 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:28,640 how do I respond to the cry of fire well a couple of options one I pay too much 59 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:36,200 for these seats I ain't leaving these are mine mine row a a seat six and seven 60 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:44,120 I paid too much I'm not leaving maybe because we live in a world where 61 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:48,240 sometimes it's good to be skeptical you have learned to be skeptical you might 62 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:53,640 say I don't believe that person I don't know them they're random Joe Smith 63 00:05:53,640 --> 00:06:00,760 or Jane Doe why are they yelling fire and why should I trust them at their word 64 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:07,880 maybe you believe them but you don't believe it's urgent it's true perhaps 65 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:12,640 there's a fire but maybe they just saw someone use a lighter outside the back 66 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:18,920 exit and that's what they mean by fire it's not urgent I can take my time it's 67 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:25,680 in the far back corner and I'm up here safe and sound I'll go when I feel like 68 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:33,020 it or I guess you could also just take them at their word understand the 69 00:06:33,020 --> 00:06:40,400 urgency of it respond and get up and leave to safety I might recommend that 70 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,520 if there's some evidence that the person is is urgently proclaiming it that 71 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:48,360 there's some sincerity and how they're delivering it and they don't stop with 72 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:53,160 it maybe you should respond accordingly they're trying to get your attention and 73 00:06:53,160 --> 00:07:00,200 it's good to respond to warnings but warnings are valid only if the crisis is 74 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:05,200 real which is why we go through some of those other options is it real is it 75 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:12,120 true warnings have no value in a fake crisis we're looking at the three angels 76 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:18,080 messages of Revelation 14 and they are God's final warning given in love to 77 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:25,520 a world on the verge of a stupendous crisis in our study we've we've seen 78 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:29,840 that the gospel is to be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all the 79 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:35,320 nations to prepare our world for the coming of Jesus this is not unlike 80 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:39,840 something that is also recorded in the Bible where a warning was given the 81 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:46,400 messages today are just as important as Noah's message was in his day but a good 82 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:55,440 question to ask is was anyone saved who didn't go in the ark no how long did Noah 83 00:07:55,440 --> 00:08:05,400 preach 120 years someone might wonder if he was a broken record someone might 84 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:10,120 think that he was just being a little redundant can you imagine if you walk 85 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,560 through these doors and and weekend and weekend and weekend afterwards I stood 86 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:20,520 here in the pulpit and I told you the exact same sermon word for word would 87 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:29,320 you continue to come with the same sense of urgency sadly in Noah's day eight 88 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:36,200 carried through over the full hundred and twenty years was it God's intent 89 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:42,440 that only eight people get in the boat no that boat was certainly large enough 90 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:51,400 for more he wanted more the urgency was for more the cry was please come in God 91 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:56,400 would have been delighted if the entire sea were filled with arcs can you 92 00:08:56,400 --> 00:09:01,600 imagine rather than a singular boat a fleet of ships because everyone took Noah 93 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:06,320 at his word that story would be written very differently in the book of Genesis 94 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:14,680 wouldn't it God sent Noah to prepare the world for the flood sin had reached its 95 00:09:14,680 --> 00:09:20,360 limits and in the antediluvian world the society had filled up the cup of their 96 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:28,000 iniquity Genesis helps us understand revelation because we see repeated themes 97 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:33,040 from then to now the crisis that the world faced in Noah's day is similar to 98 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:38,520 the crisis that the world will face in the last days because in Genesis 6 3 God 99 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:45,320 said my spirit shall not strive with man forever meaning that God had it's 100 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:53,880 driven for men for a long time and they had rejected his pleas well because God 101 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:59,840 is not one who programs us to be like a robot he honors our freedom of choice he 102 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:03,000 goes if they don't want to listen to me at some point I'm gonna stop talking 103 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:10,600 to them they have made a choice but why did they stop talking or stop listening 104 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:15,360 to God why was it that God's spirit wouldn't strive forever what was the 105 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:20,920 condition of humanity in the days of Noah the Bible tells us that the Lord 106 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:25,840 saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth that every intent of the 107 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:32,920 thoughts of his heart was only evil continually heaven did all it could but 108 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:40,560 the cancer of sin was deep and malignant it had metastasized everywhere and these 109 00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:46,240 people were not looking for chemo they were happy and content with what they 110 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:54,040 had and so God left them to their choice the cancer of sin must however be rooted 111 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:59,960 out of our world I'm tired of seeing the results of sin I am tired of 112 00:10:59,960 --> 00:11:07,480 experiencing the results of sin I am no longer 12 my knees hurt I think others 113 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:15,240 can relate maybe more than me I have had close loved ones die death is the 114 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:20,040 result of sin I'm tired of it I'm tired of the pandemics I'm tired of the 115 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:24,720 earthquakes I'm tired of the hateful rhetoric I'm tired of the gossip and the 116 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:33,480 slander that's all fruit of sin I'm sick of it and I know God is too he wants to 117 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:38,360 root it out of our world and God back then started over with righteous Noah 118 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:46,760 and his family once again like in that time God is sending his final warning 119 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:52,960 message to the world once again heaven is making a final appeal once again 120 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:59,320 Jesus is giving this world its last warning in the messages of the three 121 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:05,560 angels in Noah's day the world was destroyed by water the Bible tells us 122 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:13,240 that in the last destruction it will be by fire in the last days just like in 123 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:18,080 Noah's days once those hundred and twenty years dragged on I'm sure there 124 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:24,680 were cynics and there are cynics today who ask where is the promise of his 125 00:12:24,680 --> 00:12:32,120 coming second Peter warned us that this would be true maybe we can get this to 126 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,880 not lean back so badly just as I as I skip along I don't know how we can do 127 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:41,080 that in second Peter chapter 3 we read that knowing this first of all that 128 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:46,120 scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing following their own sinful 129 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:51,520 desires they will say where is the promise of his coming forever since the 130 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:56,200 fathers fell asleep all things are continuing as they were from the 131 00:12:56,200 --> 00:13:04,800 beginning of creation as I observed the ads as I observed the ads for this 132 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:08,240 Facebook post and I don't actually know any of the people personally and if this 133 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:15,080 is you forgive me as I observed the comments at least two people responded 134 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:20,520 in a similar fashion why should I attend we've known all these things forever and 135 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:26,240 it's going to continue like this in essence that was their response that was 136 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:32,960 their comment Peter told us that this would be the case but he continues and 137 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:39,160 he says don't listen to the scoffers because the day of the Lord will it will 138 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:44,000 come as a thief in the night in which the heavens will pass away with a great 139 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:48,040 noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat both the earth and the 140 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:53,120 works that are in it will be burned up please note there is not a might there 141 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:59,040 is not a maybe there is not a perhaps if the seasons are right will come don't 142 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:03,240 listen to the scoffers this next part the coming as a thief that's for the 143 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:08,040 scoffers the scoffers are gonna get caught off guard because they're not 144 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:12,920 prepared for it they're not listening to the call they're not listening to the 145 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:19,720 warnings they have turned down the dials on their hearing aids so they can't hear 146 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:25,840 the comments any longer like my father-in-law used to do I don't want to 147 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:32,360 listen but we know that it's going to be obvious elements do not melt with heat 148 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:36,260 earth and the works that are in them being burned up that ain't secret my 149 00:14:36,260 --> 00:14:42,520 friends you're gonna see it know it experience it it will happen but the 150 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:48,680 scoffers are caught unawares I would implore you to not be one of those 151 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:54,000 scoffers caught unaware as we study the book of Revelation we see that the 152 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:59,080 purpose of this book is to prepare a people to be ready for Jesus soon 153 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:04,840 return it's a purpose of Revelation a people that will unite with him in 154 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:10,320 giving his last-day message to the world and this is where we get to today's 155 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:16,080 passage Revelation 14 in verse 7 the next one after what we studied last 156 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:22,760 night let us read it fear God and give him glory because the hour of his 157 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:28,280 judgment has come worship him who made heaven and earth the sea and the springs 158 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:34,720 of water since the time in which we are now living is the final period of this 159 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:40,280 earth's history the everlasting gospel of Christ's grace leads us to make a 160 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:48,520 total commitment of our lives to the one who gave his all for us he bled all he 161 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:57,000 hung there for you and me for all and in return God is asking for all let us 162 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:02,800 break this down we begin with our first part of the passage fear God and give 163 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:08,560 him glory well what does it mean to fear God well in Greek the word for fear is 164 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:15,560 phobeo which means in the sense of reverence awe and respect there is an 165 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:21,160 element of afraid because God is sovereign and destruction is coming for 166 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:28,200 the wicked however that is not why we worship God we do not give God our 167 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:34,080 allegiance and and and and our respect and our reverence because we are afraid 168 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:38,880 of him we worship him in this sense reverence 169 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:47,720 awe respect for who he is compared to who we are it is an attitude of mind 170 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:54,120 that is goddess centered rather than self-centered to recognize the immense 171 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:58,480 love of God his underlying endless love revealed in the everlasting gospel on 172 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:05,440 Calvary we willingly respond in loving obedience let's read this I love this 173 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:09,800 well from one of my favorite books the exercise of force is contrary to the 174 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:14,760 principles of God's government he won't make you do something you don't want to 175 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:21,160 do spiritually speaking he desires only the service of love last night we read 176 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:28,080 that we love because he first loved us and love cannot be commanded try doing 177 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:34,240 that to your husband or wife love me now doesn't work that way you want them to 178 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:40,880 do it in return it cannot be won by force or authority only by love is love 179 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:50,440 awakened to know God is to love him his character must be manifest in contrast 180 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:57,080 to the character of Satan because when we are discussing spiritual things and 181 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:02,880 the greatest issue it comes down to whose side are you on whose character are 182 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:08,800 you modeling yourself after and if we are to contrast God's love with Satan's 183 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:13,960 character what does the Bible tell us about Satan's character we get a glimpse 184 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:19,920 into what that original deceiver thought back in heaven before he was Satan he 185 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:25,880 was Lucifer the light-bearer but he said in his heart I will ascend to heaven 186 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:31,520 above the stars of God I will set my throne on high I will sit on the Mount 187 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:36,880 of assembly in the far reaches of the north I will ascend above the heights of 188 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:43,640 the clouds and in great profanity he says I will make myself like the most 189 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:54,880 high how unbelievably narcissistic can you get how blasphemous can you be I 190 00:18:54,880 --> 00:19:02,240 will be God I'm gonna overthrow him and everything else that he has created the 191 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:09,320 essence of the debate between God and Satan the essence of that great 192 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:18,740 controversy revolves around who do we submit to is it God is it Lucifer is it 193 00:19:18,740 --> 00:19:24,560 Jesus or is it Satan we just read that Lucifer was exceptionally self-centered 194 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:30,240 how many eyes did you read in that passage how many eyes are there he refused 195 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:36,240 to submit to any authority except his own rather than submit to the one upon 196 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:42,120 the throne Lucifer desired to rule from the throne and in case you are unaware 197 00:19:42,120 --> 00:19:46,640 he does not respect your freedom of choice like the way the God of love does 198 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:54,880 he is happy to coerce and deceive and and trick and lie and force and and kill 199 00:19:54,880 --> 00:20:03,040 if you don't go along with him very contrary to God but fearing God and 200 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:06,440 giving him glory is something worth understanding so we need to better 201 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:11,960 understand what it is to fear God by looking at other examples in the Bible 202 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:16,640 we're gonna go through these semi quickly Deuteronomy 6 to says fear the 203 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,640 Lord your God to keep all his commandments and statutes which I 204 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:28,900 command you Psalm 119 73 and 74 say your hands have made me and fashioned me give 205 00:20:28,900 --> 00:20:34,160 me understanding that I may learn your commandments those who fear you will be 206 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:40,560 glad when they see me because I have hoped in your word that's a nice Hebrew 207 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:48,360 parallelism of equating the commandments and God's Word it's beautiful this is a 208 00:20:48,360 --> 00:20:55,120 really good quote not by me that's how I know it's really good it is not the 209 00:20:55,120 --> 00:21:01,880 importance of the thing but the majesty of the lawgiver we're gonna drive this 210 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:06,600 home because some like to accuse fearing God and equating it with the 211 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:12,480 commandments as y'all are trying to work your way into the pearly gates but this 212 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:16,320 is really good it is not at the importance of the thing whatever that 213 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:22,280 thing is whatever you think you're going to do in obedience to God but it is the 214 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:29,240 majesty of the lawgiver that is to be the standard of obedience some indeed 215 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:34,120 might reckon such minute and arbitrary rules as these as trifling but the 216 00:21:34,120 --> 00:21:38,760 principle involved in obedience or disobedience was none other than the 217 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:44,380 same principle which was tried in Eden at the foot of the forbidden tree it is 218 00:21:44,380 --> 00:21:51,320 really this is the Lord to be obeyed in all things we are faced with the same 219 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:58,200 challenge that Eve and Adam were who do we listen to our creator or a snake who 220 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:02,440 do we listen to is the Lord to be obeyed in all things whatsoever he 221 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:07,800 commands is he a holy lawgiver are his creatures bound to give implicit assent 222 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:14,560 to his will that's Andrew Bonner quoted in J. Bridges the pursuit of holiness in 223 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:20,760 other words do you recognize God as your creator is he the one who directs and 224 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:26,680 dictates or are you do you model yourself after his character or do you 225 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:34,440 fashion yourself after Lucifer's self-focus self aggrandizing that's the 226 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:39,680 question that we have to answer we get some good instructions and how to 227 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:44,400 respond to this Paul writing to the church and colossi says set your mind 228 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:50,280 on things above not on things on the earth in other words the holiness of God 229 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:55,400 is where you place your thoughts what's his character like how deep and boundless 230 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:59,800 is his love not the things that surround us we've already talked about just how 231 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:04,280 awful it is down here why would we obsess over that when we have when we 232 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:08,720 have a person who loves us who's glorious and beautiful that we can focus 233 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:14,760 on I dare say that would lead us to better thoughts the final battle in this 234 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:21,760 great controversy between good and evil is for our minds not I would say only 235 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:26,640 for our actions you can do all the right things and have your mind in the gutter 236 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:33,520 fair enough God wants your mind our actions though reveal what our thinking 237 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:41,800 process is when we think things as we absorb and take in and it becomes a part 238 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:46,600 of us and then we put it into practice more and more what we do then 239 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:54,000 demonstrates what we are if you will to fear God is to make him first in our 240 00:23:54,000 --> 00:23:58,320 lives the wise man concluding the book of 241 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:03,800 Ecclesiastes after he's discussed many other things in life sums it up this way 242 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:08,960 though the end of the matter all has been heard fear God and keep his 243 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:16,400 commandments for this is the whole duty of man if you want to just open up your 244 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:21,560 Bible underline a verse highlight it and then put a little bookmark there and say 245 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:26,840 how simply can I just summarize what all the rest of those pages have for me 246 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:32,560 right here and then you prayerfully wrestle over how can that be put into 247 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:38,040 action in my life right there after all has been heard fear God keep his 248 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:43,760 commandments for this is the whole duty of man we don't often talk a lot about 249 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:49,880 someone's duty today in age we talk a lot about identity or how they feel or 250 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:55,880 what they get out of something the Bible summarizes that the wisest man that has 251 00:24:55,880 --> 00:25:02,120 ever walked this green earth summarizes it as a duty of man to fear God and to 252 00:25:02,120 --> 00:25:08,680 keep his commandments you have a responsibility why because he continues 253 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:14,640 this thought he says for God will bring every deed into judgment with every 254 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:22,320 secret thing whether good or evil there are many sins today I wish would go back 255 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:28,200 into being secret there used to be a time when actions carried shame with it 256 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:33,620 and now it seems a lot of that is out in the open I would like it to go back 257 00:25:33,620 --> 00:25:40,360 behind the curtains into the secret places but the Bible tells us that even 258 00:25:40,360 --> 00:25:46,000 those sins kept in secret are not kept from the eye of God you cannot run away 259 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:52,240 from it forever God is going to bring every deed into judgment what is this 260 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,840 judgment this is going to bring us to our second point in our passage for 261 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:03,120 today the message to fear God and give him glory is not simply an arbitrary 262 00:26:03,120 --> 00:26:08,520 instruction it's not just because God woke up on the right side of the bed on 263 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:14,120 a Wednesday and said this is what I want there's a reason behind it there is a 264 00:26:14,120 --> 00:26:18,000 purpose to the urgency of this call remember if we talked about if you're 265 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:24,120 crying out fire that's because you want people to live you don't want people to 266 00:26:24,120 --> 00:26:29,080 get burnt you want people to be saved and and maybe you've called a 9-1-1 so 267 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:33,840 the fireman can also save at the building there's an urgency there's a reason for 268 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:39,640 that urgency let's read our second part of a part in red because the hour of his 269 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:49,000 judgment has come the hour of his judgment has come in Ecclesiastes we saw 270 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,280 that God's going to bring things into judgments if you're wondering about the 271 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:59,280 timing of that judgment it's now my friends the has come is in a way written 272 00:26:59,280 --> 00:27:06,240 meaning present and continuing it is now and it's going to go on until it's 273 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:11,540 completed I'll give you a sneak peek the completion is when Jesus comes back to 274 00:27:11,540 --> 00:27:20,160 take his people home until that happens the judgment goes on it's right now 275 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:27,040 Daniel Webster one of America's best-known statesmen and orators was 276 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:36,200 asked a question one day that question was how he regarded his greatest insight 277 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:40,080 or what was his greatest insight and this was his response his response was 278 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:45,280 the sense of my individual responsibility to God it's a nice 279 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:51,440 succinct statement he goes on to expand on it though this thought is not pleasant 280 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:57,640 to those who are living in their sins and out of relationship to him 281 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:05,480 consequently they are not prepared to face the tremendous issues involved but 282 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:10,680 whether the issues are faced or not the fact remains so then each of us shall 283 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:18,360 give account of himself to God Romans 14 we all are responsible to God as the 284 00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:24,360 word of God declares and we cannot escape our responsibility I would say 285 00:28:24,360 --> 00:28:31,080 that's why many people fear the judgment while some look forward to the judgment 286 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:35,920 and I would say there is good reason to look forward to the judgment Paul 287 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:40,280 writing to the church in Corinth says this for we must all appear before the 288 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:48,360 judgment seat of Christ is that an exclusionary language no that is the 289 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:55,400 most inclusionary language you can find anywhere that all literally means all 290 00:28:55,400 --> 00:29:00,320 that each one may receive the things done in the body according what he has 291 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:10,360 done either good or bad but the judgment is much much more than just us it 292 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:17,120 involves us it includes us in some real way it is about us but it is more than 293 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:23,600 us because we know that there's no question that we are accountable to God 294 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:28,840 we know that there is no question that we are responsible for our own actions 295 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:33,400 that's what the word of God says and we know that there is no question that the 296 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:38,520 decisions we make will determine our eternal destiny you're rewarded based 297 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:44,520 on your choices and your actions and your faith or lack thereof but what we 298 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:49,400 want to study right now is a larger broader picture and understanding of the 299 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:56,040 judgment and how it impacts our lives many Christians fear the judgment I have 300 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:59,760 heard that several times from people I've known in my life maybe you've heard 301 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:03,960 it maybe you've said it I fear the judgment I don't like that let's read 302 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:09,800 about the other things let's not look at that people dread having their lives 303 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:15,160 reviewed before a righteous God but as we study the judgment in our presentation 304 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:22,840 today let's remember these principles one in the judgment Jesus is our judge 305 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:28,440 John 5 22 Jesus speaks of himself for the father judges no one but has 306 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:33,720 committed all judgment to the son so the one who died for you is also the one who 307 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:40,160 judges you we are judged not by a stern demanding a God as many people picture 308 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:47,760 or claim but we are judged by a loving Savior who was willing to die for us but 309 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:54,560 there's more Jesus is not only our judge he is also our defense attorney if you 310 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:58,400 can imagine having a court stacked in your favor this is the definition of 311 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:03,520 that John writes in first John my little children these things I write to you so 312 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:07,760 that you may not sin and if anyone sins we have an advocate with the Father 313 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:13,840 Jesus Christ the righteous the advocate is someone who's operating on our behalf 314 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:19,320 he is the judge and he's the one operating on our behalf the defense 315 00:31:19,320 --> 00:31:27,160 attorney yeah if you were to walk into traffic court and you had your violation 316 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:31,720 in hand and right there was was your attorney maybe it was bad maybe you were 317 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:36,920 going I don't know 200 in a 30 that would be bad you would need an attorney 318 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:40,920 for that I dare say you had your attorney sitting there and the attorney 319 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:45,760 stood up and the attorney says we're going to plead not guilty your honor and 320 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:49,200 then he takes off his coat he puts on black robes and he runs up and he sits 321 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:52,360 behind the bench and he goes all right the plea of not guilty has been received 322 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:57,120 into the records shall we continue with and then he takes off his robes and he 323 00:31:57,120 --> 00:31:59,640 puts on his coat and he runs back and he stands beside can you imagine how that 324 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:04,560 might be a little lopsided in your favor because of course your attorney is going 325 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:11,320 to put forth the best defense for the judge who is also himself that's all 326 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:18,480 lined up in our favor it's wonderful so then what is revelations judgment about 327 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:24,680 why should we take it seriously remember what we studied from our previous verse 328 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:29,760 that there is an everlasting gospel that is to be preached to the whole world 329 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:38,200 well one have you accepted the everlasting gospel and two do you 330 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:44,640 acknowledge God as ruler in your life that's in a nutshell the crux of the 331 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:49,600 judgment have you accepted the everlasting gospel and do you acknowledge 332 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:56,160 God as ruler in your life in other words like the thief on the cross as he was 333 00:32:56,160 --> 00:33:01,880 speaking to Jesus hanging next to him both men dying he saw in Jesus the 334 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:08,520 Christ and he saw in himself his own guilt do you like that thief accept 335 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:13,840 your own guilt I'm a sinner in need of a Savior do you then accept the 336 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:19,240 righteousness of Christ he paid the death so you don't have to he wants to 337 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:24,480 give it to you do you accept it and then finally have you actually asked for 338 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:30,440 salvation or do you continue to put it off just like the thief on the cross 339 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:37,080 this applies to you and I today it's a very serious matter Paul in the epistle 340 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:41,600 to the Roman says the wages of sin is death and that is not just simply we die 341 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:49,320 here that is also the eternal death the forever death entirely separated from 342 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:55,800 the life-giving God but the good news is that the free gift of God is eternal 343 00:33:55,800 --> 00:34:02,840 life in Christ Jesus our Lord it is not condemnation without hope in other 344 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:09,200 words the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in 345 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:14,200 Christ Jesus our Lord same writer different book for by grace you have 346 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:20,960 been saved through faith it's not your own doing it is the gift of God you 347 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:24,560 cannot go to a Christmas party and receive a gift and then look at the gift 348 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:30,480 giver and say here's the ten dollars for the no that's rude we don't do that 349 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:34,880 maybe we don't like the white elephant gift exchanges and you just go oh now 350 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:40,360 the roll of toilet paper but that's not what we're talking about someone who 351 00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:43,880 loves you has given you a priceless gift you don't then turn around and try to 352 00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:49,760 give them a dollar for it it's the free gift of God and he wants to give it to 353 00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:55,440 you it is also not a result of anything that you or I do no works so that no one 354 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:59,560 may boast we will not get to heaven and have some person say well I prayed a 355 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:07,280 thousand prayers and you only prayed 981 we don't get to do that all who enter 356 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:11,880 those pearly gates are there because of that same free gift no one can claim 357 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:18,840 anything that they have to offer for we are his workmanship created in Christ 358 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:24,480 Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them 359 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:31,400 you are created to do good things sin tainted that sin trips you up and causes 360 00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:36,240 you to do bad things harmful things hurtful things even if you don't want to 361 00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:42,280 sin makes you that was not God's intention for you from the beginning we 362 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:47,640 are his worksmanship created for good works which God prepared beforehand 363 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:52,980 that we should walk in them our good works empowered by the Holy Spirit they 364 00:35:52,980 --> 00:35:59,040 don't save us that just divorced that from your mind and anything that comes 365 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:04,000 close to it you can't do anything to earn the 366 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:10,320 salvation but our good works do testify that our faith is genuine God's final 367 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:17,200 judgment strips away the pretense God's final judgment takes off the mask that 368 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:24,280 we all like to wear strips of the veneer and shows who we really are what is our 369 00:36:24,280 --> 00:36:31,720 heart made of and whose character is it modeled after that's why we have an 370 00:36:31,720 --> 00:36:36,160 appeal from Paul I appeal to you therefore brothers by the mercies of God 371 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:42,480 present your bodies as a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which 372 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:49,680 is your reasonable service we're gonna look at two parts to this verse one the 373 00:36:49,680 --> 00:36:54,660 New Testament Greek for the word body Sumata is better translated as the 374 00:36:54,660 --> 00:37:03,800 collective sum of who you are body mind emotions it's all of you you cannot 375 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:08,800 submit your physical self thinking that your spiritual self is somehow disembodied 376 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:14,280 it does not work that way you cannot abuse the physical self and then think 377 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:18,880 that I'm keeping my mind clean and pure it does not work that way those are 378 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:23,440 ancient Greek philosophies and heresies that have somehow gotten into the 379 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:28,880 Christian Church we need to stop thinking that way when it says submit 380 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:37,480 your body to Christ as a reasonable sacrifice that's all of you physically 381 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:45,000 emotionally mentally spiritually you are a total package according to God you 382 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:54,840 cannot compartmentalize you and God is looking for all but what I'm sorry what 383 00:37:54,840 --> 00:38:01,160 is your reasonable service another way of translating this is an intelligent act 384 00:38:01,160 --> 00:38:07,960 of worship or in my version a spiritual worship an intelligent act of worship a 385 00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:17,280 spiritual worship that constitutes reasonable service in in all that you do 386 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:22,200 when you give your mind body and emotions to God you are performing an 387 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:28,680 act of intelligent worship that's awesome according to Paul our bodies 388 00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:33,240 are a sanctuary the dwelling place of the Spirit of God a temple made holy by 389 00:38:33,240 --> 00:38:43,800 the presence of God but that's going to bring us to our third and final point 390 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:48,480 Revelation 14 7 ends with the statement we've seen fearing God and giving him 391 00:38:48,480 --> 00:38:53,500 glory we've seen the reason why and now we see a little bit of the how worship 392 00:38:53,500 --> 00:38:58,760 him who made heaven and earth the sea and the springs of water we are called 393 00:38:58,760 --> 00:39:04,480 to worship God all of ourselves are called to worship God and the Bible 394 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:08,480 describes it as a reasonable service God doesn't ask of you something 395 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:13,680 unreasonable what does this mean well one you place your body on the altar as 396 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:18,920 a living sacrifice you open your heart and your mind to God's spirit so that he 397 00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:24,520 can influence you he can soften your hard sin-filled heart he can make you 398 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:30,960 more sensitive to spiritual God led things you have to you have to submit 399 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:36,320 to what God wants to do that's what it means to sacrifice your body on the 400 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:41,600 altar your body will truly be the temple of the Holy Spirit when you do that 401 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:46,720 because only those who do that get this do you not know that you are God's temple 402 00:39:46,720 --> 00:39:52,680 and that God's spirit dwells in you remember God doesn't force himself a 403 00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:58,280 spirit of God can only dwell in you as his temple if you want him to and allow 404 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:04,920 him to I would encourage you to to respond to that affirmatively positively 405 00:40:04,920 --> 00:40:13,040 welcome it in your life we continue is God at the center of our lives when God 406 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:18,420 is the center of our lives our one desire is to is to give glory to him in 407 00:40:18,420 --> 00:40:24,480 every aspect of our lives whether we whether that involves what we eat what 408 00:40:24,480 --> 00:40:29,520 we wear what we do for entertainments what we watch what we listen to there's 409 00:40:29,520 --> 00:40:39,480 a lot of trash out there and as the saying goes trash in trash out is God 410 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:44,760 the center of your lives do you at least start your day with a prayer heaven 411 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:49,800 word at least it's one of the easiest things you can do in your spiritual 412 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:53,280 practice your eyes wake open because the alarm goes off and you don't want it to 413 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:57,480 you hit your snooze once or twice or three times or maybe you've stacked up 414 00:40:57,480 --> 00:41:02,040 alarms in your phone like like the younger generations do when you 415 00:41:02,040 --> 00:41:05,520 eventually decide I'm going to wake up and I'm going to get out of bed before 416 00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:14,000 you do so I really encourage you send a word of prayer heavenward thank God that 417 00:41:14,000 --> 00:41:19,080 you have breath in your lungs that morning and your eyes opened thank God 418 00:41:19,080 --> 00:41:23,560 that you know you're not going to walk through the day alone he's promised to 419 00:41:23,560 --> 00:41:30,120 be with you always until the world is no more it's still here that means he's 420 00:41:30,120 --> 00:41:35,440 still here with you is God the center of your life when you sit down to eat your 421 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:41,360 your waffles like my son does each morning when you want to have your your 422 00:41:41,360 --> 00:41:47,120 drink or your salad or your whatever it is you eat your pizza do you thank God 423 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:52,880 for the food do you ask that he bless the food so that you can be healthier 424 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:58,160 more than you could be otherwise without his blessing acknowledge him in it is 425 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:03,560 God in the center of your lives when you consider when you consider your 426 00:42:03,560 --> 00:42:12,040 entertainment is it filled with filth or is it can't hardly get away from it but 427 00:42:12,040 --> 00:42:19,160 let's just say less filthy does it lean closer to the positive and away from the 428 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:24,800 negative does it entice you with temptations that you struggle with don't 429 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:29,640 watch or listen those to those things stay away from it whatever it is if it's 430 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:34,160 a substance if it's a people if it's an action whatever it is don't let it be 431 00:42:34,160 --> 00:42:40,360 the center of your life in place of God if it's your career do you praise God 432 00:42:40,360 --> 00:42:44,600 that you have a job with an income regardless of where you fall on that 433 00:42:44,600 --> 00:42:51,720 spectrum praise God you have it millions don't praise God when we do and if you 434 00:42:51,720 --> 00:42:57,240 find yourself without one seek him for one he might lead you into something 435 00:42:57,240 --> 00:43:03,760 that is perfect for you but even if you go for a while without still put God 436 00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:11,360 first because he still cares for you we give glory to God as we reveal his 437 00:43:11,360 --> 00:43:16,960 character to the world through lives committed to doing his will and this is 438 00:43:16,960 --> 00:43:21,280 even more important in the light of Earth's end time judgment any life 439 00:43:21,280 --> 00:43:27,320 focused primarily on self narrowed it down and I love this phrase we use it 440 00:43:27,320 --> 00:43:31,880 again from last night narrowed it down in the claustrophobic confines of its own 441 00:43:31,880 --> 00:43:37,900 littleness it's a very small life if you want to live a big life live a life for 442 00:43:37,900 --> 00:43:44,480 God if you want to live a tiny claustrophobic squeezed in kind of life 443 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:50,120 live a life for self live a life for God because we give glory to God when we 444 00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:55,800 reveal his character to the world what an amazing opportunity we get to show 445 00:43:55,800 --> 00:44:04,160 others God himself that's impressive that's big well if you notice some of 446 00:44:04,160 --> 00:44:07,960 the phrasing at the end of this this last little this last little sentence 447 00:44:07,960 --> 00:44:12,280 worship him who made heaven and earth the sea and the springs of water we will 448 00:44:12,280 --> 00:44:18,040 notice that we also give glory to God by acknowledging him as our creator 449 00:44:18,040 --> 00:44:23,480 Genesis 1 1 the Bible opens this way in the beginning God created the heavens 450 00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:28,200 and the earth this verse is the foundation for all of scripture Moses 451 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:34,680 did not see fit to explain God's existence Moses did not see fit to just 452 00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:39,640 think grand philosophical here's where I know there's a divine being that loves 453 00:44:39,640 --> 00:44:46,040 me and made the nope it's assumed it's there God and then God did what well God 454 00:44:46,040 --> 00:44:55,000 is first known as a creator God created this Hebrew verb is linked to God's 455 00:44:55,000 --> 00:45:01,920 creative activity it is important to God this is different than the Hebrew word 456 00:45:01,920 --> 00:45:08,520 for making or made this is creating it belongs to God only he can do these 457 00:45:08,520 --> 00:45:14,040 kinds of acts he speaks the Sun the moon and the stars appear in the sky he 458 00:45:14,040 --> 00:45:19,560 speaks and grass jumps up he speaks and deers bound through the grass and trout 459 00:45:19,560 --> 00:45:26,320 leap in the streams only for man and woman did he not speak he knelt into 460 00:45:26,320 --> 00:45:32,240 the dirt and he shaped us with his own hands that's that's a personal 461 00:45:32,240 --> 00:45:38,640 involvement in his creation distinctly different from all the rest of it and 462 00:45:38,640 --> 00:45:44,160 it's a wonderful thing that he created you and me it's a reoccurring theme in 463 00:45:44,160 --> 00:45:49,920 the Bible one example of many Isaiah writes this lift up your eyes on high and 464 00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:54,380 see who created these he who brings out their host by number calling them all by 465 00:45:54,380 --> 00:45:58,520 name by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power not one is 466 00:45:58,520 --> 00:46:02,720 missing you know we read sometimes an article where it says a star is dying 467 00:46:02,720 --> 00:46:07,400 it's soon to disappear it's gonna become nope God knows it not one is missing 468 00:46:07,400 --> 00:46:10,880 God knows when that star becomes I don't know the different dwarfs or the Giants 469 00:46:10,880 --> 00:46:14,120 or whatever they call them they collapse in and then you know we find out about 470 00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:20,280 it well after the fact God knows them by name and he goes up there goes Sally I 471 00:46:20,280 --> 00:46:25,880 don't know you know there goes Pleiades there goes you know Orion still there 472 00:46:25,880 --> 00:46:31,280 Pleiades is still there but God knows them God knows them when we look at the 473 00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:34,880 images that are coming through James Webb telescope if you've been here for 474 00:46:34,880 --> 00:46:37,800 a little while and you've heard me preach you know I'm fascinated by these 475 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:42,200 images coming on our new telescope James Webb is looking farther out into space 476 00:46:42,200 --> 00:46:46,600 than anything else before in fact it is looking so far and it's seeing so many 477 00:46:46,600 --> 00:46:50,840 new things that just this week it was reported it is read this one telescope 478 00:46:50,840 --> 00:46:57,560 is reshaping the the astrophysic kind of the theories revolve involving the 479 00:46:57,560 --> 00:47:02,120 universe the one telescope it's it's just blowing that that whole discussion 480 00:47:02,120 --> 00:47:08,720 wide open and saying ah funny how humans might be wrong for so many years look at 481 00:47:08,720 --> 00:47:12,680 how vast it is out there we have to change our approach to it when you look 482 00:47:12,680 --> 00:47:18,000 up there and you see those swirling galaxies and those bright twinkling stars 483 00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:24,320 think of the Creator God think of him who the Bible says these are his foot 484 00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:31,200 stool that's how vast he is that's why I'm amazed with the James Webb telescope 485 00:47:31,200 --> 00:47:35,760 I really don't care about the theories they're debating I think it's neat this 486 00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:43,880 is awesome this speaks to me of a God I cannot wait to meet it also tells us 487 00:47:43,880 --> 00:47:49,840 that if God can shape the galaxies and if God can shape this earth and if God 488 00:47:49,840 --> 00:47:55,400 made a mankind perfect at the beginning he can also make us that way again 489 00:47:55,400 --> 00:47:59,200 because every one of us here has stumbled and fallen and has a broken 490 00:47:59,200 --> 00:48:05,560 spirit on some level on some level everyone here no one is exempt but in 491 00:48:05,560 --> 00:48:11,280 2nd Corinthians we read if any man is in Christ he is a new creation old things 492 00:48:11,280 --> 00:48:16,320 are passed away behold all things have become new in Christ you can be 493 00:48:16,320 --> 00:48:21,440 recreated and refashioned after his similitude what a beautiful promise only 494 00:48:21,440 --> 00:48:27,520 the Creator can do that that's why acknowledging him as Creator matters but 495 00:48:27,520 --> 00:48:33,560 the accounts of the creation also includes this thus the heavens and the 496 00:48:33,560 --> 00:48:37,560 earth were finished and all the host of them and on the seventh day God finished 497 00:48:37,560 --> 00:48:41,440 his work that he had done and he rested on the seventh day from all his work 498 00:48:41,440 --> 00:48:47,880 that he had done you see Jesus is also worthy of our worship as we've seen in 499 00:48:47,880 --> 00:48:53,160 our verse from Revelation worship him who made all of those things well at the 500 00:48:53,160 --> 00:48:59,840 end of the making all of those things he placed one more really important time 501 00:48:59,840 --> 00:49:07,800 period that last stamp of authority that last stamp of this is mine and it belongs 502 00:49:07,800 --> 00:49:14,720 to me on his creation the Sabbath see God rested on the Sabbath and that's why 503 00:49:14,720 --> 00:49:20,000 it is significant creation and redemption are at the heart of all true 504 00:49:20,000 --> 00:49:24,320 worship and we see that the Sabbath is significant because it speaks of the 505 00:49:24,320 --> 00:49:32,200 creators care and the Redeemer's love that's in the Sabbath so God blessed the 506 00:49:32,200 --> 00:49:40,360 seventh day and he made it holy if we count one two three four five six which 507 00:49:40,360 --> 00:49:47,640 one of those six does the Bible say God blessed and made holy none which one 508 00:49:47,640 --> 00:49:53,760 does the Bible say he did bless and make holy the seventh if you count your 509 00:49:53,760 --> 00:49:58,600 calendar days and we are all familiar with them one two three four five six 510 00:49:58,600 --> 00:50:04,920 seven you will find yourself today on a Saturday you will and no matter the 511 00:50:04,920 --> 00:50:09,080 calendar around the globe however you count the days you will end up number 512 00:50:09,080 --> 00:50:16,360 seven on a Saturday that's the day that God set aside and blessed it why because 513 00:50:16,360 --> 00:50:20,080 on it God rested from his work that he had done and he didn't rest because he 514 00:50:20,080 --> 00:50:25,840 was tired he rested because he wanted to enjoy the beauty and the majesty of his 515 00:50:25,840 --> 00:50:29,920 creation he rested because he wanted to spend time with his greatest creation 516 00:50:29,920 --> 00:50:36,280 Adam and Eve you and I he rested because he wanted nothing else to distract him 517 00:50:36,280 --> 00:50:43,640 or us from spending time together as a heavenly family that's why he rested he 518 00:50:43,640 --> 00:50:48,240 rested so man and woman wouldn't spend their first full day together thinking 519 00:50:48,240 --> 00:50:53,760 that they had to labor on something it was all a gift from God here's your home 520 00:50:53,760 --> 00:51:01,160 here's your mate here are the animals now just enjoy them for a day you don't 521 00:51:01,160 --> 00:51:05,400 have to do anything else as we worship on the Sabbath we open our hearts to 522 00:51:05,400 --> 00:51:11,080 receive a special blessing that special blessing that he placed on that day and 523 00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:17,720 no other and that's why the Sabbath is the eternal symbol of our rest in him we 524 00:51:17,720 --> 00:51:22,920 rest in him because of what he has done in creating and redeeming us we observe 525 00:51:22,920 --> 00:51:26,360 the Sabbath to acknowledge his creatorship and his sovereignty in our 526 00:51:26,360 --> 00:51:31,360 lives we keep the seventh-day Sabbath not to work toward salvation but because 527 00:51:31,360 --> 00:51:38,360 we are already saved you only get to thoroughly enjoy the Sabbath when you 528 00:51:38,360 --> 00:51:47,280 when you just know Jesus has done it all for me I can just rest in him that's 529 00:51:47,280 --> 00:51:53,240 what the Sabbath speaks of that's what the Sabbath means we know that it's 530 00:51:53,240 --> 00:51:57,440 eternal from the Old Testament to the new because the writer of Hebrews says 531 00:51:57,440 --> 00:52:01,460 this there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God he's writing to 532 00:52:01,460 --> 00:52:06,960 Christians he's writing to the early Christian church for whoever has entered 533 00:52:06,960 --> 00:52:12,040 God's rest has also rested from his works as God it did from his let us 534 00:52:12,040 --> 00:52:17,720 therefore strive to enter that rest are you striving to enter the rest that 535 00:52:17,720 --> 00:52:24,920 Jesus offers you today salvation the Sabbath forgiveness of sins hope in 536 00:52:24,920 --> 00:52:30,960 eternity are you striving to enter that rest our verse says fear God and give 537 00:52:30,960 --> 00:52:35,240 him glory because the hour of his judgment has come worship him who made 538 00:52:35,240 --> 00:52:41,120 heaven and earth the sea and the springs of water it's an urgent call it's an 539 00:52:41,120 --> 00:52:47,000 important call it's a call for everyone are you fearing God and giving him glory 540 00:52:47,000 --> 00:52:51,880 do you love him enough to acknowledge him as supreme in your life he loved you 541 00:52:51,880 --> 00:52:56,120 enough to send his son to die on the cross so you could have forgiveness of 542 00:52:56,120 --> 00:53:02,160 sin and hope of eternity in heaven do you love him in return the hour of his 543 00:53:02,160 --> 00:53:07,320 judgment has come we've seen that if you fear and glorify God you acknowledge him 544 00:53:07,320 --> 00:53:11,220 in that way the judgment you welcome because in the judgment Jesus is on your 545 00:53:11,220 --> 00:53:16,920 side judgment is not because some arbitrary God wants to just zap people 546 00:53:16,920 --> 00:53:24,480 the judgment is to prove that you belong to him look forward to the judgment but 547 00:53:24,480 --> 00:53:29,920 it's right now you don't have time to wait and then finally worship him who 548 00:53:29,920 --> 00:53:34,120 made heaven and earth the sea and the springs of water demonstrate your 549 00:53:34,120 --> 00:53:41,040 fealty to him with reverence and awe self-sacrifice worship and glorify him 550 00:53:41,040 --> 00:53:46,440 give him the credit in your life look to him for guidance in all things is he the 551 00:53:46,440 --> 00:53:52,560 center do you praise his name or do you praise some other lowercase G God in 552 00:53:52,560 --> 00:53:59,040 your life is he your center as we give glory to God by acknowledging him as our 553 00:53:59,040 --> 00:54:07,320 creator our re-creator and our Redeemer story goes this way many years ago an 554 00:54:07,320 --> 00:54:11,200 old farmer visited London for the first time in his life I would love to visit 555 00:54:11,200 --> 00:54:17,360 London that's on my bucket list places to go I am NOT this man an old farmer 556 00:54:17,360 --> 00:54:21,240 visited London for the first time he wandered into one of the city's great 557 00:54:21,240 --> 00:54:26,560 art galleries to look around do you think he saw some fine paintings do you 558 00:54:26,560 --> 00:54:31,200 think he saw paintings protected with rope and lasers and glass and security 559 00:54:31,200 --> 00:54:38,000 guards and don't touch that please I think so there was one painting though 560 00:54:38,000 --> 00:54:42,760 that caught his attention it was a wonderful painting of Jesus hanging upon 561 00:54:42,760 --> 00:54:48,200 the cross he stopped before it and as he gazed at the picture a great love for 562 00:54:48,200 --> 00:54:52,160 the one who hung there flooded his heart and he couldn't help himself but say 563 00:54:52,160 --> 00:55:01,840 bless him I love him I love Jesus he was so moved with what that picture meant in 564 00:55:01,840 --> 00:55:07,240 reality for him he couldn't stay quiet he had to express it others in the 565 00:55:07,240 --> 00:55:11,360 gallery heard the old man's words because if you can imagine an art gallery 566 00:55:11,360 --> 00:55:16,520 is usually a little quiet little hushed you can imagine someone saying bless him 567 00:55:16,520 --> 00:55:22,840 I love Jesus I might draw some attention well a crowd gathered around and as 568 00:55:22,840 --> 00:55:28,840 they saw tears going down his cheeks hat in his hand and forgetful of 569 00:55:28,840 --> 00:55:35,440 everything else around him the observers were also touched as perhaps not a few 570 00:55:35,440 --> 00:55:42,360 of them wondered if Jesus can move this man maybe he can move me they drew near 571 00:55:42,360 --> 00:55:47,400 to the old farmer the old countryman maybe someone put their arm around his 572 00:55:47,400 --> 00:55:52,080 shoulder maybe someone else just stood close by and they also said I love him 573 00:55:52,080 --> 00:56:02,400 too brother I love Jesus as well seeing what had taken place more people stepped 574 00:56:02,400 --> 00:56:11,840 forward so do I and more and more echoed the cry of that old farmer that's the 575 00:56:11,840 --> 00:56:18,480 call that we have to take up that's the call of the three angels message because 576 00:56:18,480 --> 00:56:22,760 without Christ revelations judgment is a terrifying event and many people run away 577 00:56:22,760 --> 00:56:28,280 from it with Christ we can look forward to it but when we really see when we 578 00:56:28,280 --> 00:56:33,680 truly see the clear picture of Jesus standing in our behalf in the judgment 579 00:56:33,680 --> 00:56:40,320 we too with this old farmer can say and we will also praise and glorify God by 580 00:56:40,320 --> 00:56:47,240 saying oh how I love Jesus is it your desire today to take up this call and 581 00:56:47,240 --> 00:56:53,240 you say it in a way that attracts others attention if it is your desire I'm gonna 582 00:56:53,240 --> 00:56:57,000 invite you to stand with me as we close with prayer and then remain standing as 583 00:56:57,000 --> 00:57:03,320 we get ready for our final song if it's your desire to take up this this cry 584 00:57:03,320 --> 00:57:08,280 this call this final warning please bow your heads and pray that with me 585 00:57:08,280 --> 00:57:14,400 loving Heavenly Father we we see to what great lengths heaven has gone to save 586 00:57:14,400 --> 00:57:21,760 your creation your loved sons and daughters from loss and hurt and death 587 00:57:21,760 --> 00:57:26,280 we praise your name for it and we acknowledge you as not only he who 588 00:57:26,280 --> 00:57:33,000 shaped and formed us but also he who redeemed and sustains us we acknowledge 589 00:57:33,000 --> 00:57:37,520 and we praise you as the one who goes with us and before us leading us along 590 00:57:37,520 --> 00:57:42,520 the way to that great day when you will come to finally lead us home Lord I pray 591 00:57:42,520 --> 00:57:46,280 that we would not be silent but like that old farmer we would declare our 592 00:57:46,280 --> 00:57:52,440 love for you and that it would be attractive to others Lord I pray that you 593 00:57:52,440 --> 00:57:57,880 would acknowledge the the statements of affirmation by those gathered here then 594 00:57:57,880 --> 00:58:00,960 I would also pray that if there was someone wavering someone standing in 595 00:58:00,960 --> 00:58:06,600 the middle of that road they don't know which way to go Lord I pray that rather 596 00:58:06,600 --> 00:58:13,080 than letting them be hit by oncoming traffic by the enemy of souls Lord I 597 00:58:13,080 --> 00:58:17,760 pray that you would come beside this person through the presence of your Holy 598 00:58:17,760 --> 00:58:22,280 Spirit and inspire them to say yes and step out of the middle of the road and 599 00:58:22,280 --> 00:58:27,680 firmly onto your side Lord we thank you for hearing our prayers we thank you for 600 00:58:27,680 --> 00:58:31,680 your love towards us please go with us the rest of this Sabbath day we pray in 601 00:58:31,680 --> 00:58:37,400 your name amen