1 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,720 Well, before we go to Revelation 6 and continue in our teaching 2 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:14,760 of the seven seals that Christ will break in the Tribulation 3 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,320 period, I invite you to turn with me in your Bibles to Luke 4 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:24,520 17 for a brief moment to look at a few verses the gospel Luke 5 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,000 chapter 17 beginning in verse 26. 6 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,240 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days 7 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:42,280 of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking 8 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,280 and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when 9 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:49,040 Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them 10 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,160 all. Likewise, just as it was in the 11 00:00:52,160 --> 00:00:56,920 days of Lot, they were eating and drinking, buying and 12 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:02,640 selling, planting and building. But on the day when Law went out 13 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:07,240 from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed 14 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,800 them all. So will it be on the day when 15 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:17,040 the Son of Man is revealed. Isn't it interesting that in 16 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,760 Christ teaching about the last days, the world appears to be 17 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:27,640 going on as usual? There will be the routine of 18 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,560 feasting and fellowship. There will be business deals 19 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:37,520 made, romance blossoming, families coming together, 20 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:45,640 construction projects underway. It seems quite interesting that 21 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:52,120 these things will go on, and though these activities are not 22 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:58,880 inherently evil, Jesus Christ highlights them in order to show 23 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:05,320 us humanity's general and unfortunate response to the 24 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,400 trials and the turmoils of the Tribulation period. 25 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:14,760 It makes me wonder how can there be this level of normalcy 26 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:18,720 maintained, especially after we learned about the emerging of 27 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:23,800 false Christs, wars and rumors of wars, pestilences, 28 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:29,400 earthquakes, the mass death of Christians across the globe. 29 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,280 We looked at that when we saw these first five seals being 30 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,160 broken. And yet, my mind came to this 31 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,160 passage to remind me that there will still be buying and 32 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:45,640 selling, there will still be weddings, there will still be 33 00:02:45,640 --> 00:02:48,880 buildings being built and trade happening. 34 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,640 And I believe the reason for this is largely because of the 35 00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:58,640 great indifference that most people will have in that final 36 00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:02,920 generation. And that's startling. 37 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,240 Chances are the reason for this is because they will brush off 38 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,040 these occurrences as things that humanity has always known. 39 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:16,880 Sure, what we're seeing is awful here, but it's nothing new. 40 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:22,480 Man speaks like that today. And in addition to that, we have 41 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,720 to understand that in the Tribulation period, the events 42 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,680 preceding the return of Christ, there will be an intense disdain 43 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:34,160 towards believers, even the believers who will be there 44 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:38,080 during the Tribulation. And so the message of the 45 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:41,720 Tribulation Saints will largely be ignored and even mocked, just 46 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:47,040 as Noah and Lott were dismissed as they were trying to warn 47 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,240 their generation of coming judgement. 48 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:57,520 And I say all of that to mention how whatever normalcy will be 49 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:04,680 realized and protected, I'm sure will be very difficult to manage 50 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,120 after the breaking of the 6th seal. 51 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:14,120 Something is going to shift. What God is going to do and what 52 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:18,720 we're about to study will surely captivate the world's attention, 53 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:23,760 unlike the previous seals. Now I invite you to Revelation 6 54 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,200 and begin with me here in verse 12. 55 00:04:35,970 --> 00:04:42,410 When he opened the 6th seal, I looked and behold there was a 56 00:04:42,410 --> 00:04:48,240 great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the 57 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:52,640 full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the 58 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,640 earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit. 59 00:04:55,640 --> 00:05:00,960 When shaken by a Gale, the sky vanished like a scroll that is 60 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,720 being rolled up, and every mountain, an island was removed 61 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,960 from its place. Then the kings of the earth, and 62 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,440 the great ones, and the generals and the rich and the powerful, 63 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:15,640 and everyone slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and 64 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,640 among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the 65 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:24,240 mountains. And rocks fall on us and hide us 66 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,720 from the face of Him who is seated on the throne, and from 67 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:32,800 the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath 68 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:37,400 has come, and who can stand? Father, we ask that you help us 69 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:42,600 with these verses and inspire awe in each of us as a result. 70 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:46,680 And more than that Lord, we pray that you would draw this Sinner 71 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,920 to the throne of grace and that there would be salvation while 72 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:56,280 it is still available. In Jesus name we pray Amen and 73 00:05:56,280 --> 00:05:59,640 Amen. At first, it really seems like 74 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:04,520 what we just read is the end of the end, the end of all things. 75 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:07,800 I mean, this description seems to suggest that this is the 76 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:12,520 moment of Christ bodily return to the earth to rule and reign 77 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,600 forever. But I find that difficult to 78 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:20,440 accept for the simple reason that this is the 6th seal, and 79 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,800 there's still one more. And once we see the 7th seal 80 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,200 breaking, it will set into motion the seven trumpets. 81 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,120 And after the seven trumpets, we're going to have the seven 82 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:35,480 bowls of God's wrath. And so to say that this is a 83 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:40,880 snapshot of the Savior coming down and wrapping all things up 84 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:43,760 is a little challenging to conclude. 85 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,160 However, there are those who would say that that is the case. 86 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,920 Those who hold to alternative views of the Book of Revelation 87 00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:57,440 would suggest that what you have here indeed is Christ's return, 88 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,720 because the way they understood the Book of Revelation is as 89 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,920 follows. We have the seven seals, then we 90 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,080 have the seven trumpets, and then we have the seven bowls of 91 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:10,720 God's wrath. And some understand these sets 92 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:18,120 of judgments as cyclical. They're not a linear thing, 93 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:22,040 they're not sequential, they're not advancing in a timeline. 94 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:25,680 But there are replays of the same events, though it's 95 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:29,440 slightly different details. So there are some who understand 96 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:32,160 it in that way. What you find here with these 97 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:34,720 seals is going to be repeated with the seven trumpets, and 98 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,080 it's going to repeat it with the seven bowls of God's wrath. 99 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:42,800 And although the Book of Revelation is not strictly 100 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,520 chronological in every detail, I'm persuaded that a plain 101 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:51,520 reading of it would lead anybody to understand that it is indeed 102 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:55,280 a steady progression, even with the differences of the 103 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:57,440 judgments. When you come to the trumpets 104 00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:00,720 and the bulls, you can't deny that they become more intense. 105 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,000 In fact, by the time you get to the bulls, it's total 106 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,840 destruction. There's nothing left. 107 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,040 Everything is being cleaned up under God's wrath. 108 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,840 And if that's the framework of interpreting this book, at least 109 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:20,000 the most beneficial and realistic one, then what do we 110 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,360 do with this seal that reads like a finale? 111 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:29,000 I mean, what follows this? Well, as dramatic as the scene 112 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:33,120 is, I'm persuaded that when you consider the whole book, this is 113 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:36,960 merely a preview of God's full wrath. 114 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:42,600 This is not the conclusion. This is just a hint. 115 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:45,640 And you're going to see that in the coming weeks that things are 116 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,120 only going to get worse and worse. 117 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,920 So rather than this being a concluding curtain drop, 118 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:59,000 understand it more as a signal flare, reminding and telling 119 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:03,720 this final generation God's judgment has come. 120 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:10,120 Be prepared for eternal justice. And the primary purpose of this 121 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,840 terrifying display of power is to awaken this generation to the 122 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:18,280 realization that God has been behind all the calamities that 123 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:21,840 they endured. And He is soon approaching now 124 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:26,920 to give His final verdict. I understand the 6th seal to be 125 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:34,040 a major warning sign for a crowd of people who go on eating and 126 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:38,000 drinking, marrying, building, selling and buying. 127 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,840 You can't dismiss that God is behind this. 128 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:46,680 Look what I'm doing here. And as I was meditating on this 129 00:09:46,680 --> 00:09:50,960 passage, thinking how we can benefit from it, staring at 130 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:54,320 these verses, praying and wondering how can we make this 131 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,440 digestible, I realized something. 132 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:02,720 Something stood out to me. The word great shows up a total 133 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,280 of three times. Did you notice it? 134 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:10,000 Look again here at verse 12, when he opened the 6th seal. 135 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:14,120 I looked and behold, there was a great earthquake. 136 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,920 Not just an earthquake, great. Look at verse 15. 137 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:23,960 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones, significant 138 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:28,320 people being mentioned here, the great ones, and look at verse 17 139 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:34,640 for the great day of their wrath has come and who can stand? 140 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,920 That's helpful. Let's consider these things 141 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:41,760 separately. I want to talk to you today 142 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:46,920 about the great earthquake, the great ones, and the great day of 143 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,520 God's wrath. Let's look here at verse 12 144 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:52,640 again. I remember one of my professors 145 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,240 in seminary mentioning in class that he was preparing to do a 146 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:58,720 deep study. Ready, a deep study on 147 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:02,640 earthquakes in the Bible. I don't know if you ever got 148 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:07,120 through with it, but when he said that, I mean, you can only 149 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:08,480 remember so much in school, right? 150 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:11,400 For whatever reason, that stuck with me. 151 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:13,240 What an interesting subject to study. 152 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,640 Earthquakes in the Bible, they're everywhere in the 153 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:17,960 Scriptures. Have you noticed that? 154 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:24,080 And they are, more importantly, brought up at key moments in 155 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:29,800 redemptive history. In fact, whenever God shows up 156 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:35,960 at a very pivotal time, He loves to make His presence known on 157 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:41,520 the earth by shaking it. So you remember in Exodus 19 158 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:45,240 when the Lord meets with his people Israel at Mount Sinai? 159 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:49,480 We read there in Exodus 19 that when he arrived, the mountain 160 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:54,240 greatly trembled. Think now of our precious Lord 161 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:59,240 Jesus in Matthew 27, as He's there hanging suspended on a 162 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:04,480 cross, and as He was absorbing the wrath of God, bringing it to 163 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,840 completion. We read there that the earth 164 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:13,360 shook and the rocks split. And now, as we are examining the 165 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:18,000 final moments before the return of Christ, we find more than one 166 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:21,600 account of earthquakes. This is not the only earthquake 167 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:23,000 in the Book of Revelation, by the way. 168 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:26,840 There are a handful of them mentioned, and we'll see that 169 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,120 down through Revelation chapter 1616. 170 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:35,840 Now, some who don't want to take this too literally will say that 171 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:39,160 this description of cosmic disturbance is symbolic. 172 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:43,600 It's symbolic of the fall of empires and governments. 173 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,040 And the reason why they would say that is because when you go 174 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:50,040 to the Old Testament, similar imagery is often used to define 175 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:54,920 just that, the fall of rulers and their kingdoms. 176 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,160 But listen, you always have to work with the context. 177 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:00,560 I believe that the context suggests otherwise. 178 00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:03,120 There should be no doubt in any of our minds that we're reading 179 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:07,920 about a real prophecy, about real people who are responding 180 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:15,360 to a unprecedented yet very real earthquake, one that will occur 181 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:19,080 on a global scale. And the aftermath of this will 182 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,280 be so great that it will affect the atmosphere, perhaps through 183 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,280 volcanic eruptions. And if that wasn't enough, it's 184 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:29,040 going to be accompanied by the showers of meteors and stars 185 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:33,360 crashing into our world. This is terrifying. 186 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:35,520 This is frightening, and it should be. 187 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:39,640 But what's the point? What's the point of all of this? 188 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,840 And it helps to remember the earlier seals and what they 189 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,440 entailed. Think now, think, think, think. 190 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:47,960 Careful student of the Scriptures. 191 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:52,840 What's different about this seal with the previous ones? 192 00:13:53,560 --> 00:13:55,440 There's one important difference. 193 00:13:55,760 --> 00:14:00,280 When you looked at the 1st 4 seals, what you see is God's 194 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:05,720 judgment being released, but through human agency, the rise 195 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,480 of the Antichrist, wars and rumors of wars. 196 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,880 And because of those wars you have a famine, a man made 197 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,240 famine, and following that you have disease and pestilences and 198 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,840 all these things. God, in those previous judgments 199 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:24,240 act indirectly on the earth, but now when we come to the 6th 200 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,000 Seal, He's not working through humans. 201 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,280 He is directly interacting with human affairs. 202 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:36,400 He is showing up Himself. He's not just removing His hand 203 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:39,480 and letting us in our sinful nature destroy each other. 204 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:44,840 No, He is pressing His hand and He's showing all humanity that 205 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,800 He is the coming judge. That is the main difference that 206 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:51,560 we see here. Natural disasters have a way of 207 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:58,160 humbling us. They never fail to remind us how 208 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:02,040 puny we are and how fragile we are. 209 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:07,200 And to the honest, in response to these things, no matter the 210 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,760 scale, they will acknowledge that man is not really in 211 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,200 control. Oh, we borrow from the resources 212 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:15,840 of the earth, and we think that we can establish our own 213 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:18,320 territories. Sure, sure, sure, sure. 214 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:24,240 But when the world shakes, it never fails to remind us You're 215 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:26,160 not really in control if you're honest. 216 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,720 Some are so proud they dismiss these things. 217 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:33,080 And to the discerning, not only will they confess that we are 218 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,400 not really in control, they will acknowledge that someone else 219 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:40,120 is. The earth is the Lord's and the 220 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:44,520 fullness thereof. The psalmist says that's what 221 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:48,560 God is proving here. I'm in control and as 222 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:50,720 frightening as this great earthquake in this chapter, 223 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:53,280 maybe I don't believe it's the Lord trying to say through it. 224 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,840 I am God, don't mess with me, though He does do that 225 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,520 sometimes. I'm persuaded in my reading of 226 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:05,520 this book that even in this I see and I hear God saying I am 227 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:11,880 God. Come to me, surrender, give up, 228 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:15,680 stop fighting, stop resisting, stop ignoring. 229 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:20,880 Realize that this world is mine. Realize that this world is not 230 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:23,680 permanent. Realize that I'm coming back to 231 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:28,800 this world. That truth will become more 232 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:31,800 clear as we look at future disasters in Revelation. 233 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,840 In fact, in your own time, you go to these chapters following 234 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,720 and you'll realize that with some of these disasters, you 235 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:42,040 have an interesting commentary. We're talking about the final 236 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:45,640 lap of all things. And yet with some of these 237 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:49,880 catastrophes, the Holy Spirit writes, and they still did not 238 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:56,120 repent and give glory to God. So even though this window of 239 00:16:56,120 --> 00:17:01,360 grace is soon to be shut, we see God still wanting to use these 240 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:06,079 events to draw men unto himself, and they will refuse. 241 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:12,160 And this truth of God using even things like this to draw sinners 242 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,160 is found in other passages in Scripture. 243 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,119 So last night I got thinking about earthquakes. 244 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:22,680 Not going to do a deep study on it, but I thought of another 245 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:25,240 one. Let's turn there in Acts 16. 246 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:31,760 This is when Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Acts 16 verse 25. 247 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,560 And I had to be careful because what I read here kept me there 248 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:39,440 for a while. I was just relishing in it. 249 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,720 And I thought, we're preaching on revelation here. 250 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:48,280 I can't stay in Acts, but look at Acts 1625 down to verse 26. 251 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:52,280 About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns 252 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:57,320 to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly 253 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:01,200 there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the 254 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,560 prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were 255 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:06,080 open and everyone's bonds were unfastened. 256 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:08,440 I've heard this passage preached so many times. 257 00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:12,240 Maybe you have as well. And what's often emphasizes, Do 258 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:16,600 you see what prayer and praise can do in the midst of your 259 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,560 pain, Right? God came through. 260 00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:24,640 God invaded the space. God answered. 261 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:26,720 And that's right. You can, you can preach it. 262 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:29,400 You can teach it that way. You can find consolation from 263 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,840 this passage. But here's what dawned on me. 264 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:35,800 God shows up with a great earthquake. 265 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:40,400 And you know what he didn't do? He didn't deliver Paul and Silas 266 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:42,360 and kill their oppressors at the same time. 267 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:48,040 He didn't do that. Moreover, he didn't just shake 268 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:53,800 that prison and release only Paul and Silas. 269 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:57,320 That's where it got good for me. Look again at verse 26. 270 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:02,320 Carefully read your Bible slowly, the last sentence, and 271 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:09,560 immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's bonds 272 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,840 weren't fastened. Come on. 273 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,960 Those of us who know this story, how have we imagined it? 274 00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:19,240 The earthquake came. Paul and Silas were set free. 275 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:21,560 The door swung open and the jailer says, ho, ho. 276 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,480 And then they, you know, preach the gospel to me to get saved. 277 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:26,000 They go to this house and the house will get saved. 278 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:31,640 That's not what happened. The sounds of chains falling to 279 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,520 the ground was universal in that prison. 280 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,760 It wasn't just Paul and Silas. It was every prisoner, every 281 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:43,320 prisoner after this earthquake were freed. 282 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:46,520 Well, hold on. So I read again, I'm like, did 283 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:48,640 the prisoners pray? Did they sing praise? 284 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,520 No, they were just listening. They were just absorbing and 285 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:56,440 trying to make sense of these two crazy guys that were singing 286 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:00,400 at midnight. And when God decided to 287 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:07,320 vindicate his missionaries, in his mind he chose to set free 288 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:10,960 the other prisoners, not just his servants. 289 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:16,480 You see why I stuck here? I was just relishing in this. 290 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:21,040 I was basking in this God. You had in mind these other 291 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,800 jailers, you had in mind these other folk. 292 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,520 I understand Paul and Silas being freed, being rescued, but 293 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:30,760 you're giving an opportunity to these other criminals. 294 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:35,960 And if I don't be careful, I'll get carried away here. 295 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,400 So let me just say this. What can we take from this? 296 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:47,520 That God's mercy can be found even in earthquakes, no matter 297 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,400 how traumatic or tragic they are. 298 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:56,040 The great earthquake that will get the world's attention. 299 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,080 What makes the 6th seal different? 300 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:03,240 It's God showing up directly, and the world will understand 301 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,520 it. But let's come now to the great 302 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:09,040 ones in Revelation 6 and verse 15. 303 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,000 How will the inhabitants of the earth respond to the great 304 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,080 shaking? Here let's consider it. 305 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,040 Verse 15 reads. Then the kings of the earth and 306 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:21,880 the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful 307 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:26,080 and everyone slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and 308 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:27,840 among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the 309 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:35,440 mountains and rocks fall on us. This verse teaches us something 310 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:37,800 incredibly important beyond demonstrating that this 311 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:41,800 earthquake was so massive that it will impact everyone. 312 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:46,120 That's obvious. Take note of the different 313 00:21:46,120 --> 00:21:53,440 social classes mentioned, kings, generals, the rich and powerful, 314 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:58,000 and even slaves. It's so obvious here that there 315 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:02,880 is a diversity of social classes and occupations and status. 316 00:22:04,120 --> 00:22:09,200 But here's what moved me When God stepped on the scene, none 317 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:14,200 of those distinctions mattered None. 318 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:19,720 They all fled for the hills. They all stuck their heads 319 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:25,080 between cliffs, between rocks. They all flung themselves into 320 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:28,920 caves. None of these things made a 321 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:34,480 difference when God showed up. Listen, who you aspire to 322 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:39,480 become, how men recognize you, your accolades, your 323 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:45,840 achievements mean nothing if you are not right with God zero. 324 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:50,000 Because at the end of the day, let me remind you, and you're 325 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:51,800 going to be reminded of this frequently in the Book of 326 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,040 Revelation. Everything, everything, 327 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:56,840 everything. Your most prized possession, the 328 00:22:56,840 --> 00:23:00,560 thing that you sweat so much for, even if you sweat blood, 329 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,200 whatever it is that you invested in the matter, it is that you 330 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:05,200 are impassioned about. Listen to me very carefully. 331 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,440 It will all be stripped away and the only thing that will truly 332 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:13,640 count is what you did with Jesus Christ. 333 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:16,120 What did you do with His message? 334 00:23:16,360 --> 00:23:18,760 What did you do with the person of Christ? 335 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:24,160 That's all that matters if you're a king or a slave. 336 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:31,720 Regardless, they were all found on equal ground when God showed 337 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:35,960 up. It seems as though John borrowed 338 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:39,440 from Isaiah. Listen to these words from 339 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,000 Isaiah too, because I just gave you an application for the 340 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,680 unbeliever, but this is something for the believer in 341 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,640 Isaiah 2 verse 20. You don't have to turn there, 342 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:50,280 but tell me if this sounds familiar. 343 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:56,040 The prophet says in Isaiah 220. In that day mankind will 344 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:59,440 castaway their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which 345 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:03,120 they made for themselves to worship to the moles and to the 346 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:06,320 bats. And people worship these kind of 347 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:07,520 things. Yeah, they still do today. 348 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:15,640 Verse 21 To enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefs of the 349 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:19,640 cliffs, from before the terror of the Lord, and from the 350 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:23,640 splendor of His Majesty when he rises to terrify the earth. 351 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,320 Sound familiar? But Isaiah gives us an 352 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,240 application in the final verse of this chapter. 353 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,800 Look at verse 22. Stop regarding man and whose 354 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:39,240 nostrils is breath, for what account is he? 355 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:48,360 So Isaiah wants you to see men of all kinds of status, of all 356 00:24:48,360 --> 00:24:51,240 kinds of achievements and accomplishments, of all kinds of 357 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:57,480 power, men who sit in palaces and men who are also pappers, no 358 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:01,720 matter who they are, understand that in the presence of God, 359 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:07,000 they're nothing. So why are you afraid of man? 360 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:11,480 Why are you so obsessed with people's opinions? 361 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,520 They're borrowing their next breath from God. 362 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:19,680 They're weak. Why do we make so much of 363 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:24,120 pastors? Why do we elevate them too much? 364 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:27,640 Why do we think that they're cherubim with a tie on? 365 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,320 They're humans and they're borrowing their next heartbeat 366 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:35,240 from God. Why do you fear your enemies, 367 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:42,040 The threats, the intimidation? Who cares? 368 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:46,360 Because in light of God's presence, they're nothing. 369 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:51,480 They're nothing. So I look at Revelation 6 and I 370 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:56,920 see all these great ones cowering, dropping everything 371 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:03,040 and flying to the mountains. This is the fate of those who 372 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:07,520 oppose God. So why am I to fear if God is on 373 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:12,520 my side now? God will show up in a great 374 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:14,680 earthquake. But as we read in Acts 16, he 375 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:16,360 can show up with a great earthquake now, and he can 376 00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:20,160 localize it to your home. He can localize it to the local 377 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,080 church. He's in charge. 378 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,680 He can do everything. And I serve this God. 379 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:31,640 You serve this God. But what I find more fascinating 380 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:36,280 than this wide range of people not only fleeing from this 381 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:40,360 massive disruption is that they also prayed because of it. 382 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:45,080 Did you notice that? However, their prayers weren't 383 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:48,280 quite what we hoped for? Look at verse 16 again of 384 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:56,280 Revelation 6, calling to the mountains and rocks, not to the 385 00:26:56,280 --> 00:27:01,680 Creator, but to creation. Not to the rock of our 386 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,120 salvation, but to literal stones. 387 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:11,320 God can save anyone. We need to have that hope He can 388 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:14,400 rescue and redeem any person, no matter how wicked they are. 389 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:19,600 At the same time, we have to be willing to acknowledge that 390 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:23,560 there are some who will still refuse to surrender to the 391 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:26,560 Savior even in the face of undeniable power and authority. 392 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:34,080 You would think that with these who survived this disaster that 393 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:37,280 they would finally realize it and call out to the Lord, but 394 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,560 they don't. They're more willing to call out 395 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:43,640 to inanimate objects More than that. 396 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:47,200 Listen, there are some people that hate the truth and love 397 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,000 darkness so much that they rather face a horrible death 398 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:54,360 than bend the knee to Jesus Christ. 399 00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:57,320 Can you imagine that? Can you imagine praying to a 400 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:04,080 mountain fall on me? This is how warped man's heart 401 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:07,160 is. This is how dark the soul is 402 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:11,120 apart from Christ. That even as he is undeniably 403 00:28:11,120 --> 00:28:15,280 shaking the very foundation beneath our feet, people will 404 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:20,600 still deny him and refuse him. This is sobering, but it's true 405 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:25,200 nonetheless. And if calling to mountains and 406 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:30,160 rocks wasn't strange enough, what's even more remarkable is 407 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:34,840 the belief of this people that they can actually escape 408 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:40,480 judgement. What are they asking the rocks 409 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:43,640 to do? Fall on us so that we can hide 410 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:47,880 from the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the 411 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:49,120 Lamb? I mentioned this a few weeks 412 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:50,960 ago. I've never seen a lamb angry. 413 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:53,800 Have you? I was so curious when I realized 414 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:55,920 this that I had to Google it and it was the cutest thing I've 415 00:28:55,920 --> 00:29:01,280 ever seen a lamb angry. Look it up at lunch, you can't 416 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:04,720 find anything. They don't have horns, they 417 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:07,000 don't have fangs, they don't have claws. 418 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:13,880 They're clouds with feet. And yet here we realized the 419 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:18,560 wrath of the Lamb. I understand the wrath of a 420 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:21,760 lion. Why this imagery? 421 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:26,160 To show that the same one who laid down his life in great love 422 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:30,400 for us as a Lamb will also when they come in wrath. 423 00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:34,240 I mentioned to you this last week, be careful of those who 424 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,080 present and preach a Jesus who is empty of wrath. 425 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:40,240 He doesn't exist. He does not exist. 426 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:46,160 He may exist in cartoons or in popular TV shows that try to 427 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:48,000 represent Christ. It's not the Christ of the 428 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:53,040 Bible. The wrath of the Lamb will come 429 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:55,960 one day and they thought they can hide from it. 430 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:02,960 What a foolish thought. They fail to realize that the 431 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:08,120 only way to evade the wrath of God is to hide in Christ 432 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:11,600 Himself. We don't use that language 433 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:14,640 frequently when we talk about salvation, but it's in the Word. 434 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:19,600 One of my favorite pictures and language used is in Hebrews 618. 435 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:22,960 Can we turn there in Hebrews 618? 436 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:26,520 Hebrews. What an amazing book. 437 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,600 One of the reasons why it's so enthralling to me is because 438 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:35,320 it's dripping with Old Testament references and allusions, 439 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:41,640 including this Hebrews 618. So that by two unimaginable or 440 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:45,280 unchangeable things rather, in which it is impossible for God 441 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:51,000 to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong 442 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:54,920 encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 443 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:58,000 You see what he's saying. This author, this mastermind, 444 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:00,920 this brilliant theologian who put together the book of Hebrews 445 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:06,000 by the Spirit, he tells his audience, we who have fled for 446 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,040 refuge. Now, you can take that at face 447 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,080 value. Yeah, we, we flee for refuge in 448 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,080 Christ. But he's referring to the cities 449 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:14,640 of refuge in the Old Testament, that if you committed 450 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:18,600 involuntary manslaughter, God had determined allotted cities 451 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:21,600 accessible at any point, no matter where you are in the 452 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:23,640 promised land. These cities have been 453 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:28,040 designated that you can actually find your way there and that you 454 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,720 had a chance to run to the cities of refuge lest the 455 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:36,040 avenger of that person's blood find you and justly deal with 456 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:40,440 you. Now the author here talks to 457 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:45,400 Christians and he says we who have fled for refuge, implying 458 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,440 what? That Christ is the greater city 459 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,800 of refuge. And notice this, He says we who 460 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:56,280 have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement. 461 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:01,440 Encouragement is tied to the experience of Christ being our 462 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:05,400 refuge. He's talking about us possessing 463 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:14,400 an immovable, unshakable, firm, constant trust that no one will 464 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:18,520 avenge me. No one will come after me, no 465 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:21,760 one will destroy me. And if you were here, precious 466 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:26,160 believer, and you can't say with confidence that I know strong 467 00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:31,360 encouragement in the Redeemer being my refuge, all that 468 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:36,800 signifies is that you have yet to learn just how safe and 469 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:42,960 secure Christ is. Can I tell you one reason why 470 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,320 He's greater than the cities of refuge in the Old Testament? 471 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:48,320 The cities of refuge in the Old Testament were only for the 472 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:51,760 innocent, but Jesus is for the guilty. 473 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:55,840 The cities of refuge were for those who accidentally killed 474 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:57,560 someone. But even if you are here today 475 00:32:57,560 --> 00:32:59,520 and your hands are stained with blood and nobody else knows 476 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,840 about it, you can flee to Christ and he will protect you. 477 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:06,200 You repent, you run to Him. He will shield you. 478 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:09,800 You will be hidden in Christ, so that even when this great 479 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:12,640 earthquake comes, even when these final judgments are 480 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:20,480 unleashed, you'll be untouched. Which brings me to my final 481 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:24,920 point. As great as a wrath of the Lamb 482 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:29,040 will be, it can be escaped. Let's talk about the great day 483 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:30,480 of wrath. We just talked about the great 484 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:32,240 ones. Look at verse 17. 485 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:35,480 For the great day of their wrath has come. 486 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:40,000 Notice that God is 1 but in a plurality of persons For the 487 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:45,120 great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? 488 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:48,400 I don't want to spend the remaining time before we break 489 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:52,160 bread here to discuss the greatness of God's wrath. 490 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:56,040 We'll have much more revelation to to explore related to that. 491 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:01,880 I just want to simply answer the question that these kings and 492 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:06,720 great ones and slaves and free asked in response to it. 493 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:12,120 Who can stand? It's a rhetorical question. 494 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:18,440 It's so clear no one, not one person, no matter how powerful 495 00:34:18,440 --> 00:34:21,120 or wealthy they are, no matter how loved, no matter what kind 496 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:25,440 of lawyers you have, will be able to endure the wrath of God. 497 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:32,760 Every person will be consumed. God does not judge impartially. 498 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:37,199 He will faithfully vindicate His name and faithfully deal with 499 00:34:37,199 --> 00:34:40,440 those who have denied His Son and deny the blood. 500 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:46,719 But there is one group of people that can stand. 501 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:50,800 Paul tells us in Romans 5. This is our final passage. 502 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:54,400 It's worth turning there and verse one and two. 503 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:04,280 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have 504 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:07,040 peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 505 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:11,920 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into 506 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:18,400 this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the 507 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:26,960 glory of God who can stand and face the great day of their 508 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:30,840 wrath. And Paul says you don't have to 509 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:35,280 worry about standing before God's wrath because in Christ, 510 00:35:35,920 --> 00:35:46,000 through faith, because of grace, you stand firmly in grace and 511 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:51,120 his forgiveness and His refuge, and nothing can change that. 512 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:55,880 Can I ask you a question using this idea of standing as an 513 00:35:55,880 --> 00:36:00,000 image? What line are you standing in? 514 00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:07,600 Just imagine with me two lines. Here's line number one, being 515 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:09,560 prepared to face the great day of God's wrath. 516 00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:13,800 Are you in that line? I'm not really thinking about 517 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:15,360 it. I got a wedding coming up. 518 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:16,800 That's not going to change this appointment. 519 00:36:19,240 --> 00:36:20,440 I'm not really thinking about it. 520 00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:23,000 I'm so caught up with business and my building projects. 521 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:24,960 OK, You think that's going to change anything? 522 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:30,080 I'm popular. Who cares? 523 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:31,200 Look at the kings and the generals. 524 00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:32,800 They're going to find themselves in caves one day. 525 00:36:34,200 --> 00:36:37,960 I'm A Celebrity. I feel bad for you, actually. 526 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:42,160 What does it matter what people say about you or write about 527 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:46,720 you? You're dependent upon another 528 00:36:46,720 --> 00:36:48,240 breath and only God can grant it. 529 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:51,760 What line are you standing in? Are you in line number 1 today? 530 00:36:52,880 --> 00:36:57,800 Is your appointment to face this unthinkable experience of the 531 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:01,320 fury of God's holy justice? Or are you in line number two? 532 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:02,600 You're saying what's in line number 2? 533 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:10,680 The opposite of line number one, that you are prepared to face 534 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:17,880 his immeasurable love and to receive not wrath but 535 00:37:17,880 --> 00:37:23,840 fellowship, not holy anger, but overwhelming affection. 536 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:26,840 Are you in that line? You're saying, well, look, I 537 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:29,240 don't know which one I'm in. In fact, I'm inclined to think 538 00:37:29,240 --> 00:37:31,240 I'm in line number one. Well, if you're in line #2 you 539 00:37:31,240 --> 00:37:34,080 know, you can actually be removed from that and find 540 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:36,920 yourself in the line that I'm speaking about here saying, how 541 00:37:36,920 --> 00:37:42,080 do I get there? The bridge, the transfer is 542 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:45,880 believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting that He is the 543 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:47,600 lame of God who takes away the sin of the world. 544 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:51,440 Trusting that you are deserving of His wrath, but also a 545 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:54,680 recipient by faith of His love if you were to believe it. 546 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:57,280 And you have nothing to worry about. 547 00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:01,800 In fact, when you find yourself in this line, this sacrifice is 548 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:06,080 so great that God will put guardrails and keep you in that 549 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:08,800 line. And no matter who's here, no 550 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:12,840 matter what force, nothing can separate you from standing 551 00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:14,960 there. Nothing can take you away from 552 00:38:14,960 --> 00:38:18,760 the destiny of being in His glory forever and ever. 553 00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:21,080 That's the greatness of the sacrifice. 554 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:25,760 And I find it exciting that the way we do communion here is that 555 00:38:25,760 --> 00:38:31,240 we get on the line and we're going to take a piece of that 556 00:38:31,240 --> 00:38:36,080 bread and a small portion of that cup to remember. 557 00:38:36,080 --> 00:38:40,480 Romans 5, verse 2. Through him we have also 558 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:44,000 obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. 559 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:47,960 I want you to think about that, believer, as you are ready to 560 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:52,520 partake this afternoon. You are coming here and 561 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:56,360 rejoicing in the truth. That wrath is not for you. 562 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:58,720 I don't want to face this right? You don't have to. 563 00:38:58,720 --> 00:39:00,960 If you're listening to me, if you're trembling there, I'm 564 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:02,280 trying to keep yourself together. 565 00:39:02,480 --> 00:39:03,920 You don't have to know this wrath. 566 00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:05,800 You don't have to face the wrath of the Lamb. 567 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:07,840 But what might do that? You must embrace the Lamb of 568 00:39:07,840 --> 00:39:10,960 God. And if you have not done that, 569 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:15,880 do it today. Don't you dare mindlessly 570 00:39:15,880 --> 00:39:19,680 participate in this, not knowing where your salvation lies more 571 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:21,600 than you participating in any ordinance. 572 00:39:22,840 --> 00:39:27,160 Call out to the Lord, ask Him to forgive you, repent of your sin, 573 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:30,800 and He will flood your heart with an assurance that will 574 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:35,120 provide strong encouragement. Believer, I encourage you to, as 575 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:37,600 we sing, to reflect on your own heart. 576 00:39:38,440 --> 00:39:43,200 Are you truly living for Christ? I know all of us in here feel 577 00:39:43,520 --> 00:39:46,040 unworthy if we think about it long enough that we're not as 578 00:39:46,040 --> 00:39:47,880 faithful as we can be. I'm not talking about that. 579 00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:50,840 I'm talking about justifying disobedience. 580 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:53,120 I'm talking about you ignoring something the Lord has been 581 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:55,520 convicting you about and you have not dealt with it. 582 00:39:56,480 --> 00:39:59,520 If you are holding on to something, don't grab these 583 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:03,920 elements yet. Do business with God that will 584 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:08,680 please Him more than this. But believer, this is a time of 585 00:40:08,680 --> 00:40:10,720 celebration. We're reading about these 586 00:40:10,720 --> 00:40:13,880 judgments and we're going to stand in line and say that's not 587 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:16,800 my portion, that's not my future. 588 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:20,720 I stand in the grace of God. Let's pray. 589 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:40,240 We thank you, Father, you are so kind to us. 590 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:45,160 How even in these prophecies about the future we can learn 591 00:40:45,160 --> 00:40:48,760 about who you are today. And Lord, we have come to 592 00:40:48,760 --> 00:40:53,040 rejoice in our redemption. We've come now to obey what you 593 00:40:53,040 --> 00:40:56,360 have instructed your church to do, and that is to take these 594 00:40:56,360 --> 00:40:59,840 elements and to reflect on what you have done and what you will 595 00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:02,520 do. Lord, thank You that because of 596 00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:07,120 your love for us, what we can anticipate is a feast. 597 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:11,520 You told us that you would not drink of this cup again until 598 00:41:11,520 --> 00:41:13,600 you drink it with us in Your Kingdom. 599 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:17,160 And so, Lord, we thank you that what we saw here in Revelation 6 600 00:41:17,160 --> 00:41:20,240 is not for us. And Lord, for the one who is not 601 00:41:20,240 --> 00:41:22,720 sure what their future holds, may today be the day of 602 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:26,160 salvation, and may they receive Christ wholeheartedly and 603 00:41:26,160 --> 00:41:28,520 experience this great love that we are rejoicing in. 604 00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:33,840 Continue to be with us, Lord, move our hearts as we taste and 605 00:41:33,840 --> 00:41:38,320 see your kindness once more in Jesus name, Amen. 606 00:41:39,320 --> 00:41:42,440 The praise team is going to come and join us and to lead us in a 607 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:44,680 reflective song as that's taking place. 608 00:41:45,560 --> 00:41:51,080 Sing these lyrics and tune your heart to the sacredness of this 609 00:41:51,080 --> 00:41:55,440 moment. Don't think about your sin 610 00:41:55,560 --> 00:41:58,360 unless you need to repent of it. Think about the Savior. 611 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:04,160 Think about His obedience, His perfection, His righteousness on 612 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:06,600 your behalf. You're not coming here because 613 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:09,360 of your performance. You've come here because He has 614 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:13,480 done all the work and you're a recipient of His mercy. 615 00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:16,920 That's why you're coming here. OK, well, let's stand now. 616 00:42:17,720 --> 00:42:18,440 Let's celebrate.