1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,240 Look at Revelation. 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,560 We're going to start in verse 5, 3 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:11,140 which is where we left off last week. 4 00:00:11,140 --> 00:00:12,540 And we're going to try to make it 5 00:00:12,540 --> 00:00:14,340 through verse 8 this evening. 6 00:00:14,340 --> 00:00:19,140 We'll see what we can do. 7 00:00:19,140 --> 00:00:23,440 But Revelation, verse 5, 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,440 we're going to read verses 5 through 6. 9 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,000 So it says, 10 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:28,600 And from Jesus Christ, 11 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:29,960 faithful witness, 12 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:31,400 the firstborn of the dead 13 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,460 and the ruler of the kings on earth. 14 00:00:34,460 --> 00:00:36,160 To him who loves us 15 00:00:36,160 --> 00:00:37,960 and has freed us from our sins 16 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:39,640 by his blood, 17 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,200 and made us a kingdom, 18 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,760 priest to his God and Father. 19 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:47,360 To him be glory and dominion forever 20 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,860 and ever. Amen. 21 00:00:49,860 --> 00:00:51,900 Now, I want us to notice something here 22 00:00:51,900 --> 00:00:53,000 as we go through this 23 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:54,360 because it's easy to miss, 24 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,900 but notice that according to the Bible, 25 00:00:57,900 --> 00:01:02,000 love is not a sentimental feeling, 26 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,400 but it's a sacrificial action. 27 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:05,300 Do you see that there? 28 00:01:05,300 --> 00:01:07,600 It talks about how Jesus loves us, 29 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:08,600 but it doesn't just say 30 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:11,900 that he felt a warm, fuzzy feeling towards us, right? 31 00:01:11,900 --> 00:01:12,900 Oh, Jesus loves you. 32 00:01:12,900 --> 00:01:14,200 He feels a certain way about you. 33 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,700 It's nice and it's good and it's warm and fuzzy. 34 00:01:16,700 --> 00:01:19,000 No, it says that Jesus loves us. 35 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:19,900 And what did he do? 36 00:01:19,900 --> 00:01:24,200 He freed us from our sins by his blood. 37 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:25,500 And I want you to notice actually, 38 00:01:25,500 --> 00:01:27,700 throughout the New Testament, 39 00:01:27,700 --> 00:01:30,000 almost every time the New Testament 40 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,400 talks about Jesus loving us, 41 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,000 it always puts it with a demonstration of that love. 42 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,200 So we'll have some of these verses on screen. 43 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,400 John 3.16, which we all know very well, 44 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:43,500 for God so loved the world, 45 00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:44,800 what happened? 46 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:46,900 He gave his only son 47 00:01:46,900 --> 00:01:48,000 that whoever believes in him 48 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:48,900 should not perish, 49 00:01:48,900 --> 00:01:50,500 but have eternal life. 50 00:01:50,500 --> 00:01:52,500 Galatians 2.20, 51 00:01:52,500 --> 00:01:54,500 I have been crucified with Christ. 52 00:01:54,500 --> 00:01:56,200 It is no longer I who live, 53 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,300 but Christ who lives in me. 54 00:01:58,300 --> 00:01:59,700 In the life I now live, 55 00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:02,700 I live in the flesh. 56 00:02:02,700 --> 00:02:04,000 In the life I now live in the flesh, 57 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,100 I live by faith in the Son of God 58 00:02:06,100 --> 00:02:10,400 who loved me and gave himself up for me. 59 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:12,400 Ephesians 5,2, 60 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,600 and walk in love as Christ loved us 61 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,900 and gave himself up for us. 62 00:02:18,900 --> 00:02:21,900 A fragrant offering in sacrifice to God. 63 00:02:21,900 --> 00:02:23,600 Ephesians 5.25, 64 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,300 Lubbens, love your wives 65 00:02:26,300 --> 00:02:28,500 as Christ loved the church 66 00:02:28,500 --> 00:02:32,500 and gave himself up for her. 67 00:02:32,500 --> 00:02:33,900 And then 1 John 4.10, 68 00:02:33,900 --> 00:02:36,000 in this is love. 69 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,000 Not that we have loved God, 70 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,100 but that he loved us, right? 71 00:02:40,100 --> 00:02:41,500 Plain, simple, stopped? 72 00:02:41,500 --> 00:02:42,300 No. 73 00:02:42,300 --> 00:02:45,300 And sent his son 74 00:02:45,300 --> 00:02:47,400 to be the propitiation for our sins. 75 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,200 So do you see the repeated emphasis 76 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:50,700 in all those verses? 77 00:02:50,700 --> 00:02:52,300 The Bible doesn't just simply say, 78 00:02:52,300 --> 00:02:54,000 God loves you. 79 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,000 The Bible says God loves you 80 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,200 and he demonstrates or proves his love 81 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:00,300 in this way, 82 00:03:00,300 --> 00:03:04,800 primarily through Jesus giving his life for us. 83 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,400 Jesus loves us not with a sentimental feeling 84 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,000 but with a sacrificial action. 85 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,200 He gave himself up for us. 86 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:17,300 It was a love that was demonstrated and proven. 87 00:03:17,300 --> 00:03:19,000 When he died on the cross, 88 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:20,300 shedding his own blood 89 00:03:20,300 --> 00:03:21,700 and by that act of love, 90 00:03:21,700 --> 00:03:23,100 as we see in Revelation, 91 00:03:23,100 --> 00:03:24,400 if we can put it back on the screen, 92 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,200 Revelation 1.5, 93 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:29,500 by that act of love, 94 00:03:29,500 --> 00:03:34,400 he has freed us from our sins. 95 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,600 And so there's a great emphasis here 96 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,600 that love isn't just felt, 97 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,300 love is seen. 98 00:03:43,300 --> 00:03:45,100 And if that's the case, 99 00:03:45,100 --> 00:03:46,800 if it's true that love isn't something 100 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:47,900 that's simply felt, 101 00:03:47,900 --> 00:03:49,300 love is something that's seen, 102 00:03:49,300 --> 00:03:51,100 it means that we have to look at our own hearts 103 00:03:51,100 --> 00:03:53,200 and our own lives, don't we? 104 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:55,300 Because then we have to begin to say, 105 00:03:55,300 --> 00:03:57,500 well, you know, we talk about it all the time. 106 00:03:57,500 --> 00:03:59,500 I love Jesus, I love God, 107 00:03:59,500 --> 00:04:00,500 I love the church, 108 00:04:00,500 --> 00:04:01,600 I love the Bible. 109 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:05,200 Okay, that's incredibly easy to say, right? 110 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:07,900 And you might even feel a certain way. 111 00:04:07,900 --> 00:04:09,100 But the question is, 112 00:04:09,100 --> 00:04:11,200 when someone looks at your life, 113 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,100 can they see that love? 114 00:04:14,100 --> 00:04:15,600 Is it a visible love 115 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:17,900 or is it something you just have to tell people 116 00:04:17,900 --> 00:04:20,400 so that they do know it? 117 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:22,100 Can they see it? 118 00:04:22,100 --> 00:04:25,200 The Bible says in 1 John 3, 18, 119 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:26,500 little children, 120 00:04:26,500 --> 00:04:29,700 let us not love in word or talk, 121 00:04:29,700 --> 00:04:33,800 but indeed and in truth. 122 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,400 And so if our love never moves from our hearts 123 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:38,200 to our hands, 124 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:40,100 is it really love, 125 00:04:40,100 --> 00:04:42,500 according to the Bible? 126 00:04:42,500 --> 00:04:44,500 Do people know that we love the Lord 127 00:04:44,500 --> 00:04:48,800 by what we say or by what they see? 128 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,400 It's something I think that we should all consider, right? 129 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,700 When you begin to look at your own life tonight 130 00:04:53,700 --> 00:04:55,700 and you begin to reflect on your life, 131 00:04:55,700 --> 00:04:57,200 do people say, hey, 132 00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:58,900 I know that person loves God. 133 00:04:58,900 --> 00:04:59,700 Well, how do you know? 134 00:04:59,700 --> 00:05:02,000 Because they told me. 135 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:03,800 Or when someone looks at your life, 136 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,200 can they say, I know that that person loves the Lord 137 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,100 because I see it. 138 00:05:08,100 --> 00:05:09,100 It is so evident. 139 00:05:09,100 --> 00:05:12,500 It is so clear by the way that they treat their spouse, 140 00:05:12,500 --> 00:05:14,700 by the way they interact with others, 141 00:05:14,700 --> 00:05:16,400 by the way that they give themselves 142 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:17,900 to the mission of the church 143 00:05:17,900 --> 00:05:19,300 and the kingdom of God, 144 00:05:19,300 --> 00:05:20,700 to the spreading of the Gospel. 145 00:05:20,700 --> 00:05:21,800 I look at that person 146 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,000 and they don't even have to tell me they love Jesus. 147 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,800 I can tell they love Jesus. 148 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,000 Do you see the difference there? 149 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:30,800 We shouldn't necessarily have to tell someone. 150 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,700 They should be able to tell. 151 00:05:33,700 --> 00:05:35,300 What's the result of this? 152 00:05:35,300 --> 00:05:38,500 If you continue in verse 6, 153 00:05:38,500 --> 00:05:40,200 it says that Jesus, 154 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:41,500 obviously that first result, 155 00:05:41,500 --> 00:05:44,300 he freezes from our sins by his blood, 156 00:05:44,300 --> 00:05:45,500 but there's another result. 157 00:05:45,500 --> 00:05:59,500 What happens as a result of us being freed from our sins? 158 00:05:59,500 --> 00:06:00,700 Yeah, he made us priests. 159 00:06:00,700 --> 00:06:01,400 That's right. 160 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,500 We are now a kingdom of priests. 161 00:06:04,500 --> 00:06:07,400 That's what we're reading there in verse 6. 162 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,100 He made us a kingdom of priests to his God and Father. 163 00:06:11,100 --> 00:06:13,400 And this is really important language here 164 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,600 because this is the exact same language 165 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:21,500 that was used of the people of Israel in the Old Testament. 166 00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:25,500 So Exodus chapter 19 verses 5 through 6 says, 167 00:06:25,500 --> 00:06:27,300 Now therefore, 168 00:06:27,300 --> 00:06:31,300 if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, 169 00:06:31,300 --> 00:06:35,600 you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples 170 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,000 for all the earth is mine. 171 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:43,200 And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests 172 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:45,300 and a holy nation. 173 00:06:45,300 --> 00:06:46,800 These are the words that you shall speak 174 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:48,500 to the people of Israel. 175 00:06:48,500 --> 00:06:52,600 So notice that the identity of people of God 176 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:54,900 is carried out by the church today. 177 00:06:54,900 --> 00:06:57,600 All those who have repented of their sins, 178 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,400 who have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation, 179 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,300 they are the people of God. 180 00:07:02,300 --> 00:07:04,900 They are the kingdom of God 181 00:07:04,900 --> 00:07:07,400 and the exact same language 182 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:09,900 that is used of the nation of Israel 183 00:07:09,900 --> 00:07:13,100 in the Old Testament is used here of the church. 184 00:07:13,100 --> 00:07:16,600 In the New Testament, we are a kingdom of priests. 185 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,100 Now, okay, that's really easy to say. 186 00:07:19,100 --> 00:07:21,500 What does it mean? 187 00:07:21,500 --> 00:07:29,500 What does it mean to be a kingdom of priests? 188 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:30,300 Spread the word. 189 00:07:30,300 --> 00:07:32,500 Okay. Yeah, that's definitely part of it. 190 00:07:32,500 --> 00:07:38,700 What else? 191 00:07:38,700 --> 00:07:39,500 His chosen ones. 192 00:07:39,500 --> 00:07:40,600 Yeah. Okay. 193 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:43,600 What else? 194 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:44,800 Facilitate worship. 195 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:46,200 Very good. 196 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:54,800 What else might priests do? 197 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:55,300 Okay. 198 00:07:55,300 --> 00:07:56,200 To end of the church. 199 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:57,600 Yeah. 200 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:02,000 One of the key roles that priests had in the Old Testament 201 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:08,900 was that they were these mediators between God and man. 202 00:08:08,900 --> 00:08:11,800 A priest would represent man before God 203 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:15,100 and then turn around and represent God before man. 204 00:08:15,100 --> 00:08:18,200 And so they served as kind of a go-between. 205 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,800 And we know that there is only one mediator between God and man 206 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:23,800 and that is Jesus Christ. 207 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:29,000 But God has called us to imitate Jesus in that way in this world. 208 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:33,500 Primarily, as Brian said, by taking the word to the world. 209 00:08:33,500 --> 00:08:36,500 That we are mediating the word of God to the world 210 00:08:36,500 --> 00:08:38,800 proclaiming the gospel message. 211 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,500 We're also doing other things like facilitating worship. 212 00:08:41,500 --> 00:08:45,100 We're telling people who God is the proper way to worship. 213 00:08:45,100 --> 00:08:47,700 We're telling them how you can know more about God, 214 00:08:47,700 --> 00:08:49,400 what he requires of people. 215 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,900 All of this is the responsibility of a priest. 216 00:08:52,900 --> 00:08:54,700 And that's what he calls us to do. 217 00:08:54,700 --> 00:08:57,200 We are a kingdom of priests. 218 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:01,600 And so all of this applies to our mission. 219 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:03,300 And notice what John says here. 220 00:09:03,300 --> 00:09:06,200 He says it's all for the glory of God. 221 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:11,600 He says to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. 222 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,000 And so we have a reason to have comfort. 223 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:16,600 We have a word of encouragement. 224 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,800 We have a word that will strengthen us and will embolden us. 225 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:21,500 And then I want you to see in verse 7 226 00:09:21,500 --> 00:09:25,400 he's going to give us another little bit of comfort and hope for the church. 227 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:28,100 Notice what he says in verse 7. 228 00:09:28,100 --> 00:09:33,700 He says, Behold, he is coming with the clouds. 229 00:09:33,700 --> 00:09:36,800 Every eye will see him. 230 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,200 Even those who pierced him. 231 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,500 And all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. 232 00:09:42,500 --> 00:09:45,400 Even so, amen. 233 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:50,900 Now what's the good news slash word of encouragement here? 234 00:09:50,900 --> 00:09:52,000 That's right. 235 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:53,900 Jesus is coming back. 236 00:09:53,900 --> 00:09:55,700 That's the best news you could hear, right? 237 00:09:55,700 --> 00:09:58,800 Like, I mean, the church is meant to be, 238 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:00,800 I won't say we are because we don't always, 239 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:03,900 we're meant to be waiting in anticipation, right? 240 00:10:03,900 --> 00:10:07,700 Like, if you've ever been away from your spouse for any length of time 241 00:10:07,700 --> 00:10:12,000 and you know that's not fun, like when you have to go to like the Southern Baptist Convention, 242 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,900 you have to be around politics for three days. 243 00:10:14,900 --> 00:10:18,000 Rather than get to be with your wife, you're counting down the days, right? 244 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,600 You're like, oh, two days, three days, whatever. 245 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:22,300 And then daddy's coming home. 246 00:10:22,300 --> 00:10:23,000 This is great. 247 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:24,800 Or like if she was away, mommy's coming home. 248 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,200 This is awesome because that's what we call each other now. 249 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:28,300 It's not even Anna and Alex. 250 00:10:28,300 --> 00:10:29,200 It's just daddy and mommy. 251 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,600 So, but there's this great anticipation and you can't wait 252 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,900 and it just fills you with so much joy and hope and excitement. 253 00:10:37,900 --> 00:10:40,600 That's how the church is supposed to feel about Jesus coming back. 254 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:45,300 We read here that even though you're in the midst of this broken, beat up world 255 00:10:45,300 --> 00:10:50,100 that's full of sin and misery and hardship, Jesus hasn't forgotten you. 256 00:10:50,100 --> 00:10:55,700 He's coming back for His bride and this is good news. 257 00:10:55,700 --> 00:11:01,100 But also, I want you to notice this, even though it's great news for the church, 258 00:11:01,100 --> 00:11:09,500 notice it is terrifying news for every person who has rejected God's grace 259 00:11:09,500 --> 00:11:11,900 in the gospel of the Lord Jesus. 260 00:11:11,900 --> 00:11:17,300 The Bible literally says here that they will wail or mourn on account of Him. 261 00:11:17,300 --> 00:11:24,200 And so his return is a joy to the church, but it is terrifying to the unbelieving world. 262 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,300 Now, here's my question to you, church. 263 00:11:27,300 --> 00:11:31,500 Is that fair? 264 00:11:31,500 --> 00:11:38,000 Is God unloving to do something like in this case, send His son back 265 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:48,800 that will result in the wailing and mourning of countless people on earth? 266 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:50,900 Is God unloving to do that? 267 00:11:50,900 --> 00:11:55,300 Is that unfair? 268 00:11:55,300 --> 00:11:57,100 Okay, everybody's had their chance. 269 00:11:57,100 --> 00:11:58,800 We got a no over here. 270 00:11:58,800 --> 00:11:59,800 Okay, yeah. 271 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:04,800 The Bible says here no, even so, and I love this language, even so, amen. 272 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:09,300 And amen in the Greek here is just a way of saying like, let it be so. 273 00:12:09,300 --> 00:12:14,800 And so the Bible is saying here, hey, it is great news that Jesus has come back for the church. 274 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:16,400 Bad news for everybody else. 275 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:18,600 Even so, let it be. 276 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:19,800 It is what it is. 277 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:21,200 That's the reality of the situation. 278 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:25,200 But here's the question that you're going to hear very often. 279 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:26,500 Go ahead, submit it to the podcast. 280 00:12:26,500 --> 00:12:27,400 I'll answer it again there. 281 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:29,200 So that'll be fun. 282 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,700 What about those who don't have the chance to hear the gospel? 283 00:12:32,700 --> 00:12:36,700 What about those who have never heard the gospel? 284 00:12:36,700 --> 00:12:38,100 What happens to them? 285 00:12:38,100 --> 00:12:39,900 Is that fair? 286 00:12:39,900 --> 00:12:44,300 Maybe they would have possibly repented if they had heard the gospel. 287 00:12:44,300 --> 00:12:46,200 But maybe they didn't even have a chance. 288 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,200 So what about those people? 289 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:54,100 They're still going to wail and mourn. 290 00:12:54,100 --> 00:12:55,100 Yes, he does, Michael. 291 00:12:55,100 --> 00:12:58,300 Thank you for jumping us straight there. 292 00:12:58,300 --> 00:13:02,200 You've got to let the tension build a little bit, okay? 293 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:03,500 Yeah, yeah, I'm going to repeat it. 294 00:13:03,500 --> 00:13:05,800 But yeah, Michael, he did give the right answer, right? 295 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:10,000 So what happens to those who never hear or who never had the opportunity? 296 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:16,000 Well, the Bible tells us in Romans chapter one that all people are without excuse. 297 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:20,800 Because the Bible says every person alive and who has ever lived 298 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,400 knows in their heart that there is a God. 299 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,200 They know it. 300 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:27,300 Very emphatically. 301 00:13:27,300 --> 00:13:29,600 They know there is a God. 302 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:30,800 So there were without excuse. 303 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:36,800 The Bible says that every person alive has beheld the glory of God in creation. 304 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:44,100 They've witnessed his unseen attributes like his power and his eternal divine nature. 305 00:13:44,100 --> 00:13:48,800 They've witnessed that in creation and the things that he has made. 306 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,900 And so all people are without excuse. 307 00:13:51,900 --> 00:13:58,500 In fact, the Bible goes a step further and says that they know that God is real, 308 00:13:58,500 --> 00:14:00,500 that there is a God, but what do they do? 309 00:14:00,500 --> 00:14:03,600 They suppress that truth, right? 310 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,000 They don't want there to be a God. 311 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:07,700 So you just deny it. 312 00:14:07,700 --> 00:14:09,200 You suppress it. 313 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,700 Because if there isn't a God, it means I'm God. 314 00:14:12,700 --> 00:14:14,600 And I get to do whatever I want. 315 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,200 I get to make the rules for myself. 316 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:19,900 No one can tell me how to live and I don't have to feel bad about a single thing that I do. 317 00:14:19,900 --> 00:14:22,900 It is the best news possible for me if there's not a God. 318 00:14:22,900 --> 00:14:25,900 So the Bible says they suppress that truth. 319 00:14:25,900 --> 00:14:26,600 They deny it. 320 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:28,200 They reject it. 321 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:32,600 And because of that, their punishment is just, isn't it? 322 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:37,400 So yes, there is going to be wailing and mourning on that great day of joy for the church 323 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:42,900 when Jesus returns, but they've had their chance. 324 00:14:42,900 --> 00:14:47,000 They know that there is a God and they've denied that. 325 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,300 And our world hates to hear that, don't they? 326 00:14:50,300 --> 00:14:55,100 Our world hears that and who do they point the finger at? 327 00:14:55,100 --> 00:14:56,600 God. 328 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,300 Well, this is why I can never be a Christian. 329 00:14:59,300 --> 00:15:00,900 This is why I can never believe in God. 330 00:15:00,900 --> 00:15:01,800 Look at what he does. 331 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:08,300 How could anybody who's said to be love and loving possibly do that to people? 332 00:15:08,300 --> 00:15:09,800 I mean, God is all powerful. 333 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,300 Why didn't he just write it in the sky? 334 00:15:12,300 --> 00:15:13,800 There is a God. 335 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:15,400 His name is Jesus. 336 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:16,800 Repent of your sins. 337 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:18,700 Trust and... He could have done it, right? 338 00:15:18,700 --> 00:15:19,700 Are we denying that? 339 00:15:19,700 --> 00:15:21,800 No, he could have. 340 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:25,000 They love to point the finger at God and say, you were unfair. 341 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:25,900 You were unjust. 342 00:15:25,900 --> 00:15:27,200 You were unloving. 343 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:28,700 Let me ask you a question, church. 344 00:15:28,700 --> 00:15:34,200 Who's the finger supposed to be pointed at? 345 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:35,600 Yeah. 346 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,200 That's why it's not fun to hear this, right? 347 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:43,300 Our world wants to blame God for the fact that there are people dying without the Gospel. 348 00:15:43,300 --> 00:15:50,500 Who did Jesus say is responsible for taking the Gospel to the nations? 349 00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:53,000 Oh, that's us. 350 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:57,100 Now, how many Christians speak up, though, when the world is condemning God 351 00:15:57,100 --> 00:15:59,900 and bashing God and saying, well, that God is evil, blah, blah. 352 00:15:59,900 --> 00:16:01,100 What do we do? 353 00:16:01,100 --> 00:16:03,300 We try to defend Him, right? 354 00:16:03,300 --> 00:16:04,900 We're like the... 355 00:16:04,900 --> 00:16:10,600 To use an example, if Judah were to break one of Ezra's toys 356 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:12,400 and then I come in, I'm like, Ezra, what did you do? 357 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:14,400 And Judah's like, hey, don't get onto him. 358 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:15,800 He's just a baby, blah, blah, blah. 359 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,100 He started trying to defend Him for something he didn't do. 360 00:16:18,100 --> 00:16:19,500 That's what we do with God. 361 00:16:19,500 --> 00:16:20,600 Our world's like, God is evil. 362 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:21,500 We're like, oh, come on. 363 00:16:21,500 --> 00:16:22,700 He's actually really loving. 364 00:16:22,700 --> 00:16:24,300 You got to just get to know Him, right? 365 00:16:24,300 --> 00:16:25,700 He's got His Son named Jesus. 366 00:16:25,700 --> 00:16:27,200 He did some great things for us. 367 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,800 We started to defend God like He's the one responsible. 368 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,200 Meanwhile, God said, hold on a second. 369 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,300 I told you to go to the nations. 370 00:16:34,300 --> 00:16:38,300 Jesus said, go and make disciples of the nations. 371 00:16:38,300 --> 00:16:40,500 That is the responsibility of the church. 372 00:16:40,500 --> 00:16:44,100 And so we don't need to let the world condemn God 373 00:16:44,100 --> 00:16:49,200 for the church's laziness and disobedience, right? 374 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:50,700 Just plain and simple. 375 00:16:50,700 --> 00:16:53,200 If you don't like the fact that there are people dying 376 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:55,100 without hearing the gospel, 377 00:16:55,100 --> 00:16:57,600 go take them to the gospel. 378 00:16:57,600 --> 00:16:58,400 That's not on God. 379 00:16:58,400 --> 00:16:59,700 That's on you. 380 00:16:59,700 --> 00:17:01,200 That's on the church. 381 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,200 And imagine how many more people, 382 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:05,300 or how fewer people there would be 383 00:17:05,300 --> 00:17:07,000 who hadn't heard the gospel 384 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,100 if the church had been doing its responsibility 385 00:17:09,100 --> 00:17:13,700 ever since Jesus gave that command. 386 00:17:13,700 --> 00:17:18,300 We might not even have that problem anymore, right? 387 00:17:18,300 --> 00:17:20,600 But we want to put it on someone else. 388 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:23,000 We want to say someone else will go. 389 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,200 Surely God will call another person. 390 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:26,600 It's not my responsibility. 391 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:27,600 I'm here. 392 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:29,700 This is where I'm meant to be. 393 00:17:29,700 --> 00:17:32,200 God will find some way to get something to them. 394 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:37,600 And yet, God will save His people from their sins. 395 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:39,700 But understand this, church. 396 00:17:39,700 --> 00:17:42,000 He does that through us. 397 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:45,500 We are the ones meant to carry that message to the world. 398 00:17:45,500 --> 00:17:48,000 We are the ones who have the responsibility 399 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:49,600 to take it to the nations. 400 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,500 And so next time you hear someone talking about 401 00:17:52,500 --> 00:17:54,100 the fact that there are people who will die 402 00:17:54,100 --> 00:17:56,200 without ever hearing the gospel, 403 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:59,800 I want you to understand that's because of us, not God. 404 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:00,600 And then ask yourself, 405 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:04,600 what are you doing to get the gospel to the nations? 406 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:07,600 What are you doing to help with that problem 407 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:10,400 of people who have never heard the gospel, 408 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:12,600 who have never heard the name of Jesus, 409 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:14,900 who have never read the Bible in their own language? 410 00:18:14,900 --> 00:18:19,400 What have you done to contribute? 411 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:20,600 I'm just going to leave that there 412 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:22,100 because that's not the whole point of the sermon. 413 00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:23,200 I just want to leave it there. 414 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:53,100 I'm going to leave it there. 415 00:18:53,100 --> 00:19:00,700 Yeah. 416 00:19:00,700 --> 00:19:06,700 There's a literal display of God's perfect creation. 417 00:19:06,700 --> 00:19:07,700 Yeah. 418 00:19:07,700 --> 00:19:08,700 Oh, I know all that. 419 00:19:08,700 --> 00:19:09,700 Judah even knows. 420 00:19:09,700 --> 00:19:10,700 I was like, 421 00:19:10,700 --> 00:19:12,000 this is some planets lined up 422 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:13,500 and then we got to have this whole thing. 423 00:19:13,500 --> 00:19:15,200 But yeah, there's literal display. 424 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,600 So people have enough information 425 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:19,800 to know that there is a God in heaven. 426 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,000 There's someone who exists, 427 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,100 who can bring all of this into being. 428 00:19:24,100 --> 00:19:27,200 What they don't have is the details, right? 429 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,100 They don't know that they need to repent of their sins. 430 00:19:30,100 --> 00:19:32,400 They don't might not know the name of Jesus. 431 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:34,400 They don't know what he did for them. 432 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:36,900 And so they don't know to repent, trust in him. 433 00:19:36,900 --> 00:19:38,800 They don't know that. 434 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:40,100 That's our responsibility. 435 00:19:40,100 --> 00:19:42,300 We are to take the gospel to the nations. 436 00:19:42,300 --> 00:19:43,200 So let's again, 437 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:45,900 don't let the world blame God for the church's laziness 438 00:19:45,900 --> 00:19:47,700 and disobedience. 439 00:19:47,700 --> 00:19:49,300 And then finally, verse 8, 440 00:19:49,300 --> 00:19:50,400 we'll conclude with this. 441 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:53,300 Notice what he says. 442 00:19:53,300 --> 00:19:57,800 I am the Alpha and the Omega. 443 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:00,000 Says the Lord God. 444 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:04,600 Who is and who was and who was to come. 445 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,500 The Almighty. 446 00:20:06,500 --> 00:20:08,100 So put simply, 447 00:20:08,100 --> 00:20:11,700 He is the beginning and He's the end. 448 00:20:11,700 --> 00:20:14,000 He was before all things 449 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,300 and He will be after all things. 450 00:20:16,300 --> 00:20:19,200 He alone is the Almighty. 451 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,000 Now, this is one of those verses 452 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:24,100 you might want to memorize in Revelation 453 00:20:24,100 --> 00:20:27,700 because it is such a comforting verse. 454 00:20:27,700 --> 00:20:29,600 I mean, do you just think about all the things 455 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:31,900 that you've been through so far this week? 456 00:20:31,900 --> 00:20:34,500 All the things that haven't gone right for you. 457 00:20:34,500 --> 00:20:37,300 All the loops you've been through, 458 00:20:37,300 --> 00:20:41,200 like your baby throwing up all over you unexpectedly. 459 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:44,100 And just all these things that start piling up in your life 460 00:20:44,100 --> 00:20:45,300 and you're like, you know what? 461 00:20:45,300 --> 00:20:46,500 I'm at my wits end. 462 00:20:46,500 --> 00:20:49,100 I've got no more strength left in me. 463 00:20:49,100 --> 00:20:51,800 I'm not, you know, like, I'm just out of energy. 464 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:53,000 I'm out of strength. 465 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,200 This is not how I thought it was going to be. 466 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:56,600 Something's got to change. 467 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,700 And then you remember this and you see God says, 468 00:20:59,700 --> 00:21:00,900 I'm the Alpha. 469 00:21:00,900 --> 00:21:02,400 I'm the Omega. 470 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:04,400 I'm the beginning of all things. 471 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,300 I am the end of all things. 472 00:21:06,300 --> 00:21:08,100 I am the Almighty. 473 00:21:08,100 --> 00:21:10,500 I am the one who was. 474 00:21:10,500 --> 00:21:12,500 I'm the one who is. 475 00:21:12,500 --> 00:21:15,700 And I'm the one who is to come. 476 00:21:15,700 --> 00:21:17,900 No matter what happens in life, 477 00:21:17,900 --> 00:21:19,400 there's always God. 478 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:24,800 He is the consistent presence that we need in this life 479 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:27,600 of hardships and difficulties. 480 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,000 And it is just so comforting to know as a follower of Christ 481 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,600 that we have the promise that he'll never leave us. 482 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,000 He'll never forsake us. 483 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:38,200 He is always with us and we are always with him 484 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:40,900 because we've been bought by the blood of Jesus. 485 00:21:40,900 --> 00:21:43,900 And so the fact that he was and is and is to come 486 00:21:43,900 --> 00:21:46,600 means that for that is and is to come. 487 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:48,500 We're part of that story now. 488 00:21:48,500 --> 00:21:51,000 We get to be with him for all of that time 489 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:53,400 and we'll never have to be separated from him again. 490 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:55,700 All because Jesus did what we read here. 491 00:21:55,700 --> 00:21:58,900 He freed us from our sins by His blood. 492 00:21:58,900 --> 00:22:01,500 So I just wanted to conclude with this 493 00:22:01,500 --> 00:22:05,100 and remind you that this is just the introduction to Revelation. 494 00:22:05,100 --> 00:22:08,400 We haven't even gotten into the hard bits yet. 495 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:11,400 But it's this unveiling of God's plan 496 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:13,200 and he's promising us a blessing. 497 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:14,900 Hey, read this book. 498 00:22:14,900 --> 00:22:16,000 Listen to this book. 499 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:17,300 He's going to obey this book. 500 00:22:17,300 --> 00:22:18,900 You will be blessed. 501 00:22:18,900 --> 00:22:22,300 He's assuring us that God is bigger 502 00:22:22,300 --> 00:22:25,900 than the trials and the circumstances that we face. 503 00:22:25,900 --> 00:22:27,900 He's promising us and reminding us 504 00:22:27,900 --> 00:22:32,100 that the Spirit we need is with us at all times. 505 00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:35,600 That Jesus is sovereign in rules over all things 506 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:38,100 that no matter what happens in this world 507 00:22:38,100 --> 00:22:40,700 and wars and rumors of wars, 508 00:22:40,700 --> 00:22:41,700 we know the ending. 509 00:22:41,700 --> 00:22:44,300 We don't know who's even fighting, but we know who wins. 510 00:22:44,300 --> 00:22:46,500 He will have the victory 511 00:22:46,500 --> 00:22:48,200 and the best news of all 512 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:51,700 is that Jesus is coming back for His bride. 513 00:22:51,700 --> 00:22:54,100 And that is something that we can look forward to 514 00:22:54,100 --> 00:22:55,100 and we will say, 515 00:22:55,100 --> 00:22:58,100 Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. 516 00:22:58,100 --> 00:23:24,100 Alright Gene, how about a word of wisdom?